Prologue
The first signs of the impending invasion could be seen on the shore of Ionia. In the distance, almost imperceptible, flickering lights shone bright against the darkening sky. They were a muted yellow colour, a different hue to the clear white of the evening stars. The sound of the lapping waves washed up on the near-empty beach of Southern Ionia. The only soul on the beach was a soldier, a lookout, tasked to monitor the sea. In theory, there should be 15 soldiers acting as lookouts, on regular rotation. Ionia was an island after all, and the only method of invasion was by sea. It was therefore of the upmost priority that the surrounding waters were kept under constant observation.
It was a trick really, the reason why a single man slept on the beach, not even doing his small job correctly. A small boat, disguised as an ally's merchant vessel, had dropped anchor at Port Irachai in Southern Ionia. Its small crew had one task only – infect the small garrison's water supply with Warwick's formula before going on their way. As a result, 14 soldiers were currently sleeping on the floor of their Headquarters' dining room, and the only one who managed to escape had succumbed to the the potion's effects not long after.
The lights of the arriving Noxian armada became a haze on the horizon. By the time they were sighted by the guard of another beach, it would be too late. The ships drifted on, their black sails flickering innocently in the wind, their crew totally silent.
Captain John Darrowson was woken by his rumbling stomach. He remembered he had hardly eaten anything for dinner and groaned with frustration and annoyance.
"Zelos!" he called out, rising slowly.
There was no answer, and with a start, Darrowson quickly checked his surroundings. He was right – he was on the beach, but totally by himself.
"What the hell happened", he said. "I can't remember anything…"
That's when he saw the ships. He backed into the cliff face behind him, unable to believe his eyes.
"Zelos!" he tried to shout, but his voice came out as a croak.
Darrowman lost it. He sprinted towards cliff's ladder, knowing that protocol demanded it to be burnt immediately. The boats were close enough for him to hear the shouts of hundreds of sailors, close enough for someone to reach him possibly before he managed to reach the top.
"Screw the protocol" Darrowman spat, grabbing onto the first wooden rung and hauling himself up. A shout – something smashed into his leg. He fell. He tried to twist himself up again, but something else struck his chest. He fell dead on the sand.
"Major Warwick sir? The troops encountered resistance in the Southern villages. Apparently the villages blockaded the main street and formed some sort of bowmen unit. The men want your permission to use some of Singed's new toys…"
Warwick grunted. "You know that Zaun's presence here is a well-kept secret. Think diplomatically idiot. The fire cannons have been unloaded by now, surely?"
"Well not exactly… I've been told that –"
Warwick closed the 3 metre gap in less than a second and grabbed the startled officer by his collar. "I don't care what you were told," he snarled. "We need to subdue the population quickly and efficiently, before the Ionians can rustle up a force that might give us trouble. Now get out there and do your job."
"But sir, I'm not sure I know – "
But Warwick was already turning around. He threw one last comment behind his back as he walked away: "It's pretty fucking obvious what you have to do. Call yourself a soldier. I'm a fucking chemist and I fight wars better than you."
The night air was cool on Warwick's bare back as he strode past the supplies being unloaded from their ships. He grabbed his shirt and slung it over his back as he walked. He could barely contain his excitement. It had taken a lot of persuading to get him on this invasion. While he did enjoy mindless slaughter, the sort that had been promised to him, he wouldn't be able to mix his concoctions as easily in Ionia. That wasn't the main reason though. The main reason was something he had never admitted to anyone.
A few years previously, Warwick had been a guest in Noxus. The relationship between Zaun and Noxus had always been strong, and with the new trade deal they were proposing, it looked to be stronger than ever. As he had been walked down one of the streets on the way back from a meeting, he glimpsed something that had made his heart stop. In one of the windows, just before the curtains were hastily drawn, Warwick had seen a flash of red hair. It shouldn't have been enough, but he was already obsessed. He wanted more.
Warwick scaled the wall quickly, investing his hands with as much magic as he possessed, allowing them to stick to the darkened bricks. His heart pumping, he slowly opened the curtains, trying to avoid opening them enough that he could be seen. What he saw shocked him.
Standing by a dressing cabinet, clothed only in a small dressing gown, was a red-headed child. Her red hair was flame-coloured, like Katarina, but softer, like silk. Her milky skin was pale. Warwick was so surprised that he forgot about discretion, and the girl looked round in horror. He saw a brief flash of her enormous blue eyes before he fell from the wall. The nine-year-old ran to the window, but he had already disappeared from the ground beneath.
In the alleyway behind the child's house, Warwick was breathing heavily. He couldn't deny what he felt – he was besotted with a child.
Now, in the present day, he chuckled to himself. Yes, there had been one thing that had managed to persuade him to join the expedition. In the hull of one of the ships, he found an enormous wooden crate. His name was inscribed on its case, and the men knew that to touch this crate was to face instant death.
The top of the crate was not solid at all, but was instead a series of wooden bars. Warwick pushed it onto its side, revealing what lay inside. "Hello Annie," he said, smiling at the drugged body. "I hope you had a pleasant journey."
Please rate and review. If you have any comments, any constructive criticize, please don't hesitate to leave it in the comments box or send me a personal message. I'll do my best to reply to all PMs. This is only the first chapter, so there won't be that much to say so far :P
