Chapter 03

Transcendence
Chapter 03: I am Human! I am a Soul! I am a Shinimagi!
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Two Days after the Hatecraft Naga Attack
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Sandris leaned heavily on the wooden railing of her balcony; she had a lot on her mind at the moment.
As of late there has been nothing but trouble across the globe and that didn't stop it from finding its way to her fortress that carried her namesake. She could see her warriors and many different builders working to repair the damage that had been done by the Hatecrest Naga. They were lucky they only suffered minor damage during the raid. Had the Naga remained after their leader’s death the fortress may have suffered far greater than what they had.
This fortress was originally built to keep an eye of the activities of the Naga in the region, to make sure that they didn't think about trying to make a move on the mainland, and sadly they weren't equipped to build walls or other barricades. Their resources were currently strained at the moment. Most of the resources the sentinels are suing is going to Ashenvale to ward off the Horde incursions into the area, continual requests for reinforcements and supplies had been in the many, but only a few had been answered and fewer that actually offered what was needed.
They had tried to reason that they were dealing with very dangerous adversaries and needed more resources and soldiers to hold them back, but sadly Tyrande had been having difficulty getting Fandral Staghelm to send aid down to them. Stating that a few Naga shouldn't be a problem for the Sentinel General, but it was more than a few Naga they were dealing with now.
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The forces of Eldre'Thalas had begun to stir.
The once great Capital City of Queen Azshara's Highborne servitors, a place where one could live in peace and harmony without a care in the world. But for the last ten thousand years it has rotted into a blighted ruin and shadow of its former glory, and amply named Dire Maul by the newest rulers of the city, the Gordunni Ogres.
The city had been bustling with activity over the last few weeks. Mainly reports of Demons and Highborne Arcanists, but that was nothing new. But now there were reports of a large demonic incursion within the ruined city, led by an unknown Dreadlord who is now trying to take over the entirety of the ruined capital for unknown reasons.
Even she could tell that no matter the reasons behind the actions of the inhabitants of the twisted nether, it does not bode well for the people of this world. She couldn't send out anyone to deal with it... Well, more correctly not her own forces. She had tried to make contact with the Horde camp in Eastern Feralas, even though she had no love for the Orcs and Trolls, the Tauren she was more than willing to work with. She and her rangers had worked with them in the past when dealing with the Grimtotem tribes that had moved into the region as well as Thousand Needles.
She had sent word to them of the situation and has yet to receive word back. Either they were not interested or they were busy trying to get reinforcements in to deal with it, but either way they were running out of time. But even those two things were not as bad as the one that was occurring in her own fortress at this moment.
For the Hatecrest Naga may be a stone throws away from her fortress, there may be a distinct possibility that there could be a demon in their camp right now, which is currently unconscious and waiting to be woken.
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She had no idea if he was a demon or not. After all, he did save the Inn Keeper and all her tenants when the Naga broke into the Inn and he also saved that young girl Adelina, and went toe to toe with the Naga leader and vanquished him in a grand display of power.
Power which she has never before witnessed!
She may not be able to sense the demons, but she could tell that he was not human, at least not fully. Already Quintis and her Sentinels were guarding him in a small room on the other side of the Isle. She wanted to be there to question him when he wakes up, she wanted to know exactly who this man is and where he came from, and she was sure that where he did come from wasn't anywhere near the Eastern Kingdoms that the humans live or from Theramore. And with that demonic taint on him... She knew that there was more to this boy then she knew, but what she didn't know she would find out soon enough.
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Soon a sentinel walked into the room and bowed towards the Ranger General, Shadris looked at her and saw she was one of the sentinels she had guarding the unknown human boy.
"Is he awake?" Questioned Shadris, her tone showing that she was eager to go there and begin the interrogation on the boy.
"Yes, Lady Shadris, he had woken several minutes ago and is currently being spoken to by Quintis Jonespyre." Replied the sentinel.
Shandris didn't even wait to let her finish before she made a move for the door, ready to see once and for all if this man was a friend or a foe.
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Five Minutes Ago, Feathermoon Inn
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Ichigo could hear the sound of bird chirping and the sound of the waves washing onto the beach before he woke fully from his slumber. And when he did wake up and his other sense took effect he almost wished they were as dull as they were a moment ago. The stiffness had returned. Although it wasn't as bad as it was the first time he woke up in this place, but still it hindered his movements enough to make him not want to try and sit up.
He looked around and saw that he was back in his room and not alone. In fact he had a lot of company, many of which were Sentinels, as well as Quintis, and from the looks they were giving him, they were not here for a social call, he could see from many of their expressions that if looks could kill, he would have been buried long before he woke up.
"How long was I out?" Asked Ichigo, rubbing the weariness from his eyes, not knowing if it was from deprivation of sleep or from exhaustion of the fight he had against those Naga creatures.
"Two days. Your wounds were quite severe, but not life threatening." Said Quintis.
His words not carrying the same friendly tone they once did when they spoke to one another a few days ago, it looked like that stunt he pulled against that Naga must have made these people suspicious of him.
"Is Shyria and that girl okay?" Ichigo asked.
He looked over to see the man's stern face remain, but in truth it was always like that, he made up for it with a much more friendlier tone.
"Yes, Shyria and the other resident are safe and the girl as well. They are safe, because of you." He replied, his tone much lighter than it was a moment ago.
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He was grateful for what he did but he still couldn't allow that to judge his decision if this man before them is a demon. But he knew that though his power feels demonic, he knew that it wasn't so. That feeling he felt from the boy, he felt it before, at first it had eluded him and remained unnoticed, but when he felt it when Ichigo struck down those Naga, and he knew what it was in an instant.
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Just as Quintis answered his question two people entered the room, the first was the Sentinel that left as soon as Ichigo began to stir and the other, not unexpected, was Shadris Feathermoon. Obviously here to question the boy personally about that little feat he performed two days ago.
She wore the form fitting armor of blue and dark purple, obviously for its use as camouflage when moving through the wilderness. She decided to forgo the Sentinel mask that she would often wear in the field as well as her bow. She walked up to the boy and stood next to his bed and gazed at him.
Her glowing orbs of white meeting his brown eyes. She was studying him, trying to gauge his character before she spoke to him and find the best way to get the information she wanted out of him.
He was strong that she could tell, his iron will and desire to fight on even when wounded showed that, but the willingness to risk his life to save one person, though almost naive was a great part of his character, the desire to protect everyone around him. A fools ambition, not something that a warrior would try to aspire to, but him, he didn't think he could protect everyone, he believed he could. She could see it in his eyes when he saw Adelina about to be killed, the drive to protect and safeguard her from harm.
Even though she was a stranger he didn't hesitate to defend her. Something that few warriors would do, even with all his power and skill he would gladly use it only to protect others, even if it meant getting hurt he would not shy away from a fight.
That is what she saw that day and that is what she saw now - a warrior, not one who seeks battle to attain glory or riches, but to defend what is precious to him. That is his reason to fight; that is the reason he lives, why no matter how hard they struck him, how badly they wounded him, he would not fall until he knew those he was protecting were safe.
"I am Shadris Feathermoon, General of the Sentinel Army and Commander of this Stronghold; I would like to thank you for your assistance in protecting this fortress and its people from the Hatecrest Naga." Said Shadris, surprising the Druid and some of the Sentinels.
They had thought they had come here to keep him under guard because he was a potential threat, but had they actually come here to keep him safe from harm?
"No problem." Said Ichigo. He looked around the room and stared at the mildly surprised Sentinels. He had a suspicion that this was not what was meant to be happening, so he decided to ask. "So may I ask: Am I a prisoner?"
"Even though you did save us from one enemy, we cannot determine if you are one as well." Said Shadris, reaffirming the thoughts of the Sentinels in the room about their 'prisoner', the ones that were only a moment ago begrudgingly relaxing stiffened up once more.
"I am not your enemy. You saved my live, nursed me back to health, on more than one occasion. What reason do I have to be your enemy?" Asked Ichigo, his trademark scowl in place, really wanting to know the logic on how he was their enemy.
Shadris looked at the boy and almost smirked, even with all his heroics, he was still a boy.
"Because you are far from what you appear to be. True you were nursed back to health by us, but not because we just wanted to repay you, we want information." She said, looking down at him pointedly, as if her eyes were daggers, she pierced right through him and continued to digging. "You have something that makes you a potential enemy and with your power we cannot be too careless."
"And what exactly makes me an enemy?" Demanded Ichigo.
He wanted to sit up and say it to her face but his wounds and stiffness didn't really allow him free range movement, instead all he could do was stare up at her with a deep scowl.
"Because you smell like a demon." Said Shadris, utter contempt for the creatures and the word she just uttered, and from the looks of the Sentinels around the room, that sentiment was shared by them all.
Ichigo however looked on in shock, they thought he was demon? Where the hell would they get that idea? Wait, maybe it was because he was in that place and when he was there, that weird energy must have seeped onto him or something.
"I can tell you, I'm not a demon, but as for the stink, I think I got it from those things in the ruins in the forest." Said Ichigo, Shandris narrowed her eyes at the young man.
Ruins? He must be speaking of Dire Maul, they were the closest ruins near here that were infested with demons, could he have come from there? A group of treasure hunters searching for riches within the ancient Highborne city?
"What do you mean? What things?" Demanded Shandris, her hands no longer folded over her chest, now at her sides and her hand balled into fists, ready to use them if the boy wasted her time.
"When I woke up I was inside this massive room, there were these people there, like you, they were fighting against this large Demon-dog-thing and another one that had hooves, wing and horns." Said Ichigo, everyone in the room realized he was speaking about the Highborne within Dire Maul. They had been reported to be performing arcane rituals within the confines of the city, but demonic? That was new. She was right that he came from the city, the description of them may be shabby but it was enough to confirm that he was there, but why he was there was another question. "They were saying that the Demon was loose, I had no idea what was going on, so I ran. Tried to get out of there. Eventually I did and when I was going through the forest I eventually blacked out, and that's where you guys found me I guess."
"Sadly there is one problem with your story." said Quintis, staring down at him harshly, as if catching him in a lie, Ichigo looked up at the green haired elf and wondered what he was talking about. He didn't lie, so what was it about his story that he didn't believe? "True there is a lingering presence of a demon on you, but the essence I felt that day isn't coming from that lingering energy, it is coming from you right now. Please explain to us, what is the cause of this?"
Ichigo was dumbstruck for a moment, demonic energy coming from him? That wasn't right! There was no way he was giving off demonic energy, there had to be something else he was referring to... Wait! Reiatsu, maybe he felt his Reiatsu. It's possible he mistook it for demonic energy, after all Reiatsu was dense spiritual energy and even though it is from the soul it is very dense, so that means that the feeling one gets when coming in contact with it may have caused them to think it was demonic rather than just energy or Mana.
"I think you’re mistaking it for something else." Said Ichigo, looking over to the druid, who narrowed his eyes at the boy, thinking he is going to create up some sort of half-assed excuse on why he doesn't have demonic energy coming off of him like stink from a ghoul. "It's not demonic energy, its spiritual pressure."
"Spiritual Pressure? What are you talking about child?" said Quintis, Ichigo scowl deepened at the comment about his age but remained calm, one wrong move and he was as good as dead in these guys books.
"Spiritual Pressure is the energy that makes up my body, similar to how you use Mana; I use the energy from my own spirit to fight." Said Ichigo. "The reason it may have felt wrong was because Spirit Pressure is very dense and can be misinterpreted as bad."
Shandris looked into the boy's eyes to see if he was lying, and from what she could tell he was either a good liar or telling the truth, but still she needed to speak with Quintis about this. She motioned his off to the side and spoke with him quietly for a moment.
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When they were out of earshot of the boy they conversed, all the while Ichigo looked on trying to pick up any words he could, this may be the point where they decide to have him released or executed, and he really didn't want to be executed.
"Do you believe him?" Asked Shadris, her words barely a whisper, so that only Quintis could hear her.
"It does make some sense, the power of the spirits is very great, using it could make him stronger. I have seen it in Shamans and fellow Druids, but very few to his level of power and for someone so young." Said Quintis, which made Shandris stare at him, how this made any sense was beyond her.
"What do you mean it makes sense?" asked Shadris.
"The Power he used, I have felt it before, but not from Demons, it was almost like… it felt like the Emerald Dream, the power of the Dream was actually being channeled through the boy." Said Quintis, in deep thought about what he could be. Not a Druid or a Shaman, but something else. Shandris looked at him with utter surprise and disbelief. She cast a quick and inconspicuous glance towards the boy and then back to the Druid as he continued. "He has a power similar to that, which is found in the dream and gives the spirits their strength."
"So, he can connect to the Dream and draw upon its power?" Asked Shandris.
This was odd; Druids and some Shamans could draw and enter the Dream, but a human being able to do it? That was hard to believe; they had no concept of the dream or cared for it from what she heard from those who spoke to them. They were usually too interested in their Church of the Light, rather than caring about the Dream in which the Spirits dwell, so the fact this boy is able to draw power from it is hard to believe.
"Yes, but it would seem he is too young to control it. I can feel it washing off of him like water from an overflowing cup, but the cup isn't even full yet." Said Quintis.
Shadris turned back to the boy and looked at him for a moment; she could see he was concerned about what they were talking about, likely thinking this is where they decide his fate.
"Are you sure that is what you felt?" asked Shadris.
"I am sure, before he regained his power, I did sense it, but I mistook it for my own power as I healed him, and when it became more pronounced I could still feel it, but it was heavier." Said Quintis, proving that the boy was telling the truth that his power was highly condensed.
But that didn't change a few things, he wasn't a Druid or a Shaman, and he was not human, they could say that for sure. He could be something from the emerald dream, but what exactly? There was little she knew about what dwelt within that realm, and if Quintis didn't know what he was then there could be any number of things that he could be... More questioning would be required.
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They turned back and walked towards Ichigo again. He looked up at them with wide eyes and a concerned look on his features, as if the next words from her mouth would condemn him to his fate, luckily for him he wasn't going to die, yet.
"We have discussed your claim." Said Shadris, and from the look on his face, he didn't care much for sugar coating their decision. He had a scowl that showed he was both irritated and also worried at the same time. "And we believe, that you are not a Demon."
He let out a breath and visibly relaxed. He must have thought that would have been the end of it, but to his disappointment and to Shadris' own slight amusement she took that hope away from him.
"But that doesn't mean we think you're an ally, so don't get your hopes up." She said, and almost smirked at the way his face went from relived to glum in a second, he stared at her with half-lidded eyes and a face that said something akin to 'you're shitting me?'.
"Tell me, what are you?" asked Quintis, looking down at the boy, no longer with a sneer but with curiosity.
He had traversed the Dream for ten thousand years and knew it better than he did the world right now, and he had seen and witnessed many different wildlife within that spiritual land.
But this boy was not among the things he noticed. He wondered if he was Green Dragon in disguise, it would attribute to his power, it was not as powerful as an adult dragon, but a drake, yes that may be what he could be, but the clothing and the attitude of this one was not right in his opinion.
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Ichigo was at an impasse at the moment, there were some things he could tell them and then there were other things he shouldn't. Even though he was human, he was also a Shinigami and going off and saying that he was Death God didn't exactly sound like a good idea.
But that was also against the rules, telling these guys about what he was. He couldn't do it without suffering the repercussions of telling these people, it was against the law to be seen and talk with these people let alone help them in their own mortal affairs. But then he remembered, he wasn't on earth anymore, this was a completely different ballgame right now. These people likely had things here that made him look like a chump. Walking trees, demons, snake people... He wondered when he was going to come across a dragon or some sort of angry god that wanted to drink his blood and bring the apocalypse.
"I… am a Shinigami." said Ichigo.
It wasn't easy for him to say that. After all, he was going on a hunch here, if he did say it there was no telling what could happen, this could be all some wild dream cocked up by that psycho Mayuri and his assistant, which means he is as good as fucked if he didn't wake up right now. But if this was another world then it was unlikely that he would suffer at the hands of the Gotei 13 and its Captains for telling these people he was a Soul Reaper who send souls over to the afterlife.
"A Shinigami? What exactly is that? I have never heard of the language before." Asked Quintis, his mind working to remember if there was anything that shared that name during his time in the dream, but nothing came up.
"In layman's terms, it means: Death God or Soul Reaper." Said Ichigo.
He looked at the occupants of the room and he expected one of two possible things, the first they would be shocked at the declaration that he was a God and try to get him to admit what he really was.
Or second, they would be shocked and be more wary of his now and think him as a dangerous threat to their safety and would need to be either killed or imprisoned, but neither happened.
"You are a God?" Deadpanned Shadris.
Her tone was utterly plain, yet disbelieving. It sounded like she didn't believe him, not because it sounded ludicrous but because the fact that him of all people could be a God sounded like the most stupid thing out there.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Retorted Ichigo on her blasé question.
He looked around and saw that the Sentinels were all looking at one another, either shrugging or just snickering at the comment, even though he was happy about them not going all crazy about it, he wanted to know why they thought the fact he was a god was funny.
"You're a bit small to be a God..." said Quintis. Smirking towards the young boy, who looked up at him in exasperation 'was that it?' "Also you're not really that powerful, in fact you couldn't even compare to a primal God than the other deities that exist here."
"It's just a title, it doesn't mean we actually think we're Gods." said Ichigo
"Good thing, because the others would be pretty angry that they had to share the title with such a skinny little thing like you." Said Shadris, cracking a grin for the first time since she arrived in the room, finding it amusing to torment the young man, and finding it even more funny how he react to it.
"Bite me." Said Ichigo, before turning his head away from the woman that was starting to remind him of Yoruichi.
"Sorry, not a troll, and even if I was, there's hardly anything on you but skin and bones" she replied. Some chuckles escaped the lips of the Sentinels and an exasperated sigh from Ichigo, who turned back to her and saw that she still had a small smirk on her face. "But still, why don't you tell me about what you Death Gods, do exactly."
"Our job is to ferry souls from the world of the living to the afterlife." Said Ichigo, deciding to give them the gist of his duties and what he does. "We travel from one place to another finding wandering souls and sending them to the afterlife, which is where we usually reside."
"So you reside within the Emerald Dream?" Asked Quintis, but his statement did not seem to register to the boy as he looked up at him with a completely confused look.
That wasn't right, he should know about the dream, his energy and it was completely the same to one another, so where else could he have come from.
"Emerald Dream? What's that supposed to be?" Both Shadris and Quintis shared a look with one another.
She was thinking she may have heard Quintis wrong when he said that the boy shared the same energy as that of the Emerald Dream, while Quintis was thinking that he had to be from the Emerald Dream there was no other place that he knew of that shared that energy.
"Maybe the better question is: where are you from?" Asked Shandris, her eyes now more serious and her tone more professional.
Ichigo now was back in the interrogation seat.
Great. He thought.
"I was wondering when this was gonna come up, well might as well get it out of the way now." Said Ichigo, the next thing was likely going to be a pain in the ass to explain to these people, they didn't have any technology by the looks of it and it was likely they had no idea what space was or that there were planets out there. "I am from another world."
"We noticed as much." Said Shadris, crossing her hands over her chest and staring down at him.
"No, not like another world, like the afterlife or something, I mean another world other than this one we are on right now." He could see the confused look on her face when she raised a single eyebrow to his statement.
God, this is going to suck. He thought.
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Ichigo then went on to describe how he comes from a world called Earth where only humans exist. Where Elves, magic, Naga and walking trees do not exist.
They looked at him in some surprise to what he was saying, but he continued on none the less. He then went on to describe the three realms that exist next to Earth.
The first being Soul Society, which he said is the afterlife and where the souls of the dead are sent after they die in the world of the living or are sent there by Shinigami.
He then said that there was Hell, a place where the more evil and bad souls were sent to be punished for their crimes, which include murder and other crimes against the innocent.
Then Hueco Mundo, the land of the Hollows, which he went into detail about explaining, souls that become corrupted because of being trapped in the World of the Living for too long and lose their heart and feed on other souls to fill the void that was lost.
He then told them about the Arrancars, more specifically the man he fought against before he was sent here through a portal and into an unknown hellish dimension in the middle of a void, which was filled with Demons and other creatures wanting to kill him.
He finished the tale with him telling them of his battle with the demon with wings, horns and hooves that was covered in black armor and had sharp claws, and how he fell through another portal that took him to those ruins, where he escaped and ended up in their care.
He finished with a deep breath and looked up at the people around him, unlike the last time he left them a bombshell he was sure they would go on about how other world don't exist and that he was lying to them and he was crazy to think that was true, but again he was wrong.
"So you got sent into the Twisted Nether..." Said Shandris, surprising the boy again, he had heard that same name from the Demon he fought again, what the hell didn't these people know? "It's a miracle that you're not dead, anyone else would have been killed almost in an instant in such a place, and Demons don't like it when people intrude on their territory."
"You know about that place?" Asked Ichigo, surprised, completely and utterly surprised.
"Of course, the Twisted Nether is an alternate dimension that connects world across the Greater Dark together; most of the creatures that inhabit it are Demons." Said Shandris, and the way she said it was as if it was common knowledge, which made him look like the biggest idiot to walk this world "Why? Didn't you know?"
"What do you think? I don't know about magic and Demons and all this fairy tale crap, I'm from a place where people think magic isn't real and where the closest thing to a God is someone like me." Said Ichigo
"Must be a sad and miserable place, especially if you're a God, although your young, I'm sure you'll grow into it." Said Shandris, encouraging the young man, who looking up at her with a noticeable twitch in his eye.
"Can I get back?" Ichigo asked, forgetting her previous comment and focusing on the task at hand.
If they knew about the Twisted Nether, then it is possible for him to get back there and back home, he needed to get there quickly, there was no telling what was going on back home and if his friends were alright.
"Human, I would…"
"Ichigo, my name is Ichigo." Said the substitute, interrupting her from talking.
She stopped only for a moment to acknowledge his name and was unperturbed by his interruption.
"Ichigo, I would not suggest you try and return through the Twisted Nether. Even in your current condition you wouldn't survive and even if you returned back to full strength, you still may not survive. That place is not meant to be treaded upon by mortals." Said Shadris.
Looking in his eyes thought she knew that her words would do little in the way of stopping him from going. She could see he was someone who would go against the rules if it meant doing what needs to be done, she had seen it in many other before. But even they couldn't compare to what this one was trying to do!
To enter the Twisted Nether and fight his way back home... Well, he did survive in there for three days in a weakened state and with a broken arm, so who was she to judge if he would survive or not?
"I have to get back, there are people who need me; I can't abandon them." He said, determined to return to where he come from.
No matter how many Demons stood in front of him, he would cut them down, no matter how many miles he walked he would march forward, no matter how long it took, he would never stop until he reached it!
"Give me some time, and yourself some as well, once you're able to walk again without stumbling we'll talk again, but for now you must rest." Said Shandris.
She turned on her heels and made her way to the door. Beside her were Quintis and another Druid, but before she left she motioned for the Sentinels to follow, and in the end Ichigo was left alone in his room.
----
The sun had only past its zenith and he had only been awake for maybe an hour or so and already was feeling tired. It looked like he was on the recovery table again, he really needed to figure out why his Reiatsu isn't recovering as quickly as it should! He can't keep passing out like this!
Slowly he closed his eyes and let sleep overtake him, he knew better to resist it, it would only slow his recovery down and he needed to get better before he went back into that hell hole and then make his way back home. His last thoughts were of Orihime and his hope that she was alright.
----
Shandris was leaning against her railing and looking over the fortress which was named after her. It still was being repaired and brought back up to proper order.
For the rest of the afternoon she had been digesting what she had been told by Ichigo.
About coming from another world, about being a God of Death and wanting to return, but even with all her power and position she had none that could send him over the Greater Dark back to his people or his friends. The matters of the arcane and the Twisted Nether were not her domain, she had no idea where she could send him to deal with this problem.
She was half inclined to send her to Darnassas and speak with Tyrande and see if she could offer him aid. But she knew that the arcane was not her domain either, she needed to find someone she could send him to that could actually help him. She owed him for saving her forces and her stronghold, even though she kept him as a prisoner for a short while it was justified because of her suspicions.
Quintis was with the boy regularly, healing his wounds and performing a treatment that would allow his body to adapt to using Mana, it would take some time, a week at least, and from how the boy acted, he wanted to get back home very quickly.
She had spoken to Quintis about what they speak about during their sessions, and she was not surprised that the old Druid was learning all he could from Ichigo. Learning about the world of the Shinigami and Soul Society, which is what was basically the Emerald Dream back in his world.
She had also learned from Quintis that his sword isn't actually just a sword. It is actually a separate entity, a Zanpakuto as it is called, or Soul Cutter, and that inside was a spirit that was created as a manifestation of the boys own soul.
----
Just as she was about to retire for the evening Quintis made his way into her abode. He carried himself with the grace befit someone within the Cenarian Circle, but she could see with her sharp sense that he was tired. Constantly healing and trying to help the boy in being able to absorb ambient Mana was taxing, even for a druid such as him.
He took a seat near the table at the end of the room and pours himself a cup of water, she moved to make sure he was alright and not in need of medical attention himself. He took in the fresh water greedily and not wasting a single drop, and when he was done he went for another.
Shadris sat on the chair adjacent to his own, she looked him over and saw more clearly the defined black bags under his eyes. He was tired and was in need of rest, he had been going at it for five days straight and this was one of the few times he came to report to her about his findings on the boy. She trusted him enough not to guard him, but still she just wanted to make sure that he wasn't just playing them and biding his time to strike, but from the way Quintis acted and spoke about boys world and in such detail as well as the boy she was more than reassured that he was no threat.
"You should rest, you've been at it for nearly a week now, and the boy is completely healed from what I heard." Said Shadris, trying to get him to get the rest he needed without having to command him to do it.
He may be a Druid in the Cenarian Circle but that didn't mean she wouldn't order him to bed like a child.
"I would like nothing more than to sleep on my bed for a full night and wake up at dawn the day after tomorrow." He said with a smile, one which was shared with Shandris, but she could tell that he was lightening the mood to respectfully decline her request for rest. "But alas, I cannot. The boy still is not accepting the treatment as quickly as he should, that damn Spiritual Pressure of his is pushing out the Mana as I push it in and it’s making my life difficult."
"Maybe you should have one of the others take care of it for a time, get your rest and start fresh." Said Shandris, but alas her request was denied again, Quintis leaned back into his seat and stared up at the ceiling and stroked his beard.
"It is not that I cannot do the task, it is that his own lack of control and power is making it difficult for me to do it right." Said Quintis, taking another deep gulp of the fresh water before pouring himself another cup. "The boy lacks discipline and needs to learn to control that power of his. Otherwise he will be nothing but a flame to bring in the moths, but these moths will be the unsavoury kind."
"His power is odd, I have spoken to a few of the Druid who say that they can sense it as they pass by his room, a pressure that seems to press down on them." Said Shandris, wondering just how powerful this boy could be and what heights his power could go.
Maybe he is a God as he says he is, but how powerful a God remains to be seen.
"True, but I can do little for him. He will likely be here tomorrow to ask for you to send him on his way." Said Quintis, a bit solemn of letting the boy go. Not that he was leaving; he knew that he needed to return home. After all he had family and friends that were in grave danger from this Aizen character. He was more glum about the fact that he was unable to help the boy use Mana to recover, it would help him as he travelled through the Twisted Nether he suppose. There was much ambient energy in that realm and he could draw upon it without risking himself falling unconscious and at the mercy of the Demons. "Maybe I should have called for help, maybe ask for a Mage to try the treatment on him. They are more skilled at the harnessing of Mana than I."
"Yes, a Mage would have been more preferable." Said Shandris, and as she finished she realized something. A Mage... A Mage could help him find his way back home! They were highly skilled in creating portals and gateways between different points, why didn't she think of it before? "I think I have just figured out how to help Ichigo."
----
The Next Day
----
Ichigo walked beside Quintis as they both strode through Feathermoon Stronghold, the fortress had been completely repaired last night and now everyone was getting back to their regular business.
And there was a sudden change in the air as Ichigo walked through the small fortress. The people were casting glances at him, but they weren't fearful look or angry glares, just acknowledging glances from the people as well as greetings and thank you's for his heroics during the Hatecrest attack on the Stronghold nearly a week ago. He wasn't one to be acknowledged for his deeds but he did feel kind of good knowing that he did good, even some of the Sentinels were treating him with some respect, a general nod and a blessing in their language on occasion, when he asked what they were saying, Quintis told him.
"They are saying: Elune watch over you." And when he asked who Elune was, well Quintis could talk a mile a minutes, but he got the gist of it.
Goddess of the Moon, funny coincidence that, being watched over by the moon goddess and having as Zanpakutō that was associated with the moon.
But all those things aside he was finally healed and ready to leave, but he didn't think that he was going to be leaving back for his world just yet. The way Quintis spoke to him before he was asked to follow him, it said that he had just only begun his journey in this new world.
As Ichigo walked up the step that led to Shandris Feathermoon's private quarters he wondered if she had been able to find out a way to send him home, and when he walked through the doorway to see her staring off across her stronghold and not paying attention to them as they entered spoke of two possible things.
She has just finished the preparations to whatever she is going to use to send him to the Twisted Nether or she hasn't found a way to send him back and in that she is currently still trying to figure out a way to send him back.
"Ichigo, I told you five days ago that if you gave yourself some time to heal I would give you a way home, sadly I have been unable to find of a way to send you back." She said, not bothering to turn around to say it to him, and from the tone of her voice she was apathetic to his plight of being stuck here. Ichigo was about move forward and shout as to why she can't send him back, but when she continued before he could speak up, he realized why. "The reason being is because I have no knowledge on the arcane. I do not create portals to that realm; none of my kind have done so in Ten Thousand Years for good reason." She turned around and walked towards the substitute. "My people suffered at their hand because we dabbled in the arcane and through our arrogance allowed the Demons to enter our world, nearly bringing it to an end. For the last Ten Thousand Years our kind has not dabbled in the arcane." Said Shadris.
It was then that Ichigo realized that they had no possible way of helping him. They did know how he got here; it's just that they weren't skilled in the required art to send him back, just like him. He couldn't enter Soul Society or Hueco Mundo without the help of someone who could. But that begged the questioned, was there someone here that could help him. There were definitely humans here, as well as many other races from what he had been informed of by Quintis, so maybe she and her people couldn't help him, but others could.
"But there are others out there that have?" Asked Ichigo. "People who still work with arcane magic that can send me back to my home?"
At this question Shandris smiled. It looked like she had caught onto his line of thinking long before he came here, and this was just to get him along her line of thinking before she suggested it. She was a slippery little devil, just like Yoruichi, but Shandris acted professionally most of the time.
She turned around and walked over to her desk and pulled out a sheet of light brown paper. On it was a map, more specifically the map of this world, Azeroth. She tapped the map and it came to life, and instead of two continents one appeared.
From the title above it was called Kalimdor, and with another tap she pressed on a section in the sourthern-most part of the continent and instantly a green map of Feralas appeared before Ichigo's eyes, as well as Feathermoon Stronghold and a small indicator that represented him.
"This is a traveler's map; it has been enchanted with magic to allow you to make your way from here to you next destination." Said Shadris, she touched the map again and it zoomed out and showed the entirety of the continent again. "You will need to travel through Feralas, Thousand Needles, The Southern Barrens and finally Dustwallow Marsh before you reach your destination."
She tapped though the map to show him the regions he would need to traverse in order to reach his destination, Theramore Isle, a small island fortress located on the coast of Dustwallow Marsh. But from the way Thousand Needles and the Barrens looked and sounded it was likely going to be a very horrible trip for him.
"I don't take it you have something that can whisk me away to Theramore?" Asked Ichigo, only to see a sad smile on her face that told all he needed to know. "Figured as much."
"Sorry, we don't have any Hippogryphs at the moment, most are in Ashenvale and this is the best route for you to take without you getting killed."
"Okay, so who is in Theramore that can help me?" asked Ichigo
"Her name is Jaina Proudmoore, she is a very powerful Magi and Arcanist. She should be able to help you with your problem. After all, she is a kind soul, and I doubt she wouldn't want you to be trapped here against your will." Said Shandris, sitting in her chair and looking at the young man as he gazed at the map and the small city of Theramore.
"Anything I have to worry about while I'm going there?" Asked Ichigo, to which Shandris leaned back in her chair, and thought about it before replying.
"Tauren, Centaur, Gnolls, Harpies, Serpents, Scorpions, Hyenas, Quillboar, Orcs, Trolls…" She listed, and it was only because of Ichigo she stopped.
"Alright I get it; a lot of bad things are out there, just make sure I know where I'm stepping otherwise I'll get bitten by a snake or a scorpion."
"Don't worry, there are only Cloud Serpents in Thousand Needles and the Scorpions are only half as big as you." Said a smiling Shandris, Ichigo looked at her for a moment with a deadpanned look on his face before he turned to Quintis.
"You're going to fill me in on every little thing I might come across, and I don't care how insignificant you think it is, you tell me about it. The last thing I need is a Scorpion the size of a hyena crawling up my arse while I'm sleeping." At this both Shandris and Quintis laughed at his crude joke.
He may be going to be traveling through the most hellish places on this world, but there weren't going to let him die, that would speak ill of the Elves hospitality.
----
The Next Day
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Ichigo stood at the docks of Feathermoon Stronghold, Zangetsu now back in his possession and attached to his back. Waiting for him were two separated groups.
The first being Shadris, Quintis and a few others who decided to see him off, and the other was the Captain of the Feathermoon Ferry, the ship that would take him to the Forgotten Coast and then he would begin his long walk to Theramore.
Ichigo wasn't expecting such a turnout. He guessed that they were grateful that he saved them against the Naga.
He walked over to speak with Shandris one last time before he departed, he could see she had a small pack in her hands and a small purse.
"I take it that Quintis informed you of all you need to watch out for during your travels?" Asked Shandris, a slight smirk on her face as she saw the trademark scowl appeared on his face.
He was too serious some times; he really needed to act his age at least sometimes.
"Yes, including watching out for Bog Beast in the Marshes. Oh, the fun I shall have when I run away from them..." Said Ichigo.
His words laced with sarcasm, which made Shandris chuckle to herself at the boys crude humor, before she held out the two bags toward him.
"You will need these on your journey, a bag of provisions and some gold." She explained, and watched as his eyes go wide in both disbelief and shock.
The first being that the bag look like it couldn't even hold anything more than a single loaf of bread and the fact the other bag had gold in it.
"I can't accept this, I…"
He tried to do so calmly and without sputtering about the fact that there was a bag full of what was likely hundreds thousands of Yen worth of gold in her hands. Although he knew that the system of currency in this world may be different from his own, he couldn't just take it off her hands like it was a trivial thing, but she stopped him before he could protest further.
"Ichigo, this is enough to get you a room at Theramore for a month, along with anymore supplies you'll need to survive your journey without you starving to death or being killed by whatever else is out there." She said, and kept them held out until Ichigo reluctantly took them off her hands.
She strapped them both to his sash, his eyes lingering of the small provisions bag he had been given. It was small, too small to have anything that would last him what may be a two or three week journey to Theramore Isle.
"How exactly is this bag meant to hold anything but the purse I have right now?" Asked Ichigo.
Shandris looked at him for a moment before she walked up and opened the bag and pulled out three pieces of fruit, loaf of bread and a flask of water, and watched in amusement as Ichigo gaped at her before he himself went into the bag and pulled out a belt holding flasks of red liquid.
"To answer your two questions, the bag has been enchanted to allow it to store more things. Depending on how powerful the magic was used it can store hundreds of items with ease, as long as it fits through the opening and is not damaged or torn it will not burst." She clarified on the bag and then moved on to the vials. "Those vials there are healing potions, they will heal your injuries and rejuvenate you when you are injured. There are several in your bag, red are Healing Potions, blue and Mana Potions, and yellow are Anti-Venom, just in case one of those scorpion stings you on the ass while you're sleeping."
That little joke brought some laughter to those who were there and a forced smile on Ichigo's face as he tried to keep himself from throttling the woman.
She was so much like Yoriuchi that it wasn't even funny! It would be worse if there was someone like Kisuke somewhere around here; that would be a nightmare.
He took a deep breath and looked back at Shandris and grasped her hand tightly and shook it. He did this as well and exchanged his good byes to Quintis, Harklane and Shyria, the Inn Keeper, gave him a hug and thanks him on behalf of all the people he saved. A bit flustered he thanked her.
When it was all said and done he moved up the plant leading to the deck of the ship and looked back down to the crowd, the Captain called for the ship to depart and the crew got to work on bringing the ship out of dock and into the open sea. Ichigo waved one final good bye to the people of Feathermoon Stronghold before they and the isle slowly drifted out of view, he would reach the Forgotten Coast in half an hour and then he would begin his walk to Theramore Isle and then his journey back home.
----
Thirty minutes later Ichigo was standing at the makeshift dock on the Forgotten Coast.
No one else there aside for a single short green skinned little creature with a smile that would give Mayuri Kurotsuchi a run for his money. He was holding that weird looking rod that was crackling with blue electricity.
Ichigo didn't give him a second thought and continued on his way towards the massive natural wall that had a winding path leading up the wall.
He started his journey as he usually did, alone and that is how it would be for the rest of this trip until he got home, no point in making friends here, he would stay here long enough to make any.
----
But unknown to him a certain Night Elf had hitched a ride on the Feathermoon Ferry, and as it pulled into the dock she had to depart before the person she was following got away.
She leaned over the side of the boat and looked down at the water below and grimaced. She flailed around trying to find perch on the side of the boat but found none.
And a single slip of the finger had her falling into the murky water below, which drew the ever smiling Goblin away from his invention and to the bow of the ship where a young Night Elf in green rags walked out of the ocean. Blue hair glued to her face with mud and water, but the glum look could still be seen from the way she slumped her shoulders as she walked out of the ankle deep water and into the muddy beach.
She stopped only for a moment to shook herself off like some dog and look around. She saw the Goblin and rushed over to him. She looked like she was in a big rush and he had no idea what was with this one. She stood in front of him and with that sweet and silky voice that all Night Elf woman were known for, sounded like a harp, being played by a tone deaf Ogre who was eager to get from the first note to the last in few seconds.
"Excuse me; have you seen a human walk by here? This tall, has orange hair, black shaggy cloth, big sword on his back, brown eyes, a scowl and is about my age, maybe a bit younger. Actually I don't know how old he is; maybe I should have tried to talk with him before he left..." She said, and before the Goblin could ask what the hell she was babbling about, she continued "Oh well, I'll ask him later, he is tall and is going to Theramore, his name is Ichigo, or something like that. It's a weird name for a human, but I haven't met many humans before, so who am I to know what they name themselves. All human names are weird. What's your name?"
Before Zorbin could even say a single syllable of his name she was at it again.
"Oh wait, I still have to find him, he could be anywhere by now that I have been talking to you, I shouldn't let people distract me like that!" She said running her hands through her muddy hair to get it out of her face and to express her exasperation. "You have to tell me where he is, I need to find him! Have you seen him? He came off the Ferry only a few minutes ago, do you know where he is?"
Zorbon looked at the woman that had practically leaped down her throat and wondered if this was one of those weird ones. You know, those very rare ones that every race has, he remembered one time seeing a human who thought he was a Troll, wore a mask and ran around in his underwear.
It was funny for the first month or so, but then it got weird, really weird... The dumb bastard actually tried to get into Zul'Farrak to mingle with the natives. He survived but still...
She could be one of those types, not crazy, just weird.
He raised his arm and pointed to the natural wall and when she looked over she narrowed her eyes and saw someone trekking up the cliff-side steps. She beamed when she saw him and with a smile and a wave she ran off to catch up to the human.
"What the hell is wrong with people these days?" Said Zorbon, before he turned back to his newest invention, the Zorbon Ultra-Shrinker.
He would bring those damn Giants down to size or two, all he needed now was a complete idiot to use it on them!
Damn it, a complete idiot just took off a few seconds ago! Oh well, guess he just have to wait for some other adventurer to come by and take him up on his offer.
Chapter 02	Chapter 04