The Fall: 40. A Call to Arms, pt.2

A Call to Arms

Suddenly, the ground started shaking. Still, only Malcolm was paying some attention to that detail. Aatrox's bloodlust was directing his eyes towards the ongoing battle, while Darkwill and LeBlanc were still talking.

-Here she is, Darkwill. -announced Malcolm, doing a step forward.

-Are you sure she is the one? -asked the Ziraeth- I won't tolerate no mistakes.

-And we will tolerate no complains. -said Aatrox, whose blade's colour was changing constantly from a light red to a bloody purple.

The winged Darkin couldn't let his eyes off the battlefield; if no one had noticed it was because they were too busy minding their own business. Darkwill grabbed Lux's head and looked deep into her eyes. LeBlanc looked at the whole process, disgusted, while the Ziraeth was taking control of the blond girl with apiece of his mind.

-You know you needn't do it this way, Elliot. -said LeBlanc.

-Don't you dare repeat that name again! -shouted Darkwill, clearly angry.- I'll have you killed if you do!

...

The Ziraeths had always been that way. They were supposed to know everything, about everything. Their wasy of thinking was always the right one, and their words had to obviouly be blindly followed.

But the darkin's were tired of that. Once their plan was over, the Ziraeths  would have disappeared, and they would be able to rule the world of men. War, torture, pain, agony... glory. That was the world Aatrox had always been looking for.

-Do you now know how to destroy the lantern? -asked Malcolm to Darkwill.

-Combining the Final Spark and the Wind Slash should be enough. -answered calmly while diving into Lux's mind.

-Do you really need to do it that way? -asked LeBlanc, clearly nervous.

-Kind of. -answered Darkwill with a monotonous voice.- It's easier this way.

-She won't get through it.

-That's none of my concern.

-It should be.

-I am the one who choses if it is or not. -said Darkwill, ending the argument.- And I choose this way. Whatever happens to her after our job is done is none of my concern.

-We will leave, Darkwill. -said Malcolm, while Thresh gave a lantern to Darkwill.

...

Once the Darkins were not with them, LeBlanc started the argument again.

-You needn't control only her body, Elliot. -said LeBlanc.

-I told you not to say that name again, Anyssa. -answered Darkwill, still somewhat absent because of what he was doing with Lux. -And I need it. I want my mind to do it's own thing, whatever she thinks while I choose how her body acts is an unnecessary detail.

-She might die before you finish your job. -replied LeBlanc, trying to convince him of going fully into Lux's mind. If he did that she'd be able to stop him, since his concentration would be somewhere else. 

But Darkwill's ability to separate his mind in two different pieces amazed her. LeBlanc had never seen someone do something that way, and there were several reasons she hadn't. 

The first one was that it was horribly painful for the one being controlled; the fact of seeing your body act independently, ignoring your orders, always devastated the minds of even the strongest warriors.

The second one was that if this thought got to the main vessel the one controlling the two bodies would suffer the very same pain, abruptly breaking the link and mixing up both existences. And being two different beings while being one was not something to rejoice over.

...

-We will hurt him, Aalcox. -said Malcolm.

-I know. -answered the Darkin.- He'll suffer as he has never done before.

-Do you really want to do this? -asked Aalcox.

The voice that answered the Darkin's question was not Malcolm's.

The Fall: 40. A Call to Arms, pt1

A Call to Arms

She could notice the warm embrace of blood running through her face; Vayne was, after such a long time, struggling against an enemy. The plant-woman that called herself Zyra had proven to be a worthy opponent, but she needed to get to Darkwill. "Those are my orders at least." thought Vayne.

With no hesitation, she tumbled out of Zyra's vision range and hid for a little while. Vayne could hear her footsteps through the jungle; it didn't matter how weak the noise was, Vayne's hearing sense was always able to detect it.

Once she realized that the monster was in range of her crossbow, Shauna swapped her weapons.

-Impure fools. -said Vayne before shooting the first silver bolt.

...

She didn't see it coming. It stuck onto her shoulder, and the forest cried a little when Zyra's blood was spilt onto the ground.

While she was still trying to understand what was happening, a second bolt hit her, right in the middle of the chest, knocking her back and stucking her onto the closest tree.

Only then she noticed.

The Demacian night hunter was tumbling through the jungle, always hiding in the countless shadows that covered the place, plying with light and the lack of it for being nearly invisible. But she was the forest; a human wouldn't stop her.

When Zyra heard a third shot from Shauna's crossbow, her frail human body had already been abandoned.

...

He could still hear the echoes of the madman's laughter.

-Come back, you sick bastard! -roared Darius to the trees, without knowing where to look at.- Come and let me chop off your very existence in two!

Then, Darius' axe fell onto Lucian and Xin Zhao's body once again. With less difficulty than before, Darius unstuck the axe from the corpses and let it fall again onto them. Blood was everywhere, and the corpses, now unrecognizable, had been tore down to countless pieces.

-This is what will be left of you once I find you, you coward!

...

Luckily, she had not found a single Demacian soldier while fighting. "Not yet." thought Shyvana.

All the corpses that laid around her were clearly Noxian soldiers, and the few that fearfully tried to escape from her obviously were too. She could feel it in their weapons, whose edges were not designed to kill, but to hurt and cleave instead. Countless wounds would have covered her if not for the dragon that she had learnt to fully embrace after so long.

With a quick movement of her huge jaw Shyvana caught the last remaining Noxian fighting her. She could feel his fear and the pain that he was going through while tearing his flesh with her very own teeth. "My old friends would find it disgusting." she thought, while witnessing a shooting star."Is that the trailblazer that Taric talked about?" Shyvana asked herself.

But she was given no more time to think about it; a crossbow hit her on the right shoulder and pierced through the thick dragonskin, hurting her for the first time in a long time.

-Is it you, Quinn? -asked Shyvana to the Demacian soldier that was on top of her, pointing to Shyvana's head.- I'm so glad it's you, Quinn.

There are a lot of reasons that explain why this battle was not considered a victory for the Demacian historians and, even though a little one, this event is clearly one of them.

...

He had seen everything but Yasuo's slashes. How the Ionian outcast had walked towards the whole army and faced the king, how he had called for a duel and, finally, how he fell onto the ground. Ezreal couldn't let him die there.

In the blink of an eye, Ezreal teleported besides Yasuo, grabbed him and teleported back into Tahm Kench. The Demacian King was unable to understand what was going on or why his victim had disppeared, but he was too busy looking for his sister to care about such a triviality.

-You can help him, right? -asked Ezreal to Tahm Kench, clearly worried.

-You're asking the wrong questions, dear boy... -answered the River King with a smile that didn't give any hope to Ezreal.

-Why won't you help him? -said Ezreal, starting to realize with what kind of creature he had been dealing with.

-Again, that is not the question we are looking for. -answered Tahm Kench.

Ezreal wanted to reply, but Tahm Kench was nowhere to be seen.  

The Fall: 35. The Stalker's Pray

The Stalker's Pray

Sona could not understand it. Shyvana's words had left her broken-hearted; she could not believe what the half-dragon was saying. Taric was not mean, he was not being selfish.

As much as she repeated those words to herself, they wouldn't kill the doubt that had sprouted into her heart. Taric, the calm knight that had always been there for her, the sympathetic person that had always been eager to lend a hand when needed, the warrior that had been a fierce leader when time called for it; the one and only man she had trusted enough to fall in love with.

Shyvana had to be wrong.

Those were difficult days at Bandle City. Everyone was hurrying up, trying to get their things ready for the departure. Nervous and noisy, the Yordles were always going from one place to another. "No more scouting lady, but I can still guard." used to say Teem when she found him on Bandle's City's walls. "Heimerdinger asked for some help." usually grunted Rumble "He can't handle all this mess alone, no matter how many machines are helping him.".

She could not answer. In Bandle City, no one was interested in her etwahl; whenever she played it for a while, most Yordles usually asked her to calm the tunes down instead of resting and relaxing with her. That was why she walked and stalked, looking at what everyone was doing, knowing that she could not help. Sometimes she just looked for Taric without him knowing it, just for the sake of seeing him.

He looked calm, he always did. Nothing had changed in his face, not even the day when Shyvana decided to leave Bandle city.

...

A few days of rest and LeBlanc was fine enough to walk by herself. Up until then, Yasuo and Lucian had been taking turns to carry her. While they walked and talked she was absent-minded, on her own world of plans and rules, wanting to focus on her objective, but unable to do so.

The man that she had chosen to follow her had risked his own life to save her. That was something that had not happened once in her whole lifetime before; not even Darkwill, her companion since LeBlanc could remember her own existence, had risked even a bit to save her.

But Ezreal had not doubted. He had jumped in in the blink of an eye, if Tahm Kench's words were to be believed. Without even knowing what he was facing, he received the obsidian's hit right in the arm that usually held his Shuriman artifact.

That was why she could not stop looking at him. Tahm Kench carried him over his shoulders. "Some fresh air will do good." argued the Demacian gunslinger. As usual, both Tahm Kench and Yasuo had supported his idea, so she had let the River King carry him.

In the end, they needed to get there in time.

Darkwill would not wait.

...

He had been working on this for so long.

Aatrox would love the coming years, Malcolm was sure about that. He and Aalcox had been preparing it all for the bloody bastard; still, there were things that escaped to their reach.

The armies would march, Lux would die and Darkwill would tear the world apart in front of them.

At least that was how he thought that everything should work out.

...

He missed her. He wanted to be back with her, to rest in the safety of her arms. To enjoy the comfort that her smile had always blessed with to those who witnessed it.

He had been waiting for so long.

But the wait was about to end. It would all be over soon.

The Fall: 34. The Trailblazer's Path

The Trailblazer's Path

The yordles had prepared a small building for them to live and rest after the long escape they had gone through.

-I told you that we're not the first leaving, Shyvana. -calmly said Taric.

-That's not the point Taric! -answered Shyvana, who was clearly nervous.- You tricked us into this!

-There's a reason for it, Shyvana... -said Taric on his typical tone, trying to fade out the rage that had lighted up in the half-dragon's heart.

-Your loneliness! -shouted Shyvana.- Is it the fact that you were not called? -angrily pointed out the Demacian warrior.- You know you're not one of us, Taric!

-Why won't you trust me? -said Taric, with his voice rising in volume and deepening it's tone while his gems glowed like bloodstone.- The Trailblazer has always been around here! We'll find the way back into those days!

-They won't be back, Taric.- said Shyvana, with a lower voice.- You met Zilean long ago, you know how ill he is. What he said cannot be blindly trusted.

-It's not about him. -clarified Taric, his voice calming a little while his shield glowed like a ruby.- It's not about a twisted legend that's thousands of years old, Shyvana...

-Then what's it about? -asked Shyvana, tired of Taric's words.

-Just trust me. You'll see him before Bandle City leaves. The caretaker always comes when he's really needed.

...

They needed a pause. Both Lucian and Yasuo had been following Tahm Kench's orders for long. He was supposed to know where they were going, but Yasuo didn't trust him enough and Lucian didn't even know about Anyssa and Ezreal.

Also, he didn't know how they were faring with their wounds.

...

Nothing but pain.

His arm was aching as it had never been. Jayce was supposed to have fixed the artifact, such a reaction from a hit was not expected. What had that monster used? What weapon was he wielding? It had shone as nothing Ezreal had seen before. And Ezreal, the prodigal explorer, had seen quite a lot of things.

It reminded him of the stones he had seen at the Shuriman tombs; painted in the walls, it looked like those stones had been used to keep something out. The question is; what?

...

An obsidian blade. LeBlanc had not expected an obsidian blade. She hadn't even expected the attack, but if it had been a normal beast she could have simply dashed out of its range and stop him. But, why was she alive?

Usually, an obsidian blade would have killed her in the instant that it got to pierce her skin. She could feel the pain of it, but she couldn't tell where her wounds were. She was simply aching, her whole body in pain and paralyzed.

Still, if hat was the case, someone had stopped the monster from getting to her.

Someone was foolish enough to try to save her, and she loved every detail of it.

...

Hecarim and his army reached him hours after he had finished with the last remnants of Xin Zhao, and after him came Kalista, Mordekaiser, Karthus and more.

It had been difficult for Thresh to convince them all of joining him; most of them had had some highs and lows between themselves during the last hundreds of years, but when Thresh made a call of this type they were all eager to follow.

-To the Kumungu jungle, Hecarim. -said Thresh.

Without an answer, the Shadow of War marched. He had been needed to guide the rest; now he left, since Hecarim had never liked Thresh's tricks. No one liked to fool around with Thresh's lantern.

...

When LeBlanc started to feel better, Tahm Kench explained it all to her.

Rengar was the name of the beast that had attacked them; he had never lived in a place so close to where they were by then, but someone had invited him to make a stop by her. Darkwill had given the beast the idea.

-Do you really think I don't know how he got the Obsidian blade? -said LeBlanc, still aching a bit but now able to hold herself on her feet.- Answer my question, you demon.

-You may only have a slight hint, but you can never know something you didn't witness. -answered Tahm Kench, clearly mocking LeBlanc.

The Fall: 33. A Skirmisher's Escape

A Skirmisher's Escape

When Sona, Taric, Poppy and Shyvana reached Bandle City, a whole committee was waiting for them. Teemo had been scouting for days, and once he saw them coming he had returned to the city in order to prepare everything that was needed.

-You're not the first to come.- said Tristana.- We've been guarding for long, waiting so that as many yordles as possible could be able of coming back to Bandle City.

-Since when? -asked Taric.

-Can't tell for sure... since the last Zaun-Piltover incident eight years ago? -answered the yordle.- I just know that we've been on duty since then. When Dr. Heimerdinger returned the work became a little easier.

Sona was listening carefully, without knowing what they would do next. What had Taric planned?

...

Tahm Kench and Yasuo found Lucian after days of walking and talking. The forest was getting more dense with every step, and the nights were as silent as Yone's tomb, where not even the wind howled.

The demacian gunslinger followed them without a word after they first met. Tahm Kench's look was enough for him to know that he had to go with them.

-How did you end up here? -asked Yasuo after hours of walking.

-This world is crashing down, I'm just trying to fix a little bit of it. -answered Lucian.

-The world's not going down, it's just your kingdom's problem human. -pointed out Tahm Kench.- Mankind should stop being so self-centered.

-I was just trying to get to know where my friends went.- said Lucian now.- They left because of the chaos that Garen's rage brought to Demacia. But we will need them. I need them.

-You are late, man. -calmly said Tahm Kench.- They are far away now, and it doesn't look like they'll be coming back.

...

-That was my last day out. -happily shouted Teemo.- It's a pity to leave Valoran this way, but I guess that it's our only chance. They say that Lulu will bring us to somewhere safe.

-What do you mean with your last day out? -asked Shyvana. Tristana laughed at her ignorance of the situation and decided that it was best to let Rumble explain it.

-You don't know how Bandle City works, right? -said Rumble.- It's quite simple. If we want someone to get in, we're here. If we don't we just aren't. That is how we stay safe. But it takes years to settle down, or at least it usually does. Hundreds of years passed before we could get to roam around Valoran, and for thousands our species did. One of my ancestors was the yordle that opened the gates into Valoran for the first time, Corbyl. -explained Rumble with a proud look in his face.-But, as I said, that was thousands of years ago. Leaving a place is quite faster, specially with the technology we have bee able to develop. And, if the wise ones are right, Lulu should be able to help us settle way faster than it would usually take.

-What are we supposed to do? -inquired Shyvana.

-That's not something I should answer. -said Rumble, looking at Taric.

...

Lux didn't like where this was leading to. She had never liked to fight, even less when there was no true reason to do so. If she could just explain them...

But she couldn't. There were a lot of things going on in her mind. Firt off, she neede to keep Riven down. It was difficult to use her powers when the Noxian exile was running rampant through her mind. Yes, she was dead, but it was still her body and a little bit of what she had been was still around. Second, she had been cursed by Aalcox. There was only one way of stopping the curse, and she knew well how.

She had always wanted to do it since that last battle. The last day that she had seen Ezreal, the day when she had left Demacia for good. But she didn't wnt these whole armies to suffer the consequences.

The Fall: 26. Acceptance (Impotence)

Acceptance (Impotence)

-What are you doing here? -said Yasuo. He could trust no one; he never knew if who he met was just another assassin sent to get rid of his existence.

-Ask her. -said the blonde man, pointing at the girl that was at his side.- I just follow orders.

-What was happening here... -timidly whispered the blonde girl- My name's Anyssa. -said a bit louder, with a shy smile on her face.

-I'm Ezreal.

-A name is not something I give so lightly. -answered Yasuo.- What are you doing here?

While waiting for an answer, Yasuo smoothly moved his hand towards his sword. A huge surprise it was when he found out that there was no blade to be wielded.

-Are you looking for this? -said Anyssa, holding his sword on her hands.- Here you have it!

Suddenly, the blade was whirling in the air; she had thrown it towards the mist-covered water. Yasuo could see how the sword would be lost and, with it, his purpose to keep on living.

-What's your name? -repeated the girl.

-Yasuo! -said the Ionian outcast while dashing towards her, fist ready to hit.

-Good to meet you. -said Ezreal with a smile on his face, his fist in contact with Yasuo's and the sword on the other hand.- Here it is. -said while hanging the blade to him.- You're coming with us, right?

Who were these people? Yasuo had no idea. But they could have definitely killed him if they had wanted to. Now he had no chance but to follow them; he knew they were powerful, and he was too tired to try to overcome such a duo.

...

While going back to her mime's place, LeBlanc smiled. She had found the man she was looking for. Ezreal had stopped Yasuo from hitting her without hesitation, and that made her feel as she had never felt before.

-Ain't it strange to feel protected? -said LeBlanc to herself.

The Piltover blondie was definitely the right choice, and the new Ionian addition was definitely what she was looking for. They would be useful. Maybe they would be able to stop this nonsense. Now she only needed the Demacian guy.

...

Luckily, the mines had recently been used to escape. Yes, the path was crowded with the beasts that the so-called "Demacian justice" had casted outside of their city-state, but at least he was able to walk his way out by running and shooting.

The dark of the caves was only fought by the lights of his pistol and Senna's, that were shooting the life out of every being that dared reach his sight. Still, he felt as if he knew the path. As weird as it sounded, it was as if the lustruous stones were guiding him through the dark cave.

...

-We're leaving someone behind.- said Taric.

-Galio will reach us when it's time.- roared shyvana, that was rampagin through the forest, clearing his way towards Bandle City.

-I don't mean him. -answered Taric.- We need to turn back.

-Look at the yordle, Gem Knight.- said Shyvana with a peremptory voice.- The man that's late can wait.

With unease, Taric accepted the half-dragon's words. No one should be left behind in days like these. Specially if it was the man he thought it was all about.

The Fall: 25. The Conflagration

The Conflagration

LeBlanc's mimicked version was still with the Ionian outcast and Ezreal, but she had separated from them hours ago.

-Why now? -asked the Ziraeth.

-We just follow the call. -answered Hecarim.- When we're given orders we follow them. When there's war, there's death, and with death the Shadow Isles grow.

-What war? -asked LeBlanc, more curious after every word the Shadow of War pronounced.

-That's none of my concern. -pointed out Hecarim while still rampaging through what was left of the poor side of Bilgewater.- If we're called to war, we go. It's our fate, our duty.

Suddenly, a greenish light hit Hecarim, and his eyes glowed familiarly.

-It's all about Thresh, right? -spitted LeBlanc.

-It's something bigger than you, Ziraeth. -answered a voice through the monster's mouth.- Some things are better kept away from those close to us. At least that's what he said.

-Shut up and answer my question! -shouted LeBlanc.

But there was no answer; Rampaging through what was left, Hecarim had abandoned the place, accompanied by an army of undead spirits that would make sure nothing could stop him. She could still hear Thresh's laugh at the cells he had been confined.

Maybe he had had a reason for trying to kill her. Ans maybe he still had it.

...

Hours had passed since Malcolm had realized that he was alive when he shouldn't and Swain had told him that Aalcox was awaken. It didn't take him long to realize that Aalcox was nervously screaming as he had never heard a Darkin do, and it was taking way longer to shut him up.

-What's wrong with you?! -shouted Malcolm.

-Find the girl and wipe away the risks! -screamed Aalcox in Malcolm's mind.

-Which girl? -whispered Malcolm while struggling to keep his composure.

-KILL THE KING'S SISTER! -screamed Aalcox; now even Swain heard it.

-Which king? -asked Swain with a peremptory voice.

His voice was enough to calm Aalcox down.

-The Demacian king. His sister...

-She died years ago. -pointed out Swain.

-Not really... -said Malcolm with a smile on his face.- She's not dead  at all...

...

-You don't look like a worthy recipient.

-Who are you?! -shouted Astor. He didn't know where the voice came from; he was lying on the ground, covered by plants. Those yellow little beings were still hanging around him, now moving nervously in circles.

-That's none of your concern now. -answered the voice.- Just do as I tell you and I will give you a less painful death than I want to right now.

It had been long since Astor had left words like those unanswered, but that was the first time that he didn't know who he was talking to. For the Void's sake! He didn't even know WHAT he was talking to.

-Just bring me where I want to go. -said the voice, now calmer.- Then I'll make you free of the agony of living.

And it would still be long before he ever let anyone fool him.

-I think you don't realize who you're talking to. -confidently said Astor, before agonizingly screaming and bending in pain.

He was going through such an agony that he didn't even realize that the little yellow fellows were gone. But they weren't leaving for long...

...

-They escaped. -answered Garen from the throne that had once been of his old friend and king Jarvan Lightshield the fourth of his name.

-I guess they are being hunted down like the filthy scum they are... -answered Darius.

-They got into the forest. -replied Garen.

-Oh, and I guess that your scouts can't follow a track when it takes a little effort, right?

-You're not understanding a single word of mine. -said Garen while taking a map that was hanging on the wall and throwing it on the floor in front of Darius.- They got into the Forest.-said Garen again.

-I'll bring you enough men to cut that forest down tree by tree. -said the hand of Noxus.- and then we will raze Bandle City to the ashes.

...

The small yordle-like creature transformed in the blink of an eye; a huge bloodthristy beast was now between them and a voidborn abomination that had suddenly appeared. And some seconds later, another monster was jumping from a bush nearby; the ferocious feline-like beast was on the voidborn beast in a second. Shyvana could see how they fought each other with an innate hate that scared the soul out of her.

-You're leaving. -said Galio, turning towards the 3 huge beasts that were fighting besides them.

-And you're coming with us! -screamed Shyvana.- We won't leave you behind!

-FLY, YOU FOOLS! - roared the white feline beast while holding the Voidborn on the floor.- NOW, OR I SWEAR I'LL CUT YOU DOWN TO PIECES AFTER FINISHING HIM!

-Leave.- said again Galio while walking towards the battle.- I'll catch up to you.

-But...

-Do it. -ordered Galio.- Reach Bandle City, tell them what's about to come and live. I'll catch up to you.

Without looking back, Shyvana carried Poppy, Taric and Sona on her back and left the place. A blazing path showed him where they were going, but Gnar, Rengar and Kha'Zix were way more important now than a path to follor.

...

-Care with Gnar.-shouted Rengar.

It took long for Galio to realize that the beast was talking to him. Shortly after, the so-called Gnar jumped on him.

-Do not hurt him! -roared the white fiery beast.- He'll calm down in a while! Just leave!

-I'll help you.

-YOU WON'T! -said Rengar throwing a bola to Galio's feet.

Only then the hunter realized his mistake. A gust hit both Kha'Zix and him, who ended one on each other's side laying in the floor. Suddenly, Galio shot a blast and both monsters laid on the ground crippled.

-How'd you dare... -angrily whispered Rengar before disappearing.

Without hesitation, Galio started to shine as he had done only in the most dangerous of times. Gnar, now small again, was throwing rocks at him. The voidborn creature woke up and slowly walked towards him, trying to hurt him in a desperate try of getting something out of the fight.

And then he heard his voice.

The Fall: 21. Consume and adapt

Consume and adapt

-We found them. -whispered Taric to Sona. -What's that thing you're holding?

She hadn't realized; her etwahl was at her hands; again, the instrument managed to find itself in her hands no matter what the fate might place between them. Calmly, Sona started to play her music. The whole woods felt different, more alive than any other forest had ever been. Song of celerity.

-I see. That'll be helpful. - said the gem knight while pointing at a wounded yordle that laid in the floor besides Shyvana and Galio.

...

The little creature jumped off of Galio's head and started walking towards two people that were coming towards them; after a while, Shyvana recognized Sona and Taric. Without hesitation, she carried Poppy towards them as carefully as she could.

-Taric! Sona! It's so good to find you here! -said Shyvana.- We couldn't wait you at the meeting point; we were being chased, and the woods were the only place where the Demacian rangers wouldn't have followed us.

-She needs to be treated. -urged Taric, pointing at Poppy's hand- Sona might have a way of helping her better than I; my power is not enough in such a situation.

-If something has to be done, she needs it to be done now. -said Galio with a deep voice- There's not much time left.

...

Sona nodded her head while playing her etwahl. She had missed it so much; she had felt weak without it, and she had felt unable to explain herself. Yes, Taric was sympathetic and he usually knew what she needed, but even gems and Taric's empathy had their limits.

She could feel how everyone calmed down while she played her music. Aria of Perseverance.

...

Rengar could see how the yordle's bleeding arm quickly turned into a stump that looked as good as an injure like that could. That kind of magic still fascinated him; to fight an enemy with such a power would have been a great honor for him, and the musical instrument would look great as a trophy.

But Rengar needed to focus. Where was Kha'Zix?

...

Gnar could feel something strange in the air. He could feel the friendlyness of the humans; the gargoyle and the yordle were no threat to him. Also, kitten was looking at him from the trees. But there was something more, and that unexpected presence made him angry.

Gnar was angry, and not seeing where the unexpected presence was bugged him even more than usual. Gnar was angry. Gnar was really angry.

-GNAAAAAAAAAR!

...

Rengar saw it all happen.

Kha'Zix had jumped onto the two humans that were healing the yordle while the gargoyle and the half-dragon talked aside, but his leap had been interrupted by Gnar's hand.

The voidborn abomination had landed on a tree in an awkward position, but Kha'Zix wouldn't stop after that. Rengar knew that the annoying bug wanted him to go in; it was a competition, nothing but a show for him now. And Rengar commited to it.

The Fall: 20. Into The Woods

Into The Woods

Sona felt as if weeks had passed away while they were escaping Demacia through the old mines. The moment in which Taric's opals started to disappear and the sun bathed her bare shoulders she felt as if it was one of the best days of her life.

-It's been a whole week. Shyvana and them should be around here. -said Taric, looking at her eyes while he softly passed his hands through his hammer's sides.- We were supposed to meet right here.

Sona would have been nervous if it had been another person the one that talked those words. But the way Taric did it, even if she knew that he was not comfortable with the situation, only transmitted peace. Taric's presence made her feel as if everything was alright. Suddenly, Sona noted how Taric was silently calling her.

When she got closer she realized that Taric was pointing at something in the floor; a blood trail went into the woods.

-It's recent. -whispered Taric.

Without a single word, Taric started to walk, diving deep into the woods, following the fresh blood that laid drying in the groud.

...

Why was Gnar so excited? Didn't he realize what they meant?

Rengar had discovered Gnar the wrong way; he had thought of the little creature as a prey, only to discover himself closed in a cave against a real monster. That nearly costed him the other eye.

The presence of that Gargoyle and the Half-Dragon in the forest was unusual; the fact that they were carrying a handless yordle was even stranger. And when something strange happenned in the forest, Kha'Zix knew about it. Kha'Zix was always around, lurking, waiting for something that could distract Rengar; then he would go into a messy battle that usually ended with both of them hurt and the third party torn to pieces.

But it would be different now. Rengar and Gnar together had managed to protect all those simple beings that wandered hopelessly into the forest. Sometimes he still missed the days when he would be the one hunting these creatures; he knew that the half-dragon's head would look great in his belt. But the appearance of both Gnar and Kha'Zix had changed it all. Kha'Zix taught him to focus in one prey at a time. Gnar taught him to expect the unexpected, and to be respectful with those who look weaker thank you. The little creature had also taught him how hollow and alone both had been before meeting each other.

-¡Demagliaaaaa! -shouted Gnar, while jumping onto the Gargoyle's head.

His little Gnar was always curious, always happy and always in trouble. His little friend Gnar had always been like that; at least since Rengar knew him.

...

At first, Shyvana had feared that the little creature attacked Poppy; yes, they could just take it down, but they needn't risk calling the attention. The woods were still way too close to Demacia, Quinn and Vayne wouldn't take long to discover their track and follow them wherever they went. 'Even if they didn't want to...' thought the half-dragon.

The loss of the king, Jarvan the IV, had been a horrible strike for Demacia as a whole, but those closer to him had suffered it more. 'Nothing more than ashes.' had said Garen, before jumping at her sword in hand. Her beloved king, Garen's best friend and Demacia's strangest ruler.

Jarvan's death was something that would haunt them all for a long time; Shyvana knew that she'd be lucky if she got to die without remembering his smile.

The Fall: 12. Farewell, my friends, pt. 3

Farewell, my Friends, pt. 3

Quinn could not calm down. The execution was something she was clearly against, but she could not disobey Garen. Not now, not during these days.

Also, the weather didn't help at all; the storm was lasting way longer than usual, with lightnings causing several fires around the city. The climatic anomaly had taken more than thirty victims, and that was without counting the casualties of the governments repression system that were hidden behind such an unnatural incident. To add up, Valor was nowhere to be seen.

She couldn't understand how Lucian was so calm. While she and Vayne shivered nervously, Lucian was nearly falling asleep besides the platform's small stairs; with his gun at his feet, he used Senna's as a pillow by laying it on his knees and his head on it. Meanwhile, countless citizens gathered in the square; they had come to see Poppy's execution.

Dark times bring dark thoughts to people's mind and dark needs to their hearts. They were not mean or evil; they were just scared. Propaganda and missinformation had widely spread a feeling of insecurity that had deeply digged its way through the Demacian hearts and infected every feel with hatred and misstrust; that was the only explanation she could find, the only way to justify their actions. Poppy's death would be a bless for them; the execution's duration was time that they wouldn't be using to try to face their own problems, the execution's reasons were the nonsense that helped them to find someone who blame for their misfortunes and the spitting they were giving to and old friend like Poppy was no more than their desperate wish for something to change.

...

Something woke Lucian up again. ¿A noise? ¿A step? No, it was different this time. People were silent. Even Garen was staring at the skies. They all looked charmed, as if a witch had forced them into an hallucination or something like that. ¿What were they looking at?

It took him a bit longer to realize; the air was glowing lightly. Small lights floating around, as minuscule as you might see the stars, but at the reach of his hand. Time felt slower around him; he could feel more than ever. The air through his lungs, the wind trying to wave his hair. The weight of Senna in his hand, the lack of something deep in his heart. And then the gust came.

Most people fell to the ground. Those who were not lucky elevated to the skies and fell onto those that were besides them seconds ago. Even Garen was lying in the ground, his sword soaked in blood and nailed on the ground, with a small hand laying at its side. Lucian felt his kings anger for short; once he realized Poppy was not there, he smiled to himself and run out of the square. He knew that Garen had seen his face; without a head to chop off, he'd look for someone to blame.

He had to leave the city.

The Fall: 10. Farewell, my friends, pt. 2

Farewell, my Friends, pt. 2

When Sona woke up, the ground was softly trembling. Usually that would have scared her, but this was different; it was a calm tremor, one that could remind you of the shore being buffeted by the soft waves of the Ionian coast. She opened her eyes and looked for Taric in the dark, but there was nothing to see.

 -Don't worry. -whispered Taric's voice.- We're advancing slower than expected, I didn't expect this part of the mountain to be this way.

Sona was worried about her sleep; how many time had she been lying in the sapphire bed? The last thing she remembered was Taric working onto a wall that annoyed them. How much time had passed after that? She felt as if she had slept for years.

-You looked really tired. It's been three days and two nights since you fell asleep. -answered Taric, as if he could feel Sona's doubts and fears.- Don't worry, I can't read your mind. But the gems... they transmit your feelings. Your fear, your anguish... There's no reason for it, Sona.

Then she felt something warm over his hand. Taric's strength made her feel safe. His calm reached her through the sapphires, and even when drowning in the deepest of the darks she could feel that hope that warmed up her heart. A light glow shreded some light into Taric's face, where a broad smile laid. She knew she was safe.

The Fall: 10. Farewell, my friends, pt.1

Farewell, my friends, pt. 1

-These evil creatures are the ones that killed our king! -shouted the herald.- Whoever sees or captures one of them, contact the guard immediately! You'll be rewarded!

No one stopped to listen to him, but there was no need to do so. The hatred for everything that wasn't human had extended through Demacia in the blink of an eye. Yordles, mages and other magical beings were escaping the once home of the just, looking for shelter wherever they could. But there was no easy way out of Demacia.

All gates were closed and the whole army was in charge of one of the most aggressive reconaissance missions ever planned internally. Investigating, chasing, torturing, killing... History books would never mention this side of the story, that's for sure. But that didn't mean it was not happening.

Yordles who had found a home in the old Demacia were now being betrayed by their own friends and neighbours; few were brave enough to help them hide or escape, and even less were left unpunished after doing so. The government's lies had been nailed to the deepest place of their hearts, being an irrational fear the most common feeling in the streets. Meanwhile, Galio flew peacefully over the city, waiting for his persecutors to reach him.

Then he heard a female voice and felt a burning fiery breath at his side.

-You know it, right? -said Shyvana.

-Now you confirm it. I only expected it. -calmly answered the Sentinel's Sorrow.

-The cycle has accelerated itself. This war is going to kill a lot of people, Galio.

-Most will die fearing a monster. And those who don't will probably live long enough to become one. You have seen it as many times as me, Shyvana.

...

Sharp crystals of beautiful colours surrounded them while they advanced through the caves. What was the real nature of that place? Sona couldn't tell, since she didn't get to see no more than the floor of it.

Taric's gems protected them from anything that could try to enter their range. Looking as hard as diamonds, those huge opal crystals moved with them, always keeping the same distance from Taric. Was that the real power of the Gem Knight or the mine was the one that was granting Taric such an ability? Whichever was the answer, she thanked the gods for having gifted her the chance to be accompanied by him. Without her etwahl there wasnothing she could do on her own.

-¿Are the boots comfortable Sona? -asked Taric, his hammer shining brightly with the warm bright of rubies.

That made her feel safer than she had ever been. Sona shook a bit her hair and then answered with a shy smile which Taric understood as an affirmative response. She couldn't remember the last time she had walked that much. but Taric had been really sympathetic and had thought about every single detail. Planned pauses, food and drink... and his magic.

Suddenly, the opal crystals were at her face. She had dived way too deep in her mind, and she wouldn't have realized that she was about to hit the opal crystals if not for Taric's hand on his shoulder. Their protection was no longer centered at the Gem Knight, and Sona had no idea of why that was happening.

-A wall, Sona. -pointed out Taric.- Stay back, I've got work to do. You should take some rest, you look tired.

Sona walked to the opposing side of the enclosure just to find out that a sapphire bed was being created there. 'Sapphire for divinity.' she remembered. She laid on the bed and closed her eyes. The last thing she saw was Taric hammering the other side of the opal wall. No noises, no tremors. His work was always calm and quiet, and so were the crystals. Everything was that way with Taric.

The Fall: 8. The Cleanse Begins

The Cleanse Begins

-You will start to work after the arrest squad fails. -pointed out Garen.- Your job will be to hunt down and bring back to Demacia those people that haven proven themselves to have parted ways with their humanity in favour of power. Dead or alive, I'll have enough with their heads.

-Why should the arrest squad fail? -arrogantly asked Lucian.

-You have worked with the likes of them, Lucian.-answered Garen, clearly annoyed by the Purifier's behaviour. -The Gem Knight, the Sentinel's sorrow, the Half-Dragon... they should not be underestimated. The rebellion we're facing is serious business. This is not like hunting for silly monsters about Runeterra with your chick; remember that your...

Lucian turned and walked out of the room, closing the door silently, leaving Garen mid-talk. The new king's anger could be felt in the room, but he didn't stop.

-...enemies know you as much as you know them. -he stopped and breath deeply while turning for facing Quinn. -You'll lead the team. Those monsters won't doubt to chop your head off, don't give them the chance to. You may leave now.

...

Quinn couldn't understand what was going on. King Jarvan had died, adn the noxians had been blamed for it at the very beginning. Garen was already preparing an army to march against their eternal nemesis, but something tore those plans down to pieces; a Noxian letter had arrived. It talked about traitors in their own ranks and about Swain escaping with the one in charge of single-handedly causing the death of hundreds of Noxians. As a side note it talked about Xin Zhao, the Seneschal, being kidnapped by the Chain Warden. No more details concerning the letter were made public; the only thing that the Demacian common folk knew was that Noxus was not an enemy anymore.

Officially, the army was going to march against the Shadows Isles in the search of Xin Zhao, while other scout squads were being prepared to look for Xin Zhao around Runeterra; as said by Garen, "they could not be sure what a twisted mind like Thresh's could beplanning". Only a few knew the truth; their new king was lying to the masses.

As far as most people were concerned, they had to find Xin Zhao to uncover the truth of what had happened to Jarvan IV; the truth was that the Noxian-Demacian alliance wanted to change the world how the had once known it by cleaning the human race. Yordles, dragons, mages... if something made it different from the standars they had settled, it had to be erased.

Who were the monsters now?

...

The drink was way too cold that night. Even for a heart as frozen as his, the drink was way too cold. He looked at the bartender, who immediately took his jar and emptied it, pouring its content into the sink and diving deep into the kitchen.

That was why Yasuo had always preferred that place among the rest. He needn't talk, he need't listen to anything, he didn't even think. If he wanted something to drink he payed, and when he couldn't pay the bartender never complained; he knew that the man he knew as Yone would pay his debts. Yone had always payed his debts, even though he had never given in to drink.

He had never liked to use the name of his dead brother, but when he had to come up with a name that was not his, Yone always came to mind. Ten years had passed, yet ten more wouldn't have been enough for Yasuo to get free of his burden. Unable to prove his innocence, old friends were still hunting him down day and night. Bilgewater had been his personal heaven; you can't draw attention when you're surrounded by freaks even stranger than you. That had given him the chance to be reborn as Yone, the Ionian fisherman. The only one that got to fish now matter how strong the winds were those days, a hero among the common folk. Yone was the one that saved the hungry and the poor. The silent man that had saved countless lives.

Without a word, Yasuo left the bar and walked towards the docks, where home was waiting for him. He was covering himself with the blankets and coats that children from the neighborhood had gifted him when he heard a familiar voice whispering in his ear.

-It's been long since we last met, brother... -said Yasuo, before swiftly unsheathing his blade and cutting twice through the shadow's throat. -And I do not plan on sharing a drink with you soon.

The Black Mist was back. Year after year, always arriving some weeks earlier than it did the last year. Always colder, always stronger. But it is not yet time to die. At least not for the unforgiven.