Yay! Kaaz makes his first appearance with a name!
The training grounds of the Fields of Justice are a huge, imposing, terrible, and overall, harsh place. There are sections upon sections of archery targets, each more complex and challenging than the last; spinning vortexes of magic made to test champion's mana regeneration; tall, heavy-set men with huge, thick blades for sparring. The entire training ground stretches a good ten miles at least – no one knows exactly how big they are. Either way, you have to be very skilled, very crafty, or simply no the right people in order to find your way around the place. Kaaz was none of these.
In the first three days of his time as a summoner, the number one thing Kaaz had decided to do was learn the lay of the land by heart. He still hadn't succeeded in doing this – the League was a very big, very powerful place that hosted acres of land – but he'd gotten close. He could tell someone where the Noxian champions' homes were kept, or where best to find a specific person, or how to get to the League Judgement center. Granted, no one tended to ask him questions – he was, after all, only ten.
Kaaz pulled his summoner cloak further over his face, hiding light brown eyes and messy, darker brown hair. He didn't like showing his face around the League. It was nothing personal, but he enjoyed staying anonymous. Long shadows, stretching like snakes on warm rocks, threatened to swallow the torches lighting his way through the training grounds as the sun set. He wasn't worried. He knew the way to his destination well.
After a good five-minute walk in silence, a new sound began to ring through the air. It was quiet at first, then grew as he approached – the sound of steel on steel and fierce war cries as a battle commenced. He turned the corner to see Kayle, in full armor with her huge blade, locked in fierce combat with a short, stocky man in chainmail with a thick steel blade, who seemed very much to be regretting his decision to fight her. Kaaz leaned against the fencing to the arena, empty but for the two of them and an onlooking guard, and watched in silence.
The two had been locked by their blades, Kayle bringing hers down towards his face while he kept his up in a weak attempt at blocking. Finally he pushed her off, sending her reeling back through the air, wings curved powerfully as she regained her balance. She let out a cry of fury. "Why won't you fight harder? Why are you not stronger?"
She lunged at him from the air, and Kaaz thought he actually heard him whimper. With each swing of her blade, she spoke a word - "Why- can't- you- beat- me?"
Barely blocking her violent blows, he finally managed a counterstrike, only to meet her blade mid-strike and have it knocked from his hands, swinging through the air and clattering behind Kayle like a discarded toy. He fell to his knees and covered his face with his hands.
"Argh!" She screamed, stabbing her blade into the grass. "Weak. How am I supposed to learn anything from this?"
"I think you can learn much from this battle," Kaaz spoke up finally, hearing his own young, childish voice ring in the chill air. Night had set by now.
She spun in the air, wings flapping to keep balance, and Kaaz knew that underneath her helm, her eyes were burning into his with ferocity. "Who goes there?"
"Just a summoner," he replied lightly. "You seem troubled."
She flapped over to him on light wings, landing gently on the other side of the fence and removing her helm. She flipped her dirty blonde hair, beautiful eyes glittering, and looked down at him. "If you're a summoner, as you say, then you'll know of the fight I hold with my fallen sister. She has no right to walk this land, or any other, let alone the right to fight in this League. I practice, I train, for the day when I will find her here, and cut her down."
"And these guards don't satisfy your need for bloodshed?"
Her stunning face hardened into a look of anger. "Are you claiming my actions are unjust? Are you saying I have no right to destroy the evil my sister has become?"
"I am saying, simply, that your quest has become blinded by the light of fury and a cold grudge."
She leaned forward over the fence and squinted at him. "You're a young one to use such words. What makes you think you have the right to give this advice?"
He frowned slightly, looking away for a moment. "I believe that this League has become tainted in recent days. All of the champions have been changed by their experiences here. I wish to right the wrongs that have been committed."
"Again, you are young. Much to young to have such a quest. You interest me, summoner. What is your name?"
He waved his hand and looked down again. "Unimportant. You drive me away from our topic of conversation."
Kayle laughed. "A clever one, too! Alright boy, I won't press. Now what makes you think I'm being to zealous?"
"Is the destruction of a guard's self-esteem the way to your success?" They both glanced back at her sparring partner to see him outside of the arena, wounds and bruises being treated by the guard that had been watching earlier. He looked shaken.
"No, I suppose not," the Judicator relented with a sigh. "What do you suggest I do, then?"
"You said earlier that nothing could be learned from this battle. I beg to differ. You learned what your own power can do to the innocent, and what your lust for revenge can cause. You have learned the negatives of your quest."
She turned to look at her blade, stuck in the grass in the middle of the arena, and then back at him, a puzzled frown on her face. "It's true, I suppose. You're reasoning has beaten me, summoner."
"You want to vanquish the evil taint that your sister has become. I have nothing against this. But think, again, what others can do to support your quest, instead of focusing so much on the battle."
She narrowed her eyes and leaned down, looking at him with a fierce, scrutinizing stare. "Wise words for one so young... I'd like to know what you've seen to make yourself this way. But," she straightened up. "Be pleased to know that you've succeeded in this errand. I have much to think about because of you. I suppose you won't accept a spar?"
He smiled at her from beneath his hood. "As you said before, I am much too young. My weapon is my words."
"And your armor, so it seems, is your age," she laughed, putting on her helmet, and lighting across the field to retrieve her blade. "I suppose now I will escort this fine swordsman to the infirmary. But don't think I won't be keeping an eye on you, summoner. You're an interesting one. Farewell, and a good night to you."
Kaaz watched as Kayle flew across the field and over the fence, looping one armored arm around the fighter's and helping him up, her and the other guard leading him slowly back to the infirmary. He smiled. She's a wise one, and brave too. I wonder what will become of her quest.
His smile slid slowly away. I wonder what will become of mine.
Hope you liked it :)