Author's Note: I take no credit for any characters, places or events taking place in this written work. This is a fan-made extension of the League of Legends champion's lore. Please enjoy.
League of Legends: Extended Lore
Leona the Radiant Dawn
"But I believe that the true worth of a soldier lay in the ability to defend and protect…" the Rakkor teenager said in rebuttal, her serious tone helped to convey her reasoning. She was in a debate against an older man and woman couple, her parents. They didn't agree with her reasons for fighting, as the Rakkor are a proud race of warriors that live high in the mountains of Mount Targon. Her parents were very traditional and hoped that their only child would make them proud and become a mighty warrior of their people. But she did not share their zeal for killing, and they knew that.
"Dammit Leona!" her father said as he rose from his seat after slamming his hands down on the table he sat at. He was a warrior himself, which showed in the way he had carried himself. He had a similar copper hair colour to Leona, which looked like the only thing she inherited from him. "You're such a gifted warrior! You can fight as fiercely as any other, even Pantheon, who is a paragon of our people! Don't waste your talents on some hopeless ideals of mercy!" Leona was speechless at her father's harsh words. She knew he wanted her to be the best that she could be but was too blinded by tradition to just simply support his daughter.
"I must go to the Rite of Kor now…" Leona said after a brief silence, picking up her sword and shield before walking out of the house she called home.
Leona walked alongside her childhood friend Pantheon, who had completed his Rite of Kor just weeks ago. Easily. Pantheon walked with such pride and confidence, holding his newly received relic-weapon that each Rakkor gains after the Rite of Kor. Leona knew exactly what she needed to do in order to pass the trial. It was a fight to the death between two Rakkor teenagers. She found it completely unnecessary to waste each other's lives in a battle for a weapon. Even though Pantheon and Leona had been friends for as long as they can remember, Pantheon was as blinded by tradition as her father. He was merciless in battle and headstrong in his values. He respected her fighting skills but she knew that could only do so much to maintain a friendship.
She remembered watching Pantheon go through the Rite, as she wanted to see her friend show off his great potential against another. That is where she learned that the Rite was a fight to the death. The thought of killing another didn't sicken her at all, as she had been used to the sights and smells of battle. She just didn't see a purpose in it. She hated the thought of throwing away a life to such an out-dated tradition.
They had reached their destination, a small arena, just large enough to house one hundred people, if that. There was only ever one Rite being initiated at a time, and with only teens combatting each other they felt no need to house a large arena. This small area was where young Rakkor would learn the basics of combat from one of the veteran warriors of the tribe. The Rakkor King felt it a suitable place for a Rakkor to take their first steps as an adult, and to be gifted with a mighty relic-weapon. There was usually an audience large enough to almost fill the arena, except with Pantheon, who had the whole tribe gathered to watch his brilliance in battle. Leona was led into the centre, the battlefield where she knew what was expected of her. She looked around for her parents, who managed to get a view from the front.
Opposite her was another Rakkor teen, a boy. The boy was ready to fight. She could see it in his eyes. Not many Rakkor ever showed fear, and those that did never survived long enough to make it to the Rite of Kor. He wore nothing but a loin garment, and carried his sword and shield. His physique was toned through many battles and sparring sessions, but he bore many scars. Leona had never once seen a scar on Pantheon, and the sight of them made her think of how many times this boy had been hit by a sword. Maybe he had learned from getting cut. Maybe not.
The king of the tribe stood up and spoke of the Rite of Kor. He spoke of its tradition and how only one of these two worthy warriors will survive, and that the one that emerges victorious will be gifted with a relic-weapon. Pantheon stood near the king, who couldn't be more proud of him. Never had he seen a warrior like him, and as an equal in battle the king expected a lot from Leona. After silencing the applause of the audience, the king nodded, signalling for Pantheon to say "Let the Rite of Kor begin!" Speaking those words was a privilege in itself, as the king rarely let anyone apart from himself initiate the Rite.
The Rakkor boy lunged at Leona, who kept her sword low and shield high. He let loose a flurry of sword strikes that were easily deflected off of the shield of Leona. After a few attacks, Leona thrust her shield at the boy, catching him in between sword swings and knocking him off balance and onto the snowy ground. She did nothing to take advantage of the situation, shocking not only the audience, but the king with her lack of killer instinct. Pantheon knew how talented Leona was with her shield, and knew she could capitalise on that exact opening. He knew she wasn't going to kill the boy, and clutched his weapon tightly in anger.
"Finish him Leona!" Pantheon yelled out, as if he couldn't stand by and watch his childhood friend waste such a perfect opportunity. She wasn't surprised by his outburst. Lately when they had trained she knew that Pantheon sensed her lack of zeal in going for the killing blow. She knew how much it angered him. But she also knew she had to walk her own path.
"I refuse." Leona said in response. The arena went quiet. Nobody had ever refused to complete the Rite of Kor. Young Rakkor would slay each other for just the chance to fight. "I will not kill this boy."
The king rose from his seat in anger. "Finish the boy or you will abandon the Rite of Kor!"
"I don't care." Leona replied.
"Then you must be executed for opposing our sacred traditions!" the king exclaimed. The audience was still silent, unsure of how to react to such a situation. Without wasting any time, a small group of Rakkor soldiers emerged and held their spears to Leona's throat, awaiting the king's order to execute her. She looked up to see Pantheon, who looked down in disappointment at her. He didn't seemed phased by the fact that she was about to be executed right in front of him. The king nodded to the soldiers, who tightened their grip on their weapons ready to thrust them through Leona and slay her for her insolence.
Suddenly, a bright sunlight burst forth from Leona, bathing all of Mount Targon in light. As it faded, Leona stood unharmed and her would-be executioners lay unconscious around her. The king was awestruck, with a similar expression upon Pantheon's face. The silence within the audience continued.
From behind the king emerged a man dressed in bright, golden armour. His face could not be seen, but the king knew exactly who his was.
"Solari." He said in shock. Pantheon had never heard of the Solari, and the fact that they had shown up after Leona's surprise light-show made him wonder.
"My king, what is a Solari?" he asked courteously to the king.
"They are a special group of Rakkor who answer to a higher calling. They were formed by a warrior who could call down the raw might of the sun down upon his enemies in combat." The king responded, reciting some Rakkor history that was taught to him decades before.
"Though we maintain our reverence, no other possesses the gifts of our founder…" the golden man continued, looking down at Leona, who was looking back at him as she had also noticed the appearance of the Solari. "…until Leona. I demand that her sentence be repealed and that she come with us." The king looked back at the Solari, the shock leaving his face and being replaced with the look of a man who had no control of what lay before him. "The Solari appreciate your compliance." The golden man said with a bow, before heading down to Leona and escorting her out of the arena.
Leona spent years training with the Solari, who had helped her to focus her new abilities. She now proudly wore the golden armour of the Solari, as they had retired their mantles of war just like she felt she had. They also bestowed upon her the sword and shield passed down from the ancient sun-warrior of legend. She had learned to harness the power she was blessed with, and without hesitation ventured to the Institute of War to join the League of Legends. She told the Solari that she was the new champion of the sun, and her image would wash over all of Runeterra like the bathing light of the sun itself. Although that was true, she wanted to make it up to the Rakkor children that she failed to protect, all the children she knew. She did this for them.