Welcome to Summoner's Rift!

This is going to be another multiple-chapter, character centered story. I hope you will find it entertaining.

One thing: this story was started before the Shurima swallowed Cassiopeia's old lore!

Disclaimer: All characters and places mentioned belong to Riot.

All Things Considered

Prologue

Lux was hyperventilating. The air around her was hot and smelled of an awful mix of urine, feces and blood, but she was trying to push as much of it inside her lungs as she possibly could. Something inside her knew she was going to vomit in a moment and spoil the air even more, but she just couldn't help it. It was like the air was made of candy. Strawberry toffi, her favourite kind.

"Kat," she moaned loudly in between her desperate gasps. Her asthma was trying to kill her - and was pretty close to it - but she wouldn't give in. Not like this.

Katarina put a finger to her mouth to silence the girl, but Lux wasn't looking at her. Someone hit the door the Noxian supported herself against with such power that she almost fell face first to the muck on the ground, but she held on to the handle. She won't let them in. Not like this. Lux's leg was bleeding hard and she sat down on the floor helplessly with her back to a big, wooden pillar. If anybody got through the Noxian's defences right now, Lux would have no real chances of running away. The mage's staff lied five feet away from her, completely forgotten by its owner. A light went out in Katarina's brain and she tried to kick the rod with her boot. She strained her thigh muscles, but to no effort. She couldn't reach the damned thing without leaving the door. Another thud at the wooden gate behind her made her lose her balance again. The planks were beginning to crack.

"Lux," she tried to say calmly, but was surprised with how shaky her voice was. The blonde still wouldn't look at her, and she had to get her attention somehow. They had to get out of here. "Lux, for fuck's sake. Listen to me."

The Demacian's head shot up at her with eyes wide open, as if she's just realised Katarina was still standing there. Lux couldn't help the surprised yelp coming out of her mouth upon the sight of the older woman. Blood was running down the Noxian's face from a cut on her forehead, and a wide, dark bruise was already spreading all over her eye and cheek. She stood in a way that looked anything but comfortable, holding the door with her whole body weight. A deep man's voice shouted something outside the building, but neither of the girls trapped inside could distinguish his words. Lux's stomach finally gave in to the stress and she bent over to empty it over the hay, thankfully missing her own hands. A pair of black, watery eyes looked at her with what couldn't have been anything else than disgust. Even cows despised her now.

"Come on, Firefly," Kat's voice was cracking, but she tried her best to keep her composture. This wasn't going to get them anywhere. She needed Lux to think clear. "Get your act together. Grab that staff."

Another strong kick at the door threatened to break the planks.

"I can't," Lux started, but a series of coughs interrupted. Katarina didn't push her to talk as she waited for her coughing to give way to a quiet sob. "I can't breathe."

"I know," the Noxian tried to keep her tone as neutral as possible, but she wasn't doing the best job. She had to keep one eye closed to prevent the blood from dripping into it, and her whole body was shaking now. "It'll be alright, just trust me. Calm down."

"I'm trying to!"

Katarina wanted to shout back at her for acting so childishly, but she knew better than that. She resisted the anger building inside her guts and fought the urge to throw something at the blonde. Blood was pounding in the Noxians ears and her head felt far too light on her shoulders. Her own breathing was becoming rigid, she realised, as she watched Lux put her hands over her mouth in an attempt to stop the asthmatic attack. Everything seemed to be painted in grey and Katarina knew she was already losing grip of the world around her. Her treacherous body was about to shut her down.

"Lux," she tried once more, as gently as possible. The blonde wasn't even paying attention to her anymore, occupied now with the wound at her leg. The arrow almost missed her, only leaving a big cut on Lux's outer thigh. Katarina inhaled sharply, seeing the world go black for a moment. She was losing the feeling in her arms and legs, but she resisted another kick at the door. "I can't hold it much longer."

With a quick, absent glance in Katarina's eyes, Lux left the pillar and slowly crawled over to where her staff was. She gripped it so tightly her knuckles became white. Trying to stand up, she fought back the tears threatening to break free. The pain in her leg was overwhelming, but she had to endure it. Just a flesh wound, she thought to herself, just a minor cut. The bones had to be intact, otherwise she would surely faint trying to move. She finally stood up straight with a triumphant expression and looked over in the Noxian's direction.

Katarina slumped against the door, not able to control her body anymore. The scent of smoke eclipsed the stench of the air around them, and soon enough long, flickering tongues of fire licked the wall opposite from the Noxian. She saw Lux getting over to her, but she was so painfully slow. Despite the hay burning a few feet away from them, the world around Katarina was getting darker with each passing second, before turning completely black. Last thing she saw was the shimmer of light in the mage's blonde hair.

Kat couldn't help her anymore.

All things considered, this was not going to end well.

A/N: Hope you've enjoyed this short prologue. Don't worry, everything is going to get clearer with the following chapters. If you liked it (or not) - leave a review with your thoughts. Till the next chapter!