Gathering of the Titans: An event three years prior to the main story in which the portal to the Void opened upon a great gathering of the Institute of Justice which involved many champions, every single summoner, and important figures from city-state nations. And the Void's creatures invaded with the explosion of the tear in the fabrics of reality. Those who weren't killed by the explosion were slaughtered without mercy. Many champions were able to defend themselves and escape but all the summoners and would-be summoners, as record states, were killed on that day.
Noxian Grand Ball
"Too much music, too many faces, too many lies" Katarina mumbled to herself as she entered the grand ball room of the Noxian court. Lady Katarina, as wonderful as ever! Lady Katarina, your luscious red hair is fierce as your blades! People would say to her many praises as she endured fiercely to put a fake smile on her face. "Talon, remind me to tell you to slice the smile off of that man's face, will you darling?" Katarina whispered to her trusty assassin and bodyguard, Talon the Blade's Shadows.
"Understood my lady," said the hooded assassin, as they walked up the stairs that led to the festivities.
Noxus was holding its annual Grand Ball to celebrate the success of Noxus as a nation and its many conquests. And most recently, the fall of the Institute of Justice. Without the high summoners of the former super power of Valoran, those of the League of Legends, Noxus was free to conquer other nations and lands as it pleased. Noxian nation was never more behind a grand general as much as now. Noxus was truly a nation under one goal and one leader; Jericho Swain.
Even in the face of the Void Invasion, Noxus stood tall and proud. They had no problem whatsoever defending their own nation against the voidlings thanks to ingenious strategies by none other than the Grand General, Jericho Swain. The Master Tactician's grasp of war tactics and his unstoppable army formations had voidlings being dismantled in every corner. Due to three years of this action, the creatures of the Void and its generals had automatically strategized to go around Noxian territory. This was perfect for Noxus to take the most advantage of all the chaos around the fights to secure and gain more power.
With many people of importance and nobility gathered around the Grand Ball ballroom, Jericho Swain showed himself along with his right arm and Noxian Imperial Commander, Darius. He hobbled his way to the stage of the Grand Ball room as Beatrice, his trusty magical raven, landed on his left shoulder. With Darius at his right, he took stage and used magic to enhance his voice. "Good evening (cackle)" silence fell over the area. Swain had the stage. "I welcome you friends, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers, sons, daughters, grandsons, granddaughters, and many more, to the Grand Ball of Noxus!" The crowd cheered and roared, as Katarina grunted with disgust and disbelief.
"Silence!" Darius silenced the crowd in an instant with his burst of uproar.
"And that will be all for the greetings. I am a man of not enough time, so here is what I have to say tonight. The reports of scouts say that the Void generals have declared a set date and time of when and where they shall strike with a 'force that will mount to one of the greatest gatherings' as they said, "Swain continued "we of Noxus will of course answer to this injustice with a force of no mercy, led by none other than Katarina Du Couteau and her general Tal-"
"Now wait just one minute!" Katarina interrupted, ready to draw her daggers and charge at Swain. "You and I BOTH know, you send Talon and I on that trip, we both die, as well as our forces!" Katarina shouted as Swain scoffed.
"Are you afraid, general Katarina? You are, after all, the captain of the imperial shadows and I, the Master Tactician, are we not?" said Swain as he lifted up his bandana that covered the lower half of his face to have a sip of a cup of water that was on the speaking podium. "You will trust in my strategies to win this battle with your forces and you will obey my orders, Lady Du Couteau."
Katarina was dumbfounded, and mumbled "he's trying to get rid of both of us at once with this opportunity" to Talon. "Let's give the Grand General a visit tonight to convince him…otherwise". Talon nodded as a gesture of approval.
"Three years it has been since the destruction wrought upon our world in the Gathering of the Titans! And since then, we have stood strong! The creatures of the Void have been strong indeed but Noxus has endured and has grown stronger in the face of apocalypse! But now, our world faces greater danger than ever before. The Voidlings and its generals intend to occupy and conquer the Ironspike Mountains, which will give them strategic advantage over nations of Zaun, Piltover, Freljord, and even us, Noxus. Which is why, I am entrusting this mission to a general I trust as much as my right hand, Darius, to dear Lady Katarina Du Couteau." Darius stood firm and tall next to Swain, as he glared at Katarina. "Now let the festivities commence! Enjoy and play the Ball, and I hope to bid you goodnight."
With a hand gesture, Swain and Darius walked off the stage as the crowd applauded and cheered as an intense classical music started playing.
"Play the ball he says. Heh. The only thing that will be played will be his –"
"Dear sister, ssssttsss" Cassiopeia, half-serpent and half-human, and the sister of Katarina, interrupted.
"….Sister. What do you want? Are you here to congratulate me on my death trip?"
"Ssssttt. Not necessarily," Cassiopeia hissed pleasantly. "I just want you to know, while you are gone, I will be protecting our family's name more tightly than ever." Cassiopeia approached Katarina's ear and whispered, "More tightly than ever" and slithered away, as people stared in awe at the sight of the self-proclaimed Goddess of Venom.
"Ugh" Katarina grunted, "come Talon. We have work to do."
"Yes, milady."
As Katarina walked down the aisles of the dance floor, she encountered crowds of familiar faces such as Leblanc, and her group of agents of the secret order, Black Rose, grinning at her. She encountered faces such as Draven, who was busy laughing at his own tales of how he executed a prisoner while spinning one of his axes on his nose. She soon found her way to Swain.
"I demand an explanation for this outrage, Grand General!" Katarina hissed. Darius took a step forward and stared down at Katarina. Talon quickly lifted his hand-blade near Darius' face. Swain cackled from the back.
"There is no need for all this, my fellow Noxians" said Swain, cackling. "Just remember this, Katarina. When it comes to strategies, I am the Master Tactician. You cannot outplay me and you will obey my orders." Swain paused and seemed to smile under his Mask. He continued, "I have every confidence my strategies and your skills will prevail in this battle. Do you not think, Lord Greenwater?" Swain said as he pulled a nearby Lord. He laughed and agreed as Swain gathered attention on himself and disappeared into the crowd.
Katarina was fuming. She retreated to her quarters, defeated and humbled once again by the Grand General at what was supposed to be her own game; death and deception. "Swain wants to play that way huh? You know what? Fine, I'll give him something of a show in this battle." Katarina was down on her knees and pulling on her hair. She slowly got up as she stared back at Talon, who was standing guard in the rear of the room. "Heh heh hehEHAHAHHAHHEAWHEHH! Talon… We are going to release Sion." Talon, a man so cold that ice and snow would freeze over, seemed momentarily stunned.
"….Milady. The beast is sealed away in the weapon's vault."
"That's right. We are going to invade the weapon's vault tonight. Swain was able to seal him up after the Gathering of the Titans, because he had no more importance than being an undead juggernaut. But he was loyal to me. And in time, we will have revenge for all others killed by Swain! He manipulated his way to killing and sealing away every single entity that seemed threat to him. Until it me. I am a Du Couteau!" Katarina pulled on her hair once more as she screamed. …."If we are going to a battle that's supposed to be one of the greatest gatherings of those disgusting creatures, might as well bring out a frontline. My once and loyal warrior, Sion! I will show them… I will show them all, what it means to be a Du Couteau!"
"And how will we perform this feat exactly, milady, without being labeled as traitors of the nation?"
"That's simple. We need the user of the forbidden magic." Katarina chuckled. "That's right Talon. Blood magic. We need the hemomancer, Vladimir." To this statement, Talon frowned a little.
To be continued, in the union of many brave stories, villainous plots and heroic tales in Epicinium.