The drums of the Noxians pounded throughout the canyon as the sun was sets below the Ironspike Mountains. Like death itself, the darkness of the night crept over the green patch of grassland inside the gorges; now stained red with blood and the ruby color of the Noxian armor .

Then, without warning, a crisp sound of a low war horn sounded from somewhere inside the mountains. Following short, a brigade of light cavalry bursted into the open field and halted short as they approached the piles of Demacian and Noxian bodies. The violence of the battlefield even disturbed the horses, who rose their legs and refused to go any further into the bloody scent.

A spark of white light from a far lightened the dim graveyard. The knights watched as the ray of light pierced through the clouds and into the stars; much like the ancient tales of the ascendants from their forefather's stories.

"Final Spark!" A horsemen gasped pointing at the disappearing light. "It's Lady Candela's Final Spark!"

"Lady Candela..." The leader of the brigade, a tall muscular man murmured quietly. He then lifted his head and grasped over the blue banner of Demacia from his lieutenant's hands. "Come fellow warriors! Our friends are still spilling their blood on the battlefield. We must ride to them! "

"Yes, Captain Crownguard!"

With a final roar, the captain aimed his flag to the north where the Final Spark last appeared and lead his men into the fray.


Three miles inside the canyon, three thousand heavily armed Noxian soldiers surrounded a mere hundred Demacian mages; most of them has no longer the stamina to cast any spells. As the blue banner fell one by one, the outcome of the battle was no longer unpredictable.

"Candela, you must leave right now!"

A blue robed sorcerer blasted two Noxian fighters back with his arcane magic. Gasping for a breath, the mage lowered his magic wand and looked desperately into the eyes of his young wife.

"It's alright Maren, I still have some mana for another Final Spark." Candela's blue eyes flickered with determination. "Our reinforcements will come."

"No, you'll die if you cast another spell." Maren argued, reaching for her tender hands.

"Then we die together." Candela held his hand firmly and took a deep breath; as if she knew this day would come.

"But what about our-"

A dark wind descended upon the battlefield, interrupting Maren before he could finish his sentence. For a few seconds, nothing could be seen except shadows. Gradually, as dead leaves and crow feathers gradually formed into a human shape, Noxian soldiers backed off into a straight line, lowering their heads in respect.

"So, it's the General of Noxian himself...Jericho Swain." Maren said, standing up with pain on his chest. " What an honor."

"Please...Don't flatter yourself..." A feminine voice boomed from inside the cloud. "The Master Tactician has way more important things to do than playing with a handful of naive magicians."

Another laugh echoed in the darkness as a black caped, staff wielding sorceress stepped out of her "camouflage" and into the setting sun. She was tall and somewhat enchanting; in an evil way of course. The staff she wields casted a shadowy emerald light into the eyes of her fellow Noxian comrades. To Maren and Candela, it was a mixture of perfection, extreme violence and selfishness; all that is against the code of the Demacian people; the reason why so many warriors sacrificed their lives for a better world from the iron hands of the Noxians.

"So...It's Karen Du Couteau...The head sorceress of the Noxian Empire..." Candela bit her lips bitterly and faced her lifelong rival. "It's only because of your ties with your husband that you are standing here..."

A flame of anger burned through Karen's eyes as she immediately demolished a Demacian mage with her poisonous spell. The lethal toxin drained away his life and body in a matter of seconds.

"Yes Candela...Back at the Academy of Magic, you were the star of our school...Your talent, your charming and your personality...I was a loner, Candela. I had no friends...Most of my priors regarded me as a failure and won't even look upon me..." Two slim crows landed on Karen's shoulder and started to pickle her scarlet red hair. "I always hated that blonde hair of yours...The Sorcerer of Light? Ha, what a joke."

"So you that is the reason why you joined Noxus? Is that the true reason why you are willing to go this far?" Candela looked beyond Karen and into the Ironspike canyon; probably the last place to be in this world.

"Of course not." Karen snapped off the head one crow with ease and started to examine it with glee. "Noxus is the place where I feel like home. A place where you truly can achieve everything with the power of one self. The Moral Code of Demacia? Please, it is only a bad joke. Do you seriously believe that people are willing to sacrifice themselves for someone else? Only Noxus can be fair to her subjects. Only Noxus could understand the potential power in one self and that the result of a victory is the most important thing, not its procedure."

"Noxus made you a monster, Karen." Maren rose his wand lightly before his chest, ready for battle. "It destroys humanity and creates warmongers."

"Well, well, well." Karen flashed a naughty look to the young mage. "Isn't this Maren Starshield, the Head Mage of the Sentinel Guard of the Kingdom of Demacia? Oh I am sorry, almost forgot. There won't be a Sentinel Guard by sunrise. Neither will there be Maren Starshield."

"You pushed too far, Karen." Candela stood up and glared into her eyes. "If it is the end of the Starshield family, then it'll not end without a fight."

"Ahh...Candela Aurana...Oh I mean Candela Starshield...You remind of the old days...Always trying to showoff how smart and how tough you were...Do you now how pathetic and foolish that is?" Karen spilled some of the crow's blood onto the emerald stone on her staff, instantly changing it into a brownish color. "Do you know how long I have waited for our duel today?"

"Long enough..." Candela took off her headgear, showering her light golden hair down her back. She then gracefully strapped a blue headband up her forehead and into the back, having symbols of Demacia, the Starshield and Aurana families marked on it. She was like the Goddess of Light herself, bringing hope and startle to all around her, even Karen and her Noxian soldiers exclaimed in awe.

"Maren, keep out of this and try to escape." Candela turned to her husband and then flashed him a quick smile. "I'll be fine..."

"Back off..." Karen ordered her subordinates. The Noxian army retreated to a long behind her without any hesitation.

A bone-piercing wind shook the entire battlefield. Candela stared at her enemy with full concentration and tried to summon up some courage and confidence. In reality her body is giving away uncontrollably and it soon became clear that she can no longer wield her staff in this condition.

Seeing a glimpse of advantage, Karen summoned her flock of hungry crows, knocking Candela back by almost a foot. Without any signs of mercy, Karen transformed herself into a cloud of mist and teleported to one of her crows. Feeling defeat is only an inch away from her, Candela lept from the ground to dodge three pools of poisonous fumes. She returned with a spell of Lucent Singularity, blasting away the disgusting crows and gases. The spreading cloud conjured again to form a circle around Candela.

"Impressive...You dodged my attack and countered it with your own spells," the faint voice of Karen was everywhere around her. Candela darted her eyes to try to predict the exact position of her opponent, but the voice was extremely distracting and misleading.

Seven more arrows of venom sped towards her from all direction. Barely passing, the arrows exploded just as she was about to dodge. A burning pain instantly pierced though her leg as she fell to the ground. With one leg totally out of operation, it is clear that this fight is over.

"Now...Hand over your Spellbook and staff..." The complacent voice of Karen was as clear as ever. A storm of arrows emerged from the mist and dashed quickly towards her.

"All these years I have trained myself to defeat you. So many days I saw each worthy opponent as you and so many nights I dreamed of your pretty face withering before the spell I created...And this...this is the battle I have been waiting for so long? This is the best you can put up with?" The arrowstorm picked up it's pace and swept the earth beneath it. Only three meters away...two meters...one meter...half a meter...

Candela closed her eyes as she chanted some ancient runes on her staff. Knowing this spell will cost her life, at least she could help her husband and fellow Demacians leave safely. At least... She thought; our child has a father...

Feeling a huge energy thriving from her staff, she pointed to the direction of West, where her home is.

"Dema...ciaaa-"

Nothing came out.

Just as she thought her spell failed because she can no longer cast it, a familiar warm feeling grabbed her cold hands and pushed it backwards. Someone interrupted her spell!

...

A barrier of light surrounded Candela's fragile -body as the arrows stopped in front of her. She looked up to see a shadow standing firmly between her and the storm of death. The Cape of Starshield waved lightly against the north wind.

"I thought I told you to run..." Candela struggled to swallow the pain that is all over her body. "And why did you interrupt my Final Spark?"

"What is the rule number nine of the Demacian Manual of Arms?" Maren forced a smile on his blood-stained face. He reached down and placed a mental rune on her right arm.

"A soldier..must not leave his post until reassigned by a superior..." Candela gasped each word with pain. "What is this rune?"

"Exactly...How can I live if I survived by running not only from my post, but also from my own wife." Maren smiled again and gently kissed her forehead.

"This rune is my last gift to you."

As the arrows bounced off of the shield one by one, the mist reassembled into the clearing. Alarmed Noxian soldiers advanced forward, but quickly halted as if been commanded.

"So it's going to be a two versus one huh?" Karen's voice became as menacing as ever. "Well I can take on thousands of you lousy Demacian rats no problem."

Summoning a tremendous cloud of filth, Karen made one last charge towards the helpless couple. Although Maren did everything in his power to stop the cloud from coming close, his stamina reached his limit along with Candela's. Their light spells were quickly overwhelmed by the dark magic of Noxus.

"Stupid shield..." Karen screeched as she frantically "scratched" her way through the impassable barrier of light. "The Starshields have this only one spell and they are still considered a high family in Demacia, ha. So pathetic..."

After thousands of slashes, the barrier was beginning to weaken and at the brink of collapse. Maren gasped as the mist began to form up into one single fist. She is going to focus her power on one point and break the shield! The now enlarged arrow was now seconds away from impact. After a short calculation, Maren gave up his barrier and scooped up the almost unconscious Candela. With almost the speed of light, he teleported them both out of the barrier just inches away from the toxic arrow.

After a short breath, Maren felt an enormous ache in his chest. A dark spearhead penetrated through his back and right through his entire body. With what's left of his subconscious, he pushed Candela from his arms to avoid being stabbed by the spear, scattering her body and the spell book a few meters in front of him. Glancing at Candela's pale face for the very last time, he dropped face down to the ground, his eyes still refusing to close.

"Well...well...well..." Karen appeared once again from the mist and walked towards the fallen Maren. "I see the Starshields not only just have the ability to create shields..." She strolled up to him and placed her left foot on the family symbol of his cape, only inches from his light brown hair.

"Maybe you should have used that spell earlier..." She bent down and hissed into his ears while recovering her spear.

"Now as for you, my dear Candela...I won't let you die so easily...like your husband did..." Karen paced back to the Sorcerer of Light. Noticing the dropped the spell book lying apart from its owner, she decided to change her objective.

"I don't care about those two mages...Just make sure their bloodline ends today...You need only to bring back their spell book and staffs." The harsh voice of her general Jericho Swain echoed across her mind. Yes, not only we destroyed the two most powerful arcane bloodlines, but we soon will know the secret behind the Light Magic. Brilliant strategy general. Karen couldn't help but to think.

Picking up the spell book, she felt nothing special. Flipping through the old pages, all of the runes and symbols seemed like nonsense to her.

Perhaps, if I can wield their staff... She thought picking up the Arcane Staff of Luminosity. This staff was the treasure of the Aurana family and one of the three weapons that was rumored to be created by a godlike race from another world. Now, it's all hers.

The staff was quite heavy, compared to her own staff which can take various forms. It was shiny, elegant and enchanted. Karen could also feel the huge source of power stored somewhere deep inside the light peril on the top.

Suddenly, the staff shook violently, forcing Karen to let go of it. Like an electrical current, the staff glowed with a silver light as she froze on spot, unable to do anything. The staff then rose a few inches above her and shot a light ball at her.

"What...How is it..." Karen screamed as she was binded by the power of luminosity. Light bind...but how? Its owner is not holding... Karen raced through her mind until she stumbled upon a painful memory... Back in the Academy of Magic, Candela was famous for her numerous talents. And one important gift she has was that she could play with her staff as if it was her pet. She could make it dance, do tricks and even make expressions with light. Could that mean...She could also cast spells without the staff?

Knowing she has gotten too careless, she turned to Candela, who was lying face up to the sky with her eyes closed and he mouth moving. Karen knew she must be reading spells.

"You little rat..." Karen spat and summoning up her energy. The binding was almost over and she knew she must finish her rival once and for all.

"Death Lotus... " Karen summoned up millions of poison arrows and daggers around her. This time even the crows fled, casting a shadow over the destruction of this spell.

A shampoo of death flew towards her target, each representing a piece of hatred deep inside her heart. No matter who her target was, the Death Lotus will leave not even a single bone of her target behind. As the blades started to lessen, so did the hatred in Karen's heart. For once in her life, she felt relived. She destroyed the darkest pages of her life and now she could begin a new one with Noxus.

A sharp light interrupted her thoughts and her spell. Another Light bind? How is that possible? She shouldn't even have a body right now!

As the lotus of death came to a halt, Karen watched in awe as all of her weapons were blocked by a barrier...A Starshield Barrier!

"That little brat...He..." Karen screeched as the barrier disappeared into a marked rune on Candela's arm. He actually gave up that life saving barrier spell for her! He sealed the spell into a rune onto her arm and can be activated when her life is in danger...This barrier...But why? Why is he willing to...

"You..saved me...too many times...Maren..." A stream of tears flowed down from Candela's eyes. She still could not move, but was able to lift her arm. The peril of the staff obeyed accordingly and lowered to aim at Karen.

"Final...Spark..."

...

"No!" Karen tormented as a red light appeared from the staff. There was a moment delay before the actual beam comes out. If it was a minute ago, then she could have dodge it easily. But now, she is binded inside this light prison and couldn't do anything but wait.

Silence...

A crow screeched before lifting its wings into the sky,

The ground shook for a second and everything fell silent again.


"Captain Crownguard...I can no longer hear any sounds of battle..."

The knight riding in the very front proceeded nonetheless. He was Argon Crownguard, the elite family who served closely to the Lightshield Dynasty for generations. Two days ago, they were on a mission to flank the Noxian position at the Howling Marsh. However, he as the leader has gotten way too confident when they encountered an escort believing to be the personal bodyguards of Jericho Swain. He led his cavalry on a pursuit hoping to capture the infamous strategist and ending the war. When they chased down the carriage, they were encircled by the Noxian army and barely made it out alive. It was only on his retreat he remembered about his main army and most importantly, the elite of the elite, the Arcane Sentinel Guard may be in mortal danger.

"Look, Noxians...They seem to be in a total mass..." A scout riding closely to Argon pointed to the wall of red armor in front of them. Sure enough, the Noxians were in total disarray, as if they had no commander.

"Charge!" Without thinking, Argon drew his giant sword from his back belt. The huge sword was almost half his weight and it was really killing his poor horse.

"Roarrr!"

The small group of Demacian cavalry sped towards the bewildered Noxian infantry. They had only broken lance and swords with little armor, while their opponents were equipped with heavy axes and shields. It was more like a suicide then battle.

The Noxians after a short chaos soon regained order and formed into a strong line. If there was one order that surpasses all, then it has to be to kill.

Argon charged square into a Noxian field officer, clashing his horse with the Noxian's spike shield. Both of them were sent flying into mob. Argon jumped off and slammed his entire weight onto another Noxian soldier. Wielding his sword, he slashed through the shield wall and pounded his unfortunate enemies mercilessly to the earth.

"So you are the Sword of Demacia?" A Noxian sergeant bought down his axe, almost chopping Argon's head off. "Your reputation exceeds you way too far."

"Shut your bloody mouth." Argon roared as he thrusted his sword towards the Noxian's chest. It was blocked by his shield with ease.

"Take this..." The Noxian along with two others jumped into the air, their axes ready to taste some Demacian blood.

All right-handed huh? This is too easy... Argon summed up an immortal strength and with a roar that almost shook the clouds, he swung his sword in a full circle; cutting all three men into six pieces.

"The most effective way to kill an opponent is to slice through the man next to him..." Argon muttered as he picked up his sword for another swing. "Hope my boy Garen will understand this in the future."

Seeing the Sword of Demacia as overpowered as a living god, the Noxians started to retreat. They don't fear death of course, but they fear of dying for no personal value. It may be a glory to die beneath the sword of Argon Crownguard, but it is meaningless if no such order was given by their generals to kill Argon.

Seeing the Noxians backing off, Argon scrambled to search for his lost friends. He has known Maren Starshield and Candela Aurana since he had any memories. They were all borne into the noble families of Demacia and often met each other at parties and meetings. It was only when he was twelve when both of them entered the Academy of Magic, but he was disqualified since he shown no talent in fields of arcane magic. Ever since, they still had a close bond, going on missions together and saving each other's lives countless times. There's no way he is willing to loose both of them in a single day; and it was all because of his wrong tactic.

"Maren...What on earth..." He rushed to the body of Maren. A feeling of sour pinched on his nose as he retrieved his friend's lifeless body. "I am sorry...Forgive me..." Argon held back his emotions by holding his breath. He gently closed Maren's eyes and dusted off the stain from his handsome face.

"Captain Crownguard, we've found Lady Candela!" His sergeant yelled a few meters ahead of him. "I think she still has a breath!"

Hope flashed inside Argon's heart as he set down Maren's body and rushed towards Candela. She was barely breathing and her eyelids near closed.

His heart sank as he held her in his arms. Candela has extraordinary stamina that even he as a warrior have to look up to. Yet she has just given birth to she and Maren's only child one month ago; whom they didn't even have time to give her a name. Under her extremely weak body condition, she still insisted to join the fight alongside her beloved husband. Their Arcane Sentinel Guards and their powerful light magic were the key point of turning the war in Demacian's favor. Now, everything is ruined in his own hands.

"Arggy...Please.." Candela summoned her staff into her hands and pressed it lightly against his chest plate. Arggy was Argon's childhood name, something only the three of them knew.

"Don't worry Candela, I will get you out of here..." Argon bit deep into his lips and scraped his teeth together.."

Candela shook her head for only a single time. "Please...place me beside Maren..."

Blood was running down Argon's lips as he carried Candela back to Maren. He found a torn Demacian standard and set it carefully beneath Candela's golden hair, not wanting the dirt and blood tarnish their once hero.

"Thank...Thank..you Arggy.." Candela forced a smile on her pure face. She joined hands with Maren and held her staff into Argon's hands. "Take..Take this to..."

"I am taking you home Candy! I am taking both you and Mary home..." A few drops of tears landed on the Demacian flag. "We will leave no man behind! This was our promise!"

"No...Listen...I...put an ult..ultimate Lucen..t..Singularity spell in this field...It'll explode...Leave...now..." Candela pronounced each word with much effort.

Argon knew this was the end. So they have planted a destructive spell as soon as they learnt there's no escape... They are...truly..Demacians...

"I really...wanted to see our children growing up together...becoming friends...bringing justice to the world...I am sorry...But we'll...have to miss the show..." Candela took her headband off and held it tightly in her hand. "Please take care of our...child.." She added the blue headband into his hands and closed her eyes.

"Call her...Luxanna.."

"What?"

"Pass the staff to Lux...We name...name...her..Lux...Luxanna..."

Candela's arm dropped to the ground. Everything else seemed to vanish with her.

Then it started to rain.

It was more like a shower. Water simply poured down, washing away all of the blood and dirt surrounding the battlefield. Argon's own tears joined with the others, forming an unstoppable pool of sorrow.

"Attention!" Argon prowled to his remaining soldiers.

A few dozen of them stood in front of the bodies of the formal Arcane Sentinel Guard, their swords drawn to their heir forehead at attention.

"Let us...wish...our friends...a safe journey!"

All of them bowed in respect. Wordless respect; from the heart. It was the least they could give their fellow comrades whom they'll never see again.

The drums of Noxians boomed their way through the puddles of rain. Argon raised his head and looked at his men. It was pitch dark where only puffs of men and horses' breath can be seen. He really wanted to stay and fight the Noxians. It would be a relief to die with his friends and it would only be fair since he started this all. But now he has to return the Staff of Luminosity back to Demacia plus he promised his friend to take care of their only daughter, Luxanna. He know bears the burden of three families.

"We ride...To Demacia!" He lept on a horse and lead the way. It was completely dark and he had no idea where he was going. He only predicted the direction by riding away from Noxian drums.

As the drums drew further, they started bumping into walls. They are trapped inside the canyon. With nothing visible, death and despair seemed ready to devour them anytime.

Then, like a torchlight in a deep cave, the glimpse of light from the behind them flashed with pure luminosity. The ground shook and a ray of light shot above their ahead and into the west; pointing towards Demacia! Argon's nose felt uncomfortable again as they rode under the aura of arcane light. It was like a light from heaven, a light of justice, a light of...forgiveness...

Out of the thin air, a fainting voice echoed through the whispering wind:

"Let the Sorceress of Light guide you home one last time, warriors of Demacia."