AN: Y'know I tried to write something similar (to an extent) at one point and it was rushed and written rather poorly, so I wiped that disgrace off of the face of existence and will either:

a.) Continue this one if it gets good reception.

b.) Make a new one similar in concept to the original one, just not written like garbage.

c.) Both, because I'm bound to have too much time on my hands in the coming months.

Anyway, without further adieu, I present "In the Shadow of Remnant."

Chapter 1: Prologue

"Almost complete.."

Zed, the shadow ninja, had been sitting and watching the circular arrangement slowly form over the last few hours, maintaining an otherworldly glow. He had hoped it would assemble itself faster.

The red crystals resting on the ceiling, had their fiery power coupled with the shadow energy harnessed by Zed himself. Once the crystals had drawn enough power, he could use it to possibly strengthen his technique and improve his students. Perhaps create some sort of weapon. God knows his army needed it.

The Order of Shadow's recent victory over sea-faring Noxian forces near Ionia's southern island was pyrrhic one. Noxia had many ships and an even greater number of warriors, but the war-driven fools were lead into a trap. The shadow ninjas were able to get very close undetected by using the nearby cliffs, and boarded the Noxian ships. In such close quarters and clustered spaces, the Noxians were unable to properly wield their hefty weapons, leaving the ninjas at an advantage. The ships never made it to shore, and Noxia's famed executioner Draven was coming home with more than a few personally given scars. That egotistical glory-hog wouldn't be returning to combat anytime soon. However, Zed had lost most of his best students in the fighting to preserve that island, and no one thanked him. They never did.

This left him with nothing but some of his newest students, and even fewer mentors to teach them.

The Order needed this crystal.

Sounds of combat came to be heard from outside. Zed had expected some resistance, due to the unexpectedly large amount of forest that had been affected by the energy vacuum. The life essence would of course return to the forest after the process was complete, and the ninjas would take their leave. The Shadow Order had been created to preserve Ionia, after all, not destroy it. Although he supposed whoever it was currently mopping the floor with his students wouldn't listen to his reasoning.

He sighed, and rose to his feet. The attackers would die for interfering with his Order, it was the only way to be sure of success.

Just like the rest.


Zed had been waiting in the shadows for less than a minute before the vastayan entered the small temple. It was the rebel, Xayah. But then, who was still beating on the guards outside?

No matter. I will kill her quickly, and then eliminate the unknown.

Zed silently leapt from the shadows, his forearm blade extended across his left arm. He would end it with one strike, impaling her through the neck. Xayah was more talented than he gave her credit for, however.

Her animalistic senses heard whistling blade through the air, and she jumped haphazardly to the right, as Zed's blade impaled itself into the ground. Undisturbed by Xayah's reaction, he continued the flow of motion, and capitalized on Xayah's surprised state by landing a jumping kick to her stomach.

Zed jumped at her again, but the bird-woman recovered quickly and rebounded off the wall, dodging the second of his strikes and throwing an attack of her own with razor sharp feathers. Zed again was a step ahead, shadow switching out of the way, and preparing his defense. They were at range now, meaning the vastayan had an advantage.

She threw three feathers with one swoop of her hand, which Zed expertly deflected. A cracking noise made them both glance upwards.

One of the deflected feathers had impaled itself in the crystal, damaging it.

Zed audibly growled. He wouldn't lose the artifact, not after all the work he'd been through to get here!

Both of his arm blades extended, and his fists clenched; full of killing intent. There would be no more games.

He launched upon her swiping blow after blow, performing short stabs towards her midsection, forcing her to block and derailing her aim. It was only a matter of time before he landed a killing blow.

Xayah again attempted to strike him off of the wall, but Zed had predicted the move, slashing at the rock wall as she jumped, causing her to land painfully and prone.
Now, she is finished.

A creeping laugh echoed throughout the room as Zed jumped high into the air, before splitting into three shadows, and marking the now vulnerable Xayah for death. Many knew about the Master's shadows, but few had lived to tell about it, and none survived twice.

The shadows leapt down from the stone pillars simultaneously; descending like death itself upon the Vasatyan, but she had one last trick up her sleeve.

Spraying all of her feathers in an upwards explosion, Zed shifted to the right to dodge the attack, forcing him to land a concussive strike with his armored shoulder. There was a small crack, and her body gave as he made contact. She was injured, and severely.

Shaving off what feathers had impaled themselves into his armor, he made one final dash towards the vulnerable woman, just as a second bird-man entered. This new enemy also rushed towards Xayah, but it did not matter. Zed would be on her in moments.

At least, that is what Zed thought, until magic began to glow from Xayah's palm.

Zed spared a glance upward, and was enraged by what he saw.

She wasn't trying to kill me with her attack, she was aiming for the crystal!

The temple began to crumble as the magic from within blasted apart, destroying the structure and sending it crashing down. Stone was falling from the ceiling, and Zed knew the battle had been lost.

As he entered the shadow realm to avoid escape, a falling chunk of rock made brutal contact with his breastplate, denting and smashing the metal, along with a portion of his chest underneath it. Then there was blackness, as he entered the shadows.

But he did not return to the world. He sat floating, watching as the fiery magic consumed the smoke-like dimension around him. Zed had time only to question for a moment as he lost consciousness.

END CHAPTER

AN: Obviously this is just the prologue, so there isn't a whole lot here. (Scene was maybe a little bit familiar?) Mainly it's just expository information, and displaying Zed as more of a Chaotic Good rather than the pure evil villain that Riot shows him as. (Seriously, he doesn't seem that bad if you read more of the lore.)

Hopefully the fight scene was good enough, I need to just write more of them and get feedback, and hopefully they will improve with time. It wasn't that bad, right?

As always, thanks for reading, and comments are always welcome, and I encourage you to leave crisitism to help me improve as well.

The WovenMantis, signing off.