Chapter Text
"Why does everything have to happen to me? Stupid Vandreich."
Ichigo Kurosaki scowled as he took in his surroundings, or rather, lack thereof, as he seemed to be in a black abyss, thrown there by a guttural, evil sounding flash of light coming from his present enemy Juha Bach, just as he had successfully defeated him.
-Guess he still had some fight left in him, though where he sent me I have no idea. I can't sense any reiatsu at all anywhere. Could I be in space? No I'd be able to see stars or something if that was the case, anything besides this never-ending darkness. I know Zangetsu is with me but I seem to be the only living thing here, wherever here is…-
He felt a sharp spike of pain and remembered his injuries, Bach certainly hadn't gone down easily, not that he expected anything less from the man who took down the Captain Commander. They were worse than he initially thought, probably ignored due to the adrenaline pumping in his veins and reiatsu in his limbs. He felt his vision darkening just when a light appeared in the darkness, seeming both overbearing and gentle at the same time and taking form as a pale man just as he passed out.
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Eru was curious, his attention fully captured and interest piqued for the first time in millennia he was certain. He had felt the presence of something Other wavering outside of Middle Earth, yet not existing in the Timeless Halls. It was not of the world of Arda that was for sure, it gave off a strong energy unlike anything he had ever felt, and he was curious. So he reached out and brought the Other to him, dropping it to Middle Earth far enough from a settlement to not cause harm but close enough for those of the settlement to investigate if they wished. He vaguely noticed that he had dropped the other near Imladris, home to one of his first creations, Elves.
A massive burst of that strange Other energy shook the land as the Other impacted and Eru watched, curious. He was stunned to see that where the Other had fallen, a massive construct of black glass stood, nearly the size of a mountain. Where had that come from? It certainly hadn't been there before. None of the races of Middle Earth were capable of creating such a thing. And it felt like the Other's energy, so it must be its doing. Eru moved to see just what this Other was, certain he would be able to banish it from Middle Earth if it proved to be too dangerous for any mortal to handle.
He was surprised to feel a pull on his being when he entered the construct, like the Other energy was testing him, and then could sense the energy moving outwards over the whole of Middle Earth before retreating to the center of the glass building. Eru decided to follow it, faltering some when the energy pushed down on him, an immovable force that none the less wasn't enough to stop him, even when it spiked in time with a flash of red and black light farther up the structure.
The source of the light confused The Father of All when he came across it, for it appeared to be a Man, one not quite mature with an unusual hair coloring but a Man just the same. It wasn't until he came closer that he noticed that it was not quite a Man after all, it had pointed ears like an Elf and a much stronger build than any Man, more alike to Dwarves than any other kind. It's strange hair had a slight wave to it somewhat like a Hobbit, new a race as they were, and he could sense the deep thrumming voices so much like the Ents. It had traces off all the good races of Middle Earth, but how could that be? It was not possible, especially for some Other creature that was not born of Middle Earth to begin with, just what was this being?
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Elrond was not opposed to new things like others of his kind may be. He has been curious about new developments in the world around him and he does not reject change, he is simply cautious of it. He had a responsibility to protect those who dwelled in his care, the thousands of Elves that lived and thrived in the Last Homely House East of the Sea. He was proud of the outpost he had built and it had only been around a millennia since it was finished, Elrond had no desire to see his hard work endangered by anything.
So when a scouting part brought word of a strange structure having appeared less than a day's ride away he was curious but cautious. He was even more so when they informed him of a strange pressure that prevented them from entering the structure apparently made from black glass and standing taller than a large hill. It had appeared apparently in the space of a few hours which was clearly impossible, not even the most efficient Dwarf architects could have completed such a task, so it couldn't have been built by any race on Middle Earth. But what was it then? He would have to go and find out.
He could feel a change in the air as he neared the mystery structure, following the scouting party who had reported the find to him. The land appeared silent, as if holding its breath, and even their horses seemed curious, ears perked forwards as if they could hear what the Elves could not, and were curious. The horses did not seem afraid, which settled Elrond's mind somewhat, if it was evil, it was not so powerful that it could scare Elvish horses.
Elrond could not stop his jaw from dropping as the party turned into view of the structure. He had underestimated how large it would be, and how bizarrely it would look. A massive tower of black glass stood nearly as tall as a mountain, strangely sleek in that it appeared to have no support beams of any kind. The black glass was perfectly smooth all the way up the sides except for a door at the bottom.
Once he could see the structure, he felt the pressure the scouts spoke of, a heavy weight that only increased as he came closer. He was able to reach the doors after dismounting, his horse and his guides sweating and bowed under the weight, and drew his bow before entering, not taking any chances.
The structure was empty inside except for a flight of stairs which he took up multiple stories until they ended. He tried to straighten as he moved through a doorway but the pressure had increased steadily as he approached whatever was the cause. He scanned the massive room and froze as his eyes caught a flash of bright color. There was someone here.
It was a strange being, looking very much like a Man, save for the pointed ears and much stronger frame. What was this being? It did not seem to be any specific race of Middle Earth, yet held similarities to three of them as well as possibly possessing a strange heavy energy.
He brought his bow up when the being shifted, ready for an attack and missing the gathering of bright lights behind him, slowly taking the form of a male figure with luminescent eyes.
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Ichigo groaned as he made his return to consciousness, the feeling of his own reiatsu surrounding him and a hazy thought niggling at him, there was something he was forgetting… Juha Bach! He shot upright before a sharp stab of pain forced him to stop, muscles screaming from ignored injuries and pains. He pressed a hand to his abdomen to try and suppress some of the blood flow before he froze, feeling eyes on him. Sharp brown eyes snapped open to take in his surroundings, grey metal and black glass met his eyes immediately, confusing him until he felt his reiatsu in every inch of the building he was apparently in, he was in one of the skyscrapers from his inner world? But he wasn't in his inner world right now, that he knew for a fact, he was somewhere foreign, far away from home, maybe not even his own world for he couldn't sense a drop of reiatsu outside his own for miles around. Shit, where the hell was he?
It wasn't until he turned his head that he saw just whose eyes were on him, two pairs, and both strange, though one was definitely more so than the other.
The first seemed to be a man, or at least was a male, for the pointed ears he possessed seemed weirdly similar to those belonging to creatures that only existed in fantasy, elves. Could he be somewhere where elves existed? He didn't want to think about that too hard because if elves were real here(wherever here was) then what other fairy tale creatures were walking around? The maybe-elf had long straight brown hair and matching eyes, eyes that seemed to be much older than his apparent middle age of fourty or so.
The second figure was much weirder, for it didn't seem to have any set appearance other than being clearly male. It's hair and skin color shifted as well as its eyes, and it was tall. The air it gave off however was definitely not normal, it gave off a godly type aura, somewhat like that of the Soul King, but it wasn't reiatsu, and it seemed kinder than that of the ruler of the Spirit World.
"Who the hell are you? Where am I? What am I doing here?" he saw both faces display confusion, they must not be able to understand him, and he didn't know whatever language they must speak, how is he supposed to communicate with these weird people?
Just as he resigned himself to not understanding anyone he felt his reiatsu reach out, flowing through the two figures if their looks of shock were any indication, and moving back to settle under Ichigo's skin. "What the hell?"
His voice apparently startled the elf out of his shock and he quickly pulled and fired an arrow at Ichigo, who just barely dropped to the floor in time, grunting as his injured back made contact with the hard floor.
"What the hell was that for?!"
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Elrond didn't know what was going on, the strange being had woken and was apparently injured, then there was a feeling of something moving through him and goosebumps raised all over his body, and it spoke in a tongue he had never heard before. His training kicked in and he fired an arrow at the being, cursing his distracted state, what if the being had done something? But it had looked confused at the energy's action, did he not have control of it?
And then the being spoke Sindarin, which should not be possible for one who stared at him as if it'd never seen an Elf before.
Deciding that the being might not be a threat, as it was injured and had not attacked him even though he had fired upon it, simply muttered what must have been truly foul curses under its breath in its strange language, Elrond decided to find out just what this creature is.
"What are you? And what are you doing here? How did you come to be here?"
The being's head snapped up and Elrond noticed that it had the face of a young Man, albeit with pointed ears and battle hardened amber eyes. Said eyes narrowed in consideration before glancing to the side momentarily, Elrond turned to see what it was looking at but could see nothing out of the ordinary.
"I'm a human, half at least. I don't know what I'm doing here and the last thing I remember was being hit with a burst of black light by an enemy after he shouted something in some creepy guttural language. I was floating in a dark place and saw a bunch of colored lights before I woke up here."
Elrond frowned, what was a human? Did it mean a Man? And what was the other half? It couldn't be Elf, it looked more like a Man than an Elf, though it was built much too heavily for either, could it be part Dwarf? And its explanation for how it came to be here made no sense either, a dark place? Floating?
"Do you mean you are a Man? And what is the other half? Where do you hail from?"
The being scowled and it looked like it fit the creature for some reason, "A man? Of course I'm a man, do I look like a woman to you? And I'm half Shinigami for your information, not that it matters because I'm pretty sure I'm not in Sereitei or anywhere else on Earth for that matter. What the hell are you and your friend there anyway?"
Elrond could hear the lack of emphasis on man and could tell that this being was not of the race of Men, even if it appeared to be, but was male. But what was a Shinigami? Or Sereitei? And what was Earth? Then he caught the last of the being's words, he didn't know what an Elf was? Yet further confirmation that the being was not of Middle Earth, but what did it mean his friend?
"I am alone save for yourself, strange one, why do you say there is another present?"
The orange haired being raised a thin brow, "because there's three of us in here? If he's not your friend then who is that guy?"
The being pointed at a corner near the door where Elrond had entered but there was nothing there, "what do you mean? There is no one there."
"Yeah there is I can see him. He's pretty tall, with long hair that keeps changing color along with his eyes and skin and he has even pointier ears than you. And there seem to be different colored lights surrounding him."
Elrond's brow furrowed, trying to think of any who might fit the description and felt his eyes widening when he realized just who it was, just as the third being present revealed itself. Elrond dropped to his knees and bowed his head to the All High, creator of Elves and Men.
"Stand Lord of Rivendell and join me and Collfaer, we have much to discuss for he is not of Middle Earth, I myself found him drifting in the abyss and brought him here. Perhaps he may stay with you if you are not opposed to such a thing?"
Elrond rose to obey the soothing voice and turned to the new being. Not of Middle Earth? Who is this being not of this world? What is his own like?
The being was glancing between Elrond and the One, taking in the reaction the Elf had and the words of the god, "Middle Earth? Is that where I am? And you brought me here? You got me out of that dark space so I guess I should thank you for that. Is Collfaer supposed to be me?"
"Yes you are in the realm known as Middle Earth and I took you from where you were drifting and brought you here. You are rather spirited for someone injured in a foreign land and I thought golden red suited your hair coloring, so yes, Collfaer is you, it is Sindarin for 'Red Gold Spirit'. Now we have much to discuss so we will tell you of Middle Earth and her inhabitants if you will tell of your world? And what this power you possess is?"
"Power? Oh you mean my reiatsu, crap didn't mean to let it loose like that, sorry."
The being frowned as if concentrating and after a few moments the weight lifted, black bands appearing on the being's lower throat and arms like tattoos as the weight finished dissipating.
" What are those?" Elrond gestured to the bands to indicate what he meant and the being, Collfaer, looked down at them.
"They're seals for my power, I have to keep it contained to not damage my surroundings or attract any unwelcome beings, but that was mainly in my old world, better safe than sorry."
Collfaer then asked about the race of Elves and the three set into explaining Middle Earth to the new being, asking about his own race in return, for several hours.
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Ichigo followed behind Elrond as they left the skyscraper, Eru having disappeared to where even Ichigo couldn't see him, to see that it was already nearing dark and the scouting party that had brought Elrond to the structure were pacing around worried out of their minds. Elrond went to settle their nerves as Ichigo turned to face the building that had formed out of his own reiatsu's attempt to stabilize in a world with no reiatsu. Elrond and Eru had explained to him that while there was magic in Middle Earth, it was a natural energy not at all like his reiatsu that was produced from his soul. He knew he couldn't leave the skyscraper here in case it attracted the wrong kind of attention, or any attention at all really, he had no desire to be ogled for not being a native. With Eru and Elrond's help he had figured out that his reiatsu had reached across Middle Earth and applied traits of all the good races to Ichigo in order to stabilize his existence in the new world. So he was a being not truly of any race, instead being one of every race.
Seeing that Elrond had ushered the frazzled scouts around the hill Ichigo hefted up the larger sword making up Zangetsu, releasing part of his seal as he did so, and sent a silent Getsuga Tensho at the building. With a might crash and the clinking of glass the skyscraper collapsed, another quick Getsuga enough to obliterate every last piece of the building.
He was just setting his sword on his back when the party raced back around, only to see Ichigo standing in front of a massive patch of burned earth, no glass building in sight.
Ichigo grinned up at the mounted riders, pulling himself up behind Elrond without needing a helping hand, "Shall we go?"
He was looking forward to exploring this new world.