The Lunar Revel

Everything looked up that night. To every eye that cared to see it was a clear sky. Stronger than ale, intoxicating. While the Institute celebrated the Lunar Revel on the mainland, dozens of summoners like me made the long trip to Ionia to immerse ourselves in an authentic experience. We made it to the coast by airship, and then hopped on a commerce vessel to cross the sea. A tailwind backed us the entire journey, cutting travel time by nearly half-turning a week long voyage into a three day sail. Out there the stars envelope your being. I climbed up the mast and saw them all close in. I should have jumped to catch one at random, ask it to speak to me in the absence of its friends. What would happen if I had taken it along with me to Ionia? We could have sat under the full moon and be we could be full with it. Then I would release the star; let it join all the others in the night sky while it shines brighter than before. Perhaps that one star would ignite other stars nearby and begin a chain reaction, so that one could see the entire population of stars. Sailors could navigate even during the day. Those lost and world-weary could always find their bearings when blinded by a searing truth.

The Serene Gardens is a sprawling complex of carefully pruned bushes, gnarling trees, contemplative stonework, and the most admirable woodwork I've ever seen. Every piece in that place beckons you to examine the narrow intricacies through a spyglass, to isolate your awareness and suck you in for hours. The snow reflected the red hue of the lamps so that it looked like old parchment On the edge of the gardens were vendors selling food along with miscellaneous merchandise like antique weapons and enchanted novelty toys. But the magic was staring down from above us as the moon shone right above the Great Tree-a gigantic cherry blossom tree whose bare branches were lit up by lanterns. The summoner from Piltover, still learning the etwahl, walked with me as both of us shuffled through a large crowd around the tree. It sat in the center of an open circle, next to a low red building which hosted a stage. Constant erformances were lighting up the night more than the lanterns. Right when the moon's arc was to cross directly over the tree, there would be a finale, a special guest. Sona is arguably the face of the lunar revel with her traditional red dress and natural brown hair. She was half the reason I sailed to Ionia, the other half being the snow.

We encountered a big cast iron bell in the gardens, or it encountered us. It was stout and cylindrical, housed under an ominous wooden roof. Even in the still winter air I could feel it vibrating eerily. Being the inquisitive fool I am, I tapped a fist on it. A deep and resounding ring penetrated me as if retaliating against my idle tampering with a savage blow. And that is when I collapsed.

The Serene Garden is not a bad place to fall asleep in. However, going into a short blackout does not feel good anywhere. Knocked out by the ring of a bell! This should be funny in retrospect, and in a crude sense of slapstick it is. But let me show you the nightmare.

It took place in the Demacian concert hall where I first saw Sona. I was sitting in the frontmost seat. Everything was darkened by something more powerful than an absence of light. The place was afflicted with an overbearing toxicity. Onstage was Mordekaiser, his glowing red eyes and noble stance pinning me down with fear. On his shoulder was the gigantic metal mace. His voice came out slow and with a great deal of cruel sadism.

"Suffer, then die."

Without my knowing, Singed was next to me the entire time. He laid a hand on my chest as a syringe sunk into me. I started to convulse violently, my skin began to burn.

"You will not take him from me." Singed snarled in response to the intimidating Mordekaiser behind him. "This world must be silenced. We must fill their lungs so they will stop screaming at us. I want quiet!"

Mordekaiser quickly raised his free hand. A spiked metal mace like the one he wielded rose up from the ground and smashed into Singed from under his legs. The chemist let go of the syringe as he was engulfed in metal shards. He wailed in agony while writhing on the ground. In the same tone as before, Mordekaiser repeated hauntingly to me "You will suffer, then die." A sanguine red fog enveloped my head and my eyes rolled back in pain. "You will suffer, then die…" As he trailed off, my vision blackened. Slowly the pain died out, so thoroughly that the only sense of physical self left was in my hearing. It was that ringing you get in your ears when the brain has nothing to listen to.

The melody was slow to come. It was mournful, simple and unadorned. The notes tell you not to weep, but just wait and look on. I felt like I was being lifted out of a hole as the song only lasted for about a minute. When it ended, Mordekaiser finished his last statement. "Die…" Suddenly I was thrust upward into a chilling wind.

"And be reborn."

I woke up on a grassy patch in the garden, my face in contact with snow. Why not in a sick-bed? Was nobody there ever bothered to notice a guy who got knocked out for as long as I was? With this in mind I sat up and discovered I was wrong. The summoner learning the etwahl grabbed my hand and checked my pulse. He stared at me with a worried frown on his face, then turned to a man behind him and said something. Together they helped me up on my feet as another pair of hands dusted off the snow on my back. All I could do was think of a logical explanation for how I collapsed. Was it something I ate? That bun vendor from earlier looked pretty suspicious, I could tell in his mustache. No man with a family to provide for would ever be caught dead wearing his mustache. I looked to my left and saw the bun vendor hoisting my arm over his shoulder. He smiled when I looked at him, saying "How much did you drink? The alcohol is pretty strong here, too much to handle for most tourists."

In a half dazed state I asked how long I was out. The summoner spoke. "For a while. Maybe three hours. We couldn't wake you up at all, so Bing and I hauled you out here to see if this would work."

Three hours? That killed me. We missed Sona's performance! The trip was ruined! And I had to bring back that horrible nightmare to! At least I learned the vendor's name. I thanked them both sincerely. "Not just us. Take a look behind you." said Bing, motioning his head.

Sona stood there smiling, her red robe speckled with white snow. The etwahl floated before her as she laid both her hands on it. Our eyes were locked. It's that intimate stare which most people try to avoid. It clobbered my chest and knocked the breath out of my lungs. This is a hook. One can cast it out into the sea and hope for a bite. She caught the three of us together that night. I smiled back.

Not since the first time I met her in person did I ever hear her voice. So when she spoke to me in that untainted voice of hers I listened intently. Her mouth did not move.

"I felt the pain you were going through, yet you were silent inside. Don't be afraid to speak, for you are not alone. Express your love to others. Speak through them like you did through me. With no pride to shelter you, with no anger to raise your voice, no fear of fear or rejection to stop you. Nothing else, not I, not them, no magic in this world will ever own you again."

I stepped forward. I had so many things to say, yet no words that I could ever conjure up to do it. So instead of offering a thank you or some profound something to tie our exchange together, I cried. I cried for thrusting myself into a sea of talk, going out into the storm with only a parting wave to my friends before I nearly sunk. I cried for all the stars I dropped and let die in the distant past. I cried for the people who yell at everything, drowning out every conceivable form of voice that could calm them. Drained of strength, I fell into Sona's arms. Her hands embraced my head, and I felt her pulse again through her chest. The etwahl floated beside us and plucked out a tune. It was the same one from my dream, picked out of my brain by Sona's delicate hands, and it repeated for a long while. Gradually I regained my senses.

I slowly looked back up to her eyes again with my own pitiful face, lined with tears. This was supposed to be a professional relationship? Romance like this is mundane to her, I hope. Many summoners need this. Lots of champions in the League can do what Sona did for me.

I turned around to face the etwahl playing summoner behind me. He looked fatigued, so I said we should all enjoy the full moon that night before it's gone. Turns out we had the best view of it right where we were, so we all sat down and bathed in the pale light.

We were free to say whatever we wanted; I could have tried to coax Sona to speak again so that everyone else could hear. But the snow was already open and content.