Hello everyone! Sorry that this took me longer than usual. IRL stuff and blah blah you know. It seems like having a major character death the last chapter certainly got some attention and was the right choice to make. This is where stuff starts to pick up (hopefully) that will lead to the eagerly and presumed death of everyone's favorite character Culda Graves! She's so fluffy and stuff :D
Anyhow, there's a lemon this Chapter and it'll hopefully feel more natural. Well, it's morehatesex but you get the drift ;)
Thanks to TheDarkArrow for beta reading!
Hope you enjoy!
Evelynn felt hollow inside. Empty, and nothing more. Even with her lover James by her side, the succubus felt alone. She'd never felt this way until the end of The Rune Wars from centuries ago. Her eyes were puffy, but her expression remained unreadable. The blue woman watched as the bloody and mutated looking corpse of Elise was covered up by a cloth, finally putting it out of sight of everyone's eyes.
James was in silence as he stood by Evelynn. He seemed to be calm, but it was a deadly, inhuman calm. He was angry beyond belief. The words that Elise said to him as she slowly bled to death stayed in his mind, echoing over and over again, haunting him. James looked at Evelynn, bringing a shaky, blood hand up and putting it on her shoulders. The woman didn't react.
"Evelynn…" He said, his voice trying to remain steady. "…I'm so… so sorry. It was my fault." Evelynn said nothing, her golden eyes fixated upon the blanket that was covering the corpse of Elise, knowing what laid beneath the fabric. "I know what it's like… to feel this. It's okay."
The succubus only nodded slowly, not looking at James who took his hand off her shoulder.
"I need… some time alone… James."
Evelynn didn't wait for a response, not that she needed one. She paced away from James, walking down to the interior to the ship, not intending to return to the deck anytime soon. James took off his helmet, pinching the bridge of his nose with the hand on his now bandaged arm.
A man's groan was heard, and James looked to his left, seeing Riven helping a wounded, but slightly patched up Maddoc move around. They nodded at James who nodded back when they came up to him.
"How bad is it?" He asked.
"Nothing but a little paper cut." Maddoc said jokingly, sounding strained while doing so.
Riven grunted with annoyance at this. "His back's bandaged up, but it still needs time to heal. Minh's blades left red streaks up the spine, but nothing too serious. His shoulder's worse."
"No, it's not!" Maddoc exclaimed. "It just… needs some…"
The man tried to move his shoulder that was undoubtedly severely wounded. His words stopped short, letting out a pained groan with Riven sighing in annoyance surprisingly.
"Come on, let's get that wound patched up." She said before stepping forward, the wounded man having no choice but to follow.
"Be careful down there." James said not looking at the two. "Evelynn's… kind of going through an adjustment for the moment. Just watch yourselves."
Riven looked back at James, her brows furrowing as she remembered hearing Evelynn's wailing when she regained consciousness. She no longer held what remained of her ill will towards the succubus, to an extent.
"James." She called out, not looking at him. James barely turned his gaze over his shoulder towards Riven. "If you do love her, it's better if you spend time with her in her troubled moments… rather than leave her alone."
She and Maddoc went below deck, leaving James to think about Riven's words. It made him recall something Elise said to him not 12 hours ago.
"Take care of her Holland. Show her that you love her… and that even the evilest, sadistic monsters in the world, can also love."
A tear escaped James's eye as her voice echoed again. He bit his lip, taking out the picture in his pocket of him and Jade. It was miraculously unharmed from the battle. He clenched it tightly in his hand, putting it away and quickly pacing down to the ship's interior.
...
Miss Fortune was alone in her damaged cabin, her hair beyond disheveled and her uniform was torn with now dried up cuts and wounds. What remained of her crew had tossed the dead overboard. It was the tradition in Bilgewater, so they had no problem with it, but James was insistent on saving Elise's body. Sarah accepted that. The redhead was more than relieved that her liquor cabinet remained unmolested by the battle. She took a glass cup, filling it with whiskey all the way to the top before taking a single, hearty gulp from it. She felt it burn her throat, but she didn't make a single sound from the feeling. The door opened and Rafen stepped in, his shoulders slumped as his steps made the wood groan. Sarah didn't have to turn around.
"What's our headcount?" She asked.
He let out a sigh. "17 in total. If we're counting the new arrivals that's 22. Used to be 23."
Miss Fortune bit her lip, examining the empty glass in her hand before grabbing the bottle, pouring herself another drink. "And the masts?"
"The main one's destroyed, can't be repaired without the necessary supplies." Rafen answered. "The smaller ones are intact, but one of them has several holes in it, making it nearly useless."
Sarah gulped down the drink. She turned around to meet the eyes of her first mate. "Alright. Thank you Rafen. You can go."
He nodded, pacing out of the cabin as Sarah wiped her face with frustration. Footsteps sounded again, and she looked up to see Katarina pacing into the cabin. A little smile came onto Sarah as her friend paced to her. The Sinister Blade stopped a few feet away from Miss Fortune who was leaning against her table. Katarina crossed her arms.
"So, what's the situation?"
Miss Fortune quietly giggled. "It's not good. With only one mast, it'll take several days to reach our destination. Assuming that you're still up for that."
Katarina huffed at this. She looked away, biting her lip and offering no verbal response.
"How'd they find us?" Sarah asked. "How could they have possibly known where we were?"
The Noxian sighed at this. How did Culda know she left Noxus? Did somebody talk? She felt anxiety as she came to a conclusion. "Apart from Swain, the only one who knew about my departure was… Talon."
Miss Fortune raised a brow at this. She crossed her arms, considering her next words carefully. "Do you think… he talked?"
Suddenly Miss Fortune felt herself get pushed and she hit the table, the impact knocking the bottle of whisky off with a shatter. Katarina had her trapped, the assassin's eyes showing anger. Sarah kept a stern look.
"Never question my brother's loyalty Sarah." Katarina hissed. "He was taken in by my father and I know him better than anybody else in this world. I know he wouldn't talk…" She stopped, her voice becoming softer with the last words. "…Culda must've found out… and tortured him. Not to mention… my sister."
The blunt tone of Katarina faded away, her expression showing a rare vulnerable side that not a lot of people saw. Sarah was surprised, gently putting her fingers on the woman's sharp jaw.
"I'm sorry Kat. I really am." She said before sighing. "Look, I'm not sure what happened or how she found us, but I'm certain that she wouldn't go so far as to… well kill them. Your family has an influential presence on Noxus right?"
Katarina actually snorted. "We do, but I doubt that matters. Noxus moved on with the presumed death of James, not to mention my father." Her voice soon became bitter. "Oh gods… Talon…"
Having seen enough, Miss Fortune firmly cupped Katarina's head and made her face the captain. Her lips crashed into the Noxian's, being sloppy due to Katarina's surprised, but she returned it after a moment's hesitation. The Sinister Blade brought her hand down to Sarah's rear, cupping it and bringing her closer despite the woman being trapped between the table. Their tongues danced, moans soon eliciting from both redheads.
Miss Fortune opened one eye, looking to her bed and seeing just how comfortable it looked. She halted Katarina with a finger, gesturing to the area and Katarina followed it, smiling as she nodded. Sarah closed the door to the cabin, locking it before meeting with her fellow redhead on the bed, both of them throwing aside their clothes.
…
Sweat dripped from Culda as she kept grunting, her clenched fists hitting the punching bag in her room. Ever since she'd become The Grand General of Noxus, the woman chose to distance herself from her magic, but she always kept her Luden's Echo in her uniform wherever she went. She had a belief that if you were going to be a strong leader, you'd have to have a strong body as well. Culda had generally been weak her life, and she was changing that, especially after hearing about James's survival.
A door opened to her room, the woman not stopping her hits against the bag. Her body glistened with sweat and she didn't look over to see one of her messengers standing by, watching her pummel the object.
"Lady Culda?" He asked.
The woman performed a few more hits before finally stopping. She panted from the workout, resting her hands on her knees before stretching with a groan. "Yes?"
"Um, your advisors have gathered and are waiting for your arrival."
"Good." Culda said bringing her fists up, resuming her workout.
She hadn't allowed him to continue talking and the boy said there was another thing to tell her. This made Culda stop, looking at him with a neutral expression.
"Um, that ship you sent out has returned to Noxus." He said. "The only occupants that were on it were Captain Minh and dozens of his soldiers. Sion… wasn't onboard. Minh said he wasn't sure if the targets were subdued."
Culda exhaled sharply at this, now glaring at the boy who soon shivered in fear. Culda was actually more frightening when she was silent instead of throwing something around in a fit of rage. She tilted her head, taking a large single step towards him, the boy wincing as she did.
"The targets… weren't subdued?" Culda asked.
"I um, I-I don't know Madam." He said as sweat started to form. "We don't have confirmation, but it's likely that Sion d-"
He stopped talking when Culda yelled and brought her leg up, performing a roundhouse kick against the punching bag with such force that it broke off the chain and was sent flying into a wall, creating a dent. Culda paced to it, her hands glowing with fiery magic as she unleashed her newfound rage, ripping the object apart with ease like it was paper. The boy winced, shuddering at the sounds. It finally came to a halt, the boy's eyes opening finally to see Culda panting heavily. She slowly turned to face him.
"Anything else?" She asked with venom evident.
"Umm… we've gotten reports of some Noxian soldiers… showing resentment towards you." He said.
Culda's brows rose at this. "What?"
"Some soldiers don't exactly… trust you I mean." The boy said. "They've grown suspicious of the sudden disappearance of the Du Couteau siblings. The same goes for some citizens."
The woman took a deep breath, closing her eyes in the process. The boy slowly backed away, fearing for his safety. Culda started to quickly pace towards him, pushing him out of the way as she didn't stop.
"I want Minh in my quarters before my meeting is over. Notify me when he's arrived." She said in a threatening tone.
"But Madam, he's in the hospital. He needs medical attention." The boy was given a glare that could freeze the depths of hell. He froze, looking down at the floor. "I'll… inform them right away."
He felt her glare fixated on him and he cowered in fear before hearing the departing footsteps of Culda who entered her quarters.
…
James paced around the ship, passing by several empty crew quarters, looking for Evelynn who likely needed him now more than ever. He searched for what seemed like hours, but it was only a few minutes. The man came across a wall with some scratches on it, raising a brow and finally, he came across a larger room.
James had entered the lowest compartment of the ship. Water was leaking in while at the same time being emptied out. He heard a whimper, and James saw, in the corner, what appeared to be the silhouette of Evelynn. Truthfully, she was in her demon shade, her true form. James saw her visible, pink glowing horns with Evelynn's lashers circled around her body. She was in a fetal position, resting against the wall with her legs hugging her chest. James's eyes widened briefly at this, but he moved on instinct.
The man walked toward the vulnerable succubus who didn't move. He sat down next to her, taking off his helmet and setting it aside. Evelynn felt his presence, but she only lifted her head up slightly, looking ahead lifelessly. The woman's demon shade faded as she returned to her usual appearance, that eerie blue skin James had become very familiar with. She put a hand on his arm and he gently gave her more. Evelynn clutched it as she rested her head against his shoulder. He could hear her breaths; they sounded broken.
"It's like there's blood on me." She whimpered, her voice shaky. "But it's blood that I don't want… it's blood that leaves nothing… but pain and misery."
James couldn't offer any kind of reassurance. Elise's death may have taken its toll on him, but with Evelynn, she was truly broken. Her whole world was shattered. James took one of her hands, gripping it firmly with his. Evelynn didn't return the same feeling.
"Evelynn… look at me." He said, sounding a bit commanding.
She slowly looked up, meeting his eyes. James gently cupped her chin. "I know she's gone, and that nothing will bring her back." He said before sighing, trying to contain his emotions. "I know how difficult it is to lose someone close to you. Someone you never imagined you'd lose. Elise could've done anything, but she couldn't allow you to experience the same pain she felt a long time ago."
A tear slid down Evelynn's cheek, James brushing it aside gently. "What pain… is that?"
"The pain of losing a lover Evelynn. The feeling that you'll never, ever, be able to hear the voice, or touch, of the one who shared those feelings with you." He said sadly. "She lost her lover centuries ago, and I lost Jade, but I will not allow you to experience that pain, and neither could she. I know that words, no matter how kind they may be, can't tend to the feeling of a loss, especially a friend. But you can share those feelings with those who are experiencing the same loss, making your mind and body feel comfort in the reality that you're not alone."
James felt Evelynn's hand slightly grip, but she still had on that look of sorrow. The man weakly smiled at her, brushing her hair with his other hand.
"You'll find the strength in the love of your partner, a warm embrace that is always burning. Elise's final words to me were to be there for you, in the toughest of times. Whenever you're feeling damaged, or broken, there'd be a shoulder for you to cry, and rest on." James said.
Evelynn was silent, her mouth was agape however. A smile twitched onto her soon after, tears cascading down her face. James felt her lashers circle around him, cupping him for a tight embrace of love. Evelynn rested her head onto his chest, feeling his heartbeat. It seemed to be in synchronization with hers. Her eyes closed, and she weakly smiled when James wrapped his arms around her, cradling her. Evelynn still felt a little cold inside, but James's presence made her feel warm, and secure.
"You cold?" He asked.
The woman shakily nodded before speaking with a shivering tone. "Yeah."
James took Evelynn in his arms, her lashers moving back to allow more movement. The succubus buried her face into his chest as he carried her to a ship's cabin, gently placing Evelynn on the bed. The man took off his armor, being in worn out looking pants, his shirt having been ruined after Evelynn ripped it open when they made love. James joined Evelynn on the bed, spooning into her and sheltering her as his warm body contacted her. The succubus was shaken at first but embraced it. She didn't smile however.
Evelynn felt James's hand entwine with one of hers, the action managing to make her weakly smile.
"James?"
"What is it?" He asked gently, the tone making Evelynn's heart nearly melt.
"Don't leave me. Please." She asked.
His embrace tightened around her frantically. A tear escaped her eye at this action with her pain and sorrow leaving momentarily.
"I'd never dream of it." James said.
…
Maddoc groaned as Riven set him down on a bed in one of the cabins. The interior had been spared from the battle save for a few splinters of wood. When he was comfortable, Riven grabbed a part of the sheets and ripped it, creating a makeshift rag as she grabbed a bottle of alcohol. She soaked the sheets on it, sitting down on the edge of the bed as Maddoc looked at her.
"Let's see your shoulder."
The man sighed, sliding his shirt down slightly to reveal the wound Minh left. She'd tended to it earlier, but Riven was just double checking. Maddoc hissed at the feeling of the alcohol-soaked fabric on his wound, Riven gently dabbing it until she deemed it to be enough. She looked at the bandages on her arm, choosing to unwrap them with Maddoc raising a brow at this. The girl ignored this, bandaging up Maddoc's shoulder as best as she could, the man wincing at the motions.
"There we go, should keep it from getting infected."
"That's the second time I lost to that brute." Maddoc grumbled. Riven rolled her eyes at this.
"Does that really matter?" She asked, sounding annoyed with Maddoc narrowing his eyes at the tone.
"Is something wrong?" He asked.
The Exile sighed, taking a deep breath. "No… it's just… I don't know why you have to always put yourself up front in situations that you're not quite skilled in."
Maddoc's eyes widened, giving her a surprised look. "What do you mean by that Riven?" He asked, a small amount of anger in his voice.
She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Don't play dumb Maddoc." She said with a scoff. "You're not the best in close quarters combat, and yet it seems like when Minh boarded the ship, you just threw yourself right at him!"
He felt a jolt of anger flow through his veins as he glared. "He was advancing on you from behind! He probably would've killed you if I didn't intervene!"
"And yet he almost killed you! He was toying with you during that whole fight! And only then when you wounded him did he demonstrate how easily he could kill you!" Riven exclaimed.
"Yet I'm alive!" Maddoc said, actually chuckling, seeing Riven's crimson eyes almost flare with anger.
"You'd have been dead if I didn't show up! And I had him in my grasp after besting him!"
"Then why did you choose to save me instead of killing him?! You could've ended him right there!" Maddoc said, almost shouting. "From what I'm hearing, it seems like leaving me and killing him would've made you much happier!"
He expected Riven to be glaring at him with anger, and while she was glaring, her eyes showed something different. They were glistening, and he could see pain, and hurt in them. Maddoc didn't know how to react to this sudden change, and he saw her hands gripping the bed tightly as she looked away.
"Riven?" He asked sitting up.
The Exile's breathing became heavier, the visible muscles on her back flexing as she started to shudder.
"Maddoc… you don't know what it was like… to witness the horror I did during that battle I was said to be killed in." She said bitterly.
Maddoc sighed, regretting every single word he'd said during this conversation (or argument). He didn't want to hear this as it would only make him feel worse, but it seemed like Riven had been holding this in for a while.
"I saw everyone around me die slow, agonizing deaths. Their skin dissolving as they choked on their own blood. It was a bitter engagement, corpses everywhere, both Ionian, and Noxian. My own unit ordered me to run on their final breaths, and I couldn't do anything to help them." Riven said, her voice breaking as she spoke.
He heard her sniffle, Riven's lips quivering.
"This battle reminded me of it... those images flashing in my head when I saw Minh pinning you against the wall. Just watching with horror… feeling there was nothing I could do to stop it." She continued. "I've lost a lot of close people Maddoc… I don't want to lose anymore. I can't… lose anymore."
She put her hands over her glistening eyes, sobbing quietly as Maddoc grimaced, slowly moving behind her, gently wrapping his arms around her figure. Riven slowly looked down, her tears dripping onto his arm as she held that position. One of his hands moved up to her chin, tilting it up and delicately turning her to face him.
"You're not going to lose me Riven." He said firmly. "Neither James, nor Katarina."
The Exile tilted her head, a sad, weak smile on her face as Maddoc's mouth twitched with mirth. Riven felt warm with him around her, and when she straightened out her head, the smile went away. She changed her hunched position, bringing one leg up onto the bed as Maddoc's eyes followed it.
Her breathing became bated before she cupped him, Maddoc's eyes widening with his hands acting on instinct, putting his hands around her midriff. They started to lean closer, hesitation evident in the movements, their mouths opening and eyes closing. Then, their lips met in harmony.
It didn't last long, both looking at each other with tense stares. This time Maddoc closed the distance, kissing Riven who returned it moments after. Their exchange became slightly more intense as their bodies started to become warmer. Riven pressed her weight onto Maddoc who laid flat on the bed, the girl on top of him as they kept kissing. Her hands went to his shoulders, grasping them.
Maddoc felt a sharp pain and he groaned, Riven immediately stopping as she sat up straight. The Exile saw Maddoc rubbing his shoulder, the girl giving him an apologetic look.
"Sorry I got carried away." She said.
"It's… it's alright." Maddoc said, his hand on the bandaged shoulder. Riven blushed at her position, biting her lip.
"I uh, I think you need some rest." She said.
As much as he wanted to continue, Maddoc felt too sore and he had to agree. The Exile yawned, stretching her muscles after getting off him. "I think we could both use some rest."
Riven chose to leave, but Maddoc grabbed her arm. She looked at him, showing no expression however. His hand felt warm, and the girl felt a shiver up her spine at his touch.
"I'm sorry I kissed you." He said, sighing a little. "I didn't know if it was good to follow up."
The Exile actually chuckled at this. "I'm not." She said referring to the first sentence. "If I didn't want it, then I'd have stopped you."
Maddoc raised a brow at this. Riven actually smiled at him. "Get some rest Maddoc. I'll see you when you wake up." She said before taking her leave from the room.
He sighed at this, but he was tired. Maddoc got comfortable on the bed, closing his eyes as he began to get some much-needed rest.
…
Culda had a feeling this meeting wouldn't go well for her, her thoughts dwelling on the thought of James and Elise managing to best her guards in combat. In addition to that, her advisors weren't very happy either, saying that she took an irresponsible action and that this should have been discussed. One advisor who went by the name Edgar Loomis was berating her more than the others.
"SILENCE!" She shouted, slamming her fist on the table with enough force to make it crack. The advisors abruptly fell silent, looking at the woman whose dark hair had become slightly tangled in her face. She looked at them, her emerald eyes flashing with anger. "There will be order in this meeting." She seethed.
"Order?!" Loomis exclaimed. "You sent a handful of your soldiers in the dead of night because of your own paranoia, and you have the audacity to tell us to listen to you?!"
Culda took a sharp breath, trying to suppress her anger. Her fingers started to dig into the table. "Perhaps I underestimated the tenacity of James Holland and Elise, but it won't matter. Not once I erase their existence from Noxus and turn them into a myth." Culda said.
"I don't think you understand, Culda." Loomis said bluntly. "You let your own paranoia consume you, and because of that, you lost your most powerful champion, Sion."
She glared daggers at the man who didn't back down.
"It seems like history is repeating itself. A ruler who makes irrational choices and lashes out at the slightest inconvenience." Loomis said with a hint of mockery. "Darkwill's successor it seems."
The next thing that happened was Loomis's chair being knocked down violently with him sprawling out, Culda leaping on top of him with her revolver drawn, pressing it roughly against his neck. The woman pinned him, her advisor's exclaiming at her action as Loomis's eyes widened.
"Don't you even think about comparing me to that old fool." Culda hissed. "I am no Darkwill, nor am I like Swain. I am Culda Graves, The Grand General of Noxus, and if you're not with me, then you're against me."
Loomis glared fiercely at her. "At this rate, more than half of Noxus will be against you."
The woman held him there for a silent 15 seconds before taking her pistol off his neck, shoving it into her uniform and getting off him. The advisor's remained silent, fearing that if they spoke up, or even moved, they'd be killed. Culda went back to her seat, sitting down and staring at Loomis as he got back up.
"He's right General." An advisor said. "Some Noxian soldiers are beginning to resent you along with some citizens, and it's only growing more each moment. The death of Darius may have caused a disturbance, but the sudden disappearance of the Du Couteau's has ignited a flame."
"So, it has." Culda mused, leaning back as she took in the situation. "It's amazing how blind fools can be in such scenarios."
"If we do not address this problem now, it may spiral out of control Madam."
"I'm aware of that." Culda said with venom. "We can't release Talon and Cassiopeia for obvious reasons. So, it seems like… the only way to stop the fire from spreading is to put it out as quickly as possible."
"And just how exactly can we do that?" Loomis asked finally speaking up again.
Culda actually smirked as she came to a realization. She grinned widely moments later. "Oh, it's quite simple, we eliminate all of those who are loyal to the Du Couteau's."
Everyone's eyes widened at this, Loomis's mouth gaping in horror. The woman laughed at this. "Calm down!" She exclaimed. "Hear me out you fools. Katarina Du Couteau left not too long after I claimed the title. She's basically trying to remove me from power, and seeing as a majority of Noxus supports me, I think it'd be quite easy to convince the people that she's betraying Noxus. If she's against me, then she's against everything Noxus stands for."
Some advisors started to take her words into consideration. Culda did have some valid points. Regardless, they were opposed to the concept of her removing the opposition.
"Oh please, like every leadership, including the lawful land of Demacia, doesn't do that." Culda snorted. "The only difference here is it seems to be on a larger scale. We'll still have a lot of support from the populace once I explain it."
"Then there's no need for destroying those who support the Du Couteaus?" Loomis asked.
Culda snorted again. "No Loomis, you obtuse, weak fool." She spat. "I see no reason to keep those who oppose me around, especially if I have a greater presence than they do. They must, and will, be eliminated in a timely manner. Don't you all agree?" She asked the other advisor's. They seemed to be unsure of the decision, but Culda moved her jacket, revealing her revolver as she did an imposing pose. They hesitantly nodded, Loomis looking at them with shock.
"Are you mad?!" He asked, standing up.
"Are you questioning my leadership choices, Loomis?" Culda asked, pacing to him, the man not backing down.
"I'm questioning your sanity!" He shot back. "You're going to turn the citizens of Noxus on one another?!"
She slapped him harshly. "I'm not doing that! I'm just cleaning up the remnants of Swain's legacy!" She spat. "If you can't stomach that, then maybe, just maybe, YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN THEM IN THEIR CLEANSING!" She shouted.
Before Loomis could shout back, the door to the room opened. Everyone turning to see the messenger from before standing there.
"Madam Culda? Minh has arrived. He's in your quarters." He said without stammering.
Culda took a deep breath, giving one last cold glare at Loomis before nodding to the boy and pacing towards him.
"Thank you." She said before turning to the advisors. "This meeting is over. I expect to see all of you tomorrow."
They nodded and Culda left the room with the boy. When they were far away from it, she grabbed his arm and gripped it tightly.
"I want a squad to follow Loomis around." She said. "He seems to be on edge. If he tries to leave Noxus, kill him."
The boy swallowed before speaking. "At once Madam."
Culda parted ways with him, quickly hurrying down the hall to her quarters. Upon reaching her bedroom, Culda found Minh much to her expectations. He was poorly bandaged, still having on his damaged armor, though the blood had dried up thankfully. Culda gave him an unfathomable look.
"Captain Minh." She said not hiding the tone of displeasure in her voice.
"General Culda Graves." He replied, giving a minor bow.
The woman could see he was in pain and she rolled her eyes. Culda grabbed a potion and carelessly tossed it at Minh who flinched when it hit him. The wounds on his body began to heal up quickly, making the man let out a sigh of relief. Culda cleared her throat, making Minh snap out of his bliss and looking back at her. She crossed her arms and he knew she wasn't pleased.
"L-Listen, I can explain-"
"Take that fucking helmet off right now." She snapped.
Minh took off his damaged helmet, setting it aside as Culda approached him. His hair was buzz cut and brown, shorter along the sides with a good amount of stubble along his square-like chin. Culda gave him a cold stare.
"Start talking." She growled.
…
James's eyes opened up, shifting around the interior of the cabin. He heard some gentle exhales next to him, seeing Evelynn's bare back in his view, her snow-white hair sprawled out over the pillows. He couldn't help but smile at the sleeping woman. He knew what she was, yet Evelynn could look completely innocent and adorable when she wanted to. James pried himself from her, Evelynn still sound asleep as James put back on his armor. The man went to the door, opening it before looking at Evelynn, her mouth in a neutral position. James leaned down to her temple, planting a quick kiss on it and upon getting back to his full height, James saw that her lips had curved upward slightly. Chuckling quietly at this, he took his leave from the cabin.
Walking up to the deck of the ship, James saw that the crew had swept up a majority of the evidence of the battle with Culda's guards. He noticed Riven leaning over the rails and he paced to her. The girl turned her head about halfway to see her friend standing by her.
"Hey." She said.
"Hi." He replied. "How's uh, how's Maddoc doing?"
"He's doing fine. His shoulder should be healed up in good time." Riven answered. "How's Evelynn?"
James sighed at this. He looked away momentarily. "She's recovering… but she's still having a hard time adjusting to the reality of Elise being dead."
An expected snort at the irony was thought to be heard from Riven given her and Evelynn's exchanges, but instead… her brows furrowed. "Is she really upset?"
This made James give her a bit of an unfathomable look. "Yes, she is…" He said with a hint of anger at Riven. "She may not be human, and she may do the most unethical things… but she still has feelings, Riven. She's... a being."
Riven looked at him with sadness. She may have been unintentionally rude there. James sighed. "We may all have different viewpoints, but sometimes, those who do seem evil may not want that entirely. Some may just want to be as human as you and me. That's something Elise told me… not too long before she died."
Having heard enough, Riven put her hand on James's shoulder, his visor looking at her crimson pupils. "I'm sorry James." She said sternly. "Perhaps it's the things she's done to you that blind me to actually seeing that underneath that alluring and deadly beauty, there's a vulnerable woman… or succubus. Whatever she is." She said gesturing her hands around freely. "I shouldn't be surprised if others feel that. I've been there."
James bit his lip. He and Riven continued to look out at the calm water. "We all have." He said before sighing again. James looked at Riven's wounded shoulder. "Riven? Do you still want to follow me?"
The Exile blinked as she tilted her head in question. "What do you mean?"
"I've lost Jade… and now Elise…" He said with sadness. "All because of my relations with Culda. Seems like everyone I know… eventually goes away." He continued before taking out the picture of him and Jade. James turned to Riven who had furrowed brows. "How long until it's your turn to go? How long until It's Maddoc? Katarina? Eve… Evelynn…"
James was suddenly slapped by Riven who was now glaring at him. The Exile's eyes were glistening, but they were angry tears.
"I'm not gonna die James. Nobody else close to you is gonna die."
Her tone sounded commanding, but it also held that hint of the person saying such words that they meant everything they were saying. It made James feel relief. He looked at Riven who calmed herself down.
"Gods I'm so lucky to have a friend like you." He said actually smiling.
Riven sighed heavily, but she also smiled. "Sorry about the slap."
"No worries. I needed it."
The two of them heard approaching footsteps and turned to see Miss Fortune walking towards them. Her outfit wasn't exactly on properly which left some of her alluring features to be revealed to both of them. Her expression seemed to show annoyance.
"There you are!" She said loudly.
James picked up a hint of anger in her voice, choosing not to back down from the woman who stopped closer than what most would consider normal to James. He felt her chest pressed against his, but he didn't falter. Riven looked at them both, a bit unsure if she should say something.
"What is it?" James asked, giving Miss Fortune a taste of her own medicine as he leaned closer.
Her azure eyes narrowed, her lips pursing as her angry look soon became a playful and sultry one. "You haven't been on my ship for even a full day and suddenly a Noxian ship under order of your crazy ex-girlfriend comes out of nowhere and attacks my ship with hextech guns and explosive charges, kills most of my crew, unleashes this huge undead looking guy, and finally, shoots off my hat." Sarah seethed.
James almost snorted at the last words, but Miss Fortune's eyes showed anger.
"This Culda Graves seems like she's full of herself. I'm not too unfamiliar with that feeling, but I'm not keen on having those who are too afraid to meet me in battle sit back as they take everything from people they think they can just walk over." Miss Fortune continued. "Your bitch of an ex needs to be taught some manners."
This time, James's eyes actually went a little wide, his unseen brows raising. He soon smiled. "What're you saying?"
Sarah scoffed at this. She took out of her pistols, looking away from James as she aimed it to her right. "I'm saying that this Culda Graves... I want a piece of her." She finished, turning to face James who crossed his arms, an amused expression under his helmet.
"Get in line." He said with a chuckle.
Miss Fortune grinned at him. James wasn't sure why he allowed her to gently take off his helmet, allowing his different colored eyes to be seen. She cooed at him.
"You've got dangerous eyes honey. I like that." She said with a sultry tone.
James cleared his throat, taking the piece from Sarah who giggled with a wink afterward, pacing away from the two with her hips swaying. James rolled his eyes with Riven actually quietly laughing at him. "What's so funny?"
"Oh, it's just that you have this kind of aura." She said chuckling. "You've come so far from being a reclusive loner to being a confident and strong man. It's what made me so attracted to you… and the other ladies as well."
"Didn't seem to be feeling that confidence a few minutes ago." James snorted.
"Just take the damn compliment." Riven said rolling her eyes.
James only sighed. "Ah, where would I be without you?"
"Probably dead in the cafeteria of the military academy from Katarina's blades." Riven retorted.
"If I recall, I think I had my pistol pressed against her temple. Kind of the opposite I think?" James said jokingly.
"Point taken."
…
Culda's silence always made Minh uncomfortable, but it was when she was silent after hearing bad news that he felt concerned for his life. Her eyes were wide open, giving him a glare that made him wish he'd have been killed in battle by Riven instead of coming back here. She took one long step to him, not blinking as she kept that gaze on him.
"How did you even become my captain?" She asked with venom, and anger, glaring daggers at him.
Minh knew that whatever he said wouldn't change her mind, but not saying anything would be worse. He swallowed his nervousness. "I trained long and hard, serving under Balgan Darkwill for many years. I was his best soldier."
"And yet it seems like all those years of him cowering in the dark took its effect on you." Culda said bluntly. "You couldn't take down Darius, and now, you were bested in combat by a girl who wears nothing but robes and a corset. Not to mention her blade was broken and you had on a full suit of armor!"
"It's not my fault your chemical bombardment on her unit didn't kill her! Or break her!" Minh finally spouted.
He felt Culda slap him harshly, Minh's head jerking to the side. "That does not matter! You failed me! You and your soldiers couldn't take down a ship of drunk pirates, not to mention you had the audacity to toy with Maddoc instead of just killing him! YOU WERE ARROGANT! AND NOW, YOU'RE SITTING HERE, DISGRACED, HUMILIATED, AND WEAK!" Culda shouted.
Culda's words were slowly getting to Minh, feeling a jolt of anger inside him as he stood defiantly, being taller than the woman before him. Culda didn't back down, she just gave his body a once over.
"Look at you. Nothing but a brute wearing advanced armor. I should have let Darius kill you before sending Sion in. Would've saved me a lot of time and problems."
Minh's eyes flared this time and his anger consumed his body. The next thing Culda felt was his strong hands on her shoulders, picking her up and throwing her onto the bed where her head banged into the bed's headboard. Culda grunted at this, recovering quickly and looking at Minh who paced around the side. She snickered at him this time.
"Too bad you didn't have the nerve to kill Riven as much as you have the nerve to unceremoniously throw your leader onto her own bed."
The man's eyes were burning with anger and he started to take off his damaged armor. "Do you want me to step down Culda? Do you want me to resign as your captain?" Minh asked angrily. "Because if that's what you want, I'll do it!"
"And go where?" Culda sneered. "Back to serving Balgan? The man you and your soldiers betrayed to serve me? The man who spent years hiding in the dark?! I bet you'd love to join him in his cell!"
"Do not. Think. You know me." Minh asked, each breath filled with anger.
"I know that you're a representation of the Noxus Swain ruled over! Weak! Pathetic! Cowardly!" Culda spat.
She smiled when seeing Minh's eyes widen, knowing she'd hit a nerve and he slammed her against the bed's headboard with enough force to give the wall a dent. Culda and Minh's faces were inches apart, their breathing heavy. She took notice of their position.
"That's more like it. A dominant and assertive move without hesitation." Culda said with a strained voice. She was loving this actually. "Now if only you could do that against those who want me to step down."
Minh growled at her before realizing the position. He had her trapped, and she was smiling widely at him. Looking at the way she was, Minh felt something spark inside of him. He slammed his lips into Culda's, the tongue making its way into her mouth to explore, but he felt resistance.
Culda had wanted this, and Minh felt her hands on his chest before she started to dig her nails into his skin. The man reeled back, Culda finally being released from his grasp. She smirked at this reaction. "Look at that. Captain of my guards, but a kiss and a little pinch from my nails and he's more sensitive than a fucking newborn."
His anger returned, meeting Culda in the middle of the bed, both of them fiercely kissing as their hands explored the other ones' body. Minh again felt Culda's nails on him, tearing through the clothing he wore under his armor and digging into the skin. The man retaliated by grabbing Culda's hair, pulling it back harshly with her groaning as her head was forced to follow. Minh planted kisses on her neck, but he soon bit down on her skin and drew some blood. Culda was surprised at this, but her moan showed that she was enjoying this.
"Just the type of move a coward would pull." She sneered. "Even James was better than you."
She was suddenly slammed down on the bed, Minh mounting her and his hands grabbing a large handful of her uniform. Before Culda could even register what happened, Minh ripped open her clothing, sending it flying aside as her c-cup breasts were exposed, concealed in a dark blue bra.
"You fucking bastard." Culda hissed. "You're lucky I have extra uniforms."
Minh offered no response, tearing off the bra with Culda's bust fully revealed, pink nipples atop her breasts. He greedily attacked them, massaging and kneading them, admiring the soft feeling as Culda writhed with pleasure. She moaned at Minh's motions, and let out an orgasmic sounding type of cries when he squeezed them roughly.
"You say I'm weak when you're the one moaning like a whore." Minh said with venom. "The fucking irony."
Culda offered no response, but Minh noticed that she was now smiling mischievously. He felt a hand on his groin with little pinches. Culda had taken a rough grab of his erect cock, her nails digging into it as Minh croaked.
"That's right, submit to me you wretch." She snarled.
Her grip got tighter, and Minh sighed, releasing his hold on her with Culda smiling at her victory. The smile abruptly went away as she looked at him with a fake-sounding gasp. Minh groaned when Culda's hand on his length swapped from wanting to rip it off to delicately pumping it. She raised a suggestive eyebrow, biting her lip with a smile when feeling a wet spot on the head.
"Such a dirty and submissive man you are Minh." She teased.
He growled at this but then got an idea. With Culda no longer holding him hostage, Minh quickly put his arm around her, yanking her to him with his other hand diving into her pants. Culda huffed loudly at this, reeling her head back with an annoyed look, Minh glaring at her. His hand quickly bypassed the panties, going between her thighs and feeling her entrance. Culda gasped and arched her back involuntarily at the action. Minh only chuckled
"Culda…" Minh whispered. "You're wet."
His voice made her snap out of her bliss, the woman shooting back up with her emerald eyes flaring. Culda shot back up, her face dangerously close to Minh's with her free hand gripping his scalp, digging into the skin. She felt more fluids come up from his length, and she snarled with a wicked grin.
"No more foreplay, you masochistic bastard."
She ferociously slammed her lips into his, Minh's tongue fighting back as his hand left her pants, cupping her face with both hands as they fought for dominance. Culda, however, still had her hand on his length and she dug her nails into it, Minh groaning loudly with her tripping him. They fell onto the bed with Culda on top. She quickly ripped off his pants, taking off her own after doing so.
Minh shot up which surprised her, their lips meeting again in a rough kiss. While Minh loved the taste of Culda, the taste of him actually drove her crazier, even made her feel lightheaded. The woman wrapped her arm around his back, not letting him pull away as they kept up the frantic exchange. The breaks between kisses were only a second or two, more than Minh could handle and he was soon out of breath as Culda kept up her ruthless assault.
"So… fucking… weak…" She said between kisses. "Can't… even… keep up… with a… woman… who has… less… stamina… than him."
He growled yet again, and Culda felt a rough smack against one of her cheeks. She groaned joyfully at this, her eyes rolling back with her nails curling around, drawing blood from Minh who hissed. Looking at him with angry and lusty eyes, Culda grabbed his erect member and guided it to her entrance, not breaking her stare from him.
"Mmph! Gods you're huge!"
Minh said nothing as he was groaning when Culda started to glide herself up and down on his cock. The head touched the highest point of her womanhood, feeling it's heat against her inner walls. Culda gripped Minh's head tightly, using it as makeshift leverage with more bruises forming. Minh responded appropriately, gripping her waist equally as tight, helping her lower herself onto him with each motion.
"That's right. Fuck your superior, like the submissive man you are!" Culda snarled.
Minh wanted to swap the positions, Culda on the bottom with him on top, but he couldn't. His mind had been clouded with desire and his pride shattered as he let the gorgeous, yet deadly woman ride her like a stallion. Culda didn't ride him gently either.
She rode him vehemently with a mix of roughness. He could feel his member getting sore from the actions she was doing. The feeling of it against her warm walls was good, but it'd started to become engorged with blood as well from the quick motions. Culda threw her head back laughing, her chest bouncing as she hammered Minh. The man mustered what he could, and gripped Culda's body so hard he left a bruise, his other hand seizing her scalp and pulling her in for a frantic kiss. She almost lost her breath at this, but Culda matched and bettered Minh's motions moments later.
Culda bit down on Minh's tongue, and she actually took off a minor amount of skin. She spat some blood as she gained total control over the larger man. She kissed him hard enough to leave hickeys, bit down hard enough to leave bite marks, and trailed her nails along his skin that left red streaks.
The two of them soon reached their climaxes, and Culda gripped Minh's head tightly, staring into his eyes with hunger.
"Cum inside of me you fucking brute, and then maybe, I'll reconsider my words from earlier." She said breathlessly, licking his face savagely afterward.
There was something that always made Minh feel a jolt of anger flow through him when he was called a brute, and Culda intended for that to happen. She grinned wickedly at him with wide eyes as he lifted her up, before plunging her down fully onto his sore length and that did it.
Culda's eyes rolled back, her tongue hanging out as she and Minh released their juices down below, the man groaning loudly as he finally filled up his general. He felt himself get forced to look upward, into the still grinning face of Culda, her hands cupping his cheeks.
The room was eventually left with heavy panting from both people, Culda still on top of Minh who remained laying down. She brushed aside a strand of hair that blocked her other eye, leaning down to her lover and planting a rather passionate kiss on him. Minh could pick up the difference between a frantic kiss and a sincere one. When she pulled away, Culda finally got off of Minh, proceeding to grab a robe and covering her nude body with it, flipping her hair out of the collar.
"Hmm, you're quite good Minh." She purred. "Perhaps a promotion is in order?"
Minh only scoffed at this. His body felt sore with the bruises and bites Culda left on it. However, he figured that he should probably avoid pissing her off and asked what she meant. The woman laughed joyfully.
"Oh, my dear Minh, did you ever truly believe I'd ever replace you? You're the only man I trust the most in my personal guard. Even though the numbers have increased, they're mainly just mindless grunts who follow orders. I just had to make sure you wouldn't turn on me in the first place."
"So, the whole point of… that was for you to see if you could trust me?" Minh asked with a raised brow.
Culda gave a careless shrug. "Not entirely, I've been wanting to do that with you ever since you ripped off Elise's legs, but I could wait."
He grumbled at this. Culda gave him a suggestive smile and beckoned him to come. The man hesitantly agreed, putting on some pants first before joining Culda who was standing at her closet. She opened the door, revealing something to Minh that made him blink in confusion. There was a suit of armor that was onyx colored with a semi-conical chest plate, a helmet with a skull-like appearance, a large eye-piece on the right, and two smaller eye-pieces mounted vertically on the left that glowed red. Minh looked at Culda who was smiling proudly.
"This is your new armor, my dear Minh." She said. "It's a vast improvement over your previous one."
"When, and why, did you make this?"
"Ever since I learned that James was alive, I had a feeling that I'd need to make a newer and more improved set of armor exclusively for you. I can't have my loyal guard, and lover, risk being killed, now can I?" Culda said. "Besides, with the way Riven trashed your armor, I think you'll need it."
He rolled his eyes again. He felt Culda grab his arm and her other hand on his scalp. She pulled him to her eye level with little effort. She was scowling at him.
"Listen to me." She seethed. "These are desperate times. James and Elise may still be alive, and some soldiers and citizens in this city are starting to grow suspicious of me. I want you, and the best soldiers you have, to hunt down those who are against me, who still cling to the ways of Swain, or even Marcus Du Couteau, and kill them."
Minh's mouth gaped. Culda gave him a threatening look, and he felt a burn on his skin as her hands started to glow with minor flame.
"Can. I. Trust. You. Minh?" She asked with venom.
He took a deep breath, staring at her firmly. "Yes Culda, it shall be done."
"Splendid." She purred. Culda soon looked down at Minh's crotch, looking at him mischievously before licking her lips. Her naughty hand snaked towards Minh's crotch, and he grabbed it while giving her a glare. Culda only snickered at him.
"It was nice, but I'll be needing rest for tomorrow." He said with a sigh.
Culda pouted at him before kneeing his crotch. Minh yelped, and she tripped him again. When he finally regained his composure, he saw himself staring at the barrel of her hextech revolver. He wasn't faltered.
"Nice bluff. You said yourself that you need me." He spouted.
She tilted her head, grinning sinisterly with wide eyes before aiming the gun dangerously close to his crotch. Minh's confidence disappeared when seeing this. He gave one last look at Culda who had taken off her robe, being fully nude again.
"Spread them. NOW." She seethed.
…
Loomis took one last look at his home, a bag that contained all the essentials he needed in his hand, his hand moving to pull the scarf up that covered his thin mustache. He was donned in a trench coat, a large top hat atop him with his eyes only being visible.
When first siding with Culda in her rise to power, Loomis saw something within the young woman and her devotion to the image of Noxus, but he also held respect for the Du Couteau's, and while he hesitantly stood by her side when she ordered Talon and Cassiopeia to be apprehended, the man's loyalty to her was hanging by a thread.
And her choosing to have those who supported the Du Coteau's that was out of mostly paranoia led him to believe that she'd lost her mind. Loomis made the decision to leave Noxus, refusing to serve under her. He'd arranged a carriage to meet and paid the driver a hefty sum of gold. He slumped down in the seat, taking a few deep breathes as he closed his eyes, trying to maintain the illusion that he'd get out of Noxus unharmed.
That changed when he heard the horses whine, and the driver yelled to calm them down. The carriage started to get pulled into an awkward motion, and then some loud crashes occurred. The next thing Loomis felt was the carriage being violently rolled as wood splintered everywhere, the man grunting as he was thrown around like a ragdoll. The harsh movements came to a stop, the man lying in the upside-down carriage with a bruised head. He tried to sit up, strained with a groan as he gritted his teeth.
"Get that snake out of there." A voice said.
Loomis felt himself get grabbed and dragged out of the carriage along shards of glass. He groaned as the assailants kept dragging him out, finally coming to a stop. Before the man could register what happened, he felt himself get lifted up into a pair of glowing red eyes of a female guard's helmet. Two more guards stood by, their arms crossed as they watched their comrade take control.
"Culda was right to keep an eye on you." The female guard snarled. "Nothing but a traitor, and a deserter. Trying to escape Noxus unnoticed?"
Loomis glared fiercely at the woman, spitting at her with blood spattering on one eye socket. He heard her let out an annoyed sigh before she headbutted him. The guard them cracked her knuckles and grabbed Loomis's collar. "I'm gonna enjoy this."
The woman started to send heavy blows into the man's face, the point of impact sounding grotesque. Loomis didn't let out any cries, not that he could anyway. Blood splattered with each fist, Loomis's face becoming bloodier with each one. The guard proceeded to lift him up, reeling her fist back far enough as she prepared to crush his skull.
As Loomis prepared for the fatal blow, he heard the female guard let out a blood-curdling scream. He opened one eye, seeing that the arm she was going to finish him with had been severed. Blood flew from the woman as her comrades tensed up. They were suddenly blasted by magic, sending them crashing into the closest walls and out of Loomis's eyesight. The wounded man weekly titled his head towards the left, his hindsight seeing a silhouetted figure driving something into the dazed guards. He saw the guard who was going to beat him to death go into shock and flop down on the ground. The last thing he heard before passing out was overlapping voices from unknown figures, a mixture of them arguing to kill him with the others saying the opposite.
…
Culda had finally let Minh get some rest, the man's body having dozens of bruises and dried up wounds of blood. She poured herself some wine, choosing to stride around her bedroom in her own comfort. The woman took a hearty sip from the glass, practically dancing around her room while skipping.
This was interrupted when a knock came at the door, Culda's blissful smile disappearing as she groaned in annoyance. She poured herself a fresh glass before walking to the door, still naked, the alcohol infecting her mind and making her careless. She opened the door with an unamused look, seeing her messenger standing there. He blinked and tried to look away from the woman's nude body. Culda rolled her eyes.
"You knocked on my door and now you're not going to talk?" She snapped with evident malice.
The messenger gulped, looking fully at Culda with a firm devotion not to look down. "Madam Culda… Loomis tried to flee Noxus, and the guards that you assigned to keep an eye on him have been killed. We don't know his whereabouts."
Culda titled her head, narrowing her eyes and being silent again. The boy winced, and he heard a minor crack. The woman was clenching her wine glass tight, and moments later, it shattered. Culda remained unfazed as wine splashed on parts of her body, the boy whimpering vocally. She had a few shards in her hand that began to bleed, and she used that same hand to grip the boy's throat. She lightly penetrated the skin with the shards.
"Find. Him. Now."
…
Loomis groaned as he regained consciousness, his face feeling pained from the pummels the guard gave him. He then realized that he couldn't move, and that he was bounded in a chair… by golden chains.
"What in the hell…? Where… am I?"
"Good… you're awake." A feminine voice said.
The man looked up, seeing a woman with amber eyes looking at him, a rose symbol on her drape. He also noticed two other present figures. Loomis recognized them with an agape mouth. He struggled against the chains with the woman snorting.
"Don't struggle dear, it's hopeless to escape." Leblanc said.
"I don't want anything to do with you or Culda! Just let me go!" Loomis snapped.
"Now why should we do that?" Vladimir asked. "It seems like letting an advisor of Culda go, well not really an advisor anymore I suppose, would be quite foolish and naive."
Leblanc snickered in agreement while Swain just rolled his eyes. He stood up from his seat, his demonic hand coming out from his coat. Loomis struggled more against his bounds, glaring fiercely as Swain approached him.
"With respect, we can't just let you go Mr... Loomis?" He asked. Loomis only exhaled sharply, spitting at Swain who blinked when it hit him, gently wiping it aside with a sigh. "If you're fleeing from Noxus and Culda's guards almost kill you, I think it's pretty fair to know why you're running."
Loomis didn't even bother looking at Swain, looking away with the former general's demonic hand cupping his chin and making him meet his gaze again.
"I've seen a lot of things in my life Loomis. I've seen powers that no one else can see, and I've seen a storm that came to Noxus." Swain began. "Now that the storm has come, I see something I did not expect. I see the fear in you Loomis. The horror that you feel with Culda being in control. I see a man... who wants to run."
Loomis actually took a long sigh, giving Swain an unfathomable look. He leaned closer to the man, his eyes now tense.
"You don't know Culda... not like I do. Not from what I've seen." He said almost growling. "She's paranoid... and she's mentally unstable. She will do whatever it takes to get what she wants. She apprehended Talon and Cassiopeia from their own manor. She's going to have those who oppose her be slaughtered. Soldiers, civilians... children, it doesn't matter to her. She'll risk starting a goddamn civil war if it means she stays in power." He said grimly. "I don't want any part of that. I'm getting out of this place before it becomes more unstable than Culda herself! And you should too... whatever's left of your cult." He finished, speaking to Leblanc and Vladimir who ignored it.
Swain only chuckled, choosing to move away from Loomis and giving a nod to Leblanc who smiled. The Deceiver leisurely paced to the man, crouching in front of him with a sultry look. She gently touched his sensitive cheek.
"Well dear, I will make you an offer." Leblanc said. "You tell us everything you know about Culda's plans… and then we'll let you go free. Unless of course, you just planned that whole scene with the guards in hopes of infiltrating The Black Rose and having your brilliant leader find our location."
The man glared fiercely at the woman and she heard a grunt from Swain, the man giving her a look that specifically told her not to get on his bad side. She pouted before turning back to Loomis. "That seems like a perfectly reasonable deal. Yes? No?"
Loomis sighed, giving her a look of hesitant agreement. Leblanc grinned at him and sat back in her seat, Swain and Vladimir leaning to listen. Loomis bit his lip before speaking.
At first, him spilling the information about Culda's plans seemed to be stuff they already knew of, but it was when he mentioned that her reason for apprehending Talon and Cassiopeia was because she learned that Katarina had left Noxus, their eyes widened, even Leblanc's.
"And she knows that she's bringing back the one who took down The Sovereign?" Swain asked, actually concerned.
"That's correct. In fact, she sent a ship with her personal guard out to sea to deal with them last night. It returned earlier, only a handful of her soldiers still alive. Sion didn't return either."
"Wait, she sent Sion?!" Swain exclaimed, his mouth slightly gaping with fear. Loomis was taken aback by this, but he nodded.
"She sent him with exclusive orders to kill Elise, The Spider Queen, and the Noxian you all know as James Holland." Loomis said. "I don't know if they're alive."
For the first time ever, Leblanc's brows actually furrowed, and she seemed to show actual human emotions. She stood up from her chair, pacing quickly to Loomis who raised a brow at her actions. She was joined by Swain moments later, both of them looking at Loomis tensely.
"You're telling me that James Holland is alive?" Swain asked suspiciously. He was beginning to actually think that Loomis was lying. Leblanc was speechless. The man only nodded slowly, Swain feeling confused and almost hazed by this new discovery. Leblanc cupped Loomis's face roughly.
"Elise is with him?" She asked.
"Y-Yes!" Loomis said, feeling uncomfortable with their attitude changes. "I don't know if they're alive, but Culda was very specific on having them both killed!"
The Deceiver's worried look soon went away as a sudden realization came to her. She started to chuckle, the woman soon bursting into hysterical laughter. Swain and Vladimir looked at her with concern before she finally calmed herself down.
"Oh, my dear Jericho!" She practically squealed. "Do you have any idea what this means? With James being alive, we'll have a significant edge over Culda! I do not know what happened on that mission, but I can assume that she did betray him, if not significantly wound him! With him at our side, we will finally bring down that tyrant from her throne!"
Swain raised a brow at her, remembering the part about Loomis not being sure if Elise, or James were alive. He reminded her of this, but Leblanc brushed it off.
"It does not matter Jericho. If James Holland can bring down The Dark Sovereign, then I'm certain he can handle Sion. And if Elise is with him, then they are more than likely alive."
Swain sighed at this, but he gave Leblanc a conceded look. Loomis cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention back to him. The Deceiver only scoffed at this. She released the chains that bounded him and had a few members of The Black Rose enter the room. She informed them of his demands before taking leave with Swain and Vladimir. She paced down the hallway with them, looking at her staff as the top started to glow a little. She grinned at this.
"Now… we turn the tide."
AN: So I hope you didn't see it as too abrupt for an advisor to go rogue haha, but if you're serving under someone like Culda Graves, I think you'd wanna GTFO LOL. Anyhow, I apologise for any minor errors in the grammar. It's hard to catch them all even with a beta reader ;_;