When the protective shell of peace faded and the frail harmony crumbled, good intentions only went so far. The truth had been in front of me; I couldn't turn away, so I closed my eyes from it. I buried myself in the smiles of times long past, believing that if I prayed hard enough those days would return. Sometimes, even prayers aren't answered the way we want.
- Memoirs of Luxanna Crownguard
The Sentient Ark, Undying Realm
No wind brushed past her face as Fiora stood at the edge of the platform, tiled a smooth, glossy black like obsidian. Yet, there was no stench of stagnation to the air as she stared past the brilliant white ledge that rose a just few inches above the ground. Watching as what resembled debris approached and passed her by in the surrounding space, this was unlike any other place she had been. The air was neither cold nor hot; it had no flavor as she breathed it in. In the distance, it was neither light nor dark, yet everything was visible around her. Nothing seemed tangible in the surrounding space, yet the floor underneath her felt as real as she did. To even call this place reality was a far stretch of the word.
"The forces of dark magic run rampant around us." Vayne's words were filled with disgust as she held her smaller crossbow in striking position, wary of her surroundings to attack at a moment's notice.
"Right." Twisting herself around on her heels, the swordswoman took a few firm steps to rejoin the rest of her companions. "I've seen it happen…during my fight with Kolminye. Chaos dense enough can alter reality and change it into however the caster wills. For her, she transformed the darkness of the Void into a false light of Valoran."
Their footsteps echoed as they moved in unison. Any formation they had agreed upon in the Catacombs was abandoned, as it was all but useless in such an exposed area. Having a full view of the path ahead of her should have given Fiora ease; only it didn't, as she wondered if sight was really reliable in such an environment for detecting enemies. Stay vigilant. It can't hurt. Nearing the opposite end of the platform, she noticed that it ended abruptly. A second platform was suspended in the distance, separated by far too great a stretch of emptiness for anyone to be capable of traversing. Great, now where do we-
The Demacian never got the chance to complete her thoughts, as numerous thin panels ascended from below. Halting in perfect formation, the brilliant white slabs instantly created a series of stairs that bridged the distance between the two walkways.
"Should we trust such an atrocity of nature?" Shen's eyes glowed with suspicion as he stared at the newly formed path ahead. Even with the lower part of his face covered, a look of disgust had been plastered on his face the moment they were transported to the Sentient Ark. Having been trained to be adept at detecting even subtle traces of dark magic, the all-encompassing presence of Chaos energy around him was stifling.
Walking past him without the slightest indication of responding, Fiora planted a set of firm footsteps onto the floating panels. Stopping after a few steps, she turned her gaze back towards the others, cerulean eyes devoid of emotion as she had only one purpose in mind. "Trust it? Not even close. But if they wanted us dead, they could have dropped us like ants into the abyss below the moment we got here. Also, it's not like we have another option."
The sound of footsteps followed behind her as she continued up the ephemeral steps. To say that she felt as confident as her words suggested was as far from the truth as could be. Every step of the way, specks of light glinted amongst the green nebulous clouds that flowed in the distance between the floating panels under her feet, interrupted only by the occasional passage of flying debris. It looked almost majestic, reminiscent of images taken of space from atop the Ironspike Mountains on a clear night. Breathtaking as it is dangerous. One missed step or loose plank was all it'd take to send her pluging into whatever abyss waited for her below. The only thing that placated this fear was an even more terrifying thought. So much for our plan of escaping through that portal once we find her. Once again…we're trapped with no way out of this damn place.
Reaching the top of the steps, Fiora let out a soft growl upon laying eyes on the surroundings in front of her. Bolts of light shimmered brilliantly as they gently breezed past her path, carried by winds undetectable by her conscious senses. She could sense no malice or power behind them, and instead found her environment almost dazzling. Gasps from behind her reached her ears, causing her to turn and lay eyes on the expressions of awe plastered on her companions' faces.
"What are these things?" Fiora mused to herself in a low tone as she turned towards one of the small sparks that flew close to her. Holding her hand out, she allowed it to land softly on her palm, feeling a light tickling sensation brushing along her skin. Pausing for a moment as it came into contact with her hand, the mysterious spark spontaneously dispersed, transforming into delicate trails of light that rose for a few inches above her face before disappearing altogether.
"So who do you think came up with this place?" Talon scanned the surroundings as he spoke in awe of what he was witnessing. Having grown up with the simple task of surviving, he never contemplated the existence of such anomalies. Life was so straightforward until now; one target, one goal at a time. Nothing had prepared him for everything that had taken place since his departure from the Institute.
"Who knows? There's no way to tell if this place was even intentional or just the result of the entropy of uncontrolled Chaos." Fiora wanted to believe the words that she had spoken. Deep down, though, she knew that this place was far too intricately designed for a natural anomaly. "If it was purposely created for us, I can think of only one person left out there who could control Chaos energy to such an extent…and we've fallen right into their hands."
"Kiersta Mandrake…the last remaining member of the High Councilors." Vayne's fingers curled into a tight fist as she spoke, leather gloves producing high pitched scrunches as they rubbed together. Emerging onto the edge of the platform with one final step gave her no ease as thoughts of the enemy Summoner filled her mind. "The Rune Mage from Zaun, one so powerful yet held no allegiance to her homeland. Despite this, even amongst the Zaunite government, she was once called the Matriarch of Magi. Shaped by the harsh reality of that industrial country, she traveled the world to recruit talented mages even before the existence of the League."
"Recruit them…why? I thought you said she didn't even associate herself with the state." Ezreal stared at the night hunter as she rose, patting his hands against his coat to rid it of the stale stench that lingered from the catacombs.
"For her own private faction." Stepping away from the others, Vayne stared into the distance. Eyebrows arching, she scanned the abomination that was their current environment. "Zaun isn't exactly known for their magic for a reason. The state abandoned it in favor of industrialization, even at the cost of its population's public health. Magi were few within its borders and to survive against a people that demonstrated only prejudice against the use of magic, one could not simply survive as a lone mage. Only-"
"There weren't many skilled Magi within its borders…" The words escaped the blonde explorer's lips the moment this realization occurred to him, interrupting the Demacian hunter. "So she looked outside of Zaun, found people with high magic potential and offered to train them. In exchange, her mage sect gains power and influence within the country."
"Precisely." Pushing her glasses against the bridge of her nose with a finger, Shauna spun around on her heels to focus her gaze on the others. "In the end, she had enough power to start a civil war for control. Until she left to establish the Institute of War, the Zaunite government was almost cowering in fear. She went on to continue this practice with the League, scouring the world to recruit powerful magi into the League. She did so without regard for all else, going so far as to even recruiting children into the Institute."
Fiora let out a soft snort at those words, crossing her arms over her chest as closed her eyes in annoyance. Lowering her head to allow fine strands of purple to drape over her face, she maintained an expression of disgust. "How repulsive, to nurture such behavior. I cringed everytime I had to fight in the same arena as that little girl, Annie Hastur, a child no older than ten being used as a weapon."
Unbeknownst to her, the gazes of her companions focused on her as she spoke. Being honest with themselves, she was the last person any of them had expected to display any sort of maternalistic care for others. Having known her for being cold and distant under all but the most extreme of circumstances, her words gave them a surprising relief that perhaps there really was an actual person underneath the hard exterior.
"What's this? Our Fiora actually has a soft spot for children? Didn't think she was capable of such human emotions." Talon's remark caused the swordswoman's gaze to shoot up instantly in irritation, staring at him with icy intent. His heart skipped a beat the moment he realized this look, taking a quick step backwards as he held his hands up in defeat. "Woah, easy there. Doesn't mean it's a bad thing. Just…never thought I'd hear you say such things."
The thought of swinging a fist into the Noxian's jaw filled her mind, requiring all of her inhibitions to hold back this reaction. Closing her eyes as she shook her head in annoyance, she couldn't help but realize that the words didn't bother her as much as she initially thought. "It's…not that I care about them or anything. It's just…it terrifies me…to see someone doing such a thing." The words had slipped before she could stop them. She knew that all eyes were on her, and that trying to stop now was pointless. "She deserves a childhood. Even if there is some inherent darkness in her, promoting it by using her to kill at such a young age is unacceptable. Because…in the end…"
"She would have ended up like you." Vayne spoke with hesitation as she realized the significance of the younger Demacian's struggled pause. "Not like it matters anymore, but even so, that's what bothered you the most, wasn't it?"
"Ah…right." Letting out a sigh of defeat, Fiora brushed aside purple bangs as took a few steps forward to distance herself from the others. "The only difference is that I chose to do what I did. What that mage did was manipulate a child without even giving her the choice."
"Well, let's save it for the real deal then." Talon rested an uneasy hand on the swordswoman's shoulder as he closed the distance between them. He felt her muscles flinch under his fingers, but relaxed when she made no indications of moving away or retaliating. "I know I haven't been the most encouraging of people, but we've come so far. You've already taken down two of them, just one more and it'll all be over. We can go back home then…and you'll get a second chance at the life you've been searching for."
Cerulean eyes stared past dull strands of purple at the Noxian as Fiora turned her head, eyelids held low in a far softer fashion than he was previously used to. Turning away again, she bowed her head slightly as she took a deep breath. "Talon…thank you."
Reaching the edge of the new path, a second set of panels rose to form a spiraling staircase that led to a large hexagon-shaped platform. As the last of their party ascended this, reaching level ground to let out a breath of relief, dense black wisps descended from the skies. A high pitched whistle filled the air as they neared, flying past them to collide with the floating platform. Loud crashes replaced the whistling as the ground under them shook.
Fiora landed on her back as she fell off balance, using her arms to quickly prop herself back up on instinct. Rising to her feet as the platform stabilized from the initial shock, a part of her was thankful that the collision wasn't enough to send it plunging into oblivion. The feeling was short-lived, as the dust settled to reveal a pond of Chaos energy that simmered like boiling water. A dark flash of light filled her vision moments later, causing a low groan to escape her lips.
"Get up! It's coming." No sooner had her words left her mouth than her vision begin to adjust to the surroundings. Fiora opened her eyes wide in horror as her last breath escaped her involuntarily, swallowing a moment later against the rising heartbeat of panic in her chest. She felt the muscles in her neck creak as her head rose to an upward gaze, the hazy wisps of darkness merging together to solidify into a large robed figure.
Standing not more than just a dozen feet from the Demacian swordswoman was a towering humanoid, its feature hidden by a cloak of Chaos energy that seemed to compose its entire body. Summoning her Ragnarok instantly, her grip over it tightened as her allies regained their footing. "What are you?"
Shadowy robes wrinkled as arms extended forward, curved scythes extending downward from each of the cloaked appendages. Gusts formed the moment the pitch-black blades swung forward, a trail of smoke rising from each of the sharpened edges as the air began to settle. Raising its head, the figure allowed its robes to fall back slightly, revealing its face to be nothing more than an abyss of emptiness. There were no facial features underneath the dark cloak, only more shadows that seethed of malicious intent.
"So, you've made it this far."
The voice seemed to come from all directions, sending icy chills along Fiora's spine. It was a voice that she had heard before, one that always came to taunt her when she felt most vulnerable. A part of her wondered if the shade was really there, or was it yet another projection inside of her mind. One glance towards her companions arming themselves into battle stance was all it took to dispel that idea. "I said, what are you? Answer me!"
A deep, sinister laugh echoed through the air. Despite the trembling intensity of the gesture, not even the most subtle of movements could be seen in the cloaked figure. "A mere shadow of something far greater."
Fiora remained silent, biting her lower lip with her teeth as her eyes narrowed into an icy gaze. With a circular swing of her sword to the side, she brought her right foot backwards into a defensive position. Holy magic flowed along the edge of her divine blade as she watched the shadowy figure for the slightest of movements that would indicate an impending attack.
"I have what it is you want."
Her icy gaze never left her opponent as the swordswoman repeated the words in her head. She found herself taken aback by the shadowy shade's statement. "What I want? There is nothing I would ever want from something like you."
"Is that so? Why is it then…that you are still here?"
A choking sensation rose to her throat as Fiora quickly realized the significance behind those words. Swinging her blade forward, she held its pointed tip towards the shadowy creature's head. Anger and panic struck her chest, producing a deep pain as her heart pounded rapidly under her ribs. A yellow glint reflected off of the delicate glowing rune symbols on her blade, appearing in and out of her field of vision that could only mean her arm was shaking uncontrollably. She brought her free hand over, wrapping her arm over her torso, both to hold back the trembling and to keep herself from rushing forward in a fury. "Give her back. Give her back now!"
"By what right do you have to make such a demand? You are the reason she is here. You are the reason why her life will bring about my Extrication."
"Your extrication…you're-" Her heart sunk as those words reached her ears. The truth she had tried so hard to deny to herself came crashing down on her. Somehow, hearing the enemy confirm the blame she knew was on her cut through what remained of her fragile resolve. She didn't need to turn around to realize the shock on the faces of her allies; the disorganized shifting of their bodies the only thing she needed to hear to know that they were just as deeply agitated.
A cry of anger exploded from behind her, causing Fiora to turn as Ezreal ran in front of her. Stopping a few steps away from the monstrous shade, he panted heavily in anger, barely able to hold back the desire to rush in recklessly to attack. "You're lying! We came here to stop you! She knows that…she's the embodiment of everything that's good. She'll never give you what you want!"
"Light prevailing over darkness? Such juvenile logic, so unexpected of people like you. Perish the thought! Without darkness, there is no concept of light. Without the false security of light, one would never have known to fear the darkness. Light and Darkness…Chaos and Divinity…they are nothing more than pieces of a single puzzle."
"Enough! So that was your plan all along?" A scowl of anger was plastered on her face as Fiora spoke, her icy blue eyes held in a threatening gaze upon the towering creature. "Light and darkness, pieces of the same puzzle. She was always your intended target, wasn't she? You manipulated us into bringing her here, didn't you?"
"So you've realized." A hint of smugness tinged the shade's words. Wisps of Chaos energy rose slowly from the base of his feet, disappearing into the air like steam as it reached his arms. With the quick swing of his arms backwards, the terrain around them suddenly changed as a sunburst pattern of Chaos expanded outwards.
In an instant, the nebulous landscape disappeared, replaced by sheer darkness. Fiora didn't know why, but somehow the darkness failed to obstruct her vision, allowing her to see everything within the borders of the spell as clear as day. Taking a few steps backwards as her heart raced rapidly, she watched as gusts of Chaos erupted violently from the shadowy creature, causing her hair and clothing to flail rapidly in the air.
"I am the First of the Sentient. My name is Genesis. Your Goddess wanted your kind spared and so it came to pass. I offered an end to the merciless cycle of death and received only scorn. Now you wish to defy my existence? Know your place, human!"
Streaks of Chaos energy converged from the surroundings onto the tip of the spectre's blade, coalescing into a small sphere. The feeling of its very presence was overwhelming, causing even the most untalented champions at sensing magic to realize its strength.
Panic gripped at her chest as Fiora realized quickly that she had no way of defending against such an attack in an enclosed space. The piercing sensation was allowed to set in for only a moment before her opponent launched its attack, the dense sphere of dark energy shooting towards her far too fast for her to come up with a plan.
She could only take a step back when the sudden appearance of countless hexagonal shaped crystals stopped her movements, merging together into a dome of Adamantine Aura. Turning her head slightly, she watched as Shen dropped to his right knee, his hands planted firmly against the ground as Natural Energy flowed outwards in streams.
Groans of pain escaped through the ninja's mask as his opponent's attack expanded on imact with the barrier. Chaos energy expanded into a dark pillar, swirls forming around it before exploding into a spiraling Ultima attack.
Fiora's gaze shot up to watch as black flames engulfed the area around them; a spiraling dome of darkness that would consume everything it touched. The sound of glass cracking filled the air, numerous breaks forming in the barrier as the ninja's pained scream caught her attention. Shit! He can't hold out like this. Reacting quickly to what she knew was taking place, warmth engulfed the palm of her free hand as bolts of energy appeared on its surface. Spinning on her heels, she quickly turned while simultaneous swinging her arm outwards, warm sparks of her own magic forming at her palms before gliding towards defending Ionian.
White streaks formed along the network of the defense spell, creating pronounced borders that glowed brilliantly. From the corners of the individual plates that comprised the barrier, rays of energy expanded inward to form a lattice structure of countless interlaced triangles. In an instant, the sound of cracking had ceased; the advancing defects halting as the reinforcing spell took effect.
A sigh escaped her chest moments later as the enemy spell began to dissipate in intensity, allowing herself to breathe again. Fiora knew that under normal circumstances, such an attack would have killed her and her companions with ease. Though her body had become far more resistant to damage than what was thought possible, she still possessed no magical ability to protect against such overwhelming attacks. Her time alone in the River of Flames, however, had forced her to understand the potential of synergism the hard way, learning to combine spells as a last ditch effort to save herself from certain death.
"Thank you." Shen rose from his crouched position, his eyes locked on the younger Demacian as he delivered a nod of affirmation. His Adamantine Aura disappeared moments later as the remains of the enemy's flames disappeared, leaving behind clouds of thinning smoke.
"Right!" With a quick flick of her wrist, Fiora brought her blade to her side, simultaneously casting a set of Blitz spheres with her open hand that flew rapidly towards her opponent. "Cover me! Keep the enemy off its feet."
Launching herself forward immediately after the last sphere left her palm, Divine energy flowed brilliantly along the sharp edge of her Ragnarok. Closing the gap between them, she waited until the last of her spells had detonated in a flurry of loud cracks before lunging upwards. Reaching a shadowy arm that extended forward in response to her previous attacks, she brought her blade down. A feeling of satisfaction filled her mind for a moment, only for it to be short lived. She waited for the light upwards tug against her blade as it descended to indicate its passage through the flesh of her enemy.
It never came.
Fiora found herself plunging downwards towards the ground, her face shifting into one of sheer horror as she realized that her blade had cut through something that felt nonexistent. A shadow descended upon her the moment she landed on the ground, her gaze shifting upwards on instinct to watch as a shadowy scythe descended upon her. Sparks flew under her feet as she leaped backwards on instinct, escaping the blade's reaches by mere inches before the sound of a loud crash filled the air. Shifting the weight of her body, the swordswoman forced herself into a mid-air flip to land on her feet moments later, knees bent as she slid backwards. That blade felt real enough. So how come my attack went right through-
A gust slammed into her face, strands of purple bangs flailing wildly in her face, as the spectre rushed at her with killer intent. With a quick leftward twist of her body, the Demacian swung her sword forward, steel clashing as her opponent lashed out with its weapon. The force of the strike was far greater than she had expected; painful vibrations traveling up to her shoulders as she parried the attack. Pushing herself into a quick offense, she followed this up with a quick upwards lunge, sending herself airborne.
All thoughts of a retaliatory strike, however, dissipated the moments an incoming attack came from the corner of her eye. The dark tip of a second scythe came into view, forcing Fiora to twist her body in order to deliver a parrying strike against the massive weapon. A sharp ringing filled the air as their blades collided. Pushing herself against her opponent's weapon, she used it as a pivot to flip herself over her opponent's blade. Dashing forward with a burst of energy under her feet, she closed the gap between her and her opponent's body. Divine energy coated the surface of her blade as she came within a few inches of her opponent's robed head.
"Take this!" Raising her blade over her head, both hands went to the handle of her Ragnarok. With a rapid downward swing, she simultaneously propelled herself towards the ground. A scowl of anger appeared on her face as she descended. She realized instantly that even as half of her blade was buried into the creature, she felt no resistance.
Damn it, not again! Fiora wasted no time to leap off of the ground, throwing herself into a backwards flip through the air on instinct. Chaos Blitz spells erupted from her opponent's body instantly, firing towards the ground to explode where she had stood just a heartbeat earlier. A satisfied smirk appeared on her face, erased moments later as a second set of black spheres rushed towards her. Raising her blade as she began to descend she prepared to strike against the incoming attacks.
A high pitched whistle reached her ears as a barrage of arcane energy flew past her. Turning her head rapidly from side to side, she watched as the cloudy white bolts crashed into the oncoming spells, loud cracks echoing through the air as they exploded. Raising her hands to shield her face from the incoming shockwaves, the swordswoman felt herself thrown backwards, spreading her feet apart to land unsteadily on the ground moments later.
A high pitched screech reached her ears the moment she landed, her gaze shooting up in time to watch as luminous blue arrows flew past her. The dark abyss around her flashed brightly as a flurry of flames erupted in the sky; the arrows exploding on contact with her opponent's blades, already in the process of descending upon her vulnerable position. Rising to her feet, icy blue eyes narrowed in anger at just how close she had become to death.
"Fiora," Vayne's voice was composed, a stark contrast to the racing heartbeat of the younger Demacian. Taking a step forward, the night hunter lowered her Ultima Weapon from firing position in the process. "We made you go through so much of this alone. But we're here now…so stay together and we'll get through this. This thing…it wants to separate us and pick us off one at a time. I know you feel responsible for a lot of what's happened." She raised her finger, pointing towards the large opponent before curling her hand into a tight fist held close to her chest. "This thing knows that. It will take advantage of that and use it to rip you apart. You want to get Lux back? Don't give this demon the opportunity. If it's all of us together against one of it…this thing won't stand a chance."
Shooting a gaze towards the night hunter, Fiora merely gave a complacent nod of her head before her focus went back to the shadowy opponent. She forced a deep breath into her lungs, pushing though the miasma of panic and anger that filled her mind. As stubborn as she was, she knew deep down that this journey wasn't something she could get through on her own. Hearing it and telling herself this fact repeatedly, however, was far easier than applying it. Even after all of the self-criticism over her own recklessness when she found herself stranded and alone, all trace of discretion faded with her opponent's taunting. Calm down, damn it. After everything that's happened, you haven't changed at all! Practice safe judgement for once. With a quick swing of her arm, she brought her weapon into an attack position, shifting her body into striking pose. "Right…let's go."
"Shen, Talon, back us up from behind. Any spells that we can't deflect while on the offense, shoot them down or wall them off." Shauna's voice rose as she barked her commands quickly. With the flick of her wrist, she flipped her Ultima Weapon over her shoulder, hooking it onto her back before raising her smaller crossbow into attack position. This thing attacks way too fast for me to successfully maneuver with that bulky weapon. Besides…there's something I need to know.
Rapid footsteps echoed through the air as the Ionian and Noxian champions backed up, positioning to obtain a superior vantage point of any incoming attacks. Raising their blades, their stance widened as their bodies shifted in preparation for battle.
"The rest of us focus on attacking from a distance. This includes you, Fiora." Her words earned a brief glance from the younger Demacian, a momentary look of discontent on her face before her demeanor shifted to acknowledgement. "This thing doesn't seem to be phased even by your sword. There's no reason to expect differently of any other blade. It remains to be seen whether magic will work, but your spells earlier seemed to have hit their mark. At the very least, we can avoid the unnecessary risks of close-range combat until we know more."
It was not without reluctance that Fiora accepted this idea. Even though her skill at magic had improved exponentially from all of the battles she had fought in the recent weeks, it was by no definition of the word her area of expertise. Going through this fight without a blade meant giving up what was by far her strongest asset. Still, after what she had experienced first hand in her previous attacks, she didn't have a better plan of her own. "Fine…try it your way."
The ground around her illuminated brightly as swivels of energy gathered around her palm, holding it outwards moments later to unleash bolts of an Empower spell. A warm sensation coated her allies as the spells made contact with their skin, sending surges of energy to rise in their bodies as her synergy magic took effect. For Vayne and Talon, the feeling was almost overwhelming, as they were not accustomed to the intrinsic flow of magic.
Following suit, waves of energy left the hands of Ezreal as he cast a set of Valor's Blitz spells. "Here, take this." No sooner had his haste spells met their targets than the hands of the shade rose to its chest, forming a spiraling globe of flames that flashed through the air. Sparks flew from under their feet as the attacking champions sprinted to evade the massive Inferno spell.
A struggled groan escaped Fiora's lips as the fiery spell detonated upon impact with where she had just stood a heartbeat ago, sending a painful shockwave to slam into her side. As the flash of the detonation abated, Fiora planted her feet firmly on the ground, her vision recovering as she swung her body against the force of the attack. Finding a clear line of sight between herself and her enemy, wind magic formed along the edge of her Ragnarok, coating it in a distorting shroud. "Eat this!" With a twist of her waist, she swung her divine weapon in front of her, releasing the spear of Aero magic in the wake of her swing. She held her breath for the next few moments, watching…waiting to see if her spell would strike and give them another chance, or pass through her opponent and strip them of all hope.
Her heart jumped when the spectre turned its attention towards the incoming attack, swinging its blade towards her just a moment too late as the attack crashed into its arm. It landed! Watching as her opponent began to forcefully parry the powerful Aero Devastation spell, flames rose along her free arm, coating it in a golden blaze. Aiming it towards her enemy, a volley of Fire spells erupted from her palm, rushing forward in the wake of her earlier wind spell to increase in intensity. A loud roar filled the air as her spells fused, detonating into a raging inferno that lit the atmosphere around it ablaze.
Watching as the intense flames spread wildly, Fiora found herself short of breath. Fatigue began to flood her body as the stress of casting spells in rapid succession took its toll. Working hard to draw in deep breaths against a weakened diaphragm, she failed to notice a black scythe tearing through the flames. In an instant, the bright conflagaration was dispersed, leaving behind mere embers as the only traces of its existence.
Shit! Her eyes widened in horror as the shadowy figure lunged towards her; her body struggling to recover as she raised her sword weakly to defend. A bright flash filled her vision as streaks of lightning descended from the atmosphere above her, striking her opponent to send it staggering away. Shifting her gaze, she watched as bolts of electricity flickered on Ezreal's palm.
"Are you all right? Get up!" Ezreal's voice echoed intensely through the air as he approached the younger Demacian. It had been a long time since he had last used an elemental spell, yet given the circumstances, it was the only option left. For years, he had avoided its use, believing that the demonstration of such attacks would only lead to further servitude at the League.
"I'm fine." Letting out a deep sigh, Fiora shifted herself back into an attack stance, bringing her blade back to her side. Icy blue eyes met the explorer's for a moment before turning her attention back towards her rising enemy. "Didn't know you were able to use such an attack."
"Being able and being willing are two entirely different things. I'm by no means an expert, but even I know that Thunder spells hit the quickest. None of my other spells would have struck in time." Holding out his arm, the rings surrounding his amulet glowed brightly as streaks of energy erupted from its surface. Merging together, they formed a gray shortbow, a dim aura of blue energy surrounding its smooth surface. "I always hid that part of me, told people it was only because of the amulet that I could even cast magic. But if it means putting others at risk to preserve the lie…I won't have it."
As his fingers wrapped around it, it was clear that unlike the ephemeral bows that used to appear before an attack, this one would not fade so easily. Delicate rune symbols embossed in the form of delicate crystals lined the surface of the weapon, pulsing in intensity at regular intervals like a heartbeat. "All this time, I criticized people like Talon for being cowards in their style of fighting. In reality, I was no better, purposely inconsistent in my style of attacks to remain under the radar. I got so used to it that without realizing it, even on this journey, I've been doing the same thing." Raising his weapon into firing stance, his eyes narrowed as a bright mass of arcane energy appeared, elongating and condensing to form what resembled an arrow. "But that time has come and passed. No more hesitations. It's time for the hero to save the day!"
Almost on cue, a volley of arcane arrows fired towards the enemy, dozens of attacks moving through the air to produce a high-pitched whistle. Countless crashes filled the air moments later as his attacks met their target, sending debris airborne as shockwaves rose from the impact.
Fiora stood motionless as she watched these events transpire. She felt awestruck over the sudden chage in the explorer's demeanor, instantly shifting into one of confidence with an attack powerful enough to justify it. Lowering her face for a moment to allow purple bangs to fall forward, she allowed a subtle smile to appear on her face. All this time, I've been telling myself it's better to do this alone. I kept thinking that others will only slow me down. I was wrong…you've all become so much stronger and more reliable than I could ever imagine.
Chaos energy pulsed through the atmosphere, causing the Demacian to shoot her focus towards the dense plumes of dust. A black ray of energy emerged from debris, cutting through its shroud like a blade. Lunging to the side on instinct, Fiora narrowly avoided a direct hit, tumbling to land on her feet moments before the entire length of the black ray detonated. Struggling to keep herself from succumbing to the force of the spectre's attack, she leapt backwards on instinct as a black scythe swung within inches of where she was stationed.
"Give up this pathetic charade. Chaos will reign!"
Fiora swung her blade forward, divine energy coursing along its surface as it collided with a second incoming attack. Shit, shit, shit! It knows what we're doing. It won't let us keep our distance. Pushing against her opponent's blade with greater force, she launched herself away into the air, swinging her body in a vertical flip as a set of silver spheres formed around the surface of her free hand. As her line of sight to the shadowy figure returned, she swung her casting arm out with force, sending the volley of Blitz spells forward.
Even as loud pops filled the air, indicating that her spell had hit point blank, an irritated scowl appeared on the swordswoman's face. Watching the movements of her enemy was all she needed to know that her attacks failed to even phase it. At the very least, I need to put some distance between us. A second set of Blitz spells formed on the palm of her hand as she landed on the ground. Holding it close to her chest, the orbs glowed brightly as their orbit around her hand halted. Slowly merging together, a large sphere of spiraling energy formed on the surface of her palm, golden rune symbols revolving around it in concentric circles like rings surrounding a planet.
"Not if I can help it!" Throwing her arm out with force, a trail of light fell in the wake of the large sphere as it flashed through the air. Detonating on impact with her opponent's chest, the Blitz Prime spell expanded in an instant into a spiraling globe. Cutting through the darkness around them, the spell burned brightly in the atmosphere. She felt herself thrown backwards; landing on her heels to slide backwards along the smooth floor as shockwaves from the blast thrusted her opponent in the opposite direction with unrelenting force.
Using her blade as a shield against the force of her own attack, Fiora could only watch as the silhouette of Shauna Vayne appeared in the distance. What is she-
Her cape flew wildly as the Night Hunter glided through the air, her smaller crossbow held in a locked aim as divine energy glowed dimly along its surface. Multiple bolts fired simultaneously as she attacked, landing on various spots on the shadowy figure's body as it fell reeling from the younger Demacian's spell. Landing on her feet moments later, Vayne dashed to the side, sprinting past her opponent to gain a clear view of its back. This is it, here goes noth-
Her heart jumped before she had the chance to even finish her thoughts. The spectre's head reformed on its side, glowing purple eyes piercing through the otherwise formless darkness that made up its face. Black spears materialized within the blink of an eye; Chaos energy rising from the shafts like trails of smoke.
"Annoying insects!"
Her face became frozen in horror as she watched the dark spears fling towards her, converging to blot out her view of anything past it. She struggled to draw in her next breath, finding herself unable to even utter out a scream of terror as a realization dawned upon her. I can't escape this. Reaching behind her back, her fingers closed around the handle of her Ultima Weapon. I won't make it in time, but I'll be damned if I go down without try-
"Arcane Storm!" Ezreal's voice reached her ears as he made one final sideways lunge, stepping in between her and the incoming projectiles. In an instant, hundreds of arcane arrows shot fired from the shortbow, matching blow for blow against the shade's attacks. Channeling additional energy along the surface of his shortbow, hundreds became thousands as he let out a struggled grunt, the field of his attack widening further.
It was over in just a few heartbeats as the sheer number of his attacks overwhelmed the black spears, tearing through them with ease. Loud cracks echoed through the air as the remainder of the explorer's attacks met its mark to strike the cloaked figure. The Spectre of Genesis staggered forward in the face of the countless attacks, struggling to return to its feet as the explosions ceased. It only managed to rise far enough to watch as Vayne pulled her glasses off, opening her eyes to reveal her exposed eyes.
Gone were the brown eyes of the Night Hunter, replaced by a bright yellow arranged in a diamond shape imposed upon deep blue orbs. Narrowing her eyes slightly, she brought her smaller crossbow into firing position as divine energy seethed off of its surface. "Time for reckoning." Three bolts left her weapon, piercing the shade in the back of its neck and behind each of its knees.
"Those eyes…this is-"
Vayne held her breath for a moment as the last of the seemingly insignificant attacks connected. A glint of doubt shown in her eyes for a moment until a set of crimson glows erupted from the large shade. Streams of a bright red substance gushed instantly from multiple points of its body, corresponding to the points where her attacks had struck.
Bloodcurling wails of pain echoed through the air, sending chills to run along the Night Hunter's spine. She watched as her opponent flailed wildly, knowing that it was futile. Light penetrated the darkness that shrouded them, lifting it to reveal the bizarre terrain they had wandered through prior to the spectre's arrival. "It seems you already understand. Indomitable Trinity…a sorcery sealing technique. Whether they realize it or not, every person and thing capable of using magic does so by channeling it through specific spots on their bodies. The locations differ for every person, making it normally impossible to use this as a weapon against them…an evolutionary safeguard, you might say."
Taking a few steps forward, the older Demacian peered at the falling spectre, fierce intensity glinting off of yellow pupils. "But…that matters little to me. The gift granted to me by the Goddess…a rather useful one, the ability to see through this safeguard. In other words, each of my attacks were aimed specifically at those points on your body." She closed her eyes, unable to bear the struggles of her opponent as it continued to resist against she knew was inevitable. "Unlike Negation, the effects of my attacks are permanent. Unfortunately for you, a shadow of the real Genesis, conjured into existence by Chaos magic…there is no physical body for you. In other words," Vayne opened her eyes again, revealing that they had reverted back to their natural brown color. Putting her glasses on again, she used a finger to push them firmly against the bridge of her nose. "Disappear into shadows…forever."
With those last words, rune circles appeared in the air around her opponent, trapping it within its borders. As the symbols lining the circles glowed brightly, the struggling spectre's movements suddenly ceased; the piercing ring of her spell drowning out all other noises, as the shade stood frozen in time and space. Its form began to crumble, dissolving into smokey wisps that slowly evaporated into the air. With the last traces of its form disappearing, the high pitched ringing faded, replaced by a deadening silence.
A set of footsteps echoed in the distance as the three champions regrouped, causing them to turn as Talon and Shen sprinted towards them.
"Is it…really over?" Talon's question was filled with hesitation as his eyes examined the surroundings, watching as debris flew past them without purpose.
"For now, yes." Vayne responded after a short pause, letting out a deep sigh moments later. "The true fight, however, has yet to come. The real Genesis is still out there and if that shadow was any indication of his potential power…the path ahead is far more treacherous than we imagined."