A Will and a Shadow
Rude Awakening
Talon awoke with a start in his room. He felt something strange, like he was being watched. Talon sat up in bed and looked at the door, which was slightly ajar. Talon had a blade ready in his hand in no time, and he got out of bed quickly and quietly. He went over to the door and looked out.
In the hallway there was no one there. It was empty. Talon pulled the door closed and turned around. What he saw sitting in his bed combined equal parts terror and total annoyance.
"Captain Teemo, good morning!" said the little Yordle scout.
"What are you doing in my room?" Talon asked, hesitantly.
"Getting you awake silly!" Teemo said, giggling.
What disturbed Talon the most wasn't that Teemo came into his room so silently, or that he had gotten across the room without Talon noticing him, it was his eyes. He had them closed. Always. Teemo never opened them, nor did he blink. It was unsettling.
"I am awake now," Talon said, still tense, "So you can go now right?"
"Nope! Arch Conjurer Nix said to accompany you to your runecrafter for an special outfitting. I have been instructed to keep you in line!" the Yordle said delightedly.
Talon snorted out a laugh, "You? Keep me in line? Don't be ridiculous."
All of a sudden Teremo's smile faded and out came a blowgun in his hands quicker than Talon could follow. He was fast, Talon could admit that.
"Don't get out of line Mr. Talon. I will put you down if you resist," his high, childish voice was actually kind of intimidating when Talon thought about it.
"Besides," Teemo continued, "My presence is just a formality. The runecrafter is actually going to help you out a lot."
Talon pondered for a moment before agreeing. He changed out of his night clothes and into his casual garb.
"You'll want to strap on your armor. Not the whole thing, just the vest," Teemo said, reassuringly.
Talon grabbed the vest, which was an underpiece of his full assassin gear and strapped it on over his clothes. He had a few blades tucked away in the armor piece. Talon was paranoid like that. He never wanted to be without a knife; he felt naked without one.
Teemo and Talon left the room and began navigating the corridors of the Institute. Talon thought about the night before with Irelia. After the show, Irelia had left to her dorm and Talon departed as well. They said humble goodbyes. Talon smiled at the memory.
Talon and Teemo arrived at the runecrafter's office and Teemo said,
"Ok Mr. Talon, this is where I take my leave. Behave."
He said the last word darkly, and Talon actually felt intimidated by the little Yordle scout. Talon stepped into the office as Teemo walked off. The runecrafter was sitting at a wooden desk, writing on a piece of parchment. When Talon cleared his throat, the runecrafter looked up,
"Yes? What do you want?" he said raspily. He was old and wizened. He had dark tanned skin and a hairless wrinkled face.
"Talon Du Couteau, I believe we have a appointment?" Talon asked, formally.
"Oh yes," the runecrafter said, "The Noxian assassin. Please come in, sit in that chair over there."
He motioned towards a fancy crystal chair in the corner of the room.
Talon hesitated for a moment, then made his way to the chair and sat down. It was cool to the touch. And it had a strange humming noise resonating from the surface.
"What will this chair do to me?"
"Ah, very perceptive assassin," the runecrafter said, limping towards him with a book in his hads, "I should expect as much from a young man with quick eyes and quiet tongue."
Talon watched the runecrafter carefully as he approached.
"You see, for your victory earlier this week, you have gained an award. A rune. Which will be branded to your body so that you may perform better in the League. It's how you grow as a Champion."
Talon cocked his head and nearly scowled.
The runecrafter laughed, "Don't worry, it won't show up like a tattoo. It'll be completely invisible. Now, I have three that I think you'd like. I need you to pick one."
He opened the book and pointed to the runes as he explained them, "This one will empower your arm, making you strike noticeably more fiercely. This one hardens your skin, making you more resistant to damage. It won't make to immortal, but you won't get cut as deep."
He then pointed to the final rune, "And this one will imbue your attacks to magically sunder steel and iron, and other defensive runes so your attacks cut deeper than before."
Talon thought a moment, processing his options.
"Is the effect irreversible?" he asked.
The runecrafter nodded.
Talon considered then spoke, "I wish to sunder armor."
The runecrafter smiled and ran his finger over the rune in the book and then placed the same fingertip on the surface of the chair.
The chair glowed and hummed louder than before. All of a sudden, tiny spikes shot from the chair into Talon's body. Talon winced, and then remembered that Teemo suggested wearing armor. This must have been the reason. After a powerful pain shot through his spine, Talon relaxed as the chair returned to normal.
"All done," said the runecrafter.
"I feel, ugh, sick," Talon said, staggering up from the chair and onto his feet.
"Natural. Especially for your first one. Keep winning and you'll get more, but don't worry about losing. They won't be taken back out," the runecrafter laughed, "I don't even think I can take them out."
As Talon left the runecrafters office he felt very strange. When he walked down the hallway towards his room, a towering figure in green mail stood in his way.
"Greetings, Talon," he said in a deep, low voice.
"Hello," Talon winced, "You have me at a disadvantage..."
"Forgive me. I am Nasus. I have come to inform you that you have made a mistake," he said.
"What? What are you talking about?" Talon asked.
"Come find me in Demacia, at the Festival of Kings in three weeks time. I will answer your questions, and give you answers you did not expect. For now though, only trust other champions in the League, not the summoners or the runecrafter. Teemo will be your confidant. He is a friend, and you can trust him."
"How can I even trust you?" Talon asked, annoyed.
"I'm not asking you to. I am simply telling you the truth. What you do with it, is up to you."
Nasus walked off then. He was surprisingly quiet for such a giant. Talon walked into his room. There was a note on his desk informing him that a Center Lane champion had quit unexpectadly, and he was needed to replace him in tomorrows match. Talon gritted his teeth, crumpled the note, and fell into bed. He was so exhausted from the rune that he slept all day.
When he awoke it was already night. Talon went outside and decided to go on a little walk. He left the grounds and went into the forest. He spotted a lake in the reflection of the moonlight. He walked towards it for a few minutes until he saw a figure by the water. Talon didn't approach any further. The figure was a woman, and Talon didn't like to sneak up on women he wasn't killing.
But he caught something in his eye just before he turned around. In the reflection of the moonlight, the woman by the water was silhouetted just like normal, except she had a strangely bulky torso. He kept looking until the woman unfurled enormous wings at her back, and leaped into the air. In the darkness, all Talon could see was this woman flying out over the lake.
Talon turned around, and quickly made his way back to the Institute.