Part 1: Prologue

More than a year had passed since General Darius and Lady Fiora Laurent had escaped the mysterious place where they were sent in the middle of an ordinary battle on Summoner's Rift. They had fought many beasts there and eventually managed to return to the Institute of war. However, the event had raised many questions and Darius was determined to find out all he could. Things weren't as easy as they seemed, due to the fact that the summoners were choosing Darius quite often and he was forced to fight almost all day. What made matters worse were his tender feeling towards Fiora. During their stay in that nightmarish place they had confessed their love for one another.

Darius had always respected her strength, even though she was Demacian. She couldn't help but notice that this man acknowledged her skills and didn't care that she was a woman. It was only a matter of time for them to fall in love. And so they did in that terrible place. Just upon returning they shared a loving gaze, only to be seen by Darius' brother- Draven. Although he had an enormous ego and loved only himself, he did not betray his brother and understood his feelings. This did not matter, however, for soon things were back to normal. Darius won many matches for the summoners but he was forced to face Fiora. He tried his best to protect her but worried that Swain or one of the Black Rose members would notice him. He knew he had to stop the summoners and find out what happened that day, when in the midst of fighting everything turned dark and he and Fiora were sent to an unknown location, where it seemed the Institute had no power. Over the past twelve months he had been asking questions. First he decided to talk to the other eight champions who were in the match with him and Fiora. The answer was always the same: " There was an interference in the magic of the Institute. That match was nothing special and it ended with a draw. Why are you asking Darius?" They would always make such an excuse and even though The Hand of Noxus wanted to know more he just didn't bother asking anything else. Even if they knew something, they wouldn't tell him. But recently he had stumbled across a record of the events. Perhaps someone wanted him to find it. Darius seemed like a brute, but he had the cunning to lead his men, the wisdom not to take the power in Noxus and the intellect to see the bigger picture. And so he was able to find many clues concerning the events of that day. He also remembered that back then the godlike beings like Azir and Nasus were discussing " the growing power of the mages and the summoners and the ill intentions of some of the more powerful among them." Darius didn't pay attention back then. Back then he was concerned with the glory of Noxus. But now things had changed and so after one match he went to Nasus.

" Greetings Lord Nasus, may I speak with you", Darius asked.

" Come to brag about your victories and how powerful your nation is, mortal", the Ascended replied.

" Our victories and defeats are decided by the summoners and the old fools who created the League. I have something far more important to ask, if you will hear me out."

" Very well then, ask and I shall answer"

Darius nodded and began retelling the events of the dreadful day on which he and Fiora were trapped in that place. He also shared his discoveries with the godlike creature

" So the other eight beings claim that there was nothing extraordinary about the event and that it was just a minor issue", Nasus wondered.

" Yes, and they all spin the same tale, as if they were told to do so. Furthermore, they say that I and Fiora were not available to the summoners for just a few hours. But as I have told you, we were in that damn place for over a week." Darius explained

" This is most unusual. And you saw strange creatures in there. Enormous and powerful." Nasus asked.

" That they were but I felt powerful as well. There was no one controlling my movement, no one slowing my swings. I couldn't hear the summoner in my head. I moved like I used to when I was a young soldier.", Darius replied.

" It seems you were sent to a location out of the jurisdiction of the Institute of war. Here we are vastly hindered by the magic of the League but we cannot die. In that place it seems it was quite the opposite", Nasus said.

"Who could have done that to us and why? I have always served my nation, protected my brother and helped High General swain to power, because I believed him to be worthy. When I came here I aimed to join him and the other Noxians so that our power may increase. But now I have seen so much", Darius explained trying to stay calm.

" You are wise to see beyond your nation's borders. Some other champions are as foolish as when they first came here. And as to who might have done this. I have my suspicions. It could be a powerful mage or summoner, even one of the High Councilors or some of the shadowy organizations. The Black Rose might have done this and I suspect that your ruler, Swain, could have aided them. "

Darius would have decapitated anyone who spoke ill of Swain a few years ago, but he had seen so many things. He found out that Swain had cheated in his duel with Darkwill and that the Black Rose had aided him. He had also heard the rumors of a relationship between Swain and Leblanc but back then he thought that Swain was the man, who would bring Noxus to greatness and did not care

" I suppose all is possible. They could all be working together. I found suspicious records, shadow agents and so on. Perhaps even Demacia and Targon could have a finger in all of this. Your enemy Xerath could have used his magic to do that to us", Darius said.

" You have explained and proven much, mortal. I will try and find as much as possible. Share this information only with those individuals you trust. As for the Black Rose and Swain- you can contact the Du Couteau family. They have had a grudge against Swain for years", Nasus said and stood up ready to leave.

" I will heed your advice and I hope Katarina will listen to me. I am not as close to her as I was with her father" Darius said in a worried voice. He did not know what he would find. Would he be accused of treason by Jericho? Or would his brother be punished for his "crime".

" Mortal, much has changed and I think that the old grudges will be forgotten in the name of the greater good. For all we know, this may not be a scheme of your leader, but something else entirely. These interferences have ceased after all." Nasus explained calmly.

" But those summoners you were speaking about are still here. They were hungry for power then and still are" Darius replied.

" That is true. But I know this: if we find a way to keep the peace this place will have no further purpose. It was built so that the nations of Runeterra would settle their conflicts here. And if there are no grand conflicts we could unite and live in harmony."Nasus said as he was leaving.

" I can only hope" Darius said quietly.

He then proceeded to his quarters but was stopped by someone. A familiar voice greeted his ears.

" Darius what's been bothering you lately. Is it something about us." Fiora asked gently.

" Not being able to show our feeling has been bothering me, yes, but that is not why I am worried. I have found information about that day. And I have spoken to several individuals who might help." Darius replied.

" Oh, you idiot, leave it in the past. I don't want to see you die. There are conspiracies even in Demacia. I hear of the exploits of certain agents of ours all the bloody time. Of how Lux Crownguard intercepted a vital message or how her brother Garen defeated a dozen men to defend the King. Loyal dogs those Crownguards. They never ask why are they doing the certain thing, only obey." Fiora was starting to raise her voice. She never had much respect for the Crownguards. She saw them as mindless servants to the crown. On a personal level, she was supposed to marry one of them- a cocky young man, who treated her as a mere tool. It was when she refused to become his bride that her father was forced to duel. However, he tried to cheat, which forced Fiora to fight and kill him. That deed has been plaguing her mind ever since. So much so that she avoided men entirely, for she considered them nothing more than mindless and arrogant creatures, who thought of women as nothing more than instruments. That was until she met Darius. A Noxian. An enemy. Yet he respected her and showed her love. A feeling she hadn't experienced since her father's death.

She was a noble and privileged. He was an orphan, who had gained power with skill and hard work. Yet their pain was so similar. Even their ideals were not that different, despite being raised in two very different societies, who had been at war almost all the time. Noxus ruled over most of the northern and eastern part of Valoran and was the largest empire at the moment. Demacia and Shurima shared borders with the mighty nation and although powerful, they could not match Noxus at the time. The three nations were at peace, however, their differences remained and they were simply trying to gain an advantage over the others and attack first. This was what Darius was suspecting but there was so much more cloaked in shadow. For now he was happy that he was with the woman he loved.

" Fiora, what happened to us then could be part of a conspiracy. It could be the work of your king, or my leader, or something else entirely. Whatever the case may be, I cannot let this come to pass. Even if this is the doing of Noxus, it is wrong and it does not unify the nation. That event an year ago, could have been orchestrated by some Noxian noble, trying to gain power and wealth in some unknown way. And I have told you how I love those kinds of people", Darius said.

Then they heard footsteps. The pair quickly ran behind a corner and saw Talon, one of the members of the Du Couteau family. He was worried and was searching for something. But what could it be…..