Author's Note: Hi! So, since "The Silver Crossbow" is about to end in 3 chapters (*insert eternal cry of sorrow here*), I have decided to continue "Each Bullet Is A Song" which is a Jhin x OC fic I started as an one shot. I guess inspiration can reach you from unexpected places when you are dealing with an artist. About this particular chapter though, I only have to say one thing. Game over. :D
One week. Only one week away from the night when the blood moon would rise. If she missed that chance, she'd have to wait another 20 years for a blood moon to rise. She couldn't even afford months under the influence of the book, let alone two whole decades. She kept on pacing back and forth inside her room for the last couple of hours. Things had to take a straight route somehow and she'd have to start by confronting the two men. But her plans would soon change when a loud knock on the door grabbed her attention. She opened it soon after to reveal a purple robed man wearing a large hood which was covering his facial features.
" Good evening, Summoner. What brings you here? "
The man bowed his head as a display of respect before proceeding to talk.
" Lady Vayne. Your presence is acquired on the High Counselor's office in 10 minutes from now. Please be there as soon as possible. "
She nodded thanking the Summoner before putting on her red cape and walking towards the main halls.
[...]
A few minutes later, she arrived in front of the office where two secretaries were waiting for her.
" Welcome, Lady Vayne. Suit yourself to the waiting room and the High Counselor will see you soon. "
She smiled in response entering the waiting room. When she stepped inside, her eyes fell on a lone figure sitting on an armchair by the window. He seemed quite depressed and concerned and she didn't blame him. She's put him through too much lately.
" Lucian..." she spoke softly placing a hand on his shoulder. Taken aback by the sudden contact, he stood up from the chair and turned to face her. When he realised who she was, he wasted no time on burying her in his embrace.
" God, Vayne! You are awake. Are you feeling any better? "
She half smiled at his concern and hugged him back with a chuckle.
" Now I can safely say that I agree with the Shadow Islands residents. It only takes one bullet. Or in my case, one piercing light. "
He scowled at her comment half annoyed by her black humour. She literally joked about her own death.
" Don't say that. I almost lost my mind back then. What were you thinking anyway? I know how you feel about him but that was just foolish. Why in the world did you do it? "
Vayne frowned moving her head sideways in question.
" Would you do this for me, Lucian? "
"On a heartbeat."
She smiled at his immediate response and rubbed his hand affectionately.
" Then you understand why I did this. "
Before any of the two could talk one of the secretaries walked in with several papers in her hands.
"Champions, please follow me inside. The High Counselor wishes to see you both. "
They looked at each other with the same knowing look and walked towards the office.
"We are so damn screwed. " Vayne whispered before entering the room followed by Lucian who nodded in response.
The room was probably one of the largest that the Institute possessed. It was fairly empty though except for a small library and a round office in the middle of it.
" Welcome, Champions. Please have a seat. "
The two marksmen complied at the man's words sitting on the comfy armchairs without a sound.
" I assume you both understand the reason why you are here. You see, there are certain requirements for someone who wishes to be a Champion that must be taken into consideration. First and foremost, you ought to show respect to the other Champions. No matter what their nationality is or how your past with them was. How would you describe your actions, Purifier? Respectful and refined? As for you Lady Vayne, you involved yourself in the fight for no apparent reason. Instead of calling a Summoner to disable them both from the start, you allowed this blood feast to begin and end the worst way possible. "
Lucian raised his hand in protest at the High Counselor's words and he was granted permission to speak.
" You are not being fair here, sir. The lady has no reason to be yelled at. If there's anyone you should be lecturing, that's the Warden. He was on the fight with me, not Vayne. "
The man looked at his papers before looking back up to him and answered.
" I spoke with Thresh much earlier today, Lucian. I figured it wouldn't be wise of me to have all three of you on the same room. I sent him back to the Shadow Islands after granting him a 6 month suspension from the Institute. Which brings me to your punishment. Lady Vayne will get a three month suspension since she was a third person. And you, Lucian, you are suspended for a year for starting a fight inside the Institute in the first place. That was all I had to say. You are both being dismissed. I suggest you travel back to Demacia and use the vacation to clear your heads. "
Both parties nodded exiting the room with a bow. Walking outside, Lucian let out a sigh he's been holding for too long.
"I plan on staying at the Institute to take care of some business and then go back to Demacia. What will you do? "
She thought about it for a while before making up her mind.
" I will go back to Demacia immediately. Things must be completely unorganised without me there. "
"Then I shall go. I will find you on Demacia in a week."
He nodded waving her goodbye before disappearing on the Demacian quarters.
She immediately looked around and after making sure she was all alone, she sprinted towards the Ionian quarters reaching in front of the Dark Sovereign's door. She furiously knocked trying to find the right words to say in the meantime. The door slowly opened and the mage stepped out of it.
" Vayne. I suppose you coming here means everything is ready, right? "
Vayne nodded vigorously taking a few deep breaths before speaking.
" Yes. Listen, I know I am asking too much from you but it is only fair for you to help me if you truly want me to cooperate with you. There is one last thing I'd like to ask from you. "
Syndra furrowed her brows in question looking at the woman suspiciously.
" What are you suggesting? "
Vayne smiled at this and answered.
" It's quite simple. You and I will go on a little trip to hell. "
[...]
* Flashback *
" Oh my god, what the heck? "
She blinked twice staring at the picture for a far longer time than necessary. Elise and Evelynn remained silent giving her the time to process all the new information she received.
" Elise. " Vayne called with a shaky voice. " How is this even possible? "
The Spider Queen kept her eyes expressionless as she scanned the old book and then Vayne before answering.
" Your mother was an undead, Vayne. Don't tell me that the one million year gap between you is still a surprising fact. "
Vayne gripped the edge of the table tightly steadying herself before looking back at the woman.
" But how? How can my mother be related to HER?"
Evelynn who has been silent the whole time finally spoke up not waiting for the Spider Queen's permission.
"What is so difficult to understand here, Vayne? Your mother is related to Eleanor. And it is all because Viola Annette Montcroix is her brother's child damn it! She was the only one to survive her family's slaughter by..."
Her hands hit the table with such force that could easily break it if she didn't hold back the last minute. She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at the two women spelling the one name she's gotten used to spell for so long.
"Thresh. "
Elise and Evelynn exchanged a knowing glance sitting next to Vayne who casually continued her monologue.
" So, I am literally the last of this bloodline. This is why Eleanor can still exist in a spirit and not a soul form. But, if I die on the ritual her soul is going to vanish in order to support the existence of mine. I guess this is how I managed to vanish my mother's soul back then. I don't want to think what will become of me when Thresh finds out that something might happen to Eleanor. My soul would probably go through a pre hell stage before going to the actual hell. "
It was Elise that spoke up this time, her tone would be mistaken for a reassuring one if Vayne didn't know who the Spider Queen really was.
"Well, there is something benefitting out of all this. Thresh is still unaware that you are the last child of this bloodline he's been searching since your mother died. To avoid further trouble, I suggest you keep this from him at any cost. "
Vayne shook her head negatively, not giving the matter a second thought.
" It concerns his wife's life, Elise. It is not on my hands to decide about her fate. Although it disturbs me, he is the one who has to make a choice whether he will let me die or not. I believe he must be aware of all this. "
The Spider Queen nodded acknowledging her decision and stepped aside.
" In that case, you can go Vayne. Prepare yourself and tell him when the time is right. If you happen to come alive out of everything, me and Evelynn would be glad to welcome you to the Shadow Islands; your true home. "
*End of flashback *
[...]
" And this is why I am heading there right now. " Vayne explained to Syndra while walking inside the dark and unforgiving forest of the Shadow Islands. The dark mage smiled deviously looking at Vayne in awe.
" Congratulations, Vayne. I have to admit, I didn't expect you to fight back with such might. I mean, a decision like that? I can't help but wonder what will the Warden choose. Will he sacrifice his precious wife to kill the last child of the Montcroix clan or he will keep you and her alive and swallow his pride putting himself into an eternity of regret and misery about the fact that you were the one, the ONLY one he couldn't truly break? Oh, this is so exciting! I can't wait! "
Vayne's eyes narrowed at the woman but she chose to remain silent. For she didn't know what the best choice was herself. But what concerned her the most was his view. What would he eventually choose?
This question kept on burning inside her mind more and more as the two women were getting closer and closer to their destination after passing through the Shadow Islands teleporting gate. But everything vanished when she spotted the familiar large wooden doors of the mansion.
" Vayne. " Syndra called before walking further. "You still haven't told me why I am here. "
The woman faked a warm smile and turned around to face the mage.
" You are going to help me bring Senna back. And you'd better bring her back as a living human being if you want me to honour our deal. "
Syndra only blinked in response staring down at the petite woman. She was probably insane. How in the worlds would Thresh agree to such a thing?
"Vayne, do you have any idea with who are you going to negotiate with? This man is no joke. What do you even plan to offer him in return?"
Vayne closed her eyes thinking for a moment but opened them instantly in defeat.
"I don't know, Syndra. I guess the price will occur as soon as I talk to him."
The dark mage looked at her bewildered before narrowing her eyes in a rather unsettling way.
"Are you seriously telling me you came here unprepared? Like I said, this man is no joke. There is not a good ending on this."
Vayne shook her head in agreement but remained stuck to her beliefs anyway.
"You don't know him like I do. Things might not end in a good way but at the end of the day I know he will keep his promise. That is one moral he still possesses. Now follow me, we are going inside."
The mage only nodded in response following at the Demacian woman inside the dark half abandoned mansion. Inside there was not a trace of light in the whole building except for a faint green glow on what seemed like a hallway that led to a basement. Vayne recognised this as the dungeon of the house and lost no time on running down the stairs with the dark mage floating behind her. As soon as she entered the room, she was met with a familiar pair of pale green eyes thoroughly scanning her and her company before stepping aside for them to enter further inside the room.
"My my, how unexpected! Just when things were getting boring here on the Islands, two beautiful ladies show up on my doorstep. So tell me, maidens, what could have possibly motivated you to muster up the courage to head straight to the devil's den?"
Vayne huffed in annoyance at his words, making clear she was not on the mood for further word play.
"Quit it, Thresh. I am here because I need to talk to you. You will soon find out why she is here as well." she said pointing at Syndra.
Thresh mockingly rubbed his chin looking at the two women before turning to the brunette with his signature smile.
"Interesting...Syndra, dear, make yourself comfortable here. Me and Lady Vayne will be back shortly." he explained as he took Vayne's hand leading her upstairs to the living room.
When they arrived at the main hall, his grip on her wrist tightened as he slowly lifted her a few centimeters above the ground before throwing her with brute force to the nearest couch. She quickly sat up trying to reach for her crossbow, only to find out it was missing from her back. A look of terror took over her eyes when she saw her only weapon in her assaulter's hands who swung it mockingly in front of her eyes.
"Looking for this?"
She exhaled letting every negative feeling escape her body along with the air that left her lungs as she stood up on her full height and faced him.
"What did I do to get you so mad this time?"
He blinked at her sitting down on the couch and gesturing her to do the same. She obeyed in an attempt to avoid further trouble and waited for him to give her the explanation she was waiting for. Instead, the look on his eyes changed into a more unnerving one as he stared back at her with the same intensity.
"You disobeyed me." he mouthed after a long silence that has fallen between the two. She scratched her head in confusion and blinked twice to process what he had said.
"I...disobeyed you? On what exactly?"
His eyes adapted a darker and more serious look at her question but he held back the urge to hurt her. It was still too early for that.
"I recall telling you not to get involved in any way when the confrontation took place, didn't I?"
She lowered her head understanding his point and slowly nodded.
"And yet you still chose to throw yourself in front of certain death."
Her eyes met his again after this statement, his words making her able to find the determination she has lost.
"You would have died, Thresh. Being grateful to someone who saved you is not a weakness, you know."
Loud laughter echoed through the room completely shifting the atmosphere to a more unpleasant one. She knew where this was going and she didn't like it a bit.
"Now I am offended. To think I would let this scum kill me so easily; that was something I did not expect you to assume. However, no matter what I am expecting from you, at the end of the day you are still living like a human. You act without thinking even though I am sure you are aware of what would happen if you have died back then."
She looked at him half confused half surprised. He couldn't possibly mean what he meant. He couldn't possibly know.
"What do you mean?"
He huffed in annoyance standing up from the couch and walking towards the window, his eyes on the scenery outside. She followed behind him in quiet and unsure steps gazing on the same landscape he did.
"Pretending you don't know what I am talking about won't get you anywhere, Vayne. If you have died that day, Eleanor would have vanished with you."
Her breathing paused for a few seconds and she diverted her gaze to him watching his every expression and move. He knew. He knew about everything.
"How?" was all she asked before he turned around and maniacally grinned at her. Oh, there comes his favourite part.
"I am just so delighted by your curiosity. This is what makes a good victim after all. I knew everything all along. About your mother's past, about Eleanor, about your bloodline; everything. I knew way before you found out about that book."
Her eyes widened in shock as she heard those words. She felt the ground below her feet and the world around her collapsing before her eyes. If he knew all these from the start, why is she still alive?
"But..."
He raised a single finger in front of her lips as he continued to speak.
"I assume your mind is being consumed by questions at the moment. So, let me be kind enough to answer all of them. Don't you find your whole journey so far, strange? You have visited the cellar in your mansion several times but only this one particular day you found your mother's book inside. Didn't you ever wonder why it was there and not in some library in the first place? That is because I knew you would find it there. I knew it would intrigue your human curiosity and you'd start a journey to find out where you come from. I made sure you'd need my help as well and this is the reason I had Vladimir lead you to me. To be honest, Lucian coming along was something I haven't included in my plan but his hot temper and strong feelings for you were truly a boost I have to admit. Graves being able to obtain such enchanted objects wasn't strange to you either?
Despite that, Evelynn, TF and Elise would always keep me updated on what you were up to and this is why I was always two steps ahead of you. It is quite laughable how you considered those three your friends. Honestly, you disappoint me Vayne. Before the quest started you have been one of the most unapproachable, cold and fearsome people Valoran has ever known. You were suspicious of everybody and you let nothing get past you. I didn't expect such a person to evolve to somebody so naive and easy to manipulate. Your human habits and emotions got on the way and you lost track to what really happened around you. You were so busy falling in love with me each day that you didn't even see me destroying you silently for the past months. I expected this to be more challenging, given I was dealing with the -oh so great- Night Hunter. But I guess I overlooked the fact that under all the layers of bravery and ruthlessness, you are still a pathetic human."
Her eyes have watered considerably by the end of his explanation, her mind finally adding the pieces together only to realise he was right. It was him from the start. He had planned everything. From the start of the journey to the very end of it, all for one reason; to break her. And he made it. She wasn't the famous Night Hunter who would spread terror among the world of the undead anymore. At this moment, she was nothing more than a sorrowful little puppet being dragged and played around by her strings. Like Thresh said, she was a pathetic human being. But even now, she still had something from her old self within her soul. No...Vayne, the notorious Night Hunter, was not dead yet. He could take everything from her. He could shatter her to pieces. But one thing he could never ever take away from her was the power of her will. That last silver line piercing through the clouds. Yes, he could break her, but not entirely.
"In that case, let me notify you about something you might not know."
His brows furrowed in question before his face wore an expressionless mask as he gestured her to continue.
"I have had a secret little chat with Eleanor that nobody is aware of. You see, after I found out we were related, I talked to her about it and she made an interesting proposal. She considers a millennium to be a rather long time, too long for her to still be wandering around this world. So, she asked me for a favour. She wants me to free her spirit from the book and let her find peace. I assume this means she will vanish forever and you will not see her again, doesn't it? If that is the case, it must be pretty disturbing to you that I am considering to accept her offer. Am I right?" she finished looking up to him with a confident bright smile that replaced her previous tears. She wasn't planning on using one of her trump cards so soon but the way things turned out, she had no other choice. She had to fight back till the very end. She had to protect her loved ones. She had to protect him.
"I see...That was enlightening. But I am sure you know what will become of you if something happens to her. She belongs to me and if anything happens to one of my favourite possessions I will make sure to turn you into a bloody puddle before your soul makes a trip to hell."
Despite his threats the radiant glow inside her eyes did not fade and her posture did not falter. She had summoned every last drop of willpower she was hiding inside the deepest parts of her soul and she wasn't planning on backing down. The final countdown has started and she knew that the time was here; she had to act fast.
" I wasn't planning to...yet. I have something to ask you and it requires me making yet another hell bound deal with you."
He smiled at her words knowing exactly what she wanted from him.
"I have to agree with you on this. I don't want Lucian involved in my business either and this is why I will consider giving you his wife back. But the price you will have to pay is not as equivalent to what I offer as you think. Do you still want to do this?" he replied with a smile waiting for her to back down and think of another option to win over the argument. To his surprise though, she shook her head taking one step close to him and narrowing her eyes.
"Name your price."
He nodded in response fixing his gaze back to the now darker landscape in front of him, glancing at the massive bare trees that decorated his mansion's garden.
"My request is quite simple. In order for me to allow Syndra to bring Senna back, you will have to devote your life to the will of the book. I know Eleanor is currently working as a seal between you and your true powers, so you will release her from the book and let it guide you to do what you were created to do. Set yourself free."
She took a deep breath thinking at his proposal. If she agreed, this would be the end of her sane days and she'd become just like him, a monster. But what would happen if she refused? Right, Lucian would never have his wife back so he'd get involved in her business and probably end up dying. No, she couldn't allow that. She had promised to protect him from everything, even from herself, and she was planning to keep this promise. After shedding a small tear she hurried to wipe it and looked back at the specter. Recognising the ruthless and stern look she gave him, he smiled. She is finally back, he thought.
"Thresh..."
"Yes?"
"We have a deal."
Author's Note Vol 2: I was literally shaking while writing the Thrayne scene. I don't know if this happens to other writers but I tend to imagine myself inside the scene as a third person when writing in order to interpret or rather convey the feelings of the protagonists and the "atmosphere" of the room directly into my text. This is why I tend to use lots of bold and italics on such scenes, so I apologise if this disturbs you. :) Nevermind, I guess I will move to your comments for now.
DarkStarVarus: We'll get a better glimpse of Lucian's feelings next chapter ;)
iHookGirls: Consider this included. Green Day rule!
NightBoosted3: Thanks!
AndHisNameIsCena: Typical league chat language xD
Cupcake Girl: Glad to know!
Glowing Doom: Has-a-key? :D
See you on Friday with Chapter 28 with a taste of both purification and...possibly torture *wink* xoxoxo