The night fell away as the boy woke with a start from his slumber. His dream this time was different; a creature, bone white flesh, black tribal markings, crimson fur on the shoulders and wrists, orange hair falling to its back, and last but not least, the horns jutting forward from the sides of its head; its horrible screech reverberated through his body like the noise was somehow familiar to him then Ichigos own voice saying
(Orihime she's calling me; get up, get up; I will protect you) those words woke him, and this was the first time he felt tears welling up. This was so different from his other dreams and that name Orihime. Why did his heart hurt so much from that name and that monster? The creature with his voice; he pushed down his emotions again. It was just another nightmare he'd get past.
(It does not matter; I'll get past it for Asta Yuno and the rest) he slapped both his cheeks, clearing his thoughts as he raised the heavy boars onto his shoulders. He still had a mile and a half to go before he made it back to the orphanage, and his ribs were hurting from one of the boars blindsiding him before he could activate his defense spell; blue vain-like marking ran up and out from his injured ribs soothing the pain a little; he could see the end of the forest now, and the sunshine lifted his spirits as he stepped out of the tree lines, he could see everything Hage village and the giant demon skeleton that lay near Hage.
The Orphanage
"What!" Asta screeched at the old priest, anger flashing across the boy's face "why didn't you ask me? I would've been back much sooner!" he continued at the old man whose face never changed.
"Because Ichigo is the oldest of you and the most responsible, not to mention he can use magic." the boy's face stiffed.
"I'll show you I'm as good as Ichigo and Yuno!" Asta shouted while stabbing a thumb into his own chest when suddenly the door burst open, and the all too familiar head of orange hair came in.
"Be quiet, Asta; it's too early for this." Ichigo's voice said as he set down a basket of herbs in his off-hand.
"What was that, Ichigo?" Asta yelled angrily but was entirely ignored by the older boy.
"Yuno, give the herbs to sister Lilly and Asta; help me with the meat." His voice was the same soft rumble he had since he was little; his brown eyes glinted with pain that Rekka, the young redhead next to Asta, couldn't stand and asked what they had been thinking.
"What's wrong, Ichigo? You look so sad." he shook his head, setting the meat on the table in the back.
"I'm fine, Rekka. I just need some time to myself when I'm done." his mouth quivered slightly before smiling.
Later.
"Father, did you notice something different about Ichigo? He was acting different?" the sister asked the older man, her eyes drawn to the room under the bell tower. "The look of sadness was deeper today than ever before."
"I noticed it might have something to do with that strange silver cross I found in his crib the day we found him." he opened a drawer in his desk and removed a note wrapped around a necklace. "I guess it's time to hand him this over to him; the day is the ceremony." he handed her the two pieces of paper and the necklace. "here, give this to him before he leaves to go to the ceremony."
"Yes, father," was her only reply.
Before leaving for the ceremony.
She waved down Ichigo before he could get too far away.
"Ichigo, wait. I was asked by the father to give you this, so please take it." she gripped his hand tightly in hers as she gave him the objects. "We wore asked to provide this to you when you came of age; now y'all take care and have fun."
"Ok," he said, folding the note and lifting the five-point cross in his hand, then looking at the letter.
"My dear Ichigo, I'm sorry I wasn't able to be there for your grimoire acceptance, but this is a tradition that's been passed down in our house since before the days of the wizard king; this was our family's heirloom; and now it's passed on to you; take care of it. I wish you the best of luck, and just know that mama loves you."
He refolded the letter and looked at the five-point cross before putting the necklace around his neck. Images. Of a man with glasses and white clothing with neck, length black hair, and a blue bow that reminded him of a spider web flashed through his mind, and his body shuddered, a headache running through his temples for a second.
"thank you, sister." He said calmly, pushing his emotions down, not letting them know his feelings. "Anyway, we must get going, or we will miss the ceremony," he said, giving his signature wave as he turned his back to her, along with Asta and Yano, heading off to the tower.
Unknown location.
The sound of beeping and all kinds of magical apparatuses was low compared to the high-pitched voice of a hunched-over shadow.
"It's almost time he will reawaken soon, then his rehabilitation will begin soon, then you may go see him." The shadow said as another shadow appeared; this time, a feminine voice spoke.
"ok, how long will it be?" the voice questioned.
"Not long, many a couple of days, then you all can be reunited." the hunched-over figure said, tapping away on one of his magical devices. "It might even be a year from now.
Grimoire tower
The room with magic flooded with as a half-white book, half-black with red outlines and a five-pointed star in a circle on the white half and a triangle-shaped skull on the other half, appeared in front of the orange-haired boy, causing the old man, who was already shocked by the four-leaf clover given to the other boy; to look even more so.
"The forbidden white and black grimoire has appeared; how can this be" all who knew of the said book knew that only one bloodline could wield that book, and that meant one thing that; that boy was the next horn of salvation.
...
As he looked at the book Ichigo got worthy of a sudden before fainting.
DaDaDa, what does this mean? The next horn of salvation has appeared; tell me what you think in the comments, please, and thank you for reading