It's been quite a while hasn't it?
I've actually had this chapter written for the hiatus this story's had. Now, I'd like to say this whatever-long month pause won't happen again, but I can't make any promises. I have no idea when I will next update this story.
Chapter 8: Eye for a Tangled Fly
She stalked through the jungle and sent a message to all her allies. If any of you see the Pridestalker, he's mine!
Arcaia entered her thoughts. Um, Spider Queen; this is just a practice match. Don't you think you're overacting a little at your death?
She scoffed. I told you to stay out of my head unless I address you. Speak to me only if you have any information on Rengar.
She felt her Summoner give a sigh, but they closed the mental link. Elise hissed, keeping her senses opened for the Pridestalker. The match wore on for about more fifteen minutes. Though her side had more kills and control over the Fields, the enemies were being incredibly stubborn and holding out. Small skirmishes erupted and Rengar appeared several times across the map, but every time Elise got to where he was, he had already retreated and was long gone. When Elise missed him for the fourth time, she finally sent a message to the enemy team.
So you want to play this game, Pridestalker? Is the hunter afraid that he's now being hunted?
Spider Queen, so you are stalking me. So be it; the next time there is a fight, I will take your head again!
Vladimir's voice came into her head next. Whoa there Elise, are you actually getting mad?
She growled, but before she could respond, Zyra's voice went across the team. The Pridestalker is the biggest threat on the enemy team. It may be a wise decision to eliminate him before he becomes too powerful.
Zyra came up beside her. Elise made a silent gesture of gratitude and the Rise of the Thorns nodded.
Several more long minutes passed by. Elise was grouped together with her team near their side's wraith camp.
"I'm growing livid," Vladimir said, "Can we just push into their base and end this already?"
"No, they're playing too defensively," Zyra reasoned, "We need to catch them all outside. If they're grouped like we are, we can kill them in a team fight and move in unopposed."
Draven and Trundle grunted in agreement. Elise kept her eight eyes on scanning the area. No movement in their jungle or river. They also weren't getting any information from the minions in the lane or the wards placed throughout the map. Where could they be?
"We should check Baron," Trundle said, noticing the lack of the enemy team while their ward near the monster expired. With him leading the way, they moved across mid lane into the opposite side of their jungle. No sooner had they stepped into the brush when Zyra said "They're coming." A seed she had planted in the tribush leading into the top lane was destroyed as the enemies stepped over it. They were moving down towards the ancient golem camp. Elise's side mobilized. "Careful," the Rise of the Thorns whispered as they moved through the narrow path between the ancient golem and the wolf camp.
As in response to her statement, a huge tidal wave came surging through the trees. Elise quickly cast her Rappel, letting the wave pass beneath her. Draven and Trundle managed to leap out of the way, but Vladimir and Zyra were tossed in the water. Sivir's battle cry could be heard and Elise saw the five enemies charging towards them.
"There they are!" Trundle bellowed, charging at them and colliding his club of ice with Nautilus' anchor.
Elise quickly dropped back down behind the enemies, landing next to Sivir. The Battle Mistress fell to a bite to the neck while her spiderlings tore her apart, not even getting a chance to turn around and react. Elise looked around. Nami fell, one of Draven's axes buried in her body. She saw Trundle further away collapse to a purple blade thrust through his chest. Nautilus came rushing at her, his eyes glowing and dark energies surrounding him. However, a thicket of vines erupted from the ground beneath all of them, and the Titan of the Depths along with Kassadin and another figure on the other side of the treeline got knocked into the air when the vines snapped back in. Another one of Draven's axes buried itself in Nautilus' back while Elise launched herself at him, pinning him to the ground. A torrent of blood from Vladimir finished him off.
A roar sounded through the area, and Rengar pounced onto Draven, slicing him in half. "Rengar is mine to kill!" Elise yelled. But just as she finished, Rengar ran through the trees, disappearing into thin air. She hissed. She was about to go in his direction when a concussive wave of energy hit her from the side. Kassadin Riftwalked in, slashing his blade forward. Elise spun, narrowly avoiding it as it instead sliced a spiderling in half. She didn't have time for this! The Pridestalker's death was all that mattered to her at the moment.
Just as Kassadin was moving in again, Zyra's voice cut through. "Whip vine!" The Void Walker was ensnared in a tangle of barbed tendrils. A torrent of blood shot forward, causing him to reel. Elise moved towards where Rengar was last going as Zyra and Vladimir passed her. She only turned once, catching sight of Kassadin hitting Vladimir with a Null Sphere while he cut apart Zyra's plants.
Elise tried to think where the Pridestalker would go to. He was last running out of the jungle back into the top lane. If he returned, he would've attacked again already, so… Elise went around the jungle wall past the tribush. She arrived in the lane, heading for the top brush. As soon as she did, a figure leaped at and tackled her.
"Your head is mine!" Rengar roared, bringing his blade down and hitting Elise in the abdomen.
She yelped in pain but lunged, sending them tumbling forward. Her adrenaline flared and she attacked with unparalleled speed, pushing him back further until they were in the other brush. When they were in there, Rengar grabbed Elise's forelegs with one hand and threw her further down the lane. He charged in with enough force he rammed her into the wall of his side's jungle. The two wrestled again, and Elise pushed him off and threw him near the tribush.
"Come on!" he yelled.
"Gladly," she sneered, launching herself at him. Rengar grabbed her body, but her eight stiletto legs thrust forward, stabbing him again and again. Red blood began to soak white fur. With a roar, he threw her off down the jungle path. Elise's exoskeleton cracked and she felt her own blood leaking out. Rengar stepped back into the tribush, and just when she rolled over onto her legs again he leaped out, tackling her and causing them to roll back again.
It was a flurry of sharp legs and black shell against cruel steel and white fur. Venomous fangs sunk into muscle and cleaving blades splintered exoskeleton. The two rolled down the jungle path until they were in front of the twin golem camp. The world fell away. Elise could only feel a boiling anger rising deep within her. The images of Kha'Zix crippled beyond belief, the pain that had went through her when she and the Pridestalker last met, the sound of his taunt all echoed in her head. And then her own words: I owe him for some wounds and fractured bones.
Elise ignored the pain tearing through her body and moved forward. Warm blood splashed on her face as she stabbed her forelegs forth, driving them through thick hair and muscles between armor. The Pridestalker roared in desperation, trying to push her away. A slice from wrist-mounted blades severing a leg. A cleaving hunting axe hitting her back. An armored knee of the head snapping fangs. She felt nothing. Faster, with blinding speed, she kept up the attacks and pressed on. Soon, weapons were dropped, armor ripped apart, and flesh torn to shreds. A trail of blood and fur was left behind as they moved back.
The Pridestalker tripped and fell, and the giant spider crawled on top, continuing to stab him. He was roaring in agony and anger, but if he formed any words she didn't hear them. She only saw red spurting out and leaking across the dirt. And then an orange glow. The right side of Rengar's face. She remembered the story, how Kha'Zix had taken that eye before. As Rengar's arms fell to the ground, she raised one of her forelegs to his face, over his left eye. She paused, hovering her appendage over the blue orb. Rengar was panting, as was Elise. The two remained there, suspended in time and space. The Pridestalker's optical implant glared back as the Spider Queen hung her leg over his good eye. He bared his teeth at her.
"A strong prey," he snarled, "You would make a fitting prize for my collection."
"Says the one who's at my mercy," she said. He growled. She looked at the glowing replacement eye. "Kha'Zix claimed that eye before."
The Pridestalker growled again. "I will take the beast's head as repayment."
Her entire body tensed at this statement. "Say that again," Elise said with venom in her voice, remembering again the broken body of the Voidreaver when he last fought this creature.
"I will take the beast's head as my trophy!" Rengar roared.
"Again," she hissed.
"I WILL CLAIM THE BEAST'S HEAD!"
Elise raised her foreleg. "Then I will even your face by claiming your other eye for myself." She drove her leg in. The Pridestalker howled in anguish. Elise drove her leg deeper into his socket, feeling the eyeball skewer farther up. She let him scream for several seconds before silencing him with a bite to the neck.
Although all battered and a little worse for wear, Elise, along with Zyra and Vladimir, pushed into the enemy's base through the mid lane. They went in silence, destroying the inhibitor, the turrets, and the Nexus. A flash of purple light burst forth from it and their victory was announced. The summoning magic immediately pulled them out, with Elise shifting back into her human guise at the last moment. She now stood in the after-battle room. Her eyes immediately locked with Rengar's. He was looking away, holding his good eye. A dark grin crept across her face. The good games were passed between the other Champions, with Draven, as per usual when in this situation, bolstering about the victory. The Glorious Executioner flexed and laughed, and most of the other Champions rolled their eyes and left.
Rengar took one glance up at Elise before quietly walking away. "You drew a lot of blood from him, didn't you?" Vladimir asked, stepping up beside her.
Elise smirked. "I said I was going to repay him."
"A bit excessive; I sensed the amount of blood that was shed from his was tremendous. I've been in team fights with less bloodshed then that."
"You know he would've done to same to K-" She paused before continuing. "To me and any of the rest of us."
Vladimir looked at her. She was expecting a grin, but when she turned to him he was looking at her with a concerned expression. He looked as if her were about to say something, but instead gave a small smirk, nodded, and left.
He was at the exit before she could respond to this. She stared after him for a couple seconds before walking out of the room as well. Zyra approached and walked beside her. The plant woman was fixated Elise with a concerned expression. "You did well again in this match," she said.
"Thanks," Elise said, "As did you."
Zyra opened her mouth as if to say something, but stopped herself and glanced away. When she came back, she simply said "Good game". They walked down the hallway together until they came to the central area of the Institute. Zyra silently bid farewell and headed off in her own direction.
The Spider Queen looked after her. As the form of the Rise of the Thorns was just about to leave sight, Elise called to her, "Wait."
Zyra turned, looking her in the eyes.
"In the game, you were concerned with my actions being appreciated by the Voidreaver. Why?" Elise asked.
The other woman shrugged. "You two just seemed to be acquaintances the last time you were together," she said, "In the last battle. That's all."
"Oh," Elise said, "…Well, I suppose Kha'Zix would've liked seeing his enemy fall." She grinned and Zyra returned it. "Good game," Elise said.
The Rise of the Thorns gave a nod and continued on her way. Elise sighed. Another battle, and as usual, her body was consumed in exhaustion. But, when she looked at the time, there was less than an hour before Kha'Zix was let out in the Institute's yard again. She smiled inwardly at the reaction she would get when she told him about this match. She could hold out until then.
Elise sat by the river alone, leaning against a tree. Though the sun had been sitting high just a while ago in the match, thick clouds were now covering the sky again. A cool breeze rustled through the area, blowing leaves down to the ground. She tilted her head up a little, letting the cool breeze wash over her. She had been patiently waiting for some time now, listening to the chirps of the bird and buzzing of some insects. She had been wondering what Kha'Zix's reaction would be. His mock-smile, asking for descriptions of the kill, a purr of satisfaction. If she was correct, it'd only be a few more minutes until she would find out. She breathed in and closed her eyes, letting the cool breeze move through her body.
Elise thought back to how this whole thing with Kha'Zix started. A bite to the arm, and a vicious one at that. If it weren't for the League's magic, she probably would've lost use of her right arm. The bite had gone deep, severing muscle and vein with razor-sharp fangs. Yet, it was from this savage attack that the Voidreaver had acquired his liking for the Spider Queen. And Elise her liking of Kha'Zix. All from a bite.
A bite.
Elise's face of content developed a frown on it. A bite was all that was needed for her to develop a relationship to the Void-creature.
And the Shadow Isles.
A set of jaws sinking into her arm, a pair of fangs into their body. Blood entering his body to give him desire, blood mixed with the venom of a creature that gave her immortality. A being born from shadows and a being crafted by it. Elise touched her arm, gently stroking it. A wound, but she found solace in it. She remembered that often good things came from hurt.
In question.
There was rustling around her other than the wind. Elise opened her eyes and saw various animals running past her, going deeper into the woods. Rabbits, snakes, birds, even a wild boar were running in one direction. Elise looked to where they were going and saw a clear force field descending in the distance. The Voidborn had just been let out. She looked around at the fleeing animals. So her guess was correct, this is what happened to the wildlife when they sensed the extradimensional creatures come.
The force field touched the ground in the distance, its base hidden from sight in the trees. She wondered what the animals that didn't make it out were doing. A minute had passed when Elise heard a squeal that was promptly silenced in the distance. Then a second one. Another minute passed and she heard footsteps coming towards her. She looked to her left down the line of trees and bushes and Kha'Zix stepped out, holding something in his mouth. They were some sort of large grey vermin-like creatures. Drops of blood still dripped from them. Kha'Zix had gotten lunch for them.
His head turned to face Elise. His antennae twitched and his eyes creased a little. He over to her and crouched, dropping the two large rat-like animals before her.
"You were waiting," he said.
Elise nodded. "I decided I could be here first for a change."
The Voidborn's antennae flicked. He pushed one of the rat-creatures towards her. "Yours."
"I could guess."
He stabbed his meal with his claw and bent down into it, quickly tearing into its underside and eating away. By contrast, Elise sliced little pieces of meat off and delicately put them in her mouth, slowly chewing each piece. After several bites, she summoned a set of spiderlings and they instantly descended on the morsel, helping Elise finish her lunch. She waited and watched as the Voidreaver eat his. He devoured everything; meat, bone, skin, it didn't matter. The only things that were left after he was done were loose fur and bits of skeleton. He hissed in satisfaction and started grooming, cleaning up the gore on him. He always managed to clean himself up extremely well for just nibbling and licking his arms and face.
"Thank you," she said.
Kha'Zix made another sound of satisfaction as he cleaned himself. Elise sat there with him for a few more moments before she decided to tell him about the match.
"I think you'll like what I was just doing before I got here," she said.
Kha'Zix, finishing his grooming, looked up at her.
"I was in a match just this past hour," she continued, "I was fighting against the Pridestalker."
At this, Kha'Zix's antennae immediately went up and pointed back, stiffened to be parallel to his wings behind him. His teeth bared and a low hiss of aggression emanated from him.
"I put quite an impression on him. It was a rough fight, but by the end of the match I took out his other eye," she said, waving her hand towards her right eye.
She paused, expecting Kha'Zix to mock-smile and start asking questions. Instead, he retracted his jaws and lowered his antennae. A look of unease entered his eyes. "Were you wounded?" he asked solemnly.
Elise blinked, thrown off by the question. "Well, of course," she said, "It was a battle. But I'm okay, like we all usually are when they pull us out."
His eyes traveled down her body, steadily looking her down before shifting his gaze to look back up into her eyes. "Did he damage you badly? Hurt you badly?"
Elise looked directly into his eyes. "I'm okay; really. There's no need to be worried about me." His expression of concern didn't leave. "You know I can take care of myself on the Fields," she added, "And I was the one who damaged him badly. I made sure to give him pain for the both of us."
The Voidreaver grunted, lowering his gaze. "The Pridestalker is dangerous meat," he said, "I fear for your being when you battle him."
Elise scooted closer. "He damaged you quite badly when you last encountered him," she said, "But you recovered, same as I did."
"He wounded me greatly when we last met," Kha'Zix murmured, "That is why I fear for your being when you fight him."
Elise gently lifted a hand and pulled in his head, having him lean on her shoulder. She was surprised not just by the reaction, but for what the reaction meant. He was changing, evolving. She remembered when she used to look at him in disgust. Less than a month ago he was a savage predator; now he was worrying for her. She lowered her own gaze and leaned her head atop his, stroking him.
"I'm fine," she whispered, "Please, don't be worried about me." Inside her though, something shivered at the thought of him being concerned for her though. She rubbed her cheek on the top of his head. He purred, but there was also a sense of anxiety in it now.
"Elise," he said. The way he said her name; he said it slowly and methodically, vocalizing it with great care. She drew his head in closer. He was drawing in deep breaths. "I do not desire to worry about you."
"I'm fine," she repeated softly, "There's nothing to be worried about."
She looked at him. Unease was in his eyes. They snuck into the large library, looking through runic books and tablets. Shadows crept along the edges, obscuring the vast room of information. The moon in the night sky was hidden behind a wall of dark trees. He had picked the locks at the gates and endured the strain of getting her into the forbidden lower areas. Though his hands were bloody with stress, it mattered little to him. He looked at his idol. He looked at her. As he did, he broke into the safe and brought forth the tomes of death to her eager hands.
She looked at him. Exhaustion was in his eyes. Their clothes were torn and drenched with the tears from the stars and the life fluid of their own bodies. They trudged through the marsh, thick mud clinging to their legs, trying to drag them down. The cesspool threatened to swallow them alive. He carried her the rest of the way when her legs became useless, bearing both their weights upon his back. Sores broke through his body. Anyone else would've left her to die. He looked at his only truth. He looked at her. As he did, he went on through night and day to their dark sanctuary.
She looked at him. Fear was in his eyes. The stormy waters caused them to rock back and forth, violently enduring wave after wave. The very oceans seemed to be trying to push them back. But despite the dread consuming him, he pressed forward. Where the others screamed and yelled, he remained still. He looked to his guiding light. He looked to her. As he did, he convinced the others to push forward against the unrelenting rage of the sea.
She looked at him. Green eyes.
She looked at him. Dark olive-green eyes.
She looked at him. Unwavering dark olive-green eyes.
And then utter darkness. Pale dead eyes.
And then-
A knock on the door. Elise woke up. She didn't need a clock to know the time. All she knew was that it was in the middle of the night. Who in all of Valoran would wake her up, one of the its deadliest warriors, daring to disturb her at such obscene hours? She rubbed her eyes and groaned, swinging her legs to the side of the bed and sitting up. Her spiderlings skittered around the room at the sudden disturbances. Their chitter reflected their mistress' annoyance. She breathed in, trying to clear the cloudiness of her mind. As soon as she stood up there was another set of knocks, louder.
"I'm coming," Elise called, swearing under her breath.
She stalked over to and opened the door. A robed figure stood in front of her, a Summoner. She groaned.
"Spider Queen," they said.
Elise groaned louder at this. "What are you doing here at this time, Arcaia?"
"I wanted to speak to you," the girl said.
"And you thought that this would be the best time to do so? Could you not wait until tomorrow morning?"
"But I wanted to speak to you now," the girl repeated.
"Not at this time," Elise said dismissively, turning and closing the door. But before the door could shut, a hand stopped it. She turned around, the drowsiness in her eyes now mixed with a glare. Arcaia stood there with her hand on the door.
"Please, I'm not sure where I could find you during the day so-"
Elise took two steps forward, standing right before the girl and looking down at her. Arcaia, though she didn't step back, winced at the sudden move. The Spider Queen glowered down on the girl. "If you wanted to meet with me so urgently," Elise said with venom, "A simple message left at my door would've sufficed. Instead you come to the quarters of the Shadow Isles in the middle of the night and disturb me when I am trying to get my rest. What you want to say better be damn important; I am getting very tired of you constantly aggravating me."
"I wanted to tell you that I would be summoning you throughout the next week or so in practice sessions before a real tournament starts," she said. Her voice, though shaky, was clear. Elise grimaced and gritted her teeth. She would've just loved to use her claws to slash this insolent girl's face off. She felt her arm move back to do it too.
But the Spider Queen inhaled. "I told you in the last match," she groaned, "You cannot force a bond between you and I. You are becoming quite irritating to me if you haven't noticed, and I have no interest in someone who mentally assaults me, pulls me to matches when I am trying to relax, and disturbs me in the middle of the night."
"I understand your frustrations-"
"Now I believe I told you this is not an appropriate time."
Silence. Elise stepped back and tried closing the door again, but Arcaia's hand remained pushing against it. The Spider Queen growled and raised her arm.
"Do you always act so hostile towards Summoners?" Arcaia asked, not moving.
"No, I'm usually quite polite to them." Her voice darkened. The Summoner was now starting to back up when she saw Elise's sharp fingers pointed towards her. "But what about you? Do you always persistently and imprudently annoy Champions this way?"
She didn't respond. It took Elise much of her willpower to not strike at this girl. "I'm going to say this one last time," she hissed, "Now. Is. Not. The. Time."
"I was also interested in the Shadow Isles," Arcaia blurted out. Elise growled, staring at her menacingly. "And you," the Summoner continued, "Especially you. I have for years. I heard rumors of your cult, but was never really sure. That's why I joined the League of Legends. I wanted to learn more about the Shadow Isles. To learn about death and undeath and immortality. To explore your cult. To meet you. To…look into you…"
Elise stepped up towards the girl, now leaning her face just an inch away from the terrified Summoner's. They remained like this for an uncomfortably long time. Elise saw in the Summoner's eyes fear, anxiety, naivety, and curiosity.
"You think you're ready to open your mind to what the Shadow Isles are?" Elise finally whispered, "You think you can just casually wander up to me and take away whatever knowledge you want about the realm of the dying?"
Arcaia stammered, but before she could say anything a humming from down the hall approached accompanied by an eerie green light. They looked to the side, and from around a corner Thresh strolled by, casually swinging his chain weapon while holding his lantern before him. When he saw them, he smiled and walked up to the two.
"Oh, what do we have here?" he said. Elise pulled back, though Thresh himself came and leaned up to Arcaia. "Such a young soul," he said, examining her, "Yes, a pretty young soul. I wonder how many tones of agony you'd be able to produce."
"She wants to learn more about the Shadow Isles," Elise said, crossing her arms and leaning against the doorframe, "That's apparently why she's been pestering me lately."
"You want to learn of the Shadow Isles?" Thresh asked, slowly circling the Summoner, "And you've been bothering my lovely Spider Queen here? My dear, if you wish to learn about the realm of death, I would gladly show you a shade of it first-hand." He raised his lantern, letting the screams creep out and echo around in the dark hallway. Arcaia was now visibly shaking. Her gaze shifted between the two beings before her: one a sinister spider-woman glaring at her with predatory red eyes, the other an ethereal warden with a wicked smile holding a tormented lantern and a deadly sickle on ghostly chains. She stepped back, and her sign of weakness elicited a maniacal haunting laugh from Thresh.
Even as she was backing out of the halls though, she looked at Elise. "I'm…I'm not afraid of you, Spider Queen. I…I…"
Elise snickered and Thresh released another wave of laughter at this remark. Arcaia shifted her eyes between them again. Though there was definitely fear in her eyes, Elise saw an underlying defiance in them when she turned to look at her. Without any further exchange, the Summoner quickly walked away.
When she was gone, Elise looked at the Chain Warden beside her. "Thanks," she said, "She's really getting on my nerves."
"Any time, my exquisite spider," he replied, "Any time."
She nodded at him. Just as she was about to reenter her room though, Thresh's spoke to her again, "Oh, before I forget, I was going to Piltover in search of a librarian within the next few days. Knowing how much you like a good book; would you care to join me on this excursion?"
She rubbed her eyes, her drowsiness returning. "Can I get back to you on that?" Elise murmured, "I'm very tired at the moment."
"Of course."
She went back into her room, closing the door. The Chain Warden suspended his lantern in front of him again and continued to walk on, resuming to swinging his weapon and humming. Elise crashed onto her bed. Before she fell to slumber again, Arcaia's words echoed in her mind. The Spider Queen gripped her pillow in annoyance at this, but it quickly loosened back up when she went back to sleep.
