Sivir V

The city walls held when the Xerath's raiders, bloodthirsty bandits and mercenaries that used to roam the desert before Xerath consolidated them, besieged it. Two days of watching the people glance fearfully at the gates as an army of several thousand camped outside, shouting jeers over the walls and boasting about what they would do to the women and children. Two days without contact from any of the villages and cities that Kalamanda usually trades with. Two days of relying on fishermen brave enough to head out to sea to supply the city with food.

"You should eat." Taliyah walked into the rather large house that the city's governor gave Senpai when we first decided to stay here. She was holding a plate of what looked like grilled cacti and a small fish. I plucked the fish from the plate and bit a chunk off it, ignoring the tiny pin bones with practiced ease.

"How are the others?"

Taliyah grimaced. I could see an assortment of pebbles circling around her feet, a habit she developed whenever she got nervous.

"They're kids, Sivir. They've been through a lot, but actual war is a bit too much."

I sighed. Ever since Senpai left, the weight of responsibility has been a constant presence on my shoulders. Even the city's governor asked me for advice every now and then. What the hell does an ex-mercenary even know about trade policies with Zaun?

We sat there in silence for a couple of minutes, the cooling food ignored for the moment.

"I can't believe it's only been a few months." She giggled, breaking the silence. I smiled. That first meeting at the dilapidated house in Verauka, Nasus bursting in with a warning about mad mages, fleeing from the city together and being rescued from xer'sai by a ragtag group of wandering teenagers. They were hard memories, easily comparable to the series of unfortunate events that my life already was, but they were different. In these memories, I wasn't alone. In these memories, I had people to trust. In these memories, I had Taliyah. A sister in all but blood.

"Sivir?"

I opened my eyes, only slightly surprised to see that my forehead was pressed against hers, the feathery cloak on her shoulders warming my hands.

"Tali, I-"

My instincts roared at me to move, the hardened mercenary buried inside jumping to the forefront. I was already halfway to the door, Chalicar firmly in hand, when the first explosion rocked the city.

"Tali!"

"Right behind you." she responded immediately, small slabs of stone already circling her head. We burst out the door and for a second, just one, we gaped at the crumbling wall in the distance.

"What-" Tali's surprised gasp was interrupted as balls of blue flame descended from the sky, disintegrating large chunks of the sandstone wall. My eyes narrowed and my grip on the Chalicar tightened painfully.

"Xerath." I growled. I could hear Taliyah's whispered "Great Weaver, help us." as we watched another barrage of flames knock down the city gates. It won't be long until Xerath's army deem the inferno of ruined rock safe to pass through and enter the city that way.

"Tali, get Lady Ahri!" I barked. She nodded without hesitation. Lady Ahri's magic was formidable, but in her current condition...

"Sivir." I felt myself cocooned in warmth as she embraced me.

"Rawr, uwu, boop, Sivir."

"Rawr, uwu, boop, Tali."

With one last shared smile, she was off, rocketing down the street, the ground itself carrying her forward. I moved as well, the sound of combat already making itself known. Even this far from the gate, I could already hear the chants of 'wax on, wax off' that Senpai taught the city militia.

Fireballs continued to rain down from the sky as I raced down the street, destroying familiar sights. The baker's house was alight in azure flames. The fountain in the plaza where Senpai told stories to children was reduced to rubble. At the end of the street, I could see the fighting.

I saw the fisherman Taliyah loved to talk to during market day be cut down by a large man whose eyes were blazing with Xerath's foul sorcery. I saw the humble governor who refused to let his people fight without him, awkwardly swiping his Zaunite taser-dagger at a raider. Untrained as he was, it wasn't long until the raider had him on his knees, sword raised to behead him.

The Chalicar left my hands.

The raider's head left his neck.

"Lady Sivir!" the plump man gasped out. The sleeve of his silk shirt was torn to shreds and through all the blood, I could vaguely see a jagged wound.

"Governor, get to safety." I nodded at him, plucked my Chalicar from the wall it embedded itself into and waded into the thick of combat. It took a single swing for the spinning blade in my hand to lop off two more head. I could see the relief in the militia's eyes as they glanced at me, their waning chants of 'wax on, wax off' growing stronger by the second.

I expected the raiders to hesitate, to be disturbed by the increasingly louder chant. Unfortunately, the mindless drones knew no hesitation and as they poured forth, the raiders, Xerath's willing warriors, followed their lead.

"Wax on!"

With a roar, the militia around me charged, their fervor a strange sight to see for those untrained in the warrior ways. They were unskilled, for not even the legendary Butcher can train a professional force in a matter of weeks, but they were near zealous in their loyalty to Senpai, no, in their desire to protect themselves, their families and their homes. My blade bit into an enemy's neck, the white glow of Xerath's magic fading from their eyes, revealing only confusion and horror before turning blank. I grimaced.

These were children of Shurima, acting against their own will.

"Mercy is for the strong." I murmured to myself. I wanted to say that I was strong, that I could afford to show mercy. But I'm not. If I had to choose between my family and these people, I would always choose the former.

Just as I resolved to do what must be done, the world turned white. My eyes only saw white and my ears were filled by agonized screams. In that moment, I was back in Verauka, amongst sizzling flesh and boiling blood.

"So, you're still alive."

The voice was malevolent, an insidious echo among the sounds of flame and death. I shook, in rage or terror or disgust, I didn't know. No other sound was heard. The chants of 'wax on, wax off' utterly cut off by blazing white fire. I held back the urge to vomit as I glanced at the still melting bodies around us. My friends, my people, Xerath's own followers, they were all consumed by the massive conflagration that Xerath brought forth.

"You monster..." I growled at him. As my eyes cleared up some more, I caught my first glimpse of the monster that has been plaguing Shurima for months. A chaotic vortex of fire and lightning, chained within shards of stone, its eyes glowing with malevolence and the air around it sizzled and popped as the dark energy forming Xerath tried to escape its bonds.

"Azir's blood, it's faint, but I can sense it."

I froze. Did Nasus' protection fade? Was all this death and destruction brought here because I was here?

"I would prefer to slowly melt the flesh off your bones, but Azir is coming. Imagine his surprise if the first thing he sees here would be your body, naked and defiled."

The Chalicar left my hands, a whirling circle of death blurring towards Xerath. I dashed forth, following the wake of the blade, prepared to follow up the attack. Lightning erupted from Xerath's forming, knocking the Chalicar off course. I leapt to the side, narrowly dodging the bolts.

"The Chalicar? How quaint."

Without warning, balls of fire exploded from his hands. I charged him, my dagger slipping seamless from sleeve into my hand, narrowly avoiding the fireballs. Heart pumping and blood boiling, I closed the distance and leapt at him, my dagger poised to strike at his eyes.

He flicked his neck carelessly and the air left my lungs as a powerful force blew me back. With difficulty, I managed to regain my footing. I could already feel the bruise forming on my stomach. No, I could practically see it forming alongside a rather severe burn, Xerath's last attack having incinerated the front of my tunic.

I coughed into my fist and cursed silently as I saw the blood that covered it.

"Interesting. How are you still alive, I wonder?"

A good question. In the back of my head, I could hear the insufferable reptile's voice as if it was yesterday.

You have the blood of Shurima. Its magic runs through your veins.

Channeling my inner Senpai as much as I can, I grinned knowingly at Xerath. The floating mass of dark energy actually froze and backed away, the glowing orbs that pass as its eyes widening.

It is an unreliable tool, but a tool nonetheless.

Eyes narrowed in my best imitation of Senpai's annoyed glare, I lunged at Xerath, my fist reared back. Seemingly in a panic, Xerath swung his hands forwards, a wave of fire and lightning stampeding towards me.

To use it, picture it clearly in your mind's eye and say the words.

"Trace On!" I cried out, charging through the ball of destructive energy without hesitation, trusting completely that Senpai's wisdom is capable of defying the common sense of the world.

I call it...

My fist met an inhuman face.

"Spellshield, motherfucker."

====
Azir II

"Proud warriors, bear my name in battle! Go forth and make them kneel!"

As my army subjugated the treacherous curs that followed Xerath's will, their new battlecries of 'RAWR, UWU, BOOP' echoing in the desert air, the Curator and I strode purposefully past the gates. The hulking figure of the jackal warrior beside me reminded me of the old days, when the Ascended marched in legion, when the Sun Disc shone its light over the entirety of the continent. His eyes were blazing with the primal fury that used to be found in Renekton's blood crazed eyes.

Ironic how it was Renekton that dispersed sage wisdom nowadays while Nasus marched into battle, howling with rage.

The moment I laid my eyes on a stumbling Xerath, and on the crumpled figure of the girl in front of him, I understood Nasus' anger.

"Curator, I see the enemy."

With a blood curdling howl, Nasus leapt into battle, his axe, lit up with the Many Flames, catching the still unbalanced Xerath unawares and launching him across the street. Whatever my heir did to him must have been devastating indeed.

Gently, I picked up the girl, cradling her body close to my chest. Blue eyes opened and stared into my own hawk eyes.

"Ugh, it's you..." she mumbled.

"Greetings, Sivir, perhaps after this ordeal, we might spend some time and 'catch up'. I'd like to get to know my greatest grand daughter."

"Don't call me that..." With that, she passed out.

Ah, Sivir, defiant as always, even on the brink of unconsciousness. Is this what Teacher called 'teenage rebellion'? I turned my sights to the battle between Nasus and Xerath in the distance and handed Sivir over to a still forming sand construct.

"Take her to safety." I commanded, the sand at my feet already starting to take the shape of a spear. "I will deal with the Sasuke."