Greetings, peasants! It is I, your grand empress. "But Aurora, what the hell is chapter 3.5 bluh bluh bluh"
Shush your mouth holes! I do what I want. On a serious note, I got a LOT of feedback that in Chapter 4, Lulu and Veigar's relationship progressed too quickly in comparison to it's development in Chapter 3. In a sense, people felt that they ended chapter 3 as friends, but the way they interacted in chapter 4 was far too familiar. Veigar already used a nickname for Lulu, they were INCREDIBLY flirtatious, etc. This chapter serves to bridge that gap! Sorry it wasn't chapter 6, that's in the works and should be out soon :3
Enjoy! (I will be doing comments on Chapter 6, not this one!)
Falling back with a start, Lulu popped her index finger into her mouth, eyes watering from the pain. Veigar sighed, bringing his palm to his face. "That's what you get for sticking your hand in a glowing fissure in the middle of nowhere." Veigar said, chiding her impulsive behavior.
She looked up at him and frowned, wiping her face. "Everything is so different out here. In the Glade, purple was never dangerous!"
Grimacing, Veigar cast a glance at his fingers as they crackled with his signature violet magic. "A lot of things are different now. The world has changed a lot in your absence."
Not sure how to respond, Lulu stepped to her feet, brushing sand off her skirt. Veigar glanced at her, then strode off deeper into the ruins. "Wait up!" Lulu called after him, snatching her oaken staff off the ground. Pix trailed behind her, glancing around warily.
"If we spend too much time out here, the desert sun will melt our brains to mush." Veigar said flatly, heaving himself over a steep dune. Why on Runeterra, Veigar thought, did I agree to come with this girl? She may have held her own in the Rift where there are rules in place, but in the real world she acts like a mewling babe.
He was beginning to regret opening up, especially to someone as crazy as Lulu. She holds no concern for her personal safety, Veigar continued grousing to himself. Shoving her hands in whatever looks the most interesting. He approached the Shuriman Temple, his eyes darting around in search of a way in. Frowning at the sealed entrance, he smacked the butt of his staff into the stone. Dark energy spread through the cracks like a sickness, ripping apart the impeding rubble.
Veigar pulled out a small map of the area, silently mourning the lack of information displayed. Most of Shurima's deserts were uncharted due to the dangerous creatures that dwelled within the dunes. Few dared venture beyond the occasional oasis, save for the odd adventurer or treasure hunter. Veigar was more than a match for the occasional dune rat or voidling that burst from the sands, but he was beyond menial tasks like mapping vast stretches of desert.
Sparing a glance back at Lulu, who was busy inspecting another void tear in the ground, Veigar pushed his way into the temple. Conjuring a ball of purple light, Veigar walked down the ramp into the ruins. He dragged his hand slowly across the wall, his gauntlet tracing a faded mural of Shurima's ancient history. In one of the scenes, a small girl is fleeing from a terrifying monster that towers over the landscape like a mountain. In the following frame, the girl was rescued by a glowing knight with the face of an animal. Intrigued, Veigar inspected the opposite wall, only to feel his heart sink. The entire west side of the walkway was ruined, massive pieces of the story ripped from the wall. He felt a crunch beneath his feet. Holding his staff towards the ground, Veigar illuminated a missing piece of the tale.
The young girl had become an adult, her hair so long it trailed behind her like a river. She was standing on a strange dais, accompanied by that same golden warrior. A beam of light shone from the sky, aimed directly at the girl's heart. He couldn't make out what the two figures were staring at. Veigar smirked and strode deeper inside. From what little he knew of the Shuriman kingdom, the mural was most likely depicting the so called heroics of their god warriors.
Blasting apart a large pile of rubble blocking the path, Veigar strode out of the hallway and into a strange room. Despite most of this temple being buried in the sands, an enormous moonroof hung over the the expansive chamber. Evening light beamed from the open ceiling, casting long shadows behind the weathered sandstone pillars lining the walls. Large pieces of rubble lay strewn about the sandy floor, cracked and worn from decades of decay.
Across the way, a dim green light illuminated an open door frame, casting an eerie shadow that stretched unnaturally towards Veigar. He strode forward confidently, summoning a faint translucent purple sphere around him. The shadows swelled up and crashed into Veigar's barrier like a tidal wave, attempting to push him back. Swinging his staff in a wide arc, he cut the darkness with his magic, filling the room with a violet glow. Now unassailed by the unnatural gloom, Veigar spied his prize; a green crystal dagger, floating over a hewn dais in the far room. Smiling triumphantly, he moved to recover the artifact.
A high pitched scream ripped through the air like an arrow, causing Veigar to stagger. He whipped his head around, eyes widening with panic. The ground underneath Veigar's feet began to tremble, and a loose piece of tile fell from the ceiling, nearly crushing him. "Lulu!" Veigar shouted back, hoping beyond hope his fear was unfounded.
I just made a friend, he thought, turning on his heels and sprinting for the entrance. I'm not going to lose her!
He slowed his retreat as the temple's shaking became more violent. If he went to save Lulu, the artifact would be lost. Already the columns surrounding him were buckling under the pressure, their weak foundations failing to support the massive amounts of sand looming above. Casting a glance towards the artifact, he sighed. Curse my weak will!
Retreating up the large ramp out of the ruin, he ignited his hand with a purple fire, his eyes an equally blazing yellow. He barely cleared the door before a crenulation collapsed, sealing the temple behind him. Mourning his lost relic, he cast his eyes around the clearing outside. He found Lulu quickly, her arms trembling as she held her staff out in front of her. Pix was floating directly over her, arms straining as he conjured a barrier around them.
Directly in front of her, a ravenous voidling hammered on her shield. The terrifying monster had purple chitin shingled across it's back, with razor sharp talons adorning six panicked limbs. The creature roared with hunger, flecks of purple saliva splattering from its razor filled maw. The glowing liquid splashed on the sand, igniting the grains on contact. With a roar of his own, Veigar hurled a blazing sphere at the creature. Colliding into the abomination's armored head, it careened backwards. The creature slammed into one of the dunes, throwing up a large dust cloud.
Veigar dashed over to Lulu, reaching down and offering her a hand. "Are you okay?" he asked, eyeing her over with concern. She nodded, shakily accepting his help.
"It came out of the ground! There was no warning and I didn't do anything to-" She stammered, her face panicked. Veigar pulled her into a hug, trying to calm the terrified yordle. The last thing he needed was for her to have a panic attack.
"It's not your fault, Lu. These things are aggressive to everything." Veigar frowned at his own words. Lu? Since when did I have a nickname for Lulu? Before he could puzzle out his surprising affection, the ground shook violently. Bursting from the dunes, three more voidlings took the place of the first. They howled with anger, clearly enraged by the loss of their friend. Veigar cursed his arrogance and moved protectively in front of Lulu. Twirling his staff, he began conjuring a barrier. One of the voidlings leaped at him, its claws slashing at Veigar's torso. Caught by surprise, the attack managed to scratch Veigar before he finish casting the protective bubble.
Sliding backwards a few feet, he collided with Lulu. She let out a surprised yelp as he knocked her to the floor. Shouting a battle cry, Veigar surrounded his scepter with a faint outline. Grasping the hilt with both hands, he slammed the top of his weapon into the creature's carapace. It cracked under the blow, throwing purple ichor in all directions. Some of the blood splattered onto Veigar's cloak, burning away at the blue fabric.
The wounded beast reared back in agony, blindly flailing its limbs. The shield bent under the force of the strike, knocking the wind out of Veigar but leaving him unharmed. The remaining voidlings rushed towards Veigar, fearful maws open wide. Veigar pulled desperately at his magic reserves, attempting to reinforce his barrier enough to withstand the blows of the three creatures.
Right as the voidlings brought their claws down on Veigar's barrier, an enormous boulder slammed into them. It flattened the three of them in one motion, smearing their corpses against the side of the crumpled temple. Veigar glanced back at Lulu, surprised at her elemental manipulation. Her eyes still wide with panic, she shook her head slightly.
"Two small stones out of place, far from home." A voice called, young and melodic. Glancing around, Veigar spotted a young girl coming towards them. Is she surfing on sand? Veigar thought, mouth agape. She rode across the dunes on a smoothed stone, her long red cloak billowing out behind her. Tassels tipped with rock swung wildly in the wind as she rode, her brown hair equally chaotic. Sliding to a stop, the girl sprayed the two friends with a wave of sand.
"Whoops, sorry! I'm still learning to control myself." The girl rubbed her head sheepishly, a grin plastered on her freckled face. Veigar heard Lulu heave a sigh of relief and felt her hand squeeze his shoulder. Grumbling, Veigar reluctantly let himself relax, lowering his staff.
Lulu approached the tanned girl with a smile. "Taliyah! I didn't know you were out here. Why are you so far from your village?"
Taliyah shrugged, pulling a canteen of water from her side and taking a quick drink. "I heard rumors that a couple of would be treasure hunters were searching for ancient Shuriman artifacts out here on their own. From the vague descriptions the nomads gave, they sounded ill prepared." Taliyah eyed the two yordles with suspicion. "I don't suppose they meant you, did they?"
This time Lulu was the one to act sheepish, averting Taliyah's piercing gaze. "We certainly weren't prepared, that was for sure! You really saved us back there."
Taliyah laughed, her voice akin to a songbird. "Anytime! I protect anyone I can out here in the dunes." Her laughter died in her throat as she spied the wounds Lulu was sporting. Taliyah quickly knelt in front of her, inspecting the cut above her eye.
"Was this from one of the voidlings? Often times their claws carry a deadly poison."
Lulu shook her head. "No, this was from a some rubble. When the voidling erupted from the ground, a piece of rock glanced my forehead. I'm fine, really! Veigar quickly came to my rescue, so I was never in too much danger." Lulu gestured to the grumpy yordle, who gave Taliyah a curt nod.
Taliyah frowned at him, fingers dancing nervously across a smooth rock tied to her belt. "This wouldn't happen to be the same Veigar I've heard stories about, would it? The self proclaimed master of evil who is responsible for the razing of several villages in Shuriman and Ionian territory alike?"
Veigar coughed but did not respond to her accusations. Taliyah's expression grew dark, a few stones floating around her now outstretched hand. "Lulu, I don't know why you're here with him, but if you need my help just say the word. I'll bury him in an avalanche of stone!"
Veigar's eyes widened. He hesitated, worried that if he moved to protect himself, the angry Shuriman girl would attack. Lulu quickly stepped between them, shaking her head fiercely. "You've got it all wrong, Taliyah! Veigar would never do something like that."
Glancing between the two yordles, Taliyah's stones whirled rapidly around her palm. Veigar wagered a guess that the girl's powers were tied to her emotions. Eventually, Taliyah relaxed, letting the stones fall to the floor harmlessly. However, she maintained her glower, staring daggers at Veigar. "Lulu, you seem like a nice girl. But if I catch you hanging out with a murderer like him again, I won't be so nice in our next encounter."
Whirling around, Taliyah let out a huff of indignation. A stone erupted from the floor, catapulting her off into the night. As soon as Taliyah was out of sight, Veigar slumped to the floor. Gasping, he pulled at his robes. Parting the tattered cloth, Veigar reveal a deep scratch oozing purple venom. Lulu cried out and fell to her knees, inspecting his wound.
"Veigar, this looks bad!" She exclaimed, her hand hovering slightly above the cut. Veigar grunted in agreement, the pain dulling his ability to respond.
"Maybe I should have had that girl frisk me over as well," he joked grimly. "She might have an antidote for this."
Clearly unamused by Veigar's attempt at humor, Lulu closed her eyes, brow creasing. Veigar observed her with interest, wincing occasionally as he felt the poison making its way through him.
"I'll be fine Lulu," Veigar said. "Dark magic may not be suited for healing, but I can certainly prevent my own death. I can probably stall it long enough to find a healer." He hoped his voice held enough conviction to persuade her. Maybe I'm trying to persuade myself, too. Veigar thought, eyeing the gouge in his flesh. The purple ooze had begun to fester, giving off an unpleasant odor.
Lulu didn't respond, her eyes still held shut tightly. Nervously, Veigar shook her shoulder. "Lu, there could be more of them. Leave me to-"
An explosion of magic burst from Lulu's hands, strands of pink and green intertwining in a complex pattern around Veigar's wound. Watching in stunned silence, Veigar felt the pain ebb as Lulu's power coursed through him in a way he hadn't thought possible.
"You're a healer?" He voiced, visibly confused. The closest to healing Veigar had seen Lulu perform was her Wild Growth spell, which was more of an enchantment than healing magic. She didn't respond, clearly immersed in her work. The wound was purified near instantly, returning to the natural teal color of Veigar's skin. Seemingly of its own accord, the skin knitted itself back together with expert precision.
Lulu let out a gasp, falling backwards into the sand. Bringing a hand to his side, Veigar didn't even feel a scar. He watched Lulu catch her breath in stunned silence, unsure of what to say. Glancing at him between gasps, Lulu let out a choked laugh.
"Cmon, Vei Vei. You're making me feel like a weirdo." She complained, still a bit breathless from her spell.
"Why… how? No, that doesn't matter. Why did you do something that is clearly so taxing? Draining your magic like that… you could have died." Veigar wasn't sure why, but he felt angry. She's an idiot! It's exactly as I thought, she has no self preservation.
"Because you're my friend." She said, pulling herself to her feet.
Veigar shook his head, dumbfounded. "Friends don't nearly kill themselves for one another. What you did was…"
Lulu let out a huff, her hands on her hips. "Vei Vei, I don't think you understand just how important you are to me!" Veigar's eyes widened as she continued, chiding him like a youngling.
"Your friendship is the first genuinely nice thing anyone has done for me since I left the Glade! Sure, people are polite to me. They give me common courtesies and even try and help, like Taliyah just did. But the way they look at me when they think I'm not watching…" She shivered, and Veigar knew from experience it wasn't because of the cold wind.
"But you! When we first met, I turned you into a squirrel ! Anyone else would have run away screaming or tried to kill me. Instead, you blustered and postured like you were trying to impress someone."
She smiled warmly at him. "Everyone keeps telling me how evil and cruel you are. I don't agree with any of them."
Veigar grimaced. "They're not exactly lying, Lu." Again with the shorthands.
He sighed, staring up at the night sky. "I've killed innocent people. More than I can count in the immediate moment. My entire purpose is conquering all of Runeterra. You can't get more cruel than that, save for the Void's all consuming hunger."
Lulu laughed. She laughed ! Veigar gawked at her. "Lulu?"
Her giggling stretched beyond the ruins, a comforting note in the silence of the desert night. Wiping a few tears from her eyes, she walked over to Veigar. "So what?"
Veigar threw his hands in the air with exasperation. "So what!? How can something like that be forgivable!"
She nodded. "You think you're the first person in my life to do something wrong? Tell me, Master of Evil ." Veigar didn't appreciate the jestful tone Lulu used. "If you are truly as evil as you claim to be, why do you want to conquer all of Runeterra?"
Veigar frowned. "To be the most powerful, of course."
Lulu smiled. "Are you not already?"
Pausing, Veigar recalled the moment of his temporary demise in the Arcanium. "No, I'm not." He said sullenly, turning his head to avoid her poignant stare.
"Will conquering everyone make you the most powerful?" She questioned, eyes glistening in the moonlight.
Veigar went strangely quiet at that, and Lulu worried she may have offended him. Eventually, he replied. "No."
"Then I ask again; why do you want to rule the world?"
Veigar mumbled something Lulu couldn't hear. She leaned in, hand cupped around her ear. "I'm sorry, I didn't-"
He whipped his head around, his golden eyes casting long shadows across his face in the darkness. "To make sure people like us are never mistreated again."
Lulu stiffened with surprise. "What do you mean, Vei Vei?"
"There's a reason," Veigar said, "I didn't kill you when we first met."
Smiling, Lulu struck an adorable pose. "My charming personality, right?"
He smirked. "Lulu, you're about as annoying as they come. You prod and poke without a care in the world for the privacy or safety of anyone, yourself included. Skipping around like you just don't care, you could even drive a robot insane."
Lulu's heat sunk as Veigar berated her, lip quivering slightly in protest.
"And yet... " Veigar continued, narrowing his eyes at her. "I can't help but smile when you're around. It's baffling, honestly. Despite your chaotic nature, I actually enjoy having you around."
Covering her mouth, Lulu suppressed a squee of joy. He actually likes me! She thought, a smile beaming behind her hands.
"The reason I didn't strike you down for your insolence," he continued, not paying heed to her contained outburst, "was because I recognized the look in your eyes. Despite the smile you maintained for our entire conversation, your eyes reflected a loneliness that very few of our kind have ever experienced. Loneliness like what I've lived through for the past several centuries."
The corners of his mouth curled into a sneer. "The people of this world shove aside anyone who doesn't conform to their vision. Yordles outcast anyone who won't sing the praises of joy and friendship, especially magic casters. If you visit Demacia, they parade through the streets like a paragon of justice. In reality, they imprison all of their mages in deep cells despite their innocence.
"We live in a world where those who want to do good are punished by people in power. I seek control so that no one will ever again experience what we've been through. Isolation and loneliness will be a thing of the past under my rule, and anyone who tries to deny my peace will be removed." His voice carried a quiet desperation, motivated by something Lulu didn't understand. Fists trembling, Veigar let out a ragged breath.
"Think of me what you will," He continued, casting a sideways glance at her as he paced. "I've already decided. Even if you vilify me, I will ensure that yordles like us never have to suffer ever again."
This was the first time Veigar had stated his intentions aloud. The voice he used while detailing his plan felt foreign, like someone else was forcing him to verbalize his machinations. His back to Lulu, he stared up at the night sky. I may lose my only friend for this, he thought, feeling her gaze boring into his skull. But I won't lie to her about my intentions.
He felt a hand gently clasp around his own. Hesitantly, Veigar lowered his eyes and met Lulu's stare. She held up Veigar's gauntlet, her fingers laced with his. "That doesn't sound evil in the least."
Lulu smiled warmly at Veigar, then yanked him into a fierce hug. Veigar stood awkwardly as Lulu nuzzled her head into his neck, unsure of how to respond. Eventually, he wrapped his arms around Lulu, relaxing in her grasp.
"For a Master of Evil, you sure are a lot of fun to hug" Her teasing made Veigar blush, but he did his best to take it in stride.
"Of course." He said, smirking. "Sometimes defeating an opponent requires deception rather than raw power."
Lulu giggled, bopping him on the nose. "Whatever you say, Vei Vei."
Veigar took her hand in his, meeting her gaze. "Can you not use that nickname? It's embarrassing, and hardly befits someone of my stature."
"Says the one who called me Lu! That's rather informal, don't you think?"
He laughed. "You got me there. I'm not really sure why, it just felt right. Do you not like it?"
Lulu blushed slightly, giving him a coy grin. "I think it's sweet."
Veigar made a grandiose bow, taking his cap off with a flourish. "Then if my lady request it, I shall henceforth address her as Lu."
Squealing with delight, Lulu clapped her hands together enthusiastically.
"Excellent!" She exclaimed, then held a finger to her lips. "Well, if you don't like Vei Vei… how about Vei?"
Veigar snorted. "Won't that get confusing if we ever talk to that gauntlet girl? If I remember correctly, her name is Vi as well."
Rolling her eyes, Lulu gave him a slight shove. "Like all three of us will ever be in the same place at the same time."
Grinning, Veigar gave her a nod. "If you insist. You may call me Vei, the Grandmaster."
Lulu shoved him even harder. "No way am I calling you Grandmaster!"
Grunting, Veigar fell on his butt. Her shove was surprisingly strong for someone so small. He snatched her hand, yanking her down next to him. The two continued throwing verbal jabs at each other as the night grew long, resting in the chilled sand.
After a while, Lulu and Veigar went silent, simply content with sitting next to one another. They stared up at the celestial expanse together, a beautiful cosmos of purple and blue shining overhead. Occasionally, Veigar would point out a constellation he recognized in the sky.
"Do you see those four stars over there?" Veigar pointed, guiding Lulu's eyes. "Those make up the constellation Dresmos, dedicated to a yordle astronomer who discovered it. It's supposed to look like a spyglass, but I can't seem to make it out."
Following his outstretched finger, Lulu held up her staff, tracing the stars together with a line of purple magic. Veigar gasped as Lulu perfectly outlined the shape of a spyglass.
"See, Veigar? You just have to look at things a little differently." She said, dispersing the image she'd drawn. "Once you do, everything makes a little more sense."
Veigar watched her as she continued to trace the stars together, making shapes from nothing. I think I'm starting to take your advice, Lu.
She gasped. "Veigar! What is this?"
Lulu gestured upwards. Veigar followed her pointing, then let slip a smile. Streaks of light sped across the dark heavens, flashing orange and yellow as they traversed the starry night.
"It's a meteor shower, Lu." Veigar himself had only seen a couple, since he was usually buried in his books back at home. He gripped Lulu's hand tightly, watching the spectacle.
"It's beautiful…" she murmured, her eyes reflecting the colorful flashes. She leaned into Veigar's shoulder silently, transfixed by the light show. Veigar silently thanked whatever god was listening, enjoying the wonders of the night together with his friend.