CHAPTER 1 – A STRANGER APPEARS
"She was like this when we found her. Jumped out the bushes, startling the horses at the front of our caravan, then she just collapsed… Oh! And she had this with her!" Lux pointed at the curved blade in the corner of the room.
An older, grey-haired woman who was the princess's advisor went over to pick up the blade but she could hardly move from the corner it was wedged in.
"Have the guards take it away." Lux suggested turning her attention back to the unconscious woman. "Do you think she's a knight of some sort, or a dragon slayer?" Starry-eyed Lux asked.
"Oh, sweet child, she's probably a scoundrel or a thief, there's plenty of them outside the walls." The advisor looked at the teenage princess with sympathy.
"I'm not a child!" Lux snapped frowning.
"My apologies princess, you're a young lady."
"Yes, that's better." Lux smiled.
The doctor cordially bowed then scurried over to his patient. He checked for pulse first. "She's alive, just merely unconscious." He announced.
"We know that, but what about all that blood?" Lux asked.
"Perhaps it's not hers. We should remove some of her armour to check for wounds."
"Of course…" Lux rushed over helping the doctor remove piece by piece until the unconscious woman was left only in her grey, raggedy underclothes. These where plenty dirty, but surprisingly unstained by blood.
"The blood in not hers, she must have collapsed due to exhaustion." The doctor concluded.
"I see." Lux murmured getting up close to the woman's face. She ran her finger over the stranger's unusual facial markings. "These seem to be seared into her skin." Lux said retracting as she suddenly realized that she wasn't alone in the room.
"It's best we leave and let her rest." The doctor suggested.
They all left the room nodding to the guards posted at the doorway. Midway down the hallway they where intercepted by the captain of the scouting party. "Princess…" He bowed catching his breath. "We've followed up on the trail trough the woods from which the stranger appeared…"
"And?!" Lux demanded.
"There was no one there."
"Hmm… interesting… Who was she fighting than?" The princess thought aloud. She thanked the captain and continued alone up the spiralling staircase to her room which was in one of highest towers of the white stone castle.
Many questions plagued Luxanna that evening. The strange crescent shaped sword, the unusual armour, she never saw anything like them before. Could there be an entire kingdom unknown to Demacia? Who where they fighting? And more importantly who would they side with in the war between Demacia and Noxus?
Lux got fidgety with all these questions swarming in her mind. Even the cosy bed and the view of the starry sky trough her window did little to calm her. Carrying a lit candelabra Lux descended down the guest room where the stranger still rested.
She happened upon the guards playing cards on a barrel beneath the torch. They stood upwards when they saw the princess approaching.
"It's alright, I won't tell. Just let me inside." Lux smiled, making use of the situation.
The guards unlocked the door and let her trough. The room was dark, so Lux walked over to the window to open the curtains. As soon as a beam of moonlight hit the sleeping woman the white symbol on her forehead lit up and she begun to stir as if struggling with a nightmare.
Luxanna approached carefully. "It's ok, you're safe here." She whispered caressing the woman's forearm.
Suddenly the stranger's eyes shot open and with uncanny speed and agility she jumped out of the bed and grabbed Lux by the throat. "Where am I?!" The woman demanded with her deep and rusted voice. "Where is my sword?!" She looked around frantically, pinning the princess to the wall and tightening her grip around Luxanna's gentle neck.
"I…" Lux tried, but she wasn't able to respond. Her face was already turning blue when the guards barged in. One of them swung the grip end of his poleaxe over the assailant's head. The guards then dragged off her unconscious body while Lux coughed on the floor regaining her breath.
"We shouldn't have let you in!" The tall guard panicked once he came back ito the room and saw the princess on her knees, still heavily breathing.
"We?! You let her in!" The shorter guard protested.
"Stop!" Lux cried out. "If anything, you saved my life… and nothing happened, so it's fine." She stood up. "It's best we don't mention this to anyone."
The guards nodded.
Still the news somehow reached the king who soon appeared on the scene.
There was not point lying now, Lux realized. She truthfully recounted the tale to her father who praised the guard's reaction, and turning to his assistant in tow announced that tomorrow morning would be a trial for the stranger who attacked his daughter.
Lux wasn't sure how she felt about this. She hardly knew anything about the strange woman, and if she where be executed that would remain so. Lux always hated an unresolved mystery.
"Good night." Lux said to her father with a blank expression, but she never intended to continue sleeping. She went down to where they kept the prisoners. The sewer stench flooding her nostrils and the squeaking of rats form every dark corner assured her that she was in the right place. She used her light magic to distract the guards and sneak into the nearly empty cellblock.
In the very last cell the woman who attacked her sat with her back turned and gaze fixed on the moon trough a small barred window.
Noticing a presence, the woman slowly walked over and griped the bars. With her cold, piercing eyes she looked down on princess.
Lux gazed back, finding no trace of remorse or even recognition in the woman's expression. She did however notice a fresh cut on the stranger's lip and a big bruise on her cheek. "The guards did that to you?" Lux asked pointing out.
The woman touched her lip as if just noticing the wounds. "I guess so… and who are you?"
"Luxanna Crownguard, princess of Demacia. And you, what is your name?" The teenage princess inquired.
"Diana." She responded. "Was it you that I attacked?"
"Yes, you have."
"So, you're here for revenge?" Diana asked calmly.
"Not at all, I just want to know why you did it."
Diana pushed off the bars and started walking back and forth barefoot on the cold stone floor of her cell. "I know you won't believe me, but it wasn't intentional. I just awoke, I was dazed… and I must have been reliving the moments of my last fight."
"I believe you, but… Who was it that attacked you in the forest?" Lux jumped ahead to what most intrigued her.
Diana walked over to clutch the bars again. "Not who… but what." She said with a sinister look in her eyes.
"Yes, tell me!" Lux demanded, burning with anticipation.
"Demons, that's what I call these creatures, though they're actually the evil spirits of the void spilling into this world. They inhabit the…"
Lux started laughing. "Is this your plan?! To claim insanity?!"
"There is no plan, that's the truth!" Diana insisted.
"Nobody in Demacia is going to believe that."
"I'll do my best to convince them then." Diana persisted.
"Well, you better come up with a better story. I like you, you're… different." Lux said taking a long look at Diana from head to toe. "I'll even put in a good word with my father, but if you start talking nonsense, forget it!"
"It's the truth!" Diana snapped. She rushed over to the bars and pushed her arm trough to the grab hold of the girl's wrist.
"Let me go!" Lux tried to break free but Diana's grip was just too strong.
A moment later Diana suddenly released her and Lux fell back on her ass on the hard stone floor. She then quickly backed away from the bars.
Diana's behaviour was very unpredictable, Lux realized. Clearly the strange woman had trouble controlling her anger, so Lux decided to end the conversation there. As she was leaving the cell block she saw Diana sit back under the window and close her eyes as the moonlight poured over her.
CHAPTER 2 – THE TRIAL
Lux was woken up by the old librarian. She fell asleep over the dusty tomes in which she hoped to find the information on these, so called, demons of the void. She found nothing. Clearly Diana was just some sort of a deluded zealot.
"What time is it?" Rubbing her eyes groggily, Lux asked the librarian.
"I believe it's past noon princess." The old man with small round glasses replied.
"Damn!" Lux jumped up to her feet. "Sorry!" She apologised for bad language and ran out of the library.
When Lux barged into one of the upstairs balconies of the trial room, Diana was just being brought in. She placed in the middle of the large stone circle below, facing the seven chairs of the council in the back of the room. The middle chair belonged to the king, Lux's father. As he sat there scratching his beard, the room was completely silent. Only noise was made by the rattling of chains on Diana's arms and legs as two guards made her get down on her knees.
Diana stuck with her story, though that only served to seal her fate. She tried to warn the council members of the impending doom of their kingdom and all of Runeterra. They, of course, perceived this as a threat, rather then a well-meaning warning.
"We shall vote than!" The king announced after Diana finished her speech.
The seven picked up their quills and scribbled something onto pieces of parchment which a servant promptly collected. He than went into the back room only to return with the sound of the trumpet. "All are in favour of swift execution!" The servant announced the verdict.
"As per usual practice it will be done by hanging, tomorrow at dawn. Any last wishes?" The king asked.
"Yes." Diana said. "I wish for a decapitation, a warrior's death."
The king nodded.
Luxanna was stunned by Diana's unusual calmness. Was this woman not afraid of anything? Or did her own life mean so little to her? Lux wondered. Despite everything she didn't want to see Diana die, but decided not to speak to her father about it. Diana was a lost cause if she ever saw one, and she wouldn't waste good favour with her father for no avail.
"One more thing…" Diana continued. "I wish the deed be done with my sword, while I'm wearing my armour."
"That's very specific…" The king narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Any more wishes my lady?" He drawled sarcastically.
"Yes, one more. I wish it be done in the evening so I can look up at the moon."
The king heard something and looked up to see his daughter up on the balcony.
Lux ducked down silently cursing.
"Fine, make it happen." The king frowned giving the order. "And make sure you lock the door to the upstairs balcony." He pointed upwards as Luxanna snuck out, gently closing the door behind her.
When the council left the room, Lux rushed downstairs before a chained Diana who was getting dragged back to her cell.
"Princess…" Diana acknowledged her presence with a nod. "Why are you here? Come to gloat?"
"I wouldn't do that." Lux said. "Why did you have to say all that? Are you stupid or just crazy!?"
"I told the truth!" Diana once again persisted.
"And what good is your truth now?!" Lux spat. "I wanted to help, you know? Don't ask me why, but I did! It's you who've made it completely impossible!"
"I don't need saving, so worry about yourself and everything you hold dear… treasure it, soon it will be gone."
"I really doubt that. It's just you who will be gone." Lux stopped following, casting one last look on Diana as guards dragged her away.
"If it the will of the goddess, than so be it!" Diana retorted before they turned the corner.
At midnight Diana was brought to the square where a large group of people holding lamps and torches surrounded the centre stage.
Lux leaned on her windowsill watching. Her hearth was pounding with anticipation. She was surprised her father even allowed decapitation to take place and still in doubt weather or not to actually watch the gruesome scene.
After the public proclamation of what was about to happen and for what reason, the executioner begun sharpening Diana's crescent blade on the whetstone.
Luxanna could barely breathe just watching the preparations. She could only imagine the dread Diana must be feeling. Diana however, looked calmer then ever. At least that's what it seemed like from Lux's far away vantage point.
Bound and on her knees Diana turned her head toward the executioner. She said something which made the hulking masked man stop sharpening the blade. Soon after he walked over to Diana and lowered her head on the chopping block. Slowly he raised the sword high in the air over Diana's exposed neck.
Lux covered her eyes, but then her curiosity got the best of her. When she removed her hands, she was blinded by the flash of light that came from the sky and struck down with thunderous boom right atop Diana.
Lux was knocked down form the windowsill because of the force of the impact, but she quickly got back up to see the executioner and the crowd scattered on the ground in a circular patter, while Diana alone stood on her feet.
Diana broke free of the ropes that where bounding her wrists and picked up her large curved blade. A flash of silver light flew in the direction she swung her sword and Demacian soldiers in the wake where left burning.
That was magic, Lux realized, Diana looked like a warrior, like her brother Garen, but she also had magic. Suddenly Lux felt more akin to Diana, because of her own magical abilities that she had to hide from the world.
Diana cut herself a clear path, jumped on the closest horse and galloped trough the crowd that scattered in panic. Once again using her magic she broke trough the front gate and escaped over the long bridge.
Lux rushed down numerous staircases and past wounded soldiers on the square. She ran into the royal stable and jumped on her quick black horse. As she galloped out of the castle, the guards called after her, but she ignored them. A few solders tried to bar her way so she used her light magic to knock them away. There was no turning back now, Lux realized, she had to escape and catch up with Diana somehow. "Come on Blacky! Full speed!" Lux whipped the leash.
As she galloped Lux felt the stain of guilt spread over her. She felt like one of those close-minded Demacians who pathologically feared the unknown and where willing to watch Diana die for their sins. A tear ran down her cheek as she pondered how to redeem herself.
After some time lightning-fast Blacky was able to catch up to the white horse Diana had stolen.
"Diana, please stop!" Lux yelled after her.
Unable to match the pace of a royal steed, finally Diana stopped and dismounted. "What do you want!?" She asked drawing her blade.
"Just to talk… look, I'm unarmed." Lux raised her hands in the air.
"Why did you follow me?" Diana demanded.
"First, I wanted to apologise…"
"Why did you follow me I asked?!" Diana shouted.
"I'm sorry I didn't believe you. Perhaps you are telling the truth… And I wish to know how where you able to cast that magic?"
"That's really not something I can teach you." Diana admitted lowing her blade.
"What do you mean?" Lux asked.
"Never mind, I know how you can be useful." Diana said. "If I can show you the demons I spoke of, would you be able to convince the king they are real?"
"Hmm…" Lux tapped her foot. "If you can convince me, I'll try, but it'll probably take some material evidence to convince my father."
"Then we'll get it. Give me the leash!"
Lux handed Blacky's leash to Diana who then smacked the white horse to send it off running down the path.
"Why did you do that? Now we only have one horse!" Lux wondered.
"Let them follow that trail, we are going into the forest." Diana got up on Blacky and offered a hand.
Lux climbed up behind her. "So what's the plan?" She asked wrapping her arms around Diana's waist.
"I can't tell you just yet." Diana admitted. "We have to get some distance from your people first, I'll have to consult the goddess about the rest."
"The goddess?" Lux raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, the goddess of the moon." Diana pointed to the sky. "Don't your people have gods?"
"Yes, but… none that I ever talked to, or even saw for that matter."
"So you don't believe in your gods?" Diana asked.
"Not really, I think of them as customs, as do a lot of Demacian's, though they'd never admit it."
Diana smiled. "You remind me of myself when I was your age."
Lux frowned. "I'm not that young you know… I just look younger." She explained.
Once they reached thicker forest Lux and Diana had to go ahead on foot. Diana took the reins carefully weaving Blacky between the thick branches.
Meanwhile, Lux's clothes and hair often got caught in the protruding branches. Sometimes she lashed out by snapping them off or kicking a tree.
"There's a long road ahead of us, you better save your energy princess." Diana advised.
When the night fell Diana handed the reins to Lux. "Wait here." She instructed and walked over to the beam of moonlight that found its way trough the thick branches of the dark forest.
Diana soon returned after her strange, but brief mediation. "Let's go!"
"So where exactly are we going?" Lux asked following behind.
"There's a cave deeper inside the forest where the spirits leak from the void."
"Will it be dangerous?"
"Most definitely." Diana admitted. "That's why I'm going in alone."
"I do have magic you know!" Lux protested. "It's not as strong as yours I'm sure, but… I need someone to teach me, and much practice." Lux sighed hopefully glaring up at Diana's back.
Diana kept on walking as if she heard nothing.
Lux frowned, though she decided not to press the issue further. She wondered if Diana had trouble hearing or simply didn't want to teach her magic.
CHAPTER 3 – DARK FOREST
Tomorrow the two companions walked the entire day. Listening to Diana recount numerous stories from her childhood at Mount Targon was the only thing that made the time pass, though it did nothing to lessen the ache in Luxanna's feet. She was so relieved when they finally stopped in a small glade nearby a waterfall.
Diana made a campfire while Blacky drank out of the creek.
Lux warmed her hands by the fire when Diana handed her a water jug.
"Thank you." Lux said taking a sip. That sated her thirst, but she was still very hungry, her belly was growling.
Then Diana lifted up her breast plate and pulled out a dozen mushrooms out of the pouch on her belt. "I grabbed those along the way." Diana explained observing the girl's puzzled experssion. "Want some?" She offered.
"Of course I do!" Lux jumped up and reached over.
"Hold on, they're better if you cook them." Diana warned. She picked up a branch and impaled a few mushrooms onto it. "Now just hold them over a fire." She said handing the branch to Luxanna.
Pleasantly tired and with a full belly Lux just wanted to doze off, but Diana had other plans.
"Did I tell you about the time I fought a mountain lion?" Diana rolled up her sleeve to expose a big scar on her forearm.
"No, but why would you do that?" The princess asked.
"Believe it or not, it was a part of the warrior-templar training at the Solari temple." Diana went on to recount all the fortunate circumstances that helped her survive the ordeal.
Lux was amazed by Diana's resolve and bravery. More then ever she looked up to Diana. "You sure have suffered a lot." She whispered running her fingers over Diana's long scar.
Diana smiled, and Lux smiled back feeling genuinely happy. Diana fulfilled her hunger for attention. It wasn't that anyone in the castle ignored her or treated her badly, but in recent times Lux's brother and father where way too busy with their war plans. Sometimes that would make Lux angry, but she'd never show it, she kept it all inside.
"Let's take a dip in the pond." Diana suggested after a long silence. "Who knows when we'll get another chance?" She stood up offering a helping hand to the princess.
Then Diana started removing her Lunari armour. Lux averted her gaze, blushing as she started taking off her own much lighter Demacian attire.
Diana was moving much faster, when Lux glanced over, the silver-haired woman already took of her undershirt, revealing her abs, muscle toned arms and firm breasts.
"What are you doing?" Red-faced Luxanna muttered.
When Diana took off her pants, revealing a big patch of curly, silvery hair between her strong legs, Lux was scared to cast another look in her direction.
Still in her undershirt and knee-length underpants Lux ran off into the pond.
Diana followed completely naked behind her.
Lux trembled in the cold water while Diana splashing around washing herself. "You can't clean yourself properly that way. Don't be shy, take it all off." Diana teased spraying water at her younger companion.
"Stop it!" Lux snapped still keeping her back turned to Diana. "It's cold, I'd rather not." She explained.
When Diana didn't insist Lux felt relieved, but then she suddenly felt a strong grip around her arm. "Liar!" Diana whispered into her ear.
Diana sounded almost angry about it, so Lux turned around to look into her eyes.
"I know you're not cold, so take it off!" Diana gazed back at Lux with serious and unreadable expression.
Lux waited for Diana to smile, expecting it all to be a joke, but when that didn't happen she frowned in anger. "No! Take your hand off me!" Lux said decisively, though her hearth was pounding from fear.
"I'm sorry. Take it off… please. Wouldn't you be more comfortable that way?" Diana reiterated much more softly. She slid the tip of her fingers under the rim of Lux's undershirt. "I just want to see what you look like."
Lux wasn't pleased about this unusual request. She felt like she knew Diana reasonably well by now. Clearly she was mistaken. "I think this is very inappropriate!" Lux snapped rushing out of the pond.
Diana followed her, pinning Lux to the nearby tree. "Please, I need this!" She insisted grabbing hold of girl's slender forearms.
"No!" Lux yanked her arms out of Diana's grip. She was longingly eyeing the pieces of her Demacian armour lying scattered on the grass beside the campfire. She longed to cover up or simply vanish, but that wasn't possible, and Diana was still there, as if undecided, just watching her.
Lux looked away hoping Diana would relent. She recalled the words of her advisor who warned her about the people outside the walls, but she never expected Diana would turn out to be one such person. Had all her stories been a lie just to lure her here? Lux now wondered.
Diana suddenly dropped to her knees before Lux. "Please, you don't understand…"
Lux's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, a naked Diana on her knees begging.
"Just let me look at you, please. I won't touch you I swear." Diana continued pleading while she slipped a hand down and started rubbing herself.
"I said no! And stop that!" Lux demanded.
"I've been alone on the road for so long and now, I just can't control it… please just do it for me!?" Diana pleaded, a tear nearly forming in the corner of her eye as she looked up at Lux, all the while furiously masturbating.
Now Lux felt a bit sorry for her. She had never seen anyone so pathetic and without dignity. "Alright, I'll take them off, but don't touch me!" Lux warned.
"By the moon, I swear, I won't."
"I hope not." Lux muttered. At least she knew Diana held the moon sacred. Hopefully that wasn't a lie. Lux first took off her undershirt.
Seeing Lux's small, perky breasts Diana's eyes grew wider and hungrier, Lux even thought she saw a violet glint in them.
"Now the lower half please." Diana asked moving her hand to the waistband of Lux's knee-length, white underpants.
Lux slapped her hand off. "I'll do it myself!" She said slowly pulling her pants down.
"So beautiful…" Diana whispered gazing up and down Lux's naked body but her eyes mostly remained fixed on Luxanna's pussy.
Even though Lux lost nearly all the respect she had for Diana, seeing the naked woman before her still somewhat excited her, so her pussy started leaking, which seemed to thrill Diana.
"Spread you legs a bit please." Diana bit down on her lip still wearing the same pathetic, lustful expression.
"Fine…" Lux sighed. She leaned back against the tree and slightly widened her stance, though probably not to the extent Diana hoped for. Diana didn't complain though, probably not wishing to push her luck any further.
Diana's nose was just inches away from Lux's pussy as she inspected the girl's opening and continuously masturbated. Not only seeing, but smelling the girl's vagina as her juices flowed made Diana nearly lose it. She was in a trance, an ecstasy nearing the highest peak. Her groans of pleasure where getting louder and more frequent until finally Diana closed her eyes, bit down on her lip and came spraying the grass between Luxanna's feet.
"Are you done?" Lux asked, looking down in disgust.
"Yes." Diana exhaled collapsing onto Lux's bare thigh. When Lux pushed her off Diana sat down and leaned back against the tree, completely spent, but satisfied. "Thank you so much, I really needed this." She said gazing sideways at the princess who was hastily putting her clothes back on.
"Whatever." Lux replied, looking away so Diana couldn't see all the hatred that accumulated in her eyes. Lux felt betrayed and humiliated, used like a doll for the lust of this woman whom she trusted.
Diana felt drained. Naked as she was, she laid down on the grass. "We should get some sleep." Diana yawned. "A long ride ahead tomorrow." She muttered dozing off.
As Diana snored, Lux stood over her gripping the bejeweled handle of the dagger at her waistband. How easy it would be, she though looking down at Diana's exposed neck glistening on the moonlight. Diana wasn't worth soiling her hands, Lux decided in the end.
Instead Lux tiptoed over to her Blacky and untied the reins. She sneaked some distance away from the camp before mounting her black steed. The forest was too thick so both Lux and Blacky took some damage as they pushed trough, scraping off the jagged bark and protruding branches.
After the night Luxanna and Blacky broke onto a beaten path. Lux collapsed onto Blacky who still carried her forward. Tears ran down her cheeks as everything that happened went trough her mind. Diana had hurt her, so she imagined hurting Diana back. For the entire lonely and trying day these violent daydreams where her only company.
When Blacky returned Lux to the capital of Demacia, her brother and her father where the first to rush over and hug her. Of course she had to explain her disappearance. She said she was feeling ignored and wanted to make everyone worried. She didn't mention a thing about Diana, lest her father would consider her stupid for trusting that convicted lunatic.
At least a part of the story was true, Lux figured, but her father didn't really buy any of it, she could tell from his expression. He wouldn't press her about it though, as he was just glad to see his daughter safe and unharmed.
CHAPTER 4 – DIANA RETURNS
Over the following days Luxanna isolated herself in her room. She brought a stack of books from the library and read gazing down on the marketplace and the main square trough her window. As if for the first time she could see the world for what it was. Demacian's where greedy and cruel, just like Diana. They only cared about their own interest and their own desires.
Though she was hardly aware of it, Lux started behaving sadistically. She abused the castle servants any chance she got, especially the maid that came over to change the bed sheets. Lux made the unfortunate young woman clean the floor once again. Then she "accidentally" stepped on her hand. This felt much more satisfying than mere verbal abuse. This was the only way to release the pain that was trapped inside her, and each time Lux did it, she imagined it was Diana she was doing it to.
A few days later none other then Diana walked trough the city gates, pulling on chains behind her a giant severed head. The guards surrounded her with weapons drawn as she made her way to the main square, but none of them where brave enough to step out and strike her. They all witnessed or heard tales of the chaos she wrought last time.
Lux jumped from the seat of her windowpane when she saw what was happening. She ran down to the square as fast as she could, but her father was faster. The king was already there and made a gap in the circle that surrounded the battle-worn warrior woman.
Having painted a long red trail on the white stone of the square, Diana took the head by its black horns and tilted it up for everyone witness. It was the ugliest creature Lux ever saw. The purple skinned face looked like a mixture of pig and bat with bulging and bleeding red eyes.
The king was equally shocked, but he was even more perplexed by the convicted woman's return. "Why would you come back here?!" He asked at once.
"I'm here to show you the truth!" Diana yelled spinning around, not addressing only the king, but also the soldiers pointing their spears in her direction. "This is what I was telling you about! This is but one of an endless army Runterra is up against!
The king walked over to Diana. "What is your name again?"
"Diana." She replied.
Then he turned around towards his daughter. "Lux, did you go after Diana when she escaped?"
"Yes sir, she has." Diana answered in her instead. "She found me and I kept her safe as we tracked down the demon. My intention was to return with the evidence and your daughter unharmed, however she got scared and ran off beforehand."
The king faced his daughter again. "Is this true Luxanna?"
Lux thought a while, staring intensely at Diana.
"Lux?!" The king repeated, impatiently awaiting a response.
"Yes, it's true." Lux finally said. "Diana saved me from the demons in the forest, but I got scared… like she said."
"Thank you." The king said placing a hand on Diana's shoulder. "I completely misjudged you. We'll speak again about this in a day or two." The king pointed to the severed head. "After I speak to my advisors and you get plenty of rest we'll forge a plan to deal with this threat. Hide this thing out of sight for now." The king ordered the soldiers.
"The people should know the truth!" Diana argued
"Yes, and we'll tell them when the time is right. We can't stop the rumours, but at least we'll stop the panic."
Diana nodded.
"Meanwhile rest and enjoy the Demacian hospitality, we'll put you in one of our guest rooms…"
"Umm… dad!" Luxanna tugged at his sleeve. "Can Diana sleep in my room? I've been having nightmares about those demons ever since I returned. I'd feel much safer knowing Diana is close by."
The king thought for a moment. "Of course dear, I'll have the servants bring in an extra bed."
"Thank you dad." Lux said smiling at her father and than at Diana who reciprocated with a surprised look.
Then Lux stepped over to the demon head. When she touched one of the black horns she felt a strange jolt zap her hand.
"Don't touch it!" Diana warned. She ran over and picked up the chains. "Where can I put this?" She asked the king.
"Empty one of the stables." The king pointed. "Put it in there, and keep it locked."
"Yes sir!" The soldier saluted.
It was near dusk when Diana finished bathing and put on a clean Demancian outfit. Meanwhile Lux made sure the bed was brought in and room prepared for Diana's arrival.
"You look nice." Lux said when Diana showed up at the door in her new outfit.
"Thanks. Can you believe they tried to give me a dress?" Diana said. "Naturally I asked for anything with pants that fits me."
"I can't imagine you in a dress." Lux smiled warmly. "Come in."
"Way to embellish the story back there. Thank you though." Diana said stepping into the room.
"Well, you really should thank me. I'm not in the habit of lying to my father."
Diana nodded. "I though you where still mad at me about… you know…"
"I am." Lux said calmly staring back into Diana's eyes.
Diana averted her gaze. "Listen, that night in the woods… I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, it wasn't really me however… The spirits of the void must have affected me, as I later realized."
"The spirits… really?"
"It was them!" Diana insisted. "Their presence can amplify strong emotions… or desires and such." She stuttered, briefly glancing over at Lux. "I swear it's true, the goddess assured me."
"Sounds very convenient…" Lux noted. "Are you saying none of it was your fault?"
"Perhaps not entirely…" Diana bowed her head in shame. "I have had problems controlling my emotions in the past, though recently I've been much more disciplined and kept my mind on the task."
"Which is?" Lux asked walking circles around confused Diana.
"To unite the people of Runeterra against the threat that would consume us all."
"Yea, whatever you say." Lux said unenthusiastically still circling Diana. "You know my father still doesn't trust you completely."
"He trusted me enough to let me sleep in your room." Diana retorted.
"Maybe, but he doesn't know what you did when we where alone in the forest."
"You wouldn't tell him?! Please don't, a lot is depending on me. My plan from the start was to warn your people of the danger before a group of demons ambushed me and you found me unconscious. We need Demacia and other nations to join the fight. Your father needs to trust me for that to happen, so…"
"I don't really care about any of that!" Lux cut her off. "In fact, what if I told my father you attacked me right now?" Lux looked right into Diana's eyes.
"What?!" Diana muttered taking a step back in shock.
"What if I ripped my shirt …" Lux yanked at her collar and the button came lose, dinging as it bounced of the stone tiles. "What if I screamed and called the guards? Who would my father believe? Me and the guards who rescued me… or you?" Lux pointed back at Diana.
"Don't do it, please. Like I told you before, I'm sorry." Diana pleaded.
"Sorry!?" Lux snapped. "Sorry is just a word! It doesn't make everything disappear! I want you to feel how I felt that night!" Lux sat down on the edge of her bed. "So first, take all of your new, fancy clothes off! I want to see what you look like!" Lux ordered.
Diana could hardly believe this was the same innocent looking girl from before.
"Do it now, or else I'll scream and your head is going back to the chopping block! And you're not getting away this time!" Lux threatened.
"Alright, alright… I'll do it." Diana muttered undoing her shirt.
Once Diana was completely naked she stood before Lux. "There, are you satisfied?"
"Not quite." Lux stood behind Diana. "Now I want you to get on your knees."
"No!" Diana shouted out. "That's enough!"
"If you won't, than I'll make you!" Lux used her magic to drop Diana to her knees and make her bend over. Lux even surprised herself with the power of her magic. It was never nearly as strong, but never before had she cast it with the intention to actually hurt someone.
Diana was able grab onto the bedpost not to slam face down on the stone floor. "What are you doing!?" Helpless Diana struggled, but she couldn't move a muscle, the young girl's binding spell was just too powerful.
"That's a great pose actually!" Lux laughed. She fetched a set of thick leather straps from the drawer and used them to bind Diana's hands to the bedpost.
While Lux searched trough her wardrobe Diana tried to wiggle out of her wrist bindings. She gave up, only managing to scrape her knees against the stone-tiles.
"Lux?! What are you doing?" Diana panicked seeing the young girl dangle a leather belt in front of her.
"I think you deserve the buckle end." Lux smirked. She removed the buckle, but left a sharp metal pin on top. "I don't want to hurt you too bad, I want you to last a long time." She explained looking into Diana's hate filled eyes.
Diana's angry expression suddenly softened. "I beg you, don't do this…"
Her pleas only made Lux giggle. She took her time walking behind Diana and casting a long look at the woman's bare back and buttocks. Without a warning Lux started whipping Diana mercilessly.
Diana gritted her teeth determined not to make a sound. At first only faint grunts escaped her lips, but as Lux got more into her swings Diana couldn't hold her voice any longer. She screamed out in pain whenever a metal pin of the buckle made a long cut on her back, her ass or the back of her thighs. "The guards must have heard that." Diana said aloud realizing, hoping that this may mean the end of her suffering.
Lux only laughed in response. "They certainly did, but they'll also keep quiet about it for a bag of coin." She explained.
"You thought of everything, you little monster!" Diana spat.
Hearing this only made Lux whip her harder, so Diana kept her mouth shut from that point on. There was no out of this situation, so she would have to get trough it, Diana decided. "Goddess, I will endure…" She muttered determined not to break and let down her goddess, or the people of Runeterra whose faiths rested on her shoulders.
After what seemed like hours to Diana, Lux finally stopped the whipping. Unfortunately it was only to take off her robes and wipe off her sweaty forehead.
Lux sat on the side of her bed and started undoing the laces of her knee-high boots. Diana observed in terror, dreading to think what else the girl had in mind.
"I've been in these the whole day!" Lux exclaimed removing one of her sweaty socks. "Perhaps I should gag you with it. I'm tired of hearing you whine anyway." Lux leaned over with the sock, but Diana kept her mouth closed and moved her head to the side. "Open your mouth or I'll whip you till the morning."
Realizing she didn't really have a choice Diana looked up with teary, hateful eyes and reluctantly opened her mouth.
"Keep it in or else!" Lux instructed pushing the long sock in until it completely filled Diana's mouth.
Diana could feel the stale, sour taste spreading trough her mouth. She was trying no to throw up, knowing she'd only have to swallow it back.
"Now what shall I do with the other sock?" Lux wondered playfully.
Diana sensed Lux walk up behind her. She felt a hard slap on her blood streaked buttock, but her grunt of pain was now muffled by the sock in her mouth. Next she felt a set of thin fingers spread the opening of her vagina. She wanted to scream but all that came out where the muffled drowning sounds. As Lux stuffed her other dirty sock into Diana's pussy a tear rolled down the unfortunate warrior's cheek.
Lux came back around and lifted up Diana's chin to observe her expression. With her thumb she wiped a tear in Diana's eye, all the while smiling.
"Yes, I enjoy doing this." Lux admitted.
She truly was, and in more than one way, Diana realized noticing a wet stain on the girl's crotch area.
"It's you who made me this way! No mater what you think, or what your imaginary goddess tells you, all of it is your fault!" Lux cried out.
The goddess is real you little spawn of the void, is what Diana intended to shout back, but again, what came out where just muffled drowning sounds.
Lux continued the whipping until the evening, until she herself got too tired to continue. By then Diana was no longer propped up on her knees, but hanging limply from the bedpost.
When Lux untied her wrist wraps Diana fell to the ground. She passed out momentarily but only a second later a bare foot stomping on her face woke her up.
"Wake up!" Lux kicked her.
Diana made another muffled groan.
"You can spit out the sock now." Lux said.
Diana would have already done that if she had any energy left.
"Fine, I'll do it!" Lux snapped, reaching down to pull out the sock from Diana's mouth. Then she reached back and pulled the one that was stuffed in her vagina. She brought that one up to her nose and took a whiff. "This reeks of your filthy cunt now! Disgusting! I better throw this pair away!"
By now Diana was numb to the humiliation. It was the physical pain that couldn't get any worse. The entire back side of her body was constantly burning, and the pain was increasing in severity with any slight movement of her body.
Lux grabbed a heavy glass bottle of alcohol and took a sip which she spat right out all over Diana's back.
"I don't understand how people drink this stuff?!" Lux loudly mused while Diana screamed in agony.
The alcohol on her fresh wounds made the pain almost unbearable. Diana bit down on her lip not to bite off her tongue. Suddenly she felt the pain fade, and the world turn dark as she passed out.
Diana awoke some time later. As her vision slowly focused she realized she was on the bed all wrapped up in bandages, and Lux was there by her bedside still wrapping one of her arms.
Diana flinched back.
"Relax, I'm trying to help you." Lux said.
Diana let out a painful groan. It was all she could manage as the fire reignited all over her back. "Why did you… Ahh! ..lay me on my back than!?" Diana asked in a weak and broken voice.
"I did the best I could, I'm sorry." Lux said with almost tearful and panicked expression. "I'll flip you over, ok?" She slid her arms under Diana and did just that.
"That's better." Diana sighed.
"I never meant to hurt you this badly." Lux cried into her hands. "I don't know what got into me."
"I have an idea about that." Diana muttered. "Now push the bed closer to the window."
Little by little Lux managed to push the heavy bed over to where the moonlight could reach Diana's back.
"The goddess will heal me. I know she'll be able to help." Diana muttered as if trying to convince herself.
"How do you know?" Lux asked, hoping to hear something reassuring. After all, if Diana wasn't up on her feet when her father comes over, Lux knew she'd be in trouble.
"For sure the goddess wouldn't let me die here. There's a lot more I have to do."
"Is that the only reason you goddess would help, so you'd do her bidding?"
"Of course not! You still don't believe in her?" Diana tried to prop up unsuccessfully, only aggravating her wounds in the process.
Lux pushed her back on the bed. "Just rest… and don't move." She ordered in a soft voice and started caressing the back of Diana's neck. She also combed trough Diana's silver hair with her pointy fingernails.
After last night Diana was uneasy about this, but once again she was in no position to stop the girl from doing as she pleased.
CHAPTER 5 – REGENERATION
Diana was in and out of wakefulness the whole night. She felt even more exhausted in the morning, but the pain had nearly vanished. Now Diana was even able to lie on her back without major discomfort.
"Hi." Lux walked in cheerfully greeting.
Even though she knew the void spirit twisting Lux's mind was to blame, Diana still had to hold herself back from putting her hands around the girl's delicate neck. She gave a slight nod instead.
Lux smiled as she sat pulling over a small stool by the bed. She took one of Diana's bandaged hands in and kissed it before putting it back down on the bed. "Are you feeling any better?"
Diana flinched back at the girl's sudden tenderness. Was this the real Lux, or the one that showed up yesterday? Perhaps Lux just felt guilty and the truth was somewhere in between, Diana decided. "I suppose I am better." Diana admitted relaxing. "How will you explain this to your father when he comes over to talk to me?" She asked.
"That doesn't matter. You just have to get better. Which reminds me, I requested a balm from the alchemist… in fact I should go check if it's ready!" Lux hopped up to her feet.
"Wait!" Diana reached out, but Lux already ran off.
Lux returned shortly after with a jar of gooey dark brown substance. "Here it is!"
Diana took the jar and brought it up to her nose. "Smells even worse… What's in this?" Diana asked.
"Herbs, roots and stuff, I don't know the ingredients, ok?! All I know is it helps!"
"I don't need it."
"It will help you, trust me!" Lux argued.
"Fine…" With a heavy grunt Diana sat up on the ledge.
Lux climbed on the bed next to Diana and started unbinding her. When she was down past Diana's torso, Lux had trouble keeping her eyes off Diana's tits.
Once Diana was completely naked, she laid down on her chest.
Lux took a long look at the woman's back. Her wounds have already crusted, turned a dark red colour. "I can't believe I did this to you!" Lux exclaimed in shock.
"Don't worry about it, you weren't acting alone."
"You mean the void spirits… you think it was them controlling me?" Lux wondered. "I didn't feel any different, I just did…"
"You did things you wouldn't normally do." Diana finished her sentence. "Just like me back in the forest, I think we're both more susceptible because of our affinity to magic."
"My magic did feel a lot stronger." Lux confirmed.
"Be careful how you use that power." Diana warned, when Lux suddenly started laughing. "What's funny?" Diana asked, struggling to turn her head round.
"I'm just imagining my father's face if he saw you like this." Lux explained. "From a far you must look like a pig that's been overcooked on one side."
"I'm glad this amuses you!" Diana gritted trough her teeth, once again holding herself back from reaching for the girl's throat.
"Sorry, I'll put on the balm now."
Diana flinched when Lux started rubbing the balm on her upper back.
"Relax, I won't hurt you." Lux assured her once again, but Diana's wounds where sensitive and traumatic memories fresh. However, Diana slowly relaxed into it. The balm felt cool on her skin and it was rather soothing for the fiery streaks on her back.
Lux didn't shy away from applying the balm on Diana's buttocks as well. She worked as if in her own trance and whistled petulantly.
"Now rest." Lux ordered when she was finished. "I'm sure you'll be good as new tomorrow."
And so it was tomorrow morning. When Diana awoke she hardly felt any pain. She had to see it for herself in the mirror so she quickly jumped off the bed.
"Ahhh!" Diana suddenly cried out in pain.
"What is it?!" Lux rushed over.
"My leg… I think it's a cramp!" Diana managed trough the pain.
Lux knelt down and started massaging Diana's calf.
After Lux set the muscle straight Diana sighed with relief. "Thanks, I guess I shouldn't have got down so quickly."
"Yea, you've been in bed for two days!" Lux scolded. She moved her skilful fingers lower and started massaging Diana's foot.
"That's ok, you don't have to…" Diana leaned back on the bed tying to wiggle out her leg form the girl's fingers.
"Stay still!" Lux snapped. "I don't want you hurting yourself again." Lux ordered moving her thumbs up and down the aches of Diana's sole.
This tickled Diana, but also somewhat aroused her. "That's enough!" She pulled back afraid that her desires might get the best of her again.
"Alright…" Lux whimpered disappointedly.
Then Diana walked over to the mirror to finally see that her wounds have almost completely and miraculously healed.
"The balm worked better than I thought." Lux whispered creeping up behind Diana.
"It was the will of the goddess, I tell you." Diana concluded putting her shirt back on. "She spoke to me in a dream."
"How come she speaks only to you? Why can't I even see her?" Lux once again doubted.
"Because you're not of Lunari blood." Diana explained.
"Oh… I see." Lux bowed her head.
"Don't feel bad about it." Diana walked over and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder." We're all of equal worth in goddess's eyes. One day you will meet her too. When your time comes, you'll return to her embrace."
"I'm not sure I believe all that…" Lux confessed. "…but I'm glad you don't think any less of me."
"Of course not." Diana confirmed. "Now, there was one thing the goddess mentioned. I should look into it before your father shows up. Do you have a library somewhere in town?"
"Yes! It's right here in the castle!" Lux took hold of Diana's hand and stated dragging her trough the hallway. "It's one of my favourite places!"
CHAPTER 6 – PREPARATIONS
"So, what are we looking for?" Lux asked once they got to the library.
"Books on magical creatures." Diana said.
"There's a whole section over here." Lux dragged her over to a large shelf filled with variously coloured books.
"Way too many…" Diana muttered placing her hands on her hips. "I need information on creatures that can potentially be controlled, and that are very large and powerful."
"I think I know what you need." Lux climbed up on the staircase and pulled out a few tomes from the top shelf.
They sat at the nearby table and Diana opened a large, green dust-covered tome. On one of the first few pages was a drawing of a big stone giant.
"That's Galio, I heard tales about him!" Lux exclaimed. "But they say he's been sleeping for many years."
"Says here that only light magic can wake him up." Diana underlined the line of text with her dirt filled fingernail.
Lux looked back at Diana knowing what's expected of her. "But I wouldn't know what to do? And what if I actually manage to do it, surely that'd make him angry." Lux argued.
"Don't worry. I'll be there to protect you." Diana assured her flipping the pages on. "After I've advised your father, we can look for Galio and anything else that looks promising.
By the evening they ended up with two leads, the sleeping giant and an ancient dragon. The dragon was a sentient one and it was supposedly last seen flying over the forested hills.
Diana and Lux put on their hoods and walked into the nearby tavern to find out more from the townsfolk. There they met a travelling Avarosan tracker who claimed he could guide them to the sleeping giant.
Lux was quick to shake hands on the deal, but Diana quickly pulled her back, wrapping her arm around Luxanna's neck. "We don't have that kind of money girl!" She exclaimed laughing and pulled Lux away to the bar.
Avarosan guide followed them to make another offer, this time a significantly lower one, but yet again Diana refused.
Lux was confused by this behaviour. "That sounds like a good deal." She whispered to Diana. "And I have more than enough…"
Diana shushed her before she turned back to the guide. "Lower that by two coins and we're in!" She demanded.
The guide twirled the end of his pointy beard. "One coin less is all I can do."
"Alright, it's a deal." Diana shook his hand. "Meet you here tomorrow morning?"
The guide nodded.
"Come on, let's go get our gear." Diana said dragging Lux away.
"Why did you stop me from talking in there?" Lux asked once they where back on the muddy street.
"Listen, I know money is no issue with you, but you can't let the whole tavern think your coin pouch is overflowing. Not unless you wish to wake up with a dagger in your back."
"This isn't Noxus, you know?!"
"There's crime everywhere princess, yours are just more subtle than most. Was it not you that wished to shorten my stature some time ago?" Diana reminded her.
Lux looked away in shame. "I would have helped you if I could." She muttered looking up at Diana who walked on with a stone cold expression.
Later than night Diana met with the king over a large table map. There they discussed where to send out scouting parties to find traces of void activity. The king still feared an attack from Noxus which is why he wanted majority of his forces on their regular assignments.
"Fine, this should be enough for now." Diana accepted. "Once we have a better overview we can call for others into our alliance." Diana made sure to leave it ambiguous. If she said she wanted Noxus to join in as well, that would surely put the king in a bed mood.
"Alliance against this threat is something we have to consider." The king agreed, being equally ambiguous. "But we'll discuss that another time."
Diana nodded. "Meanwhile I will go on a mission of my own, and possibly recruit some help for our cause." Diana said, making sure to omit that she intends to bring the princess along.
"Good, good." The king murmured.
CHAPTER 7 – GIANTS
Tomorrow at dawn, Diana's horse was ready and packed with supplies. Lux sat behind her and put on her hood. Before meeting the guide Diana led them trough some back alleyways to shake the king's spies, than the three of them on two horses went straight out the back gate.
The journey trough the forest took two days, but when they finally reached a mountain of stone which resembled a huge winged giant the guide jumped off his horse. Diana put a sack of coins on the palm of his hand and the Avarosan's was on his way.
"Let's get up close." Diana dismounted helping Lux down as well.
From a far Galio looked like a mouldy hill, but standing underneath him Lux and Diana could see what resembled a head.
"How do we get up there?" Lux inquired.
"That's why I brought a rope!" Diana exclaimed with a satisfied smirk and went over to fetch it out of the saddlebag. She made a noose and hooked it around Galio's crown.
Lux slowly climbed up with difficulty.
"Lean backward!" Diana shouted from the ground.
Lux listened to Diana's advice. She climbed up the second half with much more ease, but now came the scary part. Lux tried whispering to Galio, but he didn't respond, she tried casting a light beam at his face, but once again the giant was still.
"What are you doing?!" Diana shouted form below.
"Just give me a moment, I'm trying!" Lux snapped back. She didn't want to let down Diana, so she felt the pressure. "Ok, focus…" Lux whispered to herself. She closed her eyes, clasped her hands and channelled all of her light magic into them. She felt her palms warm up as if they where hit by the scorching sunlight, than she laid her hands on Galio's eye.
Suddenly the white hill begun to shake as Galio awoke. The giant stood up and spread out his wings. Lux would have fell off is she didn't manage to grab onto Galio's stone shoulder.
Galio then noticed a small creature on him so he tried to swat it off with his giant stone hand.
Lux saw it coming so she jumped off hoping she'd survive the fall.
Luckily Diana was below so she managed to catch Luxanna and with her own body soften the princess's fall.
Lux got off Diana who let out a painful grunt, but there was no time to check on her. When Lux turned around she saw that Galio had raised his leg and aimed to stomp them both into a bloody puddle on the ground.
Lux screamed and instinctively fired off a beam of light up into the sky.
When Galio saw that he shook his head. "Lady of light?" He asked in his deep murmuring voice that befitted such a large creature.
"Yes… I'm… lady of light." Lux said looking up into the giant's, now glowing blue eyes.
"Sorry… Galio confused."
"It's ok, we're friends. I'm Luxanna Crownguard, the princess of Demacia and this is Diana."
"Di… a… na!" Galio repeated.
Diana was bruised, but fine. She and Lux talked some more to the giant. Galio turned out to be truly gentle, and the only reason he attacked was his disorientation after a decade long sleep. The only thing that bothered him though, was that he had forgotten the name of his creator. It was a mage that created him, he recalled, and he could still remember her face, though not the name.
Lux comforted him and Diana explained everything she knew about the void. Galio agreed to help them as long as they helped him find his creator. Lux didn't know Galio's age, but the mage he was looking for might already be dead, she realized. However she assured the giant that she would search the entire library if she had to and find the information about his creator.
On Galio's swift wings Diana and Lux soon reached the second location of interest. There, above the forested hills flew a majestic black dragon. Galio followed after him until eventually the dragon landed down on the clearing.
Galio landed right next to the dragon.
"Why are you following me?" The dragon spoke in serpent like hissing voice, but it was in common tongue so everyone understood.
"Let me…" Diana said before anyone else spoke. "We need your help to fight the void."
"Why should I help? Why should one do anything other than rest and feed?" The dragon hissed.
"Ohh… it's a philosophising dragon." Diana smirked. "Well… the void wants to feed on all living things and that includes you." Diana pointed.
"Hmm…" The dragon murmured.
It took some more convincing but eventually the dragon saw reason and agreed to assist them.
Galio then took Diana of his shoulder and placed her on the ground. "You go on dragon." He said pointing to the large black creature.
"Ok, big guy, I see what it's like." Diana accepted. "I just want to say that you wouldn't like her better if you knew her." Diana said with a smirk.
Lux smiled as well. It pleased her to know that Diana had put everything that happened behind them. She was now merely joking about it.
When they landed back in Demacia's capital Lux and Diana garnered opposite reactions from the crowd.
Diana on a spiky black dragon with long mean-looking jaw was a vision of darkness. The crowed scattered when she landed and flinched back at her sight. Children turned away and hid behind their mothers.
Lux shined in her silvery Demacian armour on the shoulder of white stone giant. They where greeted as protectors, the lady of light and Galio, the bulwark of Demacia.
There was no time to sate the curiosity of the gathered though. As soon as Lux and Diana dismounted they where intercepted by the king's messenger. The message was the same for both, the king wished to see them immediately.
CHAPTER 8 – ALLIANCE
Lux was worried as she walked next to Diana up the staircase to her father's war room. Whenever he called for her with urgency it was never anything good. "Maybe he's mad because we took off without saying anything." Lux pondered.
"I did mention I'd go recruit help." Diana said.
"Well, good for you!" Lux snapped.
"Don't worry, if he's mad about it, I'll say I talked you into it."
"He won't believe you! He knows I'm strong willed!" Lux argued.
"Are you really?" Diana smiled reaching over to pinch Lux above the hip. "You're not modest though."
"Whatever, let's just get trough this." Lux blushed frowning as she pushed open the heavy double doors.
"Good, you're here." The king greeted them.
"And we brought help." Diana walked over to the window and pointed to the two large creatures in the middle of the square.
"That's good news Diana!" The king patted her on the back.
"You're daughter helped as well." Diana felt like she had to say, despite the signals Lux was trying to inaudibly send her. She really didn't want any credit.
The king looked confused for a moment.
"Don't worry, I kept her safe. She did a good job."
"Fine than." The king accepted. "Let's go over to the table. I'm afraid I have some bad news." The king circled a peninsula on his war map. "My gryphon scouts have spotted a large, unnatural gathering of creatures here. And there's apparently a large tear in the ground on that very spot."
"Yes, it must be the main source of the void!" Diana exclaimed. "A void spirit can posses a beast with ease." She explained. "It can even merge creatures together form a new one… such as the one who's head I brought here." Diana reminded.
Lux and her father nodded, listening with patience and attention.
"So what do we do?" The king asked after a pause.
"The demon army is forming. If the swarm spreads, I'm not sure we'll be able to stop it. Our best hope is to gather everything we have and launch and assault on the peninsula." Diana tapped on the map.
"Only a narrow entrance from the ground, but we can assault by sea… if Bilgewater helps." The king pondered scratching his beard.
"And we'll have a dragon and a giant assaulting from the sky."
"And an entire elite gryphon squadron." The king added.
"We'll need a lot still." Diana reminded. "The void is unlike any enemy your armies have ever faced. Do not underestimate it, it has no fear."
"We must call the leaders off all nations for a meeting then." The king said. "We need to convince them to form an alliance until this threat is resolved. I'll go write a letter right now." He said walking off towards the door.
Diana reached over and grabbed the king's hand to stop him.
The nearby guards reacted pointing their spears in Diana's face.
"At ease!" The king dismissed them. "What is it Diana?" He asked.
"Make sure you send a massage to all the leaders, including Noxus." Diana said.
The king looked away for a moment. "They do have some of the finest ground troops in Runeterra. It would be nice to have them on our side."
"It might make the difference between life and death." Diana said with sombrely.
"I know." The king nodded. "I'll send a message, but I'm not sure they'll even respond."
"We must do what we can… the rest is up to the goddess." Diana said looking up at the ceiling.
The king seemed curious, but there was no time to inquire what goddess Diana spoke of, so he simply nodded and went off to fulfil his task.
After the king left the room, Diana returned to the war table to have another look at the map.
Meanwhile Lux stared up at her with admiration and awe. She never saw anyone change her father's mind so easily, especially regarding to Noxsus.
CHAPTER 9 – THE BATTLE
When the day of the battle finally came, it was all going as planed. The demons burned from the dragon fire, they where crushed by Galio's heavy stone fists, a barrage of cannonballs ripped trough their ranks and a hail of arrows fell upon them from the bows of skilful Ionian archers. On the front lines, the heavily plated Demacian and Noxian troops fought side by side cutting down two demons for every one of their casualties. Then suddenly a tear in the ground that must have led down to the very core of the void belched out. The mysterious purple glow engulfed everything, even reaching high up into the sky like an all pervasive mist. Then the mist unexpectedly pulled back into the hole, pulling everything and everyone down with it.
Lux herself was pulled down into the black nothingness which was the very essence of the void. It was all a trap, she realized. The void tricked them and everything was lost, even the thoughts where now slowly vanishing from Luxanna's mind. Then she woke up screaming in terror.
"What is it?" Diana rushed over to her bed.
Lux sat up on her bed, breathing heavily and frantically looking around. Then she reached over to hug Diana. "It's a trap, we mustn't attack the void or it will pull us all in inside itself!" Lux muttered crying into Diana's shoulder and squeezing her as tightly as she could.
"That's nonsense… you just had a bad dream."
"No, it will happen if we don't call off the attack!" Lux insisted. Something about the vividness of the nightmare made her think it was a warning sent from someone or some thing.
"The goddess assured me, everything is going as planed."
"Than she is a liar! A demon in disguise!" Lux snapped. Her frustration with this entity that Diana worshiped and constantly consulted for direction finally rose up to the surface.
Diana looked at Lux like she wanted to strangle her. The word liar and the slender of what she considered most precious nearly pushed her over the edge, but she managed to stop herself. She pulled away from Lux and left the room without another word.
Lux spent the entire day looking around for Diana, but in the end she wasn't able to find her. However, she knew where Diana will be in just a couple of hours. She'll be attending the grand meeting of the alliance of Runeterra. The entire town was in an uproar about it. Demacian soldiers barred off the main road to the castle to welcome leaders of nations that came one by one with their guards and advisors in tow. Espcially large was the Noxian retinue, but it was a miracle they even showed up. Whatever Lux's father wrote in that message must have convinced everyone to take the matter seriously. The forming of alliance would be just a formality, Lux figured, which would be a great thing if they weren't all playing right into the void's hand.
Lux knew that somehow she had to stop this plan or the conjoined army will be swallowed and the rest of Runeterra surely doomed.
Lux used her magic to sneak into the meeting room. She blinded the guards and ran into a large circular room. Looking around she saw leaders of every nation with their advisors sitting in three rows. Lux recognised some of them, there must have been around 50 people all together, those that would decide the fate of Runeterra.
The bear-skin clad group of Freljordians stood up.
"What is this?!" A Noxian representative pointed his finger at Lux in an accusing manor.
"It's my daughter, excuse me." The king said already rushing towards her.
"Stop! I have to say something!" Lux shouted out, but her voice wasn't strong enough to overpower the increasingly murmuring crowd. Lux than gathered all the magic she felt coarse trough her body and released it with a scream.
Suddenly the room was silent and everyone was bound in place. Unable to move from the spot they all turned their sights to the blonde girl in the middle of the room.
Lux looked over to her father. His shocked expression had frozen on his face as he realized his daughter just used magic, and used it to disturb the most important meeting that ever took place on Runeterra. There was no going back now, Lux realised. She had to show everyone what will happen while she still had the energy to maintain the spell.
"I will now show you a vision of what will happen if you go trough with the assault." Lux closed her eyes and went trough her memory to recall the nightmare exactly in the order it happened.
Everyone else outside saw the images of her nightmare playing out in a cloud of light emanating from Luxanna's forehead.
Lux herself wasn't sure if any of this was working, her sole focus was on reliving the nightmare, and on the end of it she felt the same empty and desperate feeling she felt this morning.
Finally Lux collapsed on the floor, and everyone was released form her binding spell. Her father and her aunt rushed to her side and picked her up from the floor.
"Did it work?" Lux muttered regaining consciousness.
"Yes, we all saw your vision." Lux's aunt assured her, while her father gazed at her with concern.
"Diana! Where's Diana?" Lux stood up looking around. She caught Diana's angry gaze up from the third row. Then Diana rushed out slamming the door behind her.
"Diana! Wait!" Lux ran out of the room after her. She stumbled forward nearly falling, still drained from the vision and the spell.
Lux's father and aunt followed Lux outside. They happened upon an unusual scene in the hallway. Lux was on the floor and she had her arms wrapped around Diana's ankle.
"You've ruined everything! Let me go, I'm leaving!" Diana shouted trying to shake the crying, slobbering girl off her leg.
When finally Diana managed to kick Lux away, she turned on her heal and went right for the exit trough the well lit, red carpeted hallway.
Lux's aunt picked her up from the carpet.
"Somebody stop her! Diana!" Lux dropped down to her knees, not having enough energy to even stand now. "Please stop her, I love her!" Lux shout after Diana as she vanished trough the dark doorway. She wasn't sure if Diana even heard that last part. "I love her…" Lux repeated to herself quietly as if she just realized it. When she looked up she saw the confused faces of her aunt and father. Not only did they found out she had magic, but also that she was in love with another woman. They must have hated her, Lux figured, but she had to try. " Auntie…" She reached out whimpering and wiping her tear stained cheek with her sleeve.
Tianna's usually strict expression softened and she knelt down and embraced her niece.
"Please stop her from leaving town auntie." Lux sobbed into her shoulder.
"You know that's not what we do here Luxanna. We don't keep people against their will, at least not without a reason. She's free to go…"
"Perhaps not…" The king intervened. "If she collude with the void to lure us into this trap, she should answer for it."
"No, she had nothing to do with it!" Lux assured her father. "She was acting with best intentions, I'm sure of it!"
"Alright, than we can't keep her here."
"I know…" Lux accepted.
As her aunt helped her up of the floor a small group gathered around them. Most other leaders and representatives kept their distance to allow the Demacian king to resolve his family matter, but the Noxian representative and few others where not so tactful.
They hounded Lux for further explanations while her aunt held her up on her feet.
"If the direct assault is not the answer, than how do we fight the void?" The Noxian representative asked.
"Direct assault…" The king scoffed. "That's all you Noxian's understand."
"Stop it!" Lux snapped at her father with all the strength she had left. "Reigniting the war between our two nations certainly won't help. We must use this peace to fight the void… though there's no fighting the void…" Lust stared off into space.
"You're not making any sense girl." The Noxian said aloud what everyone else thought.
"We must accept the void. It is a part of us." Lux explained. "Best we can do is control it. We can fight it and we have to, but… we can never stop the hunger and the desire as long as we are alive. Yes, the desire…" Lux mumbled. Even surrounded by so many people she felt the need to close her eyes and imagine Diana taking her into her arms and kissing her.
"Alright, that's enough!" Tianna snapped. "Can't you see the poor girl is barely standing, let's get you to bed Luxanna."
"Thank you auntie." Lux managed and leaned onto her shoulder.
Lux indeed managed to save everyone, but she lost Diana. That day she realized that everything has a price.
Lux slept for two days, and than it took her a few more to gather the will to finally get out of bed.
That night Lux stared up at the stars. She wondered if Diana was doing the same, if she would ever return… if she was happy, or just another lost soul stuck in her mind.
THE END