Here's for the latest chapter! Sorry, it took longer than it ever should be with school going on and all...
The hemomancer was angry. No matter how hard he tried, he can't see the logic behind working with The Deciever. Platin haired man never liked risking his own hide and working with Noxian women felt just like that. LeBlanc was a snake, a well-known one for biting even her closests. So when he made his way to Noxia for the final preparations, three days prior to their talk, Vladimir was grumbling.
"I can't fucking believe this." he murmured as he begin to disrobe. It was time for a new voyage and he needed to prepare it." LeBlanc!"
He took his shirt off first. Nothing too see under it, no well defined muscles, no toned abs like some other champions. Only a slender body with unblemished snow pale skin and long limbs. There were some scars of past on his back. Crosses never healed fully, Vladimir was guessing that they were the parting gift of his past mentor. Thin body's own fragility wasn't bothering Vladimir. His being was strong, far too strong than any other and his strength was not lying in his arms, nor in another muscle.
Grabbing a clean from the shelves stood around a mirror, serving as a impromptu armoire, Vladimir put it on. He wore only white, pure, cleaned by the same dry cleaner every third day of the week. Another color was not accepteable, nothing could go with crimson better than white. Black was the color of the peasants, no matter what people say about it.
He tied the laces in front of the shirt before reaching to his breeches. Black trousers were sufficient for the nature of the meeting. Not that Vladimir cared. Damn, it could be a royal diner and he still wore trousers and crimson robes. " Fashion is beneath me."
So as the humans that determines it. The hemomancer never saw others as his equals, be it the heroes or prodigal mages in the League. Even Jhin, surely he exceeds the borders of a normal man, but still was nowhere near Vladimir. People sometimes suprised when they heard that Vladimir was afraid of the virtuoso. Why wouldn't he? His attacks, at the same time, personally and not personally at all. Always hits too close to home, but never quite there. In the older days, when others didn't know the borders of Jhin, Garen made the mistake of calling the virtuoso as a madman in front of heroes. Jhin's eye smiled in response, after the night ended he left. Next day, he kidnapped Lux, leaving her staff on Garen's door as a warning. Half of the League tailed him, causing a fight that the Demancian legion Garen brought with himself scattered by the cannons of Gangplank's ship Fortuna, while an early times hero killed by Jhin, bringing Ezreal near death in a one on one fight. At the end Xin Hao found Lux in the jungle of Summoner's Rift, tied to the blue watchers rest. After incident summoners made new rules so heroes can't kill each other.
He finally grabbed his crimson jacket, also was a gift from his mentor. It was still early, but before departing there is still places Vladimir had to visit.
"No rest for the wicked."
His stop was a familiar one. Room of a summoner in the administrative wing of the League. He had to get a "blessing" from her before leaving for good luck.
Normally, every champion was free to left League after signing their papers and made it announced so no summoner try to summon them while they're absent. Officals like Caitlyn and military personnel like Darius could leave without notifying anyone but freelance ones such as Vladimir or Miss Fortune had to get an permission.
Procedure's itself was easy. Go find one of the summoners, tell them you want to leave for a time being and get your papers. The only problem was getting it announced. You see, when one wish to embark on a illegal trade business voyage, he never wants to be followed and with Caitlyn waiting on the side like a vulture, Vladimir had no chance but to take some precautions.
The hemomancer entered the room without knocking on the door. It was small and cramped, without windows it had to be lighted from inside and empty, save for the woman behind the desk in the room.
With slow steps Vladimir get inside, closing the door behind himself. Black colored wooden tiles squaled under his boots, whines of the wood echoing on the naked walls. Someone painted them black too, like trying to make the room appear darker than it has been.
"Vladimir?" a soft voice asked.
There she was. Behind her desk, her face hidden under the cowl of her ornated summoner robes. Golden threads were flowing on the black fabric, interlocking with others, creating stars and other symbols that empowering their magics.
"May." he smiled as he greeted the summoner." How you doin'? "
"No summoner?" Vladimir could see the arching eyebrow in her voice. It was like a silk scarf, but someone was poking him with a knife under it.
Though without caring about that knife, he replied "We long past formalities, darl' "
Many people though that the summoners was the powerful party in the League. They're the ones who were holding all the champions under control like collared dogs and could drag them to the fields by their leashes.
Reality, as always, far from that. In real, heroes were holding all the power. Magic coming from them, they let themselves to be called, fight by their own free wills. And the only reason they're still not each others throat was the League's status of being the biggest political cabal in all the continent. It was great for making people forget about everything and replenish their patriotism. Hell, with his terrible policies normally a king like Jarvan would lost his throne long ago, but since he was fighting in the League and shooting things like 'For Demancia!' and such, his people loving him. Except for the Karma, all of the rulers were losers actually. In an era that noble families' powers determined by their military powers, Crownguard could withstanding everything because both of their heirs are champions. DuCoutoue could pull the strings of Noxia thanks to the League. Both Darius and Garen were terrible tacticians but since they fought in the Summoner's Rift, they were both still respected generals.
In short, it was great for controlling the sheeps.
"My status demands it, Crimson Reaper." The female summoner replied.
"Fuck your status then May." Vladimir snared. He shall not put up with her shit. Take her robes and the magic that let her link her mind with the champions, she was just a human, plain and simple.
May let out a chuckle. "I see you're rather cheerful today. Something happened?"
"I am departing. For two weeks." Vladimir answered.
"Here for to give me good news? " said May. Nothing was visible under the cowl but Vladimir felt like she was smiling." Well, bon voyage, then."
And that only served to get him angry. He hated to depend on the summoners and summoners exploiting his weakness. "If you don't want to die by an unnamed blood sickness, don't fuck with me right now May. "
"You need your papers signed?"
"You're still fucking with me." Vladimir growled, taking a step forward.
May didn't flinched. Vladimir could kill her easily, she knew it, but him doing something like that get Vladimir kicked out of the League. To outside, exposed and alone. Devoid of the high walls of the League or the protective rules...
"Calm down. " The cowled summoner said to Vladimir. " You want to fly low, right? "
Vladimir smiled to her words. It was always like that with the summoners. Show a bit of power and they just come around... That was the way of the summoners, acting all high and mighty but scaring away when someone choose to challenge their authority.
"Also a passage to leave. " Vladimir replied. " A quick one. "
" What do you think I am ? " May asked.
Vladimir shrugged. " An overestimated desk boy ? Don't worry, you'll get your payment. " He throw a coin sack to the desk.
Without looking inside, May greedely took the sack, hiding it to the long stretches of her robes. " Kech will be waiting you."
" Kech? The frog guy? "
May approved him with her head. "That one. "
"What? " Vladimir asked. " He'll teach me how to swim ? Or eat other champions ? "
" So I can't fuck with you but you can with me? "
" I honestly don't know anything about Kech."
May sighed. The hemomancer was crazy, but his madness not like the other crazys in the League. His was just a brilliant mind, overloaded. But at the times like this, if he's not willing to use it, he could be stupider than Alistair.
"He has some... abilities. Can transport you."
" I'm okay for secret routes and safe passages. But taking help? " Vladimir shook his head." My departure had to be secret. I can't use him, or anyone in this."
May shook her hand. " Kech is outlaw kind. Jhin's also using him time to time. " May tried to assure him. " Last thing he wants to help. "
"I assume what he is when you recommend him. Your simple mind is easy to read. " Vladimir replied to her.
Summoner tried to ignore the insult. " Why not then? "
" Precisely because he's the outlaw kind. There is no honor between thieves and alike. Kech will sell me as soon as he find an opportunity. "
" You have no other chance." Tilting her head, she looked him in the eyesç " Every and all gates are being watched right now. By Galio. Walking out by normal means is impossible for you."
Vladimir growled in annoyance." Fuck..."
" He won't sell you, Vladimir. "
" How so? " Vladimir frowned." Is he a boy scout? "
" No, but he's also not your everyday smuggler too. "
" He's a giant frog with a maw like Baron's. Of course Kech is not my everyday smuggler. " said Vladimir. " His differences doesn't make him trustworthy. "
Working with Jhin was easy. The virtuoso was always open for debating ideas, taking necessary risks, sometimes using unorthodox methods. Say that Kech can help him and at least he thinks on it before rejecting. He was like steel, can bend to adapt the situation at hand. Vladimir was like pure iron, strong but never yielding.
And that's what making dealing with him so hard. There was simply no turning Vladimir back once he set his mind on something. His dislike towards to the summoners was not making it more easy, either.
" Northern roads throughout the Old Ruins swarming with Demancian troops. " But there is still ways to make Vladimir come around. Once understand how he thinks, it was not hard to control it. " East and west passages crashed last month. "
First May had to make him believe that there is no way, other than the one with the Kech.
" Way under the Baron's ? Shouldn't be guarded this time of the year. "
Bingo! He's looking for a way. Now, she'll narrow his exits until there is no exit.
" Barren. But even if it wasn't it's still only usable if you can put the Baron down. " May answered. " So as long as you are insisting on going alone, that one is not suitable. "
" Maybe the way Twisted Fate uses when he sneak out? Don't tell me I can't use that one too."
"You can." May shrugged again. "
As long as you wish to travel to the nearby town for a night of gambling. And no you can't go from the river like Gankplank does. Man has a fucking ship waiting for him. "
Vladimir closed his eyes. They had six roads, six separate routes to travel out from the League, yet somehow he had no safe way... Either they're found out and secured or collapsed. What kind of misfortune was it ?
"So all of our exits become useless simultaneously? And the ones are still open the ones I can't travel? "
Female summoner shook her head. "More or less."
"You're relaxed stance on the matter irritating me..." said Vladimir.
"I am relaxed because I have the solution to your problem." May replied confidently.
"The Kech. " Vladimir spat.
"The Kech." May confirmed.
"Maybe I should go try my luck with Galio? " The hemomancer replied with a small smirk. A smirk that was capable of turning into a something bad...
Realizing that Vladimir was not taking being trapped well enough to stand down and reason with her, May spoke fastly. " I don't know what you heard about Kech but that thing is unlike we ever saw. He can safely deliver you to the Ionia. And quickly too."
"And what would he shall be taking as his payment !? A soul? "
"What? " May asked in confusion. Could Vladimir actually knew who the Tahm Kech is?
"I am not ignorant as you think, summoner. I know Kech is not a common rogue." He proved May's concerns were right. "I also know he cannot be bought with money. Probably will help me free for the moment, only to return back and wish something I will not be able to give him. "
" Well, Kech can always be dealt later. " May said in a suggestive tone.
Vladimir resisted the urge to facepalm. So much for the smart of a summoner...
"You're not understanding. You're not understanding! There won't be a later, summoner. As long as Kech is alive, I will be living on loaned time. One can't simply refuse Tahm Kech and live on. "
" You're worrying too much. He won't be able to do anything as long as you're champion. "
Vladimir laughed in scorn."You think your petty rules runs deeper than Kech's magic?" Then his eyes clouded with thoughts. " No, I will have to kill him... "
"You know that's not possible. "
"I know what is possible and what is not summoner, don't bother with using your mind. This is too important to spare a frog... Arrange a meeting with Kech tonight. "
"I'm not your errand boy Vladimir!"
In the blink of an eye, the hemomancer closed the distance between them, grabbed May from her collar and pulled forward.
Red pools of his eyes begin boiling. "You are what I say you are!" There was no arguing with him anymore.
Then throwing her back to the chair she was sitting, Vladimir turned around and walked out.
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