Children of the Stars

Hello again! Have I got you hooked on this yet? I know most of you aren't familiar with World of Warcraft, but I'm hoping that I've written this in a way that makes it easy to understand. I have several pictures on my FF bio and 2 videos to give everyone a visual. The videos are the actual openings to WoW and they are sooo beautiful. I could (and do) watch them over and over. Blizzard CG's are freakin awesome. The first one actual has a night elf druid changing into a panther, and the second one shows a blood elf female casting holy nova, ground 'splodin and everthing. :D Freakin awesome I tell ya. I don't play WoW anymore, but it obviously left quite an impression on me. Perhaps after reading this little saga, you'll be interested in it. If you ever decide to play, chose Eldre'Thalas!! (server) Ok...enough blabbing now, on with the show!!

PS - WannaBeNinja/Pirate rules...go read the stories posted by this uber-tastic author. Seriously. You shall not regret it. Flawless Imperfections is my fav!!

-SweetYuya aka WannaBe's minion bitch-


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RECAP

In a last ditch attempt, she took over the mind of the red haired shinigami once again, drawing him away from her sister and removing Tessah from combat. Once she had him blocking Sasakibe and Yamamoto from entering the room she released her hold.

“Get out of here sister!” She screamed. Tessah looked at her, appalled by the suggestion.

“Ash Karath!” she screamed again, ‘do it!’

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 3

The cell door was still open from when Byakuya had entered and he immediately cursed himself for leaving it that way. It had never even occurred to him. He’d thrown down the weapons he was holding and rushed in, his only goal securing the prisoner. ‘A fine job I’ve done of that. Secured one only to leave an opening for the other.’

Tessah released her form as a bear and returned to normal but for a moment. Within seconds she had changed form again, this time revealing herself as a large crow, ornately decorated. Her golden eyes looked back at Serrelle sadly before she flew out the door, her speed easily matching that of the shinigami shunpo.

Once her sister made it safely away, Serrelle went lax in his arms, her head hanging.

“Elune-adore, falore” she whispered to her departed sibling. ‘Elune be with you, sister.’ She could almost hear her sister’s typical response in return. “Elune is always with me” she would say.

Pulling her away from the wall, Byakuya whirled her around and stood behind her, twisting one arm painfully behind her back. She whimpered slightly, trying to bend her body in a way that may ease the uncomfortable sensation shooting through her arm.

The other three men came into her cell, inspecting the damage. Renji kicked a chunk of plaster angrily, whirling to point his finger in her face. “Stop doing that shit to my head woman!”

She grunted against the pain, her eyes squinting “You are…an easier target than your friend…” she said quietly in a strained voice.

Renji’s eyes flicked up to Byakuya, noticing the man’s pallor. “Ano…Kuchiki-Taichou, are you feeling alright?”

He swayed slightly, jerking her arm tighter and causing her to gasp loudly. “I believe she may have poisoned me. My body, aches…”

He caught his face in his free hand, hoping to clear the spider webs that seemed to have infested his mind. Scowling, Renji reached over and grabbed a fist full of her hair at the scalp, tugging it roughly.

“What did you do to him?” he demanded.

She tried to sneer at him but only managed a wince, sharp needles in her scalp and searing pain in her arm making it difficult to do more than that. He pulled harder when she did not respond. Hot tears welled, her pride trying and failing to will them all away.

Her body was crudely bent over now, trying to escape Byakuya’s crushing grip and her head angled up awkwardly because of Renji’s. Yamamoto walked into her line of vision, using his cane to clear away the debris at his feet.

“I suggest you answer him young lady.”

A harsh laugh escaped her lips “Young? I have lived more than ten of your lifetimes” she spat, delighting in her new found courage.

Tessah was always the strong one, fighting her battles for her. Now it fell to her to hold up the Kaldorei pride and honor, breaking to these men was unacceptable.

The old man chuckled, stroking his beard thoughtfully “Somehow, I doubt that…child” he said, a tiny smile playing on his wizened visage.

Behind her, Byakuya was feeling worse than before. Her spell seemed to strengthen over time rather than grow weaker. Pulling his hand away from his face, he quietly cast Sai on her again, releasing her wrist in time to watch them cross over one another behind her back and freeze in place.

A well placed shove behind her knees made her crumple to the floor, held aloft by Renji. He leaned back on the wall heavily, finally sliding down to the floor.

“Captain Kuchiki?” Yamamoto asked, concern quickly replacing his amusement. Turning to Sasakibe he gave him a sharp nod. The two had served by one another that very little needed to be said. Chojiro bowed hastily and departed, running to fetch Captain Unohana of the medical division.

Panic getting the better of him, Renji struck her across the face “What the hell did you do to him?!”

This time she did smirk, licking her lips and tasting blood. “You want to know, do you?”

Her lips were still moving after she spoke, no sound coming out, or was there? He could hear faint whispering, it sounded like several voices at once though. Before he could muse over it, she used the same attack on him.

He made the mistake of holding his face inches from her when they spoke so he barely saw it coming. There was a flash of bright red flames, inaudible screams of death as it entered his body. She laughed as the shock finally registered on his face, followed by discomfort, soon to be agony.

“It is called Shadow Word Pain” she hissed, proudly observing the dark cloud that formed around his body as the spell set in.

He released her, clutching his stomach and dropping to his knees with a groan. She fell with him, unable to break her fall because of the bindings that held her fast. Her shoulder hit so hard it made her ears ring. It was worth it, to see the look on his face, to know the suffering he will have. To know she would have made her sister proud, oh yes, it was worth it.

Most of her hair fell over her face when she landed, spilling around her like a dark blanket. Through the strands, she could see the old man’s feet as they drew near, coming to a halt in front of her. The tip of his cane dipped under her chin and pushed her head up. She looked up at him, trying to look him in the eye, but they seemed permanently hidden beneath heavy lids too old or tired to rise.

“Release them of your spell and I will not hold it against you, child.”

“They deserve it” she whispered back “They attacked my sister for no reason!” Her voice grew louder with conviction. “Why should I cease their suffering when that is all they have brought us?!”

Huffing into his beard, the old man frowned down at her. “They were doing their job, child. Things will go easier for you both if you would just cooperate. There was no need for this violent display, all it has done is taint my opinion of you.”

Serrelle ground her teeth together, lowering her eyes. “Can you guarantee that my sister will not come to harm?”

He stroked his beard again idly “Mhmm” he hummed his agreement after a moment.

“Very well, if you can release me I will cure them.”

As soon as words left her mouth she found her arms freed yet again. Her energy was flagging, but she believed she had the strength to cure them both and perhaps even heal the damage done to them.

It took a moment for the feeling to return to her hands and wrists, allowing her to rise from the floor. Once standing, she called forth the strength of Elune, forming it into a golden ball between her palms. It grew from a speck to a small sphere, all the while a blue light swirled around her from the floor up, vanishing above her head and reappearing again at her feet. This beautiful pattern continued as the spell was cast, her hands weaving in and out gracefully.

When it was ready, she held it high above her head and the blue light expanded, engulfing the two men on the floor in a spray of gold and blue sparks. Above their heads a large and unusual mark formed, melting away and into their bodies.

Renji blinked, the twisting cramps lifting suddenly. In fact, all of the strange effects were lifted, the aches, nausea, pains and sweats. He was back to normal. Byakuya, however, had been under the effects of her spell for too long. Though the adverse effects had indeed lifted, he was greatly drained as it had been eating away at him for several minutes now. He groaned but did not rise from the floor as Renji did.

“I will need to heal him” Serrelle said, waiting for the nod of approval Yamamoto gave.

Crouching down, she pulled him into her arms gently. Leaning him against her chest, she held both of her hands out in front of him, filling them again with a glowing light.

Sasakibe returned as she began casting, Unohana a few steps ahead of him. She came to a halt beside Yamamoto, curiously watching this unfamiliar healing technique. The globe of light sank into his chest, coating his body in a golden shimmer. His eyes fluttered open, vision finally clear again. Unohana and Yamamoto peered down at him curiously.

“How are you feeling Captain Kuchiki?” She asked with a warm smile. He blinked, frowning slightly.

“I am much better now, thank you” he said after a moment of thought.

A soft voice in his ear made him stiffen suddenly “Good, then you can get off of me.”

Slowly he turned his head to discover Serrelle’s nearly perched on his shoulder.

“She is the one who healed you” Yamamoto said, nearly laughing at the look of surprise on his subordinates face. Surprise, among every other emotion, was not something you saw this man express.

When he did not move, Serrelle sighed and stood, keeping her arms around his chest and pulling him to his feet with her. The moment he was steady enough, he jerked free of her grasp, brushing his haori off as though she had dirtied it with her touch. Renji snorted, his Captain’s predictable actions amused him almost as much as the look of indignation on Serrelle’s face.

“It was she who made me ill to begin with” Byakuya said sharply, grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her forward roughly.

“I could have left you that way, you ungrateful wretch!” He ignored her words, tightening his grip further and getting a yelp for his actions.

“I believe we should transfer the prisoner to the Senzaikyu Shi-Shinro to await execution. She has attacked ranked officers twice now, easily labeling her a capital offender.”

Serrelle’s jaw fell, unable to believe the gall of this man. She tried to wrest herself free from his grasp but he stubbornly hung on, watching her struggle apathetically.

“You bastard! I should have left you to die! You miserable little whelp!”

Yamamoto cleared his throat, drawing the attention of everyone. “Kuchiki-Taichou, I do agree she should be transferred to the Senzaikyu, but as for execution, that decision is not up to you.”

There was a slight tightening around the gray eyes of Byakuya Kuchiki. He disliked being told ‘no’ in any way.

“I will deliver her there myself” he said coldly, eager to have this troublesome woman sealed from her powers. She will pose a threat to no one after she is safely locked in the repentance cell.

Yamamoto nodded “Please see that it is done and the cell is well guarded. We have her sibling flying about loose now. I will send in an escort guard to assist you in the transfer.”

On that note, he turned and left the prison with a flutter of his haori. Unohana followed slowly behind him. Sasakibe as well, after he collected the weapons that Byakuya had left piled on the floor, leaving Renji and Byakuya to deal with Serrelle.

:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x

When the strange collar clicked into place around her neck, she jumped. She’d been so intently glaring at Byakuya that she had not even noticed Renji bringing it around the back of her neck. The four guardsmen muttered an incantation and four matching red cords appeared in their hands, connecting to the strange band. Another spell was cast, a rope binding her hands behind her back and connecting to the collar. Thankfully, it was not the dreaded paralyzing Bakudo that she had become so familiar with.

The guardsmen surrounded her as they walked. Byakuya led the group while Renji took up the rear, his amber eyes scanning the skies. It seemed like the longest and most humiliating walk of her life, and she had lived a quite a few centuries.

The exhaustion was beginning to wear on her, causing her to stumble and nearly fall. The short cords attached to her collar helped catch her, righting her path. ‘I hope you are safe now Tessah. Don’t go getting yourself into trouble for me, I will figure something out.’

They were crossing a long bridge now, lined with blank, white flags. Turning her head to look, she could see they were high, high above the city below. There were so many little flecks of light in the windows she could see, homes and buildings spreading as far as the horizon in both directions.

It was a beautiful sight, though she could not help but think that her home in Darnassus far outshone it. With its serene and graceful terraces, buildings widely spaced apart and open to the night air. It was so peaceful and so precious. Resting atop the fabled World Tree, it also boasted the best defense of all the major cities within the Alliance. It made her sigh to think of home. She did not know when she could return, but it wouldn’t be soon enough.

The men leading her came to a sudden stop and she kept walking. The four leashes around her throat caught her again, jerking her back slightly. In front of her, Byakuya inserted a strange key into the door of an enormous white tower. The stone doors slowly began to open, revealing a wide cell with sparse furnishing and stairs winding upward in a spiral. They led her into the cell, leashes breaking free with a simple command of ‘release.’ Her hands soon came free as well and the four guardsmen quietly exited the cell.

Byakuya still stood in front of her, silently examining the room. He did not care for the feeling of being in this cell, for it sealed off the powers of all who entered, prisoner or caretaker. Renji stood waiting in the doorway, foot tapping impatiently.

He hated the Senzaikyu for all of the memories it brought to him. His dear, childhood friend and Byakuya’s adopted sister had been imprisoned here once. Unjustly at that. At least this woman deserved to be in here. ‘Or does she?’ Sure, she had taken a swing at his head, controlled his mind twice and poisoned him, but would she have done that if he had not attacked her sister? She looked as though she were normally quite peaceful and relaxed. Her sister had run from them as well, attempting to avoid a skirmish. The more he thought about it, the more it bothered him.

He had to get away from her, that forlorn look on her face was eating at him. “Oi! Kuchiki-Taichou!” He yelled, hoping to encourage his Captain to hurry his little inspection up so they could leave.

Byakuya turned around and looked at the younger man in annoyance. Sighing, he walked over to Serrelle and grabbed the red collar around her neck, pulling her head down to the level of his own. It certainly was strange and perhaps a little insulting for him to be inferior in height to her. She had been focused on studying the chamber around her and trying to ignore the fact that she could not feel Elune in this strange tower. When his hand closed around the band she actually gasped and jumped, her cheeks heating instantly in embarrassment.

Those cold eyes stared flatly into hers for a moment before he spoke. She felt an involuntary shiver run down her spine and cursed herself inwardly for it. ‘I cannot let this man think that I fear him!’

“In the Senzaikyu Shi-Shinro, all of your powers are sealed away from the moment you enter. You are no more than an ordinary, helpless woman so long as you are inside, do you understand that?”

Inside a voice laughed 'Ha! He called me ordinary!' Outside a cheeky response was past her lips before she could catch herself.

“And I see you are still an arrogant, pompous ass” she said in a light, mocking tone.

His grip tightened along with his eyes, fury beginning to peek through his calm façade. “You will learn your place before this is through” he warned, casting her aside as though she were a limp rag.

A hiss slid through her teeth as she struck the side of a bed, landing ungracefully atop it. ‘Better this than the floor I suppose.’ He was already leaving, completely disregarding her now. Before the door shut behind him she managed to squeeze in the last word with satisfaction.

“My place lies high above your own, little man.” The last thing she saw was the dark look on his face, the vehemence seeping through into the open now.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

a/n: sooooo? What did ya think? Review puh-lease! This is only my second fan-fic, I'm still learning how to work this site. Fun stuff.