Long ago, in the southern parts of Runeterra, laid a runestone. It was hidden deep in the Plague Jungles, emanating a strong energy that gave nearby life small amounts of power. During this time, the Age of the Rune Wars, men and women fought eachother to settle conflicts. Wildlife suffered from these battles along with humans. Life was harsh, and many did not survive. Humanity turned to the runes, magical items that strengthened their power and abilities.
The monkey race heard of these runes, and sought to find them. They noticed that deeper in the jungle, the animals were stronger and more vicious. A sage travelled into the depths of the Plague Jungles and discovered the powerful runestone. The sage and his followers came to the runestone every sunset, in hopes of it empowering them further. The sage became convinced that the runestone had the power to grant immortality. He performed a perfect ritual in hopes of it succeeding. The sage and his disciples lingered there for hours, awaiting an outcome. Soon, the monkeys abandoned the speculation and left.
Days later, the runestone became inactive. The energy emitting from it faded for hours. Suddenly, the runestone cracked open, revealing a stone monkey. As the sun rose, daylight hit the statue. Instantly, the stone dissolved and left the living monkey. It awoke and gazed at its surroundings curiously. The monkey stood up and wandered through the jungle. He came face to face with a strange creature, and the desire for greatness devoured his mind. He fought the creature, taking it down effortlessly. He roamed for days, hoping to face a valuable opponent. None came, and the monkey became sorrow.
One day, the monkey was trudging towards the outskirts of the jungle and found a house. He saw light coming out of it. He grinned. Maybe this is the worthy opponent I seek, he thought. The monkey went into the house and saw a monkey. The monkey looked old, with gray streaks of fur mingling with the brown strands.
The old monkey immediately peered up at him and frowned.
"You do not look like one of us... a Kyon warrior, perhaps?" the old monkey started.
"No. I come find out a strong opponent to fight. All those creatures here are weak. Do you know where I can locate one?"
The old monkey stood up. "You are certainly not a Kyon warrior, my mistake. You are not one of us either. I would signal for reinforcements, but you do not seem like a threat. What do you wish for, child?"
"Like I said. I strive for a good fight. You know anywhere someone like me could find that?"
The old monkey frowned and replied, "I know of an area full of strong fighters. They are like us, but they have no hair. They are stronger than us, and are more intellectual than us. They have shaped the world to their desires. If you are foolish enough to travel there and face them, they are to the north."
"Thanks a lot," the monkey said gratefully. He turned around to leave, but saw rain started pouring onto the ground. He looked into the sky and saw that it was gray and dark. He sighed.
"If you would like, you could stay until the storm finishes."
The monkey turned around and grinned. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. I would never leave a soul out there in the rain," the old monkey said, "You remind me of an old epic my mother used to recite to me. It was about a monkey, just like us. His name was Kong. The monkey born out of stone, wielder of the Dragon King's weapon."
The monkey's eyes went wide, but the older monkey didn't catch it. "Ah.. can you tell me about it?" the monkey asked as he sat down. The old monkey gave a small smile, and began the tale.
"There was once a rock made out of runes. The rock was powerful, emitting energy that strengthened the living around it. One day, the rock began to crack. Day after day, more cracks opened, until it fully broke and a monkey stepped out. His name was Kong, a warrior stronger than the gods themselves. He strived to find a fighter as powerful as him. He searched the lands, and wandered upon the East Sea. There, he found a Dragon King, named Ao Shin. The Dragon King of the East Sea was known to have multiple weapons. Kong received a magical staff from Ao Shin, increasing his abilities even further.
"Ah.. I'm growing tired, my apologies. Maybe we can finish the story another time," the old monkey said, as he laid down on a pile of leaves and began to sleep.
But, that was enough for the younger monkey. He stood up after a few moments and left, walking through the pouring rain and roaring thunder, heading toward the East Sea.