You know what this story needs? An incredibly masculine lumberjack based off a Lunari OC that isn't even mine!

...

Bite me.


Despite knowing the wait for Diana to meet her at the top of the tower would be reasonably short, Syndra had still decided to look around to see if anything caught her interest, and amazingly, even in the middle of the night, something had. Not that it was unexpected, after all she knew it was called Star Tower for a reason. She just hadn't realised the reason would be so beautiful.

At some point while she was craning her neck upwards. Diana had finally made it up the staircase, illuminated by the bright white glow of the artifact she was holding carefully with both hands.

"Diana, look! In the sky!"

"That really narrows it down."

Even though it was the middle of the night and nobody frequented the tower regardless, neither her or Diana were speaking above a whisper.

"Come next to me and actually look where I'm pointing, idiot!"

Even in the area where she was pointing there were dozens of stars right next to each other, but she was certain Diana wouldn't mind a quick nuzzle before she left. After all unlike Diana, she had every reason to be nervous.

Which was why it was a bit of surprise when Diana's hand tightly squeezed hers, instead of the other way around.

"You're not the one that's supposed to be nervous."

"I don't want to take any chances...As long as we don't interfere with each other the escapes going to be fine, I know it."

Diana's fear that she was going to crash mid flight out of all things, was hilarious. Meanwhile her fear that Diana would fuck up the teleportation was actually sensible considering neither of them had any idea how it worked.

"You know I think I know which constellation you were looking at. It wouldn't happen to look like two people holding hands, would it?"

"Maybe. And what do they call this peculiar arrangement of stars?"

"The lovers."

Having watched Diana slowly make an opportunity available Syndra kissed her hard on the lips.

"You know that if you look closely enough you can see my headdress in the stars. Right next to the lovers as well."

"Well I'm clearly not looking closely enough."

"It's on a bit of an angle."

"Pfft."

In the darkness Syndra didn't see the kiss on the cheek coming and when she felt it her heart skipped a beat.

"You're funny sometimes. One more thing."

Diana held up to Syndra the artifact that was still creating moonlight.

"I figured you'll need it to see where you're going. It's pretty much a throwaway anyhow."

In the light Syndra could see Diana smiling.

"I have to go. Enjoy your flight."


Ironically even while she was floating just above the tower, Syndra was just as dizzy as when she was standing. Her body apparently hadn't quite realised that she could fly.

Well here goes nothing.

As soon as Diana felt her feet strike an entirely different surface to the paved surfaces around the Institute, she was hit by a wave of euphoria which caught her completely unaware. One second she was standing completely surrounded by pitch black, the next she was knee deep in an apparent variety of plants.

One small step for everybody else, one large leap for me.

I probably should have thought about this part a little harder.

Or I could just have not thought about it at all. That would have helped.

Now where did I put my backpack?

The light-givers, as Diana called them were so common that she could hoarded them in their dozens had she been some sort of very cheap bandit. Pulling hers out of the backpack she still blinked in the very pale light and looked around. No buildings in sight.

But she was in a field of sunflowers.

The irony.

The thought that bandits or guards that might kill her on sight had a giant glowing indicator where she was also convinced her to move pretty quick. Finding somewhere sheltered to meet Syndra was her priority at this point.

Travel in the same direction I teleported. That doesn't seem too hard.

Not that there was any shelter up ahead.

Are there armed patrols around here?

Has Syndra already passed my position?

Can I teleport any further?

She wasn't going to leave herself at risk of being found and captured. Not like last time.

Fuck it.

One or two more tries.

That's all I need.

Just two more tries.

I guess it's time to get to work.


The brilliant glow of light had certainly been further away than Syndra expected, but for the time being she was just grateful that she had actually found it. And her lover certainly appeared to be in good condition.

"Diana?"

"You've arrived. Good. We just need to get to Varstead."

Diana paused midway through the sentence to yawn awkwardly.

"Then we can rest. Let's go."

"Are you sure you don't want to rest here?"

Diana snapped the answer right back at her.

"I'm not tired."

Sore point.

After about 10 minutes of actual walking to allow Diana to keep up, Syndra turned around and found that Diana was on her haunches and leaning against a tree a few feet away.

"That's it. We're resting here."

"It's just a headache!"

"Diana, I know something's wrong when you can't even manage to keep up with me walking. We are resting for your sake, right now."

"Syndra….Shit."

"You'll agree with me in the morning."

"And you're going to pay for this in the morning. Now if you don't mind leaving me in peace, I'm going to spend half an hour looking for somewhere that's actually comfortable. Good night!"

Syndra didn't comment on how her lap was probably the most comfortable resting place for miles around. Because as soon as Diana actually fell asleep, with her head resting on gravelly soil no less, Syndra corrected that immediately. Then, very, very slightly, Diana adjusted her resting position, with her eyes kept tightly closed.

"You comfortable down there?"

Silence.

Diana was now well and truly asleep.


Diana had expected to wake up with a face full of cuts and scratches, which made for a pleasant surprise when all she received was a face full of leg. Leg…and sunlight.

Grimacing, she faced the other direction and wondered how Syndra could have possibly held the sitting position she was currently in for the entire time that both of them were asleep.

Is she really fast asleep?

Gently she tapped the apparently sleeping mage on the shoulder.

"Syndra."

No sign of Syndra pretending, and no reason for it either. Guessing that she would be unlikely to wake for a while, Diana decided to use the opportunity to explore the surrounding plateau by herself. Around where the two of them had rested for the night the land only seemed to rise upwards steeply in all directions, so that it as impossible to see the top of the slopes. The ground was bare, the soil was bronze but at least there were shrubs that provided some sort of nourishment. Unlike the shrubs however, Diana couldn't just pull water from underground.

Syndra would rather starve than eat this though. I need to find Varstead but of course I have to be in a valley.

Hm.

Now that I think about it…

Returning to camp was as easy as getting a few lucky guesses correct, where she found Syndra just waking up.

At the sight of Diana, Syndra brushed her hair aside from her face and grinned.

"Morning, gorgeous."

"I've been walking along cliffs for at least the last hour, there's nothing gorgeous about me anymore."

Syndra's grin was clearly contagious, that was the only explanation for why Diana was smiling as well.

"You sure about that?"

"Syndra, do me a favour and look for a town or a path or something will you? I'm not going to be able to find anything from down here."

As if launched by a spring, Syndra leapt into the air with a whooph.

Wonder how long she's going to be.

Whooommmphhhh.

Then Syndra landed and dust flew up in all directions covering Diana and her surroundings completely in a dust cloud and leaving her wheezing and coughing until it cleared.

"Maybe you could have a little bit of a softer landing next time."

"So what do you think?"

"About what?"

Diana had been too focused on her coughing to actually pay attention to what Syndra had been saying, but Syndra somehow hadn't actually noticed.

"About the town just over there, stupid!"

Alright then.

"Well…are you hungry?"

"

"Well I can't let you be hungry forever. Lead the way."

The steep slopes soon dissipated as she followed Syndra onto another plain and down a path that looked skinny in comparison to the two massive fields on either side of it.

"Look at how primitive it is!"

"Just because the buildings are built of wood doesn't mean the townsfolk are idiots…"

"But it DOES!"

"Well what are they meant to build from? Can you see any stone anywhere?"

"Exactly! If you can't figure out how to levitate stone, you're clearly incompetent! Or a Lunari! But my point still stands!"

The entrance to the town was just a gate between two haphazardly built barns, and absolutely nobody was paying it any attention.

"Syndra, you go ahead. I have…I have something I need to do.."

"You have…something you need to do?"

"I need to go to the..you know."

Talk about boldly lying to someone….

"Hmph. We can meet at the tavern then. Assuming there is one."

Slightly ironically, Diana's preference was not to meet Syndra at all. But that wasn't an option.

She's going to be SCATHING when she sees me next. But all good disguises need to start somewhere right?

This disguise required a decent body of water for a start, and after a few minutes of searching Diana spotted river that actually filled that purpose perfectly.

It's actually hilarious how traumatising this is.

In fact I guess you could say…..I'm actually pretty attached to my hair.

"Hah."

Snip.


"Read aaaaallll about it! New champion in the League! Read aaaaaaalllll about it, right here for only a few coins of gold! Only newspaper seller in Ivarstead, that's right, if you want to read about it, you have to get it from right here!"

In a stroke of brilliance, the local mogul had found Drake, the only narcissistic screaming lunatic in the town, and decided to place him in charge of selling the newspaper.

Brianna had invested a lot of time into collecting the newspapers.

"Heeeeey newspaper lady!"

And Drake had spent a lot of time trying to romance her. This was going to go well.

Angrily fumbling in her pocket for the gold she pulled the coins out and shoved them in his face.

"Shut up and give me the paper."

"Hooooold up. Not enough gold."

"You're fucking with me."

It wasn't beyond him.

"Maybe I'm not."

Drake shrugged his shoulders as elegantly as he possibly could.

"Maybe I am. Whatcha doin' tonight?"

"Give me the paper or I'll punch your fucking lights out."

That was not an exaggeration.

"I was thinkin' we could have a romantic dinner by the lake, just th' two of us?"

"I will crush your balls with my foot."

Drake took the money and slid the paper across to her.

"So tonight then at sundown?"

"I don't think so."

From the impromptu newspaper stand it was only a short walk to the lumber mill where she made a living, following the edge of the tranquil lake that was only disturbed for bathing every couple of weeks by hordes of townspeople. And also by this woman, that come to think of it was a complete anomaly.

Does she have no concept of modesty?

There are young adult men living in this town for fucks sake!

Maybe she's blind or stupid or something who's to know. Might as well tell her.

"You know people c-"


"-an see you right?"

Already certain Diana had abandoned her but with no idea why, Syndra had decided to pursue whatever as many luxuries as she could find. This lake apparently was it. But what a luxury it was. The water felt wonderfully warm against her skin and the surroundings were absolutely exquisite!

Then the 6 foot tall woman with abs that could shatter ice had come and ruined the view.

"Of course I do."

Now move out of the way so I don't feel guilty about what I'm looking at.

"Have you no modesty to speak of?"

"And what is there to be modest about exactly? If anybody remotely tries to make an advance on me I'll flatten them."

"Suit yourself."

Bizarrely, the woman then sat down on a nearby rock and opened the newspaper she was holding.

"Do you not have anything better to do than disturb my peace, woman?"

"I can't have you flattening people from my village without supervision."

"But a little flattening never-"

Wait.

Damn it, where's Diana when you need her.

"Why does this backwater village even need a newspaper? Can't you you talk to other people in this town?"

"I'm not reading about what happens in this backwater. I'm reading about what happens in the Institute. Do you ever shut up?"

"No."

A quick glance showed a few tiny lines of text amongst several colourful photos spread throughout the magazine. Of course the photos got Syndra intrigued about the contents.

"Am I in there?"

"N-"

"There I am!"

"Wha-?"

Splash,

The poor woman had dropped her magazine into the water out of shock.

"Get away from me!"

The woman leapt away from her, Syndra now hovering fully naked well above the surface of the water.

"What did I do? This is actually rather insulting!"

"What are you even DOING HERE?!"

"Waiting for my girlfriend! Is that a crime?!"

As if to top everything off, they were apparently attracting attention.

"Hey! Mind your own business!"

The interloper was a woman about the same age as the one Syndra was already dealing with, albeit a bit shorter. And she was running towards them now.

"I said go away! Are you deaf?!"

That person actually looks sort of like Diana.

Wait a minute….

Of course If it looked like Diana with shorter hair it was probably Diana with shorter hair.

"WHAT HAPPENED to your HAIR?!"

"Forget about my fucking hair! WHO is THAT?"

"How can you not recognise your own girlfriend?"

Diana threw a scathing look in Brianna's direction and then one in Syndra's direction.

"We need to talk right now. And put some clothes on for fucks sake.."

"Well it was nice talking to you guys…."

"She's coming too."

Syndra made a valiant attempt to keep a serious look on her face.

"Looks like we might need rope for that. Or chains even.

"Just use your magic! And actually try and keep your mouth SHUT for once in your life."

Well, there really wasn't any point arguing with that. But at least she could ease the tension.

"Sorry whatever your name is… It's complicated."


"Drop her."

Completely stone-faced, Diana watched their new accomplice fall out of the magical prison and onto the hard dirt below.

"Why don't you just KILL ME ALREADY!?"

A sharp crack, and she was on the ground again, blood streaming out her nose.

"You are not to speak unless addressed! Understand?"

The woman was nearly on her hands and knees when there was another magical blast and she was sent reeling onto the ground again.

"Understand?!"

"About fucking time! Now! Wha's your profession?!"

"Lumber!"

"Can you fight?"

"Yes!"

Diana could hear the distaste in the woman's voice.

"Good. You're coming with you escape you die, and if you fall behind you die as well. Now get moving!"

With Syndra around, that was as unforgiving as Diana could manage.

Maybe even a little too unforgiving.

"And press this rag against your nose to stop the bleeding."

The woman flat out tore it from Diana's closed hand with near superhuman strength.

Yeah because that's going to reduce the friction between us. Totally.

Maybe…maybe I'll try again at nightfall and see what happens.


As the sun dramatically finished its journey across the sky Brianna could feel her heart slamming against her chest every time she took a breath. There was no way her kidnappers could leave her alive overnight, even though she was tied to a nearby tree. She was an escape risk, a fight risk and served no purpose to their scheme whatsoever and yet…

Her kidnappers weren't exactly exuding confidence.

"We should rest here for the night. It's a good a spot as any. I'll get the wood and Syndra you can guard…what's your name?"

"Brianna. What's yours?"

Both of her captors looked very slightly in each other's direction. But the pale blonde-haired one spoke up.

"Anna. My name's Anna."

"And so...you're a summoner? What's your reason for running away?"

"Let me get this fire set up so we can all eat. Then we can discuss reasons."

"Eat? What are we eating?"

"Fruit." With a slightly bitter expression on her face Anna tossed an apple in her direction.

"Enjoy."

Halfway through eating her apple, and now sitting next to the roaring campfire, Brianna had eventually found the courage to decide to ask questions of her "captors".

"Why did you both leave?"

"The Institute didn't respect our love for each other."

"But I thought the Institute was notoriously open to this sort of thing?"

The two women instantly threw withering stares at one another.

"Pfft. What drivel you've been reading."

"And now that you've left you're planning to….."

"We're going south. Settling somewhere in the countryside to live the rest of our lives."

Calling the land south of here countryside is like calling Shurima a sandpit.

Their story makes absolutely no sense…

While she was thinking it over, the quieter one, Anna asked a question that caught her off guard.

"What's your name?"

Huh? What?

"Oh…erm…my names Brianna. I am….well I was…one of the towns lumberjacks.

My father died a few years ago, I haven't found anybody that cares enough about me to begin a relationship with and I have to run an entire mill by myself. Am I boring you yet?"

"Well, yes. Although to be fair, I haven't asked you about anything interesting."

"Syndra."

"What? She's interested in the Institute, I just want to ask her some questions. Who's your favourite champion?"

"Leona."

"Second favourite?"

"Irelia."

"You cannot be serious."

"About what? About liking two strong independent women?"

"What about me? I'm a strong independent woman too!"

"You're also a psychopath."

"What about her?"

Syndra brandished her finger in Anna's direction accusingly as Anna stood there looking accordingly shellshocked.

"I'm a summoner!"

"So? That doesn't stop you from being just as good as those other champions!"

"Syndra…actually Anna, we're going to sleep, and I think it would be best if you did as well. And that rope is unbreakable so don't even think about it."

"Yeah, or else the tree might fall on top of you or….or something."

Syndra flopped to the ground right where she was standing and attempted to curl into a ball.

"Not that I expect you to say anything in response considering that we kidnapped you…but good night."

Don'tsayanythingdon'tsaanythingdon'tsayanything…..

That failed to stop the words sliding from her lips anyway out of sheer politeness and exhaustion.

"Good night."

Damn it.


Syndra laid haphazardly on the uneven ground with her eyes completely shut, not fully awake but not close to sleeping. In hindsight resting where she had been standing probably wasn't a good idea, but Diana appeared to have enjoyed the improvised theatre, resting herself a few inches on Syndra's right, while Brianna, still attached to the tree lay several feet away on Syndra's left. Completely out of options to make herself more comfortable, Syndra was in the process of very slowly moving to the other side of Diana's body when she realised that neither of them were actually asleep.

"Diana…is everything alright?"

"Syndra, go back to sleep. it's nothing important."

"Are you uncomfortable?"

"No? It's just….I'm worried about Brianna."

"Really? I'm amazed that she's been doing so well."

"I am too…but that doesn't stop me from being worried about what she's left behind."

"If she left something important behind she would have mentioned it."

"And yet she hasn't mentioned anything. How can she have nothing worth mentioning?"

"I don't know…"

I do know. But I don't feel like talking about it because I'm tired and it's long winded and it's the middle of the night.

"…but if it worries you that much you'll just have to let her go."

As Syndra gently touched her cheek Diana cringed with clear distaste.

"I can't let her go…there is no 'just'. It's more complicated than that."

"Are you sure?"

Diana shuddered beneath Syndra's grasp and her cheeks suddenly felt warm beneath her touch.

"We can't trust her to keep a secret. If we let her go she'll tell the summoners where we're going. And if they find you all the way out here, they're going to kill you. They probably think we're on a mission to destroy Ionia together."

"Really? Because I told them we were on our honeymoon..."

"That's the cutest lie I've ever heard."

"It's not a lie! I left a note on my front door!"

"That just makes it cuter!"

"I think I…or we…whichever…can deal with Brianna in the morning. If I deal with it myself you won't have to worry about it, and we have to do something right? Can't have you being miserable for our honeymoon."

"Thank you. For being cute and for being um, supportive, I guess. And one other thing…do you have any cures for bad dreams?"

"I might…..why do you ask, beautiful?"

"Why do you think? Now hurry up and help me like the gorgeous woman you are…"

"It would be my pleasure…."


No. That is not what is going to happen.