Hello everyone, bit late with the chapters, sorry about that but I got caught up with writing them and also the original single chapter turned into two just like that, so two chapters this week which I am proud of if you ask me. The long awaited confrontation with Codexia and Ichigo, next chapter after this one that I am posting alongside this chapter.

So that is great.

Now reviews are at the bottom and I hope you like it.

Also on another note I am sorry but I didn't add the Dire Maul Spirit arc yet, sorry but I just didn't have time and will do it alongside the next chapter first things for next week, not going to post until it is done and posted alongside the next chapter, you have my word and assurances on that. Been enough delays as is and I am not having anymore with that Omake.

Now enjoy the read.


Transcendence

Chapter 49: Terramok

Maraudon

"Close rank!" Jirand called, slashing his blade forward as he retreated towards his soldiers.

Guttural roars and chants filled the cavern as they were beset by demons, specifically the corrupted and sadistic monsters that were once their own people, Satyrs. They were all throughout the caverns, many times they ran into groups of these foul creatures and just as many times their people were dragged into the darkness.

"Mage!" Jirand roared.

Immediately a wave of fire surrounded his soldiers, warding off the demons and illuminating their blue and red furred bodies. With howls of rage they skulked back into the dark recesses of the caves and from view, but that would not be the last time they would attack.

It was a surprise for the Highborne to find these demons within the cavern, for the entrance and inner caverns seemed to be burial chambers. They had found the mummified bodies of many centaurs, along with several spirits that did not wish to rest, but nothing could have prepared them for these demons that seemed to populate the levels below the burial chambers. What could have possibly drawn then here? Some suspected that maybe it was the Source that drew them close.

It was a popular theory and something that oddly enough, despite the grim and haunting tunnels filled with darkness, encouraged the Highborne to find it.

"Damn beasts!" Jirand growled, flicking his sword of any tainted blood and laying it at rest by his side. "How many have we lost?"

"Three more, two are dead and one is missing, more than likely he is dead."

Jirand growled, that would make twelve dead right now, they had only been in this section of the caverns for twenty minutes and they had lost that many. With a growl he ordered the warriors forward, there was no time to waste on such trivialities anymore, if they reached the Source soon enough they would be home free.

Mordent glanced at the Captain as he pushed his soldiers forward, his eyes lingering on the upstart youth before he turned to Codexia who trudged on just ahead of the main force. She had been leading them through the caves, and oddly seemed to be following after the Source they were searching, was it possible she knew where to take them?

He had noticed a slight change in her posture when they entered the mountain, something had taken her interest, and he was eager to learn of this sudden change. Quickening his pace he caught up to the Primalist and walked beside her, although he knew such an action would be dangerous, he could feel the eyes of the Captain on him. Likely the man knew something was amiss, but at this point Mordent surely believed that himself and maybe his entire routine would be in danger of execution.

"I wish to speak with you." Mordent said.

"I don't care for what you want, you know why I am down here and if you get in the way not a single one of you will leave here, alive or dead." Codexia replied, her face neutral as she lead them through the caverns.

"I am aware of that, but maybe we can work towards a mutual goal." Mordent replied.

"Manipulating the manipulator, don't flatter yourself into thinking you are subtle and charismatic enough to pull that off." Codexia growled in response, giving him a sideways glare before she tensed for a moment.

Mordent saw her quickly raise her staff and tighten the hold of her sword, the only sign he was given that there was a danger nearby that she had sensed. His eyes roamed the darkness ahead and tried to look for anything, but he could sense nothing, beside the rocky and jagged walls of the passage nothing else was present.

He raised his staff and called forth the orb of light his people had used to illuminate the hallways, small globes that pulsed like a miniature sun. He pushed them forward with a wave of his staff and illuminated down the lengths of the cave, he could see nothing but rocks and stalagmites, what could have set her off.

"What is wrong?" Mordent inquired, curious as to what she has sensed.

"We have company, I think we are surrounded." Codexia said, turning sharply towards the party and finding something on the ground reaching for one of the soldiers. "Move!"

The call made the man jump, had his feet actually left the ground he may have evaded the hand, but when his leg was taken hold of he was pulled off his feet and tossed into the wall. He let out a pained groan as he hit the floor, yet when the stone and rock along the wall moved and took form he screamed in surprise. He tried to flee but when the massive arms slammed down onto him he stood no chance, his chest and head were crushed and pulverised by the massive limbs of rock.

"Earth Elemental!" Mordent called, immediately putting the rest of the soldiers on guard and giving name to their newest enemy.

Mordent raised his hand and summoned a ball of arcane energy and swung it at the nearest elemental, its massive boulder-like body was blown apart from the discharge. Now that he thought about it, this had been the first time he had actually seen an Earth Elemental actually. He had read and studied them for a time, even seeing several arcane elementals form in the ruins from time to time, but to see something made of matter was different from energy.

Especially if it meant that they could beat you to death.

As one turned and hovered towards him he got a good look at the creature, its body was composed of multiple boulders and rocks that made up its torso and arms. While below it seemed too floated through the air and guide itself with small rocks that acted as some sort of treads, he had heard that they actually manipulate the gravity around them to move. Had this been a more controlled and less hostile environment he would have been intrigued and interested to learn how they accomplished this.

"Back to the spirit realm with you!" Mordent yelled, releasing a bolt of arcane energy at the creature, even if its chest was near half vaporised it did not break its stride.

"Destroy the Bracers!" Codexia yelled, swinging her sword at the elemental, cutting through its rocky torso and doing no harm to it, before she swung down on the brass bracers that were wrapped around its wrists. "Destroy them and they will be banished!"

Codexia knew how to handle elementals, she had learned and trained to fight them for years before taking up this mission, they had no major weakness in terms of their bodies. They were composed of elemental forces and one cannot cut air, fire or water, could work against rock but even then that was hard to do. But all had a similar weakness, they were bound to the elemental planes and could be banished if their Bracers of Binding were broken or separated from them. The spirits would be pulled back to the Planes as there would be nothing to anchor them in the material world.

She proved this by slashing the second bracer and watching as the elemental let out a defiant growl before its body pulsed with energy and the rocks fell lifelessly to the ground. With one defeated she moved onto the rest, weaving in and around their clumsy strikes and cutting apart their bracers.

But as she fought she frowned as she considered the possibilities of why these elementals were here. She had heard of the legends of this place and why it was sacred to the centaur, that their parentage are said to live within the depths of the mountain. A powerful elemental known as Princess Therazane and the Keeper of the Grove Zaetar, who through an unnatural union created the barbaric centaur, it was both a home and tomb for the two beings respectfully.

Could these elementals be subjects of hers, servants to a powerful elemental entity that resides within this cavern? Was what she was sensing possibly that elemental right now? Is it the overwhelming spiritual energy of an elemental that resides within this place and the power permeating this entire mountain?

"I need to find this power, if I cannot destroy it than maybe it will turn these fools back." Codexia thought aloud, but she cannot be too sure about her theory, not until she reached it.

She turned to lash out against another elemental, but as she broke one of its bracers it grasped her blade and pulled her in closely. His massive hand wrapping around her head, her eyes widened as she felt her skull begin to flex, even with the Iron Bark that crept over her head she felt the pressure continued to rise. Desperately she tried to rip her blade free from the spirits grasp, even attempting to shift into the Shadowlands, but nothing was working.

'No… not here… not like this…!' Codexia thought.

But before the elemental could rip or crush her head the bracer on its arm shattered, blown apart along with its arm. Codexia let out a breath as she stumbled back in surprise, her attempted murderer exploding and showering her in pebbles. He eyes turned to the side and found Mordent with his staff raised; he did not regard her but instead move onto another target.

Codexia's mind whirled on why he would have saved her, he had no reason to trust or want her to live and a quick and easy death would have been in his favour. Yet despite their animosity and their conversation last night he saved her regardless, something was amiss here and she suspected that his attempt to speak with her had something to do with it.

She gave it little thought for a moment before she turned and banished the next elemental, shattering both its bracers and sending its spirit roaring back to the elemental planes. Soon enough they had bested the enemies, casualties were piling up but they did not take away from the large numbers they had. When all was done only fifteen of their own were dead, but from the aggravated expression on the Captain's face he took that personally.

"Keep moving!" Jirand ordered.

Codexia rolled her eyes before trudging back through the cave, she didn't know if he was angry they were dead or how this would look on his report back to his superiors. Given how smug the bastard has been acting the sudden loss of his men at the end of the campaign likely would reflect poorly on him.

But she didn't think on that, right now her thoughts turned elsewhere, as before Mordent strolled up beside her and kept pace. There was silence between them but she expected that, likely he was waiting for her to initiate any conversation.

"Thanks for saving me back there." Codexia decided to get that off her chest first, and then see what exactly he wanted from her. "But I take it you did it for more than just being a gentleman helping a damsel in distress. Unless, of course, you have an attraction for women that need a big strong man to save them?"

Mordent gave an annoyed snort at the second comment, obviously finding the idea to be a poor jest on her part. Maybe it also belayed his own animosities to other races, wouldn't put it past him to think poorly on her because of her race.

"No, I saved you because you will need my help soon." Mordent replied, making Codexia raise a brow. "I am sure you suspect something with my being here, don't you find it strange that I came to assist the guard?"

"Of course I did, apparently you found a strange power source within the mountain, and one that I might add is elemental in nature." Codexia replied, the feeling of the energy through the rocks was powerful and dense; whatever the power source is isn't arcane by any means. "Yet what I cannot fathom is why you would think that aiding in this endeavour is in any way sane."

"What do you mean?" Mordent asked.

"Don't play coy, you know for a fact that the Nobles are greedy and will take whatever is here for themselves, it will be another Prince Tortheldin tyranny all over again, and yet you are aiding in it." Codexia inquired, her question still lingering in the air as she glanced at the stoic Archmage. "You hated that man with a passion, so I question your motives if you are so adamant about finding that source for your people on the orders of those just like him."

"That I do know, I had no love for our Prince and his ways, he murdered the innocent just so he could have the majority of the power for himself. I would never allow that to happen again." Mordent said, remembering the day he had been give the role as Leader of the Shen'dralar, the day that his order was tasked with exterminating the lower wards of civilians.

They had killed thousands of their people that day and while many stood up to the Prince, they were nothing but civilians and a few soldiers at best, those who revelled in power took up the sword and murdered them. So addicted they were, fear of both the Prince and the withdrawal, that they did not at first care for the slaughter they were committing.

But after many years of living of scraps, barely surviving on that power, it gives you a greater perspective on things and made him realize just what power had made their Prince, along with what it made him into.

"Then if you are not here for the glory of your people and Empire, why did you so vehemently make it seem you wish to procure what lays within this mountain?" Codexia asked, she had a good idea why he may have done it but she wanted to know for sure.

"Because I must maintain my image and reasons for being here, I cannot let my grievances for this mission be known to all, for I am taking steps to ensuring that another tyrannical rule and dependence to magic never occurs. You are not wrong to suspect that I search for a new way for my people to live, one not controlled through addiction." Mordent replied. "I and my order have been looking for ways to safely feed our people without succumbing to the addiction and madness as our former Prince had."

"And how do you intend to do that? With those pylons that do nothing but float and sputter around the palace?" Codexia asked mockingly. "Besides you cannot claim to be doing the morally correct thing considering what I have learned about your orders recent activities. You claim to search for another way yet the Shen'dralar falls to its baser purpose it seems, scrounging through ruins and relics for any magical forces they can find."

"What is it that you speak of?" Mordent inquired, what she had just said had caught his attention and he would know what she meant by that.

"Please, I know about the artefacts you have been pillaging from ruins across the region, and I know that they are being studied in the Sanctum." Codexia replied, yet she was confused when he rounded on her suddenly.

Mordent paused in his stride and turned to Codexia, his eyes were wide and filled with shock. He turned and regarded the still advancing guard and his mages, turning away from them and continuing to march as if nothing happened, yet as he turned away his featured turned a paler shade of blue.

"Now I know something is wrong." Codexia said, following in step with him. "You being here and not knowing about this made me question if you actually know what the Nobles are up to, and if you haven't been playing into their hands."

"I have a theory why you are here, I do not know if it is true or not, but you arriving here has not created the disturbance that I suspected it too. In fact I feel that you were expected to come here, and I believe I know why." Mordent replied.

"Let me guess, they want me dead." Codexia inquired, her face always facing forward. "Explains why I was lured here, should have known something was wrong when Caelyb came to me and told me everything. Make me so angry at first that I didn't think it through."

"Caelyb?" Mordent replied, narrowing his eyes slightly and frowning. "I see, then my theory is correct, I had at first thought that your being here was of your own doing and because you felt this was an obstacle to your plans. Yet it seems that the both of us are being led to the gallows."

Codexia was surprised, yet she kept her featured morphed into a frown and facing forward to avoid being seen by the others, it seem that her coming here was not meant to just get her out of the city but to assassinate her. With her weakened powers, and the possibility that her connection to the spirits was being hindered somehow, that might be a possibility.

But why would they mark Mordent for assassination? What could Mordent have possibly done that could warrant his execution? He had been vocal on not wanting his people to fall into another reign of tyrannical rule and possibly joined this expedition to stop the Highborne from taking the relic if it was dangerous.

Did he actually voice these complaints and reasons to the Nobles themselves? Tell them what he felt could be a bad idea and see if he could reason with them. If that was the case then he had all but sealed his fate in her opinion, the Nobles wanted him removed because he was an obstacle that prevented them from getting what they wanted.

"Maybe we should compare notes; it seems we are both being left in the dark here about the others motives." Codexia asked, wanting some clarification from both parties, and received a nod from the Archmage.

"I know little about the Nobles' plans once they claim the artefact, but they are intent on protecting themselves from outside influence, and speak as if they want power to ward off their enemies." Mordent said, from the sounds of it he doubted that claim. "I personally asked for this assignment to learn about this Source. I could not risk our people delving into another catastrophe involving siphoning the power of something we do not fully understand."

But Mordent felt that maybe he was too late to stop this from happening, he saw the clouds above the city last night and this morning, still churning and coursing with power. The storm was far from natural and could only be the result of magic, where it had come from and how it was powered was unknown to him. But with Codexia saying something about the acquisition of artefacts from ruins it is likely they found something to accomplish the tast.

"I take it that the Nobles did not care for your concerns." Codexia asked.

"No, they likely wished me here to be removed inconspicuously, and foolishly I brought my most loyal of mages along as well." Mordent said. "That can only mean that the Sanctum may no longer be under my control."

Codexia glanced at him from the corner of her eye, he couldn't be serious. This wasn't just an attempted assassination on two obstacles in their way, it was a freaking coup, they were intending on removing every obstacle and bringing every power into the fold.

"Are you telling me that the Nobles have taken over the Sanctum and are responsible for bringing in artefacts from across the Desolace?" Codexia asked, how could have they done that without the Shen'dralar or Mordent?

"More than likely, the Nobles have people in both the Shen'dralar and the Guard, do you see those mages beside mine?" Mordent said, referring to the dozen Highborne with different yet matching robes. "Rogue magi, they were meant to be illegal in Eldre'thalas, but the Nobles had mages in their personal cabinet in order to expand their influence and act as spies within the Shen'dralar. I had thought them only rumours for a time, but it seems they are larger in number than I last through."

Codexia glanced back and did noticed them, all of them had similar robes but with different colour variations. She suspected that since Tortheldrin was in charge he didn't take kindly to certain houses trying to oust power from him, so spies and thieves were a nescessity for the other Nobles to get that little extra bit of power.

While there were a variety of colours among them, most of them had green, blue and black colours along their robes, if what Mordent said was true that means that there were a lot of mages that served a single house.

"Their colours, which house does the majority belong to?" Codexia asked.

"Maluineth Moonscribe, those are her family colours, and those are her magi." Mordent replied, scowling slightly, but Codexia was uncertain if it was anger or shame reflected in his creased brow and narrowed eyes. "The girl was cast from the Shen'dralar along with her father around twelve hundred years ago, her father was the former leader before Prince Tortheldrin took control and made me a figure head, and I think she wants to take back her father's legacy and kill me in the process."

"She must really not like you then." Codexia said. "So you think she and her mages are responsible for bringing in these artefacts then?"

"I believe so, and I also believe that the Shen'dralar is no longer under my control." Mordent replied. "Most of my loyal supporters are here, and the rest will follow anyone that they see as the leader, I fear anyone else that does not support her may be killed. I truly believe she has the means to take over the Shen'dralar."

Codexia scowled, if Maluineth was in power then and had artefacts in her possession; it could mean she had done something to the spirits? She wanted to denounce it, that there was no way that the spirits could be beaten by a few magi and some magical artefacts. But she knew that the Primal Spirits had been sealed before my mortal hands, by the same people she was walking with at this very moment, could it be possible that they are more aware of the spirits and their nature than she anticipated?

"With your attempts to convert us to Primalism, something that likely would hinder the Nobles attempts to gain power; you would be a target as well." Mordent said, before he let out an aggravated sigh. "I think that we may be fighting our way out of here."

"I expected as much when I walked down here, good to know that I will at least have some support." Codexia replied, giving a small smirk as she kept facing forward. "Are your mages ready thought?"

"They know something is amiss, and when the time comes they will not be so caught off guard that they will be easy victims." Mordent replied.

Codexia nodded her head, at least they were ready for anything, but even she couldn't be prepared for what might happen when she was engaged in battle. Her powers were not as great as they once were and she felt them diminishing ever so slightly, she did not know if they would continue to deteriorate until they simply disappeared. The only thing remaining was that of Erebus, his font of power had been the only thing to remain with her, but even that would fade with time and use.

Truthfully she was afraid of facing off against the Highborne again, she had not the power to force them into submission. But with some support, even if she was sceptical about the ones helping her, she was certain they could turn the tide and claim victory. But it was still a three to one battle for them, it would be tricky to win against such odds, but with her powers as they were maybe they could survive.

"We are close." Mordent said.

Codexia focused on the path ahead, finding that the caverns were now starting to illuminate themselves without the aid of magic, great purple and orange crystals jutted from the walls and pulsed with power. In fact she could sense energy coming from them, spiritual in nature as well, her hand moved along them and she felt a great deal of stored energy within.

"What are these?" Jirand said, examining one of the crystals.

"I don't know, these aren't normal crystals though, it is too pure for their size." Codexia said, it was as if they grew from the walls rather than being formed from high pressures, and with the earth elementals that attacked not that long ago she suspected a possible connection.

"How close are we to the Source?" Jirand called.

"Close, I can feel it; the air is thick with energy." Mordent said, his own in-tuned senses to the arcane feeling the energy as it rippled through every molecule in the air. "But it is not arcane, or fel."

"Then what is it?" Jirand demanded.

"Spiritual Energy." Codexia replied, turning from the crystals and skulking further into the caverns.

There was no doubt in her mind that this power was that of an elemental, possibly Theradras or maybe some other Earth Elemental that resides in these caverns. Who knows, but she was certain of it that this was an elemental of some sort, but she was going to find it and make sure these Highborne did not take it.

As she strolled down the crystal caverns she eventually found herself within a large cavern, pillars of marble that were wrapped in emerald vines lined the walls. The roof was lined with many glowing purple crystals, illuminating the entire chamber, and showing her the entryway to another location.

"What is that?" Mordent said, not recognising the architecture.

"I have never seen architecture like this before, it looks similar to the elves, but at the same time it isn't." Codexia said, while it may be reminiscent of ancient Highborne architecture there were key differences.

The material was much smoother and more highly decorated and covered in a script that was definitely not Keldorei. Also the massive entryway at the end, that was a massive archway that showed off a series of constellations formed from smooth purple crystals, was lined with two large statues of humanoid warriors.

Humanoid, not in having a human-like appearance, but appearing completely human.

This was definitely not made by elven hands, the statues were a clear giveaway to that, so who could have actually constructed this place then? Could it be elemental in nature? She knew that some of the elementals employed their own architecture and had their own customs so it was possible. Yet the dialect that she saw along the stonework appeared Dwarven but there were some key differences in the script.

"Neither have I seen anything like this, I do not believe it was made by our people's hands." Mordent said, running his hand over the surprisingly smooth stone.

Codexia didn't see a need to voice her input, because she had something else that had taken her entire attention, instead she walked towards the massive brass door and looked at it. The imagery of a large humanoid warrior facing off against a lumbering elemental creature, this all but screamed something bad to her.

But she did not relent, whatever lay beyond this door is what they sought and she would not leave without knowing what it was and if it could be destroyed safely. She pressed her hand against the door and pushed, to her surprise the twenty foot tall metal slabs moved without the barest ounce of effort on her part. The doors opened wide and welcomed her in to a long chamber, smooth stone walls that were held back by large red and gold pillars.

Murals of glass could be seen along the roof, depicting more humanoid entities and elementals clashing with one another. The hall was nearly a hundred feet in length, perfectly crafted and maintained despite the likely age of the hidden chamber. Looking further ahead and beyond the hall she saw a large pillar, with a large open section near its base.

Her eyes narrowed in on the small plinth sitting between the two sections of the pillar, it was obvious that it was designed to hold something but nothing could be seen. Moreover, she could sense ambient energies lingering in the air but nothing could be seen, the Source as it was called was no longer present.

"There it is." Jirand said, strolling past Codexia.

Turning she found the rest of the troops moving in, Mordent and his ground following in the rear guard and when he passed her he nodded his head. This was it, they would be fighting for their lives soon enough.

'Let us see what this place is then, and maybe what the Source is.'

Strolling down the hall she kept her eyes on the Captain and her senses open to anything, even if the ambient energy in the chamber was so overwhelming that it made it impossible to sense anything else she had to make sure. Those few minutes of walking silently down the hall were the most nerve wracking, it was as if everyone knew what was going to happen and did not wish to risk a word being said unless they set off the inevitable conflict.

Mordent seemed tense, that same anxiousness was shared by his magi, from the tight hold on his staff she could tell he was nervous. Yet that same feeling didn't seem to be shared by Jirand or any of his men, that surprised her, how could they be so calm right now. They seemed ever more certain of themselves now than they had when they were exploring the caverns and fighting against the centaur, possibly they thought this was the end of their mission?

'No, he would be boasting about it right now, so why so calm and quiet?' Codexia mused.

She had little time to think on this before they stood before the pillar, the massive obelisk loomed over the entire spherical chamber. Near its base was the large plinth that sat beneath the pillar, but there was nothing else present, it was here that she sensed a high density of residual energy. Whatever the Source was it had been here, on this very spot on that plinth, but where was it now?

"Captain!"

Codexia turned to the shout and to her surprise she bound that the room was inhabited, or use to be in this case. On the floor was the bloody body of a Dryad, a Daughter of Cenarius, slash marks adorned her doe and elven body. Someone had been here, recently too, her eyes scanned the chamber and found several more splotched of blood across the ground.

"What is this?" Mordent said. "A Dryad? Blood? Someone has been here before and they have taken the Source."

Codexia didn't need a monologue to realize that, maybe the rest of the inept idiots that were part of this troupe did but not her, and her eyes scanned the room and possible exits. She glanced to the opposite side of the room to see a hallway and door similar to the one she entered through. Likely leading deeper into the mountain, but what else could be within this place?

Turning to the chambers walls she found long curved hallways on either side, darkened with only dim crystals to illuminate them. But from the curve of the walls and the length she guessed that it was over two hundred feet long before she couldn't see past the curvature. She glanced to the ground one more, seeing there were runes engraved along the glass that ran up those halls, was this some kind of generator?

'This is bad, if the Source is powering this place that means it had to be designed for something important.'

But then her eyes noticed something amiss, not but thirty feet from her position was a pool of blood not unlike the others that littered the chamber.

"Spread out, search the room." Jirand ordered calmly, Codexia noticed the calm in his words.

He wasn't ranting or raving that the Source was gone but instead ordered him men to search for it in an orderly and calm manner. That went against everything she knew about this man in the short few hours she had met him, he couldn't be so calm if he thought that the Source was gone. If it wasn't on a platter waiting for him than he would be furious, it was the one thing that assured he would be rewarded greatly for his efforts.

Any man would be angered that someone had interfered with his mission, that someone had taken his glory, but instead he ordered his men to spread out and search the chamber.

Her eyes drifted to his men and found them all moving off, spreading out across the back half of the chamber. But the mages with his routine moved back, going towards the hall and staying there, they were all lined up and waiting. The only ones not moving were Mordent and his people, she turned to glance at him and he returned the look, they both knew something was wrong right now.

They were getting their men into position, but the fact that they were not surprised by the Source not being here alarmed them.

Her eyes returned to the puddle, finding it to be oddity, one would dismiss the puddle because it was one of several and who cared about what it looked like. But to Codexia she knew a few things about liquids on the ground, and one such thing is that they don't have a flat surface on one side unless they are pressing against something. And right now that puddle of blood appears to be pressed against something that just isn't there.

"An Illusion." Codexia said, glaring ahead as she pointed her staff forward and tossed a bolt of shadow across the room.

It did not make it to the opposite side of the chamber, instead it passed through a barrier of light, a wall of light pulsed and soon shattered apart as the bolt tore through the illusion. Then the projectile collided with another barrier, a translucent purple dome that stood protectively over a singular figure.

Yet he was not the only one there, for when the crackling illusion faded a small force came into view, two dozen knights in heavy armour stood behind him. Their armour was covered in magical script and their weapons were aglow with enchantment, they had been empowered through the arcane that was for certain. But that was only a momentary shock compared to who was standing before her, these people were elves, they were Highborne.

"Very good." The man within the dome said, the shield fading and he stepped forward. "I had not expected you to see through the illusion so easily; in fact I thought you never would have until I dropped it myself."

Codexia scowled, how in the Nether did these Highborne get within the mountain? All information said that the only way inside was through the Centaur controlled region of the Valley of Spears.

"I know you. You are Sylerian Willowgrave." Mordent said, sounding surprised before he let out a sneer. "I take it that your father sent you."

"Mordent, a pleasure to meet you, you have my thanks for Caelyb and taking care of him." Sylerian replied, giving a curt not to the Archmage. "As to the one who sent me you would be correct, he has sent me here on behalf of the Noble Court to claim this Artefact in the name of the Highborne and for the glory of our Empire."

Mordent scowled at the man, he should have known that this was some kind of trap and that the Nobles would never allow him near what was sought, this boy was here to retrieve the artefact and then murder him. He glanced around to find Jirand and his mean had distanced themselves, and those rogue magi seemed all too eager to unleash their power upon him.

"How did you enter the mountain?" Codexia demanded.

"Simple, your friend Marta Gearspanner was more than willing to help us." Sylerian replied, smirking when he saw Codexia's surprise and shock. "Why so surprised? It only took a few gold and silver coins along with the prospect of personally disrupting your efforts was all the motivation she needed."

Codexia felt a stab in her heart at that comment; did Marta actually help orchestrate this? Did she actually aid in this assassination attempt? In a way she couldn't blame Marta for hating her so much, but to actually think she would be willing to cooperate with the Highborne in such a scheme shocked her to the core. Was her hatred for Codexia so great that she would be willing to do all this?

But even so how could it be possible for her to enter the mountain when there were no other entrances she knew of. And if she did have a means to enter this place she also could escape, and if the artefact was not here than it must be with her.

"You must not take it back to the city! We do not know what it might do to our people!" Mordent said. "If it is dangerous our people will suffer as they did when we took the power from Immol'thar, we cannot repeat that mistake again."

"We are not as foolish as you think us Mordent Evershade, we will not repeat the mistakes of our former Prince." Sylerian said.

"Then return it here, seal this place and never return, the temptation of this power is too great and if we feed on it we will lose ourselves as we did when Tortheldrin did." Mordent said. "Do not let his madness spread to the rest of our people, do not let this power bring us the same greed and tyranny that he was consumed by."

"Do not worry, our people will be safe from that, we won't be feeding the Source to the populace, we already have several others that are currently feeding our people." Sylerian said. "And we have none other than Codexia to thank for that, she has truly given us a great bounty in that regards."

For a moment the idea of what they could be referring to passed through her mind, quickly deducing the possible items he could be referring to before it settled on three specific things. Her mind went blank for a moment, her worst fears and even an inconceivable nightmare coming together as one.

"The Spirits." Codexia said, hissing and grinding her teeth so tightly they began to crack. "You have imprisoned them, haven't you?"

"Correct, I am willing to guess that you feel drained and powerless compared to before, that is because we are draining the spirits power and using it to sustain the population. With the energy from Thetis and Druantia we can sustain our people more easily than we had with that demon." Sylerian said, smile widening as he saw the Primalists expression darken with each passing word.

Codexia knew this was a possibility from the moment she felt the loss of the majority of her powers, yet hearing it from this pompous bastard did little to quench her fury. The Nobles had the audacity to seal the spirits away and use them as wells to drain their power so they could drink themselves drunk? They had crossed the line, she was going to get back to Ether Rethor and murder the lot of them.

"I am going to murder every single one of you." Codexia growled through gritted teeth.

"Sadly you won't have the means to carry out that threat, we know that you share a symbiotic relationship with those spirits and if their power fades so do yours." Sylerian replied, smirking at her. "Right now you are likely just as vulnerable as those mages over there, and even if you still possessed a fraction of your power, you still cannot face all of us."

She knew he was right, if the spirits were contained than her connection to them was strained, technically she was like any other Shaman now. But the problem was that she had no real means to contact the elements besides the Primal Spirits, she was left only with what fledgling powers remained that were given by the spirits.

"Stop this madness, enough blood has been lost over the thirst for power, do not let more be shed here!" Mordent demanded.

"What we do is for the glory of our people and for an Empire that still survives even to this day, you have lost sight Mordent, the Nobles know this and that is why you must be removed." Sylerian said. "Kill the Shen'dralar and the Primalist, they are of no more use to us anymore."

Codexia gritted her teeth and aimed her staff at the Noble son and released another bolt of shadowy energy. Yet again another barrier formed around him and took the strike, she growled under her breath and grasped her sword and went to charge him. Yet her path was blocked by three soldiers, and her target gave a small laugh before turning with a flourish and moving for the far doorway.

"You won't escape me!" Codexia yelled, ducking under a stab from one of the Highborne Knights and slashing his throat, before she lopped off the hand of another as he tried to strike at her unprotected side.

The last she cast aside with a bolt of Shadow and left him to writhe on the ground, there was no way she would let him escape. She intended to beat him half to death and make him take her to the Source; after she takes it she will return it here and seal this place forever. The Highborne will not win this day, she will make sure of it, this will become their tomb before it became a site conquest for them.

Three more knights blocked her path, all three of them with swords and shield, she halted for a moment and prepared to cast them down with a single spell. But when she heard a wheezing behind her she turned to it, her eyes widened when they landed on the elf that she had slashed across the throat. He was glaring at her, his neck drenched in blood, yet the wound she had inflicted had sealed itself quickly and had already formed a film that was beginning to skin over.

'How in the hell?' Codexia thought, before she turned back and leaped away from an attacker.

Then she raised her sword when another attacked, she found the second elf she had dispatched this time, the one whose hand she removed was there and smirking at her. Glancing down she found not a bloody stump but a small ball of flesh that was twitching and slowly regrowing. It looked like an infant's clenched fist, but she knew in time it would reform back into a fully grown hand, she had seen it before with Trolls but never with any other race.

"How are you doing that?" Codexia murmured, leaping away as more of the Highborne warriors converged on her. "Back!"

She swung her staff forward and released a wave of shadow against them, they recoiled and let out pained screams as they were engulfed by the darkness. With them halted for a moment she turned back to her allies, finding Mordent and his magi fighting for their lives and losing. Half of his people were dead and the rest would follow soon enough, even their greater spellcraft couldn't help them against so many.

"Mordent! To me! We can fight to the exit from here!" Codexia called, before something slammed into her shoulder and made her stumble forward, searing agony passing over her back.

Glancing over her shoulder she saw a deep cut on her back, the Iron Bark spell had done very little to hold back the magically empowered blade of the warrior. Turning she slashed again, but her blade sparked against his armour and left nary a scratch against it surface, so even their armour was enchanted as well.

'Where could have they gotten so many of these items from?' Codexia mused, unable to think of a possibility where them coming across this kind of armament in this wasteland.

She turned back to Mordent and found his magi fighting a backwards battle and loosing, they tried to stay at range and fight at a distance but Jirand and his men were advancing very quickly. They had taken some heavy losses themselves but even she was aware that they could still overrun Mordent and his men if they let go of all caution and simply charge.

"What is wrong Archmage? Feeling helpless now! You were so much mightier when you commanded me, but now you are at my mercy wretch!" Captain Jirand yelled, raising his blade and rushing forward, intent to kill Mordent himself.

Codexia growled under her breath, if Mordent was to fall the rest of the mages would follow him to the afterlife and then she would be on her own. If that happens she would be as good as dead, she had to save him no matter the cost, and quickly her form turned to shadow and sped towards the Captain. Reforming between the two men she readied to fight for her life.

Just as she was about to lock blades with the Captain however fate seemed to intervene on her behalf. In the form of a powerful explosion.

From the back of the Highborne's line the mages and several soldiers were engulfed in a bright concussive boom that showered rocks and dust over those caught by the shockwave. Codexia's eyes widened at the sudden eruption of force and power, her senses feeling the energy as it mixed with the ambient molecules in the air.

'It couldn't be…'

"What was that?!" Jirand yelled, turning back to those survivors and looking to see if any of the mages survived. "Speak!"

His reply was a hail of arrows flying through the cloud; he took two in the shoulder while many of his men took them in various other places, many fell under the barrage. Codexia glanced at the fallen body of a Highborne and saw the arrows and the feathers on their ends, she knew exactly where they came from.

"Dammit! Who is that?!" Jirand roared.

Then something leaped out of the cloud and planted its metal boot into the face of one of his men, using him as a landing pad before charging forward and cutting through two of his soldiers in a single swing. Jirand watched as three more fell in quick succession before it was his turn to face the attacker, he raised his blade up and hoped that it could stop the massive blade he wielded.

Codexia now felt shock well in her when she saw him, her senses had been right, and she smiled when she saw that he cut down Captain Jirand easily, cleaving through his sword and chest with ease.

Ichigo Kurosaki.

"Who is that?" Mordent said.

"An old friend." Codexia said, before she turned back toward Sylerian and his group of warriors.

With a curse she saw that they had retreated, three guards remaining at the far end of the chamber to cover their escape.

"We need to go, Sylerian is escaping!" Codexia yelled, she grabbed Mordent by the arm. "Get everyone and move, we cannot let him get the power source to Ethel Rethor, no matter the cost!"

Mordent did not argue, he gave a quick command and led his magi away, eight of them remained of the twenty he once had. It was a small miniscule force compared to what had once been mustered but he could do nothing else but keep to the mission. He had to find the Source and destroy it, if the Nobles gained it there was no telling what kind of damage they could wrought with it in their hands.


Ichigo ducked under the blade and swung Zangetsu up, cleaving through the steel armour of the elf like it wasn't even there, before blocking the blade of another. His attacker met his end with three arrows in the back, as did three more around him that he noticed.

Then something hit him on the shoulder, he glanced back and quickly shrugged off the blade and then kicked the bastard away. He cursed himself for getting hit like that, usually he would know when someone was going to attack him, his instincts had never let him down before and often saved him from a lot of pain. But it just wasn't there at all, it was like it was being suppressed by something, or more correctly it was being overwhelmed.

'The damn air here feels so thick, it's like my head is getting compressed.' Ichigo thought, leaning away from a strike before leaning back in to attack.

He could feel the energy through the chamber, it was massive and the air was saturated in it, as if Kenpachi had been releasing his spiritual energy constantly. It was the only way he could describe it, it was oppressive and clogging all his senses, he couldn't feel anything else but this energy that was so dense that it sat in the air and weighed his senses down.

'This is what I felt outside; this is the power source the Highborne were looking for.' Ichigo mused.

He raised his blade to take down his next target but he was beaten to it when a bolt of arcane energy slammed into the Highborne's side and threw him away. He skidded along the ground, the side of his armour blown apart and his skin warped and turned to crystal from the exposure to the energies. Ichigo turned back as everyone began to file into the room, Iyeana leading the troops and giving the room a once over.

"A Dryad?" Iyeana said.

Ichigo followed her line of sight and caught something that surprised him, it reminded him of the Keeper of the Grove he saw early this morning. Half stag and half elf, but where he was male this Dryad was female. She was on the ground and covered in blood, obviously killed by the Highborne here from the fact the blood was still fresh.

Iyeana moved over to its side and kneeled down next to it, she placed a hand over its wounded chest and examined the creature. Then it jerked in surprise, hand shooting up and spear ready to attack, Iyeana quickly reacted and held it down before it could hurt itself or her for that matter/

"Adelina, come here now!" Iyeana said.

Rushing over Adelina kneeled beside the heavily wounded Dryad and placed her hands along her body, energy flowed from the druid and into the Dryad. Quickly she moved to heal the fallen Daughter of Cenarius, using all the power and skill she could muster to save its life.

"Is this where the source is?" Ichigo asked, glancing around the chamber and finding it to be barren and without anything of major note.

"Not anymore, this pedestal likely once held it but no longer." Caren said, standing beside the plinth near the looming pillar that jutted from the ceiling. "I noticed the Highborne leaving through the passageway over there."

Ichigo looked up and ahead, passed the pedestal and column, and found the long passageway and open doorway with three dead bodies on the ground. Looks like they had escaped through that way, but still he remembered seeing them fighting one another before he attacked, could there be division amongst the Highborne?

Maybe it had something to do with Codexia, maybe this was another one of her schemes involving the Highborne and the Primal Spirits. Considering the feeling he got when he sensed the Source he knew for a fact that it had to be connected to the Primal Spirits. Looks like Codexia was here to collect it and there was a disagreement between the parties.

"Ichigo, take Hymaercia and her people, find Codexia and Mordent Evershade, and stop them from taking the Source out of here." Iyeana ordered.

Ichigo regarded her for a moment and saw her still over the wounded and dying Dryad, Adelina in her care, before he turned back to Hymaercia who was strolling forward with twenty of her Sentinels. Caren followed and nodded her head, Ichigo responding in kind, and with that he turned to the doorway and rushed for it. Codexia was not that far ahead of them, if they ran they could catch her and hopefully get the Power Source before she escaped.


Reviews:

Guest #1: Sadly if that was the case than you wouldn't know what the hell was going on. Stories need to have branching paths that explain what is happening in the universe, if you only followed Ichigo in the manga you would have no idea about what else is happening in the Bleach universe and with other characters. Divergance from the protagonist is important in regards to developing a story and the world in which the character inhabits.

Blindluck92: Yeah, I can tell you my friend what comes next is going to surprise you. The ideas that are going through your heard right now don't even account for what the Highborne Nobles have planned for the future. Next chapter, enjoy it, because they are going to have a fight.

Reality Deviant: Thanks.

Silverhawk88: Thank you. Yeah I may have Ichigo involved with the Draenei, but I need to look into the Lore of their arrival and what happened when they dropped on that island and what happened.

Black Cross0: Yeah, Codexia is a complicated and fun character to do and the fight scenes with her are cool to do.

Well my friend, it is much worse than that, I can assure you.

Krazyfanfiction1: Thanks.

Kragh50: That they will, and I hope the surprises were just that for you.

Astroga121: Yeah, they are present in Sargeron in the Desolace and the quests for them are to collect the flesh of Satyrs and burn it in the Brazier and to collect the broken weapons of enemies and place them at the base of the Alter. From there you receive blessings.

I actually didn't hide it but just omitted it because there was no point in showing it as the results were already known.

Also the Necromancy Part is actually stated in Lore where the Necromancer actually calls on the Spirit of Decay to harness its power over death to reanimate corpses. No different than how mages summon water elementals to their side and subjugates them.

Thank you, I do try to make the chapters thought provoking and elude to future content that is to come along, I plan ahead by a major margin and that helps a lot.

As for updates I am doing it weekly now, since I have several stories on hand I often am bogged down and forced to decide which one to update between them and I do try for a chapter a week but since I am focusing on Transcendence I was able to increase the amount of chapters I get out now.

Ben 10,000: Yeah, if someone goes with him they will need to adjust and possibly also hide their appearance with magic so not to cause a fuss.

Star: Thank you, with how well I am writing I don't think it is impossible for me to do that, after all I am on a role with Transcendence lately and think it is possible to do it. It will end with tragedy, be sure of that.

Heh, that can be an Omake, a good one. Thanks for the idea.

Fathira: No problem. Thanks, I am trying to get all these chapters done but I am just so swamped with life and other things that getting these chapters done as they are is a miracle in of itself. But still I push on and do my best.

How many chapters, Christ maybe a hundred I suppose. Vanilla is big on content and that is why it will take so goddamn long to do.

Leapinglemur: Trust me, the Nobles may be doing stupid things but they have smart plans in place that will shock you. Do not underestimate them, they are hardly fools.

Umbra Venator: Great, thanks man.

Ferdiad: Yeah, problem with that is there are factors on Speed. There is Attack Speed, Combat Speed, Reaction Speed, Travel Speed, and Flight Speed. So tell me where he is lacking and I will be sure to respond fully. As for Ichigo's personality and character, he is well within character and for his certain quirks that came along why not read along some more and find out why he is acting like that.

Dragon Slayer of Death 98: Keep reading and find out why his strength is lower, why he is slower and such. These things are answered as time goes on but if you get impatient I will refer to the chapter so you can read it there yourself and understand it.

Thanks everyone, have a good one.