Return to Death's Door
Elise blinked. She watched as the Rise of the Thorns appeared on the platform. Although there was a slight bit of surprise on her face, Zyra said nothing and walked to stand by her team. Katarina glared at her with distrust, while Draven immediately began flirting. The orb darkened as the summoners began to redirect the spell towards Summoner's Rift, and the champions were briefed.
Everyone in the dining hall began talking at once. Elise heard those around her begin to bet on who would win. "Noxus has good single target focus. If they take out Vayne and then go for Lux, there won't be much Demacia can do."
"Demacia has a good initiation from Jarvan and Sona. They'll win if they make use of that advantage and lock down Katarina and Draven."
"Draven is too cocky in lane, and Vayne and Sona make a good team. Zyra is an interesting pick eh?"
Zyra was indeed a surprising choice for Noxus. "She may have potential," Elise heard LeBlanc murmur to Swain, "but, she's an outlier when it comes to Noxian strategies."
"It may prove an advantage in this case, if our team adapts accordingly," Swain responded, "Demacia knows Noxus well, but they do not know what to expect from Zyra."
LeBlanc snorted. "What are the chances Katarina and Draven..."
The spectator orbs flickered back on as the briefing ended. Elise tuned the conversation out as the match began. Both teams had entered the jungle on their corresponding sides. Zyra crouched at the entrance by the wraiths. Her orange eyes peered into the fog of war, searching for signs of movement. The rest of the Noxian team moved through the middle lane and into the bushes that lead to the enemy's Ancient Golem camp. Another round of muttering went through the dining hall.
By the Demacian team's red buff, Sona placed a ward in the river bush, signaling to Vayne that there was no sign of the enemy team. On the other side, a few meters away from Darius, Lux stood in the grass just at the edge of the river, twirling her baton idly. Jarvan and Garen stood guard at the other jungle entrance.
There was a pause. Zyra crawled forward and waded into the water, alerting the light mage, who watched her intently. She approached the tall grass Lux was concealed in, and before she could put a ward down, she was interrupted by a light binding. The rest of the Noxian team immediately jumped out and Darius yanked the escaping Demacian back with his giant axe. Lux yelped in pain as a cruel knife was driven between her shoulder blades. Her summoner flashed her away, but a group of vines sprouted and held the mage in place. A spinning axe finished her off. "First Blood!"
"Lux!"
The Noxians turned towards Garen and Jarvan, who had been too far away to help their teammate. The Demacians were forced to retreat, but the purple team did not give chase. Instead, they melted back into the bushes. "Minions have spawned!"
Some cheers were heard around the room, mostly from the summoners allied with Noxus. Elise heard Quinn swear a few tables away. Both teams played cautiously for the next few minutes. Warwick, with the help of Katarina, attempted to take out Lux again, but they were deterred by her binding magic. Now, Jarvan made his way towards the bottom lane. He paused in the tribush, out of sight of Zyra's ward. Vayne suddenly tumbled forward, shooting a bolt at Draven. He ducked to dodge it and then threw an axe at the Night Hunter, clipping her thigh. Zyra's thorns erupted from the ground to wrap around her ankles, and eager plants lunged at their prey. Jarvan entered the river, planning to wrap around for an ambush. The Rise the Thorns immediately spotted him, and called to Draven, who was eagerly chasing after the retreating Vayne and Sona. "Stop! Jarvan is here!"
Draven continued onward. "Ha! Don't worry baby! I got this!"
As he took a turret hit, he threw one last axe, planning on ending the Night Hunter's life. Vayne ducked at the last second and Sona turned around to blast the power of her etwahl in the Glorious Executioner's face, stunning him momentarily. A silver bolt shot into his chest, piercing his heart. One more blast from the tower and he was gone, leaving Zyra to deal with all three Demacians. Elise gripped the edge of the table in anticipation.
The plant woman attempted to retreat, but could not get away from Sona's slowing magic and Jarvan's lance. Vayne shot forward, landing a bolt at the base of Zyra's skull. Her body fell limply into the bushes. "Blue team double kill!"
The champions quickly retreated back to their tower before Zyra's plant form could retaliate. There were several groans around Elise. LeBlanc sighed in disappointment, putting her head on her hand. Quinn whooped with delight. "Nice job Vayne!"
Katarina had just recalled back to the fountain when Draven and Zyra revived. "The hell happened down there?"
Draven shrugged. "Almost got a kill on Vayne."
The Sinister Blade rolled her eyes. "Don't let it happen again. Idiots," she scoffed, and stalked off towards her lane.
Draven turned to Zyra and put an arm around her shoulders as they walked. "Look honey, I don't know how to put this, but eh, you follow Draven ok? Next time keep locking 'em down with those plants of yours alright? Fear not, Draven will do the rest."
He gave her the classic Draven grin. Zyra just glared and shook his arm off. "I refuse to follow you into suicide."
"Aww baby. Don't worry, I'll make it worth your while."
The plant mage just hissed at him this time. The carry raised his hands defensively. "Hey it's all good. I like 'em feisty."
The Rise of the Thorns strode forward and ignored him for the rest of the laning period. Elise snuck a quick look at Swain. His face was grim.
Needless to say, Draven and Zyra lost their lane, and their tower was the first to go fall. By the time Katarina succeeded in demolishing Lux's tower a few minutes later, Vayne had gotten four additional kills. Draven had managed one lucky kill on Sona when she had failed to spot his axe during a skirmish, but that was it.
A spectator orb now focused on the Sinister Blade, who was wading through the river and towards the dragon. A purple sight ward told her that Vayne and Jarvan were in the process of killing the creature. Zyra was running to that area as well. Leaping out of the bush, Katarina shunpoed into the pit with a snarl and proceeded to fall into her Death Lotus, taking the two enemy champions by surprise. A multitude of daggers pierced Vayne's leather catsuit easily and she staggered off, blood running down her sides. With a yell, Jarvan leapt into the air and landed with a hard slam, creating a crater and effectively trapping Katarina in it. He thrust his lance straight through the assassin before she could react, effectively, but temporarily, ending her life. Zyra emerged from the jungle entrance and attempted to give chase to the Night Hunter. She shot the two vines from her arms towards the enemy carry. It was a sure kill, until Vayne dove to the ground, causing the creepers to shoot harmlessly over her by a mere inch. She was immediately flashed to safety by her summoner.
There was a grunt from Zyra as Jarvan slammed into her. The plant woman quickly crawled away on her hands and feet, summoning her children to aid her. Jarvan ran through the mass of thorns without hesitation; they failed to pierce his armor. However, he was deterred when the vines whipped around with a sudden force, throwing him into the air. Zyra got up and quickly ran into the bush. She looked as if she was on her way to safety, until a thin red line cut across the map and through the support.
"DEMACIA!"
The laser beam mercilessly fried the Rise of the Thorns.
Elise cringed and closed her eyes, refusing to look at Zyra's burnt body. "Vayne would be dead ten times over if I were in that match," LeBlanc muttered darkly next to her.
Taking advantage of the two deaths, Lux made quick work of the middle outer turret. Elise switched her attention to a different orb, where Katarina was yelling at Zyra on the fountain. "Would it have hurt you to aim a little lower? We just gave them two more free kills!"
Zyra scowled at the assassin. "Rooting her would have not killed her…You tried to face two champions alone."
They glared at each other, tensing. Both champions looked ready to test the limits of the magic that prevented friendly fire. The Sinister Blade fumed. Muttering profanities under her breath, she strode away to take care of the minions pushing her inner turret. The plant woman turned around to buy more wards.
The game progressed as the blue team continued to push all their lanes, taking the top turret in the process. Darius had done relatively well, managing to get two kills over Garen. However, that amounted to very little against a fully fed Vayne as the Demacian team began to push the middle lane together. The Noxians crouched by their inner turret, attempting to defend it. It would fall soon if they did not come up with a plan. As they cleared a wave, Warwick growled, "The next time they push, I'm going for Vayne. Zyra, root her down."
Everyone nodded, and they waited for the line of blue minions in anticipation. Lux cleared the purple wave quickly and the Demacians advanced forward. She threw a light binding at Draven, attempting to root him, but he jumped out of the way. Seeing the distraction, Warwick lunged into their team, Darius and Katarina at his heels. Zyra's creepers shot from the ground, heading straight for the Night Hunter. They missed as she simply sidestepped.
There was a collective groan from all the spectators rooting for the purple team. Elise bit her lip.
The Blood Hunter leapt forward, trying to reach the Demacian carry. He was interrupted when Jarvan knocked him into the air and slammed him back down. Vayne pulled her large crossbow out and tumbled backward, the magic of her cape stealthing her momentarily. She reappeared next to Katarina and shot a large bolt at her, throwing her into the wall.
Vines suddenly erupted under the Night Hunter's feet, writhing and grasping at anything they could find. Darius took a swing at her, but she ducked, tripping over the various flora that crawled across the ground. Sona came from behind, her dexterous fingers moving in a blur. Everyone on the purple team was blasted to the ground, including Katarina, who had just recovered from the shock of being flung against the rock. Zyra's plants snapped up, giving her team a brief moment to recover. Draven threw an ax towards Vayne, but was blocked by Garen. A shard of light flew to the ground and shattered around the Noxian, causing the Glorious Executioner to wobble for a moment. That was all Lux needed to get a laser in, turning him into a pile of dust.
While Sona kept Darius and Warwick away from her, Vayne made quick work of Katarina, who was too dazed to continue fighting after taking the last hit from the Maven of the Strings. Jarvan's lance whipped through the air, knocking the wolf and the Hand of Noxus off their feet. Vayne turned around and finished them off. "Blue team triple kill!"
The enemy champions now turned towards Zyra, who had been supporting her team from afar under the safety of the turret. Her eyes widened and she turned to run, abandoning the structure. Lux flung her baton in a wide arc, shooting a burst of light towards the Rise of the Thorns. Zyra glanced back just in time for it to pin her down. A silver bolt went through her stomach, and then another to her chest. Blood sprayed from the wounds and Zyra reflexively covered them with her hands, eyes wide. Vayne shot a final projectile right between her eyes.
"Blue team quadrakill! Ace!"
Cheers erupted from the other side of the room. LeBlanc turned to glare at them. Swain remained still, staring stoically forward. Elise put her head on the table.
Vayne turned to cock an eyebrow at Lux. The light mage, upon realizing why she was being stared at, put her hands on her hips. "Hey! I got the first kill!"
The Night Hunter shook her head and strode forward with the minion wave, blowing a strand of hair out of her face in annoyance. Lux giggled.
The Demacians finished the remaining turrets swiftly and turned their attention to the Nexus. It exploded on its own in a brilliant burst of purple.
Elise had left the dining hall to get away from the loud applause and yelling, preferring a more quiet environment. While she wasn't exactly allied with Noxus, she was closer to them than she was to Demacia. The arrogance that was currently being display by the blue team's supporters, who had done absolutely nothing to contribute to the victory, irked her. Hugging her spellbook to her chest, she decided to go find Zyra.
She heard yelling as she neared the summoning room. "Have you landed a single one of your shots this whole game? I have no idea why our summoners even picked you! You're useless!"
The Spider Queen peeked into the room. Katarina was glaring daggers at Zyra. Both women were standing practically nose to nose, but neither refused to back down. "You speak as if I was the only one who made mistakes."
Zyra's voice was quiet, but that only made it seem more threatening. "We could have won that last fight if you had done everything you were supposed to do," Katarina spat venomously.
"And you? You were out of position and contributed nothing either," Zyra said evenly.
The Sinister Blade growled, her emerald eyes boiling with anger. She straightened suddenly and moved to back off. Elise relaxed and was in the process of entering the room when Katarina suddenly whipped around and swung her blade at Zyra. The Rise of the Thorns instinctively put her right arm up to block the attack, crying out in pain when the dagger cut through her skin. The summoners in the vicinity immediately swarmed towards Katarina, attempting to stop her before she could attack again. Zyra backed up a few steps and then thrust her uninjured arm out. Her vines shot forward and whipped Katarina in the face. The Sinister Blade grunted and then went down among a mass of summoners. A group of them tried to grab Zyra as well, but Elise got to her first. The Spider Queen stepped in front of the plant woman, hissing. "Leave her alone."
There was a look of surprise on their faces. Some of them seemed to want to argue, but Katarina stole their attention once more as someone was kicked across the room. The rest of the Noxian team stood among the fray, trying to get the Sinister Blade to calm down. The Demacians were still standing on the blue platform, mouths agape at the scene before them. Elise turned around to ask Zyra if she was alright, only to find her gone and droplets of blood leading towards the door. She followed the trail into the corridor, spotting a shock of red hair turning the corner towards the main entrance of the Institute. "Zyra!"
Elise hurried after her, ignoring the stares she was receiving. She had to practically run and managed to reach Zyra just as she disappeared through the large doorway. "Zyra wait!"
The storm was still raging, and the plant woman had been immediately soaked when she stepped into the rain. Elise grabbed her left arm, pulling her back underneath the portico. Zyra jerked away, growling at the Spider Queen. There was anger in her orange eyes. Anger, and something else. She opened her mouth, presumably to yell at Elise, but was interrupted by a clap of thunder. The Rise of the Thorns flinched and was silent. She continued to glare at the woman in front of her. Diluted blood dripped off her fingers, and it was now that Elise got a good look at the cut Katarina had given Zyra. The wound was a vertical gash running from the elbow and almost down to her wrist. It appeared deep, but it was hard to tell due to the amount of blood seeping out. Elise had to raise her voice to be heard. "You have to get that treated! Don't go back out there! At least wait until the rain stops!"
Another round of thunder drowned everything out for a moment. She reached for the plant woman's hand again, but Zyra took a step back. She looked uncertain now. "Zyra, let me help you," Elise said in a softer tone, still holding her hand out.
A moment passed before the Rise of the Thorns hesitantly took it, allowing the other woman to pull her into the building. Elise gave her a small reassuring smile, but Zyra was staring at the ground. The sounds of the howling gale were muted as she forcefully shut the heavy door. The Spider Queen created a clump of cobwebs in her hands and used them to mop up the pinkish rain water on her companion's arm. The wound itself was still bleeding, but at least this prevented a mess on the floor. Elise then gently led Zyra towards one of the many wings. She saw Sona floating at the entrance of the hall leading to the summoning room and glanced at her suspiciously. The Maven of the Strings gave the two a sympathetic smile as they passed. She strummed her instrument, playing a few notes of soothing music. Magic tinted with a slight green color floated through the air and wrapped itself around Zyra's lower arm. The bleeding stopped. Elise blinked and then mouthed a "thank you" at Sona, who nodded in reply. Zyra either did not notice or chose to ignore her.
They entered the Northern wing. Behind her, Elise heard Lux's annoying voice. "Sona? What are you doing here? Come celebrate with us!"
"I'm taking you to the Ionian ward," Elise murmured to Zyra.
This made the Rise of the Thorns stop. She tried to draw her hand back, but Elise held onto it firmly. "I…don't want to go there."
The Spider Queen looked at her with confusion. "Why? What's wrong?"
Zyra turned away. "Poison," she murmured vaguely.
Elise's eyebrows furrowed, but the plant mage did not elaborate. She sighed, not wanting to provoke her. "Alright let's go to my room."
They headed towards a different wing. The two could hear Thresh's sinister laughter from inside his room as they passed. Elise shoved her door open and seated Zyra down on her bed. The plant woman gave a sound of protest, as she was still wet. Elise just shook her head, pushing her back down. The spellbook was set on the desk. She went to the bathroom, grabbing a towel as well as the first aid kit. Making sure the wound hadn't started bleeding again, she gave Zyra a quick once-over with the towel and then started rubbing her hair. Her companion was looking down at the ground again, unmoving. Elise threw the towel aside and pulled the first aid kit towards her, sitting on the bed to Zyra's right. "Let me see your arm."
She slowly set the appendage on her lap. Grabbing an alcohol swab, she carefully dabbed at the wound. Zyra hissed in pain, attempting to withdraw her arm. Elise kept a firm grip on it, but softly shushed her. "I'm sorry, but I have to clean it."
The gash was not as deep as she had initially thought. Because the cut was parallel to the muscle, none of the muscle fibers themselves were damaged. It would have been worse if Katarina had been standing closer to Zyra. Elise felt a twinge of anger towards the Sinister Blade.
There was still quite a bit of bleeding. Sona's magic had worn off by now and Elise had to use some gauze to soak up the blood. She irrigated the area and took out a sterile needle and thread. "You're going to need stitches for this okay?"
A small nod from Zyra. She tensed as her skin was pierced, but did not pull away this time. The whole process took a while, but Elise was finally able to close the wound with multiple, neat stitches. The Spider Queen silently thanked the fact that she had gained the dexterity needed for the task from her time spinning hundreds of webs. She finished by wrapping gauze around the arm and cleaned up, replacing everything in the bathroom. She took a seat on Zyra's left this time. The Rise of the Thorns was silent, with her eyes downcast once more. Elise sat, feeling awkward because she wasn't quite sure what to do next. Zyra spoke suddenly. "I-I'm sorry."
"For what?"
A pause. The other woman drew her knees up to her chest. "I…don't know."
Zyra looked more confused than anything else. The Spider Queen guessed she was having trouble processing all the emotions she was feeling and watched them flicker across her face. Frustration. Disappointment. Anger. Confusion. Frustration again. "Look," Elise said, "don't beat yourself up for that match. Unexpected events always happen. Katarina is a veteran of the League. She should know better than most champions here. She made quite a bit of mistakes herself. Not to mention she's generally a bitch when it comes to such things."
Zyra glanced up timidly. "Were you watching the whole time?"
Elise nodded, and her partner looked back down. The mysterious emotion from before was back. The spider woman cocked her head. Was that…loneliness? She felt the urge to touch Zyra, but refrained from doing so. Instead, she glanced around and spotted the peach-mango she had been given earlier that day on her desk. She grabbed it and moved to sit again on the bed. With one clawed finger, she sliced a bite-sized portion from the fruit. She offered it to Zyra, putting it close to her mouth. The Rise of the Thorns blinked and moved to grab it, but Elise retracted her hand, giving her a stern look. The piece of fruit was placed in front of Zyra again. Understanding flickered in her eyes and the plant woman opened her mouth, allowing herself to be fed. She chewed slowly, glancing at Elise, but looking away quickly. The Spider Queen handed her another portion of the peach-mango. She scooted closer to give her companion easier access. Zyra's lips closed around the tips of her fingers this time, and Elise had to suppress a shiver. They were soft, as soft as the silk webbing she used to occasionally weave makeshift nests for her spiderlings. This gave Elise an idea and she stored it away for later use.
They sat in silence as Zyra finished the snack. Elise found herself sitting very close to the Rise of the Thorns by the time the last piece was gone. The plant woman leaned against the backboard, her head facing the window in front of her. She appeared to be feeling slightly better, but still said nothing. Elise wasn't so sure her current mood was merely due to the events of the match anymore. The Rise of the Thorns eventually put her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. The Spider Queen watched her, idly listening to the pattering of rain against the glass. Neither person moved for a long while. That was, until Zyra's head fell to the side onto Elise's shoulder. The sudden motion caused both parties to jump. The plant woman's eyes shot opened and she stuttered an apology. "O-oh, sorry. I fell asleep."
She tried to move back into an upright position, but Elise shook her head. Before she could think about what she was doing, she had pulled Zyra closer to her, being careful to not jostle her arm. Zyra tensed, but then relaxed after a moment, allowing herself to use Elise's shoulder as a pillow. She looked up, a slight blush on her cheeks. "Thank you."
Elise shrugged her other shoulder, trying to remain nonchalant. "No big deal."
"No…I meant, thank you for taking care of me."
The plant woman gestured to her arm. The person she was leaning on gave her a small smile. "You're welcome."
Elise was pretty sure she was turning red as well. Zyra readjusted her head. Her eyelids were beginning to droop again. Soon, her breathing had turned into a deep, slow rhythm, indicating she had fallen asleep once more. Being careful to not wake her, Elise slowly pulled a blanket towards her. She placed it over Zyra, making sure she was warm. The Spider Queen took the time to stare at her. Zyra's face was peaceful, as opposed to the emotional turmoil she had been experiencing earlier. And that vulnerable expression of loneliness…
Elise thought back to what the Rise of the Thorns had said that morning. I lived alone for a long while, before I came to the League.
Here was a person, a biologically mature adult, who had entered a world she knew nothing about, aside from flashes of memory. She had been born into a new body, one that experienced things she had never before felt. It would have been extremely difficult, having to learn even the basics of human life without anyone to teach her. And she had been brave and willing enough to do it, just to survive. The spider woman felt a sense of new respect for the plant mage. Even after Zyra's entrance to the league, she had rarely shown her face anywhere. But behind the thorny exterior, that stoic mask she kept on in all her matches, was someone who was lonely, someone who could only be resilient against the temptations of human interaction for so long.
Elise's expression softened and she carefully placed her head on top of Zyra's. The body snuggled closer to hers in response. The Spider Queen looked out the window. The storm was over.
Elise had a mass of papers and various things sprawled across her desk. There were vials of different colored powders that assisted in manipulating raw magic, as well as some dusty books in addition to the one that was currently being read. Some pens and a special feather quill lay to the side. The woman leaned back against her chair and stretched. It was rather late. Zyra had left earlier that day, after waking to find herself on Elise's lap. The woman had waited patiently while she slept, amusing herself by simply toying with the long locks of red hair. She remembered how smooth and delicate it was. In fact, it was probably comparable to one of Ahri's tails. Not that she would know, of course.
The Spider Queen shook her head and stood up, pushing her chair back in. She would clean up this mess later. She blew out the lamp she had been using for illumination, and was about to move towards her bed when she noticed an eerie green light peeking underneath her door. Thresh.
Elise waited for the Chain Warden to continue on, but the light persisted. After a moment, she realized Thresh would not have to walk past her room to go outside anyway, so there was no reason for him to be here. Unless…
She pressed her ear against the wood, but heard nothing. Elise decided to open the door and did so with a sudden motion, in case someone, or something, had been hoping to surprise her. In the middle of the corridor, was Thresh's lantern. The Chain Warden himself was nowhere to be seen. The spider woman approached the object carefully, alert for any traps surrounding it. Thresh had obviously left this here for her, but why?
Elise sighed. Only one way to find out. Bracing herself for anything unfortunate that might happen, she grabbed the lantern. She was immediately sucked through space and unable to breath for the duration of the journey, an unfortunate side effect when Thresh pulled someone he couldn't see. Suddenly, she choked as air reentered her lungs and looked around wildly. She was in the forest. Thresh, Hecarim and Evelynn were staring at her. "Took you long enough," Evelynn said, putting her hands on her hips.
Elise straightened and folded her arms, pretending she had not just been gasping like a fish out of water. "Sorry, did I miss the invitation to someone's birthday party?"
Thresh snorted. It was a strange sound and seemed to be accompanied by the screeching of tortured souls. "You don't need one, as you have proved the nights before."
The Spider Queen rolled her eyes. "Floating things that glow a bright green tend to catch my eye. I apologize," she said, not sounding sorry at all.
Hecarim pawed at the ground with a giant hoof. "Enough," he rumbled, "Why have I been called here?"
Thresh smiled. "Patience, Shadow of War. You will see soon."
Good. This might save Elise a separate trip to the Shadow Isles. How unfortunate she had done all that work to prepare the spell though. The centaur growled. "He's been going back and forth between here and the Isles lately," the spider woman provided.
It seemed as if the Chain Warden was glaring at her, although it was hard to tell because he didn't actually have eyes. "When was the last time you returned there, Spider Queen?"
Elise shrugged. "A few months ago. When we fed Vilemaw his annual snack."
She silently thanked the fact that her spider cult was functionally independent at this point. It had been such a pain previously to keep up her friendly visage when she had to spend every day with the fools. Thresh turned away from her. "Ah, then you have not seen it. We are waiting for the portal to open. Karthus and Yorick were impatient and went first."
Hecarim let out another sound of discontent. He trotted around the clearing and paused next to a tiny flower. It had one pink bud sticking out and was surrounded by thorns. Elise assumed it was the seedling Zyra had planted a few days ago.
Looking bored, the horseman stamped it down roughly. The Spider Queen stiffened as he wiped the white liquid stuck to his hoof on the grass. Evelynn noted the expression on her face and peered at her. "You know, I never noticed that you liked to imitate fish so much."
"Huh? Oh, um," Elise swallowed, "That's…one of Zyra's plants."
"So? It'll grow back. You care why?"
The other woman looked away. "I don't," she lied.
Evelynn just shrugged. The air was beginning to shimmer with the signs of an opening rift and she headed towards it. "Maybe we'll call you the Fish Queen from now on."
Elise did not respond because she was still distracted by the dead plant. There was a bright flash in front of her as space tore apart. She could glimpse the thick blanket of fog as well as the spectral trees in the portal that led to the place she called home. Thresh stepped through without a word, motioning for the others to follow. Hecarim went next with the Widowmaker at his heels. Elise took one last look at the plant before she too crossed into the rift.
She emerged in front of the Eastern Altar. The fog had magically parted for the Shadow Isle champions as they entered and Elise could see everything clearly. Leafless trees crawled around them, their crooked arms forming an angry barrier of wood and shrouding everything in the shadows. Eerie red eyes of rats peeked out at the visitors. They disappeared, only to reemerge in a different spot. The river flowed silently to the left, the water splashing as it was met with various rocks jutting out. But there was no water, and there wasn't really a river. Ghostly leaves floated slowly past, forever doomed in the endless cycle of circling throughout the dark islands. Karthus, Yorick and Mordekaiser stood around the platform, staring up at a white writhing mass that floated in the middle. The ruined king could be heard laughing distinctly.
Hecarim grunted angrily when he saw the Master of Metal and moved to stand as far away from him as possible. Elise eyed the sight in front of her with curiosity. "What's that?" Evelynn asked before she could.
Thresh stepped onto the altar and set his lantern down. A portion of the numerous souls that had been trapped inside were suddenly sucked out, joining the white hoard of what Elise now identified as the energy from spirits. "Thank you for your gifts, denizen," came the ominous voice of the king.
"A power source," the Chain Warden finally answered, "to set the curse of the Shadow Isles upon Valoran."
Elise stared at him in disbelief. "What."
It came out as a statement, not a question. Thresh ignored her. "The chains that bind the darkness to this place weaken as time goes on. They will break soon, and we will be free."
Mordekaiser stepped up now. "Once the Eastern Altar has accumulated enough energy, it will erupt, and the dark magic will spread across all of Runeterra. The power will be so great, that not even all the summoners of the League combined can stop it."
The Spider Queen narrowed her eyes. "So you're going to kill everyone."
Mordekaiser laughed, a hollow ringing sound that echoed within his armor. "Fear not Spider Queen, for you have already been touched by the gifts of the Isles. It will do no more to you. That said, you can still make offerings to your god. The people may be corrupted, but they will be far from dead. This curse will bind all spirits to our world. When the living pass away, they will be reborn undead."
Elise folded her arms, but said no more, as she could pinpoint no possible reason of why the suit of armor would be lying. She could really care less what the other inhabitants of the Shadow Isles did, as long as they did not interfere with her deal with Vilemaw. She felt a twinge of discomfort as she thought this, but quickly dismissed the feeling.
Evelynn was speaking. "Did anyone run this by the Western Altar, or are we just conveniently ignoring her? And how have you been hiding this," she gestured at the floating ball, "from the League?"
The Master of Metal chuckled again. "The queen is weak. She cannot do anything with the might of the entire Isles against her. As for the League, they are blind."
He and the Chain Warden stepped off the altar. It lit up, and the collection of spirits were gradually absorbed into the floor. The platform glowed for a second and then became dormant. Elise had been able to detect a strong magical signature in the air previously, but now, there was nothing. Impressive. The Deathsinger clacked his jaw. "There is no reason for you to present this to us unless you are in need of something. What is it that you want?" Karthus asked.
"Observant," Thresh wheezed, "We require your assistance in the last stages of this process. Your power will bring the source to its fullest potential. Then, we may proceed."
The lich bowed his head in acknowledgement. Hecarim snorted. "This better be worth it. I don't like my time being wasted."
Mordekaiser faced the horseman. "I assure you, Shadow of War, it will be better than your habit of running rampant throughout Valoran without reason."
His voice had a mocking tone. Hecarim growled angrily. He was about to retort, but was interrupted by Thresh. "We will send everyone a message when we need your help. For now," he grinned, "may the shadows guide you."
The spectral centaur and the Master of Metal were still glaring at each other, but neither moved. Elise rolled her eyes and turned away, uninterested in their squabbles. She walked over to the Chain Warden, who was preparing for a portal to return to the Institute alongside Karthus and Yorick. Evelynn was nowhere to be seen, although Elise found that unsurprising. "Thresh, may I have a word?"
The jailer glanced at her for a moment, and then nodded. The woman led him away so that everyone else was out of earshot. "Do you not think you have pestered me enough, Elise?"
The question was ignored. "In return for my compliance to this…arrangement, I have a favor to ask you."
Thresh had a look of displeasure on his face, but motioned Elise to go on. "There is a soul in your lantern who goes by the name of Senna. I wish to speak to her."
He was surprised. "Senna? What business do you have with her?"
"Let me talk to her if you wish to find out."
The Chain Warden was silent. "Very well," he said at last, "but it is not that simple. I am the only one who can interact with those in my lantern from the outside world. If you would like to speak with her, you must enter it and seek her out yourself."
He was given a suspicious glare. "I do not make the rules, my dear Elise."
"How do I know I won't be trapped in there?"
Thresh grunted. "If only it was that easy. I cannot ensnare a soul unless the body is dead or weakened."
Elise nodded reluctantly in acknowledgement. The Chain Warden continued, "Although I must add that the longer you spend in my lantern, the more likely you are to become trapped."
He smiled, the sinister green wisps around his head flickering in delight. The Spider Queen said nothing. "Well?" he asked.
"When can I do it?"
"Anytime you wish," Thresh answered, still grinning.
"Tomorrow night, then."
"Very well."
She picked her way through the dark woods, wondering if she needed to visit her lair to pick anything up. The Spider Queen finally decided not to. Vilemaw was generally nearby, and while she was thankful that he granted her eternal life, she found him rather narrow-minded and arrogant the majority of the time. Elise had decided to take a walk after speaking with the Chain Warden. Even though it was not likely, the prospect of having her soul put at his mercy for eternity did not sit well with her.
Her feet had carried her to the shores of the Shadow Isles, and she stared out to the ocean, but could see very little due to the clouds of steam that lurked everywhere. Not that there was much to see in the first place. There was a sudden snarl behind her. Elise turned to find a spectral wolf, baring its teeth. It's ghastly coat of fur was ragged and torn. It was extremely thin, as if it had not eaten for a very long time. It hadn't.
The Spider Queen watched it calmly, knowing that it would dare not approach her. She was a servant of their god, after all. She raised a hand, as if moving to attack it, and the wolf immediately backed away, its growls turning into whimpers. The spectral wolves had terrorized her crew the first time she had set foot here. They had chased the men down, snapping and snarling. No one except Elise had stuck around long enough to find out that there was, in fact, nothing to fear. The wolves were apparitions, ones that did not have a solid form. Their bodies simply went through everything they attempted to hunt down. They yearned for the flesh of the living, but were no longer able to feast upon it. Thus was their curse.
Elise decided that it was time to return to the League. She murmured a spell, watching as the air began to shift in front of her. The Shadow Isles were very peculiar. Getting away from the area was rather easy, but going to the place was much harder. That was probably why there was so much fog. To deter people from finding it. It seemed rather backward to Elise. However, death was very picky with its servants, as its secrets were not to be shared with just anyone. Those who ended up here were tainted with its dark power and they took it with them wherever they went, spreading the word of death. That is, if they were still alive to do so.
The portal finally opened and Elise could glimpse the much greener trees of the forest by the Institute. She leapt through, the rift closing upon itself with a small pop behind her.
She was back at the clearing where she had left. The woman inhaled deeply, enjoying the refreshing cold air. Her eyes were once again drawn to the flowering shoot Hecarim had killed. It lay partially buried beneath the disturbed soil.
There was the tiniest of rustles behind her. Elise stilled, but did not turn around, listening for more signs of an intruder. There were none. Cautiously, she looked behind her to peer among the bushes. It was probably just an animal. She was about to leave it at that when she caught a glimpse of two orange eyes. They quickly closed as they spotted her, but it was too late. "Zyra?"
There was a moment of silence. The plant woman jumped from the branch she had been perched on and stepped into the open. She looked wary, and held her bandaged arm slightly behind her. They stared at each other wordlessly. Zyra finally spoke. "You went to the Shadow Isles?"
Elise nodded. "Why?" the Rise of the Thorns asked her again.
"Thresh wanted to make some plans."
Well, that wasn't exactly a lie. Zyra did not question the matter further. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other and glanced around uncomfortably. "Where are the others?"
Elise understood the reason for her watchfulness. "Gone. It's just me here now."
At this, the other woman relaxed. She moved around Elise and towards the dead plant. She knelt down, and the Spider Queen heard her whisper, "I'm sorry."
Using her hands, Zyra began to dig a hole next it. Elise approached her slowly. "Um, Hecarim stepped on it before I could do anything…I, uh…"
Her companion simply nodded. After a moment's hesitation, she knelt down to help Zyra bury the plant.
They stood up once finished. The spider woman clapped her hands together to get rid of the soil. She noticed Zyra staring at her, a perplexed look on her face. "What?"
"You reek."
The Spider Queen raised an eyebrow. It was not very characteristic of the plant woman to be so blunt. "Of death," Zyra finished.
Oh. Before she could say anything, the Rise of the Thorns had abruptly turned around and walked away, disappearing among the trees. Elise stared after her, unsure of whether to follow. Zyra came into view again. "Coming?"
The spider mage nodded, feeling very reminiscent of the previous morning. The plant woman once again lead the way and they headed for the general direction of her domicile. Zyra stopped by a bush. It had large, dark purple flowers and started to shift around when its mistress tapped its buds. Elise watched her curiously. After a moment of fiddling around, Zyra turned to her partner. She held something in her left hand. "Close your eyes."
"Wha-"
Before Elise could react, Zyra had thrown some light yellow powder over her. The Spider Queen accidentally inhaled some of it and sneezed. She heard giggling as she quickly brushed a hand over her face. "Oh, I'm sorry!"
Zyra was slightly bent over in mirth. Elise wanted to glare at her, but realized she couldn't. Not because her eyes were watering, but because it was refreshing to see the woman smiling after she had been so sad earlier. Instead, she gave Zyra a mock angry look after rubbing her eyes. "What was that for?"
The Rise of the Thorns sniffed. "You smell better now."
Elise breathed in through her nose, careful to not unintentionally intake anymore large quantities of pollen. There was a distinct flowery scent. It was not unpleasant. She blinked when she felt a hand brush her head and looked at Zyra. "There's a lot stuck in your hair," the plant woman said, a grin still on her face.
"I wonder who's fault that is," Elise deadpanned, but she smiled to let Zyra know she was teasing.
The Spider Queen let her fuss over her until she was satisfied. Then, the Rise of the Thorns grabbed her hand and pulled her forward. They trekked through the various amounts of flora, most of which consisted of vines. Soon, Zyra's home was in view. The plant mage turned to Elise. "I wanted to show you the firebees, remember?"
She received a nod. Zyra let go of Elise's hand. She stretched her left arm out and allowed a vine to pull her up and into the circular entrance. Aware of her injury, Elise felt inclined to watch her until she was safely inside. "Come look!" she heard her call.
The spider woman transformed, entering the domicile the same way she had before. Zyra was lying on the moss, staring upward. She pointed overhead. Elise reverted to her normal self and looked above her. There were perhaps hundreds of firebees zipping back and forth. Some flew outside, their bodies bright against the dark contrast of the night, while others hovered about their nests. A few curious ones drifted downward, buzzing circles over Elise. They cast a soft, yellow-orange light on the vine walls. Upon looking down at her companion, the Spider Queen found that Zyra's eyes were also illuminated, and they seemed to be glowing. The Rise of the Thorns was waiting for a response. Elise took the time to lie down next to her before she uttered a word. "Beautiful."
Zyra hummed in agreement. Neither spoke for a long while. As the Spider Queen continued to view the mesmerizing scene in front of her, she began to feel her eyelids grow heavy. The bees continued to draw patterns in the air, slowly lulling her to sleep. Tired from the events of the long day, Elise allowed herself to succumb to the dream world.
She was fast asleep when Zyra quietly called her name.
Warriors reference anyone? I loved that series as a child. XD
~BirdSpirit