Chapter 10

"What trickery is this?!" A raspy voice boomed.

"Hmm?"

"How did one boy manage to do what should have taken many?"

Talon was standing outside Marcus's office, listening in on the conversation. After the squad of Noxians surveyed the massacre at the Demacian outpost, they gave Talon a ride back to Noxus, but of course, they had to tell one of the generals what he did. And that led to him storming into Marcus's mansion demanding an explanation. The general was tall and mostly bald with a mask over his face. He carried a cane and had an obvious limp in his right leg. On top of that, he wore a green and gold uniform and had a blue, six-eyed bird perched on his shoulder,

"What do you mean, Swain?" Marcus asked, a little amused at Swain's outrage but also disappointed at Talon for getting caught.

"How did you get one boy into that outpost and eliminate all those Demacians twice his age?" this 'Swain' asked impatiently.

"He is a skilled boy. More skilled than anyone in your, or any other general's military division," Marcus sat back in his chair, waiting for Swain's response.

"Oh yeah? Then how is he so skilled? Is it magics? Runes? Bribery?"

"None. I had him sharpen his skills in training. To a pointed knife."

"...Then how did you do it?" Swain lowered his voice a little.

"Do what?"

"How did you get him to become so skilled? If we could provide that kind of training to all our troops, then we could finally conquer everyone that opposes us."

Marcus placed his elbows on his desk and laced his fingers together, "Training isn't the only thing that makes someone powerful, Swain. A strong will, and determination is also needed."

Swain put on his angry face, "But my men already have a strong wi-"

"No, they don't," Marcus interrupted. "To almost anyone who lives in Noxus, strength and power is everything. If one is strong, they rise to the top; become a legend to their peers. That is all the army believes in; strength and power to achieve greatness. Not a strong will and determination."

"Tch. You're wrong. All you need is an ingenious strategy and the proper people to execute it. Not some pointless will and determination." Swain said proudly. "It seems you aren't going to give me this information willingly, so I suppose I'll take my leave. But before I go, there's something you should know: the outpost that kid destroyed was just a distraction for king Jarvan II to sneak into the fighting pits and liberate Viscero (that was Xin Zhao's name before becoming a Demacian) and the three hundred prisoners he was up against," Swain turned around and limped out of Marcus's office. He stopped to turn to Talon, who was still right outside the door listening to the conversation, "Stay out of Noxian affairs, or it might just cost you your head."

Talon shivered at Swain's cruel words. Swain proceeded out of the mansion mumbling something about his bird being hungry. Talon entered Marcus's office, but couldn't stare at his disappointed face,

"Leave me, boy," Marcus said in his deep voice, "there's something I need to think about."

Talon gave his master a quick bow, and exited his office. He climbed the stairs to his room, only to find that his door was open. He never left the door open when he left the mansion. Talon looked inside to see Katarina fiddling with some of his blades,

"Katarina, what are you doing in my room?" Talon asked.

Katarina looked up in surprise and quickly hid all the blades she was holding behind her back. As if Talon was that stupid,

"For one thing, this isn't your room. It's just the room Dad was nice enough to let you stay in," Katarina began. "And I was just looking around, making sure you didn't hide all the dead people you kill in here. That would be creepy."

"...Right. Now can I please have my weapons back?"

Katarina hesitated, but brought her hands back in front of her and Talon took his blades back,

"Why were you looking at my blades?" Talon asked.

"I-," Katarina looked away, "I kinda liked the feel of it."

Talon traced Katarina's gaze back to his blades, then came up with a conclusion,

"Would you like one?" Talon asked as he stretched a dagger to Katarina. Katarina's eyes lit up with happiness,

"Y-You mean it? I can have one?"

Talon rubbed the back of his head with his free hand, "Well yeah. I have too many anyway, and you seem to like these."

Katarina took the dagger from Talon and placed a finger on its edge. She showed pure delight at the dagger, before looking at Talon with thankful emerald eyes,

"-Thank you, Talon!" Katarina said. If she was any happier she might have hugged Talon.

"Don't go hurting yourself with it now," Talon warned.

"I won't," she reassured.

Katarina left Talon's room, and when she was out the door, turned around and gave Talon a genuine smile. Talon placed the rest of his blades back in his drawer and plopped face-up on his bed. He had a new sense of generosity now. He has been given everything since living in the Ducouteau mansion, which was an extreme change from having to "earn" what you wanted on the streets. It felt nice to be the one to give for once, even if it was just something as simple as a dagger.

Marcus sat behind his desk, thinking on what to do about Swain. He often did things without the consent of the other generals. He was smart and strategic, but he was also unpredictable and might end up making more enemies for Noxus. A loose cannon is what some people might call him. Then again, Marcus was almost exactly the same. Marcus opened up a filing cabinet and looked under the letter "C". He pulled out a black folder labeled with two red letters "C", and "E" and opened it up,

'Now I can always know what you're planing, Swain,' Marcus thought as he read through the folder.

Katarina threw her new dagger outside as it spun hitting hilt first at a makeshift wooden target. She puffed out her cheeks in frustration as she picked up her dagger off the ground. She threw it again, made less of a spin, but still failed to implant itself into the target. Cassiopeia saw Katarina throwing the dagger and decided to get a closer look,

"What are you doing?" Cassiopeia asked her sister.

Katarina threw it again, and this time it stuck into the target with a thud. She made a triumphant face, but then realized that the dagger didn't hit the target like it was supposed to. She turned to face Cassiopeia, a little annoyed,

"I'm trying to throw this dagger right," Katarina replied, a little frustrated.

"Sheesh, Kat. No need to take your anger out on me."

Katarina sighed, "Sorry Cassy. It's just a lot harder than it looks."

Cassiopeia eyed Katarina's dagger, then gave her a curious look, "Where did you get that?"

Katarina lifted up her arm with the dagger and showed Cassiopeia proudly, "Talon gave it to me. He said he had too many and gave me this one."

"Cool. But wouldn't Dad get angry if he sees you playing with a sharp knife?"

"He'd get angry, but not at me when I tell him Talon was the one who let me use it," Katarina explained.

Cassiopeia gave Katarina a shameful look,

"Th-That is if I get caught," Katarina quickly added.

She threw the dagger once again, and once again it hit the target with the hilt,

"Now if only I knew how to use one," Katarina said.

Cassiopeia thought for a moment. Then a sudden idea popped into her head, "Maybe you could ask Talon for lessons."

"I'm not too sure about that. He seemed a little tired when he showed up in his room."

"Aw come on. I'm sure he'd be glad to help," Cassiopeia gave a tug on Katarina's arm, slightly pulling her in the direction of the mansion.

"Ow. Okay, okay. I'm coming,"

And the two girls were off to Talon's room.

Talon woke up to the sound of knocking on his door. He must have fallen asleep. He was still tired and a little soar from last night after all,

"Talon, it's me, Cass," Cassiopeia's voice said on the other side of the door.

Talon got up and stretched his back,

"See? I told you he was sleeping," came Katarina's voice.

'What do they want?' Talon thought as he got to the door. He opened it to see the two younger girls standing on the other side,

"Hey there. Cassiopeia. Katarina," Talon greeted halfheartedly. He just got out of bed and was still a little tired.

"Kat's got something to ask you," Cassiopeia said, giving Katarina a nudge.

Katarina looked at the floor, "Uhm, could you uhm, help me uhm, with-"

"Help her throw a dagger accurately?" Cassiopeia finished.

"-Y-Yeah."

"I could try. I don't really know how to teach someone how to throw it correctly though," Talon said.

"Good!" Cassiopeia grabbed Talon's arm and pulled him outside with Katarina.

Marcus finished his letter to Swain and gave it to a postmaster to be delivered,

"Make sure it gets to him as fast as it can," Marcus demanded.

"Don't worry sir. I'm the fastest mailer in Noxus. He'll receive it in a few hours, tops."

The postmaster rode off with the letter, leaving Marcus to plan for what's coming.

Katarina threw her dagger at the target. It made a knocking noise as it sloppily hit the target,

"That's not how you throw a dagger," Talon said as he pulled out one of his own. "You're putting to much force into it, and that's what's making it spin. Try throwing it like this."

Talon expertly snapped his hand out, releasing the dagger as it flew gracefully into the target. Katarina watched in awe and Cassiopeia cheered in the background,

"See?" Talon started, "You're trying to throw it as hard as you can, and that's what's making the spin. What you want is to throw hard enough to where it will glide through the air, but softly enough so it will stay straight."

Katarina nodded, then threw the dagger again. It spun, as always, and hit the target with the hilt,

"I don't see how you do it," Katarina whined.

Talon picked up Katarina's dagger and handed it back to her, "Simply put: if you throw with your arm, it will spin. If you throw with your wrist, it will stay straight."

"Maybe if you weren't so strong than you'd be able to throw it right," Cassiopeia giggled.

"Shut up," Katarina said. She took a pause, 'Don't use your arm. Don't use your arm.'

Katarina's dagger implanted itself into the target with ease. It flew straight, or at least straight enough. She blinked at the sight of finally being able to throw a dagger properly,

"I did it," she said.

Talon examined the target and the dagger, "It wasn't perfect, but at least you did it right."

"Good job, Kat!" Cassiopeia said, "Now it's my turn!"

Both Katarina and Talon shared the unsaid word, no.

"What?" Cassiopeia teased, "I was just kidding."

"Thanks, Talon," Katarina briefly said.

"No problem. I'm glad I could help," he replied.

"You could go back to sleep now if you want," said Katarina.

"Sure. I am still a little tired. Well, Katarina, Cass, I'm going back to bed," Talon said, waving at them.

"Goodnight! Sorry for waking you up," Cassiopeia waved back.

"You could just call me Kat from now on, if you want," Katarina said.

Talon gave the two girls another wave before returning to the mansion.

"That fool!" Swain yelled as he read Marcus's letter.

"KAW!" came the bird on his shoulder.

"What is it?" said a female voice from behind Swain.

Swain turned around and faced the figure, "General Marcus Ducouteau has been foolish enough to enroll his student into a special force that I command."

"So?"

"His student is skilled in assassinations, perhaps too skilled. And I will assume control over him once he joins this force."

"And how will this benefit me?"

"You'll see dear. You'll see. Once my plan is complete, everything will fall into place."

Talon was once again in his bed, and once again he was thinking about what he just did, until he heard another knock on his door,

"Report to my office immediately, boy," Came Marcus's voice.

"I just want to sleep," Talon moaned. He got up and walked out the bedroom door. He walked down the stairs and into Marcus's office, "You wanted to see me, sir?" he asked as he took a seat.

"Yes. As you may recall, General Swain was here earlier demanding how you became so skilled."

Talon didn't say a word, so Marcus continued, "He is hiding something, boy, and I want to know what it is," he slid the black folder to Talon. Talon opened it up, "It's a special organization that is run completely by General Swain. It's members carry out special orders that he gives them."

"You don't mean-"

"Yes. I want you to join this organization and follow whatever orders you are given. You will report to me everything Swain makes you, or any other members do. But just know that I am still your master, and if I give you an order that goes against his wishes, then carry it out regardless of what his orders are. Understand?"

"But I-... I understand, sir. What is this organization called?" Talon asked.

Marcus took back the black folder from Talon and placed it back into the filing cabnet. He then leaned forward onto his desk,

"Tomorrow, you will be joining the Crimson Elite."