AN: Hey everyone~! Sorry for the delay of this chapter. I started writing this a while ago, but then I got my ass kicked by college. Since I'm done for the summer, I was finally able to finish this, and hopefully to write more! I think the next chapter will be the best. I hope you enjoy this one!
The smog in the air was quite heavy. As Lucy brought herself to her feet, she coughed, covering her mouth with her arm as she looked around. She brushed off as much soil as she could from her dress and socks as she could. It was dark here… really dark. Even with the hair in her eyes, she could normally see just fine, but she was having difficulty seeing properly. The trees were giving off a mysterious and spooky greenish-blue glow. As a matter of fact, practically everything gave off this bizarre, mysterious glow. Lucy smiled a bit to herself. While other people would find the vibe of this land to be spooky, Lucy found it rather pleasing. It was almost like of her stories came to life.
She took careful steps deeper into the forest. Oddly enough, she could see clearly into the forest now. The mist was illuminating the path, and there was a swamp of sorts. The water had that same, spooky teal mist coming off of it, akin to the glowing trees around the edge of the swap. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a blue streak speed by her. Was that a glowing horse she just saw? She shook her head and then asked herself, "does everything in this place glow?"
"Why yes, child, it does. It's the curse of the isles." A male voice replied to her, causing Lucy to be startled.
"..Okay…" Lucy replied, sounding indifferent to the scare she received. Frankly, she couldn't tell where that voice came from. It sounded so close, almost like it was from right behind her, but when she looked around, she saw no one. Does this mist talk now too? This place was getting creepier by the second. Maybe it was just the swamp she was standing by. She proceeds to follow the pathway. She felt like she was being watched and followed, but again, she couldn't see anything. She remained uneasy as she looked around, and nervously rubbed her arm as she kept walking. The further she walked down the path, the creepier this place got. The same voice from earlier started laughing, and manically at that.
"There is no need to be afraid, Lucy." It said, trying to reassure her.
"...How do you know my name?" She then asks,
"I know everything about everyone who steps foot on my island." The voice said to her, cackling for a moment before stopping. Lucy shook her head. Either she was losing it, or there really was someone following her and she couldn't see it. After walking a few more paces north, she came across ruins. Just like everything else on this island, the ruins were surrounded by this awkward mist, giving them a faint glow. She sees the stairs, and she walks up them cautiously, passing the angel statues on either side of her. She then came to a building. It was very nicely built and still in good condition, considering it was abandoned, and the ruins seemed to be thousands of years old, at least. She wonders what lies behind the door, so, she decides to push the door open, and walks inside. This looks like an abandoned church. She slowly walks down the aisle.
At the front of the church, the light shone through a hole in the shattered window, causing the altar to cast a shadow. The pews remained in almost perfect condition, even with some form of scripture books lying around. Lucy was impressed, yet slightly spooked at just how… perfect everything was. Well, that was until she must have found a spot in the floor where the floorboards were rotting, and it caved under her. Lucy gasped, as she was now tumbling to her inevitable doom. It was pitch black down here, so she had no idea just how far she had fallen. Suddenly, her fall was broken when… a glowing hook was wrapped around her torso. She clung to the chain, as she was being lifted back up.
"Hm. It's just a mortal. A child, at that. How adorable. She must be very lost to have stepped foot on this island." A voice said, as Lucy was plopped onto the ground. As she rubbed her midsection, where the hook wrapped around her, Lucy got a good look at who had just saved her- It was a… thing, with a male voice, and a floating face surrounded by spooky green mist. He wielded a scythe on a chain, which is what saved her, and also a giant lantern.
"Indeed. It's definitely one of the lost children from the other world. Just look at her- She certainly does not belong here. The voice of a blue-glowing woman said- she had beautiful long black hair, and wore a rather strange… headpiece. "Her name is Lucy, and she has ten other siblings, all of them also start with L."
"How did you know all of that?"
"The Mist informed me. It knows all. Welcome to the Shadow Isles, child. We are Kalista." The woman said with a rather… kind inflection as she gestures to the creature beside her. "This is Thresh. He is the warden."
Lucy nods. "Pleased to meet you. Do you think that any of my other siblings are here?"
"They aren't. However, we have reason to believe that there is one of you for each location on Runeterra." Kalisa said as she grabs her spear. "Come, we shall take you to the mainland so that you may at least try and find them. Before it's too late."
"What do you mean, before it's too late?" Lucy asked with concern.
"Before they fall into the wrong hands, or before the rift between our worlds close. I believe that you only have a few days here. Your sister is quite the genius. I'm sure she'll find a way. Thresh, come along. Take the child with you." She ordered.
"Are you giving me orders?" He asked as he gives her an annoyed glance.
"Yes. We're going to help. Now get a move on before I throw you to the boat." She threatened. With a sigh, Thresh grabs Lucy's hand. It was weird… his hand felt slightly warm, even though he wasn't human.
"Fine, fine. We better make this quick. This island needs me." He said, escorting Lucy as they followed behind Kalista towards the dock. As they arrived at the docks, Kalista prepared the boat, untying it from the dock and readying the sail. Once it was all ready, Thresh helped Lucy into the boat, and then got in himself. As they pushed off the shore of the Isles, Kalista looks and smirks at him. "Thresh, this is the nicest I've ever seen you treat a mortal."
"She's a small child. I am not a complete monster. Children deserve to be protected, and that's what we are going to do until she can get home." Thresh explained, as he looks at Lucy. Lucy gives him a small smile.
"What about myself?" Kalista asks, narrowing her eyes at him.
"And yes, you as well, dear Kalista. Do you know exactly where we're going, though?" He asks her.
"Erm… well, no, not exactly… I have a rough estimate, though. We shall begin our search where we first come to."
And they sailed on the open waters… coming up towards another island, it seems. Lucy squinted, and she could make out what seemed like pirate ships.
"Oh, wonderful, we're going to Bilgewater…" Thresh had remarked sarcastically.
"Please, it won't be that bad... I'm sure that whichever one of Lucy's siblings ended up here will be perfectly fine."
"Unless they step out of line… then they'll be executed and fed to the sharks as chum."
Lucy heard this and swallowed nervously. Kalista sighed and shook her head. "Honestly Thresh, did you really have to say that? You've scared the soul out of the child."
"Well, it's true." He said as he patted the scared girl's back gently. "There there… I'm sure that they're fine. Don't worry." He assures her. Well, Lucy couldn't help but be worried. Not all strangers would go out of their way to protect, let alone help out lost kids such as her. Perhaps the citizens would exhibit the same kindness to whoever fell from the sky on their island.