Disclaimer: I do not own League of Legends or anything else you may recognize

Thank you to everyone who has favirouted, followed or reviewed this fic so far.

This chapter will be split into two parts, but both will cover a major battle between Noxus and Ionia, so hope all are excited.

Chapter 22- Preparing for Invasion

Runeterra, Ionia, Navori

Sara, Ahri, Lillia and Master Yi walked across a grass field, eventually coming to a huge cliff, in which a small village and several temples rested above. Great walls sealed around the area.

"We are here," Master Yi said. "The Placidium of Navori."

The four had spent several days travelling from Shon-Xan to Navori.

"This is where all the Ionians have been falling back to?" Sara asked.

"Yes. This is where we must make our last stand." Ahri said firmly.

"Then let's go." Sara said, her face hardening. The four walked up a pathway to the fortress.

Sara limped slightly, her knee swelling from the constant walking. She rubbed it, wincing.

Lillia noticed that and looked at Sara in concern.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I will be fine." Sara murmured, though she didn't sound convinced.

As the four walked to the gates, several guards dressed in red and blue armor walked forward.

"Halt, and state your purpose!" one declared.

"I am Master Yi. These are my companions, Sara Lance, Ahri and Lillia. We are here to defend the Placidium from the Noxian invaders." The Wuju Bladesman said politely.

"Sara Lance?" the guard's eyes widened and he looked over at the blonde woman.

"You know me?" Sara asked, as confused as everyone else.

"You single-handedly took on the Hand of Noxus himself!" the guard said, his eyes shining with respect. "There are others who have also vouched for you."

"So please, come in. the war discussions are about to begin." The second guard said, opening the gates.

Sara, Lillia, Ahri and Master Yi traded looks.

"Well, that was unexpected." Sara commented.

"No shit." Ahri murmured.

The four walked through the gates, seeing some small tents set up all around, while a temple laid ahead, silver doors closed.

"Let's go." Master Yi said, opening the doors. Many people were already there, surrounding a table and analyzing a map.

The first person was a young woman with dark hair. She looked around 15 or 16, yet she had a hardened look in her eyes.

"Who are you lot?" she asked as the other Ionians looked at the quartet.

"I'm Sara Lance." Sara introduced herself.

"Ahri, the Nine-Tailed Fox."

"Lillia, the Bashful Bloom."

"Master Yi, the Wuju Bladesman."

"Sara Lance?" the girl's eyes widened as she looked at the blonde woman.

"Yes I am." Sara nodded.

"I am Xan Irelia." The girl greeted, walking forward and extending her hand, which Sara shook firmly.

"We are here to aid in the war effort." Master Yi revealed.

Irelia looked over at him and nodded curtly, any earlier pleasantness fading entirely.

"From what our scouts have said, the Noxians will be here by tomorrow's end." Irelia said, snarling.

"Oh damn." Sara muttered.

"What do we do?" Lillia asked.

"We fight." Ahri said grimly.

Irelia looked at her curiously, before turning to Sara, respect shining in her eyes.

"Please, join us." She said.

"You're in charge around here?" Sara asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, problem?" Irelia asked with a raised eyebrow.

Sara smiled thinly. "No. Not at all."

"Where are the Noxians based?" she asked.

Irelia seemed to snap out of her daze and gestured to the map lying on the table. "They are camped in a mountain range a day's ride from here. They will be here by tomorrow's end."

"What are the defenses here like?" Sara asked.

"Meh," Irelia shrugged sadly. "We can only hold them off for so long. If they keep pressing, they will break it down."

"Fuck." Sara sighed. Clearly, Ionia was not a military country.

"What other defenses do we have?" Master Yi asked.

"Arrows. We can barricade the gates. And of course, we can always head out to fight." One general said.

"Heading out to fight?" Lillia asked, frowning.

"It's not a bad strategy," Sara admitted. "But you would need to keep the city locked in first."

"Yes." Irelia nodded.

"Whatever happens, we must prepare to throw down the Noxians." One general declared.

"Yeah we do." Sara smirked inwardly, her eyes glinting with the prospect of combat.

"I must speak to the Spirit of Ionia." Irelia said.

"She is waiting for you." The general said slowly.

Irelia nodded and walked towards another room.

"So…what do we do now?" Ahri said, whistling slightly.

"We wait." Master Yi shrugged simply.

Later

Sara walked outside the temple, looking at the late afternoon sky. Many civilians were in tents, caring to the old or wounded.

A young girl, no younger than 6 or 7 years old came running up to her, a ribbon in her hand.

"This is for you, Ms. Lance." The girl said, smiling.

"Me? Thank you, little one." Sara said, taking the ribbon gratefully. She smiled at the young girl.

"You are my hero." The girl continued, beaming.

"I am?" Sara sat down, as the young girl looked at her.

"When I grow up, I want to be exactly like you."

"Don't be exactly like me," Sara said sadly. "Don't make the same mistakes I did."

"I won't. I just imagine falling in love." The girl said wistfully.

"I saw a vision of a woman named Caitlyn. I don't know, but her beauty and the moonlight overthrew me." Sara said, thinking about the blue haired woman.

"Caitlyn?" the girl asked.

"A woman. Most beautiful woman I have seen and never met before in my life. I don't know, but every breath she drew was Hallelujah." Sara said.

The girl smiled. "Thank you. For giving me hope."

"Anytime." Sara smirked. The girl smiled one last time before turning to walk away.

Sara felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Ahri.

"Hey, sis." Ahri smirked.

"Sis?" Sara asked, surprised.

"You are practically my sister at this point, so yes." Ahri shrugged.

Sara chuckled. "Fair enough."

"We can do this." Ahri said, her fox ears twitching.

"We will." Sara smiled at her friend before speaking in Spanish. "Contanta furia, Hallelujah."

Sara sat outside on the steps, her long blonde hair falling down her face. Hearing footsteps, she turned to see Irelia standing next to her.

"May I sit?" she asked.

"Free country." Sara shrugged, and Irelia did.

"I have heard great things about you." Irelia said.

"Well, I don't feel like I've done great things." Sara muttered.

"You defeated the Hand of Noxus single-handedly. That is something no other Ionian can claim to have done." Irelia said.

"Fair enough." Sara said. Her mind flashed back to battling Darius and then Varus.

The thought of Varus made her chest tighten and she winced.

"Are you okay?" Irelia asked, concerned.

"I'll be fine." Sara said sharply.

"The Spirit of Ionia wants to speak to you." Irelia said.

"Karma, right?" Sara asked, having read in old texts about the Spirit of Ionia.

"Yes."

"Where is she then?" Sara asked, slowly standing up, wobbling sluggishly in pain.

"In one of the old temples. I will take you there." Irelia said, standing up. She led Sara to a pavilion overlooking the mountains.

Sitting in the middle of the room was a young, dark-skinned woman. She was wearing a cloak and a crown with a green gem in the middle.

She wore cream colored pants and carried herself with grace and elegance.

"Duchess Karma." Irelia said, bowing.

"Thank you, Xan Irelia." Karma replied in a smooth voice. She opened her eyes and looked at Sara with piercing green eyes.

"Hello Sara Lance." Karma greeted with a small smile.

"Lady Karma." Sara bowed.

"Please, sit." Karma gestured and Sara did.

"Why did you want to speak to me?" Sara asked.

"War is coming, Ms. Lance," Karma said. "And I feel that your presence may have disrupted the natural balance of Ionia."

"Disrupted it?"

"The balance must be maintained." Karma spoke calmly.

"Look, I'm trying to go home. I'm helping out Ionia because I hate Noxians as much as the next person. What even is balance?" Sara pointed out.

"The balance is the peace in Ionia, the natural harmony between the land and humanity has been broken." Karma said regretfully.

"Look, once we defeat Noxus, I'm sure it will go back to the way it was before." Sara said, but her words sounded hollow, even to her.

"Maybe you are right, but I doubt it." Karma shook her head.

"I don't have the answers to everything." Sara shrugged. "Hell, I don't even know what the hell is going on, or how I'm going to get home."

Karma was about to open her mouth to say something, when a loud horn blew.

"What's that?" Sara asked.

"The Monk and the Shaman are here." Karma said.

"Wait…what?" Sara asked. Karma stood up and walked outside promptly. Outside, a huge and muscular man staggered towards them with a man wearing a red bandanna around his eyes.

Sara's eyes widened in shock and joy.

"Lee Sin! Udyr!" she cried out in joy.

"Sara!" Udyr grinned. Sara leapt forward and wrapped the Spirit Walker in a tight hug.

"I missed you so much!" she said.

"What, no hug for me?" Lee Sin asked jokingly.

Sara let go and turned to face the Blind Monk with a bright smile.

"Of course, old friend." She said, hugging Lee Sin, and he eagerly returned the hug.

"We haven't seen you since September last year." Udyr said. He looked down at Sara's bandaged knee and frowned.

"What happened?" he asked in concern.

Sara's face fell. "My leg was broken…by a being named Varus. The injury is permanent."

Udyr lowered his head in sadness and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Listen, if I could help you, I would."

"I know, Udyr." Sara smiled sadly.

"How far away are the Noxians?" Karma asked, as Ahri, Lillia, Master Yi and Irelia walked up to them.

"Almost an hour away. I encountered their commander, a man named Jericho Swain." Lee Sin said.

"Then we get going." Irelia said, clenching her fists.

"Where is this Swain guy?" Sara asked.

"At the place where the Noxians are camped, at the edge of the forest, just before the plains." Udyr said.

"Then, I'm going to talk to him." Sara said firmly.

"I have created a mystical barrier around this place. It will shield us for a while." Karma said.

"Good." Sara nodded.

"I will go with you," Udyr declared. "When you keep on fighting even after you lost your strength, that's the sign of a victory."

"It is."

"I'm coming too." Ahri said. "You're my friend…my sister. And I owe you one."

Sara shot the Nine-Tailed Fox a grateful look.

"Me too." Irelia said.

"All right, it's decided," Karma stated. "Sara, Udyr, Irelia and Ahri will go speak to the Noxians. Try to get them to back off. The rest of us shall prepare for battle."

"Yes, we will." Lee Sin added.

Sara looked to the Heavens with a sigh. War had come at last. But Ionia would not go out without a fight.

And this is done. Next chapter will cover the entire battle at the Placidium.

So two new champions have been introduced. The first is Irelia aka The Blade Dancer.

And the second is Karma aka The Enlightened One.

Personally, Irelia is amazing. She is the second champion I would put into world building, because her lore basically explains the entire Ionia/Noxus conflict in a nutshell.

Karma on the other hand, is just good. She has the potential to be great, but they haven't done much with her. And no, the Ruined King event doesn't count; I'm ignoring that abomination of an event.

So Lee Sin and Udyr have also returned to help.

Remember how I said the timeline would change in small ways? This is one way. Instead of returning to the Freljord like in canon, Udyr has stayed here in Ionia to help defend it, and also to help Sara, his close friend.

And now slowly, Sara is beginning to recover her humanity. Obviously, she's nervous about fighting. The last time she engaged in combat, Varus broke her leg permanently.

Now next chapter will cover the entire Battle at the Placidium.

Hope everyone enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter.