Chapter 42 – The Next in Line

Shen gritted his teeth as he was launched into the sky. He looked down at the ensuing storm. It was hard to tell with the wind and smoke in his eyes, but he thought he could see his peers being thrown in different directions from the blast. There went the distinct red cape of Ruby's going south, and the white coat of the General flying east. Or was it west? No, that didn't matter! Shen looked around to see if anybody was even remotely close to him. Yes. The dark-skinned, green-haired boy. He was a few metres to the side of him, but much higher up. He was definitely panicking. Shen could tell even without being able to read his face or hear his screams. His lack of body and muscle control was a dead giveaway. This meant that when they began to fall, he would reach the ground first. In a pulp quite possibly. Shen knew that these kids were a cut above the average acolyte of the Kinkou, exceeding the limits even of some of the greatest, but they were still humans. He had to do something.

They had been going upwards for an alarmingly long amount of time. Shen could have sworn that he could see Valoran from this high up. But then they reached the peak. Shen hovered in place for only a second, and then he began to fall. His stomach lurched at the sudden drop. Sage was already on his way down. He appeared to have grabbed hold of some control, but he was still staring at death straight in its hideous face. Shen used his arms and legs to swim through the air, trying to get as close to him as possible.
Only someone as astute as Shen would have noticed that the explosion had ended, and Ao Shin was ascending back into the clouds. Nothing remained of the ship though… 'No, forget about that! Focus on Sage!'
It was going to be unbelievably close to get the timing right, and Shen was already having difficulty in seeing with his eyes constantly colliding with the wind and air. He squinted, narrowly determining when to act. The ground was getting closer… Even closer… Less than one hundred metres away… 'Now!' Shen swung his left hand in front of him and summoned his spiritual sword. It materialised next to Sage and concealed him inside a sphere of energy, which slowed his descent. He touched down on his feet and hands with a pose as if he had merely just jumped off a backyard fence. Shen then pressed his palms together and warped himself right next to Sage's side. He landed gently on his feet. They had made it, living the impossible fall!

'Are you alright, Sage?' Shen asked calmly, but unable to fully conceal the rush of fear which lingered even after their touchdown.

'Yeah. Good…' he murmured as he took to lying flat on his back with his eyes closed. His heart was still pounding more than one million beats per minute.

Shen took off his mask and wiped his hair back. He looked around, immediately recognising where they were. The distinctly red flora was a definitive indicator of the kind of nature found in Navori. So they had been flung all the way across the main island. This also meant that the Temple of Koeshin was within walking distance. But where was everyone else? Shen had been able to spot some people as they were ejected from the whirlwind, but had everyone else survived Ao Shin's assault? Heck, were those who had made it out of the explosion even safe? From what he could tell, both Ruby and Ironwood had been jettisoned out of the tornado at a ridiculous speed. They had all agreed to come to Runeterra, but it looked like that mission was already at an end. 'Do you need a moment to recover?' he consulted.

'Gimme a moment.' Sage coughed. He breathed in and out, slowly but deeply. Shen waited patiently for Sage to recover. When he eventually opened his eyes and sat up, he made a silent yet wonderstruck gasp. 'What is this place?' he awed.

'Ionia.' Shen responded simply.

'It's… beautiful.' he remarked. Such a response from someone as stoic as Sage was strange. 'These trees, and those birds. How's it possible for anything to be so vibrant?'

'That's one of the many assets of Ionia. Stunning landscapes, doused in magic and its spiritual heart.'

Sage stood up, brushing some dust off his shoulders. He looked around, all of a sudden acutely aware of not just what was there, but also what wasn't. 'Where's everyone else?'

'I can't be sure. After we got caught up in Ao Shin's storm, I saw some of our group being launched out of the cyclone, in different directions – away from Ionia. I don't want to assume the worst, but if I take the conjecture of a realist, a lot of them may not have been as fortunate as we are.'

Sage stared at his feet. 'Pfft. Great.' He may not have expressed it often, but he cared a lot about his teammates. And although he knew very little about Team RWBY or Team JNPR so far, they had given off vibes of becoming good friends. He kicked a stone near his feet, and it went rolling into a nearby bush.

'Again, let's not presume that idea.' Shen advised. He decided to treat the situation pragmatically. 'The Temple of Koeshin is not far from here. Let's go there to recuperate, and perhaps have a cup of tea and some food. I just hope though that your body responds well to our cuisine, as mine did to your native foods.'

'What? Shouldn't we be like, tryna look for others? And aren't you like the only guy who knows his way around this place?'

'I don't disagree with the need to reunite with you peers, but Ionia is a rather large continent. Searching for them would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. And as far as I could tell from that catastrophe, we may be the only ones who actually landed in Ionia.'

'But it's like you said. What if they weren't as lucky as us? They may have survived the fall, but they could be seriously injured. C'mon, it's better to at least try than do nothing.' Sage protested.

The boy's emotions were getting to him. Understandable, but an impediment to his thought processes. 'I'm not saying that we shouldn't make the endeavour at all, but do not underestimate the importance of rest. We will only stay there as long as we need to and then we can set off. Furthermore, I can gather the other members of the Kinkou to help us in our search.'

When Shen put it that way, Sage had less reason to disagree or run off and search for himself. Three heads or more were better than two at covering more ground (Unless Neptune's head was in the equation, which counted as minus one). And even if Sage made the decision to look by himself, he would no doubt get lost in a land completely unfamiliar to him. 'Alright. Let's do that.'

Shen nodded, grateful that his reasoning had penetrated his bulky head. 'It appears that I will be returning home sooner than I had originally thought.' He set off, walking with his hands behind his back. 'If you have any questions or things that you're curious about, feel free to ask me anything.' Shen invited.

'Okay.' Sage trod on Shen's footsteps. Half of his mind was fixated on Ionia's scenery. The other half yearned to know the fate of his friends and new acquaintances. He checked his Scroll. *Out of Signal* 'It's okay, it's okay. Just keep looking at stuff around me.' The grass was red. Red! It almost resembled a crimson carpet, but the blades of the grass itself proudly displayed itself as a unique piece of nature, along with the flowers and bugs complementing its aesthetic. The trees were tall, with a colourful blend of green, red and pink leaves, and their trunks seemed to be made of several smaller ones, spiralling around each other, and they varied in straightness; some stood upright like a pencil, whereas others had grown with the flexibility of a scarf. Many of the trees also held fruits that Sage loosely associated with the ones he was familiar with. In the distance, he saw tall and long mountains with their own summits blooming with life. Even further beyond them, he spotted a very large one, dwarfing those in front of it. He remained silent, allowing himself to absorb Ionia in all its unbridled magic.

They walked between a few of the shorter mountains. Sage spotted both trees and flowers growing out of the sides of them, covering much of their faces. He soon realised that Shen was leading him up an incline, along a pathway that was heading up the large mountain. When they were higher up, Sage looked into a valley in the east. A meandering river ran through it, and a small hamlet deriving from trees stood at its edge. If he was not mistaken, there were some people standing over garden patches or carrying buckets of water above their heads. 'This is amazing. It's completely different to what it's like back home.'

Shen turned his head around without stopping their walk. 'In what sense?'

'Like, my Kingdom, Mistral, has waterfalls and trees and such, but it's very samey throughout. But this? This is on a whole-nother-level. I'm not looking to abandon Mistral anytime soon, but living here must be sick.'

'Interesting…' murmured Shen. 'I suppose that I often take Ionia's environment for granted. It is truly one of a kind and you won't find anything like it anywhere else in Runeterra. However there are some disadvantages to living here. Although Ionian culture doesn't admit it, as a continent, we are very behind in terms of technology. Now, the spirits and folks of Ionia generally speaking aren't in favour of that sort of advancement, but I think it will become a necessity in the not so distance future, especially now that a technologically advanced planet has crossed paths with ours. Also, I mentioned the nation of Noxus, which attempted to invade Ionia nearly a decade ago and that there was a dreadful number of lives lost for what was ultimately a pointless war. What I didn't mention however was exactly how they fought their side. In addition to traditional weaponry, such as swords, axes, cannons and bows, the Noxians also adopted chemical warfare into their arsenal. The results were devastating… The effect it had on people was truly horrendous. It made people choke to death, or even their bodies would decompose in the most excruciating way possible. What is perhaps most disturbing though is how tumultuous that kind of warfare is. The nature of it meant that it was hard to control and the Noxians ended up accidentally killing members of their own band. It was such a horrific event that mention of it has become almost taboo among Ionians. But I am going on a tangent. My point is that Ionia is falling behind in the world. Although there are some nations in Runeterra that have done, or are in the process of industrialising themselves, such as Piltover and its highly controversial sister city of Zaun, my impression is that Remnant is bounds above us in terms of development, and Ionia in particular cannot afford to be complacent in its current state.'

Sage considered Shen's perspective. Of course, he knew very little about Runeterra and couldn't make too many assumptions. Would the average Runeterran look at Remnant and opt to live there instead? Well there was no point in even attempting to answer such a broad question. 'Do you think that you could influence people to try and develop Ionia?'

'It would take much more than just me to start such a movement. Maybe our paths crossing will be the incentive that we need. The earthquake we experienced was already a shock to us, and it disrupted everyday life and the peace of the spirits…'

Shen and Sage walked through a small village on the mountain. Unsurprisingly, the houses and buildings were made of wood, with the base of trees growing out of the roofs.
'This is the White Cliffs Inn, and these are the accommodation. Visitors of the Monastery often stay here.' Shen explained.

'Oh, I thought this was like a bunch of houses or something. I get it.' said Sage.

'I can see why you would think that.' Shen chuckled. 'And just beyond here is the Temple of Koeshin. It's not officially so, but we treat it as our headquarters, out of the several temples that the Kinkou own across Ionia.'

Sage briefly glanced at the individual rooms as he walked past them. Few people were inside, and he spotted that the amenities had all been knocked over. 'Definitely the works the earthquake…' he thought to himself.

At last, Shen and Sage finally arrived outside the Temple.
'Woah.' Sage uttered. It was a beast of a piece of architecture. A few floors in height, made from the finest wood from exchanges with the Ionian spirits.

Shen pushed the left of the two heavy doors open and flicked his right hand towards Sage to signal him to come inside.

Sage did so and took a thorough intake of the inside to the foyer. The floor was made up of light-grey stone. On either side of the door stood stone statues of two people whom Sage knew nothing off. Opposite to them was a staircase which led up to a landing that ran around the whole of the room, with seven doors evenly spaced across it. On the ground too were the same number of doors. At each corner of the foyer were a vase of purple flowers. Sage looked upwards at the landing overhead and saw another staircase leading to the floor above. When in the middle of the room, he could make out a fourth floor. Next to the statue on the left side of the door was a broken candle chandelier on the floor. Sage squinted at the ceiling above, and he spotted the hook in the centre. Presumably, another accident as a result of the earthquake. It begged the question though of how on earth did the Kinkou light it. Sage also noticed that he could hear both his and Shen's footsteps perfectly.

'Now is around the time our acolytes would be beginning their daily tasks.' Shen commented.

'What kind of things?' Sage asked as he made his first step onto the stairs. Surely he would have heard something by now.

'The Kinkou has three disciplines, which we prioritise as the main principles of teaching. Watching the Stars, Coursing the Sun, and Pruning the Tree, with each one being headed by a specific master. In layman's terms, they refer to patiently observing the world without partiality, passing on your findings and judgements to others, and maintaining the balance between the material and spiritual realms. I myself, as the Eye of Twilight, teach about the Coursing of the Sun. Unfortunately, our mentor of Pruning the Tree left us and the role is vacant, as I mentioned the previous night. These are our ideals, but that of course is not enough in a world where imbalance is prevalent and idealism is futile; so we also verse our pupils with other practical skills. Steel weaponry, martial arts and even stargazing, as I also mentioned yesterday. But we also teach them about Ionian history and nature, how to cook and wash. Additionally, we have a lot of acolytes who spend most of their time in the spiritual realm, and this is where the discipline of Pruning the Tree becomes vital to help both the material and physical realms coexist.'

'Got it.' Sage replied after Shen had said nothing for three seconds. Although intrigued, he really hoped that he would not be quizzed on what he had been taught so far. They climbed up the second set of stairs to the third floor, and once more to the fourth and final. Sage looked over the railings. In spite of being three entire floors elevated, it didn't really seem all that high up.

They arrived at the second door on the landing from the third staircase. 'Here's the kitchen. Let's go inside.' Shen pushed the door forward, letting Sage go first. There was no roof. Four rows of rectangular tables with benches were laid out, closest to the door. At the back of the kitchen were the facilities: a chimney breast in the middle with a stove and cooking pot above a fireplace; a line of cupboards hanging on the back wall and beneath the work surface; and some cooking utensils organised on the surface itself. 'Please, have a seat.' Shen offered, and Sage sat down on the edge of the bench closet to the workstation.

Shen went to the back of the kitchen, took a teapot out of the top cupboard on the right of the chimney and poured some water from the wooden faucet, into it. Sage thought that the presence of a sink seemed quite out of place in somewhere so devoid of technology. How did plumbing work? Shen then lit a fire in the chimney and placed the teapot over the stove. 'Ionian cuisine is quite exotic, partially down to how food itself is often cultivated from the spirits. Sun fruits are especially nutritious.'

'Woah. Guess it's gonna be good then.' said Sage, realising that his stomach was rumbling.

Shen took out some fruit and vegetables from a cupboard on the left side of the kitchen and placed them on a chopping board. He then brought out a knife from a drawer and began to chop up the food. Without even being cooked, they emitted a pleasant aroma. Shen placed the fruit and vegetables into a saucepan and poured in some water before placing it on the fire as well. He then sat down next to Sage. 'Some vegetables and fruit in Ionia break down very easily when boiled. It turns them into a form that is easier to swallow and digest. The nutrients then have an easier time spreading around the body, and the spiritual components also help the eater to connect further with the spiritual realm.'

'Wow. That's so cool.'

'We have other types of food as well, such as meat, fish and dairy products, but they're a bit harder to come by because acquiring and preparing them takes more effort and is not considered as healthy.'

'That's pretty much how it is for us as well. Veggies are good for you and easier to grow and prepare.'

'Good to hear. Again though, I hope your body doesn't react badly to our food.'

Shen waited for a minute before taking the teapot and saucepan off the stove, and he placed them on the chopping board that he had used to chop the fruit and veg. He then got out two bowls from a cupboard on the right of the kitchen and distributed the contents of the saucepan evenly into each. Finally, Shen took out two teacups from the same cupboard, sprinkled in some tealeaves from a jar on the side and poured water into each of them. Shen brought their meals to the table – Sage's first and then his. He took out two teaspoons and two tablespoons from a drawer on the right and gave one each to Sage before sitting down at the table, opposite him. 'I hope you enjoy.'

'Thanks.' Sage smiled. He stirred the bowl first and examined what was in it. Shen was right, it had become quite pulpy. Carrot, an apple, green beans, some sort of citrusy fruit? And some other stuff that Sage could have guessed were fruit or veg without having been told, but he nevertheless didn't know what they were. It was too hot though, so he stirred his tea, letting the leaves blend in with the water. The smell was pungent and herby. Sage couldn't wait to try both!
He let the bowl cool for another half a minute before taking a spoonful and blowing on it, then put it into his mouth. The sweetness and bitterness were complemented by the hint of citrus, and its mushiness felt soft against his tongue and the inside of his cheeks. Sage let out a "mmm" sound after he savoured the flavour and swallowed his first mouthful. 'That good.'

'I'm glad you like it.'

Sage didn't hesitate to keep eating more. He spooned it into his mouth in an almost piggish manner. Once he was about halfway through the bowl, he then tried his tea. The dissolved herbs coated his tongue, He swallowed and exhaled with satisfaction. 'Man, this is really good stuff. Like, Mistral's got nothing on this.'

'Wonderful. I guess that's a compliment to my cooking skills too.' Shen laughed.

'Well whatever you're doing – keep doing it.' Sage laughed back. He finished the rest of his bowl and tea. Shen had finished a few minutes before him.

'So, how are you feeling now?'

'Better after that. Shall we go and find the others now?'

'I was going to advise that you get some rest. An hour of sleep will do you good.'

'But I'm feeling better now, and we have to try and find everyone as soon as possible.' Sage argued.

'Sage, please listen to me.' Shen urged. 'You're stressed and exhausted because you've been awake for over eight hours at this point. Sleep will revitalise you, give you better peace of mind, and it will help the newfound spirits in your body thrive. Just one hour: I promise I'll wake you up after that.'

Sage sighed. Shen was right. He felt great from the food, but his eyelids were feeling a bit heavy. 'Okay, fine. Where do I take a nap then?'

'We'll go down a floor below to the dormitories.'
Shen lead Sage out of the kitchen and down the stairs. Shen took him all the way around the landing until they stood outside the door closest to the next set of stairs. He opened the door and went inside – Sage followed. The room was rectangular, just like the kitchen was. Sage counted thirty beds: fifteen each side, and every bed had a nightstand on the left. 'This dormitory is currently unoccupied by any of our acolytes, which is why there are no personal belongs or clothes in here.' Shen explained. 'Although, we had to clean the place up after the earthquake. So have a lie down and try and go to sleep. No one will disturb you except for me.'

'What are you gonna do then?' Sage asked. Wasn't Shen going to rest too?

'I am going to greet the rest of the Kinkou Order here and inform them that I have returned, and I will also let them know about what you and I intend to do, and get them to help us.'

'Okay.' Sage nodded and climbed onto the nearest bed, placed his sword, Pilgrim on the floor in front of the nightstand, and laid down on his back.

'Remember, just one hour, and you'll be in a fit state to go.'

'Yeah, I know, I know. Thanks for everything you've done so far.' Sage said. Although his monotone voice wasn't great at conveying emotions most of the time, he was extremely grateful.

'You're welcome. I'll see you in an hour.'

'You too.'

Shen nodded and closed the door behind him. 'Okay, time to go and see everyone.' He went down the stairs to the second floor. He gently opened the door that was opposite to the entrance. Inside were twenty-six acolytes. They were sitting on matts with their legs crossed and hands open. Independent meditation. It was a good practice for them to be doing it of their own accord. Shen went to the front of the room and cleared his throat. All the students opened their eyes at the same time and gasped but then smiled upon seeing the Eye of Twilight in their presence.

'Master Shen, how good it is to see you again!' said a young woman at the front.

'Likewise, Isa.' Shen returned. 'The news I bring is interesting to say the least. I can now confirm that the world of Runeterra has merged with another, which is called Remnant. I went there when a girl was in need and fought in a battle, which ultimately ended in victory. I returned with some of the inhabitants from that world, but we got caught up in a storm only moments before we were about to arrive back in Ionia. The party has been split up as a result, and in case some of them are lost and wondering about, we need to find them. I have already brought one of the inhabitants here, and he is sleeping in the empty dormitory. So in one hour, after the boy has woken, we will be leaving the Monastery and going in separate bands around Ionia to find them.'

'We understand, but how are we supposed to know who we're looking for?' a woman called Hisso questioned. 'What do they look like exactly?'

'They're humans like us, teenagers, and fortunately they speak our language, as impossible as those odds are. Their clothing is very distinct, and I reckon that you will be able to tell intuitively that they are not Ionians. If you spot anyone out there, or you can infer that they're related to this boy called Sage, approach them and ask them if they came from Remnant and were with me or Sage. They obviously know Sage and should know who I am by now, and if they do, bring them back here, but attend to any injuries that they may have first. Give them something to eat and drink as well. Also I should mention that there was another Runeterran with us. He is an itinerant, who has blue skin with runes tattooed on him, a thick beard and a big scroll. He is particularly touchy though, so try and be patient with him, if you find him. So what I want you to do before we go is agree amongst yourselves who is going where. We need to split up and cover as much ground as possible. Therefore we need some of you to go north and up the mountain, some to go east, some to go west, and others to go south. Is that clear?'

All the acolytes nodded and expressed their understanding.

'Is Master Kennen here?' Shen asked.

'Yes, he's on the first floor, but I'm not sure what he's doing.' Isa replied.

'Thank you. I shall leave you to discuss then who will be going where and with whom.' Shen said satisfied. He left the room and went downstairs. If Kennen was on the first floor, there wasn't much doubt about what he was doing. Shen opened the largest set of doors on the left side of the entrance and stepped into the training hall, which was equipped with everything that a warrior could need: swords, axes, bows and arrows, kunai, shurikens, nunchucks, shields, robes, armour, and even some more niche choices, like smoke pellets. Targets were also placed at the back of the hall. There certainly weren't any weapons like that of Ruby's; having this many weapons and tools for fighting was already contradictory to the Kinkou's proclivity to stay out of violence and conflict if they could avoid it. But as Shen had said to Sage during their walk to the Monastery, Ionia would need to compromise some of their ideals and ways of life sooner than they would like. And plus, Remnant's weapons were really cool. Even Shen marvelled at how Blake's sword was also a gun and a grappling hook.

Predictably for Shen, Kennen was rapidly throwing shurikens at a circular target whilst also zooming around the hall. Kennen was a Yordle, older than every current member of the Kinkou combined, with over one thousand years of experience and wisdom under his belt; and the current and only ever Heart of the Tempest: the leader in the Kinkou's triumvirate who taught the discipline of Coursing the Sun. A harnesser of electrical energy, and with impeccable skill at throwing shurikens, Kennen was an unassuming force to be reckoned with. Like with the majority of Kinkou members though, Kennen was a pacifist at his core, maintaining the belief of the balance of Ionia's harmony as his central commitment. He had even refused to fight against the Noxians during their invasion. However, just like Shen, Kennen foresaw a change of wind, where diplomacy would no longer suffice. Preparing for battle had therefore become important to his daily activity.

'Greetings, Master Kennen.' Shen announced.

Kennen came to a stop and pocketed the shuriken he had just been about to throw. 'Master Shen. How good it is to see you again.' he greeted back. 'How was your excursion away from home?'

'A very interesting one.' said Shen. 'I've made some very fascinating discoveries.' Shen retold what he already said to the acolytes, but went into more detail about what had actually happened during the Fall of Beacon.

'Intriguing...' Kennen responded simply. 'Do you have any idea how this happened in the first place? Another world, with similar intelligence and species as yours, just being sewn to ours?'

'I have no idea, and neither does anyone else that I've met, but I have been able to confirm that this has happened, and I'm glad that I made some allies whilst I was there. However, there's something we need to do.'

'What is it?'

'Well, as I told you, my new acquaintances and I were caught in the storm of Ao Shin. We got thrown out of his tornado and were scattered. I think that I saw some of them being tossed out into the sea, but there might be some of them who ended up somewhere in Ionia. And if they survived the fall, the boy called Sage who I brought here with me understandably wants to find them. I've instructed him to have a nap, because he is of course under major stress and has also been awake for hours. I've also told our pupils about this and have ordered that we head out in just under an hour, once the boy has woken up. Sage and I will go east and search around the Placidium. They however will split up so that we can search all of the main island and Bahrl. What I need you to do therefore is to go and get the other divisions involved in the search, but you should probably contact the Temple of Raishai, since it is the furthest away from here and in Zhyun. Tell them to explore all the eastern islands, including Bahril and Zhyun and then Galrin and Sudaro to the south, and Qaelin, Oulin and Ralin. What you're looking out for are teenagers with clothing that is obviously out of place in Ionia. If you and the other acolytes do find any of them, ask if they're from Remnant and if they know me. If you can confirm that they're one of them, take them to the nearest Kinkou Temple, but treat any injuries, which they may have sustained if possible. Assuming that we find anyone, what they need is sustenance and rest.'

'Understood, Master Shen. I am not the Heart of the Tempest for nothing.' Kennen laughed. And before Shen could respond, Kennen turned into a bolt of electricity and shot of the hall and through the entrance faster than lightning. He might already be halfway to the Temple by now.

Shen chuckled to himself. Kennen indeed was the best person possible at Coursing the Sun to the rest of the Kinkou.


Sage's eyes were closed tightly. He had definitely not realised how tired he was. The pillow was too thin for his liking, but the lightness of the blanket meant that he was covered without it being too hot. It wasn't long before his active, anxious mind turned off.

...

'Hey man, what's up?' Neptune tapped Sage on the shoulder.

Sage was sitting on his bed in Haven Academy, looking at his Scroll. 'Not much.'

Neptune peered at the screen. 'Are you looking at the news?'

'Yeah. According to Lisa Lavender, there's been two Dust shop robberies in Vale now, but whoever the thugs are haven't been taking any Lien. Like, why would you rob a store without taking everything you can?'

'So, it's just Dust that they're taking?'

'Yeah.'

Neptune scratched his head. 'Anyway, you'll be ready to go soon then?'

'Yeah…'

'Dude, is something wrong?'

'I wouldn't say wrong, but just worried. I know that Sun was visiting his family in Vacuo, so I don't blame him for leaving us behind, but like, why did he have to put himself at risk and be a stowaway onboard that ship? What if he's caught and arrested, and then we wouldn't be able to compete in the tournament?'

'Apparently there's some good bananas aboard, and it saved him paying the fare.'

'He'll have to pay a lot more if he gets busted.'

Neptune laughed. 'Yeah, but also, you know how he is: a troublemaker who likes the thrill of taking risks and waving his ass at authority. There are many things I like about Sun, and that's one of many.'

'Yeah, I get ya. It's better than having some dull goody two-shoes as our leader, but you gotta admit that it's kinda reckless of him to do that. I think Scarlet feels that way even more than I do.'

'Hey, I don't disagree, but I think he'll be fine.'

'I hope so. You guys are my best friends. I can handle myself, but I also can't imagine what I would do if something happened to you, Sun or Scarlet.'

Neptune gave him a hard pat on the back. 'You saying that just confirms that we're the best teammates you could ever have.' he smiled.

'Same.' Sage grinned back.

'Now, are you coming or what?'

'Yeah, yeah I'm coming.' Sage put his Scroll in his pocket and picked up the suitcase that was on his bed also. He rolled it out of the room on its wheels and let Neptune lock the door before they made their way down the corridor.

'Scarlet's waiting for us in the courtyard. Let's not keep him waiting any longer.' Neptune advised

'Yeah, let's get going then.' They carried their luggage down two flights of stairs and walked along the corridor into the main hall. Plenty of other students were also making their way out of the school. 'When have we gotta board the ship by?'

'Dunno, to be honest. Let's just try and get there as soon as possible.'
They walked out through the hall's entrance and into the courtyard. But where was Scarlet though? The place was so busy.

'We should have agreed a spot to meet up at.' said Sage.

'Yeah, probably.'

'Wait, there he is!' Sage pointed to a lamppost that Scarlet was leaning against. Scarlet was waving at them. Sage increased his tempo into a jog, however he faltered almost immediately as the warm air suddenly turned to ice. The cloudless sky went from blue to grey in a matter of seconds. Dark clouds appeared out of nowhere and they unplugged their cords.

'Agh!' Neptune screamed. He held his suitcase up over his head and scrunched his eyes.

Sage looked up and witnessed a cauldron of a storm being stirred into a menacing eyeball. But then suddenly, the eyeball blinked! It exited the clouds and descended downwards.

'Sage! You will never see your friends again!' a thunderous voice boomed.

Sage quivered at the sight of a blue dragon with a long beard and golden plating on its back. The eye of the dragon was pierced straight at him.

'Say goodbye!' A bolt of lightning erupted from the dragon's mouth, and it struck Scarlet. He wriggled violently and collapsed to the floor a second later. His clothes had become ashes.

'No! Sage screamed.

'Same to him!' the dragon yelled mocking. It threw a bolt of lightning from its right hand this time. In went straight through Neptune's body and he fell to the ground; his suitcase crashing on top of his face. 'And now you too!' The dragon opened its other eye, releasing its third and most powerful strike yet. Sage dove to his left. No can outrun or dodge lightning though. The bolt hit him and he screamed and contorted in agony…


Sage gasped and sat up and opened his eyes widely. His entire body was sweating profusely. His pillow was wet, and he could feel to beads trickling down his limbs. He wiped the sweat out of his eyes and looked around, recognising where he was. 'Oh thank god.' he whispered. He rested his head back on the pillow, not caring that it was soaking. How long had it been?

As if on cue, the door opened and Shen stepped inside. Sage sat up again and met Shen's gaze. 'Are you feeling better after your nap?'

Was it worth telling him what had actually happened? 'Yeah. Great.' So much for connecting with the spirits in his sleep…

'Shall we go then?'

Sage nodded. He slid off the bed and picked up his sword. They left through the door and walked down the stairs in the centre to the first floor.

The acolytes had organised themselves into four bands in lines, two of which had seven each, and the other two were made up of six.

'Okay, we won't waste time with introductions, but everyone, this is Sage. And Sage, these are some of our plentiful protégés across Ionia.'

'Hey.' Sage said in monotone. The acolytes bowed their heads in response.

'The plan is as follows: the other Monasteries will be covering the eastern islands. You will go immediately north, searching the mountain and then the very northwest of the continent,' Shen said to the first line. 'you will make your way to rocky peninsula leading to Vloque and search there,' he instructed the second group. 'you will scout in the south, however you will still need to avoid the Noxian territories, and you will try and find anyone in the west.' he said finally to the third and fourth group. 'Sage and I will check the Placidium of Navori and then run along the east. If you find no one, come to the centre of the main island and we'll probably all meet there. Realistically, it will be impossible for us to cover every stone today, but you must be thorough, because Sage's acquaintances could be anywhere, and possibly unable to walk. Is that all clear?'

A resounding yes came from all of the acolytes. They were equipped with some dark robes and basic weapons. Sage thought that their get-up made them look more foelike than friendly.

'Let us go then.' Shen opened the entrance doors, letting everyone exit before closing them. They all wished each other luck and set off in their assigned directions. Shen and Sage initially went together with the group going south, however their paths diverged once they had reached the base of the mountain. They walked east along its edge, through a meadow of purple flowers. Remaining next to the mountain was the only way to give them high ground and elevated above the rest of the lower landscape. 'How good is your eyesight?' Shen asked Sage.

'Pretty good.'

'I do have to emphasis this that I'm not exaggerating when I say this search will be exhausting. Ionia's size should not be underestimated. There will be a lot of hiking and climbing.'

'If that's what's necessary, then I'm cool with that.'

'But I also think that you should try and mentally prepare yourself for the worst. Please don't interpret me as not thinking highly of your friends, but a fall to earth from so high up is nearly impossible to survive. I also know that not everyone is in Ionia. Ruby and the General are likely out at sea and are either still trying to get swim back to land, or are… no longer trying.'

Sage sighed. 'I know, but I don't want to give up hope yet.'

'There's nothing wrong with a healthy amount of optimism, but I'm warning you that you should not set unrealistic expectations. You only survived because I made the proper steps.'

'And I'm grateful for that, but I think you're like seriously downplaying us. As Huntsmen, we get thrown about all the time. Everyone in Remnant has this stuff called Aura, which gives us a shield. We were sitting in that ship for ages, so all of our Aura was fully charged. And you know Yang? Well Sun and Neptune witnessed her take a fall that was basically skylike, and she landed on her back! And she just stood up with a grin on her face apparently. Honestly, I really wish I'd been there to see it. I know that they could have hurt themselves, even badly, but don't jump to the conclusion that they're pancakes, and if we find anyone, we help them. Okay?'

Shen juggled what Sage has said in his mind, weighed his argument, and then nodded. 'If this is true, then it seems like I really have underestimated you and your peers. I was certain in my mind that you would have died, had I not intervened with my spiritual sword, and I'm sorry for my misjudgement in that regard.'

'Hey, you definitely stopped me from breaking some bones with the way you broke my fall. So like, I can't be mad at your for anything.'

'Well, optimism it is then.'

'Hey, you know you said that eating some of that food you cooked earlier would refresh me and help me bond with spirits, or something like that?'

'Yes, I did.'

'Well, I didn't feel like telling you at first, because I thought if I said it then we would hang about, talking about it instead of going, but I actually had a bad dream when I was asleep. I was at my academy before going to Vale, and then that dragon that got us into this mess showed up and killed Scarlet, Neptune, and then me.' a few tears began to trickle down his cheeks. 'I don't wanna lose my friends! I really don't!'

Shen gave Sage time to let out some of his wails before consoling him. 'I understand how you must be feeling right now. Even I'm worried for your peers, and I don't have personal attachment to any of them. Life can be harsh and unfair, but if you have faith in your own ability to survive some extremely high falls, then you probably don't have to worry as much as you otherwise would.'

Sage sniffed. 'Yeah. That's true.'

'Come then, keep your eyes peeled and whilst you're at it: enjoy more of Ionia's majesty.'

'Okay. Will do.' he wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his right arm and gave Shen a smile, to which Shen gave back.

They navigated past and through some of the most fascinating spots that Sage had ever seen, including an enormous canyon with a mountain protruding from the centre, a thick tree with red leaves, which was apparently the dwelling place of a giant tree golem, and an expansive red wheatfield with tortoises carrying Ionian homes on their backs. Sage may not have found anyone so far, but he got a great tour.

'This is the Placidium of Navori.' Shen introduced. 'It was here where the Noxians centred their goal for conquest. Although it was overrun and captured, it wasn't long before someone took the initiative to lead a resistance and drive them out. Today, the Placidium serves as a sacred site where people come to study, meditate, visit its gardens, and even partake in diplomacy.'

'Nice.' Sage stared up at the peak, where he could see a grove on a cliff, leading to a pointed gateway, which stood before a bridge of planks, held together by rope from elongated suspenders.

'I think we could do with an extra set of hands, and I have an individual in mind who might be willing, or is at least able to help us.'

'Sounds good.' said Sage.

Shen led Sage along a river, then deviated on a stone path, which led to a hamlet that stood at the base of a gigantic tree. Shen and sage walked through the entrance. The place contained a small cluster of houses immediately to the right, followed by larger ones further up. Here, the gardens of each house were fenced by the very roots of the trees which they were gifted from. Unlike most of what Sage has witnessed so far, the grass here was green. The residents whom Sage could see outside mostly wore straw hats of different shapes, and plain clothes. They paid him and Shen glances. Although they were ones of curiosity and not malice, the number of eyes upon him made Sage feel uncomfortable. 'Do these guys know you?' asked Sage.

'Most of them have probably seen me once or twice, but we're not here to get them involved. They're not weak, but they don't have the resolve we need. No. Do you see that person standing atop the tree route though?'

Sage looked to where Shen was indicating. 'The one doing the funny moves?'

'She's the one who I think will make our endeavour a bit easier.'

'Sweet. Is she a friend of yours?'

'Not really a friend per se, but an ally. We've had disagreements in the past about the way one should live their life, and she hasn't endorsed the Kinkou's disciplines, but it doesn't mean that we don't at all get along. We're most certainly on the same side. In fact, if it weren't for her, Ionia would likely be a full-on Noxian colony.'

'Really? How come?'

'Because she was the leader of the resistance, and at the age of fourteen no less.'

'Wow. That's impressive.' Sage gave her a closer inspection when they were within shouting distance of her. The lady had a stunningly pretty face with long, silky brown hair, which Sage could have sworn appeared blue when the sun shone directly onto it. Her outfit was stellar but looked a bit impractical. She wore a pink top, a pair of leggings, which were navy blue at the top and the same colour of pink at the bottom. She also had pieces of armour in very awkward areas, including her kneecaps, ankles, and a frame that ran around her torso, the side of her breasts, her collarbone, and it finished with curves around the back of her neck. The top part in particular looked very much like style over substance. There was no way you would expect someone to manoeuvre their body properly whilst wearing that. Although Sage may have been proven wrong instantly because the lady was elegantly dancing to a theme that she was humming. She was doing well at keeping her balance on the root, whilst also keeping the pink ribbons on her wrists in motion, and… six identical blades, which were levitating around her, in rhythm to her own movements. Her eyes were closed, focusing heavily on her ballet.

'Hello, Irelia.' Shen said, at the perfect volume to get her attention and to also not to startle her.

Irelia opened her eyes. The blades behind her converged into three and formed a three-pointed cross behind her. 'Shen. I recognised your voice. It's been quite some time since I saw you.'

'Indeed it has.'

'Who is this young man with you?' Irelia asked before Shen could bring it up himself.

'This is Sage.'

'Hey, what's up?' Sage greeted Irelia. He got the impression that her heart was slightly colder than the average person: barely so but still a tiny bit.

'You look strange, but fascinating also.' Her perfectly blue eyes stared piercingly at his own. 'Xan Irelia. A pleasure it is to meet you.' She offered her hand and Sage gingerly shook it. 'But please tell me more about yourself. Are you a Piltovan?'

'Umm…'

'It's okay. Let me do the talking.' Shen offered. 'Following the earthquake, I decided to find out more about what was going on, so I took an extremely long journey east across the ocean and found land completely unknown to Runeterra. Although no one understands how this has happened so far, Runeterra has been amalgamated with another world called Remnant. The broken moon in the sky is a natural satellite of it, which is why it has begun to orbit us, and is also why day and night are longer than they are supposed to. Sage here is from that world.'

Irelia's eyes widened. 'And he's speaks our language?'

'Yeah. You'd best believe it.' Sage chuckled.

'How can this be? Surely that's impossible?'

'Like I said, no one knows how or why thus far, but I am digressing. Upon arrival, I got involved in a battle, which was already being fought prior to me making it there. After we won through a literal miracle, I went with the side that I fought with to a village, where I got to know Sage's peers better. After that session, we made an agreement with them and another Runeterran who had also gone to Remnant that they would return with me to Ionia, with the intention of getting to know Runeterra better and establish good relations with us.' He omitted Ryze's mission to find the World Runes.

'Hmm, I see. If this is the case, then where is the rest of this group that you mention?'

'You see, this is why we came to see you. Just before we made our successful return, the ship that we had rode in was destroyed in a storm.' Shen for a second time decided to conceal a part of the story. 'Sage and I got launched into the air and we survived the fall, but as a result of the storm we've been separated from everyone else. Firstly, I must ask if you've seen anyone today who looks foreign like Sage does.'

'I have not.' Irelia replied.

'Okay. If this is the case, would you consider joining me and Sage in the search?'

Irelia considered their call for help. 'I suppose I'm not particularly busy at the moment. Have you not got your order involved in the search?'

'We do. We have Groups in the north, south, west, and the Vloque, and Sage and I are covering the east. I have also gotten Master Kennen to have the other branches of the Kinkou search the eastern islands. What we're lacking at the moment now though is anyone covering the centre of the mainland. You could be a massive help there.'

Irelia gave them the facial expression of acceptance. She closed her eyes, smiled and exhaled. 'Very well. But who am I looking for then? Can you describe what they look like?'

'Wait, I can show you what they look like.' Sage pointed out. He presented his Scroll and showed Irelia and Shen pictures of Teams RWBY, JNPR and SSSN in Amity Colosseum before their first matches in the Vytal Festival Tournament.

'A very beautiful bunch. And a bewildering piece of technology.' Irelia commented. 'And what should I do if I come across any of them?'

'Tell them that you're with Sage and me.' said Shen. 'Help them if they have any wounds, and bring them here to recuperate.'

Irelia nodded. 'Okay then, I'm on it.' She stretched her fingers above her head. Four of the six blades that had been levitating behind her floated down and converged into a hoverboard. She sat on it and rode it down the slope and out of the hamlet.

Sage stared at the sight, his mouth agape.

'That's another person aiding us.' Shen said, satisfied.

'Wow. That was cool.' Sage pointed in the direction Irelia had rode. He could only just about spot her in the distance.

'She truly is something else. That's exactly why I asked her to help us.'

'Yeah. She'll make things a lot easier for us.'

Shen and Sage departed from the hamlet. They went around the rest of the Placidium, asking people along the way if they had seen anyone depicted on Sage's scroll, but it had all been fruitless so far. 'I wonder if the acolytes are having better luck than us.' said Shen. 'Well let's leave then and search along the east.'

'Yeah…' Sage was at the stage where he was dragging his shoes along the ground. He couldn't speak for the rest of the Kinkou and all the area they had covered, but not seeing anyone so far was demoralising. The lack of results no longer empowered his determination to keep going. In fact it was the complete opposite. The mission was enervating. The sun was high in the sky, and the light beat down on their heads. Sage wasn't sure how long they had been searching at this point. He hadn't checked the time on his Scroll before leaving the Monastery, and it wasn't as if it would be telling the correct time anyway. Another mountain was in the distance. In his head, Sage was groaning at the idea of ascending it. 'Is there anywhere we can get something to eat?' he moaned.

'Not in the immediate area unfortunately. If we keep going though, we should find a forest where some fruits grow.'

'Okay…'

They walked along a path towards the mountain, as usual looking left and right. Sage was about to ask for them to stop and take a sit down, but someone prompted that for them.'

'Hey, Shen!' a voiced shouted at them. They turned their heads behind them to the direction it had come from. A woman was running straight to them. She wore a green top over her chest, with identically coloured, baggy trousers, a pair of brown boots, and a rope around her hips with a large pouch attached at the back. In her left hand she carried a kama, whilst in her right she held a kunai. Her hair was tied in a spiked ponytail, and even though Sage could not see it yet, her right arm, shoulders and back had an elaborate tattoo of a dragon etched onto them. She came to a stop in front of them and caught her breath.

'Akali. I didn't expect to see you again so soon.' Shen said, pleasantly surprised.

'Neither did I. Word has it that you have a massive search party all around Ionia.'

'Indeed I do. How do you know that though?'

'I ran into Kennen, or rather he ran into me, and told me what you were doing and said that you would roughly be on the east side of the island. Honestly though, I just want to help. Kennen said your friend was really in need.'

'Well… that's very kind of you.' Shen sounded almost started. So far Akali was the only person who had volunteered to assist them, and this was coming from someone who had walked out on the Kinkou. Although this probably wasn't a factor anymore since Shen and Akali were fortunately on decent terms again.

'Yeah, thanks. I'm Sage.' he said. 'Hey, you wouldn't happen to have anything to eat, would you?'

'Akali, and no, I don't. Sorry.'

'Ehh, oh well.' Sage accepted, but he didn't make any effort to not rub his stomach as a tell-tale sign that he was hungry. They continued walking towards the mountain.

'You been looking for a while now?' Akali inquired.

'I've lost track of time, and although Sage here did get a short nap, we have been awake for far too long.'

'Sucks. Oh, by the way, Kennen told me about your journey across the sea and how you found a new planet, and that Sage is from it. Is that really true?'

'As absurd as it is, yes, it is true.' Shen nodded.

'Wow. What does this mean for us then? For Ionia? For Runeterra? Everyone?'

'Only time will tell. Anyway, you didn't see anyone odd along the way, did you Akali, by any chance?'

'I think I might have just missed one of your order's groups, but I wanted to talk to you about it.'

'Hey Akali, let me show you what they look like.' Sage took out his Scroll again and showed Akali the pictures.'

'Your place has some interesting style. And look at that scythe that girl's holding. Isn't that a bit excessive?'

'In our world it really isn't.' Sage laughed.

They continued walking, but suddenly a loud bang erupted. It had come from far away, well beyond the other side of the mountain, followed by a terrifying scream.

Shen and Akali stopped in their tracks, causing Sage to bump into Shen's back.

Akali gulped. 'No… It can't be!' She and Shen didn't need to hear it four times to be certain. The sound was skin-crawlingly distinct.

'We've got to move! Sage, follow us!' The three of them broke into a run.

'Wait, what's going on?' he questioned.

'No time to explain! Just keep up with us!'

'You've gotta be kidding me; I thought he was locked away!' exclaimed Akali.

'Me too.'

'How did he get out?!'

'If I had to guess, the cell probably didn't survive the earthquake.'

'Well, I think we can roughly guess what the time is then!' Akali said, somehow finding room for a joke.

'Let's save our breath. We're gonna need it.' Shen panted.


His fingers were disgusting, and she felt like he was about to crush her cheekbones. The metal of the gun placed against her chest also made her feel sick, which somehow managed to overwhelm even her fear.

'Very interesting…' the masked man murmured. 'You took two lethal shots and yet you are unscathed. Both of you for that matter.'

Amber wriggled her head back and forth, trying to shake of the man's hand off her face.

'But no matter. We will get to see this next act up close for a more… personal bond.'

'L-let go of me…' Amber whimpered.

'Always leave the audience wanting more.' The figure took out a short knife from under his cloak and cut the rope above Amber's hands with just a flick of his wrist. Unable to use her hands that were still tied together, Amber fell face-first into the floor. She wailed as a searing pain shot through her nose and head. The man then severed the rope underneath her feet, which then joined her in Amber's helpless state. The man forcefully turned her over and held his knife to her throat. 'You shall perform your part exactly as I say! My vision must be perfected!'

Amber strained to keep the blade from touching her skin, but also to see Soraka. She was mumbling and starting to blink. 'W-what d-do you want with us?'

'No time for questions! The show must commence!' The man dragged Amber by her tied up hands. He kicked a door open, which was right next to where Amber had been hanging from.

Soraka opened her eyes and even whilst blurry, they immediately found Amber being taken outside. 'Amber, no!' she cried out.

'Soraka!' was the last thing Amber could say before the man slammed the door shut. Her cries were less than a muffle above the high wind. Amber examined her new surroundings. The room was part of a shack. From the presence of the mountain on her right, and the strength of the wind, Amber deduced that they were relatively high up. The man dragged her a few metres right, immediately outside the door, before being taken to a juvenile tree. The man readjusted her bonds. Her feet were now tied together at the base of the trunk, both of her hands and arms were tied around protruding branches on either side of her, and her neck was around the upper half of the tree. To her right, Amber noticed an almost identical tree at the same stage of its life. The man strolled back to the shack and opened the door, presumably to get Soraka as well. Instead though, after taking a heavy stride over the spot near the front of the shack, he stuck his head in the doorway for only a few seconds and pulled it out straight afterwards. What had he just done, or said? The man then strutted to the right, situating himself halfway between Amber and the mountain. He pulled out his gun and brushed it with his metallic hand. 'The stage is set. Our performance, begins…'

Amber's heart was pounding through her chest. She felt like her ribs had already been shattered by the force of her terror alone. The chamber was pointed at her feet. She didn't have enough Aura or the strength or resolve to conjure even a single spell to defend herself.

'One.'

Amber screamed. The first bullet struck her, going through both her left and right feet, which were lapped over each other. Through the holes sprung tree roots. They weaved into the soil, pretty flowers of pink and green immediately sprouted out of the ground, and the tree grew taller. The gunman waited half a minute for the process to finish.

'Two.'

Amber screamed again. A bullet penetrated her left hand. The branch it was tied to extended through the hole in her palm. It spiralled, with blossoms growing on it and bloomed slowly into a beautiful home for birds and butterflies. The whole of her lower body and her left side were on fire. Blood rushed through her like water in a broken dam, she writhed but was unable. 'Make it stop! Please!' she pleaded hoarsely.


Soraka squirmed. Amber had screamed twice. What was that man doing to her?! 'Amber! Someone, help!' she yelled.

The door at the front of the room was suddenly kicked down, and three people jumped inside, with their weapons brandished.

'There! It's okay, we'll rescue you.' Akali said, who had put on a green face covering over her mouth. She rushed over to Soraka, ready to slice the rope.

'No! Not me! He's out there with her!'

'Three.' followed by a third, ear-splitting scream.

'Save her!' Soraka begged.

'Right! Through that door!' Shen indicated. He had also put on his mask.

Sage raised Pilgrim above his head and smashed it through the door, cleaving it in two. The three of them then rushed outside. Shen analysed the situation: a woman caught in a tree that was in the process of growing currently through her right hand and arm, and Jhin in the far distance on the left; with Whisper spinning in his hand. 'Akali, you save the woman! Sage, you come with me and stop that man!'

'On it!' Akali sprinted to the tree and climbed up it. 'Hold on lady, I'll get you free!'

Amber's eyes widened at the sight of Akali next to her. 'Thank you!' she wheezed.

Shen and Sage made a beeline for Jhin. Almost immediately though, Sage caught his right foot in a trap. It clamped around his ankle and he tripped over. He fought to free it, but not in time before the trap exploded, which sent him flying into the air. Meanwhile Shen managed to free his own from a trap by spiritually dashing over it.
Jhin looked over his shoulder. 'Ugh, must there always be an interval in my work?' He turned his gun on Shen and fired a line of energy instead of a bullet from the chamber. It hit Shen squarely in the chest. He felt every muscle in his body seize up and he fell to the ground. 'Foolish man. Will he ever learn?' Jhin shook his head and snorted beneath his mask. He returned his attention back to the work in progress and raised his gun one last time.

Akali had cut the ropes with her kunai, but it wasn't enough because Amber herself was connected to the tree. Frustratedly, she hacked away at the bark where her hands and arms were bound. 'I promise I'll get you out of here!' she said, looking straight into her eyes and taking off her mask to give her some reassurance.

Amber cried with tears of relief. 'Thank you, thank you so mu…'

'FOUR!' It was aimed directly at her forehead. The final bullet from Jhin's gun flew towards Amber. She scrunched her eyes. Hopefully, it would be painless… She waited, and waited, but nothing came. Amber noticed that light was no longer seeping through her eyelids. She opened them and saw that everything had frozen, as if everything in time had been stopped except for her. The bullet was only one inch away from her head. Akali's teeth were gritted and the blade of her kama was dug into the branch of her left arm. Amber took heavy breaths. What was happening? Was everything going to be okay?

A thin, black mist gradually formed around them, enveloping everything beyond the mountain, but leaving enough light so that the immediate vicinity remained visible. Amber heard a soft melody playing inside her head. And lastly, two shadowy figures materialised in front of Jhin's feet. One was a nimble creature standing on its hind legs. It wore a pink gown on top of a silky, white dress, fur on its shoulders and maroon legs. It had long, lilac hair, a small pair of curved horns on its head, wore a plain, white mask with only slits for eyes that were marked in red, and it carried a strange looking bow in its right paw, overall resembling a sheep or a lamb. The other creature was more ethereal in presence, like a white cloud but with the face of a wolf. Its eyes were a ghoulish yellow, and it had a mark between them. 'I smell their fear.' a deep and gritty voice came from the wolf. They pranced towards Amber and gave her a close inspection.

'Its heart beats fast now!'

'It knows.' came an angelic, female voice from the creature holding the bow.

Amber stared back and forth from the wolf to the lamb. What was this?!

'Choose now, child – my arrows…'

'or my teeth?!'

The lamb had its bowstring drawn and the wolf was licking its pointed teeth.

'Umm…' What was she supposed to say in such a hapless situation? 'Arrows...?'

The lamb nodded. 'A fine life reaches its conclusion.'

'But little Lamb, the last one was yours!' the wolf objected. 'He struggled from the chains, screamed and screamed, pleading to live, and you just took it!'

'He was too psychotic to make the decision for himself.'

'But he was in denial! He tried to resist us!'

'But he was also unable to run in his final moments, so I took it. I am sorry though. The next one will be yours. You will be in for a treat, dear Wolf.'

'Really, little Lamb?!'

'Yes.'

'Good, for my hunger is still there!'

'This one however is going willingly, so let us give her a swift end.'

The lamb took a few steps back. 'Drift gently into oblivion.' she said, and let go of the string. They began to dissolve, the fog turned to vapour, and time resumed as normal.

'And everywhere Lamb went…'

'Wolf was sure to follow…'

Sage and Shen looked up just in time to see Jhin's fourth bullet go straight through Amber's head and hear her scream for the final time. Akali fell off the tree and landed painfully on her back. Amber's skull split, letting the head of the tree flow through and flourish into a fully grown specimen.

Jhin let out a despicably sinister laugh and ran. His performance may have been cut short, but the unfinished result was still a singular masterpiece, and it had only taken four minutes.

Akali looked and saw a burst of yellow light emerge from Amber's chest. It rose up but then immediately went down and sunk itself into Akali herself. A wild surge of energy coursed through her veins and entire body. Her eyes began to glow neon pink. She reach out with her hands in dismay to the tree that held Amber's body. An unusually strong wind whirled around the trees and tore the leaves and petals off. The clouds above darkened and they rumbled with thunder. Akali looked at Amber again… and let out a cry of anguish. A bolt of lightning struck the peak of the mountain. She lost her strength and laid back on the ground with her eyes closed. The wind retreated into a breeze, and the clouds calmed and became white again.

Shen looked from the tree, to Akali on the floor, to where Jhin had been standing, to Sage, to the shack, and to the clouds. The Golden Demon had gotten away with yet another murder… 'Go and untie the person inside.' he ordered Sage.

Sage got up and rubbed his ankle. Fortunately his aura had shielded him from the detonation. He went back into the shack, almost shellshocked at what he had witnessed.

'What's happening out there?! Is she safe?' Soraka questioned.

Sage did not want to give her the truth. In fact he didn't want to relive what he had just seen. 'Hey, let me get you untied first.' he said awkwardly. Using Pilgrim to sever the rope above Soraka's head was also tricky because of how big the sword was, but he managed.

'Thank you.' she limped outside. 'But where is she? Where's Amber?!'

Shen had Akali's head rested against her knees. Soraka then saw the tree and Amber's body, now deprived of its pure and wonderful owner. 'Oh no, no, no…' she sobbed. Soraka struggled her way over to the tree and put her hands around Amber's ankles. Unless the tree was cut down though, Amber was not coming down. She was now one with its very bark. Sage came too and joined Shen and Akali.

A zip of electricity flew up the mountain and arrived next to Shen and Akali. 'Master Shen! And Miss Akali!' Kennen puffed. 'I just saw those dark clouds and lightning! What's happened here? Are you all alright? Has Ao Shin just been by?'

Shen took off his mask. 'He did it again…' nodding at Amber and the tree.

'Oh no. Khada Jhin?'

'The one and only.' Shen pounded his left fist into the dirt, and then sighed. 'Did you find any of Sage's friends?'

'Not a single one unfortunately. Are you Sage, by any chance?' Kennen asked.

'Yeah, I am.'

'I'm so sorry, but so far we haven't found any of your friends.'

'Oh… well, thanks anyway for trying to help me find them.' Sage replied, partially startled by the creature. Ionia was getting crazier and crazier by the minute.

'But what about that lightning just now? It was so sudden.' Kennen readdressed.

'I don't know exactly what happened. I ordered Akali to save this lady, but we were too late. But something weird happened after that woman died. Some sort of light exited her, and it went into Akali. Her eyes then glowed, and she reached out with her hand to the tree, and it was as if she summoned wind, which blew the leaves off, and after that the clouds became stormy and struck one bolt of lightning before dissipating.'

'Wait.' Soraka piped up. 'This woman was called Amber. You might find it hard to believe, but she was from another world.'

'The one which Runeterra has become attached to?' Shen inquired.

'Yes, so you do know?'

'Yes, we do. Sage here is from Remnant as well.'

'Hey.' Sage held up his hand.

'I'm Soraka, and it's good to meet you Ionians. Sage, did you know who Amber was?'

'Not a clue.'

'That's okay.' she sniffed. 'Amber told me that she is one of four Maidens from her world, who possess unique powers, and that when one dies, the power finds another host. She didn't tell me how the process occurs, but hearing you say this now about this girl makes me think…'

'…that Amber's powers are now inside of Akali?' Shen deduced.

'Perhaps so…'

'But what does this mean for us then?' Kennen asked.

'I don't know, but I think we all need to calm down and rest.' Shen advised. 'We should go back to the Temple of Koeshin and take Akali with us. Do you want to come too, Soraka, if I'm not mistaken of your name?'

'I am flattered, but I need to find my staff first. I don't know what that masked fiend did with it.'

'As we went through that shack, we saw a crescent-shaped staff. Do you think that's yours by any chance?'

'It must be. Thank you.' Soraka said.

'But what about her?' Sage said, pointing grimly at Amber.

'She doesn't deserve to be held there, as a mark of Jhin's abhorrent work.' Shen declared. 'Because this tree was made through depraved means and not the natural essence of Ionia, we are not sinning to cut it down. But that can wait. For now, we must retreat to sanctuary.'

'Let's go then.' Kennen agreed.

'When I get my staff, I can heal you. I am a celestial from Targon.'

'Oh I see. That's convenient.' Shen said, almost laughing. If at least one thing could go right for them today, surely it had to be this. He and Sage picked up Akali and they walked through the door with Kennen.

Soraka was the last to leave. With tears in her eyes and a heavy heart, she waved to her friend. 'Goodbye Amber. Although it was short-lived, I'm glad that I got to meet you. May the stars now watch over you as you rest in peace…'