From Dusk Till Dawn – Prologue

(Third in the series, continuation of my two previous works, "Udyr x Nidalee" and "Will of a Warrior")

The quiet before battle…

The harmony in the night…

Peace: the defining word that had held Nidalee and Udyr together for so long, after all that they had gone through. It wouldn't seem like it was that long, but they felt at home in Ionia. They grew with each other as they rebuilt the city of Ionia destroyed by Zed.

This time, it was not 3 weeks. Instead, it was an entire year. They had a child together, and named him 'Soul.'

Udyr held him while he was asleep. "He will become the greatest warrior of the Spirit Walkers, I know it!"

"He looks just like his father, too; same eyes, same spirit, and same attitude."

They went to sleep later that night after putting Soul to bed. Udyr decided that he wanted to have privacy with Nidalee, so he put Soul in Annie's room and had Annie stay with Ahri. Yasuo was a busy man in Ionia, but would always be there for whenever Ahri called him. Riven tried to go away from her fighter ways and instead become a self defense teacher. Udyr had trouble sleeping that night, much like he always had when he was troubled that something bad may happen. He finally fell asleep, and in his dreams he saw his master:

'Master, are you alive? Or am I dead?'

'Run.'

Udyr was confused. 'Huh?'

Udyr's master took him in his arms and ran. 'There's no time left to talk. GAH!'

A piercing light came down from the sky. It blinded Udyr as he was thrown out of his master's arms. Udyr opened his eyes, and saw Yorick, the gravedigger. Yorick had knocked his master to the ground with his shovel, and was digging his grave right in front of him.

'Like Father like son they always say. You always go out the same exact way: fighting for a cause you know nothing about.'

'Who are you?'

'Yorick Mori, the gravedigger of the Shadow Isles. I know everything about you Spirit Walkers, and I know that through the Order of the Shadows. You may remember this familiar face.' A shadow appeared behind Yorick, and it became alive. It was none other than Zed.

'Z..ZED? There's no way Zed is alive.'

'Hmph, your master must have not taught you the gift of reanimation. The Shadow Isles holds many secrets kept from mankind, and reanimation is just one of many. Don't worry, you will see everything very soon, Spirit Walker. Hahaha.'

Udyr closes his eyes, and tries to run away. Zed catches up to him, and holds his blade under him.

'Nobody escapes their shadow...'

"NO! Ugh...Oh." Udyr screamed, as he woke up.

'It wasn't real...but it had to be. The Shadow Isles, and the Order of the Shadow, they all still exist. I have to stop them.'

Udyr got dressed, and sent a message out to Jin, and Yasuo. Since they were both warriors for Ionia now, they had to find some time to meet up and talk about their new jobs and everything new in their life, but most importantly to break down the details of what Udyr considered to be the next big important mission.

Ahri was upset with Yasuo's decision to leave her home. "Why, on your day off, do you decide you're too busy to be with your wife?"

"Sorry honey, but this is one of the few opportunities I'm going to get to talk to everyone again."

Ahri grabbed Yasuo's hand. "You know, it's been an entire year by the end of today. That exile girl won't have to stay here anymore…"

"Yes?"

"Why don't we go out on a little date later today, just me and you?"

"I guess. It will technically be our anniversary anyway."

Ahri smiled, and let go of Yasuo. "See you later sweetheart!"

'What could I be called for this early?'

They met at Yasuo's post, where Udyr had a dark look on his face.

"Gentlemen, how has your normal life been?"

Jin and Yasuo looked at each other in confusion. They also knew by the sound of it that it wasn't going to be a normal meeting. Something was going to happen to them very soon.

"Well, let's get down to what I wanted to talk about. We've had a year to rest, but I'm afraid that rest will soon end."

Yasuo put his hands on the table. "What?! Who is it now?"

"I really hate to say this…" Udyr looked at the ground. "Zed is alive."

Jin couldn't believe it. "IMPOSSIBLE!"

Yasuo had fear struck in his eyes. "How? He died by my own blade!"

"…It would take too long to develop the entire story, but remember when he said that the order of the shadow would live on? He is a living corpse being revived by the gravedigger, Yorick. I'd say we have a few days at best before we have to fight him again, along with his order of followers."

Jin protested. "We just started getting back to our regular lives, and you expect us to leave everyone again?!"

Udyr standed up, and started getting serious. "You think I want this? You think I want to leave my SON here in town while I'm out doing whatever the hell I could be doing? I DON'T WANT THIS! However, ignoring it isn't an option. I'm sorry, Jin and Yasuo. I need you two."

Both Yasuo and Jin were stuck with fear, sadness, and lament. What they had worked so hard for was about to disappear once again.

'I am use to killing…no, I was almost born into it. My whole life feels like it was consistent of me being abused, lied to, framed, and still not forgiven even through the countless amounts of hours I spend all day trying to fix this terrible life. I met Ahri, who gave my life a better purpose and a defining role in my life. I wanted to protect someone so I could feel value to this life by helping another, but now I'm starting to feel like I'm just toying with the emotions of others. Sometimes I wonder what life would have been if I insisted on being normal and not following the way of my brother…would I have still met Ahri? Would I have still gone through betrayal and unnecessary punishment? I wonder where I could be in life.'

"Yasuo, take it easy. Ahri is very deceptive and will try to pour out her heart to you. She has gone through similar times so I don't see why-"

"Shut up." Yasuo put his hand on his sheathe ready to take out his sword any second.

"Excuse me?"

"Listen to yourself. Acting like you know Ahri the way I do. You will never know someone until you get down to the core of their personality and lifestyle like I have."

"I've known her for countless amounts of years, so I think I deserve the merit of knowing what she is like."

"You have no idea, Spirit Walker."

Udyr took his backpack, and started off back home. "Well then, swordsmen, enjoy getting through with your wife. We meet here at dawn tomorrow, no earlier and no later. Get some rest you two."

'I know that they are both going to take this either very easily or somehow very wrong. They have grown from having a strong heart to lacking the fundamentals of actually caring for your family enough to leave them for the greater good. I've done it enough to know that feeling, and I can understand why they seem so rushed. I just started a family for the first time, and I can't believe I'm forcing myself to separate once again. I trust both of them will still be able to find a way to get through. Nidalee…I'm sorry for lying to you about having a normal life, but I know this is the correct response to end the order of the shadow at this moment so that our son can have the childhood that I never because I was constantly fighting.'

Yasuo decided to catch up on what Riven was doing before he went home. Yasuo knocked on her door, and was soon let in.

"This house seems quite big for one, don't you think, Riven?"

"I was hoping to make this more of a sociable place since I teach now. Anyways, was there something you want to talk about?"

Yasuo sat down on the couch, and put his blade on the table. "Oh, I just wanted to check in and see how you were doing. I know adapting to this kind of life isn't always easy. Unfortunately for me, I have to re-adapt soon."

"Why?"

"Trouble lies ahead. I can't speak of what it is, but I'll have to leave my post."

Riven poured Yasuo a glass of wine. "I'm sure it should still be a breeze for a swordsmen like you. I know I wouldn't even be able to attempt to fight for how long I've been away."

Both of them enjoyed their wine as they continued on about how long it has been ever since they had ever really fought or done anything out of the ordinary apart from their daily lives. The only time Riven brought out her sword was for her classes with young Ionians, and as the occasional cookie-cutting tool.

"Well, it's getting dark. If I don't get home now, the wife will surely be mad."

"Speaking of which, how is Ahri doing?"

"She hasn't changed much; she is still very emotionally attached to me. I don't know how I'm going to break it to her that I need to leave."

Riven hugged Yasuo as he set out the door and grabbed his sword. "If you need any help, I'll be right here."

"Thank you, Riven. Take care now."

'Well, now I've gone off the deep-end. How do I explain why I am out so late?'

Yasuo got home rather quick, and Ahri was outside waiting for Yasuo with Annie in her arms sleeping.

"You sure took long, what's the meeting about?"

"Boring work stuff, do you still want to go out?"

Ahri put her arms out. "Put the little one to bed, first!"
Yasuo took Annie out, and put her in her room. Annie opened her eyes before Yasuo left her room. "Yasuo…will I start seeing you more?"

Yasuo got upset off of that question, but gave a simple response: "Maybe someday, little angel. Goodnight."

Ahri took Yasuo to a restaurant that they had never been to before because of how expensive it was. Now that Yasuo had a job, and didn't have to pay off for Riven, it was more affordable. The atmosphere was really nice, and the food was the best in town.

Ahri tried to look at Yasuo, but his face would always tilt towards the table.

"Is something wrong, Darling?"

"No, why?"

"You have that look on your face that makes you look worried. I don't want you to feel worried about anything on our date!"

"It's hard to be calm when I feel so…"

"So what?"

"I don't even know the word for it. I'm just stressed out that I need to be the protector of Ionia, and that I would have to go back to my old self and start killing again. I wish life didn't give me that."

"Why do you think this? Are you not telling me something?"

Yasuo kept his mouth shut, because he didn't want to say anything. Ahri put her hand under Yasuo's head, and got him to look up. "Sweetheart, I will listen to anything you have to say."

Yasuo decided to lie instead of upset the mood. "I might get promoted soon, but that could mean I have to learn how to become a warrior again, when all I want is to be regular and have a family."

Ahri kissed Yasuo. "You didn't have to hide that from me. I trust you more than I've trusted anyone, Yasuo. I love you."

Yasuo felt a strike to his heart when he heard that.

'I'm already going to hell, but now I've just dug deeper. If I wanted to be abrupt, I could spoil the whole plan right now, but I don't think that's the correct response still. I know that I must leave you, Ahri, but it pains me to do so.'

The dinner table was pretty silent after that conversation. The two ate, paid, and went back home. Yasuo tried to act normal because he didn't want Ahri to know that he was going to leave. Yasuo had heard of Ahri's past and how she had been constantly left without notice, and Yasuo didn't want to be next in line. They went home, and Yasuo went to his room for a bit. He got a call from Udyr.

'Is everything there okay? Have you told her you need to leave?'

'I don't think I should.'

'You know what's happened to her. She will feel worse if you leave without notice.'

'How am I supposed to do it?'

'There are no tricks to it. Tell her straight up, and get over with it. She will most likely cry and beg you to stay, but don't listen to her.'

'Alright then, I see there is no other choice…'

Yasuo hung up, and sighed briefly. It was a few moments later that Yasuo knocked on Ahri's door. Ahri answered almost immediately. "Come in!"

Yasuo had entered. "Ahri, are you still awake? I need to talk to you…"

Ahri closed the door behind Yasuo, and shoved him to her bed. "My thoughts exactly."

Yasuo was confused. "Ahri, what's the matter?"

"Tell me Yasuo, who were you just on a call with?"

"Udyr. What's the matter?"

"You weren't planning on leaving me here with Annie, were you?"

"W-what?"

"I heard your little conversation, Yasuo…" Ahri gave Yasuo a deadly stare. "You weren't planning…on leaving me tonight…were you?"

"I…well…"

"STOP FUCKING WITH ME YASUO!"

Yasuo was done holding back. "YES, I AM LEAVING YOU. I HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE."

Ahri's face went from red to pale, and she stood up. "You're just walking out on me, after we finally get alone time?"

Yasuo tilted his head. "I have to protect this family, and Ionia. The Order of the Shadow is still alive."

Ahri put her hands on her face as she whimpered on her bed sheets. "Do you know how many men I've had walk out on me after I confess my love for them?"

"Ahri…"

"ANSWER ME!"

"No. I don't, but I do know that it's in our best interest to protect this place."

"You don't even care for this family, Yasuo! You're out half the day and don't even give me any notice."

"I work hard because I love this town, and I love you, but I'd be a terrible person to let anyone harm either you or this town."

Ahri continued to weep on her pillows, as Yasuo got up and opened the door. Ahri grabbed him one last time. "Please don't go. I don't know how much more of this I can take."

"Sorry miss. This needs to happen." Yasuo closed the door and left in the blink of an eye. Ahri stopped crying for a bit, and followed him.

"Stop leaving me…everyone leaves me."

Yasuo was too fast for Ahri to catch. He left in the dark night for his destination, while Udyr and Jin still had to tell their wives they had to leave. Udyr in particular wasn't very happy of how he had to tell Nidalee. He put Soul to sleep, and went to their room where Nidalee was eagerly awaiting Udyr.

"Nidalee, we need to talk. This place is no longer safe."

"Hmm?" Nidalee was scratching her paws.

"You know it pains me to say this, but…I'm leaving."

"WHAT?! Why?"

"Nidalee, Zed is still alive, and the shadow of dawn is awakening. If we do not stop them now, it will overcome the light. I need to go right now, the others are on their way already."

Nidalee stopped Udyr. "Udyr, let me come with you."

"No, you need to stay here with our child."

"Why? Do you think we can't 'fend for ourselves? You were fighting with your master at a young age!"

"I don't want you to get hurt again!"

"Udyr…" Nidalee started getting angry, but also sad. "What if I just stayed here…with Ahri….when you went to kill Lissandra. You would be dead without us, can you not understand this?"

"No, I understand your pain. I fear that our son isn't ready for battle yet. I haven't trained him like my master did. I'm sorry, but this is something only I can do, along with Yasuo and Jin."

"No…WAIT!" Nidalee couldn't stop Udyr.

'What gives him the idea we are in danger? All this talk about the shadow of dawn, and the darkness overcoming the light, what is he leaving me out on? Regardless, I won't let you get away this easily, Udyr.'