Prologue

As the setting sun cast a red glare over the grounds of the Institute of War, a lone, robed figure approached the Institutes steps. The figure lowered its hood, revealing long, black hair and a tanned complexion. The man was in his early 20's, with a small, yet muscular frame. Standing at only five and a half feet tall, he was far from imposing, yet an air of seriousness emanated from him. He had piercing, coffee brown eyes, adding to his rather grim look. His name was Gareth, and he was here to become a summoner. He had traveled hundreds of miles to get to where he stood now, and he knew that his goal was within sight.

Breathing in the crisp autumn air, he gazed up at the grandiose structure before him, taking it all in. The Institute of War was a massive building, truly a sight to behold. The entire structure was lined with pillars that stretched from base to roof. Large square columns sporting floating blue crystals stood on either side of the stairway. It must have been at least 90 feet tall, its width stretching for hundreds of feet in either direction. Fluorescent blue lines traced out elegant patterns along the fascia of the structure. Despite the crimson light that was being cast off by the descending sun, the building itself seemed to give off a violet glow. The surrounding landscape was comprised of massive trees and rocky outcroppings, both adding to the mystical feel of the place.

Gareth whistled softly, finding it hard to believe he had made it this far. Yet this was only the beginning. He still had to make his way through the challenging process of becoming a summoner.

As he gazed up the steps, he recognized a figure step- no, float- out of the massive entryway. It was a beautiful woman, with long, blue hair that flowed into blonde. She wore a blue dress with gold accents that revealed her shoulders and upper chest. But perhaps the most noticeable thing about the woman was the stringed instrument she had with her, seemingly floating of its own accord. The woman scanned the grounds, searching for several seconds before spotting Gareth. Upon seeing him, she rushed down the steps, gliding gracefully over them. Had she been walking like a regular person, she most likely would have tripped. Gareth himself began to ascend the steps, meeting the woman a quarter of the way up the stairs. The woman flung herself into Gareth's open arms, nearly knocking him over.

"Whoa there Sona," he said. "I'm here to be a summoner, remember? Not to break my neck."

Sona Buvelle made a show of giggling, flashing a smile at Gareth. She grabbed his hand and began running her finger along his palm, spelling out words. She had been mute since birth, unable to utter a sound. 'I'm so glad that you made it!'She spelled out.

Gareth allowed himself a small grin. "Of course I made it! Would I lie?" he asked

She smiled again and shook her head, embracing him again, the strange instrument floating behind her.

He returned the embrace, before asking, "Shall we walk?"

Sona nodded, and they began walking up the stairs in silence. To some, it may have appeared that the two were lovers, but their relationship was really more like one of close siblings. The two had been taken in at the same adoption house in Ionia. While many of the other orphans had ignored Sona due to her inability to speak, Gareth had befriended her, and the two became close. That was when she had started using the palm-writing to communicate. Neither of them knew their real parents. Unfortunately, the same inability to speak that had intrigued Gareth seemed to turn away possible adopters. Gareth himself had been selected for adoption several times, but refused to go until Sona was adopted as well. They both remained at the adoption home well into their teens, until one day, Sona was adopted Demacian noblewoman. The day that she was adopted was one of the saddest, yet happiest days of Gareth's life. While sad to see her go, he was glad beyond belief for her future. Their goodbye had been short and sweet, with her tearing up and him promising to find her as soon as he could. He had kept good to his word, asking around until a year ago when he found where she had settled. He wrote to her often ever since then, and for the first time in years he was graced by her presence again.

Gareth gazed at the instrument floating alongside Sona. Apparently, it had been this instrument that had captivated the wealthy Demacian woman. He had heard that it was called an etwahl.

Finally, he broke the silence. "So I hear that you and that instrument of yours have been making quite a name for yourself. They're calling you 'The Maven of the Strings'"

She turned to him and nodded, blue eyes sparkling. She playfully strummed a chord on her instrument, demonstrating its heavenly sound.

"That's fantastic, Sona. I knew that you'd be great. A famed musician and even a champion of the League! It's extraordinary!"

Again she smiled at him, taking his hand and writing as they walked. 'Even through all of it, I never stopped wondering what happened to you. When I got your letter a year ago, I was so ecstatic. I never thought I'd hear from you.'

"Never?", Gareth asked. "Sona, I'm hurt", he said, feigning a pained look.

She playfully slapped him on the arm, and he laughed. The two continued walking, conversing until they finally entered the building.

Upon entering, Gareth felt like a belt was needed to keep his jaw from making a crater in the floor. Everywhere he looked there was something new. Huge statues bathed in magical light were scattered throughout the massive entry hall. Large magical projections were showing League matches being fought, recorded by the vision wards placed out by summoners. Whether they were live or simply replays, Gareth couldn't be sure.

Beings of every sort milled around, big and small, tall and short, human and…other. He saw several summoners, discernible by their hooded purple summoners robes. He gaped as a very large Minotaur walked by, snorting as he passed. He remembered reading about the minotaur, whose name was Alistair. The purple minotaur was a champion of the League, as well as a resident and guard at the Institute of War. As he looked around, he recognized other champions that he had read about in his studies. He saw Blitzcrank, the Great Steam Golem clank by, his large golden frame emitting puffs of steam. The sound of hearty laughter drew his attention to the left, where he spotted the Saltwater Scourge, Gangplank, laughing and slapping a summoner on the back, nearly knocking the poor boy over. It seemed that they had been on the winning side of a match. Gareth also spotted a little mummy wrapped in green linens, shuffling along while sobbing his eyes out. He recognized the little champion as the Sad Mummy Amumu. He figured that the mummy must've lost, until he remembered reading about how Amumu often cried for no reason.

Sona noted the look on Gareth's face and smiled. It was quite amusing to see, although she remembered that her first reaction had not been much different. She grabbed his hand, snapping him out of his trance. She then wrote 'Shall we go to see the council?'

Gareth nodded at her, still a little speechless. They walked to the end of the grand hall, passing several other smaller hallways that branched off into deeper parts of the building.

"Dear God," breathed Gareth. "Even if I make it to summoner, I'm gonna get hopelessly lost in here." It was the truth; he had seen villages smaller than this.

'Don't worry, I'll be glad to show you around. And what do you mean even if? You are going to become a summoner.'wrote Sona.

The friends reached a pair of very large wood and iron doors, just as grand as anything else in the building. The sign next to it read "High Council of Equity."

'How do you feel?'asked Sona

"Honestly," replied Gareth, "I'm nervous as all hell. I hope they got my letter, I doubt they have time for someone barging in without prior notice."

'Don't worry, I checked myself. They know you are coming."wrote the Maven.

Gareth took a deep breath. "Well, wish me luck." He could feel his heart racing. Thoughts of doubt began to enter his mind, but he willed them away. He couldn't let doubt interfere not now.

'Luck is something you don't need. You have a good heart, and that's all it takes'stated Sona. She gave him a reassuring smile, clasping his had in both of hers. Her eyes shone as she looked into his, and he knew that she was there for him,

"Thank you," he said. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "You've always been there for me, and I thank you." He gave her one last grin, and then released her from his embrace. He stood, facing the doors, knowing that his future depended on the decision made by the three council members behind those doors. He knew that now more than ever, he would have to be strong, that he would have to have no fear. He took one last deep breath, and without looking back, pushed past the large doors and into the council room.

He strode into the room, observing as much as he could without appearing too curious. He was bathed by a soft blue glow emitted by strange floating blue orbs. Before him stood three tall podiums, most likely the place where the council members stood. He noticed however, that no one else was in the room. His heart began to beat faster, his palms growing sweaty. Had there been a mistake? Was he supposed to alert someone when he entered the building?

'No,' he thought. 'Sona brought me straight here, she wouldn't lie to me.' He walked to the middle of the room, where on the floor was a circle of runic inscriptions that were glowing blue. He stood there for several seconds, wondering what was wrong. He felt the doubt begin to creep into his mind, and again he willed it away, although it was noticeably harder this time. Just as he was about to turn around and leave, he heard a peculiar whooshing noise. He turned back around and saw a green light emanating from each of the three podiums. He had to cover his eyes as the light intensified, ending a flash of magical light. When Gareth opened his eyes, he saw that on each podium now stood a robed figure. Their robes were similar to standard summoner wear, except for several gold accents and streaks on the sleeves and hems. Obviously, these were the the High Council Members.

Gareth suddenly felt very small. "What should I do?" he wondered. Should he bow? Or perhaps he should introduce himself. Unable to decide, he ended up doing the next thing he could think of: nothing.

He stood for several seconds, growing more and more nervous. Just as he was about to open his mouth to ask how to proceed, the silence was broken.

"Gareth," boomed a voice. "We understand that you wish to become a summoner. Is this correct?"

"Yes. Yes it is," replied Gareth. He could feel his confidence returning, a feeling that made him stand a little taller.

"Very well," said the voice- which Gareth now noted was actually three voices speaking in unison. "We then request that you close your eyes and open your mind."

Gareth felt his confidence fade again. "Ex…excuse me?" he asked

"All prospective summoners must go through a mind reading process. We must make sure that all summoners are responsible and have good intentions. The League of Legends is a powerful force. It governs the outcomes of conflicts; it is what decides the fate of nations. Not just anyone can become a summoner." answered the voice.

Gareth felt like he had been punched in the gut. This was the last thing he needed. There were many things in his past that he did not want seen; things that he was sure would destroy his chances of ever becoming a summoner for the League. There was a reason he had not brought up his life after Sona had been adopted. He couldn't go through with this, his checkered past would surely work against him. What was he to do? He felt helpless. Had he known about this mind reading process, he never would have come. His dreams of becoming a summoner were shattering right in front of him. He felt his knees grow weak, and he began to feel sick. He was about to crash down to his knees and give up, when he recalled Sona's last words to him.

'Luck is something you don't need. You have a good heart, and that's all it takes'

Closing his eyes, Gareth took a deep breath. He had to trust Sona, she would never mislead him. "Ok," said Gareth. "Go ahead."

Almost instantly, he felt as though his mind was being invaded. He could feel the High Summoners probing his mind, searching every nook and cranny for anything to deny him entrance to the league. He did his best to relax, trying to erase all the fear that he felt. Eventually he just let the fear flow, knowing that fighting it was futile. For what felt like an eternity, the high council methodically picked apart his mind. Gareth began to wonder if all of this really was necessary when all of the sudden, his feeling of mental privacy returned. He had to try very hard not to audibly sigh in relief. At least that was over. All that was left now was a verdict. He looked upwards at the center podium, standing a bit taller now that the mind screening was over. For a moment or two, there was nothing but silence. Finally, the loud voice spoke.

"Interesting. Tell us Gareth, what is it that has inspired you to become a summoner?"

Gareth froze. Was this another part of the process for becoming a summoner? There was nothing he could think of except to tell the truth. Without hesitation, he began to speak.

"When I was younger, I never knew my parents. I was raised in an Ionian adoption house, along with one of your champions, Sona. When I finally left the adoption house at the age of fifteen, the first thing I tried to do was track down my parents. I searched archives, asked around, looking for any clues that would lead me to them. It took me a few years, but I finally found them. Unfortunately, what I had found was not what I desired." He paused, taking a deep breath. He felt his heartbeat increase for what seemed like the hundredth time. Clearing the fog that began to creep into his mind, he continued.

"I did indeed find my parents. Or rather, I discovered their fate. They had both fought against Noxus in the Noxian Invasion of Ionia. Unfortunately….neither one of them survived. It would seem that they were victims in a field test of chemical weapons deployed by Noxus. I heard… I heard that there were barely enough of them left to bury."

"So you are joining the League to combat Noxus?" questioned the voice.

"No, not at all," responded Gareth. "It's not the Noxian's that I feel anger towards. It is conflict itself. And I figured what better way to mediate conflict than become a summoner with the League? Keeping war off of the face of Valoran is my true goal, and I believe that becoming a Summoner will be the best way for a common man like me to help."

Had that been a good enough answer? It had certainly been the truth.

Again, there was silence, and again, the voice broke it. "Very well. Congratulations Gareth, Welcome to the League of Legends!" With this, there was a great flash of brilliant light, and Gareth found himself garbed in purple summoner's robes.

Gareth could hardly contain himself. "Thank you very much, High summoners." He bowed and turned to leave, but the council's voice stopped him

"Summoner Gareth, about your dark past…" said the voice. Gareth froze in his tracks, afraid of what he might hear next.

The voice continued. "While it has not prevented you from becoming a summoner, it would be wise for you to keep it to yourself. Word travels around the League like wildfire, and that information could certainly win you some enemies."

Gareth pondered this for a moment before speaking. "Duly noted," was all he had to say before walking back out the doors without looking back.

Outside of the door, Sona stood waiting, plucking at her etwahl. She heard the doors creak, and turned to see Gareth striding out wearing his purple robes. She was overcome with glee and threw herself at him, much in the same way she had when they first reunited on the Institute steps.

Gareth smiled as he once again hugged Sona, finally realizing what he had just achieved. "I made it!" he proclaimed.

"I knew you would!"said a voice in his head. Puzzled, Gareth looked around. Where had that voice come from? Suddenly, it dawned on him and he looked at Sona. "Sona," he said, "You spoke!"

The beautiful sound of laughter filled his head. "Yes,"said Sona. "As a Summoner, I can now communicate with you via telepathy."Her voice sounded heavenly, soft and smooth.

"Haha, this is fantastic!" said Gareth. "Although I may miss the hand writing a bit."

Sona grasped his hand and began to write. 'Well for old time's sake, we can use it every now and then, right?'

Gareth chuckled. "Of course we can," he said. Glancing around, he wondered what to do first. Honestly, he didn't care. He was on a high that would take a long, long time to come down from. Unable to decide on a course of action, he turned to Sona.

"So…about that tour?"

She smiled at him and nodded. Then, taking his hand, she sped off into the grand hall, dragging him behind her.

Author's Note

So here goes nothing! My first fan fiction. After many sleepless nights, some sitting around, a 6 hour drive and return trip, I've decided to just lay it all out. this first bit doesnt really Delve into the main relationship, but builds up the some info on the main character and his past. Please please PLEASE leave ANY constructive criticism. Also, if anything that conflicts with some lore or something is in there, let me know. A guy can only figure out so much on his own, especially with the college stuffs.