Unstable Matters Chapter 16: Chains of Command (Part 2)
"Are we going somewhere?"
"I want to check on some information I got. Then, I want to take you somewhere special."
After squeezing himself through the human-sized double doors, Zac held them open for Ahri so that she could get through with all of her tails too. For some reason, the nine-tailed fox was walking about with all of them spread out like a fan behind her, instead of her normal more chaste way of keeping them bundled together.
"You know, you never told me what happened that night."
"Which night?"
"You know what night."
"It's nothing amazing," Zac said, shrugging indifferently. "I just learned that the world isn't square."
Ahri didn't bother to ask what he meant by that. "So, you're from Zaun?"
"That's right!" To her, his tone was more chipper than anyone should have been when talking about the concrete waste pit surrounding them. "I know it's hard to believe when I'm this handsome. Maybe all of the magic chemicals in the water helped."
"So, you were born here?"
"I don't know when exactly. It just sort of happened."
"It just sort of happened?" Ahri repeated, almost like she was mocking him.
"Yeah," Zac nodded, thinking back to the past and remembering nothing. "It sort of happened. Definitely because of the magic chemicals in the water."
"That can be said about everyone, you know."
"Some people come into the world as part of a plan," he chuckled, fondly remembering how he could remember nothing. "I was brought into the world with a toxic waste vacuum."
"Very funny," Ahri said, laughing lightly as it was polite to do so.
"I'm not joking," Zac said, no longer laughing because it was the truth.
Passing through more doors and down more halls, the duo finally reached the front entrance to Zaun's Institute of War branch. Waving to the security guards as he walked past them, Zac could feel the security sight wards of the facility keeping pace with every step he took. They were one of countless things in place to invisibly project the power of the Institute of War, and he couldn't remember if he had known about them before being told about them nearly half a year ago.
It was perfectly normal for a Champion to be surrounded by faceless Summoners, armed guards in shining armor, and buzzing techmaturgical devices all throughout the Institute. But no matter what he told himself, he never felt as if any of them were there for his protection. They were just things that existed because they were expected to, and in doing so fulfilled their roles in a way that no one would question their purpose. Walking out into the unknown did not make him nervous anymore, but he decided to save his serious questions until they were far enough away from the Institute's Zaun branch.
"Is there something else you wanted to talk about?" Zac finally asked, after making sure they had escaped by peacefully walking away.
"What makes you say that?" Ahri crossed her arms behind her back, puffing out her lower lips when she turned to look up at his yellow eyes. "Maybe I just want to spend time with you."
"Wandering aimlessly through dirty alleyways in a place you hate?" The words had come from his own mouth without thinking, but he hadn't stopped himself on purpose. "It kind of just feels like you have something you want to say."
"Did you train yourself to read minds now?"
"Even if I could, you wouldn't want me to. Right?"
"What do you mean by that?" She turned away from him, a little disappointed that he wasn't playing along. "Do you think I'm hiding things from you?"
"Even if I could, I just don't think it would be right to read someone's mind without their permission."
The nine-tailed fox didn't have an answer for that.
Looking up at the sky again as if she expected the Zaun Gray to disappear, nothing had changed from before. The city around them was still blanketed by the all-encompassing smog that hung over the world like a smothering blanket.
Everything around her was so different from Ionia that it was hard for her to believe that the two could exist together in the same world. She had been to the salt water soaked cliffs of Bilgewater, the hard petricite molded capital of Demacia, and even further south to the hot sands of Shurima. Nothing compared to the bleakness of Zaun; a world where human ingenuity and waste seemed to go hand in hand together to create something that no one wanted but no one could walk away from.
"I don't understand," Ahri confessed after a moment of silence. "How do people live here? All of the waste and garbage. Even the dirt feels dirtier here than anywhere else on Runeterra."
"You wanted to know what it's like living in Zaun, right? Well, how about I show you instead?" Zac offered, lowering himself down for her to climb up onto his back. Looking at him oddly, Ahri then shook her head.
"Not like that," she said, walking in front of him and correcting his posture. "I'm not a sack of rice. If you're going to show me the sights, carry me properly alright?"
"You're not afraid of heights are you?" he asked as he easily scooped her up with his large hands and arms.
"How high are we talking about?" she asked, shifting herself around so that she could wrap her arms around his neck and maintain her limited modesty.
"Do you trust me?"
"Yes."
"We're going to have to go pretty high then," he said, and she could tell that he was looking up at the tops of some of the tallest towers of the concrete jungle.
"What do you want to show me up there?"
"I'll tell you when we get there." He winked at her, and she smiled in return. "So just hang on tight for a little bit, okay?"
She gave him a silent nod before tightening her grip around his neck. She could feel her nails sinking into what could be considered his skin, but felt a difference in his normally smooth and slick exterior. It was like he was somehow holding onto her too, which was assuring for the one second they were on the ground before they were up into the air.
From a standing position, Zac had somehow gathered up the strength to propel both of them over a dozen meters in the air. Ahri let out a muffled grunt of pain into his chest from the forces pressing down onto her before her instincts forced her to turn and see what was happening. She could feel a rising panic in her heart as they were rapidly approaching the flat concrete side of the building he had been aiming for. But watching him move, she could see him raising his legs up in preparation for what would happen next.
The human-like structure of his legs from his knees to his feet collapsed the moment he came in contact with the side of the building, making a soft and wet splat sound as it did. What remained of his legs quickly folded into each other, and without missing a beat he continued his march flowing upward against gravity.
"I meant what I said before; I don't know anything about how I was born," Zac said, continuing to climb the side of the building in a casual jog. "It sort of just happened one day. Maybe it was an accident?"
"Don't say that about yourself. Someone as nice as yourself should not call themselves an accident," Ahri said, trying not to imagine her traveling companion as a giant humanoid slug.
"What about you? I don't remember reading anything about your family."
"I don't know… No, I don't remember anything about my family. All I have are the memories of the people I've met."
"Uh-huh. Right. So it's like that huh?" The sarcastic inflection in his voice was back again.
"Like what?" Ahri found herself frowning at his smile.
"You know, those old stories about heroes who leave their homes to try and discover their past and wind up on some crazy adventures along the way? Is it kind of like that?"
"It's nothing like that." She wanted to hit him, but it wasn't hard to restrain herself now that they were over a hundred feet in the air. "Don't compare me to some children's story."
"You say that but you're on a pretty crazy adventure right now."
"That goes double for you. You're the one risking their life when you don't have anything at stake."
"Well, that's not entirely true either."
"Oh? And what's that supposed to mean?"
When he laughed she could feel his entire body vibrate. "I'm a superhero, remember? I'm supposed to risk my life to keep others safe."
"You know you keep calling yourself that, but I haven't seen you do anything heroic."
"Maybe that just means you haven't been watching," Zac said, inflating his muscles just enough for her to notice. "I've been really busy, you know. Maybe I haven't been beating up criminals or rescuing people from burning buildings, but I've been doing my part."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah really," he said, noting the skeptical look she was giving him. "Just you watch; when we get to the top I'll show you how cool I can be."
"Does it involve punching things?" she asked half sarcastically.
"Sometimes you need to grit your teeth and tackle your problems head on. You can't talk your way out of every fight. Riven taught me that."
"I'm sure you didn't need her to teach you that."
"Yeah, probably not. But that giant sword of hers is a good reminder."
Ahri grimaced at his words, with her imagination threatening to run wild from the implications of his logic. Noting that they were approaching the top of the building, she decided to change subjects.
"How much do you know about Ionia?"
"It's a big island," Zac started, before raising his voice to ensure that he could be heard over the wind. "And… The food is good. I like the spicy pickled cabbage, and those hotpots where you throw a little bit of everything in with noodles."
"That's not what I meant. I was—"
"You want to know what I know about the politics of Ionia." He looked down at her with a smirk and noticed that she wasn't smiling. "I guess you don't want me embarrassing you when we get there, huh?"
"Don't make me sound so overbearing," Ahri huffed, looking down at the dirty world that they had risen above. "You need to know for both our sakes."
"Where do you want me to start?"
She unwrapped her arms from around his neck and moved so that he could let her go to stand on her own. "Tell me what you know about the Kinkou Order."
"The Kinkou Order?" Zac asked, scratching his chin for a moment. He looked around at the Zaunite Gray for a sign of something. Even if he didn't know how there was no doubt that they were being tracked by the Institute of War from somewhere unseen. "Uh… They're an ancient order of ninjas in Ionia, right? They have three Champions representing them too; a teleporting rock, a hot kunoichi, and an electric Yordle."
"You know what Zed and his followers did to them?"
"I know they attacked them one night and destroyed them."
"That's right. The Kinkou Order is almost all but dead in Ionia." Ahri took her first steps forward, and he followed close behind. "Their contacts, their assets, their reputation in the eyes of the Ionian people are almost gone. It's only their status as Champions in the League supported by the Council of Elders that keep Shen, Akali, and Kennen safe when they visit the island. But I'm not worried about how much power Zed has. I'm worried about…some others."
"Others? That sounds ominous. Who else is there?"
"There's another faction in Ionia no one is considering. They're splintered; separated by tribes. But I'm worried that the Order of the Shadows doesn't respect the hard work the Kinkou Order put into making peace with them."
"Who?" Zac asked quietly as if it were dangerous to know.
The nine-tail fox paused, stopping in place as she did. Without warning the air around them began to blow with a blustering howl, blowing dirt, dust, and the trash around them higher into the sky. Somehow, two words she spoke in the center of the sudden garbage storm touched his ears clearly.
"The Vastayan."
The secret weapon stayed silent. Eventually, the howling winds being generated by the roof-mounted ventilation fan attached to a nearby building died down, creating an ugly downpour of trash around them.
"Uh…" Zac wasn't sure if it was alright for him to speak. "Okay. What about them?"
"I—" Ahri stopped herself to dust off the dust and dirt that hand landed on her, "—am a Vastayan. The last of the Vasani tribe. We're a race that exists in all corners of Runeterra, taking different forms that suit the lives we choose to live. Some of us live in the trees, others live in the seas, and others like myself choose to associate with humanity."
"Hold up." Raising an open palm, Zac reached out and removed a piece of trash that had landed on her head. "I think I've seen this in a movie. You're not going to reveal that you're some kind of Vastayan princess on the run or something, right?"
"We don't have nations like humans do. We have villages, yes, but we live scattered around the world in tribes rather than collectively as some sort of country filled with our own kind." Ahri continued, not humoring the humor she had needed to carry her mood only a day ago. "At least, not anymore. I was told that hundreds of years ago before the Rune Wars, Vastayans and humans fought a war against monsters from the Void that had crossed over into our world."
"Hundreds of years ago? I guess you can't tell a Vastayan's age by looking at them?"
"Don't even go there." Ahri gave him a coy look, furrowing her brow and pursing her lips into a thin smirk that she would only show him when they were alone together. "Not that it would matter if I told you. Vastayans age differently from humans, so we shouldn't compare the two."
"So you're saying that you don't age?"
"It also helps that I can keep my body and soul refreshed from consuming the lifeforce of others." Ahri's sneering smile turned into a deeper twisted smirk for only a moment. "Now stop teasing me. You're getting me off track."
Zac gave her a silent nod of agreement, and the world continued around them without them.
"The Vastayan in Ionia have always had problems with the humans on the island. There are a lot of them that look at humans with disdain because they cannot coexist with the spiritual nature of the land. To them, humans are nothing more than violent, hairless monkeys that are doomed to repeat their failures from their miserably short lives."
As Zac listened, he wondered if Ahri's choice of words had been spoken by someone before her.
"The Kinkou Order is the only group of humans to ever successfully reach out for an understanding with the Vastayans. It's even said that the first Eye of the Twilight came about from spiritual lessons taught by the Vastayans they made friends with, hundreds of years ago. I doubt Zed has any interest in establishing those ties for the Order of the Shadows." This was said with a dismissive tone, for reasons unclear to him. "The Order of the Shadows is shaping up to be the nightmare the Vastayans thought humanity would become someday. Ravenous predators that have no sense of harmony or balance."
"Is this why you wanted to come with us?"
"I've been doing my own homework. Syndra told me that Zed told her a pair of Vastayans are attacking the patrols in his territory, and that could be the start of something bigger." Ahri continued to explain carefully, stopping for a few seconds to think.
"...I know what my kind are thinking. Like the seasons, they'll hope that the Order of the Shadows will pass, and peace will return to the island. But they don't know about the Institute of War, and how it has caused time to stop around the world. The Order of the Shadows is never going to go away. It doesn't matter how many places they attack, not as long as Zed is a popular Champion in the League. And the Vastayans who are waiting for peace don't understand that the Kinkou Order may never come back, so long as Shen, Akali, and Kennen aren't popular with Summoners in the League. If things continue as they are, they might wrongly assume who is responsible for supporting the Order of the Shadows. If that happens, something stupid could happen."
Time has stopped because of the Institute of War?
The words the fallen Aspect had spoken in their last encounter passed through his mind. He had dismissed them as the regular doom and gloom pedaled by so many like her, but why had they come back into his mind now?
"Something…stupid?" Zac asked, knowing that it was important that he did.
"Most Vastayans don't understand human society. They know about the large numbers of humans that live in cities, and the spiraling towers they build that look like they could touch the skies." Ahri gestured to everything around them. "But they don't know about what makes up human society. They don't understand that it's more complicated than one human, one chieftain, one leader demanding that everyone else do as they're told. They'll look at the Order of the Shadows, and assume it's a plot by the Council of Elders to try and destroy them. If violence breaks out, the Vastayan will eventually be destroyed, but not before irreparable damage will be done."
"Have you talked to anyone else about this?"
"I have, but I felt like it hardly mattered. Karma's title as Duchess carries weight, but it is also just honorary; she is still one seat on the Council of Elders. It doesn't help that the Vastayans are largely a myth in Ionian culture. How could she warn them of danger they don't believe in?"
"Don't believe they exist?" He could hardly believe what he was hearing. "Aren't you proof enough that Vastayans exist?"
"People pick and choose what they want to believe. Why should they believe in the Vastayans when it means that they would have to share Ionia?"
"Well, what about—"
"Irelia may be the Captain of the Ionian Army, but she answers to the Council of Elders. There's a group of extremists called the Navori Brotherhood that are giving her problems, and hostility against them would mean another civil war in Ionia besides the Order of the Shadows fighting with the Kinkou."
"If we took care of this Navori Brotherhood, would Irelia be able to help us?"
"It's possible, but the Navori Brotherhood is a sore spot for her. From what she told me, they rose up from a resistance group during the war, and want to militarize Ionia to safeguard it from future dangers."
"What does that have to do with her?"
Ahri didn't answer him immediately, choosing instead to reach behind her and put her hand in his. Looking at them both together, he couldn't help but notice how smooth her skin was, how lithe her fingers were, and how sharp her claw-like nails looked.
"Didn't you want to show me something?"
"...Yeah, I did." Zac made a mental note to revisit the subject later before he stretched his back up straight. Taking a look around at their surroundings for a few seconds, he then raised his arms and pointed his free hand out in a direction.
"Over there. Do you see the lit-up building with the smoke coming out of it?"
He waited until she nodded silently before continuing.
"That's an old smoked fish cannery built when the city was founded. Back then, a lot of people were afraid of war with Piltover breaking out from their rivalry. So buildings responsible for keeping people fed were built strong enough to take attacks from bombs and stuff. Ironically the only time it's been attacked was by accident when Jinx tried to get everyone to celebrate our own version of Piltover's Progress Day."
Looking around again, he pointed to another structure off in the distance.
"Over there is the big chemtech processing plant. I heard they dredge up this magical junk from some fissure in the sea and process it into super-powered stuff. I don't know who came up with the idea or why, but it's become a big industry in Zaun. Singed always says that it's much safer than those weird Hextech crystals they like to play with in Piltover all of the time, but I think he's always had a thing against magic."
Doing a sharp turn this time, Zac then pointed to the hills whose silhouettes could barely be seen through the smog.
"See the mountains cresting those buildings? They're connected to the Dredge; the mines where Urgot broke out from years ago. Last I heard Urgot's gang is supplying new workers to the companies that run the place. They paint it like it's about walking in his footsteps and proving that you can survive what he went through too. At least that's better than having weird cult meetings where you try to kill everyone with poison gas."
Zac's eyes lit up with a flood of memories when he then pointed to the next target.
"Oh! Over there! Can you see the weird building with the giant tesla coil coming out of the top? That's one of Viktor's labs. Well, one of the public ones anyway. The weird pointy bit is for catching lighting and turning it into power for the automatic factory inside. They say that was where Viktor fixed Blitzcrank by putting that Hextech core in him. I've always wondered if there were more robots like him in there. Maybe a whole line of them? I bet Viktor tried, but we would have heard about it if he had succeeded."
Scratching his head while he thought, Zac then pointed a finger up at another direction.
"Those streets are where all of the food carts park to sell lunch to the factory workers. Twitch and I used to go there all of the time to pick through the scraps that get thrown out. Although I think people started leaving things out for us on purpose so we don't scare off their customers. I think the weirdest meal I had was an ordinary hamburger from a food cart where all of the staff were dressed like clowns. I never saw them again after that."
He felt himself grimace as he pointed at the next area.
"See the dark area over there? That's part of an abandoned district that had to be evacuated after someone bombed a hospital some famous Chem-Baron was staying at. They say that's how Doctor Mundo was born or something, but I don't buy it. I think he's a space alien trying to learn about human medicine, but he has some screws loose from how he got dropped on Runeterra."
"...Why are you telling me this?" Ahri asked after making sure that he was finished.
"Someone told me that you don't have a lot of memories about your home, so I wanted to share some of mine." He continued to look out into the world around them and she wondered what he could see that she could not. "A lot of people live in Zaun, but no one is allowed to choose how they're born into the world. I wanted to show you that there are other people doing what they can to get what they want out of life. Even if some of them are people you probably don't get along with."
He felt himself frown subconsciously when she took her hand out from his.
"Thank you," was all she said after a moment of silence. He noticed that she was frowning in thought, unlike the usual pout that had crossed her face countless times since their adventure had started. "I'll…remember what you told me today."
"I've seen a lot of good and bad things happen on these streets. I get that it's not like Ionia. You can't see the sky at night. Dirt collects on everything. The air smells funky from the chemical dumps. Every surface is concrete, glass, and steel."
He gave her a wide toothless smile and hoped inside that he didn't look weird.
"But in spite of that, life goes on. I don't care that you're some sort of fox succubus or something. You're not some remorseless killer putting on an act to try and trick other people. Sometimes accidents happen, and people get hurt because of it. But you're trying to be a better person from that, and that's what counts in the end."
In spite of her continued silence, her tails flickered about like a snake, and he knew that his words were hitting something inside of her.
"And besides, what kind of hero would be if I rejected people over their past?" Zac asked rhetorically before frowning. "Although in hindsight I'm friends with a lot of terrible people. But just because they're bad people sometimes, doesn't mean that they're really bad people. Right?"
The look on Ahri's face did not fill him with confidence.
"That's a very brave way of looking at things."
"Well, being brave is all a part of being a hero."
"Are you going to keep calling yourself that our entire trip?"
"Just telling it like it is," Zac said proudly, taking one last survey around them. "Now, I don't want to ruin the moment, but we should get back on the streets. I don't really like heights."
"Very funny," Ahri said for the second time, laughing lightly again.
"I'm not joking," Zac said for the second time too, because it was the truth.
"The match is about to begin. Are our guests seated?"
From the room known only by a few, Morgana could see almost everything that was happening in the Zaun branch of the Institute of War. The walls of the room were mounted flat stones bearing intricate runic carvings, which acted as conduits for complex magical spells. That was only the tip of the iceberg from what the room could do, but the fallen Aspect had no interest in playing voyeur with the countless lives around her. For now, concern lay with the Grand General of Noxus and Matron of the Black Rose, both of which were sharing a private viewing room together overlooking a desert arena mimicking the landscape of Shuriman ruins.
"All of them are ready, but there is one more guest." the hooded Summoner behind her trailed off.
"Who?" Morgana asked, not daring to take her eyes away from the magically projected view.
"See for yourself." He stepped forward to hold up the rune inscribed stone tablet in his hand so she could see, Morgana raised a brow at the shining youth radiating from the simple picture attached. "I'm not sure where she came from, but she requested a chance to sit with the crown prince and his consort."
"The younger Crownguard? Is this because of her connection to him?" the fallen Aspect said after a moment of thought. "It hardly matters now. Pay her no heed. What is the status of the main attraction?"
"Sylas of Dregbourne, aka 'The Unshackled,'" the Summoner repeated from memory. "He has been briefed on how the Fields of Justice work. We've also modified his petricite shackles to not absorb anything but the magic of other Champions on the field."
"Was he cooperative?"
"He has his own goals for cooperating with us." The Summoner muttered in a begrudging way. "That's all he's made clear, though it is not hard to imagine why he wants to work with us."
"It doesn't matter. He's another stepping stone in our path, which alone was more than anything he was going to be in that prison cell." Folding her arms under her chest, Morgana let out a low hum in thought. "Some people are born to be tools for others to use. Once a scapegoat for Demacia's hypocrisy, he escaped only to become trapped by his own twisted ideals. It's ironic; his own mind has become his next inescapable prison, and so he's come to us to justify it."
"How cold. You should learn to love human potential more if you're going to spend so much time around them."
Morgana did not turn around to greet the new arrival, and the Summoner with her bowed quickly before exiting the room to give them their privacy. The new arrival sauntered in on her own, taking quiet steps with the magical door slid closed behind her.
"Come to watch?" With a flick of her wrist, the fallen Aspect expanded one of the magical projections lighting up the dim room. From its expanded size both of them could clearly see two sets of five Champions lining up on two sides of an arena mirroring Shuriman ruins.
"Is that a new dress?" asked Ahri, stepping out from the shadows of the room and walking up to Morgana for a closer look. She put her hand under her chin as a mock gesture of thought. "So you do have legs. Why would you hide such smooth and shapely—"
"It's all a part of the image I have to uphold," Morgana interrupted, gracefully spinning herself in a circle one for the fox Vastayan to see.
"Which is…?"
"Humanity must never forget that actions have consequences." Despite the chains restraining her, Morgana flexed her three pairs of wings all at once before closing them around her once more.
Ahri said nothing in return, and after circling Morgana a second time walked over to one of the magic monitors displaying a new face to her. "Is that him? Or is that him? Or is that—"
"Yes," Morgana cut Ahri off again before she could continue. "There is quite a showing today. Many of the new Champions will be on the Field of Justice to show off their strengths."
Mouthing a quiet whistle in awe, the nine-tailed fox's eyes held an almost child-like wonder going from one strange character to another.
A man with muscles bigger than she had ever seen, and with a mustache that matched the luxurious sheen of her own tails. He was conversing with another man, who was much smaller in size, wearing a bird-shaped gold costume that reflected the artificial sun above them brightly. The two were very strange when compared to each other, both stood like living stone pillars airing an aura of superiority to the world around them.
Off to their side, she immediately recognized the white mohawk and dirty clothes belonging to Ekko, who was trying to painfully hide his embarrassment from standing next to Janna. The wind mage had changed out of her Forecast costume and back into her normal attire, which was a considerable downgrade in terms of coverage over her slender form. Unfortunately for the young Zaunite his support seemed oblivious to his discomfort and was insistently standing close by to him as if to guard him on his first fight on the Fields of Justice.
The last addition to one of the teams was...some sort of monstrosity. A hulking beast sporting deep blue natural armored plates, with dark pink muscular sinew that looked capable of tearing opponents in half. Clearly, it was some kind of monster that the Institute Summoners had tamed, though what made it unique enough to have it fight in the League of Legends was unknown to her.
"You mentioned someone named Sylas. Who is it?"
"That's him," the fallen Aspect gestured to one of the muscular humans on the magic screen. Looking closer, Ahri's eyes narrowed, taking in the strange appearance of the human who seemed to be in a world of his own as well.
"What's with the chains?" she glanced back at Morgana who scowled at her slightly. "Is this some sort of Demacian fashion?"
"They're made of a special stone mixture called petricite. It absorbs magic, and in his case lets him use it against his foes," Morgana explained, pulling out a sheet of paper from thin air and reading over its contents. "He was the root of a mage rebellion in Demacia a year ago. After several failed attempts to ignite a civil war, he came to us requesting amnesty in return for fighting in the League."
"...But why is he half-dressed?"
"It's the look he chose. It must have some sort of significance to him."
"Weird."
"Quite." Morgana then gestured for Ahri to turn her attention elsewhere. "Come. You should see this."
"What did I miss?" Ahri asked, standing next to the other side or Morgana as one of the magic screens in the room moved itself in front of them and automatically enlarged the image it was displaying.
"He just confessed his undying devotion to your doppelganger," Morgana said dryly, raising her hands to somehow adjust the size of the magic screen. "Maybe we didn't need you on this mission after all."
"Very funny," Ahri said, rolling her eyes at the melodrama directed at her.
"At least you'll be happy to know that he looks at you in a positive light, unlike some others."
"That was a given," the nine-tailed fox struck a strange pose that was foreign to her. "His only other friend is a psychotic rat. It's kind of sad actually; I won him over by just talking nicely to him, bringing him food, and not treating him like a monster…hmm…"
When nothing was said after a few moments, the fallen Aspect craned her neck slightly to see the nine-tailed fox's face riddled with a mixture of complex emotions. Whatever she had been thinking though went away when her eyes returned back to the magic screen in front of them. "Do I really act like that?" Ahri asked, pointing to her doppelganger on the magic video screen being carried from one rooftop to another.
"Like what?"
"That thing is being so...touchy."
Morgana almost laughed but stopped herself because she knew it would be seen as cruel. "What? Is being carried by someone of the opposite sex too scandalous for you?"
"You know what I mean!" the nine-tailed fox snapped back, before puffing her cheeks out in annoyance. "I don't want him to get the wrong idea. I need him to like me, but not fall for me. You know?"
"It's one of the most advanced magic clones the Institute has ever created, thanks to the research your kind did on memory transference. And what's the first thing we do with it? Send it out on a date because you were too shy to ask a little boy to take a walk with you." Morgana couldn't help but give a low chuckle from how ridiculous it was. "Maybe you're more innocent than you want to believe? Not everyone gets a clear window into seeing their own souls."
"That thing does NOT have my soul!"
Ahri turned away after her outburst, looking down at the floor in shame with red cheeks. A little taken back, Morgana recomposed herself and put a handle hand on the nine-tailed fox's shoulder.
"I'm sorry. I was only teasing you."
"Well, it wasn't funny."
"I apologize. I know that's a sore spot for you, but you must know by now that it's different this time."
Ahri remained silent, slowly turning her gaze up to meet the fallen Aspect's own. She wanted to say more, to say something in her defense. To vent her frustration and clear the hesitation that had been plaguing her from long before the scope of the world had been expanded by the monster in front of her. But like so many times before, she found herself unable to move at all from the dark powers of the fallen Aspect. There was an unseen difference that felt impossible to bridge, and so all she could do was stand sullenly and accept what was coming.
"You felt it when you joined us, and you felt it again when we paired you with him. That feeling in your core; a resonation in your soul." Morgana's eyes traveled down Ahri's body, with the one hand that had been on her shoulder doing the same. It went down from her shoulders to the curve of her arm, and then under her chest snaking down to her hips.
"How many times have you asked yourself; is he the one? Will he give me what I deserve? Will I find happiness? Will he keep my secrets? Maybe you've dared to hope… Will he love me?"
"I don't need the love of a child," Ahri said determinedly, gently removing Morgana's hand before it could travel further south. "I know what true love is, and I have people that love me for who I am. I came to you, and to them because I want a better life for the people I care about. I already knew what I was getting into, so don't talk to me like I'm a useful idiot or some pawn in your games."
"Some men are into that kind of earnest selfishness, but I can't say I agree."
"It's not selfish to want to be happy."
"Even if it comes at the expense of others?"
"Everything comes at the expense of something. That's how the world works."
"Spoken like a predator who knows her place on the food chain. I shouldn't have been surprised when you found your way to us." Morgana reached out to pat Ahri on the head patronizingly but rested the offending hand on her shoulder instead. "You would do well to remember the courage it took to seek us out. You may have taken your first steps into the unknown alone, but every step after you will have us walking alongside you. You are a stranger no longer; you are a Sister of the Coven, and we will always be your family."
For a second the Aspect worried that her rehearsed lines had been laid too thick, but that worry went away when Ahri spoke up after a minute of silence.
"I want your advice on something."
"...Go on," Morgana offered, after pausing herself for a bit.
"How do you know when to move on past the dead?"
Morgana said nothing, knowing that there was more to come. Ahri walked past the fallen Aspect and with an experienced hand began pressing buttons and turning dials on the magical consoles in the room. The magic monitors changed their images, showing new areas of the Zaun branch of the Institute of War.
"Before all of this, you and LeBlanc both told me the same thing. That you can't let the past, and the dead, continue to drag down the living." The fallen Aspect knew that the words being spoken were not a confession, but a statement made filled with regret spoken countless times by others who knew how the world worked. "But I don't think it's wrong to remember them. I know how politics in Ionia work, and I—"
"The people of Ionia all wear masks, much like you do," Morgana said, deciding that it was the right time to interrupt. "Even when they are in the presence of those they are supposed to trust. Appearances to them are far more important than reality. So too, the honored dead are to be remembered, but shoved aside when it is convenient for them. There is nothing wrong with being suspicious of people who are comfortable living like that."
"But aren't a lot of people like that?"
"Yes, but you've met others who aren't afraid of showing that they empathize with you. Given enough time, I think that some people who regard you coldly will begin to see things from your perspective. Can you say the same for your fellow Ionians?"
"Only one," Ahri answered far too quickly.
"Time is the ultimate test for everything; friendships, philosophies, etcetera etcetera. It can be a bitter experience, but ultimately only you can decide if it was for the best. When we first met, do you remember what I said to you?"
"You said that people will hate me because they love me," Ahri answered far too quickly again.
"That's right. So many people have fallen in love with you from the first moment you spoke to them, but anything pushed to the extremes becomes twisted. Lust. Pride. Envy. Greed. The members of our coven all represent terrible things that are always directed at the ones we love. If love is the brightest light that shines over this world, then how dark are the negatives born from the shadows it casts? These are questions that humans have no answers for. How could they understand that the world they've built to bring them happiness is responsible for all of their sorrows?"
Morgana waited another minute to allow her words spoken to be digested.
"Things humans don't understand foster anxiety, which leads to hatred, which in turn leads to...confrontation." She had paused before choosing her last word, turning purposefully to the magical screens that showed the match was beginning. "If you want to avoid your civil war, you will have to teach the Ionian people how to love again. That includes all of your animal friends too, of course."
"Please don't call them that."
"Well, from my perspective humans and the Vastayan aren't that different. Your history has become divided with time, but you are both the natural inheritors of this—"
Before Morgana could finish her sentence a magical chime played itself from somewhere unseen. A signal that someone unscheduled was at the other side of the door to the room they were in.
"What is it?" Morgana said, loud enough so that whoever was on the outside could hear her. Ahri began to move out of sight and into the shadows, but a raised hand from the fallen Aspect stopped her. "I made it clear that I wanted no interruptions when I'm speaking with my friends."
When the door opened, Ahri watched as another faceless Summoner walked in and gave a deep bow to both of them. "I'm sorry ma'am, but I have something you will want to know about. We have an updated report from one of our monitors that there is a large group of augmented individuals heading toward the Harbor district." From the deep sleeves of his robes, he fished out a packet of papers, which he handed over to Morgana who had been holding her hand out expectantly. "Judging by their augments, it seems to be another group of Viktor's followers."
"Another attack? So soon?" Morgana's eyes skimmed over the written parchment. "What's the status of the interrogation team?"
"No results so far, ma'am. They were unable to find the Machine Herald at his laboratory. There were signs of a fight, possibly involving one of the local Chem-Barons."
"Which one?"
"There was considerable amounts of foreign organics littered around the laboratory. Our guess is that it was Corina Veraza, who specializes in Zaunchem enhanced botany."
"Strange. Maybe this was a conflict of ideals brought to a boiling point by your victory earlier today?" Morgana said quietly in thought. "Some sort of strategy to leverage an advantage after the defeat of his followers earlier."
"But why did Viktor's followers attack us in the first place?" Ahri asked as bait. "If he wanted to meet me that badly he could have done so in the Institute at any time."
It was a valid question in her mind and getting no answer from either Morgana or the faceless Summoner was the only answer she got. Suddenly without warning there was a dull flare of magic in the eyes of the Aspect of Justice, who then immediately walked over to the hidden consoles in the room and started rapidly pushing buttons and adjusting dials.
"Why indeed." With a simple gesture, Morgana signaled for the Summoner to leave who did so immediately. Waiting until they were gone, she then turned to Ahri with a visible frustration on her face. "Your timetable has just been pushed forward. We'll swap you out for your double when no one is looking."
"What? Just like that?" Ahri said, taken aback by the suggestion. "I don't even know what they talked about. He's going to notice something is off, and I need him to trust me completely."
Morgana's reply could have been mistaken for a rueful admittance. "Sometimes, even in a world where everything is measured and regulated, you have to improvise."
"Alright, what do you know that you aren't telling me?" Ahri decided to cut to the chase, walking over to where Morgana was and forcing herself between her and the console she was still working on. "I saw that look in your eyes. You figured something out and you don't want to tell me what it is."
"In spite of what you may think I am neither all-seeing nor all-knowing. When one of our own decides that it is time to act, sometimes you must put your faith in them that they are doing the right thing."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Ahri asked with worry in her voice for the first time. "You're the one who has been talking about me being a part of a family now. Is someone in our family trying to get me killed?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Morgana scoffed moving to brush Ahri aside. "It's not like that. Sometimes—"
"Then what is it!?" Ahri demanded, moving even closer to stand face to face with Morgana. "I'm the one who has to be out there, risking her life for what she believes in while you all get to watch from the comfort of places like…this!" she threw her arms into the air gesturing at everything around them. "So you're going to tell me right now," her voice lowered to an angry hiss, "what is going on. What. Went. Wrong."
"Enough." Morgana's arms moved faster than Ahri could see, but instead of an act of violence, the Aspect's pale arms embraced her in a firm hug.
"Allow me to express my admiration for your pride. However, you know that pride can get people killed, don't you?" Morgana leaned in to speak into Ahri's ear, her quiet voice sounding like the rumbling of a storm far away. "Your pride kept you walking after you stole the souls of countless people, and let you accept the hearts of all the Summoners who worship you. The only future where everyone gets what they want is if Ionia works with the Institute of War, and that won't happen if you don't believe in us."
Leaning back and letting her go, Morgana then moved her one hand under Ahri's chin and squeezed her cheeks firmly. "Beings like you are capable of killing anyone with their pride. Even though you blossomed into a beautiful woman long ago you still have so much room to grow. The people in that filthy city are food you need to become—"
"That's not true," Ahri interrupted through her face being squeezed. She quickly grabbed the offending hand by the wrist with her own strength and forced her to let go. "I've never once looked at them like that! Not like you or the others."
Again, in reaction to her defiance, Morgana's eyes flared with a magical power that could be seen by anyone. Ahri stood firm, unblinking at the magical fire burning in the eyes that were staring deep into her soul. Eventually, their owner relented. "...Fine, believe what you want to believe." Ahri watched Morgana walk around her over to some more of the stone pillars, pressing and touching spots unseen to cause the magic projections to change. "We should do the swap before any fighting breaks out."
"I've seen how the Institute teleporters work. How are you going to hide the residual magic?"
"Don't worry about that. There will be too much happening from the fight for them to sense what happened," Morgana said, still pressing buttons and dragging things with her hands in different directions. "Head down to the south teleportation chamber and we'll do the swap in a few minutes. But before you...hmm..."
"What is it?" Ahri stopped walking toward the door when she heard Morgana trail off in thought.
"...Good luck. I'll talk to you again when you're in Ionia."
Morgana looked over her shoulder and watched Ahri leave. She continued to stare at the empty doorway, making sure that her accomplice was long gone before letting herself laugh lightly to herself. "Such selfish sentimentality. As is said, one does not care to acknowledge the mistakes of one's youth."
After jumping from one rooftop to another they had navigated the maze of Zaun's alleyways and were now on the outskirts of the city's coastal markets. Ahead of them he could hear the hustle and bustle of people going about their business, and the loud grinding of machinery that towered as high as building all around them. Even over the sea the persistent haze of the Zaunite Gray dominated the skyline, making it clear that even the waters over the horizon were touched by the city of chaos and innovation.
Stepping out from the alleyways, he tried to not pay attention to the audible gasps and sharp whispers that were coming from the ordinary people around them. "Say, what were you going to do before this?"
"What do you mean?"
"Before you decided to come with us. You had no way of knowing Swain was going to arrange this deal with Zed, right?" Ahri began to walk at a brisk pace, her tails unfolded behind her in a grand display of her persona to anyone watching. He made sure to mimic her own stride in his own muscular way, putting on a smile and waving to some of the people who were still gawking. "So what were you going to do about everything you just told me?"
"I'm not sure. I don't know if I really had a plan. I just saw what was happening, and it felt like I needed to act on it."
"...That's it?"
"What?" He could almost feel the displeasure in the one-word answer she gave him.
"Is that it? You would stick your neck out into something that sounds really complicated when it doesn't affect you?"
"Did you listen to anything I just said?" This time Ahri did stop, putting one hand on her hip and the other just below her neck above her breasts. "Or is it because I'm a parasite? That I eat the souls of humans? Does it seem so strange that I would care for others I don't know?"
"Every time I say that I'm just trying to do the right thing, no one believes me too." For Zac, this was an honest answer that hurt a little to give. "If I said I wanted to be a Champion for fun, everyone would look at me like I'm crazy. I wanted to know if it's the same for you."
"That's because 'fun' isn't really the right word for it."
"What would you call it then? Why can't I be a Champion for fun?"
She gave him a face that demanded a further explanation. He took a second to organize his thoughts while they were continuing along the right path toward the harbor.
"Do I have to have some lofty, noble goals? Do I have to have some sort of calling, or walk some sort of destined path? Maybe for some people, but that's not why I'm a Champion. I wanted to fight for what I felt was right, so I became a Champion."
"And now?"
"Now? Now I am a Champion, so I should keep fighting for what I think is right." Zac lifted his arm and flexed one of his muscular biceps easily. "That's why I obtained the powers I have now."
"And what powers are those?" Ahri asked, her irises changing color briefly.
"Strength to fight like someone who deserves to be called a Champion." Zac puffed his chest up and made a fist in confidence, and then slowly released it. "But it feels kind of...lonely if I'm being honest."
"You're lonely? Because you're the strongest Champion now?" Ahri said, and he watched her lips twist into a condescending one smirk. "Oh, I get it. This isn't about me, is it? Do you even know what you're saying? Do you think you're going to be a hero because you can throw a punch at some monsters in a fake arena?"
"Huh?" Her words took him off guard, and he felt himself scowling down at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"You heard me," Ahri continued, not backing down at all. "You're saying that being strong makes you feel lonely, but aren't you just confusing power for triumph? Aren't you the one trivializing what it means to be a hero in your own mind?"
"Maybe I don't have the most epic origin story, but it's the truth. I wanted to become a Champion to fight for what's right, so I trained to become the strongest Champion in the League."
"This is why I was worried about you. She made you lose sight of yourself because she just wants to use you like a blunt instrument." Ahri brought the palms of her hands over her face and pulled them down in slow motion. "Getting strong is fine, but aren't heroes supposed to be about more than strength? Having an ultimate goal of world peace isn't something you can just reach so easily."
"Do you and Riven have some sort of bad history I'm not aware of?" Zac asked, but Ahri ignored him when she continued.
"Let's say you can beat up everyone that gets in our way. Does that make you a hero? No; you became a hero because you want to help people. You may be the strongest Champion, but you're still far from becoming the strongest hero. Don't tell me you think that being strong makes you right, like some shallow jerk. Anyone who is that full of themselves just proves that they're still immature."
Stepping in front of him to stop them both, the nine-tailed fox reached up and stretched to put both of her hands on the side of his head. He decided to humor her and bend his back down a little so that they were closer to each other's faces.
"You want to be a hero? Real heroes don't think that being strong makes them different from others. It doesn't stop them from connecting with people around them."
A flood of memories was starting to bubble up to the top of his mind, but he shoved them back down before he could start to think about them. The world would only see it as a single night passing, but in those hours he had lived through three months of the most intense training of his life to scrape away the lethargy and depression in his heart.
"I'm not the same guy I was back then," he mumbled quietly.
"I know. I don't know how, but you forced yourself to change overnight. You grew up for me." Ahri smiled, closing the distance so that her forehead was touching against his. He watched her close her eyes, and the world around them seemed to fade away from his mind for a brief instance. The smells, sights, and sounds slowly disappeared, replaced by the strange sensation of radiating awe from nothing. It was similar to the feeling of looking up to the night sky and seeing countless stars shimmering with light from impossible distances away.
"You'll never know how much that means to me. Because the world needs a hero, and I know you...can… Oh, who the hell are—"
Something out of the corner of Ahri's eyes had caught her attention, and Zac looked down to see what it was. Standing very close to him was a young woman, but those two words could never be used to capture everything else about her. The youth next to him had wild blue hair, with a bright pink tropical flower in it that reminded him of the plants from the Kumungu jungle. But on top of that was the large green tail that snaked its way out from her scant clothing, lined with pink spines that looked like slender leaves of a plant.
"You are like a big…big…jelly treat!" the unknown lizard-like girl exclaimed before reaching out and poking at Zac. "Neeko has never seen something like this before!"
"Uh… Nice to meet you too," Zac said quietly, glancing at Ahri who had an unreadable look on her face. No doubt she was masking her frustration over the moment between them being interrupted. "What's your name, uh...?"
"Neeko," the unknown said simply, not stopping her prodding which was causing small waves in his body.
"What—, No, who are—" Ahri stammered, before managing to collect herself. She let go of Zac and slid off his arm back down to the ground. "Who are you? Are you a Vastayan? Did someone send you to—"
"No. Oovi-kat. Neeko is Vastayashai'rei," the young girl said. In a flash of magic, they watched as the mystery creature transformed herself into a perfect double of the nine-tailed fox. The audience that had been passively watching them collectively gasped, with the mirrored visage of Ahri smiling gleefully at everyone before returning back to the small multi-colored lizard girl.
"We are more colorful, yes?" Neeko said rhetorically, looking up at him with her bright amber eyes before going back to her investigative prodding.
"…Um, Neeko," Ahri said slowly, trying not to sound too shocked by the sudden display of magic neither of them had expected. Nonplused by her own display of talent, Neeko's investigations were slowly getting more intense causing a light smacking noise every time she pushed her hands against her target. "Did you need something from us?"
"Huh? Oh," Neeko suddenly stopped, perhaps realizing how she had become distracted. "I am sorry. I've never seen someone like you before," she said, looking up at Zac with big curious eyes. "What are you?"
"I'm…" Zac hesitated, only for the answer to come to him immediately, "a hero for fun. And a Champion in the League of Legends." He then dramatically put his balled fists to his hips, before pushing out his jellified chest muscles out boldly.
"A hero?" The lizard girl turned her head to the side slightly. "Hero? I have heard of this word before. A friend once told me that heroes help others with their problems. So, you can help Neeko?"
"Of course I will," Zac grinned wider, noticing the amused look Ahri was giving him to the side. "What's your problem, Neeko?"
"Neeko has come from a faraway place to look for someone. Someone I met a long time ago."
"Someone special like you?"
"Special? No! Neeko is normal. Definitely not suspicious."
"Riiight," Zac chuckled, as did Ahri. "Well, what do they look like?"
"She is strong, much stronger than Neeko. Very pretty too," Neeko began, wearing an exaggerated expression when she paused to think after a moment. "And she can be sneaky! She can run very fast through the brush. And she can be fierce! Like jungle cat. Exactly like a big jungle cat."
"Runs fast in the brush, and is like a jungle...?" Ahri repeated the description under her breath, before connecting the dots. "Wait, could it…? Nidalee?"
"YES!" Neeko shouted, jumping and getting nose to nose with Ahri. "You know of Neeko's friend?"
"Er, ah-hah, yes. That's…" Zac watched as Ahri turned away from Neeko with an unreadable look on her face. "She's very famous where we come from. For a lot of...things."
"Can you take Neeko there?" she quickly reached out and grabbed Ahri's hand, shaking them up and down quickly. "Please! Neeko has been looking for so long!"
"Well, I can but," Ahri then looked up to Zac, "we're here to look for someone. A bunch of someones."
"Yeah, sorry kiddo." Zac scratched the back of his head and looked around at how the crowd that had been surrounding them was starting to get bigger. "Tell you what though: why don't you come with us for now? We'll take you back to the Institute to meet Nidalee after?"
"Institute?" Neeko cocked her head to the side, frowning slightly as she did.
"Yeah, the Institute of War. Did Nidalee ever talk about it?"
Above the rest of the world but below the Zaunite gray that constantly blanketed the city, a pair of beady eyes hidden behind a metal mask and ventilator watched the two Champions and their new friend begin to walk deeper into the port. Sitting comfortably in his full special operations rig atop the arm of one of the large loading cranes not in use at the port, Teemo held a small pad in his hands and was scribbling furiously onto it.
"All of the primary targets have arrived at the meeting point, plus one," he mumbled, speaking into the recording device strapped to his wrist. "One unknown present. Unknown appears to be a mutant of Zaunite origin. It can change its appearance to mirror others. Possible urban Vastayan."
Stopping for a moment, he then looked over at his primary target. A ship that utterly dwarfed everything else in the Zaunite shipyard, that continued to blow smoke into the air from three towers with enough ferocity that it seemed to fuel the gray skies on its own. From the stolen pictures he had seen the so-called cargo ship was a sight unlike any other on Runeterra, but even from his perch above the world, the sight was surreal. A metal titan that towered over the entirety of the Zaunite seaport, making all of the other wooden and Zaunchem ships around it seem like the toys of a child.
"The Garuda is a real piece of work. Agent Hairbrain wasn't kidding about it being a revolutionary design." He looked down at the pencil sketch in his hands, checking to make sure that his drawing wasn't missing any important details.
"General appearance resembles the ship reported to have been stolen by the pirate king Gangplank years ago. Designation: Leviathan. I'll need to review the old records; rumors are that it blew up in an incident years ago."
Raising his hand, he began to manually count the larger squares littering the shipyard around the base of the Garuda. From up high he could see that the loose collection of shapes were starting to form neat orderly rows, to be collectively fed into the belly of the steel beast. With perfect timing, he then watched as the front of the ship slowly opened itself to reveal an extending loading ramp that made contact with the concrete dock with a resounding metallic slam.
"Primary loading bay seems to be in the prow. The majority of cargo being organized in the port seems to be the Ionian plunder that came by rail earlier in the day. The forces guarding it boarded the ship as well, but I've noticed a distinct lack of amenities and supplies for the increased headcount."
He jotted down some numbers, crossing off other notes he had written to himself earlier.
"Need to investigate further if Noxus intends to resupply their fleet from home or abroad. The ship may be too big to fit through the Piltover straight with other commercial traffic. Massive size could act as a deterrent to lesser pirate groups in Bilgewater."
Closing the notebook in his hand, Teemo made sure it was secured into one of the larger pockets of his vest. The button he had pressed earlier was still colored red, ensuring that it was recording while the Yordle continued with his work.
"Too many questions, and not enough answers. The reported shipping route will take the Garuda to Bilgewater, but the sea monsters in the region are notorious for being attracted to mechanical noises. No visible countermeasures or defenses on its outer hull, but the ship is emitting a red glow from segments on its forward port and starboard bows. Reason is unknown. May be decorative, since it resembles the jaws of a beast. Could also be related to the ship's main power source too, or some sort of disguise for slipping past monstrous ocean-dwelling fauna. Warrants further investigation for sure. We should have Agent Seafoam make a report if the Garuda makes it in and out of Bilgewater without any incidents."
Lowering his arm for a moment, the Yordle did another visual scan of the harbor checking to see if there was anything he had missed. As if right on cue, he spotted a lone figure vaulting from rooftop to rooftop taking the time with every leap to make sure that they had not been spotted by anyone. Adjusting the focusing rings of the optics built into his face mask, he could also see that the new arrival hadn't bothered with any kind of elaborate disguise.
"Another operator out in the wild," Teemo mumbled to himself, raising his recorder back to his face.
"I've spotted another operator conducting reconnaissance on the target. Profile matches Akali, the rogue assassin from Ionia and former Fist of the Shadow. Target appears to be scouting out the Garuda, but she may be here for other reasons."
Taking a few more notes, the Swift Scout stopped for a second as he tried to add up everything he knew so far.
"The report Agent Gladeberry submitted was telling. I was suspicious of her choice of allies, but we clearly have a shared interest. Even if I don't know what it is." Turning the pages of his notebook, Teemo underlined a few names written on the page he stopped on.
"Her last report indicated that the so-called Coven has begun to move, and the nine-tailed predator is their primary field agent. Their goals are largely unknown, and they have too many members with different backgrounds to be predicted. But it's not hard to guess what such a collective of evil wants from the world."
Taking in a deep breath, the Yordle looked up at the gray sky above and let it out slowly. There was a strange sensation he had felt when he had arrived at the docks. A fog that clouded the mind and made everything we thought about weigh more heavily. He had already disregarded it being some sort of magical attack or poisoning from the intense pollution at the docks, but he quickly rechecked the seals of his mask to make sure there weren't any leaks.
"...Geez, this is getting complicated," Teemo mumbled again, before holding up his recorder to his mouth one last time.
"If my predictions are correct then a second attack is due to happen soon. I'll continue my reconnaissance efforts if the Garuda's mission is delayed from the attack. This time though I'll stick to my original cover work as a news reporter."
Pressing a button on the side of the device turned it off, and he quickly put it into the pack carrying all of his other equipment with him. Taking a minute to ensure everything was back where it should be, Teemo quickly walked back across the top of the crane's arm so he could climb back down and make his way back to the Institute.
"This had better be worth my Bandle Scout mission badge number forty six."
"Status report."
"The large party of Zaunchem enhanced individuals are approaching the harbor, Captain. Intent unknown."
From the climate-controlled front bridge of the Garuda, Riven could see over most of the rooftops of the Zaunite port they were docked in.
Looking outside did little to distract from a nagging distrust that had built up in the soul the moment she had stepped onto the Garuda. Captain Kinsey had met her at the ramp of the ship, insisting on keeping up with the Noxian military tradition of ship captains personally greeting any ranking officers and permitting them entry to come aboard. Even though she had pointed out that this was no longer the case, the captain had laughed it off as if he knew something that she did not.
Captain Kinsey himself, as she would sense immediately, was not an ordinary man. There were two types of Noxian sea captains who lived to tell tales of their missions and voyages: the ones who performed so-called milk runs through Piltover, and spent most of their life as a glorified tour guide ferrying soldiers and cargo out of the north Shuriman desert. The other, by massive contrast, were seasoned warriors of the sea on par with the strongest captains who had once served in the crew of the legendary pirate king himself. The experiences they had gone through covered everything from fighting pirates, sea monsters, and unspeakable horrors that descended upon the living from the shores of the Shadow Isles.
The man that had been speaking to her like a friend from their first introduction was undoubtedly the latter. Everything from his presence spoke of someone who had seen and survived countless trials and tribulations ordinary men did not dare to dream of.
But the imposing figure sitting in the captain's chair on the command bridge of the Garuda was maybe not a man at all. Her instincts hardened by years of combat against men and monsters alike told her that. Every inch of his body that could be clothed, armored, or concealed was covered in layers of all three. It reminded her of a crude cross between a certain undead warrior and armored tyrant in the Institute of War, which meant that it was not just some fashion statement acting as a top off to the Garuda's already imposing nature.
In fact, she had noticed how the same anomalies applied to the crew of the ship as much as their captain. She had seen war galleys and supply ships only a quarter of the size of the Garuda with more sailors to maintain their course. Yet all of the preparations for the Garuda's maiden mission seemed to be in order, and every sailor she encountered was busy at work wearing matching uniforms and armored helmets that covered their faces. Watching them work in passing reminded her of the Iron Legion that had escorted them from the Institute of War, but for what reasons she could not figure out.
In spite of the audible commotion coming from outside in the harbor, around her the masked faces of the Garuda's crew were still glued to countless dials and instruments for things she did not understand. The same stoic dedication radiated from the ship's captain who had remained seated in his command chair in the center of the bridge the entire time they talked.
"Where are they now?"
"Still at the entrance of the port, ma'am." One of the bridge crewmen answered immediately with no hesitation. "It looks like they're talking with our suppliers."
Even though she had been standing in place, the broken blade on her back suddenly felt heavier than it had been minutes ago. It was a premonition of the worst kind, and Riven knew what it was going to mean very soon.
"Do you want me to deal with it, Captain?"
"Is it something that needs to be dealt with?" Riven took it as a rhetorical question, but it was possible Captain Kinsey didn't mean it as such. The captain of the Garuda nestled somewhere deep under his armored peacoat showed no signs that he was going to move. "They haven't done anything yet. I don't want any trouble for us right as we're about to leave."
"I don't think we're going to be that lucky, Captain," she respectfully answered. "They look like the same group we encountered earlier on our way here."
"Hmm…" an armored hand was raised and began to rub the chin of the metal mask its owner wore in a strange gesture. "How can you tell? Zaunites with their augments all look the same to me."
"I'm certain of it. Zaunite gangs have different levels of hardware installed into them depending on who their sponsors are. Viktor's acolytes tend to have the newest augments not available on the market."
"And what do they want with us?"
"They wanted us to hand over the Vastayan who will be acting as our guide through Ionia. Given that she is our primary guide through a land that has changed since my time there, we refused their request. Negotiations broke down after, and we engaged them in combat forcing them to retreat."
"All of that incredible technology, but they're no different from your typical thugs then?" Captain Kinsey muttered in audible disgust. "You said that they wanted the nine-tailed fox woman? Did they say why?"
"No, and I'm a little concerned why," Riven said, deciding to vent her thoughts. "Their master is also a Champion in the League, and could have approached her at any time then. There's no reason for him to send his followers after her and interrupt a mission sanctioned between Noxus and Ionia. I thought that the group may have acted out of a misunderstanding, but now I'm not so sure."
"Your worries are not unfounded. I was told by the Grand General to beware of conspiracies threatening our mission, and take measures to avoid them." Lowering his arm back down onto the armrest of his chair, he then turned to look her in the eyes through his metal mask which had none. "I trust your judgment on this matter, Commander. Go down and see what they want, and do what you need to keep us safe."
"Captain," Riven said, forcing herself to try and stay respectful. "I have not been the leader of a warband in years. That title no longer belongs to me."
A deep laugh that resonated inside of the heavy cloth and metal plates of the captain was all she got in return. It was the laugh of a veteran senior reacting to the naivety of a junior, and something that had come from herself in the past.
Biting her lower lip so hard that it almost bled, Riven turned and walked out of the bridge to head back down to the docks where she knew a battle would soon begin.
Author's Note 11/18/2021: As I mentioned in previous chapters I will be working to clean up older chapters and combine their content together. These updated chapters will have (R) in their titles and will contain more content setting up future parts of the story. I will also be removing some parts that do not line up with my vision to avoid loose plot threads.