Hey guys SanshiLove here again! I would like to thank you all once again for joining me through this story and I hope you are all enjoying it as much as do writing it. I am currently obsessed with the new song Riot released (Popstar by K/DA) and really hope they release more songs from K/DA. So keep your eyes on me now! As always thanks for favoriting, reviewing, and reading my story and I hope you all continue to do so. On with the chapter!
-Ahri-
Everyday Ahri had dreamed about running away to live with the humans, now she was starting to get severely sick of them. Even the connection she recently found in the large bulk of a man named Braum seemed strained when pressure was rising and time running out. They had fallen behind the caravan after finally finding it when they were attacked by a silverwing raptor, the fight was . . . uncoordinated at best and nearly a disaster at worst. She could feel her heart still pounding with the memory of the large raptor coming down and lifting her up off the ground like she was some squirrel. She had never felt so scared, that is until the stupid thing had been injured and began falling to the ground with her still in its clutches. After she had been taken Lux had used her magic to blast the beast out of the sky. The plummet was terrifying as she thought this really was where she would die. If it wasn't for Soraka's healing abilities her and Lux would likely be dead already. Now the pair were wrapped in bandages her fur still sticky with dried blood from the fight as she sighs.
"Are you alright?" Braum had seen her falling deeper and deeper into herself as he approached. He had saved her from hitting the ground taking on the weight of the falling raptor and catching her by himself. However the thing wasn't dead and a long drawn out fight occurred. Even he didn't come out unscathed. Ahri glances up at him drawing all his attention, there was something about her that just drew him in.
"I will be, I think. Though the blood in my fur is already irritating me." Ahri suddenly felt herself lifted and pulled into the large man's arms. At first all she did was stiffen up, but she felt her heart melt as she took in his scent and hugged him back. The big lug was truly worried about her and she could feel he was afraid. It was that moment she realized they were cuddling in front of the rest of the group and she felt her face fill with red.
"I had no idea you two were so intimate," Soraka said in a dull tone, almost irritated.
"Uh . . Well," Ahri pushes out of his arms standing next to him. "I'd really like to wash off this blood." Best to avoid the current subject.
"If you want to wash I can hear river nearby." Braum says not embarrassed at all.
"That river's currents are quite strong it wouldn't really be safe for bathing." A smile fills Lux's face as she realizes they could shave a day off the trip taking a boat on the river. She even knew of a side pool they could wash off in further downstream. "However, that river would be perfect to use it to catch up to the caravan."
"Is it less dangerous than traveling through the woods?" Ahri had, had enough of large Demacian monsters for one day and didn't even want to imagine what could be in the water.
"Yes the river isn't deep enough for large creatures and there is even a place downstream that we could use to wash up. It's perfect!" Lux was so happy she finally had something that would help them. However, when she glanced at Ahri's reaction she became unsure of herself.
"But we don't have a raft or means to control it and what if there are others taking the river?" Ahri hated water more than five inches deep, not because she hated water. On the contrary she loved taking baths and relaxing in a hot spring, no what she hated were fish. Slimy little nipping things that would swim around her legs and feet brushing up against her skin. Just thinking about it gave her the creeps causing a chill to traverse her spine.
"Leave raft and steering to Braum," Braum suggested spinning his large shield. Surely making a quick raft would be no trouble for him. His smile faltered as he was surprised by the look Ahri gave him, maybe she had a thing against rafts? "Do not worry, Braum strong swimmer."
"I believe the river will be the best option." Soraka looks at the group still healing a few of Braums wounds. "I sure hope that girl Jessie is alright, this place is far more dangerous than I had originally thought."
Soraka's words hit Ahri like a freight train, she had decided to send the girl alone with that monster hunter Vayne. Would they be alright if one of those raptors attacked? It would be all her fault that the girl was killed. She shakes her head brushing off the possibility, "we need to hurry and save Ashe and Katarina. Let's take the river, Braum can you make us a good raft?"
"Of course, leave it to Braum!" He flexed his large muscles and gets straight to work as Ahri and the group watch in awe. With only using his bare hands Braum manages to take down four large trees and work the wood. During the two hours it took for Braum to craft the large raft, the rest of the group gathered supplies, fresh water, and rested. Braum loved hard work as it was something he could do very well. His family had always been strong and passionate people, however he embodied strength and tried to alway do the right thing. Growing up, his good deeds had become legend throughout the reigion.
He had never traveled this much however, he had seen the beauty of the world now and, though his mother might protest, he found someone who he . . . who he loved. He could feel his heart quicken as his face flushed from the thought. She was Vastayan, but Braum never cared about formalities like that. He had never thought a woman could captivate him like Ahri did, she was beautiful strong and smart but also shy and genuine. He even dreamt about her now, something he had never imagined he would do. He wipes the sweat off his brow as he finishes the large raft and for the rudder he would use his own shield, what would be best, he thought smirking to himself.
"Braum?"
Braum turned to see Ahri approaching alone, the others must still be gathering supplies. "Ah yes Ahri?" He could feel his heart pound as she glanced away flush filling her cheeks only adding to his desire.
"I wanted to talk to you about . . . well about after all this business is over with while we have a spare moment."
The thought of everything that could happen after their deeds were done began filling his mind. Images of small strong children with her beautiful face made his face a deep crimson. He coughs, "uh yeah? What were you thinking?"
She glanced at him almost expecting a different reaction. "Well um. You live in Frejlord and I am Vastayan," what the hell was she saying she screamed internally as she saw his expression drop. "Wait I mean . . . I am not accustomed to cold." She looks away blushing as her heart races once again.
"Braum will go anywhere for you."
She could feel her heart melt as she looked into his eyes and felt him pull her into his arms. This man knew exactly what she wanted to hear and knew exactly what to do to make her feel better. She relaxed hugging back as she leaned up and kissed him deeply. She finally decided . . . she would give this man her heart freely she was going to give this a chance.
-Jessie & Vayne-
After tracking and running for what seemed like forever the pair reached the edge of a small remote town just East of the capitol city, or so she thought after only seeing Vayne's map for a moment a few hours back. The town was a farming village with plenty of rolling hills and thick forests. As far as Jessie could tell it would probably have a population of a few thousand. She thought back to her social studies class and reading about medieval times when small towns like this centered on a church. She laughed internally, this is a different world it's not like our history is their reality. She had adapted to keep up with Vayne or maybe Vayne just decided to slow down a bit, either way Jessie was managing. Suddenly Vayne thrusts out a hand to stop Jessie's jog.
"What is it?" Jessie whispers stopping and crouching like Vayne instructed her to do.
"Something else is here. A presence I've never felt before." Vayne eyes the forest edge to the North. She realized she had just lied to girl. She had felt this presence before but had never been able to see just what was causing it. Sometimes when she was hunting, she would track a monster for days to find it dead with it's head caved in. This presence could always be felt before each occurance. She was convinced they were connected, well how could they not be? Suddenly she felt another darker presence, another one she wasn't tracking. She needed to draw both beasts out into the light, she glances at Jessie and smirks. "I have a plan, I want you to put your stuff down and rush into that clearling. Don't worry I'll protect you."
"You what! I'm not some raw meat for the taking." Jessie protested holding her bow close.
"The only way we survive this is if we draw them out first. You've seen me in action you know how I fight. Trust me this plan will work and we can continue after your friend much faster." She had to give the girl some motivation, from what she could gauge from Jessie, she was a young easily influenced girl who was overly trusting. A weakling with no real ambition to fight or defend, what a waste. Of course people like that could be easily motivated if they thought it meant succeeding in their goals.
"You're sure I'll be safe?" Jessie began taking her pack off, Ahri told her to trust this Vayne no matter how hard this task she needed to get back to the group.
"There are always risks but I'll do everything in my power, just dash out there and draw them out." Vayne watched as the naive girl gave in setting her bag down but keeping her bow and a few arrows. The girl was actually going to do it, interesting maybe this girl isn't as big of a coward as she thought.
Jessie sucked in a breath and with a quick motion grabbed the bow and fletched an arrow then, as Vayne instructed, she dashed into the clearing and stopped when she reached the center. Her heart was beating so hard as it seemed like the only sound she could hear. She swallowed as the sound of leaves being shoved aside grew louder behind her. In the blink of an eye the battle in the small field started, a large black creature covered in spikes with long black teeth and bright green eyes lunged out after her. As Ashe had taught her, she rolled to one side firing the arrow and striking the creatures side. Was this where she would die, with this Vayne person on another planet to some crazy looking beast? She pushed the thought aside as she made another rolling dodge, why wasn't Vayne coming to save her? She only had three more arrows.
Panic began to set in as she was down to her last arrow with no helping seemingly coming. She felt hot tears on her cheeks as the beast nicked her arm while she just barely dodged it. Clearly it wasn't a fan of the arrows that struck home. Suddenly as she trembled to lift the bow again she saw the beast get flung into the air as the sound of a large object striking the ground forced her off her feet.
"Are you alright miss?" A strange voice that wasn't Vaynes rang out in the field.
Jessie sat up still trembling as she glanced at her savior. The thing was about three and a half feet tall with the largest hammer Jessie had ever seen. Her immediate thought was, I wonder if that could break Braum's shield.
"Miss?" It asked again.
"Uh yeah thank you . . . um." Jessie had no idea what race or gender this thing was. Her mind swirled with options of what to call the thing standing before her. "Thank you Miss Vastayan, had you not come out I would likely be dead." She suddenly decided.
"Heh I'm no Vastayan, you can call me Poppy," Poppy said pulling the girl to her feet, after all a soldier should be courteous. "Don't thank me yet that thing will be heading back here, you have any more weapons on you or do you need to call out your friend." Poppy knew the girl had a companion she just couldn't figure out why her friend hadn't come to save her.
After those words Vayne had no choice but to leave her hiding place. "How did you know I was there?"
"Easy, no way a girl like this would be traveling alone with only four arrows. Demacia is an amazing place but not that safe." Poppy readies her hammer as she can hear the spiky beast headed right for them. "Here it comes." Just as she predicted the beast burst out of the treeline right for the group Poppy hold the beast off with her hammer as the two girls inflict the most damage they can finally Vayne lands a killing blow pinning the beast to a thick tree on the edge of the clearing. It's green blood trickles out down the tree as the group catch their breath.
"You aren't half bad Yordle," Vayne says with a smirk eyeing Poppy's large hammer. She had never seen a Yordle before but this one fit the legends she had heard; small and strong with animal like ears and faces and endowed with powerful magic. This girl Poppy was definitely a Yordle.
"Heh thanks." Poppy looks at the two girl she just fought alongside, "so what are you two doing out this far? These forests are pretty dangerous." Poppy look at the girl in goggles before her and thought she looked like the statue of the hero a bit. The other girl was far to small to be even a fighter let alone a hero, what was she doing out here?
"I'm on a quest to find someone-"
"The Hero? So we are on the same quest then." Poppy had no idea there were more people looking for the Hero it would be nice to have some companions like in the old days.
"No," Jessie says looking from Poppy to Vayne back to Poppy, "I am searching for someone named Diana. She is the aspect of the moon and we need her to fight against the coming void." Jessie didn't realize how crazy her words sounded until she saw the look on Poppy's face.
Poppy listened to the girl as questions began to build in her mind. Who was this Diana? What was and Aspect? Did she mean those people from Targon? However she knew what the void was, every yordle knew about the damage done in Icathia. "You plan to fight the Void? Is someone going to summon it here?" Suddenly there were answers she needed now! How would she find the hero if Demacia was lost to the Void?
"Um . . yeah we plan to help fight the void. We've already killed one of the creatures before." Poppy throws Jessie a death glare as Jessie rushes to answer her second question, "I I don't . . I didn't hear of anyone summoning it here only that Leona had a feeling it would spawn somewhere in this region. That's why we have to find Diana." When she first saw the 'Yordle' as Vayne called it she thought it looked like a large stuffed animal, but now it was kinda scary.
"The Targonions don't appear for no reason. You'll need some help if you plan on surviving that. I'll go with you." Poppy had to protect Demacia afterall she helped build it and who knows, maybe she would find the Hero somewhere on the battlefield.
Vayne couldn't believe it, this mystical Yordle said to be a powerful spirit of legend believed and understood this girl after asking a few questions. Maybe that group earlier was telling the truth, maybe Demacia was truly in serious danger. Originally she had written the group off as lunatics obviously Lux was the odd man out, but if she believed the story everything fit into place. Just like that, a mythical Yordle would enter their party like it wasn't odd at all.
"We should seek this Diana out at night, if she is truly of the moon that is when her power is strongest."
"You're really coming with us just like that?" Vayne couldn't let this go out without an explanation. She had heard legends of the Yordle tricksters, and their ability to disappear into thin air. How could this girl possibly just make a snap decision like that?
"I swore an oath that I would defend Demacia from any foe, including the destructive force of the Void. So it only makes sense to help you both." Poppy looked at the young hunter like she was some child asking dumb questions.
"Alright . . . let's catch up to the trail I was tracking." Vayne begins running again to pick up the same trail they had been following.
Jessie picks up her bag and wraps her injuries. This was quite the exhausting trip, what she wouldn't do for a- Suddenly Poppy lifts her and begins running to keep up with Vayne. "Uh miss Poppy you don't have to-"
"Don't worry miss I have far more stamina than you. Besides you're still injured and I can't allow a comrade to further injure themselves." With that the strange trio was off to find Diana.
