Thanks to everyone for reading so far! Man, I've gotten a LOT of phenomenal feedback on this fic, far more than I anticipated. Y'all have been a WONDERFUL audience, and I'm humbled with each notification I get.
We're getting into a bit of a somber part of the story, so fair warning there. Many of you probably already know Veigar's backstory, but for those that don't... just brace yourselves :O
Part of why I think Veigar and Lulu are so perfect for each other is the common plights they've shared. Isolation, being outcast, suffering due to the magic they wield, etc.
But what I find is MORE important is that they have similar yet VASTLY different pasts. Veigar suffered horrendously and rejected the world because of it. Lulu had a delightful past in the Glade, but found that the world rejected HER for it. This obviously lead to two very different people, but they compliment one another so well, I'm speechless there isn't MORE of a following for this. Maybe I'm just gushing, but I wanted to share that with y'all.
Anyways, the next chapter should be up soonish. I have a solid idea of what each chapter will focus on for the rest of this Act, so it's not like I'll have to sit around waiting for inspiration to strike me. Look forward to more fluff in the next few fics 3 ~Aurora
"W-w-hy d-do m-m-m-mountains have to be s-so COLD!" Lulu exclaimed, trudging her way through the knee high snow. Large pines loomed overhead, swaying slowly in the wind. Lulu suppressed a shiver as a blast of cold air swept down the hillside, nearly bowling her over. Stooping over, she breathed hot air on her hands to warm them, taking in her surroundings. Pix could have warmed her with magic if he were here, but Veigar had insisted on privacy. He wasn't happy about it, but Pix agreed to remain at home.
Veigar had indicated on a map for her where his mansion was located. Unfortunately for her, it was surrounded with various runes and wards that prevented her from simply transporting into his bedroom. She grinned to herself, imagining how much of a scare she could get out of Veigar with a stunt like that. Glancing upwards, her eyes glittered with wonder as tiny flakes of ice drifted from the weeping clouds hanging above.
A small crystal danced downwards, landing on the tip of Lulu's nose. She sniffled a little, staring cross eyed at the tiny work of art adorning her face. Lulu hadn't experienced snowfall since she was a small child. It never snowed in the Glade, and her new home was close enough to share in its effects without experiencing any of the time distortion found inside the Glade itself.
Dusting the snow off the shoulders of her blue winter coat, she continued her trek up the mountainside. I pray to whatever god is listening that I find his home soon. It is FAR too cold out. Lulu thought, squeezing her arms tightly to stimulate blood flow.
As if responding to her plea, her next footfall met with the solid spring of a cobblestone road. She smiled with relief, pulling herself out of the snow mound and fully onto the path. The stones snaked up the hill in a zigzag pattern, the end vanishing in a thick fog. Lulu smirked, recognizing the use of illusion magic. Skipping down the trail, she excitedly pushed through the shroud, only to be greeted with a snowball to the face.
She spluttered with surprise, wiping her face clean with her cloak. As her vision cleared, she was just quick enough to see Veigar readying another throw, grinning from ear to ear. "You wouldn't dare, Vei!" Lulu shouted, still cleaning snow out of her hood.
He chuckled. "Don't act so surprised. I'm the master of Evil!" Veigar hurled the packed snow towards her without mercy. Lulu rolled out of the way, sliding to her feet with a snowball of her own in hand. Rearing back her arm, she lobbed it high in the air, missing Veigar by a mile. He smirked, watching her throw sail harmlessly above his head.
"Your aim is off today, Lu!" Veigar said playfully, stooping to craft another icy projectile. She smirked in response, pulling out her staff. Waving it in the air, she shouted "Humongify!" Instantly the snowball grew ten times it's normal size, easily twice the size of the now wide eyed Veigar standing beneath it. The sudden change in mass heavily altered it's velocity, dropping it right on top of him.
Lulu smiled triumphantly, trotting over to Veigar's buried form. His head popped out of the engorged snowball, gasping for air. "Should I get a carrot to use as a nose?" Lulu asked innocently, giving Veigar a wink. He snorted indignantly, giving Lulu a less than convincing glare.
"Yea you got me. Now get me out of this snow already!" He snapped, smiling in spite of himself. Lulu obliged, summoning her shield around Veigar, pushing the snow off of his now shivering form. Extending a finger, Lulu booped his nose and giggled. "I like you better with your hat off!"
He nodded. "It can get a bit stuffy having that thing on all day. It's nice being able to go without it. I'll confess, I was worried my scar might scare you off. It's not exactly attractive."
Lulu took his arm gently, standing on her toes and pulling him close. She planted a kiss on his forehead, directly above the scar. Pulling back, she gave Veigar a soft smile. "Vei, there isn't a thing on this planet that could scare me away from you. I'll always be here, ready to greet whatever the world has in store for us!"
Despite the cold, Veigar felt heat rising in his cheeks. Shaking his head to clear some of the snowfall in his hair, he gestured for her to follow him inside. She might not be so sure after what I show her tonight, Veigar thought grimly, guiding Lulu past a few well hidden traps.
Their approach to Veigar's mansion was made in silence, largely due to how awe stricken Lulu was by it's majesty. The manor was definitely nothing to sneeze at. Veigar had spent most of his life constructing it, a retreat during the more stressful years. The entire mountainside was covered in misleading wards and spells, designed to trick rather than kill. If all those traps were lethal, I'd have an angry mob on my doorstep by the end of the week. Veigar thought, pushing open the large oaken doors. The entrance swung wide, the hinges groaning in protest. Stepping into the impressive foyer, Veigar turned, arms outstretched.
"What do you think? Not too shabby, if I might be so bold." He gestured to the columns, each uniquely carved to detail one of his many adventures. Spotting a particularly gruesome depiction, he darted over to it and stood between the stele and Lulu.
"Veigar… it's amazing! Did you really make all of this on your own?" Lulu said, gazing with wide eyes as she made a slow circle in the center of the room. She wanted to take it all in, but there was too much to look at. Large half arches sloped into peaked roofs, giving the ceiling an extra height. A multitude of exotic paintings hung on the walls, depicting people Lulu didn't recognize. An ornate obsidian chandelier hung from the high roof overhead, suspended on a glittering crystal chain. The room felt so large Lulu swore she could hear the soft echo of her voice.
Veigar nodded, gesturing to the staff in his hand. "My magic did most of the work. I did a few carvings by hand, but quickly learned I didn't have a knack for art. The only talent I really possess is magic."
Lulu giggled. "And kissing!" Veigar blushed, the red highlighting his pale blue cheeks. Clearing his throat, he gestured towards the grand staircase, an enormous spiral that speared the ceiling above them.
Groaning, Lulu stepped up next to him, eyeing the steps mournfully. "First you make me hike up an entire mountain, and then you make me climb your big staircase?"
Veigar laughed and pulled her onto the first run. He reached out with the butt of his staff, tapping the aged wood. Lulu felt her stomach lurch as the entire staircase began to move, slowly rotating upwards. She giggled, mesmerized by the magical contraption.
"You think I planned my house out so poorly that my main study would only be accessible by climbing this monstrosity?" Veigar said, taking her hand in his as they took a few steps up the moving spiral.
Slowing to a halt, Lulu took in the enormous room nestled directly above the lobby. Bookcases lined the walls, housing hundreds of tomes in a variety of languages. Large bay windows gave a stunning view into the valley below the mansion, despite the snowfall. Piles of books laid strewn about the study, giving the room a lived in feel. Lulu inhaled deeply, enjoying the crisp smell of paper mixed with the sharpness of ink.
Another scent caught her attention. Powerful, yet muted. Almost as if… she sniffed again, following the scent, her eyes closed as she focused. The smell tickled her nose, entrancing her with it's unique flavor. Almost like lavender, but not quite as pungent, she thought. Inhaling deeply, she started. "It smells like purple!"
Veigar coughed and Lulu opened her eyes. She was nearly on top of him, her face buried in the crook of his neck. Stepping back in shock, her eyes quickly went pink. Veigar matched her step, catching her hand in his own as she backtracked. Leaning in, he softly gazed at her eyes.
"Have I ever told you that I absolutely adore the way your irises reflect your emotions? It nearly warms my dead heart each time I see it." The pink spread to her cheeks. Lulu spluttered, unable to form a coherent response. Cackling, Veigar released his hold on her, taking a few steps into his study.
"Make yourself at home, Lu. There's not a lot to do other than read around here, but I promise I can make up for the boredom." Lulu's head was still spinning as the butterflies in her stomach devoured her inside out, but she managed a weak nod. Veigar smirked, then strode over to his deck. Kneeling, he pulled out an ancient leather bound book, adorned with a strange symbol on the front. Dropping it on the table with a thud, he pulled it open, leafing through yellowed pages as he searched for something.
Coming to her senses, Lulu approached Veigar and peered over his shoulder, but she couldn't make heads or tails of what was written on the pages. The text was nearly indecipherable, seeming to move as she stared at it. "What's written on the pages, Vei?"
Veigar glanced back at her, then pointed at a large piece of shifting text. "This details instructions for a ritual to peel the flesh from a man's bones." Lulu went green a little, shoving Veigar lightly in protest. He chuckled, saying "You asked."
He stopped on a page adorned with a single symbol, shaped sort of like an upside down Y with a circle through the bottom. Pulling off one of his gauntlets, he placed his bare hand on the page, closing his eyes. Lulu ogled his hand, surprised to see how well tended and smooth the skin was. Veigar started to hum, pulling Lulu's attention back to him. Black energy seeped from his fingers, swirling around the symbol in the center of the page. A beam of black flashed out of the book, colliding with Veigar's head. He stumbled backwards, barely catching himself on a stack of books piled behind him.
Lulu dashed over to him, kneeling beside his panting form. "Are you okay!? What was that?"
Groaning, Veigar rubbed his head, nursing the throbbing headache. "A spell I have to cast every day. It keeps me going through the pain, so I can do what I have to." Using Lulu for balance, he pulled himself to his feet. Stumbling, he plopped down on a stack of blank paper.
Lulu frowned, reaching for his head to re-administer her magic. Veigar stopped her, giving Lulu a mournful stare. "Lulu, what I have is incurable. You can't keep burning your magic like that every time I have a headache, you might damage yourself from overuse."
Shaking her head, she pushed past his grip, placing both her palms on his temple. "This is the least I can do for you. You can't ask me not to help after seeing something like that." Closing her eyes, she channeled her Fae magic into her palms, kneading at that same black thread. Veigar sat still for a while, watching her intently. Lulu's brow furrowed and she pushed on Veigar a little more forcefully, encountering a particularly ragged knot.
The magic sparked and Lulu gasped with pain. Veigar reacted quickly, grabbing her hands and severing the magical link. Swaying precariously, Lulu looked like she was about to faint. Veigar rushed to her aide, catching her mid fall. She looked up drowsily, locking eyes with him.
"There's… so much pain. Oh Veigar." Tears swelled in her eyes as she reached up, tracing his cheek with her fingers. Veigar smiled sadly, resting his palm on Lulu's head.
"Don't worry, Lulu. I've been living with this pain for a long time. It's nothing I can't handle." Lying to Lulu was exceptionally painful, but he didn't have the heart to explain how much worse the pain had been lately.
"How… how did it happen? How did you end up like this? Who DID this to you?" Yellow flared in her eyes as she asked. They look just like mine, Veigar thought with concern.
"This is the reason I brought you here today, my sorceress. Although I admit, I'd hoped to avoid this." Veigar clenched his fists together, steeling himself.
"My story has a rather nasty beginning. How much do you know about me, really?" he asked, eyeing her nervously. Lulu pursed her lips, contemplating.
"Well, I know that you SAY you're evil, even though you've been nothing but nice to me. You wield a lot of dark magic, and that always comes with a price. More than anything else, what has struck me about you is your sense of justice. I can see the burning desire you have for peace, although I'm not sure where that comes from." Giving him a smile, Lulu snuggled against his chest. Veigar shifted uncomfortably, trying to ignore the feelings that came with having a beautiful yordle like Lulu in his lap.
"I'm not surprised you haven't heard about my past. Most people in the League weren't even alive that long ago." Veigar took a deep breath, then plunged into the thick of it. "I'm quite old, Lulu. Akin to you, in a manner of speaking. My life was unnaturally extended through the power inside me."
Frowning, Lulu pulled at his arm slightly. "Exactly… how long ago were you born? Do you remember the year?" she asked, an odd look in her eyes.
Veigar stared at her thoughtfully. "I haven't thought about that in a long time, but if it's currently 3056… I'd place it right around 2550."
Lulu's pupils widened with shock, but she sat in silence, letting Veigar continue. "When I was a boy, I lived in Bandle City, just like every other Yordle. My memories of my childhood are hazy, so take my word for it when I say I had a standard childhood. When I was older, I ventured to the outside world in search of knowledge. I joined an arcaneum full of mages studying the stars, and grew wildly powerful alongside my fellow scholars."
He grimaced, knuckles turning white as he clutched his staff. "Unfortunately, this drew the attention of Mordekaiser." Lulu recognized the name. It belonged to a champion of the League, a brutish man that constantly wore an intimidating suit of full armor. She'd been lucky enough to avoid him in matches, but knew very little about him.
"You were probably either in the Glade or not born during his time, but suffice to say he was a bloodthirsty warlord bent on world conquest. He damn near succeeded, thanks to a group of warlocks that used a well of power to make him virtually immortal.
"Abusing his near godlike state, he slaughtered the mages at the Arcanium, viewing them as a threat to his regime. He crushed the skulls of each and every one with his bare hand, save for me. For whatever twisted reason, he took a special liking to me. Most likely due to my Yordle nature. I was probably just a novelty to him" Veigar's features grew more taut with each word, the recollection clearly draining him. Lulu gripped his hand tightly, wordlessly trying to comfort Veigar as he continued his story.
"Mordekaiser imprisoned me in his Bastion. He tasked his servant of the time, the woman named LeBlanc, with my care." He spat the last word out like bile, his face twisting with rage. "I'm not sure what it accomplished, but at his behest, LeBlanc tortured me endlessly. She cast innumerable curses on me in attempts to break my will, and once I'd broken she just did it for pleasure. After an immeasurable amount of time, she and her master grew bored with me, locking me away deep inside the fortress." Lulu covered her mouth, eyes shaking with pain. Her dark blue irises glistened as tears formed, rolling slowly down her cheeks. Veigar pushed onwards, knowing that he'd never finish the story if he stopped here.
"I don't know how long I was down there. Weeks, months, maybe even years. Time lost meaning after a while. Whatever false hope I'd had of rescue had long since been lost to the pain. Ironically, it was after I'd given up that my prayers were answered. Mordekaiser was dethroned, his immortality stolen away. I've been told it was by LeBlanc herself, staging a quo to seize power for herself. With my captor dead and buried, I took my chance, gathering the pathetic amounts of energy I had left within myself. It was the first primordial burst I'd ever cast, and never had dark magic tasted sweeter." Veigar started as he felt a chill on his cheeks. The act of remembering was so intense that he hadn't noticed his own tears streaming down his face.
"By some twist of fate, it was early morning when I made my escape. I barely managed to survive the fall. I must have laid in a ditch for a week before I had the strength to find food. Ever since, I've been working to undo the curses placed upon me. LeBlanc has been a surprising help in that regard, freely offering solutions whenever I hit a roadblock."
Lulu frowned. "She can't just remove them?"
Veigar shook his head sadly. "If only it were so simple. The nasty thing about curses is that they're fueled by the magic of the victim. The more powerful the target, the more powerful the curse. There's a reason I have such an aptitude for black magic: they more or less infused my very essence with it to strengthen the curses."
Lulu felt sick. How horrific. I doubt ANYONE would have survived an ordeal. The sacrifices Veigar must have made to live through the experience… She refused to finish the thought, devoting her attention fully to Veigar as he finished his tale.
"My search of relics and desperate hoarding of magical knowledge has not been entirely for power. True, I've improved tenfold with my magic because of it, but the primary goal is to cure myself of the afflictions placed upon me. I've found success in most of my adventures, but not even LeBlanc can help me with the last curse. It's the same one you've been trying to help me with."
Nodding, Lulu caressed his face, wiping away his tears. "Do you know how to cure it?"
Veigar stiffened, then gave her a slight shake of his head. "There's only one solution. I'd have to surrender all of my magic. Now that it's the only curse remaining, it feeds off my magic like a parasite. With nothing to contest it's hunger, the curse has grown far beyond my abilities to remove it."
"And losing your magic would rob you of what is keeping you alive…" Lulu said with dawning horror. Veigar pulled Lulu into a fierce hug, trying to calm her whirling emotions.
"Lu, I promise I'll find another way. Before I met you, I'd given up all hope. Now I have something, someone, worth fighting for."
Lulu blushed in spite of her tears, hugging Veigar back, desperate to bring the scarred Yordle some measure of comfort. The two rested together in silence, laying on the floor together as they fought against their tumultuous feelings. Lulu was the first to break the quiet.
"I was there," she said. Veigar glanced at her with confusion.
"I was there four hundred years ago." She continued, eyes unblinking. "I was a child when you must have been captured. Right before Pix brought me to the Glade, I remember everyone in the Village acting… strange. Like something really bad had happened, but they didn't want to talk about it." With each word, Veigar's eyes grew wider and wider. "Back then, I'd always assumed it had to do with the harvest. That's all my mom ever spoke about. Now I know better."
Lulu clenched her fists tightly, drawing blood with her nails. "If only I hadn't been a stupid kid back then. I could have DONE something, instead of abandoning everyone I'd ever known. I don't regret my time in The Glade, but I can't help thinking what good I could have done if I'd stayed…"
Veigar leaned forward, silencing her regretful thinking with a well placed kiss on her teary face. Lulu shivered as his warm lips brushed against her cheeks, making her face burn with embarrassment. He smiled at her, cupping her chin with his exposed hand.
"If you hadn't entered the Glade, I would still be alone. Never doubt the choices you've made. Each of them lead you here, shaping you into the wonderful, stunning Yordle I see before me. If there's one thing I learned by all the suffering I've been through, it's that you need to cherish the good memories you have."
Lulu nodded, burying her face in his neck to hide the rising heat in her cheeks. Veigar chuckled softly, holding her closely. I'd forgotten what joy felt like, he thought, smiling to himself. He stared out the window of his study, the snowfall nearly obscuring the setting sun. With a start, he shook Lulu slightly. "Lu! Your family. You said you wanted to visit their grave today, right?" She nodded, rubbing her eyes and yawning slightly.
"Thanks for reminding me. I was nearly ready to fall asleep in your arms. For someone who acts so prickly, you're very good at snuggling." This time Veigar was the one to blush, turning away self-consciously.
Gathering her things, Lulu walked back over to the stairs, waiting for Veigar. He laughed, taking her hand in his and pulling her off the steps. She stared at him, confused. "Why are we not taking the stairs? We're going to lose the light soon."
Veigar nodded. "Exactly. I told you that your teleportation spells wouldn't work on the mountainside, but that was only partially true."
Lulu huffed with indignation. "You're telling me I walked all the way here in the freezing cold for nothing?"
Laughing, Veigar shook his head. "Now that would have been truly evil of me. The truth is, I brought you here for another reason." He stooped down, snatching a book from a nearby pile. Tracing his finger along the spine, he pulled the book open to a strange page. The paper was blank in the middle, the margins outlined in a trim of black runes. Veigar held the book towards her.
"Once you place your palm on this page, you'll be able to teleport to and from my mansion at will." Lulu's eyes lit up and she eagerly placed her hand on the sheet. She felt a tingle as dark magic swirled within her. Veigar smiled and set the book down, putting his hands on his hips.
"Now you can visit whenever you want, but I request that you let me know ahead of time before popping in. Sometimes my mansion isn't the safest place to be in, especially when I'm working with new relics I discover during my travels." Lulu nodded, too excited by the potential shenanigans she now had available to care. Veigar sighed, gently grabbing her hand with his own.
"You should be able to teleport us right to your family's grave." Closing her eyes, Lulu focused her magic into her staff. The two yordles became enveloped in a luminous pink light, then winked out of the manner, hand in hand.
Bamn. I hope that wasn't TOO sad for y'all. I definitely leaned into that a bit heavy towards the end. It always hurts to make my lovelies cry, but you can't have true joy without a lil sadness! Anyways on to comments 3
Guest on posted: I am ducking squealing in my head right now.
Response: GAAAAH. I know right? These two cuties are too much! I'm sorry for making them cry this episode tho. Plz don't hate me
Mangomangocat on posted: Dammit why isn't my follow showing up, anyways I fucking love your story, I am fucking having a full on awwwwwwwww at this. I love this. I absolutely adore this story.
Response: That is SO SWEET 3. I really appreciate the support. And not to worry! I got your follow notification just fine :3
That does it for reviews again! I love y'all, and I look forward to the feedback for the next chapter 3