Chapter 1: Gateway
As the Ionian skies loomed over Runeterra, Zed had found himself lying down, back against the wooden floors of the once Kinkou temple, seemingly staring at an endless sky. The raid had already occurred years ago, yet the master of shadows still appeared lost in his mind.
"Did I make the right choice…?" He muttered.
"But of course." Another voice interrupted.
"Hmph!?" Zed's voice quickly became staggered and heavy, as his body leapt of the floor and drew his blade from his metal hand guard suspecting an enemy. However, he would then stutter after realising who this voice came from.
"You said you would leave if I took the temple and pledged loyalty to the shadows." He continued slowly, retracting his weapon.
"Haha but clearly you haven't. Your mind is weak and wavering Zed."
Even without the intervention, he knew the shadows were right. He was nearly at a mental break as he his blade finished its course on his master's throat, Shen's face unseen by his mask, but certainly filled with a thirst for vengeance and despise.
As his pupils continued to raid the temple, slaughtering his once friends and comrades, his head wouldn't stop pulsating watching the blood spill off everyone around him.
Zed lifted his crimson eyed helmet with a great glare in his eyes.
"The choice has been done," he huffed. "I will eliminate all whom follow the Kinkou and raise pupils in the order of the shadow."
Balance is a fool's master.
The voice could only smile.
...
Dawn would soon rise on the horizon, as the shadows would then retreat amidst the darkness of the temple halls. Zed let out a breath, eyes filling with determination. He could hear the awakening of his students past the tapestry walls, each groaning from the night sleep under the hollow skies. Re-equipping his helmet, a glare would emit of a bright red texture.
Trainings of the shadows were nothing different from the training of Kinkou, Zed once being a student, and living through it his whole life. In contrast though, unlike the policy of Kinkou, balance was to be exploited and the shadows were to be fulfilled. If you were not working on a martial art, you were prioritising shadow manipulation.
The grounds were filled with students, each dressed in simple black cloth and a tainted purple mask over the mouths. In the raid for the temple itself, numerous of Zed's pupils would be slain at the hands of the Kinkou's warriors in relation to their own, Shen being the most notorious of them all.
Countless scouts had already been sent to investigate the location of the broken religion, along with finding the Eye of Twilight himself, yet none would either return or present anything valuable. A troublesome foe would still and always be at the remnants of his previous past.
"Master! Trouble at the gates!" a student yelled breathless.
Zed eyes flickered. 'An enemy of some sort? Or has Shen finally come for his revenge' he thought rapidly yet still keeping composure.
Despite puzzling the arrival, Zed was unfazed as always.
Much alike the Twilight, the shadows were to consume him slowly, depriving him of thoughts and feeling, thus emotionless. The only exception to this would be feelings of rage and darkness.
Only it can truthfully communicate on a greater level to Zed as he would often disregard others' behalf if it were not to further his own ideals. Raising his hands to his armour-covered chest he began channelling.
"It shall be dealt with quickly" Zed preached, the sight of his extending blade being inadmissible to the people around him.
The student whom delivered the message still stared at him attentively, Zed's body was quickly shrouded in a black-like matter, prior to his abrupt disappearance. Living Shadow.
