Chapter 09

 Transcendence

Chapter 09: Getting to know you

Thousand Needles

Thousand Needles is a not what one would expect when they first set their eyes upon it and journey through its wide and very long canyon, the land is all but a desert, the area is littered with many spires of stone and boulder that almost defy gravity and rise high into the sky. Hundreds litter the flat landscape and make it appear to be a forest of stone trees; some even create grand pieces of natural art, balancing stone the size of a bus upon narrow pieces of rock no bigger than a car tyre. One would think such a thing impossible but yet it lay before any who look upon it, as if nature itself was trying to one up against those who dwell upon its surface that even in such bleak landscape it can be beautiful and wondrously astounding.

But aside from these small displays of gravelly artwork there was little else in this land, there was no green in sight for little could grow in these barren lands aside from a few resilient plants and moss that would cling to rocks. But that did little to dissuade the local animal life from thriving in such a harsh wilderness; nearly the entire animal population within the canyon is carnivorous, relying on other animals to survive. But even those that hunt their pray can still be brought down by it, Lions, Hyenas, Wyverns, Scorpids, and Wind Serpents make this place their home, but there are others that reside here, not native and just as deadly as the animals that do make it their home.

Harpies were bird-like humanoid females that dwell in large nests in the cliffs and on the large vertical mountains that litter the desolate flats, preying on any morsel that comes their way both for food and as mates to produce offspring, or possibly both at one point to another.

The Grimtotem Tauren make this place their home, their ancient and somewhat aggressive clan has lived in these lands for generations dating back millennia, defending it from any oppressor that may try to enter it without their permission, including the Horde and the other Tauren Tribes.

Then there were the Centaurs, a race of half-humanoid, half-horse creatures that had made the Canyon their home, they are a war-like species that roam the flats in small warbands that fight with other Centaur tribes and any other force they come across. They offer no mercy on any who come within their territory or move close to their camps and they certainly do not take any prisoners who dare believe they can enter their camp and not expect to be punished for their actions.

Ichigo was annoyed right now, although one would think him travelling through a blistering canyon with vultures hanging over his head waiting for him to expire and devour his sunburnt corpse, but that wasn’t what was causing him irritation. The heat was of little concern to the soul reaper, thought it was hot and the risk of sun burn was another factor, but the weather was not what was causing Ichigo his current grief and irritation.

For his irritation lay with two different things, the first was with the local wildlife, more specifically an animal that was locked in a caged and appeared to be starved, and the fact that his travelling companion decided that they should free it, although he didn’t mind that she tried. But the fact that the cage was located in the middle of a camp populated with large animalistic and likely cannibalistic half-human half-horsed people didn’t seem to register to her, or the warning he kept trying to drill into her skull that it was a bad idea. Nor the fact that the animal she was trying to save was a large panther that nearly equalled Ichigo in high and the only reason its eyes were shinning at their approach was because it was hoping they would let it out so it could eat them.

Before Ichigo could stop Adelina from making a huge mistake, she opened the cage, and all hell broke loose within the camp, which resulted in a small brawl with the Centaur, a few cuts and bruises and currently them running for their lives as a pack of Centaur marauders chased after them. Ichigo and Adelina were very lucky that they both were fast enough to actually out-run them on foot, he was surprised they couldn’t catch up considering they were part horse, but still that did little to alleviate Ichigo’s mind about being chased around by things he thought up to a three weeks ago were a myth.

“You just had to free that Panther didn’t you!” he shouted at the Night Elf beside him, who for her part looked quite offended by his words.

“How could I leave that poor thing in a cage like that?” she shouted back at him, while jumping over a small boulder in her way “It goes against everything I believe in about the rights for animals to live free!”

“Are you shitting me?!” Ichigo yelled, completely shocked that this girl could be so thick headed to think that a hungry panther wouldn’t jump at the change to eat him and her as soon as they let it out of the cage. “That thing tried to kill you the moment it laid eyes on you and you would be dead right now if I didn’t kill it!”

“Stop yelling at me!” she whined as another hail of spear whizzed past them, Ichigo ducked to the side as one moved a little too close for comfort.

He could hear the marauders yelling behind them and speaking in some sort of savage tongue that he didn’t understand, he just wished that something went right for once without him having to fight his way out of it or run for his life.

<p class="MsoNormal">Five Minutes Later

<p class="MsoNormal">Ichigo and Adelina were perched between a small crevice between two large stone columns, they were lucky enough to get far enough ahead of their persuers that they could duck in somewhere and hide, as great as it was getting away from the local Centaur, the shade was even better. Ichigo leaned against the cool stone and rested, although he has only been here for two days this place has officially become his most hated spot he has ever had the misfortune of travelling through. Although Feralas was humid as well as hot it was not as hot as this place, Thousand Needled was a dry hot climate, which was a lot better than Feralas but still the heat was much more intense and also the dust didn’t help.

<p class="MsoNormal">He heard some guttural shouting from the well-travelled road and slowly he moved off to the arch between the two columns that acted as the only entry into their little hideaway and saw the marauders searching for them below. He noticed about a dozen of them, most of which were males and a few females that hid their faces behind veils; he wondered if they were just as ugly as the males, he didn’t dwell on that for long before he pushed the whole aside and himself back into his hiding spot.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Centaurs were fanning out and going off in several random directions, Ichigo didn’t want to risk them finding him and Adelina in a place where they couldn’t defend themselves properly, but right now they had to stay put and hopefully wait them out and continue on their little hike through the Thousand Needles.

<p class="MsoNormal">Ichigo moved deeper into the crevice and sat down in the cool shade opposite Adelina, she was panting and taking a very greedy gulp of water, Ichigo let her have it, but he was starting to get worried that they may not have enough food and water to last the trip. He had maybe a weeks’ worth of food left, and by the time they reached Dustwallow Marsh they would be out of food and water, even sooner at the rate they were going through the water.

<p class="MsoNormal">He didn’t think Shandris would have thought he would pick up any straggler on his way, although this one was more of a stalker rather than a person he decided to help out of the goodness of his heart, but still that didn’t change the fact that they may die of starvation and thirst before they get to Theramore. He could see that she wasn’t one for travel and from the looks of it she wasn’t one who enjoyed getting out into the sun much, he couldn’t blame her however, this place was a desert and one wouldn’t usually take a trip through a desert.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Looks like we’re going to be stuck here for a while” said Ichigo, to which she smiled and leaned against the rock and rested, this went on for another ten minutes.

<p class="MsoNormal">Although the quiet was welcome and the fact they couldn’t hear the Centaur anymore, there was still uneasiness between the two of them, they didn’t like the quiet much, and they were more accustomed to being in places with a bit more activity. Even in Ichigo’s case that activity did involve him fighting for his life and trading barbs with his enemies, so the silence of this canyon desert wasn’t something he was accustomed to with recent events.

<p class="MsoNormal">Seeing nothing better to do Ichigo asked the only thing he could ask about Adelina.

<p class="MsoNormal">“So… why don’t you tell me about yourself” he said, to which she looked up and for a moment she thought about what she could say.

<p class="MsoNormal">“My name is Adelina, I am fourteen years old, my father was Illithar Oakwalker, A Druid of the Wild and Keeper of the Sacred Burrow Dens, and my Mother was Freja Silentnight, a Ranger Commander of Ashenvale.” She said, when she mentioned her parents Ichigo picked up on how she spoke of them, she only knew their names and their occupations as well as the low and solemn tone that accompanied her words with the mere mention of them.

<p class="MsoNormal">He knew that tone very well, he was also like that, in fact he still was, she had lost her parents when she was very young and the only thing she could know about them was the small amount of time she spent with them. The pain and sorrow he felt from his own mothers passing weigh heavy on his heart, he still blames himself for that day and as much as it was that damn hollows fault he couldn’t just say it was Grand Fisher’s doing, for he played into it and allowed his mother to die.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Listen, If you don’t want to…” started Ichigo, he didn’t want her to bring up bad memories; they can be just as bad as the time it happened.

<p class="MsoNormal">“No” said Adelina, effectively cutting him off “I think I should tell you, I know your story, you should know mine.”

<p class="MsoNormal">She got comfortable and thought about where she could start her tale; she didn’t have much to tell Ichigo about herself, as she was just a simple druid, but she knew much about her parents and their pasts and she even knew how they met one another. But she realised that Ichigo isn’t even from this world, so that means she might have to explain a little more detail on some things, and she knew the only place to start was from the very beginning.

<p class="MsoNormal">“I guess we need to go back a bit, back to after the destruction of the Well of Eternity…” Said Adelina and began her tale.

<p class="MsoNormal">''Ten Thousand years ago, the world was much different that it one was, the land were not separated by a great sea, they were whole and teaming with life; the entire world was covered in verdant forests and many beautiful creatures roamed through it. The world was in its prime, there was no war or destruction, the lands had no deserts or blighted landscapes, it was truly a perfect world, one that was ruled by a perfect society. Presiding over Azeroth was an empire built by a single race, The Kaldorie; they were the first and the greatest wielders of magic in the entire world, putting the craft to use with unmatched brilliance and inspiration that could never truly be surpassed. ''

<p class="MsoNormal">''Huge glorifying cities were built across the world to flaunt their greatness to the lessor races that toiled in the mud beneath them, to show how high above the other races they were, even the Empires of the Trolls could not compare to the scale and brilliance of the Children of the Moon. At the heart of their empire, and the source of their magical power and brilliance, which brought them and kept them above all others, was the Well of Eternity.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''A massive pool that contained all the magical energies of the world, a nexus for all the magical lay-lines that spread across the entire world, it was the very heart of Azeroth itself, with it their power grew and became the envy of all others. With their magical abilities they performed feat no mortal or even immortal magister could hope to accomplish without the magical energies of the well, among them were some of the greatest magi the world has even known, they were known as the Highborne. The ruling caste of the Night Elf society and the most privileged among Night Elf society who could use the powers of the well directly, with this power they ruled over the entire empire with their queen and were awed by both the lower chaste of their race and any other who looked upon them. ''

<p class="MsoNormal">''They were the greatest of the Night Elves, but also the most arrogant, for they flaunted themselves with expensive robes and their authoritarian attitudes over their own kind made them almost a separate species within their own race. They looked down even on their own people and saw them as low bred and unworthy of being in the presence of the well in which they draw upon their power.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''The Highborne’s arrogance and lust for power led them down a path that would lead to only destruction and ruin, for all their reckless use of power and magic they acted as a beacon to the dark things that lurk within the twisted nether. Soon they had brought themselves under the attention of the Burning Legion and its dark Demon Master, Sargeras the Dark Titan. The Highborne fell under the sway of Sargeras, with the thoughts of greater power and riches drove them to serve under the dark master of the Legion in hopes of being spared from his wrath and to elevate them to level never thought possible.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''Soon Night Elf society was separated, an empire that once spanned the entire world had splintered into two groups and a massive civil war broke out between those who opposed the Legion and those who had sided with the demons. This conflict that would both decide the fate of the world and the future of the night elves as well as every other race on Azeroth was known by one name: The War of the Ancients. This war brought forth many powers that strived to take dominance over the Well and use it to bring forth the end of the war once and for all, among them were the powerful Demi-Gods who ruled over the wilds. Cenarias the Forest Lord, a Demi-God of Nature, the Ancients, powerful demi-gods that were the embodiment of the very world itself, and the Dragon Aspects, the Four great dragon flight that were empowered during the shaping of the world to safe guard the future of Azeroth.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''With these forces at the head they battled their way across the land and fought to bring an end to the demons incursion and close the well before the Demon Lord could step through into this world, after many battles and much loss they had succeeded. But the price of such a victory was much higher than any of them could have suspected, for the battle to be brought to an end, the well had to be destroyed, but its destruction heralded a calamity that forever changed the face of Azeroth. The destruction of the Well of Eternity causes a massive cataclysmic event that shattered the world, breaking apart the massive continent apart and giving birth to three separate lands. The entire world was reshaped from the great sundering, lands that were once fertile were no longer so, lands that once teemed with life were inhospitable, and the once proud race that ruled over it wall was left with nothing.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''All that remained of Kaldorie society were those who survived the sundering and all they had left was their grief and sorrow, the night elves withdrew to the ancestral forests of Ashenvale and isolated their culture from the rest of Azeroth. They cast off our previous stubborn ways of magic and vowed never to delve into the art ever again lest the Legion take notice of them, but still they could not simply give up on a life style that had shaped them for many millennia. It was from this that they took up a new art, free from the grip of magical addiction, free from the prying eyes of the Legion and able to make up for the damage that had been caused to the world because of their hubris. ''

<p class="MsoNormal">''And thus the First Druids were born, instructed in the ways of druidism by the Demi-God Cenarius as well as his first student Malfurion Stormrage, they were given powers over nature to preserve balance within the world and protect all life that dwell upon this verdant globe. Many men took up this role and became druids, many sought to master it to its fullest potential while others sought only to master a single art within its teaching, and this bore the sects within the Druidic conclave. But this was not a simple means for them to train, for they may have gained power over nature, they had a duty that took them away from their beloved people and their families, to the realm of the Dream.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''For the sacred task of the druid was to maintain the balance of the world and repair the damage that had brought it to such lows, the land had been scarred and it needed to be healed and saved before the wound festered and became permanent. From the Dream they would prevent the destruction wrought by the Shattering take hold and as time went on they would head the damage that had been done, they would maintain the balance of the world so that it may continue to thrive.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''And for Ten Thousand Years they slept, their spirits roaming the Emerald Dream maintaining the balance and through it the waking realm in which their bodies and their loved ones remained, for ten thousand years they were apart from their families, their friends, their loves. ''

<p class="MsoNormal">''But this was not true for all of them; for several Druids were given the task to remain behind and watched over the Barrow Dens and to protect their fellow kin from any threat that would seek to harm their sleeping forms. They were the Caretakers, they would watch over all the dens and ensure that none would be disturbed, and among them was one Druid known as Illithar Oakwalker.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''He along with a select few would remain in the waking world and journey across the still verdant forests of Mount Hyjal and ensure none of the Burrow Dens had been invaded; he was a steadfast man who performed his duty without question or distraction. There were few times he journeyed into a settlement to see his fellow kin, for he was one who preferred solitude and to be one with nature, there were few times when he would leave the confines of the forests, he would stay with the animals and listen to the winds and the spirits that dwell within.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''He was a master of the druidic arts, taking on the forms of many species of animal that walked the world, including those that honoured the ancients that fell in the war, even the great Malorne is one of his many patron spirits in which he can call upon in battle. He was one of the greatest amongst the druids of the wild; to witness him in combat is to suffer the fury of a raging hurricane, while to observe in meditation is to feel serenity of rustling grasses. But like a great storm he rarely released his power onto the world, for he was merely a man who ensured that his fellow kin remained at peace within the dream, and there were few things that could anger the druid such as him.''

<p class="MsoNormal">But one day nearly two centuries ago Illithar was forced to release his fury.

<p class="MsoNormal">''For the last ten thousand years Illithar has walked this path through Ashenvale towards the Grove of Cenarius, he has never deviated from his course once in his many strides through the forests, always staying on his course and allowing nothing to hinder his passage. The sacred Dor'Danil Barrow Den were safe and well protected and how he would continue his journey to the others, soon he would be back in Moonglade and he would have some peace before he would continue on his unrelenting task to protect his fellow kin.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''As he moved away from the sacred Den he heard something in the distance, shouting and cries of pain, he moved closer to the sound, soon the faint smell of blood caught his senses; he sped up and tried to come closer to the battle that was taking place. He heard two distinct languages being used in the distance, the first was his native tongue – Darnassian – and the second, low and guttural – Zandali – the language of the Trolls. He halted just far enough to see the battle and not be seen by those taking part of it, he could see below a dozen sentinel warriors fighting off five times as many dark trolls, steel rung through the air as axes, spears and arrows were being volleyed through the air.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''He watched the display for a few moments, he marvelled as the savage trolls fought against the skilled and equally vicious sentinels, though the Elves were outnumbered five to one that did not halt them in fighting the trolls off. Three elves has fallen to the onslaught of the trolls, but twenty of them lay dead around the archers, but even with their skill they could not hope to hold them at bay for long, they were being worn down by sheer numbers and soon they would fall. Illithar narrowed his eyes at the foul beasts who assailed his people, none would survive his wrath and none would perish while he stood guard and at the ready to defend them, he grasped his staff tightly and strode from the clearing ready to bring the fury of nature itself down upon them.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''Freja let loose another arrow, her aim true and her target dead, the metal tipped projectile struck the dark troll right between the eyes and travelled through its skull before striking the tree behind it, they were truly foolish beasts to think they can ambush a sentinel hunting party so easily. Raising her bow once more she took aim and fired the arrow pierced the trolls hide and heart easily; she didn’t give it a second through before her keen sense picked up the sound of something veering towards her. She ducked and was saved from having her head slip in two by a small throwing axe; she turned to her assailant and notched another arrow before quickly setting it loose on the one who had tried to kill her.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''As her arrow flew towards her next victim she glanced out of the corner of her eye someone coming towards her, he has a hatchet in hand and was ready to lop off her head; she couldn’t turn and strike fast enough, so she reached for her sword. She pulled it out in a reverse grip and halted the trolls axe, but the edge of the troll’s hatchet shattered against the hard steel on the elven weapon, she tossed aside the not simple wooden stick and cut open the dark trolls throat. She turned once more to deflect another attack meant to carve her head from her body, when she twisted the sword in her grip and then cut off the troll’s arm, it cried out before taking another swing at her with its only other arm. It too was cut off and the only thing he could do was watch as his entire world went spinning as his head departed his shoulder and sailed through the air, Freja reversed the grip on her sword and quickly sheathed it back into its scabbard and drew a new arrow.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''As she let loose another arrow she turned to see one of her sentinels fall with a spear lodge through her stomach, still alive but not for long with such a serious injury, around her she could see only five others were still able to fight, three were dead and the rest were wounded. She knew that they would likely meet their end here and although she wished for her fellow warriors to survive, if this was their end they would meet it like warriors, she raised her bow and drew another arrow and aimed towards a particularly large troll who was charging right for her. She aimed for its skull and would kill it with a single shot, but before she let her bow loose the troll’s body was obliterated by a massive explosion of light, the battle halted from the sudden change in pace and usual.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''Freja looked towards the clearing and her features betrayed the true shock that passed across her features, along with all the other warriors that were present, standing before them was a man cloaked in green and gold robes. Feathers and animal skins were draped over his shoulders and formed a brilliant cloak and tabard, the symbol of Cenarius adorned the tabard and shone bright gold. In his hand he held a long wooden staff, as it reached the headpiece there were many intricate carvings of animals, and at the pinnacle was the head of a stag with two large antlers that glowed with blue ethereal power.''

<p class="MsoNormal">“You dare desecrate these ancient lands with your presence!” Bellowed the Druid, his voice strong and booming, the entire forest silenced itself so that nothing could hinder his words from reaching the Trolls ears “I will show you and your kind why you should have stayed in the dark hole your crawled out from!”

<p class="MsoNormal">''With a wave of his staff a massive gust of wind shot towards a large group of Dark Trolls, they were blown off their feet and sent head over heels into the distance, colliding with trees and smashing into the stones and roots. He turned towards another and with his bare hand he destroyed the foul beast’s body with a ray of pure energy, seeing the man so easily dispatch their kind the trolls run for their lives, they did not get far. In an instant their legs were ensnared beneath them by thorned roots and vines, they tried to hack away at the snakelike plants but they regrew themselves and new one appeared to replace those that were lost. Then the Druid raised his staff into the air, condensing with a brilliant green glow, his words echoing throughout the forest, clear and yet indecipherable to the ears of all around them, and then he slammed it into the ground.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''A wave of energy shot out from the staff and into the forest, nothing appeared to have occurred but soon the sound of bark snapping and wood grinding alerted them all to the fact that the trees around them were beginning to move. Soon dozens of trents had appeared and taken life from the simple trees around them, they moved out of the thick tree line and into the clearing with one single purpose on their mind, to remove the foul creatures that have trespassed on their sacred lands. The battle turned into an agonising execution as the trent moved from one target to another and tore them apart, beaten to a pulp and left for dead, all the while the druid moved forward towards the sentinels.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''Illithar stood before the sentinel commander; she looked down at her with a serious scowl on his face, not in anger or irritation but a simple feature that was as normal on his face as a greedy smile was expected on a goblins green mug. Illithar turned to regard the wounded warriors on the ground; he saw three has passed on into the embrace of the moon goddess and was beyond his aid, but the four others were still alive albeit barely. Moving passed the sentinel commander he moved to the move severely injured, she had a spear through her stomach and saw that the life was fading from her quickly, he placed hand over her chest and slowly he funnelled his power into her. He grasped the spear and pulled it free from her stomach, she cried out in pain and her comrade cried in worry, but their cries were stifled when her wound began to close slowly but still noticeably, and in less than a minute her wound had fully healed leaving nothing, not even a scar behind.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''He rose and with a wave of his hand he sent a wave of energy at the other sentinels, their bodies tingled as the natural magic rejuvenated them and healed their wounds, soon the once dying sentinels were wide awake and ready to continue on fighting. But the fight had ended just a moment ago, around them were the remains of dozens of trolls, beaten, torn apart and left to rot under the canopies of Ashenvale, and standing there was the Druid and the many sentinels who were gazing at him in awe.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''After the battle, Illithar escorted them back to their post to ensure that they arrived without incident and to pick off any more trolls that may be present in the forest, when he arrived he received many more awed stares from the sentinels. For one of his kind to be present was something few would see in their long lived lives, and even then they would likely never see him again, and because of such an occasion a small feast was held in his honour. Although he was more willing to leave and continue on his journey, he felt as if he should humble them and allow himself to remain, for a night he was praised and given respect that reminded him of his past life as a noble. He felt some bile rise into his throat at the mere thought of being such a person again, they asked many questions and he rewarded them with his duty and his role in protecting the sacred Barrow Dens.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''Through the night he spoke with the rangers and told them of his time in the wild, they regaled some of their adventures through the forests and many battles they took part in; during this time Illithar befriended a certain Sentinel Commander. He was impressed with her, as the night continued on he would speak with her in depth and soon what became a simple meal became a bond of friendship. When the sun rose over Ashenvale and he had to depart from his fellow kind, he was saddened slightly by the fact he would not be able to speak once more with Freja, she was the only person aside from other druids he had ever spoken to and he didn’t wish for them to depart on such a hasty manner.''

<p class="MsoNormal">As Freja stood at the doorway to the outpost she called out to him.

<p class="MsoNormal">“When will you return through these forests?” asked Freja, her words carried a tone of someone who was worried that they would never see another person again.

<p class="MsoNormal">For a moment Illithar halted, considering his words, he never thought to return here on his own accord, to focus on his duty that he didn’t even consider it, but now maybe he could.

<p class="MsoNormal">“In three moons hence I shall return here” said Illithar, never turning to say it to her directly, but still both he and Freja could feel the small smile that graced his face at the thought of his return on that day.

<p class="MsoNormal">''True to his word her returned in three lunar cycles, and he did so every three cycles since, for many years he would always come to the outpost and meet with Freja, and the more he visited the longer he remained before he would depart on his duty. The once reclusive and unemotional Druid became something else, he enjoyed his time with his newest friend as much as he did his companions within the forests, but with very visit he felt something grow, he felt something pulling him towards her.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''Soon one night nearly two centuries later he returned to the outpost, and for nearly a month he remained, and during that time both Illithar and Freja learnt something that neither had been willing to admit to one another, they were in love. They both struggled with themselves to admit their feelings for one another, one was bound to an ancient code that would force him away from her, the other was bound by her duty to protect the forests, how could they hope to share a bond of love when they were so far apart.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''But on the last night of their time together before Illithar would return to his task as Caretaker, Freja confessed her feelings towards him, shocked that she was in love with him and held the same doubts as him, he was both ecstatic and saddened. Ecstatic that the woman he had come to love had returned the same affection as he, but saddened that she knew that their time together would be short and their duties carried them away from one another.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''“Freja” said Illithar soothingly, drawing her eyes to his and she saw a warm smile on his face, one of the very few thing he would only show to her. “I share your love, I share you sadness but know that no matter how far we are from one another, or long we may never see each other, I will love you always.”''

<p class="MsoNormal">''Under the twilight two lovers expressed their affections for one another and under the stars they expressed it, and from their union was born an unbreakable bond of love. So when Illithar left the next morning he would not know until his next return in four cycles of what their unions had created, and when he did he saw his new love and the life that grew inside her. He did not leave her side for a single moment, staying with her until the child was born, and when she was born it was the happiest moment in both their lives.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''A beautiful girl was born under the full moon and she was named Adelina, Illithar loved his daughter, but still he knew his duties would force him away and with every season that past would be another that his daughter would be without a father. He tried to hasten his duties as Caretaker and allow more time with his family, but he could only spare himself an extra month to be with them, and even then he felt sorrow for putting the woman he loved in such conditions and the daughter he wasn’t around to raise himself.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''As much as it hurt Illithar and Freja to not be around their daughter as she grew up, they knew that they had their duties to their respective roles, and as time went on Adelina grew and with the time the Ranger and the Druid spent with her, she was raised to be a strong independent woman. At a young age and under her father’s tutor ledge she learnt to basics of Druidism, he always told her she was special and would someday be a great druid who would do great things, and her mother would teach her the ways of the Night Elves. For eleven years they both raised her in their own ways, and although they wished they could spend more time with their daughter, they always loved the time they did have with her.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''But when word reached them of an incursion in southern Ashenvale, Freja and her sentinels were called upon to enter the region aid in the expulsion of the creatures that were attacking their borders. Freja spoke with Adelina at the entrance of the outpost, she wore gleaming armour and a blue cloak, over her should and body was her bow and on her hip was her sword, she was about to depart and leave her daughter in the hands of her father.''

<p class="MsoNormal">“Do not worry Adelina, I will return soon and I can tell you about the wondrous adventure I had” said Freja, comforting the poor crying girl before her, she never liked it when her mother went off, and when she heard she was going to go off fighting she was even more worried.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Please come back, I’ll miss you” sobbed the young Adelina, hugging her mother tightly, which was returned and for a good long moment they stayed as such.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Don’t worry, I will never leave you” said Freja, she relased her daughter and looked towards her love, she shared one final embrace and kiss with him before she was forced to leave and her final words to him where this “Keep her safe”

<p class="MsoNormal">“I will my love” he replied, her slipping out of his as she left with the last of the sentinels towards the southern borders of Ashenvale.

<p class="MsoNormal">''“Father, why did mother go?” asked the young Adelina, her eyes looking up to her father in worry, she had spent nearly her entire life with her mother and without her she felt so alone. Even with her father she still felt slightly alone, he was a good father and loved her, but he was almost a stranger to her and it was hard for her to even think of him as a father when he spent so little time with her.''

<p class="MsoNormal">“You mother has gone to protect our lands” he said kindly to his daughter, smiling at her and patting her on the head “Do not worry Adelina, your mother will return soon and everything will be alright.”

<p class="MsoNormal">''She smiled up at her father, she believed his words without a single doubt in her mind, she believed that her mother would return to her, she would take her up in her arms and would embrace one another as a mother and daughter should. But in reality, this was but a cruel hope to give a girl so young and innocent.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''Two weeks later her mother did returned to them, but she was no longer alive, her body had been brought back to Moonglade to be buried, she along with many warriors and their Demi-God and protector Cenarias had fallen to the red skinned demons of the south. Adelina was there when her mother was brought in, her body was peacefully laid on a stretcher, she looked serene, like she was just asleep, for so long Adelina thought it was that, that her mother was just sleeping and that in time she would wake up.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''“Wake up, please wake up” she said, standing beside her mother’s motionless form, the warriors around her watching with heavy hearts as the daughter has her mother ripped from her life. “Mommy, you have to wake up! You have to wake up!”''

<p class="MsoNormal">''For many days she continued to chant for mommy to wake up, she would never stop calling for her mother, never stop asking her to wake up and be with her, and when the old hard truth finally reached her so did the gnawing sorrow. For many days she continued to wallow in her misery of losing her mother, her father could do little to help his daughter and even less to bring her out of the downward spiral that was her grief.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''“Why? Why did mommy have to die?” she sobbed, her father was sitting beside her bed, never leaving her side for a moment to try and comfort her.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''At those words he was at a loss, even with all his training and all his wisdom that spanned over ten thousand years he held no answer to the small girl that was his flesh and blood, he couldn’t even think of anything to say to bring her comfort. He could only look at Adelina with a pained and sorrowful expression to say what he dared no, he didn’t know, and her spiral continued and soon she no longer had the comforting presence of her father.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''Taken from her to defend the very mountain top from the demons, the final battle that would decide the fate of the world and all upon it, for what seemed like years Adelina waited for her father to come back. Her tears of pain and worry coming through as she begged for her father to come back, to not leave her alone, fate is a cruel thing, her father did return, and in a similar way her mother had. It was during these moments that she lost her will to fight, she had lost everything she loved and had nothing left to lean on and bring her comfort, no friends to speak with and there was few she could speak with that would understand the true loss she had experienced.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''Soon the war with the Legion was over and now all that was left to do was to mourn the dead, rebuild that which was destroyed and in the case of the young Adelina, place her in the care of the only people who could take her. The Druids. She was taken into the secret Druid Conclave within Stonetalon Mountains to be trained under the tutor ledge of the Senior Druids and the Keepers of the Grove; those who knew of her legacy hoped to preserve it through her. She was the daughter of one of the most respected and best Druids, she was a prodigy under his short training and they hoped that in time she would become just as great as him and would forge a grand destiny for all Night Elves. ''

<p class="MsoNormal">''But to their disappointment she did not live up their expectations, her grief held her at bay and prevented her from advancing along the lines as they intended her towards, she was unable to learn even the most basic of teachings without needing large amounts of teaching and studies. Although she could grasp the concept and the knowledge her own heart was still torn and unable to put all her effort into manifesting her power, for this she suffered in her training and also in her already dismal life.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''She was shunned by her fellow kin, she was the prime example of what a druid should aim not to be, that was even used by some of the teachers to show how far she was from what they expected of a druid under the teachings. She made no friends within the conclave and she had only a few teachers that still took the effort to help her become a druid, but over time they became few and far between and none the less she was always alone.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''For the next four years she trained and only could perform the most basic of spells, what took some Druids months to perform took her twice as long, what took them years to master would take her even longer. Though her mood and personality improved as time went on the damage had been done, the constant ridicule and loneliness had all but killed her spirit; she no longer had the drive to become better or strive to become stronger. Her only talent lie within her ability to heal and restore, but still for someone who has trained as long as she has, her skills were elementary level at best, and even if she could heal a wound, she couldn’t heal the void that remained in her heart.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''For most of her stay at the peaks of Stonetalon there was only one who would treat her kindly, most were heavy-handed with her based on her failures and her inability to master the arts, even those who continued to train her offered her only some sympathy and care. The only one to treat her with some level of respect was Keeper Taldros, one of the Keepers of the Grove that stayed within the Mountains; he was one of Illithar’s closest friends and also one of the Keepers of the Grove’s students. ''

<p class="MsoNormal">“It pains me to see you like this little one” Taldros said to her, his tone strong and booming but yet carried kindness within them “Your father and mother would not wish you to be like this, he would have wanted you to continue on and forge your own destiny in this world.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“But how?” Adelina asked, as much as she wanted to make her father proud and live up to him she couldn’t even do the simplest spell without failing, she had nothing to drive her to do anything, no one to care for her and nurture her into the Druid she wanted to be.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Sometimes you need to find something that will allow you to forge that destiny” said Taldros “Sometimes you need to find someone who can share your burden and help you overcome it”

<p class="MsoNormal">''Adelina looked up at Keeper Taldros and saw his small smile on his always serious face, sometime he did make some sense but even she had doubts about finding anyone who could help shoulder her burdens. She had met nothing but ridicule and scorn from her fellow kind for many years now and she has yet to make a single friend; how was she meant to shoulder this burden when no one was willing to bear it with her.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''Maybe she needed to stop thinking so negatively, maybe she should start doing something more productive, she could start doing something to help cheer her up and maybe that would help, but what could she do? Well she liked making cloths, maybe she could set up a stall and make some leather goods for the other druids, who knows, she might actually get some respect and maybe some friends out of it.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''Sadly it didn’t work as well as she hoped it would have, she did get customers but they were far and few between just as the people who still gave a damn about teaching her, and she didn’t earn much more respect from any of them, they saw it as her trying to do something to overshadow her previous failures. But she didn’t allow them to drown her spirit and she continued both in her new trade and in her duties as a Druid, which was not much considering her limited ability to perform to task, they had her scrounging around the mountains looking for plants and bringing them back to the peak.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''She was searching for Bruiseweed to help with the poisonings that was affecting some of the dwellers of the mountains after the local spider population exploded, causing many deaths as well as fatal poisonings. She wasn’t able to participate in the healing or the cleaning, she wasn’t skilled enough to counteract the poison nor was she strong enough to counteract the spiders, so she was forced to gather herbs for the potions for the sick.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''It was during this time that she stumbled to close to a Chimera dwelling, and because of that it attacked, being unable to fight off something as powerful as a Chimera she had only one choice left, she ran for dear life. She ran for dear life away from the creature as it chased after her overhead, for several hours she ran, and eventually she lost the beast, but not before she ran right through the charred veil and right into a nest of vicious Harpies. Seeing no other choice she ran for her life once more, and her run brought her the Desolace, which lived up to its name, as after she lost the Harpies she was alone in the god forsaken hell for days before she was eventually found.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''But when she realised that the riders in the distance weren’t actually riders but Centaur, she had to run for her life once more, but this time they caught up to her, surrounded and likely to die she could only wait for her inevitable end. But her life was saved by the most unlikely of things, a large number of demons had been waiting in the hills nearby and when they saw a large group of Centaur marauders nearby they lunged at the chance to take them. That is exactly what they did, charging in they waged a small war against one another, which was the only thing that allowed the poor druid to escape, and she ran without respite for two days before Adelina finally entered Feralas.''

<p class="MsoNormal">''Through the humidity and the dehydration and hunger she was able to continue walking until she arrived at two large colossal mountains, she drank from the pools at their base and continued on with her march. Moving forward rather than go back to that ruins she fought her way through the forest, not literally however, fighting against the mosquitos and the weather she survived, and eventually came to a port on the coast. There she found refuge on a small island stronghold and stayed there, for several days she recuperated in the Inn and tried to get her strength back, and when she was ready she tried to return home.''

<p class="MsoNormal">“What do you mean you can’t send me back?” exclaimed Adelina, she had been in the stronghold for nearly two weeks before she could get a meeting with the strongholds commander, Shandris Feathermoon, supreme commander of the Sentinel Armies.

<p class="MsoNormal">“I am sorry but there is nothing I can do” said Shandris, although her tone was completely neutral so to tell if she was actually sincere in her words was impossible to tell “All the Hippogryphs have been taken back to Ashenvale and the only ones that do come in are used by the couriers”

<p class="MsoNormal">“So I’m stuck here, what am I supposed to do?” asked Adelina, there was nothing she knew of that she could use to get herself back, she had no money or anything she could use to return home.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Alright listen, I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt, as well as cut you a break” said Shandris, lifting herself up and moving towards the edge of the table, she pulled out a piece of parchment.

<p class="MsoNormal">Adelina looked at it and it was a stall lease, looking up she could see Shandris looking down at her expectantly.

<p class="MsoNormal">''“I can’t give you a Hippogryph, but I can help you get a ride back to Stonetalon Peak” Shandris said plainly “This lease will allow you to set up a stall on the island, every week Hippogryphs come in and drop off supplies, they will be your best bet to getting back home. But you’re going to need to pay them for the trouble. So tell me can you do anything to make yourself useful?”''

<p class="MsoNormal">“Well…” thought the young Druid, she did have a talent for leather goods.

<p class="MsoNormal">Two months later and she was selling her wares to all the sentinels in the stronghold, although she was getting some money from them it was going to take even longer to get the money needed to get herself out of this humid hell hole.

<p class="MsoNormal">''“Just a few more weeks and I can go home…” she said, but stopped when she mentioned it, Home was where someone felt safe and protected, she didn’t have anything like that, she didn’t have anyone she loved or felt safe with, she had nothing. She looked around at the people going about their duty around the fortress, each of them had something, whether it was to fight for, to live for or just something to do. But her she only existed without purpose in this world, she had nothing to live for, nothing to fight for and the only thing she could do was perform a simple task to get back to a place where she serve an even lessor purpose.''

<p class="MsoNormal">“Please, I don’t want to go on like this” she whispered to herself, her eyes watering as she struggled to deal with her pain, she wanted only to have a purpose in life and make her family proud, she wanted to have what she lost, she wanted someone to help her, someone to protect her, someone to save her.

<p class="MsoNormal">Thousand Needles

<p class="MsoNormal">Ichigo looked at Adelina and could see the pain in her eyes, he knew now why she had followed him, although he wouldn’t say he was a righteous and good-hearted guy, he did do his best to help those in need no matter who they were. She was vulnerable and didn’t need a teacher or a place to be safe, she needed a friend, someone she could lean on for support and protect her from any harm that may come her way.

<p class="MsoNormal">In a way he was just like her, someone who had suffered loss on a scale that no one could possibly measure, the loss of a parent is something that can bring untold misery onto any souls, even someone as strong as him. Although it wasn’t something he did normally, he thought that he could make this one exception to the poor girl in front of him, he got up and walked over to her, she watched him do so with curiosity. Ichigo sat down next to the young druid and put a hand over her shoulder and pulled her close to him, her eyes widened at the sudden closeness he was showing her, but what he said next shocked her even more.

<p class="MsoNormal">“It’s okay, I won’t let anyone hurt you again” said the soul reaper, those words shocked Adelina more than she had thought them possible, she felt something lift from her chest at the fact that although he may see her as a burden sometimes, he was willing to be there for her.

<p class="MsoNormal">She closed her eyes quickly and leaned closer to him, she didn’t want to cry, but the simple fact that he would do something such as this and say something such as that, she couldn’t help but sob as he held onto her. They stayed as such for a long while, Ichigo by Adelina’s side with his around her shoulders and giving her to comfort she needed, while she vented all her pent up emotions she had been holding in for the last four years. Even though he has known her for little more than a week, he couldn’t say that she wasn’t his friend, she was a good kind hearted girl who suffered more than she should have, and as long as she was with him, he would make sure nothing hurt her again.

<p class="MsoNormal">Dire Maul

<p class="MsoNormal">The Ruins of Eldre’Thalas were in chaos, the demons that once inhabited it were now on the run, the ogres of the northern part of the Ruins left them well enough alone but now they were being hunted down and slaughtered by the Gordunni ogres. The same could be said for the Highborne, they have recently been purged from the city as well, the demons had somehow gathered reinforcements from the Twisted Nether and tried to lay siege to the entire city and take hold of it and use it for a base of operations in order to invade this world once more.

<p class="MsoNormal">Walking through the front entrance of the ruins was a young gnomish woman, her golden hair tied up in two braids alongside her head and wrapped in fine bindings of emerald and sapphire, her emerald eyes focusing on the path ahead of her. In her left hand was a long silver staff, with a golden headpiece, twice as tall as she was but still nimble and easy to use in her hands, she walked down the path with little care about the chaos going on around her.

<p class="MsoNormal">As she continued three ogres charged towards her, axes raised and ready to cut her small form into many delicate pieces, but as they drew close she simple looked at them and with an unseen gesture they were halted. Frozen in place by an unseen force and held there, the gnomish woman giggled to herself despite the chaos going on around her, even as a member of the Bronze Dragonflight she was still a very charismatic. She halted when she came to the main square of the ruins of Eldre’Thalas, known as the Broken Commons, she surveyed the scene with some disgust, the bodies of many ogres and demons littered the area, obviously they had been here for many days and even though many were dead the battle was still in full swing.

<p class="MsoNormal">“This shouldn’t have happened” said Chronormu, or by her mortal alias Chromie, which was right, this battle and slaughter shouldn’t have occurred at all.

<p class="MsoNormal">From what she knew this entire event unfolded outside of the standard timeline, there had been several deviations in the timeline that could affect the outcome of certain destinies of several individuals, including several that would be passing through these ruins in the next year and a half. But also the destinies of not only the people who were present in Dire Maul but many others who would have played a role in the far future, somewhere dead and others were now on different paths because of this shift in the timeline.

<p class="MsoNormal">This all started with the demons arrival in the western part of the city, there was no meant to be a demonic incursion, this didn’t make any sense, they didn’t have anything that showed how this could have occurred and little to know what was behind it. The timeline cannot change itself, something else has to play a role in it, but what role could they possibly be hoping for in just bringing a demonic force into the city, it wasn’t the Legion, they wouldn’t know how to alter time any better than altering the shadows on a sun dial.

<p class="MsoNormal">But she knew that the enemy wasn’t behind it, their presence she could feel here and also this place didn’t play any significant events for the future aside from a simple attempt to have the Gordunni ogres join the forces of a cult. But she could feel something on the air that was different, a latent energy that she wasn’t familiar with although it did have some qualities she recognised, but what it was she couldn’t exactly put her finger on it. She would need to report back to the Caverns of Time and make sure that these events are catalogued and the events that occurred here are corrected quickly, deviations in the timeline are something they cannot allow to occur.