Espada

[Vereaux]

Espada - The Rulers of Hueco Mundo

The Espada are the rulers of Hueco Mundo, and the most powerful of all Hollow species, Hollows, Menos, and even the Arrancar. More often than not, the Espada, as well as those under them, are made of entirely Arrancar, due to their power and growth abilities. However, due to the sudden disappearance of high level beings, the Espada will slowly be made of other Hollows of the Menos class, until eventually, over time, the Arrancars take their positions as the most powerful. At any given time under normal circumstances, the Espada will be made of ten members, each with power comparable to that of the Gotei 13 Captains. Each member is assigned a number from 1 to 10, according to power level from least to highest number. Numbers vary but generally, except for the demoted Espada, those of lower number are always the more powerful. The Primera Espada, First Espada, holds absolute authority over all of Hueco Mundo, a position equivalent to the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13. To challenge the Primera is to challenge the Espada themselves.

The Espada are assigned numbers and titles according to their power and ability, their numbers always tattooed somewhere on their body, whether it be visible or hidden. The Primera Espada holds the number 1, the strongest of the Espada. The Segunda Espada holds the number 2, the Tres Espada holding the number 3, Cuatro Espada 4, Quinto Espada 5, Sexta Espada 6, Septima Espada 7, Octava Espada 8, Noveno Espada 9, and the Diez Espada holding the number 10. Often times, as each Espada grows in power, some may grow powerful enough to challenge the authority of next. At such a time, the other Espada must bare witness to the battle between the challenger and the challenged. When one is defeated or dead, only then can a winner be pronounced. At such a time, a number of things can happen depending on the Espada that it involves. If an Espada of lower rank defeats one of higher rank, the challenged's rank goes up by one number, and the challenger tasks their place. If the Diez Espada is defeated, they are demoted.

If the Septima Espada were to challenge the Sexta Espada and win, the Septima Espada would become the new Sexta Espada, and the former Sexta Espada would become the new Septima Espada. In the unlikely case an Espada of higher number challenges an Espada of a lower number, with a one or more member difference, and wins, all of their numbers change. The Sexta Espada defeating the Cuatro Espada causes the Quinto Espada to become the new Sexta Espada, the former Cuatro Espada to become the new Quinto Espada, and the former Sexta Espada to become the new Cuatro Espada. However, such a case almost never happens because of the significant power differences between one Espada to the next. A Diez Espada could never hope to fight a Sexta Espada because of the wide power difference. It is most common instead to try to defeat the Espada directly more powerful than you. It is possible, however, to suddenly have a new person added to the mix, defeating one of the Espada and causing the Diez Espada to become demoted.

These demoted Espada, unable to reobtain their former rank, are known as the Privaron Espada, and are assigned a three digit number. Though these Privaron Espada are not any more the rulers of Hueco Mundo, their power does still command respect amongst those weaker than themselves, and such authority also extends to the Numeros, the ones commanded by the Espada. The Numeros are assigned numbers from 11 to 99, indicating again their strength, which can vary only slightly or largely depending on the individual. They are the specialists, and assist the Espada in whatever way needed on various missions and assignments. They are superior to all others in Hueco Mundo, except for the Espada, of course. Generally, the Privaron Espada are stronger than the Numeros, but this is not always the case. The Numeros are often chosen to become the Fraccion of an Espada, highly loyal subordinates that will follow any order given by their master. Some Espada choose not to have any Fraccion, while others have dozens. Privaron Espada, however, are not able to have any Fraccion after their demotion, but even they may become a Fraccion to another Espada. Such cases are highly unlikely, as Privaron Espada will more likely try to acquire back their former glory from another Espada, if not the one they serve.

The various missions that the Espada undergo is looking for other Hollows and Arrancar to increase their ranks and power, as well as search particularly for any other Vasto Lorde. On these searches, the Espada are sent in pairs, a senior Espada leading one of lower rank, along with any other they wish to bring with them. Though they are looking for others to increase their ranks, and possibly replace those too weak for a position as an Espada, they do not wish to lose one of their own. Such an action would cause damage to their ranks if one of their own Espada, Numeros, or Fraccion, were to die at any point in time. They are, like others, still possessing of honor to keeping their own alive, such as a commander would to keeping his soldiers alive.

The location and headquarters of the Espada is a place known as Las Noches, a massive fortress that can be seen for miles and miles, and is many miles in diameter. It consists of a main, domed building at center, surrounded by several large towers and smaller buildings. The top of the dome consists of five smaller towers, which serve various purposes depending on the tower. One is the meeting hall for the Espada, another a prison, and the other three serve as the personal quarters of the top three Espada. All Espada, as well as Privaron Espada, have their own personal quarters throughout Las Noches, which is a vast desert like the rest of Hueco Mundo, buildings laid everywhere within. Each of their quarters is tailored to their own tastes. The top three Espada have the three towers atop Las Noches, but may choose to have another of their liking within Las Noches itself. Some prefer this, as the inside possesses a sky dome, mimicking the appearance of the skies of the Living World, and always in day time. Some of the Espada, under certain circumstances, are not allowed to release their full power within Las Noches, namely their Resurreccion, for doing so would destroy most of its structure. Not all Espada have such power, but this rule most often applies to the highest ranked of the Espada.