Chapter 2: An Unexpected Guest

Several Days later...

Yasuo dipped into the cool bath, the water enveloping him as he submerged. He reached over to the bottle Riven had given him and poured the contents into the bath. The liquid unraveled itself and sunk into the water. It dispersed, and Yasuo could feel it cover his burns.

"How long am I supposed to stay in here?" Yasuo asked through the door.

"About thirty minutes or so, it takes awh-." Riven started. However, she was interrupted by a crash outside.

Riven ran and threw open the door. Debris fell from the impact point. Riven looked wide-eyed and ran towards the figure who had crashed in the epicenter. Yasuo, startled by the blast, called out to Riven, but she was already out the door. Yasuo heard muffled voices and coughing as Riven dragged someone in.

"Riven?"

"Yasuo, don't worry right now. Just let the medicine do its work, then once you're done, come help me please." Riven said from the other room.

He could here Riven scramble around the clatter of objects falling. However, Yasuo sat patiently and let the medicine heal his burns.


Yasuo raised himself out of the bath and to his surprise found that his burns had turned to little more than scars. He flexed his muscles, dried off and got dressed. He walked out of the bathroom and headed down the hall to the main room where Riven was. He was about to turn from the hall when Riven walked into the hall, her hands splattered with blood.

"Yasuo, you're done..." Riven said startled.

"Yes I am, what's going on?" He asked, moving toward the room. However, Riven stepped in front of him.

"Riven-"

"Yasuo, I know you're not all together right now, being forced into the hands of those whom you hate and wish to kill, but I really need you to help me, help her..." Riven said

He walked into the room and stared at the woman lying on the table. She had the same white hair as Riven, but much longer. She wore a tattered purple and black outfit. She had a deep gash across her chest and cuts all over her body.

"Syndra..." He said.

"I know what she means to Ionian, she's a threat, but you must help her" Riven insisted as Yasuo walked to Syndra's side.

He gathered a ball of wind in his hands and slowly lowered it to Syndra's mouth.

"Yasuo...what are you doing?" Riven questioned.

Syndra gasped as the wind neared her mouth, choked and sputtered. Riven stood still, dumbfounded as a blue liquid was lifted out of Syndra's mouth. It rose into Yasuo's hand, and he contained it in the ball of wind and let it disperse, destroying the liquid.

"How did you know to...?" Riven asked as she started to clean Syndra's chest wound.

"Yi-his blade is one of the few I can tell from cuts. He has unique strokes. He also uses a unique paralysis poison sometimes. She should wake by the hour," Yasuo said.


Riven and Yasuo sat opposite of each other, and Syndra lay on a mattress, sleeping near Riven.

"Yasuo, why did you save her?" Riven said not looking at him.

"Not sure really," he said as he leaned against the wall. "Then again I'm not sure of anything anymore. An ex-Noxian commander in exile, hiding from her enemies, is now a reformed person seeking atonement for her sins and along comes Syndra. Syndra, the Dark Sovereign."

"She doesn't deserve that name..." Riven started but Yasuo cut it off with a short laugh.

"I assumed you would say that," Yasuo said as Riven raised her head in curiosity. "Why would a person of such great power and esteem come to such a lowly place? Not to destroy, but to run to. To find a friend."

"That she did," Riven said, lowering her head and looking at Syndra who was sleeping contently.

"Did she say anything when she landed?"

"Yes, but you won't like it," Riven said, knowing she would have to talk about this sooner or later.

"I don't like much these days. Tell me," he said.

"...Zed..." Riven said quietly.

"The Kinkou ninja, that turned on his master and friend. You're full of surprises," Yasuo said, smiling to himself.

He turned to look at Riven, who knelt and bowed.

"I must ask a favor of you. Since you are fully healed you can leave at any time freely and return to your home, but please leave us in peace."

"Home..."

Yasuo stared at Riven for a couple minutes before he reached for his flute in his bag and played a sorrowful tune. Riven lifted her head confused. Yasuo finished and looked out the window.

"The Wanderer. A sad song for a lonely life. These past months, my home has been the path to find you, and now, just looking for a road home is impossible."

"I can send a message to the institute, so they can contact Ionia and clear your name," Riven said rising.

"Hmph. If only it was that easy. Did you know they sent warriors of great renown from all over Ionia to catch me?" He asked,looking at Riven, who eyed Yasuo confused.

"The first was a swordsman of strength famous throughout Ionia. When we were young, I saw him cleave a tree in two with a single swing of his, but he could not cleave the wind. He was my friend, my comrade, laid to rest by my blade.

"The second was a warrior of speed and grace. Agile and cunning, she outran the clever foxes in the woods. But she could not outrun the wind. Her name was Rin. When we were students we talked about what it would be like to settle down after the war. She tracked me down, fueled by rage and my betrayal. another laid to rest by my blade.

"The third was a man of compassion. He taught me the meaning of patience when I was just a prideful child. My guide. My friend. My brother." Yasuo didn't finish.

"Why do you tell me this?" Riven asked.

"First to explain why I cannot return to Ionia. Even If I did not kill one man, I did kill others. The blade never gets any lighter, no?"

Riven half-heartedly smiled at his comment before he continued.

"Secondly, to explain why I didn't kill you when you gave me the chance. You and I are not that different. Can I be so quick to judge someone's past, when I cannot stand my own? I feel that Syndra and even Zed, they are not so different either."

Yasuo sat down, crossed legged, hands on his knees.

"Riven, you have helped me more than you know, more than I'd liked to admit."

"Riven, where am I?" Syndra asked tugging at Riven's leg, barely able to move. Riven rushed to her side.

"It's fine Syndra, just be calm. What happened to you?" Riven asked, but Syndra had already fallen back to sleep.

Riven cursed under her breath and sat back, exhausted, her eyes drooping. It wasn't long before she fell asleep by Syndra's side.


Riven awoke lying in her bed. Confused, she looked around the room and saw Yasuo leaning against the window sill. The cool morning breeze blew the curtains softly.

"You know, you're heavier than you look," Yasuo said looking at Riven.

Riven opened her mouth to let out a retort, but stopped and smiled instead.

"Has Syndra awoken?"

"She's stumbling down the hall right now," Yasuo said, picking up on her movement.

Riven turned her head to the doorway as Syndra reached it, leaning all of her weight on the frame.

"Syndra your-" Riven said, climbing out of bed toward her, but Syndra pushed Riven behind her as she raised her hand and pointed to Yasuo, flinging an orb at him. Yasuo realized her intent and drew his katana, slicing the orb in two, destroying it.

"Syndra, don't!" Riven yelled.

"He...is looking...to kill...you." Syndra said between in ragged breaths.


Syndra lay in her bed and eyed Yasuo. She still didn't trust him, even after Riven explained everything to her.

"Syndra, why are you here and why did Yi do this to you?" Riven demanding a response.

"Zed and I were traveling. Zed, after he talked with you, insisted on talking to Shen. I told him it was a bad idea, but he didn't listen. Zed sent a message to Shen to meet at Mogron Pass. "However, Shen wasn't the only one there when we arrived. Zed...they are going to execute him at the end of the month," Syndra said on the verge of tears.

"That only gives us little more than a week to get there and save him," Riven said thinking.

Syndra let out a little laugh.

"I didn't even ask for your help and yet you give it anyways. you truly are one of my only friends, Riven."


The next day...

Riven started to pack her things. she donned her pieces of old armor and strapped her sword to her back. It was early morning when she crept out of the house. She had left a note for Yasuo:

Yasuo, thank you for the kindness you have shown me.

Syndra should be fine on her own. you are free to leave.

Till' we fight on the Rift.

-Riven

It would take about a week to get to the pass, she thought to herself as she walked down the path, but stopped as she heard a familiar tune. Riven looked back to see Yasuo, finishing his tune, he looked at her, nodded his head and went back inside.