Shen was left with emotions and worry running through his head as Ahri silently left the briefing room. Perhaps she did not need protecting after all. She had grown powerful for all the wrong reasons. Maybe she does not need a guardian anymore. Or maybe the Wuju Bladesman would carve her into splinters, and she would end up like the chair that Master Yi threw. No. Shen would go to Yi himself. They were old friends. He had to convince him that Ahri had changed, that she was not the savage soul-thirsty beast that she had once been.

"As balance dictates" Shen whispered.

"Heh Heh Heh".

Shen turned around to find the source of the laugh, but he already knew who it belonged to.

"Zed, I trust you heard everything that was said? Always skulking, always hiding, like a sickly spider."

Zed responded." Sometimes being a 'sickly' spider can lead to some pretty interesting listening " His deep raspy voice seemed to speak from all corners of the room.

"You know magic is disallowed within the grounds, and yet you use it in front of the ambassadors and the Senior Summoner."Shen said.

Zed gave a quick laugh. "They only believe what their eyes can see. You always were one for following regulation, and yet it holds you back Shen. I've said this many times and yet you still don't listen"

Shen slowly scanned the dark corners of the room. It was unnatural the way Zed's voice emanated from everywhere.

Shen started to speak. "I have more self-control than you Zed. I may have forgiven you for what you did to our father, but that does not mean you can use you can abuse your power. I want you to leave the Kinkou Order alone and stay out of my affairs."

Zed's voice still emanated. "My powers are what every true ninja should be capable of. Don't you remember the days in the old school? We would spar every day, and yet I could never beat you. But I still respected you and we remained friends. We would race across rooftops in the evening causing chaos for the monks while they meditated. We would sit and stare at father's weapon displays for hours, wishing just one that we could hold them, if only for seconds. You and me Shen, we loved causing havoc and yet you decline the gift of the Shadows."

There was an awkward silence. Shen knew Zed was making noise to cover up what he really wanted to say.

"Zed, I assure you harm will come…"

Zed immediately materialised in front of Shen and his tone became deadly serious.

"If you hurt her I will slaughter you and the rest of your pathetic Kinkou!"

Shen was quite stunned by this outburst. A few seconds later he responded. "Are you blind? I'm trying to protect her. Its Master Yi you should be marking for death not me! You always go too far with your actions. Remember what you did to those assassins? I'm the least likely to harm her. You saw the reactions of the others when she walked in. You should be concerned that…."

Shen did not want to say it but Zed spoke his mind for him.

"You think she is in danger of being harassed, raped? You think people will target her because she is new and….vulnerable."

It was true. Shen was worried about other champions, not just Yi of hurting Ahri. Darius usually kept his brother, Draven in line, but some of the others. Gangplank, Twisted Fate, may try their luck.

Shen turned back to Zed." I don't need your help. This is my responsibility."

"Is it Shen? All the other students at the school mocked me because I could not grasp a sword properly, or went of sulking every time father scolded me. But you and she were my only friends. If I was ever mad or upset would go to the back gardens when the monks were not there and she would always appear, as if she knew I was upset."

Shen remembered this story well and it came flooding back to him in waves of nostalgia.

They were only children, and it was a hot summer evening….