Disclaimer: I do not own the characters nor settings in this story, and I do not claim any ownership over them or the world of League of Legends.
Beta reader: Non /please let me know if anyone is interested in checking this story ^^
Okay, so...this idea has been in my head for a while. I know if anyone is going to enjoy it but I'm going to post it anyway. So, if you're interested in reading the next chapter please let me know :D
"How delightful," Jhin mused, watching the nexus crumbled to the ground. He should be happy that he's on the winning team, but the last poke that shut the huge floating crystal down wasn't his; that's why he's a bit disappointed.
However, despite this small disappointment, Jhin had been a little bit annoyed throughout the match because of one certain figure; Shen. During the game, he had been saved by the ninja for four times. The first time was when Ezreal, Karma, and Graves decided to gang up on him while Lulu was getting rid of some wards quite far from him and the turret. Jhin thought that he would walk out of it alive, but then Shen just showed up from nowhere and saved him from being slaughtered in the quite early game.
"I think your job is in the top lane," was what he said to the ninja after their enemies retreated. Well, Jhin knew he should say thank you but he couldn't bring himself to be polite toward the man who helped locking him up in the prison (even that Shen did the right thing to imprison him, dah, he's not a brainless animal to not know that his arts were against the law). However, despite the poison and irritation in his voice, Shen just walked toward the jungle liked he didn't hear what Jhin said at all.
The second time Shen saved him was during a gang attempt. This time Jhin was on his way to the mid lane because there were a lot of minions that needed clearing and their mid lane was back at the base. The other team decided to gang on him. Kindred had rushed in to help but it's Shen who is to key to how he got out of the fight alive. Of course, Jhin still didn't thank him.
The third time he was saved by the ninja was when they tried to gang on the other team. However, the fight was backfire and they're on the run. Jhin was about to be taken down by Maokai when Shen shielded him and fended off the angry treant. Still, Jhin hadn't thanked him yet.
The fourth time Shen saved him was when they're retreating after successfully taking down the first inhibitor. Shen shielded him in time before Ezreal shot him down. And if Shen was annoyed that Jhin was being an ass, the ninja didn't say anything.
And now, back to the Rift, Jhin's brow furrowed behind his mask as he observe the destruction of their enemies' base. Karma was calm while Ezreal was muttering something. Graves seemed to care nothing about the outcome as he chatted with Twisted Fate, Jhin swore that these two were dating.
"It's time to go," Lulu said and turned to head back toward their base as the other team started to walk toward the platform where they were summoned to the Rift. Jhin didn't say anything and turned to follow her. On the corner of his eyes, Shen was walking behind him in silence.
Lulu was humming a song Jhin didn't recognize. She looked happy, and Jhin knew that he should be happy too since they won. Yet, he felt like he wanted to get out of here or just turned back and turned Shen into another art. This was not the first match that they're on the same team, and this wasn't the first map that Shen kept saving him. There were two time that Jhin was sure that just Lulu would be enough to keep him alive until the end of the fight, but Shen still stepped in.
No one said anything as they reached the base. Lulu was the first one to step onto the platform. "Well, it's fun playing with you guys. Hope next time we'll be on the same team again." She winked and disappeared. Jhin was torn between turning to speak to Shen or just went back to wherever he was before being summoned into the Rift. In the end, he decided that it's better to just leave. So, he stepped onto the platform and was about to disappear when he felt a hand on his arm. Shen had stepped onto the platform too, and the hand on Jhin's arm meant that they both would be teleport back to the same place.
"Is this your plan to capture me?" Jhin said as they both arrived at an old temple. He knew from the architecture that this was Ionia. Well, it saved him the trip from Noxus. He just dropped an ugly art there – no Noxian deserved anything worth remembering.
"No," Shen replied, his voice smooth and offered nothing for Jhin to read. Damn, he hated when Shen was wearing a mask even when he's not. "Technically, you're still in the prison."
"Oh," Jhin nodded, surprised. "Hmm, interesting. And you're going to do nothing?"
"I'm going to do nothing," was the reply as Shen let go of his arm and headed toward the exit of the temple. Jhin was tempted. He wanted to do something; he wanted to hurt Shen. He had been irritated from being saved by this man for numerous times on the Rift, and Shen saying that he would do nothing about Jhin even angered the virtuoso even more without knowing why.
"I know you followed be to the east." Jhin said, smiling behind his mask as Shen stopped. "But you didn't find me. By the way, how did it feel spending time with your dear shadow ninja again? Hm?"
Shen didn't reply, but Jhin could sense that the other was tense. His grinned and continued. "Come on, I know you can do better than this. Tell me Shen, how did it feel to have to work with the man who murderer your father? Were you tempted to kill him, or did you accept the truth that your father had died for nothing."
"You're blabbing," Shen replied, his voice was harder and colder. "Do not make me regret letting you go."
"You're going to regret it anyway," Jhin took a step closer with Whisper in his hand, just in case he stepped over the line and Shen turned to attack him. "You know that my art cannot be contained."
"You're madness, Jhin," Shen said, now turned half way to look at him. "But you're not hard to read. I know you're in a bad mood because I had saved you, not just once, but sixteen times already."
Yes, sixteen times he had saved me, Jhin mentally growled at himself. He felt as if Shen was smirking behind that mask. It's been four times that we're on the same team, each time he saved me four time. Why did it have to be number four this time? It's my favorite number, but I hate to share it with him.
However, this was the first time Jhin wasn't sure what to say back. He was embarrassed that Shen found out he's irritated to be saved, but what Jhin was afraid of now was what more Shen had known. Some would think that Jhin had devoted everything to his art, but the truth was he had devoted everything to his mask. No one could ever know his secret.
"I have been planning your final performance for quite sometimes," so he changed his technique – switching subject. "It's going to be a masterpiece, I can promise you that."
"I sense insecurity," was what Shen said. "You're afraid."
"Nonsense," Jhin almost recoiled but stopped himself in time. He forced his voice to be smooth and mysterious, liked he had no care to the world. "Nothing is more terrified than having no time to work on a grand masterpiece."
"You can lie to the world, but you cannot lie to yourself." Then Shen disappeared into a smoke and Jhin was left stunned in place. The ninja's word hurt more than his action, and the old temple was left in wreckages.
Jhin was still frustrated by the time he reached ground level. The old temple was built on the shoulder of the mountain but no one would ever recognize it anymore. He had blasted it to pieces but that still didn't take away the frustration and irritation that was eating him alive. Jhin hated to be read. Not many could read him, not even Jinx, but Shen – the ingredient for his work. He still needed the ninja for his work.
As Jhin made his way to the nearest town, he overheard the travelers passing by that there was a den of bandits in a mountain not so far away. Normally Jhin was loathe to use such low life as the material for his art, but this would do – at least until he was left agitated and more stable.
Shen knew that he had successfully made Jhin even more agitated than the murderer already was. At first he just saved the madman purely out of duty to make sure that everyone in the team stayed alive. However, after the first time he had saved Jhin, Shen spotted that the assassin seemed to be agitated and frustrated. It's subtle, of course, but Shen always had keen eyes when it came to small details.
He knew that leaving Jhin liked that would surely make the madman's day became worse. And he's loath to admit that he enjoyed himself too much to see Jhin liked this; frustrated and vulnerable. Shen had figured out for quite sometimes that Jhin hated to be read more than anything.
Some part of him questioned that if his recent actions were wise. His job was to preserve balance, not enjoying himself with one's pain, even when that pain was belong to a psychopathic killer.
So, to make sure that he hadn't crossed the line and tempted Jhin to vent off his frustration on innocent people, Shen trailed after Jhin as the killer made his way into the woods. Jhin looked calm in the outside, but Shen still spotted the subtly change in Jhin's pace. The killer was walking a little bit faster than usual. That's understandable.
Jhin slowed down when he approached another mountain. Shen slowed down to and made sure to hide himself in the tree as he watched Jhin carefully placed the traps down. His movement was elegant and calculated. Shen reminded himself that Jhin was an excellent dancer; according to the report from the prison.
After placing the traps in several places as he traveled forward, Shen tried to guess Jhin;s next move. This man was on the hunt, and Shen found it quite enjoyable to watch.
This wasn't what he had expected it to turn out. Not at all.
These bandits base was in a cave inside a mountain. It didn't take Jhin long to locate all of its entrance. Jhin thought about the animals that had burrows in the ground as he worked. He places trapped over all of the entrances excepted one of them.
When he's ready, Jhin activated the bomb. He closed all of the door except for one. Then, as the first bandit emerged from the last entrance, he shot him. He had planned to slowly shoot them down one by one before using the move he called 'Curtain call'. Jhin had only four bullets for Curtain Call left since he hadn't had a chance to stock up after getting back from the Rift. He had to be careful not to use it before the right time came or else his work would be ruined.
Everything turned out just fine, but it didn't satisfy him as much as Jhin had hoped that it would. He slowly dissembled Whisper and the rest of his tools after using the last move for this work. Curtain Call usually gave him a satisfaction of transforming life into art, but this time he felt so little of it.
Jhin sighed and prepared to leave the area when he spotted a new group of bandit entered the area – probably just getting back form raiding or whatever these lowlifes do for the living. It wasn't as large as the group he just turned into a living art, but still large enough to hunt him down and kill him if he's not careful.
As if his day wasn't worse enough, those bandits did find him. Jhin had to use all tactics and experiences he had to get himself away. He's decent at close combat, but not good enough to defend himself when it's not one against one. So, when he's cornered, Jhin used the last trick he had left – his dear flower trap. Without the second thought, Jhin threw the trap at those bandits, and the impact sent him flying through the woods, ended up somewhere near the river. Desperate to get away, Jhin crawl into the river and let the water carried him away.
So here he was, in the middle of nowhere with broken bones and bruises. He felt heavy and tired, but still had the will to pull himself away from the water and up the riverbank. After that he just stayed there, panting and trying to catch his breath.
As he waited for his body to regain the strength, Jhin counted the bullets he had left. He had seven traps and twelve bullets for Whisper left. Curtain Call was unavailable right now until he had restocked. He could still make do with this, in the condition that he had spotted the enemy from far away. Jhin's at his most disadvantage in close combat, he's more of the medium range or long range. He would get close to his enemies/victims/materials only when he's very confident that they couldn't be a threat, or when he's sure that he could handle them if they still posed a threat.
It took Jhin a while to pull himself into a sitting position. He checked himself and frowned after finding out that, despite the bruises and broken bones, he's also bleeding as well. One of the bandits must had cut into my leg or it's the work of my trap. Jhin sighed, groaning as he pulled his right leg closer to get a better look on the bleeding wound. Or I might just hit something while the trap sent me flying away from those bandits. Nevertheless, now he's bleeding and would surely bleed to death if he didn't do something soon.
"You're worse than I'd thought" came Shen's voice and the ninja suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Jhin grunted but didn't respond, only eyeing Shen and then titled his head toward the sound of those bandits trying to find him. They're not close enough to be a threat yet, but they would soon if Jhin didn't move.
"What do you want?" he asked Shen instead and slowly moved into a position to stand up. And if Shen looked surprised that he sounded so tired, the ninja didn't ask.
I will paint this valley with blood, Jhin thought as he hurled himself up into a standing position. One of his hand immediately reached for the tree behind to balance himself as he stumbled to the side. Soon, after I've rest and restock. But first, I've to get away from this place.
"Need a hand?"
Suddenly, as Jhin was about to face the biggest problem of how to get out, Shen offer me a hand. Jhin frowned behind his mask. A hand? He scoffed. Don't be so stupid, he's planning something.
"What do you want?" Jhin almost growled at the ninja. "Want to put me behind bars again? Pathetic." Even that he knew that the pathetic one was, actually, himself. He's injured and he could barely stand on his own. Right now he's useless.
"Khada Jhin," Shen spoke. His voice was warmer than before, Jhin almost found it soothing. "I've forgiven you for what you did. And technically, you're in prison; so your past crimes are no longer my concerns." The ninja took a step closer, still extending his hand. His posture was calm and collecting, and this was what Jhin hated both about Shen right now; the other was always in control of himself and sometimes the situations as well.
"I don't care about what you think," Jhin shot back, his voice a bit hoarse and his vision started to dance from losing too much blood. "What do you want?"
"I want to help you," was the reply. Jhin almost laughed because it sounded so stupid, so immature. Help me? The virtuoso laughed. What a ridiculous answer! Is he that stupid to think that I will believe that?
"Help me? No one can help me," he tried to act like he could still fight, but the truth was he couldn't even handle Whisper properly at this point. His vision was dancing and the pain was eating him alive. Nevertheless, Jhin held his head high and tried to ignore how his body slightly tremble from the effort.
Shen didn't reply, but his hand was still there – extended toward Jhin, asking if he wanted to come with them.
Jhin was torn between pulling away and tried to survive on his own or accepted the truth that he indeed needed help. Well, if there were only bruises and small broken bones, as long as it's not his legs, he could still travel, but bleeding was not the same story. Jhin had witnessed the magic of losing blood numerous times already, so he knew that how quick it would be to kill a person with that. And that's the reason why Jhin tried to keep the bleeding at minimum when he wanted his actors/actresses breathing until the very end of the performance.
"Jhin," Shen called him, pulling Jhin from his train of thoughts. "Don't be stupid."
Jhin wanted to retort that Shen was so stupid to assume that he would trust the ninja, but the he's losing strength to even stand. Maybe accepting that hand would be a better idea. If Shen indeed put him back to the prison, he would be release back in no time nonetheless. Those idiots in the High Council of Ionia still needed him to perform.
In the end, Jhin grunted and accepted Shen's hand. The ninja pulled him forward and Jhin fell right into the waiting arms of the ninja.
With his chin resting on Shen's shoulder, Jhin closed his eyes as the forest around them turned into a blur.
Jhin was vaguely aware of the shouting as he was carried somewhere. He heard Shen's voice before it faded back into the background voices. Then he was laid down somewhere, a medical bed perhaps? He smelt medicines and herbs. There was Shen's voice again and then there was a needle piercing his skin. Jhin felt numb and then he's slipping away again.
When he woke up, he wasn't wearing a mask.
Jhin was panic a bit, at first, but then he remembered that he let Shen took him somewhere. A prison? He thought as he looked around, frowning when he saw that he's in a decent Ionian style bedroom with a bathroom which was separated from the bed room by a curtain; very Ionian style.
So…not a prion, Jhin thought, grimace as another voice in his mind spoke up. Not yet. He looked around and couldn't find his weapons anywhere in the room. Hm, why am I not surprised?
After that he looked at himself. There were bandages around his torso, to limit his movement so the bones healed quicker. He had been stitched up and all bruises had been applied medical cream. The clothes he wore was obviously not his. A simple white shirt and white pants.
Jhin slowly moved to the side of the bed and moved to stand up. Even that he's still wanted to sleep more, but he needed to know where he was. There was a window on the other side of the wall, Jhin moved toward it first. He looked out and saw an Ionian forest stretched out toward the horizon where he saw a blur line of mountains after mountains.
So, I'm not in a city, Jhin thought as he stepped away from the window and headed toward the door. To his surprise, it wasn't locked.
Jhin knew why it wasn't locked after he pushed it open. It appeared that his room was built on a small flat surface of the mountain. In front of him was a passage built from wood and widen enough for two people to walk side by side. On the left side of the path was a stone wall of the mountain, on the right side was nothing; the forest was around 50 meters below. So, the only way to his room was by this wooden bridge which was very easy to destroy.
Except that you're a ninja and can walk on the wall. Jhin thought as he walked slowly down the bridge. He had to be careful with his movement since the injuries still brought dull pain if he moved too fast, especially around his abdomen.
After what felt like forever, Jhin arrived at the end of the bridge which leaded him into a small cave. He stepped in, took it slow as his eyes adjusted to the darker path. He put one hand on the wall and the other hand around his abdomen, covering where he was stitched up.
The cave was not very deep, just several seconds and Jhin saw the opening. The first thing he saw after he walked out of the cave was stairs made from stones, leading upward. Two side of the stairs were large pale trees and flowers. Jhin knew them all. They're all ancient floras of Ionia which could be found only in his homeland. Only the richest soil in the deep of Ionian forest where they could grow and flourish. So, I must be somewhere very far from the city, Jhin thought to himself as he slowly walking up stairs. The stones were too cold for his liking but there was nothing he could do. The people who put him in this outfit didn't give him the shoes.
As he walked up the stairs, Jhin couldn't help but felt like he was being watched. He moved on slowly, eyeing every shadows between the trees; very uncomfortable without his mask on. Soft wind blow down and the flowers were blown away. Colorful petals were in the air and traveled with the wind away from the mountain to the forest below.
Nature is always the best, Jhin thought, reminding himself one of his artworks where he used blood of his victims to paint seven flowers which were originally from Ionia. He considered that work as 'averagely satisfied'.
Jhin was nearly out of breath when he reached the top of the stairs. He panted and hunched over a bit as he tried to regain his breath.
"Impressive"
Jhin nearly jumped at the voice. He sprang up, grunting as the abrupt movement strained his injuries, especially the cuts at his abdomen. In front of him was Shen. The ninja wasn't in his usual outfit. Actually, what Shen was wearing were very similar to Jhin's, except for the shoes and a brown leather belt with a knife strapped to it.
"The healer had predicted that you would wake up tomorrow," Shen said, now turning his side to Jhin. His face was still the same Jhin remembered, but older and with less lights in his eyes. However, this Shen also looked a lot more collective than his younger self.
"I remember you used to have longer hair," Jhin said without thinking twice. Well, Shen had long hair with was pulled into a half bun half ponytail when they first met. When Shen's father, Zed, and him, were trying to catch the Golden Demon.
"I cut it after my father died," was the answer. There was no anger nor malice in the voice. "And it had been years."
Jhin wasn't sure what should he reply. Without his mask, he felt awkward and unsure; so he changed the topic. "Where am I?" he asked, looking around. Behind Shen was a path leading to somewhere, Jhin couldn't see much because of the trees.
"My home," Shen replied and turned without anymore clarification. "Come," he called, turning his back toward Jhin and started walking. Jhin frowned but followed the man nonetheless. Well, he didn't have any other choices, did he?
/
They walked for quite a while. No one said anything. The air was cool and there was always soft wind blowing every minutes or two. Jhin shivered a bit but tried his best to conceal his discomfort. His feet were cold from the cool stone path. He tried to look on the bright side that at least the path was smooth, he had been walking barefoot on sharp rocks before, not a very pleasant memory.
"So," after several minutes in complete silence, Jhin decided to start the conversation. "Why did you help me?" He looked at the side of Shen's face. The ninja's face was quite plain in his opinion, especially with that spark in his bright blue eyes dimmer. Nevertheless, these eyes were still the brightest blue Jhin had ever seen on anyone's eyes could ever be.
Shen took a while to answer. The ninja seemed to be considering his choice of words. "I do not know," Shen replied, his voice was warm but offered no way to ready how he really felt. "Maybe it's a mistake, maybe I'm trying to accomplish what my father cannot. Or maybe I'm about to repeat his mistake."
"What do you mean?" Jhin frowned. He didn't like when others were being mysterious to him. Mysterious and bloody artistic were his job, not others'.
But Shen didn't answer, no, the ninja kept walking without saying anything more. Jhin didn't like it, but there was nothing he could do. He didn't want Shen to know that the curiosity was killing him. Despite loving to see blood turned into an artwork, Jhin was quite curious by nature – especially when what he wanted to know seemed to have a touch of drama and bloodshed.
Slowly, they approached the forest line. Jhin's jaw almost hit the ground when he saw what in front of him and immediately figured out where he was.
There was a large yard in front of him, made from white stone – the same type of stone which was used to make the stairs and the paths. No, actually the stone he saw was the mountain itself. It seemed like it was reshaped by magic to accommodate the residents' needs.
Several mem and women were sparing across the yard, dressed in the similar outfit with Shen. On the left side of the yard were a cliff with pale wooden fence while on the right was a path leading down and up the mountain. However, what capture Jhin's attention most was in front of them, across the yard. An entrance to a cave. The entrance was several meters tall, decorated with long strips of white and blue fabrics. Deeper inside the cave, Jhin could see a vague shape of passageways, balconies, and stairs – all made of woods.
He's truly at Shen's home. He's at the lair of the old order of ninja.