The Fall: 19. What the void is she looking for?

What the void is she looking for?

Jayce didn't really know why they had left in such a hurry; in a day where the whole Piltover celebrated, he had worked way too much. The girl, Anyssa, had asked him for a guide; the reason was a long trip around Runeterra searching for a family relic, or something like that. But Jayce knew when he was being lied to, and that had been one of the countless times that he had let the lie pass by. "Ezreal is your man." said Jayce. If Ezreal worked with her, Jayce would end up knowing what she was really looking for.

After some hours, he received a call from the Prodigal Explorer; he wanted to know when would his artifact be ready to use.

...

LeBlanc had seen it in Darkwill's eyes. Whatever he was planning, it was no good, and the Black Mist at Bilgewater had to be a part of his plan; it made no sense that they sieged the city only some lunar cycles after the last attack, they usually took a year or two between every wave. But he had also felt fear in his eyes. 'Sweet Elliot...' thought LeBlanc. Not even Darkwill was able to predict what his own plans would end up being.

The girl that everyone saw as Anyssa already knew who se had to talk to. The Prodigal Explorer was the man she needed; no other former warrior knew the various places of Runeterra as well as him, and there was no other viable option because of the time it would take to get them ready; not even Sivir would have everything ready for that very same night, even when granted half the gold of Runeterra. She had to be thankful that Jayce had accepted to receive her at his office in such a special day where everyone was in the demonstrations and other events; the major didn't lack any work that day, and he still found out how to plan a meeting.

Once she got into his office, LaBlanc saw what Jayce truly was; nothing more than a former hero of war, that was now a crippled leader. Nothing but a shadow of its former self.

...

She had Lux eyes, and her hair's colour was exactly the same. Anyssa didn't really resemble Lux, but those two thing were identical; after some thinking, that was enough to get him into the job, even though usually he wouldn't have even thought about taking accepting the meeting in a day like that one. Still, the similarities with Lux and the secretism of the youg woman had been enough to make his interest be strong enough to take over his sleepyness. He did not remember having worked any other day in his life when concerning this day.

The little girl's job had sounded more like an order at first, but once they got to know a little bit of each other's intentions the conversation went on smoothly. In the end, he would be paid hundreds of thousands just for accompanying her, no matter if they suceeded or not. If they did find what she was looking for, she would double up the amount. Looked like a good deal, and that was why he would have avoided it. Good deals didn't exist in his job; those who offered a good pay were usually liars or thiefs. But the curiosity killed the cat.

The main question that occupied his head was; what the void was she looking for?

2. El Brujo Motroco y el Cola Cao

Hoy he tenido que recurrir a mis sortilegios y artimañas en pos de una grave enfermedad.

Mi cliente me pidió cita preocupado; él creía que un hechizo había hecho enfermar a su hijo. Según me contó por teléfono, al mozo lo había llevado ya a urgencias de tres hospitales diferentes, dos psicólogos, un psiquiatra y un argentino; ninguno había sido capaz de tratar el mal que hacía enfermar a su hijo, y solo unos pocos lo habían reconocido como el siniestro mal que era.

Le dije que lo ideal sería encontrarnos en el Mercadona que hay a doce minutos de mi casa; así se sentiría menos intimidado y a la vez yo podría hacer la compra. He de reconocer que al principio se sorprendió por el lugar de reunión, pero la desesperación le pudo y acabó accediendo tanto a mi desorbitado precio como a mis para él extrañas exigencias geográficas.

Nos encontramos en la sección de yogures; me intentó interrumpir. sin éxito, mientras me decidía entre el pack de dieciséis yogures (uso los de coco para un preparado contra el mal de ojo) o los YogoMix que tienen esas bolitas de chocolate que quedan tan bien con el yogur que las acompaña.

Cuando noté que empezaba a alejarse decidí hacerle caso y le saludé con una ligera reverencia.

-¿Es usted el...? -empezó a decir dubitativo el caballero.

-Calle, calle caballero, que yo ya sé todo lo que ha usted de decirme. -le interrumpí.- Sí, soy Motroco, el brujo que usted contrató.

-Oh, perdone, le confundí con aquel futbolista del Barça, ¡tenga un buen día! -dijo mientras se marchaba algo avergonzado.

Quizás mi chándal le había confundido; decidí que, para evitar más confusiones, lo mejor sería enviarle un WhatsApp a mi cliente para avisarle que le esperaba en la sección de bebidas donde estaban la Coca-Cola y la Pepsi. La posición de los astros hizo que mis dedos se deslizasen, y junto al mensaje de negocios se envió uno de esos emoticonos que son una caquita sonriente; no había nada que hacer al respecto, el destino era el que era.

Mi cliente contestó al cabo de pocos minutos con un claro y conciso "Ok, estoy llegando.". Esperé en la sección de bebidas hasta que llegase, mirando a los ojos a todas las personas que se paraban delante mío hasta que me pedía por favor que me moviese; yo y mis dos metros con diez centímetros, delante de la sección de Coca-Cola, les impedíamos hacerse con su ansiada bebida. Tras muchas quejas de personas y extrañas miradas, mi cliente llegó.

-¿Señor Motroco? -preguntó un hombre bajito, que debía de medir un metro sesenta- Hablé con usted por teléfono. Soy el señor Pérez.

-Eso ya lo sabía caballero. -le respondí.- Dejémonos de nimiedades y vayamos al tema importante; ¿para qué me ha usted contratado con tanto secretismo?

La cara del señor Pérez enrojeció, para segundos después convertirse esta en lo más parecido a un tomate que había visto desde que dejé de la sección de verduras en busca del yogur ideal. Al cabo de unos minutos durante los que pensé que mi cliente había tenido un ataque o algo, éste rompió a llorar desconsoladamente.

La imagen a la que dio lugar tal situación era bastante extraña, o al menos eso me hacían notar las miradas de otros clientes de tan afamado supermercado; un hombre de metro sesenta lloraba a moco tendido apoyando su cabeza sobre un gigante de más de dos metros que se arrodillaba para consolarlo. Al cabo de unos minutos vinieron trabajadores del supermercado a ofrecernos ayuda, y al cabo de una hora los de seguridad se encargaron de sacarnos.

-¡No!¡No me saquen que si no compro las coles mi mujer me mata! -rogaba el señor Pérez. -¡Si se le mete una dieta en la cabeza no hay quien se la saque!¡No me hagan esto!

Sus palabras sirvieron de poco, y con mucho esfuerzo conseguí que no llamaran a la policía. Para intentar calmarlo reviviendo su niñez, me puse a cantar la antigua canción del Cola-Cao; esto no hizo más que agravar la situación, y tuve que recurrir al servés-abíer para calmarlo. Me alegré de haber elegido el Mercadona de esta zona, porque sinó no habría sido tan sencillo.

Tras acabarnos la cerveza barata volví a intentar hacerlo hablar. Al preguntarle por el problema estuvo a punto de volver a romper a llorar, así que decidí tomar una vía alternativa.

-Calle, calle, que ya le entiendo señor Pérez. -dije sonando convencido. -Alí babá sinbad, besiktas gorbachev. -me puse a repetir, cada vez hablando más alto. -¡Alí babá sinbad, besiktas gorbachev!¡ALÍ BABÁ SINBAD, BESIKTAS GORBACHEV!

-¡Dios le bendiga Motroco! -exclamó Pérez emocionado.- ¡Ahora entiende usted el dolor de un padre!

-Claramente señor Pérez. -respondí altivo.- Son cosas que pasan, pero no se han de dejar estar impunemente. -dije, para sonar algo más inteligente. En realidad seguía sin tener ni idea del problema.

-Pero es que tal cambio es demasiado bruto, ¡mi hijo no puede hacerme algo así!

-Lo entiendo a la perfección, sé por lo que está pasando. -dije, esperando que me contase más detalles. Quizás su hijo se había vuelto perico, pero no quería equivocarme y quedar mal ante el cliente.

-¡Es que no lo entiendo!¡Lo educamos para que fuese por el buen camino! -dijo atragantándose al acabar con un eructo a medias.

-Seguramente deba recurrir a mi hechizo más poderoso... -dije intentando parecer dubitativo. ¿Quizás se había vuelto fan de los gemeliers esos su hijo?

-¡Y quizás ni siquiera eso sea suficiente para hacer que deje el Cola-Cao y vuelva a tomar Nesquik!

Al instante me callé. Le miré seriamente, a lo que él respondió con una mirada triste y preocupada. Me puse a mover las orejas (la derecha primero, la izquierda después, seguido de tres veces ambas a la vez) para intentar alegrarlo, pero no funcionó. El señor Pérez se había dado cuenta; para un problema de tal magnitud no había solución, solo podía esperar que la suerte estuviese de su lado.

El del señor Pérez fue el primer caso que fui incapaz de resolver; hay cosas con las que uno no espera encontrarse en la vida, y ese tipo de conversiones son una de ellas. Por suerte, ya me han llegado las nuevas tarjetas de contacto, en las que especifica que no trato problemas lácteos.

Dream Journal: 7. Politically incorrect

The meeting was one of the biggest I had ever attended. I was given a room for myself and, for no reason at all, my mother had chosen to bring my actual room into it. After some tedious talk, everyone started to spread and the characteristic noise of an informal chat between crowds took the place.

While I walked around the place, crossing Paula Church while walking,I found one that the big guy of the right-wing political party was calling me. I went to meet him, and after the typical greeting the real shit got out.

He started criticising the way T had dressed a long time ago, and even if I agreed that it had been strange, I pointed out that it didn't imply any lack of respect towards teachers or anyone in particular. The man repeated himself, now blatantly pointing out at various people I had met, criticising them all. "There's no point in talking with someone like you." I said. "Good luck and let me be.".

With a jump, I left the place, falling in the main square. I waked towards my room, only to find out that it was raining inside of it. Of course, it was raining outside and my room had been built in a rush, meaning that the horribly designed roof was full of holes and cracks that were letting fist-sized drops of water come in.

The Fall: 18. Wandering

Wandering

The aether wisps had suddenly disappeared. Astor suddenly found himself alone in the dark of the forest. He could hear a weak water stream around, but he could see nothing but leaves, roots and enormous trees around him. That meant that the chain monster had not followed him, else he would be hearing its chains' cling-clang at least.

Astor started to look for the water stream, as water would end up guiding him somewhere better than the middle of a forest. A small stream could end up in a bigger one, that would later on show him the way to a river and, if he was lucky enough, a vilage. But after hours of searching he realized that there was no way to find the stream. Even though there were no sounds, the place was dark and countless plants covered the floor, the shortest ones reaching his knees.

When he was starting to think that his days might be coming to an end, he heard the flapping of wings. That was a good sign; there was something alive near him. Even if it was dangerous, it was better to find something to do than laying in the forest; the lack of activity and the cold would end up killing him otherwise.

Suddenly, he saw something shining under a barbed plant near his feet. At first he thought that the aether wisps might be back, but after looking at it for a bit longer he realized that the creature that was down there was no aether wisp at all. The little yellow being's head was way bigger than it's body, which resembled to that of a human; its small legs didn't touch the ground, and his white eyes were open wide and looking at Astor's boots.

When he started moving his hands towards the little being that was down there, Astor heard the flapping again, now louder. Scared and surprised, he raised his head only to find a red butterfly flying over his head. The insect was approaching him and, once it reached his nose, it bursted in blood.

The Fall: 17. Haunted

Haunted

-She left a long time ago, Yasuo. -said Yone. -The assassin you were looking for, the one that we should have been chasing instead of you, is dead now.

-That's impossible brother. -arrogantly answered Yasuo before taking a drink. -I saw her when the Noxians came. She still walked, holding that cursed blade and a bright wand with her.

-That's not who you're looking for, I am telling you that Riven is already dead. -repeated Yone while looking at his brother empty the bottle in the blink of an eye. -I have met her here, and so have you.

Yasuo spitted on the floor and rose, only to find out that there was no ground at all.

-Why am I still dreaming brother? -asked Yasuo to the remains of his brother.

-Maybe you don't really want to wake up Yasuo. Knowing what you have done because of our chase, being certain that you'll never have the chance to prove that you're not guilty... -said Yone, who was now at his back. -You can join me brother. Here you'll have nothing to worry for.

-I'm really sorry, brother. -whispered Yasuo. -I can't join you, I just can't. I've got things to do...

Suddenly, Yone's eyes turned red. Blood was streaming down his face, and the ground, once inexistent, was now a growing pond of blood.

-You are not understanding me brother. -said what was left of his brother. -You will join the mist! -screamed the spirit.

Suddenly, a barrage of yellow missiles cutted the monster in half, waking Yasuo up.

-Looks like we got here just in time. -shouted a blonde man that Yasuo didn't recognize.

-Are you fine Yone? -asked a girl with blonde curled hair.

...

-What happened? -asked Malcolm while waking up.

-Ask Aalcox. -answered Swain.- He can explain it way better than I.

Only then he realized; Aalcox had been sleeping for years only to wake up in the very moment of his death. Malcolm's pitiful existence could have ended, but the Darkin had spared the life that the Noxians were going to take. Well, it had been a pitiful existence after Aalcox's loss.

Now that he was back...

...

After days of walking non-stop, Thresh sat down and opened his lantern.

-Come out, I want you to do something for me. -whispered the Chain Warden towards the souls that were starting to leave the lantern.- There's  some people I want you to look for, you already know them and you will all do it for me.

The dead man was on his feet, looking at Thresh and listening to the sick dialogue he was having with the sorrowful souls that inhabited his lantern.

-Do they always do what you tell them to? -asked Xin Zhao, who felt alive and curious for a second. Curious and afraid.

-It looks like it will be hard to teach you when you should talk and when you shouldn't. -the Chain Warden said while looking at Xin Zhao's heart. -You've changed, that's for sure, ha ha ha...

-Do they always do what you tell them to? -asked Xin Zhao again, with the same monotonous voice.

-What they will do is something unpredictable, but in the end it's right. -said Thresh.- They do what I need them to do, not what I want them to. But without orders they would never move.

-Why wouldn't they? -asked Xin Zhao, feeling more alive with each word. He could feel Thresh's curiosity starting to grow, but the fear he had of the Chain Warden was bigger than the part of him that was coming back to life.

-Because I gave them the time of their lives. -said Thresh, pointing the lantern. -Their existence is only painful when I want it to, and the fear of being punished keeps them calm. Look at your surroundings; your lack of soul won't let you notice, but this place would scare the shit out of any human that dared to walk alone through these woods. Specially now...

Suddenly, the place started to shine and a warm breeze hit Xin Zhao's face. After some seconds, everything was back to normal.

-They'll be here soon, dead man. -said Thresh. - You'd better prepare yourself.

The Fall: 16. For the dawn is bright for those who fight

For the dawn is bright for those who fight

Aatrox was nowhere to be seen, and Aalcox was feeling weaker than ever. Malcolm asked himself what was going on, but he could find no answer; a bright light blinded him, and something was tying his feet to the ground.

-This is him Quinn! -shouted a distorted voice.- I can't contain him for long!

The thought of having been caught was started to annoy him, but that phrase made his day; the mage was scared. Some seconds later, he felt his feet breaking free of the chains that tied him, and the light that was blinding him suddenly weakened. Before the woman inlaid in armor could notice, Malcolm had her grabbed by the neck. After struggling a bit he felt that the armor was being torn to pieces; he then found the mage in front of him, wielding a wand whose end was shining bright. Only then Malcolm realized that he was facing the Lady of Luminosity.

She was well known within the Noxian ranks; countless soldiers had succumbed to her spells and sorceries. Still, that little girl was nothing more than a warm-up for someone like him. Malcolm avoided spell after spell moving rapidly through her missiles of what looked like solid light. Once he reached Luxanna's back, he grabbed her face and lifted the Lady of Luminosity from the ground; he wanted to read her before erasing her existence.

A dark and secret past. A family forgotten, another one planned. An explorer. A gift. A smile, hope. A lie. A secret kept. And a long life to live.

-She's the one! -shouted Aalcox and Malcolm at once.

Suddenly, Aalcox started to feel something that weakened him. The light chains had hit deeper than they thought, and he was now being confined to the deepest part of Malcolm's heart.

-Let her go! -shouted Aalcox using Malcolm's voice.

But Malcolm could do nothing because the hero's light was blinding him. Aalcox decided to interrupt the channeling ignoring the possible side-effects; there was no way he could survive such a force for so long.

...

Riven ran towards the last place she had seen the bird land as fast as she could; the wind she had felt was clearly the fruit of Aatrox's wings.

When she got out of the forest and reached the hill she saw them; Malcolm holding the Demacian mage known as Luxanna with one hand, and Quinn, the Demacian scout that she had been hunting, pointing her crossbow at Malcolm's head.

Riven had never liked Malcolm; he was a quiet man who always did his job in silence, ignoring everyone who tried to help or advice him. But her opinion didn't change a plain fact; Malcolm always suceeded. That was why she still wanted to save him; even if she was escaping Noxus, Riven was still Noxian. She wanted them to win this war, and Noxus needed Malcolm in order for that to happen.

-What's broken can be reforged. -whispered Riven to the sword that Malcolm gifted her when she was a child while positioning between him and Quinn.

She heard Quinn's crossbow fire a bolt. After that, Malcolm screamed in pain. Riven called the winds and slashed fiercely in front of her, directings the shockwave towards Quinn who disappeared downhill, falling into a huge rock's gap. And then she realized she was bleeding. She turn towards Malcolm, only to find him grabbing her by the throat.

-I knew you would do something important Riven. -said Malcolm.- I did right, you were the best recipient I could find for the sword that killed the last archmage.

-Why are you doing this, Malcolm? -whispered Riven while choking.

-You would never understand it, and I have no time to explain it. -answered Malcolm, feeling how Aalcox was weaker after every second that passed by.

Lux suddenly fainted, and Malcolm let go of her body, which then hit the ground doing no sound at all. With a strange smile on his face, Malcolm raised a foot and stomped Lux's neck until the head was separated from the body, which got kicked and fell where Quinn had ended up.

-You'll serve a greater good now, Riven. -said Malcolm, raising a fist that was glowing as if it was nothing more than solid light.

Both Riven and Lux screamed a word after that.

...

Quinn was crying; Valor was dead, Lux had been captured and she was going to die abandoned between some rocks lost in a small hill of Runeterra. Nothing could be worse than the certainty of being unable to do anything. At least that what she thought until Lux's beheaded body fell at her side.

...

Darius didn't know what to do; the alliance's army was marching, and they were not morally prepared to face them. His soldiers were afraid; not of death, because a Noxian never fears death, but afraid of going back home with the burden of a lost battle at their backs. The dead ones would be the ones considered lucky that day. A few hundred Noxians against the biggest army that Runeterra had ever seen.

-Malcolm's here. -said a timid voice, whose owner's hand was pointing towards the fading sun.

Darius could not believe what he was seeing; Malcolm and Riven were walking towards the Noxian soldiers, slowly, the man with a smile on his face and the woman hugging her broken sword. When Malcolm was in front of Darius, he showed him Luxanna's severed head.

The Noxian soldiers were silent at the beginning, until they understood what that meant. The whole army singed that day while they marched towards their enemies. No one would believe what happened that night. Not even the protagonists of the unfolded events.

...

-We did it Darkwill. -said Aatrox. -The Darkin of Glory and the Darkin of History crowned the alliance as the victors of the battle and the war, but they had nothing but tears to share. The Noxians were the true victors; theirs was the glory and they rewrote a story that otherwise would have already finished, granting themselves another chance to live.

-But you couldn't stop Jax. -answered the Ziraoth.

-I didn't even find him, and Aalcox thinks he's dead. -replied Aatrox.- As far as we know, he might be dead, his corpse laying in a frozen tomb of the Freljord.

-If that's the case find the body and bring it to me, Aatrox. Stop fooling around.