Chapter IV: Memory

I put a blanket around Malzahar, his body shaking still from his ordeal as the light in his eyes flutters like a dying flame. "Thank you...friend..." his voice warbles, his head lowering as he continues to shake, his arms holding himself closely. "What do you need from us, Malzahar?" I ask him, moving to sit next to him with a face full of concern. The sound of hooves makes my head turn to the door, Soraka arriving and uncorking a Mana Potion, offering it to Malzahar who reaches for it desperately and gulps it down. He looks immediately better, his eyes flaring up in blue light and his body floating away from the bed, extending his limbs as arcane cloth starts to wrap around his body. In a matter of moments, he's restored to what he once was, bowing from the waist at us before floating back to sit on the edge of the bed with an ethereal sigh. "You have many questions so allow me to answer some," he warbles, breathing in and out before continuing. "I too was trapped in those arcane prisons at the Institute, trapped until they decided to use me or release me."

"But what about every other time we saw you? Were you not free?" I interject, his head nodding once. "A copy. The real me was stuck in their cage. I was allowed to control a copy of myself around the Institute of War but not given full freedom. If I ever told anyone, they would leave me to rot in that cell." How? How did the summoners get away with something like this? Did we ever truly have equality in the Institute? Or was it just an illusion? My eyes blink as Malzahar's eye's bore into mine, nodding his head in understanding. "No one knew the truth. The summoners spent time and effort blocking the truth and the only reason I'm here is because they are still human, prone to human flaws."

His eyes smile grimly, flickering bright but dully as he continues. "They sent Soraka into my cell on accident and that is when I set a plan in motion. I attached a part of my essence onto her without her knowledge, knowing that your magic would awaken it at the right time." His head dips as he continues. "I am...sorry for my deception but I was desperate for escape. My powers have likely corrupted hers and it will take time for her to readjust-"

"That won't be an issue," Soraka interrupts, smiling and turning around while lifting her hair to touch her lower back, a Quintessence of Ability Power coming to life with swirls going to her head and arms. She turns back around as I shake my head. That makes five. I feel used yet not. Who is to blame? Malzahar shakes his head, stating in a calm voice, "You misunderstand. My vision has imprinted itself on you now. I can see it. You can see more than just darkness in the hearts of beings now and what you may see will drive you mad-"

"I have stared into the void in contemplation before, Malzahar. I am well aware of the dangers." Malzahar laughs, my face smiling and laughing as well before he answers, "Then my worry is unfounded. Apologies..." Something else troubles him. Soraka sits down next to Malzahar and places a hand on his shoulder, gently asking, "What happened back at the Institute? There is something troubling you."

His head dips low, his body loosening as he whispers, "They...they killed Cassio...she was already dead..." Both me and Soraka look at him in shock, waiting for his explanation as he moves a hand to his face. "She wasn't...really alive...not really...her body was already gone but...the summoners made their copies...again and again...and when I got close to one copy..." A tear of blue liquid falls from his exposed eye as Soraka moves her arms around his neck in a hug, my hand moving to his right shoulder as he starts to break down. "We loved each other...both of us unique...both of us trying to change...and they just...they just removed her...as if she wasn't there...and replaced her with another..." Malzahar is a man before he's a void creature. He can still feel pain and sorrow.

Soraka's looks at me quickly, her face hardening and causing me to look at her in concern. She releases her embrace and moves out of the room at a swift pace, leaving me to comfort Malzahar alone. I take Soraka's place, moving my arms around Malzahar's neck to hold him as he starts to sob, his warbling cries filling the room even as his hands cover his face. Anger fills my heart as well as sorrow. How can anyone say they are in the right when they murder their own? When they lie to maintain control? The Institute is little better than the bandits, summoners criminals of another caste.

Soraka quickly returns with a strange amulet in her hand, moving in front of us and offering it to Malzahar. "Does this look familier?" she asks him in a gently tone, Malzahar removing his hands from his face and looking up, eyes flaring as he snatches the amulet. "This is...part of Cassio's hand guard! How did you get this?" he warbles with desperation, Soraka smiling as she takes the part back. "She knew something was wrong before you did and gave me this in case something happened to her, saying to give it to you if something does. I was going to hand it to you after class but we we're teleported." She is already pressing the crystal, opening the amulet and removing the crystal vial inside. Malzahar's eyes widen when he realizes what she has. "Is that...a sample of her blood!?"

"Indeed it is and with it, we can perform a Revive spell to bring her back," she finishes, already placing the vial in her hand as green magic starts to course through her. Neither of us wait for approval, me and Malzahar moving our hands behind our right waists with the sound of focusing energy and bringing them forward, channeling our magics into the ritual in beams of green. Soraka closes her eyes, the vial lifting out of her hand and shattering in the air, rapidly growing and expanding before us. Malzahar gives a cry of pain, his channeling breaking as his body starts to smoke from the exertion. "It's alright, Malzahars!" I shout over the sound of magical discharge, my hands locked forward towards Soraka who focuses her magic on the expanding form. "Let us handle this!"

The shape rapidly takes form, energy and blood forming into a large serpent that breaths in deeply, Cassio looking up and around her as her body finishes forming in a matter of seconds. She gently floats to the floor, her weight placed against the ground with a thud of scales on wood as Malzahar immediately floats out of his seat and takes a knee next to her, putting a hand on her face. She hisses slightly, her tongue licking out as she tries to move the hand away from her face with limbs that aren't fully functional. "Cassio, it's me, Malz! You'll be alright! Just take it slow. It's not easy being revived." Her breath is coming in gasps as she slowly becomes accustomed to living again, her green eyes looking around the room frantically until they lock onto Malzahar, her breath slowing down as she stares into his blue eyes. A clawed hand goes gently to his face, the hand shaking slightly as tears start to form as she whispers, "Malz...?"

Malzahar swiftly brings her into a hug, brushing her head as she starts to sob and says in a warbling voice, "It's OK...you're safe now...they can't hurt you anymore..." I tap Soraka on the shoulder, gesturing with my head towards the door with a smile for us to leave as we turn and head into the hallway towards the stairs. My earlier anger is slowly overwritten as I clamp down on the feeling of ease.

So long as we breath, we will undo the wrongdoings.

We arrive downstairs to a bare knuckle brawl between Wukong and Darius, a generous open space given to them as they punch and kick at each other with savagery. Both look bruised and battered, breathing heavily as they continue to fight. Darius grabs Wukong in a headlock, squeezing viciously before Wukong kicks him in the crotch, Darius grunting in pain but instead tightening his grip. The foot impacts several more times before Darius decides to throw her, Wukong trying to land properly but falling to the floor with a thud instead. Darius does the same, a hand on his crotch as he takes a knee and breaths out in pain. "Alright...I think you made your point..." Darius growls through breaths, still unable to rise while in such pain. "Likewise..." Wukong breaths from her back, trying to rise but unable to. Heads start to turn as they notice me and Soraka, our hands holding gently.

"Wow, that was quick. It's only been 20 minutes! Did you even bother to please her or did you just have your way with her!?" Jinx comments with a grin from her seat, Poppy laughing from the table at the joke while polishing her hammer and shield. We move quickly to the table that they're sitting at, planting ourselves in wooden chairs as Poppy and Jinx right themselves when they see our expressions. "Alright...maybe I should stop while I'm ahead but-"

A loud, inhuman scream blares from upstairs, everyone in the room looking upwards in response. Me and Soraka look at each other before rising out of our seats and dashing towards the stairs, Jinx and Poppy following us as Poppy shouts, "What's going on!? What was that!?" Neither of us answer, climbing the steps in twos and heading back to the room we came from. I halt everyone in the hallway as the sound of a struggle sounds in from the room, quickly shimmying along the wall and moving to peak inside. My head rapidly peaks back out in embarrassment as the others look at me in confusion. They aren't struggling. Not in a hostile way. I think. "Let's...give them their privacy..." I whisper, moving to the door frame and closing the door on the scene. "What's going on Yi!? Why the mystery!?" Jinx blurts in a whisper but I'm already heading back downstairs, my face neutral as the others follow behind.

I have stared into the void and it has stared back. And it was terrible.

Jinx laughs loudly enough for the entire room to hear as I start to explain what I saw and all the events leading up to it, all the while listening every so often to the loud screams of a snake woman being reintroduced to her feminine parts. "And here I was thinking priests are supposed to be celibate! Not this priest, I guess!" Poppy takes a drink of ale from a wooden cup before she comments, "Well, he isn't a priest, more a prophet of the void. I think his biggest concern has always been trying to find someone to-" Another loud, inhuman scream sounds from upstairs, causing us to jump but not as much as before. Jinx grins at me as she states, "What is that, the sixth time? How long is he gonna do this for?"

"The woman he loved has been recently deceased for about a months time. I believe they are...working out some issues," Soraka states while sipping a cup of water. Jinx laughs again before saying, "You better believe they're working out some issues! That's a months worth of sex and intimacy he has to make up for!" I give Jinx a sarcastic look, raising an eyebrow as she grins at me, shrugging her shoulders and grabbing her cup of ale. Darius comes stomping over to our table and demands, "Can someone care to explain what the hell that noise is!?"

"It's Cassio and Malzahar...making up..." I say awkwardly before Jinx interjects with, "Basically, they're have loud, unfiltered sex and it's loud enough to wake the dead." Darius looks at us as if we're joking until he realizes we aren't, his face becoming stern. "We'll have to tell Katarina that her sister is alive when we get to Noxus. I'll send an encoded message through a secure channel to her once we find a good spot to set up. Though there is no love lost among them, they are still Du Couteau's and family. She deserves to know."

"I though we we're avoiding Noxus at all costs, Darius," I ask him with a puzzled look at his sudden change of heart. He gives me a grim smile that lasts only a second before his face hardens again. "There's somewhere in Noxus I need to go first before I help you. That and Noxus has the fastest road we can take through Ironspike. I won't shy away from a challenge." The group looks at each other, the others smiling at me in approval as I sigh, saying to Darius, "Very well but at the very least, where is it we are going?" Darius' next sentence causes my soul to chill, his voice low and sad.

"Back to Bisilich. I want to see my wife and son once more."

I push my erection into Soraka with a moan of ecstasy, her insides warm and comforting as she sighs happily from the connection. My body relaxes involuntarily as I fall onto her, her arms around my shoulders and back as my arms fall to my sides. My breathing is rough and heavy as I try to remain conscious, the pleasure causing my eyes to flutter closed every so often. Her hand moves off my back to my face, closing my eyelids for me as I breath in gasps. Why is it like this with her? This softness and comfort. I can barely function. "My powers are strongest through touch, Yi, and are far less controllable when touching," she whispers to me, my mind barely wrapping around the words.

"But why is it...overpowering...?" I slur, my mouth not quite forming the words. She moves me onto my side, her hand on my face as I try to open my eyes but can't. "Shh...just relax...let the warmth and comfort be part of you..." she whisper, her lips meeting mine gently. I try to return the kiss but my body won't respond, waves of warmth and comfort relaxing me. No...I don't want this...I want us to enjoy each others company...not just one way... My hands finally move, arms moving to Soraka's back and neck as I pull her into the kiss, my tongue entering her mouth to her surprise. More waves of warmth flow through my body as our tongues meet but it's becoming more manageable now that I have conviction. I will give her as much comfort as she gives me. No matter the cost. Through iron will, I force my limbs to move, pushing myself back on top of Soraka with a slightly pained expression as she pulls away from our kiss. "Yi...don't force yourself...if you go too far..." she whispers but I'm not listening, concentrating on moving.

My arms move around her neck as I start to move, each thrust causing me to vibrate slightly from pleasure. It's almost painful. It likely is. My body only had one goal at that moment, to reach climax. Soraka kisses me in support, her hooves wrapping around my legs as we continue, soft fur rubbing against them and causing jolts to move up my spine. If this keeps up, I'm going to pass out. Not yet... My arms wrap around her chest as I start to move slightly faster, pain and pleasure spurring me on to the end. I start to lose feeling in my feet and hands, the limbs going numb. "Yi..." Soraka says gently, brushing my face with a hand but I smile and push her hand away with my face. "Soraka...let me give you...something in return..." I whisper, my arms pressing her against me as we both moan in release, my seed entering her body and sending me into shutdown. All feeling leaves my limbs as I hear her moan again, my head landing over her shoulder as I starts to drift away, succumbing to the sensations.

It's hard to open my eyes when my mind awakens, my left hand moving to wipe away rheum that had gathered in the corners of my eyes. When I finally open my eyes, I'm staring face down at the mattress, disoriented and confused as where I am. My cheek brushes against skin and I look to my right, seeing Soraka fast asleep under me with a smile on her face, my face smiling in response. We both moan lightly as I pull my erection out of her, my body feeling damp from sweat as I push myself off of her onto the pillow nearby. I'm unable to think straight, my body exhausted yet comfortable as I stare at the ceiling. "Yi..." I hear Soraka whisper, her hand gently touching mine as I move the hand to hold hers, my eyes closing again in relaxation. "No ones...ever done that to me...it felt...amazing..." she whispers, her shoulder moving to brush against mine.

"I won't be able to do that too often and live, Soraka. Forgive me..." I say in shame, feeling inadequate and uncomfortable despite the feeling of peace. I met my match in this battlefield and I was defeated.

My serenity is interrupting by a banging fist on the door followed by a familiar voice. "Master! C'mon, get up! Don't make me violate your privacy and break the door down!" I hear Darius shout for her to move as the door bursts inwards, his foot returning to the floor as he spots the scene before him, smiling darkly at us. "Yi. Stop fooling around with your love interests and get dressed. We still have a long journey ahead of us and I'm not about to go easy on you." He turns towards the stairs and leaves, Poppy, Wukong, and Jinx looking into the room with grim smiles. Poppy looks at me and grunts in amusement. "Look's like he met his match. Glad he decided to have Soraka last or you two might not have anything left to have." Jinx and Wukong look down at Poppy sourly before turning to head down the stairs, Poppy shouting to them while moving, "What!? I was kidding!"

I grunt in exhaustion as I move into a sitting position, my body feeling drained. Was pleasure meant to be painful? Or is it the other way around? Soraka embraces me around my neck from behind, kissing my cheek and whispering, "Don't worry...I won't make you...but...don't forget about me...?" My hands move to lay on top of hers, my face smiling broadly as our hands close around each other.

"We're in this together. How can I forget?"