Author's Note: Thanks for the feedback. Talon I've already planned to give a little more depth to and Shen will have something major with him as well in an upcoming chapter. Overall though, they won't play as big a role cause it becomes too difficult to write without making it far too long of a story to be able to expand on everyone to the extent that I've done with Fiora and Lux. However, they will get some more depth to their character in an upcoming chapter.
I had mentioned before that this won't be your typical happy fluff type of story, well this chapter kind of does a good job at making this point. I tried to capture the emotions during battle, though I'm not sure how well I pulled it off. Anyways, leave your comments/reviews.
Disclaimer: League of Legends is property of Riot
The Valley of the Magi, where all things that enter its borders meet their end; where lies end and the end is only the beginning. Located deep within the Archvile Edge, a hostile mountain range too desolate to sustain civilization, darkness was free to spawn from within its remote borders, amassing an army waiting for the day to strike…waiting for their leader to emerge. Knowing the imminent danger to befall this world, we struck first at the heart of darkness, realizing this could be the last time we stand together on this world. Though each of us had prepared for this possible outcome, it didn't make things any easier when fears became reality.
- Memoires of Luxanna Crownguard
The Archvile Edge – Valley of the Magi
The sound of thunder rumbled through the air, thin smoky clouds lit up by flashes of blue and red as to illuminate the sky in an eerie show of lights. Ashram shifted his gaze towards the skies that looked as though it was tearing apart, space itself becoming distorted to link the city of Noxus thousands of miles away to where they stood. He had witnessed the same phenomena during the last rune war, he himself regrettably playing a large role in causing it at the time…the same way his current actions are repeating the sins of his past.
It's happening again. After all these years and what I've been through, I should know better. Yet here I stand, the physics of this world tearing itself apart because of me…and him. Ashram thought to himself as his Ultima spell faded, leaving behind a column of dense smoke that continued to spiral in the air, caught in the slowly dissipating remnants of his opponent's crimson maelstrom. To stop him and keep them safe, however, I'll gladly take responsibility for my actions and resolve this anomaly.
A second shockwave from the center of the swirling plumes of smoke interrupted his thoughts, clouds of ash and dust rushing towards him to engulf him in its suffocating grasps. He instinctively closed his eyes, covering them to avoid the inevitable stinging that would strike the moment it reached him. The pungent odor of ash passed moments later, his vision returning a few heartbeats later only for a shock to overwhelm him upon seeing Relivash still standing, panting hard. Numerous scars covered the exposed parts of his body, now visible as the robes that covered his arms and torso had become tattered by the force of the last attack.
"You're still…alive?" Ashram uttered, his jaw held open in disbelief.
"You…bastard. You think you've won? You think you can humiliate me that easily? Perish the thought!" Relivash exploded in anger, holding his exposed right arm forward to reveal a purple crystal embedded into his arm. "Feel darkness' sting!"
With those last words, a bright glow came from his arm, causing a similarly colored rune circle to appear behind him. Rune symbols resembling flames glowed before streaks of purple energy connected to form a pentagram, its vertices aligning along the borders of the circle. It rapidly expanded in size, becoming at least ten times the height of Relivash before it appeared to distort, twisting to form a spiral of purple and black. Whispers and screams of agony seemed to echo through the air, coming from the swirling circle as though infinite sorrow waited on the other side.
A set of large purple hands materialized through the dark circle, sharp fingertips grabbing the edge of it as though using the sky as a grip to pull itself into this world. Muscular arms of the same color appeared, small cracks along its surface causing it to appear more like stone than flesh. A deep roar echoed through the area, causing the others in the Valley of the Magi to shift their attention from their respective fights, focusing on the source of the horrid sound materializing itself as a demonic looking face. Sharp chiseled features made up a humanoid face, the mere appearance of which sent shivers down the others spines. Glowing red eyes stared down at Ashram as it opened its mouth slightly, revealing a row of sharp teeth as it let out a low growl.
Relivash unleashed a laugh that was reminiscent of mania. "Behold the power you could have had. The mighty Aesir, Azuel the Deathdealer."
Loud stomps echoed through the air as the large beast's complete form emerged, materializing as a muscular demon, humanoid in figure. Taking a few steps forward on what appeared to be an invisible platform in the air, the Aesir stepped in front of Relivash's position before abruptly halting its approach. Raising its right arm, a burst of energy appeared along its fingers, merging together into a single unit as they tightened into a fist. A look of apprehension appeared on Ashram's face as the purple demon drew its arm back to gain momentum, swinging it forward at rapid speeds to send a large stream of energy towards him.
A bright light engulfed the mountain range, leaving no valleys untouched as the attack collided with Ashram. A loud explosion echoed through the air an instant later, the bright attack dissipating to reveal a ball of flames bursting into the air, trails of smoke following to slowly rise towards the heavens above. The rising plumes seemed to continue endlessly, as though generated by some mysterious force to obscure vision of the area.
Fiora stood motionlessly, her heart sunk as she saw the demonic creature, far larger than anything she had ever seen. She watched as it stood next to Relivash, their respective gazes focused on the rising flames in front of them that could only be where Ashram had previous been. The battle raging on around her meant nothing anymore, as her ability to hear her own heartbeat went on overdrive, each rhythmic pounding drowning out all other noises around her. With every beat of her heart, she felt her resolve crack a little more under the possibility that Ashram might be dead.
No…this can't…you can't…you can't die like this. Fiora thought to herself in horror, a pandemonium of countless thoughts running through her mind of the possibility that the worst case scenario had occurred. Steps faltering, she wanted to run towards him but fear held her back, fear of what she might find and fear of losing control again. She couldn't tell if he was alive, the answer shrouded in a cloud of denial that she was afraid of lifting because of what might be behind it.
"HAHAHAHAHA, pathetic. That wasn't even a chall-" Relivash began to say, a large maniacal smile appearing across his face as he watched embers rise, interspersed with clouds of smoke that revealed no signs of life from within. His words were interrupted, however, when he felt a pulse of energy around him, far stronger than anything he had encountered.
An eerie blue color illuminated the rising column of smoke in pulses, resembling almost a thundercloud generating its own energy. Sparks of lightning ran along the outside before the smoke spun rapidly on itself, momentarily condensing into a funnel cloud before a shockwave sent its suffocating ashes outwards. A deafening howl filled the air, the force of which dispersed the remaining plumes of smoke to reveal Ashram mounted on top of a massive blue wolf, a look of ferocity on its face as it stared into the eyes of Azuel. Surrounding both of them was a dense shield of white energy, comprised of numerous hexagons arranged in an Adamantine Aura.
"You're right, no longer do I possess the dark powers that you're so proud of." Ashram said, the defensive shield in front of him disappearing, as there was no need to continuously sustain it. "However…it doesn't mean I'll falter so easily. In the same way that Genesis has given you the powers of Azuel, the Goddess has entrusted in me her powers, the powers of her protectors…the Aesir Fenrir, the Dire Claws."
A second howl filled the air as the large wolf reared its head upwards, echoing off of the numerous mountain ridges. Streaks of energy gathered from the surrounding atmosphere to form an orb in front of its opened jaw, lined with ferocious fangs that gleamed in the sunlight. Swinging its head forward, the large wolf released the small sphere towards the massive demon, the size of the attack appearing almost humerous in size compared to its intended target. The impact of the attack, however, was anything but humerous as it detonated, its fiery shockwave extending into the sky to displace the upper layers of the atmosphere and into the ground to instantly vaporize any natural structures in the area.
Flames dimmed, leaving the sight of a mushroom shaped cloud rising into the air in the aftermath of the Aesir's attack. A thick cloud of smoke projected forward from the plumes towards Ashram, streams of ash flowing to the sides as a large fist appeared, swinging rapidly to connect with the dense armored fur of Fenrir. The impact of the attack was devastating, Ashram feeling as though his organs were being crushed by the unbearable acceleration force as he and his battle partner were thrown in the opposite direction. He struggled to hold on as the last attack did not appear to have nearly as significant an impact on his Aesir as it did on him, Fenrir clawing wildly in the air as if trying to get a foothold on a ground invisible to the naked eyes. It managed to slow its descent, allowing it to land on the ground in a crouched position.
The image of Relivash standing adjacent to the massive purple demon reflected off of the feral eyes of Fenrir, staring down a lucid path aimed at their target. Behind them, the rest of Ashram's companions continued their fight, a short distance between them and where he stood, helpless should either of their attacks inadvertently reach there. Though he knew that this was going to be a far greater battle than any of them had encountered in the past, he never imagined that it would end up as a duel between two Aesirs…or rather; given the dire implications, he refused to consider the possibility until now.
Driven by the need to end this without the burden of collateral damage weighing on his shoulders, he commanded an aggressive forward attack, an initial rush of adrenaline pushing him forward faster despite its tactical recklessness. Moving with speeds and agility far greater than was expected from the giant wolf, they evaded countless rapidly fired attacks from Azuel, its palm held open as it launched a barrage of attacks. Explosions engulfed the area along the path, the stomps of the wolf's footsteps almost in sync with Ashram's heartbeat as it closed the gap between them. Coming within range of its opponent, a swift leap on its hind legs pushed them into the air in front of the Deathdealer's outstretched arm as it simultaneously closed down on its jaws.
The sound of flesh tearing echoed thorugh Ashram's ears as sharp fangs sunk into the arm of the outstretched arm. Moments later, he felt himself being thrown around wildly, using all of his effort to maintain his grip on a tuft of his Aesir's thick mane as Azuel swung its arms wildly, simultaneously letting out a loud growl of pain. He endured a few harsh swings before their opponent came to the conclusion that Fenrir had no intention of letting go, instead using its other hand to grab the attacking wolf by its neck. Struggled growls escaped through the cracks between the wolf's fangs as it felt its airway constricting, the humanoid Aesir's grasps tightening with each passing breath, its sharp fingertips digging in to draw out flowing streams of crimson along its forearm.
"Done already? A pathetic excuse of an Aesir compared to the power of Azuel." Relivash taunted, a smug grin on his face as he watched the struggling wolf weaken the grips of its jaws.
"Try this then!" Ashram snapped in reply, pressing both of his hands onto Fenrir's back, his hands grazing over the wolf's smooth armored back.
A brilliant white aura surrounded his hand as he channeled massive amounts of his own energy into his battle partner. Rejuvinated by the help of the rune mage, Fenrir let out a strong roar while simultaneously raising its hind legs to deliver a swift kick to the large demon's abdomen, slamming both of its feet against the muscular abdominal wall to free itself from its opponent's grasp. Landing on its hind legs, the large wolf's front claws glowed brightly as it brought them down, sending lacerating streams of energy forward towards its opponent.
Numerous cuts appeared on the large demonic Aesir as the attacks landed on their intended target, eliciting a loud roar of pain while simultaneously sending it staggering to the ground. Relivash's smug expression faded instantly as his summon fell, followed by a look of horror as Ashram and his battle partner followed up without waiting, using the opportunity to deliver a quick strike as the large wolf pounced forward with its front paws raised.
Channeling most of his remaining energy into his Aesir, he focused it towards the forward paws, forming sharpened claws that impaled into his opponent's chest as their attack landed. The sensation of their opponent's thick flesh being pierced resonated up through the attacking summon's legs, conducting the satisfying crunch of penetrating skeleton a moment later to let Ashram know that his attack had succeeded.
A loud roar of pain escaped the Deathdealer's mouth as it began to falter, the force behind its bloodcurdling scream diminishing with every inch that closed between itself and the ground. Streams of dark purple ozzed from its back as it fell backwards, originating from four brightly glowing lacerations that had penetrated through its entire chest thickness
A loud thud echoed through the valley as the demonic Aesir impacted against the ground, its opponent pounced on top of it with vicious ferocity determined to end it swiftly with the next strike. Despite having been brothers as Aesir, they stared each other down with eyes of fury. Not a glimmer of mercy was seen in Fenrir's eyes as energy gathered around its opened mouth to form a sphere. Raising its head slightly, it aimed its attack directly at its fellow Aesir's head with the intention of a point-blank shot to put an end to the fight.
Ashram's heart jumped an instant later as the attack shot forward, his Aesir leaping into the air simultaneously to avoid the force of the following explosion. Light engulfed the area before fading into a rising mushroom cloud that rose to penetrate the heavens itself. He watched the rising smoke, feeling a part of his burden rising off his shoulders to accompany it.
Though Relivash may still be alive, at least the most dangerous part of this battle is over. With Fennrir still at my side, he'll stand no chanc- Ashram thought to himself before his determination failed him, his heart sinking into an endless abyss at the sight in front of him.
The Aesir that he was certain had been engulfed in the blast laid on the ground a distance away from where the blast had hit. Ashram knew that it was impossible for it to have moved quickly enough to avoid Fenrir's attack in time, appearing completely incapacitated on the ground with minor slow jerks of its limbs as its only movements. Though he couldn't figure out how Azuel had been able to avoid that last attack, that confusion paled compared to the horror of what was in front of it.
"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" Relivash said with a wide smirk on his face, his right arm flexed to hold his blade snugly against the smooth skin that ran along Fiora's throat.
A look of horror appeared on Fiora's face as she found herself in the grasps of the High Councilor, her heart suddenly sinking to her stomach as it painfully began to race. She closed her eyes tightly for a moment before opening them again, hoping that she was hallucinating from trauma to her head during battle. When the scene around her seemed to stay no matter how hard she willed it to go away, a mix of sheer terror and confusion set in as she searched to no avail for an answer as to how she became a hostage. She looked around wildly to realize she was somewhere entirely different from where she had been a moment ago, miles away from where she had been fighting alongside her companions against the Void spawn.
Ho-…how did I end up here? Lux…she was here just next to me, how did this happen? Did the darkness… She asked herself, as it was the only thing she could do at that moment. No…that's not it…so what is…
Her thoughts trailed off as her gaze met the fallen Aesir, her whole body tightening upon seeing its demonic face staring back at her with weakened eyes, piercing her defenses and filling every organ in her body with fear. Forcefully twisting her head to avert her gaze, her eyes met that of Ashram's, a noticeable look of horror on his face from his position on top of the large wolf. She lowered her eyes, avoiding the lines of terror that ran along on his face, knowing that she had ruined any chance of this battle ending in his favor.
Staring through densely tangled webs of confusion, she finally noticed Ashram's battle partner, eyes of fury staring past her. This was her first time seeing his Aesir in person, surprising her when despite the ferocious look on its face, she felt no hostility from it, only a strange familiarity that defied all logic. It made no sense, but at that point, nothing made sense anymore.
Why…why are you here? What do I do? Ashram thought to himself, panic sweeping over him like waters from a collapsing dam. His muscles tightened, contracting into a state that almost resembled tetany as the medley of confusion, fear, and panic all set in at the same time. Organized and purposeful movement felt as impossible as trying to reverse time. His worst nightmare had come true and it was then that accepted the truth he had been in denial of. Nothing…there is nothing I can do!
It was subtle but even in dire situations, Fiora had been good with reading movements, allowing her to win otherwise impossible victories in the past. Ashram's Blazing Edge was shaking, the Summoner unable to maintain control over it since her untimely arrival. Both he and his battle partner remained motionless whereas a moment ago, a fierce battle had ravaged the terrain around them. Even though she was the one being held hostage, he was just as trapped. A surge of regret bitter regret formed inside her as she stared into his eyes, ones heavy with despair that she herself was all too familiar with.
Reginald…I'm sorry. If I die here, please live on…and protect them. She thought to herself as the grip on her Highwind tightened suddenly. This isn't what you're going to want…but if I'm to die, it'll be on my terms. I won't let you be taken down because of me.
"Time Manipulation…My secret technique. Though draining, I can freeze time and manipulate it however I want for a short moment. Don't worry. I won't kill her." Relivash announced smugly, his voice interrupting her determination as it vibrated through her back pressed tightly against his chest. "I'm just taking what belongs to me…a gift you so conveniently brought with you."
"What are you-" Fiora struggled to utter through constricted vocal cords, avoiding the neck laceration that would accompany any excessive movements of her throat. Her words never finished, as she suddenly felt the High Councilor's free hand press against the middle of her chest.
Though an initial irritation went through her, believing his intentions to be lewd, she perished the thought as a surge of burning pain suddenly filled her chest. All sense of hope and determination seemed to leave her, replaced by an emptiness filled with relentless pain. She had felt this same sensation once before, when her body had been taken over by the darkness in Icathia. Initially determined to fight against it, she found herself too weak to protest, as every passing second felt like an eternity of torment.
A bloodcurdling erupted from deep within her chest, echoing its endless pain through the air. In that moment, her wail sounded less like that of the duelist's and more of a banshee cursed with infinite sorrow. She labored to breathe only to find her body failing her every command as each ounce of air passing into her lungs seemed to fuel the furnace that scorched her insides mercilessly. Streaks of crimson energy flowed from her chest, flowing along her skin to leave no corner of her body unmarred. Amidst the unrelenting pain, a crawling sensation rose along her cheeks, dull purple locks on her left side fanning out and lifted by an unseen force.
I…can't…I can't hold it…off…anymore! Her thoughts echoed through the corridors of her mind as she her vision blurred. Taking one final struggled gaze at Ashram, she saw nothing more than a blurred silhouette that remained motionless. Perception linking with instinct, she could tell he was likely suffering as much as she was, helpless to do anything. Two weeks ago, she wouldn't have cared to find herself entrapped on the brink of death, nor about how the scars it would cause to those around her. Now, amist the unyielding pain that gripped every corner of her body and the fading of reality into blackness, the only thing more unbearable was the regret for whatever was to inevitably come next. A tear flowed from her eyes, pulled by gravity to quench parched cheeks. I'm…sorry. Just do…what you have to...and kill me.
She waited for her sickening descent into an eternal darkness, the moment when she would lose all sense of pain, control, and awareness of reality. Her Highwind dropped to the soft ground below with a soft clank as she waited for the void from which she would never reawaken. She would have been satisfied with that result as it would mean that there will be no burden for her to bear. Only that drowning abyss never came.
The burning pain only intensified yet her body wouldn't let go of consciousness, clinging to it with unyielding strength. She felt the sensation of insects crawling along the side of her eyes again, only this time it shifted in the opposite direction. The corruption that had taken a hold of every cell in her body somehow pulled back as though yielding its control over her. Clouds of black energy ruptured from the surface of her chest, gathering into the palm held against her curves. Whereas all she felt was the unbearable burning and numbess just moments ago, the sensation of an unsteady heartbeat and rugged breaths returned to awareness. It was then that she realized the current agony wasn't from the coursing of darkness through her body, but rather the draining of its essence through the wall of her chest.
A moment of relief came, a feeling of liberation from an evil that had shackled her for years. That happiness did not last long; every muscle falling limp for her to realize that the rest of her strength had been siphoned from her alongside the darkness. As the tail end of the dark cloud detached itself from her body, the burning pain remitted as fast as it first came. Along with it, every ounce of her strength was drained from her existence, her body dropping limp to the ground below. Her eyelids remained opened, allowing her to watch as the earth below dozed towards her face before hitting her with a dull thud. She wondered if this is what death felt like and was willing to accept it were it not for the precarious thumping still present inside her chest. Only then did she realize that it wasn't death that had taken ahold of her, but rather something that was arguably worse; the total helplessness that could only come from being forced to watch motionlessly as her own powers were being used against the ones she loved.
She looked on as a maniacal laughter escaped Relivash's lips held in an unnatural grin, streaks of black rising from his neck along the sides of his face in a manner reminiscent of Fiora's prior transformation. Seeing this, her only desire was to force her body up from the ground and do something, whether it be run away or stand by Ashram's side. All the willpower in her couldn't make her body obey, as lifting even a finger off the floor felt like trying to raise an entire mountain with her mind.
"What did you just do?" Ashram asked, knots of fear twisting at his stomach as he watched her body fall lifeless to the body. Swirls of dark energy exploded from the High Councilor, streaks of crimson and black striking the ground to create scarring streaks in the earth. Vibrant foliage filled with life instantly withered into harsh, barren branches of decay in their wake.
"Taking what was rightfully mine…The planted seed of darkness now all grown up into a blooming flower ripe for harvest." He explained, as streaks of converged onto the fallen Aesir, merging to shroud it in a cloud of darkness. "Fiora…a blooming flower of chaos…how ironically fitting of a name, wouldn't you agree?"
Dark energy pulsated through the air like resuscitating heartbeats, its origin the demonic Aesir that had remained motionless, now showing signs of movement. Slow and thready at first, the interval between pulses shortened, becoming an incessant thumping that threatened to drive Ashram and Fiora to the brink of insanity. Stomps reverberated around the mountainous range as the lumbering creature pushed itself back to a standing position, its towering height making all others feel insignificant in its presence. The black nimbus of dark energy receded, revealing the Aesir rejuvenated, the scars of its prior battle erased from existence.
Frustration welled up inside of Ashram for a brief moment, the thought of all the energy he had previously expended in his attacks nullified in an instant filling his consciousness. He felt drained, the only thing keeping his legs from giving out under him was sheer determination, one that faded the moment he saw Fiora collapse with no more signs of life than a soft mannequin.
Damn it! I don't know if I have enough energy to do that again. I don't know if you're even alive, but I have to try! The thought of having to repeat that last battle in his current state was a greater torture than anyone could withstand. But there was no other option left. All he knew was that some things were unforgiveable, and that if she really is dead, he would not let her death be in vain. He solidified his grip on his Blazing Edge, breathing deeply to force the trembling to disappear from his body along with thoughts of doubt. He raised his blade slightly, preparing to strike his enemy down as his Aesir simultaneously let out a low growl that reflected his own intentions.
"Sorry, but I win. This is a pointless battle now." Relivash announced, a malevolent echo reverberating every word he spoke as an aura of crimson energy surrounded his body like flames dancing in a soft wind.
"Never! After what you've done, as long as I have hope I'll never let you leave here with your life." Ashram growled, a burning fury in his eyes previously unseen in the otherwise calm mage.
"You speak as though hope alone will save your pathetic life." Relivash taunted, shifting his feet to dart towards his newly resurrected Aesir, a trail of bright crimson following in his wake to cause fiery waves in the atmosphere. "Fine…if that is the case, I'll show you true fear…and wipe away every last glint of hope from your miserable existence!"
What happened next was nearly indescribable. Relivash sped rapidly on a collision course with the head of Azuel, the closing distance serving only to accelerate his approach. Space itself seemed to distort around them as Relivash made contact with his Aesir, a blinding crimson light appearing in their place as Ashram felt the space around him becoming twisted. A chaos never meant to enter in this world piqued his awareness as the light in front of him waned. It wasn't until most of the flowing streaks of dark energy had receded that he saw it clearly for the first time
A choking gasp escaped Ashram's lips as he bore witness to the emergence of a creature warped far beyond that which logic would allow him to comperehend. If its silhouette resembled the Aesir's original humanoid form, its features didn't – its skin now pitch black lined with slit-like streaks of lava that ran along its body in irregular patterns. Large horns curled to each side of its head adjacent to bright yellow eyes that burned wildly with trails of rising flames. It wasn't so much the overall appearance of the Aesir that terrified him, but rather what had replaced the muscular features of its previous symmetrical chest.
Protruding from the center of its sternum was the body and face of the High Councilor, overly large crimson globes staring back with black slit-like feline pupil. His previously frail looking chest was now reminiscent of a lifelong warrior rather than a mage, his skin tightly contoured along bulky muscles made all the more apparent by distended veins that gave off a eerie crimson glow. Arms and torso terminated in tree-like stumps rooted into the chest of the large Aesir, river beds of black and crimson flowing rapidly between the two beings. A small cloud of smoke escaped Relivash's mouth as his lips parted into a smile that extended from cheek to cheek, a smile sinister and inhuman in appearance.
"Kukukuku…" Relivash laughed in a low voice, the large body of the Aesir acting to conduct his voice into a series of relentless echoes that tore at one's sanity. "Where is your hope now?"
"Relivash! Wh-…what have you done?" Ashram asked frantically, stumbling over words that refused to come to him the moment he bore eyes on the abomination in front of him.
"What have I done? I've transcended the boundaries of humanity!" He replied in an overly zealous tone as the large hands reached forward, palms held open to each side of the High Councilor's form. "With the dark powers harvested from your precious little princess over there, my link to the powers of chaos is complete!"
Ashram shifted his body into a defensive stance, his Aesir following suit as it opened its jaw, gathering a sphere of energy to prepare for its next attack. The air felt ominous, yet the same thought plagued the corridors of his mind. Why…why the ]hell would he…
But inside, he knew the reason why: his soul had become just as corrupted by Genesis as he was at one point. He blinked his eyes and for a moment, he saw his own face staring back at him from the body embedded within Azuel. Was this to be my own inevitable fate had the Goddess not intervened? How can I even have the right to judge him knowing, in fact…how easily our roles could have been reversed?
It was funny that after everything that has happened, he relinquished any animosity he held against the High Councilor. Even if the Relivash in front of him had lost almost all traces of his previous humanity, for the first time since his appearance, Ashram finally understood him. The anger and contempt towards the High Councilors that plagued him for years suddenly lifted, replaced by an unnatural calm and sense of purpose. It only took the present extraodinary circumstance for him to realize the errors of his ways. This whole time, I've been fighting this war not because I wanted to save the world. It was because I was afraid…that I would have turned out like him. I wanted more than anything else to deny it, and so I took it personally, turning to hatred towards the others. But now…it's become so clear...I've turned this fight into my personal crusade. That shouldn't be why I'm here…why we're all here. This should have always been a fight to save the future…our lives, not my own vanity.
Clawed tips of the magma-like Aesir's fingers glowed brightly, illuminating the terrain in an eerie red hue. Streaks lightning spread wildly from a bolt of energy that formed between its palms, decaying the lush springtime foliage around them into withered lifeless branches normally seen in the midst of a Piltover winter.
"HAAAAAA!" Relivash screamed, a demonic echo ringing through the air as his attack fired, a beam of solid chaos energy that instantly vaporized every last bit of foliage and wildlife that it touched.
Ashram made no motions to run, but rather only held out his free hand to cast a spell with what little energy he had left in his reservoir. One more…I have enough just for one final attack. I have to end this now.
"Odin's Mirror," He announced, gesturing in a swirled pattern to form a massive swirling disc of purple energy in front of him, shrouding the area between the oncoming attack and his companions behind him.
A high pitched whistle filled the air as the attack collided with his spell, streaks of purple and red intertwined to pull the full force of the Aesir's attack into his absorption spell. Pain welled up in every part of Ashram's body as he struggled to maintain his final ace in the hole for the full duration of his opponent's attack. Every second felt like an eternity of torment, a feeling that he could only imagine was a taste of what Fiora had been burdened with until the force of the oncoming attack finally relented.
"Time to end this!" Ashram yelled in a tired voice as the last of his opponent's attack vanished in a manner resembling the tail of a mouse scampering into a hole. He followed up by bringing his blade forward with a firm swing as the wolf under him mirrored the motion with its head.
Letting out a loud howl, Fenrir counterattacked with its Lunar Strike as Ashram's Blazing Edge simultaneously became shrouded in a crimson energy. A blast of chaos energy, the size of which rivaled the demonic Aesir's own attack, shot towards its origin, splitting off into spirals that wrapped around his battle companion's attack to synergize its power before connecting with its target.
A spiraling column of relentless flames engulfed combined presence of Relivash and Azuel as the attacks met its destination. A loud crash followed, echoing through the terrain as the fire spread outwards, kissing the decayed foliage to instantly transform the mountainous forest into an endless wildfire. The ground itself erupted in an orange inferno, transitioning into an unnatural conflagaration of green flames a moment later; the result of excessive magic use destabilizing the balance of nature itself.
Ashram collapsed onto his knees a moment later, dropping his Mageblade to let out a sharp clank as it landed on the armored back of his Aesir. He remained kneeled, steadying himself with both hands against Fenrir's armor as his back and shoulders rose rhythmically with deep, rapid breaths. Hands flat on the warm gold metal surface; he curled his fingers halfway into loose fists. He shut his eyes tightly, clenching his jaw tightly as he prayed that this was the end of a battle that he could no longer continue to bear.
Mustering up his remaining courage, he forced his eyes open to examine the plumes of rising smoke that shrouded his vision of the landscape in front of him. Pulling together his remaining strength, he forced himself onto his feet, turning around for his gaze to meet that of Fiora's, still plastered against the ground with subtle movements of her chest being her only signs of life. He couldn't bear to see her like this, grinding his teeth as he held back the urge to recklessly rush towards her in rescue. Even without physically turning his back on his enemy, the momentary flux in judgement was all that was needed to leave him vulnerable.
The rays of the sun disappeared from above, a shadow cast over him as a massive blade swung down on him. Having caught sight of it just a split second before its battle partner, Fenrir leaped to the side in an attempt to evade the incoming attack, failing to completely avoid it as the blade's serrated edge tore into its flank. Blood spilled from the large wolf as the razor sharp blade tore through its armor, burying itself into the Aesir's flesh before lashing outwards, a trail of blood following in the wake of its swing. A loud growl of pain escaped the wolf's lips as it fell towards the ground below, taking Ashram with it. Pushing himself off at the last moment, he narrowly avoided being crushed under the overwhelming weight of his Aesir, landing on the ground a few feet away from his fallen companion.
He maintained his balance for only a few moments before he felt his heartbeat becoming irregular, alternating between slow and rapid rates. It wasn't a momentary change in position that caused it to beat quickly, but rather something else causing it to enter a sustained irregular pattern, pain welling up in his chest a few heartbeats later before an unexplained dizziness caused him to collapse. His vision phased in and out momentarily before focusing again to find dull cerulean eyes partially hidden by locks of purple hair staring back at him.
From the surface, that last attack had completely missed the Summoner, the blade meeting only the flesh of his Aesir. The truth was it had an unexpected effect, one that couldn't be seen by the naked eye. The very presence of the blade poisoned the atmosphere around it with chaos energy, afflicting anyone within its borders with a taint that disrupted their normal metabolism.
Damn it… in my weakened state…I couldn't see or feel it…I couldn't shield myself from it. Ashram thought to himself, slowly trying to crawl towards Fiora with uncoordinated movements of his body.
The ground underneath them shook as a loud stomp filled the air. Angling his head slightly upwards, his eyes focused on the large form of Azuel towering over him, to cast a dark shadow over the surrounding terrain. Its previously empty hands now each bore a massive crimson blade, a scaled up version of the one Relivash had wielded earlier. Relivash turned his gaze towards them before a wide grin appeared on his face.
"How pathetic, yet poetically precious. You and the girl…together in your last moments of life. You had it all and you threw it away to protect her, an arrogant and thankless brat of a girl. I can't think of a more pathetic life." He bellowed in a spiteful voice that echoed through the air, catching the attention of his other companions who beheld the sight in front of them with horror. "Don't worry though, in a moment I'll relieve you both of the embarrassment that is your lives. You should thank me, for with my hands, I'll give you an eternity to be with each other in the afterlife!"
A pained whimper came from behind Ashram as his Aesir glowed brightly, dissipating into a condensing ball of energy that embedded itself into his arm. I'm sorry, old friend. It's my fault you got hurt. He looked into the fading glow in his arm, dimming to form an embedded crystal containing weak swirls of light.
Pupils accommodated moments later to look into the distance, where Fiora laid sprawled out. His eyes met hers, blue orbs that seemed so lifeless compared to the icy cerulean eyes she once held. Maybe he's right…but in a different way. Maybe I really have done everything wrong in my life…but it's too late now. I can't go back. I can't undo the past, so…the only thing to do is accept my fate. However…
Though she laid in an almost comatose state, Fiora was consciously aware of everything around her. Unable to move her head, her gaze fixed on Ashram as he crawled towards her, closing the gap between them by mere inches at a time. He fought so hard to save us…and all I did was get kidnapped and make the enemy stronger. A tear flowed from her eyes as a miasma of guilt and sorrow filled every corner of her mind, tearing at every last ounce of resolve she had left. I'm sorry…I'm so…sorry.
As the distance between them closed, Ashram stretched his hand forward, his skin rubbing along the cool, moist dirt of the mountainous forest to stop just inches short of her outstretched fingers. "I'm sorry, for everything. If it is my fate to die, then so be it. However…he's wrong about one thing. You won't be joining me in the afterlife."
What? She thought to herself, a subtle twitch of her eyes the only sign of surprise that she could produce. What are you saying?
"The way we are now, neither of us will live to see the sunset. Right now, my physical strength and magic are completely depleted. But…" Ashram continued as a bright aura surrounded his outstretched hand. Pressing it against the ground, streaks of white flowed from his fingertips to form streams that migrated towards Fiora, merging with her fingers to bathe her in a warm light.
I can feel my energy returning…what is this?
"I still have one final energy source…my life force."
Wha-…no…you can't!
"For me to hold onto it is useless. Take it…use it and save them…save yourself."
No…no…no! Stop it! If it means you'll die, I don't want it! You can't make me...
"I made this mess and I couldn't fix it." He continued, his voice growing weaker with every word that escaped his lips, the last of which resembled a whisper. "It's up to you to protect hope. Live on…and be the savior this world needs. Carry out my legacy…and become the better person."
Though she felt herself getting progressively stronger with every passing second, her heart froze, weakening to the point of being shattered with even the lightest insult. All her life she hid herself from others to avoid feeling the pain of losing someone close to her again. Now, in less than two weeks time, the familiar poignant pain from what seemed like a lifetime ago stabbed at her; the pain of losing the person closest to her. Though she hadn't consciously realized it, she allowed herself to get too close to him. The Fiora of two weeks ago wouldn't have even batted an eye if Ashram had died in front of her. Instead, it was now happening all over again; her world tumbling down as the person who changed her life in a matter of days was sacrificing himself to save her; a gesture identical to that of her mother's.
Please…don't do this…not for me…not for someone who doesn't deserve this.
Ashram's weakness took over completely as his last words were inaudible. It didn't matter, though, because one look at his lips was all it took for her to figure out his dying words…words that would resound through the corridors of her mind like the opening of floodgates, inundating it with emotions she had tried so hard to bottle up.
"I love you, Fiora."