The Present.
MONDAY.
Summoner Badger's eyes glowed a shining white as he concentrated, his hands stretched out in front of him, feeling the air.
"Focus your energy, you need to make sure you are entirely concentrated on what you're doing, keep calm and focus."
"Elise, I'm a Gold level Summoner, I know what I'm doing..."
"Oh, when did that happen?"
"Between chapters 5 and 6."
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Reach out with your mind, not your hand," Elise continued, "See with your magic. Remain entirely focused on searching. You are free to concentrate here."
"I'm trying… It's just hard because-"
"No, don't try. Do, or don't. There's no such thing as trying."
"Did you steal that from something?"
"Focus! If you spent half as time practicing as you did talking, you wouldn't need my help!"
The Summoner let his hands fall to his sides at that. Standing to his full height, he heaved a heavy sigh.
"Let's take a break for now, we've been at this for hours and I need to restore some energy."
His stomach rumbled, prompting him to blush and smile.
"And maybe get something to eat."
The Spider Queen crossed her arms and sighed as well, her eyes closed as she shrugged.
"Fine. I suppose we can stop for now... It is your own well being, after all. You dying because you didn't practice enough has no real impact on me either way."
"Well right now, I think I need food for my well being!"
"Young men, you're all the same... Always after the three Fs."
"The three Fs?"
The Spider queen smiled as she started walking towards the door of the room the two were in, "Food, fighting and females."
Badger laughed at that, "you're not wrong, I guess, where'd you pick that up from?"
"It is a quote from a friend of mine, a very powerful witch."
"Leblanc?"
Elise paused, "and how would you know of our acquaintance?"
The summoner shrugged, "if you remember, you were leaving her mansion last night. I just put two and two together."
"Ah, well, yes, those would be Leblanc's words. She is... Very knowledgeable on such subjects."
"Ah, okay."
The Summoner followed the Spider Queen out the door, into the light of day. He stretched as the sight of the League of Legends training grounds came into view.
"Shall we?" He asked, taking a step forward.
She nodded and followed him now, her arms crossed.
"So shall we go over some of the things I noticed while you were training?" She asked as they continued.
"sure, go for it," He said, eying various summoners, champions, and other League associates practicing.
"Your magic tends to fluctuate at times, sometimes it is absolutely raw and powerful, others, it is docile and miniscule. I believe this comes from a lack of attention on your part. What are you focusing on that is distracting you from preparation for your duel? It cannot possibly be that food has been your only distraction."
"No, I was also trying to not stare at your outfit."
Elise's eyes narrowed, "I'm not going to drop this subject, Summoner, I know when you are trying to change a topic."
He sighed, "Fine, it's her, okay? I keep thinking about Delilah. My memories of her, back when it was good, keep flooding back to me when I'm trying to summon something. I shut them out, but it causes me to lose my concentration."
Elise frowned, "Why do you want this girl? From what I can tell, all she does is cause you strife and unhappiness."
"C'mon, Elise, haven't you ever been in love?"
She stopped walking at that, the question catching her off guard.
"Well, yes, I suppose," She said, choosing her words carefully, "In my many years of life I suppose my heart has yearned for another at least once..."
"And what did you do?"
She grinned, "I ripped my own heart out and sacrificed the unlucky soul to Vilemaw."
Badger shook his head, "I don't believe that. Despite your words, you've been pretty kind to me, and you just met me. I bet someone who wins your heart is someone you'd die for."
"Enough!" She snarled, causing Badger to leap away, startled.
Elise's eyes glowed bright red for a moment, the Spider Queen seethed in fury. Of all things she didn't want to discuss with this fool, her love life was at the top of that list.
It took her a moment to realize just how furious she'd allowed herself to be. Badger was staring at her, shocked, while several others around them had also backed up.
Badger's comment was most likely meant as a compliment, but it had only struck a sensitive vein, a vein she didn't even know she still had…
Collecting herself, and regaining her composure, she calmly replied.
"I doubt it highly. My self preservation instinct trumps all other feelings I may have. Besides, what are humans to me now but my playthings? What are men but weak and hallowed bodies of flesh that wither and die while I remain beautiful and magnificent? Love does not exist, not for me. Perhaps I might have thought differently when I was younger, but now," She paused, looking at her hands, "Now I have become something far lesser and far greater than human. Who would I love? Who would love me?"
Watching his own words carefully now, Badger scratched his head.
"They say there's someone out there for everyone," he said, beginning to follow her as she began to stride forward once more.
"Not for me, not anymore." She growled.
THE PAST
"My beautiful Demacians! I bring joyous news! My great and beloved lord has decided to share his promised land with you! Before, he only wished to bestow his tidings on the less fortunate, but now, he has opened his loving embrace to all!"
Elise grinned as she saw the looks on their aces. Her first big-city congregations were going spectacularly. Not only was she recruiting new faces to be sacrificed, but people were giving her money, simply for her cause!
She continued on for about an hour, repeating the same tales and enchantments that she had told to those in the smaller villages she had been visiting up to this point. When she finished with what she had wanted to say, she called for questions.
"Priestess," one man called out, "What is it that awaits us in your promised land?"
Elise smiled, "Life, my friend, eternal life! In my lord's holy embrace, you shall live on for all ages to come, your soul entwined with all the others who have gone, who go with you, and who shall come after! In my promised land, we are all one!"
"And what of our friends and families? Can they come as well?"
Elise's grin never wavered.
"One day, my children, my darlings, I will lead all to a better place."
The next morning, Elise had treated herself to a massage, a bath and a magnificent Demacian pastry. While she now hated her former home, she did enjoy what it had to offer her.
Tasty subjects for Vilemaw, first class accomodations for herself, how had she ever lived as a peasant?
A knock on the priestess's door jarred her from her thoughts, her eyes narrowed, though she withheld her irritation.
"Yes? Who is it?" She inquired.
"Priestess," one of her servants answered, "There is a man here to see you, he says it is of great urgency."
"What is his need?"
"He says it concerns only you, that it is not for servants to hear..."
Elise's eyes narrowed further, "Lovely, nobility..." she muttered. While she wondered how she'd ever lived in meager quarters, she still found that one should hold respect for those who aided them. Of course the commoners were beneath those such as herself, but that didn't mean they needed to be reminded of it.
Quickly throwing her priestess vestments over herself, she stood in the center of her room.
"Send him in," She called.
The door opened, and a tall man entered. She was right about him being nobility.
He was wearing impressive, shining armor. No doubt cast in Demacian steel. On his chest was the insignia of the Demacian royal crown. Over his back was a long blue cloak, the clothing covering the majority of his appearance, with a hood that covered his face.
"My, my, a Demacian knight graces me with his presence, to what do I owe the honor?"
The man nodded as he made a slight bow, "Good morning, my lady, I did not mean to interrupt your activities, but I am afraid my time is short."
"What is so important that you could not say it to my loyal friend?" She inquired.
"my father is dying," The man replied, rather somberly, "I have heard rumor of your religion, how you appeared one day, fifty years ago, and have not aged since. I do not know if you truly have the blessings of a deity, or if you are merely skilled in sorcery, nor do I care. I attended your ceremony last night and heard your promises of eternal life. I wish for you to help my father."
Elise, pretending to care, gave him her most sorrowful look.
"My poor Knight, I don't know what I can do for a man who is already at death's door, I-"
"My lady, if you would but have a look at him and see for yourself if he is truly beyond aid, you would be most handsomely rewarded. We are very rich, and would see to it that any of your needs here in Demacia are met."
Elise scratched her chin. She wanted, hell, she needed money to continue this facade, but if she said yes off the batt, it might look suspicious.
"Keep your money," She said, "At least until after we celebrate continued life or a funeral. Take me to your father, your pleads have moved my heart."
The man, giving her a sincere smile, nodded.
"Thank you, my lady."
It was only a short distance to the knight's estate, while it might have been a bit of a walk, the young man had come prepared with a carriage. When Elise was finally able to step out of the transport, she could only stare with surprise.
Even for a noble, this home was impressive. Large iron gates, gardens tended by servants, a long walkway leading up to the home itself, truly, these were people were wealth incarnate.
"Let us hurry," The knight, who had identified himself as Tiberius, said.
Elise nodded and followed him through the iron entrance as the gates opened. This truly was a beautiful home, she'd never seen so much vegetation in Demacia. It had certainly changed quite a bit since the last time she'd been here.
As Tiberius opened the door to the main house, he spoke.
"If you can indeed save him, you will have all the resources of the Lightsword house at your disposal."
Elise flinched at the name. She hadn't heard it since that day.
"Lightsword House? I've heard of that. Didn't one of your members singlehandedly save Demacia?"
Tiberius nodded and gave her a sad smile, "That was sixty years ago, a lifetime ago, but perhaps it is a lifetime you may assist."
Elise cocked her head, "I don't follow?"
"Tiberius? Is that you my boy?"
Opening a door to a dark room, Tiberius motioned for her to enter, following her as she did so.
She let out a high pitched gasp as she took in the sight of the old man on the bed.
"Priestess, allow me to introduce you to my father, Ulric Lightsword."
...
