Prologue: The Prophecy
One for the justiciar, as stern as stone.
-Saving Grace-
5000 BE – The Shadow Forest
A fine day to hunt some animals, Dema thought, as she trudged with her band toward the reported warg camp. This particular group of creatures apparently came out of nowhere, first sighted by the border of Myrgel Forest, they were reported by the nearby village as they spotted the wargs travelling south. These wargs drew ever closer to the tribe's camp, and Dema, as a warrior for her tribe, was sent out with her band to fight the oncoming menace.
She recounted her band's many adventures while serving their tribe. Once, she and her band saved a group of villagers fleeing from a tyrannical leader. They begged her to leave their village be, however, as most were content with their leader's iron rule. But upon hearing their stories of the deeds of plunder and rape that the villagers committed while being encouraged by their leader, she and her band immediately set out to confront, and, while not said, behead the cruel leader.
When they reached said village, they demanded that the leader speak to them, giving the guards the choice between compliance and beheading. With Dema's stature, being around 6 feet tall, with bulging muscles and a wickedly long claymore she dubbed 'Headchopper', it was no surprise that the guards let them in to see the unjust leader. When given the choice of penance by serving the village, or beheading, the leader chose the undisclosed coward's option; running away. Needless to say, heads flew, people were slain, the cheers of the enslaved rang, and those who were content cried dismay.
Suddenly, she was back in reality. She scented something; mayhaps blood, or wolf-stench?
"We're close," she hissed to her companions as she instinctively dropped into a hunter's crouch. Although the wargs had a keen sense of smell, those wolfish creatures, usually black, could not discriminate between a hunter's use of animal stench and an actual prey animal. Their eyesight was weak, thus, any form of relevant camouflage was useful against them, and as long as you weren't dressed in bright colors and brilliant accessories, you, the hunter, would not become the hunted. She drew back her bow and took in the scents of the forest, trying to search for some scent that would lead her and her band to their camp.
Suddenly, wargs jumped out of the trees above them, pouncing on the unsuspecting hunters. Dema had not time to be surprised as she, along with her hunters, were pounced upon and hunted like prey.
Cries of agony, sounds of arrows being fired, swords screeching out of scabbards, the rick rick sound of claws entering flesh were taken in as she was pounced upon by a warg. The weight of the warg broke one of her ribs with a sharp 'crack!, and she was knocked to the floor, as she felt the claws of the warg rip into her back, she slipped into a rage, a blood rage, one that she was known for.
Ignoring her catastrophic injuries, she elbowed the warg in the stomach, unsheathed her claymore, and decapitated the horrible creature with a mighty slash. Looking for her next target in the pandemonium, she spotted one of her band crying out from under a strange warg. Leaping towards said warg, she was intercepted by two of the other beasts springing in front of her. The blood of her companions dripping from their mouths made their grisly image even more savage than usual, but through in her rage, however, she neither cared nor was intimidated.
They let out a snarl as she hastily readjusted her trajectory to avoid the claws of the savage creatures. Crashing into the blood-strewn dirt, her weapon knocked to the floor, Dema felt the stabbing pain of claws being stabbed into her shoulder.
Roaring with the fury of a wild animal, she abandoned the prospect of retrieving her weapon and instead smashed the offending creatures in the jaw, knocking the beasts over. Using the time she bought, she picked up Headchopper and decapitated the fallen creatures, savoring the sharp 'shink! 'of the blade chopping off their wolfish heads, all the while yelling "DIE! DIE! DIE!" over the cries of both beast and man.
She spotted her band mates. Most, if not all, were savaged and mauled, lying on the ground while wargs feasted upon them, but some still fought.
"Thank the gods you're alive", one of her hunters, Marius, said, "I don't think we can win this." "Shut up and fight, do you want your family and tribe to suffer these…. mongrels?" Dema replied as she once again leapt into the fray. Dragging one of the wargs by the scruff off of a hunter and gutting it, she said, "If you want to leave, Marius, I'll have to execute you for abandoning your duty", with a light tone of humor in her voice that was generated from the desensitization caused by the blood rage, but completely serious. If the tribe's warriors abandoned their duty now, these wargs could attack other cities. She saw another one of her comrades pinned under a warg, she rushed toward that fallen comrade and clove the creature in two.
"Get up!" she snarled as she extended a hand towards her comrade. It was too late, however. Seeing her comrade not respond, she realized that he was not breathing. Huffing, she set back into the fray.
"Why are these… things, so hard to…. ki…AAH!" Dema heard Marius scream at the end of his sentence. Turning her back for an instant, she saw Marius being devoured alive, his arm in the mouth of one of those creatures, his leg bent in an unnatural way, and Marius himself, moaning, groaning. In the instant she turned back, a warg attempting to leap onto her. Fueled by her grief over her bands near annihilation, she dodged and slashed it, making the warg yelp. Making sure the warg was dead; she turned to the other beasts.
Something was wrong. How could she feel… grief during her blood rage? Suddenly, it dawned upon her. Her blood rage had ended; her injuries and exhaustion had set in. She felt sharp pains in her back, ribs, and skull. She realized that when she slashed that warg, it was a stroke slower than usual. Suddenly, two more wargs were running at her. Pained with her injuries, she spun around… and around… and around…
The wargs didn't die. They were smarter. More observant. They've learned that Dema was a strong opponent, but weakened. She hasn't the strength to move closer to trap the Wargs in her range. Her cracked rib, torn shoulders, and numerous other injuries unfelt during her blood rage slowed her…
Pained her…
Exhausted her…
Suddenly, she collapsed.
How could we have lost this? Dema thought, as she watched the last surviving and fighting companions get mobbed and killed. Wargs are easy, they die easy, they don't take all of my strength during a blood rage to kill. But, as she gazed upon the creatures with hate, it dawned upon her. These aren't ordinary wargs…. Their fur is purple… They're larger than most… The have small spikes protruding out of odd areas…
She collapsed into shock.
Dema awakened during the night, her first thought was, how?
Dema stumbled up and saw her band mates, her brothers and sisters, lying dead on the ground. They stood no chance, she thought, they were taken completely by surprise.
Suddenly, Dema saw a blue light, a marvelous, bright, splendid light. It was no torch, no sun. She dragged herself towards the source, marveling in its luminance and brilliance. As she neared it, she heard a voice in her head.
Come closer.
Seeing no choice, as she was going to bleed to death soon, she dragged herself right up to the small crystal.
Lay your hand on us, Rune Master.
Rune Master? Bewildered, Dema laid her hand onto it, and instantly, she felt like she had disappeared.
Weeks later, a band of strange wargs were terrorizing the nearby villages, yet they were all killed by a coalition of villages. The site of the battle between Dema's band and the Wargs was recorded. The only recorded footprints leading away from the site were Wolf-like.
The Descendants of Dema are Garen and Lux, the Crownguard family.
One for the assassin, who hunts alone.
-Botched Job-
5000 BE – Shadix Plateau
Nox was an assassin, but not just any assassin, he could boast to being the best assassin Runeterra has ever seen. Not that he has, of course, boasting gets people killed. But of course, weakness gets you killed, inebriation gets you killed, love gets you killed, loose ends get you killed, luxury gets you killed, many things got you killed as an assassin.
That's why, as an assassin, as the BEST assassin, Nox did not do or have anything that got him killed. Trained in the slums of Undeli State, Nox learned from his master, Gernie, that weakness had no place in their profession, Nox was taught that weakness, and weakness alone, got assassins killed. But he's dead, ain't he? Nox thought. While he could admit to being taught by the near best, the best also got killed. Weakness, no doubt.
Nox slipped into his meditative trance on the highest cliff of Shadix. It was necessary to return, every once in a while, to harden his resolve.
I was one of the highest in the Order of Assassins.
The Order of Assassins was a widely known and feared group that recruited orphans, slum boys, and hardened criminals, and trained them to become hardened killers; Assassins who felt no remorse, but only pity on those who they were assigned to take out. The Assassins take contracts on people's lives, and when those contracts were finished, collect rewards offered by the assigner.
They're wiped out. And I did it.
While he missed the fellowship, the thrill, the enjoyment, the gold the Order of Assassins rewarded him with for his service, all of those weakened him. The 'Assassins' at the head of the order were fat slobs, too deep in the gold and coin that they were rewarded with, too indulgent in luxury, too inebriated to serve the Order; Hypocrites of the highest order.
And yet the order was a hindrance, fellowship led to betrayal, and the existence of the order was a common knowledge that made constables more aware and our targets sleep with a knife under their pillow.
Assassins weren't allowed to kill one another in a contract. Yet throughout the history of the Order, many have. This was a weakness Nox could not afford. He could not afford having to look out for another hidden enemy while killing.
There was weakness in the Order. I eradicated that weakness by destroying the Order. I made my life, with a challenge, much easier. Yet I must watch. They are still out there. I must always watch.
Nox was hailed as a hero by the commons when he eradicated the Order. Yet the Order wasn't destroyed; it was simply scattered into a million pieces. While the Order will never return to its former glory, scattered assassins still keep in touch with one another, and they all want Nox's blood.
I must watch. I must hear. I must see everywhere. They all know who I am, and one by one, I must slit their throats.
Strength. Only the Strong survive.
With that, Nox traveled to the nearby city of Shadlington. The real reason he was here at the god-forsaken Shadix Plateau was to carry out a contract. A corrupt constable, by the name of Scultz, informed him that one of the Order survived in Shadlington. He came to kill this one person and spit on his corpse. He will not get caught. He must not get caught.
I'll have to slit Scultz's throat afterwards, too.
Careful to not be noticed, Nox climbed the wall of Shadlington. Climbing down the ramparts, Nox donned his hood and traveled to the nearby pub of Drunky's. Curling his nose in apprehension, Nox opened the door. He was immediately greeted by the noise of drunken patrons, harsh voices, slammed pints, and the roar of the local enforcer, the atmosphere of the pub was drunk, cheerful, and disgusting.
Distasteful. Drunken idiots who donate their money to killing themselves.
"Would you like a drink, little boy?" a wench said
"No, no, no... I'm just here to talk with a friend." Nox replied, barely keeping the tone of contempt out of his voice.
Idiotic Slut. You waste your days getting fondled and serving drunken men.
"Suit yourself!" the wench said as she went to respond to a call of "MORE DRINKS!" bellowed from a nearby table full of drunken constables. Behind that, a figure Nox recognized as Scultz gestured. Nox walked over, where he took a seat across from the constable.
"What have you got?" Nox said,
"What seems to have gotten your attention?" Scultz said sarcastically, with a smirk on his face.
"Don't play with me, Scultz; I can gut you like a fish." Nox snarled darkly.
"Now now now, where's the payment you promised me?"
"You'll get it after a job well done."
What I meant to say was; you'll get a knife in the back for your disrespect. Or maybe for just being a scumbag. Or maybe for just being a loose end.
"Fine," Scultz said grumpily, "I've had a hard day's work"
By 'hard day's work', you mean accepting bribes, aiding criminals, overlooking certain 'incidents' you mean?
"Just lead me to my target, I'll give you your just payment after" Nox said.
"I know you well enough to know that you don't lie, Jack."
Jack; My Alias to those who I take care to consult. A foolish name. My original name.
Scultz led Nox to a hidden alleyway. Taking care to make sure the coast was clear, Scultz hissed "This way." Nox figured that Scultz knew of this from his dealings. The amount of gangsters, looters, and pickpockets only confirmed this assertion. Apparently, they all recognized Scultz. Scultz gave a small sack of silver to the burly man who flanked the opening. "You owe me that, too," Scultz hissed in Nox's ear.
You'll find it on your corpse.
As they emerged from the alleyway, Nox's nose rejoiced as the stink of shit, garbage, and filth disappeared from the air. Scultz walked down the neighborhood, and gestured Nox to follow.
"It's the third one on the left," whispered Scultz, "pay up."
"Good," Nox handed Scultz a small bag of gold, "the rest will be given when I've killed my target." Scultz rushed off, muttering to himself about the 'difficulty of obtaining that information'.
Walking to the small wooden fence near his target's house, he proceeded to jump the fence. All that signified his presence was a cloaked shadow and a rickety sound into the night.
Pick the lock and stab. Make it quick, make it painless, and make it silent.
Nox picked the lock. Easy. Civilian models were common knowledge to the Order of the Assassins.
I'm surprised my query is so complacent. Probably living off of old payments from the Order. Then again, he probably should've bought a better lock. Yet another representation of the weakness of the old Order.
Nox entered, tensing, fully expecting to be ambushed. Seeing as there was a figure that resembled a sleeping man in the back, Nox eased and took time to survey the former assassin's house. The house was a large one room. Luxury and ease radiated from every corner. A baton was set to the side of a large dining chair, a large fireplace sat in a corner of a room, and many shelves, adorned with huge plates of gold, badges, trophies, and books.
Did this coward try to run away from his old life?
Disgust welled inside Nox. Here was a perfect representation of weakness. This assassin was a coward, an example of weakness. An example of idiocy, of indulgence, of greed. As Nox tread silently around the room, he read one of the trophies.
Given to Azmodus Bachelor- Chief Investigator of Corrupt Officers
And he now devotes his life to thievery as well? Nox, who was already disgusted, was filled with contempt. Here was a cretin. Here was a man, who was once an assassin, ran away from a dead order, who indulges in needless luxuries, who now devotes his life to stealing from others. Here is a man who is now complacent with his lifestyle, who does not fear the end of a dagger in his heart, and who has forgotten the meaning of the Assassin.
Not bothering to mask his footsteps, he marched up to the bed where the man laid, attempting to make as much noise as possible. Shoving the man on the floor, Nox stomped on his stomach. He wanted this man to face as much pain as possible.
"Wha.. What?" the former assassin muttered as Nox attempted to wake him up. Finally, this man awakes, "Wuh? Who are you?"
"Don't you recognize me..assassin? I am Nox."
"What? Who are you? I'll have you know that I am Azmodus Bachelor, the chief investiga-"
Nox didn't let him say a word more; stabbing him in the eye, Nox let the cretin bleed to death. Tying a sash around his mouth, Nox swiftly left the house. There, a sight greeted him
"Hello, assassin," a familiar voice that brought distaste to his mouth said to him.
"Scultz, and it looks like you brought the whole of the constabulary after me." He recognized some of the men from the Pub.
"Why of course, Jack, I always take precautions. The person you killed was Azmodus Bachelor, the Chief Investigator of Corrupt Officers."
What? But oh, of course, it all makes sense.
"Men, kill this murderer, he has murdered a member of our family of justice!"
Cursing himself silently for trusting an informant's information, Nox sprang up the roof and ran across the rooftops. Arrows flew over him, yet Nox was trained by the best. Unleashing his arsenal of throwing daggers, he dispatched one, two, three, four, five, six constables went down to his throwing knives.
Determining that there were proper odds for him to defend himself, Nox leapt down upon a constable, swiftly stabbing him with his sharpest combat knives. Ducking under the blade of another one, he stabbed the pelvis of the offender. As Scultz turned to run away, Nox swiftly sprinted up to him, stabbed him in the arm, put his elbow around his neck and used him as a shield. Smashing Scultz into an officer, Nox swiftly gutted the dazed constable as he turned to Scultz. It was too late to catch the two that left to inform the whole of the constabulary.
"You thought I would have died against such foolish men, men, who were inebriated and incapable of using the bow and arrow. You, of all people, Scultz, die like an insignificant worm." Nox snarled.
Scultz squirmed in Nox's grasp.
"I will give you once chance to redeem yourself. Tell me the true location of the former assassin, and I will let you live."
I have no intention of that happening
Scultz tried to talk. Nox removed his arm from Scultz's neck.
"Tell me now, or suffer a slow, painful, death." Nox hissed.
"Fine, fine," Scultz gasped, "just let me catch my breath first"
Nox cut a small amount of flesh from Scultz's finger and shoved it down his throat.
"Wrong answer," Nox said.
Scultz was crying.
"Don't kill me, don't kill me please! Your assassin lives next to the general store, just please let me live!" Scultz cried.
"You had your chance," Nox said coldly as he sent a blade plunging towards Scultz's eye. He will die a slow death for betraying an assassin. He had no remorse, no pity for the insignificant wretch.
Leaving the scene of the massacre behind, Nox traveled towards the general store, where he would finally find his query. In his haste, he chose not to be concerned about the watchers looking for him; he'll kill the assassin and run away, it will be easy to escape constables.
While swerving into alleyways, climbing onto rooftops, climbing off of rooftops, getting cornered by gangsters, stabbing said gangsters in the eye, running away from angry looters, and asking directions from a friendly strange man, Nox finally made his way to the home of his query.
Reasserting his stealthy composure, Nox made towards the garden door of his query.
One of the last of the Order… Soon, I will be free from their shadow.
Traveling inside, Nox picked the lock with relative ease. This was most definitely the hideout of one of the former assassins. The lock he recognized as a lockbox lock common inside the Order of the Assassins. It was forbidden to try to pick these locks, but Nox, along with many others, broke this rule.
Every speck of information is more strength. The Order would want us to be weaker, keep secrets from us…
It seems the assassin had been expecting Nox. But then again, Nox had been expecting the assassin. Their Daggers met in a loud 'clash!' Nox, with a wordless snarl, tried to kick the assassin in the stomach. This was clearly an seasoned killer, however, as the assassin swiftly dodged the oncoming kick and swung his dagger towards his eye. Not falling for his old trick of stabbing the eye, however, Nox ducked, and instead the dagger shaved off some of his hair.
And yet the Order trained us well, but not well enough to stop weakness.
Swiftly, Nox jumped back and threw a knife at his foe. His foe, with equal lightning reflexes, dodged it swiftly. Before Nox had time to react, Nox was pinned to the ground by his query.
Fear coursed through his body as I had him in the same position I was. I killed him without hesitation. Now, fates are reversed, yet, he does not kill me.
"Who are you?" The harsh voice of the assassin rang in his ear.
Seeing no reason for secrecy, as he was beaten, Nox said, "I am Nox."
To his surprise, the man who bested him smiled. "Nox!" he said, "You didn't know who you was robbing, did you?"
A revelation, "Gernie? Didn't I kill you?"
"I know how to avoid the stab in the eye trick, youngster," Gernie said, maintaining his tight hold on his chest, "but you, setting about to eradicate all of the order, did you?"
Humor me, old man. You were a tie, you were my mentor, and you know everything I know.
"Kill me now, old man, I am beaten, I am weak."
Suddenly, the smile disappeared, "Kill you?" the pressing on his chest weakened for one second, "I can't kill my old appren-"
In a second, Nox used his free arm to grab a a dagger from his belt. Nox stabbed his old mentor. He stabbed him again. He stabbed his eye. He then stabbed his heart. All in quick succession.
"I made that move myself, old man."
Fool. You actually thought I would hold a tie, any tie, to you anymore? Your fellowship still blinds you to weakness, and I, punish you for it.
While murdering his old mentor, Nox was unaware of the group of constables about to barge in. Nox investigated his old mentor's home. Seeing something catch his eye; a purple stone. A stone that shown with a bright luminance. The color was unnatural; no known crystal shimmered like this one did. In an instant of uncharacteristic greed, Nox snatched up the crystal.
You have come, like I have known you would.
Surprised, Nox barely had time to register that he heard a stone talk to him when a large crashing sound ensued from downstairs. The door was kicked down. The Constables were here. Cursing, Nox snatched up the crystal and threw it at one, surprised; the constable who was in the way of the crystal was knocked over.
Nox unsheathed both of his knives, while the constables, while fearful, attempted to surround the seasoned assassin. In an underhanded fashion, Nox spun out his cloak and threw his last four knives and four of the five remaining swordsmen down. With lightning speed, Nox stabbed the last constable. Panting, Nox picked up the Crystal.
Your time here is done, assassin. Join us, it is your destiny.
"I rely on no machination, neither crystal nor man!" Nox snarled.
Then your destiny will remain unfulfilled.
"I choose my own destiny, crystal!" Nox hissed as he rushed outside. Encumbered with the weight of a large object in his hand, Nox made to escape the constables. Yet, he was not fast enough. With the weight of a large object in his hand, he could barely escape one of the arrows, let alone the 5 arrows he was aimed at by.
You will not escape. You cannot, unless you give yourself to us.
"Fine!" Nox attempted to drop the crystal, yet it remained glued to his hand. "What sorcery is this?" Now was shot by another arrow in the shoulder. Searing pain gripped him, and yet the same strange voice rang clear in his mind.
You will not escape. You cannot, unless you give yourself to us, Rune Master
Nox gave into the voice. He submitted his consciousness to the crystal. He felt like he disappeared.
A strange murderer broke into a well-known constable's house, murdered him, then proceeded to murder nine of the constables sent to arrest him under the advice of Constable Scultz, who was found white from blood loss with his eye stabbed out. Upon retreating from the scene, the murderer moved on to break into the house of a senior citizen in town. The citizen put up a fight, but ultimately died. The murderer was last seen with a large purple crystal and disappeared little before being apprehended by the constables.
The descendent of Nox is Talon.
One for the Guru, as spiritual as home.
-Family Evils-
5000 BE – Myrgel Forest
Io liked Myrgel. Indeed.
Myrgel fun. Much herb, much plant, much creature, many squirrel and friend animal.
Yet ghost of war in Myrgel.
Ghost of war everywhere, feel it in roots, feel it in tree, feel it in fox. Feel it everywhere in Myrgel. Feel it everywhere in Runeland, yet Myrgel most.
Io not very happy about ghost of war.
Squirrel talk to Io all the time. Why Io speak this? Why Io talk this way? Is Myrgel. Impact of death in Myrgel. Ripping of Family, destruction of druidism, Shamanism discontinue. No more shaman humans. No nature connection. No good karma come from Myrgel no more.
Yet Io still live in Myrgel, Myrgel need help you see?
Many people still in Myrgel. Food Fresh. Farm Good. Animal, such as warg and wolf and southern gigantic poro no hurt people. People no hurt animal. Good life.
Yet I see fluctuation. Someday, people get attack by purple poro. Someday, tribeman come and attack purple warg. Intersection with Shadow Forest people problematic.
Shadow of War corrupt the creature, corrupt the Poro, and make people uneasy. Yet not recent war. Long recurring evil. Yet first time i see purple warg attack tribeman. Make Io…. Uneasy.
But most day it peaceful days, harmony with squirrel, harmony with poro, harmony with all animals in forest. I become guru, healer, female hermit for the tribe people live in this area. No fight, no corrupt. No unlawful exploitation of nature's animals, peoples, resources, trees, squirrels, poros, chipmunks…
Last Dryad on earth. Problematic. Most male dryad dead. Die to Poro mating fever. Hormones unattractive. Female Dryad no attract Poro attention. Yet extermination of Poro was suggest by last Male Dryad. We Female say 'No exterminate no giant southern Poro'. Yet species dying out all the same. Tried mating with humans. Hormones incompatible. Pity. Tried mating with squirrel. Squirrel hatch from Nut. mating with Poro. Most too scared, I too scared too, no try.
Today Ordinary day. Look Ordinary at least. Look at herb store. Low on Poison Ivy (for discourage pesky rabbit from eating herb. stupid silly rabbit) Low on Honeysuckle. )Soothe throat of injured squirrel and loud human). Low on Bee Juice. Need to find new nest to harvest.
I smell air outside. Much fresh air in Myrgel, but I smell deeper. Some corrupt. Think of many tribeman attack pack of purple warg leave Myrgel. Very Concerned. Abandon task of collect herb and go locate source of corruption. I walk on green floor. I smell it. Smells like Myrgel. Yet Myrgel smell like shadow of war. No help. Don't know why no remember . Yet ground provide clue all the same.
Ground is more purple. Could just be offset of natural evil demon Lulu. Perhaps she turning animal purple. Could question. She like purple. No nevermind. Already did. She tried turning me into squirrel. Didn't go well.
Travel farther and farther, ground more purple and more purple. Stumble upon squirrel. I say "HI MEIN SQUIRRELY FRIEND" to it.
It doesn't reply?
All squirrel reply to Io. But no ordinary squirrel. It has horn on its temple. It has horn in it arm. It has no nuts, most importantly, squirrel always need nut. They find nut, fertilize, and die.
The squirrel let out a screech. It say, "mistress Io you need to come here and look at this thing."
I say "Io will come with you, squirrel friend, I will go as fast as a Poro during mating season!"
But too late I see squirrel is purple.
Suddenly, Squirrel leap upon me like it on mating fever. I let it tickle me on the back for a few before I hit it with my magical stick.
Smells like… purple.
No. No think of purple. Purple give me nightmares, bad… bad nightmares. Think of sunshine. Purple flowers! NO! NO PURPLE FLOWERS. Think of the Poros, of the magical squirrels… Unicorns…
YES
Unicorn! Unicorn know all. Yesterday I talk to unicorn, I ask her what my greatest fear was, she was like: 'poros and purple duuuuude'.
NO NO NO PURPLE.
Find what purple is, where it come from. Io does this for Myrgel. Myrgel home of lovely ecosystem full of trees, bushes, squirrels, poison ivy, Poros, etc. talk to magical unicorn man Charlie, he last druid of man. I face the human village of Dun Moshro, but, to Io surprise, I face wrong way.
Io very concerned. Dryad had harmony with nature, natural compass always knew where to face when they knew destination.
No matter. Face correct way now.
…
Yes. Trot towards northwest, break through the magical squirrel hives then head straight north for talk with Lulu. Then we travel TOGETHER to find Charlie, Unicorn man in Dun Moshro. I trot and I trot, the land becoming more and more purple as I go. I stumble upon Lulu who was taking a walk wither her purple friend Pix.
"HI LULU" I say as I whack her in face with stick. Not intended
She no care. She probably immune to magic stick imbued with the blood of innocent rabbits.
"HI IO" she says as she whacks me with her stick. Smells like purple. Cookies.
Formalities over with the stick trading. I explain to lulu quest of find purple.
"I DIDN'T I DIDN'T I DIDN'T I DIDN'T I DIDN'T I DIDN'T I DIDN'T I DIDN'T TURN THEM PURPLE!" She yelled. "but it iisss a nice tooouch." She adds with a smile.
"Io never said you did."
"But you accused me about twelve hours ago"
Io impressed. Lulu timekeeping abilities commendable. I thought I did that two years ago.
"Ghost of war stronger, yes?" Io said.
"OH YEAH, BUT I CALL THAT PURPLE, VIOLET," she yelled, "PURPLE IS A SWEET LIGHT COLOR THAT ONLY COLORS MYRGEL'S ANIMALS WHEN I SMACK THEM WITH MY STICK, WHILE VIOLET IS A DARK COLOR THAT IS CAUSED BY THE LOSS OF SPIRITUAL ENERGY THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE BY THE OLD TITAN RUNE"
Io couldn't believe it.
The fucking midget knew all along.
Whatever. She trotted back into her forest.
She solve her own problem with her own solution. Io make peace and natural butterflies with Violet. Everybody should be happy and solved.
But whether this meant calling out 'HERE VIOLET VIOLET VIOLET' or searching for the spirit of war was unknown to Io.
She communicate with tree, stone, cloud, sun, and poro.
The Tree sees squirrel, poro, butterfly, rabbit, and smaller plant like poison ivy and ivy plant. Tree spots dark energy gathering in the earth around it. Tree is concerned for the natural balance of environment.
Stone see earth beginning to violet. Roots begin to shrivel. Looks like land is corrupted. Stone is stupid; he cannot think.
The cloud sees from above. Canopies are shriveling, the rapid dissemination of the forest has begun with the very life of it, the plants.
The Sun sees white, yet violet is present at one fraction of its sight.
The Poro sees purple. It sees a butterfly. It eats it. The Poro grows terrifying wings and antennae.
No! Io say as she get back in consciousness. But now, she see black. Not pitch. Small shade of purplish. Myrgel tree dead. All Creatures corrupted. Spikes protruding. They all hostile. They descend on Io.
Io, with a heavy heart, defend herself with a flourish. She conjure magical shield of leaves and uses the omnipresent mana in the air to silence a poro, killing it. The creatures smash against the shield of leaves as Io calls down the stars to disintegrate her attackers, yet they didn't die. Io turned and ran, galloping towards the village, calling for help.
"HELP! PORO ATTACKING! ALL ANIMAL ATTACKING!" She yells out in dismay.
"LOOK! IT'S THE WITCH THAT CORRUPTED THE FOREST!" one of the townspeople who saw her yelled.
He was purple… Humans could be corrupted?
The forest. The animals. The fauna. The ecosystem. Even the earth itself. All corrupted. All used up. All gone. Only thing that remains is violet.
"GET HER!" Already, one yell of a confused madman turns half the population against her. The people of Dun Moshro already turned against her, forgetting decades of service to the people and for the forest.
Io turns and runs.
And runs
And Runs.
Her forest… was no more.
There was no hope, violet corruption would take over the whole of Runeland. It certainly took over Myrgel, and the same grisly fate of Myrgel would be shared among all of Runeland.
There is always hope, Io.
Who? Great god-pretender?
Io spots a green crystal embedded on the ground. The area around it is pure, with frolicking squirrels and fauna around it. A grove, untouched by the madness of the Ghost of War
Take the Crystal, Rune Master. You can save all Runeterra from Myrgel. Just take the crystal. Put your hand on it.
Myrgel cannot be helped, Io realizes, as she looked around at the destruction and doom from beyond the green crystal.
Without a second's longer hesitation, Io takes the crystal in hand.
She feels like she has disappeared.
Myrgel falls to the same corruption that was initially seen in the Shadow Forest. It is no longer safe to enter it's once green trees. Corrupted animals and creatures litter the remains of the forest, while the once splendorous trees and plants are shriveled and decayed.
One for the traitor, whose path is unknown.
-Corruption-
5001 BE – Dun Dobol (near the Myrgel Forest)
Baru Stormstring, direct descendent of the first clan chieftain of Dun Dobol, was adored and fawned on by every woman in the village. Not long ago, Baru was chosen by his father to join Dun Moshro and Macia in attacking the strangely rampant wargs,
What a marvelous time that seemed like then, wenches to plunder, women to charm, and glory, honor, and adventure were aplenty.
And now, it's all gone to shit.
Not too long ago, the forest of Myrgel fell to the corruption eventually known as the Violet Spread, a virulent corruption that apparently 'changed' those that were touched.
The village lives in fear, my father grows increasingly paranoid, and my mother grows increasingly distant. And now, I have to accept the responsibility of delegating defenses and training the local peasants.
But at least I have Vo, my best friend in all things, my childhood brother, my bosom brother, who I would trust in all things.
With the increasing amount of responsibility bestowed upon Baru, stress was taking its toll on his mind. He was growing increasingly snappier. Yet Baru did always enjoy walks…
"Hey, Vo!" Baru called over from the smithy, "want to go out for a walk later?"
"Sure!" Vo replied.
Vo was neither popular nor of any relevant birth, but he was untouched and unbothered by this, however, as he was friends with one who was popular and of royal birth. He enjoyed being in the backstage while simultaneously enjoying some of the popularity gained from being in the front.
Yet something changed when the forest was corrupted. He was a lot more reclusive and quick to anger. The villagers were quick to chastise him on this fact, but Vo felt like his insides were being… manipulated… his emotions being toyed with. A walk would clear out this stress.
Baru lets me do everything with him. I'm lucky to have such a good friend.
As the two childhood friends walked, they talked about the 'old times', where everything was, as thought by them, fun and games…
Baru let me train alongside him, yet I can't fight as well as him…
The two childhood friends talked about their old antics and pranks that they used to commit in the village. They have had such good times together.
Baru made the Mistress teach me, as well as him, proper manners, yet I am not as 'refined' as he is…
The two childhood friend's conversation turns bitter as they talk about recent, stressful events. Events including the local Dryad disappearing, the forest being corrupted, and the new responsibilities bestowed upon them.
Baru got all the pretty women in the village, while I got the leftovers, the skin of the fruit…
The two childhood friend's conversation turns angry as Vo starts accusing Baru of showing off. Baru, unused to his friend being so angry and sensitive, reacts with surprise rather than anger.
Why can't I be him?
Vo just wanted to smack Baru, smack him in the face and sink his fist into his…
"Look!" Baru exclaimed suddenly. All anger forgotten, and instead replaced with vain curiosity, Vo turned to where Baru was pointing.
A shimmering red crystal lay on the floor, brilliant and sparkling. Vo wanted to touch it and take it for himself, Baru suddenly spoke up.
"Can you hear….that voice?" Baru said with an astonished note in his voice. Surprised and not just a little bit jealous, Vo replied, "Stop showing off you twat, haven't you done enough to impress everyone in the village? Everyone thinks you're the hero, and I just have the shavings from your woodpile." Baru, with hurt in his voice, said, "I'm not making it up Vo, it's telling me to… send you away… but I won't send you away… promi-"
Suddenly, a warg came out of nowhere, pouncing on Baru with a hungry expression on its monstrous face. Baru, screaming, attempted to shove the Warg off it. Vo, with only a curious, unconcerned expression on his face, snarled, over the cries of his old friend, "How did you fight with that band of heroes when all you can do is wet your pants and slap the face of the monster. How does it feel to rely on me to help you for once?"
Help your friend.
Suddenly, a voice filled his mind, a commanding, a stern, a very regal voice.
TAKE THE CRYSTAL FOR YOURSELF.
Another voice entered his head, this once echoing, commanding, sinister.
YOU DESERVE A TASTE OF COMMAND, OF SUPERIORITY, OF LEVERAGE OVER YOUR FRIEND.
Baru has never felt that over you. Help him achieve his destiny.
But Vo wasn't listening. He watched the warg maul Baru into tiny pieces, an interested glint in his eye.
What a strange and marvelous creature… such dexterity, and it has done me the great service of ridding me of my oppressor.
Baru stopped moaning, he was dead. The warg turned to him with a hungry glint in his eye, but with Vo's hand on the sticky chest fur of the Warg, the glint disappeared and the Warg ran off.
You have betrayed your friend. Do not touch us
CLAIM YOUR JUST REWARD. TAKE THE STONE. SUBMIT YOURSELF TO IT.
You have betrayed your friend. Do not touch us
CLAIM YOUR JUST REWARD. TAKE THE STONE. SUBMIT YOURSELF TO IT.
Vo decided.
He took the stone.
He claimed his just reward.
The sinister voice in his head cackled.
EXCELLENT.
He felt like he disappeared
Days later, the villagers discovered the body of Baru Stormsing, mauled, by what apparently was a warg. Two pairs of tracks led up to the area where Baru was attacked, and none led anywhere else. Vo was assumed to have been taken away by the same warg that killed Baru.
One for the justiciar, as stern as stone.
One for the assassin, who hunts alone.
One for the Guru, as spiritual as home.
One for the traitor, whose path is unknown.
And the last for the hero, who destiny lays unsewn
RUNESTONE