Ok everyone, thank you all for the reviews, they really mean a lot. Anyway, please enjoy Superman's introduction to Azeroth.
Thukk Fistlock snarled as he made his way through the tall, strong and ancient woods of this land. It was made his duty to lead one of the many squads upon the elves who lived here, he wouldn't ever lead his fellow clan warriors this far into the land. He knew all too well why you should never fight these mages that use the very land itself as a weapon, much less where they are strongest.
But the opportunity that presented itself was too much to ignore, the Warsong Clan had been tasked to collect lumber from this forest for the Horde and they would not disappoint the Warchief. Lumber was a very important thing for daily life to run smoothly, Thukk had no idea how these elves managed to survive as long as he did without using this wood. He gave a mental shrug 'must be magic' he thought to himself.
He didn't know the details about how this opportunity came about, from the words his clan members had said and what he himself had seen. A large ball of fire fell from the sky and landed beyond the tree line that rested just on the edge of their camp. The forward scouts were quick to report back and tell them of the damage that the primary night elven village seemed to have been subjected to as it was the centre of the blast and where in complete disarray due to it.
Gargok, leader of the Warsong Outriders, had immediately made to move. If they could beat back those sentinels bad enough, it should give the clan enough time to build a new stronghold further into the forest and request reinforcements from Orgrimmar that could allow them to hold it. Which is why Thukk was where he was, leading most of their fighters down the many paths of the forest. Hoping the catch those sneaky elves in a surprise attack while their backs are turned, with them gone the clan would be free to supply the Horde with all the wood they would need and with how large these woods where, even one of these arch trees would last months.
As they got closer and closer to the coast, the woods seemed to get thicker and thicker. Something none of them were surprised by, as the fellow warriors with him where the most experienced. They knew the closer you got to the elves settlement, the harder and harder the woods would fight you. Raising his mighty axe for what seemed like the hundredth time, he cut through the bushes, shrubs and branches that got in his way. The others following suit, though they did do it quietly.
They've been fighting these elves for years now and they knew that they were easily found by them. He remembered how a Tauren who could use the land in a similar way to the elves, spoke of how when you became one with nature as they do. It was easy to not only shroud yourself in the woods, being completely hidden from view, but also to be guided by the nature around them. The elves could sense them without even using their own eyes, with that type of power, they were always worse off.
Even if the clan outnumbered those sentinels ten to one in every battle that accrued, it always seemed to be an even fight. Fighting those damn elves in these woods was like fighting an orc soon after they drank from the blood of Mannoroth. Upon remembering that demons name, Thukk almost stumbled upon an up rooted tree's root. That was a dark time for his people, what made his ancestors drink such a thing he didn't know, and he didn't want to know, as when he did he knew he would lose a great deal of the little respect he had left for them.
Though it did get him thinking, they didn't know if what caused this ball of fire was demonic in nature. Thukk didn't care what he orders where, he didn't care about the past grudges he and his people had with the elves. He would march straight into enemy territory and risk being killed by the elves in order to fight the demons. He just didn't care.
Thukk was there when those monsters made their march to mount Hyjal, when under the order of the Warchief, the Horde worked together with the only other faction on Azeroth. The Alliance, almost every race the orcs attack during the first war when they first invaded this world. At the time he had no idea how the Warchief was able to secure that parlay, at least that was until the fighting started.
That was when he saw the really enemy, The Burning Legion marched for the mountain and he, along with many others defended it as best as they were able. Not that it mattered, even if many of them survived, they failed in their mission. The demons where able to get past them and almost made it to the great arch tree in the middle of the mountain and from that, nearly destroy the world.
At least that is what would have happened if the leader of these elves. One of great magical power was able to call upon the very world itself to defend them. At least that was what he was told. For that reason he would always respect these elves, though it wouldn't make him neglect his duty. The warchief had called upon his clan for the lumber, they would not fail him.
Which is why, when Thukk moved through another thick shrub that couldn't be seen through and was met with a clearing that couldn't be more than a couple of dozen meters across. Standing by more trees and surrounded by nature, was the light armoured bow wielding elves that they would fight. He didn't hesitate to issue a battle cry and charge towards the elven sentinels that awaited them.
"AAAAHHHHH!" the sound of a roar hit her ears, Tarea Soulsworn quickly turned around and subconsciously raised her bow, arrow knocked. Before she could even process what she was firing at, the arrow flew and found its target. She tried not to show it but a small smirk appeared on her face when she saw the head of the arrow embed itself in the chest of the orc who charged at her.
She knows that it shouldn't bring her so much joy in killing but she like many of her kind held a deep resentment for the orcs after everything they've done, primarily the killing of Cenarius which cemented the orcs place as enemies of the Night Elves. When the orcs body fell to the ground, arrow sticking out of his chest. Over a dozen others charged through the treeline.
Knowing that she wouldn't be able to survive such odds on her own, Tarea quickly fired another arrow before turning and sprinting into trees and woods that she's known for thousands of years, she wouldn't claim to be a druid but that doesn't mean she wasn't a friend of nature and she liked to think that these great trees guided her through them while making it harder for her to be pursued.
Though that wouldn't protect her for long, just enough to give her a head start. Which is all she would need, like many others, Tarea was simply one of the sentinels that had been tasked by general Feathermoon to watch their territory within Ashenvale. She didn't really know what happened to Auberdine, she was already posted high in the tree branches on a patrol when the blast hit.
When it did she immediately headed back in order to help defend against what it was that happened. She made it in time only to catch a glimpse of a great fire very near the village when she was met with a large gathering of sentinels which quickly moved towards her and shooed her away, along with many others. General Feathermoon had ordered for all sentinels to move on the territory perimeter to make sure the Warsong didn't get any ideas during the chaos they were going through.
Which had just been proven to be the right choice. Placing the bow on her back Tarea began to climb one of the great arch trees hoping to create more distance between herself and the orcs for if there's one thing she's learnt about them, it's that they're not very good at climbing. So, when she rains down a storm of arrows upon them, they'll have no choice but to take cover and fire their own bows back. Needless to say she'll kill dozens of them before they could cause problems for her.
Having been climbing these trees for most of her life, she reached a large branch a good hundred feet off the ground within a minute. When she was stationed on the branch, she reached for her lower back and pulled on the war horn that was strapped to her. Placing the horn on his lips she blew into the horn.
The sound echoed throughout the entire forest, the horn itself was magical which would allow it to be louder then it normally would be and because it was Ashenvale, their ancestral woods. The sound carried even further, there was no doubt in her mind that every sentinel would be able to hear her call for aid.
When she heard the rustling of bushes underneath her, she once again pulled her bow and aimed. When the first orc appeared through them, she let the arrow fly and it found its target. When she fired another arrow and another target, it hit a shield, preventing the kill from happening. She didn't let that stop her, not for a moment.
Arrow after arrow she fired, some finding their targets, some not. But what caused her to start becoming worried was that their numbers kept increasing. She hasn't seen so many orcs in one place expect for when she's scouted out their main camp and of course the battle of mount Hyjal.
She and many others of her fellow sentinels had been present at that battle. When they fought the ancient enemy, even if she hated to admit it. Without the Horde being there, they wouldn't have been able to hold out long enough for Arch-Druid Stromrage to complete his mission, which is what led to their victory.
But that didn't matter right now, the orcs had made their choice. Even after being proven that they can work together, the second the demons where dead they went right back to their warmongering. Which is why she didn't hesitate to eliminate the threat.
The arrows in her quiver started to run out, the dozens and dozens of dead bodies around the ground of her arch tree split enough blood to create a small pool around it. But it didn't seem to do much. They just kept coming. Hearing the sound of whistling she knew all too well, her centuries of combat instinct kicked in and her body almost acted on its own. She stepped backwards just in time to avoid an arrow that would have gone through her neck, turning to face the direction in which it flew. Her eyes widened as she saw an entire volley heading towards her.
Using the only arrow she had left, one she purposely didn't fire encase this exact situation happened. Turning to the right and jumping off the thick branch, falling through the air she pulled the arrow out of the quiver and aimed at the branch of another tree. It flew through the air and found its target, when she saw it hit. Her hand moved out and grabbed the rope that was attached to the arrow she just fired.
This was her emergency exit arrow and it worked. She swung through the air, but her target was too far away from her so instead of soring through the air and landing on another branch, she landed hard on the ground, not enough to break bones but enough for her to roll for a couple feet of ground.
Knowing that she didn't have time to catch her breath, she stood up as quickly as she could and turned to face her opponents but as soon as she turned, she caught a flash of silver and her own reflection from the sharp blade of an axe. She would have expected that to be the end if it wasn't for a draft of wind to go over her shoulder and an arrow not her own to imbed itself in the large orc. Taking a single moment she let loose a sigh of relief but that was ended when the body fell and behind him she could see what must have been the entire Warson clan. What she just dealt with must have just been some forward scouts, a small distance in front of them was well over a hundred orcs along with some trolls mixed in there as well.
Looking around behind her, Terea smiled as she saw what must have been most of the sentinels they had. Even some druids had made an appearance. Not waiting for more of them to appear, the lead orc. A large one with green skin and wielding a large double headed axe. He raised his weapon and let out another battle cry. The entire clan charged forward towards them, the sentinels raised their bows and took aim while the druids called on the magic of the forest around them.
But before they could clash a large and powerful beam of pure magical energy fell from the sky. The Warsong and elves all took steps back as the heat coming from the beam was too much from all of them to handle. Many heads turned upwards to see where this was coming from and many where simply too shocked to move. Hovering in the air, just above the tree line, was a man who seems to be firing the beam from his eyes? When the beam stopped, all anyone could do was just stare at him. Clad in blue armour with a red cape flowing behind him with a splintering of gold on his arms, waist and back.
No-one knew who or what he was and when after what seemed like a fraction of a second, the man fell to the ground with force. Enough to cause the entire ground itself to shake knocking many off their feet, it was then that she realized that this man was a human. How could a human have this power? What was he? All she and everyone else could do was wait to see what comes next.
Kal's head still wasn't at a hundred percent as he flew over the small channel of water that was between this tree and the main continent. He may have been able to process information almost as fast as an A.I just due to his mind being that advanced but as of the moment, everything just felt like a dream. It really shouldn't to be honest, in his career as Superman, he's seen a lot of things people would call... weird. He's seen gods and demons, fought both. He's seen himself and his friends from parallel universes, fought them too. He's fought in the biggest war in his universes history and ended it by destroying two entire worlds.
Maybe it was due to the destruction of those worlds that he still wasn't really ok, he was knocked unconscious, perhaps he was given a concussion and he still hasn't recovered from it yet. It was a leading theory that he had, another would be that the massive amount of magical energies this world gave off was messing with him. He didn't know that for a certainty but it wasn't completely out of the question, as he flew through the air. His body lowered to the surface and he lower his hand, upon touching the water of ocean he could feel the water. Even the ocean water seemed too not completely normal.
The other very worrying thing would be that a goddess has messed with him. Kal's experience with gods, deities and devils has never really ended well, even if this priestess. Tyrande, seemed to be a peaceful person and even gave him his gear back, which he really did appreciate. Not that he trusted her, it was far too early for that. As of the moment, what he really wants to know is why this Elune seemed to send him here, not to mention how. How could a goddess from a different universe go into another one and pluck him out of his own and then bring him here.
He wasn't going to pretend he was an expert in multiverse travel but from what he did find out, gods don't like it when other gods interfere in their business. So how did she get away with it? Could it be that she just acted in the chaos of the Apokolips war and they didn't notice? If that's the case then that just raises another big question. Why? Why did she want him here that badly?
He slumped and shook his head, he could think about that later. Right now, people needed his help. Upon reaching the coast of the land, he flew higher into the air so he could get a better view at where he was going. But when he got high enough, Kal found himself surprised by the sight. He knew it was forest that he was heading towards, but he didn't expect this. Which he something he mentally added that he needed to get used to. These trees where strong, tall, huge and seemed to leak magical power.
Normally he wouldn't be able to tell if something was magic or not but over the course of the war, he took every chance he had to train himself to be able to tell, the ring of his finger helped with that as well.
When he flew over the land and could see what must have been his crash site, his heart felt heavy. This village looks like it used to be a beautiful thing and right now it looked scared, many of the building were knocked over or clasped in on themselves. Many of the nearby massive trees were up rooted and knocked over, others would have been if it wasn't for the other trees they were leaning on keeping them up. Not to mention the giant crater just on the edge between the sand of the coast and the grass of the mainland that looked to be a couple of meters deep.
He was about to fly over the village and towards the fighting that he could hear take place. If the sounds of swords, arrows and shields is anything to go by. But the large sound of cracking wood hit his ears, quickly turning his head to the ground he could see one of the few remaining homes was about to collapse, on a group of people who were rummaging through it!
Turning his body, Kal flew through the air as fast as he could. The sound of thunder following him as he broke the sound barrier, when he neared the ground he shifted upwards and moved through a small window in the roof of the building and just in time too. When he entered, the roof caved in and would have crushed those inside if it wasn't for him. Those on the ground looked up when the sound of the wood breaking reached them, but they all looked in shock when they saw him, hovering in the air, holding the top part of building up, preventing them from being crushed.
Looking down at them, he gave them a small smile "GO!" he yelled. While this wasn't heavy, not to him at least. He needed to get to the fighting in order to stop what was happening and yelling usually did a good job at getting people to move. Case in point, the people under him. One of which seemed a bit on the younger side, not that he could tell for certain. He didn't know these aliens all that well yet and you could never tell at the start.
When they left Kal moved and flew back out the window he came in, trying to ignore the people that were looking at him as he moved. He didn't have time for that right now. But then he saw a huge piler of stone that rest alongside others that where lined around a type of pool or fountain start to crumble and fall. Right on top of a woman who was kneeling in front of it, she looked like she was praying and there for didn't notice. Moving fast Kal slid across the ground just before the woman was crushed, raising a hand he grabbed the piler just before it was too late and rather than hold it there and wait for her to move. He instead simply pushed it to the side and took off into the air again.
He flew over the trees and towards the fighting, when he used his eyes to see through the thick tree trunks, which proved harder than normal 'must have something to do with the magic' he thought to himself. But he did find it eventually, he could see the smaller collection of the same people that matched the ones from the village and the place he woke up.
On the other side of them though, Kal almost did a double take in the air. It was what could only be described as a completely different species, these ones where bulkier, smaller but overall, they seemed way tougher. How did that work? Two completely different species on the same world? His confusion at this almost made him too late. When he saw that both small armies about the clash, he quickly flew above them all and used what could arguable be said to be his most deadly power.
Kal's eye lit up with a red glow and two beams shot out from them. He learned a long time ago how to control and manipulate the solar energy that came from them, knowing that they had to be big enough for everyone to notice and force a separation. Which was why the beams that came out where not only bigger than normal but also hotter as well. It had the desired effect he needed, they struck the ground with a force just before the two forces could reach each other.
But he didn't keep them in one place, he moved them up and down, scorching the ground as he did so, along the entire line of both forces. When the light left his eyes and powerful beams stopped, everyone present looked up into the sky and saw him hovering there.
He knew that he had no right to be here, he didn't know who was invading who or who was defending what. But he did know that a lot of people would die if he didn't Interfere and after everything he's been through, he's tired a letting people die.
In honesty, it was a complete guess for him to think the larger force comprised of bigger and tougher soldiers where the invaders and so while in the air, he turned to face them. Lowering himself to the ground, he landed just in the middle of the two forces and waited for a moment.
When a minute passed, one of the larger aliens stepped forward ahead of the others and raised his large axe. Then pointed it at him "This conflict is no business of yours human!" he yelled in a gruff voice "LEAVE!" he yelled.
"you're right, it isn't" Kal said back calmly as he looked at all those in front of him "but I will not stand back as you attack these people, I would like to ask you and your forces to leave this place" he added "the fighting can end here, without further bloodshed"
His voice was calm, measured, even with all the blood staining the ground around him. Years of that war has desensitized to it, able to ignore it completely and still stay on his goal for peace. Though the way the large being in the front started to laugh did not fill him with confidence "Is this your plan to stop us!" he shouted to the large crowd of people behind Kal "Some illusion magic? HAHAHAHA, as if I would be fooled by such an act. I am Gargok, leader of the Warsong Outriders. I have been tasked to take these trees for the lumber by the Warchief" he gripped the weapon tightly in his hands, then snarled at Kal "and I will not allow some elf magic get in the way of that. FOR THE HORDE!" he yelled as he charged forward.
The second he started moving, Kal started to think. His mind moved with the speed that almost matched that on an A.I, there were many ways he could go about what to do next. Based on what was said, the one in front seemed to think he wasn't real, a type of illusion magic did he say? Ok, he could work with that, but the problem was how he could do it without starting the fight all over again.
A part of him wanted to just stand there and let this Gargok break his weapon on him, he could tell that it was just steel and not magical so it wouldn't do anything to him but if he did, then there would be a chance that those behind him. Did he call them elves? They would just attack him before he could which would cause the small forces to attack each other again and based on the sounds of bows being pulled behind him, that was already happening.
He would need to stop him before he could reach him, Clark would just need to prove that he was real. That was when the idea reached him, use the same power he just did, his eyes lit up with a red hue. Unlike last time he used it, this one was much more precise. It was a thin beam no bigger than his own finger but it didn't hit the large male, he still didn't know what they were called. Despite the war, he really didn't like killing unless he had too.
No, the target was the weapon and it aimed true. The steel axe broke apart with an orange glow. Melting into the ground as it landed, for a moment the one who carried it stopped moving and looked to his hands with a shocked expression. He most likely thought what he saw him do before was just a trick, now he's seen and felt it happen to him. He realized that Clark was real and what he could was just as real.
Taking advantage of his shock, Clark zoomed forward at a speed none could match or see. He flew forward towards the being and extended his foot, it wouldn't kill him, he thinks. The truth is that he barely knows anything about any of these people sure they looked bigger and tougher than the elves but with aliens you can never be too sure.
Based on the way his body was shaped, he could at least assume the skeletal structure would be similar to his own. When his foot connected with his chest, he could feel body of the ribcage break under the pressure. However, he didn't simply fall to the ground, he flew through the air and landed right back into the spot he started at. When his back struck the ground, he rolled until he was on his stomach.
When he saw all the others that came with him look at each other, mumbling, looking uneasy. He got a better idea about who these people where, sure they were primitive but when he really looked at them. The heavy weapons, the body tattoos, the roaring, grunting and snarling. He knows a group of warriors when he sees one and he knows how to work them. Hovering off the ground, he rose high above them all and looking down onto them, his eyes lit with the same glow as before, though unlike before, this time they were much brighter and promised nothing but ruin to all those in front of them.
"Leave" was all he said. The one he just knocked down slowly climbed to his feet, ignoring the pain of a broken chest as he did so. It seems that he realized that Clark wasn't just some illusion and after a moment of looking up to him, he let out one more small growl before he turned around and started to walk away. The light left his eyes and after a moment the rest of his forces turned and slowly walked behind him 'Back to where they came from' he thought to himself as he lowered back to the ground.
There was a tense moment of silence around him as they retreated into the forest. When the last one disappeared from view, it was then that he realized that it might be for the best to just head back to large tree he just came from "you should have killed them" a voice spoke from behind him, turning around he came face to face with a largely built male elf.
He walked forward towards Kal showing little fear at what he had just did, unlike with the other being he just beat. This one had a powerful magical signature which instantly put him on edge, he was tall, well-built based on what he could see of the exposed chest and arms, he had long green hair and just as large beard. When he looked at all the other males in the force he just helped, it seemed that long hair and beards where common place around here. He was slightly taller than himself just by maybe a couple of inches "I don't kill. Not unless I have too" he said back calmly.
The male stopped in front of him a few feet away from him and stared intently for a moment "that seems very foolish, they are your enemy, why wouldn't you kill them?" he asked back and though the voice was calm he could tell by the facial expression that he was annoyed.
"they're your enemy" he countered "I have nothing to do with this"
"You do now" he added before he turned around to face a handful of other males "use the animals of the forest, follow those orcs. Make sure they go back to their camp" they nodded at him before turning around and heading back to the village. He turned around to face Clark again "I am Fandral Staghelm, arch druid and current leader of the Cenarion Circle" he added with a slightly proud note in his voice.
"My name is Kal-El, I don't have a lot of titles, none that matter at least" he said back, neither of them raised a hand to shake, Clark would have but he didn't know what that symbolism meant to these people.
"You are the one who fell from the sky and partly destroyed our largest village on the continent" he accused. The frown on his face growing larger and the anger was starting to show.
Clark couldn't really blame him on this one, he has every right to be angry with him. He could only hope that with time he would be able to earn forgiveness from these people "not my choice, from what your high priestess has said, this goddess Elune seems to have taken me from my home and brought me here" he tried to explain, and it did seem to work based on the speculative face he pulled.
Though he soon grumbled "Tyrande and I disagree on much. The fact you are standing here now with your weapons returned only show my point that she is simply too trusting"
"or is perhaps a good judge of character" he countered calmly "which is true, I'm not going to start a fight with you if that is your concern"
"It was and still is" he said back and it was then that Clark noticed that a lot of the people around him started to circle him and still had their weapons out, though they weren't aiming them at him. So, his actions did earn him some good will with them but like this Fandral they were cautious of him "those weapons of yours are powerful, based on what I just saw your own power is nothing to scoff at either. You're an unknown and nothing good has ever come to my people from an unknown"
Before Clark could replay, he felt the magic around him come to life. Glancing down at his feet he could see roots, plants and even the grass grow around him and slowly start to ensnare him. He didn't panic, he glanced up and look calmly Fandral "alright" he nodded "if this will make you all feel safer then I'll submit to your authority" based on the shocked expression the elf had, he most certainly wasn't expecting that "assuming that you treat me with some measure of respect and dignity" the tone of voice made it clear that was non-negotiable.
After a moment, Fandral nodded at him "agreed" he said as the nature around Clark seemed to encompass him and he allowed himself to be forced onto his knees, while the wilderness tried to pull away the trident and lasso, when they did they were quickly killed as a result. Divine blessed objects will not allow something like grass to take it away from its chosen wielder, they're prickly like that.
Thankfully it seemed like the message was sent and the bounds he found himself in was wrapped around his body and avoided the trident, lasso and bracelets. It was only after he was completely covered in vines that he realized two things, they were magical in nature, and he had no idea how they were going to move him later.
Either way, he would bear with them for now. This was their land and homes; they had a right to learn about the man that hell from the skies right onto their laps and so far Clark would take the chance to learn what he could about them as well. He assumed that he would be placed on a type of trial where he would be asked about himself, whether or not he could be trusted, and he could take that chance to ask his own questions. Well, Tyrande trusted him enough to give his weapons back to him, it would only be fair for him to return the trust now.
Ok guys, not a lot happening in this one I admit but this was always going to be a bit slow starting off. Anyway, next chapter we'll have a more open discussion between Kal and the Night Elves and we get to see how the Horde reacts to Kal interference. Oh and I'll admit, I never played Classic WoW so there might be a handful of lore mistakes here and there so I'm just gonna have to ask that you bear with me on those.
Next chapter coming, Project Atlas.
