"…All I'm saying is the Charger doesn't look like a bull," Xander spoke, "I mean, I get that those stars are supposed to form that shape, but I don't know how the guy who figured it out did so."

"Well, you're closer to the source than we are," Gerris pointed out, "Don't you Demacians have that weird tradition with Targon?"

"Yes, the Crown of Stone," Xander replied, "I vaguely knew a guy who got charged with that. Dauntless Vanguard, but chatted with the rest of the army just as well. A Noxian force killed his boss, though, so he got discharged."

"He still alive?"

"On one hand, the Crown of Stone is basically a death sentence," he could hear the shrug in Xander's voice, "On the other hand… yeah, I think so."

Gerris turned to face him, "Erret, you got anything happening in the countryside?"

Erret rolled his eyes, "With stars? By the countryside next to Noxus Prime? The smoke is only slightly clearer…"

"The smoke isn't so bad," Yin commented from his side, "You can still see the Serpent in… in…"

"Yeah, you can't see anything over Noxus Prime," Xander chuckled.

As Gerris also chortled, Erret looked to his lover with a gentle smile, "Perhaps you're remembering that view of The Scourge by Bel'zhun."

Despite the minimal significance of the topic, Yin seemed troubled.

"No, I remember… I don't remember…"

"Do you need anything?" Erret's tone dropped with concern, "Maybe a drink?"

"…Y-Yeah, I'd like that."

Erret stood up from his cushioned seat and walked over to the table by the window. Whilst not high up compared to some nobles' dwellings, Xander's apartment was the highest point in the neighborhood. This gave many benefits. For one, without interfering buildings or ropes, the space above the building was open; something Xander had exploited with unusual zeal. The roof was flat and held a glass window. It was expensive, but allowed a view of the stars unparalleled in the city.

The altitude helped as well. Open windows let refreshing breezes in, and the view of the Immortal Bastion beyond the curtains was nice dressing for the meals Xander provided. Ionian teas, Noxian beers, and even Demacian wines were laid out, alongside cured meats and a basket of bread. It was the Noxian ideal realized: through blood, sweat, tears, and strength, everything had been earned by Xander.

In perhaps more authentic Noxian style, however, Erret went for the simple glass vase of water. He filled up a small cup before returning to Yin. She took the drink gingerly.

As Erret comforted Yin with an arm around her, Gerris and Xander continued their conversation."

"How long have you been stargazing?"

"I started a few years before joining Noxus. Must say, as much as I like the surplus of industry over here, Demacia's a much prettier place."

"I suppose that's one reason we've wanted that place since forever," Gerris chuckled, "Mmm. Think you'll see it again?"

"Most definitely," the Left Hand smirked, took a sip of from his glass, then spoke, "In fact, you guys will be coming with me."

"Oh?"

"Have a look."

The Left Hand reached behind him and picked up a scroll. After making a brief show of the seal that closed it – the mark of the Grand General – he opened it up and threw it to Gerris. The reckoner caught it before it floated down to his meal.

"… you have been selected by the Left Hand to undertake an espionage mission…" Gerris read, "… infiltrate Demacia… approved by… how the hell did you get this through them?"

"A lot of secrets were shared," the Left Hand smiled, "But, yes, this is a mission to change the world. Or I suppose, just Demacia, but if Demacia became more Noxian, that would change the rest of the world by definition…"

"And you brought us here to give a mission briefing?" Gerris shook his head, "Well, first off, who else is in on this?"

"On one hand, it'll just be us and any other Noxian spies already deployed," Xander implied, "On the other hand, every group in Noxus wants a piece of this. The Black Rose is funding us, Yin's here to represent the Crimson Circle, and Swain-"

"-recommended you and Erret," Yin finished. She stiffened in Erret's grip, prompting him to curl closer to her. It seemed colder in the apartment; perhaps a northern wind had come?

Xander nodded, "Yep, that's right."

Gerris raised an eyebrow, "… did you tell Yin earlier?"

Yin shook her head, "No, he didn't..."

Xander shrugged, "She has her connections. I'm sure someone else's gave her the head's up..."

"So... we're infiltrating Demacia. What are we doing there?" Gerris asked, "Is this an assassination, asset denial...?"

"All of that or none, depending on the situation," Xander replied, "We have intel on Demacian internal affairs. A mage rebellion in the capitol could give us the chance to manipulate Demacia into a position where they'd accept Noxian rule... or at least a truce then alliance."

Gerris grimaced, "That's seems very unrealistic."

Xander grinned, "Nothing like Demacian optimism. Or is it naivety?"

In the distance, thunder rumbled. Erret stood up to close the windows, but was stopped halfway when Yin spoke.

The hemomancer scowled, "There's a catch."

Turning back to see the discussion, Erret saw Xander's expression flicker. The grin on the Left Hand's face lost something as his gaze turned to Yin.

"You're not saying something," Yin accused, "What aren't you telling us?"

Erret realized at that moment that sincerity was what Xander's grin lost. A shiver ran down his spine. A storm started outside, and a cmist floated through the window. But more chilling to Erret was Xander's grin; it was now filled with something mischievous; sinister...

"Well, Yin," Xander shrugged, "You tell m-"

Before Xander could finish his answer, Yin jumped from her seat. A red blur in her crimson dress, Yin lunged toward Xander and picked him up by his throat. A cloud of blood surrounded her, and her eyes glowed an eerie red. Even whilst being choked, Xander seemed calm about his circumstances.

Thunder echoed outside, and like from a memory half remembered Erret remembered that Xander's apartment didn't have a glass skylight; it was only a wish...

Gerris sprang up like a cornered animal, "Yin, what are you doing?"

Yin ignored Gerris' question, instead asking Xander one of her own, "Your specialty is dream magic, isn't it? This is a dream!"

Xander paused, then smirked, "You caught on quick… But, no points. I did give you hints.

He snapped his fingers, "Nocturne..."

A rasping sound turned Gerris and Erret's attention to the skies, where two stars gleamed brighter than the rest. The circles sharpened into diamond cuts – eyes; the eyes of a demon, Erret realized – as the rest of the sky darkened. The demon descended, shattering the glass window, letting the storm in. Still, the eyes consumed his vision, demanding attention, and Erret could not look away.

Erret looked away from the blinding sunlight and found himself in a familiar room. Traces of sand lined the corners, and an arid heat was in the air. Old wooden furniture decorated the room, with a half-filled jug of ale sitting on the center table. Standing decoratively by the window was a weapons rack, which contained the only polished items in the room: a freshly cleaned set of an axe, a halberd, and a sharpened shield.

"Mmm, good to be back home," Gerris' voice echoed behind him. Looking to the reckoner, Erret found an expression of relief and blissful ignorance on his face. That expression dripped off of his face like washed paint.

"Wait..." the reckoner remembered a moment after Erret did, then quickly put a hand on the desk, "... no, that feels real..."

"Dreams usually do," two voices replied.

They looked back to the entrance of the room, where their apparent hosts stood. Or floated, in the case of the demon. Xander was unarmed, but there was an aqua/indigo glow beneath his eyes. By his side glaring menacingly was the demon; Nocturne, Erret recalled.

"So it was a dream..."

"Yes, Gerris, it was, and still is, a dream. But don't think about that; it makes keeping the dream stable harder," Xander replied, "That would be my first... revelation is too fancy a word for this... But yes, Yin was correct: I am a dream mage. Allows me control of my dreams, control of others' dreams, dreams withi-"

"Where is she?" Erret strained each syllable, glaring at his friend.

Xander snapped his fingers again, and a rustling from behind Erret drew his attention. The sounds came from within a cupboard that he was rather certain hadn't been there earlier. Sure enough, Yin shoved her way out of it, pushing aside training staffs and wooden swords. Falling to her hands, she coughed up the dust released from the cupboard.

"What the hell-" Yin gasped for air before turning her attention to Xander, "What was that for?"

"Well, you did try to kill me..."

"In a dream!" Yin coughed again as Erret came to her side, "It wouldn't actually hurt you. And now that I think about it, how are we sharing a dream?"

"My magic," Xander replied, "I'm a decent mage out of sleep, but here I call the shots. And that includes who can join in on the dream. Also, to answer your question, are you in pain?"

"I'm sorry, what did you just ask me?"

Xander chuckled, "I'll take that as a yes. Dreams rarely are fatal, but they can hurt as bad as reality."

Now Gerris paled, "What do you mean rarely?"

Nocturne chuckled with ghastly echoes, "Before I met Xander, I harvested souls through dreams. Would you like a demonstrati-"

Xander stood in front Nocturne, getting in between the demon and his team, "Now, now, I told you that you'd take your share from me. Don't try it."

"I could take away their fears now, and just that. It would not be too difficult."

"You're still a demon," Xander growled, "That's a risk I won't take."

A hand grabbed Xander's shoulder from behind.

"What risks are these, Xander?" Gerris asked, judgement in his voice.

Xander looked his old mentor in the eyes as he answered, his voice clipped, "Demons consume life essence to survive. This process is easily done when their targets are emotionally enflamed. Given how easy people fall for their vices, most demons focus on negative traits. Eventually, they apparently gain a taste for it. Agony, hopelessness, guilt... and fear."

"And in doing so, they deprive their targets of these emotions?" Yin asked.

"They cause apathy in doing so. Extended periods of consumption can lead to permanent damages to the soul," Xander explained, "Some, more sinister demons feed that way."

"Then what are you doing, consorting with a demon?" Erret asked, "Aren't you putting yourself at risk?"

"... certain mages can counter certain demons," Xander gave a soulless smirk, "Dream magic counters nightmare magic. After all, nightmares are hardly terrifying when you can change their appearance."

A silence filled the dusty room. He Erret, Yin, and Gerris sent glares to Nocturne. Behind Xander, the demon seemed to back up. Nocturne's body even started fading, until a finger snap brought away attention from Nocturne.

"I've been dealing with Nocturne's bullshit since I was a kid," Xander bragged, "I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Yin asked, doubt filling her every word.

Xander stared through her soul, "Yes, I am."

The Left Hand shrugged, "But enough of that. The point of forcing this dream state is that it'll make explaining things easier. Control the world as a prop for my presentation, you know... so ask away! What would you like to know?"

Silence returned to the room, but if the glances Erret, Yin, and Gerris gave each other was any indication, the subtext had changed; a line had been drawn. The lovers grimaced, and Gerris sighed in irritation. After a short pause, he shrugged and spoke.

"Alright then," Gerris directed a piercing stare to Xander, "What is your plan?"

Xander sighed, chuckled, and took a seat at the table; a cushioned seat that had conjured itself out of nowhere.

"Oh, where to begin..." Xander motioned to the table before him, "You'll want to sit down for this."

With cautious stares at their host, the team sat down. Drinks spontaneously appeared; their favorites, based on what they had told Xander previously. When their wooden chairs turned to comfy seats, they almost jumped right off.

Gerris did when Xander spoke.

"Well actually, to all it a plan would be dishonest..."

"What the hell did you say?"

The massive reckoner pointed a menacing finger at Xander.

"You mean to tell me you brought us on this mission without a plan?"

"I told you we had an objective. Manipulate Demacia - through politics or culture - in a manner that benefits Noxus," Xander sighed, "I've also told you that a... volatile situation is under way. There are simply too many variables in the Mage Rebellion for any one plan to encompass."

"Really now..." Gerris growled, "Explain that, then."

Xander's eyes glowed an eerie indigo, and figures seemed to materialise behind him. From outside the door, Erret witnessed what seemed like a small platoon form up. If these were all persons of interest, Erret thought, then perhaps Xander couldn't be blamed. At least in Noxus all they had to deal with were three powerful politicians.

To put it lightly, anyways.

Among the figures, two were conjured in the apartment. The closest was a youthful blonde woman in ornate armour and blue eyes. Just behind her was a bare-chested, chained man with a wild look in his eyes. The blonde woman stepped forward, stopping at Nocturne's side; right behind Xander.

"I suppose we should start with main players," Xander said, turning to motion a hand to the woman, "This is Luxanna Crownguard. And it could be said that she's the reason the rebellion began."

Yin squinted, "A Crownguard started the rebellion? Aren't they among the big shots in this kingdom?"

"Yes, they are. In fact, Lux's brother, Garen, is sword-captain of the Dauntless Vanguard, but I digress," Xander explained, "Lux is known to the Trifarix for her family's status, but the Grand General knows something more... intimate. Simply put, she's a mage."

"Figured," Erret snorted, "So this noblewoman looked down and saw what her kind were being put through, and chose to stop it?"

Xander gave a bitter chuckle, "If only she had that backbone. No, what is commonly known is that she was involved with the initial riot that started the revolution. The secrets Swain knows is that she specifically was the one to free the Mage Rebellion's leader from prison: Sylas."

At this, the bare-chested man stepped forward. Now closer, Erret could see the glow of magic in the apparent leader's eyes. He saw faint scars on the man's arms; carved runes, he thought. He also noticed that the chains he wore had a familiar texture: it was made of petricite, or a derivation of it.

"Sylas is the center of the rebellion," Xander explained, "His actions on the day of the initial riot set the precedent for the rest of the rebellion. A cathartic release for the oppressed of Demacia; an explosion that left many, including the old king Jarvan the Third, dead. By most definitions he's a terrorist, but considering the systematic trauma Demacia pulls on mages..."

"Luxanna supports him?" Yin asked.

"A complicated relationship, most likely," Xander corrected, "When Sylas broke out, he led a revolt to the palace. The king died, the prince was to be executed, then came Lux, armed with just a crossbow. She didn't fight with Sylas much that day - probably because she wouldn't use her magic in public - but I suspect that both parties would rather avoid fighting. Of course, they did fight."

"So Lux is the crux point," Erret noticed, "If she chooses to stay loyal, nothing changes. But she seems to have motive to switch sides. If that happens the rebellion could be successful."

"Simply put, yes," Xander replies, "But, those are just the main two players. To give a short confirmed list of other players, the prince, Jarvan the Fourth, holds hatred for the mages, considering they killed his father. Allegedly, anyway... Xin Zhao is loyal to the prince, but his past means other Demacian aristocrats distrust him. Garen Crownguard is loyal to the crown, but that could change depending on his sister, and Tianna Crownguard, Garen and Lux's aunt, is married to the head of the Mageseekers..."

Gerris' eyes narrowed, "Xin Zhao? Sounds familiar... who's that?"

The Left Hand smirked, "Not much is known to the Noxian public about Xin Zhao. But for those in the know... well, you'd know him as Viscero."

Gerris gaped, "Viscero?! The undefeated spear?"

"Wait, who's Viscero?" Erret cut in.

"An old Reckoner; a legend. I was ten years old when he last fought in the pits. They say he never lost a fight," Gerris explained, "During the reign of Darkwill, he conscripted reckoners to fight for him. Viscero's company disappeared in some mission near Demacia a good few years back..."

Gerris paused, then turned his gaze back to Xander, "And he betrayed us for Demacia? How do you know that?"

Xander smiled, "My magic deals with all dreams, not just my own. I wandered into a reckoning pit at around five years old... so to speak. And just to be sure, The Grand General's demon confirmed that tidbit..."

Gerris squinted, "The Grand General has a demon?"

"Yep, and it focuses on secrets. Anyway..." Xander continued his explanation, "Concerning just humans, there's a lot at play here. Never mind that Freljordians in the north are looking down here with envy, and to the east they still assume the Legion is knocking at their door. It's a huge clusterfuck."

"And that's just humans?" Erret paled, "What non-human things are out here?"

A sound like crackling fire came from behind Xander. Nocturne floated forward, arm blades awkwardly following his fist as he made the motion to cough.

"Demons... and perhaps others, if the memories are true," Nocturne said, "For demons... I have been bested physically a few times here. Those defeats leave shards of broken essence behind; shards that can turn into new demons. I have recollected most of them into myself, but the occasional independent night terror can take reign in a town. If the rumors are true, one such terror slew the last patriarch of House Vayne... though I have no memories of visiting that region..."

"Then there are the Aspects," Xander continued, "Demacian history is largely influenced by the cultures and... anomalies of Mount Targon. The Winged Protector and the Veiled One - two immortals that many Demacian pray to - are said to have been Targonian refugees. Their stories are old; older than most people live to be... but, these two do exist."

"That's quite a claim to make," Yin noted, "What's your proof?"

"LeBlanc - that's the Mistress of Guile, Gerris - is a nosy shit, and Lord Vlad gets bored waiting for the next great change to make. They had people tune in on Demacia at the time. At the very least, that confirms powerful winged entities once led Demacia."

Gerris squinted with suspicion at hearing this, but shrugged when Yin and Erret nodded. They seemed more in the loop, and if the talk of immortals was legitimate, then...

"Well, these immortals lived a long time ago," Gerris noted, "What proof do you have that they're still active, never mind alive?"

"...none in particular, but I'm not taking chances," Xander replied, "They're not the only ancient entities that have operated here; hopefully, we won't need to deal with them."

"And if, by sheer bad luck, we do?"

"I don't have a strict plan, but I have a few ideas to play around," Xander answered, "Ultimately, these next few weeks will determine the course of our stay here. The more info I get, the more I can plan around."

The dusty room went silent then, save for the whisper of a breeze. The topic seemingly finished, Xander banished his props. The figures of Luxanna and Sylas and the rest behind them faded to sand, then dust, then nothing.

Xander sighed, "Well, there's another one down. What else do you want to know?"

After a brief silence, Erret spoke.

"What's your stake in this?"

Xander squinted, "Come again?"

"Why are you doing this?" Erret spoke with gravity, "Normal people don't orchestrate rebellions for no reason... most extraordinary people don't either. There's a reason you're doing all of this."

The saboteur sighed, "I know it's personal, but... it's clear you're not stopping anytime soon. So, I just want to know why you do this."

Xander flinched then went silent. He turned away with a snort.

"I'd like for you to know that I'm not mad at your questioning," The Left Hand said, "I'm just... disappointed that you have to ask that question."

Xander deeply exhaled before he next spoke.

There was something in his lungs.

Erret dropped to his knees as his throat burned and his stomach wobbled in him. The urge to wretch boiled his blood, but his body came empty, producing only spit and pain.

It subsided as soon as he rose up, and he was disgusted to see Yin and Gerris rising with him; they seemed similarly debilitated.

"Not pleasant, no?" Xander's voice echoed, though Erret didn't know where the Left Hand was, "I've never taken a petricite potion before... but I knew someone who did. Some poor soul who wanted to serve his country. Used to be a mage before... he never fully recovered; got cut down in his first battle. But that's besides the point..."

Erret's vision fully cleared, and he found himself in a dimly lit corridor. the telltale signs of Demacian architecture remained, only instead of open windows and grand statues, the pillars were simple, and bars constrained them. This was a prison, and even without knowing Xander he knew what - who - was trapped here.

"Demacia was built on the dream of a just utopia. Nevermind the vague nature of justice; this dream, for many, remains unfulfilled."

Cries echoed down the corridor. The mages within the petricite cells reached out to Yin, Gerris, and Erret. Jugs filled with a grey drink - the petricite potion Xander simulated, Erret thought - were stationed before each cell. Disgusting sounds of coughs and wretches intermingled with the prayers for mercy and moans of horrified pain. Erret made eye contact with one and felt something drop in his heart. The captured mages' eyes shone with different vibrances and different tears, but the desperation for salvation remained in all of them. But, Erret suspected, they would never get it.

"The promises of brighter futures, fair trials, freedom to live one's life; for all people... since Demacia's founding it has never been achieved. A debt was owed... but now?"

Cries shifted into roars of rage. Erret turned behind him and found a new scene. He saw what was once a marble paradise. Massive petricite walls and arches surrounded the square he was in, and statues stood, silent spectators to the madness within. For it was a mad scene; the stench of blood was rich in the air, and corpses clad in runesteel filled the street. A legion of revolutionaries cheered for someone's death. Horrifying curiosity sinking into them all, Gerris followed Erret, who followed Yin, cutting a line through the crowd. At the center of the ocean of people was the source of the commotion. A man with broken chains stood over a figure in ornate gold armor, tied to a throne. The unshackled man was unmistakeable, but as for the armored prisoner...

"People of Demacia!" Sylas exclaimed, before dropping his tone to a feigned solemnity, "It pains me to say this, but your king is dead."

Gasps forced the crowd to silence, so Sylas continued.

"His son, swine princeling the Fourth..." Sylas sneered, "Stands accused: complicit in his father's reign of terror over the nation's mages."

"All lies!" the prince spat out, "You know nothing of me, or my father!"

Sylas feigned interest, but his determined disgust was clear in his eyes. The Unschakled would not be changing his mind. Nonetheless, the prince spoke.

"I've brought aid to the hinterlands, met countless exiles," the prince paused, pained, "I... I even loved someone not so different from you."

Sylas laughed, "Ah, so that redeems you, eh? You have a magic friend?"

Sylas grabbed the Prince by his hair, a renewed fire in his eyes, "But, I have nothing against you personally. I stand against your bloodline. Did your kingly father lift a finger to help us? Did he condemn Mageseekers, and free mages? No. He is complicit in the suffering of my people. And so are you."

Sylas ceased his personal performance and addressed the crowd once more, "Friends, do we need more testimony from the swine?"

"No!" roared the mages, sending chills up Erret's smile.

"Does he deserve to be spared?"

"No! Execute him!"

Amidst the mages' cheers, soldiers and other citizens whispered their fears. Yet, Erret was focused on the stage. He saw the Prince mutter something beneath his breath, the beginnings of tears forming in his eyes...

"He would've saved you..." Erret read the prince's lips. At least, he thought that was what the prince said.

"An execution would bring anarchy; mages would run wild in the streets," Sylas declared to the crowd with vile sarcasm. They laughed in turn. Sylas sneered to the prince once more, "It seems your bloodline's coming to an end. But, we aren't savages..."

A mage rose up the stage with a covered dish, disgust and rage in his eyes. He opened the dish before the prince's wide, horrified eyes.

"I've granted you a final meal..."

A rat squeaked and crawled out of the dish, tied to the plate by its tail. It would not escape, and neither would the Prince. Sylas would give final humiliation to the royals of Demacia before the stage closed.

Erret heard Yin's voice hitch and step away.

"This is..."

"A vile mockery of justice," Xander finished Yin's sentence, appearing from the crowd, "And yet, it is... so horrifyingly human. The atrocities committed by the Mageseekers go against every moral ideal humanity has ever come up with, yet in Demacia its been normalized. Since the kingdom's founding, mages have been denied their freedom and dignity, and in some cases their lives. Worse still, the perpetrators gain in their oppressing. The Mageseekers hold political power by their very nature, and in the modern day their leader is married to a Crownguard. A grand revolution... it was going to happen eventually..."

"So the prince deserved it?"

"No, of course not," Xander sighed, "And that's the point. Once upon a time, the situation in Demacia could've been simply fixed. Here and now, everyone and no one is to blame... blood is on everyone's hands, and each side uplifts a sect of the country. In truth, if action isn't taken, this country is doomed. There is nothing in it that can be changed... except the values. The vague concept every Demacian pays homage to has influenced every side, every soldier and civilian in this kingdom. The idea of Demacai itself is broken. But, the extremes be damned, I'm going to fix it. "

The scene, frozen in time, faded. A black Void remained, with Xander alone within.

"Does that answer your question, Erret?" his question was a whisper, both judgemental and understanding; an arrogant dare and a careful apology.

In truth, it did.

But Erret did not confess so, "No. No, not quite..."

"What?" true confusion was clear in Xander's voice.

"I... I know there's another reason. I don't know why you won't share it, but..." Erret sighed, "Please, trust us. Tell us."

Xander was silent for.a brief moment before asking, "What gave it away?"

And the facade dropped. Erret smirked, "You did, just now."

Xander's jaw almost dropped, but he made up for it and laughed.

"Well played," the Left Hand rubbed the back of his head in a totally-not-embarrassed manner, "Did you just think I was hiding something?"

"You've been worrying us with your paranoia and silent judgement for the past two days," Erret answered, "It was a gut feeling that you weren't going to tell us everything."

Xander's expression dropped again, "Well, I want to. And to be fair, the reason I just gave..."

The Left Hand tightened his fists, and he exhaled with contained anger, "...It is a reason. My personal reason, I'd think. But I digress, I wasn't telling you the whole truth."

Gerris crossed his arms and snarled from behind Erret, "Despite promising not to lie to us? I'm tempted to kill you here."

"It's a dream, go fish, but please don't. I can explain better out here."

"That's why I haven't," Yin growled, finishing Gerris' thoughts, "I still won't kill you, but damn if I won't make your life hell or this."

"I doubt you'd believe me, but... well that's the reason," Xander shrugged, "These motives and where they come from... I doubt you'd believe me."

"Try me."

The void didn't fade.

That was the second thing Erret noticed in the new dream. The first was his awareness of being awake. Or rather, whatever counted for it when still in a dream. He looked into the dark, waiting for a visual queue for the third.

It never came, for Xander's voice took spot number three.

"As you know, there are many reasons as to why I feel the way I do," Xander started, "What you behold is perhaps the most important one. Not only because of its... gravity, but also because it's the reason the General's gives a damn about."

Gerris' voice echoed, despite not being visible, "So, is this your reason, or borrowed from the General?"

Erret could hear the smile in the Left Hand's voice, "You could say that. Now, shut up and experience."

And so they did. They laid in the dark, waiting and alone. Erret briefly pondered his loneliness; perhaps he was watching a perspective? But, who - or what - was he in this dream? The dark ever so slowly brightened.

In a flash of pain and refreshment, the scene changed to green and black. He stood - no, that wasn't right - over a burnt crater in a green plain land. Temperate forests suggested the Freljord-Noxus border, or perhaps it was Demacia's border with the icy northlands.

A terrified squeal told him was not alone. He realized he was fenced into a pen. Turning around, he found pig tracks and a broken wooden gate. A burnt carcass also lay, likely slain on his violent entry. That might've been enough reason for anyone else, but he wondered... What was he, that these animals ran from him?

He followed the tracks and got his answer. Cradling a pig in his hand was a farmer in dark gray garb. The farmer looked up at him and screamed in terror. The farmer demanded in a foreign tongue what the identity of the thing was, then quickly ran away, pig in tow. An unsatisfied irritation flushed through him, and he followed swiftly.

He found new prey a moment later. The farmer had run to a superior: the local military. A platoon of men wearing Noxian gear surrounded him. Their commander - a woman wielding an ornate halberd - muttered something under her breath as he approached. The farmer was forced behind the commander, who shouted an order.

"Send it back to where it came!"

Archers behind the commander shot flaming arrows, and a hemomancer sent cursed blood. The blade of the commander's halberd flowed and fired an arc of light at him. He simply shut his eye, channeled his anger, and snapped them open to release his wroth.

With a gasp, Erret was pulled out of his host. He fell to floor in a daze and looked up to see the commander. Her mouth was open, eyes glaring and glowing with fear and rage. Rising to his knees, he saw arrows loosed floating in air. The only moving thing came from behind the Noxian militia and the farmer: Xander.

"About a decade before I came to Noxus, a warband directly employed by Lady LeBlanc disappeared on excursion near the Freljord," The Left Hand explained, "The Grand General, in his investigations on the Black Rose, has his demon collect secrets relating to their disappearance. He believed they were working on a secret plot of LeBlanc's. Only recently did she share with Swain the truth."

Xander pointed over Erret's shoulder. Erret turned to see what he was hosted in and gasped. A massive eye floated in the air before him. It had no mouth, three tentacles charged with a violet magic protruding from it, and a mix of scales and bones covering it.

"Since time immemorial an ancient enemy has shown its face," Xander declared, "The Warband 'Thoth's Vision' encountered this being; a slave of the great enemy. The Darkin who in legend conquered the world before Noxus were said to be driven by oblivion. In Shurima, old legends and ruins speak of an unknowable enemy. They are what brought the legendary kingdom of Icathia - the only people to defy the Ascended - to nothingness."

"They are the Void. And they are real."

With a finger snap, Erret, Yin, and Gerris found themselves back in the blank space of Xander's mind. They stood up on the black nothingness of the dream's floor and looked to the Left Hand with gaping shock on their faces.

"That's..." Yin started.

"Vague, I know. Worse than even the Winged Protectors, in some places," Xander defended, "But, this is something all of Noxus' leaders know. LeBlanc's records have taken note of various reports in the Empire's existence; Vladimir supports them with his memories, and his knowledge on the Darkin; Swain and his demons confirm them."

"And this relates to Demacia how?" Gerris asked.

"Simple: we need everyone we can get," Xander replied, "An empire of demigods couldn't beat the Void; Noxus would fare worse. Personally, impossible as it is to think, I think we'd need the whole world to defeat the Void. But, uniting Valoran - through a Noxus-Demacia alliance, or any other means - would give us at least a chance."

"And the mere threat of this... Void... was enough to convince the Grand General to let you go with this mission?" Gerris shook his head, "I mean, I get it, but you don't have a plan. It doesn't seem in Swain's nature to let a prized asset go off like that."

"Noxian High Command can afford that gamble. They may not trust me to get this job done, but they trust enough that I can make it back," Xander sighed, "There are quite a few ticking timebombs around Runeterra. As I said, Demacia is on a slippery slope that could lead to the end of the Kingdom. The safe bet, which Swain wouldn't mind taking, is to send the Legions in when Demacia's devolved itself enough. But, that route doesn't bring all of Demacia's power to the theoretical alliance. Sending me is a low-risk, high-reward move."

Yin crossed her arms behind Gerris, "So, is that all of your reasons? Or is there anything else you want to share?"

Xander stood in silent thought.

He gave an awkward laugh, "Well, if you thought the Void made no sense... ah, screw it, I promised."

He snapped his fingers with finality.

Erret woke in Hell.

There was no better description he could come up with for the scene before him. He was in a jungle of stone - massive buildings, some as tall and wide as the Immortal Bastion - surrounded him and reached for the skies. But, the stone jungle was ablaze. Heat radiated from fires all around. The higher peaks of the buildings flowed and melted like angry candles. Debris filled the road he stood on - rock and metal, layer over layer. What looked like steel carts covered the lane, but it was hard to tell with the rubble and corpses. Speaking of, they all looked... deformed. Some were simply burnt alive, but others had swelling in places, and dried blood pooled from their orifices. And the air... even it felt wrong.

Snow fell, and a man appeared to let it fall on his soot-ridden skin. Wearing a worn green shirt and ruined verdant pants, he was the sole survivor in the hellscape. He was by no means unscathed; he carried his arm in a makeshift cast of cloth, and he sported a scar over his left eye. Yet, the worse surprise came when he spoke with a familiar voice.

"Ash falls on a dead world," Xander mused with a joyless voice, "Well, make yourselves at home, and... Welcome to Earth."

Yin was the first to speak, "Xander? Wait, Earth?"

"Yeah," Xander hopped on one of the relatively unharmed steel carts and sat on it, "Earth. My old homeworld."

"What do you mean homeworld? What are you trying to say?"

"Well, this is the part where there's no reason to believe, but you'll just have to anyway," Xander sighed, "What I'm trying to say is... this isn't my first life. This world is where my last one ended."

Yin was speechless, and it seemed Gerris was as well. Erret raised a hand to ask a point, but lowered it as confusion settled in. Xander gave a bitter chuckle, then further explained.

"As far as I know, I've lived two lives; one here on Earth, and my second on Runeterra. After dying here, I reincarnated into the new world. How and why, who's to say... but my world never really had a clue on the afterlife."

After a pause, Erret gave a whispered question, "What happened here?"

Xander sighed, "War. Or rather, a collective suicide of civilization."

The Left Hand lied down on the cart, "Earth was very different from Runeterra. Rather than a handful of rather separate cultures with various magics and monsters, Earth was a splintered world of hundreds of nations. It had no magic, either - at least, not enough to influence society; there were always reports that the public disregarded. The lack of magic forced humanity to evolve further than on Runeterra; to fight the world and themselves."

Indigo tears trailed down Xander's eyes, "Eventually, the weapons we made were two much for the fools in power. Worse, the systems were broken; more so than in Demacia, in some cases. The world held its breath, hoping the gun pointed to its head wouldn't be fired. It was."

A sight appeared in the dream. In the distance, a massive explosion rocked the city they lay in. Looking to the horizon, Erret suspected it was whole cities away. Yet, still they could feel its effects.

"Men smarter than me realized that all things in the world are made up of particles called atoms. Other smart men realized atoms could be split further, releasing massive amounts of energy," Xander growled from his high seat, "Then foolish politicians gave it to their soldier-slaves and told them to use it."

"Like the Zaunite war machines used in Ionia?" Gerris asked.

"Worse," Xander sighed, "These weapons - nukes, as they were called, could wipe whole cities from the map. Detonating them caused fireballs hotter than the sun to form. Think of them as one-time-use mass-producible World Runes. You know, those things that caused a soft reset of civilization during the Rune Wars?"

Gerris nodded and gulped. He wasn't the most literate man, but even he knew about the Rune Wars' total destruction. The cataclysm that started Demacia's phobia of magic... in such context one could almost stomach the atrocities the Demacian state performed.

"Except, I'd argue nukes are far worse," Xander said, "The explosions cause... a poisonous effect. Radiation. Invisible to the human eye, can cause vile cancers or rapid degradation, among other conditions. And it can spread-" he snapped his fingers again "- just like that."

"Life on this planet as is known to humans couldn't survive here; not anymore," Xander sighed, "I somehow survived the bombs, but that was worse. I lived my final days in a dead world that likely would never live again."

"Guilt, then," Yin assumed, "That's your reason?"

"I'm self aware enough to know that it's a factor," Xander remained lying, not looking to Yin but to the void above, "But, that isn't just it. It's because, unlike on Earth, I can change things."

He raised a magic-charged hand to the skies above, "I've reflected on my magic a lot. Why do I have magic, why dream magic? It's because this power is my responsibility. Forgive my poeticism, but this power charges me to dream; for those who didn't have the power to; for wishes unrealized; for the dead world I was reborn from."

The void was silent again. The trio of natural-born Noxians exchanges glances of disbelief, guilt, fear...

"How can we believe your claims?" Gerris finally asked, a doubt that feared disrespect in his voice.

Xander have a bitter smile, "You can't. I don't think there's a way I could prove to you all of this... but I hope you can take my word for it."

The Left Hand closed his eyes.

Erret blinked and recognized the stars. Looking around, he saw Yin and Gerris sitting on the floor with him, backs to ancient stone. They were back in the gazebo.

"I think I've given you a lot to think about," Xander mumbled "Sorry, Yin, but I didn't quite get everything that dream. Another broken promise... Oh well, we can resume when you're ready."

Xander has already risen, and had turned away from them. He spoke with a shade - Nocturne - who regarded him with a curious look before floating away.

"Oh, and it's been about ten minutes in the real world. It may feel like a lot, but that's time conversion for you," Xander stepped off the gazebo's grounds, "I'll see you back at bunk."

Yin stood up, but seemed to be speechless. By the time her mind considered the right words, Xander was gone. Erret rose behind her, but he too was tongue-twisted. Gerris remained sitting, however, and he called their attention with a question.

"Do you believe him?" his gravelly voice betrayed equal confusion.

"I... I want to... but the last two..." Yin decided, "I mean, why would he lie about those last too?"

"A desperate lie," Gerris said, doubt still in his voice, "Erret caught him hiding something, so he-"

"He wasn't lying," Erret declared, "He... was dead serious."

Erret straightened up, "I'm going after him."

"But what can you do?" Yin asked, "If he's serious..."

"The only thing different now is time. He's still on his own - has been since he ran from this place," Erret answered, "We change that. We convince him otherwise. And he's going to accept our help."

The saboteur walked off, leaving Yin and Gerris in the ancient Demacian gazebo. Yin could take care of the reckoner; maybe not convince him that Xander, impossibly, wasn't lying. But, Gerris would have to be there too. Xander needed help, never mind something to temper his idealistic tendencies. A bitter snicker reached Erret's throat: ironic, that a saboteur would need to put something back together.

Author's Note: Thanks to my only reviewer thus far; Indra Senin. He asked for more background on the SI part of my story. I hope the memories in this chapter suffice. In general, I'm trying to be a bit more subtle. The pasts of each character will be explored in flashbacks/dreams in future chapters. If I'm competent enough, these flashbacks will connect with the rest of the chapter as a whole, giving them more purpose than explaining random information.

But, to give a brief overview of the SI so far, Xander's isekai-moment doesn't come from a random mugging or truck-kun running him over. Instead, I had his death being slightly after a worst-case-scenario WW3. I don't plan on explaining Earth politics in that future timeline, but the fact that M.A.D. occured there is the key point. It is, after all, a key motivation of Xander's.

Also, for those in the know, yes I changed a few details with Sylas' initial revolution. I felt (or rather, TBSkyen felt then I watched his video) that the righteous side of Sylas' revolution - the fact that Demacian mages are literally being genocide-ed - wasn't as clear. So, as to make the scene less one-sided, I added Sylas' little rant. I'll be making a few changes as I go, but we'll see...

Finally, thanks for reading this far. More so than anything, please leave a review with your thoughts so far. Any and all feedback is appreciated.