(Morgana - PoV)
The clock ticks in the background as I obsessively check over everything once more.
The cakes are ready. Lots of chocolate, which seems to be everyone's favorite, and is something of a specialty of mine. A new peanut butter one to try. A batch of cookies for Garen to attempt to eat. I am not sure if he genuinely prefers them or intentionally gives Lux the chance to steal them from him.
Everything is clean and in order, I have my lesson plans prepared. My outfit is clean.
Just like every other time. I check the time. Still early.
They have accepted me. I shouldn't be so nervous anymore, but it is hard. Perhaps even harder now, now that I am invested in them.
The knock on the door interrupts me before I can dwell further. A true smile erupts as I receive them, little Luxanna glomping me as she rushes in.
I am sure the hand on my ass is entirely an accident.
"We have a surprise for you Big Sis!"
...Big Sis? I try to ignore the way my heart skips a beat at the words.
Everyone files in and sits. I start to serve the first round but Luxanna of all people shakes her head.
"Nope. Brother, papers!" she snaps her fingers at him.
Papers?
Katarina rolls her eyes. "An explanation first may be a good idea, impatient one."
Garen clears his throat, withdrawing a sheaf of official paperwork.
I am torn. On the one hand, paperwork. No one likes paperwork. On the other hand...everyone seems so excited...
"So, Luxanna asked...well, demanded, Katarina talk to Swain and...well, we have an offer here for you..." he trails off momentarily, before sitting up and speaking more formally.
"Morgana, we would like to offer you a place in our family as a Crownguard of Noxus," he says, sliding adoption paperwork over to me.
I...I...
"Say yes Big Sister! I need someone to brush my hair! Brother is terrible at it!" Luxanna demands.
"I, err, really kind of am," he admits.
"He really is," Katarina agrees. "He wields the hairbrush like a war club."
He slumps in his chair but, I can barely focus on them anymore, the paperwork swimming in my vision.
Family.
They...want me to be...family.
Their sister.
Not their trainer, their cook, their friend. Their family.
To have a sister again, in truth.
I try to reply but I cannot.
My heart is stuck in my throat.
I cannot see, the tears blocking my vision as my body trembles one more.
I want to ask them if they are sure, if they are actually certain.
They know what happened to my last family. The disaster that ruined a city, with everyone dead or gone from the world.
We've known each other for such a short time.
And here they are just...just like that.
They can't...they can't...
Luxanna is wrapped around me.
Her arms around my neck, her luminous false wings of light around my body.
She whispers in my ear.
"Fuck the past. We are here now. We want you. I want you. I want a Big Sister. Say yes?" she asks, nuzzling my face.
She still grabs my breast as well.
I laugh.
The reminder of exactly who she is finally breaks me out of my mood.
She sits back in her seat with a smug smirk.
I smile as I look at her.
"Such a naughty little sister you are. Thank you."
I look around the table.
"Thank all of you. Of course. I would love to have a family again!"
I sign the papers.
Morgana Crownguard, Angel of Noxus.
Yes, I can see why Katarina put the call through to Swain.
These two must quickly be becoming his absolute favorites.
Alas, poor Demacia. My family always seems to have it out for you.
(Rell - PoV)
The fight was rather one-sided, as I stand over poor Sam.
He is strong, for sure. Probably the strongest in class other than me.
Unfortunately for him, he has a crush on me and held back. His more general telekinesis could have been dangerous compared to my specialized metallokinesis otherwise.
In these matches? You can't hold back. It cost him dearly.
I sigh, standing over him. "I'm not going to go out with you just because you hold back, dumbass."
He cringes on the floor. "I know. I just...couldn't, you know? It's hard enough, fighting the others..."
...
Yeah I know. Sam is crazy strong compared to most of the students but he really isn't cut out for this. He doesn't have the killer instinct to be a soldier, he always wanted to be a chef. He's good at it too. But, apparently, his parents find such an idea unacceptable.
I give him a hand up.
"Whatever. Good match, idiot. Don't hold back next time?"
He smiles at me. "I'll try."
I scoff.
And try to hide the fact that I don't know if there will be a next time. I...never actually see any of my opponents again. The instructors claim they are moved to a different class, but...
I drag him behind me and fall into a guard position, metal streaming into thick barriers as the doors slam open.
Soldiers storm into the room. Noxian soldiers? Backed by battlemages.
And...The Grand General?
"Stop the fight."
His voice is perfectly level but...I cannot even describe the tone of command. The expectation of obedience. I drop my shields and kneel, along with Sam.
The door on the other wall opens, the headmistress exiting.
"What is the meani-" she begins to object before seeing him.
"I, Lord Swain, sir! What, what brings you to the Academy, my lord?"
He gives her a look of absolute contempt. I like him.
"Arrest her."
Several of the battlemages move to comply.
"Wha-what? This, you, you can't just -"
"Be silent. Leblanc has revealed some very interesting information. While I doubt her version of events, this madness stops here."
...I knew things were shady, but what is going on?
The Grand General steps down into the arena, coming to stand before me.
"Stand, girl," he demands.
I comply.
"Your arm."
I hold my arm out before me, presenting the tattoos.
The tattoos...what the fuck are these things. What have they been doing to us?
He takes my wrist and examines them carefully, before looking me in the eye.
"Do you know? Do you know what these are? What they do?
"They...they make me stronger? The headmistress organizes duels. The winner is given a new one afterward. The loser is assigned to a different class."
It feels like he is staring into my very soul.
"Sir, we found them!" a newly arrived soldier announces.
He releases me.
"Follow me. Both of you." He demands, striding away.
He pauses, looking towards the headmistress.
"And bring...that, along with us."
...
We stride through the corridors, the school a hive of activity around us. Soldiers and battlemages fill the halls, every possible exit well guarded. Swain leads us into a part of the school we have never been to, one reserved for the instructors.
Most is as expected; staff rooms, bedrooms, the usual, but eventually, we come to a massive bunk room filled with...filled with.
"Your former classmates." Swain states blandly.
They are...wrong. Empty. They are still breathing, sitting up even, but they are not responding to the soldiers and mages bustling all around them. Their eyes are blank, their arms limp.
What...what the fuck. What the fuck
"This academy is not ran by Noxus, but by a group known as the Black Rose...A group that I sometimes tolerate, but keep a close eye on, due to some members' tendency to go to...extremes, such as this. The runes they have been using are banned. They have been ripping the magic and souls from the losers, to empower the winners."
I turn to the headmistress.
"You...you...HOW!?" I demand.
She stands, completely unashamed of what she has done.
"Excellence is measured in sacrifice."
...No. Nononononono.
She takes off her hood.
Mother.
She smiles at me.
"Whatever it takes, dear. You will be a glorious weapon for Noxus's future. Whatever it takes..."
There is a flash as she draws a dagger and attempts to cut her own throat.
Attempts. Her arm shakes as she tugs on the unmoving dagger.
No, mother. I won't let you escape justice so easily. And you made me far too strong already.
"No. No, you won't get away with this that easily. Will she?"
I turn to look at the Grand General.
He shakes his head.
"No, I don't believe so. We have no lack of witnesses or evidence to bring forth for trial in Noxus, and a public execution in the sands of the arena sounds far more fitting to me. Draven tends to take his time with those who abuse children."
I nod, ripping the dagger from her hand.
"Search her for further weapons, poisons, and magical traps, then take her away," Swain instructs his mages.
...
We stand there, watching his men attempting to treat my broken former classmates.
"What happens now?" I ask.
"The Academy will be closed. Beyond that? You will have to choose your own fate."
He turns towards me.
"Noxus does welcome those with power, even if in this case it was not justly earned."
I flinch.
"But you will not be blamed for the actions of others. Continue your training? Join the army? Try to live a quiet life? As I said, the choice is ultimately yours. Take some time to think on matters. Decide on what is important to you. What makes life worth living. What you might consider worth fighting for."
He turns and leaves.
I look down at my arm. At the runes.
Every one of these. Every one of these is one of my classmates in this room. One of their lives, taken.
...
I look at Sam, who appears as lost as I am.
At least I am not in it alone.