Running had never really been a strong point in any of her training as she felt an explosion go off behind her. Knocking her off her feet and onto her stomach, the ringing in her ears added to her slowly getting on her back, looking ahead her eyes suddenly went wide and barely dodged a sword that had been aimed straight between her eyes.
Her staff coming fully around and knocking Shen back as she launched her own magical attack, getting back up to run towards the safety of her base. She could could feel her Summoner panicking as she was so close to safety and the mindless minions coming to give her some relief, it was right then that a single word rang out in her mind as she felt the air around her crackle with heat. "NO!" Pain and light was all around her as she screamed as Leona fired her ultimate and she was incinerated in the golden light.
As soon as that had happened the pain and light vanished to be replaced with a calming, quiet peace and darkness. She had unfortunately been through this time and time again, as though death was only a slight chance for rest before being thrust back into battle and being victorious, or deemed weak enough to be killed off once more. It made her angry as she had always cared about the weak and that a victory in battle was restoring the wounded and broken back into healthy individuals.
She blinked as she reappeared at the little shop and selected a few new items as she could see the destruction being wrought upon the inner turrets from the other Team as the minions were being used as cannon fodder. It made her heart tighten as the wanton death and destruction always made her feel queasy. But she went ahead, blocking attacks from both minions and Champions alike, her eyes flashing as she dodged a sword that had been flung at her once again, and rounded back with using Equinox, silencing her enemies as she then used her Wish to heal her allies.
Her mind once again buzzed with words as her Summoner was connected to her pain and exhaustion. "Come on Soraka! We can win this!" They were his last words unfortunately as the final line of defense fell and the large Nexus was fired and hit upon one time too many. Cracking and breaking apart as time slowed once again for her as the announcer's voice was heard. "Red Team Wins!" Groans of defeat were overcome with the yells of victory as the winning team high-fived each other before shaking hands with them as a show of respect for the battle that had been fought.
As the Summoners were forced to quit chanting, the buzzing that Soraka felt disappeared as the respective Champions were teleported off the Rift and back into the Institute. She waited until everyone drifted off and made her way timidly back to her room where she fell back against the door and broke down crying. She had never been made to fight, but being tricked by Warwick had been enough to set her passiveness aside and fight against those that sought destruction, and for the innocent and sick. But it always took a toll on her after each battle between the different factions that were involved.
One of her few friends, Braum understood this and taught her to meditate her loud and noisy mind, to focus on the good that was being done when she decided to intervene on that fateful day. Soraka wiped her tears and hugged her staff, one of her last gifts that she had received before coming out of the Grove. The crescent moon was its own light source and a source to project her celestial magic, its radiance was enough to make her feel at peace, to remind her why she was fighting, that she was a mere mortal now, and that she had a duty to protect.
Feeling that a hot shower was a good way to help relax as she started toward the bathroom when a knock interrupted her. Having already taken off her outer clothing, she felt decent enough in her white tank top and orange shorts and opened the door to reveal her face to snout, her breathing quickened as the white fur was enough to make her stand stock still before she saw the lightning blue eyes and her chest eased.
Volibear was on all fours, the armor from his clan pulsing here and there. She had heard the story about how he had been chosen by the storm to lead his people. "Yes..?" Soraka said as the frost bear nodded to her. "I wanted to see if you were okay. I watched the match and you seemed more shaken than usual out there." His low and growly voice made her smile gently. "Just not used to all of this yet.. I don't know what to do about it."
"To fight is to bring action fallen one, the choices made on the day you fell was more than enough for you." Of course he would say that, he was a warrior, born and raised as he was guiding his clan toward the same. "I still don't enjoy it.. I wasn't born for war.." Her voice small and soft as she looked down. Volibear snorted and shook his head. "And yet you still carry on. Born for war or not, we all make choices for our destiny in this life." Soraka nodded and looked back into his eyes, "Thank you Volibear, I appreciate your support."
The bear nodded before dismissing himself and lumbered down he hallway without making much noise. Closing the door Soraka went back to her hot shower which turned into a hot bath. Rubbing her form with her favorite lavender body oil she closed her eyes and focused on what good she had been achieving as of late. Her healing abilities were top notch still, and the team mates she had been paired with always praised her about it.
She always healed the weak and wounded when she could, going out of her way to protect them from attacks.. And yet, she felt that something was missing, something that she could do more for those in need. Or she was overthinking and stressing out over nothing as usual. Perhaps all she needed was to take a break, a place that harmonized with nature to help her reconnected with her roots.. Yes, that was it, she had heard Braum tell her about a garden away from the city, a place where she could go, it wasn't her Grove, but she could only imagine the flowers and the small animals refill her with happiness already.
Getting out of the bath and drying off she looked at herself in the mirror. Her pale violet skin color matched her short cut silver hair, her golden eyes looking back as the large horn that grew out of her forehead stood firm and proud. Her breasts jiggled slightly as she moved her arms under them. She had seen some of the Champions look at her chest lustily when they would get up close to attack her. It made her feel like she was being sized up, with anything to happen if given the opportunity to abuse their standing and do what they wanted to her.
It was revolting to be seen in such a way to her, but Soraka had never really seen herself as attractive, or wanted to focus on such things.. Perhaps in time she would find someone to love, that could soothe her insecurities and obsessions with always helping others or if she was doing enough.. Or maybe she would adopt some cats, and fish, and rabbits, and pom poms.. She chuckled to herself as she brushed her hair and hummed a soft tune that she had heard from an Ionian bard once, a story about a young woman who always felt called to protect those in need.
Night had set when she got ready for bed, putting on her soft rose pink pajama top and bottoms she knelt on the side. Asking as she bad every night since being tricked for guidance from the stars that had once been a part of her being.. But they still remained silent to her prayers, the ritual itself gave Soraka comfort before turning off the light and falling asleep to the sound of her own heart beat. Her dreams quiet as the nightmares stayed their hand from her this night, if nothing more, than to just give her mind the rest it deserved.
Waking up from a deep and restful sleep, she took her time to get dressed, and looked into her mirror, her long silver hair in a loose ponytail made her look relaxed and decidedly worthy of a day off where she could take time to recuperate and enjoy a garden that was not too far away from the city. Getting dressed in her usual armor, she left her room and went to the cafeteria area where the usual morning breakfast rush was over. The lunch lady always made sure that she had breakfast and lunch ready in some plastic sacks. It made her smile that someone like her made sure that she was taken care of.
As Soraka walked to one of the teleportation rooms, a flash of white and grey appeared before her causing her to stop mid-step. It was Him.. The beast of Zaun, his bright red eyes focusing and narrowing as he stepped off the platform and down the stairs, slow and methodical as her heart raced, her mind blanking, she was as still as a scared poro. Stopping in front of her, a beastly smile appeared on his muzzle, his sharp teeth flashing as he took in a deep breath. "Fear.. I can smell it on you Fallen One.." Gulping hard and taking a small step back, her eyes tearing up from the memory and desire to run as hard as she could.. "I.. I'm not afraid of you.." Her voice came out small and shaky as Warwick chuckled in response. His raspy voice carrying an even note. "Yes you are.. Smells do not lie to my nose.." His eyes focusing on hers. "Should I make sure that the Fallen One is not afraid.." Where were any guards, summoners, anyone? Why was she alone right here with him!? She felt as if time itself slowed just a second as her eyes met his, and could see something that made her blood run cold..
"No.." She couldn't take it anymore, she bolted past him as fast as her legs could carry her, towards the platform, away from Him and his terrifying presence, and to the garden she just wanted to relax in. But her ears could hear his paws hit the floor with a loud thud as he chased after her. A sharp howl made her scream in response as she flew up the stairs, the feeling that he was just mere feet away made her slip a little, and she fell down onto the pad with Warwick landing straight on top of her. A bright blue light shot down on them, as he put his metal claws to her throat, growling as he held her other arm down that was struggling with her staff to use her magic. The light shimmied and turned from the bright blue to a dark and ominous red as the two Champions were whisked off, leaving several Summoners and other Champions confused as seeing the forms disappearing within the red vortex.
Soraka could feel herself being stretched and pulled as it felt like she had been screaming for ages, the pain and agony that ran through her very soul was nothing she had ever experienced before. And as the light weakened and faded she was still on her back, her senses dulled, her body feeling as if it was on fire, and her chest rapidly inhaling as much air as she could. Warwick himself seemed changed as he fell off her, no longer moving as he stared straight ahead without blinking, his breathing heavy as he gasped to even breathe.
As Soraka stood up at last, her body numb but otherwise feeling normal enough to stand, looking around she thought she was in the same room. But if felt old and dusty, the darkness hiding at the foot of the stairs where the pad pulsed and shone dimly. "I smell death." The words were simple, but it made her tremble as Warwick's weak but even tone of voice made the mood that more ominous for her. She found her voice as she finally took a timid step forward. "Where.. Are we?" The werewolf shook his head, unsure of the question, but smelling and feeling that he was not the only one that enjoyed death and carnage. "Fallen One must light up the area with staff. We need to look for answers." Agreeing, she felt the tip of her staff pulse and then light up the room with a dull yellow star light, with her eyes focusing fully, the blood in her veins ran cold, a small gasp escaping from her open mouth as skeletons were littered here and there, dried and crusty patches of some liquid were painted here and there.
"A battle took place here." Focusing on the stairs ahead of her instead of the terrifying contents, she walked slowly beside Warwick, her heart hammering in her chest as she felt his metal claw on her arm. "Allies for now." Well, her nightmare was now complete, trying to get away from the beast now resulted in a place she had no idea existed, where something tragic and terrible had happened, and now he was being the only person that she needed to rely on in order to get back to safety and warmth. "Okay.." She said as she followed behind him, the machinery in his back giving an odd and dirty green glow as the room opened into several hallways, each one dusty and the bones of the dead strewn about. "We are still here." "What?" Soraka asked as she blinked a little. "Where?" "At the Institute. It is the same."
It really didn't make sense to her, but as she followed him, it slowly dawned on her, as even with the dust and bones, it was the very same place she had walked before. "It feels old.." Warwick sneezed in response before answering. "Battle long ago, death reigned here between them." Keeping her mouth shut and her eyes forward, it took Warwick about an hour to find a doorway with sunlight streaming through large holes in the broken and faded doors that still hung on their hinges. A soft wind tussled her hair as she felt him suddenly tense up, a growl escaping into the heavy air. "Outside is dangerous." He stopped as she went on all fours and sniffed the air, his head turning this way and that as Soraka needed to get out of here, away from all the dead and depressing atmosphere, but she also wanted to trust Warwick with his senses. "Can we at least try?"
A glare made her go quiet as he finally got onto his two heavy back legs and put both hands on the doors, looking out as he went quiet. The only time she had heard him go that silent was when he was hunting, and his victim was close by.. Inching towards the door with him, the hole in front of her large enough to fit her head through, but it was what she saw as her vision cleared up that made her wish that the doors were whole once more. The bit of the city that she could see were destroyed, scorch marks and crumbling buildings showing devastation that she had never seen before, bones were flung were and there. Some whole, and others were broken and cracked, just the massacre that had happened here made her sick, and before she knew it, she was on her hands and knees, throwing up, her retching making a terrible sound in the still air as Warwick could only shake his head in disgust at her weakness.
"Now I know that Fallen One cannot stand war, you would be useless in this situation." The insult burned her, but as she was about to say a retort back, she froze as soft scream echoed over the surrounding area, it made her stand quickly, and wobbled from the sudden blood rush. She had heard screaming before, but not one that was filled with pain and helplessness like this. "No!" "But we must!" "It is too dangerous!"
"But they are in trouble!"
"And?"
"Move werewolf! I will not have you stand in my way when I need to help those in need!"
A few minutes passed by as he stared at her sudden bravery and stubbornness, and then using her staff to push him, he snarled at her before sighing and opening the doors, the loud screeches as the hinges moved made her wince and shiver before she was running toward the direction she had heard the scream come from. With deep breaths, she stumbled on broken bones and leaped over rubble that spilled into the street, jumping over large craters in the ground she could only focus on one thing. Helping the person that was somehow still alive, and she was going to do whatever she could to provide a healing hand.
A mile later, Soraka panted as she called out, out of breath and feeling lost, she yelled that she was here, that she could help. A sound of collapsing wreckage made her turn her head to the left, and in that instant, if not for being already dealing with a sore and tired body, she would of most likely fainted. A creature she had never seen before, was standing half a block away on a pile of debri, it's large and nasty peach colored hide covered in brown and black bumps, deadly looking needles at least two feet long covered its slouched back. It's back legs looked almost like a frog's, except the webbing between its three large toes were ripped and torn. It's arms were short, but thick and muscled, it's five fingers in the shape of hefty and round daggers, and the face was the most frightening thing about it, the eyebrows were set forward, giving it's misshapen and very large head a feeling that its skin was taught and leathery. Large deep silvery eyes sat in the hollowed out sockets, it's mouth was open, revealing several rows of yellowed and ivory looking thin and long needle shaped teeth that went all the way back to the inside of its throat . And in it's mouth was a hand connected to an arm which had been torn away from the owner that had until recently, had been alive.
Without a doubt, she had been too late, and was now at the end of the meal this mammoth sized monster had consumed. Gulping hard, Soraka slowly started to step backwards, keeping eye contact, as it's head turned slowly with each movement that she made away from the scene. Making it back several feet, a bellow rang in the air, the sound loud enough to have her cover her ears and make her wince. The earth shaking as the beast leaped off the ruined house and started running towards her on all fours, the street being torn up as she ran hard and fast away from it as swiftly as her legs could carry her. If only she hadn't been stupid, if only she had listened to Warwick, if only this day had been the way she had envisioned it.
Fear keeping her limbs moving, she fired her magic again and again behind her, causing the creature to screech more, and throw large boulders at her. Dodging them as they were landing all around her, it felt as it the thing was giving up as it stopped chasing after her. Screeching as it stopped at an seemingly invisible wall, Soraka didn't stop running until she was in site of the Institute, her legs feeling like lead, she dropped down, panting and gasping for breath as the surrealness of it all was too much for her to comprehend.
A world that has like her very own, but something bad had happened, a place where people died by the thousands, where monsters roamed the very streets, still hunting down the remnants of this doomed reality.. A shadow appeared before her and she unleashed a spiral of magic, which Warwick grunted as it barely hurt him, causing her to apologize to him. "Danger followed you.. But not far." He replied in response as he looked in the direction she came, his large ears perked as he then pulled her onto her feet and looked into her eyes, his red ones neutral as he did. "Transportation Room went dark, seems that the magic is gone."
Feeling her mouth go dry, Soraka looked down, then back to him, before turning around and crossing her arms over her chest. "Are we stuck here?" He didn't respond as he sniffed the area and pulled her quickly into one of the still half standing buildings. A large paw over her mouth and nose, as the same Monster she had seen just minutes earlier, his body on top of hers as pressed her against the wall, her lone eye seeing just the outline as it walked slowly toward the Institute doors and put its face to the ground. A soft screech emanating from it as it lumbered into the building, the darkness swallowing its beastly body after a few seconds.
'It was that close', she realized, as her protector continued to keep himself pressed against her, forcing her to breath in his scent through his large, oversized paw. It smelled of books and fire, with the smell of chemicals and sweat all mixed together, a smell that was making her gag, and making her want to cough. Trying to elbow him to let her breathe, his paw moved and she sucked in as much air as possible once again, as so far the only things trying to kill her, were Warwick, the Creature, and her own lungs that were constantly trying to keep her heart beating. A pain to be sure, but at least they were safe..
Warwick picked her up suddenly, slinging her over his shoulder, he started running at top speed away from the Institute, and toward the right where her vision was bouncy as she really wanted to demand where they were going. But a loud scream stopped her, making her wonder how he was managing to keep one step ahead of the beast..
Turning down streets, left and right, he zig-zagged between the destruction as he carried Soraka on his shoulder, she was a light burden, and she was proving herself that she had no courage to fight. The Creature he had smelt, heard and seen had the acrid scent of death, a smell he was very familiar with. Not that he wasn't confident in his abilities to fell The Beast, but the Fallen One would most likely let him die, as he had tried to kill her on multiple occasions. But he only hunted those that deserved it, but those times of killing and the taste and smell of blood clouded such memories.
After several hours she felt him slow down, his body damp and sweaty as he took her off his shoulder and placed her against a large bricked wall. Sitting down, his body shaking from the exertion, he fell onto his chest and closed his eyes. The chemicals on his back clacked and hissed, fascinated and horrified, Soraka watched with rapt attention as the werewolf's body seemed to shimmy and shake as large amounts of toxic steam escaped from his mouth, the stone seemingly dissolving before the noxious mist. After several minutes of nothing happening, Warwick opened his eyes and got slowly back onto his feet as the look in his eyes made him seem lost and trying to remember something important. But whatever it was disappeared and he shook his large, gangly head and looked at her. "We must find shelter for tonight, we risk being hunted more if we are out here much longer."
Nodding her head, she followed him to another large building that only had several of its walls knocked in, and parts of the roof gone, but it looked safer than out here. Given the all clear by her ally, she found a back room where everything was whole, and the door thick and sturdy. Guessing by the contents in the room, it had been part of a bar. Several casks were lined against one side, and boxes with faded writing on the other. Her staff providing light, she placed it in the middle of the room, and went about tidying it up, if anything just the thought of cleaning made her feel a little normal, as if the nightmare she was living in would all go away after a goodnight's rest.
Warwick sauntered in noiselessly and looked at the cleaned up area, wondering why she would waste precious time to clean. However, the tears on her face told him that she was trying to remain in control of herself, a trait that he lacked at times, but could understand. Closing the door behind him gently, he was finally alone with her, his animal urges venturing forth in his mind as he sat down across from her. But he held back from spooking her further as she had her legs pulled up against her, with her arms wrapped around them. The yellow star light adding to the abject sadness he read in her body language, and into the fear he could still smell on her.
"Are we going to survive?" A question that made him cock his head, a question that had always presented itself to him, but not with another included in the picture. "Depends on if we can repower the transporters." Soraka nodded and kept her eyes closed, her body trembling like a leaf caught in the wind, her cries finally spilling out as she broke down before him, not caring any longer about keeping her emotions being all bottled up, letting loose her own fear, anger, sadness, hatred and pain in all large squall that lasted until she felt hands pull her in towards a hairy chest, that turned her sobbing into whimpering as she wiped her tears on his fur. Being held felt nice, to actually have Warwick of all people do it was a mixture of pain and relief, as it felt like the first time she had been trying to heal him after the men he hired were trying to kill him. And the ruse she fell for made her mortal, causing her to curse those that had evil in their hearts, to heal the sick and protect the innocent from such harm.
Warwick was a beast that now hunted those that hunted others and preyed on the less fortunate, but it was a rumor that she had heard a few times.. So why would he harm her if he had changed..? Her head hurting, she stopped thinking about it and closed her eyes listening to his breath, and the way the machinery made soft mechanical sounds in the space around them. It was only after she had fallen asleep did he caress her back gently, feeling her lithe and supple body curled against him made his urges that more eager to tear her to pieces, or to see what she was hiding underneath.. Shaking his head, he banished the thoughts and felt more of a guardian over a treasure he had been given. A treasure that he had tried to shred to pieces numerous times, and yet something always seemed to stop him whenever he was about to kill her once and for all..
The loneliness Soraka felt made her snuggle against his broad chest more, making it almost as if he was a large teddy bear that she could fall asleep with. One that would most likely kill her if given the chance, but it was nice until the truce he called ended and she would have to watch over her shoulder once again. The heat of his body that the chemicals pumped into, with the beating of his heart lulled her into a deep and dreamless state of rest as Warwick watched over, his body needing only to shut down a few times to expel the toxins in his body which he did outside in the hallway away from her. Only to then hold her in his arms once again, if not for anything else, but to remind himself that he wasn't alone now, and that perhaps he could be seen as something more than a killer of men to her..