A Twist of Fate

I am a sucker for punishment I think. Here I am, starting yet
another Wheel of Time/Bleach fic. -bangs head on desk-
This would make number 3...but I had to write it down and get
it out of my head.

I started out doing just a bit of research here and there, but
that ended up only increasing my desire to write this story.

So, without further ado...A Twist of Fate. Please, enjoy.


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Chapter 1 – A Chance Encounter

A large column of dust filled the sky, brought on by the rather explosive end of their latest experimental hollow. Two men wrapped in the dark cloak of night stood watching the sight impassively. One with a head of thin, silvery hair, a fox like grin playing across his face. The other was graced with locks in a deep shade of brown, a few of the thick tresses spilling over onto his forehead carelessly.

“Yare, yare. Another one bites th’ dust.”

“So it seems. It is most unfortunate, but I’m afraid we should be going now. That will have caught the attention of the 12th Division.”

“Ah, that’s too bad. I was jus’ startin’ ta have fun.”

“Hn.”

“Are we jus’ gonna leave th’ other one here?”

“Just as well, more likely than not, the fools will assume it was the source of that reiatsu spike.”

“An’ if they decide ta keep it alive an’ experiment on it…then what?”

The pair began to walk away casually, ignoring a screeching hollow that roared less than half a mile from where they stood. The dark haired man pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose, humming to himself a moment before responding.

“Division 6 is the closest, but even they are at least a good two hours from here. The probability of them being the ones to respond is quite high.”

“Hn” smirked the silver fox, his ever present grin widening. “Whatever ya say, Aizen-sama.”

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“Light, Tia, must you drag us from our blankets so early?”

For the most part, Tianorin ignored the grumbled complaints of her Sister. Zhai was never one to rise any earlier than she deemed necessary. While the Atha’an Miere girl was a Brown, she certainly did not act it. What self respecting Brown Sister would not wish to rise hours before the sun to gather information on a pillar of rune stones? They were not just any stones, after all. There were groups of these mysterious ruins scattered across their world, typically in remote locations, perhaps where ancient cities once were. Information on them was sparse, but from what Tianorin had read, they could be used to travel. More than likely, they were the quickest form of travel before the Waygates had been created.

They had discovered this particular cluster the night before, shortly before making their camp at Toman Head. Immediately, Tianorin’s interest was piqued. She’d only read about the stones before, never had she been so fortunate as to see them. It was truly an experience she would forever treasure.

Flanking the Brown Sisters strode two Warders, moving silently in the still night with the deadly grace of acquired after years of intense training and dedication. A few feet ahead of them, waiting beside the stones was their other travelling companion, Nelisande. The Green Sister had been as eager as the Brown upon locating the ancient relics, curious to see what they could learn from them.

“There is no sense in wasting time, Zhai.” Tianorin responded after a moment, the beads on her dark braids clicking together softly as she walked.

Her companion snorted, tossing back a head of thick, black hair. By mainlander standards, Zhai din Eiran was exotic, her tanned skin, dark hair and graceful movements earned by being born and raised at sea made her easily catch the eyes of men and women alike. Amongst her own people, she could easily go without notice, but she was by no means a plain woman.

Of the three women in their party, she was certainly the most attractive of the lot. Tianorin Lounalt was slightly on the plump side, and her penchant for wearing the clingy Taraboner dresses of her people did nothing to flatter her figure. Despite her girth, she had a loving face, dimples marking her cheeks and somehow bringing an almost motherly appeal. When the woman smiled, she could light up a room, though it rarely occurred.

It was not because she was unhappy, or unwilling, but instead because she spent so much time lost in thought, pondering over every scrap of information she could glean on whatever subject held her interest. She had that absentminded quality of most Sisters in the Brown Ajah, spending her days focusing solely on research and attaining as much knowledge as possible.

Zhai stood out like a sore thumb amongst the Brown Sisters for her outgoing personality, and her tendency to shun books in general. She felt they it was a waste of time. Why read about something when you could go out and experience it for yourself? Truly, if it were not an unspoken rule between the few Atha’an Miere women who trained in the White Tower, she would have joined the Green instead of the Brown. For reasons she would never divulge, every Atha’an Miere woman that had trained in Tar Valon took the Brown, no matter what.

It was Zhai’s exuberance, along with several other shared similarities, that caught Nelisande’s eye. The two women had become fast friends during their training, though Nelisande moved from Novice to Accepted long before Zhai. The Atha’an Miere girl struggled for years with a block, unable to channel a whit unless she was embarrassed. Blocks were not common by any means, but were usually occurred when a woman had the ability to channel but held some fear of it, their minds creating a mental wall to shield them from their own power.

The walls could be broken, but it was certainly no easy task, and the difficulty varied with each girl. It seemed Zhai’s own people had considered her a lost cause, suggesting they send her to the White Tower rather than a girl of weaker channeling skill. The Atha’an Miere people were always very selective on what children would be sent to Tar Valon, taking care to send those with very little strength in the One Power in the hopes of maintaining the fallacy that Atha’an Miere women had no real talent with Saidar.

While Zhai may have trailed behind Nelisande in rank, the two girls always remained friends. Nelisande even made a point of staying in the White Tower until Zhai was raised to the Shawl, finally attaining the rank of Aes Sedai. Such was the extent of their friendship.

Tianorin had seen fit to take both girls under her wing, although, she had a bad habit of forgetfulness that had both Nelis and Zhai ready to tear their hair out at times. They formed a slightly dysfunctional family of sorts, the younger women looking to Tianorin as both mother and mentor.

Nelis was waving excitedly to them now, a small glow floating beside her, created with a simple weave of the One Power to provide ample lighting until the sun came up. To Zhai’s right, Nel’s Warder, Kamavon, picked up his pace, eager to be back by her side. Danger was not expected, but it could never be discounted in the eyes of a Warder. Gaidin were always on alert, even when relaxed.

“You should not have run ahead, Nel” the big man said to her, chastisement, but said with a softness that showed only affection.

Sniffing, she gave the man a playful smile; eyes alit by more than the lamp she created. The Shienaran woman was known for having a slight mischievous streak, to which her mother accredited her father. When most young noblewomen would have been learning how to sew, Nelisande Togita was sparring with her father, being taught the ways of his people.

While her mother was a lesser noble to House Togita, her father had been a simple Aiel warrior. The two stumbled upon each other near the border of the Aiel Waste and Shienar, just over the Dragonwall. Juric had been near death, and had already accepted his fate, but it was a chance discovery that saved his life. Saia Togita’s hunting party stumbled across him, where he lay dying from wounds inflicted by Trollocs. Their bodies were strewn about him; at least twenty of the foul creatures had been slain by his hand.

Juric, and the rest of his party had been ambushed in the night, but not a one of the Trollocs, nor the Myrddraal leading them survived the attack. Unfortunately, the same could be said of the small group of Aiel. Juric was the only survivor, and just barely at that. It was a strange twist of fate, their meeting. Aiel are not known for leaving the Three-Fold Land, and normally, Saia’s party would never have travelled so close to the Dragonwall.

Whatever the creator had in mind, Nelisande was the end result of their meeting, a curious blend of noble and savage. Her fiery red hair could have come from either parent, but her height and trim figure was unmistakably Aiel. The unusual shade of amber that colored her eyes tend to draw almost as much attention to her as her hair, as they shifted between shimmering gold and a rusty shade of brown.

Since they were often seen travelling together, Nelisande and Tia’s Warder, Tsûretsu Hogosha, had been mistaken for siblings on more than one occasion. They both bore the same deep red locks, though Tsûretsu was easily picked out as a Saldaean for his beak like nose. Perhaps it was their dark skin, something many Borderlanders had in common, though Shienar and Saldaea were on opposite ends of the Border.

“I am not helpless Kamavon; you of all people should know this.”

The big man grunted, choosing to ignore the truth of her words. Oh, he knew alright. A member of House Shinowa, he’d been hand selected to serve as Nelisande’s guardian when they were still children. He’d been there for many of her sparring sessions, often taking lessons from Juric himself. Nelis took delight in testing her new skills out on her friend. Though she rarely bested him, she could hold her own with ease, as though she had been raised a Maiden of the Spear instead of a Shienaran noblewoman.

Tianorin, Tsûretsu and Zhai finally reached the impatient Nelisande, who was just as eager as Tianorin to get to work. They made an interesting party, quite a mixture of cultures and backgrounds, and certainly not your typical group of Aes Sedai and Gaidin.

“Shall we get to work?” Tianorin asked, already digging through the satchel Tsûretsu was carrying for her.

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Delicate chimes and the fluttering of wings in his ear woke Renji from his fitful sleep with little effort. His dreams this night had been plagued with death, though he was unsure as to why. Annoyed with the disturbance, but curious, he extended his finger and waited for the creature to land and relay its message.

“Abarai Fuku-taichou, please assemble a small team to investigate a disturbance of reiatsu at the following location…”

Listening quietly, he memorized the location given, already beginning to dress himself. It would take some time for him to get the men together, and even more time to get them there. The Squad 6 barracks were the closest to that quadrant, but it was still a good ways outside of the Seireitei.

The chances of them actually discovering what, or who, caused the commotion would be slim, but orders are orders. Muttering sleepily to himself, he tugged on his hakama hastily.

“Wasn’t sleeping worth a shit anyway, just as well, I suppose.”

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“The engravings are a bit difficult to decipher, the Ages have not been kind to these stones.”

“Use the charcoal and paper I brought, Nelis.”

“I think Tia is using it right now.”

The two women glanced over at the older woman, who was indeed making use of those tools, covering herself with charcoal in the process. Smudges of it were carelessly rubbed across her cheek, spots staining the sleeves of her silken dress.

The two Warders stood above the huddled women, their eyes scanning in all directions, hands ever ready to draw their swords if needed. Their vigilance went largely unnoticed by the Aes Sedai, so used to their presence as it were.

They worked for nearly a half hour in this fashion, recording and copying the images on paper almost fervently. It was not as though the White Tower was completely lacking information on these stones, but it was their first time actually seeing them with their own eyes.

Rocking back on her heels, Zhai gazed at the stone directly in front of her. It bore a simple diamond, hollowed out and resting on its side. Unlike most of the others, it was actually quite clear to see, the passage of time somehow moving a bit more gently over it than the others.

Embracing the Source, the young Aes Sedai pulled a thin strand of spirit from the air around her, alerting her companions moments before making contact.

“I’m going to probe this one lightly; it seems to be in much better condition than the rest.”

Tianorin, still wrapped up in her current work, took a bit longer to register the statement than she should have. A grievous error on her part, as she would soon come to learn. The tiny thread entered the stone just as the plump woman spoke up.

“I don’t believe that’s wise with as little…”

A sudden lurch in the world around them killed her words just as surely as the overwhelming wave of nausea did. The very space around them flickered, over and over, blinking in and out of reality. Tianorin Lounalt watched what she could only assume was their future playing out in every way imaginable, the scenes changing with each flicker. No matter what was done differently, each vision ended with the same, resounding conclusion. Death. When the darkness enveloped her, Tianorin suspected her long life had ended at last.

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Groaning, Zhai clutched her head in hopes of stopping the world around her from spinning. Bile rose in her throat, forcing to choke it down quickly and leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.

“Light!” she exclaimed, pushing herself up on wobbly legs “Well, you don’t have to worry about me doing that again!”

It took her a moment to realize that she was receiving no response from her travelling companions. Glancing from side to side, and then cursing herself for it, she quickly located the four of her friends. 

Kamavon was assisting a rather cranky looking Nelisande to her feet, while Tsûretsu struggled to rouse Tianorin.

“Is everyone alright?” she asked hesitantly, bearing the weight of her actions with a heavy heart.

“Blood and ashes, Zhai! Perhaps a bit more warning before you try to kill us next, if you would be so kind.”

The Atha’an Miere woman smiled at the tart response of her friend, taking it as a sign of her well being. Wringing her hands together, she offered an apologetic smile.

“Sorry…”

“Sorry doesn’t begin to cover it, impatient child! Sometimes I cannot believe they raised you to the Shawl. Such rash behavior is unbecoming of an Aes Sedai, Zhai din Eiran!”

While Tianorin’s harsh words stung her, successfully chastising the young woman, they came as a relief. If the older woman had that much bite to her words, it meant she was only annoyed, not injured.

“At least we are alright, if not a bit dizzy.” Nelisande offered up, hoping to shift Tianorin’s ire, or in the very least, distract the older woman.

The later of the two being highly unlikely, for once you had Tianorin’s attention, only something more ‘intriguing’ could possibly pull it away. And when the plump Taraboner was angry, you absolutely held her full interest.

“That may be” she said with a huff, “but have you bothered to take in our surroundings, Nelisande?”

The Shienaran noble blinked, amber eyes sliding from her mentor to survey the area around them carefully. It was unsettling to discover they were no longer on the familiar plains of Toman Head. They were now located in a thickly wooded area, only a tiny clearing formed around the ancient stones they had been so intently studying moments before.

“Peace…Zhai, you’ve managed to activate the portal stones.”

Biting her lip, the quixotic Aes Sedai hung her head, ashamed of the trouble she’d caused. It was times like these that she herself wondered how she had finally attained the Shawl with her undisciplined, and sometimes hasty actions. It wasn’t as though she had been raised poorly. On the contrary, the Sea Folk were quite strict, especially when it came to their hierarchy. Zhai had been so relieved when they made the decision to send her to Tar Valon. Though she would miss the constant sway of a ship beneath her feet, it meant she could escape the somewhat harsh life of her people, and prevent bringing any more shame upon her family.

When she stepped onto the docks of Tar Valon, it felt as though a great weight had been lifted from her, that she was finally free. She would not be forced to remain a lowly deckhand, her hopes of being a Windfinder dashed by her own accursed block to Saidar. She tried to make the most of every moment in this new life, a clean slate that she could bring her own design to. It was her zest for life that made her quite hasty, her rash decisions often landing her in a boiling pot. This time, it seemed to be no different, except, she had dragged others with her.

This night, fate would not grant her much time to dwell upon her mistake. A bone chilling howl reached their ears, ripping through the silence of the night. Warders tensed beside their companions, automatically drawing their weapons and shifting their stance. All 3 women took in a startled breath, eyes searching the darkened forest for the source.

“That sounded like nothing I have ever heard” Nelisande said breathily.

Gulping, Zhai nodded, reaching out and embracing the source. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel that her Sisters had done the same. Whatever lurked in the night, it would not catch them unawares. The howl came again, much louder, and muchcloser. Spinning on their heels, Kamavon and Tsûretsu turned towards the source with a self assured calm. The ground began to shake as the creature drew near, and even in the dark, they could see the trees of the forest being smashed aside by a giant being.

“What in the Light is that?” Zhai asked, her voice tinged with worry.

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“C’mon men, step it up! I don’t want to see any stragglers back there!” Renji yelled, turning his head and scowling at the sleepy group of officers he’d rounded up in the pre-dawn hours.

He was no less exhausted than any of them, in actuality, he was probably more drained, but that would not keep him from doing his duty. They all needed to be prepared for anything. Sluggish movements would only get them killed.

They were still about half an hour out from the targeted area, but unless they picked up the speed, it would be forty five minutes instead of thirty. Had it just been Renji, he would already have arrived. Serving as a Lieutenant to Squad 6 meant he was a great deal stronger than the rest of the Squad, not counting his Captain, of course. One day though, one day he would surpass Byakuya Kuchiki, the noble Captain of the 6th Division.

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Zhai could not help but scream in terror when the enormous beast burst into the clearing, already swinging its deadly claws at them. It looked like a gigantic bug of sorts, a scorpion like tail appearing from over top its head and aiming directly at the two men guarding them.

The Warders dodged the first attack, careful to keep themselves between the monster, and the Aes Sedai they lived to protect. Kamavon was the first to attack, the long, sharp blade of his sword arcing upwards, seeking to slice into the chest of the strange creature.

Much to his surprise and dismay, its tough carapace provided an impenetrable shield to the simple steel, bouncing the blade right off. With a lazy swing, the oversized insect flicked Kamavon aside as though he were the bug instead.

Panic gripped Nelisande’s throat as she watched him skid away, feeling through the bond they shared that the unexpected blow had broken through several of the mans ribs. Giving a sharp nod to her sisters, she immediately rushed to his side to begin healing him.

Behind the remaining Warder, Tianorin began weaving threads of fire together, preparing an enormous ball of flame. Mimicking her mentor, Zhai did the same, hurtling it towards the enemy only moments after the other woman.

The giant beast roared, tossing its head angrily as the flames seared its chest and right pincer. Furious, it sent its massive tail straight towards the women, seeking to skewer them both. Tsûretsu was there in a flash, leaping in front of Zhai and Tianorin to shield them from the attack.

Tsûretsu held the greatsword across his chest, bracing it with one hand on the hilt, one on the blade. His intent was to use the weapon to block the rapid descent of the viciously curved hook heading all too swiftly his way. The powerful momentum and sheer velocity of the attack forced him backwards, cracks splintering the sword. The thin metal was of no use against a creature of its size or strength, giving way almost instantly, the tail piercing through his body with a sickening crunch.

With that fatal moment, time seemed to slow down for them all, watching Tsûretsu stare blankly down at the gaping hole in his chest before crumpling to the ground, eyes already clouding. Nelisande heard Tianorin’s mournful cry of agony, as she too, felt the blow dealt to her Warder.

For nearly sixty years, Tsûretsu Shinowa had remained by her side, ever vigilant. To have the bond suddenly severed, to feel the excruciating pain he endured in his last moments, sent Tianorin tumbling over the brink into madness. Her normally passive face was contorted with fury, the glow of Saidar brightening around her until the light was nearly blinding.

“Tianorin! Stop it! You are pulling in too much!”

Zhai’s warnings fell on deaf ears, her mentor, her friend, was out of reach. The fires of her rage exploded from her hands, consuming the monster with its scorching heat. It thrashed wildly, trying desperately to escape the inferno that enveloped it.

Without warning, the creature exploded, the force clearing the immediate area around it and sending Zhai hurtling through the trees. Nelisande managed to summon forth a barrier composed of air, fire and earth, providing an airtight and nearly impenetrable barrier around them. Despite the shield protecting them, and injuries that were not fully healed, Kamavon pulled her to the ground, further shielding Nelisande with his own body. Such was the dedication of a Warder.

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They team members of Squad 6 were just entering the area in question when they heard the explosion, just to the north east of them. It had been close enough for them to feel the strength of the blast, wind whipping past them and forcing many to shield their eyes from debris.

What none of them had expected to see flying through the air was the body of a woman, the red sash at her waist waving like a banner behind her, and immediately catching Renji’s eye. He was not close enough to catch her, to stop her delicate form from colliding with a tree. Her body spasmed as she hit, eyes closed tightly and mouth open as she cried out. Dark hair flowed forward, hiding her face from him, but he was certain he would never forget that vision, her pained expression would remain etched into his memory forever.

Leaping down, Renji caught her moments before she struck the ground, cradling her broken form as gently as he could manage. The moment his feet hit earth, he was barking orders to the surrounding men who had followed him.

“Kobayashi! We’re going to need the medical unit as fast as possible. I’ll try to meet them halfway with this one.”

“Sir!” the young man said, followed by a stiff bow before running back the way they had come.

“The rest of you keep moving forward, we need to find out what caused that blast! Split into two groups. Group 1 find out what that explosion was, Group 2 search for survivors. If there was one injured, there have to be more.”

“Yes sir!” the men shouted in unison, vanishing from his side as they rushed ahead.

When the remainder of his team had departed, Renji looked down at the battered woman in his arms, his face lined with pity. Judging by her tattered and singed clothing, she’d been relatively close to the blast. It was the impact of her slender form crashing into the tree that seemed to have done the most damage to her. A thin line of blood trickled from her cracked lips, indicating internal bleeding. ‘Not good’ the thought to himself.

Judging by his quick assessment, it did not look like the girl would make it to a healer, not in her condition. She might not even last another five minutes. Inwardly, he cursed his inability to use healing kido. He’d never been skilled with any of it really, but he couldn’t even heal a bruise no matter how hard he tried.

In the end, he decided to place her on the ground and make her as comfortable as he could. Slowly, he eased her to the soil at his feet, kneeling beside her and holding her head in his lap. Quietly, he brushed aside the dark tresses that lay scattered across her face, a pang of sadness rippling through him. ‘What did this to you?’

It surprised him to see her eyes open, dark pupils swimming with tears. Whimpering in pain, she lifted one hand slowly, trying to reach up to his face. Renji caught it halfway, clasping it with his own and giving her a reassuring squeeze. In the very least, she would not die alone.

The young woman attempted a feeble smile, wincing at the pain lancing through her. Licking her lips, she tried to steady her shallow breaths, though a deeper intake of air only brought more agony.

“Shh…lie still and don’t try to talk.” He advised.

Tears slid down her face, finally spilling over at the comforting sound of his voice. She knew death was coming.

“I…can't…die here” she whispered, her wide lips beginning to tremble.

Renji’s brows furrowed, the words hurting him simply because he knew he was helpless. Seeing death on a regular basis never made it any easier, and certainly not in a situation like this. It made it personal to him, even if she was just a stranger.

“Will you…” she began, her words halting as a stinging wave of pain held her in its grip, causing her body to tense.

Still holding her hand tightly, Renji used his free hand to brush away the tears that were now streaking her face. It had definitely become too personal. When her body went lax again, she resumed her request, muddy brown eyes searching his desperately.

“…lend me your…strength?”

Renji Abarai responded as any decent man would have, nodding his head in a silent agreement. Anything to soothe her in the final moments of her life. What he had not expected was the slight chill that came from her hand as her grip on his tightened. Following on the heels of that strange sensation was an acute awareness of the stranger he held, and an excruciating, nearly overwhelming pain.

Eyes growing wide, Renji leaned forward, gasping from the agony that now seized him. Through the haze of misery, he could see her eyes had closed once again. ‘What the hell did she do to me? Oh gods…why can I feel her wounds as clearly as if they were mine own?!’ He stayed frozen like that for what felt like an eternity, body and mind struggling to adjust to the sudden change.

When he finally thought he had a handle on the pain, he glanced at her again. He couldn’t be certain, but her condition almost seemed to have improved. In the very least, her breathing was steady, and her heartbeat not so ragged as before.

Taking it as a sign, Renji lifted the woman into his arms once more and stood. ‘If I can get her to a healer…’ he told himself before speeding back towards the Seireitei, cradling her like a prized possession. ‘You’re gonna make it, I promise.’


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A/N: I think its safe to say I will continue writing this story, but whether or not I post it here is going to be up to you, the reader. I absolutely love writing, and I am always looking to improve. If you have suggestions, questions or if you would just like to give me your opinion of the story, please, leave me a review. PM's are welcome as well, but I loooove my reviews. (they make me all warm and fuzzy inside) If I see the story has garnered a small fan base, I'll continue to place updates here.

Please keep in mind that this story is a crossover between a fantasy novel and an anime. There was some confusion on the last WoT-Bleach story I posted, so I try to stress that now. :) Aes Sedai aren't 'ordinary' mortals, by any stretch of the imagination.

Special thanks, as always, goes to my Master, WannaBeNinja/WannaBePirate. Thanks for going over my rough draft with me, and encouraging me to post this. :) -huggles-

I have 5 other stories available that you are welcome to check out. My main story is a WoT-Bleach crossover as well, and will continue to be my primary focus. I also have 1 WoW-Bleach story and 2 Vampire-Bleach stories. What can I say...vampires are just hot. :) That and I love writing smut. hahah


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-WannaBeNinja's Evil Minion of Doom-
-Angil's Partner in Crime-
-GreenShade's Story Stalker-
-ArjetLuna's Groupie Fangirl-
-D.F.G.'s Corrupt Cohort-
-Jazzmaster's Judgement Junkie-

~Sweet Yuya Shiina~