A/N: R&R and enjoy. This chapter was a lot of fun.
Chapter 12
Ode to the End of the World
14.07.24CLE
A sigh, echoing into afternoon air over the abyss as if floating through the stars. The hum of mana funneling into the small fragment in Parrish's hand nearly drowned it out. Sejuani felt herself smiling, her jaw didn't seem to fit the action well but she couldn't help it. This was it. Her hand raised, motioning in silent order behind her.
"With respect Winters Wrath, stealth is for cowards, let them hear us." Olaf spoke up. Sejuani nodded and turned, with her flail rested on her shoulder she dismounted Bristle and motioned for the others to do the same with their beasts. Her fingers ran comfortingly through the long arctic fur on his back as she moved to pat his nose.
"No one leaves but us." she muttered to him, earning a nudge of the nose in response.
The hum stopped all at once, a crack like thunder echoed down the tunnel to meet her ears like some form of divine wind chime. She grinned, whatever these silly wizards were doing in her soon to be land would be dismantled.
"That's fucking awesome." Wales muttered. Werhan nodded, staring at where Lux had just been standing. Ezreal was next in line. The Newly constructed nexus hummed excitedly as if waiting.
Ezreal Vanished with a crack.
Parrish swallowed. "Vessaria told me that Akali was brought to the institute, wounded by Lissandra" eyed the group. "The battle in question took place a few hundred feet below us, less than twenty minutes ago." Vayne didn't need a better answer; she already understood. Her crossbow was loaded that moment.
"No need for that, we're leaving." Celene teased. Vayne's eyes narrowed. The Ionian smirked, motioning for her to go next.
"No one do anything stupid." Vayne said curtly, stepping forward. Her hand touched the nexus and with a crack she was gone.
"Those pendants that Celene distributed. Hold them close for they will save your lives very soon." Anivia said calmly. "I must inform the Avarosan. They draw near to the death of many." she clapped her wings and took flight. "I will return, escape to safety." Werhan sighed, his days of freezing cold were about to end. Smiling he stepped up to the Nexus. Smirking at Wales "See you on the other side you fucking faggot." he shot playfully, kicking snow at the summoner. With a bang he vanished.
"What a bi-" Riven's boots scrapped against the stone of the bridge, the summoner looked up only to be knocked painfully to the ground in a full bodied tackle. Wales yelped in surprise as a battle axe whirled by his face and imbedded in the stone behind him. "HA! Is all that you cowards do run and talk?!" Sejuani shouted, closing menacingly. She was flanked by a massive angry looking man everyone recognized as Olaf and a smaller woman in the garb of a shaman. "What kind of Noxian runs away?!" she taunted. The flail was dislodged from her shoulder and hung loose. "Now you have nowhere to run... Prove to me you're not just some piece of shit that leaves her company to die."
Celene blinked, Riven's eyes snapped up to Sejuani. "I DIDN'T LEAVE THEM!" she shouted. "YOU THINK I COULD A DONE ANYTHING?! I DUG A GRAVE FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE!" Riven shouted back. She was on her feet, marching toward her new enemy. Quinn practically dove out of the way as Celene grabbed onto the Exiles wrist.
"Riven... Fuck her. Let's just go." Riven ripped her hand away and whirled around.
"Get off of me..." she muttered dangerously. Celene blinked, stepping backward as she clutched her hand.
"Riven, you're about to step into a three verses one-"
"I don't care."
"They will kill you."
"It doesn't matter."
Riven turned away. Celene appeared in front of her, hand pressed against her shoulder a shake of her head was all the message she needed to send. Riven's eyes practically flashed. Celene yelped in surprise as Riven with ease latched onto the front of Celene's clothing and lifted her into the air. The Ionian looked at her helplessly, dread covering her face as Riven paused.
"Look at you! A commander does not take lip from her soldiers!" Sejuani scolded. "No wonder they all died, under that stable of leadership."
Celene shot Riven one last pleading look. Earning a very angry raised eyebrow. "What happened to you Celene... sense when you let someone bully you, or stop those from defending their honor...?" Riven muttered, eyes narrowing.
Celene struggled to answer, her throat dry. She opened her mouth. "Riven I was never a moron."
"You think I'm too much of a weakling to do this? Is that was everyone looks like to you? Please let me." Riven set her down before marching passed the paralyzed woman. Celene shot the rest of the group a shocked look as if asking for help. Quinn looked nervous, Wukong unsure. The summoners were shocked, Gideon stood with his arms crossed in a taunting manner.
Sejuani motioned Olaf and Aurora away behind her. "Keep them from interfering. You're group killed many of my friends Noxian. You're country slaughtered thousands. Now I'm going to dispose of this plague, starting with you."
"You can try." Riven's broken sword found its way to stance as her feet parted. There was a silence. The two adjusting a step. Riven smirked. "Hit me."
Sejuani returned the expression. "As you wish." she lunged.
"This is so insanely stupid. Let's just get the fuck out of here." Wales said under his breath as Olaf and Aurora approached. The summoner had to admit, Olaf was much taller in person. He shuddered with what he assumed was rage as the shaman narrowed her eyes, fingers readjusting along the shaft of her spear.
"What do we do?" Wukong asked. "Do we leave?"
"That's a stupid question." Quinn muttered. "We defend the Nexus. Just like on the fields. Wukong, take the one on the right? Celene help me with the Shaman" Quinn muttered again, smirking at the monkey. Her fight or flight springing to life. She flicked her eyes up to Valor high above her, circling silently. She then locked eyes with the shaman that marched toward her.
"Nice! You gave me the harder one." Wukong said excitedly.
"I have orders to remove the summoners influence from our lands." Aurora said flatly.
"I have orders to drink your blood from your skulls." Olaf said aggressively. Parrish nodded. There was no way out, the only way to succeed was to survive.
"This complicates things." she said calmly, hands raising. The other summoners followed suite. "Riven never strike me as one to hold such a grudge
Celene watched her walk for a brief second. "She wants to do it on her own." Celene shook the worry from her mind with some effort before Eyeing Aurora.
Riven shrieked, her sword slamming into the handle of Sejuani flail. She leaned backward as the true ice head of the weapon sailed in front of her face. Sejuani set her weight into the weapon, pushing Riven away. The weapon was spun over her head once before being brought down with intent to turn Riven to paste. The Noxian hopped backward as the weapon slammed into the ground with a crash. Riven felt the vibration of the impact in her teeth as she lunged over it. Sejuani snarled and snapped the chain upward. Riven flinched as the head slammed into her gauntlet. "You should know better not to come into the Freljord Noxian! Did you think we're all as weak as the Avarosan!?" the frail spun over her head again. Keeping Riven as bay as Sejuani advanced. Riven gritted her teeth, ducking another swing. It was no use, the flail just gave her to much reach. Even if she did lunge in on a pass Sejuani would just catch her on the return and relay on her armor.
The flail passed her face again, this time she acted. Ducking low Riven charged inside Sejauni's guard. Noting the flail change course as Sejuani brought the shaft up to meet Riven's sword. The two weapons clanged into the cold air, the stone blade sticking to the defending shaft as the head of the flail arched downward. Riven spun, curling her back up against the shaft so it passed her. The shaft was slammed into her back painfully forcing her away as Sejuani curved the arch of ice downward into a sweep. Riven hopped the frozen chain like a jump rope and thrust her sword for Sejauni's face as she turned with her weapon. The winter's wrath ducked the thrust and bull rushed her horned helmet first. Riven's sword slammed against the helmet halting the charge as the flail spun at her side. The icy head came rocketing towards Riven's face. A blast a green light rung Sejauni's helmet like a bell, disrupting the course of the flail. It jumped up and caught its chain, flying from Sejauni's hands.
Riven cocked the sword back and brought it with a yell down on Sejauni's shoulder. Her gauntleted hands came up and clapped the blade on either side, halting it. Sejuani grinned. "The cold makes the blade stick." she sneered, her foot came up to meet Riven stomach, pain cut through her midsection as Sejuani shoved her backward. "You think you're strong because of your enchanted weapon? Mine is at least in one piece..." Sejuani let the blade go and clenched her fist. Riven yelped as Frost rocketed up her arms from her sword. True Ice. Riven bit her lip, remembering what Trundles club could do.
She forced the pain out of her mind, willing her arms to move despite the biting frost and charged. Sejuani curled with surprising agility around the sword. Riven twisted, her signature combo braking loose as the blade lagged behind her.
Olaf snorted like bull and howled. Wukong felt the grin spread across his face. His eyes darted over his person as his heart was outraced by his brain. A brute, simple. The axe came from his left, staff came to meet it without much effort the shock came up his arm. A powerful blow. He rolled the staff over his shoulder, shock once again running up his arm as it slapped Olaf across the jaw. He roared. Again from the left. Wukong preformed the same move again, the staff again slapping him across the jaw. Olaf stepped back and popped his neck, eyes narrowing. Wukong shrugged with playful smile. "Perhaps a change of tactics, big guy?"
Wukong leaned backward, the axe sailing by his nose as he spun on his toe. The staff met axe this time. Olaf twisted, the blade of the weapon hooking the staff. With a yank it flew from Wukongs hands and clattered across the bridge before Olaf roared and hurled his weapon. He charged after it as Wukong ducked. Olaf bowled him over, scooping up the weapon and its brother just behind it. He skidded to a halt and hurled it again, again charging after it. This time the axe blade made contact. Olaf slammed into the recoiling monkey king, the two toppled to the ground.
Wukong yelped again. Olaf bought the axe down one final time. It met stone with a blast of sparks as monkey under him vanished in a puff of smoke. Something hard slapped him across the back of his head, causing his helmet to irritatingly vibrate against his ears like a bell. He snarled aggressively and turned to see Wukong leaning on his staff inspecting his nails. "Well now that we're warmed up and you have both you're weapons back-" He popped neck, spinning the staff over his shoulder and snapping it into a guard position with a smirk. "We can actually do this." he dashed a step, staff extended as he rocketed forward, offhand gripping a small wispy cloud. Olaf slapped the staff aside before head-butting Wukong in the nose. A staff cracked across his right arm. He knew the monkeys tricks from the fields and spun. The offhand axe left his gasp and it imbedded in Wukongs shoulder, he flinched before another staff stuck Olaf in the hip. He whirled around again. Wukong smiled respectfully and spat out a red shot of blood onto the icy ground. "Tricked yah'"
Olaf roared, charging with both axes above his head. Wukongs staff elongated all at once, the tip jabbing him in the teeth. Shoving it aside he brought the two axes down with all his strength on Wukong's head. The two locked weapons, faces inches from each other as a shoving match began. Olaf twisted, rotating Wukongs guard and making a slash for his gut with his left. The Monkey stood on his toes and thrust his hips backward to avoid the blow with a smirk. Olaf then ducked low and caught him in the chest with his helmet. Wukong used the momentum from the charging berserker and slide between his legs. With a howl Olaf spun and hurled his axe once again. Wukong curled around it, staff sweeping Olaf's legs and knocking him onto his back. It wobbled in the air as Wukong then vertically brought it down on Olaf. The axe came up to defend.
Olaf wrapped his fingers around the weapon, jumped to his feet and swung wide. Wukong took a step back, placing his palm on the end of his staff to keep the distance between them static. There was a pause. "Tell me, animal. Why do you not use a blade?" Olaf growled.
Wukong shrugged, leering. "Bladed weapons are too easy." he kicked the staff, it jumped from Olaf's hand and struck him painfully in the jaw, his head snapped up before Wukong caught the staff in his other hand and spun it into guard again. "You only have to hit them once. Leaving you no time to learn anything."
Aurora scowled at Celene and Quinn. Quinn nervously back up a step while Celene raised an eyebrow as if the shaman had just asked a very stupid question. "You should have fled with your friends and left the nexus to us." she said slowly.
Celene rolled her eyes. "Shut the fuck up." she said curtly. Aurora blinked, raising her spear. "I'm not in the mood to deal with some little arctic shaman that thinks she's even remotely dangerous to me. You should turn and run before I take it out on you and throw your ass off this bridge." Aurora snarled and lunged spear first at the Ionian. Celene expressionlessly twisted her fingers. The Spear jumped from Aurora's hands, the butt smacking her in the jaw as tendrils punched through the polished wood and ripped it away.
"Quinn just shoot her." Celene tossed the spear at the scout's feet and vanished. Quinn stared dumbstruck. Did she just abandon me? What a bitch!
Riven felt her feet getting knocked from under her as the chain caught her ankles. She tumbled awkwardly over it before barely raising her sword to guard in time. The flail met the blade of her weapon with a crash, lifting her from the ground and sending her flying a good ten feet backward where she tumbled to a stop. "Heh." Sejuani exhaled, sweating heavily. "That it?" she taunted as Riven got to her feet. Sejuani narrowed her eyes. Riven felt her feet lock to the ground. "How does it feel being unable to run away? It seems like you've been doing it all your life."
"Keep talking." Riven smirked with a snort. "I was taught from a very young age that only the strong survive."
"You did not grow up in a raging blizzard, fearing nature as well as the dangers of everyday life." Sejuani shot back, sinking her flail into another spin over her head and advancing. Riven raised her sword.
"When I was younger I was just like you. I don't want to hurt you because I don't want you to feel how I felt when I saw my lifetime friends melt like icicles in the sun." Riven gave her foot a tug, nearly losing her boot. She cursed herself internally for strapping them so tightly to her cafes. "We're very similar."
"Exactly, so I must best you." Sejuani swung the flail with all her might. Riven understood. She was fighting herself ten years in the past. In her position back then if given this chance she would be acting just the same. The difference being Sejuani wasn't going to change; meaning she had to win. Her blade met the flail before being knocked aside. Riven's balance faltered, with her feet frozen to the ground she had no way to adapt to the blows coming her way. She remembered the same feeling of helplessness when her commanding officer singled her out in a phalanx drill and battered her shield for nearly five minutes until she finally gave.
"See? If you give like that in a battle you expose your brothers in arms. Do you think your enemy is going to simply stop when you get tired?" he had said as she got to her feet shamed. She spent the next day in the pit, trying and retrying her stance while her fellow cadets gave her the same assault she was reserving now. She refused to be beaten that day. But this day was different, in a phalanx the man behind you was supposed to help keep you upright as well as attack over your shoulder, all that stood behind her was the abyss.
"So you think yourself weak." Riven said flatly her jaw seemed to grind unnaturally. Sejuani snarled and charged. There was no wall to her back. Her knees buckled and she sunk low, blocking the next strike. Sejuani set up again, knowing Riven couldn't reach her if she couldn't move. Riven tried her best to keep the smirk off her face as she felt the frost pinning her feet loosening with the shock of each blow. On the sixth swing her feet slide a half inch backward; just what she wanted. Her poker face was at work, doing her best to look distressed. Sejuani grinned in victory, setting her full weight into what would be her final swing.
The flail was cocked way back behind her, leaving her chest exposed. "Riven you need to adjust your footing between swings. Otherwise I'll just push you until you lose your balance." rang through her memory. Twelve years later she had just proven Ebbe wrong. Her sword exploded into its reformed self. Riven charged, blade first toward her enemy. Sejuani looked very confused as she brought the shaft of her flail in front of her face reflexively. Her elbows buckled under the force as the two weapons met. Green light exploded into her face, the shaft of her flail jumped backward and smacked her heavily in the nose. There was a crack as Riven sank into the second swing of broken wings. The swing missed as Sejuani jumped backward. The blade arched Riven's shoulder. Sejuani felt her back slam into the wall. Avoiding the third swing she moved to counter, taking advantage of Riven's added weight. To her surprise Riven moved the sword as though it weighed nothing, and with a yell the blade exploded into its broken self. Shards of stone blasted Sejuani. Her arms came up to shield her face as the shards showered the battleground in sparks from her armor.
Sejuani then caught a glimpse of the Exile charging. Before she could react the stone blade caught the single horn of her helmet and ripped it from her head. Sejuani snarled and countered. One final Ki burst. The head of the flail seemed to reverse direction as the wave of energy hit, sending it right into the side of Sejauni's head. She lost her balance, hitting the ground and falling sideways with a crash of her armor, face down. Sejuani screamed in frustration, head spinning as her weapon was hooked by the broken blade of Riven's sword and causally tossed away from her. The black stone pressed into the back of her neck as Riven victoriously on the small of her back.
"So Sej'" Riven snapped her eyes up. Celene gave the winter's wraith a glare as she twisted to face the Ionian. Squatting down to near eye level she paused. In her dizzied state Sejuani was unable to do more than grunt as Celene's hands shot up and clapped her on the ears. "That's for hurting my Rivypoo" she whispered. With a yell she swung somewhat pathetically at Celene before retracting her hands to clutch her head. Celene eyed Riven almost nervously. "If I split her like a log will you stop being angry at me?"
Riven blinked. "...what?" he popped, a result of a bad parry she would be feeling for a while. The right side of her face ground unnaturally as her lips moved.
"Or would you prefer to kill her?"
"I don't think the league would like it if we killed her." Riven said slowly, making sure Sejuani was within striking distance so she didn't try anything.
Celene put her hands on her hips. "That's surprisingly logical of you." she half spat.
A cocked white eyebrow. "Who's angry at who again?" Riven asked. There was a silence.
"I'm sorry" they both said together. Another silence. Sejuani looked from one to the other, formulating a plan to reach her flail. A war horn sounded off in the distance, reminding both of what was at stake. They looked at each other than at Sejuani.
"That's a Demacian horn... What are they doing here?" Riven managed
"Protecting their allies one would assume." Celene pulled her hair out of her face, smiling.
"How good are you with rope?" Riven asked.
Celene smirked. "Ehh."
"Tie her up then, I'm going to go help Quinn. You shouldn't have abandoned her Celene." Riven scolded with a glare. Celene frowned before making a showing motion. Riven sighed in frustration before taking off in a sprint to Quinn's aid.
Ashe bit her lip, the wind lashing at her face vengefully.
"The Demacians have arrived and are standing by. Our scouts have spotted the winter's Claw between us and the bridge." the scout swallowed. "Trolls approach from the west, with the Frostguard not far behind them."
"This war is ill timed." Anivia retorted coolly. Her eyes turned to the bridge. "I was hoping they would be safely away by now. But they remain." her wings Spread. "The Witch will be coming soon."
"Queen!" shouted a fast approaching scout in broken Freljordian. He skidded to a halt in front of the Frost Archer and Cryopheonix. Bowing he exhaled and held to eyelevel a copy of the Measured Tread. "Demacia looks out for its Allies, what are your orders."
"We're here to secure the Nexus's for the League and ensure the Ice Witch stays sealed away. The Winter's Claw stand in our way with Trolls and Frostguard approaching from our flank. We'll quickly be surrounded if we advance on the Winter's Claw without support." she turned to Demacian scout. "Tell your Commander to defend out flank as we advance, If Sejuani wants a fight will give her a fight." the Archer turned to the troops assembled in lines behind her. With her bow she motioned for the crest of the hill they had intentionally avoided before. "ADVANCE, READY ARROWS!" she notched an arrow, marching forward. The perfectly organized thump of boots followed her.
She crested the hill, the bridge was in sight, standing defiantly against the bite of the winter. In front of its entrance sat a mess of mounted warriors. One must have spotted her as Ashe halted. The front line of the Avarosan forces peaked over the hill. A horn from below was blown, whipped away into the chasm by the wind. Anivia took flight. Ashe bit her lip as the Winter's Claw began to move. "PREPARE TO FIRE!" she shouted, the order was repeated over and over as it telephoned between lines. "Range, five hundred and closing!" the scout at her side collected his spyglass and shouted behind her. Ashe didn't need him, she had known the second she saw the now charging forces.
"On may mark!" her bow was drawn with a familiar creek. Tryndamere watched her closely. Her blue eyes narrowed to slits, acquiring the warrior in the very front, leading the charge. With a thwack the arrow was gone from her grasp, arching high into the sky to the warriors far left. The wind caught and after a good three seconds of flight it found its mark. The warrior fell from his mount, arrow embedded between the armor plates covering his neck. "FIRE AT WILL!" she shouted. The air behind her roared. The sky lit up with the glint of silver arrow heads. She notched another. Taking aim. Another loosed arrow, lost in the hailstorm of steel that erupted from the Avarosan lines.
"The Avarosan wish us to cover their flank while they push to the bridge, however sire. I believe they will directly require our assistance. With all due respect, I believe the Dauntless Vanguard is out matched." the scout said. Garen nodded, absorbing the information like a sponge.
"We need to move. Now." Jarvan spoke up, his grip tightened around the lance propped on his shoulder. Garen, take four of your best men and come with me. We can make the difference in this fight." Garen nodded.
Jarvan turned away, matching toward the hailstorm of arrows. Garen's hand landed on his shoulder guard. "We're going to get Quinn aren't we?" Garen said softly. Jarvan just eyed him over his shoulder before turning away.
"Just you and me Garen." Jarvan said. Garen smirked brickishly. "Hold fast!" the prince shouted. "Demacia defends its allies!"
As the order was uttered a dark mass crested the hill. Trolls, disorganized and very numerous. The vanguard stood its ground, an army of brutes, wielding clubs and slings in all shapes and sizes. Nothing Demacia's finest couldn't handle. The lines practically formed by themselves, no orders were issues as the vanguard positioned and prepared for the frontal attack to come.
Trundle whipped his red hair out of his face and pointed. With a slam of his club the snow jumped from the ground and whipped into a blizzard. Not a twitch from the Demacians. Trundle chewed his lip for a moment before roaring. He thrust his club forward. "EAT THERE LEGS!" all at once the force rolled down the hill like an avalanche.
"Hold fast!" was telephoned down the line.
Jarvan smirked. "Let's go, they're fine." Garen nodded again in agreement, the scout was wrong about his vanguard. Jarvan motioned for Garen to follow and took off.
The two remaining summoners worked frantically behind the chaos while Quinn and Wukong held off the two remaining attackers. Preparing any healing spells in advance. Wukong had a huge smile on his face and from the looks of it was making Olaf look like a fool with little trouble. Quinn on the other hands was not doing so well.
The spear head whistled by her face with a ring as Aurora turned her back and sent a blast of what looked to be freezing air at Valor, the bird twisted wildly before arcing under the bridge and out of sight.
"Valor!"
"You can't surprise me, the Freljord is my eyes." she said calmly as she lunged at Quinn. Quinn ducked the jab again, the butt of the spear smacking her in the teeth. Her front left canine painfully dislodged from her gum as she recovered faster then she thought she was able. Her crossbow discharged into Aurora's stomach at point blank ranged. The woman hardly flinched and sank into a low sweep.
Quinn, planted her foot on her shoulder and kicked off backward in a flip. Another shot fired. This one missed by her own error. Aurora then charged her and to Quinn's horror the tip of her boot hit the very far edge of the guarding wall, all that was keeping her from the blackness bellow. Her heart jumped, seizing a few beats as she balanced briefly on her tip toes before slipping backward. She shrieked in horror, catching a glimpse of Gideon sprinting for her. Her stomach did a flip as she plummeted, fingertips of her body sock ripping as she clawed the stone on her way down for something to grasp. A good five foot fall later and her fingers caught a link of chain hanging limply from the bridge. Her shoulder dislocated from the jolt, there was a bone shattering crack. She whimpered, terrified as Valor did a loop under the bridge, unable to help. She grabbed the chain, proving only to be four links long with her other hand and hung on for dear life as a gust of wind slammed her face into the stone before shifting and blowing her sideways.
"...I'm ok..." she whimpered. Her eyes sneaked downward, the abyss did indeed look bottomless. Its pitiless black yawning for her to fall. Her stomach protested as she choked on the bile that then spluttered from her lips. "..Val, get help." she squeaked. "Please, oh god." her eyes squeezed shut.
"Quinn!" Gideon slammed himself over the guard's edge, spying her a few feet below him hanging with her shoulder at a stomach jerking angle. "Do I even need to say anything?! You know what to do!" he extended his hand as far down as he could, using the other to secure himself to the guard. Quinn very briefly questioned how a painter would be strong enough to pull her up one handed. But now was not the time. She pressed her feet against the stone, noting with panic that it was covered in ice. She slipped down again. Swinging her lower body to the right she let go of the chain with her left arm and reached for his hand. It was remarkably like something she had written. And as his fingers closed around her wrist hers did the same. His skin was rough and chilled. She exploded in joy, at least her face did as his contorted in comical effort. She was lifted a foot or so, slowly making progress toward salvation. She could just kiss him. In fact she just might once Olaf was dealt with. She released the chain, latching onto him with her other hand. Blood filled her cheeks as she suddenly felt light as a feather.
His then arm seized and with a sickening split of flesh Aurora sank the spear deep into his back. He screamed in pain as she twisted it, peaking over the guard to narrow her eyes at Quinn. "Do you understand?" she snarled, giving the shaft of her spear another twist. "Look into his eyes!" she ordered. Gideon screamed again. "See how much you mean to him now!?" Aurora almost screamed. Quinn felt the hope in her stomach drop as her fingers slipped from his. Her cloak caught the hook suspending the chain. She flipped upside down with a horrified shriek. Quinn almost didn't believe it was hers. She didn't want to die like this. An honorable death defending a helpless citizen or on the front lines of some great battle seemed much more enticing then hanging over the maw of a near-bottomless pit.
"Quinn!" Gideon shorted painfully. The scout looked at her feet, blood quickly rushing to her head. There was a snarl. "SHE SAVED MY LIFE! YOU FUCKING BITCH!" Gideon with what remained of his strength lunged only to impale himself on Aurora's spear. Grabbing her by the wrists in an impressive show of strength he dragged her ontop the ledge before taking a headbutt to the face. Quinn heard his nose brake as she attempted withdrew the spear, now standing on the edge of the abyss. Gripping the shaft Gideon screamed enraged and returned the headbutt. Aurora howled as her nose shattered, sending blood down her front. Gideon looked at her cross eyed before cocking his head back repeating four more times. He finally slumped forward against her and smirked, dazed from his own assault. Arms wrapped around her shoulders he threw his weight backward. Aurora gasped as she lost her balance and the pair toppled passed Quinn. She had no other choice but to watch him plummet from view.
It was then that it sunk in. Smiling smugly he closed his eyes and relaxed, trailing blood behind him. He had died protecting her. Caleb had. Would Valor? What about everyone else that cared about her. She didn't have time to ponder, the traveling cloak groaned as the knot undid itself. It slipped. She caught the end of it with her good arm, her weight was the last straw. It tore with the most horrifying sound of screaming fabric and doomed her. It dawned as the sun crested the sky of her mindscape and enlightened her. I'm going to die. The bridge seemed to shrink as Valor cawed in alarm and dove after her. I'm really going to die. Quinn felt her eyes well up. It was over. Caleb, Valor, Gideon; all of it was for nothing. "I'm dead, it's over..." she muttered, staring into the helpless yellow eyes of her childhood friend.
Celene shoved Wales out of the way as the rest of the group abandoned they're attempts to complete the nexus and rushed to help. Her cloak was unpinned; it would only slow her down. And as she vaulted the guard she stole an apologetic glance at Riven. The Noxian's eyes softened in sorrow just before Celene dropped out of view.
Streamlining herself Celene scanned the blackness. Quinn had been falling for a good ten seconds already. Her wings clapped, accelerating into the maw of blackness before her. After a few moments her wings were the only source of light.
Quinn choked, forcing her breathing to slow as tear streamed down her face. She latched her eyes into the small golden book in her hand as she plummeted. With a shriek she threw it downward toward where she was falling. All at once Valor squawked behind her. Quinn ignored him; that was until the creeping blue light that had chased her back on the fields lit the icy walls up blue. Quinn flailed until her body turned. Celene was just on her tail some hundred feet up, head scanning frantically as she dove blindly down. She's risking her life to save me... All at once Quinn found her voice. "HEY!" she shouted weakly, throat sore from screaming. Valor cawed. In the rush of air Celene failed to hear her. Quinn scowled and shouted again, fear raising in her chest as the realization that she had a chance. Valor slammed into her. Quinn blinked as he tore into her bag. The scout ignored him and waved her arms at the Ionian. She had been falling for nearly twenty seconds, there couldn't be much more chasm left. Sweat began to pool on Quinn's forehead. Valor cawed, tumbling out of her bag with a flare in his beak. You fucking genius! He darted down to her, Quinn's fingers curled around the flare. Quinn without a second thought bit down on its end and pulled. The chemicals mixed and with a crack it blasted her in the face with hot phosphorus sparks. She waved it over her head, splaying her body out to slow her fall as much as possible.
Celene's eyes snapped onto her. Quinn smiled. The Ionian clapped her wings together and dove like a cruise missile for the scout. She hit her harder than intended. Knocking the air from Quinn's lungs. Quinn bit her lip, dropping the flare and gripping onto the Ionian tightly. The wings extended to their fullest, clapping downward. The roar of the wind in her ears slowed to whisper as the Wings stilled and the pair glided downward. The sickening sound of the flare striking the chasm floor alerted Quinn to how close the rescue had been. She looked down, some twenty feet were left as Celene exhaled and gilded downward. The flare lit a crimson orb on the floor. Celene touched down, the added weight proved too much as Celene and Quinn slammed into the icy floor, rolling over each other to a stop. Quinn slipped off of her, hit the ground and vomited. Celene grabbed her by her collar and pulled her onto her feet, eyes alert.
To Quinn's surprise the Ionian then made the Demacian military hand sign for Quiet and turned. The soft glimmer of her blue eyes soon became the only light as the flare began to putter out and die. Quinn felt the hairs on her neck prickle. Tendrils extended from the Ionian's fingers casting some light over herself. She slide into stance. Quinn looked up, Valor circled silently some forty feet up. Celene panned her eyes around, expression hard. "Lissandra's been busyy~" she muttered. Quinn scanned the darkness unable to see anything. Valor cawed down as if reading her mind. I can't see anything.
Quinn flicked her eyes to Celene. "What is it?" she whispered so softly it hurt her ears to listen.
"Watchers." The Ionian's lips curled as she shot the Quinn one of the creepiest expressions she had ever seen. "Grab my hand, we're leaving." Quinn obeyed instantly, her good hand found Celene's tiny one and gripped. The Ionian saluted with her fingers off into the darkness as if teasing before vanishing in a flutter. Quinn blinked.
Her fingertips began to unweave sending a washing pain up her arm as it progressed. She bit her lip, enduring as her own hand was now the only light; almost the only light. She froze upon spotting it. Motion, rapid as something darted to her right out of the corner of her eye. Movement! Quinn felt a knot forming in her throat. Her eyes flicked to her arm, Celene's teleportation was going remarkably slow, maybe it was the distance? Her elbow vanished Movement! He called again They knew I'm here I guess, how could they not; whatever they are... "How many!" Quinn shouted. "Identify them Valor!" the bird paused. Single, not human.
Quinn heard something crack behind her. She whirled around, reaching for her crossbow only to find her arm in some different plain of existence. She froze, a gleaming red orb appeared some ten feet from her. She squinted, her brain attempting to give face to what she was seeing. Her mind proved adept at crafting rather horrifying images of the red orb that shifted slightly to her left as if stalking. It blinked vertical eyelids at her before advancing slightly. Quinn stepped backward. She lost her balance as her right leg unwove, sending her onto her back. The fibers curled upward and vanished like wisps of smoke.
Quinn attempted to swallow with a dry throat as the creature extended upward to twelve feet in height. It howled a high pitched alien squeal before narrowing its singular eye and charging. Quinn bit her lip, pushing backward against the freezing stone with her foot only for that to vanish too. The creature's eye snapped shut and it howled in pain. Valor came to rest in front of Quinn's dissolving form, he looked back at her and coo'd before extending his four foot wingspan and squawking as mightily as he could. "Val!" Quinn managed. The bird took flight with a clap. Don't worry about me. Quinn balled her fists; wherever they were. "Val! You stupid bird. Don't get yourself killed! I'm fi-!"
The sound all at once vanished. Everything was black, somehow blacker then before. It felt like forever. She was numb, alone and unable breath. There was nothing to see or she couldn't see. Quinn was unsure. Then all at once she felt her feet, after a painfully long time feeling crept up her body until she felt her lips. A breath was sucked in and once the feeling reached her eyes the world appeared. She was on her back looking at the sky. Her arm and mouth throbbed in horrible pain. As she hyperventilated and collapsed. Off to her left there was a crack of wood striking metal and a crash of something or someone, heavy felling to the ground. "I'm still the best." Wukong said victoriously. Parrish leaned over her, setting a hand on her shoulder. If the pain didn't instantly vanish after the flare Quinn would have punched her.
"Valor!?" Quinn shouted. She gasped before surrendering to a coughing fit.
"He's going to be fine." Parrish comforted as the warm touch of healing magic set over her. Quinn wanted to slap her, she had no idea what she had just seen. "Wukong bring your face over here." she called. Riven eyed the scout as she sank onto a soft state of shock before turning to Celene. The Ionian was nervously brushing her knuckles together, eyeing Riven with rosy cheeks.
"You're okay?" she finally said after a tense moment of worried staring. "I'm sorry I got in your way earlier." And suddenly, a wave of guilt. Riven felt her stomach well up briefly over how she had acted. She opened her mouth to replay only for pain to fill her face as the shock of combat wore down. It's probably broken. She thought. After a thoughtful moment she simply motioned for Celene to come. The Ionian; unable to walk, ran the nine feet between them and slammed into her in embrace. Her face buried itself in Riven's cleavage. She looked done into the top of Celene's head and sighed. She forced her bad arm to encircle the girl even though it hurt very badly to do so.
There was a scrap, a sickening scrap. Riven felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, overwriting the shock of Celene very stealthily sobbing into her chest. Yellow eyes glanced and met something she had never before seen in her life, punctuated by the shriek of Lyte sprinting faster then she thought him capable past her with something very alien hot on his tail. She remembered something from her academy days upon spotting his pursuer.
"The most horrifying things are not those that are Alien, but the distortion of the familiar." something a Zaun weapons scientist had told her commanding officer while she and her troops stood at attention after landing on the Ionian coast. This thing was a man at one point. whether it was dead or alive she didn't know but it scrapped horribly after Lyte with almost impossible speed before after a yelp a bolt embedded itself in his face. Quinn with an angry snarl forced herself to her feet and fired again. Celene's fingers dug into her in a very brief moment of none understanding fear. Something Riven would remember. Quinn cycled her crossbow, firing a third time. There was a roar.
The creature ignored the bolt now imbedded in its throat and with a lopsided sprint it advanced. "I lit the damn thing on fire with a spray paint canister and it didn't give a fuck!" Lyte rasped as he took cover between Wukong. The creature in question continued its lopsided sprint, even though the cascade of mana fire that escaped Wale's fingertips.
"Dammit I wish we had Vayne!" he yelled. The zombie paused to swing clumsily at Celene. Blue fibers swamped the creature, punching through flesh like meat hooks and lashing it to the ground as if securing a blimp. Riven with a yell swiftly advanced and with a leap she decapitated the creature. To the woman's horror the separated head, upper shoulder and arm snarled and crawled toward her. She bit her lip and gave the abomination a solid kick in the nose, sending it comically tumbling over its body and some distance where it recovered.
"Wait. Their more coming!" Wukong pointed. The dig sight door burst outward with a crash as more frozen soldiers tumbled out. The closest pointed letting out an unearthly chatter from its throat, like thousands of woodpeckers. Within a second it was on its feet and charging, broadsword dragging behind it in a clumsy Tryndamere imitation with the rest following behind.
"Whelp... that could be bad... considering these things don't really die." Celene said, she looked up at Riven, worried. The wind carried the mist away as Riven exhaled through her nose.
"Leg it?" Wales asked, getting increasingly nervous as the hoard approached. They had overtaken the nexus. Escape was now very unlikely and with hoards of icy zombies charging them the witch that surely commands them wasn't far behind. Riven raised her sword, Wukong readied his staff and Quinn loaded her crossbow. Celene sank into stance, fingers curled as she crouched low. Odd that the zombies choose to assault them instead of destroying the nexus. Why even attack all if not to stop the nexus?
Wale's formed an odd hand sign, and with a half spin and a shout that echoed over the chasm below a corn of manafire engulfed the approaching horde. The sizzling and popping of rapidly melting ice and flesh could be heard with a hiss of steam as the powdery snow on the ground vanished. He bit his lip, not letting the hellstorm die. There was a howl, the leader of the approaching horde emerged bathed in flame. Wukong had only a split second to react as his now white hot broadsword connected with the staff of Doran. The monkey king parried masterfully, and with two neat cracks the staff slapped the leader on each cheek bone respectively. His skull caved and he stumbled backward into the fire
He snarled, bathed in flame he gave Wukong a lifeless glare with remained of his face. His sword was thrust high into the air as he let loss an unearthly howl. Charge Celene guessed. The hoard erupted from the firestorm all at once, out numbering the party fifteen to one.
"Fuck!" Wales shorted, turning on his heel and braking into a sprint.
"I like his idea, let's get the fuck out of here!" Quinn shouted. She turned, as did everyone else and began to run. She made it maybe thirty feet before she saw it. Black figures, crested the lip of the trench to the east of the gateway that lead to the Avarosan, Anivia and relative safety. The black cloaks of the frost guard made themselves known. The creek of bows being drawn echoed down to the fleeing party.
All at once the arrows came, raining downward from the edge of the cliff into the group. Parrish shoved herself between there new attackers and the party. A yellow shield arched in front of her, deflecting the hail of arrows she earned for taking point. She bit her lip, sinking all her focus into maintaining the barrier as the party piled in behind.
"DEMACIA!" the gleam of a silver lance jammed into the closest Frostguard. The collapsing segments of the Dragon lance; Prince Jarvan's now famous weapon rattled as his golden armor came flying into view. Quinn felt her legs go weak as he catapulted himself into the center of the archery squad. Garen wasn't far behind him. His massive shoulder guard sent the first man he collided with tumbling into the abyss; and the second and the third as he charged through them sword raised like a bull.
"FOR THE-" the war cry was cut short as the dragon lance jammed its way through the charging frost guard captains sternum. He was lifted high into the air. The segments of the lance rattled as they spun, carving a jagged hole as the warrior slid a foot down the weapon before Jarvan turned, flicking him from it. His of hand grasped one of the silver rods on his belt, once pulled it extended into a standard topped javelin. The standard caught on his lances tip. He spun, using his weapon as an atlatl to hurl the javelin over the edge of the chasm. It flew through the air for a solid two seconds before sailing over Quinn's head and pinning the zombie to the cobbles that had been approaching behind her. She gasped, spinning and remembering there situation.
The gate wasn't fast approaching but wait lay beyond it Quinn was unsure. As they approached the sounds of war could be heard beyond, battle cries, the thundering of hundreds of boots, screams, steel meeting steel and the rage of magic. She had also noted that Sejuani was gone, though she had left behind her helmet, now overtaken by the hoard they fled from.
There was a rumble from ahead of them, Parrish shifted the barrier to face it as the arch shook. Riven raised her sword, steeling herself for whatever may come from the unknown. A gleam, like the sun through glass. Anivia came rocketing from the stone archway, her wings spreading and covering the party in a dance of color as the late afternoon sun hit her back. Her eyes shot to the hoard. Riven spun, her sword at guard as the closest raised his. Blue filled her vision as a wall of ice appeared between the party and the smoldering hoard.
She set down slowly. "You cannot kill them so why do you try?" the phoenix asked coolly. Riven sighed, watching the horde beat furiously on the wall of ice through its misty surface to no effect. "Why have they not destroyed the nexuses?"
"No idea." Celene said. "I've been wondering that myself."
"These monsters are Lissandra's doing. Dead but moving through her cursed magic. Her touch corrupts all things it seems; even death itself. But if not the nexuses then what is her real goal." Anivia sighed, spotting Jarvan and Garen jogging up behind her.
"Quinn! Are you alright?" Jarvan shouted, ducking the Phoenix's wing and sliding to a stop in front of her in the snow.
"My arms messed up but I'm okay." She slurred. Her tongue pressed itself into the new space between her teeth. She tasted blood, though not enough to make her worry. "Valor's missing..."
"I'm sure he's fine. That bird is really something" he said softly before smirking. "You're missing a tooth." Quinn for reasons she was unable to explain felt her face light up bright red. She shrank somewhat into her chest-piece as Jarvan gave her a tiny wink.
"Yeah, one of Sejauni's goons hit me in the face with a spear." she retorted, her eyes narrowed at him. "Why so worried about me, sir?"
"Because you're a soldier under my command." Jarvan answered valiantly. Quinn shot him a skeptical look. Celene rolled her eyes, her hands landing on Riven's shoulders. The Exile jumped ever so slightly.
"Have I ever told you you're sexy when you fight?" Celene whispered. Riven shot her a look at her ill timing and pulled away from her as genitally as she could.
"There will be time for your bizarre mating rituals after we save this world." Anivia commented. "Prince of Demacia and lackey-" she said eyeing Garen as he jogged up to the group. "You two need to leave. You're not equipped with the proper magical protection to survive a battle with the witch."
A loud crash echoed from the other end of the bridge, the crumpling of wood. Anivia turned her head. "And the Witch approaches" she spread her wings. No one needed telling. The party got behind the phoenix and as they did, the wall vanished. Her wings clapped and with a boom that made Quinn's ears ring the hoard was sent in every direction. They howled as they plummeted down into the abyss, leaving a clear path. Anivia clicked her beak at Lissandra's sad excuse for minions.
The Witch brushed herself off, ducking her tall form from the doorway in stone she had just created. There was an unnerving silence. "This is not a place for mortals, go fight your own battles above." Anivia said coldly. Jarvan and Garen looked at each other.
"She's Right." Quinn said. Jarvan nodded.
"If you die ill have you court marshaled." he teases, his gloved hand landed ontop of her head. Valor protested as he ruffled her hair. "Do Demacia proud." he turned. "And when you get back we have some things to talk about."
Quinn watched him go, he glanced over his shoulder more than once. She bit her lip, her heart felt light only reminding her of how much her body hurt from her encounter earlier. She turned, facing the witch and would could very easily be the end of her life. Dread crept its way into her mind with the cold. As the Guardian and Witch watched each other. "Ready Val?" she instinctively asked. Her heart sank. Earning a few glances. Quinn bit her lip, eyeing the witch. This is your fault... If Valor's hurt THIS IS YOUR FAULT!
"Anivia..." Quinn muttered.
"Yes Demacian? This is hardly the time."
"...Fuck her up." Quinn spat earning some questioning looks.
Celene was the only one that didn't look worried as she cocked her head toward Quinn. "Are you a virgin?" she teased. Riven slapped her on the shoulder with her off hand, earning a smirk.
"Lissandra." Anivia said calmly. "I didn't think you this foolish. Threatening me after all these years."
"Put simply you are in my way." Lissandra's voice echoed from down the bridge. The world around them seemed eerily silent. "Everything changes in time Anivia, you should know this. In fact I'm doing you a favor."
Anivia remained silent, her feathers almost seemed to bristle.
"You could easily join forces with me. In time the mortals would seek to remove you anyways. And we all know the unstoppable tide that is them and their numbers. You can't stop an avalanche. By standing in front of it with your arms outstretched as you stand now... you'll only end up buried and forgotten." the witch said calmly.
The soft crack of black frost spreading from her feet was the only sound, even the battle behind them seemed to be listening.
"Even now they band together. Soon no one will be able to stop them. If you're so concerned about change Anivia; your enemy is not me." she began to advance, silently across the bridge.
"You've always been a liar." Anivia spat. "You lied to your village, do you remember them? You fooled them just so that you could become immortal!"
"What is the worth of a mortal life compared to an immortal life? I was simply making an investment. All I want is peace."
Celene felt Riven's fingers on her shoulder. The body snatcher was shaking, livid. Her teeth closed on her lip. Anivia shot her a look.
"Riven stay here." she said flatly.
Riven opened her mouth to protest but before the words left Celene was gone. The tap of her snow boots caught Lissandra's ear and she looked down. Lissandra towered over Celene as the Ionian stopped in front of her and craned her neck to see the woman's face.
"I'd prefer it if you didn't destroy the world." Celene said, remarkably relaxed.
"That is some interesting magic you have there." she leaned in with a dismissive smirk. "However, I've been killing your kind for centuries- what chance do you think you have?"
Celene's eyebrows touched her hairline, her lips curling. "Have you really now? Anything else to say before I'm pushed to fratricide." she leered. "-or should I just get to the point."
"Foolish child." With a howl Lissandra thrust her arm, the spear of ice that she had meant to impale her small enemy shattered against the cobblestone of the bridge as the Ionian vanished. Lissandra nearly laughed as she reached over her shoulder and caught the Ionian by her neck. Frost rocketed over Celene's features as she looked at Lissandra confused. Riven gasped and began run and help only for Anivia to block her way. "Please, human." the witch taunted. The Ionians neck popped under her fingers. Celene vanished from her grasp, stumbling with a splutter to the ground some distance away. She shook the frost from her hair and looked up toward the rumbling sound that fast approached. A claw of black ice bared down on her. With a blue flutter she avoided it, turning eyes to Lissandra.
Celene blinked, not spotting the Witch. What felt like talons punched into her shoulder. Celene gasped in pain as the flesh of her arm flash froze. She spun, Lissandra picked her up by her clothing. "Consider yourself lucky mortal." she spat. Her off hand closed around Celene's frozen wrist as the Ionian struggled to remain conscious. With a crackling sound Riven would never forgot Lissandra broke the limb off as if snapping a toothpick. Celene was to numb to process what happened and remained silent. Lissandra tossed the limb aside where it shattered like glass. Celene simply looked at her right shoulder stupidly, unable to comprehend what had just happened. The witches hand landed on her face, forcing Celene to look at her. Her thumb twitched before with a snarl the witch thrust it into the Ionian's left eye.
That Celene felt, evident by the blood chilling shriek of pain she let out. The Witch scoffed at her, turned and hurled the Ionian at Riven like a baseball. Riven dropped her sword and moved the catch her, only to have Celene's weight take her off her feet. Parrish, lowered the hands from her mouth and skidded to a stop over the pair. "Riven out of the way!" the summoner knelt down over Celene's crumpled form. The Ionian looked at her unseeingly, face caked with blood. She smirked.
"Showed her..." she commented. Riven smiled at her weakly. The smile was returned as Celene slipped from consciousness.
"She'll live as long as we keep her warm and get her back to the institute before too long." Parrish muttered.
Anivia had enough. She spun, wings extending wide. She cawed. With a clap she was in the air, with another the world around them seemed to explode. "I expel you from my realm!" she shouted. Riven shielded her face as the snow jumped from the ground. The sounds of battle behind them turned to confused shouts as the earth rumbled. That instant the most brutal blizzard Quinn had ever seen erupted around her. The armies behind them silenced there fighting and began to run for cover. Lissandra shielded her face with her arm as Anivia rose up.
"You don't understand... Witch." Anivia's voice seemed to echo through the world itself, shaking the earth. "I am the embodiment of snow and ice; of wind and sky of every, stone, tree and glacier."
"I am the Freljord!" sound within the blizzard vanished all at once and a shiver went up Quinn's spine that was not from the cold. The whipping storm condensed into an orb in front of the phoenix. Lissandra felt her jaw drop. "And you are not welcome here!" the orb exploded forward with a roar ripping stone from the bridge. The idols of the watchers collapsed backward as if hit by a wrecking ball as it passed. The witch fruitlessly braced herself. She shattered like glass as the blast of wind crashed into the structure behind. A concussive blast of wind flattened the party. The ruin groaned, stone tumbling from its surface before it began to give. With a moan of defeat the face of the ruin began to slide down, erupting into an explosive cloud of dust.
"WOW!" Wukong exclaimed, pushing himself back onto his feet "That sure shut her up."
"She's not dead." Anivia said flatly. Wukong looked at her and scratched his head.
There was a chirping. Sharps of black ice jingled along the stone and began to reassemble themselves. Lissandra gasped for air as her mouth reformed itself. She snarled. A spear of ice rocketed across the bridge only to stop in midair in front of Anivia. The Phoenix had begun to glow, a buzzing like the charging of nexus crystals filling the air. With a whipping like the wind, blue mist was pulled from the snow at the abyss's edge. Ashe looked at her boots as the mist bit at her skin warmly before jumping the retreating Avarosan forces and diving into the abyss out of sight. Wale's jaw dropped, never in his life had he thought to see so much raw mana that it became visible. His mind struggled to wrap around the size of spell that could demand so much.
His question was soon answered. "BEHOLD THE POWER OF THE WINTER!" With a crack he swore was thunder the clouds merged together, spun and rocketed downward in a pillar of twisting snow and ice. The Bridge groaned, shaking under their feet as Lissandra was smothered by the raging storm.
"Ashe! The Frostguard have dropped their weapons!" the head of Ashe's royal guard shouted from the back of his horse. He pointed. The whole army, regardless of the situation each warrior was in had knelt down. In their throats rose a hum, every one of them matching a single note until it became the dominating sound across the field.
"Oh Avarosa help us." Ashe muttered. She blinked. "They're with the Witch! Destroy them before they doom us all!" Ashe shouted. She turned to her guardsmen. He raised his horn only to be taken off his horse by a swing of an icy flail. The horse itself tried to flee, crying out as the massive tusks gored into its side. It fell to the ground, Ashe's horse panicked, bucking at the sight of its wounded comrade and sending Ashe tumbling into the snow.
Sejuani yanked the reins of her vicious mount, which seemed to drool at sight of the archer. "We settle this here and now!" she shouted.
Ashe got to her feet. Her eyes fell to her forces, spotting the nearest warrior she inhaled and shouted. "Retreat! Fall back to the grass lands GET AWAY FROM THE SNOW!" the warrior looked at her stupidly for a second before shouting to relay the order. Ashe turned her head towards the west. The Dauntless vanguard was busy making a mockery of the trolls with their organized phalanx tactics. She was alone, but now it hardly mattered.
"Sejuani you must understand, if the Frostguard are allowed to complete their spell we'll all die!" Ashe pleaded.
"All you do is talk! Stand and face me you coward!" She spurred bristle and charged. Ashe bit her lip, arrow nocking itself on her bow which was drawn as she straightened up. The ground then shook, Bristle bucked. Sejuani half fell as Ashe lost her balance, sending her arrow wildly into the air.
Every member of the Frostguard forces that remain clapped their hands together. Their bodies began to melt like candles, sinking into a black liquid that tainted the white of the snow. The blue mist began to change as well. The whispers of the wind that it carried with it turned to hollowing as it turned black as smoke.
Lissandra remained motionless in her tomb of ice. The storm raged around her. And as razor sharp shards of hail the size of daggers tore at the surface of her black ice shield she couldn't help but smirk. All she had to do was wait and let her plan go to work. Everything was coming together perfectly.
Anivia squinted, attempting to see through the roaring tempest of hail that twisted it way up into the cloud. Condensed enough to grind anything to dust. It was then that she felt it. Something was wrong, it rose in the pit of her stomach like bile. She looked down, to her horror her feathers had started to turn black. She blinked, examining herself as her spell faltered.
"No..." Anivia muttered, examining herself farther. "Black ice. BLACK ICE!" she screamed in horror, thrashing backward. Parrish ducked a wing, ripping off her cloak and throwing it over the Ionian on the ground. The storm around Lissandra expanded erratically, shards of black ice flying everywhere. Riven pushed Quinn down against the ground, the railing of the bridge shielding them from icy goring death as it roared over there head.
"This way!" Wales motioned from the arch, shielding his face with his hood. Quinn got to her feet the second she reached the overhang, leaning on her good arm she strained her eyes to see into the blizzard beyond. It was then that she noticed something as Parrish hauled Celene's motionless form to safety.
"Where's Valor?" she muttered. A knot formed in her throat he hadn't rejoined her. She ran to the very edge of safety, only stopping because Wukong grabbed her around the mid-section. "VALOR! VALORRR!" her voice was whipped away in the torrent.
"Dammit Valor!"
"He can't hear you..." Wales muttered. "Save your energy."
A/N: Got rekt list: Quinn, Celene, Sej, Olaf, Aurora, Gideon, troll mooks, frostguard mooks, Lissandra's ice zombies. The next chapter is the one I've been really excited to post. A lot of stuff happens in this but even more happens in 13. Review if you want. I'm interested in feedback. Also I'm sure many people will be happy about Gideon dying. I was trying to make him kinda unlikable and a butthead. In my opinion those characters are some of the most interesting. Gideon has plenty of depth and motivation but you're not supposed to care for him.
