Three months later…
Swain and his other League champion cohorts had been detained by the Institute of War itself, released only for League matches and carefully guarded and watched at all times. The Noxian Invasion war, as it had been come to be known, had come to a close and Noxus was well in its way to being a prideful city-state again with its new Grand Tactician in Darius as well as several other changes to their political positions. Times were looking promising for them.
But today was not a day of cheer. Vi felt like it held no promise except for that of heartache as she put on her first ever dress, black and plain. She left her gauntlets on the wall and put on black heels instead of her usual boots. Today was Riven's funeral.
"C'mon Cupcake, it's time," Caitlyn stood in the Piltover police station's doorway wearing a similar black dress. She'd left behind her hat but kept her boots because "there didn't need to be a death at a funeral," Caitlyn had said about her ability at walking in heels.
"Coming," Vi said. As she exited the building at sat down in Caitlyn's personal car, she saw Jinx and Katarina already in the back seat. They too were dressed in customary black clothes and Katarina had opted to leave her blades at Jinx and Vi's house.
The Noxian had moved in with them, feeling uncomfortable living in her former Noxian residence. Katarina had helped the two sisters renovate the place, expanding it to properly accommodate three women and now the place was almost as big as Caitlyn's wealthy estate.
They drove in near silence until they reached the gravesite, where the rest of their guerilla group had gather along with hundreds of soldiers both Demacian and Noxian. While the others went to sit down, Vi approached the podium that was set in front of the hole that was to be Riven's grave.
She closed her eyes for a moment, wiped away a few tears and drew in a deep breath. "I would say that we're here today to bury the fallen hero of a tragic war, but that would be a bullshit way to honor Riven," Vi said, completely forgetting the speech she'd practiced. "I know that her death is a tragedy, but her life sure as hell wasn't. I say we stop crying and remember who Riven was; a woman who gave it all for everything she believed in. Let's remember the badass who racked up a kill count with half a sword."
Caitlyn sighed and gave a small smile. Lux rolled her eyes. The yordles facepalmed. Jinx chuckled. And Katarina…
Katarina walked slowly up to the podium and locked eyes with Vi, her expression unreadable. Was she mad at the unconventional eulogy? Did she want to say something? Katarina held a hand up.
"Damn straight," She said as she took Vi's hand in her own and took her into a hug.
Caitlyn got up and slung her rifle over her shoulder. "Ten-hut!" She called. Nineteen men with rifle and Jinx stood to attention. "21 guns up!" She ordered. 20 rifles and one machine gun rose skyward. "Salute!" Every gun went off as two pallbearers passed underneath, Riven's casket in tow. They slowly lowered it into the grave and the hole was filled.
"Kat!" Katarina turned around. She'd been just about to approach the gravestone, alone after everyone else had left. She turned around to see Vi standing in front of her, holding the sheathed broken blade of her mentor in her hands in presentation. "Riv would've wanted you to have it," Vi said.
Katarina took the blade up, securing the sheath on her belt. She took a practice swing with it and smiled for the first time in months; it felt perfect. "…I've not had much experience with a sword. Mind a little training practice?" She asked. Vi smiled and nodded.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
A light burned bright, invading her eyelids and irritating her eyes even as she moaned. Raising a hand to block out the eerily green light, Riven got on all fours and looked up. Black trees loomed over her and the light that had awoken her cast her own shadow in the otherwise black night. She could make out an ocean in the distance, but very far away. Was she in hell…?
"Where in the blue hell am I?" She wondered, righting herself and turning back to the light. Maybe the light was what she was- whoa, or maybe that wasn't the light she was supposed to be following. That light was the one emanating from Thresh's latern.
"You, dear, are on the Shadow Isles," Riven whipped around left and right and Thresh smiled, pointing up. Riven did so and stifled a scream as she saw Elise's spider form hanging from a tree by her web. "You're lucky. Thresh is getting soft, I tell you," Elise grinned as she returned to human form.
"Shut it, arachnoyance," Thresh said, using his favorite nickname for the Spider Queen. She rolled her eyes. "I'm the keeper of souls, Riven,"
"I'm aware," Riven said warily.
"I heard of the war. Of your death. Even I could not simply allow a warrior so valiant to die by such a vile manner as chemical warfare. You've got one more chance. I cannot do this again," Thresh explained. Riven narrowed her eyes.
"Appreciated, and no offense, but from what I've heard you aren't the charitable type. What's the catch?" She asked. Thresh grinned.
