A/N: Hey guys just a couple notes I wanna drop in before you read. While for the most part I will try to make this as canon to the lore as possible, there will more often than not be times I drift away from what is and isn't canon in the lore to make my own story. However, If there are any glaring issues feel free to point them out! (As well as grammar mistakes D:) I wouldn't mind a beta reader of sorts for grammar and ideas to bounce off of as well. I love to hear your thoughts, good or bad so if you could drop a review that would be awesome!
Anyways hope you enjoy.
Chapter 1: Corruption
Wrapping the robes around her tighter to block out the cold, High Councilor Vessaria Kolminye strode down the halls of the institute late at night. Even though the hallways lit up as she walked through, she noticed that the usual brightness of the lanterns seemed to be swallowed up by shadow, as if the darkness had a life of its own. She followed the stairs down into the darkest parts of the institute, eventually finding herself standing before the door of one of many sealed crypts. The glyphs of the door that kept the crypt sealed were faded out and the double doors were slightly ajar. Several rays of light escaped through the cracks of the door and slowly she pushed the door the rest of the way open to see another member of the institute inside staring at a shattered nexus fragment. The shards of crystal strewn around the room emanated a slow pulsating light that, dimmed with each breath. The room was otherwise shrouded in a dark black though the darkness was eerily alive, dark mist seeming rising from the shadows of the room. Vessaria took her place beside the figure in the room.
"Contact the major city states Ryze, the situation just got a lot worse." Vessaria let out a long sigh. "Nocturne has broken free."
Irelia was sure she wasn't the only one who felt the scene was odd. All around the main hall of the institute were members of every faction. Renowned figures from Demacia, Noxus and even Bandle City. the members in attendance were visiting from all across Runeterra. Seeing different figures under the Institute's roof was not rare, what was truly disconcerting was the focused and agreeable attitude everyone was in. Normally, these type of summons at the institute ended up in a shouting match. There had even been raised tensions between allies like Ionia and Demacia at these meetings.
"Wonder how long the pleasantries are going to last. The enemy of my enemy is my friend...I suppose." Irelia muttered to herself.
"I guess that saying could apply to this situation, shame really, how it is the worst events that will bring out the peace between enemies here." Karma had surprised Irelia with her statement, who thought she was alone.
Irelia composed herself. "I don't suppose you care to elaborate about the situation, everyone seems to be very vague about this corruption situation going around."
Karma raised an eyebrow. "I suppose you wouldn't know too much since you've been travelling around for the past several months. Any luck with searching for your brother by the way?" Karma turned to look at Irelia for a response but noticed her friend was looking off in the distance with a scowl on her face. "Still no luck I see, anyways, the corruption as they are calling it, is a series of incidents that are popping up more and more frequently and in greater severity. At first it was just one person affected here and there, but lately it's been affecting larger amount of targets. This 'corruption', which I guess is the best way to describe it, is when a seemingly normal healthy person is suddenly turned and filled with a uncontrollable bloodlust and rage. Their body changes into one that is half cast in a dark shadow and filled with abnormal strength, which makes their bloodlust all that more problematic. They are unable to be reasoned with and do not respond when called out to, casualties have been increasing rapidly." Karma continued to describe the corruption to Irelia as they started walking, as they had been summoned to the meeting room.
"Do we know why they are being...corrupted...or whatever this is?" Irelia questioned
Karma paused in thought before replying. "We know it's being caused by a new faction or group, powered by an unknown entity, their purpose is unclear besides mass chaos at the moment. What is really terrifying is that the corruption can be spread to someone as easily as a touch of the hand. There was a report that stated a boy was seen in a Demacian town shaking hands with an unknown figure that was visiting the town. Several days later the boy turned and killed many in the town, only a few witnesses survived.
"What happened to the boy, was he eventually killed by the guards or did he escape?" Irelia asked
"He died, but was not killed, the boy was young and the corruption seemed to be too much for the boy's body to handle, people described it as if the boy's body started to disintegrate and eventually turned to ash."
Irelia ran her hands through her hair as she spoke. "This world is still a grim one eh? Do we know how the corruption takes control?"
"The corruption is probably best described in terms of yin and yang."
"How so, the corruption affects the balance of the soul?" Irelia questioned
"Yes generally, the corruption seems to overload either the yin or yang in your soul so that one is completely dominate over the other. With this extreme imbalance you go into an overloaded state where your mind is most vulnerable and you delve into madness." Karma shrugged her shoulders. "Well that is what we surmise so far, we don't have any good evidence, all the subjects that are corrupted end up dying when trying to be subjugated by the guards, disappear after causing their havoc and before anyone arrives to try and capture them or the bodies break down as they cannot hold the corruption any longer, like in the boy's case. Fortunate for champions such as you or me, we seem to be resistant to most corruption attempts...even those who would seem to be easy to corrupt, like those with more...violent tendencies"
Karma said the last line as she eyed the Noxian, Darius, as he entered the meeting room. They both followed him in and found seats in the room that housed around hundred other important figures that all sat down waiting for the meeting to start.
As they meeting went on High Councilor Vessaria ending up repeating a lot of what Karma had told Irelia. The room was oddly quiet, the thought of friends and loved ones potentially turning against them kept a lot of people's mouths closed. Although many of those in the room had seen violence in their time, it was different when you fought someone under another factions banner versus one of your own.
"As most of you know." Vessaria broke a momentary silence in the meeting. "For you in this room and all champions around Runeterra like you, being corrupted is rarely if ever successful. Reports of attempts of corruption on champions have been stated. Garen if you would." Vessaria motioned for Garen to speak.
Garen let out an audible sigh and stretched his neck before he began. "Recently during a ceremony to honor those who have fought, and are still fighting, in the Demacian military an old lady approached me. She asked to shake my hand to show her thanks for my service, even saying her son had served under me. I, thinking nothing of it, obliged her. As soon as she took my hand, I knew something was wrong. A black mist seemed to enveloped her hand and soon around mine as well, I started to feel something...like a terrible darkness in my mind, voices spoke in my head, they spoke of death and murder. I collapsed to the ground as the old woman slipped away in the crowd. Luckily Xin Zhao was near and came to my side and I was able to force whatever was speaking inside my head away." Garen finished, obviously feeling uncomfortable revealing a weak moment before Noxians in the room. Irelia glanced over to where Darius and Katarina were sitting. Darius had the slightest smirk on his face as expected, but Katarina didn't have her typical antagonistic grin, rather a worried and more concerned look on her face. Irelia raised an eyebrow but decided not to think too much about it.
Vessaria thanked Garen as she continued on. "It seems that those with the a certain amount of strength or power can resist the influence of the corruption ability that is inflicted from these 'acolytes' of this new group. Whatever, or whomever, is giving this power to these acolytes, cannot give them enough power to corrupt everyone. My fear is that if this entity that is the cause of the spreading corruption grows in power or has a chance to single out a champion that the entity with its own power may have a greater chance of corrupting one of you."
"So what, one of those weak Demacians gets corrupted, I'd have no trouble taking my axe to them." Darius spat out.
"Yes Darius, we know, but what if it was Draven, would you be so keen to put down your own brother." Vessaria countered
"Even if my brother were so weak to get corrupt...I would put him down myself." Darius finished his outburst, his voice trailing off near the end. The room grew silent having to kill a family member or even just a close friend was terrifying, even for the likes of the merciless Hand of Noxus.
"Do we have any idea of their source of power or who is supporting them?" Ashe spoke up from the corner of the room.
Vessaria sighed but continued on. "Kassadin has reported unusual movement from the void, it is possible Malzahar and other void forces could be aiding this group."
"What about this entity you speak of, who is giving these people the power to corrupt innocents?" Ashe continued to press the high councilor.
Vessaria took a moment before speaking, thinking to herself; 'Here goes the hope for a calm and peaceful discussion.' "Before calling you all here we discovered that...Nocturne broke free. It is also possible he has been providing the power to corrupt to this group. It appears he was able to break the seals placed on him to suppress his power long before actually escaping free completely from the prison. His power could have been seeping out for awhile now."
Irelia left the room soon after Vessaria's last statement, as expected tension finally broke and the room erupted in argument, blame directed at the institute eventually derailed into blame onto one another. As Irelia walked through the halls she closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead as it ached in pain. She bumped into someone and quickly turned around to apologize.
"Ah, sorry" Irelia said as she shot a glance at the man she ran into. The black haired man was much taller than she, he had a scar running down his right eye and cheek, she guessed the man was around her age, maybe even a bit younger. He was dressed in the typical instute guard uniform. Irelia realized she was staring a little bit too long and continued on her way. That man looked vaguely familiar, some reason memories from her youth came back to her, though she didn't know why, so she quickly decided to forget about it. She eventually stopped in the hallway and spoke aloud.
"Ah looks like i'm going to be busy again for awhile, sorry but you'll have to wait a little bit longer brother...I hope you are safe."