"NO" she screamed.
She was ripped from her nightmare and back into reality. She bolted upright and shrieked, still feeling like she was in the nightmare and about to be eaten. Her heart pounded so vigorously against her chest, she feared it might burst. Just a dream...just a dream...she continually told herself to try and calm her nerves. That's when she noticed her cloths were smoldering on her skin.
What the fuck?! she screamed in her mind as she fell through a burning hole in her cot, hitting the earth with a thud and causing her to grunt. She instinctively swiped the fiery fabric away from her skin, leaving only her naked body sitting on the earth. Shyvana heard commotion outside just as an arm snapped open the tent flaps as Jarvan dashed inside.
"Shyvana are yo-" Jarvan cut off as he saw Shyvana sitting naked on the ground. This cannot be happening she thought to herself, feeling her face begin to heat up. Jarvan continued to stand and gawk at the sight, prompting Shyvana to raise her arm to cover her nipples and glare at Jarvan.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare" Jarvan apologized as he quickly turned around. Shyvana stood and walked over to her cloak, she bent down and wordlessly wrapped it around her naked form. "Are you...decent"? Jarvan asked over his shoulder. Why did my clothing catch fire Shyvana asked herself as she walked up to Jarvan and pushed him out of the tent "hey-" a startled Jarvan spoke up.
Not needing any encouragement or requests, Jarvan spoke to Shyvana through the tent flaps "Some of the soldiers have spare clothing, I will personally seize a set for you" Jarvan finished, feeling guilty about his lingering eyes.
Stretching her cloak around her body wasn't easy, but Shyvana made due. She glanced through a crack in the tent flaps to try and gauge the time, the sun is just rising she observed.
Jarvan returned "I have some cloths for you Shyvana" he said outside the tent. Could that distortion of air back in the forest have been caused by me? Both times my emotions were running high... Shyvana tried to reason with the situation, almost forgetting Jarvan was outside the tent waiting.
She spoke through the tent flaps "are there any spare armor sets you are willing to part with Jarvan"? At least metal won't smolder away like cloth...if it was me that caused that she thought to herself. "We travel light. Garet, fetch some armor for Shyvana" she heard Jarvan command Garet through the tent.
Seeing Ralous again will be the best test Shyvana figured. Moments later, Jarvan handed Shyvana a breastplate along with some plated leg armor and loose fitting pants to cover the sensitive areas the plates left exposed.
Shyvana quickly tossed her cloak aside and strapped the armor on her chest and pulled up the pants, finally strapping the leg plates on, but not without quite a bit of hassle. Ugh, my god this armor stinks and it's too big Shyvana crinkled her nose and frowned to herself at the scent of the well-worn armor as she flung her cloak about her shoulders and stepped out of the tent. "That armor...suits you" Jarvan said to Shyvana, half joking.
"Garet, take a few enlisted and dismantle our camp; make it vanish, understood?" Jarvan commanded of the young lieutenant. Shyvana's ears perked up with the potential for eavesdropping. "But my prince, the king specifically requested I attend with the raiding party" Garet said in a half whine. "The king is not here, you'll obey my commands lieutenant, is that clear?" Jarvan spoke in a earnest tone.
"Yes my prince" Garet quietly responded as he broke eye contact with Jarvan. Placing a hand on Garet's shoulder, Jarvan spoke "if this mission goes south, Demacia needs you alive. You will one be one of the greatest generals Demacia has known, but you have to make it there first." Garet could only nod his acquiescence.
Jarvan broke off and faced his gathering of men. "You all know what we are going after. I won't lie to you, this will test your body and mind to their limits. Some of you may not come back alive, but all of you will fight to your last breath. If you must give the dragon your life, make him pay in blood! Onward, for Demacia!" Jarvan exclaimed to his men as he thrust his lance into the air, who returned his small speech with shouts and cheers.
Shyvana impatiently folded her arms beneath her breasts as she stood next to Jarvan; his men's adrenaline rush wore off. "Move out!" Jarvan exclaimed to his men and began his march toward the dragons last known location, his men falling in behind him. Shyvana watched the line of soldiers walk by, then fell in behind them.
Shyvana was getting anxious it's only been a couple of days, but it feels like an eternity. I will see him dead she finished grimly as she started to jog to maintain pace with Jarvan's column of soldiers. "Corporal, take the lead" Jarvan said to a enlisted behind him as dropped out of the formation and fell in line with Shyvana.
"I haven't mentioned to the men or Garet about what I saw in there." Jarvan huffed as he jogged next to Shyvana. "Well, it's good that you came instead of Garet. That's all I need is a boy getting ideas" Shyvana said, dodging around what Jarvan was implicating.
"I'm sure you have good reason for not informing me, but I have to tell you this: I will not risk the lives of my men unnecessarily" Jarvan had to pause to catch his breath before continuing "when I entered the tent and saw you sitting through the cot, burning bits of fabric surrounding you, I knew there was something more to you".
Do I reveal I'm a half-breed? Shyvana thought to herself in consternation. She turned her head towards Jarvan as she jogged beside him "If you kill this dragon, I'll tell you everything Jarvan. I will tell you this for now, I'm no danger to your men" Shyvana said in a flat voice, hoping it was true.
She could see Jarvan's brow crinkling in thought. "Very well, but I stand by what I said earlier, do not try and fight the dragon with us, you will likely get in our way, and in the worst case get someone killed" Jarvan finished as he left Shyvana to rejoin the front of the column.
Perhaps he's right, I don't even know what happened in that tent, I could very well burn these soldiers Shyvana reflected on Jarvan's words. The column slowed to a walk as she heard Jarvan call back to his men "take this time to catch your breath, I want each of you to give it your all". Shyvana pulled the hood of her cloak up, hiding her face. "We are within a mile of the dragons last known location" one of Jarvan's men called.
The column continued to walk through the forest at a slow pace, conserving their strength. Shyvana could barely contain her anticipation, her revenge was so close. What if I succeed? What will be left for me in this world she pondered deeply. A soldier shouted from the front of the column "Man down"! Shyvana's focus became intense at the call, she could see up ahead the figure of a old man in a worn cloth robe curled on the ground.
The soldiers surrounded the old man. When Shyvana approached, she noticed he had some form of dark glasses on covering a cut along his eye, how odd that he would be wearing those, he looks like he's been mugged, but the glasses stayed on his face.
"Old man, are you alright" a soldier questioned as he knelt down to shake the man's shoulder. A small shout escaped the old man's throat as he jolted upright. "W-what am I doing here" he asked frantically as his head pivoted to look at all the soldiers surrounding him. "Calm down, we aren't brigands. Can you tell us what happened to you" Jarvan asked of the old man.
"I-I was hiking through these parts...something came down after me, something from the sky...a d-dragon" the old man said, lips quivering, "he picked me up and threw me against a tree and left for that cave, that's all I remember" he finished, eyes gazing off into nothing as he pointed towards a nearby cave.
Why was a man this feeble this far out into the forest, something doesn't fit here Shyvana pondered. "Can you walk" Jarvan asked of the decrepit man. "I-I think so" he said with a whimper. "It's in your best interest to get far away from here, now" Jarvan advised the old man "sergeant" Jarvan pointed at a nearby soldier, causing him to salute, "get this man out of here, that's an order" Jarvan said, knowing he would protest.
"The rest of you, fall in, we are searching this cave" Jarvan commanded of his men. The column of men, with Jarvan at their head, began their decent into the cave. Shyvana followed them in, hoping Jarvan wouldn't turn around and see her.
That's when the thought strike her like a bolt of lightning that wound...that was Ralous in his human form! Shyvana rushed forward towards Jarvan "Jarvan! That was Ralous! Get your men out of the cave now!" she shouted at the Demacian prince. "Who...Ralous?" Jarvan questioned, confused that Shyvana had followed him in as much as by the name.
Shyvana never had much patience, even when things weren't obvious. She grabbed Jarvan's shoulders and shook him as she spoke "The dragons name is Ralous, pull your men out" she shouted in Jarvans face. A terrible scream was heard from the entrance to the cave, it was over within seconds. Jarvan and his men instinctively looked in the screams direction.
"Men, form ranks behind me, our trial is at hand" Jarvan spoke, hand tightening around his lance. The exit to the cave was just ahead, light shining through and illuminating the rocky walls. As Jarvan reached the threshold of the cave, a strong gust of air began to flow past him and his men. Shyvana knew what was causing that wind, she also knew what it was a precursor to. These fool men are going to get themselves killed she cursed.
A silhouette of a dragon descended onto the opening of the cave. "Jarvan move!" Shyvana shouted, but it was too late. Ralous unleashed a torrent of liquid flame directly into the cave.
With all the strength she could muster, Shyvana slammed into Jarvan, knocking him out of the fires deadly path and causing him to grunt as he hit the rock wall. The fire consumed Shyvana, flowed around her, and found its first victim. The soldier only screamed briefly, before all of the oxygen around him was burned by the fire; the only sounds the man made as his flesh was incinerated were sickening gasps as he tried to inhale, only to have fire scorch the insides of his lungs.
Shyvana looked behind her, seeing the blackened remains of the poor man. Jarvan stood up, unable to take his eyes of Shyvana, indeed, all of the soldiers were staring, despite the looming dragon. "You can't rush out of the cave Jarvan, you will be burned alive by the time you get near him. I'll distract him, his fire won't harm me" Shyvana said breathlessly as she turned and dashed toward Ralous, leaving smoking impressions in the ground.
"Ha! The whelp returns to seek revenge does she? And with humans no less! Pathetic" Ralous rumbled as he landed on the ground, his raspy voice sending shivers through Shyvana. Shyvana could barely think rationally, confronted with her father's murderer, she knew only rage and violence in her mind.
Air began to shimmer around Shyvana as she leapt for Ralous' throat. Ralous contorted his face into what could be called an amused smile. Without thought, Ralous swiped Shyvana out of the air, carelessly tossing her aside onto the forest floor.
The shimmering became more intense around Shyvana, causing the dead brush beneath her to smolder. With a cry of rage, she jumped up and ran back towards Ralous. "Are you really Ralvanous' daughter? I suspected you'd be smarter than to try the same thing twice. But that is after all the nature of your human side: dumb and weak" Ralvanous casually stated as his would-be killer charged at him.
Shyvana slid beneath his swipe and under Ralous, grasping his rear leg she used her momentum to swing herself out to the side of Ralous, who seemed amused with this action as he twisted his neck to watch Shyvana.
She bolted upright and leaped for Ralous' backside, only to be swatted away by his tail, like a horse swatting a fly. Ralous was becoming bored with Shyvana, he leapt in the air and descended on Shyvana before she could recover from the blow.
Using only his arm, Ralous pinned Shyvana beneath him, lowering his head to within inches of her face. "How do you want to die little Shyvana? Shall I tear your head off? Crush you? Perhaps crush your throat in so you can at least have that in common with daddy. This is really a courtesy I'm giving you, unlike that filthy man they left out here with me" Ralous hissed in Shyvana's face, spittle oozing forth and spilling on Shyvana's face.
She struggled and squirmed, her face contorted in rage, but Ralous' weight and stalwart build were too much for Shyvana, despite Ralous' previous engagement against Ralvanous.
Disgusted by Ralous proximity to her, and not at all caring she would likely be killed, Shyvana spit in Ralous face and only managed a scream of rage; the ground beneath her continued to smolder, reflecting the fiery rage she held in her eyes.
Ralous reared back and roared in pain. "Attack the wings men, don't let him fly away" Jarvan shouted to his men from the back of the dragon, lance buried deep in Ralous' shoulder blade. The strike from Jarvan caused Ralous to release Shyvana.
Jarvan planted his foot firmly on Ralous as the dragon turned his neck to try and snap at his attacker. "Human scum, your kind is a disease to Runeterra" Ralous screeched as his maw snapped open and let loose a stream of fire. Jarvan tore his lance from the dragon's back as he leaped off Ralous, narrowly avoiding the flames.
Crimson fluid began to leak from the gash in Ralous' back as Jarvan's soldiers hacked at the dragons wings. Ralous roared in fury and pain, lunging at the closest soldier and catching his head in his mouth. Ralous wasted no time and crushed the mans skull and tossed the headless body aside as he swiped his tail, knocking the soldiers behind him several feet away.
Shyvana continued her assault, vigor renewed at seeing Ralous bleed; she leapt onto Ralous' back, straightened her hand and jammed it into the gaping wound. She closed her hand and yanked, causing vicious damage to Ralous' shoulder muscle groups.
The dragon let a howl lose as his tail came up and clipped Shyvana, knocking her off. Jarvan continually jabbed at Ralous from his flanks, hoping to avoid his deadly breath. "Do not relent men" Jarvan shouted encouragingly to his soldiers.
Ralous claimed another victim with his breath, igniting his flesh as the soldier tried in vain to roll the flames out. I have to keep him focused on me, that fire will kill them all Shyvana manged in her mind. She raced out in front of Ralous and grabbed for his throat, causing the dragon to balk. "What I do is for the good of the planet, your kind has no place here!" Ralous roared, as much to Shyvana as to his human attackers.
Shyvana was to slow to avoid a snap from Ralous', his teeth catching her arm and slicing through her skin; blood began to seep from the wound, enraging Shyvana further. Ralous released Shyvana to dodge a lance thrust aimed at his face from Jarvan; he turned away from Shyvana and clawed a soldier to the ground, immediately grabbing the man in his mouth and snapping him in half, armor and all, leaving entrails twisted along the forest floor.
Despite the surprise attack by Jarvan, his men were making little headway. Their swords and halberds seemed to only glance Ralous' robust scales. Shyvana's rage plateaued at seeing Ralous end a man's life in such a gruesome manner, something inside her snapped. She howled in rage and pain as her body began to shimmer in a piercing white light. Shyvana fell to her knees as her body began to contort and enlarge; her nose forming into a snout, her teeth elongating into fangs, a thin membrane connected her elbow to her hands, forming wings. Shyvana screamed once more as a tail shot out from her backside and her metal armor, no longer big enough, was ripped by the transformation and fell to the forest floor.
"No" Ralous uttered as he attempted to disengage the humans in order to finish Shyvana. Jarvan wasn't exactly sure what was happening, but he knew he had to keep Ralous away from Shyvana at all costs.
Jarvan leaped onto Ralous' back once more, this time hoping to sever a vertebrae as he slammed his lance down. Even though Ralous didn't see Jarvan leap on, he was prepared. The dragon rolled over quickly, throwing Jarvan's strike off, and instead of paralyzing Ralous, the lance glanced off his scales.
Jarvan hit the ground and rolled, looking up to see Shyvana rise up to her feet. With each exhale, small flames exited between Shyvana's teeth. Jarvan groaned as he stood, noticing that Shyvana was still a few feet shorter than Ralous, but he could see the unrestrained fury in those eyes.
"Men, fallback to my position" Jarvan shouted to all the remaining soldiers, who swiftly obeyed their prince's command. Ralous slowly approached Shyvana, who only stood and watched with eyes of fire. Suddenly, Shyvana's maw snapped open and she screamed in a voice much deeper and guttural "you will know death Ralous!".
She dropped down on all fours and bolted for Ralous, her movements governed primarily by instinct. Ralous craned his neck and snapped as Shyvana came close. The half-dragon deftly avoided the gaping maw with supreme agility; she clawed Ralous chin, knocking his face upward. With a roar, Shyvana tackled Ralous. The two dragons rolled along the forest floor, both trying to grapple for an advantage.
Shyvana caught Ralous' neck in her mouth, and ended the rolling. With his neck still in he mouth, Shyvana stood and clamped her foot across Ralous neck. The dragon tried desperately to free himself, tail and claws lashing, trying to pry Shyvana off.
She straightened her claws, and with blinding speed, she pierced Ralous' ribcage. Shyvana wrapped her claws around Ralous' heart, taking pleasure in feeling the beating heart and warm blood. Ralous continued to struggle, now breathing fire onto Shyvana.
The dragon jerked, then all movement ceased. Shyvana held Ralous' heart in her claws, feeling it continue to beat and spurt blood out of the ventricles. She crushed it, feeling the life fluid leak down her arm. Her vengeance was complete; Shyvana was again consumed by a brilliant light, causing Jarvan and the remaining awe stricken soldiers to shield their eyes.
When the light subsided, Jarvan saw the Shyvana he knew. She was naked, her knees shaking and her arm bleeding as she stood and stared at Ralous' corpse. Jarvan rushed over to Shyvana, striping off his cloak and wrapping it around her.
She melted into Jarvan's arms, blood pressure unable to maintain her posture. "Soldier" Jarvan shouted to one of the remaining men, "rip off a strip of cloth from your shirt". The soldier performed the command with haste, stripping off his armor and tearing a thin strip of cloth from his undershirt, running over and handing it to his prince.
Jarvan wrapped the cloth around Shyvana's arm as she leaned against him, tying it and tightening it down stop more blood loss. "Men, get back to lieutenant Garet and inform him of the situation, have him dispatch a pigeon to the nearest Demacian outpost requesting a squad to the town of Char. Go, run!" Jarvan bellowed, his men saluted and ran, despite just coming out of a battle with one of Runeterra's most fearsome creatures.
It's over, I've avenged you father...Shyvana thought to herself, consciousness waning. "It's over..." She repeated in a low voice. "You're life is just beginning Shyvana" Jarvan spoke, bending down to lift Shyvana over his arms. The combination of blood loss and exhaustion caused darkness to slowly creep along Shyvana's peripheral vision, she could only think it's finally over as she fainted; Jarvan jogging with her in his arms to the nearby town of Char near the Noxian border.