Heather lay unconscious on the ground. Her clothes were dirty with mud and debris. She awoke blinking rapidly as small rays of sun pierced her eyes. Her brown hair that rested above her shoulders was messy and tangled. Sitting up, she gazed around. Massive lush trees swelled up from the ground, their tops intertwining to form a dense canopy that allowed only small amounts of light through. Yellow-speckled, blue and black moss hung in clumps on them. She stood up, her limbs cracking and popping in protest, and dusted herself off. Thick green and black vines crisscrossed along with the tree roots on the ground. Strange bugs in a myriad of colors flitted and danced through the air. She took a few steps, her shoes made no sound on the thick forest floor, taking in all the exotic flora. One flower in particular caught her eye. It had long tear drop shaped violet leaves that changed to red on the tips while its stalk was a pale pink. On the inside was a glowing golden ball that looked like a little sun burning inside of a membranous substance that looked like blue tinted jelly. She carefully stuck her finger inside and then yanked it back. It was boiling hot! She nursed her finger and watched as a bug landed on it. It stuck its mouth down into the center and as it drank started glowing until it was like a little green fireball. It then drunkenly flew off into the forest weaving this way and that. As it flew off, she noticed a mist hung in the air. It limited visibility considerably and Heather shivered involuntarily.
A howl ripped through the forest. It swept her hair back and ruffled her clothes. Icy terror ran down her legs freezing her to the spot. Another howl pierced the air, shaking leaves from the branches. Except this time it was louder and closer. She was still frozen to the spot. Her heart hammered in her chest like a frightened rabbit. Slowly, she started to back up, holding her hand out behind her as to not run into any trees. She had to hold back a scream as something hairy brushed her hand. She turned around to find a massive creature with burning red eyes and monstrous teeth. It was growling deep in its throat. Blood tinted saliva dripped from its mouth. She moved her foot so she could back up the other way but it enticed the creature into action. Swallowing her fear, she ran. Her feet danced along the forest path as she fled, dodging stray vines and roots. Heat surged along her back as it pounced on her. Its claws ripped through her shirt slicing her back open. She fell to the ground screaming and twisting; then landed on her back. He raised his bloody claws and went straight for her throat.
A woman burst through the trees.
"Warwick, stop" she screamed.
He froze, his claws resting less then an inch away from her neck. The woman behind him started to walk closer; he snarled and gnashed his teeth. She stopped but without so much as a spark of fear crossing her face. He raised his fist and struck Heather across the head. She struggled to remain conscious as the woman strode over to them but soon everything went dark.
Heather raced down the polished stark-white hallway, her shoes slapping against the floor. They echoed so loudly that it sounded as if a rampaging bull had been let loose. It had not been a week since she started working here, so she still became lost rather easily. She couldn't remember if it was two doors or three, left or right. She kept trying each door she came across but they were all locked. Finally, one did open.
The door didn't even resist a bit so the knob slammed against the wall causing Heather to wince. It was completely dark; the lights started to flicker on slowly as she stepped inside. The room was stark-white with a few white tables. A stack of papers had been neatly arranged, but fluttered to the ground. She rushed over and started picking them up. Her eyes could not help read over them but they were full of strange diagrams, calculations, and names that made her head ache. As she was putting them back, her elbow bumped an object off the table. She cursed as it slammed on the floor. It started rolling away so she chased after it. She grabbed it and gingerly ran her fingers over its surface. It was some kind of sphere made out of brass cogs and gears. A tiny ornate "Z" was carved into one of the cogs. There seemed to be no damage to the outside however, on the inside was a tiny, spinning hourglass. With horror she saw that a crack was growing down the side of the it. The hourglass started to spin faster and faster until it exploded. A huge screech screamed through the room. The overhead lights burst and glass rained down.
Heather stood alone in the darkness. The hourglass gizmo had vanished. She knelt down and felt around. Her fingertips ran across the dusty ground until dirt crumbled away as they found emptiness. She figured she was on the edge of a cliff or a mountain. She peered over the edge, and a vast pool of blackness lay below her. Behind her the call of the wolf burst out. The water below shifted and rippled. Something was moving. Feeling watched, Heather whipped around. She was face to face with the wolf. His lips were peeled back against his teeth and he let out a low growl. Before she could blink, his claws came up knocking her off the ledge. She could hear his growling laughter as she tumbled down and fell into the pool. With horror she realized this not to be water but a pool of blood. Thousands of horrendous creatures began grabbing at her. Their nails pierced her flesh digging under her skin. They pulled her down into the pool of death screaming at her.
Heather awoke to the sounds of nocturnal creatures echoing around her. She was gasping for air, curled up into a fetal position. Her back felt like someone had whipped her repeatedly and then pressed a hot iron on it. The rest of her body was so sore she figured someone must have drug her somewhere else. Her head was killing her and she could tell a lump had formed where the creature had struck her. She opened her eyes to find herself in the middle of a forest. It was dark, but a few torches had been stuck in the ground to provide some light. They cast eerie dancing shadows against the trees. Occasionally, leaves rustled from passing animals. Every now and then, their eyes shined out from the darkness before passing on. A man with a huge bottle on his back sat against a tree stump, trying to pry an arrow from a shield across his lap. On the other side of the clearing, her attacker leaned against a tree. He glared at her, and she swore he growled. She noticed one man in particular kept his distance from the others. He appeared to be a war hardened veteran. He clutched a simple wooden staff in his left hand, and Heather noticed one of his legs wasn't shaped quite right. Looking into his eyes, however, she got the impression he possessed an immense power. On his shoulder sat a jet black raven. It had taken a great interest in staring at her. She stared back at it, noticing uneasily that it never blinked. Her attention was stolen as the trees rustled and another woman emerged.
Fiery red hair burned down her back. She strode out, her head held high, and her emerald eyes were slightly closed which gave her a very dangerous yet alluring look. No one spoke another word but watched her, like a pack of wolves looking upon their leader. Her eyes flicked from one face to the next but purposely ignored Heather's. Behind her yet another woman followed. She was very beautiful and shared facial similarities with the red-haired woman, but she possessed the body of serpent just below her torso. Where she should have had long slender fingers, instead she possessed large claws that connected to scaly palms. The first woman had said nothing as of yet, but one of her hands rested one of the numerous daggers that lay strapped around her waist.
Before Heather could blink the woman slipped it out and threw it. The dagger buried itself deep into the wolf creature's shoulder. He howled in rage and indignation. The woman lazily strode over to him. No one else even breathed. She stopped, flashing him a deadly smile. "My father," she said,"is the reason you are here. My father saw your potential and gave you a second chance. If it were not for him, "she whispered grasping the hilt,"you would have been locked up by that unicorn witch." She ripped the blade out, but he didn't flinch. They stared at one another, hatred burning in their eyes. Her gaze turned condensing, and she flashed him a mocking smile. "You had better remember who's in charge."
"And you should be careful how many enemies you make. Someday daddy won't be there to protect you, little red-headed girl," he growled. He spit on the ground, storming off. She didn't let his words get to her or at least she never showed it. Turning around, she walked back over to the serpent woman. The man with the bottle slunk off in the direction of the wolf creature.
The raven never moved as the other man walked over to her. "You should be careful Katarina," he warned,"beaten dogs will eventually strike back."
"I realize that Swain," she hissed,"but he almost committed the biggest crime in history which would have left Noxus powerless, so you can see why I'm just slightly pissed at the moment."
Heather had no idea who or what this "Noxious" was but she focused in on their conversation anyway, hoping to learn more about them and where she was.
"So the big question here is what do we do about her?" the Serpent woman pointed at Heather without actually looking.
A woman with long violet hair stood by, admiring the crystals that spun around her crescent-shaped staff. Heather realized that this was the woman that had burst in earlier and stopped the wolf from killing her. Without pausing she casually stated, "I've already shared my thoughts with you, and I stand by them still. She's a trap, and if I hadn't stopped Warwick it would have been sprung."
"By Ionia though?" Katarina asked raising an eyebrow. She nodded.
"Preposterous," Swain cut in,"those Ionians would never sacrifice a civilian."
The woman with the staff glared at him and replied "Look, I don't care how many times you've fought against them, I believe that Irelia woman would do anything to get the upper hand. Especially, if it meant turning Noxus powerless."
Katarina frowned and said, "What I'm more interested in is how they got her in. It would take some powerful magic."
The other woman cut her off, "No, we would have already discovered any magic that strong. She must be special, unique. She must hold some kind of power or artifact that is allowing her to slip under the summoners' senses."
Swain chided her, "You as well as all of us know that's nearly impossible, Leblanc."
"Maybe they got that stupid bull to throw her over the wall," Katarina smirked.
The serpentine woman spoke up, sounding rather annoyed, "Why don't we just do this the easy way and ask her, before wasting more time?"
All eyes turned to Heather. She gulped trying to think of something fast but nothing came to mind.
"I was traveling and lost my way. I haven't, um, been in this forest before," Heather lied.
Katarina gave her a flat expression as her hand inched towards her belt.
"I, really don't remember much! There was this hourglass, and I broke it, and I don't know how I got here, and I don't know where I am," she jumbled out.
Their expressions remained neutral but she could see the surprise in their eyes because they realized she was telling the truth.
"Where is this object you call an 'hourglass'," Swain demanded.
"Um, not far from where that wolf thing attacked me," she said meekly.
Leblanc snapped her fingers. "I know where they were. It wasn't far from the golem," she said.
"Alright then, lets go," Katarina declared as she yanked Heather to her feet, keeping a firm grasp on her arm.
Without the torches it was pitch black. Leblanc led the way as her staff gave off a minimal amount of light, but Heather still couldn't make out one tree from another. Katarina clutched onto Heather's arm like a coiled snake. There was no way she could shake her off to run for it. Swain and the serpent woman brought up the rear, who would undoubtedly pounce the moment she broke away. They prodded through the forest without speaking. It was so quiet Heather was sure the woman could hear her heart hammering inside her chest. They had almost made it back to where Heather was found when a noise like a bomb broke the silence. Leblanc went down while a shower of purple mist sprung up into the air. Immediately, everyone covered their mouths, except for Heather who hadn't reacted as quickly. She immediately fell to her knees. Her lungs felt as if they had shriveled up and died. She heard a lot of shouting and more bangs. Soon the air was thick with sheets of purple mist. She clawed at her neck, starting to feel dizzy. Heather realized the only way to survive was to get out of the mist and fast. Her arms felt like jelly, but she forced herself up on her feet, utilizing a near by tree branch. On shaky legs, she managed to walk a few steps before tripping and slamming face first into the ground. She looked back to see what had tripped her. It was dirty and bent but it was definitely the hourglass. She scooted around making a one-eighty degree turn. She just barely got her fingers around it when someone grabbed her arm, dragging her away.
She felt a hand grasp her shoulder gently pushing down. That was all the incentive she needed, and she let herself fall to the ground. Her vision swam but at least she was sitting now. Leaning back against a tree she tried to make out what the strange blobs were saying. Someone shoved a bottle in her hand and helped her bring it to her mouth. She drank it down and felt her lungs open up. Gasping for air she almost gagged as her vision slowly swam back into focus. There was a woman in red armor with a large sword-like weapon floating next to her, and a man in yellow armor with some strange goggles on his head. She couldn't help but start laughing. Just her luck she'd get out of one mess to get into another.
"I think Teemo's poison scrambled her brains," goggles whispered behind his hand.
"Of course not she looks fine," the woman in red armor said and gave her a gentle smile.
"I think she's drooling," goggles replied and poked Heather.
"hesh quish," Heather mumbled out. Her tongue felt heavy.
"See I told you," he went to poke her again, but she swatted his hand away.
Suddenly, a small furry creature came out of no where and carefully walked closer to her. Heather thought it was funny how everyone seemed to come from no where. She started giggling again. She also thought the furry thing was cute and tried to grab him.
"Hey!" he shouted, and dashed back behind the woman in red.
"Teemo I think you killed her," goggles said, his voice sounding grave. "Guess you know what that means."
The little fuzzy creature shook his head vigorously.
"Well," he said, "normally they would sentence a person to death or exile you, but for you I heard they were going to cook you and eat you. I hear yordle stew is a delicacy."
"What!" Teemo yelled. Panicking, he started running in circles.
The woman in red rolled her eyes and shot goggles a nasty glare.
"Yi," she said, "that's not true. For one thing she's not dead. For another they aren't going to eat him."
The lady grabbed Teemo, reached into his backpack, and pulled out another bottle. "Here, drink this. You'll feel better soon. His poison is for immobilizing not killing," she said trying to reassure Heather.
Heather listened to them banter for awhile longer, regaining her strength while her thoughts settled. She found out the woman in red was named Irelia and was, for the most part, the unofficial leader of this group. Master Yi, was a warrior from the same place Irelia held from, Ionia. Teemo, however, was not just a short fuzzy creature but belonged to one of the many yordle races on this place called Runeterra. The loud bangs came from the mushrooms, Irelia called them Noxians, had stepped on which had also released the poisonous mist. Heather also gleaned some information about her previous captors. Katarina and the serpentine woman, Cassiopeia, were the daughters of the famous and feared General Du Couteau. Katarina was a born killer; trained by the state's top deadliest assassins she became feared on the battle field. Cassiopeia was quite different at the time. She relied on her beguiling beauty and wit to infiltrate different nations as a spy for Noxus. However, eventually it caught up to her and having unwittingly cursed herself she now fought for Noxus in a much different way. In the League of Legends.
"So this is the League of Legends?" she asked.
"Yes," Irelia replied. "Usually, only a person of great power or skill is allowed on these sacred grounds. Which brings us back to you. We must figure out how they snuck you in here."
"They didn't," Heather said. They stared at her, which Heather had recently gotten accustomed to.
"Then how did you get here?" Irelia asked.
"Honestly, I'm not really sure. They were taking me back where they found me to try and figure it out."
"Then it won't be safe here," Irelia declared. She stood up and dusted off her legs. "They'll be scouring the area for us. Besides, you need someone to look at those wounds on your back. I tried my best to stop the bleeding, but I'm a warrior not a healer."
Heather would have forgotten about them, if it hadn't been for the low throbbing, shooting pain that burned her every time she moved.
Master Yi spoke up,"What about the summoners?"
"I have a feeling if they haven't noticed she's here by now they won't," she said staring at Heather, "We need to take her to Soraka." The others nodded and Yi helped Heather to her feet. They led her out of the forest and on to the end of the arena, until they came upon an enormous stone door. A large dragon like gargoyle sat in front of it. It was easily two feet taller then Heather and had a large girth. Irelia placed her hand upon it. After a few moments, the gargoyle opened its eyes. Heather jumped, almost falling backwards as it scaled up the wall to a small ledge above the door. It sat back down curling its tail around its feet. The door melted away like water, and Heather watched dumbfounded. Irelia proceeded through, then the others followed. Heather looked up at the thing with scrutiny only to find out it was watching them, specifically her. It's eyes were flawless emeralds and they zeroed in on her. She wasn't sure how but it knew she didn't belong there. A chill raced through her veins, and breathing became a difficult task. She stood there perhaps a minute more, until she felt as if she'd die unless she moved. She ran, and she didn't stop until she had caught back up with the others. However, she couldn't shake the feeling that death was stalking her.
They walked through a monstrous building that appeared to be a labyrinth of hallways. It was dim even though blue-greenish flames atop torches cast shadows along the walls. Strange symbols were cut into the walls and arches. A single straight carpet ran down the central passageway. The few doors they passed were made of simple wood.
"The summoner's quarters," Irelia whispered noticing Heather's interest. "For the most part, once they join the League they spend the rest of their lives here. Stay close behind me now."
A door opened to their left, and they both froze. Two people emerged dressed in long robes with cowls that covered most of their faces up. They simply nodded to Irelia before moving on. Irelia heard Heather inhale sharply, and moved lightening fast to stop her from screaming. She clamped her hand down on Heather's mouth, and turned her eyes towards the people who had passed by. The summoners stiffened. After a few moments, one of them mentioned something about a draft and they moved on. Heather was still in shock, unable to shake the image from her head. The skin around their eyes was tinged with green and yellow spider veins. The eyes themselves looked like inky silk stretched over a sphere.
Irelia sighed when they passed out of view and uncovered Heather's mouth. "You cannot speak until we get outside," she hissed, grabbing Heather's arm," we must hurry now." They walked briskly down the hall until finally they came across a huge set of doors. These were not wooden like the others but metal with even more inscriptions set in them. Heather feared they would have trouble pushing them open. When Irelia stood in front of them however, they slowly creaked open granting the two of them leave. Yi stood near the entrance talking to two burly looking men dressed in armor with rather large axes on their backs. Heather and Irelia walked past them chatting to each other as if they belonged. Even though Irelia's heart beat like a frightened rabbit, she managed to casually push open the doors.
Heather couldn't believe her eyes. A massive city lay at her feet, except they were above it. A large staircase ran down towards the ground. The sun was rising off in the distance, the tops of the buildings puncturing it. They came in many shades of red and brown. Birds perched themselves on the tops of towers that spiraled down. A few of the buildings had strange crystalline structures built on top of them. Irelia explained that those towers were reserved for the mages to study topics from the moons to the source of magic. The city itself was full of people and animals. They mulled about heading to and from the huge market spread out on the eastern part of the city. A port lay off to the side where flocks of sea birds dove at fish or crumbs thrown by sailors.
"I feel like I'm on top of the world up here," Heather breathed in awe.
"There is no building taller then the League. Its closest rival is the Palace in Noxus," Irelia said.
"What's wrong with them?" Heather said quietly. She turned her back on the mesmerizing scene,"The summoner's eyes are...," she floundered for the right words.
"They have no sight," she said,"It's the price of becoming one. To connect with the champions in the League overloads their senses, and eventually they lose all sight completely."
"I wondered why it was so dull in there."
"However, they gain power that no one else could ever hope to have. They can sense anyone and everyone around them. I don't mean like hearing them, I mean feeling them down to their soul, and it's amplified inside the League so they can get inside the champions. That's also the reason most of them never leave. All these people," she gestured to the town,"it could drive them mad to sense that many people at once."
"You mean the city is like a prison for them."
Irelia blinked, and then promptly changed the subject, "There is one important piece of information from all this." Heather gave her a questioning look. "They can't sense you," she said,"They would have been all over us if they could."
Before they could discuss it further, Yi came running over to them and confirmed that the guards hadn't noticed anything. He also informed them that Teemo had gone back to Bandle City for the time being. The topic changed to Heather's wounds which were looking better then before, but still needed to be properly treated. They arranged transportation back to Ionia, where the healer Soraka resided. Heather was excited because she had never been on a ship before, but the journey over the ocean took several hours, and Heather eventually succumbed to sleep. She was plagued with more nightmares about wolves and creatures made of blood and darkness that wanted her soul.
Ionia was a huge island that lay to the east of the mainland. It was highly populated with many natural forests that were preserved and protected by the elders of different villages. It was largely different from the mainland in that fishermen and sailors were more common. Houses were primarily made from wood and most roads outside of the villages were still dirt. It wasn't that the nation was underdeveloped, but rather they enjoyed the natural beauty of the land and had no wish to alter it unless necessary. As they trekked through the valley Heather noticed that animals and farms became increasingly abundant.
They arrived at Soraka's residence as the sun was setting behind the trees. It was a simple wooden log cabin sitting on a few acres of land surrounded by a forest. A small pen next to it contained goats, chickens, and even a cow. Irelia stopped to pet the goats and Heather joined her. A loud creak went off behind her and she whipped around. A woman rushed out to greet them, except it wasn't exactly a woman. She had hooves that attached to horse like limbs with bushy hair all over them. The hair on her head looked more cotton-like then human hair. It was tied back into a long braid. In the center of her forehead a long horn spiraled out.
"I have missed you much child!" she said and embraced Irelia, hugging her tightly.
"As I have you," Irelia replied. "This is Heather."
"Ah yes, the stars have indeed told me so much but still I know so little about you," she circled Heather like a hawk muttering to herself. "Where are my manners? Your journey has been long. You must come in and refresh yourselves."
Soraka turned, heading inside with Irelia and Heather following. The inside of her house was simple and clean with mostly white furniture and curtains. They sat at the table and she fixed them lunch consisting of fresh goat milk and bread. They both scarfed it down as if they had never eaten before while Soraka inquired about their travels. Irelia explained that she learned the Noxians where out on the Fields of Justice. She had a feeling that something wasn't right so she asked Teemo to go scout about and see what they were up to. He found Leblanc and Warwick who, at the time, was dragging Heather away. With this information he scurried back to Irelia. After he informed her, they decided the Noxians were up to something vile, so they set off to rescue the unknown person. While she went and grabbed Master Yi, Teemo found their camp and watched from the trees. As soon as they mentioned the golem he set off to make a trap using his mushrooms. Irelia and Yi hid nearby and jumped in after the mushrooms went off. They chased most of them off. Irelia snatched Heather and drug her get to safety. After Irelia finished, Heather filled them in on Katarina and Warwick's argument.
"The shadows are hiding something, and it can't be good," Irelia mused. "I never thought anyone could tame that beast and I doubt they ever will. He's just waiting for the right moment to strike which worries me more. The last time Noxus had a turn over in power it resulted in a bloody civil war."
Soraka was quiet through this but Heather noticed her hands were clenched.
Irelia busied herself with pulling something out of her pack, and dropped it on the table with a thud. Heather's eyes locked onto.
"The hourglass! I forgot all about it!" Heather exclaimed. She grabbed it, and noticed the hourglass inside was spiderwebbed from all the cracks in it.
"You were holding this when I found you so I put it away to keep it safe," Irelia explained.
"May I see it?" Soraka asked. Heather handed it to her so she could examine it. "It's not beyond repair, but you're going to need someone who dabbles in the matter of time."
"Zilean," Irelia said.
Soraka nodded. "If anyone can fix it he can. Unfortunately," she said,"he is currently a prisoner of those not of this world." Irelia moaned.
"I thought we told him to stay away from there," she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.
Soraka shrugged. "You'll need to rescue him without causing alarm," she said and dropped a big map on the table. She unrolled it, pointing out the area he had been exploring. "He was trespassing so, technically, they have the right to imprison him."
Irelia and Soraka went on to discuss the finer details of rescuing him, such as who to bring, when to strike, and so on. Heather felt woozy and exhausted. She figured it was because of the long bouts of running, falling, and almost dieing of poison. She laid her head on the table, slowly tuning them out. Her eyes crept closed, and she began to drift off.
Heather felt Soraka's hand on her back. "Let me show you to my room. You've had a long day and need rest," Soraka said helping Heather up. When they got to it she immediately passed out on top of the sheets without even removing her shoes. Soraka closed the curtains but left the window open to let the breeze roll in. Heather dreamt of endless forests that no matter which way she ran always led to a dead end. She could hear the wolf howling in the distance as it grew ever closer. She felt his steaming breath as he sunk his claws into her flesh.
Heather twitched on the bed and rolled off onto the floor. Irelia and Soraka rushed in, running immediately to her side. Her limbs flopped around like a marionette.
Soraka laid her hand on Heather's forehead."She's burning up. There is a rag in the other room." Irelia ran to get it while Soraka grabbed her staff. She had Irelia put Heather back on the bed while she summoned her strength. Soraka chanted in an language known only to herself asking the stars for guidance. "The child is troubled," she said in a coarse whisper, "there is something inside her. It's trying to destroy her but," Soraka lay her hand on her head," she has power. Strong power and it's keeping the demonic spirit at bay. It can do nothing more then terrorize her, for the time being at least," Soraka continued her chant. Tiny green stars emitted from her staff and fell around Heather. The wounds on her back healed up as if time was being pushed backward. Not even a scar was left behind.
Heather awoke to Soraka holding her hand, and Irelia standing over her. They both looked extremely worried. Heather told them her nightmares were getting worse. Soraka explained that although she healed her back, the nightmares were something entirely different. Something was inside of her trying to use her fear to over take her.
"You mentioned, Soraka, that she has power?" Irelia asked.
"Yes, and she will need it to destroy whatever has a hold over her," Soraka was quiet for a moment. "Ah, take her to the desert. We take a lot of the younger healers and warriors there. I believe the spirits of the place help coax their power to surface." Irelia nodded and they begun packing.
"Welcome to the Fyrone Flats," Irelia said, looking across the horizon. In front of them lay a massive desert. It was a barren wasteland except for the few weeds and patches of dry grass that sprung up occasionally. A few large birds circled overhead, and a lizard here and there would be basking on a rock. They were all the animals left.
"Come. I want to show you what power can do," she said beckoning Heather onward. "This used to be a lush meadow, a river ran just over there," she pointed to a trench about ten feet away, "it was the life source of this place. A forest expanded back to the west and the rest was mostly grasslands."
"What happened?" Heather asked.
Irelia stopped and placed her hands on her hips. She looked outward toward the east but for as far as the eye could see it was barren. She was seeing something else however, a land from the past, not ravaged by man. She was quiet for some time and then replied, "War, what else. It was in the last rune war. We brought our conflict here, where it had no business being. Magic killed the land and swords killed the people. Animals and resources were used or destroyed so the enemy could not. People were enlisted, run off, or killed. Those who escaped had to watch as there homes were destroyed. It was a terrible crime."
"But I thought, well you're the good guys aren't you?"
Irelia turned and stared unblinking at her. "There are no 'good guys' or 'bad guys' in war. There is only man, who chooses to fight for one belief or another that he or she believes is 'right' or at least more 'right' then their opponents'. On the battlefield we are all equals," she said," we are all responsible."
Her shoulders slumped; her eyes were downcast. "Come," she said," I have more to show."
They walked for some time and the sun started to creep down. Heather become anxious. She didn't want to dream of wolves and darkness. They stopped just in front of a massive crater.
"This is it: Harun Orun," she said, gesturing toward the crater, "A group of magi decided it would be a great weapon to pull a star out of the sky," she continued as they made their way down inside it, "They succeeded but were unable to control it. It was more massive then they had predicted and unruly. It landed on both armies killing almost everyone. The glow was seen for miles and people thought the sun had fallen out of the sky. It took years for it to extinguish, burning the land into the desert it is today. It was then clear that something had to be done before the land itself was ripped apart.
They stopped as they arrived at the center of the crater. It flattened out somewhat, and a large stone slab lay with writing upon it.
"All those writings describe what happened here so no one would forget. This and other conflicts of mass destruction is why the League exists. It is not perfect, it is not a solution to all conflicts. There are still squabbles, back stabbing, and assassinations but at least war is contained so that effects like this," she gestured around, "will not happen again."
Irelia walked over to the stone, running her hand over it before sitting down. She motioned for Heather to follow, and then folded her hands in her lap. Heather sat down in front of her.
"I want you to close your eyes and let yourself go," she said, holding up her hand,"I know you are going to protest but you must face your fear or you'll never over come it." She took Heather's hands into her own. "You have to find peace within yourself."
"I can't close my eyes. I don't want it to get me."
"I will protect you from anything out here. You must save yourself from what's inside your mind."
She closed her eyes and the light extinguished with them.
She was running through the darkness of the desert. The wolf's howl penetrated the night but there was no where for her to hide. All she could do was run and keep running. When she looked back she saw flashes of steely claws. Looking ahead again, she skidded to a halt. A giant wall of black smoke was slowly consuming the ground ahead of her. Sickly, inky bleeding hands reached out of the darkness towards her. She tried to scream, but nothing came out. She began to run the opposite way, but she could hear the wolf getting closer. She stopped and looked back and forth. Each path bared one monstrosity or the other. She had to make a decision and now. There was no more stalling. Looking back at the hands reaching for her she realized that running from her fears, toward death, and giving in was pointless. Death was permanent, but life was full of chances. She stopped, turned, and faced the wolf as one of his steely claws ripped through her flesh. At least that's what she thought would happen. The wolf never laid his hands on her. Instead she was alone, shivering in the night beneath the moon. Looking around she could hear, feel, and see no evil. She had defeated whatever had been plaguing her mind. Standing there she sighed, just glad it was over. But her sigh turned into a cough as the air became dense with smoke, making her choke. Off in the distance she could see huge fires spreading across the ground. The twangs of bows echoed and the sounds of battle penetrated the night. The hooves of horses thundered about shaking the ground. Everything was blurry except for one man. She walked forward, drawn to him. He looked to be some kind of commander or general, with a scar running down his face. He stood, surveying the battlefield while issuing orders. A woman in red armor, who Heather recognized instantly except younger, was running towards him. Her arms reached out to him; she screamed as a dark shadow lashed out. A wicked looking dagger protruded through his chest. She heard the assassin's maniacal laughter and then she was gone. The man fell forward just as Irelia got there, blood gushed out of his fatal wound, but she held him, tears streaming down her face. His eyes slowly darkened, but she kept screaming his name, begging and pleading with who ever she could.
Heather screamed for him, and begged him not to die. Her eyes were glassy; her clothes drenched in sweat. Irelia shook her over and over trying to get her to snap out of it.
"Are you alright!" she yelled, scaring Heather so badly she fell off the stone. Heather didn't even try to push herself up she was too tired.
"I don't know I just, there was this man and he was killed and you were screaming," she jumbled out. She closed her eyes trying to make sense of it all.
Irelia cocked her head staring at her before saying,"You saw my dream."
Heather pushed herself up and dusted her legs off. "Is that possible?" she asked. "Maybe it's just a coincidence."
"No," Irelia said, shaking her head,"this is your power. There is a connection between this and the nightmares." She paused for a moment. "You confronted it then?" Heather nodded. "Good, now we need to go see a friend of mine. She wants to meet you." They gathered up their belongings and made their way back across the desert. Although Heather had confronted the wolf in her dreams she couldn't help but look over her shoulder every time she heard a noise. She knew he was out there watching her, waiting for her.
Heather lay back against the four poster bed. The sheets were milky white while the blankets where a deep blue. A sun was carved into the headboard while the foot-board had the patterns of the moon engraved on it. She loved this house the minute she saw it because everything seemed to be balanced. It instilled a peace in her that made her relax, which lately had been a chore. It belonged to Karma, Irelia's friend, and adviser. Karma also had a unique gift of being able to predict the future. She couldn't exactly see the future, but sometimes she got little glimpses of certain people or events that would be important in some way. Heather let Irelia and her do most of the talking preferring to rest. Irelia explained the major points of what led them here, but mostly talked about her power over dreams.
When she finished, Karma walked over to her dresser, and pulled out a simple wooden box. She ran her fingers over it as if having second thoughts, but shook them off, and sat down on the bed. Putting the box between them she gazed at Heather.
"This was given to me a long time ago. I could never see anything in it however. At one point it was hanging in the living room, but my guests always said it made them feel uneasy. As if something was peering out at them," Karma said and opened the box. Inside was a red silky scarf. She picked it up and handed it to Heather. Heather noticed it was much heavier then it looked, and carefully pulled the material away. Inside was a mirror, it was a bit bigger then a dinner plate and more of an oval shape. The frame was made out of a silvery metal that had been crafted into clouds with tiny faeries peeking out between them. She swore whenever her eyes moved the faeries would dart in and out of the clouds chasing each other around and around the edge. Along the bottom a small field of grass, mushrooms, and flowers bloomed. She was sure they were swaying as if an invisible breeze was rolling through them. The mirror itself was crafted out of the finest crystal which gave it a perfect surface. Curiously, the mirror didn't reflect herself but she could see down inside it like it was a deep pool. When she focused she could see images swimming down in it. The more she focused the sharper and closer they got.
"This mirror is special in more ways then one. Unfortunately, you will have to discover them on your own, but it shall protect you when you need it," Karma said disrupting her reverie.
"Thank you," she said and clutched the mirror to her chest.
"I think we can make some kind of bag so you can carry it on your back when you're not using it," Irelia suggested. She stood up and stretched. "We should get going soon. We need to at least give you some kind of basic training. Plus you need something to fight in. Those won't do at all," Irelia gestured to her clothes. Karma led them outside hugging them both warmly. Irelia had walked over to the chicken pen and was watching them peck at the ground.
"Heather," Karma whispered. She was looking at the ground. "In the grand scheme of life we are but leaves in the wind, bound to the paths it has chosen for us, but in our most dire moments we can change even the wind itself." Her eyes traveled onto the mirror. "I don't know why you're here. I don't know where you came from, but I do know that mirror has never shown anything more then a black abyss until now. I promise you," she locked eyes with her,"in your most dire hour, it will protect you."
Before Heather could speak Karma turned around and went back inside. She stood there for a few moments mulling over what Karma had said. Irelia shouted at her to hurry up; Heather felt more stressed then ever. The sun had begun to set, casting long shadows over the ground when they arrived at Irelia's home. It was more of a training ground with a few rooms in the middle of a village but it was a home none the less.
"You still train people?" Heather asked surveying the men and women practicing with various weapons.
Irelia sucked in a deep breath trying to gather her words. "You can never be too careful when dealing with Noxus," she said,"If they ever defied the League or it fell apart we need to be ready. Of course all the other nations would rise up against them, but the damage they could do before everyone became mobilized would be massive. I just want to know that my people will be able to defend themselves should ever an occasion arise." She looked troubled but walked on before Heather could question her anymore.
"We'll practice some basics. I'm not going to stick you with a weapon, so we'll just work on defense," Irelia said. She stopped her in the middle of the field. It had been stripped of all plant life and the dirt had been boxed off with white lines.
"I don't understand why I have to do this," Heather pleaded.
Irelia sighed. "Karma, confided in me while you slept. She believes we will need the mirror to rescue Zilean. She thinks it is too big a coincidence that it started working right after you show up, and that you're the only one it will work for," she pointed out.
Irelia began training Heather, mostly on how to dodge. She tested the mirror by striking it with her swords and found out that it reflected them easily so she had Heather practice using it as a shield. They worked for several hours until Heather felt like she was going to collapse. Finally, Irelia called it quits. They went inside for some food and to discuss their plan.
The night sky was a broken window looking crackled and torn from all the constellations, planets, and comets scattered throughout. It was filled with misty greens and blooms of blues while streaks of magenta invaded here and there. The colors swirled and danced; white trails from comets raced across the vastness. Stars winked, blinking in and out creating a little show all their own. It was so alive as it flowed and changed continuously. No second was it ever the same, but somehow it grew even more majestic then the last. It was simply breathtaking but never simple.
"It's beautiful isn't it," Irelia said coming to sit next to Heather. She had climbed up the side of the house without making a sound. Heather normally would have jumped but she had too much on her mind. She nodded without taking her eyes off it. "A wise man once stared at the sky for two weeks straight, and you know what he learned?" she asked.
Heather stayed silent.
"The sun will always set, and tomorrow will always come," Irelia continued.
Heather didn't feel too reassured.
"You will do fine," She said and flashed her a smile. "And all of us will be there to help."
Heather sighed. "What if I botch it all and we don't rescue Zilean," she said. However, it wasn't what really worried her.
"We will. We have too," Irelia declared. "After all no one else can fix your hourglass."
They sat up on the roof starring into eternity. Heather had been thinking long and hard about all her dreams, and of what Karma had said. She realized it was her destiny to fight the wolf but whether he or she was victorious would be up to her. If she believed what Karma said, then she should be able to overcome him with the mirror. Her dreams, on the other hand, had promised a much different ending. However, for now all she could do was stare at the sky and wait.
That morning neither Heather or Irelia said any words as they packed. They met Yi at the port. From there they sailed back to the mainland. They had agreed to meet Teemo and Alistar at a small settlement ten or so miles from their destination: the Plague Jungles. By the time they got to the village the sun was setting in the distance and a light rain had begun. Teemo and Alistar had beaten them there, waiting patiently.
Teemo was sitting on a bed in a small cabin they had rented from the locals. Next to him sat an enormous blue bull. Heather couldn't help but stare. If you compared the two, Teemo would be a rock and the bull would be a mountain. He had two large horns growing out of his head, a gold ring in his nostrils, and a tail. Heather still stared. She didn't feel afraid of him, she had just never run across anything so large or so blue. His minotaur hands were easily as large as her head, and he could probably squish it between them with ease. Irelia smiled and introduced him as Alistar. Heather noticed his cheeks slightly redden, although she wasn't sure how it showed up, and realized he was probably as uncomfortable as she was. She walked over to him and awkwardly patted him on the back. He grinned, or at least she assumed it was a grin considering she had never seen a bull grin before, and gestured for her to sit. After she thanked him and sat down, Teemo bombarded her with all the details of his trip thus far. When he was finished, he pulled a package out of his backpack.
"We got it to cover up your face!" Teemo shouted as happy as could be.
Heather was slightly taken aback and looked at Irelia. She sighed.
"That's not exactly what I meant, Teemo," she said rolling her eyes. "I told him we needed a way to disguise you because I didn't want Noxus hunting you down or interrupting our mission."
Teemo handed the package to Heather. It was tied up with a string and bore a single small gem on it. Carefully, she unwrapped it and gasped. It was mask shaped like a cross between butterfly wings and flower petals. It was inlaid with a large amount of jewels from diamonds to emeralds, sapphires, and rubies. There were holes for her eyes, but it covered up most of her face. Teemo explained he had it made from a man they called the "Gem Master." She gave him a hug, but forgot how small he was and almost dropped him.
Irelia shook her head and handed Heather her bags. "One has your clothes and armor in it," she said,"and the other is the mirror." Heather frowned slightly, she already felt like she had a weight on her back and now, it would literally be a weight on her back.
Heather went to the next room and changed. Her clothes were primarily white with a bluish tint. She had small pieces of armor that went on her knees and forearms. She slipped on the thick boots Irelia had given her and lastly the mask. She examined herself in a mirror. Her armor didn't cover much but Irelia convinced her that her clothes were actually a type of cloth armor they produced that would resist most attacks. Except a werewolf she thought grimly. She pushed her hair back behind the mask and could barely recognize herself. In a way it saddened her, but she worked up a smile and walked out.
All eyes rested solely on her. She blushed, grateful for the mask more and more. Yi seemed to be thinking extremely hard because he was staring longer then the others. Irelia noticed this and smacked the back of his head. They began arguing and Teemo made fun of Yi. Yi then proceeded to chase Teemo around the room making threats about how his fur would make a great pair of boots. Alistar was outside doing, well whatever it is that giant two-legged bulls do. They settled down for a quick meal and made the trek to their final destination.
Jagged lightening slashed its way through the sky as they proceeded to their destination. Dark and sinister clouds covered up the beautiful night. A storm broke out and it began to rain again. Heather was thankful for the boots Irelia had given her as they kept her feet warm and dry through the mud.
"Alright," she yelled over the rain,"we're going to split off into groups. Teemo and Heather you two go south." Lightening crackled in the background. "Alistar and I will go north. I'd get under some canopy if you can." The rest of her words were drowned out by the storm. Teemo had already decided to take off so, leaving Heather no choice, she chased after him. The mud made her slide and threatened to throw her off balance. Not too much farther along, the path became thick with weeds and grass. She found a large mushroom on the ground and then another a few yards away. Before long she realized that Teemo was laying her a path and it led her straight to a forest entrance. She went in hoping to catch up to him. It was dark, damp, and smelled of decay. The rain pounded the canopy overhead making it sound as if she was in a big tunnel.
"Teemo," she yelled out trying to be louder then the storm. She pushed past leaves as big as her arms and grass that came up to her knees. "Teemo," she kept calling. "Oh where did he go,"she said to herself. She had lost the mushroom trail awhile ago. She had just about decided to turn around and go back the way she came when she heard a rustling in the bush behind her. She froze to the spot. Her heart thundered in her chest, and her back burned with the memory of the wolf. She couldn't believe she had let herself get lost, and now she was alone to face whatever menace lay in wait in those bushes.
"Do you want to play with me?" she heard from behind her.
Heather whipped around to find a little pink-headed girl. She had a small pink backpack and was clutching a worn out old teddy bear. Heather cast a glance behind her and then crouched down.
"Um," Heather peered about but nothing was around except for the myriad of trees, "it's not safe here," she said. "Are you lost?"
The girl giggled and shook her head. She rocked back and forth on her heels. "Won't you play with me and Mr. Tibbers?" she pleaded.
"I'm not sure if this is the right time to play," Heather looked back over her shoulder. "We should leave."
The girl frowned and stomped her foot. "I want to play!" she said.
"We can't play right now. We need to go," Heather turned around, starting to walk away but looked back to see if she was following. The girl was shaking. Her eyes were bright with fury.
"I said I want to play now!" she screamed and threw her bear on the ground.
Heather went to grab it and give it back as to calm the girl, but it burst into flames. It's head started to swell like a balloon, and the rest of the body went with it until it was looming over her. It's mouth split open to reveal a full set of sharp teeth. She looked back at the girl to see she was now holding a fireball in her hand. Heather decided it would be a good time to run and bolted.
She felt fire graze her shoulder as it flew past and lit up a nearby tree. The ground shook as the bear stomped along. She glanced back and saw that it was gaining on her. It roared lunging for her, but she jumped out of the way just a second too late. Its claws hit the straps of the bag holding the mirror on her back, breaking them. It flew a short distance away while Heather fell to the ground. The little girl was right behind the bear and Heather had to scramble on hands and knees to get away from her as fire shot out from her hands. Heather managed to get the mirror but the girl had already summoned up another fireball. She threw it so Heather did the only thing she could think of and held out the mirror in front of her. The fireball bounced harmlessly off it and back towards the bear. It missed, but hit the tree next to it which caught on fire.
The little girl was giggling and laughing, knowing she had cornered her prey. "I like this game," she said. "I think Mr. Tibbers wants to give you a hug." The flaming bear let out a roar and started to lumber towards her. However, before he could reach her a tree branch came flying towards him knocking the bear backwards. The tree that had been on fire had apparently decided to fight back. Heather watched as the bear backpedaled and roared. Another branch came flying around knocking the bear off it's feet. It then slammed the branch down onto the bear's back pinning him to the ground. The bear's fire died out, and it shriveled up becoming a simple teddy bear once more. The little girl however was not amused. She burst into tears.
"You killed Mr. Tibbers!" she screamed while crying and ran off. The tree was still enraged and its branches continued to swing about. Most of the fire had died out but the bark was scorched and tattered. However, a new flame burned inside it and it's eyes glowed like hot coal. It uprooted itself knocking back trees next to it. A hole opened up in its trunk and it let out a hellish howl.
Heather jumped up and made a break for it, figuring the little girl could handle herself. She kept running until once again she found herself lost. The trees had begun to thin out, however, and soon she found a small a winding river. She decided to follow it being her only other option besides losing herself deep in the forest again. Eventually, after passing a few more entrances, she came across a place where the river ended. It was slightly uphill and covered by thick bushes. She felt relief for the first time and jogged up the slope. As soon as her foot hit the bush she was greeted by a huge bellowing scream from the biggest bug-like creature she'd ever seen. It was easily twice as tall as her and as wide as a car. She clamped her hands over her ears and backed up.
Her foot hit air, and she almost fell backwards. She turned her head, and saw that the ground had melted away and a giant black hole was in its place. Dark sinister fingers followed by hands and arms rose up out of it trying to grab her, and at first she thought she must be dreaming. However, she could hear the bug chittering and screeching behind her which broke her confusion. She backed out of the bushes, but it followed. A strange, dark man with his face wrapped in cloth came out from behind it, hovering just slightly off the ground. The bug let out another below, and charged. Out of gut reaction she held the mirror out in front of her, and clenched her eyes shut as if that would make them disappear. The bug walked right up to it, and opened his mouth to scream. However, he stopped and stared at something inside of it. He then turned around, fleeing in terror as if a ghost were chasing him down. The man watched him take off; then turned back to her looking annoyed.
"Give that to me," he commanded, but his voice was all wrong. It was as if many creatures at once were trying to speak. She backed up farther holding the mirror out in front of her. He dashed towards her but froze in midair. Growling, he strained his arms trying to reach for the mirror.
"Get her my pet!" he screamed, and a big purple bug like creature spawned and ran at her. Without thinking she slammed the mirror over its head. It stopped, it's eyes spinning. She smacked it again and took off. She heard the thud behind her as the man fell out of the air, but she didn't bother looking back.
She made her way into the forest again, but this time found a clearing where a small family of wolves guarded their den. She approached cautiously, but they didn't bother her so she didn't bother them. Heather stopped and strained her ears but she couldn't hear anyone approaching. Turning around she ran smack into Irelia. She made a small grunt as she recoiled and let herself fall to the ground.
"Are you alright?" she asked, alarmed.
"I'm just exhausted," Heather said. Her legs hurt, her arms hurt, everything hurt as if she had run nonstop all day. "I met this little girl who tried to set me on fire."
"That would be Annie," she replied.
"And some kind of giant scary alien bug."
"Cho'Gath, he's a very nasty creature. I'm just grateful I didn't find you in pieces."
"And some strange man who sounded like he had eaten a bowl of razors."
"Malzahar. I wondered why I haven't seen much of anyone. I think they're all looking for you."
"This mirror works wonders. I deflected things and sent that bug off with his tail between his legs."
"It must be acting as an outlet for your power. More importantly, you didn't get hurt did you?"
Heather shook her head and said, "No, but I'm exhausted. I don't think I can go on any farther."
"Here," Irelia said and tossed her a bottle. It had a strangle bluish liquid in it that glowed faintly. It made her think of the flowers she had seen before."Drink that and you'll feel better. Whenever anyone uses their power it drains them. By drinking those you'll get your energy back," she explained.
Heather ripped out the stopper and sucked it down. Ice ran through her veins. Like needles they poked at her nerves causing her to shiver. The exhaustion she had felt was wiped away leaving her refreshed.
"You should try a potion of brilliance," Irelia said, "it feels like the ocean is moving through you."
Heather could only imagine. She loved standing on the piers at home feeling the whip of the wind and water as it hit her face. Looking up at the sky, she wondered if floating among the misty texture of the clouds would feel similar. She could see herself moving with the tide of the air while the warm sunlight beamed down on her face. Her fingers trailed through the silvery sheen of the clouds. She shook her head roughly. She was daydreaming again! Looking over at Irelia she panicked. The woman had been about to drink a potion too, but it had just barely made it to her lips when she stopped. She looked as if she had frozen and her eyes were glassy. Heather quickly took in their surroundings, but she didn't spot anything malicious or suspicious. She went over to Irelia and violently shook her.
Irelia blinked rapidly, and then her eyes refocused. She looked at the bottle in her hand and was quite for several minutes.
"It's strange," she said. "I feel completely refreshed but I never drank this. I was just daydreaming." She shook her head. "I remember the ocean and then something about floating among the clouds."
"So was I!" Heather exclaimed. "And then you just sort of froze."
"Then when you daydream anyone around you must pick it up if they aren't careful. However, it did clear away my exhaustion," she shrugged, tucking the potion away. "Let's do it
They set out through the forest to group up with the rest of them. Irelia cleared up what had happened while Heather was alone. Alistar and her had went their way and deflected Cho' Gath. Then they heard Teemo yelling for help and split off from her to find him faster. At which point Irelia got into a fight with Kog'Maw but was able to lose him in the forest. She had made it to this clearing and was deciding what to do next when Heather ran into her.
They proceeded out of the forest and came to a huge grassy field. The grass was taller then them, towering over their heads. It was the only way they could go unless they wanted to back-track.
"I'm pretty sure all the jungle exits lead to this," Irelia said.
"Then I guess we have no choice," Heather said and shrugged. Irelia cautiously stepped into it, but the grass parted easily enough. She nodded at Heather and off they went.
"Stay close," Irelia shouted but her voice already sounded far off.
Heather swam through the sea of grass, offering little resistance as she made her way through it. However, she had no idea where she was going. She crept carefully listening for sounds of footsteps but she could barely hear her own. By the time she heard the sounds of battle, she realized it was too late.
She could feel the howl before she heard it and whipped around. She felt his claws rip her side open and she went down hard. The wolf stood above her, his eyes smoldering with his hatred. He licked his claws, tasting of her. She didn't let fear stop her this time and struggled to her feet. She held up the mirror in front of her, but her arms shook because her side was burning in pain. He growled, sounding more like a laugh and he swat the mirror out of the way as if it were a fly. She fell to her knees but pushed herself back up, using the mirror as a crutch. She locked eyes with him and stood her ground. He stood taller then her, but leaned down so his face was right in hers. He snapped his teeth and growled never breaking eye contact. She could see his claws flexing out of the corner of her eye.
He swung his hand around, attempting to strike her on the side, but she ducked, leaping in the other direction. However, he moved faster. His other hand rose up, knocking her sideways. She landed on the ground and rolled as his foot came down trying to pin her down. She got back up, but he was right on her heels. He pounced grabbing her ankle, and she slammed to the ground knocking the air out of her. She turned over, and swung the mirror up so his claws connected to it rather then her. They skid off the surface like nails on a chalkboard. He struck it repeatedly in a frenzied rage. He stopped as large cracks broke out on the surface. The mirror shook and light appeared under the cracks, surging outward. Howling in triumph he struck it again and again. As his claws connected the surface shattered. The glass fell inwardly on itself into the darkness. The screams of a thousand dieing creatures bellowed out. Dark hands with wicked broken claws reached for him and dug into the wolf's arm. He struggled, spittle flying everywhere, but he couldn't get loose. More smoky black hands reached up, latching onto him. They started tugging him into the mirror. He tried to slice them apart with his claws but they had no effect. Relentlessly, the hands pulled on him and before Heather knew it the wolf was gone. She lay on the ground trying to catch her breath, her chest heaving. She carefully turned the mirror over. The surface was restored. Nothing malicious seemed to reside inside it. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't get the hands to reappear, nor the wolf.
Struggling to her feet once again Heather realized just how hurt she was. Her shirt was soaked in blood and her mask had gotten knocked off in the struggle. She picked it up and frowned. It had gotten quite damaged, but she put it back on anyway and struggled onward. Eventually, the grass thinned away, and she came to a little clearing. She didn't have to look far to see what they had came for. The time mage, Zilean, was trapped in a large bubble like structure. It was flowing like water but it was dark greens, purples, and black. The mirror started to emit a dark purplish light and the inside started to melt away. She stretched her arms out in front of her and the bubble was sucked into the mirror. She was worried that Zilean would be taken like the wolf but he was left behind. She hobbled over to him, her ankle was completely swollen, and sat down against a tree stump.
The man emitted a groan and then sat up. "My goodness!" the man exclaimed as he woke up.
She smiled, but her eyes grew heavy as he started rambling on. She struggled to stay focused but time seemed to warp forward. At one minute the old man was pacing back and forth, the next Teemo was bouncing around shouting happily, and then Yi was there talking to the old man. She vaguely remembered Irelia standing over her looking worried as usual. At one point she was floating over the ground as the huge bull carried her.
It's actually very easy," Zilean was saying when she came around. He continued on while cleaning his spectacles. "We just fix what is broke. The hourglass should then work in reverse."
Irelia still looked doubtful while saying, "But five seconds ago you said."
"Shh, my dear, that was before. This is now," he cut her off. "Its not rocket science after all. You see, by applying centripetal force against the glass the sand will...," he then proceeded to launch into a long speech. Everyone just stared at him trying to look as though they was paying attention but after about fifteen minutes Master Yi had started to snore. Teemo had long since disappeared, and Irelia was daydreaming. Heather was watching the sun as it set over the forest, casting long shadows over the ground. Eyes of nocturnal animals just waking peered out of the darkness. She then started daydreaming herself, thinking about everything that had happened. All the people she had met.
"Alright good as new," the time master announced and smiled broadly.
He had fixed it so well it looked brand new. It practically glowed.
"Not only that, but I managed to finish the item I was working on for the League." He held up another hourglass in his hand. It looked similar to the one inside the sphere he had fixed.
"I call it Zhonya's hourglass. By wearing it, it heightens your power, and you can also activate it," he flipped it upside down,"to make yourself temporarily invincible. However, to achieve this it stops time around you, which unfortunately, means you can't move. But, it can buy you time." Zilean beamed obviously proud of his work, but no one paid him much mind.
Heather understood their despair. Now that the hourglass was fixed there was nothing stopping her from leaving.
"I could stay," she started, but Zilean frowned, shaking his head.
"You can't," he said,"for two reasons. Firstly, you're messing up time very badly. You're not supposed to be here, but you are supposed to be there. Secondly, it's too dangerous. As soon as Katarina informs her father about 'the girl who is immune to the summoners' the whole city state of Noxus will be looking for you. I'm very sorry, but it is how it is."
She felt the world crashing down around her. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes, but she didn't let them. She knew he was right, it just wasn't fair. They bid their farewells. She hugged Irelia warmly and then Teemo. She also gave Teemo back the mask so he would have something to remember her by. He was so happy he ran around in circles and promised he would keep it with him always. When she went to hug Yi, she noticed Irelia watching him very closely, ready to strike if he didn't behave. Lastly, Alistar bent down so she could pat him on the head.
They departed slowly, and a great veil of depression hung in the air. Zilean handed her the hourglass contraption and gave her a big smile. He then floated off too.
She spun the ball in her hands so the hourglass would spin. A great, white light burst out as if the sun had exploded. Her eyes fluttered closed.
"So that's it then?" the doctor asked raising his eyebrow.
"Yes, sir," Heather replied. She sat back against the overstuffed couch, putting her hands over her face. "You must think I'm crazy."
He chuckled. "No, no. It's just, well, quite a lengthy tale. Most people don't remember their dreams with so many details."
"Do you think I'll be okay?"
"Of course, of course." He looked through his papers making more notes. "Fascinating" he muttered under his breath. He smiled at her. "This could be a very interesting book. I've heard many authors sometimes find inspiration in their dreams," he said.
Heather felt uncomfortable. Not just from the lump on the side of her head where she had fallen, but from the way he treated her. She felt she was being observed, like a guinea pig running a maze.
"Alright," he said getting up,"go home, get some rest, and call me back in the morning. I want to know if you have this dream again."
"That's just it," she chewed on her lip,"it doesn't feel like a dream. It felt so real like I was actually there fighting and meeting these people."
"Dreams often do. We can feel pain or despair, but it's just our mind playing tricks on us."
"Then how do I know I'm not dreaming right now?"
"Do you?" He asked and began picking up his papers.
"What?" she asked, but he ignored her,"Wait a minute!"
He looked at her.
"You can't just, say something like that and leave!"
His lips curled up into a small smile, and he walked out the door.
She sat there for a few minutes contemplating what he had said, but it just made her head hurt. Getting up, a familiar pain stretched across her side as she walked over to the door, and placed her hand on the knob. Glancing over her shoulder she gave the room one last look. Something caught her eye. On the floor next to the desk the man had been sitting at, lay a small piece of paper that looked about the size of a business card. Walking back over to it, she picked it up but the back was blank. She flipped it over. It said, "Dr. Z. Lynn: Chronological Theorist."