Chapter 22 – Four Voyages Unfold
Swain stood on the balcony overseeing the city of Noxus once again. He had thought long and hard about the potential annexation of Vacuo. Four days had passed since he had discovered the new world through his demonic eye, and all the possibilities danced around him. His patriotism was telling him that it was an ambitious task: one worthy of the Noxian Empire, but the pragmatism he had harnessed over the years warned him of the unknown risks that came with this prospect. Would they make it to the new world before running out of supplies? What were the weather conditions like that far out as sea? Did the natives of Vacuo have enough military power to defend itself to the point where Noxus would be driven out? Most of importantly of all though: was it even worth the investment? If they were successful, it would be a new milestone for Noxus, pushing its reputation even further up. But if it was a failure, so many resources would be wasted. The invasion of Ionia was a prime example of risk versus reward, and Vacuo could possibly be even less reward for an even higher risk.
Swain also recalled a failed expedition to the Serpentine Delta Jungle. Ysard Tomari had been an imprudent captain, who saw the expansion of Noxus and her own name as more important than the safety of her crew and the indispensability of well-thought-out decision making. She and her ship had never returned after they set out on their expedition – presumably they had succumbed to a fate unbeknownst to anyone who knew Tomari.
Rumours of Noxus going east across the seas had circulated throughout the whole city, to the point where everyone assumed that the plan had already been confirmed.
Ultimately though, the decision was in Swain's demonic hand. The governors had some say in the matter, and Swain could always turn to them for advice, but the final call had to come from his commandment and no one else's.
'Have you made a decision then?' said Alyssa in the audience chamber. Swain, Darius and the hooded figure, who were all present at the last meeting, were there too.
'I have.' said Swain with no trace of emotion in his voice. 'We're going.'
'To Vacuo?' Darius asked.
'Yes.' said Swain.
'So, what's the plan?' the Alyssa asked. 'How do we go about organising this whole thing?'
'On a mission as challenging as this one, we mustn't discard anything we may need. This will include manpower, weapons, ships, food and supplies. I say that we take no less than two thousand soldiers, and at least ten loaded ships.'
'Is that not a bit excessive?' Alyssa asked.
'Not in the slightest.' said Swain authoritatively. 'That is the minimum number of people who are going. Who's to say what Vacuo has perched at its borders and inland?'
'How many is ideal then, if that's the smallest number you wish to gather?'
'Two thousand at minimum, but three thousand is a safer number, I reckon.'
'Okay, that's fine. I'm just worried, because we need enough military presence to remain here to keep Noxus safe.'
'This mission is not publicly known to any other nation. We aren't under threat by anyone at the moment.'
Alyssa nodded her head. 'Alright, General. I'm merely expressing my concerns.'
'You are young, Alyssa, but your concerns show that you do think before jumping: a quality that is very good to possess. Be assured of that.'
'Yes Sir.'
Swain turned his attention to Darius. 'Now then, Darius, I want you to go to the Delverhold and round up as many troops as you can.'
'Very well.' said Darius gruffly. 'There are around seven hundred soldiers there. How many of them should I recruit?'
'Take four hundred. Three hundred should be enough to protect the fortress from the Winter's Claw, should they come and attempt to steal any resources.'
Darius beat his chest with his axe wielding hand. 'You make no mistake, General.' he said.
Swain faced the hooded figure. 'I want you to find Miss Du Couteau and bring her here.'
'Which one?' she asked. 'The younger or the older one?'
'Katarina.' Swain confirmed. There was pinch of disbelief in his tone, as though he was saying: "Isn't it obvious?"
'Of course, General.'
'And Alyssa, you are going to head to the west perimeters of the walls and order warmasons and Capital dwelling infantries to come to the east coast immediately. Tell them to bring some drake-hounds too. If they question your authority, say that you have direct orders from me.'
'Yes General.'
'As everyone comes together, we'll accumulate as much food, supplies and weaponry as we can. And one last thing: someone will need to become the substitute leader of Noxus while I am away.'
Alyssa looked at Swain, puzzled. 'You're… going too?'
'Of course. Age and injuries do not stand between me and Noxus. I want to set foot on Vacuo's soil for myself, and I would not ask of anyone what I would not do myself if I am capable. Someone must assume the role of leading the Capital, and I have my mind on two individuals in particular who I would consider appointing.'
'Who might they be?' the hooded figure asked.
'My mind first turned to General Du Couteau, and I think he would be a competent leader. But, I am thinking more of someone who is... less blinded by self-image.' Swain's eyes darted to Alyssa.
'…Me?' she asked, perplexed, pointing at herself.
'The ardour of a young Noxian is a sight to behold. Never before have I ever seen someone as youthful as you be so devoted to the Trifarix. This could be a very optimistic way of thinking, but I believe that putting a heavy task on your shoulders at such a young age will force you to become a true Noxian. Your heart and your body are in the right place: we just need to move your brain there too. Do you think you can handle such a responsibility?'
'I… I think so.' Alyssa said, shocked at the idea of her being the leader of a nation.
'Confidence is a trait that you must possess to be a true Noxian. It looks like you need to work on that.' said Swain sternly.
'Oh, I mean: Yes, absolutely. I am up for the task.'
'I sure do hope so.'
'How long will you be gone for?' Alyssa asked.
'It depends on how long the expedition takes and how long we stay there. It will be a long-term goal to establish a colony in Vacuo, but this will take time, and will most likely require journeys back and forth across the sea. Unless things are disastrous, I will return. But at any time that I am in Vacuo, you shall be in charge of Noxus.'
Alyssa managed to stop herself from gulping. The thought of ruling Noxus was exciting, but also terrifying. If Swain never returned, she would become the actual General of Noxus.
'Now, let's not sit here any longer. If the process goes smoothly, we could be ready to set off today.'
'Today?' Darius asked. 'That isn't much time to prepare, is it?'
'Have you not yet noticed that the hours of the day have increased?'
'Ah, yes. Forgot about that…' Darius slapped himself on the head.
They all stood up and left the chamber.
Darius was the first out: he had to travel rather far out on horseback to get to Delverhold and back.
The hooded figure knew that Katarina lived not too far outside of the Capital's walls, but still left at a pace.
Swain and Alyssa walked out together, but left a gap between them as they went.
'I hope I don't regret this decision.' said Swain.
'You won't, General. I promise.' Alyssa responded.
'Nothing can be certain when Noxus' future is involved. Decisions have consequences. This I know well, and I hope that you will maintain Noxus' pride for as long as I am gone.'
'Even if I do get overthrown, does this not show that someone is more fit to rule than I am? Is that not what your philosophy is too?' Alyssa asked.
'That is true, but I do not want a selfish person taking the helm of Noxus. Anyone who serves in Noxus serves the nation before themselves. This is why I am confident in bestowing my role to you, Alyssa. Who else killed her brother and betrayed her own father for the benefit of her nation? Remember what I said to you: "Duty to the empire must always overshadow duty to family."'
'I do remember that.' said Alyssa. 'And I will never forget those words. I live by them like I do by bread and water.'
Swain smiled. 'Then Noxus is yours. Congratulations.'
'Thank you, General.' said Alyssa, reciprocating Swain's rare gesture of sincerity.
The Noxian docks were clustered with activity. It was late in the afternoon, but enough sunlight was present. Ten massive ships were parked by the long wharf. Citizens were donating food, cargo, clothes and supplies. Everything was loaded onto the ships by hundreds of Noxians, and ten drake- hounds were wrangled into cages. The commanders of each battalion had a list with the names of their soldiers and were checking that everyone was present: Darius was overseeing all of them.
The hooded figure had arrived earlier, escorting Katarina with her. Katarina was a renowned assassin of Noxus. She was beautiful, but ruthless with a seemingly endless pocket of short blades: deadly towards anyone who let their guard down for even a split-second.
She made herself useful by joining in on the loading of the ships.
Kled was there too, barking orders at everyone who passed him, which only amounted to "Keep doing what you're doing.", but in a belligerent delivery.
Alyssa stood by Swain, onboard the fifth ship, which was closest to the centre and allowed them to keep an eye on everything.
The process was hectic, but the synergy of cooperation and unity of Noxians enabled it to be quicker and smoother than expected.
Once all the soldiers were registered, Darius scouted the docks until he spotted a ridiculous hair style atop an uncanny looking head.
His younger brother Draven was comprised of four things: ten percent executioner, ninety percent showman, one hundred percent egotism and one hundred percent CRITS. Darius and Draven had grown up together, but unlike Darius' satisfaction for serving in the army for Noxus, Draven sought attention and a reason to swagger around the streets with pride. After the former executioner of Noxus, Urgot, was lost to an ambush in Zaun, Draven took the occupation as his own, and puts onlookers in shock with how precise and infallible he is at killing his prisoners with his signature throwing axes, after giving them a chance to flee.
Darius did not really approve of his brother's choice of lifestyle – thirsting for praise and recognition over duty. But one thing was indisputable: Draven was damn good at his job, so why fix what isn't broken?
Draven saw Darius approach. He ran his right hand through his hair and gave the older brother a smug visage.
'I'll say goodbye for now.' said Darius with no real emotion – indifference, if anything.
'Pfft, don't feel sad. I won't miss you. I've got everything I need right here.' He hand gestured his whole body.
'Yourself?'
'Perfection.'
'Forget I asked…'
'Don't be jealous, there's no following my footsteps. Especially not when you blend in with everyone else in battle, whilst I'm the star of my own show, hahaha.'
'I serve for thousands of people. You serve yourself, Draven.'
'Not Draven, Draaaaven.'
'Ugh. Whatever… I'll be back eventually. Just take care, alright?' He opened his arms. Draven returned the brotherly affection with a hug. 'Noxus will rise and expand on this trip.' said Darius. 'If we take any prisoners… maybe we'll send some of them to you.'
'Giving foreigners a bit of Draven, hahaha. I like the sound of that.'
Darius sighed. 'Goodbye, little brother.' he said.
'So long, inferior brother.'
'Grr.' Darius returned to the ships. Swain was about to deliver his orders through a speech.
'Listen to me everyone!' he said loudly. All eyes and ear immediately homed in on the General. It was unusual hearing Swain shout, but it was necessary to catch everyone's attention and make sure they could hear him. 'You were all given short notice on what we are doing, but if I am not mistaken, the rumours have spread like wildfire either way, so this should not be entirely a shock. You are all Noxians, and you act upon command as much as you act upon preparation.'
The crowd murmured momentarily, but instantly fell silent at Swain's imperious gaze.
'Before I go on, let me introduce Alyssa Roshka Gloriana val-Lokan, who shall be the stand-in General of Noxus whilst I am gone.'
Alyssa forced herself to don a face of iron. She wasn't sure if she should say anything, so she instead gave a confident wave. To her relief, the crowd appeared to take this announcement warmly.
'Let me clarify exactly what is happening.' Swain continued. 'Some of you are probably aware by now that some new land has been discovered. It is not marked on any known map, so Noxus is interested in commandeering this place and making it a property of our own!'
Cheers spewed from the crowd and decayed over a few seconds.
Swain resumed. 'It is not entirely clear how far away this land is, but we know that it is beyond Ionia and Bilgewater's eastern waters, so the journey will be long, but an opportunity for Noxus to have more ownership of land overseas is too great of a deal to ignore. Everyone will play their part and be cooperative as we sail past southern Ionia and make our way over to the new land. You must all takes turns to clean the ships and cook food. Doctors are on-board each ship, so grab their attention if anyone falls ill. Any maintenance issues or damage should be attended to as soon as possible. If there are any suspicions of mutiny, report it to the captain of each ship immediately. Have I made all that clear?'
A resounding "Yes, General." washed across the docks.
'Good. The full plan is as follows: firstly, we will travel to the Noxian port of Fae'lor in western Ionia. This shall be the first – and quite possible the only – stop on our journey. It'll be a place of respite. If we happen to arrive in the evening or at dark, we will spend the night and set off promptly in the morning. From then onwards, we're gambling with chance. Should anything go wrong whilst out at sea, we will halt, see if we can deduce the problem, and make a beeline towards the nearest landmass that we know of.
'If we successfully make it to the new land, the procedure is to approach cautiously and see if we can sniff out any threats. If the coastline is uninhabited, we will offload what we need, gain control of the immediate area and then go inwards. Once we make our first contact with civilisation, our first approach will be tentative and demanding that they comply with our presence. If they resist, fuel your hearts with might and bring them to their knees. Should they be bold enough to use weapons against us, go a step further by raising your own and annex their territory. Do not hesitate to spill blood as a means of conquering the land. To redraw the map, the blood of soldiers and obstacles must be the ink. Remember that our ultimate goal is to establish a colony, subject the indigenous people to our will and make it all a part of the Noxian Empire!'
The crowd cheered after he finished his sentence with vigour.
'But perhaps what is most important of all, be happy, be proud that you are involved in Noxus' most onerous operation to date: embarking further out than Noxus has ever been before. Do not be frightened. There are risks, but a calculated risk is not a risk at all. Embrace your strengths, work together, have fun where you can, and bring glory back here.'
A chant of 'Noxus! Noxus!'engulfed theheart of the Empire.
'No more waiting. Let's go!' Swain ordered. He exited off the deck and walked down the wharf to Ship No. 1, which he would be the Captain of.
It was tricky getting ever soldier and every member of the crew aboard the ships. So many of them with limited space, and they all had to decide amongst themselves who was to stay where.
The first ship pulled out of the docks and the rest followed, leaving about twenty seconds between each departure.
As the last one made its way out onto the sea, the waving stopped and those who remained began to disperse and return to their daily lives.
The hooded figure watched as Alyssa strolled out of the docks and back into the capital. She appeared very insouciant. The centre of the Empire was more vulnerable than ever, with its numbers diminished, and she had become the new primary target for anyone who had a grudge against Noxus. At face value and from a distance, the young woman did not appear to carry any of the three principles of strength. Swain had appointed her on the basis of improving her reasoning and to make her more knowledgeable on what it means to be a true Noxian, as he put it.
Perhaps that hypothesis needed to be tested.
Skarner felt his legs tire. He knew that he had to press on: his kin – though not aware of his undertaking – were counting on him. Being a Brackern was tough. His body was incredibly heavy and difficult to manoeuvre with ease.
The serendipitous epiphany of Dust had been the motivation that carried Skarner forward. Although it was a blind goal, he maintained the Brackern motto of learning through the journey of life, and reaching an end goal after the lesson has been delivered via experience. But even Skarner could not withstand the enervation of pushing oneself too hard. Thankfully, his crystal's energy replenished when it was not in use, whilst he slept.
It was midday. He felt the desire to sleep and to sing a song about the pains of being away from home. What if more raiders came back to his valley? Skarner did not know what the motivation of humans was for stealing the crystals, but conjectured that rapacity was at the core of their actions. Would they have learned their lesson from the last time Skarner had killed the marauders and left a few to run away? It was hard to tell. How could a Brackern know how a human's brain worked?
But the determined Brackern was not yet ready to give up. He had stopped for rests frequently, and had twice slept for more than a day. If Kalduga – the border between the Kumungu Jungle and the most north-eastern point of Shurima – entered his line of sight, he would be happy knowing that he had made so much progress.
Although he was almost completely unaffected by the scorching heat of the desert, he could definitely tell that the climate was becoming progressively cooler as he went further up north.
'I miss my kind.' he whispered, hoping that something – anything – would fill the longing in his heart: the longing to be with his family.
Pressing on, Skarner noticed the small increase to the steepness of the incline. The ground felt moister, the sand was dampened. 'Am I finally here?' Skarner asked himself.
He focused his eyes to the horizon. Green was emerging: a colour that Skarner had only ever seen in small quantities by the Valley of Song.
Although the angle of the sun did not compliment the view, he thought that it was intriguing. And as he got closer, Skarner admired overwhelming beauty. He had no word to give them, but the sight of them made a single tear fall from his left eye. 'If only they could see this for themselves…'
Skarner encroached closer and closer on the jungle's tall, thick trees. He could now admire the details of the leaves and the individual blades of grass. Pretty patterns of nature stitched into every single one. Tiny flying insects pirouetted in the air, moving to no tune other than the pulchritude of the jungle.
He reversed to get a better look at the top of the trees. It was more difficult to tell from the ground, but the way they spread out was also a beauty to admire. 'If it's this magnificent on the outside, it must be even better on the inside.' Skarner thought to himself.
Skarner sensed a sound. He paused before entering the Jungle. It did not stem from inside. It grew increasingly louder. 'Above me…' He looked upwards in time to see something yellow rocket past him across the sky. It was omitting a relatively high pitched scream, but disappeared into the distance, as quickly as it had appeared, along with its cries, before Skarner could discern what it was. The yellow colour was very bright, but not the same as the sands: it was different from that. The sound it made suggested that it might've been a living thing. What could it be though? The Brackern had no contact with the organic world during their hibernation.
Skarner recalled the marauders he had brawled with, some of them had made a similar noise. 'Humans don't fly though… do they?'
Something gently floated down, right into front of his eyes. A yellow strand of… 'What is that?' He could not pick it up with his claws, but knew it had dropped from the yellow blur. 'I think I've seen this on mankind before. Hair?'
He did not need to dwell on it though. It had flown south, and the speed it had travelled at implied that it had gone too far for it to be his business. 'I mustn't travel back. I am far into my task. It does not affect me, I think.'
No sooner had he shrugged off his curiosity, when another sound of a similar frequency found his ears. He looked in the same direct that the yellow thing had come from – now anticipating its approach.
This time, two things flew overhead. A red thing, with an ever-higher pitch than the yellow thing, shortly followed by a blue thing, which carried with it a scream of a deeper sound.
Skarner flexed his pincers and his stinger. He did not feel threatened by the blurs of colour, but he nonetheless was apprehensive. Were they being aimed at his home? Mostly likely not, judging by the angle at which they soared. 'I shall wait and see if more come.' He lowered himself to the ground and adjusted his eyes to see into the distance. A two minutes passed of no reoccurrence. 'This world is so strange…'
He lifted himself up. Whatever those things had been did not matter. 'This dense green is gorgeous. I will explore it and find my way to its end. Hopefully I will be closer to my crystals, or to Dust.'
The jungle was thick, and did not accommodate well for Skarner's large size, but luck showed him a wide clearing with a broad pathway, which led deeply inwards. He had no idea if Kalduga was harmless or hostile, but Skarner was ready for anything, if it meant saving his brethren. 'I press on.'
Garen Crownguard, stretched his arms and yawned as he sat on a seat, next to a table with four other soldiers, below deck. The journey beyond the Conqueror's Sea, across the west had been uneventful. Not that he had expected it to be otherwise, but he nonetheless yearned for the moment when they finally reached the new world – that was when the adventure of exploration truly began. Unlike the imperialism of Noxus, Demacia pursued only a grand discovery.
The Kingdom of Demacia was a proud one, fortified by its well-organised military, which Garen was always at the forefront of, and structures that were primarily made out of the compound stone of petricite: which absorbs magic, thus nullifying its effects.
Whilst it is easy to view Demacia as a "good" nation, due to its rivalry against the "bad" Noxian Empire, many critique it for being a highly conservative one, with an unjustifiable prejudice against magic and its wielders. Anyone in Demacia, who is suspected to be a mage, is liable to submit themselves for questioning and potentially be put in prison.
Garen even suspected that his younger sister, Luxanna, possessed magical powers, but tried not to entertain the thought. He could not stomach the idea of his own sister being incarcerated for the very thing that he loathed and fought against.
Demacia became aware of the unusual activity across the seas, not just by the earthquakes, but also based on eyewitnesses of the statue of Galio moving on its own. Galio, was a humongous monument, made of petricite, and would literally come to life in the presence of substantial amounts of magic. Although it was a stretch to suppose it, King Jarvan III of Demacia believed that something unfathomably big had taken place at sea. Garen had been the first to volunteer for an expedition, with his army showing interest too. Only a couple of days had passed before a ship, braced with a layer of petricite on the inside, and a sufficient number of supplies had been prepared.
Garen's legion of Demacian soldiers were a good old laugh and brilliant company, but also highly trained and formidable in battle. They had made his time on the ship far more bearable. One soldier had brought some games, including playing cards and a chess set with Demacia and Noxus as the white and black pieces, respectively. These held them over for some time, especially the chess board, where they had all role-played as either Demacia or Noxus, which had been quite entertaining and also made the game more competitive.
'You fancy something to eat, Garen?' said the soldier sitting on his left.
'No, thanks, Diadoro.' Garen replied, giving him a smile. 'I could do with something later, but I'm fine right now. Are you hungry?'
'A bit, yeah.'
'Try to pick from the barrel that's the emptiest. It'd be good to keep the other stuff fresh for as long as possible.'
'Absolutely. Thank you, Garen. For Demacia!' he saluted.
Garen returned it. 'For Demacia!' and chuckled.
The soldier got up and went one deck below to the storage hold.
'Hey Garen, said the soldier on Garen's right. 'You don't suppose you could do one of your legendary, Demacian one-handed stands, could you?'
'Right now?'
'Yeah, we love seeing you do it, don't we guys?'
The other soldiers all nodded and agreed.
'Hmm, alright Bryn.' said Garen. He stood and stretched his fingers. 'Remember, don't try this at home.' he said jokingly. In a tremendous display, Garen threw his whole body into the air and caught himself with just his left palm. 'One… two… three… four… five…'
'Woah! Keep it up!'
'Yeah, for Demacia!'
'Nine… ten… eleven… twelve… thirteen… fourteen… fifteen… sixteen…'
'More, more!'
'Fifty-seven… fifty-eight… fifty-nine… sixty!'
'Yeah, bravo! The might of Demacia!'
Garen let his feet resume their job. He felt the blood run down his veins, back to his toes. 'Well, that was easy.' he laughed.
'Seriously, how do you do that?!' Bryn asked.
'With lots of practice.' said Garen. 'It took me years to be able to do even one, and even more to do five.'
'What's the maximum amount you've ever done?' asked the soldier opposite him.
'More than you can count.' Garen replied with a mild smirk.
'Garen! Sir!' Diadoro cried, running up the stairs.
Garen jumped up in alarm. 'What is it?!' he questioned.
'It's Sabator! He's been… been…'
'Been what?! Tell me!' Garen demanded.
'Come and see!'
Diadoro led, Garen, Bryn and the other two soldiers down the stairs, heading towards the boxes of supplies.
'I was just looking for a plate, and then I saw this!' he covered his eyes and pointed at a space just behind the boxes.
Sabator: his body was mutilated and full of holes, and a cloth had been tied around his mouth.
Garen stared at what was left of Sabator before stumbling back in horror. 'Who did this!?' he yelled, addressing no one in particular.
They all looked around, wide-eyed with fear.
'Get out of here, now!' Garen ordered.
All thirty soldiers stood on the deck in a circle, save for the sailor operating the wheel. The hatch had been sealed shut.
'Who was the last person to see Sabator?' Garen interrogated. He had briefly explained what had become of their poor comrade.
No one said anything.
'Alright, who was the last person to speak with him?'
'That might have been me, Sir.' piped up a younger soldier.
'Winyl! When was this?! What did he say to you?!'
'It was late last night. We were both about to go to bed. He said that he wanted a quick bite to eat, so he left as I fell asleep.'
Garen clutched his head in anger. 'It can't be…'
'How did he even die? What would cause injuries like those, especially on this ship?' Bryn brought up.
Everyone fought their tongues. It was too ghastly for words.
'I don't know.' said Garen. 'But from now on, no less than two people go down to the storage hold at once.'
Murmurs went around the circle, with a mixture of emotions.
'Let us remember Sabator's name…' Garen bemoaned. 'He accompanied us on a bold journey. Let our courage not waver, but we shall have a brief moment of silence for our fallen hero. For Demacia…'
'Sabator. For Demacia…' everyone repeated.
Only the lapsing of the waves took vacancy in their ears as they mourned, followed by the sound of… birds chirping. Seagulls.
'Land!' the sailor at the wheel yelled abruptly after two minutes.
The legion regained their awareness of being on a ship. A few of them ran to the front. Sure enough: the tip of a low, red cliff was in view.
Garen rubbed his eyes and walked up to the bow also. Right next to the red cliff was a shallow bank of sand, but nowhere to feasibly dock the ship. 'It's going to be awkward to stop here!' he called to the sailor.
'I'll try and turn around and put her parallel, starboard side!'
The manoeuvre was very tricky, but the sailor had experience on his side. 'Everyone, stand at the bow, port side!' he commanded. 'Put your weight there!'
It was working. The ship rotated gently around, slowly but surely until one hundred and eighty degrees had been made.
'Now evenly on starboard! Go!'
It leaned right, and inched closer to the cliff. 'A little bit more…' said the captain. 'And… stop.'
They returned to the centre of the ship, evening out their mass. 'Now deploy the anchors!'
Two soldiers lifted one anchor each and dropped them overboard. The ship was in place. They had arrived.
The legion all cheered with delight.
'Yeah! Well done, Captain!'
'We're here! We're finally here!'
'For Demacia!' Diadoro shouted.
'For Demacia! For Demacia!' they all chanted.
A minute passed by for them to finally calm down. Garen raised his hand for silence. He cleared his throat. 'Well men, it looks like we've made it. It's a shame that Sabator cannot experience the glory we feel right now, but let us forge onward, with his spirit in our hearts. Our deeds shape the future.'
'Yes.'
'Absolutely.'
'I want ten people to stay behind and guard this ship.' said Garen. 'The rest of us will set off and explore this land. We shall not go too far without coming back here and reporting what we see. Let's get ready. For now, we will only take the lightest of equipment and water.'
It did not take long for them to decide who was remaining and who was going: for it did not really matter. Only the sailor was adamant that he was staying in case he needed to move the ship.
The twenty explorers went to the storage hold, anxious to see if anything was there, ready to ambush them. They wrapped Sabator in a sheet and placed him back in the space where he had been found.
'He deserves a proper send-off…' said Diadoro.
'Yes…' said Garen. 'But we'll do that another time. We have a duty to fulfil.'
They climbed back to the deck, and threw a rope ladder over the side.
'Alright men, listen up.' said Garen once they were all on the beach. 'Stay alert. Be on the lookout for anything valuable or dangerous. Be cautious around any people or animals we encounter; do not provoke them if you can avoid it, and overall just make sure you're taking in your surroundings. If we have any reason to return to the ship imminently, you retreat on my command. This is an alien world to us, so we dare not be sure of what is lurking here. Is everyone clear?'
The legion nodded and declared their positivity unanimously.
'Brilliant. Demacia marches as one!'
'Demacia!' everyone yelled proudly as they made their way off the beach and into the new world.
On board the ship, although nobody heard it, a sinister giggle was released in the storage hold. 'Let's see… whose life shall I ruin next?'
Ezreal's Field Notes
Still Close to Home:
As of writing this, I'm still very much in Valoran's waters. I can tell though that it's the Guardian's Sea, based on how far I've come so far. When you're done as much exploring as I have, you become familiar with the geographical structure by just looking at it from a distance – it's a useful skill that most people underestimate and probably don't have.
Trannit has gone by, and Ironwater shouldn't be too far away. Well, actually, I know for sure that it isn't.
I had a look at some of Jayce's gadgets, and they are swell, still not as good as my gauntlet though. I'll probably find a use for this fishing kit later, and I am very happy with this radio that picks up on whatever music is being broadcasted nearby. Gives me something to do jumping jacks to.
Oh, and also, I heard this noise earlier before writing this. I don't know exactly how to explain it, but it sounded very "glittery" and "fairylike". I would've said that I was imagining it, but I heard it multiple times. However I haven't heard it since though, so it's probably nothing, or at least nothing worth worrying about.
-Ez
Ezreal's Field Notes
Over Bilgewater:
I can definitely tell that I'm north of Bilgewater. In fact, I can smell that distinct odour of fish. I don't love it or hate it, it's just there.
Surprisingly, not a single boat has crossed paths with me. I mean, it's Bilgewater for goodness sakes. There should be people on the sea every hour of the day.
Maybe that's a blessing in disguise though: I'd rather not get into a mess with anyone particularly salty.
Actually, this would be the perfect time to make a good catch. Any food for me is priceless at the moment. I hope this fishing kit isn't difficult to use, and I certainly hope that I don't catch something else that could throw me overboard.
At least Jayce also provided me with this lighter and a tripod to cook on.
He's both good-looking AND smart: just like me, not that I really want to admit the former.
-Ez
Ezreal's Field Notes
Below Ionia:
You know, out of all the places I have visited, Ionia is not a part of my portfolio yet. That's a shame, considering all the fascinating thing's I've heard about it. I mean, I myself am not spiritual, but because it's such an integral part of their culture, maybe I would have a first-hand experience, and become a believer myself.
I've taken some photos with the camera that Jayce gave me, from the limited view I've got here, so they aren't clear, but they'll do for now.
I'd love to see Ionia's landscapes and eat their cuisine someday. I get it though that the natives don't take too kindly to people from Valoran: especially those who bring technology along with them, and this boat is filled with it. Still though, I'm an explorer, not a poacher. Anything I take isn't stealing, but rather adopting for archaeology and research purposes. I also like the terms, "liberating" and "procuring".
Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Also, I caught some sardines earlier with the fishing kit. They were kinda bland, but at least I know it works. Might be able to get something juicier if I'm lucky.
-Ez
Ezreal's Field Notes
Slowly Going East:
I've gotta say that it's kinda boring out here on the water. Not that I haven't been on long journeys before. The one from home to Nashramae felt like forever, but I've usually had someone of sorts to make small talk with. This feels even longer, still with no land in sight yet.
I've got plenty of food, so that's not a problem, but I really do hope there's something soon. I also don't have much of a point of direction with just ocean, so I hope I don't go severely off course.
My compass says I'm still going east, but how reliable is it when the world is potentially a lot bigger?
If I make it to the new world and back, alive, I hope my pay is good.
-Ez
Ezreal's Field Notes
Experimenting with Prayer:
Like I've said, I'm not spiritual, but I definitely grew up knowing different stories from across the world: talk about deities and stuff. I've learned about more of them as I've explored Runeterra as well. The so-called "Aspects" from Mount Targon I find especially interesting.
But I've known for as long as I can remember the tale of Janna. I've heard different things, that's she's a bird, a woman, or just the sentient wind. Anyway, she apparently calms the seas down and blows wind in convenient directions and is just a nice guardian lady all-around.
Here's the thing: I reckon I could try and pray to her. Who knows, maybe she'll listen and bless me with some of her magic. Simply asking never hurts anyone. I don't really believe in her, but I could be wrong. Maybe she's been helping me before whenever I've sailed away from home.
It's strange to think about. It's also strange to think about what she actually looks, because if she's a hot woman, I'm down.
-Ez
Ezreal's Field Notes
Bottles:
I'm scribbling this shortly after writing my last set of field notes (I should really specify what time exactly I wrote them), because I don't really have much to do when I take a break from the wheel. The radio can't pick up any signal either, which is a bummer.
The sea is a lot calmer out here, and I feel like I'm not going as fast. It could be because Janna's influence doesn't typically extend this far outwards, either that or she doesn't exist: honestly I don't know.
Anyway, I was considering writing some messages on paper and then putting them in a bottle with a cork before throwing it overboard. It could be purposefully cryptic or just descriptive of me or something else. I suppose I would never find out what becomes of my messages, but it sounds like fun, and it's something to do. But then again, I shouldn't be wasting resources. These few glass bottles that I have could be invaluable once I get to the new world. Multiple water bottles come in handy after all.
-Ez
Ezreal finished rereading his field notes, closed his journal and placed it back inside the cabin (Could he even call them "field" notes when he wasn't on land?). As much as he enjoyed exploring, writing about his experiences was part of what preserved the memories he had acquired. For Ezreal, it felt wrong to not write at least something about his quests.
He opened a tin of tuna and tossed it on top of a slice of bread before placing another one on top. He had definitely been given a surplus of food.
Ezreal wolfed the sandwich down like he was late for meeting, but he certainly had all the time in the world on the boat.
Light was fading, and dark was rising, so Ezreal turned off the engine to let it cool down for the night. He was losing track of time, even with the watch Jayce had designed specifically for the new twenty-nine-hour day duration. A combination of boredom and deprivation of the actual exploration he craved for. It was bound to come full circle soon.
He noticed that he was struggling to keep his eyes open. 'Another day down.' Ezreal muttered to himself. 'Let's head to bed.'
He went inside the cabin and removed his clothes, replacing them with a set of comfortable pyjamas. 'Goodnight daytime.'
Darkness had fully emerged, accompanied by the two nightlights in the sky, which shone a beautiful pair of reflections across the sea.
'Explore… uncover… excitement…'
Knock, Knock
'Gauntlet… treasure…'
Knock, knock
'W-wuh?'
Ezreal turned his beside lamp on, clumsily stood up and staggered towards the door. 'Who goes there?' he said, mostly asleep.
No one. He closed the door and toppled back into bed.
Knock, Knock
Ezreal shook himself awake. This time, he was not imagining it. He opened the door and walked onto the deck, looking around to see what was there. A mixture of nervousness and annoyance inhabited him. 'Show yourself, whoever you are!'
The glittery sound, again. Ezreal looked upwards. On top of the cabin. She was on her knees, peering over the edge. 'Hello! Hi! Hey! Or... whatever...' she said before rolling backwards, hiding from view.
'Hey, get back here!' Ezreal demanded. He jumped up and pulled himself onto the cabin roof.
She was shaking, switching her gaze from the moons, to the water, to Ezreal, and back to the moons.
'Who are you?' Ezreal asked. He lowered his guard slighty, judging by the child's innocent looking appearance.
'I-I'm Zoe… You're Ezreal, right?'
'How do you know my name?'
'I-I have a question I wanna ask, buuuuut I need you to say yes before I ask it.'
Suspicion grabbed hold of Ezreal. Who was this little girl with otherworldly hair? 'Answer my question first.'
'Well, I've… seen you before.'
'From where?'
'From… places.'
Ezreal was unsure on how to respond. What did "places" even mean? 'And how did you find me, or get here for that matter, in the middle of the ocean? That's pure sorcery right there.'
Zoe put her hands behind her back. 'Well… I might like like you.'
Although not fully, Ezreal began to make sense of her. He felt mildly flattered, but she appeared to be far too young – a minor. 'Umm, that's great. A lot of people feel that way about me.'
'Oh, no! You don't like any of them back, do you?!'
'I'm sorry to disappoint you, but yeah, there are some nice ones.'
'Could I be considered one of them?!'
'Well I don't know who you are, so I can't really say. I'd rather be with someone I know.'
'No, no, please don't say that! Who do you have your eye on? I promise, I can be better than her!'
'That's none of your business, Zoe.'
'But please can I at least give you one of my chocolate mooncakes?' Without waiting for an answer, she pulled one out of her hair and offered it to him.
Ezreal hesitantly took it from her. 'Thanks…' he said, desperately wishing that he was not in such an awkward situation. Still though, he took a bite and savoured the taste. 'It's… pretty good.' he said with genuine sincerity.
'Great! Does that change your mind about me?!'
'Look, Zoe… one can't deny that I'm a pretty cool guy. And… you seem rather sweet yourself, BUT,' he said before she could interrupt. 'I'm pursuing my own dreams, presumably as much as you are yourself, and both of ours don't align. It's just how it is, I'm afraid.'
'Oh please, please give me a chance! When you get to know me, you're realise just how cool I am, and that I can do things far beyond any other girl's imagination!' She lifted herself off the cabin and levitated.
Ezreal sighed. He could definitely not deny that Zoe was not your average girl. There was something supernatural about her. 'How old are you even?'
'You… probably wouldn't believe me if I told you, but I promise you that I'm old enough to do all things that couples do!'
'I'm not convinced, but, okay…'
'So, can I stay?'
'Umm…'
'It's late at night, and I have nowhere else to go to.'
'Where did you come from then?'
'I don't have a home anymore. I just go from place to place, thinking about you.'
'What?'
'Nothing! I just think you're… really cute, and… amazing in every single way.'
A subliminally modest part of Ezreal came to the surface. He was usually very cocky and hubristic about his good looks and talents, but it was surreal to hear someone actually affirming it and agreeing with him. 'Are you into exploring?'
'Of course! I love discovering new things!'
'Do you like finding treasure and other priceless artefacts?'
'I guess that would depend on what you consider valuable, but I bet anything is worth millions when you touch it. You leave fingerprints after all.'
'Thanks. And do you like putting yourself in perilous situations by your own choice?'
'There aren't many things that are dangerous for me, but yeah: danger makes things more fun.'
Ezreal placed his right palm against his forehead.
'See! We're perfectly suited for each other!'
'Fine… You can stay.'
'Yay! I love you Ezreal! I promise you won't regret this!'
'I had better not…'
Zoe emitted a small giggle. She jumped off the cabin roof and skipped inside.
'How long have you been on the boat?' Ezreal asked as he closed the door behind him.
'I, umm… I've been watching your boat for the past few days, but I only found the courage to actually come and see you tonight.'
'And what was I doing when you arrived?' he asked, unsure if he really wanted to know. He would have been okay with any girl of his type spying on him, but Zoe was not one of them…
'You were eating a sandwich.' Zoe responded. 'Then you turned off the boat's engine and got – umm…'
'Were you watching me undress?!'
'I might have sneaked a peak.'
'Oh my goodness, why?!'
'I'm sorry. I was just curious what you… looked like.'
'Ugh, never mind. Just don't do that again. Okay?'
'Uh, yes, absolutely. I promise.' said Zoe with an undiluted apology. Still though, she hopped onto the bed and snuggled up against the wall.
'Zoe, that is my bed.' said Ezreal disapprovingly.
'I know, but, where else would I sleep?' she said, sitting up.
'On the floor.'
'I don't want to though.'
'I'm letting you stay here with me. Is that not enough for you?'
'Please…' Zoe said with a whimper. 'I think about you every day. It was my dream to meet you and express my feelings… It hurts, knowing that I've never had a boyfriend before, and that all the boys I loved just pushed me away. You've given me the best response so far. I just want to know what it's like to be with one: even if it's just for a bit…' A few tears trickled down her cheeks.
Ezreal was torn. He didn't want to make her unhappy, but was she purposefully manipulating him to get his sympathy? The tears suggested that she was showing her true emotions.
As it stood though, every answer he gave would feel awkward or uncomfortable. Would it be better to make her happy than to make both of them not feel good? He really did not want to surrender to her, but what was the worst that could happen?
'Alright, you can… stay in the same bed as me.'
'Thank you.' Zoe replied, quietly this time as she wiped away her tears.
'Just let me sleep on the left side though. I like to lean against the wall.'
'Not a problem at all, Ezreal.' Zoe smiled.
He pulled the duvet up, allowing him and Zoe to get into bed.
'Goodnight, Ezreal.' said Zoe happily.
'Night Zoe.' Ezreal replied, as he turned off the lamp.
Ezreal closed his eyes, letting his tiredness drag him to sleep. Something felt odd though. He clenched his eyes as he realised what Zoe was doing. 'Please stop…' he begged.
'Sorry, I'm just experimenting. That's all.' Zoe whispered. She wrapped her arms around his waist, embracing him closely
Ezreal tried to relax, convincing himself that hugging was not an inherently bad thing.
Could she have gone any further though?
Zoe – being smaller than Ezreal, eased herself on top of him. Ezreal was petrified, unsure of what to do.
She softly took a hold of his head with both of her hands, and their lips met.
If it had been anyone even worse than her, Ezreal would have thrown her off immediately – this was already a stretch. But he did not resist. Instead, he relinquished. Almost without thinking about it, his hands and arms wrapped themselves around her. Minutes went by, and their lips had not yet bid farewell.
To Zoe, she had never felt so good.
To Ezreal, he felt conflicted. His mind was screaming at him to stop. But, at the same time… she was an incredibly good kisser.
