THE LOOSE CANNON BEARS LIGHT
Chapter 1: The Old and the New.
The truest opponent lies within.
The sentence struck Luxanna like a ton of bricks, the short phrase accompanied by a multitude of unwelcome memories- the pain of her being recruited, the physical and emotional agony of being ripped apart from her parents at such an immature age. These were things that she would have to overpower, ignore, and work through. She had always been taught to work through her problems, commandeer her personality, and be the epitome of calmness, while also maintaining her concentration and strength; not an easy task, for such a young girl.
Bringing up her palm from her mattress to support her head, she mouthed a resigned, "Thirty seven..",
and sighed. This was the thirty-seventh time she had had to re-live the collection of years leading up to and including her recruitment test, the thirty-seventh time she had had to endure it, again, through the worst medium of all; the most dangerous and snide of any; her own mind.
The truest opponent lies within.
Lux shook her head, to clear her head of the terrible dreams that were still fresh in her mind. Finding a new mentality to face the day in the morning was always hard, and this particular morning proved no exception. Forcing a smile, even if superficially improving her mood, was a method she tended to use, and consequently, she saw no reason to break that tradition.
The friction between the pure white sheets caused a satisfactory sound as Lux smoothed her duvet and turned the corner. A tidy room helps a tidy mind, as her mother had always told her. The flood of reminiscence almost knocked her physically backward, forcing her to take a seat on the bed, supporting herself. Her head in her hands, she took a deep, shaking breath. Mustering all the energy she could, she found the strength to get up, and walk on.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
The rays of natural sunlight resembled daggers of purity, as they pierced the hazy air of the Valorean backstreet. Perfect, unscathed marble pillars lined the walkway, giving direction and structure to the short walk. As Lux entered the glow of light, her ethereal fair hair throwing back just as much light as it was exposed to. Stepping forwards, her hair swayed in the light breeze, making a pattern of reflection dance brilliantly on the marble barriers. The steady click clack rhythm of her heels beat a string of perfect and symmetrical footprints on the chalky paved path. Her breath escaped in short bursts, betrayed by a small cloud of water vapour diffusing in front of her. As she walked further into the belly of the town, she noticed the concentration of fellow pedestrians becoming less and less sparse, until she reached her training grounds; where the walkways were once more quiet. Not at all envious of the nameless nobodies who were able to walk straight past her place of work, she unlocked the heavy iron gate, and entered.
Lux fought her way through training with all the conviction she could muster, fighting with agility and accuracy, her devotion evident in her results. Perhaps due to the stunning amount of natural light on this day, or maybe due to her promise to work harder than ever, her light attacks were flawless today. As Lux knew, time is relative. However, that did not stop her eight hours of training from feeling like she had been working for double that, and she changed back into her casual-wear clothes absolutely exhausted. Training was always a partial release; it kept her mind clear of trifling emotional matters, and other incapacitating thoughts that restrained her from functioning effectively. Feeling the cloud over her shoulder return, she took a large gulp from her canteen, stood up, and addressed those around her. "It's been a long session today; you all worked hard; I'm really impressed. I'm heading down to the tavern tonight, and I'd love your company. I hear it's that new girl's first night, what was her name agai-",
"Jinx." Vi interjected.
"Ah, yes. Jinx. Thank you Vi.", Lux concluded.
The younger girl noted Vi's somewhat anxious expression, and wondered if it had been something to do with the new girl. Drawing herself together, Lux smiled at her group of, friends? Comrades? No, neither of those. She had yet to assign a title to the relationship she had with this group of champions.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
The cacophony of fighters and civilians alike drinking heavily and shouting at one another were the sounds that greeted Lux's ears. The warm glow of the aged wooden tavern and the soft pure light of the moon were the sights received by Lux's eyes. The slightly bitter, sappy taste of tobacco smoke mingled with woodsmoke was the smell detected by Lux's sensitive nose, and the bite of the wind and the flap of loose clothing were the sensations felt by her outer body. The buzz of the tavern increased in volume as they approached, and multiplied tenfold when Vi pulled open the battered oak door itself. The sudden heat and light were almost tangible, and any non-seasoned visitor may have taken a step back before entering, however, the Lady of Luminosity, accustomed to the tavern as she was, continued straight in and prepared to order a round of drinks.
"I-I'll have another! Keep 'em coming 'til I say stop, you!" a raucous voice at the bar exclaimed.
"Lady," the bartender spoke respectively; "Do you not think you've had more than enough? Look at this!", he gestured to the twenty-something empty flagons in front of her.
"I'm absolutely fine. I will stop when the night becomes bearable! I hate it when things are boring. Don't you just love fun?", the words had an unassigned mouth, but seemed truthful enough; barely a slur was detectable. Lux's pure, varnished nails tapped impatiently on the beaten work surface, betraying her seemingly polite and patient expression. Despite clearly noticing Lux's restraints and forced patience, Vi was not the type to sit there receptively.
"Bartender! We've been waiting here far longer than we should have, that lady will simply have to be returned to later, she's been drinking you dry anyway, we'd like some drinks over here!" Vi projected her fierce voice, which carried over all of the pub congregation, turning a few heads.
"Hold yer 'orses, Vi! Just 'cause you're a regular don't mean you get any privileges! I'll be there in a moment, don't you worry yourself.", the bartender humorously retorted, only to stop laughing abruptly when he caught the gaze of Vi herself, who was smouldering at the bar, using all of her self restraint in order to prevent herself from climbing over the bar and making the smug bartender pour a few drinks. Fortunately for the bartender, Vi respectfully stood back and sat on a stool, content for the heavy drinker obscured by the crowd to continue.
Only a short wait actually occurred, with the group of champions receiving their deftly-poured drinks in succession. Lux noticed Vi's warm expression morph into one of confusion, concentration, and then of confusion once more.
"That girl... The drinker... I could've sworn I know her. Is she familiar to you?", muttered Vi. Lux made an intrigued sound, and tried to peer over the crowd. Almost by chance, the group in front of them dispersed, allowing an unblocked view of the mystery drinker.
Author's note: I know it's not exactly unpredictable as to whom the 'mystery drinker' is, but don't worry, I won't be so boring later on. I've never written a story before, so please be empathetic. As I'm learning, please do review, it helps a huge amount! Also, if/when I see a new favourite or follow, it inspires me an undue amount to just write a whole lot more, so if you DO you want to continue reading this story, please show it! Also, I'm actually relatively new to the League of Legends lore and backstories, and I'm unfamiliar with many of the champions. If I make any mistakes, don't hesitate to let me know. Thank you again!
-jinxxxxx