It was dark. No noise, no sound. Nothing. He couldn't feel or see or hear anything. It was not unlike meditation. Yasuo felt nothing, he was empty. His mind felt a faint memory crop up. It was the night of his undoing. The night he became the murderer Ionia wanted him to be. There stood his old friend. large man, massive blade. But not as big as Rivens… Yasuo had forgotten his name, he didn't deserve to remember it. It was over in seconds. The man lay on the ground, his sword lay broken at his side.
The next night crept into his vision. Another old friend. She was the only one who could keep up with him in a race. Petite woman, twin daggers at the ready. Suddenly she collapsed on the ground, her breathe gone. And her daggers missing. Then, it was the night of the cherry blossoms. Yone was there. No it wasn't Yone. His hair was too long, and his stance was off. His held his sword at his rest state. On the waist. Yasuo realized suddenly, it was himself.
The wind began to blow and he knew what was next. Yasuo ran from himself, the wind rushed at him. "No don't do it!" He felt his own Katana push through his stomach. "Did I do this to my brother? Was he scared of me… like I was, no. Am of myself?" A figure emerged from the trees. It was Scantor. He looked at them, a strange curiosity on his face. "It's always the older brother that betrays the younger… isn't it?" Suddenly his chest began to bleed and Aaron appeared behind him, a bloody dagger in his hand. Scantor fell over and Aaron smiled, "Feels good doesn't it? Killing them… Finally shuts their annoying, judgemental, little mouths!"
Yasuo felt the emptiness return. He wanted to tell Aaron he was wrong, but the words were gone. And the darkness returned. Yasuo was glad, he didn't want to feel anything. He knew he might actually break if he were allowed to feel what he was thinking. A light in the dark began to glow. It was way off into the distance, but he could feel the warmth it gave off. It began to grow and grow, until suddenly it became a person. A woman. He took a deep breathe, it was Riven. He felt all his emotions come bubbling up, he wanted to tell her what he was feeling, why he was feeling it. He wanted her to... to… to understand. "I wanted-" She pressed a finger to his mouth and smiled. "In due time Yasuo… We will…" Her face became red. "We'll understand each other soon. I promise."
Yasuo stared into her eyes. "I just had one question. This is my dream or nightmare. And I know everyone else was just a figment of my imagination. But… you, you feel different. You feel real Riven. Are you?" She smiled slightly. Riven leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips. "I'll let you decide that." She backed up, then vanished. The red tint on her cheeks, the orange glow of her eyes, and the white shine of her hair. They all stayed locked in his mind. He laughed, "Never would have thought it'd be you Noxian… Never thought it'd be you."
Yasuo woke up and gasped. The cold air and night time noises overwhelmed him for a moment. He jumped up. The forest around him seemed to loom over the camp. The trees appeared evil and foreign. Yasuo nearly yelled out, but he knew someone might find them if he did. A hand touched his shoulder. He turned.
Riven stood there, a worried look on her face. "Are you alright?" His mind returned to the dream he'd just had. "Are… You… Real?" Riven looked at him for a moment, her face blank. He could feel her mind going haywire, trying to control itself. She coughed, " I'm as real as I possibly can be." She walked back to her sleeping bag by the campfire. Talon and Kira were still asleep. Yasuo returned to his own sleeping bag, across from hers. He stared at her, and she at him. "That dream… was that you Riven?" Her face went red again.
"Sometimes… when I dream. My mind, it… It manifests itself in this weird… girl. She… she does things that I would never do." Yasuo nodded, he laid back into his sleeping bag. "Well see how that goes. Eh Exile?" He couldn't see her face, but he felt her emotions through their link. She was embarrassed. He took a silent victory over that. "Good night."
He woke again, this time without panicking. He stood up and stretched, it was late morning and the rest were sitting around the fire eating. Kira picked up a plate and handed it to him. He accepted it and sat down in the open space by the fire. Talon spoke up first, "We're half way to Demacia, I think we'll be fine travelling on roads now. They control most paths here." Yasuo looked where they had set up camp in a relatively dry area, but the rest of the march was soggy. "There are roads here?"
Kira nodded, "Yeah, theres a northern pass, it goes around the marsh entirely, but theres a few paths through it, even a small village just west of here. We can pick up new supplies there. Its at the mouth of the river, there's also an outpost at the edge of the marsh nearer to Demacia." They all agreed to head to the village, then to the outpost. "We'll warn them at the outpost then we'll head north… to the Shadow Isles." Yasuo glanced at Kira. She seemed normal, but he could see her tightening her jaw, a sign of stress.
The path was dry, for the most part. There were a few hidden sick holes, but they were easily dodgeable if they stayed on the road. Kira naturally took the lead, Talon and Riven stayed in the middle, and Yasuo prefered the solitude watching the back gave him.
In order to reduce the amount of attention they got Kira had given them each a disguise. Riven's hair was cut even shorter, and her armor was swapped for normal clothes and a cloak. Talon Stopped shaving and he let his hood down and unclipped the blades off the ends of his cloak. They couldn't do much about Riven's orange eyes nor Talon's red eyes. Riven now looked like a boy and Talon either the brother or father. When Yasuo had brought it up Talon growled, "I'm not that old."
Yasuo had cut his ponytail short and he changed his Ionian clothes for plain ones. He removed his gauntlets and hid his sword in a roll of cloth he strapped to his back. Riven's sword was too difficult to hide now that it was permanently reformed. It created an odd bulge in her cloak. Kira had just a staff which she used to walk. He didn't know if she really were crippled but he doubted it.
They had been on the move for over a week. Mostly hiding from Noxian patrols. One time they were nearly caught from hunting dogs catching their scent. Fortunately Kira cast a spell and the winds shifted sending the dogs in some random direction. Yasuo thanks the fates that they were Wind Champions and not something useless like Light.
Soon the marsh village came into view. Kira laughed then began to run forward. At the gate another girl came into view. They met with each other and began to jump up and down. Yasuo felt like she was less mature than she let on to be. Riven sent him a look of daggers. "Leave her alone, she's just a teenager. We are all like that when we're that age." YAsuo smiled slightly, "I can't imagine you like that." She cowled at him the punched him and ran forward. Talon laughed at him, "She wasn't. Riven was much more serious back then. That's why we have the cold soldier today."
Who Kira had run toward was actually an old friend of hers from when her and Scantor's family took trips to the village. Her name was Alice, and she ran the tavern with her father. "Please, make yourself at home, we're not busy today. No business from the east like usual." They all glance at each other silently, Kira shook her head. "That's too bad eh? Maybe the League is getting unpopular." Alice shrugged, "Maybe… come come. Sit." They sat at the counter and Alice went around the back and served them food.
Kira pushed the plate away a bit, "Alice, Mr. Ken is still in business right? We need supplies to get to the outpost on the edge of the marsh. Then we're headed North." Alice thought for a moment, "Well he is, but a big group of people just came to visit him this morning, lots of weapons and such, they looked like they were headed into the mountains, lots of monsters there." Yasuo glanced at Talon, then to Riven. Talon leaned forward, "Group? Was their accent Noxian by chance?"
Alice opened her mouth to peak but the door slammed open interrupting her. A deep voice made Riven and Talon freeze. "It seems we taught you well at hiding." They turned and narrowed their eyes. Darius stood before them, holding his massive axe on his shoulder. Blood dripped from the edge. "Good thing we got here earlier today." Another five or six Noxians walked into the room.
Yasuo inched towards his sword, Riven talon, and Kira did the same. "Ah ah!" Darius pointed his axe towards them. Don't even try it. Or Alice gets it." She yelped for behind them and another Noxian appeared holding a knife to her throat. Kira grimaced, she lowered her arm. Yasuo did the same, but Riven and Talon stayed where they were.
Cause a distraction. Yasuo glanced at Riven, Are you insane? Alice will die. Riven's hand twitched, We're faster than him just do it. Yasuo cursed himself for not noticing the Noxian party when they entered town. Fine. He raised his hands then stepped forward a bit. "You caught us Noxian, cuff me. We'll go quietly." Darius did what Yasuo expected him to do. He swung his axe towards him. Yasuo twisted to the left and struck the axe, it went flying out of Darius's hand hitting one of the Noxians. "Wind Art Pulse Wave!" He stomped and pushed his hands out. The air pulsed through the room making everyone pause except for Riven and Kira. Talon unfortunately was still affected by it.
Kira kicked up her staff and struck the man hold Alice, Riven jumped forward to Yasuo's side. After a moment the rest of the people in the room regained their senses and jumped into battle. Talon join Kira in rescuing Alice. Yasuo had pulled his Katana free and Riven had unveiled her Rune Blade. With the man behind the counter down and one dead by Darius's Axe only Five people remained, including Darius. Riven could barely maneuver in the small room so it was basically a five versus one. Yasuo smiled, "The odds are still in my favor." Darius pulled his axe out of the man it hit. He put it on it's shoulder again and grinned. "You think it's just this five? Pitiful Ionian, you should pay attention more." Suddenly a scream from outside made him pause. He looked out the window and lost the will to fight. The entire village was on fire and Noxian soldiers struck down citizens all around. Kira saw the same thing, her eyes became watery. "You'll pay for this Darius! You'll pay!" He began to laughed, his deep laugh made Yasuo sick, he was truly enjoying the murder his soldiers were committing.
Kira went to jump over the counter but Talon stopped her. He yelled, "We have to go!" He pulled Kira out the back door, Alice ran ahead of them. Darius made to stop them, but Yasuo had other plans. "Darius! Face the Wind and It's judgement!" He cast the wall of wind between Darius and the door. Now! Riven jumped forward and released her energy. Yasuo Yasuo jumped over her and cut down with his sword. Darius pulled up his axe and blocked. Riven swung her sword now, it hit his armor and cracked it. He yelled in pain and swung his axe to hit her. Yasuo kicked down, lodging the axe into the wood floor. "Lets go!" They both jumped back and leapt over the counter. Talon and Kira were preparing horses, Alice was crying in the corner of the stable. "My father… he was… he was out in the town."
Talon jumped onto a horse, Riven and Yasuo climbed onto their own. Kira pulled Alice onto hers and they sent a blast of wind at the door. They swung open and startled a group of Noxians. They charged forward knocking them onto the ground. As they came into the opening Darius ran out of the tavern, he yelled, "Shoot them!" A group of archers notched their arrows and aimed at them. In unison Kira and Yasuo shouted, "Wind Barrier!"
The arrows crashed to the ground and Darius became enraged. He swung his axe and cut in half one of his own soldiers. They rode through the gate on the other end of the village. A few more soldiers tried to get them but could not keep up. They had escaped yet they still rode at full speed, they needed to warn Demacia.
After a few minutes they finally reached the exit of the marsh. An open field lay before them, the outpost was little over a League away from them. Yasuo was relieved, but Talon cursed. "Look…" He motioned to their right. Riven and Yasuo gasped as they saw it. An entire Noxian army, Ten Thousand strong marched across the plains towards Demacia.
Before Yasuo could think Kira also yelled out. "Alice don't do this to me! Stay with me!" He turned and cursed. An arrow extruded from her back. She coughed up blood onto Kira's back. Alice's face was pale and her breath was ragged. "Kill them for me. Eh Kira?" She slid off the horse and hit the ground. Kira skidded to a stop and jumped off the horse. She ran towards Alice's body. Talon shouted, "Don't! We have to move!" He was right, a Noxian horse platoon had detached from the main army and was headed for them.
Kira ignored him and continued to run for her friend who was probably already dead. "Gah, stupid girl!" Yasuo jumped off his horse and ran towards them. He sped past Kira and picked up Alice's cold body. "Go go!" Kira nodded and had turned to run back to her horse. The platoon came closer and closer with fearful speed. Yasuo got to his horse and suddenly felt Alice grip onto his shirt. "She's alive!" Kira sighed with relief. Yasuo laid her onto the ground and pulled the arrow free. Thankfully it was not a stone tipped arrow but a sharpened stick. He pulled out a pouch from his bag and removed a green herb. He pressed the plant into the wound then covered it in gauze. "Ionian herb of healing. Keep it there for a bit and she'll live, but she needs a healer." He picked Alice up and pushed her into the saddle then strapped her in. "Ride without me, you'll be faster." Riven turned, "No, we're not leaving you to a Noxian horse platoon. You'll be trampled!"
He held up his hand to Riven, "I don't wanna hear it. Just go, the girl will die if you don't." The thundering of hooves came into earshot, Yasuo knew they were only seconds away from reaching them. "I'll slow them down for you, GO!" Kira and Riven stared at him, Kira bowed her head in defeat. "Thank you for helping my friend." She lead Alice's horse away and soon Riven and Talon followed. Yasuo turned towards the Noxians. They were only a hundred or so meters away, there were ten or so soldiers. All equipped with thick arrow deflecting armor and long swords to hit footmen.
He pulled his Katan free and stood at the ready. Riven's voice suddenly popped into his head. Don't die on me, eh? We're still a team, and if you die. I die. The image of Riven's dream manifestation kissing him made Yasuo surge with power. Trust me Riven, I have no intention of dying. He closed his eyes and the world seemed to slow down around him. The wind blew softly at his side, encouraging him. His Katana felt light in his hands. "I'm ready." HIs eyes flew open and the platoon was right next to him. "Sorye Ge Ton!"
Huzzah, Tis I the Author. (That Tis was intentional, more Regal...) ... (Shut up.) Anyway. I want to thank everyone whose favorited the story, followed it, left a review, etc, etc. It helps me grow as a writer for people to leave feedback, but don't be rude please. Not that anyone has been, but for future reference. Onto the topic at hand, I'd like a response from those who read frequently, I can do 2k updates every week to week and a half or. 3k - 4k every three weeks. So I want a review or Pm or something for what you prefer. Or if you want me to willy nilly update then also say that. Thanks again, I hope this story continues on for some time. And I hope to keep you all entertained, Scantor Out.