Piltover finest
"Flowers are such mysterious and beautiful things, indeed. Men usually disregard their presence as simple ornaments that can be ignored as they possess little to no value or any sort of useful purpose. In reality, men sometimes wish such useless things would simply disappear so there could be enough space for other things that could and would be used for our ends. Men foolishly believe such delicate and tiny objects are a simple waste of time... But every now and then, Men are proved wrong in the most peculiar ways. I was one of those fools who learned the lesson in the most wonderful and unexpected way."
"I am no stranger to the pain and the suffering. Those who have followed me can tell and even feel the scars deep inside my heart and my soul, I have learned that everything has a huge price to be paid, I remember when I was fighting on the battlefields, watching my fellow brothers and sisters die for my beliefs, I remember the green plains being painted in crimson with the blood of our enemies and our own, but I knew this was a necessary. Through pain and suffering, my kingdom flourished... Like the jade flowers in spring: The Warring Kingdoms."
"Those were indeed glorious days. I surrounded myself with powerful and wise individuals who excelled in their own area, strategists, warriors, assassins, scouts, generals. All of them decided to leave everything behind and follow me into the unknown. Our battles and adventures were legendary, the treasures we gained, the lands we conquered, the enemies we defeated, the secrets we discovered... Those certainly were the good times."
"But all the things are bound to end when we least expect it... I grew arrogant and complacent with my current situation and forgot what I had lived, I forgot the most important lesson that there was... Peace is just the preparation for the next war."
"I paid for my mistake..."
"They came from the north. Rotten bodies moved by some dark and malefic will, our armies in the snowy mountains couldn't even stall their advances. Hundreds upon hundreds of corpses moved relentlessly towards us with a well-defined objective. Our demise. My subjects managed to escape, leaving behind the soil they worked so hard to gain, the memories they created and the legacy they shared. I still can see them running towards my fortress, with nothing but fear in their eyes."
"From the south came the darkness. A corruptive and alien energy none of us or our sages had seen before, the strange portal that opened near the jungles spat creatures of disgusting forms filled with an insatiable starvation. The path of such creatures became corrupted and everything they touched was degenerated and turned into something that shouldn't have existed in our world... I can still see my dear subjects being plagued by an unknown disease, corrupted and metamorphosed into something more sinister."
"And just like that... The Warring Kingdoms were doomed... Because I was foolish enough to believe peace could be eternal... I was mistaken"
But when all hope was lost, I heard a voice calling for me within my darkest nightmares. It spoke about a portal with the answer we needed... I had my doubts about such strange and unusual event, but our situation was so incredibly desperate I had no other choice but to accept any help I could get... Even if such help came from my own insanity."
"I arranged my best men and women that had followed from the very beginning, my must trusted friends and family to find out if this was the miracle we needed... If they had doubts or complaints, no one said a thing when we left... They believed in me, and they knew this was our last chance of survival."
"We traveled through familiar roads until we reached the mountains, a dangerous and mysterious land we decided to explore only when we had the resources to do so. The natural defenses and the wild fauna made this place the most dangerous in the Warring kingdoms, even for my most experienced warriors. But the voice had told me that what we were looking for lied in the caves of such place... We were ready to succeed... So without fear, we walked into the unknown"
"To our surprise, nothing appeared to stop us. The animals and the demons we have sighted before were gone as if they felt the dangers that were trying to destroy our world. Wise creatures, indeed. The journey was long and quiet as we ventured into the depths of the darkness, expecting some sort of ancient horror to appear in front of us and destroy our bodies with ease... Nothing like that appeared."
"Instead, we found a gate. A strange portal made of a material we haven't seen before with an unknown language cavered on it. We could feel the strange aura that surrounded the suspicious door, my generals and captains debated whether we should simply forget about the whole matter, or take the chance and gamble everything for nothing... In retrospective, the choice I made was possibly devoided of reasoning and filled with madness, but I was so desperate and tired to even care about the consequences... I am still immature, I suppose."
"But in the end, the gamble was worth it. We found what were looking for, a chance to either request help to fight the enemies or a chance to save the Warring Kingdoms... We found a new land, different from our world, but filled with secrets and wonders... We found Halkeginia."
"But once again I played the part of the fool. We knew nothing about this land and yet we request help from anyone that came across our way... I was a fool to believe they would simply welcome us with open arms, especially if we brought news of unknown and powerful dangers destroying and consuming our former world... Each one of them denied us and kicked us out of their palaces as if we were animals. Germania simply laughed at us, Galia ignored us completely, Romalia even tried to execute us as heretics, Albion was in the middle of a civil war and Tristain was the weakest among them... I was slowly losing hope... The Warring Kingdoms were not destined to end this way... I would not allow it..."
"And then... The miracle happened: The Sun Goddess."
"We could see just how corrupted and denigrating the society was. The nobles abused the commoners and treated them like cattle, pieces that could be spared and even sacrificed for their own selfish desires... But among the darkness, a beam of light was bringing hope for those who needed it the most. The rumors spoke of a woman, a daughter or the mighty manticore and the powerful sun. A woman that had dared to go against the nobles by herself. A woman whose unbreakable shield protected the hopes and dreams of the commoners. A woman who would help anyone who asked... And my last hope to save my kingdom."
"I had my objective and finding her would be extremely easy since she was quite popular, she couldn't move without notice... The problem was gaining her trust. Even I could tell just how unreasonable my request was, I was asking for a whole army to fight an unknown force my best warriors couldn't even scratch, How could she trust in me if the only proof I had were my words? How could I even request something like that? The Sun Goddess seemed to favor Tristain over the other kingdoms... And we knew just how desperate their situation was. The Queen basically prostituted herself to Germania in order to gain troops. How could they even help us when they themselves were lost in the darkness?"
"I am a man of wisdom and experience... I knew there simply was no way for us to receive any sort of help... The choice was ours to make. We could go back, fight and die like warriors, or we could bring as many of our people as we could behind the back of the Halkeginian kingdoms... Ethier way, our pride would be shattered... My noble warriors refused to degrade themselves to such extent... But what else could we do?"
"Once again... I was proven wrong..."
"The Sun Goddess found us in our darkest hour... And with that beautiful and radiant smile of hers, she gave us hope and a new path, she couldn't ensure the safety of our nation, but she promised a meeting with the queen of Tristain... She gave us a chance and that's all I needed."
"Flowers are such mysterious and peculiar things, indeed."
"I had never seen Queen Henrietta before, rumors spoke about her beauty but I chose to disregard those as the usual fallacies of the people... On that day, at the palace of Tristain... I was proved wrong once again... In the most wonderful way."
"She was a young girl. even younger than my dear Sivir. Her eyes only spoke about her innocence, about her inexperience and about her youthful hopes on the future... She was the most adorable thing I have ever seen in my entire life... Her short but graceful hair, her glassy and brilliant eyes... Her prominent bosom and child birthing h-"
"Fireball!"
The tent suddenly exploded and was filled with black clouds of smoke, the students of Tristain academy that were just studying with curiosity that peculiar thing yelped in surprise and decided to leave the courtyard with haste... Yes, the foreigners were surely interesting and exotic... But there was one unspoken rule every student shared and followed: Stay away from 'Zero'.
"Your majesty!" Jarvan coughed in panic as he tried to find the body of his lord through the smoke "Your majesty! Stay with me! Don't follow the light!"
"You filthy and lecherous dog!" Louise yelled as she stomped the ground and waved the smoke away from her face "I swear I will rip every single one of your stupid feathers!"
"How dare you speak to our lord like that?!" Jarvan asked angrily as he readied his spear "How dare you treat our lord like a pitiful mutt?!"
"Well... You are the one stepping over him, Jarvan!" Tryndamere laughed at the whole ordeal.
"Wha- Oh, God! Your majesty!" Jarvan hopped away and helped Azir getting up "Please, my lord! Open your eyes!"
"What do you give a sick bird?" Azir squeaked "A Tweetment!
"Oh, no! He has sustained brain damage!" Jarvan cried helplessly.
"I see no difference." Tryndamere pointed with a yawn.
"I say he is now more capable than before." Louise snarled with vice "Maybe now he won't do idiocies."
"Enough!" Azir commanded getting up and waving his hand, making the smoke disappear with a gust of wind "Miss Valliere, I know we have our differences and I have to admit our first meeting wasn't the best... But I find your behavior towards me completely unfounded and exaggerated!"
"My behavior!?" Louise roared with fury "You above anyone else have no right to speak about 'behavior'! You were the one who acted shamelessly and practically violated Queen Henrietta during our meeting!"
"That's nonsense! I acted as the protocol suggested when meeting a lady such as her! Well... I can't deny I had my own share of ideas, but I assure our union wouldn't be a barbaric act! Although... She would probably look cute with teary eyes and nothing more but a pair of strings and her exposed nipp-"
"FIREBALL!"
This time, the tent was completely engulfed in the wrath of Louise's magic and exploded leaving nothing but a crater, Tryndamere managed to escape safely and watched the show while he laughed his lungs out. The musketeers Agnes had appointed to guard and monitor the foreigners watched in horror the scene from afar, Agnes had told them to intervene if their antics went overboard... They simply decided to turn around and wonder where was the famed Sun Goddess of Tristain.
Louise walked out of the smoke, fuming and stomping the ground. The Eclipse formed around her due to her fury and was about to implode and scorch everything around her. Louise breathed slowly and managed to control her anger, the Eclipse slowly faded away and Louise felt how her anger diminished. It wasn't that pleasant to simply suppress her powers like that, Louise found out it was extremely gratifying to simply let go and allow her powers to burn everything around her. But Leona had lectured her about the dangers that this could mean, she spoke about control and balance... A lot of things Louise found extremely tiring and annoying, but still important in the end. But above everything else, Louise couldn't simply understand why she needed to practice her magic instead of doing Rakkor training. She could understand that she needed to keep appearance in order to fool her parents and the rest of the students, but to completely neglect even her sword training! Louise found herself frustrated and relentless as her powers piled up inside of her. Her Rakkorian side demanded action, battles, war. But Leona had been adamant about the whole ordeal, claiming it was for the best.
Louise knew very well why Leona was making her go through this. She herself had felt just how weak she turned during the night and how painful was to use her powers when the mother of the sky was present, in reality, it wasn't that painful, but Leona had assured her it would become unbearable once Louise had ascended. Louise sighed in defeat accepting that having more tools to defend herself was a wise choice... But that didn't mean she had to like it.
"You are doing great, boy!" Came the voice of Garen from nearby followed by the clash of swords.
Louise felt that chill running through her hands and arms, she knew the warriors were close to her, Training and fighting, showing their skills and competing to be the best among all of them... It was extremely weird for Louise to feel this way. Yes, she sometimes wished to show her peers her skills and prove she was the strongest magician but she had never felt the need to fight and demolish her rivals... She still needed to attend to class and polish her non-existing magic skill...
...
...
Louise turned around and followed the sounds of the battle.
It was a surprise to see the level of acceptance the warriors of the Warring Kingdoms have received in Tristain academy. Some of the students and professors looked at them with wary and even disgust, but most of them simply wanted to get close to those strange individuals. Especially the males, Katarina and Nidalee had become the madonnas of the school, and even a few weirdos found Vi's aggressive behavior quite captivating... The life at Tristain academy was slowly changing... And this was proof of that.
A bunch of boys and even girls were watching and cheering at the spectacle, Xin Zhao was acting as the moderator of the fight and praised the contestants sometimes. At the center, Garen danced with his massive sword while Guiche did the best he could to dodge and block the relentless assault of the general. Louise was surprised his sword hadn't break beneath the weight of Garen's jade blade, maybe he had reinforced it to withstand the fight... Not that it would make a difference, though. Even Louise could tell that Guiche's movements were amateurish and even desperate at this point, there was no way the frail Guiche could stand a chance against the powerhouse that was Garen... But the young Gramont was still full of surprises.
Guiche panted heavily as he held his trembling sword in front of him, the fight hadn't been easy but he had somehow lasted this long against the mighty warrior. Guiche could tell Garen was just as strong as Leona, he wondered if he held some secret power just like the Radiant Dawn but for now he could assume he was another normal human just like him... A human with a brutal strength and dexterity. Even though his sword was humongous, Garen could wield it with apparent ease and do some impressive feats, like spin in circles quickly or jump great heights with it... But even like that, Guiche had to admit he had fought with bravery and proved where he stood. His legs and arms ached in pain and he could feel the reinforcement in his sword wearing off, a single grace from that jade sword would be enough to shatter Guiche's blade into small pieces... So he decided to end everything in one last daring move.
Garen felt his intent and launched his final strike... To his surprise, he found Guiche's sword flying towards his head at a devilish speed, the warrior managed to parry the deadly projectile just in time, and that was all Guiche needed. Garen focused on the youngster once again but he was nowhere to be seen, he felt a chill on his spine and realized what had happened. He looked down only to see the fist of the youngster an inch away from his face... Garen smiled satisfied realizing he had been outsmarted marvelously by the young boy.
Guiche won.
The court was silent as they waited for the warriors. Both Garen and Guiche remained motionlessly, with the fist of the later buried in Garen's face... And suddenly...
"MY HAND!" Guiche cried in pain as he clutched his hand and rolled on the ground.
Garen looked at the fallen form of the kid in confusion, he wasn't sure why the kid was acting like that. Then he realized he wasn't fighting some trained soldier, this was just a teenager who hadn't really exercised enough to even throw a respectable punch. Truthfully, he hadn't even realized Guiche had punched him, to begin with.
"That was a nice tactic, kid!" Xin Zhao praised as he helped Guiche up "But I guess you are still a little green to do such daring moves without the proper training!"
"I'm sure I reinforced my body with magic" Guiche explained as he inspected his hand "You guys are simply too strong!"
"Nothing to worry about, young one!" Garen cheered with a laugh, placing his hand on Guiche's shoulder "I am sure you will become even stronger than us with that talent!"
"F-for real?!" Guiche couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"I will make sure you do, child!" Garen answered with resolve.
Guiche smiled brightly while the rest of the students cheered. Louise, on the other hand, was deep in thought. As she had expected, the warriors from the Warring Kingdoms were quite exceptional. Even though Garen had held back greatly, Louise could still tell just how skillful he was, the punch he had received from Guiche was not your average reinforcement attack. Guiche had used a fairly powerful spell in order to deal a substantial amount of damage, that kind of magic could have easily killed a lesser man. But this information only managed to ignite the fire inside of Louise. She could picture a few ways to deflect and even counter some of Garen's attack, she wondered if his sword would melt against her Eclipse or if he would resist one of her augmented attacks... She was growing impatient and needed to release her frustration.
"Ah! Miss Valliere is here!" Xin Zhao said suddenly.
The students around became nervous and quickly cleared the area around Louise, none of them knew about Louise new powers but they could still feel some sort of primal fear whenever the young mage showed up. Louise had been annoyed at first but then she realized she was no longer bullied by her peers. Yes, it was annoying to see her classmate run and hide like little bunnies, but on the plus side, she no longer needed Leona by her side in order to deal with the mockery.
"Hello, Louise!" Guiche greeted with a smile.
"Guiche" Louise said with a court nod.
It was sort of strange for Louise to know there were people who weren't afraid of her. Tabitha never really showed that many emotions either way but she seemed less aloof around Louise, Siesta always bore that gentle smile of hers even if Louise was angry. Kirche was the only one who still made fun of Louise but her mockery had toned down and it was more like a weird way to show her affections towards the Valliere.
"Good morning, Miss Valliere" Garen greeted with a bow "I hope you are having a nice day."
"I am, Garen, thank you for your concern. May I ask what are you guys doing?"
"Mister Gramont here asked us to help him improve his battle skills" Xin Zhao explained, "While he is quite young, he possess impressive skills and a proper understanding of the battlefield, I can assure he will become a great warrior one day."
"Is that so?" Louise said skeptically.
"Of course it is, Louise!" Guiche intervened lifting his sword "I am a different man today! I have changed for the best and I can finally stand for myself!" He pointed the sword at Louise "I will prove I am deserving of the attention of Miss Leona!"
...
...
Oh...
So that was it, huh?
Louise always thought Guiche gave up on that foolish dream once Leona had proved just how different they were... Especially considering the Radiant Dawn had rejected nobles with more category and power than Guiche...
Well...
A little corrective was needed, it seems.
Louise smiled softly and with a swift move, she grabbed Guiche's sword by the blade... And crushed it with ease, her smile transformed into a wild and wicked grin as the sword exploded beneath her grip, the all to familiar scene brought nostalgia to Louise.
"What did you say?" Louise asked softly as she cracked her fingers, Guiche smiled blankly before he turned around and ran away as fast as he could. "I thought so."
"T-That was kind of mean..." Garen commented scratching his hair.
"Being humble is something he should have learned by now" Louise explained with a huff.
"I suppose... But there were better ways to teach him those lessons but I suppose happy fools like him only learn that way." Xin Zhao commented.
"I'm glad you understand. Either way, I would like to ask you if you know where Leona is?"
"Well... Last time I checked, she offered herself to guide the girls around the castle" Garen explained.
"So they are lost in the school, huh?" Louise just simply couldn't understand why would Leona want to guide anyone if she herself always got lost... Even atTristain Academy! "I see if I can find them."
"I'm sure they will be just fine!" Garen assured with a big smile "But there is something I would like to ask. A few seconds ago, we heard a huge explosion coming from the courtyard where the royal tent was erected... I think I already know what happened but just to be sure, Is the king alive?"
"The stupid bird pigeon won't that die that easily," Louise answered with annoyance.
"Miss Louise, I wholeheartedly understand your disgust for our lord's actions but I would like to ask you to bear with it for a little while..." Garen tried to be diplomatic "He is a wise and great man, sometimes he just goes overboard but I can assure you he is a great man and-"
"I know! I know..." Louise interrupted with a sigh "I will try to control myself from now on... But if that IDIOT those something stupid AGAIN,.."
"You may punish him as you see fit..." Garen nodded a bit worried "We must attend to a reunion with the musketeers... And see if our lord needs medical treatment if you excuse us..." Garen said before bowing and leaving with Xin Zhao.
Louise watched them leave and sighed to herself in defeat. She knew they were right, she could feel the power hiding behind Azir avian visage... But she simply couldn't forgive him for his faults. That day, Henrietta had greeted the warriors with a soft smile, despite crying a few moments ago. The warriors had explained their situation to the queen and had requested for any help they could get in exchange for the resources, techniques, science and knowledge, everything seemed to be going just fine... That was until the reunion ended. Azir got up from his seat and walked towards Henrietta slowly, the musketeers and the warriors tensed as the two leaders looked at each other in silence. Louise watched closely, afraid that she once again failed to try to help her dear friend... But something completely and incredibly worse happened. Azir embraced Henrietta and kissed her with passion.
...
...
That couldn't be good...
The chaos that followed could only be compared with the shores of hell, the musketeers and Agnes demanded the head of the stupid bird that had fouled the queen, the male warriors of the Warring Kingdoms did their best to protect their king, but even their fellow female members had sided with the musketeers and were ready to rip Azir's head out of his body, the Queen lied unconscious by her throne while Azir yelled marriage proposals and some other idiocies. Then, Louise jumped across the mob and kicked Azir so hard he flew through the window and outside of the castle, he was found later at a farm near the city, eating bird seed with a bunch of chickens.
Louise gritted her teeth remembering the events, she knew there was something completely weird and unusual with that stupid pigeon... But for him to be this daring and unpredictable! How foolish! Henrietta hadn't said a thing ever since but it seemed like she wasn't going to punish him anytime soon, maybe she hasn't recovered from the pain over losing Wales or she simply did no longer cared as it was her destiny to be the slave of a barbaric germanian general for the sake of Tristain...
These were dark days, indeed...
"Miss Valliere!" Called a familiar voice from behind, Siesta came running wearing casual clothes and dragging a big suitcase behind her "I am so glad I could meet you!"
"Hello, Siesta" Louise greeted with a smile "What happened to your uniform and why are you dragging that heavy suitcase?"
"Ah! I was given a few days for my vacations!" Siesta explained with a smile "I was planning to visit my family in my hometown and relax for a bit!"
"I see... I wish I could do the same..." Louise trailed off with a sigh. "There's been a lot of things to deal with and I am afraid I will be busy with everything that will come."
"Busy?" Siesta asked with curiosity.
"Yes, Queen Henrietta's wedding will happen in a month and I was chosen as her bridesmaid, I must attend to the rehearses from now on."
"Ah! The wedding! It must be an honor to be beside the Queen in her most important moment!"
It should be… But Louise couldn't help but feel miserable whenever the matter was brought to her. She knew Henrietta didn't want to marry a barbaric germanian but the country had no other option. The war as a reality at this point and Tristain simply lacked the power to protect themselves… Louise had successfully returned with the letter and secured the wedding between Henrietta and one of the generals of Germania. His name was Albrecht III Von Germanien. The emperor of Germania.
Louise knew Henrietta wept every night remembering her days with Wales and imagining the days to come with Albrecht so Louise decided to at least be by her side… There would be no comfort in her actions but at least she would make sure Henrietta wouldn't be alone in her darkest hour…
That was all Louise could offer…
"W-W-Wedding?!" Said a familiar voice behind the girls.
That… That couldn't be good…
Azir was standing there, his eyes filled with conflict and shock, his mouth completely open and his body shaking uncontrollably, he seemed to be looking somewhere far away from the girls or the walls surrounding the academy…
"Yes… Yes, that is correct…" Louise answered cautiously, feeling the incoming danger "Queen Henrietta will marry Emperor Albrecht in a month, in hopes to consolidate an Alliance between Tristain and Germania…"
"That... That's impossible!" Azir exclaimed in disbelief " That beautiful flower can't possibly marry anyone but me!"
"Wha...?! What kind of nonsense are you spewing, you idiotic pigeon?!" Louise asked angered.
"I didn't know any of this...!"
"And why would a foreigner like you need to know this, huh?! Tristain is in a dire situation and we need all the help we can get, Queen Henrietta knows this and that's why he gave herself to that Albrecht in marriage!"
"B-But the Queen and...?!"
"It is useless to this discuss any further!" Louise interrupted with anger "You yourself should know about the sacrifices Henrietta is doing for the sake of Tristain! And you should also be aware that if the wedding fails, Tristain would not be able to support the Warring Kingdoms! I understand your feelings and I wish I could save Henrietta from her pitiful destiny... But I can't do anything without risking the lives of the rest of the kingdom..." Louise bitter words only hurt her already shattered pride "You came to this land asking for help... Well, Henrietta must marry Albrecht in order to save the Warring Kingdoms... And there's nothing you can do to stop the wedding because you have nothing to offer!... Nothing... Just empty words and fragile hopes... You... You have nothing..."
Louise was weak... Incredibly weak in comparison to Leona... She succeeded in her mission but had failed to protect Prince Wales... She had foolishly believed in Wardes and had paid for her mistakes... She was weak and had nothing to offer... She couldn't even save Henrietta from her destiny... If only she were a little bit stronger... But she wasn't...
And now, she had to watch Henrietta suffer in silence...
"Perhaps..." Louise heard Azir mutter "Perhaps I can't defend dear Henrietta from the demons around her... But that doesn't mean I will stop trying. If I don't have anything, then all I need to do is what I do best: I will conquer!"
"Y-You...! What are you...!?" Louise tried to speak but there was something in Azir's voice that made her unable to do so.
"So what if I don't possess anything to give in return? I built the Warring Kingdoms alone and with less than what I have right now. If what your Tristain and Henrietta need are resources and a strong army then I will build one for her! I will search throughout the land, below the soil, above the skies, from the tallest mountain to the deepest abyss, I will make the treasures of this land mine and prove to you that I am worthy of marrying the Queen of Tristain!"
Louise could see something in his eyes, something akin to Leona's might whenever she was angry, those eyes that seemed to glow with a power superior to anything Louise had seen or felt before, something she admired and longed for... And something she was destined to be in the future: A leader and a symbol for those lost in the darkness.
Azir was a great man, indeed.
His plan had one single and minuscule flaw...
"And... Do you happen to know where are these treasures you speak of?"
"Of course I...! Well... I suppose I could... You know... I guess..."
Louise sighed but couldn't help but smile, maybe she didn't have a way to protect Henrietta from her destiny. But Louise had learned something thanks to Leona and the Warriors of the Warring Kingdoms, destiny could be defied and conquered. The Sun Goddess and the warriors were not meant to appear in this world but they were real, they brought their legends and created a new story. Maybe the answer lied in one of them, maybe there was another way or a different future where Henrietta could be happy and Tristain survived.
For now, all Louise could do was have faith... Faith in the Sun and in her champion.
"Well, if you are talking about treasures I may know where you can find one..." Siesta commented nonchalantly.
"Uh...?" Both Azir and Louise looked at Siesta in disbelief.
"Yes! My grandfather used to tell me and my brothers about an artifact hidden somewhere in my hometown, I didn't really pay that much attention to his stories... But I believe the artifact could sail through the skies... I believe some call it 'The Dragon's cloth' but my grandfather always called it 'The Queen of the Storms'."
"You... Have you seen the artifact?" Louise asked with interest.
"Uh... No, my grandfather told me he hid it somewhere within the forest behind the caves in Tarbes, I never got a chance to see it since there in a nest of orcs near that place... I think there is a map in my house but I am not sure ab-" Suddenly, Siesta was lifted by Azir "W-Wha...!"
"My dear child! These are wonderful news!" Azir exclaimed hugging Siesta "I just need to find this 'Queen of the Storms' to show my dear Henrietta I am a better match for her than some Albert or whatever! Let us go at once!"
"What?! You can't possibly leave like that! You have to stay here until the negotiations and the wedding are over! The musketeers will not allow you to leave just because you want!" Louise exclaimed angrily.
"I have a plan!" Azir said with a cheeky grin "I will go on my own! My warriors will stay behind to keep appearances while I venture into the unknown! Once we have retrieved the treasure we will be back without anyone noticing!"
"T-That's a terrible idea! What if something happens?!"
"I have faith in my skills and good luck!"
"What if the treasure is false?!"
"Then I just have to try again later!"
Louise was getting desperate, Azir seemed completely determined to go out and face the dangers with a stupid smile. Maybe if Leona was here she could have talked some sense into him... Or simply knocked him out with a punch. The other warriors would most likely side with him and Louise couldn't really tell the musketeers, Agnes had been looking for a reason to execute the idiotic pigeon ever since the incident at the palace... What could Louise do?
"Ah! That's right! You can't involve Siesta in this!" Louise attempted one last try "They will certainly punish her if something happens!"
"I know I am being selfish but I plan to reward Miss Siesta with a great gift." Azir explained grabbing Siesta's hand " I will marry her after we have retrieved the treasure!"
"WHAT?!" Louise was both shocked and angry "But...! But you said you wanted to marry Henrietta!?"
"I am THE emperor! I can marry as many women as I want!" Azir exclaimed shamelessly "What do you say, my dear Siesta?" But Siesta couldn't answer, she was currently blushing and smiling like a fool "I will take that as a yes."
"You...! You idiot!" Louise couldn't believe any of this "You are not going anywhere!"
"You can't stop me, little Louise!" Azir exclaimed holding Siesta in a bridal position and laughing like a maniac "You need not follow, but you must witness!"
This was bad... Azir was determined to leave at any cost, Louise couldn't just blow him into smithereens and there was no one to help her either... So she did the only thing she could do at the moment.
"Fine! But I am coming with you!"
"I have a bad feeling about this..." Louise commented for the umpteenth time.
"You may have a feeling, little Louise. But I can see into the future! We are going the right way!" Azir answered jolly. "The key to our success lies within this dark and damp cave!"
"This is a bad idea and you know it! Siesta, please! Tell this idiot we have to go back!" Louise pleaded helplessly.
"I will follow you wherever you go, my emperor!" Siesta said stupidly.
Louise huffed and stomped the ground in anger, she couldn't believe she actually agreed to do this obviously idiotic idea. Maybe beating the living hell out of Azir was the right answer but at this point, it was too late to even regret her choice, she just hoped nobody realized they were gone...
Louise had asked the musketeers to look for Leona and the other lost girls withing the castle, Azir had ordered his generals to create a distraction or something like that, the story was about some ceremony where he had to be concealed and remain undisturbed for a certain period of time... Louise just hoped Agnes was fooled by the charade or else... Louise sighed once again and wondered why she had to go through any of this... Just her luck...
After 'successfully' escaped the academy, they have traveled to Tarbes, a town only a few hours away from the academy. The plan was to retrieve a map Siesta had in her house and look for the artifact inside of the caves. Of course, Louise didn't know how long it will take to find the treasures and she also ignored if the treasure was real or not... But those facts didn't seem to discourage Azir in any way... He was an idiot.
But Louise had other reasons to keep an eye on Azir and she was sure the emperor had sensed her intentions, it was a bit wicked of Louise to think like that but the fire inside of her heart demanded such thing. Siesta had said there was a nest of orcs near the treasure... A nest filled with evil and stupid but strong creatures... Louise couldn't help but want to test her skill and Derflinger's steel against those brutish monsters, she could fight as much as she wanted since no one would miss those disgusting things. She would rain the fury of the sun on them, she would cleave and severe their limbs and she would bathe the ground with their nasty blood. Louise sometimes wondered if these sudden urges of hers were dangerous or even deviant, she had surely changed from her former self into something that could very well be considered a bloodthirsty mercenary... But she couldn't care less about that, the Rakkor were the strongest warriors she had ever heard of and she wasn't going to deny or even stop her craving for strong opponents.
She even wished Brimir was still alive so she could taste and destroy his supposedly 'ultimate' magic.
"I think we are close..." Siesta's voice got her out of her thoughts "The entrance of the forest should be nearby."
"Excellent! Let us find that treasure and make it ours!" Azir exclaimed slamming his spear into the ground.
Louise sighed again, this was probably the worst thing they could have done. She shivered in fear imagining the disappointed eyes of Leona and Henrietta if they ever found out about this stupid adventure, maybe appealing to Azir's stupidity would save her from the faults but the chances were very slim and she-
She felt it... A sudden change in the environment, the temperature rose, her back tingled, Derflinger shivered and the world slowed down again... She could even taste and savor it...
The presence of an enemy warrior... A powerful warrior... Just what Louise needed.
Louise dashed in front of Azir and deflected a falling stalactite, she shifted her weight and managed to cut through an incoming gust of fire with Derflinger, the spell was nullified and swallowed by the steel, Louise focused on the corner in front of them and waited. She could hear Siesta's confused breathing and even Azir's surprised movements... But there was something else, a slow and calm heartbeat, this individual had used deadly tactics against them and he wasn't even sweating... An experienced soldier and a ruthless murdered, if Louise could guess... Her grin grew without her realizing it, this would be a good battle and an excellent warm-up before she encountered the orcs.
"You ruffians! Hear my words and follow my orders!" The voice of the warrior boomed through the cave "Those were warning shots! If you keep on going I will have no choice but to deal with all of you permanently!"
A spell to magnify his voice, huh? Clever, that way, the enemies would not be able to tell his location easily. He sure knew how to fight in any given situation and he could have surely defeated a bunch of marauders or mercenaries... But in this situation, he was only going to have a really bad time.
"You dare threaten me without showing your face?!" Azir roared with fury "I will not be intimidated by a coward who can't even fight me head on! Your pitiful act of aggression only speaks of your foolishness and stupidity! I am an emperor and I fear nothing! Prove yourself worthy enough to die by my might or run away like the dog you are! I have no time to waste with the likes of you so make your choice, mongrel!"
The warrior seemed to hesitate within the might of Azir's voice, it was almost the same as Leona's when the Radiant Dawn was angry but it held more majesty than power.
And that was a terrible mistake.
For a single second, the caves were quiet. For a single second, Louise was able to hear everything around her: Siesta's breathing, Azir's heartbeat, the rubble falling from the ceiling, the rumor of a lake nearby, the sound of the leaves falling somewhere, the animals crawling on the soil, the insects hidden within the shadows... And she heard it, she heard a small slip a few meters away from her, the sound of his hesitation, the sound of his doubt... The sound of his weakness...
That was all Louise needed.
She knelt and leapt towards the direction of the sounds, Derflinger cutting the ground with a terrifying creak. She could feel the warrior's fear with each step, he knew there was something terrible after him... But it was too late. Louise finally reached the corner and was greeted by a storm made of blue fire in the shape of a snake... A square spell... But as always, the magician didn't know a single thing, Louise cut through the monster with ease, the spell was swallowed by Derflinger and Louise was able to see the image of the man. Her hand shot and gripped the neck of the man, she could feel his shock and terror as he realized he couldn't breathe beneath Louise's strength. Derflinger shone with the last flames of the spell, revealing the visage of the man...
"Professor Colbert?" Louise asked surprised.
"L-Louise..." Colbert managed to articulate. "W-Wha..." He gagged and huffed, trying to get some oxygen in his lungs.
"Oh! I'm so sorry, professor!" Louise quickly left go of Colbert "I thought you were an enemy! Thank the Sun I was able to realize it was you before I killed you!" She apologized with a nervous grin.
"K-Kill me...!?" Colbert coughed "Wha-What do you...?"
"Louise! Who goes there?!" Azir asked from afar.
"It's okay! It is one of my professors from the academy!" Louise answered helping Colbert up "He is friendly!"
"Louise...? H-How did you do that?!" Colbert asked bewildered.
"Do what?"
"Everything! You practically cut through one of my best spells with ease! How did you do that?!"
"Oh... Well, Leona has been training me for a while now. She taught me how to fight and she even gave me this sword Derflinger. He has the ability to negate and nullify magic! He is one of the few tools I have in store to deal with any enemy!" Louise explained with a proud smile.
" 'He'? Why are you referring to the sword as a 'he'?"
"That's because I am alive, you weakling!" Derflinger clacked angrily.
"A sentient sword?! That is certainly unusual..." Colbert commented studying Derflinger's hilt.
"I am not just your average sword! I am the Great Derflinger and you better watch your mouth, baldie!"
"Now, now, don't be rude to the professor, Derf. We almost killed him by accident." Louise cooed caressing the sword.
"Wait... Kill? You... You weren't going to kill me, right Louise?!" Colbert asked terrified.
"Of course I was! If you were an enemy..." Louise answered bluntly.
Professor Colbert was not a fool, in fact, he was one of the few professors in the academy who held some real battle experience. He could easily recognize an assassin or a mercenary, and he could very well be considered a genius on the battlefield... He had witnessed many atrocious acts during his younger days, some of them committed by his own hands, he wasn't a man who could be easily scared... But he couldn't help but shiver in fear. The little and fragile Louise he used to care and protect was gone, what was in front of him was a different creature, something that shouldn't be allowed to grow any further...
Perhaps, it was time to stop the Radiant Dawn...
The forest in front of them was quiet and peaceful, the green foliage and the abundant trees only spoke about the absence of the humans or any other sentient creature. Birds and other animals could be heard everywhere, singing, playing, fighting, eating and living a peaceful and careless life. Some of those creatures even ventured out of their lairs to study the group of strangers. Two of those strange beings were completely normal and easily forgettable... The others were a different story.
One of the inspired respect and servitude, an avian visage crowned with white feathers and golden eyes. Cladded in a jade and golden armor, his steps were strong and determined. His eyes studying the surroundings, detecting every single change and movement with ease. He was a king and a leader. The other creature was relatively small and quite childish, a fragile frame with beautiful features. But beneath those weak traits hid a powerful creature. A monster comparable to the dragons or the manticores that dwell somewhere in the mountains far away from here. The animals of the forest trembled in fear as she walked, they could feel their instincts begging to escape and hide until the girl was gone... Wise creatures, indeed.
The humans, on the other hand, didn't have those instincts,,,
"I can't believe I finally found a map!" Colbert exclaimed excitedly, studying the scroll in his hands "I knew there was something here! I simply knew it!"
"I am glad I could help you, professor," Siesta said with a smile.
"You have no idea how grateful I am to you, Miss Siesta! Last time I found a 'supposedly real map' like this, I ended up lost in the middle of the ocean for three weeks!" Colbert explained laughing Awkwardly. "Old Osmond will never doubt me again after this!"
"Do not count your owls before they come, professor" Azir lectured "We haven't found the treasure yet."
"I suppose you are right, my emperor. Are you sure you will not claim the treasure as yours?" Colbert asked worriedly.
"While I long for the riches and wonders in this new realm, my objective it's to show dear Henrietta my worth as a wedding candidate, I do not need to own the treasure, I just need to prove my might, you and your academy can keep the treasure after I have presented it to the Queen."
"For the last time, Henrietta won't marry you, you pigeon!" Louise scolded.
"You don't know that, little Louise! The Queen and Siesta will be mine!" Azir laughed cheekily.
Louise huffed and decided to venture into the forest alone. So far, the journey had proven to be completely useless. She hadn't found any orc on the way and the story of the treasure only seemed to become more real with each step. She began to fear the pigeon would actually succeed and marry the Queen. Agnes would definitely kill him on the wedding night. She sighed again and decided to stop worrying about those useless details, there was no way that 'Dragon's cloth' or 'Queen of the Storms' was real...
That was until she found the place...
Louise remained quiet as she studied the structure, it was bigger than any barn she had seen in her life, created out of average wood by some farmer. The structure was different, it had several windows with a strange pattern almost artistical. The doors were adorned with a strange circular symbol with teeth and a key in the middle of it. Louise could also see a strange lock at the doors, it had several strange parts and a weird keyhole, Louise also couldn't recognize the material but it didn't look like iron or something like that. She grabbed the lock with her hand and squeezed, the material was quite durable and though but after a few seconds it was crushed beneath Louise's vice grip. She pushed the huge doors gently and peered into the darkness.
Suddenly, white lights shone in the ceiling revealing the 'Queen of the Storms'.
...
...
Well... That... That was something you didn't see every day.
It had some sort of carriage made of a golden and silver color with a blunt design and the same symbol of the Barn's doors, Louise could see through the windows some sort of table filled with many small and colored circles, she also saw some sort of wheel mounted in the center with a strange design, similar to the flying ships of Albion. Above the carriage, there was a huge oval thing colored with silver and golden stripes.
"What part of this piece of junk looks like a dragon or even a queen?!" Louise asked in disbelief as she walked around the 'treasure' "And what the hell is a 'Tailwind'?"
Leona was a simple woman and she liked simple things. Strong weapons and good food were the only things a Rakkor needed to be happy. War was more of a craving than a necessity and fighting every once in a while was more than enough to survive the monotony of a peaceful life... But Leona had also been raised by the Solari, she learned from them the pleasure in teaching and guiding the generations to come, she learned to have faith and follow the father in the sky, she learned discipline and the necessity of rules and balance...
Leona was a simple woman with simple tastes... Or at least, that's what she wanted everyone to think...
In reality, the Radiant Dawn was a woman eager to learn and discover new places. The thrill of discovering the unknown was an addiction for her, she wanted to explore the wild, she wanted to meet new civilization, she wanted to taste the new world and learn as much as she could. That was the real reason why she became a champion. The Institute of War became the center of Valoran and there was no way Leona was going to pass such chance to finally fulfill her dreams. The results were better than she had expected, the other City-States offered her a new point of view, she realized just how shallow and biased the Solari were in reality. She got to experience the raging war across Runterra, she got a chance to face the terrible monsters hiding in the shadows, she met other heroes and villains, she ate different foods and delicacies.
Leona was able to taste the real world for the first time in her life.
Demacia, Noxus, Ionia, Zaun, Bandle City, Bilgewater and even the Shadow Isles were some of the places she visited during her transition as a champion, the world was finally open and there was no way she would stop with just the League of Legends... But among them, there was a city that seemed to obsesses the Radiant Dawn with its unusual magic: Piltover, the City of Progress.
When Leona set foot on that mysterious land, her mouth wasn't able to close for a few days. The mighty Skyscrapers, the moving vehicles, the strange machines, the unusual gadgets, the crazy trends and the magnificent laboratories were a few of the things that made Leona fall in love with the city. But the best part of everything were probably the zeppelins.
Leona had always wondered how would be life be if she could fly. The freedom, the possibilities and the future she could achieve. She would always remember her first time riding in one of those machines. The fear she felt when she waited, the adrenalin when the zeppelin finally took off and the peace she achieved when she was finally able to be at the top of the skies, even above the Mount Targon or anything she had dreamed before.
The zeppelins became an obsession for the Radiant Dawn.
Inside of her room, hidden beneath her bed, she hid several magazines. models and other things she acquired every time she traveled to Piltover. She became a usual guest at Jayce's and Heimerdinger's labs where she could stay and ask as much as she wanted about the new models and technology used in the zeppelins... And then, it came: The festival of flight.
Leona had been waiting for such event ever since she heard of it, she bought the tickets eight months before the event and even waited for a whole day in front of the entrance. V.I.P. seats with full access to the zeppelins with no restrictions, only twenty of these tickets were sold and Leona bought her in an auction. But since she was a simple woman with simple tastes, she was able to keep up with the richest Piltovian businessman, Ionian leaders, and even Demacian nobles. She could remember her battle against Jarvan for the precious ticket.
It was worth it...
And now, she was standing inside of the winner of that year. The famed Tailwind, the fastest zeppelin ever created by the Piltovian scientists, with a state-of-the-art design and with the first Chrono-technology engine ever designed across Runeterra. Leona could even picture Janna at the helm, guiding the Tailwind through the storms and winning the race. She could still remember when the small Tailwind surpassed the Zaunite vessel, the Lead Zeppelin.
"Leona! What are you doing?" The voice of her summoner got her out of her thoughts
"Ah! I was just remembering a few things..." Leona explained patting Louise's head.
"Really? You've been doing that lately..." Louise said with a pout.
"Have I? I didn't realize..."
Leona looked around and realized just how weird things have gotten. Colbert was circling the Tailwind, mumbling things to himself and taking notes. Azir and the other male warriors were kneeling in front of Agnes and the musketeers, receiving quite the scolding for doing such thing. Life sure had changed in mere months and Leona was sure things would only get more chaotic. She caressed the walls of the Tailwind and wondered if she would ever return home, not that she wanted but the possibility still existed. France brought with him a new and terrible world, Louise found the Tailwind hidden in a forest, the spirit of a Marai dwelt in a lake, the Warring Kingdoms were real... Just how many more secrets from the other worlds lied within the depths of Halkeginia...
Only the Sun would know...
"This ship is amazing, Miss Leona" Colbert burst from the door with a wide smile "It is made of a metal I have seen in my whole life! How could the creators of this vessel manipulate the elements in order to create such thing? What is this strange and new alloy? What is the purpose of the small windmill at the sides and behind? Ah! I knew the journey to Tarbes was worth it!" Leona could relate to his excitement. Colbert was a good man, a good man with a dangerous past and a dark future... But a good man in the end. Perhaps Leona could give him a chance and stop antagonizing him so much... Only time would tell. "But I still can't believe this artifact can sail through the skies and conquer the storms... It seems rather heavy and clumsy"
"I can assure you it does. This vessel is even faster than any ship or creature in this realm" Leona said with a cheeky smile.
"Really? Can you make it work, Leona?" Louise asked with awe.
"Yes! Just leave it to me!" Leona said as she entered the gondola of the Tailwind.
...
...
Now...
Make no mistake here...
Leona had a pretty huge pool of knowledge regarding the Tailwind, it had been her job lo learn every perk and detail of the famed vessel...
But...
Leona was still the same country bumpkin girl who was dazzled by the Piltovian artifacts. Rakkor were not exactly well-known for their education system and it was safe to assume most of them were illiterates. A high percentage of the population didn't even have the basic knowledge, what's more, they didn't speak, read or understand the runic language established by the League of Legends and could only speak the ancient Rakkorian tongue which was only used among the tribes. The Rakkor were one of the strongest warrior races across Valoran, only equal with the powerful Winter's Claw clan of the Freljord but in terms of education, they were pretty much... Uh... Stupid... And their champions were no different.
Back in the day, Diana has spent almost four years teaching Leona the basics, such as math and other important subjects. The Solari did offer some insights in astrology and philosophy but it was all related to their religion. Pantheon had been a lost cause, he didn't have anyone to teach him anything and the institute had appointed a special tutor for him... Yes, It had been Draven and the only thing Pantheon Learnt was to say Draaaaven instead of Draven.
Although Leona ignored almost everything related to hextech devices and techmaturgy technology, she did possess some sort of mastery regarding subjects almost nobody knew about. Like the dead and forgotten magic of the Blessed Isles, courtesy of Yorick. The wretched sorcery of the damned, courtesy of Karthus, and of course, the secrets of the Void, courtesy of Vel'Koz. Her carefree nature and stupidly talented brain allowed her to learn those powerful and surprisingly useless arts. Her celestial magic was incompatible with the blessed Isles, she wasn't a specter so she couldn't use the power of the Harrowing, and only Ayala was able to harness the power of the Void without being corrupted by its nature.
But regarding the Piltovian zeppelin, She had a general idea about the process and the techniques used to craft the Tailwind, but she was no expert. Turning the thing on was a thing, but driving it was something she couldn't do. She never asked Janna how to do it and even if she did, there was no way the thick-headed Leona could understand any of that.
So when Leona realized these facts, she began to panic. Outside, she could see the expectant visage of her summoner and every present. Even the musketeers had stopped scolding Azir and were waiting for Leona to do something with the machine...
Leona was in trouble... She knew she was pretty bad with machines, like that one time when she ripped the door of her fridge, or when her laundry machine exploded for no apparent reason. She gulped down her spit and looked at the buttons... She knew which one turned on the engines, but she had already pressed it a dozen of times and nothing happened. Maybe the Tailwind had suffered some sort of damage when it appeared in Halkeginia or maybe the time had finally rusted the thing... She looked at the sides and realized there was a small hatch.
Leona smiled remembering that was where the chrono-engine was, maybe she couldn't repair any major damages but she doubted this piece of Piltovian brilliance could sustain such thing. Besides, she could always use the old and trustworthy last resort: Punch it until it works.
...
...
What in the void is she supposed to punch!?
Leona had never seen the blueprints of the chrono-engine but she heard it was a piece designed by Zilean so she guessed there would be clocks and cogs and stuff like that... She was greeted with an empty space composed of small cogs turning and clicking in many different ways. At the center, she could see a white and unmoving pillar of strange white strands cackling and tying themselves endlessly.
That... That wasn't something Leona could or even wanted to touch in any way, she slowly backed away from the peculiar artifact and waited at the entrance of the hatch, expecting something to magically tell her the answers she needed... But when nothing happened, she huffed and began inspecting the walls around her. These were entirely composed of small cogs moving at great speeds, she could also see a strange light through the gaps but she decided to not think about that too much. Using the little knowledge and experience she had, she could tell there was nothing broken or damaged with the engine... But something was missing, something crucial. Leona looked again at the pillar of light and realized there were some strange shapes at the base, gems of purple and crimson colors... The catalyst of Aeons... One was missing...
"Colbert! Do you still have the 'Heart of the dragon'?" Leona yelled exiting the hatch.
"Uh? Yes? I do still have it with me... Why do you ask?" Colbert asked gingerly.
"Could you fetch it for me? The Tailwind needs it!" Leona explained quickly.
"Well, Here you go..." Colbert said taking the Catalyst out of his pocket "I've been carrying it for a while and I can tell it empowers my Willpower and my spells, such a wonderful artifact, indeed!" Colbert explained but Leona was already inside the Tailwind again.
She carefully approached the core of the Chrono-engine. She was sure it wasn't harmful in any way but there was something about the light that made her feel uncomfortable, almost as if she could hear whispers around her. She shook her head, dismissing all those thoughts and reached the core. The strands of white light kept behaving the same way and Leona took this as a good sign, she looked at the base and with one last sigh, she placed the Catalyst in the empty space...
...
...
Nothing changed...
The strands kept tangling and the cogs didn't stop or quickened their pace, Leona gave the core one last confused glare before she exited the hatch. She stood in front of the buttons and once again attempted to turn on the vessel...
Nothing happened...
Leona frowned, confused as to what to do next. She had followed every clue she had and it seemed like the Tailwind did suffer some sort of damage, with no other option left, she clenched her fist and rose it above her head, she felt the pressure of the Sun building on her fingers and around her hand. The harder you hit it, the faster it will be... Or at least, that was what Mordekaiser told her...
"I wouldn't do that if I were you..." Said a familiar voice behind her. Leona turned around surprised, but found nothing or no one. "Miss Leona, you should now by now that violence doesn't solve anything..."
Suddenly, something flashed in front of her and startled her. She blinked a few times, incapable of believing what was in front of her. She could recognize that wise and old face anywhere, his hair and beard equally long and white due to his age, a strange clock behind his back ticked and moved with several cogs hovering around it. If there was something strange about Zilean, it was probably the strange blue-ish transparency of his whole form.
"Z-Zilean?!" Leona asked shocked as she tried to touch the ChronoKeeper "You... What are you doing here?!"
"But I am not here, Radiant Dawn" Zilean explained patiently as Leona's hand passed through him "I am but a simple hologram left inside the core of the Tailwind by my real self so I could help you in this interesting quest."
"Wait... You knew?!"
"Of course I did!" Zilean answered with a smile. "I knew little Louise would summon you instead of Saito, I knew she would become a Chosen of the Sun just like you, I knew Azir and his mighty warriors would come to this realm seeking for help, I knew Henrietta would aid him in any possible way and I also knew you would help them win the war against Germania."
"H-Hold on... Who the hell is Saito? And what do you mean about a war against Germania? They are our allies!"
"Are you sure?" Zilean asked with a mysterious smile.
"Well... Until Henrietta marries the king... But I am sure they are our allies!"
"So that hasn't happened, huh..." Zilean mumbled to himself "It should happen in four days, though..."
"What are you talking about? What's going to happen in four days?" Leona was getting impatient. She knew Zilean was one of the most mysterious champions in the League, he always spoke in riddles and always seemed to know more than he was supposed to. It wasn't a surprise many champions were quite angered with him, like Volibear or Vel'Koz.
"If you want to know, you should ask Colbert about the day when the Tailwind appeared in Halkeginia."
"What does Colbert have to do with any of this?!" Zilean simply smiled and remained quiet "Agh! Alright, you win! But after I'm done, you have lots to explain!"
"I promise I will answer you questions, Radiant Dawn... Ah! Be sure to tell The Enforcer to come and speak with me! I know this is not the same Enforcer we know but I am sure this Vi will be able to repair the Tailwind."
"What does that...?!" Leona stopped when she saw Zilean smiling again "Fine!" She stomped out of the Tailwind and slammed the door shut, startling everyone present "Colbert?!" Leona growled, making the professor shiver in fear.
"Y-yes!" Colbert straightened himself when Leona set her eyes on him.
"Can you please tell me again about the day when the Tailwind appeared?"
"Again? Well, the legends said it was during a storm, the lighting were soaring the skies and the thunder could be heard miles away. Not a single creature could fly with the monstrous gale and the rain was incredibly thick. The legend says the... uh, Tailwind suddenly appeared in the skies and sailed through the storms as it owned the skies."
"Uh-Huh, what else?"
"Well... The Tailwind was visible during the storm but disappeared once the Solar Eclipse was over..."
"I understand and I..." Suddenly, Leona felt a painful sting on her chest "Wait... You... You said an Eclipse... A solar Eclipse... Like... When the Moon covers the sun... Right?"
"Yes... In this case, the 'Twin Moons' will cover the sun, and I believe the same phenomenon will occur in four days so I suggest we..." But Leona couldn't hear anything else coming from Colbert's mouth.
She knew very well what this all meant. She turned around and saw Zilean looking at her through the window of the gondola, his smile never leaving his face, he slowly raised his hand and pointed towards the gates of the school. Leona focused on the gates, hoping her worst nightmares were just that...
But she was wrong...
"Everyone! This is an emergency!" Guiche yelled as he entered the school riding a horse "Please! Listen to me!"
"What's the matter, boy?" Garen asked worried, helping the young boy settle down the horse.
"Albion... Albion has changed its name to Reconquista!" He explained terrified. "And Reconquista has declared war to Tristain!"
The courtyard was suddenly filled with horrified whispers and chaos, the musketeers left with Agnes and made their way towards the palace, Azir and his warriors followed the silently. Leona could only gaze into Zilean's eyes in shock, she felt a small tug on her hand and realized Louise had grabbed it and was shaking slightly, Leona tried to articulate words of comfort but nothing came out of her mouth... She knew this was a dire situation and she now had no way to help Tristain... She could only pray... Pray to the sun and hope for a miracle...
A pitiful and dead hope...
Well, hello there...
First, I would like to apologize for taking longer to update, I did promise I could do it every two weeks...
But there was URF and I spent my weekends playing it... Sowwy! :3
Either way, here is the chapter, I hope you can enjoy it...
If you like it, feel free to review, knowing you guys enjoy my silly stories makes me feel good. :3
If there is something I could improve, feel free to tell me what it is, feedback is important for me and I always take seriously your opinions and request...
And that's it...
I will see you in the next chapter.
:3
This is the little corner where I will answer you questions. if there is something you will like to know, feel free to ask it. :3
valguienmas: You got yourself your Jhin arc... You will have to wait, tho... :3