Chapter 8 is here! Please feel free to rate and review, I would like to hear your opinions and suggestions. Other than that, I hope you enjoy!
Three days passed by slowly as Shen wandered around the Institute, learning the location of nearly every place in the Institute off by heart. He had seen Jayce on some occasions and Jayce told him more about the league, telling Shen something the league calls, "The League Judgement." Jayce had told him that this is the method in which a champion was decided. Shen sat at the small table in his room, sipping at a glass of wine, when he heard a voice from the other side of the room. He turned to see the blue coloured orb glowing brightly. He got up from his seat and approached it, his black boots making echoing noises on the floor. As he looked into the orb, he began to see the face of a human being inside the orb, Shen frowned and leaned forward to look at it better. It was the face of his summoner assistant, Benji. The face of Benji smiled in the orb.
"Greetings, Shen. It is time for your Judgement. Please head to the summoner hall for your Judgement." The image of Benji faded and Shen quickly put on his armour and his sword sheaths and exited his room without a word. Shen continued throughout the great hall and made his way to the High Summoner's Hall. Shen opened the large door and entered the dark, barely lit room. The High Summoner approached him and smiled.
"Welcome, Shen, to the High Summoners hall. It is now time for your Judgement. Please, approach the center and lie down." Shen nodded and walked into the center of the large circle platform sticking out of the floor. He closed his eyes and cleared his mind. Akali, Kennen and Varus had already been through this process.
The summoners began the ritual and Shen could feel the Summoners entering his mind. It was quite an uncomfortable experience. Shen gritted his teeth as the summoners delved deeper into his mind.
A few hours passed as the summoners finished searching through Shen's mind. The magical light in the room had disappeared and Shen opened his eyes to see the summoners standing around him in a circle. They told Shen to stand and Shen stood up, weak from the pain of the ritual. The high summoner walked towards Shen and spoke, "The ritual is complete, Shen. We will inform you in time to decide whether you can become a champion." Shen nodded silently and he left the room. Shen wearily back towards his room and a figure, dressed in black armour and cloth approached him. His face was covered by a steel mask, and his eyes gleamed red. "Well, well, well, look who decided to join the League." Shen stiffened and tensed his muscles. "Zed!"
"Yes, it is I. It is very lovely to see you again, brother."
"You are not my brother! Not anymore!"
"Do you two know each other?"
Shen and Zed both turned to see Benji walk up to them. Zed's red eyes seemed to frown. "Yes, summoner. Shen and I have some "History" together."
"Ah, I see. Well, enjoy your reunion, friends. I've got work I need to attend to." Benji bowed and left the brothers alone. Zed turned to face Shen once again and laughed. "This just got more interesting. I will meet you on the fields of justice, Shen. I will make you regret coming here!" Zed laughed again and vanished, leaving only a shadow of him in his place. Zed's laugh echo through the hall, and Shen shuddered. He continued forward reached the garden area. As Shen walked through the garden, a woman walked up to the vines and flowers near him, reaching out to them. She was obviously not a normal woman, for her legs, hips and hands were covered in green plants. She turned to see Shen and she smiled. She walked away from the garden and left with some small flowers and vines taken from the garden
Shen sat at an empty bench for a time, staring blankly at the stone covered ground. He heard someone approach and with inhuman speed drew a sword from its sheath and pointed it at the unknown woman, his black hair flowing slightly in the wind. The woman had long black hair and a slender figure. She had fox-like ears resting upon the top of her head and she had nine tails flowing from behind her. She giggled and rested her left hand on hip, her right tapping the tip of Shen's sword, pushing it away from her. "Is that anyway to treat a woman?"
Shen frowned. "It is how I treat strangers."
The woman shook her head. "Forgive my manners, I am Ahri. What is your name, handsome?"
Shen stiffened slightly. No one had ever called him that before. "I am Shen. Are you a champion in the league?"
"Yes, I became a champion to have a little fun." She giggled again.
"Killing and bloodshed are 'fun' to you?"
"No, silly! I mean there are many very attractive people around. That's what I meant by 'fun.'"
"I… see. I should go, it was nice meeting you, Ahri."
"Indeed." Ahri gave Shen a small piece of paper. "If you want to have some fun, just head to my room, and I will see what I can do." She giggled again and left Shen alone in the garden. Shen waited for a while and then got up and left. Shen headed to the training room, which was nearly empty. Jayce was there, attacking the training dummy with his massive golden hammer. A few other unknown people were there. Shen drew his swords and walked up to the training dummy next to Jayce. Jayce turned and looked at Shen with a smile. "Hey, look who it is! How have you been?"
"I have just gone through my League Judgement."
Jayce whistled. "It's awkward, eh? Most uncomfortable experience I've ever had."
Shen nodded. "Painful too." Jayce nodded back and Shen placed a hand on Jayce's unarmoured shoulder. "You should know, I saw Zed."
Jayce seem shocked. "Truly? Then he has finally shown himself."
"Indeed, but we will be unable to act for a while yet. The summoners are still watching him closely."
Jayce suddenly grinned. "You too, I imagine."
Shen smiled. "Are the summoners always so watchful?"
"I guess they have to be. I doubt they want a newly found champion to come into the Institute and murder them all. New champions aren't really trusted here." Just as he spoke, a woman walked up towards them. She was quite tall, nearly reaching Jayce's own height. Her hair was a bright pink, and she had a quick smile. On her hands was a pair of massive gauntlets. In some areas they glowed blue. She punched Jayce playfully on the arm and grinned. "Get back to training, slacko. You gotta work those muscles if you are going to stand a chance against Darius."
"Yeah, yeah, but Darius is only good in close range. I'm good in close range and at a distance."
"Ooh, cocky. Let's see if you're still so confident when you are dead in a ditch." She grinned again.
Jayce sighed. "You're going to tease me for as long as I live, aren't you, Vi?
Her grin widened. "You know it, Captain Hammer."
Shen sat there with an eyebrow raised, having listened to the whole conversation. Jayce laughed out aloud and Vi chuckled. Jayce calmed down, wiping tears from his eyes. "Sorry, Shen. This is Vi." Shen held out his hand and Vi grinned again. "Are you sure you want to do that?" Before he could react, Vi covered his whole hand with her gauntlet, crushing his hand within. Shen's facial expression was filled with pain and Vi let go, laughing. Shen grasped his nearly broken hand and smiled slightly. "Sorry about that, Shen, but you did ask for it!" Vi exclaimed, still laughing. The woman known as "Vi" stopped laughing and looked at Shen. "Seriously, though, it's nice to meet ya, Shen." Shen nodded as Vi turned to Jayce. "Get back to training, Captain! You gotta harden those puny muscles up!" VI grinned as she waved at Shen and went back to her training. Jayce smiled at Shen and gestured that he followed him.
Jayce led Shen out of the training room and Jayce opened the door to his room. It was a lot different from Shen's room, for it had a door at the back which led to Jayce's laboratory. Jayce led him through his room and into the laboratory. Jayce turned his head to Shen, "Remember that full metal armour I told you about?" Shen nodded and Jayce pulled a lever to the cell and the door opened upwards, revealing a suit of heavy, metal armour. The machine pushed the stand the armour was resting on forward and Jayce crossed him arms, a large smile on his face.
"She's a beauty, isn't she? I finished working on the armour yesterday, but I need someone to test it." Jayce looked at Shen with a grin. "Wanna try it out?" Shen smiled and nodded. Jayce moved over to the table nearby which was covered in a different matter of bits of armour, weaponry and what looked like runes of some sort and picked up a strange device. Jayce pressed the button of the device and the armour opened up from the inside.
Shen approached the armour and placed his body in the empty positions of the armour, his arms held straight from left to right. Shen nodded and Jayce pressed the button. After the button had been pressed, the armour began to close up around Shen's body, completing covering his whole body except his head in the thick metal armour. Shen closed his eyes as he noticed a darkness covering his face. The helmet was locked in place and Shen opened his eyes again. The hold that the armour was on moved backwards and Shen staggered forward.
The armour was somewhat lighter than he expected, and he walked forward towards Jayce. Jayce grinned as he lighted punched the armour covering Shen's arm. "Looks good on ya!" Jayce said, smiling. Shen nodded and spoke in a deep, robotic sounding voice. "It's quite comfortable." Shen's eyes widened. The armour had changed the sound of his voice. Jayce noticed this and his smiled widened. "Yeah, the armour will do that."
Jayce moved over to another table and lifted a bluish-black coloured hammer, much like his own golden hammer. He held it out to Shen and Shen took it, nearly dropping the hammer because of its sheer weight. Shen steadied himself and lifted the hammer back up. Shen held the hammer in his left hand and put his thumb up in his right. "Ok, now I want you to find a button on the chestplate. It should be in the middle somewhere." Jayce told him. Shen looked down at the massive chestplate and found a round button in the center. He pressed it slowly and before he knew it, a large field of lightning surrounded him. He looked around and saw Jayce standing a few metres further away from him. The lightning stopped and Jayce whistled.
Shen walked forward and handed the hammer back to Jayce. Jayce grabbed the hammer from Shen and gently placed it back on its hold on the table. Jayce was about to say something when the door to the laboratory opened. A boy about the age of fifteen entered the room. He had long, blonde hair which flowed over his forehead. He wore ragged cloth and boots. He grinned as he walked up towards Jayce. "Yo, Jayce!" the boy said. Jayce smiled, "What are you doing here, Ezreal?"
The boy named Ezreal shrugged. "Thought I would drop by, see how you are doing. I got nothing better to do." Ezreal turned and noticed Shen standing there, still wearing the full metal armour made by Jayce. "So you finished it?" Jayce nodded. "I didn't know it can move on its own." Jayce only shook his head. "It can't, Shen is wearing the armour." Jayce gestured at Shen and he nodded. He reached up towards his head and unlocked the helmet. His black hair was spiky again as he removed the helmet. Ezreal grinned again. "Ah, so you are the one Jayce told me about. Nice to meet you, Shen."
"You as well, Ezreal." Shen frowned at him. "I'm not insulting you, but aren't you a bit young to be in the league?"
Ezreal laughed. "If I got paid a gold piece everytime someone said that to me, I would be rich!" Ezreal took on a more serious expression. "But you don't need to worry about me, I can handle myself."
"Very well, Ezreal." Shen said. Ezreal smiled and turned to Jayce. "Hey, just wondering, can I have my gauntlet back? I feel strange without it on."
Jayce clicked his fingers. "Ah, yes. I'll go get it." Jayce quickly turned and left the room through another door on the left, leading into the armoury. Ezreal sat down on a chair and looked at Shen. "You know, that looks quite good on you."
Shen looked at the heavy armour on his arms and legs. "Really?"
"Yeah, you should have Jayce make a set like that for ya. It would have to be a bit smaller though."
"Hmm… I don't want to trouble him with making armour for me."
"Pfft, Jayce loves making this sort of stuff. He would gladly make it for you. And besides, he already has the blueprints and that."
"I'll ask him when he comes back. This armour is quite nice."
As soon as Shen finished speaking, Jayce entered the laboratory with a fingerless, bronze gauntlet in his right hand. Jayce grinned and tossed the gauntlet across the room at Ezreal, who caught it, also grinning. Ezreal put the gauntlet on over his left hand and the round circle in the middle of the gauntlet glowed with a blue light, and then the light faded. Shen found it quite fascinating. Shen walked forward and Jayce looked at him. "Hey Jayce, do you think you could possibly make a suit like this for me? If you have time, of course."
Jayce smiled. "Sure, I thought you would like that armour." Jayce picked up a scabbard that Shen put on the table and drew the Katana from the scabbard. "I could make you new swords, too." Shen smiled. "That would be great, thanks Jayce."
"Anytime. Ah, that reminds me." Jayce turned towards Ezreal. "Your Pulsefire armour is nearly finished. It just needs a few tweaks here And there and it should be good to go. Come back tomorrow morning and you can try it on."
Ezreal grinned. "Sweet! I'll be here tomorrow, that's for sure. Anyway, I better go, I got some things I need to do."
"Like talking to Lux again?"
Ezreal blushed as Jayce laughed. "Go on and get her, tiger." Ezreal smiled slightly and waved a friendly goodbye, and left the laboratory. Shen looked at Jayce. "I should go too, i need to discuss some things with Akali."
Jayce sighed. "So you like someone too, huh?"
"I guess i do, but i don't feel as if i deserve her."
"Bah, of course you do. Now, do you wanna get out of that armour for me? I don't want you stealing mine." Jayce said, grinning broadly. Shen laughed and walked over towards the cell-like door. He walked into the armour stand and Jayce pressed the button, opening the armour. Shen walked out of it and barely caught the sheaths that Jayce threw at him. Jayce winked. "Good catch." Shen smiled as he nodded. "I'll get to work on that armour for you. I'll let you know when i finish it." Shen nodded again and waved goodbye and left the laboratory. Shen found his way back to his own room and went through the door. As he entered, he sat Akali sitting on the edge of his bed. Shen frowned as he took a seat on a chair near the bed. Akali looked up and smiled. "You're finally back." Shen nodded and leaned forward slightly, a worried expression on his face. "Akali, i need to tell you something."
"What?"
Shen gripped Akali's shoulder and he shuddered as he spoke. "I saw the man i once called my brother. I saw Zed."
