Alo! How you all been? Sorry there for my lack of updates, you know me by now, life and distractions. A horrible mix, once again, thanks to everyone who reads this fic! And to everyone who takes their time to comment I thank you all for the favs and follows! Let us go!
Chapter 35. Nagakabouros in motion. Moving towards destiny.
Those who live in the docks of Bilgewater don't truly understand the existence of Nagakabouros. They believe it to be a creature of the depths. But that is wrong, for the god that is Nagakabouros lives in everything that moves, Nagakabouros lives in everything that moves others through their path. Always in motion, never still.
Illaoi, the Truth Bearer. The Kraken Priestess knew it better than anyone else. For she carries the Eye of God. The gold idol is more than just a simple relic. For it allows her to enforce the test of Nagakabouros. And she can be seen in a match right now testing an opponent.
"Show me your will!"
She screams as she uses the idol to hit the spirit of an undead rider. Hecarim to be more exact. The champion rushed away with a burst of speed only to come to a halting stop as the connection between his spirit and his body broke. In a powerful leap Illaoi reached him and ended up knocking him with the gold idol.
"Fade away undead!"
In the end Illaoi won the match with her team.
Cid had been watching the whole match. Ahri had been fighting in it and she had asked for him to make sure to see her. Not only had he seen her, but he had also seen the power of Illaoi, the famous test so many others had spoken before.
Cid was surprised at what he had saw.
The gold idol of Nagakabouros brought a tentacle that suddenly enveloped Hecarim and removed what looked like his spirit. The spirit of Hecarim was in tune to the body, through what looked like a thread.
And every time Illaoi hit the spirit, a wave would move through the link and damage Hecarim. What's more, she seemed to be able to summon the tentacles around her through the mere acting of the gold idol.
Cid had always wondered about the spiritual. What came after death? In addition, he learned of the undead. But there seemed to be more than just that, and if someone seemed to carry that knowledge was the woman who was carrying a god around with her.
Cid knew the world was full of wonders. But he was always surprised in seeing how many wonders were in plain sight at the Institute of War. How much stuff did the summoners saw in a daily basis and just simply shrugged as normalcy.
The place was impressive as always.
As he was waiting for Ahri to come back from the match he felt a pat in the back. He looked behind and smiled at his friend.
"Taric, is good to see you" He spoke with a smile.
Taric nodded and took to sit next to him as he was waiting.
"Waiting for Ahri I presume?" He spoke with the same ethereal feeling that seemingly had come to become normal on Taric after his time on Mount Targon.
Cid nodded.
"Taric… you got to the top of Mount Targon, you saw the spirits there?" Cid asked with curiosity. He had never asked something similar before so he hoped not to offend Taric.
He knew his friend was someone who had a tough armor. So he wouldn't feel offended easily.
Taric spoke with a smile.
"I saw it… I wish you could see it… but I feel you might not make it through… no offense my friend"
Cid smiled while nodding.
"None taken, the mountain requires a strength I simply don't have"
Taric nodded with a smile.
He was in thoughts regarding his friend, while it was an undeniable fact how frail he had become, it was also an undeniable fact that his strength was on his spirit and in his ability to survive through the abilities he had honed.
Being able to admit he was weak, was a signal he was strong. Only fools hide from themselves. True strength comes in accepting one self.
"Is something magnificent to see, the Aspects, they are worth the whole trip to the Mountain if you ask me. Just to see them is great"
Taric smiled remembering his contact with the Protector.
"I see… I am glad that you got to see the top Taric"
Both friends smiled in silence as they were waiting. Cid didn't ask who was Taric waiting for. But the answer came faster than he would expect.
"Ah! The therapist and the Protector, good, I will be needing both of you, is a good thing you are already here Cid"
Illaoi spoke with energy as she looked at both of them. She approached them and offered a strong hug to both of them.
Cid was sure Illaoi strength could only be dwarfed by the tenacity and strength of her beliefs in Nagakabouros.
Cid was about to ask what she needed them for when he heard the voice of Ahri behind.
"And here I was worried you would be lonely without me, did you saw me?" She smiled as her tails swished in expectation of his answer regarding how she fare in the match.
Truth was she knew she had done well, in fact even if she had done badly, she knew he would be honest. The thing Ahri appreciated the most was the pure sincerity he always had.
"You were great Ahri" And he meant it, she had been able to move swiftly without problems while fighting Xerath who had seemingly been having troubles keeping the pace with Ahri who never stopped moving.
She smiled and Illaoi found herself nodding.
"Indeed. Now if you don't mind, I need to take them with me, I am in need of a few extra hands to protect the islands, and they are just what I need"
Illaoi words confused Ahri and Cid. Taric seemed to understand.
The isles were in the middle of an emergency. An emergency the people just didn't get. The horde of undead would be coming with the black mist. The Harrowing was coming, and with it the undead threat. The waters could normally keep them at bay. But the lack of care on them result of the people, had rendered this natural defense from working.
Now the undead would come. Without any sort of trouble. But Illaoi refused to let the isles fall, to let lives end just because they didn't believe fully in Nagakabouros. No one deserved the horrors of what would end up coming.
And she devised a plan to keep the isles safe.
She would need help. And so she decided she would get a team for it.
Taric, the Aspect of the Protector lived in him, his capacity to protect others would be invaluable in it, Lucian and Vayne, both specialized in fighting undead. Gangplank had recently been getting his ships back and he would offer his help to Illaoi, she would also need to get Fortune ships to help. They needed a bit more power and at this she had decided to ask for the most powerful of the mages she had met in the Institute. Veigar.
And that was the part that she needed the therapist. She would be busy making sure Sarah Fortune and Gangplank didn't try to kill each other, so she required for him to get the others members of her plan, namely, Lucian, Vayne and Veigar.
Taric would go with Illaoi to the isles to get ready, but Cid would need to get the others to help. She trusted him to make it. They had three days before the mist reached the isles. But she had to go in order to make sure the other two would help. In the end she decided Taric should stay in case he needed a hand.
That left Taric, Cid and Ahri to look for Vayne, Lucian and Veigar. Though Taric had made a proposal.
"I believe getting Vayne and Lucian will be easy… I think you should go get Veigar. He might be the one to need more convincing"
He nodded. And smiled. Surely he could help Veigar and get him to help.
And that brought him to the current situation.
"No"
Veigar had him trapped in what looked like a cage. Both to be more exact he wasn't trapped. He just couldn't walk outside the confinement the box offered. When he tried walking into it, he could feel as if suddenly his body were becoming numb. So as to avoid that he took to sit in the middle of the magical prison.
"Come on, they need every hand they can get, plus from what I heard you are in fact the strongest of the mages in the Institute"
Cid tried to appeal to his ego.
But it wasn't so much ego as a fact.
The longer the fight goes with Veigar, the stronger he becomes, and that is only because the battlefield has runes to stop all the champions from showing their full power. Everyone power is steadily released"
Nasus tried to explain the working of the runes to him.
"But… if you are right, then Veigar is pretty much unstoppable. Given time the longer a fight lasts, the easier for Veigar to defeat anyone…"
Nasus nodded.
"Indeed. His powers are I would dare say unlimited. Of course, his own energy is his limit. If you manage to get him tired he would be unable to cast spells… still, getting hit by one spell of Veigar is one too many"
"Leave therapist. I do not wish for you to bother me right now"
Veigar started to walk to the door out of the room with no signal that he was going to let him get out of the field he was trapped in.
Veigar sounded tired. And Cid remembered what happened in the night. While he and Lulu kept playing hide and seek, she made clear Veigar was worried about something. But he wouldn't tell her. And she was worried.
"Lulu is worried you know? She says you been looking worried, and the fact you are not telling her is making her sad"
Veigar seemed to stop moving for a moment. He sighed before locking the door and coming back to him.
"Cid. Our world is changing"
Veigar spoke directly and so simply it managed to surprise Cid.
"Creatures from the Void are coming easier than before, the emperor of Shurima has risen the old land back, Swain is preparing himself for a war like no other, Demacia is as closed as always, and now this… this undead invasion is coming. What happened with the simpler times?"
Veigar sighed.
"Our world was so much easier to conquer before. Now… now there is so much going around is not even funny"
Veigar staff shined with light and the whole room changed. Cid was seeing something incredible. A map of Runaterra one which seemed to move.
"The world is immense Cid… and I know better than anyone the dangers it has…"
Veigar pointed to the north where Freljord was.
"The Ice Witch in the north"
He pointed to the direction of Noxus.
"The Wolf that devours everything"
He pointed to Demacia.
"The Lion who refuses to accept change"
Veigar made the map move towards Shurima.
"The Void that tries to reclaim our world…"
He sighed and the map vanished.
"There are dangers, wherever you look at… how am I supposed to not worry?"
Cid understood something, right then and there, about Veigar. It was simple, but it managed to make him speak it aloud.
"You are not evil… not really"
Veigar seemed to get alarmed at this,
"Of course I am evil! Everyone should fear me!"
Veigar sounded angry. But Cid could see beyond the obvious.
"You are worried about others… that's why this whole deal with the recent dangers is getting you worried… you are worried you might not be able to stop right?"
Veigar tightly gripped his staff. With a movement, the space that surrounded Cid suddenly became smaller and the box seemed to avoid him from even moving a bit.
"I am worried! Because if those threats destroy the world how am I suppose to rule it?! Whats the use of ruling a wasteland without no one in it?! No, I want to rule the world! To conquer it and for everyone to remember my name! And that will not happen if the world is a wasteland! Do you understand what I am saying?"
Cid nodded and smiled while speaking.
"And you are worried Lulu might not be with you any longer if the world is destroyed"
Veigar was so focused in his speech he didn't hear the question right.
"Of course! If Lulu is not there I… stop messing with my mind!"
Cid chuckled. Suddenly the situation had turned. And it didn't matter if he was in a small space, it was Veigar who was cornered by his own words.
Veigar seemed to tightly grip his staff before making the walls surrounding Cid to fade.
"If I promise to help you with this undead problem, will you keep your mouth sealed about this?!"
Cid nodded.
Veigar pushed him out of the room with his staff mumbling curses. Once Cid was out of the room he chuckled.
"Do not worry Veigar. I will not tell anyone about your good side"
Veigar was heard screaming from the other side of the door.
"I am not good! I am evil! Remember that! Evil! You will see how evil I can be when we go solve this issue of the undead!"
Cid chuckled and left.
One in place, two more to get.
Illaoi was walking through the docks while eating a mango. She loved the feeling of the fruit, plus it offered a good taste. As she walked towards her destination she was wondering what could she do regarding the two opposing forces she was supposed to make work together.
Gangplank would be easy to convince under other circumstances but not now, right now it would be harder. Because he wasn't going to help her alone, he was to work together with Sarah Fortune. The same girl who ended up his reign would be his partner.
But she needed them both, their ships and fire power would be necessary for what was needed in the end. Bilgewater wouldn't make it by itself. Not with the people, all ignoring the undead wave that would be coming.
Her plan was a simple one. If she could get the hunters on her side, they could easily deal with the flock of undead that would end up appearing. She would need to focus herself in killing the eel with saw teeth.
Nagakabouros had been clear in his speech.
The eel would try to move around and bring chaos.
She would need to do her best to stop them. If she could manage to stop the flock of undead, Nagakabouros would do the rest to get rid of the incoming mist. Moreover, once the mist faded, the undead would have nothing to do but go back with it.
But she needed to avoid causalities as Nagakabouros worked. And for that Taric was essential together with Veigar.
The Master of Evil could easily destroy enemies and stop their advance by obliterating them. And Taric could keep them safe without trouble or heal the injured.
Normally to get a group like them to work together would be hard or impossible, Champions didn't work together like that. They wouldn't go away of the Institute to help someone else. It wasn't they were bad. It just wasn't in them, they were not heroes.
But she trusted what she heard in the motions of Nagakabouros.
Help is in motion, everything is starting to move. Even the unmoving will start their motion..
She knew to never doubt Nagakabouros, even know she didn't doubt any of his words. The words of the god who kept everything in motion. A god so strong it didn't need followers.
She spat the mango pulp and took the idol to her shoulder. It was time to have a long chat with Sarah Fortune.
"I shall offer my help. I see no reason to deny. A chance to fight the undead is always welcome"
Vayne nodded without much else to offer as she cleaned her crossbow. Cid noticed her movements seemed a tad slower than usual. More mechanical, disconnected of the task in front of her. And while he wasn't exactly friends with Vayne. He refused to let her suffer in silence.
"What's going on? Normally you would be shooting a silver bolt at my leg right now"
Vayne kept cleaning the big crossbow that she usually carried in her back.
"Nothing is wrong. Go ahead therapist"
Cid sighed and simply sat in front of her.
"You want to get in the office? We could speak privately there"
Vayne sighed. She looked at him straight through her glasses.
"You are not going to leave me be are you?"
Cid smiled nodding.
"Go ahead then, lead the way"
As they walked in silence Cid thought he should be, rushing regarding Illaoi wanted them all ready to go. However, a part of him focused on doing his usual work. Offering therapy.
As they made the way to the office Vayne took to sit on the couch and Cid sat behind his desk. He was surprised at how silent she was being.
"So… what's going on? You are never this… passive honestly. You are more of someone who is always in action, so what's going on?"
Vayne sighed once again. No matter how much she did it, he wasn't used at seeing such a side of her.
"Honestly? I am just tired. No matter how much effort I put into getting rid of Evelynn. The Institute protects her through her champion status. So forgive me if I am feeling a little tired knowing I simply can't kill the demon who took my family away!"
She screamed the last part getting agitated. Cid only nodded.
Truth was that the Insitute had the simple and clear rule that avoided champions of killing each other. So he could understand the anger in her. So much anger that the only answer she had managed to keep herself in check was to disconnect from her emotions becoming a cold husk that did things mechanically. Such as cleaning her crossbow.
"…I am sorry… I don't know how can I help you"
Vayne sighed breathing and getting her composure back.
"You can't"
And she was right. He couldn't.
Sadly Shauna Vayne only option to get better. Was her revenge. And Cid wasn't sure if he could approve of that…
But he understood he couldn't really tell her.
He wasn't the one whose family was killed.
"I will still try though…"
He noticed a smirk on her face.
"Then when the time comes, don't try to stop me"
He could simply nod. And silence reigned as Taric and Ahri came in the company of a tall man.
"We are ready…"
The small group of Ahri, Taric, Veigar, Vayne and Lucian was walking through the wooden paths of the docks of Bilgewater. Cid walked behind the group seeing all that Bilgewater offered. Yet he noticed that people didn't seem to be out of their homes, and all the establishments were closed. No door was open and no window seemed to even offer a vision of the inside. As they walked through the path they saw the towering figure of Illaoi who was frowning. She looked at them and waved at them trying to smile.
Cid was the first to speak.
"I am guessing that Miss Fortune refused to help?"
Illaoi spat to the floor. Everyone could see the anger in her eyes.
"The girl is smart, but she is too close minded to understand that if she doesn't put her pride aside there won't be a Bilgewater to be the head of"
She sighed before pointing to the sea.
"The mist will reach us in three days. We have two days to get ready to defend this place. I already managed to convince the civilians to go away. Gangplank will have some boats at the ready to attack. But that leaves us to defend this place…"
She pointed to him.
"You will have to chat with her. If you can convince her to lend her ships to fight the undead then it will be easier… if not, then we will have to double our efforts"
Cid nodded and spoke.
"You really care for this place don't you?"
Illaoi smiled and pointed to her golden idol.
"Nagakabouros gave me a task. And I will see it done, the undead are enemies of Nagakabouros and they are my enemies too"
The group got to hear Illaoi plans and where they would be staying for the two days. Most of the places had barricades. There really was not much to do, outside of waiting Illaoi and her people had managed to keep the place closed. Illaoi had clearly mentioned their positions. Vayne and Lucian would be keeping Veigar covered as he unleashed his powers taking the majority of the undead. Anyone who managed to bypass him would end up finished by Vayne and Lucian.
Taric had the important task of keeping the civilians safe in case anyone bypassed their defenses.
Illaoi would be dealing with the majority of the undead that moved through with the power of Nagakabouros. Meaning she would summon as many tentacles as she could to help her fight.
For his own safety, Cid was to go with Taric together with the rest of the civilians.
But now he had something else to do.
Convince Sarah Fortune of helping them.
"Greetings, I was hoping we could have a chat"
Cid found himself escorted by two armed men who brought him to the presence of their captain. Sarah Fortune, known as Miss Fortune. The woman was wearing a coat and a hat that showed her position as captain. Her vibrant red hair made the contrast with her clothes and her fair skin. She looked with curiosity at him as she polished what looked like two small cannons fitted in a trigger.
"Have we met? I think I have heard of you"
He nodded.
"Cid, therapist for the Institute of War, been there for a while now"
She smirked polishing her guns.
"Ah, yes, the one who dates the fox"
Cid felt a bit uncomfortable on the way she mentioned Ahri, as if she was less.
"Yes, Ahri and I are dating… but on more important matters. Mind if we chat?"
Miss Fortune shrugged motioning for her men to leave. When they stayed she smirked.
"Don't tell me you two believe he will hurt me"
They saw each other before nodding at her, releasing their hold on him and leaving.
"Take a sit; I am curious of what you want. If you didn't know supposedly we are getting some black mist soon"
She spoke as if she didn't believe it herself and sat in her chair behind her desk. Her cabin honestly looked more as a treasure room than a place for rest. Cid took into notice her body language. Her smug reactions, the air of confidence and superiority she carried herself with, all, which was a façade.
"You don't need to act all tough and mighty with me you know. I care little about you being a woman. If you are a captain that is awesome. But you got nothing to prove to me"
Her smile and her façade went away as she stood to make sure to lock the door to the cabin
"Well, at least the rumors of you reading minds don't seem to be unfounded… so what do you want? Surely if you read my mind, you already know I said no to working together with Gangplank"
He nodded.
"I was told by Illaoi. Nevertheless, I didn't come to that. I came to chat. Honestly, I came to meet the girl whose Blitzcrank system said I was compatible with"
At this, she shrugged. However, Cid could notice the slight movement on her posture. She had perked up. Even if slightly.
Exactly how much bad news did you needed to receive in order to perk up at good news like that?
His plan was simple really. Try to become friends. Illaoi had been clear. Miss Fortune wasn't going to try to help in defend Bilgewater with Gangplank. She would only avoid losses on her side. If anything else happened to Gangplank or others she didn't care.
Illaoi had been clear that it also seemed she was hiding something. It wasn't like her to be so stubborn.
She came back with a piece of paper, which he recognized.
"So you get a card when Blitzcrank finds you a match of interests?"
She nodded sitting in her desk as she saw him.
"Yeah, Blitzcrank does take the time of informing others, is all part of the system he created. The whole point is for people to become friends… needless to say I still thought it was something useless"
Cid nodded and asked the obvious question.
"If you feel is so useless, why try it?"
She shrugged with a smile.
"Curiosity, don't tell me it doesn't sounds fun? The chance of actually finding someone you can be friends with through a bunch of questions? I thought it would be fun to give it a try"
As she spoke Cid took the chance to see her reactions, her body language, to try to get how she was. And so far he was finding a woman with strong attitude. One who wasn't afraid of showing she was a woman and she could beat anyone out there. Pretty much normal.
Cid had met soldiers whose attitude was always based on proving they deserved the spot they had. He could only imagine how much she had to prove to others around her.
In addition, he also noticed a lot in her actions that showed she had to grow up fast. Whatever happened in her past, forced her to become an adult at an accelerated rate. Moreover, if her guns and the way she held them was any clue. It had to do with them.
His thoughts and analysis were cut as she spoke again.
"I thought honestly I wouldn't find anyone, I mean, I sure got some results, but I wasn't really interested… I mean, no offense, but I consider the Institute as an unstable place. One day it will just sink away. You can't expect to have so many good people and villains in one place you know?"
The words she used is what surprised him. Good people and villains.
"You don't believe in heroes?"
She looked surprised for a second before nodding.
"I like to believe there are good people out there... but I can't say I believe in a hero coming out of nowhere to save the day…"
Cid saw the look on her eyes and the way she held her guns. The past, something that happened long ago that shake her thoughts. The thoughts of a child if he had to guess.
"Hey… can I call you Sarah?"
Her eyes opened up a bit at the tone he used to ask. She nodded.
"Sarah, those guns of yours… they are by no means normal guns, I don't recall seeing any gun similar… did you make those?"
She smiled. But he knew that smile. That was a smile of pain.
"My mother made them… they were supposed to be guns for a captain… guns meant to be used by a great captain… and not scum"
She seemed to be looking to the past itself her eyes lost in memory.
"Did you know this things are pretty much small cannons? They fire like no gun you imagine, they are strong and pack a big shot, and they aren't that much heavy, that or I am just too used to them, I find myself running with them all the time… "
Sarah Fortune could still hear the voice of her mother and see the face of Gangplank.
"And that man took away the creator of these guns… all that I got left of my mother is this"
She motioned to the small cannons she always kept holding.
"And Illaoi expects me to work with such a man? She is lucky I am not trying to sink his ship again!"
Cid sighed seeing her anger. It was obvious that even while she obviously had done some damage to Gangplank herself her revenge was far from done. She still resented the man. Cid didn't want her to feel so much anger. He decided it was time to make her think of anything, something bigger than revenge.
"How was your mother? Was she a good gunsmith?"
At this question, anger seemed to fade even if slightly. She nodded and smiled before speaking.
"My mother was the best gunsmith ever. No gun lacked balance or was too heavy, she knew her craft perfectly, she was the best. No doubts of that"
Cid smiled.
"Bet you loved her"
Sarah Fortune smiled fondly at it. She didn't know it. She had no way of noticing it, but she had already fallen on the rhythm of the therapist. She was speaking of stuff she used to never even mention. And now she simply kept enjoying it. She enjoyed speaking of her mother. She enjoyed remembering the past and the good days with her mother. Sure life wasn't perfect.
But whose life was perfect? Who could say their life was perfect? That they had everything they wished and everything they wanted?
No one could say it. For no one life was perfect, everyone had a hard time.
In their own way and form. Everyone shared the fact no one had it easy. No one had it truly easy. For even those who were born in the light had nightmares. And those who were born in the sea were afraid of that which was lying in the deep.
"My mother was the best… she would have liked you. She had something for the honest people"
And she wasn't lying. Her mother often spoke about the virtues of living an honest life. Of not working in business that lacked honor. Making guns was an honorable craft in her mother eyes. She wondered… would her mother approve of her being a bounty hunter? Dedicating her life hunting scums of the seas. Scum in the land, who tried to escape with their evil deeds?
"That's good…"
He smiled. It was obvious that her mother would be proud of her daughter… maybe not approve the wish for revenge, but surely proud of how she was doing.
Would his family be proud of him?
"Your family… do you got any Cid?"
He shrugged.
"Can't say I have… well… I guess I do"
He had a sort of family.
"Riven, Wukong, Ahri, Sona, Lux… Lulu, Jax? Morgana… I guess the guys in the Institute are my family"
He spoke with a smile.
"Yeah, I guess they are my family"
Sarah Fortune found herself surprised by his answer.
"Interesting… is good to have a family. They remind you where you are…"
She moved around the room looking at him.
"And why you and Ahri? I heard Sona was also into you"
Cid shrugged.
"Honestly… it just felt right… Ahri and me just… sort of get it"
She nodded. A simple answer, one expected from a simple man.
"So, if anything were to happen to Ahri. Would you go with Sona?"
The question surprised Cid. He never really thought of it.
"I… I don't know honestly. I never thought of it. I am new to the whole relationship deal you know?"
Sarah Fortune was proud of her ability in measuring a man worth, knowing if they were lying or hiding something. But she could only see blunt honesty coming from the therapist. And his answers only made her get more surprised.
Was he honestly so simple? No bigger wishes? No bragging how two champions loved him? Nothing?
"You are incredibly weird… honestly, how come you have so little greed in you? Do you know how many men would love to be in your situation, bragging on it?"
Cid shrugged.
"Many I guess… but as I said before, I am new to the whole relationship thing. As a matter of fact, I thought I would end up alone the rest of my life… something that didn't really got me sad you know?"
Sarah simply nodded. She could see the honesty in his words and she spoke.
"Have you always been a pariah?"
Cid nodded a sad smile on his face.
"Yeah, for quite the long time… but hey, being a therapist meant I saw people every once in a while, so is not like I lacked contact"
She sighed.
"You told me I didn't have anything to prove to you. And I will tell you the same. No need to act tough. You hated that didn't you?"
It was his turn to sigh as he nodded.
"Yeah, I was angry at Demacia… it was hard. But honestly… is okay, I forgive them. They don't know any better than to act that way. I mean is generations of Demacians who act that way. You can't expect to change them"
She nodded. She understood what he meant.
"Bilgewater is the same… but still, my mother chose to keep her life here"
She sighed.
"She loved this place. I don't know why… but she loved it"
Cid nodded and offered his thoughts to her.
"Maybe is not that she loved this place. But rather that she loved what she had here"
She raised an eyebrow at his statement urging him to go on.
"You two lived together. What else did she needed? She had her daughter. Was there anything more important to her in Bilgewater?"
She ended up smiling.
"No. She had all she wanted"
She felt something in her as she smiled. She stood and moved to the door unlocking it.
"Go out will ya? I need some space to think… and come here tomorrow. But come in formal clothes if you don't mind"
He nodded. Reluctantly but nodded and left. He was confused. But it was okay. They would talk tomorrow.
As the night came Ahri was soundly sleeping in a hammock close to the border of the docks. She had a smile on her face as she dreamed pleasantly. As she slept, Cid was watching the sea and the dark mist in the far distance as he was sitting in the border of the docks.
He heard the heavy steps coming and he waved without looking behind him.
"Hello Illaoi"
He heard her laugh as she sat next to him.
"Enjoying the view of the sea?"
He nodded.
"I had never seen much of the sea… I been across rivers and lakes, but the ocean is very different… I guess it would be more beautiful without the mist"
He heard her laugh as she patted him in the back almost sending him tumbling down.
"The mist is not a problem; the mist is part of the sea, when the sea is white as the clouds it makes for quite the visage of beauty… is dark mist as the one that is coming that is unbecoming of the sea… Nagakabouros… you heard me speaking of it before right?"
Cid nodded.
"Nagakabouros lives everywhere. He is a god that doesn't require followers. Weak gods need followers. My god is not one of those. He is the motion itself. We follow the will of Nagakabouros when we move towards our goals… when we move towards our wishes. Never standing still, and always keeping in motion"
She pointed to the mist.
"The undead. Their motion is unnatural. Is not part of Nagakabouros. They refuse to accept their path. Their path is not in the land with us. The land and the seas are for the living, for those who follow their goals… not for creatures full of hatred and anger that follows no wish but simple revenge…"
Cid nodded at her, motioning for her to continue.
"Some people are already dead and walking. They are not undead, but they are already dead, walking without following motions, moving through the land without wishes, existing without a goal or wish. Simple husks of what they were… and those people salvation is in the test of Nagakabouros. In finding their motion, moving again towards their goal… Cid. You and your friends follow the motions… but the flock of undead that are coming are nothing but husks. And I refuse to let those husks end the motions of those who are working so hard into following their motions, their wishes. I will protect these people"
Cid stayed silent. He knew there was a reason she was speaking all of this with him.
"You spoke with Sarah. You saw it. Her motions are coming to a stand still… and I do not think she would be one to accept the wisdom of Nagakabouros through the test. But maybe you can make her motions go on… you and I are not so different"
She smiled motioning to the golden idol.
"I carry the truth and bear its knowledge with those who ask for it. I use my test. You help those whose motions are slowing through words. You make them find strength from them. In a way, you also serve Nagakabouros"
Cid eyes opened behind his glasses hearing her words.
"I thought one had to be strong to be a servant of Nagakabouros"
She laughed once again placing her hand on his back making him tumble forward.
"My god doesn't look through those eyes. He looks at us by the way we act. And you act in the right path. You are helping them go forward with their wishes, their goals and aspirations. And that is what you been doing, helping them find themselves. Sure, you don't have the strength to use the idol, but you don't need it. You got your own way to test them don't you?"
He found himself smiling.
"Sure, but still, if you ask me your method is cooler than mine"
This earned a laugh from her. A solid laugh that it was obvious she needed to let out.
"Indeed! My way to test is more visible than yours, but in the end they work in similar ways. So I don't think mine is better than yours, nor yours is better than mine. They move in the same motion, they follow the same path. They follow the will of Nagakabouros"
This time Cid interrupted her with a smile.
"Always in motion, working towards our wishes right?"
Illaoi nodded.
"Indeed! See! Even you can get it, if only the rest of the people got it, it would be easier to help them"
Cid chuckled and patted the giant of a woman in her back. She barely felt it. But she knew the intentions he had.
"Don't worry. Bilgewater will make it through this"
She nodded before offering him a last pat in the back. One that sadly, carried more strength, the result was immediate. He fell in the water.
"Ah! My apologies! Let me get you from there"
She moved her idol slightly and the figure of the drenched therapist came out of the water, brought to the surface by a tentacle.
"Thanks… surely this feels weird"
He pointed to the tentacle that was holding him. She laughed as she took him by the arm bringing him back to land.
"Be glad it only brought you up. My opponents and enemies have said it can be quite hard to get hit by it"
Both laughed as the night passed and the moon sailed across the sky. The mist looking closer and closer as it signaled the coming of the undead threat.
The next morning Vayne and Lucian were walking in the company of Ahri. She was bored and decided to follow both hunters. Lucian was the first to ask.
"Why are you following us?"
She sighed as she smiled.
"Cid is busy with Sarah, and I doubt she is too keen on seeing me after our last match"
The last time she and Sarah had fought it ended up in a charmed Sarah heavily damaged by her in the battlefield. Needless to say, she wasn't one to hold a grudge about a match, but Sarah got angry at the fact she hadn't stopping coming for her.
"Is better if is just Cid…"
At this Lucian nodded, in the eyes of Ahri he saw something similar to his past… a past he was still dealing with.
"I am sure he will be well… isn't that right Vayne?"
The hunter simply nodded without offering a word. She was still thinking on her last chat. Honestly she was thinking of his words
I will try
Had she tried… would her master be with her? She needed to let those thoughts go away. A hunt was coming soon. She could look at the mist…
Then surprise came to her features.
"Look… the mist… is closer than expected"
Ahri eyes opened in surprise at this. Lucian was surprised but kept his composure.
"Seems they were getting faster than expected"
Ahri could only nod and rush away. She needed to find Illaoi.
"I will go get Veigar and Taric! Take care you two!"
As they nodded and got their weapons ready. Looking at the mist and how close it seemed to be, it wouldn't take long. It seemed the wind was against them.
When Ahri reached Illaoi who was with Veigar and Taric she nodded. She would signal to Gangplank to get ready.
But that left a question in Ahri.
Who was telling Cid?
"Well… it seems the mist came here faster…"
Cid eyes opened in surprise seeing the mist from the ship of Miss Fortune.
"Sarah… will you help us?"
She nodded.
"I will. For a price"
Cid nodded. Helping Illaoi was more important than whatever price she asked for.
"Ask away! Is yours!"
She smiled as she held her guns at the ready seeing the incoming mist.
"Oh Cid. You shouldn't say that, but I am glad you accept my terms"
She shouted as she got her hat in place.
"Everyone! Get ready! We are doing some support fire to stop the undead! Whatever you see coming that is not human gets a shot! Understood!?"
Her crew all shouted their agreement, they got ready. The undead were coming to Bilgewater.
Cut!
Well that was a good one if you ask me, thoughts? Well I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Hopefully I will see all of you soon in next chapter! Which hopefully wont take me as long to deliver.
36. Pay the price. The eel with shark teeth.