Fracturing Skies Chapter 9, a Book X-overs + Bleach Crossover fanfic

Fracturing Skies: Chapter 9. Draft 1

Chapter Nine

-Shattered Shaft. Day 1.-

Welcome back to Chapter 9 of Fracturing Skies!

Thank you to the one person that has followed the story and favorited it. It really means a lot and I hope you enjoy it!

NOTICE! This story is being listed as a Mature Audiences story due to impending dark themes, blood and gore, swearing, and maybe, later on, some sexual themes/limes/lemons.!

I have seen people put disclaimers at the beginning of their stories. So, I will do the same.

***I do NOT own Bleach, nor any of the characters associated with that universe. *****

Speaking guide:

Normal text.

Thinking.

"Spoken out loud."

'Weapon speaking.'

Spoken/felt through an Imprint. Primary Wavelength. Blood Imprint.

'Spoken/felt through an Imprint. Secondary Wavelength.'

"Spoken/felt through an Imprint. Tertiary Wavelength."

Essence ribbon/Spirit ribbon sensing.

'Essence Aura/Spiritual Pressure sensing.'

Mental communication outside an imprint.

'Mental communication through a connection. Not a spell or Imprint. Blood Tie communication is marked like this. Miseanu Meizerai communicates like this.'

"Recalling what someone else said."

I think they are thinking this with their face.

I am recalling something I read to myself. Blood Memories are written this way.

"I am reiterating what I read or heard about out loud. Blood Memories are talked about out loud this way."

I am dwelling on what happened or how I felt.

*Name* is indicating the character the following passage is told from.

*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*

*Chapter 9: Shattered Shaft. Day 1*

*Yoruichi Shihōin*

It wasn't hard to find Ichigo's two friends with budding spiritual powers. Their growing spiritual pressure blossomed across the sky like flood lights gradually brightening over time. They had no training and next to no experience dealing with hollows, let alone any other spirit being. Perfect blank slates to mold into competitive fighters, should they choose to join their friend in storming the Soul Society. Which, she had no doubt that they would.

Her assumption was proven correct when she found them and they readily agreed, trailing after her toward the last member of their burgeoning party, one who was extremely adept at hiding his spiritual pressure—even though it was no match for her tracking skill.

The Quincy.

*Uryu Ishida*

The waterfall thundered around him, spraying a fine mist of water into the air. The location was calm and secluded, far away from prying eyes and anyone that might otherwise get in his way. It was a perfect place to start his training.

"Hey! There he is! Hey Uryu!" A familiar female voice shouted in delight.

He spun around to look and surprisingly his ears did not deceive him. It was Orihime and Chad. Somehow, they had managed to track him down. I know I was concealing my spiritual pressure… He could sense their growing powers, but didn't know if they had grown to such a point that they could easily track him.

"Umm, Orihime? And…Chad? What are you two doing here?"

"Well…"

Miss Inoue began outlining their purpose there. That they were there to retrieve him so that they could all train with Yoruichi—who was actually a cat, which wasn't strange in the slightest, oh no—to go to Soul Society with Ichigo. To save Rukia Kuchiki. And while he wasn't objecting to anything they were saying, he couldn't allow himself to be distracted from his impending training. He had to do this on his own. No one could see what he was about to do.

"I never had any intention of rescuing Miss Kuchiki," Uryu swallowed the bitter lie. He had to admit that, for a soul reaper, she seemed different than the ones that had left his grandfather and teacher to die. But he couldn't admit that out loud. Not if he wanted to complete the training that he had set out to do. He would join them when he was done, he just didn't want them to know that. "You forget that the reason I am out here is because I am angry that I lost to a soul reaper. Rukia doesn't mean anything to me," the archer declined. I'm sorry, Orihime. But this training can't be witnessed by anyone.

Shortly after, Yoruichi took Orihime and Chad away from him and the young quincy knelt down to open the box he had brought with him.

*Ichigo Kurosaki*

Tessai was pinning Ichigo to the ground, sitting on his back and not moving from that position. The orange-haired teen gasped and wheezed, feeling like his chest was getting crushed under an elephant as sweat poured down his face. Remotely, he pondered if this was what a heart attack felt like. The icy feeling beneath his sternum seemed magnified by a thousand, pulsing frozen tendrils that throbbed to their own beat. And certainly not that of his heart, which he felt had stopped as soon as his chain of fate was severed.

And then there was that strange faint white light wrapped around the ribbon that he had never seen before. It looked an awful lot like a spirit ribbon—minus the fact that this one glowed light gray—but that didn't make any sense.

But rather than voice all of those things that were happening and that he had questions about, Ichigo choked, "I…feel like I'm dying."

"Yes, when the chain of fate is severed, death comes quickly," Kisuke replied while he fanned himself, seemingly unperturbed by the sequence of events playing out in front of him.

"You guys just cut the chain of fate! I need that!" Ichigo exclaimed. The chain of fate was what bound a soul to a body. And with that destroyed, he was just like a regular Plus. He was dead now, with no way back to his body. How the hell is me dying supposed to help me get my powers back?!

"I know that," the blonde responded casually.

"You do?! You did it on purpose?!" Ichigo didn't know what to think. He came down here to get his powers back. Not die. But now he was in too deep to question anything. And he felt the sensation, the crushing weight of death that descended over his body until it disappeared, leaving him exhausted despite his panic. I guess the only thing I can do now is to finish whatever Hat and Clogs has in mind. He did restore my spirit energy. So, maybe he knows what he's doing?

Here's hoping.

"Yes, and now that your chain of fate has been severed, you can't return to your body. You're going to die. The encroachment of the chain will begin soon, and when it reaches your chest, a hole will be eaten there, and you'll become a hollow. And that, will be the end of you." Kisuke said gravely. His gray eyes were shadowed by his hat, but Ichigo didn't need to see them to know that the shopkeeper was telling him the truth. He felt it happen. There was no mistaking it.

However… "What?! Are you serious? I'll become a hollow if this disappears?!" He knew that when the hole in a demi-hollow's chest opened that that was when it became a true hollow, with the white mask and everything. But he had never watched a regular soul's chain disappear before. And Rukia had never said anything about it. So, now…now he was going to become a hollow?! What the hell?! I don't want to be a hollow!

"Oh. You didn't know? How awkward." If Ichigo could get up right now he would have punched the bastard in the face. Urahara snapped the fan closed while he ground his teeth in frustration instead. "But don't worry. There is a way to survive after your chain of fate has been cut. But only one way. You must…become a soul reaper!" Ichigo's eyes widened in shock. This was meant to restore his soul reaper powers? "That's right. Lesson two is about regaining your soul reaper powers! When it's over…you will be a fully functional soul reaper again. Well, shall we begin the lesson? Shattered Shaft!" Then Kisuke pointed away from Ichigo. "Go!"

Without warning, Ichigo saw the ground disappear beneath his body and he plummeted into darkness, screaming the entire way down.

*Jonas Mazeri*

Jonas was watching and listening to the exchange between Ichigo and Kisuke, learning what he could about this world. It had stunned him when Tessai severed the chain connecting Ichigo's soul form and his body, something apparently called the Chain of Fate. It looked peculiarly similar to an essence ribbon, and he sensed the faint connection between soul and body sever when it was. While the orange-haired teen writhed on the ground, Jonas noticed a faint light gray aura shimmering around the chain. One that steadily grew more distinct from the chain until it disappeared from sight, along with Ichigo when a giant hole appeared beneath him.

As the orange-haired teen screamed in terror all the way to the bottom, Jonas went over everything he had heard. There was something called the Chain of Fate and it bound a soul to its body. If he understood correctly, so long as the chain was in one piece, the soul could return to its body and the body would not die. But if it was severed for any reason, then the person died, and the soul was freed.

And if it disappeared, the person turned into something called a Hollow. But they could avoid that by becoming something called a Soul Reaper. He frowned. It seemed similar to what he knew about Shini—Light Spirits—and how one never messed with the essence ribbon once it had been cut. But how his world compared to this one, he couldn't say for certain. The only thing he knew for sure was that Ichigo was walking a fine line between this universe and his home world.

Because Ichigo had an essence ribbon now, that glowed like a Shini's.

*Ichigo Kurosaki*

Finally, he hit the bottom. Ow! Crap…that jerk. As the residual pain from falling to the bottom of a pit wore off, Ichigo shifted, trying to get to his feet. But his arms wouldn't move. He looked over his shoulder to see them bound. "Wha… what's wrong with my arms?!" He didn't know what the black bindings holding his arms immobile were made of, but they were too strong for him to break.

"Bakudo Ninety-Nine, Part 1: Restrict. You must think it rather harsh of me, but unfortunately, until you clear this lesson, your arms must remain bound, Ichigo," Tessai commented from beside him in the pit. The big man was sitting cross legged with his fingers pressed together like he was praying.

"Alright! Now start climbing back up the shaft, Ichigo!" Kisuke shouted from above. "That's all there is to it. Otherwise known as The Shattered Shaft!"

"Yeah, that'll work! With my arms tied behind my back!" Ichigo retorted angrily. He was glaring at the shopkeeper, not that he could have seen the narrowed brown eyes shooting daggers at him from such a distance. But it was about the only thing he could do, at the moment. Besides scream incoherently in anger. I swear, if-when-I get out of this hole, I am going to kick his ass.

"I wouldn't spend time arguing, if I were you. Look. The encroachment has already begun."

Ichigo looked down to see his chains eating themselves and screamed again.

*Jonas Mazeri*

Jonas supposed that he couldn't blame Neil for his impatience, the dual wielder's 'restlessness' swirling around his own mind like a vice. But it was beginning to get annoying, making it hard for him to follow what Kisuke was telling Ichigo. He didn't know if it was going to be important, or if there was more goofing around to be done, but he didn't want to miss something and have it need repeated. A quick glance toward Shila, silver brows knit together with lines of concentration, indicated to him that she too was nearing the end of her own patience with Neil, her frosty determination to focus the only thing keeping her silent. So, that meant he was the only one able to speak. He could trust her to listen.

He focused on Neil, narrowing his mind down to the dual wielder's, trying to keep his thoughts only on the Firebrand as he released his remark, with more force than he had intended, 'YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T CONCENTRATE IF YOU DON'T CALM DOWN.'

Neil spun in his direction, hissing in pain, brown eyes glaring in his direction. 'Don't either of you know how not to shout?!' Jonas flinched, if only because the other teen had his mouth open, canines elongated in a silent snarl. Well, silent for everyone not in on the conversation. Shila glared at them momentarily before turning her bright blue eyes back toward the pit. Kienan eyed Neil suspiciously with wide black orbs and slowly edged away from them. Michael simply raised his eyebrows in response and then looked away. Casey seemed to be the only person deliberately ignoring their exchange.

In response to Neil's snarl, and after he flinched, momentarily surprised at the dual wielder's behavior, Jonas got the distinct sensation building along his nerves that he needed to step forward. Get in Neil's face. A strong desire to put the lesser vampire in his place. The silver-haired teen blinked at the last thought, pausing long enough for Miseanu to whisper in his mind, 'This is a natural response between vampires. And because you are the one that Force Submitted him, you are feeling the need to make Neil remember his place. You are the stronger vampire, and your blood recognizes this as your friend challenging your position. However, do not blindly follow your instincts.'

Jonas took a deep breath, his body trembling with a need to make Neil cower before him. Shoving it aside, he took a slow and careful step forward, going nose to nose with the dual wielder before trying to speak mind to mind again, this time releasing his thoughts like a gentle whisper on the wind, 'Sorry. I wasn't trying to shout.' At his quieter attempt, Neil visibly relaxed, closing his mouth and turning away from him, although Jonas knew he was still listening, his mind burning like a torch on the edge of his consciousness. 'Just, can you do us both a favor, and try to be patient for once?'

Neil snorted out loud, his 'amusement' rippling through their Blood Tie like he tossed a rock into a body of water. At first, it seemed like the dual wielder was ignoring his request, but then Jonas felt the other teen relax, releasing his 'frustration' with shallow calming breaths.

'Thank you,' Jonas remarked, sending the firebrand a happy pulse of power, a slight tingle that ran up and down the dual wielder's spine before dissipating. Neil smiled in response, obviously enjoying the pleasant sensation. The silver-haired teen then returned his attention to Kisuke, the crisis quickly averted.

'You haven't missed much,' Shila informed him.

'Thanks.'

*Ichigo Kurosaki*

The chains had mouths. Small teeth-like things that reminded him an awful lot like pairs of demented dentures. They were chewing and snapping at each other, the chain of fate slowly destroying itself. The pain was incredible, filling his muscles and body with searing agony. He almost missed when the white ribbon wrapped around his chain separated from it, the end of it shriveling up and falling off like someone had burnt it. And Kisuke was up at top, explaining the entire process to him like it really mattered.

"A severed chain of fate begins to devour itself. We call that encroachment." Panic overrode any pain he felt as he began to smash the chain against the ground, using his own body in an effort to crush the nasty mouths. Stupid mouth-things! I'll smash em! I'll crush their nasty little heads! He wasn't going down without a fight. Heedless of the pain, Ichigo continued writhing on the ground while Urahara kept on with the lesson. "Just don't get too close to their teeth," the blonde warned as if he had read Ichigo's mind—or maybe he just saw what he was trying to do—just as the orange-haired teen felt one of them chomp into his side. "Or they'll eat you instead of the chain."

Ichigo finally stopped flailing around, the chain dislodged from his body as he turned onto his side, and he panted on the ground, gasping in pain as his efforts finally caught up to him. His entire soul hurt, from the very tips of his toes to the top of his head. Panic ceded to agony, the sweat on his face mingling a little with the dirt at the bottom of the pit. And the cold sensation was still there, making him feel numbed on top of it all, almost like his entire body was having a pins and needles sensation on top of the extreme pain.

"Ordinarily, it might take months or years for a broken chain to get in this condition. But in the Shattered Shaft, there's a gas that stimulates the encroachment. Meaning that the chain will be destroyed in only seventy-two hours. Three days!" Ichigo glanced up to where Hat and Clogs was speaking, brown eyes blown wide with shock. "In that time, you'll either climb to the top as a soul reaper, or you will become a hollow and we'll be forced to kill you. Of course, which path you choose is entirely up to you."

"So, you intend to kill me?!" Ichigo shouted in outrage, glaring once more in Kisuke's direction.

"Yeah, when you give up."

*Yoruichi*

If she were in her human form, she would have facepalmed. These humans were so clueless about their own powers. At the moment, she had them in an abandoned warehouse, trying to once more summon their abilities. But she surmised that they must have watched too much anime or been dropped on their heads as babies because all they were doing was a bunch of yelling and muscle tensing. She sighed, feeling a sweat drop form on the back of her head and resisted the urge to smack them.

"Not even close. You'll never get to the Soul Society like that," she declared solemnly, the male voice of her cat form deep in her throat.

"But…" Orihime began to object, her voice small and whiny.

"No buts," Yoruichi interrupted quickly, forestalling the inevitable begging that all humans seemed to do when faced with failure. "If you can't activate your powers at will, you will die, like a dog, in the Soul Society." She softened her tone, ignoring the tears gathering at the corners of Orihime's eyes, realizing with the clueless expressions on both hers and Chad's faces that they had never received any kind of training for this and would need to, essentially, be taught how to breathe. How to make this easier for them, then? "It's not that hard. Just remember the first time you used your powers and retrace your steps."

"That sounds reasonable, but…the first time I was just so desperate…" Orihime began, her voice wavering slightly in the beginning but strengthening as she continued. Hmm…it seems a softer hand is needed for this one. She doesn't strike me as much of a fighter.

"Desperate to do what?" Yoruichi prompted as the girl's voice trailed off. The two humans stared at her with equally confused looks. Oh, boy. What do these humans teach their kids anymore? "People discover their true inner powers when they want to protect something. Their own lives. Status. Honor. Loved ones. Maybe a belief, or principle. Regardless of the reason, a fierce desire to protect is the key. Now think. What did you want to protect back then?"

She was glad to watch their eyes sharpen into understanding, especially the girl's. Now, they just had to summon their powers.

*Orihime Inoue*

What I wanted to protect? It was Tatsuki.

She remembered the fear. Her first true encounter with a hollow—one that wasn't her brother. A monster of unimaginable strength. It had controlled her classmates and destroyed part of the school. Then, it had tried turning those skills against her, using Tatsuki to attack her. She was able to fend it off, fainting from exhaustion afterwards. Only to be woken and brought to watch as Ichigo and Uryu pushed back that huge hollow.

She had yet to meet the group of people that had appeared suddenly after the fight. Part of her wanted to run to Ichigo and see what he needed help with, but Chad's hand on her arm had prevented her from approaching. The pulse of power that followed blew dirt and grass away, much too strong for her to brave, and part of her was glad that the gentle giant had stopped her, knowing deep down that she would have only been hurt and in the way if she had been in the vicinity when it happened. And then, it was gone, with Urahara leading the group to his shop and leaving them behind to make their decision.

"It sparkled just now!" Chad exclaimed.

Her heart leaped in her chest. "Huh?! Really?!" She hadn't felt anything special happening, but that twinkle meant that she was close! Right?

"That's right," Yoruichi began, his comment seemingly in response to her thoughts. Wow! I wonder if that is one of his superpowers?! "The heart and the soul are closely linked. Your heart reveals what is most precious to you." He paused for a moment and then asked, "Why are you going to the Soul Society?" His golden eyes stared at her and once again she was surprised at the intelligence behind them.

Why am I going to the Soul Society? "To protect Ichigo," she declared, unwaveringly. She felt the fierce desire to stand beside him strengthen as Yoruichi nodded, seemingly impressed.

"Very good."

An explosion of light around her made her jerk suddenly in shock, before she saw the small spirits that made up her power.

Hinagiku. Baigon. Lily. They formed her defensive shield. Three-God Shield. Santen Ketsuhun. They created a barrier between herself and the enemy and rejected any attack aimed at her. She had used the shield to defend herself when the hollow launched an attack at her, intending to kill her.

Shuno. Ayame. They formed her healing barrier. Twin-God Reflection Shield. Soten Kishun. They created a defined space with their shield and rejected the damage done within its area. She had used the shield to heal Tatsuki of the damage the hollow had created when it tried to kill her. Shuno was the one that first taught her how to activate her skills, giving their names and leading her in their kotodama, spirit chant, for all but Tsubaki.

Tsubaki. He formed her singular attack power. Lone-God Slicing Shield. Koten Zanshun. He was able to reject on both sides of the shield, in effect, slicing the enemy in two. She had used him to kill the hollow, effectively cutting it in half. Right before she had fainted in exhaustion. He was aggressive and could be mean.

"Oh! Hey guys!" Orihime shouted happily as her Shun Shun Rikka flashed into existence. Yes! I did it! I activated my powers at will!

Then, of course, Tsubaki started pulling her hair, irritated that she had summoned them when there was no danger, and she began to run, apologizing the entire time.

Yoruichi narrowed his eyes. "Good enough. Now you must learn to control your powers."

*Yasutora Sado—Chad*

Chad watched as Orihime effectively summoned her power, the small spirits all swirling around her chaotically. He didn't know what her power was but realized that its manifestation didn't surprise him. She was a smart, yet ditzy, girl in his class that could shift into any number of topics on a whim, putting anyone into a tailspin if they tried to follow her thoughts. The fact that her powers appeared as six different personalities that all trailed after her was unsurprising.

Yoruichi turned his attention away from Orihime, fixing him with his golden eyes. "Now, it's your turn. Why do you want to go to the Soul Society?" The whole 'talking cat' thing was still unnerving to him and part of him had wondered how well such a thing would be able to teach them. But, since Orihime had successfully demonstrated her abilities to some degree, he found that maybe the feline would be able to assist them.

And the cat had asked him why he wanted to go to the Soul Society.

"Because I made a vow to Ichigo. I vowed that I would fight for him." And he would fight for me. Chad glanced down at the medallion he had nearly lost. The same coin they had pledged to stand together over, a gift from his abuelo.

And felt the power wrap around his right arm in response.

*Jonas Mazeri*

Jonas patiently waited for Kisuke to finish his explanation and meander over toward them. The blonde seemed entirely relaxed, despite Ichigo's pain or terror-stricken screams from the pit. The entire thing made the hair on the back of his neck stand up and he struggled to not let his agitation show, even though he must have failed somewhat because both Shila and Neil offered him their 'understanding'.

"Thank you for waiting," Kisuke verbally applauded, approaching them all even as Ururu and Jinta crowded around the edge of the hole. Part of him questioned whether their being there was a good idea, but before he could voice the concern, Urahara asked, "Do any of you have questions before we start your training?"

"Yes!" Neil exclaimed quickly before anyone could stop him, pointing a finger at Jonas as he did so. "Why is Jonas the only one that can see more than a blur?" Jonas felt Shila facepalm in their connection despite her outward calm—if you counted twitching silver eyebrows as calm—the frozen beacon of power that represented her in his mind shuddering and jumping around in silent protest of the dual wielder's action.

Jonas stifled his amusement at Kisuke's crestfallen look, almost like the blonde had hoped someone else could get a word in edgewise before having to deal with the firebrand. Not with Neil as impatient as he is. He almost felt bad for the shopkeeper before deciding that it was perfect revenge for making them deal with him for so long without any outlet.

"I suspect that it is due, in part, to Jonas's actions when you all arrived here." Gray eyes shifted to look at him. "I imagine you know what I am talking about." Jonas nodded. How could he forget? Such power! It had flowed through him like a torrential downpour, nearly smothering him under the weight of it. A fierce desire to protect, tampered only by the fact that most of its strength seemed bottled up for the moment, waiting to be released. In fact, in hindsight, the silver-haired teen realized that Ichigo's power had been blocked. Something had layered itself over top of it, a foreign power that had merely awoken a deeper wellspring of energy deep inside him.

Jonas's eyebrows hiked up into his hairline. "This entire training thing for him is so he can wake up his own powers, isn't it? That's…" he paused, sifting through the memories. It had been so hard at the time to get a proper reading of his orange-haired twin, the rampaging power lashing out in whatever direction it could. But looking back, he was nearly certain he could put it all into words. "He was never using his own power, was he? Right up until we arrived. Then…" he frowned. He didn't have all the information. "He did something. Used part of his own power. And it had reacted with the power that wasn't his. His body was rejecting it. It nearly killed him. And would have, if I hadn't channeled his power and released it for him until it could stabilize. His own power hid itself again after that."

Urahara eyed him with a measured stare, gray eyes bright with what looked like delight. "I must say that I am impressed you came to that conclusion, although not entirely surprised."

Jonas blinked. "I'm right?"

"He's right?" Neil parroted, equally confused.

Kisuke nodded, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Jonas wasn't dumb, by any stretch of the imagination, but to make as educated a guess as he could with limited information and be revealed to have been correct with his assertions was enough to stop them all with surprise. The silver-haired teen just knew what he felt through Ichigo's power. And despite how different it had been, the layers and sensations passing through it weren't difficult to decipher.

Was it so strange for him to have determined all that even while under the other teen's immense power?

"I wondered if your detection skills had increased enough to discover it yet but couldn't be entirely sure." What did he mean by that? Jonas's eyebrows were back in his hairline, but before he could ask any questions, Urahara continued, "But to get back to the original question, I believe Jonas was the only one able to see Ichigo clearly in his soul form because of the massive influx of spiritual pressure he had handled shortly after you all arrived. And it is due to the Blood Tie between him and Neil that Neil can see a blur. And Shila's connection to Neil through the Blood Imprint is why she can see a blur. And since the rest of you are not directly magically connected, this is why the rest of you were unable to see anything."

"Now, any other questions before we begin?"

Kisuke explained the basis of the world they found themselves in. A universe with three separate worlds. One for living and two for spirits. A Soul Society for regular souls. And Hueco Mundo, for fallen souls—Hollows. The shopkeeper explained it all and once their questions had been fully satisfied, he asked them a final question.

"Why do you all want to gain power? Why do you want to be trained?" It was the same question Yretro had asked them just before the Dark Severiin fight. The first and, ironically, the last time the master swordsman had given them lessons before they were deposited here. The parallel was not lost on Jonas. And despite the fact that it had been their only lesson, he knew that they had all learned a lot from him that day.

But…why ask the question again?

"You just asked us this question the other day," Shila remarked. This time, Kisuke's eyebrows shot up but only for an instant before he regained his composure.

"Hmm. Well, humor me, okay?"

The silver-haired archer frowned but remarked, "I want to push the limits of my skills and see how far I can go." There was no doubt in anyone's mind that Shila was skilled. She was the daughter of two prominent war archers, with a personal training ground beneath her house. She never missed her target and could devise brilliant strategies in the heat of battle. But it was never enough for her. She was always striving to do better and to improve the areas she felt she lacked.

Casey spoke next, the black-haired archer's voice low, "I want to improve my skills so I can be a better help in a fight." She was a perfect support archer, shoring up any targets that Shila either hadn't anticipated—doubtful—or ones she simply couldn't deal with in the moment. She was also good at hitting weak points and on distracting a target into thinking she was only ranged. But Casey's Weapon was a bowscythe, a dual form weapon capable of switching between a long bow and a wicked scythe.

Her brother spoke next, Kienan's voice steady even while he visibly stamped out his nervousness, "I don't want to be the weak one anymore." The older brother was a coward, through and through, although he knew how to take a beating more than almost any of them. He and his sister had been targeted by bullies in school since they were young and, since they had proven easy targets, it had never stopped even when they had gotten older. He had a penchant for running away or of avoiding conflict long enough to drag someone else into it. But he had had a burning desire to improve himself since they started training with the hunters, leading him to spar with his sister with the intention of getting stronger, which led to him summoning his Weapon just before they got pulled here.

"I need to improve my control," Michael stated. No one else knew anything about the blonde's past, but Jonas knew it all. The bloodbath that had ensued when he lost control had been more traumatizing than destructive for his friend, simply evaporating two people that Jonas personally felt were better off dead anyways and laying waste to a room full of furniture. It was then that Michael pursued a path of close-mindedness and careful moderation of his emotions, going so far as to stop using his powers at all possible except when threatened with loss of life. They were still best friends, but they weren't as close as they used to be, something that Jonas sorely missed.

Jonas and Neil exchanged looks. So far, everyone else had kept their original reasons. Almost word for word. Yet they knew for the two of them that it would be different for them, now, their vampirism changing them in ways vaster than they had anticipated. But…the silver-haired teen paused in his thoughts. His original claim for more strength and control still held true. He just had more to learn how to control than before. His Blood Memories. The connection with Shila and Neil. Whatever remnants of spiritual pressure and power he retained from Ichigo. Plus, his own burgeoning powers.

"I still want to learn control," Jonas stated. He was sticking with his original cause, even if that cause now extended well beyond its initial purview.

"And I need to learn how to use both Weapons," Neil remarked casually, while everyone spun towards him in shock, and Shila with a glare.

"What did you just say?!"

*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*

Terminology

My Universe:

Beasts:

Dark Severiin: think of a Deviljho from Monster Hunter when you think of this thing. Physically, it is a bit different, but I am using a lot of comparisons to describe characters and things. This is the thing I am vaguely describing at the beginning of the chapter that Jonas and his friends were fighting. The characters from my story are being pulled from their timeline during the Dark Severiin fight in Arc 1 of Chronicles of Seraphia (the book series I am working on).

Magic (General):

Magic Core: the core of an individual's magical ability. No Magic Core means that the person cannot wield Magic AT ALL. All Magic Essence that an individual can manipulate originates from their Magic Core. It is located in the chest just behind the heart along the spine. The Essence Ribbon for a person is tied directly to this place.

It is possible to transfer powers from one person to another through a technique referred to as a Spark Transfer. This can be done to awaken a person's dormant Magic Core, grant a Magic Core to an individual with no Core, or replenish the receiver's magic essence at the expense of the giver (giving energy directly from one person to another so the receiver can continue fighting, for example).

Magic Wielder: an individual capable of manipulating the magic essence within and beyond their body to produce magical skills and abilities. Just because a person has a Magic Core does not automatically mean that they can use magic. Some people must have their Magic Core activated in order to use magic.

Magic is divided into 6 Divisions: Spellcaster Magic, Weapon Magic, Incantation Magic, Spiritual Magic, Elemental Magic, and Ritual Magic.

Magic Class: One of ten major classifications of various magics.

Mental, Arcane, Holy, Unholy, Nature, Dark, Light, Fire, Water, and Earth Magics.

Mental Magic is the ONLY recognized Class without a definite subclass.

Magic Subclass: one of several magics that make up a magic class.

Space/Time Subclasses are part of Arcane Magic.

Holy/Angel/Blessing Subclasses are part of Holy Magic.

Unholy/Demon/Curse Subclasses are part of Unholy Magic.

Plant/Animal/Poison Subclasses are part of Nature Magic.

Dark/Death/Summoner Subclasses are part of Dark Magic.

Light/Life/Conjurer Subclasses are part of Light Magic.

Fire/Lightning/Chaos/Sun Subclasses are part of Fire Magic.

Water/Ice/Wind/Moon Subclasses are part of Water Magic.

Earth/Metal/Magma Subclasses are part of Earth Magic.

Primary Wavelength: there are many different levels of magical communication. The space in an individual's mind directly below the Weapon Wavelength is this layer where communication through Blood Imprints, Dragon Imprints and Plant Summons exist.

Weapon Wavelength: the layer in a person's mind near the top of their consciousness where a Magic Weapon of some sort communicates with their wielder. This is the level Engeta Zanu, Tasha Rein, and the other Weapons communicate on.

Tending to a Wavelength: a mental process where an individual concentrates and focuses their efforts on increasing the bond between two sides of a connection (such as a Blood Imprint or Blood Tie), making the connection more stable. Needs to be done periodically to keep imprints etc. smooth. If not done, can lead to a lot of mental hardships. Must be done when adding to the existing connections or making new ones on the same wavelength to prevent signals from getting tangled. (think of it like untangling a ball of yarn and keeping it separated while continuously moving the string around and adding to it).

Magic (Weapons):

Magic Weapon: a magical Weapon bound to an individual from birth. Magic Weapons are created from Weapon Spirits that choose a child as it is born and meld with the newborn's spirit to become their Magic Weapon later in life. Weapon Spirits are reincarnated whenever they choose a new wielder (after they are separated from their current one). Typically wielded only by living people in either the Light World or the Dark World. Used to send spirits on to the realms.

Weapon Magic Wielder: Weapon Magic Wielders are able to manipulate the Magic Essence in their bodies to summon powerful Weapons and communicate with the Weapon Essences to gain new powers and abilities.

If one can only use Weapon Magic, then they are also referred to as Guardians (this term can also be used for someone that uses a Spirit Weapon or Hell Weapon if the Weapon is the only magical ability they have).

Weapon Spirit/Weapon Essence: the personality and appearance of a Magic or Spirit Weapon within and beyond the wielder's inner world. Each one has a unique appearance and powers. They choose to bind to an individual's spirit (typically at birth) and help to shape their wielder's development. In the end, it is hard (sometimes) to distinguish the two from each other (what is the natural state of the wielder and what part of the wielder's personality and traits were influenced by the Weapon kind of question).

Tasha Rein: Jonas's Magic Weapon.

Humanoid Form: 5'5". Long black and silver hair and black eyes. She wore a black, form-fitting kimono with dark blue accents along the outer edges and dark blue cloth on the inside. Dark blue threads held it all together. While the body of the kimono was form-fitting, the arms and legs had plenty of room and were quite baggy.

Lore: Means 'Ultimate Darkness/The Black Dragon'

Engeta Zanu: Neil Agamon's Magic Weapon.

Humanoid Form: looks like Neil except he is all white. Wears a dark orange kimono with a crimson inner liner and dark red stitches. Wears a pair of baggy red pants that flare at his feet with matching crimson socks slipped into a basic flat black sandal. There is a red flame design etched into the bottom of the robe's top half.

Lore: Engeta Zanu also means Twin Flickering Flames. The idea that a flame reflects the spirit of a person (hence why he is Neil's duplicate), with different colors indicating different moods and the color white representing the complete balance of all that power (since it is said that white is the conglomeration of all color whereas black is the absence of color). Engeta Zanu is a pair of dual long swords.

Kisi Ri: Magic Weapon belonging to The Matriarch and, by extension, the feral vampires under her control.

Lore: functions by inserting vampire magical abilities into a person's Magic Core, thus transforming them into a vampire. High success rate.

Juka Reyno: Shila Mezere's Magic Weapon.

Humanoid Form: 5'4". Long white hair tossed behind her head in gentle curls flowing to the center of her back. Stunned bright blue eyes. Wears a floor-length white and blue dress that shimmered as she walked, now streaked with lines of red and black.

Weapon Release (Weapon State): Similar in nature to a Shikai or Bankai release. However, there are 10 Mortal Tier Releases (as opposed to the 2 levels that Soul Reapers can use).

Kogomosa/Shikai: The 1st Weapon Release in the Mortal Tier of Weapon Releases. Equivalent to Shikai state, with fighters on average becoming twice as strong as their initial summon state. X2 Initial Summon.

Magic Weapon Classes: Magic Weapons have classes which determine how exactly they are used, along with describing total size of the Weapons etc. Basically, a dual longsword class is different than a dual short sword class and indicates the length of the blades. There are also dual classes which will be explained later.

Weapons are Melee (up close), Ranged (far away), Defensive (which falls under the melee class), or Dual Form (two different types of weapons that are part of one weapon. Think of the weapons from Bloodborne and how almost every single one had 2 forms.)

Sword Lengths- Daggers are between 5 to 10 inches long. Short swords are between 10 and 18 inches long. Long swords are between 18 and 30 inches long. Greatswords are between 30 and 48 inches long. Ultra greatswords are between 48 and 72 inches long.

Curved swords mean that the flat side of the blade (the part that is not sharp) is curved, along with the bladed edge. Regular swords are straight here, regardless of whether the blade itself arcs into a curve. (for a comparison, Zangetsu would be considered an Ultra Greatsword class.)

Melee Classes- Single Form

Dagger

Dual Dagger

Short Sword

Dual Swords (2 short swords)

Long Sword

Dual Long Swords

Greatsword

Ultra Greatsword

Curved Short Sword-

Dual Curved Swords- (2 curved short swords)

Curved Long Sword-

Dual Curved Long Swords-

Curved Greatsword-

Curved Ultra Greatsword-

Sword and Shield-

Greatsword and Tower Shield-

Spear-

Lance-

Shield and Lance-

Shield and Spear-

Claws-

Knuckles-

Ball and Chain-

Scythe-

Dual Scythes-

Trident-

Club-

Great Club-

Hammer-

Great Hammer-

Axe-

Greataxe-

Mace-

Tonitrus-

3 Part pole-

Twinblade-

Vibratory Axe-

Saw-

Staff-

Whip-

Num-chuks-

Chains (Chains are called melee Weapons but they can be thrown and used as a combination melee and ranged Weapon. Chains are also typically used by Sinners and other Hell Realm denizens, but not exclusively.)

Ranged Classes- Single Form

Wand-

Magic Staff-

Boomerang

Throwing Star (shuriken)

Throwing knife

Throwing fans

Short Bow-

Long Bow-

Greatbow-

Crossbow-

Ballista-

Pistol-

Rifle-

Shotgun-

Sniper Rifle-

Rocket Launcher-

Defensive Classes (considered melee)

Small Shield- A light shield mostly intended for parrying and not blocking. Cannot block heavy attacks but can block most light attacks.

Medium Shield- An average-sized shield for typical use. Allows the Wielder to move around freely while offering the most protection.

Tower Shield- A huge and heavy shield, capable of blocking the most devastating attacks.

Reflective Shield- An average-sized shield that reflects magic attacks. As competent as a medium shield with the added magic reflection.

Miscellaneous Weapon Classes (dual form weapons)

Staffblade- (staff/longsword)

Staff Rifle- (staff/sniper rifle)

Switchaxe- (longsword/greataxe)

Swordblade- (longsword/dual swords)

Clawhands- (knuckles/claws)

Clawblades- (claws/dual daggers)

Sawblade- (saw/longsword)

Saw Cleaver- (saw/greatsword)

Saw Spear- (saw/spear)

Sawbow- (saw/short bow)

Sawwhip- (saw/whip)

Swordlauncher- (ultra greatsword/rocket launcher)

Axeblade- (ultra greatsword/greataxe)

Great Swordblades- (ultra greatsword/dual long swords)

Axelauncher- (greataxe/rocket launcher)

Crossblade- (dual swords/crossbow)

Vibratory Axeblade- (vibratory axe/ultra greatsword)

Swordwhip- (short sword/whip)

Scytheblade- (scythe/curved longsword)

Bowblade- (long bow/long sword)

Bowblades- (long bow/dual swords)

Bowscythe- (long bow/scythe)

Bowstaff- (long bow/staff)

Great Bowblade- (great bow/ultra greatsword)

Sniper Sword- (sniper rifle/greatsword)

Staffsword- (magic staff/longsword)

Hammerfists- (great hammer/knuckles)

Twin Dual Scythes- (twinblade/dual scythes)

Weapon Summon Spell: each Magic Weapon has a specific phrase or word that allows their wielder to bring them into the world (summon their weapon). This is similar to the phrase used by a soul reaper to awaken their zanpakuto to Shikai.

Initial Summon: The basic summon and first form of a Magic Weapon. Each Initial Summon has an activation spell (summoning spell) to summon the Weapon into existence.

Kisi Ri summon spell: Turn Them

Engeta Zanu summon spell: Burn

Tasha Rein summon spell: Descend

Juka Reyno summon spell: Pierce

Weapon Dispel Spell: each Magic Weapon has a specific phrase or word that allows their wielder to disperse the magic essence forming their weapon, allowing it to disappear (dispel their weapon). Currently, there is no known way for a soul reaper to do something like this, since their zanpakuto is a physical creation and not summoned out of reishi.

Tasha Rein dispel spell: Disappear

Magic (Incantations):

Incantation Magic: Magic that manipulates the magic essence in one's body to cast powerful spells which are formed and guided by chants and body positioning. While divided into 14 subcategories (7 Mortal Tier and 7 God Tier), they also adhere to the basic class/subclass mentality introduced by Spellcaster Magic, giving their spells magic types.

This type of Magic is also referred to as 'True Magic'. Could be compared to Hado/Bakudo spells from Bleach or even the spellcasting from Charmed. Each spell has a specific name and number, along with a specific chant that allows the user to channel the proper amount of energy into the spell and guide it into the correct form.

Those that can ONLY use Incantation Magic are referred to as Witches.

Magic (Spellcaster):

Spellcaster Magic: Magic that manipulates the magic essence in one's body and surroundings, allowing a Spellcaster Magic Wielder to influence their surroundings and environment on a basic level. It is separated into 4 sub-categories, which are then broken down into the ten major classes and their numerous subclasses.

This type of Magic is also referred to as 'Basic Magic'. Could be compared to the Bending Arts from Avatar in that there are no specific names that are exclaimed when certain attacks are used (although some signature spells have unique names). While all uses of the magics have basic names, many spellcaster spells are not special enough to have a specially designated name and the 'names' given to these basic spells is just so one can differentiate different levels of attack.

Those that can ONLY use Spellcaster Magic are referred to as Wizards.

Cosmic Magic: 1 of 4 sub-categories of Spellcaster Magic. Represents Mental Magic, Arcane (space/time) Magic, Blood Magic, and Transmutation Magic.

Only Mental Magic and Arcane Magic are considered Magic Classes. Blood Magic and Transmutation Magic are considered separate types of Magic and are NOT recognized by the Dragon Clans.

Godly Magic: 1 of 4 subcategories of Spellcaster Magic. Represents Holy (holy/angel/blessing) Magic and Unholy (unholy/demon/curse) Magics. Both Holy and Unholy are considered Magic Classes.

Worldly Magic: 1 of 4 subcategories of Spellcaster Magic. Represents Nature (plant/animal/poison) Magic, Dark (dark/death/summoner) Magic, and Light (light/life/conjurer) Magic. Nature, Dark, and Light Magics are considered Magic Classes.

Elemental Magic: 1 of 4 subcategories of Spellcaster Magic. Represents Fire (fire/lightning/chaos/sun) Magic, Water (water/ice/wind/moon) Magic, and Earth (earth/metal/magma) Magic. Fire, Water, and Earth Magics are considered Magic Classes.

Magic (Spiritual):

Spiritual Magic: Magic that manipulates the Magic Essence within and around an individual's spirit to cast powerful spells similar to spellcaster magic. These spells are empowered by the strength of one's spirit and are solely used by the dead or those influenced by the dead. There are 5 subcategories of Spiritual Magic: Dark Spirit Magic, Hell Spirit Magic, Hell Spirit Weapon Magic, Light Spirit Magic, and Spirit Weapon Magic (although, really, the Weapon Magics fall under the purview of general Weapon Magic for the most part, even though there are a few differences between them all).

This type of Magic is also referred to as Dead Magic or Magic of the Dead. The basic idea could be compared to the spirit magic in Bleach in spirit (pun intended), but they have no chants or anything like that. It would probably be closer to the hollow skills if one insisted on the comparison.

If one can ONLY use Spiritual Magic (and they are still alive), then they are also referred to as Spirit Guardians. (Infusers also fall into this category if Spirit Magic is all the magic ability they have.)

Magic (Elemental Spirit):

Elemental Magic: Magic that manipulates the Magic Essence within and around an individual's body to make themselves more compatible with a desired Elemental Spirit. These wielders are capable of physically/spiritually binding to an Elemental Spirit, borrowing an Elemental Spirit's power for a set amount of time, or subjugating an Elemental Spirit. There are 3 major ideologies (Druidism, Shamanism, and Subjugation) for Elemental Magic users, and none of them get along.

This type of Magic is also referred to as Ancient Magic because it is the basic premise of returning to magic's roots and working with the elemental spirits governing certain magical abilities.

Druids operate much like the Avatar in which an Elemental Spirit enters the body of a person and lives within them, strengthening their body and allowing their magic to pass through them.

Shamans borrow the power of an Elemental Spirit by gaining favor with an Elemental and getting a portion of that spirit's power.

Warlocks subjugate an Elemental Spirit and force that spirit to do their bidding.

If one can ONLY use Elemental Spirit Magic, then they are referred to as Elemental Spirit Guardians.

Magic (Ritual):

Ritual Magic: Magic that manipulates the Magic Essence within a person's body and from their surroundings using special rituals and ceremonies to cast powerful spells or create magical artifacts. They use combinations of otherwise powerless objects to craft special spells for numerous purposes. They are known as the group packrat and typically either have lots of control using magic, or next to none. Rarely, are they average in their controlling abilities.

This type of Magic is also referred to as Object Magic because it is based around items and ceremony, oftentimes relying heavily on both to form the magic as opposed to any input from the caster.

If one can ONLY use Ritual Magic, then they are referred to as Mediums.

Vampire Specific:

Vampire: A subspecies of humanoid. Draws magical power by draining the magic from a target's bloodstream. Very good users of ranged magics. Known for their usage of Blood Magic. Predominately female-led society.

Blood Imprint: a type of magical connection through blood. Made between a vampire and someone else. On the Primary Wavelength.

The Change: the process of transforming into a vampire.

Primary Bloodline: Bloodlines named after and descended directly from the vampire offspring of those that wielded the 10 Dragon Champion Weapons in ancient times. They are well known for their mastery of their particular Magic Class.

Secondary Bloodline: Bloodlines named after the specific matings of the Primary Bloodlines. Known for their ability to wield two Magic Classes related to their names.

Tertiary Bloodline (trash bloodline): unstable bloodlines. Too numerous and diverse to be able to name them all. Not known for anything special. Fall to feral status easier because of their magical instability.

Forced Submission (vampire): This is something that can ONLY be done by a Primary or Secondary Bloodline on a vampire going through The Change that is in their feral state. Primaries can ONLY be force submitted by other Primaries. Secondaries can be force submitted by either primaries or secondaries. While Tertiaries can be force submitted by any primary or secondary but are unable to force submit anyone except other tertiaries. (this is due to the strength of the bloodlines involved.) When a Primary or a Secondary force submit a Tertiary, they are essentially birthing their target into their bloodline.

Blood Tie: a magical connection between two vampires where one force submitted another. This loosely connects all that are directly connected with the two involved in the Blood Tie (includes any imprints on both sides. For example, Jonas force submitted Neil. Neil is Blood Imprinted with Shila. Therefore, through the Blood Tie, Jonas is connected to Shila.)

Blood Memories (genetic memories): Primary Bloodlines and Secondary Bloodlines pass on genetic memories and abilities through their blood, gifting subsequent generations with the same skills and memories of days long past. (this is possible even though magical ability isn't technically passed on this way.)

Rein/Mazeri Vampires: Descended from Miseanu Meizerai/Rein. They are masters of the Dark Magic Class and specialize in stealth, summoning, and raising the dead to fight again (necromancy). Jonas's particular bloodline is spawned from Bequaki Mazeri, who was once known as Bequaki Rein, but she changed her name and began the Mazeri bloodline when she disagreed with the other primary vampire bloodlines and their decision to attack the werewolves.

Lore:

When a vampire first begins The Change, they have a brief period where they 'go feral' (i.e. go insane, lose themselves to bloodlust and instincts, etc.). Most vampires turn back toward the light shortly after their body full changes, but not all. There is a higher chance of someone with a tertiary/trash bloodline of staying feral than someone belonging to a primary or secondary bloodline.

In the canon storyline, the Matriarch, while powerful, is simply a strong Mental Magic user from a tertiary bloodline. In fact, her Weapon, Kisi Ri, should work far better than it does in controlling her victims, but it doesn't because of her lineage. Because my characters are now in the Bleach universe with no ready means of returning home, they are cut off from the majority of her mental influence. Therefore, Jonas was able to defeat the portion of her power struggling for dominance easily whereas Neil (and by extension, Shila) had to struggle and required Jonas's aid.

Werewolf Specific:

Shini/Light Spirit Specific:

Shade/Dark Spirit Specific:

Sinner/Hell Spirit Specific:

Demon Specific:

Humanoid Characters:

Jonas Mazeri: main character in Chronicles of Seraphia. short, spiky silver hair. Dark blue eyes. 5'7". Skinny and toned. 16 years old. Wields Tasha Rein.

Neil Agamon- 5'7". Short and straight brown hair. Brown eyes. He appears average build with clothes on but is physically fit. 16 years old. Wields Engeta Zanu.

Neil's Flames: so, there are different colors for different emotions/states of being, with colors having multiple meanings. He is a character that tends to speak without a 'filter' and got the nickname Firebrand for being such a pain in the ass. But despite how he behaves normally, he doesn't always intend to come across as rude/insulting as he does. He just doesn't convey what he means very well.

Shila Mezere- 5'4". Long silver hair that reaches between her shoulder blades. Light blue eyes. Thin. 16 years old. Wields Juka Reyno. Uses Ice Subclass Magic.

Casey Urdoni- 5'4". Long black hair. Dark blue eyes so dark they are almost black. Impassive face. 15 years old. Wields ?

Kienan Urdoni- 5'8". Short black hair. Black eyes. 16 years old. Wields ?

Michael Koto- 5'7". Brown eyes. Short light blonde hair. 16 years old. Wields ?

Sheila Emetere- ?

Sirta Mazeri- 5'5". Long silver hair. Dark blue eyes. Jonas's mother. (deceased).

Miseanu Meizerai/Rein: looks just like Sirta Mazeri (except maybe a little more muscular. Long silver hair. Dark blue eyes.

Maku and Sima Mazeri: They are fraternal twins. Maku is a boy. Sima is a girl. They are younger than Jonas by a few years and were there with Jonas when their parents died before their eyes. They are not present in this timeline.

*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x

Extra Notes/General Seraphia Worldbuilding:

Jonas Mazeri's appearance: So, I never fully describe exactly what his face (or anyone else's face really) in my universe looks like. I give the basic hair and eye color, heights, and builds but I leave the faces open to the imagination (unless there is a specific scar I wish to address). So, I thought, how cool would it be if Jonas looked like Ichigo? (guess you can figure out which character I like the most, eh?)

Light World/Dark World: two different worlds that exist as copies of each other. This is where all life lives before it dies. (think of them like the World of the Living in Bleach.)

Realms: There are actually 12 realms where spirits live after life. 10 of them exist where their specific magics are prominent (and each of these 10 have a light side and a dark side to them). Then, there is Hell (realm of Sinners). Finally, there is the Otherlands (which is the realm of ALL Weapon Spirits).

Betweenlands: The dimension that keeps all the realms and the worlds connected. (kind of like the Dangai).

In my universe, all things give off essence ribbons. Everything has a small amount of magic essence which then strongly or weakly gives off an aura of power. So, Jonas has the ability to see these ribbons (all ribbons) and since there aren't that many Essence Ribbons in this universe (because the only ones currently belong to him and his friends), it is far easier for him to search for his missing friend this way.

In my universe, before the kids got sent to the Bleach universe, both Neil and Jonas were attacked by vampires under someone's control named The Matriarch. The Matriarch is a person with the Magic Weapon, Kisi Ri, and she can use it to transform people into vampires. Those that she initiates the change with, can use her Weapon to varying degrees.

Primary School: the equivalent of High School in my universe.

Trade School: the equivalent of college for people without magical powers.

Magic School: the equivalent of college for people with magical powers. The graduates enter the Magic Squads (similarly to how those that go to the Soul Reaper Academy join the 13 Court Guard Squads when they leave the school).

There are 10 Dragon Clans which represent each of the 10 Magic Classes. They do not recognize the existence of Blood Magic or Transmutation Magic, which is why those two are not considered Magic Classes.

*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x

Bleach Universe:

Magic:

Kido: The over-arching classification of spells used by soul reapers. Divided into Bakudo, Hado, or Kaido.

Bakudo Spells: Way of Binding. Spells used to restrain or restrict movement or spells.

Bakudo #1 Sai: a weak binding kido spell that forces the target's hands behind their back.

Bakudo #61: Rikujokoro: Six-Rod Light Restraint.

Inemuri: Forced Slumber spell. User holds their hand in front of their victim's face, the victim's pupils dilate several times before they pass out.

Hakufuku: White Concealment: a spell that causes the target to see the illusion of purple cherry blossoms falling around them, sometimes also along with the smell of sweet flowers. Then their vision blurs and their mind becomes disoriented and confused before they fall unconscious. Target has an unclear memory once they awaken.

Tanma Otoshi: Time-Out Drop. The kido spell that Shinji used to knock Ichigo unconscious before his struggle with his inner hollow with the visoreds.

Hado Spells: Way of Destruction. Spells used to inflict damage.

Kaido: Healing Spiritual Arts. The spells and abilities used by soul reapers to heal injuries.

Quincy Specific:

Quincy: A human that can manipulate spirit particles in the air to form a bow and arrow. When they kill hollows, they destroy their souls.

Soul Reaper Specific:

Gigai: an artificial body

Mod Soul: An artificial soul designed for combat. Project Spearhead.

Gikon: Substitute Souls.

Gikongan: Substitute Soul Pills. Contain Gikon or Mod Souls.

Shihakusho: Garment of Dead Souls. The uniform that all soul reapers in the 13 Court Guard Squads are required to wear.

Soul Reaper (Death God/Shinigami): A dead spirit that guides lost souls to the afterlife via Konso.

Zanpakuto (Soul Cutter): a weapon born from a soul reaper's soul. The fragment of their soul that is forged for battle.

Shikai: the first true release of a zanpakuto. Considered the second form of a zanpakuto since all normal soul reapers wield sealed swords.

Release Shikai: To release a zanpakuto to Shikai in the bleach universe, each of them has a unique call phrase that causes the sword to transform into its shikai release.

Seal Zanpakuto: Soul Reapers can seal their zanpakuto after releasing it and finishing their battle. Those wielding Magic Weapons can do the same thing.

Bankai: the second and final release of a zanpakuto. Considered the third form of a zanpakuto since all normal soul reapers wield sealed swords. The achievement of Bankai can increase a fighter's power by 5 to 10 times and oftentimes takes up to 10 years to master its usage.

Konso: Soul Burial. Allows a Whole (Plus) to pass onto the Soul Society.

Gotei 13 (13 Court Guard Squads): the military force that keeps the balance of souls. Divided into 13 squads that oversee the Soul Society and the World of the Living.

Captain (taichō): the leader of a squad.

Lieutenant(vice-captain, fukutaichō): the second in command/adjutant in each squad.

Head Captain (captain commander, sōtaichō): The leader of all the Gotei 13.

Secret Remote Squad (onmitsukidō): the stealth force.

Hollow Specific:

Hollow: A spirit being that ate out its own heart in its suffering and one that continues searching for spirit energy and souls to relieve its never-ending hunger and desire to fulfill the emptiness of its existence.

(You all should read 'On the precipice of defeat' by MissFlesh. Holy crap! I loved the unique perspective of a Hollow that this writer gives. So many fanfictions skip over the gruesome aspects of existing as a hollow and portray it like some sort of glamorous existence that downplays how horrible being a hollow really is (they romanticize it, not that I am saying the other stories are bad by any stretch. They aren't, but they don't fully immerse you in the terrible state of being a hollow like this fanfiction does) and this author got into the nitty-gritty of life as a hollow and truly captured how bad life as one is. Truly a magnificent read and gives a whole new perspective of life as a monster.) It isn't completed and I don't think it ever will be, but there is plenty of story here to sink your teeth into that it fully captures the hopelessness of that life.

Menos Grande: A classification of the three most-powerful forms that hollows can take. Gillian is the lowest. Adjuchas is the middle. Vasto Lorde is the highest.

Gillian: that monster hollow that Ichigo and Uryu fought at the beginning. The lowest of the class of Menos Grande hollows.

Hybrid (Visored/Arrancar) Specific:

Resurrection (Resurrección): Returning Blade. The first release of an arrancar that allows them to regenerate any damage they have sustained and return to their original hollow form.

Resurrection Segunda Etapa: Second Stage. The second release of an arrancar beyond the initial Resurrection that grants power far beyond the first release. Could be considered equal to, or greater, than a Soul Reaper's Bankai state.

Characters:

Ichigo Kurosaki: Main character for Bleach. Wields the zanpakuto, Zangetsu.

Uryu Ishida: He is a Quincy. Calls himself the Last Quincy.

Rukia Kuchiki: The Soul Reaper that gave Ichigo his soul reaper powers. Member of Squad 13.

Orihime Inoue: a classmate of Ichigo's. has the Shun Shun Rikka ability and with it, the powers of Rejection.

*Santen Ketsuhun: Three-God Shield. The defensive shield Orihime has. Formed from the spirits Hinagiku, Baigon, and Lily.

*Soten Kishun: Twin-God Reflection Shield. The healing barrier. Formed from the spirits Shuno and Ayame.

*Koten Zanshun: Lone-God Slicing Shield. Orihime's attack power. Formed from the spirit, Tsubaki.

Tatsuki Arisawa: friend of Ichigo and Orihime.

Yasutora Sado (Chad): a classmate of Ichigo's. his powers manifest in both of his arms, giving him powerful attacks and defensive capabilities.

Tessai Tsukabishi: an employee of Urahara Shop and a childhood friend of Kisuke and Yoruichi. He is also the former Kido Commander in the Gotei 13.

Yoruichi Shihōin: former captain of squad 2 as well as former commander of the stealth force and the 22nd head of the Shihōin clan. Can transform into a black cat.

Don Kanonji: star of Spirit Hunter. A human capable of perceiving spirits. He inadvertently turned a spirit into a hollow and then worked with Ichigo to defeat it.

Ururu Tsumugiya: Employee at Urahara Shop. Has black hair and keeps her hair in pig tails as a little girl.

Jinta Hanakari: Employee at Urahara Shop. Has red hair. Picks on Ururu a lot.

Mahana Natsui: one of Ichigo's classmates in school. She asked if Rukia had a crush on Ichigo.

Renji Abarai: lieutenant of squad 6

Zabimaru: Renji's zanpakuto

Roar: The release phrase for Zabimaru's shikai.

Byakuya Kuchiki: captain of squad 6. Adopted Rukia into Kuchiki clan.

Extra Notes/General Bleach Worldbuilding:

Hueco Mundo: The world of the Hollows.

Soul Society: the place where spirits pass onto (heaven).

World of the Living: Earth. Where humans live out their lives and die.

Urahara Shop: the candy store belonging to Kisuke Urahara. Based in the World of the Living. Home to Kisuke, Tessai, Jinta, and Ururu.

Chain of Fate: a chain that binds a soul to a body, allowing that soul to return to their body if separated from it before death. If this chain is severed, then the body dies and the soul is free to pass on to Soul Society (or get eaten by a hollow/turn into a hollow)

Encroachment: the process in which the chain of fate dissolves and the hole in a spirit's chest opens and they become a hollow.

Konpaku (Soul): The basic term referencing the spirit of a dead person. All-encompassing term that references Plus spirits, Hollows (Minus Spirits), Shinigami, and Arrancar.

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Close Similarities/Similar Skills:

Magic Weapon/Zanpakuto/Spirit Weapon: Magic Weapons and Spiritual Magic Weapons are similar to zanpakuto in that they are Weapons unique to an individual. However, their origins are different.

Weapon Release (Weapon State): Similar in nature to a Shikai or Bankai release. However, there are 10 Mortal Tier Releases (as opposed to the 2 levels that Soul Reapers can use).

Essence Ribbon/Spirit Ribbon: In Bleach, Spirit Ribbons turn red if a person is a soul reaper, otherwise they are white. This is how Uryu said that he figured out about Ichigo and Rukia. They are visible rays of spirit energy.

In my universe, Essence Ribbons change color and pattern based on the magical abilities the person has demonstrated to be capable of using. They can also have auras. They are visible rays of magic energy and get their name from magic's base term: Magic Essence.

In this fanfiction, one can detect how someone is feeling (emotionally or physically) by touching their ribbon. This is a more advanced technique than simply feeling someone's pressure/aura.

Divine Sight/Seeing Spirit Ribbons: In Bleach, Rukia states that the ability to see Spirit Ribbons (rays of spirit energy) is something that only high-ranking soul reapers can use.

Divine Sight is the special ability to see Essence Ribbons.

Essence Aura/Spiritual Pressure (Reiatsu): In Bleach, Spiritual Pressure is the pressure that a person's spiritual power (Reiryoku) exerts (described like reiryoku output).

Essence Aura is the pressure that a person's magical power exerts. It gets its name from magic's base term: Magic Essence.

In this fanfiction, one can detect how someone is feeling (emotionally or physically) by feeling their aura. This is typically a beginner technique, but the more advanced sensing requirements put it more in the intermediate category.

Energy/Spiritual Power (Reiryoku): In Bleach, a person's spiritual power/spiritual energy is referred to as Reiryoku. It is their personal wellspring of power that is all their own. Each person has a certain amount and a limit they cannot surpass.

In my universe, this is referred to as Energy. In my universe, Energy can be divided into 2 categories: Magic Energy and Spirit Energy (with Spirit Energy being a mere subset of Magic Energy).

In this fanfiction, when one's spiritual power/energy is exhausted, the person collapses from lack of remaining energy.

Magic Essence/Reishi (spiritual matter): In Bleach, reishi is what makes up objects in Soul Society and Hueco Mundo. The concentrations there are higher because they are the two spirit worlds of Bleach although some does exist in the World of the Living.

Magic Essence: the basis of ALL magical happenings in my universe. My entire world is formed from Magic Essence (which broken down is called Essence Elements, which we won't touch on until much later). Therefore, nearly all magic skills have some part of their name coming from one of these two words.

Essence Elements/Atoms (Kishi): Kishi is like the World of the Living version of Reishi and makes up nearly all objects in the World of the Living and is a term to describe atoms as a whole.

Essence Elements are my universe's version of protons, neutrons, and electrons. The term as a whole can be used interchangeably with magic essence while referring to a single element cannot. They are further broken down into Sub-Elemental Essences (which are basically subatomic).

Inner World/Mindscape/Realm of the Zanpakuto: this definition is basically identical between universes. Regardless of what phrase one wants to use, they all mean the same thing. Inner World. Inner Mind. Mindscape. Landscape of the Mind. Realm of the Weapon Spirit. Realm of the Zanpakuto. Literally all refers to the place in a wielder's mind where the Weapon resides and where they go to commune directly with the Weapon that is a part of them.

Magic Weapon Auto-Dispel/Zanpakuto Auto-Seal: Just like how zanpakutos revert back to their sealed state when their wielder is knocked unconscious, a similar thing happens when a Magic Weapon Wielder is knocked unconscious (their Weapon dispels).

Yretro Kosuka- is Kisuke Urahara.

Shini (Light Spirits)/Plus (Whole): spirits of those that have died. Equivalent to a Plus (whole) soul in Bleach universe.

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Final Notes:

I want to thank Andygoesrawr from Reddit for the amazing breakdown of the differences between the terms Reishi, Reiryoku, and Reiatsu that he posted nearly 8 years ago on the Reddit page: The Difference between Reishi, Reiryoku and Reiatsu. He also covered the concept of Kishi. I found this page and read it to make sure I wasn't messing up the distinction between the three too badly (turns out that I really was and, in my confusion over the terms when I was laying the foundation for the magic in my world, I ended up doing the same thing as this here was. Go figure).

Also, I am editing how I am doing the terminology, etc. and how it will all be organized. Hopefully, it is better than previously. I am also planning on including all the definitions etc. at the end of the chapters (as opposed to stating which chapter I defined them at the beginning of the chapter and pushing off the start of the story each time).

I know I stated that Kisuke is Yretro from my universe. So, based on the above information, one would be correct in believing that he should have an Essence Ribbon. However, the reason why this is not true is because he was essentially reborn in the Bleach universe. Therefore, he follows their natural laws not mine.

And the people in my world do not use glasses. This is why Jonas has no clue what they are.

I am also aware that I am repeating the terms, etc. at the end of the chapters, but I felt it would be easier on the reader than if they had to search a different chapter each time they wanted a refresher.

I have to say that I love the Bleach Wiki. Here's a shout of thanks to everyone that made that website into the brilliant resource that it is. I would never remember all the specific spells otherwise.

Jonas is a Mazeri/Rein vampire by birth which is a Primary Bloodline. Neil was transformed by The Matriarch's power, and she came from a tertiary bloodline. So, when Jonas forced Engeta Zanu to submit, he was birthing Neil into the Mazeri bloodline. Basically, Neil is a Mazeri vampire now with all the bloodline skills etc. that come along with that with the exception of the Blood Memories which he does not have. Blood Memories can only be passed on from ancestor to direct descendant, not through a forced submission.

Jonas force submitting Neil's vampiric side is also why Jonas can feel what Neil is feeling. And he can sense Shila through Neil because Neil and Shila are imprinted. (normally, Neil biting Shila for that short period of time would not have caused an imprint. However, because she broke the barrier between them in her inner world and went to him in his, she cemented their connection.) This connection between the three is ONLY because Jonas force submitted Neil's vampire side. (this connection works similarly to an imprint in that they can sense each other's feelings. However, power sharing is NOT included in this.)

Engeta Zanu made the comment that he was 'back now' to Jonas when Jonas force submitted him. This is because of how the transformation took effect on Neil. Because Neil was not born from, nor ever descended from a vampire, he was not meant to become a vampire. The Matriarch's power had infiltrated his spirit and tried taking over Engeta Zanu (which she could because he had no natural bloodline to resist her). Once Jonas forced his bloodline onto Neil, it caused the hold on Engeta Zanu to disappear, allowing the Weapon's regular personality to reemerge.

The fact that Jonas is a Mazeri vampire is the entire reason why the transformation went differently for him than it did for Neil. This is why it took the shape of his mother and acted more like an outside force attacking rather than a possession.

Okay, so I am being kinda lazy (ish). I was watching the anime (English dubbed) version of Bleach to get the dialogue right for the canon stuff when I decided that it is too much of a pain to watch each section of episode half a dozen times (since I can't type nearly as fast as they talk). Therefore, the dialogue will now be a mixture between the anime and the manga, along with a few word changes because I preferred something phrased a different way.

Several of the canon events will remain the same in the upcoming arc while several things will be drastically different. I plan on following the current timeline (including flashbacks as necessary) to help keep my place as I work in my other characters and their character-building arcs.

I vaguely mention a parallel between Ichigo's bloodline and Jonas's for being possibly why the two look the same as each other here. This information plays a part in why the two will get to be OP later :D

Final note: I rearranged some of the stuff in my Magic sections, so it wasn't all under the General heading.

Hope you enjoyed! Please review and let me know what you all think! Thanks for reading!