Chapter 1:
It was late at night, and as usual, I'm in front of my personal computer, lazing my time away with playing a game. I know that it was 11:59 and I also know that I'll wake up with blackened lines under my eyes but I don't care, a whole week full of hectic events will do that to anyone. I just want to erase the stress on my head, it's Saturday tomorrow anyway.
I'm free to do what I want to do.
I jerked the mouse quickly. I'm playing a game called League of Legends, a RTS game that's quite famous around the world for its relative complication and awesome game play. Even though I've played the game for almost half a year now, I'm still not bored or used to the game, it remains competitive and the developers regularly place new events and gimmicks to keep the game alive.
Right now I'm playing a champion named Riven, a devastating woman known for being a very tough gap closer. I pressed the Q button thrice and the figure of Riven dashed for three strikes, the third strike stunning the enemy, then I quickly pressed the R button, the button for a champion's ultimate ability. Riven's ultimate allowed her to form her broken sword through something that was, in-universe, was called 'ki'. Now that her sword was formed she proceeded to whack the enemy champion who was getting low on health, with my help and clicking of course. When I deemed the enemy champion's health low enough, I pressed the R button again to activate the second component of her ultimate ability, making her slash with all her might, a crescent wave of powerful energies flew from her blade and struck the enemy straight in the face, ending my opponent's life quickly.
The game was fast, ending in thirty minutes, or probably less. It ended quickly because they allowed me—fed me rather—to have many kills and my Riven simply became too powerful for them to kill. The game was on our side and the tables weren't turned for the worst, with a fifteen gap lead on the kill chart and two inhibitors destroyed, I'm surprised that they haven't cast a surrender vote. It's not that I want them to surrender though, because for me, a game is truly a game only when your victory is caused by the enemy nexus destroyed by your champion' attacks and not by a surrender vote. Like what's happening now, I'm happily relaxing on my rotating chair as Riven and a large group of minions pounded on the enemy nexus.
The Nexus's health was so diminished to a point where it will be destroyed by a few simple whacks when something unexpected happened.
Everything stopped. All the minions and all the champions became idle, the game itself stopped apparently. My brows furrowed in annoyance, like all games, this one has downsides, aside from the fact that games can be overtly frustrating at times, there was also the chance that a game can lag or worse, go DC, as in Disconnected.
I waited for the game to reconnect, and I'm really not one for patience mind you. I saw something flash from the corner of my right eye and I whipped my head to that direction, it was a lightning and the booming thunderclap soon followed. Rain was starting to pour when I lazily stood up and went to the window where I saw the lightning. I quickly closed the shutters of that window, just to blot out the flashy lights and the thunder's noise.
I was about to return to my seat when another thunderclap shocked the devil out of me! The shutter curtains were blown away and I returned to close the windows itself, then I tied the shutters firmly. But it seems like I'm not the only one who was shocked, the lights on my condominium was snuffed out and all I saw was darkness, it seems like that last lightning struck something in this building.
Now I'm greatly annoyed and frustrated by these events, my game could well be done by this point and I don't like it, it will be counted as a victory for my team but not for me who left the game early. Good thing it was not a ranked game, for I would cry over that loss, my rank was Diamond 5 and I don't want to lose that position for I labored great just to reach that valued rank on the international rankings.
Another thunderclap was heard but it didn't just produce sound, it shook the building. I grasped for something to hold on to, I found something steel, probably the railing of the windows, and clung on it for dear life. Everything shook, I hear some of my furniture and my appliances falling, even though I'm in a state of danger, I still worry over my computer and my game. See how messed up a man I am?
Then it stopped, as fast as the shaking started is as fast as it simmered down. The lights also flickered back on at fairly the same time the earthquake stopped. My feet and legs were wobbly as I cautiously stood up, wary of a stronger aftershock. I surveyed my condominium, nothing seems to be broken, the refrigerator was still standing, my glass mini table was not broken as I fearfully expected it to be, and my sofas were all well and good. I almost sighed for relief when I saw my computer set, and my eyes widened at what I saw.
The monitor was shooting out sparks, it was pierced by something that is glowing in eerie green, as I neared, I saw that the green glow emits from a piece of black rock, which was quite familiar to me. I curiously touched the fragment, well I think that it's a fragment, it was cool to the touch and my skin tingles whenever I feel it, I was mildly surprised when I felt the smoothness of the fragment, it was so soft and sharp to the touch like it was . . . a part of a larger blade.
All worry—and tears for that matter—for my computer was gone as I slowly took the fragment out of my computer. Sparks flew out as I did so.
I held the fragment reverently in my hands, turning to walk when I stepped on something. I raised my slipper to find a larger fragment, this time it was formed like an edge and there were runes on it. I looked on to find another and another, until I saw one with blood on its edges.
Alarmed, I followed the trail of blood, which went straight to my bedroom. As for the bedroom, well it doesn't look domicile for me.
The door was hanging on its hinges as if something barged past through. Fragments in my hand, I cautiously entered my own bedroom, cautious because of the things that possibly happened to be inside, sure it could be just a large object that barged into my room. But the fragments that I found and the blood that lead me here told me otherwise.
Imagine the shock on my face when I saw a woman lying on my bed.
She was sprawled on my bed, a woman with short white hair tied into a bun to the back, and a beautifully light tanned complexion. She wore metal greaves climbing up to her knees and a white, curiously short skirt that showed her tanned legs. Her right hand was gauntleted with steel while her other hand was tied with white bandages, she wore a slim violet skirt that was tucked into her skirt though it was so fit that you cannot guess that its tucked in. There was a steel pauldron, on her left shoulder and near her was a hilt that has the base part of the blade. When I looked at her beautiful yet tough face, I am fully sure, even though it may seem crazy, that the woman in my bed is Riven, the Exile.
I continued to walk towards my bed, and to her, to properly figure out why in the heavens she is here.
Blood.
Before I got closer, I saw the red stain on my white covers. Worried, I moved faster and upon giving her a cursory inspection, I discovered that she was bleeding thoroughly from her left side. My state of panic started to escalate quickly and I started to force myself into a state of calmness, this is not the right time to be panicking. Finding my person somewhat composed, I started to flip her to her left, so that I could have a good look on her bleeding wound.
I paled at what I saw; a fragment of her blade was stuck on the left-side of her abdomen. Biting my lip, I made a decision, then I ran to my kitchen where my first-aid kit was located, or at least I remembered it was located.
I shook my head, this is a critical situation without a room for mistakes.
I reached the kitchen and I let out a sigh of relief as I opened the medicine cabinet and took out an already-packed medicine kit. I ran back to the bedroom with haste.
I froze as I saw the already standing figure of Riven, she whipped her head towards me and I slowly showed her my medicine kit, to show her that I want to heal her. Meanwhile, my heart was beating faster on how she will react, especially when she was holding her broken blade on her right hand, while her left hand was clutching her wound. My mind was totally fanboying though and I mentally imagined horror movies just to curbstomp the inner fanboy in me.
"W-Who are you?" she asked, even though her voice was quavering I heard the slight tinge of conviction on her tired voice. She raised her blade in warning, her hands were shaky liker voice. Her warning was good because even though in her wounded state, I guess that she can still gut me with her broken weapon.
"Uhh . . . my name's Francis, Francis Ablon" I replied awkwardly. Never have I heard a name more excruciatingly awkward to pronounce and weird as mine's.
"W-Where am I?" she asked me again.
"That's hard to explain, you're not in Runeterra though, you're in a world called Earth, in the islands of the Philippines, in Cagayan de Oro's condominium named the Loop . . . " I was about to continue explaining when I heard a thump. My eyes widened as I saw Riven on the floor, sprawled for the second time.
I rushed towards her, my worry returning to me as I flipped her again, my mind was set on helping her. With all the strength in my scrawny hands, I lifted her, with so much effort of course, towards my bed. I slowly and carefully placed her on my bed, I looked at her and her wound, she was barely conscious and she was using her consciousness to groan in agony. I touched her left hand, I was mildly surprised when she refused to get her hand off her wound, it seems that the stubbornness that her actions in the game and in the lore is actually true.
"I'm going to patch up your wound, that's the only thing I would do, trust me" I said in a worried yet calm tone, I want her to trust me instead of doubt me, so I could save her without doubt lingering in her—and by extension, my—mind.
Reluctantly, she moved her hand away from the wound. When I saw it I grimaced, the wound continued to bleed. I quickly took out a clean and wet handkerchief to clean the blood around the wound, once it was cleaned, I took out a pair of surgical gloves. Why there is a pair of registered surgical gloves on my medicine kit was a question that I don't have an answer.
Wearing the gloves, I decided to do this the hard way; I would have to pull the rather large fragment stuck on her abdomen. Though I knew that she's a tough soldier and champion that can still live with superficial damage on their bodies, I was still worried that she may suffer worse on what I'm going to do. My worry is not without evidence, she was once in a game, and the real world is no game, I'm guessing on how fictional her physique and mentality really is and I decided that it must not be so true in the world I walk.
After a few uneventful seconds, I finally found the strength needed to get the fragment off her body.
I gently touched the stony blade fragment, surprised that it was not slippery from the blood, I'm gonna ask her about that later, but with the current circumstances I'm sure the asking part would be tomorrow. I held the fragment with my two hands, breathing in and out.
She yelped when I forcefully dislodged the blade out of her body, I quickly placed the blade aside and took out a sewing needle and lighter. But before that I placed a disinfectant on her open wound so that it would heal quickly.
I quickly sewed her open wound, nothing foolish on my mind, it's just focused on helping the woman that I can't believe is on my bed now. Riven's spasms eased after I removed the fragment, but she was still sweating hard. Taking the lighter, I carefully cauterized her wound, not wanting to place her in more pain.
"Why . . ." she asked in her weak voice.
"You need to sleep, Riven" I said softly, I stood from my bent position and took the first-aid kit with me.
"Answer me . . ." she whimpered.
"Frankly, I don't know" I answered, a sheepish grin on my face. In truth, I myself am perplexed at my behavior and my actions. I thought that I would just call somebody else to handle my dilemma but no, I solved it myself. Quite an accomplishment.
I smirked at that, Francis Ablon, doing the good things without certain benefits for himself. Sounds awfully farfetched.
I stretched and left the room, going to the kitchen to place the first-aid kit. Then it came to me that Riven is sleeping in my bed, so I scratched my head and went to sleep on the sofa. Thank god it's comfortable.
Without me noticing, I drifted into sleep with a very confused mind.
xXx
I woke up with groggy and heavy eyes, not that I'm not used to it though. But I'm really not used to waking up not on my bed.
Wait.
Why am I not on my bed?
As my brows furrowed at that question, the sound of footsteps made me look at the direction of my bedroom. There I saw Riven standing awkwardly, her right hand holding a piece of the broken door, probably to steady herself, while her left hand was clutching at her left abdomen. I stood up in alarm as I quickly remember last night's weird event.
She looked at me and I looked at her. The two of us were just standing there, staring at each other in a very awkward manner. Riven grimaced, breaking the eye contact as she started to fall, my eyes widened and I immediately rushed to her, steadying her before she falls down.
"You need to rest" I softly reprimanded her as I guided her back to my bed. Riven grumbled, but she said nothing.
I softly laid her to bed, I'm still not sure if she suffered more wounds other than the one I fixed last night. Then I heard something that sounded like a grumble and a thunderclap, it was the unmistakable sound of a stomach complaining. I slowly turned and looked back at the bed, moving slowly as to not embarrass the suspect of the crime.
Riven was looking away from me, totally ashamed by the actions of her stomach, as evidenced by the slight uneasiness in her face and . . . was that a blush? No that can't be, I must be lacking sleep. Yes, I must be.
I laughed at her reaction though, nothing boisterous or raucous, just a good old natured laugh from one who experienced that dilemma before. She fixed me with a stare that could kill someone, but I know she's just embarrassed and she won't do such a thing . . . maybe? We're talking about a woman that slugs it out with a big-ass blade in the rift here so don't harass me.
"Don't worry I'll get you something to eat" I said before softly chuckling and exiting the room.
"NO!" she yelled in response. I turned around in surprise, she said "NO!" as if what I was doing is a crime.
"No?" I curiously asked.
"No. Y-you've done e-enough already, I-I'm in your debt too m-much" she half-said half-stammered. Which was actually kinda cute. Wait what?
"Nonsense, I'll cook something for you and you don't need to repay it" I scoffed good-naturedly with a smile and started to go to the kitchen to begin my cooking.
"B-But in Noxus . . ." she mumbled out loud. At this point I stopped and looked back at her.
"I'm telling you again, you're in Earth, Philippines not in Noxus, Runeterra" I said in a kind tone. Poor girl must have been through a lot in Noxus, which makes me feel really bad for her and feel an unexpected anger from those assholes in Noxus.
I can't play Swain the same way again.
Hearing no other response from her other than a grunt of surrender, I immediately made my way back to the kitchen as I saw her return to napping. As I was walking, I (obviously) didn't notice the conflicted look that Riven has.
Hmm . . . What should I cook today?
