8Disclaimer Thingy: I do not own any of Blizzard Activision's, (That's what they're called now right?) nor Rick Riordan's creations. I'm just a guy with a bucket in a sandbox that someone else owns.
Critics are always welcome.
Omnipotent Being
'Thoughts'
"Spoken words"
Telepathy
He had been one of the first who followed Malfurion Stormrage and the Cenarion Circle for over ten thousand years and fought on the front lines baring tooth and claw against the foes of nature and the Night Elves.
His angular face in all his forms bore a heavy slash across his chin from the Silithid in the first war against them and their master C'thun, countless other scars covered his body and mind, though ironically despite being relatively aggressive compared to his kin, he also advocated for peace the most among many of his brethren.
It had been a long journey full of experiences from the wonderful, to the current literal hell on Azeroth against Sargeras himself. He had not one moment that he would ever have changed. Well maybe a few but who didn't have those?
The forces of the Alliance and Horde, and all others who had flocked to this final stand to hold the line against the Burning Legion's most powerful and dangerous forces fought valiantly against the Dark Titan himself.
However even as he panted, his claws on the ground straining as he braced himself while yet another infernal crashed into the ground nearby, the druid could see it was a losing fight against the might of Sargeras. The Dark Titan of the Burning Legion was simply too much.
Animal eyes glared righteous murder at the molten bronze armor of Sargeras even as he clashed against the last remaining dragon flight Aspect, Ysera, her green scales slick with blood, green fire clashing against pulsating energies of the void, each blow against each other opening a tear in the fabric of reality.
Exhausted eyes kept watching the fight even as his jaws closed around yet another demon's neck, tearing it open in grisly fashion, praying for an answer even as his mind kept poking the thought of those tears as though on the verge of an epiphany.
It wasn't until he saw an imp get punted into the tear where it was instantly vaporized that he made the final click with his exhausted mind and an insane plan took root. It was absolutely insane, it would without a doubt kill him, but it would kill Sargeras. It was the opening they needed to save Azeroth and all other worlds from the Burning Legion.
Excitement took root over exhaustion, his adrenaline was spiking beyond anything he'd felt before, even as he drew in every scrap of willpower and the very essence of nature left on the battlefield. Calculations of the angle needed to knock into the Dark Titan, and the path of least resistance to get there as a tear would form.
His feline legs pushed against the ground sending him off like a rocket, glowing green and making a horrendous roar from green flames flickering across his body, and pouring forth from his maw. Righteous fury imbued his every movement, and never had he felt as alive as he felt in that moment. Justice would be delivered this day and so it was he had no regrets.
The Dark Titan had time to just begin turning from his latest reality tearing strike to see green, before a flying tackle knocked them both into the darkness and silencing the battlefield as both armies saw the demise of the master of the Burning Legion.
All he knew was pain, he could only guess the reason he hadn't been vaporized like Sargeras had been was the excessive amounts of natural energy permeating his being repairing him even as he was continuously evaporated by the void.
And then he felt it. Something so vast, so infinite that it defied the bounds of reality. Realities he realized with horror chained together in massive groups of universes acting as cells to something beyond his understanding, and even as his mind and soul screamed at its presence he could hear its voice echo across his very being, so gentle yet so massive compared to his finite existence.
"Sleep"
The voice commanded, and so he did. It would be some time before he would awake, even as countless tendrils of the being cocooned him from the void.
The being, one of the firstborn in all existences simply watched the druid for a moment that stretched an eternity. Then with remarkable gentleness simply said three words.
"You will do."
His awakening to the world was rather unceremonious and ungraceful. Mainly because he woke five feet above a lake reflecting the moon, had enough time to blink, then promptly was belly flopping into the water where he sputtered as water went up his nose.
Promptly shifting his form into that of a rather tiny orca, he swam for the shore and promptly shifted into his tall elvish form where he coughed and sputtered up the water his ungraceful entrance into consciousness had shoved into his lungs.
Muttering swears under his breath he pulled his long white hair out of his face so he wouldn't look so much like a drowned kitten even as he took note of how soaked his formfitting dark brown leather armor was, something he would have to deal with so it wouldn't shrink on him. Taking quick stock of his supplies he was relieved that his Hexweave Bags were still attached to his belt. Elune bless magical storage!
Though as he gazed around himself and at the sky, he wasn't entirely sure that shrinking clothes was a problem. The lone medium sized moon and unfamiliar stars on the other hand? Yes that would be a problem.
Feeling adrenaline spike into his system his sharp ears suddenly noted the vast sounds of the forest he was in, suddenly sounding less welcoming than before. Pale white eyes twitched erratically at every sound, every whisper of wind sounded like whispers by hidden foes, each nocturnal creature sounded like something that would enjoy his blood. His hands slowly made their way to his belt where he kept his trusty warglaives, faithful weapons that had first served his sister, then him when she fell in the War of the Ancients.
Armed and alone on an unknown planet? All in all this was turning into an absolutely wonderful evening. Though he wasn't truly out of his depth yet. With the mage friends he had it wasn't exactly the first time he had woken up on the wrong world than the one he was born on. The main problem though was his last memory was jumping into the void with Sargeras, then ohmyElunethathurts pain followed by… by nothing apparently he wasn't sure why he thought there was something there.
Nothing there eh? I guess your mind is still healing from witnessing my presence. I suppose you won't hear me for a while... pity.
Still deep breaths, just deep breaths, he thought to himself. First step would be to scout the area in his panther form before he could build a fire and figure out what to do next from then. One step at a time.
Nodding decisively he turned around and between one step and the next was loping as a panther, his sleek and soaked silver form blending into the shadows of the forest, paw steps covered by the lake's lapping waves.
An hour later and some swearing as he struggled out of slightly shrunk leather, a cheery little fire hidden by some rocks had him naked and thankful he didn't end up in a frozen landscape for once. Frostfire Ridge in Draenor was not a fun place to end up soaked in.
Though while he slowly dried up he found himself thankful he had his sister's warglaives with him. Thousands of years of experience said to keep on his toes and so he would. While scouting earlier he had noted a small empty cave hidden by some tree roots, so when his clothes dried he would make his way to set up shop there. Being in the open was not healthy on his mind when he didn't even know what type of wild life this world had.
Though most tracks were smaller animals as were the birds he found sleeping. Surely this world didn't have anything that dangerous did it?
Idiot.
He also couldn't get rid of the nagging sensation of being watched, nor the feeling that there was something whispering to him, disturbing him and reminding him of the battles he had participated in against the Old Ones on Azeroth.
Not entirely a wrong comparison in some ways. But those Old Ones are just a few grains of sand before me.
Inexplicably shivering he continued waiting for his clothes to dry before seeking shelter.
Four hours later and several harrowing battles against dogs that came out of the freaking shadows had him swearing viciously even as he gnawed his way into the last hound's throat. Nothing that dangerous? Elune damn his naivety!
Any plan of finding shelter had been shoved to the wayside while his clothes were still damp and he heard chilling howls making their way towards him. Assuming this meant danger he had gotten dressed and ready for anything, and that anything had sprung from the shadows straight at his throat and only gotten more determined to chase him since.
Based upon what he'd observed these shadow hounds seemed to smell him even when submerged in water, so it wasn't his physical scent they'd been chasing. Something kept these hounds on his trail, though whatever it was it seemed to make them nervous at the same time even as the "scent" seemed to be growing weaker, given from the fact he had seen less of them as time moved on.
Maybe it was from the void? Whatever the case he had finally lost them for now it seemed, this latest pack had found him by sheer chance given their reactions of surprise at seeing him.
Well to beings of darkness I am rather… addicting. Then again you wouldn't know that yet would you elf?
"Seriously starting to hate these dogs" he ground out through a vicious snarl on his feline muzzle even as he shifted from his panther's form. Still the situation could be worse, at least he had found the first signs of civilization on this world since roughly an hour ago he had seen a village in the distance of what seemed like human shapes moving towards fields of grain near a river. It wasn't entirely far away and the hounds had seemingly given up since the howls moved further away from the village towards the east.
Sighing and closing his eyes he leaned his back against a tree and turned his next two options over in his mind. Though even without focusing on them the path to take seemed obvious but best to chew them over regardless. You didn't reach his age without being cautious from time to time after all.
While he could approach the humans (and how did so many humans get around anyways?!) there was no guarantee they were friendly or spoke the same language even. Though the first was the problem mainly, those mage friends of his had taught him a spell to translate his language. He didn't get how it worked exactly though, something about quantum mechanics and all sorts of things that had him drifting off. He was a druid dammit not a mage!
Or he could continue wandering around and hope he found something, anything that would give him a clue how to get home. But the odds of that were slim indeed, he had heard what Alleria Windrunner went through to get home, and she had known exactly where she was.
Go to the humans, elf, I'll deal with the spell.
Turning his eyes towards the west he sighed to himself. Humans it was, he only hoped it wasn't a farm of people like that Lord Garithos he'd heard about. Besides he had a hunch his spell would work.
Shrugging with his choice made he activated the runes on his warglaives that pulled the blades into the hilt and slipped them into his belt. It was generally best not to show up with weapons to meet farmers.
Getting a pitchfork in his ass was something he was planning on repeating ever again.
Oh? This promises to be an interesting memory. Let's just see it then.
Another breeze whispered through the forest, this time carrying the sensation of laughter. It was starting to freak him out, just a bit.
Oh it should!
He shuddered.
In the end the positive side was they were friendly to him and his friend's language spell worked wonderfully. Downside was the humans seemed to think he was a servant of their Gods or something and it was starting to irritate him.
A long white eyebrow twitched erratically even as he was surrounded by chattering humans, all seeming to want to give him offerings and praising the Gods for their fortune of having his presence.
Deep breaths. Deep breaths. Deep breaths. He chanted mechanically in his mind even as his patience with the situation frayed apart.
Focus, elf.
Gaining control of his strained psyche he took a deep breath and raised his hand in silence, something gained immediately as the human farmers gazed with wondrous eyes at the night elf.
Utilizing the skills of over ten thousand years of dealing with politicians the night elf pasted a kind smile upon his face before speaking in his deep baritone voice.
"Greetings I find myself lost after a battle against an ancient foe and would request you direct me towards the nearest city. Rest assured that assistance will be rewarded." The night elf made sure to carefully keep his body language relaxed and non-threatening to the farmers who immediately all but fell over themselves in drawing a crude map in the dirt and directed him to a city on the nearby coast called "Athens".
Athens eh? Well at least I know where I ended up tossing you. Just not which version, at least, not yet.
Three gold coins to each of the farmers later, and he was on his way, and feeling mischievous decided to give the humans a show. And so it was that between one step and the next he became a stag the likes of which they had never seen before, covered with runes painted on his white fur and ceremonial baubles on his antlers.
Leaving behind the dumbfounded humans and loping through the forest in his travel form it wasn't long at all until he found a road all his alarms went off as soon as his hoof touched the dirt path. Something had become aware of him. Something was coming at insanely fast speeds. And what's more, he had the most vauge impression that whatever it was, it had been searching for him.
So naturally he did the thing his stag form's instincts were screaming. He bolted.
Hermes, arrived a scant minute after the druid bolted back into the woods. Surveying the scene all he found was prints of animals, though there were suspicious hoof prints of some animal that had placed a single foot upon the road then bolted.
Sighing Hermes took note of the location then flashed back to report to Olympus. Whatever had arrived needed to be found and soon, his father was starting to go off the walls in paranoia from the shockwave they had felt on existence when whatever this thing was arrived.
It didn't help that Apollo had gone off on a tangent about their very existence on this world creating ripples that would only grow as time went on.
Whatever the case at least they now had a base to start tracking it. "They" meaning Artemis.
It was only when he sensed the presence leave did the druid calm down. The last time he had felt such a presence was when Elune herself came to bless the allied forces before the final clash with the Legion.
Knowing the Gods here did in fact exist, and what's more, actively visited the world was rather startling.
Though not the worst thing to discover, the discovery however that these Gods were actively seeking him? Not so welcome a discovery.
Bah, you'll be fine. A little tweaking and the most paranoid of them won't blast you immediately.
His eye twitched erratically. He could swear he was hearing something, and he wasn't insane dammit! He didn't survive against Old Ones and worse to lose it on some random planet Elune knows where!
Jokes on you elf, we're all mad here.
Ears twitched and he held his breath listening. There was something there he was sure of it! It was just beyond his range of hearing it seemed. Whatever the case though the whispers at the edge of his hearing were beyond creepy, they had yet to seem malevolent. A stark comparison to the insidious whispers that C'thun had used for example.
Shifting from his stag form he knelt on the ground and placed his right hand upon the earth while centering himself. While he wasn't the best at tracking he was still highly skilled in comparison to the average human hunter. The benefits of immortal life and all that.
Taking deep breaths he focused upon nature, immersing himself in the energies of life and death occurring naturally within miles of his location. His spectral gaze focused from the smallest of ants to the group of immortal girls to the fish in the rivers. His gaze covered everything and nothing at the same time as he pushed it to its limits, sensing in the distance a large human settlement to the west he assumed was Athens.
"Immortals?" he breathed breaking his connection in shock, normally he didn't gloss over sentient beings, but whoever the immortals were they were bathed in nature's energy. Curiosity raged in him as he gnawed on his lip. While the humans had seemed friendly, they had also assumed him to be a servant of the Gods or something ludicrous like that. He had no guarantee that whoever these immortals were could be friendly.
Seek Athens, by the time you arrive we should be able to talk. You need more information anyways, elf.
At best they were friendly, at worst hostile, and then there were several hundred shades of gray in between. It would be best to find out more from this "Athens" and find more information on these Gods and immortals to get a measure of their character. Even if second hand after all it would be more information than he currently had.
Centering himself once more he scanned for the immortals and found them easily now that he knew what to look for. Taking time to observe their life's signatures he memorized them then withdrew his mind. While whoever they were had yet to gain the presence of a god, it did not mean that one would not soon arrive to guide their search. Besides if they were anything like Elune and Malorne, the god would notice his astral presence and easily trace him from there.
Still he did need to buy time to gather information and while flying would gain him a good chunk, just based on his trail they would be able to guess his destination. Which is where his current plan came in. The mantra to always be prepared had served him well and still would, and so it was with a triumphant "Aha!" the druid pulled a vial of goopy luminescent yellow liquid.
With a single dose of this his very scent and body would change to that of a human and should help scramble the immortals on his trail. Downside was he would keep his glowing silver eyes but those could be covered by his sister's enchanted blindfold he kept around his neck quite easily.
Pinching his nose and drinking the concoction with a grimace he felt the effects kick in immediately, and without hesitating a moment, his form shifted into a massive hawk that took off immediately.
That tasted foul. Least I know to disconnect our senses for next time.
This time he could sense the voice in the wind was displeased over something, but he did not let it deter him. Answers were close and he needed that information to know how best to handle his introduction to these gods, and so, with a mighty beat of his wings he soared towards the coastal city of Athens.
First chapter of the product of my boredom!