"I really wish you would have told me how you felt sooner, now you really, really can't go get yourself killed," Taliyah said, her tone almost in pain at the thought as she held Kai'sa's hand while they walked into a large park that resembled an oasis. "I won't, don't die, that's always the rule when fighting the Void," Kai'sa replied, while rubbing her clawed fingers over Taliyah's hand, she was meaning to comfort her but she could tell by the twitch on Taliyah's face that it wasn't very comforting. "Sigh, Listen, we are gonna trying to catch up with you, but if you feel like you're in danger, please don't be afraid to turn around and regroup with us, okay?" Taliyah explained softly. "I will, but if I turn around, I probably will want all of us to run," Kai'sa replied with a small giggle.
"You underestimate us," Taliyah said. "No…Okay, maybe a little, sorry" Kai'sa replied. The two enjoyed their brief peaceful moment in the park for a few minutes until the sky turned black and full of stars. "So, when did you start feeling this way?" Taliyah asked gently. "I'm not sure, I still don't exactly understand how this works, I just know that after a while, you started making me feel a certain way, and it would hit me without you even saying anything," Kai'sa explained. "How would you describe how I made you feel?" Taliyah asked. "Weak… but strangely I liked feeling weak from you, it was completely the opposite of how I grew up," Kai'sa replied.
"My mother always told me that love is like weaving a rope. At first the lines are weak, but when they are weaved together, they become stronger than they ever were," Taliyah said. "Thanks, did you feel the same, or did you know how I felt?" Kai'sa asked. "I was always intrigued by you since the day we met, but I didn't have any romantic ideas in my head because I figured you were barely to the point of working on being friendly." Taliyah explained. "Hey, I'm not that bad with people," Kai'sa giggled. "You kinda are, you can be very coarse," Taliyah replied.
"Fair enough," Kai'sa replied. "I did notice you blushing a few times at me, but I wasn't sure if it was not just you being shy," Taliyah said. "Well I'm glad you know now how I feel," Kai'sa said with a smile. "Thanks Kai, I'm glad as well!" Taliyah replied. "You need to go back to your friends, I'll be leaving here," Kai'sa said sternly. "Okay… but wait…" Taliyah said as she gave Kai'sa tight hug before saying goodbye. "Thanks… Love you…" Kai'sa whispered to Taliyah while they hugged (like she was trying to keep a secret), "I love you too…" Taliyah whispered back to Kai'sa before breaking the hug. "Cya" Kai'sa said. "Be Safe!" Taliyah replied as she walked away. I can't promise that, Kai'sa thought as she turned and walked the other way.
Taliyah made her way back to her friends, they were all chilling by a fountain that was near Otto's restaurant that rarely saw any business, mostly because most people didn't like eating burnt food. "Hey, Where Kai'sa go?" Zaifa asked? "Did we scare her off?" Kadira then asked. "No, you all are fine, there's a big city southeast of here that is in danger. She is going ahead to warn them, and try and do what she can," Taliyah explained. "What big city? There's nothing big that's southeast for over a thousand miles," Samir said. "The city of Belveth," Taliyah replied. "Holy moly that's a long way away!" Kadira exclaimed. "I'm going there, and I plan on making it in under 4 days, now, none of you have to come if you are tired of the dangers and traveling," Taliyah said.
"Nonsense, we are a family Taliyah," Zaifa replied. "Four days to Belveth huh? I guess that's a real sand surfing challenge worthy of my skills," Samir boldly said. "Not if we beat you," Taliyah replied with a giggle. "What are we gonna use to travel? No way we are making that trip that fast with any animals," Kadira asked. "Hmmm…" Taliyah thought for a moment about her question, she couldn't use a piece of sandstone for everyone, it would be too heavy, slow, and unstable, it would have to be something light. She noticed Otto's food stand was a large basalt lava rock placed on four pillars to make a roof, "Hey Otto!... Would you be interested in going with us to burn a bug infestation?" Taliyah asked, appealing to his fantasies. "Burn bugs! Would I! Hell yeah I would! No one likes my food here anyway!" Otto replied.
"What did I miss, fellas?" Tai asked as he wasn't around them for a bit. "Taliyah wants to go to Belveth, she heard that it's in danger, so I guess we are all going to help, Kaisa already left to go there, sorry we can't help you find your brother here Tai," Zaifa replied. "We won't find my brother here," Tai said. "Then you could come with us?" Samir asked. "Belveth you said…" Tai said, as a paleness seemed to cover his face. THUD, the loud noise startled them as Taliyah flipped Otto's lava rock roof, setting it down on the sand. "Is there something you know about Belveth from one of your books? You look pale at the mention of it," Taliyah asked as she glanced over at him while starting to work the lava rock into a worthy sand surfing rock big enough for everyone. "No, No, I was just thinking that it's a long way away," Tai replied. "Mmhm, we'll get there faster than you think," Taliyah replied as she carved out two channels on the bottom of the rock making it appear similar to a trimaran boat with three keels touching the sand.
"Tai, can you go get some wood boards, this light basalt will erode fast without them, Take Kadira with you to help you carry them," Taliyah said as she stood up and handed Tai a little money. "Sorry kid, Taliyah is all business now for some reason," Kadira joked as she patted Tai on the back while they left to go get some wood. "Samir, um, I need a thirty by forty sand sail, actually I need two… Zaifa can help I'm sure," Taliyah asked. "Um, Taliyah, that's a lot of sail, it's gonna take more than us two to carry that," Zaifa replied. "No need to carry it, I'll bring this rock over there to the sail shop in a few, we're gonna need a mast as well, and a bunch of rope," Taliyah said. "Sure hope we have enough money for all this," Samir said with worry.
About a mile away from them, Kai'sa stands over the corpse of a mule she had just drained of all its life energy, a young boy sits behind it crying at the sight. "I know you must think I'm cruel, but thousands of people may die if I don't do what I must," Kai'sa said, her voice a frightening distortion through her helmet. The boy looked up in a mixture of fear and confusion at what she said, "don't worry, you'll be okay," she said through her mask. Kai'sa's suit then roared to life as her shoulder pods chattered and shook while she pulsed Void energy throughout, ZZZROOOMPOOW, She launched into the sky, arching over the horizon like a purple shooting star. Taliyah hears the sonic boom crack over the city and turns and sees Kai'sa's light shooting across the sky.
Sehla sat patiently as she looked over the moonlit dunes, the peacefulness of it calmed the storm that raged in her most of the time, but not enough to make her forget the pain that caused the storm. Sehla then got up and went for a walk, she looked back and saw Kassadin sound asleep, she then paced a few hundred feet from the cave entrance and stopped on top of a tall dune, she sees the vast array of stars filling the night sky, then noticed a bright purple light arch over the sky starting from one horizon and end in another area of the sky. The sight perplexed her, she had never seen a shooting star look like that before, but then again she didn't know too much about shooting stars to be sure it wasn't just a normal shooting star.
"Sehla, is that you?" She heard a familiar voice whisper. Sehla jumped to her feet and pulled out her weapon defensively only to realize it was Najah. "Wha, what are you doing here?" Sehla asked, shocked. "We are here to help," Najah vaguely replied. "We?" Sehla replied. "Yeah, we" Najah said as the others all approached quietly. "I, thank you for coming but I really didn't need your help," Sehla replied, more friendly than usual. "Yes you do," Tena chirped in. "Where is the man you left with? Kassadin," Akshan asked. "He is sleeping, why?" Sehla replied. "You haven't noticed anything weird?" Jaffa asked. "Nothing more than usual, why?" Sehla replied again. "Sehla, why is this absolute stranger be helping you find someone that is clearly running a scam," Najah explained.
"I don't care about the answer to that question," Sehla replied. "Why not?" Tena asked. "Because if it's a lie then at least this person will know something, he still had something that belonged to my father, if it's a scam we can always just kill him, plus I have a feeling that monster Kai'sa may be involved as well," Sehla explained. "You really think it's wise to be racing head on into what may be a trap? This Kassadin could be working with this prophet" Akshan replied. "At least I'm moving forward, I don't care about the risks anymore… I have nothing to lose and I'm getting close to answers, I can feel it." Sehla replied. "Well, then you leave us no choice," Najah replied. "Hhmm?" Sehla said. "We're coming with you," Najah said as she looked back to her sister and friends to see if they agreed, they did. Sehla rolled her eyes thinking their help was not necessary, but knowing she couldn't stop them she decided to show them the way to the cave they could sleep in.
"One, Two, Three, PULL!" Taliyah said as everyone including her pulled on a rope that raised a wooden mast that they had put on the slab of basalt that Taliyah had carved into a nice spacious sand skiff. "Phew, that was heavy," Samir said as he caught his breath. "Yeah, that was fun!" Kadira exclaimed. "Do we really need to get this done by tonight? It's already 11 o'clock and we are all pretty tired," Zaifa asked. "The hardest part is already done, all we gotta do is set up all the roping and put the sails up," Taliyah explained, more serious than usual. "You really wanna go to Belveth in such a hurry?" Tai said concerned. "Yes, I do, is there anything you know about that place you want to tell me?" Taliyah asked suspiciously. "No, just, a long trip that's all, and it's kinda close to Icathia," Tai replied. "You hiding from something over there?" Taliyah asked. "No, I'm not hiding from anyone," Tai replied.
Taliyah decided not to push the subject anymore as she continued working to set up the sails on the skiff. "Here, I'll give you a boast" Kadira said as she noticed Taliyah needing to thread the ropes around the top of the mast. "Sure, thanks," Taliyah replied as she climbed up onto Kadira's shoulders, who was pretty tail herself. "So, are you sure you are okay Tali?" Kadira asked as she held Taliyah up. "Yeah, why you ask?" Taliyah replied. "You seem like something on your mind, something robbing you of peace," Kadira said. "Thanks Kadira for your concern, I'm just worried about Kai'sa," Taliyah replied, her voice trailing off with sadness. "Eeh, I'm sure she'll be fine, she's quite a fierce character," Kadira replied. "You, you two seemed to have gotten a lot closer since last time I saw her," Kadira then said as she lowered Taliyah to the ground who had just finished tying the ropes she needed to.
"Yeah, I mean, we have been through a lot these last few months," Taliyah replied. "Well, I'm glad she's kept you safe," Kadira replied. "Haah, I kept her safe just as much," Taliyah replied. "Okay, are we gonna put these sails up? I want to go to bed," Zaifa interjected. "Okay, everything should be ready for the sails, we can get to that now," Taliyah replied. "I'm gonna get a little head start," Samir said, holding his small sand surfing board. "Really? You just can't do a fair and square race can you?" Taliyah chuckled. "Hey, I always do a fair race, I just wanna get to a spot to sleep a bit ahead of you, I'm sure you will catch up," Samir replied."fine, keep to the more open dunes, I am not gonna be able to take this big rock through anything else," Taliyah said. "Yea yeah I got ya, see you down the sand sea!" Samir Said as he got his little board ready. "Be careful, there still could be Xer'sai along the path!" Taliyah replied as she hoisted up her sails.
Kai'sa crashed down onto the rocky grounds of the mountains that lay in between the sai and the southern ocean. She believed that she could make it to where she thought the city of Belveth was with one more mega teleport, but her suit was burning hot from the massive amount of energy she had used, she knew it could kill her if she tried to jump like that again without at least one night's rest.
Kai'sa began searching around to see if she could find anything to eat, she saw some date palms off in the distance about a half a mile away that she could see clearly under the moonlit sky. "Uhhg, I sure hope I didn't overdo it." Kai'sa said to herself as she stumbled to her knees. Her suit wasn't responding well, normally it moved with her, even enhancing her strength, but now it felt like wearing a lead suit as it refused to move with her. "Come on second skin, we have to work together," Kai'sa murmured to herself.
As she slowly continued to walk, she noticed a large cactus and thought it may help her with at least giving her suit a little energy. She materialized one of her void weapons and fired a few shots at the towering cactus, each shot was extremely painful as the suit protested its use. She then sucked up the melted organic matter with her shoulder pods but even then, it was clear the suit just didn't want to be used anymore, even to feed.
After what felt like an hour of painful walking she finally made it to a little mountain lake with the date palms. Kai'sa enjoyed a few handfuls of the fruit before deciding to go into the lake for a dip, for some reason she had been feeling hot since she landed despite the cool desert night. "Oooh sweat Nasus…" She sighed out in relief as steam boiled off her as the suit cooled off in the water, she had no idea just how hot the outside of her suit was. The relief of the water and how it took the weight of her suit off her shoulders made Kai'sa quickly fade into peaceful sleep as she laid in the shallow water.
"Eeeeeh! Sigh, good Morning everyone! Oh we are still moving cool," Zaifa said as she stretched. "Tali has been pushing us all night," Tai replied. "Taliyah if you need a nap that's okay, the wind is strong enough it may keep us moving even without you pushing." Kadira said. "I'm okay, the great weaver has been gracious and the wind has been helping me all night, so I'm not that tired." Taliyah replied as she guided the skiff across the desert dunes. "So what exactly are we thinking we're gonna find in Belveth that needs roasting!?" Otta chirped in.
"Probably a bunch of Voidlings getting bold and attacking a city, nothing we and Taliyah haven't handled before," Kadira replied. "We should never underestimate the Void, it is always wanting to adapt and overtake us all," Tai interjected. "Hey look IT'S SLEEPY HEAD!" Zaifa shouted at Samir who was sleeping on his board as the group zoomed past him sending a sand wake onto his face. "Haha, he's gonna be pissed," Taliyah laughed as they continued going past him.
"So, do you think Belveth could be a place your brother went to Tai? After all you did say he went back in time to fight the Void, a place like Belveth might be just the place for that, just like us," Taliyah asked. "It's definitely a possibility, there or north towards Ixtal are the two most likely possibilities," Tai replied. "How would you find him if he was in Belveth, also how did you know so easily he wasn't in the capital?" Taliyah asked. "So we time mages have a nifty way of leaving clues behind for each other in libraries, cataloging where we've been and where we are going. If he had been there there would have been a clue left." Tai explained. "I guess books in libraries don't move much throughout time do they?" Taliyah said. "You'll be surprised how long a book can sit in a library and never be touched, so yes, they don't move much." Tai replied.
"So how are things going with the tribe Zaifa?" Taliyah asked. "Okay, I suppose," Zaifa replied. "What's wrong?" Taliyah replied. "Some people don't like what you did, in leaving the tribe to go with a stranger and fight the Void," Zaifa replied. "But! what! people were dying, and I was doing my best to protect them. I can't just stick my head in the sand and keep losing people every month, I have to do something about this problem, not just keep running from it" Taliyah said, getting frustrated. "I know, I had to explain that to my father, he was worried about me coming out here to meet you," Zaifa replied.
"My mother was all on board with me going to help you if anyone cares," Kadira said. "Of course she was, she is afraid of nothing just like you, and she probably wanted you to stop breaking stuff around her," Zaifa replied. Taliyah let out a small chuckle at Zaifa's tease, briefly getting her mind off the stress of her tribe being displeased with her. "I, I don't know if I want to know the answer to this question, but did any of you see which side of this my dad was on? What he said of me…" Taliyah asked, once again becoming somber. "He didn't say much," Zaifa replied. "But, what did he say?" Taliyah asked sincerely.
"He thought the tribe shouldn't lean on your abilities to protect them," Zaifa replied. "And that you might not be returning for years like you did last time," Kadira interjected, "KADIRA!" Zaifa protested. "What! I would want to know everything someone said about me if I asked to know," Kadira replied. "Sigh, please, both of you don't fight, It's fine." Taliyah replied with sadness at hearing what her father said. "Your family will see what you're doing is right, in time," Tai said. "Or we all go down in glorious, Flaming carnage!" Otto added. "Thanks, I guess," Taliyah replied with a small giggle.
"Why are they here?" Kassadin asked Sehla sternly. "They have been following us since Vekura, they are here to keep me safe, nothing I can do to stop them or get them to turn back," Sehla replied as the party left the cave and continued traveling west. The group marched through the desert, an awkward silence lingering among them. "So, nice armor you have there," Jaffa said, trying to start a conversation with Kassadin. He did not reply, "Jaffa, let's keep our distance from him for now" Najah said to him quietly so everyone didn't hear.
"Red sky in the morning is a bad omen," Akshan said to the group as the morning sunrise was blocked by dust turning the sky a deep red. "Another storm is coming," Sehla replied. "We should probably keep traveling as long as we can, in case we run into suitable shelter to get out of the storm, hate to have to pull out the tents again," Tena said. "Agreed, and if the storm isn't so bad, there's no reason we can't just go through it," Sehla replied.
After a few hours the sky was now filled with the approaching wall of dust and it was clear that it was not a normal dust storm, it crackled with occasional lightning; they believed it was a rare monsoon that would soon overtake them. "It's not gonna be fun setting up camp in that," Tena said. "We can't, the storm will wash us away, we must stay on our feet and keep moving through it," Kassadin said, his tune implying the situation was serious.
"Everyone, we need to line up a single file so no one gets lost," Najah yelled as the sound of the approaching storm increased. "I've never seen a storm move that fast," Akshan said, even him sounding worried. "Why is it that color," Tena asked as she noticed the bizarre purplish thunder that echoes out from the storm. "It's no normal storm, prepare yourself," Kassadin said grumbling through his mask.
A chill filled the air as they all braced for whatever was coming with the storm, "prepare for what?" Jaffa asked. "Hell," Kassadin replied. "That's encouraging," Najah said as she pulled out her blade. Storm hit them, immediately reducing their vision to about 30 feet. Surprisingly there was no rain, just brief flashes of lighting and a strange purple hue that filled the dust that blew past them at at least 30 mph. "Try to keep the animals quiet, we may not be alone in here," Akshan said as everyone kept their eyes peeled for any movement.
KRREKEKE, the strange noise made by some creature filled the air as well as the sound of massive thuds that sounded like giant footprints. "Scatter those animals and get on the ground!" Kassadin said as if it was life or death. Quickly everyone grabbed a handful of supplies and then released the mounts before laying on the sand, the blowing dust burying them slightly. A giant Void crawler slowly came into view as it started walking past them, one of its massive crab-like legs landed right next to Tena almost crushing her. The beast continued moving, not even paying attention to the animals they released, "should I go get them?" Tena whispered to her sister, not sure if it was safe.
"I'm not sure, I don't hear any footsteps coming," Najah replied. "MWAAH!" THE Skallashi screamed as a tentacle came down from above them, they all quivered at the sight of the Void Abomination that floated over them, it had one massive eye and dozens of tentacles that were hundreds of feet long. Tena watched in horror as their animals were pulled up and devoured. "Stay still, they haven't seen us," Kassadin whispered as they all lay in the sand. The sight became even more grim as they saw even more Void Abominations in the sky, as well as countless other Voidborn flying in the dust storm all heading the same direction, South to the coast. "I, I'm sorry for leading you all out here," Sehla quietly said, her voice trembling at the sight of these horrors above and at the thought that they would surely all die here.
"Aww, Damnit" Kai'sa said as she noticed she overslept and had wanted to get back to traveling early in the morning. "Well well what do we have here," A grumbling voice said as she turned around to see a Noxian with a poleaxe. "Uuhg, I want no trouble, leave me alone," Kai'sa said as she leaned up out of the shallow water she fell asleep in and got to her feet. "You hear that boys, she don't want any trouble," the man said as two acquaintances of his stepped out from behind some vegetation. "That some, Exquuisite looking armor you got their sweetie, probably worth a good price would you say," one of the other Noxians said. "You have no idea the price," Kai'sa growled as her helmet snapped shut. "For me, A few drops of sweat, grraa!" He replied, swinging his poleaxe at her.
With lighting fast movement Kai'sa strafed to the side dodging his swing, "HAGRRR" She growled as she materialize her blades and sliced axe blade off of the Noxian's weapon leaving him with just a pole, "next strike I make will take your lives unless you run now!" Kai'sa yelled in her distorted voice. Wzzz… "Ahh, shit!" Kai'sa said as a crossbow bolt that came from one of the other Noxians caught her off guard, it hit her square in the chest, knocking the wind from her lungs but not piercing her armor much. Taking advantage of her catching her breath for a moment, the Noxian With the broken pole pulled out a sword and swung at her. With one hand she caught the blade, it's edge not being able to cut her armor, with her other hand she plunged her void blade through his chest and shot a blast clean through him, she then unleashed a rain of Void missiles from her shoulder pods. The other two Noxians tried to run but it was too late, the purple fire rained down on them both and disintegrated them.
"You were warned," Kai'sa coldly said to herself as she drained the energy from their burnt corpses. She stopped for a moment, looking at the carnage she had done, she felt no remorse for it, but she did wonder what Taliyah would think of her if she saw this. "Come on Kai'sa no time to spare, pray I'm not too late." Kai'sa said to herself as she readied herself for another massive teleport to take her close to the city of Belveth. BRRZZOOMP! She shot into the sky again, hoping she could make it in time.
Everyone lay silent as the last of the Voidborn army was almost out of sight after passing over them, Najah held on tight to her sister as all of them except for Kassadin were gripped with fear. Several minutes of silence passed as the sun started to shine through as the dust storm cleared. "Sehla, wait!" Jaffa said as she jumped up and started running toward the sunlight and away from where the monsters went. Judging it safe enough, Najah decided to get up and follow after her, the others followed, getting up from their hiding places and running out of the remainder of the dust storm. "Sehla wait up," Najah yelled as the sky cleared and they approached a rocky outcrop. Selha stopped and sat down on the rocks, placing her head into her hand as she panted from fear.
"Sehla, it's okay, we're safe now," Najah said as she placed her hand on her shoulder. "But are we? These monsters grow and grow, and nothing will stop them. What army on Ruinterra could stand against that, and as far as we know that's just the beginning!" Selha exclaimed. "I don't know what to do about that, but the least we can do is leave this hell hole," Najah replied. "Fff, Fine, am not sure I even want the answers I came here to find anymore," Sehla replied. "Kassadin, I'm sorry but this is as far as I'm gonna go. If you see that bitch that killed my father please run her through, I'm done with this madness," Sehla said as she stood up. "Aww giving up so soon, but you were so close to your answers," a mysterious slender man wearing purple garbs said.
"Who! Who are you stranger?!" Akshan said. "I am the answer, the end of this land's suffering and the end of yours my dear, yes I know who you are, daughter of the hetman of Bala-sheth," The stranger said, ignoring Akshan and looking at Sehla. "Answer the question!" Kassadin said through his mask. "Oh, and if it isn't he that the desert knows himself, tell me, how's your daughter, have you seen what has become of her," the stranger said. "You're the prophet, aren't you," Sehla replied, slowly reaching for her blade. "Yes, but I'm afraid you are all late to the party, the offer to reunite people with loved ones that fell to the void proved extremely popular, I'm afraid I no longer have need of poor lost souls, I already have received thousands," the prophet explained. "What have you done to them!" Najah questioned. "They were the fertile soil for which the future will grow, and she will be beautiful," The prophet said.
"Today, you die Malzahar," Kassadin growled. "I don't think so, Void walker, today the weight of your failure crushes you, I'm sad you will not see it, at least you saw the beginning of it, the end," Malzahar said. "Explain!" Sehla yelled. "That army you saw marches toward the city of Belveth, and its fall will give birth to the end, and all will fall to her, there is no debate about this, it is done… How petty of you Kassadin, you chased me for so long that you failed to see the real game, the endgame." Malzahar teased, laughing. "You knew of him?" Sehla asked kassadin. "Hahaha, you two are perfect for each other really, both wanting nothing but revenge, the irony that it is your daughter she is sworn to kill Kassadin, and yet you lead her to me, knowing it will be here doom, really, and they call me the villain." Malzahar said.
"That's enough talk scoundrel, time to die!" Akshan exclaimed as he fired his absolver, "HEAR WHAT IS COMING!" Malzahar shouted and with his words they all heard the deafening sounds of the void fill their minds as flashes and visions of the end filled their eyes. They all fell to the ground, all but for Kassadin who was unaffected by Malzahar's magic, "I'll give your daughter your regards," Malzahar teased, as he opened a portal into the void. "Grraaah!" Kassadin screamed as he flashed at him, tackling Malzahar and sending them both into the portal of the Void which quickly closed behind them. By the time the others snapped out of their daze, both Malzahar and Kassadin were gone.