So I decided to combine chapters 1-3 as a prologue. Mostly because they were simply introducing his past, introduction into the Institute and relationship with some of the champions of the League. I wanted the main story to be about his adventure tracking Riven down. Hope you enjoy the update!
Prologue: The Reckoning of an Innocent Man
The night was lit with the pale moon's glow when Noxus invaded Ionia. The wind blew softly and whistled through the halls as citizens ushered their children into their homes. Slowly, one by one the lit homes were extinguished and the once warm glow of the city, was covered in a dark blue hue, a cold air and frightened souls, something that the terror of Noxus brought everywhere it went. The rain started when the Noxus forces could be seen off the coast of Ionia. There was a soft pinging of rain on the soldiers' armor. Pacing the walls were three champions of Ionia, Shen, Irelia and Akali, and a fourth figure. Shen led them his light blue garments had turned a dark blue as water seeped into them.
"Irelia, you are to stay with the soldiers as they man the walls, let no Noxus filth climb them," He ordered the tall woman, draped in red battle regalia and adorned with an ornate head piece that floated gracefully behind her.
"My blades are at the disposal of the Kinkou, as you wish." She separated from the group walking in-between the soldiers giving them words of comfort.
"Akali, stay hidden until the Noxus commanders show themselves. You know what to do," Shen said.
"I will restore balance, Shen." She bowed then leapt over the wall and ran into the forest.
"With Yi and his pupil Wukong guarding the gates to the civilian quarters and Lee and Karma guarding the palace doors, Irelia on the walls and Akali ready to ambush, that leaves us with you," Shen said directing his last comment toward the fourth figure, who stepped into the light of the warm torch. The flames' light flickered across his young unblemished face.
"I wish to be on the walls with Irelia." The figure said eagerly.
"That would not be wise; we need someone to watch over the elder. That is the best course of action for you, Yasuo." Shen replied.
Yasuo stifled a retort and simply bowed, his long hair falling down over his face to hide his shame and anger. "As you wish Shen... Ton!
With has last word he dissipated as if a gust of wind took him away. He reappeared on the steps on top of a hill overlooking the walls. His feet softly touched the ground, and the wind dispersed around him blowing the dirt off the stone steps and rustling the flowers around the old house. He gave one look back as the Ionia and Noxus forces clashed together. Wracked with guilt and frustration, he tore his eyes away from the view and entered the old house.
"Elder, I will be here to look over you," Yasuo said as he bowed in front of the elder.
The elder did not respond but looked out the window, pondering the events taking place. Almost as if he was pondering the events about to take place. Yasuo, annoyed with the response, simply rose and left the room.
He stepped outside, paced the perimeter once and sighed. One side the hill offered a beautiful view of a serene ocean that sat below a pale white moon, to the other, a vast field covered in blood and death of man and woman and beast as two forces fought, but this time the moon was a blood red. The screams of battle could be heard on top of the hill, Yasuo took his blade and dug it into the soft earth, put his weight against it, took out his flute and played a soft tune. An hour passed. When Yasuo finished his tune, he sighed heavily, but dared not look toward the battle, for the screams he had tried to drown outwere coming back. He entered the house and found the elder sleeping. He realized this was his chance, he could go help the battle and be back before the elder awoke. He closed the wooden door softly and let the wind carry him as he seemed to fly down the steps towards the battle.
As he approached the fight on the wall, he saw the Noxus decimating his brethren. Fueled by rage he dashed blindly into the fight. His steel sword was a tempest as it cut through the opposition;his forces around him broke the northern line in a triumphant roar. Cheering Yasuo on, they pushed towards the southern line which was also pushing the Noxus forces back. Then to his dismay, there came screams from the southern line. A gas strike had been called in by Noxus, he was too late to do anything though, for the gas was destroying soldiers on both fronts. The gas crawled over the battlefield, consuming anything living, like the gaping mouth of death. Yasuo ordered the retreat and picked up two of the closest wounded Ionians, used the wind to carry him and retreated above the wall. He saw as the gas flooded below him. Men crawled to the walls gasping for breath, their flesh sinking into their bones as they withered away. With disgust, Yasuo turned toward the hill and remembered...the elder! Yasuo rushed toward the house and threw open the door. He sunk to his knees amidst strewn pots, pans and broken furniture at the sight that greeted his eyes. The elder lay on his bed slain with a gash across his chest.
The aftermath...
The court room stood in all its splendor exactly as Yasuo remembered it, white marble floors and polished mahogany seats and the foolish criminal sitting in the middle, surrounded by guards and swordsman from his own school. This time, however, it was different.
The foolish criminal...This time it was him, he stood in the middle of the court and scanned the crowd, looking at the disapproving faces of fellow Ionians, fellow comrades, and his own brother.
"Swordsman Yasuo, you were tasked by Shen, Ionian's Eye of Twilight, to guard the elder, were you not?" A voice spoke.
"That...is correct." Yasuo replied, head bent low, his forehead wrinkled in frustration.
"And you took this as an opportunity to slay your own elder, our elder, Ionian's elder. Do you admit to the crime?" The voice said.
"Wha-" Yasuo exclaimed as his eyes widened and his head jerked up.
"Silence! You have been sentenced by the court of Ionia to-" The voice's words slipped into the air and Yasuo's mind raced.
It wasn't him who slayed the elder, how could they think it was, he was ready for a punishment of dereliction, but not murder. If he was going to be, who would stop the elder's murderer? If he couldn't, then they would be escape.
"...do you understand?' The voice stopped.
"Yes, I do understand." Yasuo took his ribbon and tied his hair back into a ponytail. "Wind be by my side today..."
"Guards stop him!" The voice yelled.
In one gust of wind, Yasuo knocked out all the guards and opened the door of the court, not even looking back when his brother yelled his name.
Months later...
There was a patter of feet in the valley, the sound of steel cutting through the air and flesh, then the sound a body crumpling to the ground. The pair of feet stumbled towards the body and collapsed.
"Brother!" Yasuo cried.
"Yasuo..." Yone coughed.
"It wasn't me, please believe me," Yasuo cried, but it was too late. he pleaded, screaming towards the sky. The mountains and trees seemed to bend as if they were mourning the two brothers' conflict.
Yasuo buried Yone later that day.
They had set his own brother to stop him, even though he was innocent.
"A wind technique slew the elder...there is only one place that I could find someone else who could master such a technique."
He packed his bags and set off on the road...toward the Institute of War.
"Relax and let the summoner into your mind," the man said. "And...You're done, excellent work."
"What test is next?" Yasuo said rubbing his head, it was a bit unnerving to connect with the summoner
"None, that was the last test. You have qualified. Welcome to the League, Yasuo ...The Unforgiven."
"Unforgiven, eh?" Yasuo didn't argue. "Where can I find information on the other champions in the league?"
"Hmm...ah! Talk to Ryze in the archives up the stairs at the end of the hall, he'll sort you out."
Yasuo exited the building, stuffing the official papers in his bag and in one swift movement pulled out a bamboo cup, un-corked it and took a swig. He wiped his mouth as he walked cautiously down the hallway. He didn't think that in a Institute where people beat each other down, the personnel would be so friendly to one another. However, he was mistaken when he saw a small purple and blue duo walked down the stairs. One had an enormous red hat that was at least the size of her, if not larger. The other seemed to be dressed in mage robes that were a tad bit too big for him. To round out the bunch there was a small familiar that flew around the two, laughing and squeaking.
"Prf. Ryze knows more about that scroll then he's letting on, I just know it," he blue one said quickly.
"Veigar, did that muffin on the table, well did it taste like purple?"
"I do say, Lulu, now that I think of it, it did a little bit!" Viegar said.
Yasuo stood perplexed by the duo that walked by. He knew that they were yordles, but even for yordles the goofy pair, seemed a bit too, well, goofy. Still, Yasuo stayed on guard as he walked up the flight of stairs lit with a blueish glow emanating from crystals mounted on the walls. As Yasuo walked down the hall he reached a pair of double doors. To call them doors would be an insult, however. The ornate wood had traces of magic and power laced in them, weaving in patterns all across it, the whole frame was laced with gold, as well as the door handles. Scrawled in ancient but beautiful handwriting was "Archives". Yasuo turned the handle and pushed open the door and a gust of wind blew past him. The room was full of towers and towers of scrolls, shelves went up to the immense ceiling and some scrolls were even flying from one archive to the next, organizing themselves. As soon as Yasuo stopped gaping at the enormity of the archive, he saw another champion sitting at a desk writing on scrolls. His skin was dark blue, covered in confusing tattoos. However, he noticed a giant scroll, like the one yordle described.
"Excuse me, Professor Ryze?" Yasuo said, while maintaining a distance.
"How can I help you...ah, Yasuo is it? I just received your letters of acceptance right now, welcome. How may I be of assistance?" Ryze said as he took off his spectacles and stood up, scrolls and parchment scattering to the side. Yasuo, with a flick of his wrist, blew the papers gently on to the desk.
"Hmm, a wind user I see, wonderful talent that is, only a few of us can use that, its amaz-." Ryze started.
"Pardon my interruption, but could you pull me the files on those wind users? I would like to see them." Yasuo said in a stern voice.
"Why, of course, I will be right back." Ryze said while running behind some shelves. "I trust you are prepared for your introduction match to the league?"
"My what?" Yasuo aksed as he walked to the shelf that Ryze was scouring.
"Why, your introduction match, a one versus one brawl, for the other champions to see your skill."
"I guess so..." Yasuo sighed and reached for his drink. He really just wanted to be on his way.
"Ah, please no drinking. Here are the files you requested, and good luck today, I'll be watching!" Ryze said and patted Yasuo's back as he walked back to his desk.
Yasuo sat at a table and looked at the files Ryze gave him. Only two champions, easy enough. Janna was the first one, an Independent champion. She didn't belong to Noxus, but she could've been hired. After reading a little, however, he soon changed his mind. Her skills where not oriented toward assassination, nor did she wield a blade. He placed the file to the side and picked up the other one. He squinted in the dim light of the room and dusted off the name.
Riven, the Exile
Yasuo took a deep breath, Ex-Noxian as of a few months ago, exactly after the Noxus invasion, assumed dead till her arrival at the institute. She wielded a blade. She was described to "reap the air with her blade", shooting forth a wind slice, capable of executing a man.
Capable of executing the elder.
While this wasn't full proof, he needed to talk with this Exile. And soon, but his plans was ruined as someone connected with his mind.
"Greetings, Yasuo, I am going to summon you to the rift now." The summoner said to him.
"Very well, let us get this over with," Yasuo sighed. "Wait, who am I fighting?"
He hoped it would be that Exile. In fighting her, he could confirm her skill with the wind.
"No, we are not fighting Riven, I can tell you wished for that. No, we are facing one much more sinister than her. Get ready now, the match is starting."
Yasuo closed his eyes and clenched his blade ready for his battle ahead. When he opened them he was on a grassy path surrounded by trees and a river on either side of the path. There was a looming statue with a crystal on either side of him. As he looked at the statue across from it, he noticed his enemy was being summoned. Out rolled a small girl, two blue braids flying around her as she stood. Covered in bullet casing tattoos and armed with three guns, she grinned with an evil smile at him. Yasuo taken aback, surprised but wary of his foe.
"Do we start!?" He yelled.
"Let's see, I'll give you to the count of - time's up! Here, catch!" The girl shouted as she bent to one knee.
Pulling out her rocket launcher, mouth shaped like a shark, she fired a rocket that increased in speed as it approached Yasuo, who was ready for it. He took a deep breath, focusing, he shouted and swept his blade across the ground.
"Choryo!"
A wall of wind flew in front of him, taking its place on the line he had cut in the ground. The rocket hit the wall and was consumed by the wind. The girl looked surprised, and Yasuo used it to his advantage. He dashed towards the dodging a electrical surge from her pistol. As soon as he was about to reach her, mines exploded underneath him. He jumped back, scarred a bit. He had to attack her from range.
With a few sweeps of his blade and hands he mustered the wind to the point of his sword and swung it at the girl.
"Hasagi!"
A violent torrent of wind shot towards the girl flinging her into the air.
"Sorye Ge Ton."
Yasuo dashed to the girl in the air and in three fell swoops he sent her spiraling toward the ground. As she did she slowly dissipated and was removed.
"Match goes to - Yasuo, The Unforgiven."
Yasuo closed his eyes and sheathed his sword; he was back in the archives. He took a swig from his bamboo cup, placed it back in his bag and walked out.
It was time to find this Exile, Riven.
Riven hadn't been seen in weeks, according to the Institute, and summoners could not call on her. However, one summoner had felt her presence last by the Great Barrier. It wasn't the most specific location since the barrier stretched from the Conqueror's Sea to the Guardian's Sea. But it was a start. The barrier was far, but a manageable distance on foot for Yasuo. He left the eve of his arrival. He packed a simple bag to carry food and drink, he wore armored tabi shoes, breaches and scarf. He also brought a gauntlet and shoulder piece from his armor while at Ioinia. His sword was, of course, always by his side.
It wasn't far before he ran into trouble, not that this group of bandits was much trouble for Yasuo. He was at Yaon Bridge, named after a small village south of it. It was an old bridge, rickety and wet as the water from the river seeped through the cracks in the wood. When Yasuo looked from under his straw hat at the three feeble bandits, they spoke and he realized the truth of how much trouble he was in store for.
"We-uh h-heard you had come here Mr. Yasuo," one spoke out.
"Shush, Akai! We heard what you did in Ionia, murderer. We also heard of the price, up to five-thousand gold pieces," the leader of the gang said.
"Turn yourself in, and we...and we won't hurt you," the youngest said.
"Look boys, please don't start something you can't finish," Yasuo said, realizing that these robbers where no more than teenage boys.
"Fine, we...we didn't want to do this."
The first boy pulled a large stick out and swung it at Yasuo, who ducked and listened to the "wiff" of the air as it soared above him. He nimbly jumped onto the railing of the bridge. The boy, furious, swung widely, loosing balance as he hit air. Yasuo landed back on the railing after dodging the clumsy attack, just in time to see the boy topple over the edge and into the roaring waters of the river.
"Akai!" The two boys shouted, dropping their weapons and clambering to the edge of the railing to try and grasp Akai's outreached hand. But they were to late and the boy was washed away.
"He's gone." The boys stood stunned. "He'll never survive that."
They sank to their knees in despair. Yasuo took off his straw hat and placed in on the youngest boy's head, shoved his sword, gauntlet and shoulder piece into the hands of the eldest and dove into the murky, roaring waters.
Yasuo sputtered and spat and drug himself and Akai out of the river. He walked back up the hill and sat the coughing boy down as his brothers rushed to his side. Yasuo sat down and rested, weaved some hot wind out of the air and dried himself off. The boys brought back his belongings and bowed for forgiveness.
"You from Yaon? Here, take this," Yasuo said as he threw them a bag of coins. "Shush, it's fine, you need it more than me. Also, know this, I never killed that elder."
The boys nodded and bowed as Yasuo stood up. Just as Yasuo put on his hat and walked away, the real trouble hit.
"Where do you think you're going, murderer," A voice said from the treeline.
"Shen and looks like Irelia and of course your favorite, Akali." Yasuo said with a straight face.
"Watch your tongue, traitor; we are here to finish your sentence," Shen said, pulling his Wakizashis from their sheaths.
Akali and Irelia circled Yasuo. The wind began to pick up.
"Don't hurt him, he sav-." The oldest brother said, but Irelia backhanded him.
"Shut up, civilian, this is an Ionian matter."
At that moment Yasuo's hat flew far above his head, he drew his blade in a flash of steel. Akali was the first to react, dashing in. Yasuo lunged and disarmed her Kama and kicking her; she flew back and skidded in the dirt. Irelia called on the will of her blades, launching them at Yasuo. Yasuo had no time for his wind wall, so he dragged the wind into a violent tempest around him reflecting Irelia's blades. They scattered, one flying into one of the defenseless boys. It lodged in his throat, killing him after he bled out for a few seconds. He had blocked it for Akai, still passed out on the ground.
"Fool! You have killed another innocent, only adding more to your sentence." Shen yelled.
Yasuo looked down at his hands. "My fault...hmph...death...he met it so early...Shen...would you like to meet it too!" Yasuo bellowed in rage. The trees bent and swayed at the massive wind storm forming, the trees started to snap. Shen realized it was foolish to stay and looked over to Irelia.
"Irelia, we are leaving," Shen said as he picked up Akali, grabbed Irelia's hand and made a sign with his fingers, concentrated and teleported out.
The storm subsided, Yasuo dropped to his knees breathing heavily. He got up and walked to the youngest of the group, who sat crying in-between his brothers, both dead.
"Akai died during the fight. He had water in his lungs and he died and big bro died trying to save him."
"It is my fault, I am sorry," Yasuo said looking at the boy, who sat confused for a bit.
"Why is it your fault? you tried to save Akai, just like big bro did, and they were the ones to attack you for something you didn't do. How is it your fault? Why are you taking all the blame, you're the hero, but what about justice? You deserve it, not this blame!" The boy yelled.
"Hmph, Justice, that's a pretty word," Yasuo said, deep in thought.
"Their death is not your fault, it's those Ionian ninjas' fault we couldn't save Akai and big bro died!" The youngest said.
They buried the brothers next to the bridge. Yasuo handed the boy the bag of coins and sent him on his way back to his village. He told the boy not to say anything when Yasuo would take the blame for their deaths. With resistance the boy agreed and cried as he walked away. Yasuo tipped his hat toward the brothers' graves and walked away, taking a sip of his drink, to wash away some of the pain.
"There is someone to blame for all of this mess, and I'm going to find them."