The VoidWeavers Call
Chapter 7: "The Winged protector (part-3)"
The Ascended Jackle god-warrior stood towering over them, a sigh of relief filled Taliyah as she recognized the mighty Nasus. "What good does this spilling of incident blood do for your pain brother?" Nasus said, his voice sounding compassionate. "It summoned the bringer of my pain you traitorous dog!" Renekton yelled as jumped up and tackled Nasus, he blocked Renekton's cleaver with his scepter but the two rolled backwards a bit from the impact. Kai'sa and Taliyah take their chance and stumble onto their feet, walking a bit away from the battling gods to catch their breath. "Grruuh" Nasus landed a strong punch to Renekton, knocking him back enough to get back onto his feet, "I only did as you ask brother, stop this madness…" Nasus said, pleading his brother to come back to him. "Madness! MADNESS! Yes, I was always the mad one that no one listened to, the mad one that did the things everyone else was too weak to do! I ASK YOU TO DO WHAT I KNEW YOU WANTED TO DO ALL ALONG! And now you will pay for having no loyalty!" Renekton said filled with rage and hurt. Nasus blocks his rage-filled slashes again and again, he then knocked the sword out of Renekton's hand and shoved him back with his scepter, still trying to not hurt him anymore than necessary. "My Loyalty to you has never wavered brother, only my honor… I obeyed what you said even though it pained me every day, but had I done what was honorable, I would have taken your place…" Nasus said, as he bowed his head and lowered his staff.
Renekton paused for a moment, not knowing how to respond to his brother… … … "GRAAA! YOU THINK A APOLOGY WILL SAVE YOU! YOU ALWAYS WOULD SAY ANYTHING WITH WORDS!" Renekton leaped up at him and grabbed his throat, then lifting him and body slamming him into the ground. "Should… should we help him?" Kai'sa asked Taliyah as the two rested for a moment. "Nah I think he'll be ok another five minutes, then i'll consider going back in." Taliyah replied casually.
POW! POW! POW! Blows from the two god-warriors echoed throughout the town, Nasus went for headshots, hoping to knock his brother out for his own good, but left himself open to a lot of body blows from Renekton as he heard a few of his ribs crack. "Uuuhg" Nasus said out of discomfort from his brother breaking his ribs, "Whither!" Nasus said as he summoned his siphoning spell that made Renekton feel weak and slow. "Always had to use your tricks!" Renekton said, as he snapped out of the weakness spell with sheer rage. "THEY WON'T WORK ON ME ANYMORE!" Renekton screamed as he dashed forward, pushing Nasus back into some tents and shops. Rengar then opened his eyes as he lay in the rubble of a tent he crashed into, he sees the butt of the god-warrior Nasus about to crash on top of him. "RRREOW!" He screamed as he jumped out of the way at the last moment. Nasus falls into the shop wreckage as Renekton pounds him into the ground. "Rraar!" Rengar roared as he slashed the side of Renekton's face with his wrist claws, they hit just below the eye, but dug in pretty deep. Renekton turns to see who struck him, he then saw Rengar already about 30 feet away running for his life because he knew that claw to the face would piss him off. Renekton decided to let Rengar go for now, and continued his assault on Nasus.
Five large stones strike Renekton from behind, distracting him for a moment, CRACK! "AAHHGR!" Renekton screamed as he felt his ankle snap from Nasus's club striking it. Nasus gets back on his feet and dodges a few of his brother's sloppy swings, countering with a quick punch to his face followed by a large swing of his club which landed a powerful blow to Renekton's chest, the scepter dug into his flesh only stopping once it meet his ribs. "I don't want to hurt you anymore brother! Come home!" Nasus said, pleading with his brother as he saw the blood drip from his chest. "My home was your shadow! GRAA!" Renekton screamed as he lounged his cleaver forward at Nasus's chest. He quickly pulled up his scepter and blocked the sword, but the force of Renekton's push was enough to knock him onto his back again. Renekton grins in joy as his blade slowly starts to win against Nasus's scepter, "brother!" Nasus said as Renekton's blade slowly started piercing his flesh. "GRRA!" Renekton roared as he bite down on Nasus's shoulder causing him to stop resisting with his scepter. "NOOO!" Taliyah cries out in sadness at the sight of Nasus being fully impaled by Renekton.
She starts weaving rocks at him again with rage in her eyes, but they are small and weak because of her injuries. "You will watch your failure!" Renekton said as he stood up, leaving Nasus impaled with his blade running through his gut. "Now where were we girl!" He said as he approached Taliyah. Kai'sa stood back, her mind racing in panic, she had to do something, but so far everything she did didn't stop Renekton at all, she thought hard, only one thing she thought that might kill him, but she wasn't sure, she had never done it before. "RAAAH!" Kai'sa yelled as she dashed unto Renekton's back in just the right spot so he couldn't reach her. She let Void plasma flow into her claws as she dug them into his flesh, holding on for dear life as he desperately tried to rip her off. Taliyah then with all her strength ripped up a large sharp rock from the ground, it smashed into Renekton's wound on his chest and broke his rib, making him fall to his knees while Kai'sa still held onto his back while Nasus desperately tried to pull Renekton's blade from his own body.
"Come Kai'sa you can do this…" She whispered to herself as she held onto the god-warrior while she tried to teleport. All of a sudden, Renekton felt a strange sensation slowly starting to cover him, it was like he was being pulled from this world by some ungodly power, like he was being pulled into oblivion… Renekton realized what Kai'sa was trying to do, she's trying to take me to the Void… he thought as fear gripped his heart. All of a sudden everything went black around him, and he couldn't tell where he was, or when he was, or even who he was, the emptiness around him scratched at his fragile mind as it reminded him of the prison laid imprisoned for centuries… a load whisper started to fill his mind also, it reminded him him of the clicking of a thousand tomb scaribs. Just as fast as the darkness came, so the blinding light of Shurima returned, for Taliyah and Nasus he was only gone for a half of a second but to him it seemed like another century. Renekton snapped out of his daze and noticed he was now failing, Kai'sa had teleported into the sky some 200 feet above the town carrying him with her. "GRAAAAA!" he screamed as he fell back to the ground.
Taliyah quickly pulls up a ramp that Kai'sa landed on, giving her a soft landing while the god-warrior Renekton smashed into the ground. Renekton laid on the ground, weak and his mind still reeling from what just happened to him, "This is for your own good brother," He hears Nasus say while he is still in a daze, he turns his head to see Nasus free from his blade and now swinging his scepter full strength at his head, POW! Renekton falls motionless, knocked out cold,... Kai'sa drops her helmet and takes a deep breath as she falls to her knees, the burning pain had left her because she burned so much of her power teleporting the massive Ascended, now she just felt exhausted. Taliyah runs over and kneels down next to her giving her a hug, "Are you okay?" She asked. "Yeah, I'm good, you?" Kai'sa replied as she returned the hug for a brief moment, then deciding to stand up and ease out of the hug. "Hands bruised up, but other than that I'm fine, maybe a problem for rock surfing though," Taliyah replied. Kai'sa then turns and sees Nasus standing over his brother silently, "Your brother killed dozens of innocents here! Why didn't you stop him sooner!" Taliyah said to Nasus as she looked around to the ruined side of town, Kai'sa's eyes widened as she looked at Taliyah, is she trying to piss off another god! Kai'sa thought to herself. "good to see you too, Taliyah of the Naasaj," he replied as he calmly let out a sigh.
"Good, good to see you, you remember me? It's been a long time." Taliyah replied, Kai'sa internally lets a massive sigh out at the fact that Nasus wasn't angry at her. "Time is relative, but yes it's been a few years," he replied. "More like five years," Taliyah replied. " Is that not a few? You can count them on one hand," Nasus replied as he saw time on a much different scale. "Okay, whatever, why haven't you stopped him sooner?" Taliyah asked boldly, as if she was the Ascended's mother or something, oookay we are interrogating him now, Kai'sa nervously thought. At this point Kai'sa would pray, bow to him, or roll on the ground and show her belly like a puppy if she must, anything to not have to fight one of these gods again. "I cannot be everywhere, I'm not actually a god you know, I was busy helping rebuild an Empire." Nasus said. Yeah right, Kai'sa thinks to herself as she thought, they mine as well be called gods with how impossible they are to kill. "What is an Empire without its people!" Taliyah said, her voice sounding saddened by the carnage that Renekton was allowed to unleash. Nasus paused a minute thinking on what she had said, "You speak truth Taliyah, as you did last time you and I met, you definitely are wiser than most your age… the truth is I was afraid, afraid to see what my brother has become at the hands of my failures," he replied, his voice deep and sad.
"Well… I'm glad you came to help, here, this Is my friend Kai'sa," Taliyah said as she introduced her. "Hmmm," Nasus said as stared at Kai'sa, his gaze examining her with peculiar interest. "Who do you fight for Kai'sa? I've heard many tales about you, but the truth is elusive," Nasus asked. "I fight for the living sir, and anyone that stands against the void," Kai'sa replied. "Hmmm, and you are touched by the Void, yes?…" Nasus asked inquisitively. "Um… yes, I wield their power against them, they seem to be, particularly vulnerable to it," Kai'sa replied. "Hmm, interesting… I will return in a few minutes, there's a gateway nearby, I shall bring one of Azir's battalions to help repair the damage to this town, I'll bring a few healers as well…" Nasus said as he knelt down and picked up his brother that lay unconscious on the ground and placed him over his shoulder and walked off down the street.
"You fight well, creature!" Kai'sa turns and notices Rengar as he spoke. "Um… thanks" Kai'sa replied. "You happen to come across a certain Voidborne abomination?" Rengar asked. "I've seen many abominations, what was special about this one?" Kai'sa asked. "It's clever… looks like a giant mantis bug, it took my eye," Rengar said. "Hmmm, don't think I've seen anything like that," Kai'sa replied. "Where did you last see it?" Taliyah asked. "Back in the jungles of Ixtal, we have hunted each other for years, all of a sudden, 4 weeks ago, it just left. It started tracking west, its trail ran cold here. So I joined the arena to make a living," Rengar said. "Hmm, strange, I've been seeing other Voidborne start traveling west for no reason, almost like something calling them." Kai'sa said. "Could it be Rek'sai?" Taliyah asked. "No, Rek'sai was acting under the same influence, whatever it is, it's above Rek'sai in power," Kai'sa replied. "We should let Nasus's healers help us, we are all pretty beat up." Kai'sa said as she nodded to Rengar.
Several hours passed… "SSSHS!" Taliyah hissed in pain as a nurse rubbed some alcohol on her swollen hands, "you think we could take a little break from having our asses kicked Taliy?" Kai'sa teased as she sat next to her, another nurse cleaned a scratch on Kai'sa's face, her hands were shaking, Kai'sa could sense she was afraid of her. "Hey hey hey," Kai'sa said to the nurse as she gently removed the nurse's hand away from her face, the nurse paused hardly breathing at all, "There are other people who need care more than me, go help them." Kai'sa finished, the nurse just nodded her head and scurried off. "Hopefully there can be some peace for everyone here, but unfortunately enemies seem to be popping up everywhere," Taliyah said. "Yeah… hoping for peace everyone sounds nice, but I'm really okay with peace for myself hahaha, and you're welcome as well," Kai'sa laughed as she joked. "Haha well that's just totally selfish," Taliyah replied giggling. "Eeh I don't care," Kai'sa said as she shrugged her shoulders.
"I better go get our stuff, if it is still where we left it," Kai'sa said as she stood up with a little limp. "Okay, you want me to meet you over there?" Taliyah replied. "No no, I'll come back here with the supplies, probably have to stay here again tonight anyway." Kai'sa replied as she walked away. She watched as the imperial guard, and workers slowly put the town back together, some could be seen lifting dead bodies from the rubbles, dozens of imperial medics tended to people's wounds. Kai'sa continued walking as she now saw a portal that was coming through a stone arch way, she marveled at it for it's magic was like nothing she had seen before, what lay beyond the portal wasn't clear, only distorted golden light could be seen. "The Reborn Capital lies beyond, a truly glorious sight indeed," Kai'sa turns and sees Nasus speaking to her. "I, I don't know if I would be welcome in such a place… are… are the stories really true? About the golden sun disk? About the mother of life?" Kai'sa asked, her voice exhibiting childlike curiosity. "Yes, it is all true, and more glorious than all the stories," Nasus replied, filling Kai'sa with a greater sense of wonder.
"Taliyah tells me you two are on a journey to spread word about the Void, and to form an alliance against it?" Nasus asked. "Um yes, though I don't know the specifics of the plan, we kinda making it up as we go along," Kai'sa said. "Then why did Taliyah refuse my offer to give you two an audience with Azir, the Righteous Emperor of Shurima? It would seem like a great place to begin your message, wouldn't you agree?" Nasus asked. "Wow um, She didn't tell me you offered that, most have been while I was tending my wounds when you told her because I didn't hear that… from what I know, and no disrespect sir, but she is not really a fan of rulers," Kai'sa replied. "Perhaps you can convince her to change her mind, we would honor you both, it is a noble cause you serve, and you did help me stop my brother." Nasus said as he got onto one knee to speak with Kai'sa on a more eye to eye level. "Well thank you sir, I really hope to accept your offer," Kai'sa replied. "You are welcome even if she will not come, the Void is of… pressing importance to the Empire as well." Nasus said, "but before you make up your mind, let me honor you here by granting you an audience for your message." Nasus said again as he stood up and signaled with his hand for a few imperial guards to come over. They got quickly to work putting up a podium in the middle of the street, they then each grabbed a signal horn and blasted an alarm that meant an Imperial message was about to be given.
All of sudden, people from all over the town started to gather around the makeshift podium at the sound of the imperial horns, even people who were still wounded from the carnage Renekton brought. Nasus gestures to Kai'sa as if to say the stage is yours, Kai'sa looks petrified as the thought of what he was asking her to do hits her. "You said you wanted to warn people and educate the citizens about the Void and how to stop it, this should be a good start." Nasus said, his low voice not breaking Kai'sa from the shock of what he was asking. Without thinking, Kai'sa slowly walks up to the podium as she knows she really has to say something, she still wasn't sure if this giant dog would smash her for refusing this honor. Oh my god that's a lot of people, Kai'sa thought as she saw the large crowd gathered. Kai'sa noticed Rengar walking through the crowd making his way out, he was carrying the bag of gold she had in her backpack that she left by their supplies. Rengar winks at her as he carries on leaving the crowd, Kai'sa can't chase after him because she's now on the podium and everyone is waiting to hear what she has to say. "Fuck," she says under her breath in protest to her situation.
She takes a deep breath to clear her head before talking, "hello everyone, many of you may have heard of me from one story or another, some of you heard of me from the arena fight last night, but know this brothers and sisters of Shurima, no matter what you have heard about me, I am on your side, and I will fight to the bitter end… not against some enemy, but against thee enemy. This enemy has many names but you will most commonly recognize it as the Void. It is the eternal yearning for pure oblivion, there is no life it does not wish to silence. And it will show no mercy in this pursuit." The crowds go restless as whispers of panic start to echo amongst them, "Is there any way to kill it?" A person from the crowd says, the crowd mumbles and shakes their heads agreeing with his question. "I do not know if there is a means to kill a force that is the opposite of alive, but there are certain common practices across the lands of Shurima that makes the problem of the Void worse. In many villages, the Void is treated as an angry god that can be appeased by offerings of animals and food. There is no limit to the Void's hunger, so you're only feeding your own demise." Kai'sa said, her voice growing a sort of desperate tone yearning for people to listen to her words. "What should we do then? Not all of us can fight those abominations…" a mother of two in the crowd asked. "The fight against the Void I believe is winnable, the very reality of what it means to be alive seems foreign to it, which means it's on our turf. All who cannot fight most work to starve the Void, now… understand what I'm saying here, under no circumstances can you allow the Void to feed, if the Xer'sai try to raid your villages, and you cannot fight them. I'm begging you to flee without hesitation, and burn what you leave behind." Kai'sa said
"How will anywhere be safe then?" Another man asked. "I know it is not easy, but as long as the Void is claiming lives, it's getting stronger, it's learning how to kill us all with every kill. So I'm pleading with everyone, do not try heroics, if you say, I will stand and protect my home to the death, then you will only die, and the next village will die quicker." The crowd started growing even more restless at what Kai'sa said, even to the point where you could feel an anger in the air at her words. "What do you expect us to do! Run around the desert like nomads!" A man yelled out, "these are our lives you talking about," another woman said, "WE SHURIMANS DON'T RUN FROM A FIGHT!" another man shouted out as the crowd started to bicker and boo at Kai'sa. Nasus decided to step up to the podium and raise his hand to calm the crowd, "Shurimans! Easy now…you are right, We will not run and cower from danger…" Nasus said. But that's exactly what they need to do, Kai'sa thought as she stood aside while Nasus spoke. "... But I believe what our honored guest is trying to say here, is for us each to be vigilant of seeing the plans of our enemies, and try to not put ourselves in danger… but all and all you should not fear, for your Emperor has returned! And he will protect you all to the extent of his might." Nasus said as he comforted the crowd, they cheered as the horns sounded again, signaling the conclusion of the Imperial message.
"You need to learn to be more, tactful in your speeches," Nasus said as he and Kai'sa stepped off the podium. "But it's the truth, they do need to run!" Kai'sa said with mild contempt. "Hmm, maybe, but the truth will mean nothing if no one listens, people have to have a reason to want to accept what you are telling them. So sometimes, the truth must be…compromised." Nasus said. "My associates will be waiting for you at the gate if you decide to come, the golden city lay waiting on the other side, I must go there now, before my brother awakes." Nasus said again as he walked to the gateway. "I'LL SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE!" Kai'sa yelled as he walked through the portal, she wasn't sure if sound carried through the gateway or if he heard her. Kai'sa meandered her way through town, picking up the bag of food and her backpack which was empty now from the gold being stolen by Rengar. She then made her way back to Taliyah, I sure hope I can change her mind about Nasus's offer, Kai'sa thought. "Well you sure took your sweet time," Taliyah said as she laid-back resting. "You didn't hear the horns and all that?" Kai'sa asked. "A heard a few horns yes, why what was that supposed to mean? Was it something important?" Taliyah asked. "Yea… um, no nevermind. Anyway…" Kai'sa said as she decided to forget about telling Taliyah about her terrible speech and instead showed her the bag empty of gold.
"What! NO!" Taliyah gasped. "Yeah sorry," Kai'sa replied. "Who would do this?" Taliyah asked. "Um, probably like 80% of everyone in this town would do this. " Kai'sa joked. "Hey Taliyah, I was talking to Nasus for a bit,.. I, I really think we should accept his offer." Kai'sa said. "WHAT, no!" Taliyah snapped back. "But Taliyah, there's a gateway right there leading to the capital. You are in no position to stoneweave, so we would be walking for weeks to get there on our own, plus we are broke again!" Kai'sa said. "Have you ever wondered why azir is so interested in you? How do you know they are not going to imprison us as soon as we get there and dissect you for study or some shit!" Taliyah replied. "I don't believe that is the case, plus, even if it is the case, at the first sign of danger we can just leave, will get a free ride and then some from it." Kai'sa replied. "I just, don't know who I can trust in the big city, so much power came from the rebirth of that city, and power corrupts everyone." Taliyah said. "Well, like I said, at the first sign of danger, we leave, I promise." Kai'sa said reassuringly. "Uhg… Fine, but I'm not gonna shut up and kiss Azir's royal ass just because he was born lucky." Taliyah said angrily, but with a mild tone of humor. "As if anyone would assume you would do that huh" Kai'sa teased.
The two sat together for a bit enjoying some bread they had while they watched the workers repair the town piece by piece, "that was a clever move you did, teleporting Renekton into the sky haaha" Taliyah said while she giggled. "I didn't know I could do that. Never crossed over with anyone besides myself before." Kai'sa replied as she continued eating. "What do you mean, crossed over?" Taliyah asked. "Um, so how my teleporting works is, I used the Void energy to sorta transmit myself back to its source, the realm of the Void, but because the Void is not in our universe, when I pop back out of the Void, to you it seems as if I just instantly appear in a new location, but that's only because I spent some time moving on a different plane of existence." Kai'sa said as she also did the best she could to explain with her hands. "Ooh, what's it like there?" Taliyah asked, her voice growing sheepish as if she wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer to her question. "Hmm, It's really, quite impossible to describe, my suit blocks most of the experience out to shield me from the Void's effects when I'm passing through, but there is always one thing I remember from it, a… emptiness… nothing I can explain… The kind of emptiness that can drive people mad at a glimpse of it, I… I sometimes have these dreams after I have crossed, I am standing alone in the desert, all of a sudden everything starts to shrink, before long I'm the size of a grain of sand, and not long after that the entire world is the size of a grain of sand, then the universe, and everything just shrinks into oblivion. That's how it makes me feel." Kai'sa said as she sat paralyzed at the thought.
"What will become of the Ascended you dragged through the Void for a moment?" Taliyah asked. "Hmm, I don't know, they seem to be immune to my Void plasma, maybe the brief moment of terror will knock some sense into him," Kai'sa replied. "Hopefully," Taliyah agreed.
The two got up after finishing their meal, deciding not to linger, they made their way up the street to the gateway, where the Imperial guard were waiting for them. "Right this way miss," "here let me get this" one of the guards pointed them to the gateway while the other offered to carry the supplies. "Wait…" Taliyah pauses as she gestures for Kai'sa to step back so they can have a word in private, gosh darn why is she looking so pretty all of a sudden, Kai'sa thought as Taliyah called her off to the side. "At any sign that this may be a trap, I want you to just run, I'll catch up," Taliyah nervously whispered. God I really want to brush that hair off her face, Kai'sa thought again as her mind took protest to a bit of hair that was hanging down over her nose. "You hear me?" Taliyah asked as she noticed Kai'sa not paying too much attention to her words. "Oh um, yes, I will be careful I promise. Can we go now?" Kai'sa asked. "Yeah I guess we can," Taliyah replied as she sighed. The two stepped forward into the golden light of the gateway, not knowing what lay in store for them on the other side.