(Darius - PoV)

"I believe the time is near, Trifarix of Might. Can you prepare the Trifarian Legion for war?" The Grand General asks once the room is sealed.

Swain's question catches me completely by surprise. I certainly expected something of significance when he requested to meet in person, but this is a massive change in policy.

In recent years we have moved to a...softer stance than I admit I would prefer. The status quo makes large-scale war, especially with Demacia, untenable he claims. And as much as I wish otherwise, I believe him. He is the Vision for a reason. Besides, the situation is not completely intolerable, there are still small flare ups of conflict, and petty border "kingdoms" here and there. And I do get to test my axe in the League, on occasion.

"Eager as I am to bring the might of Noxus down upon our enemies, to show the world our strength once more, I have ask, why now? What changed?" I question. I am not fool enough to jump without at least looking. That would be my brother. I'm the one who has to pull him out of his messes.

"Several days ago Katarina received a rather curious message. It was incredibly difficult to believe, but the sheer potential gain meant it had to be investigated. She contacted me again and has confirmed beyond all doubt. Garen is defecting to Noxus." Swain states.

I am no Demacian automaton, discarding my emotions, but I am famed among warriors for my control over them. For my precision in battle even in the midst of the greatest rage.

I nearly fall out of my seat laughing.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!"

I can barely keep my grip on the table with one hand, the other pounding dents into the solid metal.

This? This is absolutely priceless. The Might of Demacia defecting to Noxus? By Keld, they will never live this down! This will outlive all of us!

"HA HA HA HA HA HA!"

I cannot wait to tell Draven. Yes, it has been too long, this calls for a Bilgewater Bar Crawl. Standard rules. Whoever kills less pirates pays.

Recovering myself, I sit up, wiping tears from my eyes while Swain watches patiently.

"Ah, gods man, I needed that. Really though, what could possibly cause this?" I ask Swain. "I don't imagine the Might of Demacia just woke up one morning and thought, "You know what, fuck Demacia, I want to learn how to be a real man.""

"It would be rather convenient if Champions had such revelations wouldn't it?" Swain states dryly. "But no, no from what we have gathered the Demacians found out his sister is a mage."

I grimace. Fucking Demacians and their magic hating insanity. Magic is a gift to take pride in.

"Their parents then sent her away, forcefully I understand, to their academy, where they promptly suppressed her magic and treated her, well, as Demacian's treat mages," Swain states levelly.

Disgusting. Crippling her and then mocking her for being born strong. Attacking her once she cannot fight back. Cowards. And for her very family to betray her... Is there no end to their depravity?

"Our new friend Garen, on hearing of his dear sister being sent to the academy, knew what was going to happen to her. So he betrayed every oath he made to his country, attacked several of his own people to free one of our agents to send us a message, freed his sister, and now flees across Valoran with her."

Swain looks me in the eyes.

"Only to discover, that the method of magic suppression they used is driving her insane. So he is now rushing against time and watching his back for assassins while working to keep her from breaking further."

Every detail pushes my mood further towards rage and brings back memories of darker times.

My fists clench so hard the gauntlets creak and groan.

A big brother desperately clinging to the only thing that matters to him. Protecting a younger sibling, broken by the cruelty of the world. No matter the cost.

...

I don't like it.

And those fucking Demacians. Taking a girl and trying to crush her greatest gifts, her strengths. No wonder she is losing her mind. They tear apart everything that makes us great in the name of their laughable unity.

I stand.

"I'll prepare the Legion. We will be ready when the time comes."

(Darius - PoV)

"Teach me." he demands of her.

I step back into the side passage, before turning and heading away.

I knew they weren't supposed to make it here so quickly. Plans had been made for their official welcoming. So when I received word of their arrival, by teleport no less, I investigated.

Demacia. Of course. It seems he couldn't dodge the assassins after all.

There shouldn't have been a fight. We have agreements. Official documents signed by Swain and the Demacian King.

Oaths.

My fists clench.

Once more, Demacian Justice proves to be nothing but a cheap joke. A hollow lie they peddle to the masses.

No, they prove themselves honorless again. In the end, the only thing one can rely on in this bloody world is Might. Paper? Words? They mean nothing without strength to back them.

Luckily for Garen, he had said strength. But even that still wasn't enough. His sister, a young girl untested by battle, was not ready for war. She couldn't handle the bloodshed. Not with her mind already damaged by whatever insanity the Demacians did to her. She broke.

And proved even more how stupid the Demacians are.

A girl capable of leveling a city, and they tried to murder her because she didn't fit their mold.

Madness. Utter madness. No, I am relieved that the war will finally come soon. It is clear that our two nations are utterly incompatible. They must be stopped. They must be broken, their ideals proven wrong for the world to see.

Only then can things ever get better. Only then can the scars on this would finally heal.

But no, on hearing their return, and her injuries, I had to see him.

Garen.

The girl promises to be a boon, but he is the lynch-pin of our plans.

I had to see, can he truly become more? Is he truly here to become a Noxian, or does he intend to try to cling to his old foolish ideals while using us?

I am satisfied. He has potential.

Oh, he is raw. Untreated, unwieldy, rough. Almost as dangerous to those around him as our enemies at the moment, as the missing wall can attest. Hate when that happens. But he has the potential. He will break his chains. Yes, he is a warrior I can fight beside.

Or I would, but I fear Katarina has already claimed him. Best not get between her and her prey. She should do a good enough job forging him, though I hope he enjoys pain. I hear she likes to cut, on and off the field.

I smirk as I stride away. I can't imagine the prude has any idea what he is in for.

(The Starchild - PoV)

The pattern has consistently twisted towards darkness and ruin these past years, it can be ignored no longer. So many chances, so many opportunities to turn towards light, all lost. The path cannot be forced, but perhaps with my help, the disaster I see at the end of this road can be averted?

And it is a disaster. I have not seen such loss, so many burned, cut, and ruined threads since their "Rune Wars". It broke my heart to witness such loss and destruction, took me so many years to recover...I pray the nexus involved will listen this time. I gather my things and prepare to bid the local tribe goodbye. Their threads look bright enough for the foreseeable future.

Now I must find them. Normally not an easy task, even with eons of practice, not with a world to search, but with events of this magnitude? I have no trouble following the threads even from this distance. It will still take a great deal of time to travel that far, however. I must hope that none involved make any more terrible choices during my journey...