Leather combat boots marched up the stone steps of Grand General Swain's palace in the center of Noxus. A lone figure made her way up around and around the spirals to Swain's chambers where she had been summoned for a task. She was a soldier, known for being the best of the best. She was a poster child in Noxus, raising a sword from the age of four that was as large as she was. She was ruthless, dark, and merciless for her homeland. Nobody would challenge Noxus; not while she was around.

The wooden door at the top swung open on its golden hinges, revealing a perfectly circular room with an enormous desk in the middle. There, Swain sat. "Riven," he said. "Come, I have an assignment for you." Riven stepped slowly into the room, twirling her longsword, a standard Noxian weapon, between her fingers.

"My blade is yours, Grand General," she said, kneeling before him, her head bowed. Swain did not look up from his work.

"Get up child, and listen closely." he sneered. Riven got to her feet immediately, her head remaining bowed. "Now," Swain continued, "There is an attack on the island nation of Ionia drawing near. While our assault will cripple their military, to gain true supremacy, we must shatter their spirit."

"How may I serve, Grand General?" Riven said, an excited grin at her lips.

"You are to be my weapon in Ionia. You will be the rot at the base of their society that will decay their pathetic state. My task for you, my dear, is killing an Ionian elder known to us as Seiku."

"May I ask why?" Riven asked, looking up. Swain's gaze bored into her like nails into wood.

"Because without their wisest, most patient, most experienced elder, their homeland will destroy itself from the inside."

"Why are you choosing me for this?"

"I chose you because you alone can drop the first domino in the chain. My scouts have told me that the soldier assigned to guard him is a master of wind, the only master of wind left in Ionia. Do you understand?"

Riven smiled and twirled her blade in her hand. "I do, Grand General. I too can summon the wind."

"Correct. While you are far from a master of wind, you have proven to be able to cut flesh with its power. That is all you will need to end the old man."

"I am ready to fight. Their soldiers will fall."

Swain laughed and shook his head. "No, no Riven. You are going to kill the elder and leave. You are not to fight in the battle lest they see you. I have hired Singed, a chemist from Zaun to set up your escape."

Riven's expression sank. "I don't get to fight? But Sir, this is what I've trained for! All my life I've wanted to fight for Noxus! I've never even left the city! I've never fought anything but Demacian grunts! I am ready for more!"

"Silence, child," Swain retorted rising from his chair, his glare cold and unwavering. "You will do as ordered and nothing more."

Riven froze in place. "Yes sir. I will go to the port now and set sail for Ionia."

Swain nodded and sat back down. "I left a gift for you by the door. You may need it."

Riven looked to the door and noticed a beautiful greatsword, larger than any she'd seen. It was as tall as she was and as thick as a shield. The sides were carved with markings of a sorcerer. Riven broke into a run to get to it and pick it up. "It was enchanted by Noxus's best sorcerers. It can cut through anything and is unbreakable as long as you are. Your spirit is tied to it. So, long as your resolve does not waver, neither shall your blade." Riven gave the sword a few swings in the air. It was lighter than she though it would be and the strong grip of the leather handle in her fist felt better than she had hoped. It was indeed the perfect tool for a Noxian warrior.

Riven bowed. "Thank you Grand General. I will put it to good use."

Swain nodded back. "I should hope so."


The boat ride to Noxus was long but not boring for the young warrior. She was ready to face their elder on the glorious fields of battle and defeat him in the name of her homeland. The prospect excited her.

However upon arrival, Riven was disappointed at the sight of not a glorious battle but instead a siege with enormous cannons and no foot soldiers. The commander of the camp, Darius met Riven at the port. "Welcome, to the battlefield. I hope you are ready for some bloodshed."

Riven looked around, unimpressed. "Looks like there is very little of that. You are using cannons so why bother with that axe?" she asked, pointing at the massive axe on the man's back.

"We are setting up for battle tomorrow. I will do my job, worry about yours. The elder's guard is not going to be a pushover."

"I've trained for this all my life. I'm no pushover either."

Darius grunted in response, gesturing for her to follow him. He led her through the encampment towards a bunk that would serve as hers for the next day until the attack.

Waiting was by far the worst part for the young warrior as she waited for the battle to come. She sat and waited for a long while before running through her plan. She was to wait until the battle began before sneaking into the village through the gate closest to them, the south gate. Then she would kill the elder and sneak out the back through the north gate to rendezvous with a group of Noxians who would serve as her personal guard back to the camp.

Soon, Darius signaled his men to move forward and cannons fired in the distance as the Ionians tried to defend themselves. "Time for you to go, if you are going to," Darius said as he hoisted his axe onto a shoulder and charged out to the battlefield. Riven watched for a moment as Darius cleaved an Ionian soldier in half at the waist and smiled.

"Fall before the might of Noxus!"

Riven darted around the outskirts of the battle, occasionally taking a swing at an Ionian but never engaging fully in combat. She drew close to the walls of the enemy's village and as she did a soldier yelled at her to stop. She responded by slamming him against the wall with her shoulder and moving past into the small town.

The streets were deserted as all of the soldiers were on the wall or outside fighting but it was all eerily quiet. Riven had been given the location of the Elder she was to kill and headed in that direction immediately, never taking her mind off her mission. She made it very close as well but about a hundred feet before reaching the wooden shack he was supposed to be in, she felt a strong burst of wind hit her. It was so strong she stumbled to the side and bumped into the wall of another building and she looked around desperately for its source. This must be the wind master she was warned about.

In the blink of an eye, she found him. It was a strong looking man with dark hair running down the street faster than she could believe. The wind was at his back, pushing him on as Riven slid into an alleyway to avoid his notice. If he was leaving, she could more easily complete her mission before joining the brawl outside the walls. The prospect excited her.

As soon as the guard was gone, she dashed to find the elder, kicking the door open and finding him in a meditative pose on the floor. Riven chuckled to herself, readying herself for a fight.

The elder opened his eyes. "You can relax, Noxian. I am not planning on fighting you. I would not stand a chance if I tried." Riven smirked.

"You coward. You are going to die and you don't even want to fight for your honor?"

"It would be dishonorable to fight against one so young, so naive." Riven stood still a moment, thrown off by his statement.

"Then you choose to die as a fool, not a warrior?"

"I was never a warrior. I shall die as I lived, to protect."

"Protect who? All of your people are out there fighting while you sit here!" Riven shouted at him, shaking her sword in frustration. She had wanted a fight at the least! To kill someone who would not fight back was unusual. In fact, Riven had never attacked anyone who hadn't fought back before. It was custom in Noxus to fight for your honor and if you did not fight, you would be sent to die in the colosseum at the hands of Draven.

The elder stood up, his weak legs shaking under his own weight. "I am going to tell you something for your own good. It is a favor. My last wish."

Riven rested her sword on the ground. While he did not want to fight, Noxians typically did honor a man's last wishes. "Speak quickly. This had better be important."

The old man sighed. "I want you to have a look through this village as you go. Look at the citizens that our soldiers protect. Remember us, as we are not all soldiers. You are not just fighting trained guards of Ionia tonight. You are fighting our scholars, our artists, our children. You will remember what it is you destroy tonight. Be sure it is worth it."

Riven nodded slowly and the elder continued. "There is a large building on the edge of the town that houses our citizens during times of strife. Go there and see what you are doing to them."

"Why are you telling a Noxian who would kill you the hiding place of your citizens?"

"I have faith."

"In what?"

"In people."

Riven nodded again. "Very well. I will consider it. Are you ready to die?"

The elder smiled gently. "Very much so. Thank you for listening."

Riven was again perplexed. He was thanking his own executioner. An unfamiliar, uncomfortable sensation struck her as she realized what she was about to do. She closed her eyes for a moment, frowning and on the verge of tears. She couldn't do this. She had been trained all her life but this was not a warrior. He was no threat. But it was her mission and Swain had ordered it. Riven was the very essence of hope for Noxus's future! She had to do this, for her people, for her general. Without opening her eyes, Riven raised her sword up in the air...


Moments later, Riven stepped out of the room and back onto the dark streets where the sound of metal and explosions plagued the village. She ran her sleeve over her eyes and tried to focus back on her mission. She had to go to the north gate to escape, that was next. She stumbled a few steps before breaking into a jog to her next objective. When she had reached the gate she stopped and rubbed her eyes, looking around.

"The refugees..." Riven said to herself. The large brick building next to the north gate was silent but there was no mistaking the people inside. There were children, women, and elderly people all huddling in a large mass together, some of them praying, others crying. Riven couldn't help but stare for a moment.

"Miss! We are here, come quickly! There is not much time!" a Noxian soldier shouted from the gate, waving Riven over. Riven did not budge for a moment so the soldier ran to her. "Did you complete the mission?" Riven nodded slowly, not shaking her view from the refugees. "General Swain said to give you this if you succeeded a gift I suppose." He placed in her hands a deep grey mask with an intricate set of thin tubes and wires around the nose and mouth. It had the insignia of Noxus on the forehead in blood red along with a small piece of paper which read the words. "Put this on." Riven held it in her hand for a moment before nodding to the soldier.

"Let's go."

"Yes Ma'am. Now our route back to ba-"

The soldier was cut off by the sound of an impact behind him and a beeping noise that echoed through the chilly air. Riven turned to look and saw a metal capsule on the ground in a small crater. It must have been launched from beyond the walls. BOOM!

All of a sudden, the capsule exploded and a dark green gas ebbed out to the surrounding area. "What the hell?" Riven looked around before realizing what was going on. She immediately put on the mask and started breathing. The complex filtering system made a small whistle as she breathed but the air seemed clean. The soldier stood still for a moment, his hands over his ears. "Are you okay?" Riven asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. She never got an answer as he quickly fell to his knees, coughing hard and then to the ground, dead. Riven looked around and saw other soldiers near the gate falling the same way and then terror struck her as she looked back at the brick building. The refugees were falling. They held each other close; the children were silent as one by one each one dropped to the ground. "No. This can't be happening! They aren't even soldiers! NO!"

Riven broke into a sprint towards the gate and across the battle, not stopping to swing her sword a single time. Soon she returned to the camp and pulled off the mask, sweat and tears coating her face. She fell to the ground breathing heavily and sobbing. Noxus had just killed its own soldiers and innocent civilians and Riven was a part of it.

The rest of the time she spent in Ionia was spent in isolation, thinking about what to do next. All she could truly do was stay her own blade from the innocent, though at this point what did that even mean? Despite Darius's hearty congratulations and offer of the glorious battle she always, Riven remained silent and told all visitors to leave her alone.

The trip back no Noxus took years in Riven's mind although in reality it was just a few days. All the time did however give her a chance to make up her mind. She would, after her success become a hero in Noxus. She had always been the favored student but now, she was going to be as well-known as the great war commander, Darius or Swain's favored assassin, Katarina. Now Riven would have the privilege of choosing to accept or reject missions, to command others. She could choose to do only large scale battle missions against trained soldiers. She would never have a mission like this one again. The idea of that lightened her spirits a little bit.


As the ship pulled into port in Noxus, Riven stepped off to the thunderous applause of Noxian citizens crowding the coast as far as she could see. She blushed and looked away from the crowd as she stepped off, completely unprepared for this greeting. "Hello Dear," Swain said, grinning as he stepped up to her.

"General," Riven nodded back, not making eye contact.

"How did the mission go? I thought you deserved a warm welcome home after your fine work." Riven remained silent. "Play your part for the crowd dear, you are their hero now. You will act like it." His voice was stern and unwavering.

Riven glared at him as he smiled deviously back. "Yes sir," she said angrily as she raised a fist into the air, her huge sword glowing green with energy. The crowd went wild for her, screaming and applauding her as she walked off the dock with Swain. "Satisfied General?"

"Very much so. Now, go talk to my assassin, Talon. He has your next mission."

Riven shook her head. "I will not work with an assassin." In response, Swain chuckled and patted her shoulder.

"But my dear, you are an assassin now and a member of Noxus's Crimson Elite. Congratulations. Just as you wished, you are among the best." Riven clenched her fist and kept walking in silence.


The next day, after a long sleepless night, Riven went to Talon with the intention of turning down her mission. As she walked into the meeting place, a room deep in the central tower's interior Riven growled,"Talon, I want to know my mission"

"Ah Riven, our newest Elite."

"Out with it," she snarled.

Talon grinned. "Your next assassination is in Demacia," Talon started.

"No," Riven cut him off. "I am not an assassin, I'm an honorable warrior."

"Honor is for fools. As a Noxian you must strike our enemies where it counts! Fighting fair means you might fail. True Noxians do not fail."

"I don't care."

"You should. It's your order. Remember, if you do not comply, you become expendable. Remember the gift that Grand General Swain sent for your success?"

Riven thought for a moment,"The mask?"

"What would have happened if you'd failed and not deserved the gift?"

Riven fell silent for a moment as if all the air had been sucked from her lungs. "If I'd have failed, Swain would have had me killed?"

"Well, you would be a tragic loss in the great battle, a martyr for the Noxian people. However, having a champion for our people to defeat our greatest enemies is better. Your next target is a grand one! Think of what the people will say, how they will prize you when you slay prince of Demacia Jarvan the fourth!"

"I don't want that!" Riven shouted.

Talon laughed out loud. "You don't want it? It's all you've wanted! Weren't you supposed to be our valiant hero?"

"Yes. But a hero, not a cowardly assassin." This struck a nerve with Talon who immediately drew his blade and before Riven knew what was happening, pushed her against the cold stone wall with the cold steel at her throat.

"Listen here. You may think you're the best there is but let me assure you, you are nothing. If you step out of line, I will gut you like the cowardly Demacians you suddenly refuse to kill. Am I understood?"

Riven trembled and stuttered out a weak,"y-y-yes..."

Talon released her. "Now go. Your ride to Demacia will be waiting for you. Darius is your commander again and he will give you the plan. Your target is Prince Jarvan."

Riven turned to leave without another word. She headed down the spiral stairs of the tower and out the gate towards the outer gate where she would be meeting Darius, deep in thought as she went. She wouldn't be assassinating anyone; she was very set on that. But now, everything she thought was different. She couldn't go on as she thought she would. Riven had always dreamed of defeating Prince Jarvan in a glorious battle for Noxus but this, this was different. This was killing someone in the shadows without honor. It was just wrong. No, she wouldn't be going with Darius.

As she reached the gate the frustration of not knowing what to do was destroying her. If she went, she would lose any bit of honor she still had and if she didn't go, she would be killed by Swain or Talon. "Uuugh!" Riven groaned, angrily slamming her sword against the stone gate.

CRACK!

Before Riven's eyes, her sword smashed into pieces, clattering to the ground in a heap. She stood in horror as the supposedly unbreakable weapon's runes lost their green glow. "How?" She said quietly to herself. "It was unbreakable." But then it came to her, what Swain said.

"So, long as your resolve does not waver, neither shall your blade." A tear came to her eye as she accepted the truth.

"My spirit is broken," she said to herself, gathering up the hilt. Just a scrap of broken metal was still attached to the hilt. "But it can be reforged."

With that, she ran as fast as she could through the gates and away from Noxus. She passed Darius and his men, taking a horse as she went and riding away despite Darius yelling for her to stop. She wouldn't stop. She could never stop! This was no longer her life! A new life was on the horizon, one without killing and without Noxus. She still couldn't go to Demacia or Ionia, they would never accept her; and she'd never make it past the Great Barrier to go south. Not to mention, Zaun was tied too closely to Noxus to be safe. There was but one option left for her. She would go to Piltover, the only place left for a new beginning.


Author's Notes: Thanks for reading all the way through part 1 of Lost Soul. Very special thanks go out to Diovolo, my co-author for spending the several hours talking this trilogy over and for editing all of it. I hope you enjoyed it and Riven will be back in Part 2. However, before part 2 comes out, we'll be spending a little more time with Ol' Yasuo as he takes on Piltover's worst nightmare, Jinx and continues his journey to find the 13 pieces of life energy to revive his elder to prove his innocence. To be honest, I am not quite sure when part 2 of Lost Soul will be coming as there is still a lot of planning to do before I write it but you can count on it coming relatively soon. Thanks again for the reviews as always! They're always fun to read.