Valoran is a land filled with champions that represent each nation and Summoners who call on them to fight on a virtualized rift. The Institute of War had crafted the Summoner's Rift in the hopes that those champions who represented their respective nations would no longer resort to actual war. For over 50 years, they had been able to make amends with all nations and unilaterally agree that conflict is best resolved on the Rift. The Institute had decided to make a showmanship match to display how the champions of the Summoner's Rift battled against each other on the Rift for those who had never been a part of the Institute of War or the League of Legends. The rematch of Ionia versus Noxus was a very historical moment for people who would be watching, as there are still a lot of veterans on both sides who were forced into battle by their country. They could finally see the fruits of their labor come together in non-offensive combat.
"All systems are a go, Captain!" The workers who were helping televise the event were working hard and happily, without fear of what the audience would see.
The Captain who was looking over them was the headmaster of the Institute of War, a man named Tetsuken. "The match should end shortly. Our viewer rating is going through the roof; I'm very pleased with all your work today, gentleman!"
There was a large monitor that displayed the match right outside the Institute of War for those who wanted to see it on the big screen. The relatives who were related to the champions on the Rift were pointing and shouting with glee at the large projection of their elongated battle as it was about to come to an end.
"It looks like Katarina is going for the Nexus, the respawn timers on the champions from Ionia are just too long. This ends our showmatch for today, as they deal the finishing blow!"
The crowd was going wild, as they waited to see Ionia's nexus explode. But, minutes after they reduced the Nexus to zero, the game was still going on. The casters were just as confused as the audience. They started tapping into the voice communications for the workers.
"What's going on?!"
"No clue sir, there's no known bugs in place. We might just have to wait it out."
The Captain looked outside as he saw people shouting and demanding an end to their match. "This show cannot go on any longer. We have to find a way to end it!"
As Tetsuken said this, the workers started freezing up. "W-What's going on with our controls? We can't change the camera!"
"WHAT?"
Before Tetsuken could say anything else, the audience started pointing to the center of the Nexus, where they saw a shadowy figure come out of the crystal. The figure started to take shape, into the champion known as Jhin. He spoke out to the champions.
"The stage is finally set…"
Everyone around Jhin at him, with deadly eyes. "You dare delay my kill?" Katarina instantly pulled out two knives from her belt and got behind Jhin.
"I'm afraid that will not stop me, Du Couteau girl. I only come here to display a new message for the followers of Ionia and Noxus, as well as others who live in Valoran."
Tetsuken ran into the control room, and slammed his fists onto the computer controls. "SHUT THE BROADCAST DOWN, NOW!"
Jhin was quicker to the punch. Although he was displayed on the Rift, he shot a bullet that went straight through the power off sequence for the broadcast. "I really hate it when people interrupt without at least hearing me out. This performance will be heard by the entire world, even if it kills me."
"Sir, forgive us!" The workers all fell to the ground, with their hands over their heads.
Tetsuken knew there was only one more option if he wanted to stop the broadcast immediately. "Start the shutdown sequence."
"Ah, the fabled shutdown sequence." Jhin's voice was heard not only on the rift, but now on the big screen and the workers in the control room. "I wanted to explain my next sequence, but that must wait. It should be just as important to explain what will happen if the Institute of War decides to start the shutdown sequence." Jhin moved over to the champions of Ionia in the fountain, and put his holographic hand on Ahri's head. "You see this beautiful hero of your country, Ionia? I hope you weren't attached to her, because she would disappear from reality along with the rest of the champions here if the Institute pulls the plug on our performance."
Upon hearing this, the uproar of the crowd started becoming much louder. It became so loud that the monitors inside the Institute of War started shaking.
Tetsuken clenched his fist. "Fuck, who the hell is this guy?"
"Ahem, now that I have the attention of the audience, I think it's time that we begin our introduction…" Jhin bowed to the crowd, even though he could not see them. The camera was pointed on him, and he could move it with just the twitch of a few fingers. "My name is Jhin, and I am just like all of you. The only difference lies in the way that I see beauty, seemingly. You see, the Institute has brainwashed you into believing that war is evil, and that fighting over land resolves nothing. We have replaced the real yet horrific image of soldiers dying with playful splash arts of your beloved champions, and glorify those who step into this rift. I am here to simply offer you a new vision of the world. This broadcast will continue until there are only four champions alive."
The audience started to gasp in horror. The thought of seeing idols and representatives to their country lose in combat was already shocking, but hearing this was different.
Tetsuken tapped into the televised communications, and his voice was heard by the champions and the audience. "Everyone, please stay calm. We are currently investigating an intruder into the Summoner's Rift, and he will be dealt with immediately. Remember the faith that you have in your champions, and know that we will keep everything under control. Even if you see someone die on the Rift, they have always respawned and stepped back into your lands unharmed!"
While Tetsuken tried hard to calm down the crowd, they would be continually riled up by Jhin. "Yes, that may have been true before I stepped onto the stage. It seems that I'm going to have to create some demonstrations so the people truly know who they are dealing with." Jhin disappeared from the camera, and from the sight of the champions.
"What the…-GUH" before another word could be spoken by the champions, they heard a loud slash pierce through armor quickly. It was Garen, who was now being displayed by the camera as a green blade impaled him. He was being surrounded by tree branches that sprouted from his blood wounds. He was dead for a good thirty seconds, but he would not go back to the healing platform.
Tetsuken looked with horror as he saw this, even though he wanted to believe it couldn't be true. "There's no way...CHECK THE SUMMONING CHAMBER!"
"Right away, sir!" Two workers from the control room scrambled out, as they went on their way to find out what happened to Garen and his respective Summoner. When they got there, the door was locked. "There's no use! This thing won't bud-AHHHHHH!" One of the workers screamed loudly, as he looked through the window to see the body of Garen lying on the floor with a rosebud on top of his bloody wound in the game. "What are we supposed to tell the Captain?"
"Snap out of it!" The second worker slapped the first worker right across the face. "No one could interfere with the champion once they've been summoned except for the Summoner. He's surely alive!"
As they said this, the door swung open in front of them, as if it could hear them speak. They looked at each other, before one of them decided to enter the room. To his delight, the Summoner remained intact, but Garen had no pulse. One of the workers
"Thank the gods one of you is alive. Are you awake?"
"Huh…What? Where am I?" The Summoner was disoriented as she woke up. "One second ago I was just talking with Garen before I started to Summon him. What's going on?"
"There's no time to talk. Someone has hacked inside the Institute!"
The Summoner, as they heard this, saw Garen's body right behind them. "NO…NO!" She rushed over to her, and put her hands over his chest. "He can't be dead! Summoner's have a link between them and their respective champion. I should have died with him!"
The workers looked sad, but doubtful of her statement. "While that seems unexplainable, everything that has happened thus far is equally unexplainable. All we know is that Garen lost his pulse. We can only hope he is just in a terrible coma right now."
Tetsuken shouted to the workers, awaiting their reply. "WHAT'S HIS STATUS!?"
"Sir…" The worker gulped, and held a hand onto his chest with pain as he replied. "We think Garen is dead. His Summoner has awoken from her channeling, but she doesn't remember anything."
Tetsuken shook his head in disbelief. 'This…This is a nightmare, right? There's no way that this could happen. Nothing could go this horribly wrong! I have to try harder.'
Jhin laughed furiously, as he stood beside the corpse of Garen on the rift. "What a beautiful execution. This is only the first act. I only wish that this pleasure could be felt by more people!"
The Ionians who came to Garen's side as they watched him die still could not believe what they witnessed. Vi pointed to Jhin in anger. "You're a monster! How could you have so little humanity?"
"Ah, it is the opposite my dear. I am the one with the most humanity, because I embrace the beauty of everything. It is you who lacks humanity to be happy to see your comrade fall in such a glorious manner!"
Vi punched the air around Jhin, and all her attempts at attacking him were useless. Yet, she continued to attack the air endlessly. "God DAMNIT!"
Jhin appeared once again on the main screen. "I promise you that you will see more people die; it is only a matter of time until one of your beloved champions snaps like a twig."
Ahri shouted back at Jhin, as she rubbed off tears from her cheek. "What are you talking about? We would never kill each other!"
"Oh? That is most unfortunate. Well, luckily this is still part of the script. I hate to spoil the plot, but you are all trapped here forever, until four of you remain. What's more, if you wish to not kill each other, well…Your people might just do it themselves."
As Tetsuken heard this, he noticed that the walls of the Institute were becoming barraged with angry viewers. He was many floors above the main door, but he could still hear their demands. "OPEN THE FUCKING DOORS, YOU TRAITORS!"
Tetsuken ordered the rest of his workers downstairs. "Reinforce the main gate, don't let anyone enter!"
"We're trying our hardest, Captain!"
"Mark my words, Jhin. I won't let any more people in this Institute or the Rift die."
Jhin disappeared once more from the rift as he watched the cries of the Ionians, as well as the anger of the Noxian and Ionian viewers at the Institute
The beginning of every performance is so sweet, because it clenches us into wanting more, and more, and more, until it ends and we all feel an emptiness inside. Just like life, the encore of promises and future endeavors pulls us toward our inevitable fate. My opera will make them sing my praise!'