And now for something slightly different! This a part of ABLADD, only it is a side story going on at the same time. Huzzah Riv/Yas!
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Yasuo stood over his brother's grave hot tears running down his cheeks. Yone had only done his duty to his clan. The clan declared him a traitor for an act he didn't commit. No one, not even his brother, believed his innocence. In fact, if he didn't know better himself...he'd believe them as well. The only two people for hundreds of miles that knew wind attacks was himself, and his master. There is no one else who knows such arts. That is his only clue to his redemption.
Until he proves his innocence, he will be hunted. No matter how far he runs, people will want him dead. People who will because of this misunderstanding. Yasuo refuses to give up and die. No matter how often people try to kill him, he will make sure they can't do so again. How many dead bodies will he leave behind him in this quest? No matter. Once runeterra knows the truth the needless killing can stop. Where should I go now? How can I find the truth?
As the wind by his side shifts to the right, he looks towards the direction it blows. The wind always guides him true. Shoving his brother's word into the swallow grave as a marker, Yasuo turns and walks away. Not looking back, Yasuo follows the wind. Like his emotions it swirls and twists around uncertain. Yet, it still returns to the same general direction. Southward. His journey is in the southern lands. Perhaps the wind will lead him out of Ionia.
No one from his clan has ever left Ionia. Why would they? The outside world is troubled, restless. Countless, needless wars wage across the continent. The lands of Demacia and Noxus shed blood without care. There is no honor in their struggle, just the greed of power. It sickens him. There is no honorable Noxian, or good Demacian. After all, the Noxians have started to invade his home. How many of his people have been slaughtered over their pointless greed? And the so called righteous Demacians have not lifted a single finger to help. Some good they are. Hypocrites all of them! Dark troubled thoughts plague him as he travels.
It doesn't help that the world around him lay in ruins. Several villages laid to waste. As he travels he recognizes some of the landmarks. The villages Karma, Irelia, Lee Sin, and Yi love so much have been razed to the ground. Countless graves dot the landside. So many unmarked graves. If there is no family to pray for them, what will their souls do? Who will honor them? Remember their histories? Such needless violence over nothing. Nothing!
The saddest carnage he passed was what remained of Yi's village. A large area of ground sits poisoned, tainted. Foul poisons will rot this ground for thousands of generations. No good will every come from this place again. What is sad, is that several bodies lay unburied. No one can get them for a proper burial. No proper ritual burials for them. Nothing will be done for their bodies. Not even scavengers have touched the bodies, leaving nothing behind but bloated rotting corpses. Noxian and Ionian alike have no respite from the taint.
Still, his people have done the best for their dead. The trees left unscathed closest to the battleground have been used as markers. Proper grave markers, temples, and offerings are in place. The names of people who are remembered are carved into smooth stone tombstones. Oddly enough, and sickening enough, there is proper markings for the Noxians. Someone left behind a gravestone for them. Their names are etched into the stone, expensive lotus blossom incense burns low, and offerings of rice are left prepared. It makes his stomach turn with disgust. Who dares to honor such scum? Surely no Ionian in their right mind would do such a thing! Whoever did this is just as much a traitor he is. They should be exiled, instead of him. Who honors the dead of those who have no honor? No matter, he isn't here to reminisce over the foolish. He is here to honor the dead before leaving Ionia.
The winds of fate honor him. Only a few Ionians actually are a threat to him. Master Yi, Irelia, Shen, Akali, and Kennen are the foremost in his mind. Yet, they have gone to the League of Legends. A place of supposed peace. This group of champions are said to fight for their lands, to bring justice and end needless bloodshed. It is neutral ground, safe for him. Even though the most dangerous people in all of Ionian reside there, they cannot harm him. He will register with this League for sanctuary while he searches for the truth. It will give a place to sleep safely at night, say his prayers, and spar without killing anyone.
As far as he could find out, there is a section for people without a faction. There is lodging for him, a small cafeteria with food, and a small pay at the end of each week. Careful not to be detected, Yasuo registers with the council and the Summoners. Shortly after registering, he is led down to a chamber for Judgment. Supposedly this a terror, but nothing scars him anymore. After all, he has nothing left to lose. No family, no loved ones, not even any honor left for him to lose. What does he have to fear from a mere room? As he pushes open the door and steps inside the empty chamber, a bright light surrounds him. It blinds him, bringing him to a vision of horror.
Before him stands his brother. His sword is at the ready, his eyes cold. Unlike before, there is no emotions in his eyes. Nothing but emptiness. Blood red leaves fall around them, turning the wind blood red. He is cold, no freezing! Gasps of air escapes his lungs as he struggles to focus. To his horror, he finds himself unable to move as his brother dashes at him. As his brother swords pushes into his chest, he finds that his sword came up into his brothers stomach. Both of them are dying. Hot blood gushes from both of them, coating them.
"Traitor! You deserved worse than this...I...hate...you...honorless...cur..." Yone gasps out voice full of hatred before his eyes close for good.
Suddenly he finds himself alive in an empty chamber. Cold air surrounds him. He is informed by a booming voice that he has passed. That he must face his inner turmoil in order to be guided by a summoner. With a shake of his head to clear the dark thoughts, he nods his head in silent agreement. Without looking back, he leaves that dreaded chamber. Perhaps he has made a mistake by coming here? He'd hope for a chance at peace to find leads. No! I refuse to let a mere room defeat me. I need to calm down.
Restless, he explores the Halls of Justice. Ignoring the dusty abandoned hallways, he turns outside. There are several gardens. Most of them are ugly, but there is a small simple one tucked aside. Finding a sense of peace in this small garden, Yasuo takes a deep breath. Breathing deeply, he pulls out his flute and starts to play.
Sometime during his soothing melody he senses someone approach. Their aura is nonthreatening. All they seem to be doing is listening. Ignoring their rude intrusion he continues his song. Once he finishes, he turns to glare at his intruder. To his surprise is a woman of strength. A heavy, broken blade rests lightly in her hands. Light armor rests over her, showing a confidence in her skills. A sense of sorrow is oozes from her. A small smile crosses her face, before she blushes and looks away.
"I'm sorry to intrude. It is just that I haven't heard such a beautiful rendition of Liu Song's Maple Leaf in so long. Once I heard you play, I followed the sound to find you. All I wanted to do is listen to such a calming song. I apologize, it appears I disturbed you. I will leave now." The young woman says formally, in proper Ionian.
To his shock, he is given a deep bow of respect before she turns to leave. It has been so long since he has been treated such. So far no one in this cursed land has shown any sign of being civilized. More than that, no one has shown him such respect in Ionia for years. It hits him hard, a sense of home sickness. A desperation not to lose this little bit of familiarity causes him to act strangely. To reach out and grasp a small piece of home.
"Wait! You weren't...intruding. I'm just used to solitude. It pleases me to see such civilized behavior here, in this honorless place. I had not expected to be treated as such. My name is Yasuo. It is my pleasure to met such a noble Ionian, so far from home." Yasuo replies to her with a formal bow, reserved for an equal.
If this woman is here with such a weapon then she is surely a champion. To his shock, surprise, and slight dismay a look of horror crosses her face. Something he said has upset her. What though? Surely he did everything right. It has been years since he has been in Ionian, or talked to someone from Ionia, so he is out of practice. Yet, surely he didn't mess up that badly?
"My name is Riven. It is a pleasure to met such a fine warrior here. I...must go now. Again, I am sorry to have intruded." Riven says softly.
A look of sorrow flashes in her eyes confusing Yasuo. What did he do wrong to upset her so? Here, so far from Ionia he finally found a small piece of home. Did she recognize him as an exile? No, that couldn't be the case. Any proper Ionian would never treat him like such if they knew he was an exile. That he dishonored his clan so. Without another word, Riven turns away from him and disappears into the shadows.
Something about that woman intrigues him deeply. It goes beyond her shocking beauty. Sure, she is amazing lovely. Pure white hair, clear brown eyes, and creamy skin seem ethereal almost spiritual. The way she carries such a heavy weapon indicates raw strength something that turns him on. This Riven is no shrinking maiden, but a true warrior. A woman who has proven herself in battle. More than that, she has treated him like an equal. Something he didn't know he needed until it was gone. Just that little glimpse of home, strikes him hard. He must get to know her more.
Well, this is the place to learn more. He has time to learn about the traitor who ruined his life, but he doesn't know how much time he has with Riven. Tucking away his flute in a pocket he leaves the garden with purpose. As the days pass, he learns little bits about her. Snippets of knowledge here and there, nothing big though. She is factionless, which seems odd. Surely such a noble Ionian would be with Ionia, but she isn't. He finds out that she was in a tragic battle against Noxian forces, and lost everything. In her failure, she left everything behind and traveled aimlessly. He feels a deep connection with her. He has found another exile in this foreign place. Someone who understands his pain. Another warrior running from her past, trying to find redemption in a world that offers none.
What truly surprises him, however, is when he faces her in battle. Both of them frequent the top, and very rarely the middle lane. When she first used wind based attacks him, it got him killed. Where in the world did she learn such methods? He's never seen anything like it Ionia! It is definitely and Ionian attack style. Yet, he's never seen anything like it. It intrigues him deeply. Perhaps she knows something about the man who killed his master.
After living crossing paths with her numerous times, and the little bits of knowledge he gathered about her, he knows her to be a woman of honor. There is no way she would attack and kill an elderly man without warning. She would give him a fair fight. Not kill him in the middle of the night like a ninja. Carefully he studied the cursed ninja's the live here, yet none of them show any wind attack methods.
Perhaps luckily for him, or unlucky, all Ionians but Riven ignore him. None of them acknowledge his presence. None of them threaten him in the least. It is as if he doesn't exist to them. As much as their ignoring him brings him peace about being attacks, his nonexistence hurts. Being ignored in Ionia never bothered him. Yet, in this honorless place so far from home, their treatment stings. Only Riven acknowledges him, yet, she never stays long in his presence.
As far as he can tell, he said something to upset her. To his complete dismay he has yet to figure out what. He can't fix his mistake and become her friend if he doesn't know what is wrong. As the months pass, he grows restless. One day he sees why. Irelia and Karma are both dressed formally to honor the dead. It is the time of year to show respect to the deceased. He needs to show Yone, and his master, proper respect. To offer up his prayers of apology, and remember them. With a firm purpose he heads into a small town just outside of the Halls of Justice.
To his luck, there is a store that sells the incense he needs. Perhaps because he is so late in getting the supplies, but he gets the last of the lotus blossom incense. As he purchases the incense he spots Riven walking into the store with purpose. Discreetly he waits outside for her. Surely this a great time to talk to her! Maybe they can honor the dead together. As he listens in, he finds out that she needs to buy some lotus blossom incense. At her sigh of unhappiness at not finding any, he feels joy. Finally he has found a way to spend time with her! As Riven walks out of the store, head held high, but eyes full of regret he stops her.
"If you're honoring the dead without a name, I have some incense you can have. If I had known you needed some, I would not have bought the rest. Here, take this." Yasuo says with quiet respect.
Making sure his Ionian is perfect he waits for her response. To his joy, he recieves a bow of thanks and a smile. As he hands her the incense their hands touch. A spark of desire flares between them. Riven looks away from him in shock. Surely she isn't upset at this?
"Thank you Yasuo." Riven tells him formally, with a deep bow.
"I have found a small garden with a temple in the center. We can offer our prayers there. It has everything for the right rituals. No one else uses it. Yi, Irelia, Karma, Shen, Kennen, and Akali all have personal shrines. We won't run into them." Yasuo explains quickly before she leaves.
"That...would be nice. It is hard to not be able to find peace here. So much noise and activity. A little piece of Ionia is a pleasant surprise." Riven tells him softly.
Pleasure at her agreement to spend time with him wars with his unhappiness at her sorrow. Sometimes he wonders why she doesn't spend time with the other Ionians. She has nothing done nothing worthy of their distain like he has.
"Riven, you can't run from your past. I know. Your spirit and sword may be broken, but that doesn't mean you can't rebuild them." Yasuo tells her seriously.
"You know nothing of my pain Yasuo." Riven snaps at him.
"Both of our pasts weigh heavy. Perhaps mine weighs more than your sword. You should not dismiss other's feelings." Yasuo tells her seriously, refusing to let her brush him away.
"Perhaps you are right. I apologize for dismissing your past. When can you show me this garden?" Riven replies with neutral tone of voice, and deep bow.
"I can show you tomorrow. We both have matches at noon, we can meet afterwards in the garden where we first met." Yasuo says, voice also neutral returning the bow.
As they part paths, Yasuo wonders what part of her past makes her so weary. Whatever happened in that battle changed her for the worse. Something he wants to change for the better. He knows deep inside that they can heal each other. Somehow, over the course of getting to know her, he's fallen in love. Although they haven't talked much, he has observed her. Everything about her appeals to him.
Despite her troubled past, Riven treats everyone with respect. Everyone is treated as an equal, as if there is nothing sour between them. Her presence is battle is firm, powerful, and assertive. She is confident, quiet, and reserved. Yet, when the need arrives she doesn't hesitate to speak up. That, and one rare occasions he has seen a sorrow in her eyes that mirrors his own. If only she'd let him get close! No matter, he'll get his chance tomorrow. A chance he won't mess up. Once Yasuo reaches his room, he starts his preparations for tomorrow.
First he makes sure that his best yukata is clean, and ready. All of the supplies he needs to honor his dead are prepared and ready. The last thing he gets ready is some very good sake. He has to be prepared to be rejected again. What is the best way to cure being shoved aside again? Getting drunk! Once everything is ready, he puts them in a bag and sets it down by the door. As he drifts off to sleep, he dreams of white hair, brown eyes, and sad smiles.
The next day passes slowly. Eager to spend alone time with Riven, time never seems to pass quickly enough. Once his battle on the Fields of Justice start, he works as hard as he can. The quicker the match is over, the better! Sure enough, he dominates his mid lane opponent. He is facing that cur known as Zed. Despite also being an exile from Ionia, Zed is a dark mark. Not only is he a ninja, he kills for power. Refusing to honor the way things, he slaughters he fellows with pleasure. It brings Yasuo gets great pleasure to defeat such a ninja in battle. Well, killing any ninja feels good, but soundly defeating such a smear on life is doubly good.
As he exits the room, he finds Riven waiting for him. She does not have her sword with her. Instead of being dressed in her standard armor and clothing, she is wearing a simple yukata. It is a dark green with patterns of leaves on it. Her hair is done up, but with a different style than normal. Held tightly in her hands is a small bag with the supplies she requires. Instead of the usual aloof look she gives him, there is something different in her gaze. Something that pleases him. He doesn't recognize the look, but it is a good one.
"Let me change, then I'll show you the way." Yasuo tells her.
Going as quick as he can, Yasuo changes into his yukata. Making sure his wild hair is as tame as he can make it, he goes to meet her. His dark blue yukata has a pattern of interlocking squares on it. Giving her a deep bow, he mentions for her to follow him. Quietly she falls instep beside him. Silently they walk side by side through the gardens. Once they reach the garden he wants to show, she lets out a small gasp of surprise.
"This is perfect." Riven tells him with joy.
The two of them set up their respective temples, and start their prayers. They both say the same prayer. Both of them pray for the nameless dead who died pointless deaths. Soon their voices join harmony, as they both honor those long gone. Once they stop praying, Riven looks away as if ashamed.
"I should leave. I don't belong here, like this. With you. I should honor my dead somewhere else. I showed a moment of weakness. I'm sorry Yasuo." Riven tells him with deep sorrow.
"Wait! Don't leave. Why don't you belong? We're both the same...we both have the blood of innocents on our blades. We both have pasts that weight so much that we can never truly run from them. Why do you brush me aside? I want..." Yasuo asks desperately, grabbing her wrist stopping her from leaving.
"You don't want me Yasuo. No one wants me. No one should want me. Look! Look at my grave marker! Do you recognize it? You should! I'm honoring the Noxians who died in the battle over Master Yi's village. I was the commander who lead my men against innocent Ionians. I am responsible for countless deaths of innocent Ionians. I do not deserve anyone's respect for my actions. Much less your respect as much as I want...Never mind. I've said too much. I need to go." Riven tells him harshly, yanking her wrist.
Yasuo refuses to her go. As shocking as her tale is, it doesn't bother him much. Sure enough, her past is heavy. Yet, it isn't her fault that such slaughter happened. He's learned a lot about that battle in his search for information. The vile man known as Singed is the one responsible. He was ordered to kill the Noxians and Ionians. All the Noxians were doing was following orders. Not all Noxians took pleasure in the slaughter they caused. A lot of them were just following orders. That is honorable. Wasn't Yone just following orders when he attacked him? She's done nothing but act with respect. Despite her following honors to raze Ionia, she still learned their culture. Instead of rejecting the beauty around her, she embraced it. That is beyond honorable. It is an amazing show of good character.
"I don't care about that. I care about you. I've learned to love the woman who treats everyone with respect. Who learned to embrace the beauty of a culture foreign to her, to learn to love it. A woman who bears the scars from the past, yet refuses to give up. Someone who is a strong warrior who refuses to give up. Please...please don't go. I've wanted to have a moment of privacy with you for so long. Please don't leave yet." Yasuo says, almost begging near the end.
To his joy, she doesn't leave. She just lets out a sigh, and sits down next to him. Smoothing at her yukata she turns to face him. The evening light gives her an ethereal look. She gives him a smile. A smile that warms him to his very core.
"I'm glad you think so. You're a man I admire. I've wanted to get to know you as well, but I've been afraid. Afraid that you'll reject me once you learned the truth. Now that I know better, I feel joy. A feeling of happiness I was afraid I could never feel again." Riven tells him with a smile.
"This calls for a celebration! And I know just the way. Here, let me share this..." Yasuo says with joy.
Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine she would feel the same way towards him. He'd thought that he would have to work hard to win her over. To show her his good traits, prove that he is worthy of her. And the best way to celebrate anything is with drinking. Luckily, he brought his best stuff with him. Pulling out his bottle of sake, he pours himself a full glass before doing the same for her. All she does is roll her eyes at him before downing her sake. With a distinct snap, she sets down her glass ready for her next shot. She is challenging him to a traditional celebratory drinking match. I am the luckiest man alive! Downing his sake with speed, he then pours them each another glass.
As the night starts, and begins to pass the two of them finish off the sake. Both of them are flushed and talking loudly. Soon enough they are swapping stories about bar fights. The noble acting Riven has gotten into several bar fights. It pleases him that she is sharing her less then perfect past with him. As she giggles after one of his stories, that he proudly acts out, he falls over landing on her. As he lies on top of her, he goes breathless. Never before has he been in such a situation. All she does is smile welcomingly at him. Using one of his hands, he undoes her hair, having it cascade around her face.
"Love me. For this one night, let's forget our past and live in the moment." Riven whispers at him before leaning up and kissing him deeply.
Uncertain if it is because t hey are drunk or not, but he follows her request. A part of him burns with desire. Yasuo wants her, wants to show her how much he feels for her. With awkward eagerness, he slides her yukata off her shoulders. As her pale skin gleams in the silver moonlight he starts to kiss her shoulders, before working his way down to her breasts. Riven moans with pleasure at his efforts, causing him to kiss her more. As he begins to kiss her more, she squirms a bit freeing up her arms.
With eagerness, she also slides his yukata off his shoulders, then off him entirely. Breaking off his kisses, he looks at her. Her eyes are bright with desire and need. But there is more than that in her gaze. An emotion deep and wild stares back at him. As she wraps her arms around his neck she pulls him close. Leaning upwards she captures his month with hers. Their tongues start to mingle against each other, probing eager to explore each other's mouth. Pressing downward with his knee, he parts her legs. She spreads them without hesitance. As he continues to kiss her, one of his hands starts to wander south.
As it travels down her magnificent body, he takes him exploring her. Gently he traces her scars, and her navel. Every part of her is amazing, and he wants to admire her. As his hand starts to explore her, one of her hands wrap around him. Soon enough, her hands are exploring him. Just as tenderly, respectfully, she traces his scars. Shivers of pleasure go through him. She isn't revolted by his scars, but admires his as much as he admires her. She matches him perfectly. As their hands explore each other's body, he decides to take it a step further.
Shifting downward, he firmly presses his hand against her womanhood. At his touch, Riven lets out a gasp of pleasure. As he starts to probe, stroke, and massage her, he can feel her body start to arc upwards with need. Lovingly kissing her, he slowly enters her. He finds no residence, and to his joy she presses up against him, drawing him in deeper. At first he goes slow and steady, working up a rhythm. With his every movement she matches his, her hands wrapped around his back. Once he starts to go in faster and harder, her moans get louder and more urgent. Strong hands grip his shoulders, leaving bruises. The more she moans beneath him, the more he wants her. To his joy, he can feel her start to reach her peak. Making sure she feels amazing, he alters his angle some pressing down deeper. He can feel her body tighten with desire against him, letting him know he's pleasured her right. The knowledge that he brought to such levels causes him to release his load. Once he finishes emptying his essence deep into her he nuzzles her neck. Laying side by side, the two of them hold hands content to be with each other.
"Yasuo, you deserve better than me. You deserve to be free of your past, to be able to return home. You don't belong here, among us barbarians. You belong among the small villages surrounded by snow covered mountains." Riven tells him softly, her voice having an odd tone to it.
"I don't want anyone else. And when I'm free of my past, we can return to Ionia together. Once the monster that slaughtered my master is dead, I'll be free. We'll be free." Yasuo tells her, his voice heavy with emotion.
"Let's sleep Yasuo. I'm sure you'll be free of your past soon, and you'll be able to return home. The wind is by your side, it'll lead you true. I'll make sure of it." Riven whispers in his ear before snuggling close against him.
As he drifts off to sleep he brushes off her odd words. Something about the things she said seems alarming, but he can't figure out what. No matter! She is by his side. For the first since the death of his brother, things are looking up. He's found pleasure with an amazing woman, and he can just tell things are about to change. A deep feeling of contentment fills him. Tomorrow will be a good day. But for now, he is going to sleep.
As the sun rises above the garden walls, the all too familiar pounding headache of a hangover greets him. Squinting his eyes against the annoyingly bright sunlight, he notices with alarm that Riven is missing. She is nowhere nearby, nor is any of her belongings. Did he do something wrong? He could have sworn that after last night they would be together. Pain spiking in skull with every step, he gathers his belongings. Not as gracefully as he would have liked, he stumbles to his room. Setting down his meager items, he sits down to think. Something he did upset Riven. Now that he knows she cares for him, he'll find out what he did wrong. And fix it! No, do more than fix his mistake! Show her how much he wants her to be happy. With that plan in mind Yasuo heads out the door again.
Wandering the halls looking for Riven, he spots no sign of her. This isn't too alarming. After all, she'll have a hangover too. Perhaps she's resting her in room? That'd be a great place to look for her. As he approaches her room, he finds it hallway oddly empty. As he knocks on her door, there is no reply. Deciding that she is probably deep asleep still, he turns away. To the far right a young servant boy eyes him with an odd expression.
"What." Yasuo growls.
"Um, she's gone you know. Champion Riven left on personal business early this morning. I just thought you should know since you like..." before the young boy can finish Yasuo takes off running.
Sprinting with the wind guiding him, Yasuo reaches the Summoners office quickly. As he rushes into the office, he notices that none of the workers will look him in the eye. Something happened, and he doesn't know what. A menacing growl escapes his throat. What has that foolish, stubborn, hard headed woman done?
"Where. Is. She." Yasuo snarls.
"She requested personal leave about a month ago. Said she had personal business in Ionia that needed attending too. Something that she has put off too long." One of the young secretaries stammers.
Fear spikes in his heart. There could only be one thing she needs to do, and that is atone for her supposed sins. She could get herself killed! No matter what could happen to him in Ionia, he has to stop her from hurting herself. The mere thought of her in pain twists his stomach painfully.
"I'm going after her. Do whatever needs to be done." He says with a rush, as he dashes out the door.
Only spending a couple minutes to pack his sword and a single set of spare clothing he runs out the building. He can't take the League's teleportation station to Ionia, it'll lead him to heart of his enemies. No, he has to go to a local village for transportation. He just prays that he'll catch her in time. So many things can go wrong. Not everyone is as open minded as he is about the battle she was in. If the wrong people find out her supposed crimes, they'll kill her. He can't let that happen! There has to be a way to show her that there are other ways to redemption. Once he catches up with her, and stops her from hurting herself they can find honor together. Certainly with her, and the wind by his side he can find the man responsible for killing his master. I'm coming Riven...armed with a new mission, a new purpose in life Yasuo runs towards an uncertain future, leaving the League far behind him.