The majority has spoken. I've changed the rating from T to M and I will plan to make it more graphic (I don't know how to implement too much this chapter). Not much else to say.
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters mentioned in this story. All of the characters are property of Riot Games
Chapter 7: Shurima
I could feel the arid desert wind before we reached it. The sudden change from humid buggy climate to a dry scarce climate made the edge of Kumugu feel strange. Upon breaking the edge of the jungle, ran into travelers on camle-back. When they saw me, they shrieked, yelled something that I could not make out and fled as fast as they could.
"Oh, it seems they don't know a Virtuoso" I complain, not enjoying the dry climate. "Lets just go back into the jungle and try when the desert is not a wasteland with no water."
"You're giving up to easily. Here, wear this. It will hide your identity and make you seem less scary." Lulu takes off her hat and pulls out the same cloak she used to blanket me during my recovery.
"You expect me to wear this?! In a desert?! I'll die of dehydration before we come close to any civilization. Plus, the sand will get in it and make it corse." I sneer.
"Unless you can think of a better way. The sun is going to set and a desert does get cold believe it or not." Lulu retorts. "It took us all day to get through the jungle because you insisted on avoiding everyone!"
"But you- you... have a point." I sigh. I wish i could've shifted the blame. Non-void creatures are annoying. "But I have another idea. Why don't I just adapt. Change is good."
Instantly, my body changes to a corpse-like color and is covered by cloth. My scales turn to gold and my claws and spikes turn into razor-sharp jade.
"So, how do I look? I feel more... adapted to this biome." I brag, flashing my fancy gold plating and jade claws. Gold and are valuable to the living... and the dead.
"Erm... not enough purple" Lulu chirps. "And its your old ski... never mind~"
No bragging rights... again... I think. She's a strange one. "Never the less, lets make headway. Maybe then we'll arrive at civilization by morning. Then we c-" My sentence was cut off abruptly by the sharp screams of people and as fast as they started, they were gone.
"That sounds like someone in pain" states Lulu
"Thank you captain obvious. Lets just hope we don't run into whatever caused the yelling. Here, the best way to civilization would be following the tracks the travelers left." I claim. Lulu nods in response.
The sun set right as we began traveling, and it did get very cold. Lucky, I felt nothing since the cloth around my body insulated very well. The sand dunes seemed infinite and the sand was always shifting, making it hard to follow the trail, but the camel trails left enough of a dent in the sand to be trackable. Suddenly, the tracks stopped. There was a crater-looking thing right where it stopped, and a line of the sand in the opposite direction. Faint clicking echoed through the dunes, and it was getting louder. I understood it perfectly. Whatever caused the crater was coming back, and it was hungry.
"Lulu" I warn. "Hold onto my arm." I extend my wings to their max, getting ready to jump. "Keep watch on my flank. We're being hunted..."
Right as I warn Lulu, I see a shark-like fin surface. It was coming directly for us, as if whatever it was knew exactly where we were even though it had no eyes above ground. Then it sunk under. The ground underneath us was shaking, and at the peak, I leaped into the air with Lulu holding on. At the same time, a creature leaped from the earth, obviously intending to eat us whole. It was blue and purple, with gnashing teeth and lethal claws. It was a land shark. Instinctively, I went into a defensive position, prepared either to attack or defend. The attack never came. The creature clicked a short message and submerged itself. The rumbling faded.
"W-what was that..?" Lulu stutters.
"Another voidling. She spared us this time, but if she mistakes us again, we're dead" I reply. "She also said that their is a city towards the sunrise. So that would be... that way." I point my jade claw in the opposite direction of the setting moon.
"Then what are we waiting for?! Lets go!" Lulu cries, obviously shaken by the land-shark attack. I would've been shaken as well if I wasn't from the void, where things like that and worse were normal.
She begins trotting off where I pointed swiftly. I simply sigh and follow. After what seemed like minutes, a light shown along the horizon, but upon further investigation, the sun was rising, but the light was coming from something big, made of gold, like a... sun disc..? Underneath it was a large city, the town we were looking for. What did the voiding call it... Saramia? No, thats not right... whatever.
As we were approaching, we could faintly see two guards talking. When they saw us, they made some sort of motion. Moments later, a loud horn echoed across the desert. Soldiers seemed to materialize from the sand. They were equipped with a curved sword or wicked looking bows. The guard leader was on a chariot with a spear, and was accompanied by an archer. "Stand down! You will not come any further without punishment in the name of the Glorious Shurima!" the commander yelled. So THAT'S what it's called.
"Lulu, get behind me." I mumble to her. I then yell to the army. "We come in peace! We only come as ambassadors for... uh... Information"
"Stand down!" the commander yelled, not seeming to care nor listen.
"So much for that... Now listen here..." I shout, stepping forward.
Instantly, the archers drew their bow and the soldiers took an attacking stance. "You've been warned. Now you will die!"
The archers shoot their bows, sending a volley of arrows. Instantly, I evolve my claws to a larger and more shield-like shape and put them upfront of Lulu and I. Upon impact of the arrows, they melt to sand and warriors rise from the sand, slashing their swords. I change my claws again to a shorter and sharper version of the shield and fought back, slashing at the warriors, but whenever I destroyed one, two more took their place. I'm going to be overwhelmed soon. "Lulu, grab my arm again!" I shout, and as soon as she grabbed it, my wings lengthened and I leapt into the air. The soldiers all grouped up except for the commander, who stood off to the side. I aim my void spikes to the center, and evolve them to when they explode, shrapnel would explode from the source. Right as I finished, I fired volley after volley of void spikes into the mass, each one fragging on impact. In seconds, none of the soldiers remained. I turned to the commander to finish the job, but all I saw was an arrow that hit my left shoulder. I cried out in pain and dropped. The arrow materialized into the commander, with his spear where the arrow embedded itself. Lulu scrambled back.
"Now, you will suffer... undead creature!" The commander shouts, pushing the spear deeper. I cry out in pain. Few times had I felt such great pain, the sand was getting into the bloodstream. I'm loosing conciseness fast, and Lulu is still in shock. Right as I though it was over, two more spear men appeared with a stream of golden sand. From the city rocketed a golden figure with maroon garbs.
The bird-like man stopped behind the commander and disintegrated him while withdrawing the sand in my bloodstream. "Foolish soldiers, do you not recognize one of the Guardians of the Sands?!" The golden bird boomed, whipping around to look at the rising army. "You must welcome these people with open arms! They are sacred, and saved this fair city from the ancient war! They even rose the great barrier!"
What is he talking about..? I-I guess I'll just play along.
"You have all been bested by the warper, the adapter, Kha'Zix!"
Now thats weird. Now he knows my name.
The bird-man turns to me. "I'm sorry about my army, Renekton has recently been around these parts of the desert, and they're all on edge." He extended his arm to help me up. "My name is Azir, and I am the leader of Shurima. May I ask your friend's name?"
"Uh..." I stutter. "I-Its Lulu. She's accompanying me on a journey to find a man known as The Virtuoso..."
Aziz stood there, simply staring, listening to every word I said. "Well, we may have someone who can help you in town. Come with me. Your friend may tag along."
Zaire's sand soldiers created a path and stood at attention. The sun disc looked like a second sun. When we approached the city, a bridge of sand formed and the gate opened. Inside, citizens seemed to waiting the arrival of their leader. When they saw me, however, they cowered in fear and respect. I could almost taste it. The city itself was vast and quite wonderful, like an oasis in the desert. I was getting distracted when Azir suddenly stopped in front of a seemingly abandoned home.
"Megan, we need a fortune told" Azir called.
A mist poured from the house and everything seemed to get ominously darker. Everyone around me faded. The purple smoke materialized into a womanly figure.
"Tell me, young soul. What is it you seek." The mist spoke in a calm echoing voice.
"I seek the Virtuoso. Where can I find him?" I reply confidently.
"That's all you want? You don't want to know wh- never mind. You just think too much in the present..." the voice vibrates and the purple smoke envelopes me and fades, bringing me back next to my friends. At first I was confused, but then it hit me.
Ionia...
Eh... Kind of a filler chapter. By the way, the new champion that was recently announced will not be in this story unless I decide to go BACK to Shurima. Otherwise it will stay up to date. New Taric (maybe?) and Aurelion Sol are valid so far. Since Finals are coming up and I'm doing A LOT of art, I wouldn't expect another chapter till summer. Regardless, enjoy!
