Manifesto Ch. 1

Author's Note: Hey everyone, welcome to my new series Manifesto. For those of you who've been readers since my early days, you may recall a one-shot I posted a long time ago called The Magic Portal. Essentially, this story is made to get out all the thoughts and feelings I have swarming around in my head. If you like it, leave a review. -Kiba

I don't remember much from my time in the darkness. At one moment, I was alone in my bed, sleeping peacefully after having just completed another chapter of my fanfiction. To be honest, I've always had a fear of the dark.

When I was a child, my imagination would cause me to see twisting grotesque figures in the ether around me, and despite my parents' attempts to comfort me, they felt as real to me as the air I breathed.

Tonight though, I felt no such fear. The darkness I tread upon was not like the one I felt in my childhood, but rather it was a comforting sensation. It called to me, a soft chiming that informed me that the place I was fated to travel to would be one that I'd known only in my dreams.

The first thing I noticed was the warmth that beat down over my face and body. Considering the warmth of my hometown, it wasn't surprising. But even still, my conscious knew something was amiss, even to the point when a soft voice echoed in my ears. "You have chosen a poor place to slumber, human." It informed me. It was a familiar voice, one I could remember, but not place.

As my eyes first opened, they were greeted by a canopy above me. Trees that had grown tall, much like the pines in my home, save that these were far more tropical. I was outside? But, how? "Where am I?" I groaned to the voice, trying to sit up, but finding my body would not respond to my commands.

A beautiful masked figure appeared over my vision, examining me carefully through her glowing blue eyes. Behind her, a dark bestial shadow loomed, his fanged visage far more frightening. "You are in a land that is not your own." She explained cryptically.

"I know you, I think." I replied, still struggling to move.

"That is not possible." The dark creature snarled.

The white one's hand gently rested upon the head of the monster, calming it. "On the contrary, dear Wolf, I believe he does. Do you not feel it? This one is different than others."

"Wolf?" I asked. I shut my eyes tightly, trying to remember. I knew that this was important, but I still struggled to recall the memories. "You're the new champion. Well one of them, anyway."

"We are hardly new." The one named Wolf growled. "Come Lamb, let us ask our question."

"Indeed." She replied. "It is time for you to make a choice, human."

"Choice?" I didn't understand, until the memories seemed to dawn on me again. "Kindred." I muttered. "Yes...that's your name, isn't it? Together, you are Kindred."

"So the human knows of what he speaks." The Wolf cackled.

"Which means...I'm…"

"Dying." Lamb finished. "In a sense. Our question dearest human: you must make your choice. Would you prefer the swift bow, or the fierce hunt?

"You want me to choose whether I wish to die quickly or attempt to flee my fate?"

The brilliant spirit nodded her head politely, the dark shadowy figure slowly circling the both of us curiously. He sniffed at me, his wooden mask coming just inches from my face. "I think I may finally have a chase." He grinned. "Good, it has been far too long."

"Do not taunt him, dearest Wolf." Lamb chastised. "We are not meant to be partial. All must make the choice and all must know the consequences of doing so."

"This isn't right." I protested. "You're not real. You're just some characters made up in a video game. Why is this happening to me? It must be a dream, right? Some sort of nightmare?" But despite my words, I knew that this was not the case. I'd spent a majority of my life in my dreams. So much so that I could tell when I was awake and when I was not. This was one of the times I was not. But even still…

"Your choice." Lamb urged.

"I don't want to die." I whispered, shutting my eyes tightly as tears began to roll down my cheeks. "It can't be my time yet. Please, there must be some mistake."

The two spirits exchanged glances with one another. "He has made his choice." Snarled the wolf, preparing to pounce upon me, but Lamb simply held up her hand.

"He has not, dearest Wolf. You must learn patience. We know, most of all, that the decision is not one to be made lightly." Her voice was compassionate and soothing, but despite that I could feel a sensation of piqued interest. "We will wait, human. Take all of the time that you need. While you think, may I ask you a question?"

"Lamb, this is against the rules." Her partner began, but she quickly shushed him, awaiting my response.

"I suppose," I replied, "it's only fair."

"Why do you feel it is not your time? What is it about your life that makes it so important that you feel the need to delay the inevitable?" Lamb's calm voice was filled with curiosity as she leaned closer to me, her hand resting beside my head. "It is not uncommon for humans to be unprepared for their end, and yet…" Her words trailed off, leaving it hanging in the air between us.

I thought about it for a long time, my eyes closing once more. "There is so much to be finished." I finally answered. "There is so much that I can still give to the world, and yet...I've given nothing." My tears began to stream faster down my cheeks. "All I've ever been is an inconvenience to my world. It can't be my time yet, because I haven't been able to prove that there is a reason I'm alive."

She moved slightly from me, pulling Wolf to speak with her. "Wolf, I believe there has been a mistake."

His eyes widened as he snarled at her. "Lamb, you can not be suggesting what I think you are suggesting. We are not summoned when it is not their time. Our presence signals that it is his end, whether he agrees it or not. You know the words. They always know that we are coming…"

"Yet they are never prepared. Yes, I know." She replied calmly. "Even still, I believe something has changed. There is something amiss in this place, do you not feel it?" As if to accent her statement, a gentle breeze flowed through the wind, rustling her long white fur. On the breeze, the sound of a gentle bell could be heard. "Please dearest Wolf, I request that you lend me your trust."

"How do we know that he will not flee?" The Wolf demanded.

"If he does, will it matter?" She countered.

Her partner seemed to ponder it for a moment before inching closer to stare me in the eyes. His deep blue pools seemed eternal as he bared his fangs at me and in a harsh tone whispered. "Remember this, human. This is merely a stay of execution. In the end, you will have to make the choice, and when that day comes if you continue to argue your purpose, I will see it as an attempt to flee your fate. We are never far, human and I never lose sight of my prey."

As he backed away, Lamb once more appeared above me. Behind her mask, I could feel her gentle smile as she reached forward to wipe away a tear. "You must forgive my friend, dear human. He often thrills for the chase, it is not personal."

"Perhaps it should be." I muttered, causing her to tilt her head in bewilderment. "'What can the harvest hope for, if not for the care of the reaper man?' One of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite books."

"An interesting analogy." She mused before straightening once more. "Give us your name, dear human. There is power in a name. Perhaps, with yours, it will grant you the power to find the end you truly desire."

"Kiba...Kiba Elunal." I muttered, but she shook her head.

"Your true name."

I took a deep breath, a shudder running through my body. "Joshua Roberts." I finally whispered, and with the last syllable, a soft wind swept around me, and in the blink of an eye, I was alone once more.

My fingers twitched slightly, my ability to move them finally beginning to return as I sat up. Kindred was nowhere to be seen as I looked about myself. I'd been brought to Runeterra for a purpose, but what it was, I was not sure. Was this a dream come true, or a nightmare? Even that I could not know.

Getting to my feet, I dusted myself off. The dirt covered ground beneath me looked as if it hadn't been disturbed at all. Rather that I simply was there, and yet...I was not. Beneath where I had lay, no indentation could be found, yet beneath where I stood, my footprints remained. Firstly, I needed to know where I was, before I could determine where I was going.

As I turned to examine my surroundings, I knew that I was in some sort of jungle. Kumungu? Possibly. Voodoo Lands, Summoner's Rift, even somewhere in the heart of Ionia was possible. I tapped my forehead in thought. The truth was, I could be anywhere in Valoran. Save Shurima or the Shadow Isles, I reminded myself with relief.

It was then that I once more heard the bell from my dreams. It called to me, beckoned me further through the underbrush. It guided me here to Runeterra, perhaps it would also be the thing that led me back out. Swallowing nervously, I carefully made my way towards the sound.

In its own way, the jungle was beautiful. The trees that spanned around me caused dancing rays of light to rain down upon the earth like thin golden spears sent down from heaven. Every step taken had the most satisfying crunch of leaves and twigs, sending another whiff of the earthly scent into the air around me.

I always liked to think that my body was well acclimated for the jungle. Texas was always hot and humid, much like a tropical forest would be. In a way, this land was a comforting one. I could still feel Kindred on my trail, so the loneliness that usually crippled me so greatly wasn't one I experienced here. Then again, I suppose that was always my problem. I wished to surround myself with others, but at other times I wished the world would just leave me alone. This, I decided, was a good compromise.

Another cool gust of wind slid through the trees, causing my dark brown hair to waver slightly. It felt as if every time I would take a step, the sound of the bell never truly came closer. It wasn't a place, it was a compass, leading me through the jungle to who-knows-where. Its comforting chime was the only thing that kept the fear of being in a strange land from encroaching.

Soon however, the bell's effect began to wane and the realization of what had happened sank on me like bricks. I was trapped in a fictional world, where danger was all around me, and already I'd almost perished. For the first time that day, I stopped moving and fell to my hands and knees. I'd never see my friends again. My family, of course, would probably never miss me. "Hello?" A voice called, shaking me from my thoughts. I quickly scrambled to the nearest brush of grass, rolling into it and pressing myself prone against the ground. "Is someone there?" The voice came again, and through the tree line I could see the shape of a tall woman, followed by a few large cats. Nidalee?

But which Nidalee was it? Was it the kind Nidalee that I wrote within A Boy and His Fox or was it the cruel spirited one from When Heaven's Clash? Immediately, I chastised myself for such an arrogant thought. Did I truly think myself so great that the Runeterra I was in was one that I created?

She suddenly stopped, crouching low to the ground and sniffing the air. Almost immediately, I could see the reflective gleam of her emerald eyes through the trees and I knew she'd caught on to my scent. The real Nidalee, I recalled, was not a fan of trespassers. As if to punctuate the sentiment, her spear raced towards me, the blade barely grazing my back before planting into the tree behind me. I let out a silent hiss, just as she leapt on me, pinning me to the ground and raising her spear high. But then, she ceased. "Kiba?" She whispered in awe.

She recognized me? "Hi, Nidalee."

"What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in Piltover." She mumbled, slowly lowering her spear. The moment the words left her lips, I realized that it was not that she'd recognized me. It began to fall into place. Kiba was my self-insert, so of course he'd look exactly like me.

"I'm...not Kiba." I tried to explain, causing her to turn a bright red and clamber off of me. She seemed very flustered as she offered me her hand to help me up.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You just...looked like someone I know, that's all. I apologize for frightening you. There are many dangers here." Her voice was shy and timid, an odd combination for such a ferocious woman. Sniffing once more, she frowned. "It seems I managed to cut your back. Turn around." Obliging, she held up her hands, using her magic to send a searing pain down my spine. I could feel my cut healing up, and as the burning sensation subsided, she turned me back around to examine me closer. "It's astounding." She commented, circling me suspiciously. "You look just like him." She leaned closer to my face, causing me to avert my eyes from hers. "You smell like him too."

"I wish I could say I was like him," I replied, "but I'm afraid I am not Kiba. I'm sorry for being here in your jungle, I'm simply following…" my voice stopped. The bell was no longer present on the breeze.

"Following?" She asked. "Nothing has come through this way in a while. If it had, I'd have found it. Right now, my brothers and sisters are on the hunt. You are lucky that I was with them. I fear you're not as skilled at hiding as you'd hoped you were."

"I see. It's not important. So I suppose that means that we're standing in the heart of Kumungu Jungle, right?" As my eyes drifted around the scenery, it all made some sort of surreal sense. If I were to end up somewhere in Runeterra that was similar to my home, this would be the place.

She nodded. "That's right. Did you get lost? I can help you out of the jungle if you like."

"Why would you do that?" I wondered. "You don't know anything about me. What if I was some sort of criminal? For all you know, I'm here to burn this jungle to the ground."

She leaned against her spear with a grin, her brilliant eyes shimmering. "I don't think you are. You don't smell like the sort to want to hurt people. As for helping you, well...like I said, you look like someone I know."

"Kiba Elunal. I know. You two had a fleeting romance, isn't that right?"

"How did you know that?" She whispered, her eyes growing wider. "No one knows about that. No one but Nasus, Kiba, Morgana, and I." How could I even begin to explain to her that I was the one who was responsible for it? She waited expectantly for my response, but I wasn't able to give it to her.

"I can't say." I finally answered.

"Why not?"

"Because it's my fault he hurt you." I spoke softly. "All of it was my fault."

For a long while, she remained silent. Was she going to yell at me now? Maybe she wouldn't believe me and just take me out of the jungle anyway. I almost wished she would think I was lying to her, but instead she just shook her head. "He didn't hurt me. I hurt myself. It was foolish of me to fall in love with someone I couldn't be with, and I don't blame anyone for that but myself. At first, I wanted to blame Nasus, but then Morgana she…" Her cheeks became flushed as the memories came back to her.

"Oh...right." I murmured to myself, my own cheeks turning bright red. I almost hoped that I never bumped into any other champion I'd written about. As interesting as it would be to meet Ahri, I didn't want to think about how awkward it would be knowing her sex life in detail. "Sorry to bring it up. I would love it if you escorted me out of the jungle."

She beamed at me, a kind smile. "Alright, where to?"

I realized at that moment, that I wasn't entirely sure where I wanted to go. I knew someone in every city and territory on the entire continent. The closest (and safest) place I knew was Bandle City. "Bandle City." I replied. "It's relatively safe and there's a train that can take me to the different territories right?"

"That's correct. How was it you got here if not from Bandle City? I know you didn't cross the Voodoo Lands to get here. You don't strike me as the Mount Targon type, either."

"I'm not really sure." I admitted. "I'm not from Valoran. I know a lot about it, but my information is a little...skewed. I don't imagine you would be willing to loan me a few valors for train fare, would you?"

She pondered it for a moment before a light seemed to turn on in her head. "I tell you what." She purred, circling me once more. "Stay with my family and I for the night. The sun's already beginning to set anyway, and Bandle City is on the other side of the Jungle. Then I'll take you to meet my friend, deal?"

"No!" I quickly protested before clearing my throat. "I'm sorry, that was rude. I just...I don't want to meet him if it's all the same. I'll gladly stay with your family though, assuming you don't intend to eat me."

"Of course not, you're our guest." She giggled, taking my hand in hers. As she began to pull me away, I could feel a surprising tingle coming from her palm. I didn't mind being touched, but it was still awkward coming from someone I'd never met before. "My offer still stands, by the way. I want to go pay him a visit, so I'll ride with you to Piltover. From there, you should be able to find some sort of work to take you wherever you like. You don't have to meet him if you don't want to, but he is a kind person. I promise, you'd like him."

"I'm sure I would. That's really the concern I have." There was an awkward silence as she tried to disentangle my confusing response, before I cleared my throat. "Sorry, I know I'm strange."

"I live in the Jungle, can turn into a giant cat, and apparently know how to pole dance. Believe me, you're in good company." She teased with a grin. "It's funny, really. You're very easy to talk to. I wonder if it's because you look like Kiba, or perhaps you're just like that."

"I just like to listen." I admitted sheepishly, scratching the back of my head. "People say it helps to talk about things, and I like to help people."

"A noble ambition." She mused.

That night, as I rested on the ground, I could feel her body snuggle up against mine. Her face was just beneath my chin, so close that I could feel her warm breath as she slept. I couldn't even begin to go to sleep as I considered just how trusting she was of someone she'd never met. How easy it would be to use that trust for my own purposes. I shook the thought from my head. I didn't want to be like that. I was ashamed to even consider such a thing. I carefully pulled away from her, separating us by a foot or so and turning over so I couldn't look at the scantily clad woman.

Once my eyes closed, rest took me easily and so ended my first day on Runeterra...or so I thought. In the middle of the night, I woke up to find myself dangling upside down. There was a searing pain in my ankle, and looking up...or down...or something, I found that a thorny vine had wrapped and embedded itself into my leg. "Oh God," I muttered, "Oh God, please no." I began to struggle desperately, reaching up for the vine to tear it from my ankle, but unfortunately my less-than-athletic lifestyle made it impossible.

"What's wrong prey?" A voice echoed all around me. "You seem...uncomfortable."

I sighed, deciding to save my strength. "Show yourself Zyra. I know who you are."

From the ground beneath me, a series of vines and leaves began to swirl about before vanishing leaving the voluptuous figure of the plant woman. "So you know of me?" She mused, a cruel smirk crossing her lips. "It is not often that one knows who I am and yet chooses to wander into my jungle."

"Actually, I was planning on just leaving." I growled. "Where's Nidalee?"

"You've no need to worry about the cat." She answered. "She is sleeping peacefully back in her camp. Has anyone ever told you that you sleep walk? It's a very interesting thing to observe. And the things you say…" She wrapped her arms around herself as a shudder ran through her body. "It brings a whole new meaning to 'talk dirty to me'."

I turned a bright red, though it could have been from the blood rushing to my head as much as anything else. "Please, just let me go." I pleaded. "I didn't mean to trespass. I told Nidalee that too. I just want to go home."

Her hand extended outward towards me. I flinched away, but instead of striking me as I feared, she just cupped and caressed my cheek. "Leave? Why would you possibly wish to leave? I know the ways of man, just as I know the pleasures they seek."

I slapped her hand away from me and shook my head. "I don't care what 'pleasures' you have to offer. Just let me g-" My words literally became trapped in my throat as another vine quickly lashed upward, tightening around my neck. I desperately tried to pull it away, as Zyra approached with a sway in her hips.

"That," she lectured, "was very rude of you. The way I see it, you've only two options. Surrender yourself to me and accept my pleasure, or struggle and I'll forcefully take what I want from you."

I gasped for air in desperation as the vine slowly began to unwind from my neck leaving me breathing heavily. "Why do you care?" I whimpered. "If you were just hungry, you could have consumed me by now. Are you really so malicious that you want to torture me?"

"Shhh," she cooed, placing a finger to my lips, "it's not about hunger, it's about affection. I've found there's another way for me to get my nutrition without having to worry about wasting such fine specimens. And I can tell you've got quite a bit of it."

"What are you talking about?"

She licked her lips, leaning closer to me and pressing her lips against mine. I tried to pull away, but being suspended upside down I had nothing to press against. There was a sharp pain as I felt her prick my lip, her strangely sweet tongue lapping at the blood that poured out. My head began to swim with the lustful thoughts that she'd planted in my mind, and I began to shiver trying to resist my body's natural urges.

When she finally pulled away, she simply smiled at me. "See prey? Was that so bad? That was only a sample of the pleasure I offer, just a mere taste when you can have a whole feast." As she spoke, her hands ran over her curves, trying to tempt me further.

"I don't want to." I whimpered. I could feel the salty tears coming again and falling to the ground below me. I was crying again, and I hated myself for it. I wished often that I could be anyone else. Half of the time, I wished I was a better person that didn't have these awful corrupted and lustful urges. Other times I wished I was worse and would just surrender myself to my hedonistic impulses. "I don't want pleasure, I want love!" I finally shouted, taking her by surprise. "I don't care what my body tells me, I don't care! I just want someone to make me happy, and to make someone else happy! I swore an oath when I was younger that I wouldn't surrender to lust, and even though it's been hard I can't go back on that oath."

"Why is that, I wonder." She whispered between more intoxicating kisses and strokes. "What good is an oath if you suffer so greatly because of it? Who would it hurt if you were to surrender yourself to your desires?"

"Because it's the only good thing I've ever done in my life." I slurred, my vision becoming blurry. I wasn't sure if it was because of how long I'd remained suspended or if it was the toxin that spread to my body with every kiss, but either way I knew it wouldn't be long until she got what she wanted.

I could sense the impatience in her eyes as a long thorny tendril spread from her wrist, sharpening to a proboscis-like needle. "Very well, we'll do it your way. Don't complain when you die that I didn't offer a better option."

I tried to hold her hand away from me, the needle causing my heart rate to accelerate greatly, but I was feeling so weak that I could only slow her a little. Just as she was about to insert it into my throat, there was a hissing sound and the vine above me released causing me to drop to the ground.

A loud snarl rumbled from the brush as Nidalee leapt towards her, snagging Zyra's wrist and snapping her to the ground. "Foul beast." Zyra growled, preparing to drain Nidalee of her blood as well. Before she could though, I ran to Nidalee's aid and stomped my foot down on her free wrist, keeping it pinned to the earth as she let out a cry of pain.

The tears wouldn't stop flowing now. I never wanted to hurt anyone, and here I was yet again hurting another. It was self-defense, she would have killed your friend, she tried to use you...all were excuses that ran through my mind. However, the other thoughts mirrored them. She was just hungry. She didn't understand. She tried to be peaceful. How could I possibly argue against that?

"Please Zyra. Stop." I pleaded, causing both her and Nidalee to look at me in shock. "I'll give you some of my blood, just...don't hurt her."

Zyra shoved the cat off of her, as she returned to her human form. "Kiba, what are you-"

"I am not Kiba!" I snapped at Nidalee, causing her to flinch. "Don't you get it? I made Kiba. He's not me, he's everything I wished I was. You like me because I look similar to him, but the two of us couldn't be more different." Turning to Zyra, I nodded holding out my arm. "Just promise you'll be gentle when you take it. If it means you'll live and leave her alone, you can have it."

To be continued...