Author's Note: Why are you looking here? Look a bit lower.
No a bit lower.
The story is after this line. Enjoy.
Chapter 4 – A Pact and a Promise
Eylic
Well. Here goes nothing. I had just arrived at the institute. The sun had just finished setting which meant that it was almost time for the binding ceremony to begin. I made my way to the largest courtyard at the center of the institute. A large carpet divided the courtyard down the middle. At the end of the carpet was a small table with a crystal on it. A podium sat behind this table. Several large dining tables were laid out on either side of the carpet. Summoners sat at the tables on the right side, and champions, with a few obvious exceptions, sat at the tables on the left side.
Everyone was busy gathering food before the event started. "Hi Malzahar," I said to the void prophet as I approached him from behind. "Would you like to grab a drink?" I imagined he was smiling under that dark hood as he nodded to me. We made our way to the drink table. "So do you have a good feeling on who your next champion will be," he asked me as we approached the table. I grabbed a mug and began filling it with ale. "I'm honestly not sure. I had a few interesting interviews. I'll leave the judgement up to the institute now," I replied to his question while carefully eyeing the level of my drink. Malzahar stopped pouring only when his glass began to overflow. "Haha. I have a pretty good feeling I'll be getting the next six months off. I do believe I scared away all my potential summoners," he replied with a chuckle before taking a large gulp of his drink. He proceeded to replenish the missing amount. "Well Eylic, good luck to you." We crashed our glasses together as he floated off towards the champion side of the court yard. I grabbed some food before taking an empty spot at one of the summoner tables.
This ceremony was not as big as the last one. Only champions and summoners who are looking for a new partner are required to attend this event. Summoners and champions who renewed their pacts did so at a more informal ceremony this morning. Many summoners try to take a personal test to work with the same champion for an entire year. There are also not as many new summoners introduced to the institute during this time of the year. Most of the faces I saw tonight I recognized from the ceremony six months ago. Many champions were also missing including Jarvan, Lux, and Garen. It came as no surprise that their summoners would be renewing their pacts. They were all about honor and commitment to Demacia.
I continued to look around the courtyard. Lucian was leaning against one of the stone arch supports. The look on his face made it obvious that he did not want to be here, but he did give me a slight nod when I smiled at him. Malzahar and Vel'koz were both laughing at Katarina who had fallen over due to Vel'koz disintegrating her chair as she went to sit down. She stormed over towards them and began whispering towards them. I couldn't make out what she was saying, but after a moment more, she grabbed a new chair and returned to the table. "No sense of humor," Malzahar grumbled. "An astute observation," Vel'koz retorted. She might still be mad about the mindfuck we gave her the other day, I thought to myself and softly laughed. Just then, something caught my eye.
Ahri walked into the courtyard in a beautiful red, strapless dress. It was not very long as to allow her tails to flow freely. She also had a red flower in her hair, and she looked simply stunning. Almost everyone there turned to look at her as she entered and joyfully made her way to the table full of food. She had a bounce in her stride, and her eyes looked even more beautiful and alive than I had ever remembered. "Oh man. The things I would do to her," the summoner sitting next to me muttered. I elbowed him in the side, and he let out a startled gasp before glaring at me. I returned his glare, and he turned back to his food. I turned my attention back to the fox girl. Why am I so focused on her?
Ahri
I gathered a plate of food and a large glass of cider before finding a spot at the table. I felt good about myself tonight, and I was hopeful I'd be paired with a summoner tonight. No more having to be alone and having to be stuck here at the institute. I happily took another sip of my cider before turning my attention to the podium at the end of the carpet. One of the High Council members stepped up to the podium. The ceremony was about to begin. I could never tell which councilor it was until they spoke. The hooded figure began speaking then.
"Welcome champions and summoners to the binding ceremony." Ah so it is Marak this time. "Tonight, each summoner here will be paired with a champion for the next six months," Marak continued. "You will live together, and you will fight together. If your bond is strong, you may choose to continue to fight together. Remember this: you are a team, and neither one of you is a servant to the other. When you fight on the battlefield, you become one heart and one mind. Use this to your advantage, and you will make a truly amazing team. Now then, we shall begin." Each one of the council members had their own variation to this speech, but each one told their version the exact same way every time. It got tiring after a while. The last speech to be interesting was the first time that Kolminye had to deliver her version. The amusement of that had faded too though.
Marak stretched his hand out past the podum. The crystal on the table below began floating in the air. Two holographic portraits appeared in front of it. The portrait on the left was of Katarina, and the portrait on the right was that of a young, male summoner with brown hair, light skin, and cold eyes. They both stepped forward. The summoner placed his summoner crystal below the floating crystal displaying his portrait. He touched his portrait, and Katarina touched hers. His crystal changed from a green color to a red. They both bowed to Marak and departed without saying a word. They'll be perfect for each other, I thought to myself. The crystal spat out the next set of images. These ceremonies were always so boring to me.
There was one interesting occurrence about mid-way through. The portraits for Malzahar, and a young, blonde summoner appeared in front of the crystal. Malzahar made his way up to the podium. The young summoner got about half way there before turning and running out of the courtyard. "Well, I guess summoner Eric will not be paired this cycle," Marak said with a slight laugh. Malzahar began laughing hysterically before returning to his seat.
I began to worry. The ceremony was nearing its end, and I still had not been paired with a summoner. Would I have to go another six months alone? Suddenly, I saw my face in front of the crystal. I was excited, but my stomach flipped as soon as I saw who my portrait was next to. I thought that I was going to be sick. There was no way he was going to take me as a champion. He was sure to appeal the decision. I walked forward. He calmly stood up and walked forward. We both got to the table. Any second now he is going to say it. Instead, he placed his crystal on the table and tapped his portrait. "Wait!" I exclaimed. "You actually want to be paired with me?" I was a bit shocked. "Well, there are not many options left here, and I don't see a huge problem with it," he said. "Well maybe I don't want to be paired with you," I shouted back. "Is there a problem here?" Marak interjected. "It is your choice if you do not want to be paired with him. We can see if there is another summoner you will be compatible with, but I will say that he is indeed the most correct match available by a very strong percentage," Marak added. I couldn't take being stuck in the institute any more. I had to get out for a bit. Even if my way out was with him. "No. I do not have an objection," I said as I tapped my portrait. Eylic's crystal changed from a purple color to a pink color. "Your pact has been made, and you two are now bound together for the next six months," Marak stated. Eylic smiled and lifted up his arm. "After you," he said. We turned and walked out of the courtyard. The ceremony continued behind us. I felt like I was going to barf.
Eylic
Well, she may have not been my ideal pick, but I was not going to take any chances with the ceremony being almost over. If there are no other close matches after an appeal is made, the summoner simply cannot participate in the League of Legends for the next six months. Besides, I thought this could actually work. Ahri was following behind me now as we headed towards the teleportation beacon. "Take my hand," I said to her once we reached the room. She looked at me quickly before doing as I had asked. I pictured my home town in my head, and we began to teleport.
Once everything came back into focus, I gestured for her to follow me as we walked back to my house. She hadn't said a word to me since we left the courtyard. "So nice night huh? The stars look beautiful." She continued looking down at the ground, and her ears were down. "You look very beautiful in that dress." She suddenly stopped behind me. I stopped too. "Thank you," she replied before she started walking again. I couldn't tell because it was rather dark out now, but I thought she began blushing ever so slightly.
We came to the door of my house. I took the keys from my robe and unlocked the door. I also handed her the second key I had with me. "Well, this is the main entrance. Your bedroom is down this hall on the left. The bathroom is directly next to it. My room is the one on the right. Get settled in and get to sleep. The institute will be bringing by your stuff in the morning. I can help you unpack if you'd like." "No thanks," she said. She walked down the hall and into the bathroom and closed the door. I walked towards the kitchen and grabbed myself a glass. After a moment, I opened back up the cabinet and grabbed a second glass. I heated up some water and made some tea. I walked back towards the bed rooms just in time to see Ahri walk out of the bathroom with her dress over her arm. She was completely naked.
"Agh!" I cried in a mixture of shock and pain as I spilt one of the glasses of hot tea all over myself. Surprisingly, I managed to keep the second glass mostly full. "You… You're naked." I was in shock, but it was a beautiful sight. Her skin was pale and flawless. Her breasts were large and perfect. Her over all figure was very shapely and perfectly toned. She was quick enough to cover her private area with one of her tails. "Yes. I sleep like this. Are you alright?" She said. "Yes," I replied quickly while now looking off to the side. "I just uhm… wasn't expecting that. I made some tea for you." I extended out my arm that held the mostly full cup. She took it and said "thank you. Uhm. Next time I'll change inside my room. Well good night." She turned and went into the bed room.
I cleaned up the mess on the floor and made myself a new cup of tea. I took a look at my arm which now had a minor burn on it. I casted a quick heal spell on it and headed back towards my room. I got to my door, when I thought I heard crying. I held my hand up to Ahri's door ready to knock on when I heard her muffled voice inside say "please don't let me be alone again." I promise Ahri. You won't be alone¸ I thought to myself before turning to face my bedroom door again. I opened it and headed inside. I threw my robe in my laundry pile. I was going to have to clean that in the morning. I laid down in my bed. My mind kept thinking about the beautiful yet sad, naked fox-girl I was now sharing a house with for the next few months. Why do I get the feeling this is going to be quite an adventure? I finished my tea before falling deep into sleep.
Malzahar
So I didn't get paired. Can't say that is a surprise, but it was hilarious to actually have a summoner run in fear of me. I don't think life can get better than this. They did let me keep one of the barrels of ale they had left. The institute had assigned me one of its dorms. They had done some remodeling since the last time I was here. The rooms were bigger and just looked nicer over all. It was still missing something though. I got to work inscribing my runes on the walls. "Come to think of it … that spell I left in my old room at Eylic's house should be wearing off at any time now… "Oh how I wish I could be there to see his reaction to that. Haha."
