A/N: So, this here is a collab I did with The Red Gayrados for christmas. If this is late, it's because of the time zones. Words about my lasting absence will be in the author's notes after the story.
Now, have a good read, and a merry (insert not triggering holyday here)!
The coldest days of the winter had arrived. At the Placidium, the streets had been covered by a sheet of white. The wind carried many snowflakes in a wave of cold. Yet, none of this was enough to stop the people of Ionia, for it was the Snowdown, and no one would lose the festivities.
No one but those who had fallen from grace. And even those would try to take part in the festival.
And this was the reason Irelia and her men were in guard duty this night, instead of joining the citizens in the festival: Like in the previous year, she could come, and the guard had better be ready. The last year had almost been a disaster.
However, even the guards needed something to keep themselves warm during the winter.
- Nothing like a cup of hot chocolate on nights like this, eh?
The Captain of the Guard quickly turned around, startled by the sudden voice behind her.
A small Yordle, clad in purple robes, was standing behind her.
- Did I catch you by surprise? - asked Kennen, although he already knew the answer.
- Of course - Irelia answered, rolling her eyes. – There's a reason you are a ninja, and you've proved more than enough it isn't your patience. Also, shouldn't we be watching for trouble?
That seemed to hit home, as Kennen quieted down a bit. Irelia turned back around, retaking her guard duty.
However, as expected, Kennen was unable of staying still and waiting for long. He silently approached Irelia, and then sat by her side. He silently gazed, from the top of their watchtower, at the lights of the festival.
- Hey, Irelia – he asked – Do you know why do we have to stay on guard tonight?
Irelia had almost forgotten Kennen was by her side – once again. He was just that good in not being noticed. She sighed tiredly, showing her disappointment at the yordle's lack of knowledge about what could happen.
- Yes, I know why. And you should know too. Do you remember last year's festival? I bet you didn't notice, but some people had to defend our people against unwanted visitors. Everyone is vulnerable at a festival, even children, and even the Elders. That's why we are in guard duty, someone might try and invade our Snowdown.
- But who would be unwanted in this festival? – asked a puzzled Kennen. - I am pretty sure that no Noxian soldier is still in Ionia, as they have other matters to occupy themselves with now.
- Our enemies don't come from Noxus, but from our own homeland. – Answered Irelia. -Yasuo, a traitor who slayed the Elder who he was supposed to protect during the war, could try to sneak into the festival. You know Zed as well as me: he could decide it's time to slay some "weaklings". Also, there's her too…
- Her? – asked Kennen, curious.
- Her. Syndra, the Dark Sovereign. She came here last year, and we can't let that happen again.
An awkward silence followed. Kennen had realized just then that it was a really sensitive topic. Irelia always had blamed herself when it came to anything related to Syndra, and this case surely wasn't any different. The worst part of it all, for him, was that no amount of ninja training could teach how to comfort someone.
- Huh, why are you two suddenly so silent?
This sudden question made both Kennen and Irelia turn their heads instantly. Someone who had been able to go by unnoticed by both of them surely was dangerous.
Dangerous, indeed, for behind them, was nobody else than the Sovereign herself, grinning madly.
- Is my presence really that surprising – she asked with a taunting smile - my two sweeties?
It wasn't the first time Syndra talked to her with that venomous voice tone. Last year, she had done the same. Irelia, in her first years as the Captain of the Guard, never had thought her greatest enemy in Ionia would be so prone to taunting, but she was getting used to this notion now.
If Irelia had been calm and tried to guess what compelled the Sovereign to reveal herself, she could suspect that the witch had something planned. However, it was time for action, not thought, and she couldn't waste her time trying to comprehend what went through the head of her nemesis.
Just a moment after Syndra had announced herself, a wave of blades and shurikens were flying against her. The were all useless, however, as all the attacks were blocked by a powerful wave of dark magic.
Once the dust kicked up by Syndra's spell had settled, the witch was nowhere to be found. This was what scared Irelia the most.
It was just like the last year had been.
As expected, they were once again having a festival.
As expected, once again they wanted her away.
And once again, she was coming. There was no way she'd be kept away from the festival. She'd go, wanted or not, and she wouldn't be stopped.
The two guards had already shown her what they expected from her. If they had been a bit more sociable, she could have tried to not cause too much distress, but now she was going to live up to their expectations.
And yet, for some reason, she felt a void inside of her.
Well, she was soon enough going to fill it with the joy of the destruction she was about to cause, there was no reason to worry.
It took barely a second for someone to notice her after she had descended upon their midst. The first reaction they had was to stare at her wide-eyed. Soon after, screams sounded all around, and the mass of people nearby rushed away from the square.
The fun part was that she didn't even need to raise a hand to cause that effect. Just her presence was enough to cause this wave of fear.
It filled her with pride, it made her happy, even, to know that these weaklings feared her unlimited and unbound power. Yet, that hollow feeling within did nothing but increase. She had no idea why. And having no idea made her furious.
- Stop right there, witch! You aren't getting away this time!
At least, she now had something to amuse her. That voice… It definitely was Irelia's. And this meant she had company.
Irelia, Kennen and two other figures approached her, their weapons being drawn.
It took little time for her to notice that she was not faced by common foes. The pair of kamas in the hands of the leftmost figure were unmistakable, even with their bearer shrouded in shadows, and those two glowing yellow eyes also were someone's signature. The entire triumvirate of the Kinkou had come to greet her.
It was going to be a fun time.
Syndra sat down on an abandoned bench in one of the corners of the square. She had defeated all of her foes, but still, it hadn't been enough to drive away that hollowness within her. At most, it only increased during the battle. Not even defeating Irelia had been able to cheer her up.
She then laid down across the bench, letting her mind wander freely.
She wanted to know why, just why she felt so empty.
And then, an enraged cry sounded nearby her. She turned her head just enough to see that Irelia was already up and charging at her.
She let out a blast of magic, just enough to keep the Will of the Blades away. She wasn't in the mood for a fight anymore.
However, Irelia wasn't going to back away, nor to lay down without a(nother) fight. She quickly came back to her feet, and threw a wave of her blades towards Syndra.
This made the Sovereign get completely out of her waking daze. She barely had enough time to dodge the sharp blades, and Irelia was almost on her already.
With a quick decision, she took up to the skies. And there, she noticed not all of the people in the festival had evacuated. In fact, a good half of the event hadn't even stopped while she had been battling with their defenders.
This she took as an offence. The weaklings had believed she would be contained? Her previously hollow heart had now been filled, and it was fury that took hold of her being. A fury she would soon let loose.
It was even worse than the last year.
Syndra had managed to overpower all who tried to stop her, which was no small task, considering the three best ninjas in Ionia had faced her, along a famous hero, and now was wreaking havoc freely in the festival.
But, even after being defeated, this famous warrior didn't give up. Once again she rose to her feet, determined to stop the witch from causing even more destruction.
She rushed towards the sounds of explosion, magic and mad cackling, surely heading towards the source of the wreck that the city around her was becoming.
What she found was as terrible as she feared: the sovereign was laughing like mad in the middle of a pile of rubble, and she didn't doubt there would be corpses laid around, although she didn't search for them.
She had once before seen a scenery like that.
It had been when she was but a child. It had been all those years ago.
Syndra had just done something a noxian would have done. This thought filled her with hate. She usually wouldn't give in to such feelings, but seeing the wreck that the Placidium was becoming, and knowing it was all caused by a single woman pushed her past rationality.
She would have charged in with her rage, but something held her back.
It was a hand. A hand with a blade on its back.
The two are at it again.
I really should try to teach Syndra some control. She knows that they hate us, but it seems like she always comes back here. Now she's lost her mind, and this is troublesome.
And together with her, even Irelia has lost her mind too. I hate to intervene in this kind of thing, but now's just too much.
And to think all I wanted here was to give her a present.
- Hey! Syndra!
Syndra narrowed her eyes, after hearing someone calling her out. There was only one person who'd call her in such a casual manner, but he shouldn't be there.
- Syndra! Get out of there! Come down here a bit!
And now her fury once more took hold of her.
- Who dares to tell me what I must do? – she called out, letting her anger flow out.
A figure literally sprouted out from the shadows, just behind her.
- Me, Syndra – he said, his voice calm and cold.
She couldn't hide her surprise. Her thoughts raced around, but she was unable of guessing why Zed would be there.
- Syndra, calm down. I came here just to give you something.
Once again, she couldn't hide her surprise. Zed wanted to give her something? It made no sense.
While these thoughts crossed her mind, Zed pulled something from- well, Syndra didn't see exactly from where, but she supposed he had a pouch on his back or something along these lines- and gave it to her.
It was a small box, wrapped in colorful papers.
- What is this? – Syndra asked, astonished.
- Just a Snowdown gift – Zed answered, calmly.
Syndra's expression was one of utter confusion. Her mouth hung open for a while, until she managed to voice her thoughts.
- A… gift?
Syndra had thought the burning anger and then the contempt of destroying had been able to fill the void within her, but only now she knew it had been covered. And it had been covered by an alien feeling.
She felt a warmth spreading through her, starting from her chest and reaching out even to the tips of her toes. It was strange, something she thought she never had felt, and yet nostalgic, like it was something natural to her.
- Now, Syndra, we should get going. No need to cause any more trouble here.
Syndra slowly nodded. She agreed that she had nothing else to do there.
- Zed.
- What, Syndra?
- Could you promise me something?
- Not sure.
- Can you meet me in my home? It gets lonely, being there.
Zed took a bit long to answer, and it was justified: Syndra talking about how she felt lonely was new. However, he decided there it was no reason to disagree.
- Alright, I will. There's no reason not to, after all.
A/N: So, before anything else, both The Red Gayrados and I thank all the readers for taking the time to read our story. Any feedback is really appreciated.
Now, moving on to more personal matters, namely the fact that I've left two projects hanging and unupdated for such a long time.
I have no excuses. I didn't write, and that's it. However, you can wait, for I have something big in mind. Something related to Valoran Bleeding.
However, if you know me, you know it'll take some time before I publish it. However, it is only fair I warn you: I'm alive, and I'm coming back to FanFaic!