The Yordle Summoner's Pilgrimage
Chapter 1 - Seeking Myself
Within the wide, spacious hall of the dark cloister, my heart filled with dread as the match ended. The ominous blue light that glowed within our summoner's orbs faded away as the windows in the far distance had their shutters thrown open by magic, and the midday light of the sun flew inward, consuming the darkness that held us in for about an hour. It did little to ease my fears. Gazing up at the faces of my fellow Adjudicators, I could feel the relentless stings of disappointment and anger from them, as I lamented at my lack of skill demonstrated in the Fields of Justice just moments ago. The summoners of the opposing team stood stately, but I could feel the arrogant pride swelling from within a number of them. At a pedestal in the distance, a summoner of the High Council stood, with emissaries from Zaun and Piltover standing on opposing sides of him. The Piltoverites seemed saddened by the loss that they had incurred in this very match.
"So it shall be upheaved," the High Councilor's voice boomed, augmented by his sorcery. This particular summoner wore a thick, flowing slate-blue garment, gilded with golden stripes. The summoner was middle-aged, with grey streaks in his trimmed hair and beard. He looked to be a man of boundless, but controllable energy. "As per the settlements of both parties, that the sale of Shimmer not be regulated by the ruling party of Zaun. Piltover will not force an embargo on stocks of the chemical within its city walls. The summoners seen before you have fought hard to bring you this outcome. Both parties must accept this predicament."
"Zaun humbly states its predicament." one of the emissaries from Zaun declared, his gold tooth glinting as he smirked. His gaudy clothes and jewelled rings spoke much of where he got his wealth from.
"Piltover humbly states its predicament." so said also by an emissary from Piltover, his manner of dress modest. Nothing stood out for this man, aside from the hextech gadget that was holstered by his waist.
"This matter is now settled. Adjudicators, you are dismissed."
Immediately, as we filed out of the cloister and into a set of double-doors to our right, I was shoved aside by my team, fuming as I let them down. The opposing team of summoners laughed haughtily amongst themselves as they went out, completely ignoring the yordle that was just now shoved aside. Being last to leave, I looked back at the pedestal. The High Councilor and the emissaries were gone.
"Come now, Ralko, cheer up. It was just a silly little match." Avon said as he sat next to me at a table in the institute cafeteria, sulking as I hid my head in my arms. "Disputes like these pop up all the time. They don't really warrant as much a change compared to ones from Demacia and Noxus."
I said nothing. I wasn't really in the mood for a pep talk.
"I think we should just leave him for now. He's is taking this match pretty hard." Milos said, sitting opposite from Avon.
"No way. He'll probably go insane if we leave him alone."
I sighed.
"I'll be fine." I sounded like a muffled, sad donkey. I felt a hand pet me on my furry white head.
"Get well soon, Ralko." Milos said. I imagined him smiling as he did that. "You'll win a match soon enough. Your losses won't be a big deal once you get into more of them." I heard both of them get up from their seats.
"I'm really sorry about this, man." I heard Avon clasp his hands together in apology. "Sinful Succulence just made their new batch of Kayle rolls and I really wanted to try one before they run out again. Do you want me to get you one?"
"Avon... it's one per person only."
"Dammit!"
"No, it's alright." I turned my head, still lying on the cold, marble surface of the table, smiling weakly at the summoner's brown messy-haired face. "Thanks anyway."
"Hang tight. We'll be right back!" Avon chirped as he ran off the far corner, with Milos rushing after him, trying to calm him down. I giggled slightly at the spectacle they were making.
From as far back as I could remember, growing up in Bandle City, Avon, Milos, and I have been close childhood friends. They didn't live in the city, but their families travelled a few times each month to trade with us. Avon was originally from Freljord, his family escaping captivity from one of the tribes and seeking refuge in Demacia, where they started a trading business. Avon was always jovial and outspoken, and his magic abilities always showed how wild and reckless he can become if he didn't hold back. Milos hailed from Bilgewater, orphaned at birth and adopted by privateers, who treated him like one of their own. He quickly learned the ropes at being a sailor, and found a very unlikely talent for magic. The crew found his magic very useful, and encouraged him to hone this talent. I remembered, during his visits here, that I'd give him books that I already used, and the next time he was at port, he became a little more efficient than I was at casting spells. I admit I was a little envious of his talent.
Me? Well, though I'm a yordle, I'm not grin-grin goody-two-shoes. My parents were a little wary about my being a cold introvert, and I was always set out to do errands for the house in hopes that I'd mingle with the other yordle kids in the city market. I wasn't very fond of a whole lot of them. Before I met Avon and Milos, the only other person that I spoke to and whom I was interested in was Poppy, but she was often busy being her father's apprentice, given his reputation as the finest smith of Bandle City, so I barely see her, especially since she became the city's ambassador to Demacia. I was happy with only Avon and Milos by my side since then.
It's strange, really, that yordles need constant social contact in order to avoid going insane. Personally, I prefer my social contacts to be minimal. I haven't descended into madness yet, so that might be a good sign.
Speaking of my parents, I pretty much descended along a line of talented magicians. Both my mother and father spent multiple terms teaching at the Royal Academy in Demacia before going back to Bandle City. They were ethical magicians, and condemned necromancy and black magic, instead supporting the advent of hextechnology. I was born knowing how to cast spells, and when I was of age, I went to the academy, in order to control the flow of mana that coursed through me on a daily basis, waiting to be expelled. I met a good deal of other people my age in the Academy, some merely sucking up to me because of my family reputation. I hated it, but I was able to put up with it for a period of time. At one point, during my studies, I even got a glimpse of Luxanna Crownguard, the famed Lady of Luminosity. She was a very stunning young lady, with a smile that hinted at her prankishness, being able to bend and twist light to create illusions that are almost impossible to tell apart from real things. I had a crush on her for a while, but it died as soon as she was conscripted into the Demacian army. She was only 13 at the time. I wondered what was going through her mind, when she was taken from home and didn't show up in school the next day.
Besides the tragedy that had befallen Lux, life in the academy was normal. Bearable, but enjoyable until I was brought to the headmaster's office one day. It wasn't that I was in trouble or anything like that, but apparently one of my professors offered me a recommendation to the Institute of War. I was told it's considered to be an honor to be asked to become a summoner for the League of Legends. I didn't really see it as a big deal. I was studious, but I never felt I was destined for a higher calling. I called Avon and Milos via hextech phone later in the day, and I got quite an earful about how great it is to be a summoner. I relented and in about a week, I began summoner training. To my surprise, Avon and Milos were already there, and the welcome mat was laid out as they gave me a grand tour around the institute. It was there that I met Kayle, who was free for the day to dispense helpful advice.
"You are young in body, summoner, but your mind can attain much more." I remembered her say behind that weird helmet of hers. Apparently, she rarely ever takes it off. "Seek knowledge and insight wherever you may find it, and soon you will grow. In which way you will grow, I can't be certain, but my hope is that you will grow to do great things."
It was advice that I took to mind, thinking about it whenever I went through my training, fixing nexuses and turrets, summoning mindless minions, researching with other novice summoners, and honing my spellcasting. I knew I had potential, so I worked very hard. Soon I found myself a little better than I was before. I was proud of that, but if only I could get better faster... then my first match wouldn't have been such a flop.
It took about a year and a half of novice summoner training when I was promoted to Adjudicator. My mentor, High Councilor van de Berg, knew about the amount of effort I put in to prove myself, and sometimes he'd tell me, during one-on-one conversations with him in his office, that I should slow down for a while.
"I can't do that, sir." I remembered being very adamant with him in our most recent conversation. "I have to keep up with this routine if I want to be on the same level as everyone else."
"But Summoner Ralko," my mentor spoke to me in soft, counselling tone. He was often known for having a roaring bass of a voice when in the company of other summoners. It was intimidating at first, but then my efforts impressed him, and in turn, he respected me, so he often referred to me with my title. "There are times when a young yordle has to put aside his work and take the time to enjoy the finer things in life. I greatly commend your efforts, but I'm concerned that you're being too hard on yourself."
"Sir, you needn't be concerned about me." I smiled at him, happy that he was concerned about me. "If I ever do go overboard, I always have two fellow summoners to keep me in check."
"Ah, you mean Avon and Milos." he chuckled. "Well, I'm glad you have them on your side, even though they do seem a motley duo."
"They're motley, but I keep them in check whenever I can."
"Just... take a break once in a while. It's not going to hurt." he returned a relieved smile at me, though traced with some doubt on the edges. "Promise me this, as your fellow summoner."
"...Alright. Ya got me." I gave up and complied with his wishes. This probably happened a day before my first match. I ended up thinking over it again as I left the cafeteria and wandered the marble halls of the institution, just briefly parting with Avon and Milos moments ago. Various summoners, big and small, short and tall, wearing the same velvety purple hooded garb that I was wearing, passed by me, minding their own business. Aside from League matches, summoners were tasked to doing all sorts of things besides casting spells, repairing magical artifacts, and researching. I knew of summoners who served as neutral emissaries in each of the city-states, conveying important infromation regarding goings-on in the Institute of War using a form of magic known as "telepathy". I also knew of another summoner who served as a director of ingoing and outgoing communications for the Journal of Justice, which has small offices all around Valoran. In a sense, being a summoner is like being a jack-of-all-trades: each summoner had useful traits outside of magical talents.
So, I minded my own business, thinking about that excursion my mentor suggested, when I saw a familiar face... or, what I think is a familiar face, but was actually a familiar suit of armor. Kayle stood there, her wings barely aloft, and her helmet nonexistent, showing her smoothly radiant face, nicely defined by her thin, icy lips, unblemished nose, and gentle eyes, immaculately draped by her golden blond hair. My heart throbbed at the sight of her beauty, but something about it was off, which was saddening. She grimaced at a poster on the wall, and I joined her, wondering what was up. It was a close-up of Morgana's face, her intimidating purple eyes sizzling with magical energy as she voraciously, but seductively bit off the head of a Kayle roll, her fangs showing through her puffed lips, decorated with dark lavender lipstick. There were already bite marks on its left wing. Red and yellow gushed out of the stumps, and a caption next to it stated: "Strawberry and Custard Kayle rolls... Sinfully Succulent".
"Righteously abominable..." Kayle muttered as she had her arms crossed, grimacing straight at her sister's visage, whose advertisement outright hinted at cannibalism.
"But I heard they're pretty good, though." I added nonchalantly. I turned my head to see her staring down at me, giving me that same piercing look. There was a hint of embarrassment in her cheeks when she looked at me like that, so I wasn't intimidated. "What? You should try one if you're curious."
She turned her head away. "I think I'll pass." she said after a slight pause. "What brings you to my presence, summoner?"
"Well..." I scratched the back of my head. I was wondering if she still remembered me, but given how often her mind gets probed by many different summoners at any given time while she goes off to the Fields of Justice, it was a very small chance that she would. To most champions, all summoners looked the same anyway: boring, dark, nameless, and neutral.
"Hmm..." Kayle seemed displeased at my rather long response, but as she continued to look at me, her eyes blinked as if she saw someone vaguely familiar. "Have we met before? I'll have to apologize, given how I work with many summoners on a daily basis, appearances and names do get lost on me."
"Y-yeah... we met before. About a year ago." I smiled a little, feeling relieved that she at least had an idea of who I was. "You don't have to be sorry, I had a hunch that was the case. I should introduce myself first next time."
"There is no need." Kayle smiled back. It made her look very angelic. It had an otherworldly charm to it. She turned, flapping her wings once as she set towards the direction I was going. "I'm going for some tea. Would you be interested in joining me?"
"Uhh... s-sure." I followed as she led the way, mesmerized by her overall beauty. I had to snap out of it, but I couldn't. At this rate, she could be taking me anywhere and I wouldn't have noticed.
"Oh, Summoner Ralko?" that sounded like van de Berg's voice. I shook my head and hazily wondered where I was. Suddenly, I realized we were at the doorway leading to my mentor's office. Kayle was right beside me, puzzled by his reaction. "What brings you here?"
"Oh, you know of him?" Kayle asked.
"Why, yes... he's a student of mine." he gave a welcome smile.
"Oh! Uhh... High Councilor, sir...!" I bowed to him, feeling ashamed. "Was this supposed to be a private meeting? I'm really sorry-"
"Naw, don't be sorry." he stood from his chair, his thick gilded robe flowing downwards, barely skirting the carpeted ground. He walked over to a nearby trolley, where a teapot, some cups and a platter of cakes and desserts were being served. "I asked Kayle if she wanted to come over for a chat, but I presume that she had invited you as well?"
I nodded hesitantly.
"Well, why don't you two have a seat." van de Berg pushed the trolley near his desk. "Help yourself to some tea and cakes."
"Gladly." Kayle strolled over to the left chair, while I took the right, grabbing at the seat and climbing over due to my height. When I got myself seated, I saw Kayle smiling back at me as she poured herself a cup of tea, dropping a cube of sugar in and stirring delicately with one smooth, slender hand as she held the cup on its saucer with the other. She looked to be in a good mood today; a stark contract to the battle-hardened judicator that I usually see when she fought during a match. "What a coincidence, that I've brought you here. Perhaps our meeting has been a good sign."
"Perhaps." my mentor piped in. "Summoner Ralko hasn't been in high spirits recently."
"Is that so?"
"Today was his first tenure as an Adjudicator." van de Berg explained, as he poured some tea into his cup. "He was tasked with resolving a minor conflict between Piltover and Zaun."
"Let me guess... the 'Shimmer' issue?"
"Precisely." he went for the cream and began stirring.
"That's been pretty recent, hasn't it?"
"Yes. It seems that the new dean in the Yordle Academy, Ziggs, was it?"
"I believe so. He truly is an odd one, isn't he?"
"That may be so, but it's a good kind of odd." the High Councilor put down the teaspoon took a few big gulps from his teacup as he reached for a teacake. "I heard that he is working with Professor Heimerdinger in discerning the properties of the drug."
"I see."
"Zaunite moguls have caught wind of the project and are fighting amongst each other in striking deals with the academy in order to profit from their factory waste. Meanwhile, Piltover representatives have voiced their concern with the dangers of trading the drug, and are preparing to carry out an embargo."
"Greedy brutes, those of Zaun... it's troubling that we have to get involved with this mess."
"Well, we do what we must to keep the order." van de Berg sighed.
"I concur." Kayle sipped at her teacup. "I suppose you were the High Councilor tasked with political matters for that match?"
"Why, yes. I was." they both chuckled heartily, Kayle doing so more modestly. "I like your intuition. It appears to be your strongest natural ability."
"You flatter me, High Councilor." Kayle chuckled again, sipping at her teacup.
"It was a good match." I entered the conversation after the brief period of silence trying to help myself to a cup of tea and a slice of tea cake. It's not an easy feat when you have such small hands to reach. "However, my skills were not up to par with the other summoners, therefore I seek to better myself once again."
"Your resolve is admirable, Summoner Ralko." my mentor said. "But perhaps now is the time to think about what I told you yesterday about taking that break."
"I'm thinking over it, sir, but, if I may..." I had a thought, after washing down half a slice with half a cup. "Can I use my excursion time productively?"
"You may use it in whatever way you want. Just avoid using the time to practice spellcasting or do any Institute work for the time being." van de Berg instructed. "Try something else for a change."
"It appears that your mentor wants the best in you, summoner." Kayle added. "Heed his words."
"I'll try." I replied to Kayle. Then I thought about asking her something. "Say, Kayle...?"
"Hm?"
"Do you still remember the advice you gave me... when I first met you?"
"I... can't recall." Kayle said hesitantly as she tried to remember. "My apologies. You'll have to jog my memory."
"You said that I should seek knowledge and insight wherever I can find it."
"Ah." Kayle seemed to have brightened up a little, the words being familiar to her. "Those were words of wisdom that my kin had passed down to me in more peaceful times in my realm. I figured that it would be a beneficial food for thought to most Runeterrans, so I often tell such tidbits to new summoners and willing champions alike." emptying her teacup, she set it back down on the trolley.
"It certainly is food for thought, but... I've come to realize that thinking alone doesn't evoke the true meaning of the phrase."
"Of course not. You must take the phrase where it belongs most." with her index finger, she poked at my rib, just below my hands where I was carrying my teacup. It tickled. I think she meant to go for my heart. "There."
"Oh..." I hadn't really thought of taking the phrase to heart. Given how I kept thinking and thinking over it, I must've been very dense, doing something like that. Suddenly, there was a spark in me that came to life. For some reason, I had an urge to do something, but what? For one thing, I knew I just had to leave the Institute for a period of time. What is it that I wanted to do?
"Your eyes lit up just now." my mentor quipped. I gazed up at him.
"Sir, I think... I would have to leave the Institute for a while. How long of a break did you want to give me?"
"Probably about a month or two. Have you made a decision of what you wanted to do?"
"Kinda." I turned to Kayle, who gave me that same angelic smile as before. It was comforting. "I had a realization that until now, I never really knew what I wanted, or who I truly wanted to be. I trudged on and on with wherever fate took me, and I thought I was content with what I had. Now, I suddenly felt, at that moment that you touched me, that I was wrong. I still don't know me, so I want to find it. I want to find me. That's the kind of knowledge and insight I want to look for."
"Such empowering words for someone of your kin." Kayle said. "Are you sure you're really a yordle?"
"Huh?" I was puzzled by her question.
"Forget my question." Kayle waved her hand, dismissing her query. "The isles of Ionia are a good place for such a journey of self-discovery. What do you think, High Councilor?" she turned to my mentor, who nodded almost immediately.
"I was thinking the exact same thing. I think it would really help if you went to Ionia for your excursion. In the end, it's your decision."
"I'll go to Ionia, then." I nodded, feeling sure I was ready for something like this. "I think I know who to speak to when I get there." I thought of Soraka, the Starchild. She looked to be the kind of person you'd talk to about this sort of thing, and more, so I didn't think going to Ionia was a bad idea.
"Then it's settled. When do you want to begin?"
"Next week should be good." I put away the teacup as I finished, getting off my chair and bowing to my mentor. "Thank you, sir. And..." I bowed at Kayle. "Thanks, Kayle. Now, for some reason, I know what to do next."
"The pleasure was mine. You did most of the thinking." Kayle replied, grinning. Finishing with my formalities, I headed out of the office, finding new resolve in my life as a yordle summoner.