The time before they became champions.
The firework flared into the sky, leaving a trail of smoke and sparks until it's glorious finale. The boom rocked the trees and cheers of joy sprung up from the spectators along the ground. The Ionian new years festival was always a grand time, firecrackers and fireworks one of the main events of the night. Lanterns were hung from homes and families sat joyously in houses, eating and being happy. Anyone could celebrate new years, lights reflected along the water and made the show only more dazzling.
The further one was from civilization the brilliant lights started to die down, but their glow stained the sky like a luminescent sunrise. Past the lake and over a row of steep hills, Kayn slid open the thin wooden door from the darkroom and slipped onto the thin balcony. To most of the other youth, this display of light and sound scared them, how incompetent they were.
Kayn wasn't like the other children that he trained with, they didn't know the truths of the world. These lights and festivities were just meant to distract people from their flawed world made by corrupt rulers that valued the nonexistent force called balance. Or at least, that's what he was taught.
The tiny booms of the fireworks reached his ears from the far away festivities. Here there were no lanterns or light, only the shallow song of the wind. He scrambled up one of the support beams, his small hands grasping onto the wood. Further, he climbed, up and up, lifting himself onto the shingled roof. His feet patted softly on the shingled roof. Kayn could feel the cold night and his hair blowing lightly in the breeze, he turned to face the ridge of hills that silhouetted the horizon. Just along the peak of the hilltops, he could see the warm yellow glow, every now and then a small flare of light would break the horizon, accompanies by the low rumbling boom.
They didn't celebrate festivities at the temple of shadow, master Zed had said they were distractions for the weak minded, but he wasn't weak. He didn't understand why there could be light, maybe it was training. Kayn sat there on the roof, hugging his legs to his chest and watching the flashes of light. He hummed to himself, Noxian war songs and battle cries to ease the chill going through his body.
He brushes some of his hair from his face and watched the tall trees. He could see the wind along the grass and flowing branches, the invisible sweep of its tendrils through the greenery. He could smell the fresh air, the night always brought out the feeling of isolation. Kayn wanted to go see to fireworks over the hill, but that was insubordination which was punished harshly.
He closed his eyes and took a breath, letting it into his lungs and clear the thoughts from his mind. He opened his eyes and took a glance once again at the trees. Two small red eyes watched him closely.
He gasped inwardly and immediately slid back down the roof. The wind seemed to pick up in his desperation. Kayn used his quick arms to swing himself back under the roof and onto the balcony. He landed in a roll and looked up. Zed was already in front of him with one hand up. Kayn froze, looking up at his master's gaze, he was still wearing his masks and a dark training tunic, he didn't have the armor to cover his scars. Kayn could see those slanted eyes, their glow seemed to radiate a more chilling sensation than the wind.
Kayn stood straight up before bowing deeply. There were a few more seconds of pause, the wind died down, the silence of the air making Kayn feel more singled out. He hung his head low, keeping his eyes closed and focusing on the ground under his feet.
"What were you doing?" Zeds voice was always slightly unsettling, possessed.
"I couldn't sleep, master." Kayn stayed head down, tensing his arms and keeping his fists closed tightly.
"So you felt inclined to climb onto the roof?"
"I was just intrigued by the sounds I heard." It felt useless to lie to Zed. For a second he was expecting a strike, or words of punishment to come flowing from his master's mouth.
"Rise." Kayn obediently looked back up to meet Zeds fiery eyes, instead of menace they looked somber. He had never seen Zed's eyes like that before.
"Master?"
Zed turned and faced back towards the gently glowing hills, placing a hand onto the wooden railing and relaxing his shoulders. Kayn waited expectantly, intrigued by Zed's actions. Gone was the master he knew, Kayn tilted his head slightly, Zed was oddly… serene. Zed let his eyes waver on the hills, deep in thought.
"I used to do the same." Kayn held his breath at the words.
"Before I found the courage and power to change the flawed order that was the Kinkou I had many people I considered allies, brothers, sisters." Zed watched the flashes himself, each one flickered below the horizon.
"We used to watch the fireworks, sneaking out, letting the moon and glow of the city guide us." Zed took a deep breath.
"We were kept away from everything that would distract us so that we could learn balance. We were blind to the world, the Kinkou had only taught us restraint." Zed looked back at Kayn, his disciple wore a slightly shocked expression. Zed's lips tilted upwards, the action hidden by his mask. It amused him that his disciple was the same.
"Do you enjoy the lights young one?" Kayn nodded slowly. "Why?" Zed asked.
"I have never seen anything like them," Kayn mumbled quietly, "besides cannon fire," he added. Zed pushed from the railing and kneeled down to come face to face with the child.
"I don't want to restrain you from the world young one, but you must focus on training. It is your job to show them their error, to show the world the meaninglessness of tradition" Kayn looked down at his feet once more.
"Yes, master." Zed took a finger and placed it under Kayn's head, raising his chin, their eyes locked.
"I understand the curiosity, but to change their ways we must grow stronger."
"Yes, master." Zed stood back up to full height, looking down on his student. Kayn just looked up at him, blue eyes dulled by the night. The quiet roar of the trees was the only noise. Zed raised a hand and Kayn looked down at it. In his hand was a thing rod, it didn't look natural, like a small metal stick. Zed held it out and Kayn took it at the base, it was only a few inches tall and was heavy in his hand.
"What is this?" he asked hesitantly.
"To sate your curiosity." Zed brought a match up and struck it along the rough stone set at the base of the wall. With a flash the small light illuminated their surroundings, the match quickly started to dwindle. Zed brought the flame up to the metal rod and touched it to the tip. With a hiss and pop, sparks started to fly. Kayn watched in awe as sparks erupted from the rod, jumping every which direction and creating a small blaze. The sparkler dazzled his eyes. Zed watched Kayn's expression, he was smiling. At that moment there was a welling in Kayns chest, it was of awe and excitement.
As the sparks flung themselves into the night to be sizzled out into the wind. Kayn could see the fire as it traveled down, eating away at the rod in his hand and creating the mini display of fire. It didn't take long for the entire sparkler to die, the last embers whiffed out, only leaving a thin piece of metal. Kayn looked back up Zed, eyes more hopeful.
"That is the fire you see in the sky," Zed crossed his arms.
"Thank you, master." Kayn dropped his arm and bowed in thanks. His heart had jumped from the display, a newfound respect for his master. In that short moment, Kayn had been stunned, it was a short moment of happiness but one he wouldn't forget.
Zed turned and opened the door with one hand,
"Remember this Kayn, you have potential, don't throw it away like a fool." He almost sounded resentful. "Now get some sleep, and do not stray from your path" Kayn stepped inside, keeping the thin metal rod in his hand. He turned away from the door and walked down the hall.
Zed watch the back of the child, "I want you to prove yourself young one, let the shadows guide you." Kayn stopped and turned, the door had already been closed, darkness engulfing his surroundings once more. He looked down to the metal rod in his hand, he could feel the roughness of the burnt area.
He would save the lives of the many, show them how weak they were.
He would prove himself.
AN:
Idk what prompted me to write this, I just kind of did. This specific one is of Kayn before he became a completely cocky bastard :3
This may or may not turn into a collection of short stories, let me know what you think of it.
Thanks for reading,
- Adam