Summon One: "The Simple Starting Point"
"Annie. Allow me to explain better what it is exactly that Blitzcrank has analyzed, processed, as well as come up with about you asking about the subject called love between two individuals. Um, he says it's much like how the idea of opposing magnets go. If you try to force the magnets' together, they reject each other outright, right? Well, sometimes, like two magnets finally being given the time to be turned over correctly and magnetized together, no matter where the two lovers in question are, not matter what they're doing, no matter what time it is for them, they occasionally pull through and fall in love. In magnet terms, the couple finally "snaps" together. Get it? Good. Now leave me alone. I have a headache." - Ezreal, the Prodigal Explorer
"Sejuani, Winter's Wrath, this it. Everyone on both sides - our enemy's as well as ours - are gathering in the middle lane for what's going to clearly be the last push of this match. Seeing as we've been building you to be the tank for this entire skirmish, our team is waiting for you to start the charge as well as initiate what's going to be the last, deciding battle. Remember, when the fighting begins, as I've done for the past year, I'll have yours and Bristle's backs. Just charge into the enemy, ignore their own tank, target their frailer members, and I'll shield you with barrier or flash you out of harm's way if things start to go the wrong way for us."
"I hear you, Summoner Hale. Like usual, my fellows want myself and Bristle to start the fighting, hm? They want us to be the first to charge in and see the fear show in our enemies' eyes during their final moments, eh? They want us to shelter them from the coming yet final storm? Well, knowing that you are watching over us, summoner, knowing that you nor we would have it any other way, heh, Bristle and I would be more than happy to be the tip of the spear in what will be our last and successful push of this tedious match. So, let us be off. Let us show everyone the full fury of Freljord's Winter's Wrath."
"Of course. Ah, there's our guys. Yep, like everyone who has been teamed up with us during these skirmishes for the last year, Sejuani, everyone is rallying behind you and Bristle now. Get set to lead the way."
"And why wouldn't they rally behind us? Like how we've proven during the many months in the past up to this point, Bristle as well as myself will be, yet again, the reason victory will be ours today."
"Agreed. Well said, Winter's Wrath. Wait! Hold on. At one of the northwestern wards... Oh no. I can see it! The enemy is going for the Baron beast! It's a last minute if not desperate effort of theirs to try to turn the tables on us! Ugh, if they manage to kill that thing then Cho'gath - all of them, actually - are going to prove to be all that much more difficult to handle! Blah, and this match has gone on long enough without our foes being empowered last second! Sejuani! You need to get everyone to that pit as fast as-"
"Foolish little summoner. Hold your tongue. You had me at the mention of Baron. So, hah, do you honestly think I've been wandering about aimlessly while you've been panicking away in your little summoning chamber? Come now, you've shown over the past year with me that you're better than that. We both are. We do not panic. We conquer."
"Right, right. I was just-"
"Hush. Behold... Bristle has charged, the enemy has scattered, I have claimed the life of the frost archer herself for the very fourth time, and the Baron creature has even been overpowered by our very own forces while you were fret, fret, fretting. Hmf, the monster's power is now ours. As is this skirmish."
"Ah, um, uh... yes. Very well done. Very well done indeed. Should I even dare try to, ahem, recommend what your next move should be, Sejuani?"
"Should I recommend that you be silent while I do the, ahem, obvious? Truly, Summoner Hale, let me lead the winning charge now, destroy the enemy's headquarters, and put an end to this most tedious thing that has had the pathetic honor of even being called a battle. In the meantime, have your spells at the ready... in case something most unlikely yet miraculously occurs; I'm overpowered."
"Got it. But, Sejuani, just... just don't let that happen. Don't be overpowered or everyone else might be. Even if this is to be the end, as you've been for the last year during every other match we've won, be cunning, be careful. Just finish this conflict, okay? I'm sure I'm not the only summoner here who has gotten a miniature migraine from this certain league match. Fortunately, even with migraines, my side is going to be victorious today, in the least."
"Indeed. We are most certainly going to be victorious. And why wouldn't we be? As we've proven during every other match for the last eleven months, myself and Bristle are as ferocious as ever while you... you have been most helpful to our cause, our performance, our conquests."
"Aw, um, thank you, Winter's Wrath. With such a praise, you do me much honor. Still, don't go saying that all of the time to me. If you do, the other summoners will begin to think you've gone a bit... warm in that chilly heart of yours."
"Do not push your luck with me, Summoner Hale. Heh, my patience is limited. Truly, leave talk about my heart out of this. And stop distracting me or perhaps, no matter how unlikely it is at this moment, this win could very well be snatched out of our grasp and I'll have suffered a most humiliating defeat at the hands of ever so glorified Ashe... due to your rambling. Hush now."
"Hushing up on this end. Yep, hushing up... Finished yet?"
"You can see what I can see on this battlefield, can you not? As it will soon enough be since I have arrived to it, have you seen our foes' nexus shatter under my flail yet? NO."
"But you're working at it, right? Yeah, you've got this - Hah! Did Cho'gath just try to nom you? Well, with Jarvan and Kassadin after him now, he's thought that through a second time, hasn't he? Man, how can that bug or whatever get to be that big? How ridiculous."
"Size matters not. No matter how small the warrior, resolution, loyalty, strength, that is what wins feuds, Summoner Hale."
"Yes, you're right. And... we've done it. We've won our eleventh league match in a row for this year! Encore! Bravo for you, Winter's Wrath! Huzzahs all around!"
"No, we haven't won quite yet... One more blow... And there. Now it is done. The enemy nexus is no more. Victory is ours, Summoner Hale. Another win for the Winter Claws of Freljord."
"Ha ha, yes! Phew, this battle most certainly proved to be something else entirely but we still pulled through, Sejuani. Excellent work."
"Naturally, we pulled through... And you performed excellently as well. We did very well."
"Hey, give poor Bristle a treat, would you? Better yet, let me give it to him! Oh, yeah, good teamwork on both sides. Well played, well fought, good strategies used by both teams. It was a close match that could have very well been won by either side if done correctly. Regardless of victor, though, the citizens of Runeterra, the fans of the league, the senior summoners, will be talking about this match for a while, everyone. Seriously, well done on both sides. We're going to hear plenty about this in the future. Trust me when I say that for us all."
For the young, peace keeping, as well as very much adored location of Runeterra known as the Institute of War/the headquarters of the League of Legends/the place I've called home for the last eight years of my life, the weekday in question happened to be that most prized if not beloved day where work was just being completed for the week and two days of personal free time were just ahead; Friday.
As for the date as well as time exactly today, with it presently being quite the chilly autumn day but with the sun at its peak in the at least clearer than clear blue heavens above, it was 12:22pm on November 16th of the year 23CLE (Current League Era).
Indeed, nowadays, as it had come to eventually overall be for my mythic homeland of Runeterra since close to around September 24th where the lasting warm winds of the previous summer had decreased in number, the temperature had drastically dropped, the many shaded leaves had dropped from every limb of every tree everywhere, and the daytime hours were now overruled by the nighttime ones, that bitter old man called winter was on everyone's minds.
Yeah, leading up to this certain day of November 16th, the approaching snowy season's frigid presence had gradually grown so obvious that no one - no matter how stubborn or so very positive, like myself - could go on ignoring it anymore. Not if you wanted to dumbly step outside off guard and be immediately, visibly, embarrassingly chilled to the bone in front of everyone, anyway, which wasn't at all wise for, one, your health and, two, your reputation.
Nah, these days, no matter how much everyone wished it wasn't true, especially yours truly, the sun's bright presence was a misleading thing, light clothing was no longer the fad but was being rapidly replaced by heavier outfits, and where leaves had been dancing through the nippy winds for the longest time... snowflakes, blah, would be doing the same soon enough.
As for the obvious truth of the approach of snow in the near future, whether you were a citizen of honor bound Demacia, war seeking Noxus, petite Bandle City, or so on, everyone of every profession everywhere had taken to making the proper not to mention inconvenient preparations to endure the cold. Indeed, like it had forever been every year since the start of all things in existence, until the arrival of the next anticipated spring of 24CLE, farmers had put up their gear, sailors had anchored, traders had grown roots in whatever city they were within, citizens had bundled up, and all armies had dug in, locked down, as well as braced themselves for the first of many snowfalls to befall them in the future.
Yet, if you would permit me to say so here and now, having been a proud citizen of it since my birth twenty-five years, I do not believe there has been or ever will be or is a community as fine as the northeastern City of Progress - techmaturgic Piltover, rival of Zaun - that has so easily adjusted nor even takes as much pleasure in adjusting with the shifting of the four seasons of the year.
Indeed, having experienced much of its convenient not to mention modern comforts firsthand for the longest time before I had become the actual summoner I was today, with its insulated buildings/houses, its gas heating, its plumbing, its advanced, more modernized lifestyle altogether compared to other city-states, the City of Progress had been and still was one of the best places - in my opinion - for any Runeterrian to call home.
Of course, for me these days, not being in the City of Progress any longer, being a master of numerous arts of the arcane, the Institute of War wasn't nor hadn't been bad a place for me to call home either. Yet, with it being the headquarters of the very keepers of the current age of worldwide peace... it was a bit more seriously mannered, kept, run.
I mean, man, if you even sneezed wrong in this place, you could, in the blink of an eye next, find the Sinister Blade trying to find out why you did so with a knife at your throat or perhaps have Malzahar claim that the Void was on its way to consume you for your blunder or even have Dr. Mundo trying to inject you with one of his infamous serums saying it wouldn't make you go into a temporary berserk state like everyone else had suffered from but have it clear up all of your sinus problems within the snap of your fingers.
Hmf, Mundo did what Mundo pleased, eh? Well, not with me nor any smart summoner he didn't. That crazy man could go, um, inject Warwick or Singed with his newest serum and see how it affected them. Unlike me being a professional in runes, magic, summoning, those champions of Noxus and Zaun, being quite bright themselves, clearly had the necessary meds, ingredients, so on, to counter whatever ailment they would suffer from Mundo's ill madness in the meantime.
In fact, excuse me for being so negative about the matter but who had the sense to have anything to do with those crazy, western city states that worshipped war and inhuman research? That had made Ionia suffer so very much back in the day in the name of modernization? Only souls opposite of me, I guess; the insane, the power hungry, the cruel.
Still, heh, look at me drawling on about political nothings now.
Ahem, getting back to the former talk about the current season, where it was so very easy for me - for anyone alive - to understand why summer if not spring or fall were a person's favorite time or season of the year, no one in their right mind in existence had ever said they truthfully adored winter.
I mean, come on, even if you lived or had ever lived in comfy Piltover, why would anyone not touched in the head honestly say they liked a blanket of boring, freezing, snowy whiteness covering everything when spring had always promised rebirth, summer had forever brought comfort, and autumn hadn't ever failed in bringing swirls of color to everything?
Duh. It was common fact that only crazy folk, even summoners, claimed to like old man winter the most out of all of the seasons and even crazier were those certain people whom strolled around these currently chilly days/nights with smiles on their redder than red faces as well as a skip to their stiff step.
Ugh, pitiful, depressing, odder than odd misfits. If they liked snow so very much... then why stay here in the Institute of War/the League of Legends? Why did they not take their weirdness out of sight and go to where it was winter every minute of every day of every month; Freljord?
Now, during my twenty-five years alive and like many others, if it were not plain enough by now, I had never been a fan of the cold or the inconveniences it had ever brought about. To me, summer was my very best friend while winter could take a vacation as well as never come back. As for the northern reaches of Freljord, sure, as I'd read in the books in the past while researching to become the summoner material I was now, the north was obviously magical, miraculous, purely beautiful in its own enchanting way.
Yet, Freljord plainly was and had forever been the embodiment of winter itself. Therefore, with utmost determination, the northern realm had been and still was something I hadn't ever really wanted anything to do with while alive. But, heh, even as a summoner, it eventually turned out that I wouldn't have everything go my way in life; especially in eluding winter's coldness, it would seem.
Clearly, I don't like the COLD. Regardless, imagine if you will, ironically during the duration of my third year as an actual summoner of the Institute of War here, that I happened to be permanently paired by the council of highest summoners not to mention the summoning matching powers with... a champion from the Freljord. Yeah, imagine that unexpected outcome for me, right? Should have seen it coming.
Well, if that isn't enough for your mind to wrap around, imagine further that I hadn't gotten adored Ashe or benevolent Anivia or fierce yet loyal Tryndamere or any of the more lovable Freljord champs... but someone else.
Nah, no matter my disbelief, it was in fact somehow fated that during what was to be and had been my third year as a summoner for Runeterra, as a protector of the peace, as a voice for the people - despite my obvious hate in everything chilly - I was and had been linked with... the very Princess of the Winter Claws, the proud Winter's Wrath herself, the fierce competitor for the Freljordian throne, the distant ancestor of fearsome Sister Serylda herself; Sejuani.
Holy gods, right? Like what toes had I stepped on to get into that situation? What god or power or whatever had I enraged to not only get paired with a Freljordian champion but with the most fearsome, independent, coldest one? Say whaaaaat?
But really, hmf, I'm being overly dramatic about this entire matter. No, I really am.
Truly, knowing I couldn't have turned down the pairing when it had been announced to me on February 5th just a bit after Snowdown or risk losing my summoner status, for the past year where I had adapted, learned, even bonded with the Winter's Wrath piece by piece, things hadn't turned out half that bad or as terrible as I'd predicted from the start. No, in fact, out of the three champions I'd had the honor of being partners with since my start as a summoner... I, um, have to secretly say nowadays that Sejuani had proven to be the best if not most successful of champions I'd come to battle alongside of.
I possibly, deep down, hidden away, had even become a fan boy of hers sometime during the partnership. But, ssssssssh, don't go around talking about that delicate business, please. Pretty please. My relationship with the princess of the Winter Claws is odd enough without romance - however unlikely to happen between us - becoming a part of it.
Seriously, during every monthly match we'd competed in - eleven in total thus far, one more to go - Sejuani and I hadn't lost yet. Thus, we, although we'd started our alliance off roughly, stubbornly, we were and had been setting a rare record in the summoner books.
I know what you're thinking, hot shot. I can see your skepticism. Everyone has to lose a battle at least once, right? Well, apparently, not me nor the Winter's Wrath. Not yet, anyhow.
As of today since we'd been bonded together, having just won our eleventh league match on classic Summoner's Rift match minutes ago, myself as well as the princess of the Winter Claws were still undefeated, unbeaten, invincible. And if we could win our last one out of the twelve that was set for December 15th, then that would mean quite a big deal for the both of us.
Indeed, to everyone everywhere, with a record of twelve wins and zero losses, it would definitely mean we were talented amongst others, we were winners to be looked up to, we were conquerors to be feared. Sadly though - sadly for me anyway, I don't know how Sejuani herself felt about the nearing matter - after we had either won or lost our twelfth league match on December 15th, my partnership with the Winter's Wrath would be at an end.
Yeah, as it had always been for the summoners as well as champions of the Institute of War since its establishment twenty three years ago, due to the powers of that which was not only one of the most powerful artifacts within the vault of the researching Majoris Arcanum wing but known as the "Choice Stone", a summoner - for whatever reason, through whatever powers, by the decree of the best summoners - was linked to a new, respective, proper champion after every Snowdown.
In short, for every year, a champion was assigned to a new summoner. Or maybe it was known as the other way around where the summoner was assigned to a champion? Meh, whatever. It worked both ways.
For one year, for twelve matches - a regularly announced match for every month or thirty day period - champions remained linked with the summoners that the Choice Stone selected for them after Snowdown. Why that was the way of the Institute of War, why champions were linked to summoners after such a short if not rapid paced period of time, wasn't something myself or any junior summoner could really explain until we were seniors. It just was the way of things, you know?
Yet, after having been linked with a champion three times now, I kind of already understood the basic reasons for the used methods; why summoners and champions were only given twelve months to work together before having to split up once more.
As it would be in a dire situation like ever being in a Rune War once more, if we were lacking in structure in the future, the year long selections of today barely gave us - summoner as well as champion - the time to really relax, to question each other, to even bond. For the next twelve months, for the twelve battles to come, we just had to learn to trust one another. And through the strife, with such short time at our disposal, we either learned to become the best partners on the battlefield or we just failed our team/died... again and again and again.
Thinking back on the first time I - alongside many other beginners - had been allowed to enter the awesome Hall of Heroes on ceremony where I could see the displays of the League of Legend's champions firsthand, I'd had no clue whom I would be linked to. It could have been freaking anyone, good or bad, you know? As I remember the experience correctly, trembling so bad like my fellow graduated/recruited summoners, I could barely touch the magical Choice Stone before it shined a singular line of red light upon the posing statue of none other than well, heh... my home city's finest enforcer on the case; Vi.
And, again, imagine that. I'd been born in Piltover. And then, for my first year, I was able to repay the kindness, the protection, the good life, it had always given me.
Mind, my resulting partnership with Vi then, complete with many of her signature rocket powered punches, the both of us taking names on the battlefields, me being - although I'd been and still am only a month younger than she - called "kid" repeatedly by her, had been quite the roller coaster ride. Next though, before we had known it, before we had gotten done officially saying goodbye even, although we had felt like we had become practically brother and sister on the Fields of Justice, our year had come to an end. We had to go our separate ways.
Still, I hadn't been destined to remain sad over having lost Vi as a partner for long. Not when I had been gladly assigned to optimistic Sona, the adored Maven of Strings, next, anyway. And for the duration of that next in her company year, that graceful musician - her melodies that had always tugged on everyone's hearts - had gradually helped me see myself, as a summoner, more clearly than ever before.
Being as stiff as board about everything because it had been my very first year not to mention experience as a summoner and I had thought I was about to be evaluated on bloody everything I did, I learned through Vi that I had to slow down, take pleasure in the small things, along with think about myself every once in a while instead of everyone else.
Truly, seeing a she had been a loyal partner to my home city's business like sheriff - Caitlyn - for the longest time, Vi had known aspiring me better than I had known myself on our first day together. In turn, during the year that had passed us by, she'd revealed to me during our year together that life wasn't at all worth living if I was going to continually be so firm about everything. Occasionally, even if I didn't wish to, I needed to have some fun. And, figures, when I had followed that enforcer's advice during my second year, when I had fun as well as easily came to bond with beautiful, respected, and strong Sona, I think I really reached my potential.
For if I hadn't reached my potential... then why wouldn't I have just given up on the idea of working with the Winter's Wrath from the very instant I'd been bonded to her, hm?
As for this coming new year nearly a month away, as for whom I'd be paired with on February 1st, seeing as I was or hopefully was a peaceful, average, humble Piltovian whom believed in the good morals to be had in this life of mine, I expected that my next champion wouldn't be another surprise like grim Sejuani.
Nah, as I'd been blessed with Vi as well as Sona beforehand, my fourth champion was hopefully going to be a welcomed one. Maybe even a guy this time?
I mean, seriously, seeing as they'd all been attractive in their own spunky, glamorous, even tomboyish ways, I had enjoyed being partnered with Vi, Sona, as well as Sejuani. Nevertheless, if I didn't get a guy champion soon - preferably Ezreal or Lee Sin or someone easier going than militaristic Garen or Jarvan IV - summoners were going to begin questioning... my sexuality. Yeah, no matter how truly outrageous the thought, no matter my reputation now, I was going to be the next Taric if I didn't work with a male champion soon.
Wait, hold on, what if got TARIC for next year? Oh gods... well, after having been bonded with the Winter's Wrath, I'd be knowing by then that the gods were punishing me for something.
But really, why did I shudder at the thought of being partnered with the Gem Knight? Like all other champions, despite the rumors that swirled around him, I was well aware that he had his strengths, his weaknesses, his fame, even a gentlemanly personality.
Hm, if it really came down to it for me, Taric wasn't or wouldn't be too bad a guy to be partnered with, right? Right... Yes, right! Ugh!
Really, as I'd been coming to bump into her recently, I wouldn't mind in the slightest of being bonded to the Starchild, Soraka. Not only was she exotic, beautiful, always had something motherly to say, she had an inner strength both on and off the battlefield that I as well as many other summoners deeply praised. Plus, seeing as I was someone who had forever enjoyed being helpful to others, what better way was there for me to be beneficial than learn from the Starchild herself in healing magics?
Still, here I am so casually talking about leaving Sejuani like it's not that big of a deal. Shame on me.
I'm a good guy, mind. I'm all for honor, duty, equality, peace, everything good to be had. Therefore, I really don't know how the Winter's Wrath is feeling about it coming up in the near future but... well, at first, naturally, I'm going to at least miss her trademark grimace and Bristle's grunting. For the last year, we truly had done well together, hadn't we? Our feats had been leaving and would go on to leave a mark in the minds of Runeterrians everywhere for many a year to come, anyway.
And that in the end, having made an impression on Runeterra, I knew was what Sejuani had wanted since she'd become a champion back in the day... and through me, she had seemed to have finally gotten that. Correct? Correct.
Hmf, screw it. Screw my pride, my silence. As I definitely knew she felt the same about me deep down in that supposedly cold heart of hers these days, having gotten to know her for the past year, I was proud to have been paired with the Winter's Wrath. We had done better than GREAT together! We had brought much fame not to mention honor to the Winter Claws of Freljord! Huzzah!
Hey... wow, uh, hold on a minute. I haven't properly introduced myself yet, have I? Hah! Ha ha, blah, it would seem my parents have always been right about me and my social problems. See, like always, once I get rambling, talking, spouting about nothing all that important, there's just no stopping me until I've made a complete fool of myself as well as realized it! Ha ha, ugh.
Now I need to shut up about the little stuff, take several deep breaths... and tell you who I am as a Runeterrian of mystic today. Brace yourself. Here I go.
Named in honor of the heritage of my father's deceased grandparents, my name is Hale Jepodiah Piketon. As I'm twenty-five years old and will be turning twenty-six on March 23rd, I was born in Piltover two years before the start, the planning, the official making of the Institute of War/League of Legends. And where I had been a student of summoning for five years - 15CLE through 20CLE - before becoming the real deal summoner for these last three, yes, I had witnessed some of the inspired unfolding if not relieving end to the Noxian invasion against Ionia. But that, the invasion, was part of the past now. Nothing for me to spout about when the here and now mattered much more.
All during my former life in Piltover, I'd been told by family as well as friends that I'd been given my mother's simple beauty while keeping my father's decent personality meanwhile. Thus, seeing as my mother really had been and was still a gorgeous woman, I guess I had a certain handsomeness about my face. As for my hair, as it had always been kept during my childhood, it was short, wind swept, browner than brown while my eyes were as supposedly blue as the sapphires randomly found on the shores of Freljord's Ursine's coastal shores.
And I'd also like to put in that although I've had my dad's determined mindset on life for the longest time, although I make a usual practice of working out as much as reading up on things of the past, the present, the future, I don't exactly consider myself physically sharp or even so very special. Nah, I'm just your normal, every day Runeterrian. Or, seeing as everyone considers themselves normal - even, coo-coo, Noxus as well as Zaun - I'm as close as I can get to that, anyhow.
Hale Jepodiah Piketon, even though a summoner, yes, has been and still is your every day Runeterrian. Seriously, even though I might have had the honor of always being called "kid" by Vi during my first year of summoning, even though I can actually say I know Sona and her music better than most due to my second year, even though I've been supporting Sejuani during one of the best winning streaks in league history throughout my third year, I'm as normal as ever. I just do what I do and reap the seen or unforeseen results afterwards.
Simply put, like everyone else of today, I just, heh, live.
Moving on, now that you know me inside as well as out, where I've been before being the summoner I am today, the day in question for the Institute of War - again - has proven to be a most nerve racking Friday or November 16th for myself and a collection of summoners. At least until with league match finished, with our minds being put at ease, with our powers being lowered in strength, with our fans who had been watching us on Crystal Screens/Televisions all across Runeterra celebrating, my team had just come out victorious over the opposing force minutes ago.
Indeed, at the start of it all, the long awaited skirmish had actually been unfavorable for my side. Yet, with the proper calls not to mention strategies, with my fellows having even looked to me - supposedly the invincible summoner strategist of this year - for guidance at one point... we had come out on top!
Hooray! Good game! Good fight! Good teamwork for the win!
Indeed, this battle of Summoner's Rift on November 16th had been quite difficult for everyone. In the end, for both sides, although some would disagree with me about it, everyone should have been proud. In the meantime, while I got around to bringing proud Sejuani as well as Bristle back off of Summoner's Rift and to the Institute of War, while myself and my teammates adjusted to being ourselves in the summoning chambers once more, I couldn't keep from glancing at the end results of the just finished match. And what I saw there.. well, it made my stomach flip over itself while my expression stretched into a nervous yet victorious grin.
Blue Team (Victory): 76/51/127
Sejuani (Summoner Hale): 10/9/45
Jarvan IV (Summoner Isaac): 18/9/7
Kassadin (Summoner Herald): 23/11/15
Sona (Summoner Rebbeca): 0/14/32
Varus (Summoner Zyle): 25/8/28
Red Team (Defeat): 51/76/92
Cho'Gath (Summoner Varshall): 8/16/25
Nautilus (Summoner Jacob): 11/8/9
Ziggs (Summoner Melodi): 13/13/22
Nami (Summoner Victoria): 3/24/15
Ashe (Summoner Leon): 16/15/21
Again, this match had been poor for my side at the beginning. With Ziggs having dominated Kassadin at mid, with Nautilus having ambushed every lane very effectively early game, the pressure had quickly built up against my team. With myself and Sejuani top lane, we had tirelessly been badgered, tested, along with tormented by good old Cho'gath who had bitten, clawed, along with messed with us all during the match. Truly, if not for the Winter's Wrath's continual slowing capabilities, vicious powers, along with enduring resilience against pain, most any other champion would have been a snack for that freaking bug freak from the void.
Nonetheless, keeping our spirits up, with my teammates asking me for opinions on what to do when our first line of turrets had been reduced to rubble, with Jarvan having spectacularly supported the bot, mid, and especially the top lane as the jungler until both Cho as well as his own summoner had exchanged, ahem, rather colorful not to mention hostile public language that they were going to have to sort out later or risk ending the year pretty badly between themselves, my team had managed to hold the line, build their specialties, then continue winning team fights later until, clearly, we'd just won.
Hooray, excellent ending to good teamwork for my team! Truly, well played, a good effort, a humble loss for our more than worthy enemy.
Look at me, like some golem, reviewing the past again like it needs to be said. Had I not already described to you in great detail if not numerous ways about how my team had won the match of today? About how this was my eleventh straight win alongside Sejuani? Bah, I really need to get out of my studies and talk with others more often than I do or I'm just going to keep embarrassing myself by repeating these nothings.
Anyhow, having gotten done in the tasks of summoning our selected champions from Summoner's Rift back to their proper places at the institute, knowing what was required of us next, my triumphant team gracefully took our leave from the dim summoning chambers and out into the wide, open plaza that awaited us to our left through a set of heavy set double doors. Once out there, handling ourselves with mute formality, we were unsurprisingly met with the sight of hundreds of visiting tourists, fans, fellow summoners, both young and old, who had been allowed to cram inside earlier to see the entire progress of our recently ended match on the largest of large television/crystal screens of the institute.
As planned, as I and every other summoner of the league knew today or had come to learn during our studies in becoming summoners of in the variety of magic schools of Runeterra, we had not shown ourselves from the summoning chambers just now to bask in the praises of our adoring public whom were admiring us for our shown skills at having finished the recent champion battle. No, wordlessly along with purposefully, under the gaze of the powerful, councilor summoners who made up the High Board of Equinity itself, my team and the enemy team had just come out into the open to come together, to shake hands with good spirits along with smiles, and then be allowed through the watching, murmuring, fascinated crowds of onlookers in single file to go our separate ways afterwards.
And after that had been done, after we had been let out into the wintry yet sunny November day, we - as summoners and with it being Friday - were now entitled to now do anything we wanted to do. Yep, until next Monday, myself, my recent teammates and foes back in the match, the summoners of the Institute of War, the majority of the citizens of Runeterra itself, everyone everywhere, was going to enjoy the next two free days - the next free 48 hours - to come.
Hm. To start off the 48 hours I had for myself, would I go find Sejuani on this uplifted day and congratulate her on a job well done in the just ended skirmish? Alas, no. For you see, having done so before in the past to only be brushed aside like I had been some kind of distraction, to go congratulate the princess of the Winter Claws now would be most similar to me ramming my head into the nearest wall instead.
No doubt back with her usual assemble of envoys here at the Institute of War since I had summoned her off of Summoner's Rift at the match's end, the Winter's Wrath knew enough of the obvious without me skipping by saying how well she and Bristle had fought, how fearless they had been, how strong they were. Really, having come to know her for the last year, even if we had been quite a bit more gossipy/friendly to one another than usual during our recent match, I could guess if I went and congratulated her about the just won battle... I'd just might annoy her into having her boar run me down, gore me, then even have me for dinner.
Nah, for my health, for Sejuani's continued patience, it would be best that I play it safe, correct? And to be safe meant to keep my distance from the Winter's Wrath until we were next scheduled to meet together.
So, for the next two days, like we usually had taken to doing with our free time where we weren't forced to meditate, practice, and prepare together for the oncoming league battles, I would go my own way while the Princess of the Winter Claws went hers. It was best that, for now, we gave each other some room to breathe, to relax, to readjust from our most recent win.
Nevertheless, if I was not to spend my next two days with my chosen champion, then what would I be doing? With Ryze, the Rogue Mage, would I go for a hike through the nearby Great Barrier Mountains in search of knowledgeable artifacts? Would I maybe peruse the Institute's Library watched over by Nasus, the Curator of the Sands? Could I by chance teleport home to see my parents not to mention a certain sisterly enforcer too?
Or perhaps I would simply enjoy my free time to the fullest and relax with friends, fellow summoners, the family I'd come to gather up here at the Institute of War since my arrival eight years ago?
Hm, yeah. For the next forty-eight hours, hanging out with what friends I'd accumulated here wasn't a bad idea at all. And, with a snap of my fingers as well as a smile plastered upon my face, I knew just how to start.
I'd find my recent teammate not to mention better friend, Summoner Rebecca Dove. For if I found Rebbeca then I would definitely find Sona and if I found Sona... I could enjoy speaking of the recent match as well as many a thing of the past with her today while also enjoying some of her famous music.
Yeah. Listening to Sona's melodies in the company of good friends. That would be a finer than fine way for me to start my weekend, wouldn't it?
So, without much further ado, bundling myself up against the chilly weather that I hated oh so very much, I picked up my step as well as found out where Summoner Rebecca had gotten to. Yet, as I ran after her, as I got her to stop and wait for me in turn near the western gates leading into the hospitable wing of the institute, I didn't exactly know nor could even guess just how odd the coming days were going to be for me.
No, I couldn't have guessed then - as I caught up with smiling Rebecca and we began to talk about or recently won league battle - that the most improbable of things were about to transpire between myself and the most frigid princess of them all; Sejuani. In fact, instead of keeping to herself like she usually did, how could I have known that as I entered the Institute of War with Sona's summoner... that the princess of the Winter Claws as well as a selection of her finest warriors that made up her party of escorts were currently looking for me?
Well, as I knew I would have liked a warning before it all came crashing down upon me in the near future, you'd best brace yourself, my friend. Alongside Rebecca in the hospitable wing, my free time had just begun then on November 16th at 12:22pm. As for what else was about to come, no matter how unexpected - that which Vi, if there to see it, would have called a roller coaster rider of the most wicked order - that, heh, had just unknowingly begun for me too.
And now, looking back on it all today, I cannot say... that anything of a most terrible nature had come to be when Sejuani had come seeking me on November 16th. Nah, for her own reasons about to be revealed, as she had started looking for me throughout the Institute of War, everything of the best nature had actually started for us both.
All she had to do to get those best things going between us was find elusive, wandering, empty headed me. Nevertheless, her intentions in seeking me out had actually begun to be shown not with me personally but when she'd momentarily stopped by a certain Gem Knight's decorated chambers along the way beforehand to ask of him a certain, respectable, fashionable service he'd always offered to whomever needed him.
Of course, heh, never had the Gem Knight ever expected the Winter's Wrath to ever come visiting him. Like ever. So, imagine his shock when she had stepped inside his quarters before going out of her way to search for me... and had demanded her request for his services be put at the top of his work list. Be it that or suffer her chilly temper afterwards.
End of "The Simple Starting Point"...