CHAPTER ELEVEN

"Jarvan is dead. By that measure, I've succeeded. However, Lux has escaped our grasp, and now all of Demacia will know of my guilt," Talon announced grimly. Even through his normally iron resolve, he pulled at the leather-shrouded wood of the chairs in Swain's council chamber.

Katarina, luxuriating across a sofa along the near wall, laughed before speaking, "Well, haven't you always desired to live in the shadows? Now you will. Your service to the Institute is forfeit, but what of it? You've all but rendered its existence obsolete."

Talon idly massaged the skin on the bridge of his nose, looking to Swain, waiting on his gravelly voice to present his judgment.

LeBlanc spoke up instead, "Katarina has the right view, I think. The only task left is to contact former General Du Couteau."

The mage crossed her legs, allowing her revealing outfit to display even more of her enticing thighs. Talon looked away, toward the crimson and golden threads of the rug.

"Talon. You are to remain here in Noxus for the time being. Obviously your presence anywhere else - especially the Institute of War - would only be cause for guilt. While you have succeeded in killing Jarvan, you have not succeeded in successfully shifting the blame. Our original intent was to cause Demacia to fight amongst themselves. Jarvan was a great leader and Prince, but Demacia has no shortness of those. Garen and the King are still forces to be reckoned with," Swain said. Beatrice, his raven, casually nuzzled it's feathered face against Swain's cheek.

"You've managed to give greater cause for Demacian unification - the opposite of our original intention," He continued. His voice was even, cold.

Talon nodded grimly, looking briefly over to Katarina. The worry in her eyes marred her features as clearly as her scar. Swain rose, walking toward Beatrice's cage, removing the large bird from his shoulder and putting her inside. She obeyed in short order, although a reluctant squawk escaped her beak.

"However… you have removed Jarvan from the picture, meaning that if the Institute of War does manage to continue its existence, we have one less champion to worry about, and if there is a coming conflict, they will have to find someone to replace him. Or, perhaps they will find someone to replace Garen, assuming Garen has already replaced Jarvan. There aren't many men of that caliber. Additionally, you will be of some use in the coming conflict, no matter its nature. You will remain in our service for now, but do not think that your failure is forgotten. It would've been better for you if you had never set out on that job. Another mistake from you, and I'll have no choice but to feed you to Beatrice," Swain said, returning to his seat and staring at everyone before returning to stare down Talon.

Talon rose and bowed to Swain, "Your graciousness is humbly accepted. I will not fail you again, My Liege."

"I would hope not. Now, LeBlanc, you mentioned the summoning of the former General…?" Swain said. Talon returned to his seat, looking at the mage. The barest signs of relief glimmered in his eyes. Now that he knew he was (at least temporarily) safe, he let them wander over her form.

LeBlanc noticed, but responded only with a smile, "Yes, I can summon him. But we'll need to overturn this rug, where I've already drawn the summoning circle."

Her dainty, gloved fingers gestured. Black satin.

Talon removed himself from his seat again and walked to the rug. He picked it up and rolled it into a tight cylinder while the others approached.

"I find this unwise," a voice said. It echoed around the chamber. They couldn't pinpoint the location, but the timbre and muffled quality of the voice meant that it could only belong to one person - Kassadin.

Talon dropped the rug and drew his blade.

"Reveal yourself, voidwalker," Swain said, glancing around.

"That would also be unwise. You are wrong about the General's intentions. His allegiance is not to Noxus, but to the Void," Kassadin said.

Swain frowned, but he managed a nod and rested both of his hands on his staff, glancing at the runes in LeBlanc's circle.

"Hmm. Very well, you may appear, we will suppress our desire to eviscerate you," He offered. Kassadin appeared in a flash of purple light on the opposite side of the circle.

"Speak, before we change our minds," LeBlanc said, the crystal atop her staff aglow with arcane power.

"The General was one of the few beings I recognized while I was trapped within the void. Even now, it is difficult to shroud myself from him in that realm. Each time I travel through the void, he draws closer. He cares nothing for Noxus, or for Demacia. His true intention is to weaken both of you in order to allow for an easier assault from the Void. Malzahar is one of his only real allies in Valoran now," Kassadin said.

Swain huffed, "You've long held Malzahar in discontent. How do you know we're not being played? Do you intend to use the might of Noxus to destroy your rival?"

"Five steps ahead, as always. If you do not believe my conjecture, I can show you something more concrete. The runes in this circle - are unknown to both you and LeBlanc. Talon and Katarina have no real knowledge of the arcane, but you, and especially LeBlanc, are masters. Yet these characters escape you. Tell me: what language is this?" Kassadin gestured downward at the white lines of chalk scrawled on the black marble.

Swain raised a brow and looked to LeBlanc, stepping toward her, "Unfortunately, he's correct. Where did you come to know of these?"

"The General appeared to me in a vision only last night," LeBlanc confessed. Talon laughed, but stopped when LeBlanc looked at him.

"The void is closer to the realm of dreams than the material world. These characters are the language of the Void," Kassadin said, kneeling to examine them.

"If you wish for further evidence, speak with the general still. I would surmise that he'll recommend an immediate and upfront assault with all forces, rather than anything slower and more tactical. If and when you decide that I'm correct, I would ask that all of you - except Talon - show up at the Institute tomorrow. A threat from the Void is a threat to all of Valoran. Your national interests are nothing compared to that," Kassadin announced, looking directly at Swain with his yellow orbs. With that, he bowed and departed in another flash of purple light.

"My father would never ally himself with the Void. This is a ploy on behalf of Demacia," Katarina said, sheathing her blades.

"Kassadin is as much an ally to Demacia as his is to us. As much as I wish it weren't true, he makes sense. Summon him," Swain said, returning to one of the seats with a limp.

Lux watched the rays of light in the garden distort and dance around the golden curves at the end of her wand. As comfortable as that leather handle was in her glove, and as refreshing as it was to finally be bathed and clean after so long, the magic of light manipulation did not cast a shadow over the concerns in her mind: Ezreal and Talon.

At her request, the guards had cleared out of the armory, leaving her in that large hall, populated now only by her, the empty suits of armor lining the walls, and innumerable swords and weapons of every fashion. The white marble and gold leaf of the room's decor seemed dull, despite her magic lights.

She saw a yellow burst of light from the doorway, but didn't bother to look up.

"I used that to find you, you know. But for some reason I didn't take it with me. The Demacian guards may have been on my tail, but ultimately that would've been only a good thing. The wand showed me how you felt…" Ezreal said, crossing the room. He didn't share the bench Lux sat on, instead leaning against an adjacent weapon rack.

"The fear and revulsion were clear. So… why the change of heart? I watched it happen. You wanted it at least as much as he did," He said.

Lux felt the heat rise to her face. She turned to face him, her eyes fierce.

"Have you ever been kidnapped, Ezreal? Why do you care if Talon and I shared something? He didn't hurt me," Lux said. Ezreal folded his arms.

"Gods. You actually care for him. And you think he cares about you? I don't think Talon could care about anything! You know he felt nothing when he killed your former prince!" Ezreal said. His mouth tightened in the grimace of disgust.

"You don't know him! You don't even know me!" Lux said - but her hand immediately flew to her mouth.

Ezreal found himself speaking with a tone he never thought he'd use toward Luxanna, "You're right. I don't. Maybe when Talon is dead you'll be able to think straight. You disgust me."

With that, Ezreal departed, his arcane shift taking him away from Lux's side.