I updated this, but the site didn't sent me any notification of the new chapter (it always does, or when I publish a new story). So I'm afraid that the ones who are following won't getting, too.
To Talon, the guest who reviewed and the only person who saw this chapter: thank you, dude. I really appreciate what you think about the story.
...
Finally someone figured out the sneak peak to Evanescence in first chapter, lol. This chapter will be feature 30 scenes.
This took out more time than I thought. Sorry for the wait… I hope you like it; it's very special. I'm not going to deepen into the little stories here because that will make this chapter insanely long. So, if you maybe are minding about something what happened in those days, then you'll have either to ask me or find out by yourself.
Enjoy! And please review.
NOTE (05/10/17) I found someone who is willingly to help me with all gramathical stuff, so you shouldn't bee seeing issues in the next chapters. The first chapters will be edited as well; I'll tell you when it's finished!
3. 29 Days.
Day one
Lux felt suddenly awake, her body still exhausted and hurt thanks to what she had done in order to get sick. Very comfortable, however, she opened slowly her eyes, noticing that she was in her room. None was there, the silent of the place making her feel better, to be alone. That means she made it.
She tried to focus in her magic without trying to effort too much, forcing her mind to not think about how she was wearing new clothes and how that meant that someone touched her while she was asleep. The weak state of her magic not surprised her. It was extremely stupid of her to force her body to use dark magic, she knew the consequences. Since she did it for first time when she was fourteen, she was roundly prohibited to do it by her former teachers. Her light magic reacted to it in a way that hurt her mentally and physically, the two natures of the different kind of magic being very incompatible. Because combining two of the most incompatible things in the universe, it was immediately considered stupid to even try. And it wasn't like anyone else tried, she being the only light mage in centuries as far she knew.
So she rested her head in the high pillows, relaxing. Both of her books popped in her mind, making her to smile. She lasted one full minute summoning her bag, her magic refusing to work, being in such a weak state. After taking both of them out of the bag, Lux's eyed darted across them, her curiosity winning the inner battle she was having right now. She grabbed 'Your magic' and saved it in her bag again, promising to read it later. She grabbed the other one with careful hands, noticing now how old it looked. She dusted the book slightly, afraid of broking it.
Her fingers opened it up, the first page feeling fragile in her hands. A second later her eyes widened in surprise. Itwasn't a book properly said, it was a notebook.
January, end of the Delphian War
Hello, whoever you are. If you are reading this, then you managed to steal my notebook from whoever was hiding it, congratulations. I'm going straight to the point.
What I wrote here is my experience of the different kind of elemental magic: how to lean them, control it and dominate it. First, I must warn you that this is not for everyone. If you aren't enough skilled in magic, then please burn this or give it to someone who it is. Kidding, don't ever think of burning it!
You feel like hearing a story? Perfect. This book will be probably very old while you read this, so we're heading towards long, long time ago…
The gods are angry. To them, the magic is something valued and pure, something that is exclusive of... well, gods. So when I started to teach the foreign people about it, they almost killed me, but they failed. How…? Because my magic was superior to theirs, in terms of power and amplitude. So, in revenge, they started the Delphian War, a desperately attempt to eradicate all the humans of corrupting magic. One more time, they failed. The humans were way too stronger for them. It sounds illogic, but they won and kicked out the Gods of Runaterra. The humans were way too smart.
But… they were right. The humans corrupted magic; almost none of them were honest. So, why I taught them it? I was young and naïve, believing that if I taught them the greatness of the magic, they'll use it for good. Sadly, I was wrong. I'm ashamed.
You must know that I attached this note after finishing my notebook. I'm almost dead; I'll be in exactly one minute. I'm writing with some help of my wind magic, I can barely feel my fingers now… Neat trick, huh?
This was made to someone in specific. I lied to you, HA! If you weren't the chosen one, the book would simply kill you, the magic I enchanted in it would crush your heart, or smash your brain, or explode some random organ. This was made to someone good and powerful enough to my standards, so I assume you're a light mage. Light mages are rare even in this time, but all of them are the best people you could ever imagine. You are blessed by the heavens, mage, the gift of manipulate the light at will is non-achievable if you just have that… thing. But again, I'm going to be more specific. Because a normal light mage would we good and powerful enough to use this, that only would mean that my mistake is going to be repeated again. You are… a special light mage, with the ability to not only use light magic… but dark as well, right? That would grant you the perfect balance to use any kind of magic you want.
I already know that you're not as innocent as you look to the other people, right? I assume that you are in the good side, but you also made bad things, correct? I want to you to learn everything you can to dominate all the elements, dark included, to do well and help other people. If you accept the mission, then I will allow you to read the notebook. If you not, I kill you.
Oh great, The Reaper is coming for me, I can feel it. I must say goodbye, light mage. You can do it fine. … I hope.
Lux's smile was completely froze, her hands still in the air, holding the book. She stared at it for a couple of minutes, her mind suddenly off. She just couldn't think, so she blinked as response. She came here looking for a helpful book to learn more about elemental magic, and now she would made a lifetime contract with a crazy man, who was already dead.
The Delphian war…? She barely knew about it. The books she read only speak about how the humans fought the gods to defend Runaterra, explaining her how the inhabitants of Samalga Islands were the first one to fight those using Ethwahls. Then, the books only gave her confusing hints about what happened next, but nothing more.
She knew that humanity learned magic from gods or some relatively close, it was obvious. The world already has magic in it, but none knew how to use it. Some had to teach them; it was this guy? It's possible to him to be a god?
She then went down her gaze to the end of the page of the book, five squares in patters she identified to put fingers in it. She was a looking for a reason to live, and the opportunity presented itself, what else she would have to do, anyways? She didn't hesitate when her hand slowly raised and touched the sheet. The squares shined for a moment and disappeared after. A single message appeared.
I knew you would make the right choice.
I also was kidding in that killing thing.
She smiled nervously, but happy with the decision she made. She almost reached for the next page when the door of her room suddenly opened. She almost dropped the book to the ground, but Lux managed to hide it immediately below her covers. She made contact visual with Aya, her predisposed maid, which face lightened up at the sight of Lux awoke.
"Miss Lux, you are awake!" she said happily, and before she could say anything, the maid stormed out the room, screaming "Miss Augatha, Miss Augatha!"
Lux laughed a little but she made sure to summon her bag again and save the book carefully. Seconds later, a par of steps quickly headed towards her door, opening it up one more time. She was greeted by the face of her mother, who was watching her approvingly.
"Good, you are awake sooner than I expected," was her strange way to salute her. Lux accepted it anyways with a tiny smile. She was worried at least, right? Strange. "I ordered Aya to call the doctor."
Lux frowned slightly, worried about the doctor discovering her. But she hided it expertly; she was confident in her skills. Augatha walked towards her bed and sat down in the left side, watching nothing in particular but at the same time, her.
"I'm not going to ask what happened," she said, her face blank. Lux didn't say anything. "I think I know what… happened; you already know that you have to be careful with that. Some people from the League came here and asked for you. They diagnosed you magic disease. We both know that there's only two ways to that happen to you, we do?"
Lux smiled awkwardly, but nodded as answer.
"Good," Augatha smiled. "Don't let it to control you, understood?"
Lux nodded with her head slowly, thinking her next question. She was glad that her mother thought that the dark mas the one who took control of her.
"So… some people from the Institute came here…" she started, watching how her mother narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "What did they want? They're here now?"
"They left as quickly they diagnosed you, very inappropriate from them," she said scornfully, shaking her head slightly. "Those three people wanted to talk with you, but I told them that you weren't available. They insisted, but happened what I already told you."
"I see…" she rambled not wanting to keep the topic of conversation.
They both we're in silence, ordering everything in their heads. Augatha stood up, snapping out Lux from her thoughts.
"The doctor will be here in any moment," she informed her, unconsciously making her daughter wary again. "So I better tell you before he came in. Garen arrived four hours ago."
Lux's eyes widened and her mouth almost went completely open, but she managed to refuse it, not wanting a reprimand from her mother. Her brother was already in Demacia?! How much time went by since she passed out?
"Garen is here?" she said with a happy voice, smiling inevitably at the thought of seeing him again. "I want to see him!" she cried, trying to roll out of the bed, but her mother quickly pushed her back again into the bed.
"You're not leaving this bed, young girl, understand?" she said sternly, Lux watching her with a very surprised face. "The doctor said you should have at least one week of rest." She wraps her poorly, but she warps her. Then, she turned around and walk to the door, opening it. "Garen will be visiting you tomorrow. He's busy with… some stuff with The King". And she steps a little to the other side, throwing a warning glance at Lux before speaking. "You heard me? Rest and nothing else. Oh, and just for you to know: the ball was proposed to the next Sunday, you would never attend it in that state" she said before closing the door.
Lux blinked a couple of times. What just happened?
Day two
Lux twisted around her body uncomfortably, a grimace in her face and a book in her hands. A day went by before her little show faking sickness and she were now extremely tired of resting. And because she wanted so badly to read more about the elements, her mind kicked in and ordered her to prioritize the other one. Thankfully, 'Your magic' was as interesting as the other one, but it looked more like a book. She read some things that she already knew, and some things that exploded in her mind and made her to stare at the book foolishly and with awe.
For example, she learned that the magic is, in some way, alive. It wasn't like to say that it has patterns and ways to behave, but indeed, it was alive. This represented differently on every type of magic. Light magic could be called as the happiest of all, the one who brings hope to every place and every one. The mage felt better, not only because she can't remember a single time when she was out of hope, but because that would help her with learning more elemental magic. Because now she knew that every type of magic represented some emotion, she was now a step closer of dominate it. She has to know which emotion represented every single element she wanted to learn.
If she would have to wonder with fire… she would say angriness.
Her hand reached for the next page, only to find it empty, making her to sigh exasperatedly. Sometimes, the book decides that she read enough and simply went blank, forcing her to come back later. She closed it reluctantly and accommodated it in her backpack. She then made it disappear and leaned down in the bed, staring at the roof boring.
She was expecting Garen to come over, but looks like he wasn't coming anytime soon. So she decided to close her eyes and sleep.
Day three
Louds knocks in her door awakened her abruptly, the sun even not showing through her window. She incorporated in the bed and watched sleepily the door. Who could be this early?
"Come in," she almost stammered, closing her eyes and carving it, the darkness around her fading slightly thanks to the aura around her.
The wood opened loudly, making her to want to scream to whomever there to be more silent, when the sight of Garen made her to jerk up, almost making her to fall out of the bed.
"Big brother!" she screamed and immediately after she covered her mouth with both hands, her mind adverting her that it was too early to be screaming.
"Hey, sunshine," he whispered instead, opening silently the door, barely passing by thanks to his giant and muscular body.
Lux's hands dropped, the girl focusing now in how funny seemed her brother trying to tiptoe towards her, failing miserably because his armor was doing the job being noisy instead. Somehow, he managed to get to her side, sitting down beside her, unbalancing the mass of the bed to her side, making her to giggle a little.
"I'm sorry for not coming earlier," he apologized. "But I had to attend some business with The King, to talk about Demacia safeness and stuff. It was very important."
Her smile faded a little after hearing those words left his mouth, but she kept smiling.
"I… have heard the news," he tried to say casually, tried. Now Lux's happy smile was nowhere to be seen. Instead there was a sad one, contrasting horribly her demeanor. "I'm sorry, Lux… Jarvan, he's pretty upset, too," he tried to comfort her.
Lux shook her head, furrowing her lips in disgust.
"It doesn't matter if we both are upset about it," she said bitterly, her hands squeezing the covers. "In the end, we are forced to do it, without our permission. And I don't even know why we are marrying. But, well… I guess is obvious…"
Garen watched her painfully, out of words. He leaned closer and hugged her slowly. After a few seconds, she hugged back.
"I know it's hard, but…"
"Is the best for everyone, I know," she interrupted him sternly, but keeping her face as before, forcing the tears back to her eyes.
He broke the hug but held her hands delicately. They stared each other for a few seconds.
"He will be visiting you after you recover. He told me that he wish to talk some things with you."
"The least he can do is to visit his future bride," she answered sarcastically, breaking the hold.
Then he leaned on her and kissed her forehead lovingly.
"He's not that bad, you know. Everything will be alright."
"You already told me that before," she contradicted. "And noting went better."
Day four
"The world has magic everywhere," she recited gradually to herself, extracting it from the book, alone in the room. "It flows like rivers through special points in the map. Every river is different from each other, each one of them carrying different kind of magic and quantity. The closer you are to them, the more magic you could feel and use."
She smiled, happy of learning something new. Strange as it sounds, she never learned something as that in the magic academy. There, she was focused mostly to perfect her light magic. Magic History was poor; they couldn't tell you anything important like she just read.
"But there's a special place when almost all the rivers came from: Ionia. Deep into the island's forest, alongside its seashores, dozens of rivers starts there and travels around the entire world. In that place, you could find any type of magic, even ones who weren't discovered yet."
She closed her eyes, a plan making itself in her head. Now she has a place to go, at least. Ionia was the best place she could ever think of living. No one will ever bother her there. And the best part of it: she would practice her magic as much she wants. At least that was good news.
She sighed. She had twenty five days left.
Day five
"I know you don't like it, Miss Lux, but you have to take the medicine to get better."
Lux made a sound of nausea and her body shook off, forcing her mouth open and to swallow the green liquid the spoon has into her body. Then, she proceeded to lie down in her bed dramatically, with Aya looking at her disapprovingly with her hands in her hips.
"This is not how a lady should behave, Miss Lux!" she reprimanded her.
"But it smells!" the other cried painfully, holding her nose. "I don't like gross smells! And it tastes horrible!"
Aya tapped her foot in the floor as she filled the spoon again with medicine from the container.
"Just one more?" she pleaded, balancing the spoon in an attempt of making it edible.
Lux sighed horribly, but nodded. She took the piece of metal and moved it slowly to her mouth, swallowing its contents again. Aya hummed happily and took away the jar, to the content of the mage. Then the blonde lied down in her bed and twisted around the covers, not feeling like to talk anymore.
"The doctor said that his is good for you sickness. It's powerful enough to battle your strange state," the maid remembered her, such as a mother does with its kids. "I'll come by again at night. Just two more days and it'll be over."
Lux's body produced a strange sound that it seemed like an "Hmm", making the maid to roll her eyes before walking to the door and going out. She tried to relax her body and to stay calm, a few seconds passing by, but suddenly, the environment around changed. Her body went still and tense for a moment, but the girl chilled out at recognizing the sensation.
"I thought you weren't the type who acts immaturely," a mocking voice echoed through her ears.
Lux turned her body and caught a glimpse of black hair in the corner of the room, right into the fancy couch.
"Shut up, it's gross, you know," she said, turning her body back again facing the pillow.
"Aren't you going to salute me, Lux?" he said with a fake hurt voice, standing up and walking towards her desk, which was close to her bed.
"Sorry, Noz, I'm not in the mood." Lux rambled, her voice blurred by the white cloth of her comfort. "What are you doing here? Isn't dangerous?"
"Don't worry, I have a day off. I also made sure that nobody was following me and stuff." The main said, turning around the chair to face her and sitting down, legs crossed. "You know why I'm here. How are you feeling?"
"Better…" she threw the pillow out of her face, this time incorporating and facing his black eyes. "The medicine is doing its job."
She waited for him to say something, but frowned at the sight of him prying all around the desk, touching and moving everything. When he was satisfied enough, he spoke.
"And what are you going to do now, Lux?" he asked, the tiniest hint of worry and curiosity being recognized by Lux's senses. "You decided where are you going?"
"Ionia," she simply said, making him to raise one eyebrow in interest.
"That's actually… a good spot to hide, yes… Ionia being such a spiritual place… And it's perfect to you." He finished, nodding to himself. "But there's a problem, right?"
Lux furrowed her lips and still didn't want to think about her poor progress in hiding herself. The book she stole wasn't helping her for a strange reason.
"Hiding me is still… a work in progress." She confessed, ashamed. She didn't want to Noz's help to get wasted.
"Well, I'll let you that kind of stuff; I barely know about how to do something like that, maybe temporally but not permanently or long enough to reach that far away."
"I'm still thinking a good distraction, good enough to give me the time I need to get away as possible. Probably a good dazzle with my light will work, and also some illusions."
"If is what a distraction you need, then I can help."
Upon hearing those words, she instantly started to deny over and over with her head.
"No way! You already helped me out enough with the books; I'll do it by my own!"
"I have to tell you again?" she taunted her with two incredulous eyes. "I…"
"You DO what you want, I know," she tried to keep her voice low, but failed a little. "I don't want to get you in trouble! I need to repeat that again?"
"No, thanks," he said mockingly. "…But I'm helping you out, ok?"
In an attack of pure rage, Lux grabbed one random pillow and threw it at him, attempting to hit is face. Her rage went bigger just looking how his hand twirled and the pillow stopped in the middle of the air. The laugh that followed was devilish.
Day six
Her hands drew expertly across the map, signalizing routes and possible escapes from any trouble. She grabbed the red pencil and made a full circle around the island of Ionia, which allowed her to made a line that connected that circle with the one who was surrounding Noxus in the map. She dropped the pencil in the table of her library and leaned on the table, her head into her hand.
She has a route now. The plan was simply: after escaping from Demacia, she would need to get to Noxus and take a boat directly to Ionia. The first plan was to teleport to the Institute of War and from there, run away to Noxus, making sure to be unnoticed, but that plan was discarded when Noz told her that now the League controls every entry and exit now, making it impossible. If she was supposed to be at the marrying, then she would be questioned. She would have to make it through all the way. Also, using a teleport spell was also impossible; the time of preparation for such a great distance away would take a lot of time.
Her eyes closed for a moment…
The watch Noz gave her sounded loudly, still in her hand. Lux gasped in surprise and saw the hour. Aya would be in her room in any moment! She grabbed everything with her and started to run to her room, afraid of using her magic again.
Day seven
"Careful, careful," the doctor said to her as he grabbed delicately Lux's arm to help her to stand up.
Feeling extremely guilt, Lux faked tiredness and slowly stood up from her bed, leaning on his arm to make it more credible.
"It looks like you're getting better," the old man commented and nodding to her mother who was a couple of meters away from them, beside of her door. "Don't make any effort and you'll be fine, understood? I'll come to check up you in three weeks. You may go"
Lux smiled, but inside was rolling her eyes. Her body was completely fine; her light magic naturally destroyed long time ago any rest of the dark magic she used. But she had enough of suspicions on her, so she had to play a bit more time. Augatha strode to her left side and grabbed her arm to guide her to the exit.
"Jarvan is waiting for you downstairs; we don't have to keep him waiting," the woman informed her, making her daughter to spin her head on her neck and glance at her with terrified eyes.
"J-Jarvan?! He's here?" she accused, resisting the urge to jump on her bed again forever. "I wasn't informed!"
"Of course you not, honey," she responded, opening the door and making both of them to go out. "Almost no one knows he is here. He insisted to visit you; and you don't want to embarrass our family, right?" she warned dangerously.
Lux gritted her teeth but denied with her head. They went silent as they made the way to the stairs, with Lux breaking her head to thinking all the possibilities of the conversation. She would assume that he already knew about the marriage, so she has to be angry with him? What she would say to him? He was the Prince of Demacia! But now, he's supposed to be her future husband, so maybe she…
"Ugh, no," she smashed the idea mentally. She would be escaping, so thinking about him as a husband is simply stupid.
She should have figure out when the maids suddenly disappeared and no one was checking on her, hours ago. Everyone was downstairs receiving him, but in a silent way. Or maybe she was just too self-absorbed in her reading.
When she saw him, the girl didn't know what to think about it. Jarvan was sat down in the expensive couch of the living room, which was alongside the vestibule. Before he could even notice her, her eyes darted across his entire silhouette, acknowledging that he was a gorgeous man, now wearing some casual clothes. Tall, tanned skin and a strong demeanor, was things she liked in a man. But Demacia was embedded deeply in his mind, just like Garen. He may be a good man, but that wasn't any worth to her.
His blues eyes finally connected with hers, making his body to stand up and dismiss the bodyguards that were in the other side of the room, which Lux never noticed thanks to her little analysis. Her mother's hand leaved her arm and she left the room, too, without saying any word.
Lux cringed, diverting her gaze away from Jarvan's piercing one. So his eyes went down peeking at her classy outfit Aya helped her out to choose hours ago. He hiked at her and stopped in front of her, his eyes twinkling.
"I… please sit," he tried to start, but interrupted himself.
Lux nodded and they both walked to the seats, with her sitting down in the opposite coach from him. The girl gathered enough brave to slap her mentally and forcing her to look at him.
"I'm sorry, Lux."
She widened her eyes in surprise.
"Why are you saying that?" she said, puzzled.
"Because I know that this is not what you want," he answered with his voice considerably lower.
"Then I can say that this is not what you want, too," she pointed out, her mind thinking about Shyvana. If someone asked her about which woman will be for Jarvan, then she probably would answer that dragon-girl.
"I… No… Well," he seemed out of words. Lux wanted to cry. "It's hard to me, too. My father always said to me that I'll get married one day, that day was destined. I never thought he was referring this."
"Your Highness…" she tried to talk, but he stopped her with a gesture with his hand.
"That's not necessary; not anymore," he said in somewhat painful way, but well hidden. "You may call me now Jarvan."
She frowned, but didn't say anything nonetheless.
"Jarvan…" she said, her mouth feeling dirty. "I… don't really want to do this, but I have no choice. And I'm pretty sure that you don't like me in that way; you probably like someone else. What I'm really trying to say is… how can you accept this? Your opinion didn't matter to The King…?"
Jarvan seemed to be taken aback by the sudden choice of words from her. His answer was a sad smile.
"Like you, Lux, I never had any choice in my life. I'm The King's son; I already have my future set on stone the day I was born." Lux didn't know if she should feel better or not. At least she wasn't the only puppet there.
"It's all for the name of Demacia." She said, out of herself.
Well, from now on, everything will be going for her. She shouldn't feel sad.
Day eight
She saw herself in the mirror, the body showing off an incredible beautiful white bride dress. It surrounded all her body but his arms and her head. It was spongy, and shined magnificently with her blue eyes and hair. The veil covering her head almost made her to feel like in jail, though.
Augatha danced around her, the maids a couple of meters away of them being completely silent. After a little analysis, the woman walked to her jeweler of her room, toking out a pair of earrings, which found they place in Lux's ear. They shined amazingly. Her mother snapped at one of the maids, making her to rush quickly to take a bouquet of, of course, white roses. She handed to the mage, making her to hold.
"You look astonishing," was her review, nodding to herself. "My mother's dress suits perfectly on you. I used it in the wedding with your father, too. It's a family tradition, generation by generation."
Lux shook off her body a bit, admitting that she really looked amazing with that dress. She maybe will use it someday.
"Your grandmother always wanted to see you marrying with someone," Augatha continued talking, lost in her thoughts.
"I wanted that, too," she answered, snapping out her mother and making her to chuckle. "She told me that, how she wanted to see me in 'the best day of my life'."
She wasn't sure about this whole marriage thing, even if it is with her loved one. Bounding with someone or something to her whole life was something that Lux didn't like, especially because the experience with Demacia.
"She was such a fool sometimes…" she mocked. Lux had the sensation that was to herself, not to her grandmother. "She was an old woman, after all…"
Lux frowned and stopped paying attention to Augatha. Instead she just continued on watching herself in the mirror.
Day nine
The dining hall of the Institute of War was almost depleted, the only few champions were very far away from each other. She examined everything and went in, trying to be the most discrete possible into her way to pick a tray and fill it with food. Her eyes scanned across the room, stopping at one figure she wanted to see. Her steps were silent, but not unnoticed by the solitary Janna in one of the corners of the room. She felt bad about how the face of her friend lightened up at the sight of her.
"Lux!" the calm voice of her sounded somewhat a little louder this time calling her. "Where are you been? I was worried!"
"Sorry, Janna," the light mage smiled apologetically, walking towards her and taking the seat in front of her. "I had some troubles, but it's all done now."
Her friend frowned in worry, his hair floating around her expression, making it more real.
"You don't seem right, Lux," she said, don't believing her excuse. "Are you sure everything's fine?"
Lux showed her a tiny smile as she grabbed an apple and started to cut it in pieces.
"I don't want to worry you. Everything is alright," she responded carefree, eating the piece of apple and tasting it slowly. "Enough of me, let's talk about what are we doing tonight."
Janna's gaze perked up with interest at her sudden statement.
"Tonight? You never feel like to go out, Lux," she said. "And I've heard about that strange outfit you wore a week ago. What's going on? Tell me!"
"Aw, come on!" she pointed at her hurt heart, indignant. "Can't I be different by just a single day?"
"Well…" she seemed to think for a bit. "I guess so… Where are we going, then?" she asked, picking her bottle of water and drinking a bit.
Lux laughed down devilishly, her loudly nature still being heard by, unfortunately, almost everyone in the room.
"Girls Night!" she screamed dramatically, crushing the apple in her hand.
"Uh…? Girls Night?" Janna questioned, her eyebrows furrowed. "What are you…?"
"It's gonna be AMAZING, really," she dreamed, moving her hands in the air to make the proposal more incredible. "We'll see romantic movies, we'll manicure each other, and we'll talk about BOYS," she tasted the last word, moving up and down her eyebrows.
Janna's cheeks blushed a little, the person on the mind of her friend being obvious to Lux.
"How's everything with Ekko, Janna?" she taunted with a smile in her lips, leaning slightly into the table to hear better.
Her face went scandalous, like she was saying a blasphemy.
"And how's everything with Ezreal?!" she tried to counter poorly, making Lux to smile even widen.
"Great. We had an amazing date a week ago. We would be taking one this week," she said.
That wasn't true; she may not be dating Ezreal again. She didn't want to start to like him in that way and then flee away at the end of the month, it would be painful. But Janna was her only true friend, besides Noz, and she was going to enjoy her while she can. There wasn't any way that she was leaving her before making sure she was happy.
"Well, if you are so interested to know, nothing happened." She finally responded, diverting her face away from Lux.
"Then ask him a date," she expulsed the idea from her mind. Janna seemed to choke with the water she was drinking because she coughed a couple of times and her face went red. "What?"
"Are you serious? Me, asking Ekko to a date?" she repeated slowly, trying to make Lux to understand the craziness of her words.
"Oh, Janna, you already saw him, don't you?" she said, leaning her elbows in the table and using her hands as support for her chin. "He always acts so cool, but when he's around of you, his face always looks like a tomato. I think you should ask him or you may die while waiting. "
Janna opened her mouth to say something, but only air flooded out of her mouth. She went silent for a moment.
"I… you think?" she asked hesitantly; a girl asking a boy to go out? That sounded weird.
"Of course! And I'm going to help you!" she said with a face filled with strange happiness. "Just wait till tomorrow, hehehe…"
"Well… If you say so…"
The face of hope of her friend calmed down the bad feeling inside of her.
Day ten
Her body smashed into the corner of the Institue's inner rout. Her face adhered at the arc of stone, hiding behind the exit and watching Janna waiting several meters away of her, floating gracefully in the air, but sat down in a bench. She tapped impatiently the foot on the path of stone, playing with the sunlight and admiring the beauty of the place.
Finally, after a couple of minutes, someone went in by one of the other entries. His black skin was immediately recognized by Lux's eyes. She repressed an excited shriek and focused on how Janna seemed to boggle, apparently lost in thoughts.
Ekko strode at her crush, unaware of the pair of eyes watching both of them. He stopped in front of her, his face already a little red. Lux's hand grabbed hard the stone; he was so cute!
"H-Hey," he saluted nervously; Lux was unable to stop her squeal of excitement. They both immediately looked at her position, Ekko curious and Janna with a scared face. They found the exit empty, so Ekko focused in Janna again. "May I sit down?"
"Please," she answered calmly, but still a little nervous and angry at Lux for almost messing up everything.
"I read your note," he started, making Janna to raise an eyebrow in questioning.
A note? She never wrote one; it may be Lux's doing. So she pretended to know what he was talking about.
"I see," was her simply answer.
Ekko leaned his elbows in his legs, his right foot moving up and down.
"What you wrote… You really mean it?" he suddenly questioned her, making the girl to turn her head around and to give him a surprise gaze.
"I…" What she was supposed to say? What in the world Lux wrote there? "…yes. It is true," she said forcefully, her words almost didn't going out of her lips.
He then gave her the brightest smile he could make, making her to smile foolishly and to make her heart warm. Lux, hidden with her magic, held her breath. Ekko sat closer and, in a movement that astonished both girls there, he leaned on Janna, delicately grabbed her face and kissed right into her lips.
Janna needed three seconds to acknowledge what was happening. When she was herself again, her senses only focused in how her lips felt, so warm and nice, his mouth making her to touch the heaven. Ekko stopped and leaned back, staring in panic at the frozen face of her.
"I-I, shit, I was out of myself, I..!" Janna covered his mouth with one of her fingers, smiling slightly.
"Shush, and do it again."
Before they started to make out, Lux quickly escaped from the scene, giving them the privacy they needed.
Day eleven
Ezreal found her after her last match. He was waiting for her outside of the Red Team summoning room. At first, she was surprised. He came close to her and talked like they just talked yesterday, not sparing any time to rest his mouth. She couldn't resist accepting again when he asked to hang out. Her body felt dizzy with the thought about having a great time again. And, after the girls night with Janna (which no one knows about it), she was hopelessly out of affection.
Like the last time, Lux forgot everything and only thought about his smile and how it made her world a little brighter. They spend a lot of time walking and talking about everything. He was particularly rapt with his latest founded treasure. She heard with interest his theories about where it could came from and what it possibly would do.
At midday, they both used the League's portals and took her out to eat to a cool coffee in Piltover. The hours passed with Lux delighted of talking with someone. The food was quickly enjoyed and, after paying for everything, Ezreal gave her a tour of the city, despite her knowing it very well secretly.
At the end, Lux ended up the date kindly because she had to study. She hadn't the heart to shoo him away.
And she will be announcing her marriage in three days.
Day twelve
When someone is conceived the magic around the one links to the body immediately. There are many facts that relate which type of magic one can hold and use. The first of all is the place of conception. This is very important because affects how much stronger the magic it could be, and also how easy to handle it would be. A child who is born in one corner almost out of magic won't have the same type of magic as the one who is born in the middle of one of the magic rivers.
The other fact is the heritage. Some has the natural good magic control; so it's possible to pass it to its children. But as some has it, not everyone is like them. Heritage is important because it has to do with the possibility of understand and dominate better a unique type of magic than another one. For example, if your mother or father is a strong magic-fire wielder, then it's possible to you to have the same capacity as is possible to not.
What define all of that is called Magic Imprint. If you manage know deeply your magic imprint, it's possible to hide it for any intruder. Also, in almost every case, the magic imprint is unchangeable because it's like our DNA, but way more complicated in a certain way. There are theories about it, but they are very dangerous to even try, the process making possible to you to lose permanently your magic and even a painful death. The first theory is, in a technical way, to 'corrupt' your magic, such like something as dark magic. This theory is extremely dangerous because no one have to power to fully control the darkness. Maybe dominate it in sort of level.
The other one is to fully link your magic with nature. The link that one makes when born it's weak enough to avoid any magic overload or magic poisoning; so again, this is also impossible to us because our human bodies can't stand the extremely powerful magic charge running through our blood even just ten seconds. However, that limitation is supposedly to be only to humans. We don't know if that also applies to semi-humans or intelligent animals; it's likely to not.
Lux held her breath and re-read again what she just saw. A smile darted across her lips and she couldn't resist the urge to laugh in extremely happiness and joy. She hugged the book into her chest. She actually had a chance to do it. She wasn't afraid to die; better than to stay in Demacia her whole life.
Day thirteen
Lux breathed deeply, relaxing her body and letting it to sense everything around her, the forest surrounding her becoming suddenly ethereal, alive. Her staff in her hand went filled with magic, making the familiar sensation of the wildness running through every fiber of her. Her grab in her staff tightened, her face started to look a bit red and she occasionally let out some snorting. She tried really hard for a couple of minutes, but nothing happened.
She then fell down to her knees, her wand dropping in the ground beside of her, the glint of green magic fading away and with a dramatic-defeated grin in her face. She wanted to do by herself, but she just had no idea what she should do. She already knew that she was special in some way because she knew both light and nature magic, and because that weir book told her so.
She tanked again to the gods and the possibilities, because when she took 'The Magic of the Elements', she felt blessed. Opening it up, she didn't feel surprised at the absence of the note she read days ago, being used to the strange behavior of the ancient books. So she decided to peak in the next sheets, facing the makeshift index. The only section that was there was casually Magic Nature, featuring ten pages. The index occupied two full sheets, but only the nature magic was being showed, for now, probably.
Her fingers quickly moved to the next page, her body getting comfortable in the ground before starting to read the title of the first page, named 'Magic Nature'.
Day fourteen
She descended the stairs with her wine heels, leaning her hand in the railing of the stairs of her house, the dark dress in her body shifting with her movements. Jarvan, dressed with an elegant tuxedo that highlighted his body and strong stance, was waiting for her at the end. She smiled coolly and strode at his side, liking how his face was staring at her,
"Interesting… choice of clothes," he pointed out, his eyes wandering around her figure.
"Well, don't you think it suits on me?" she asked, punching playfully his arm. He chuckled, forgetting her odd clothes.
"You look beautiful," he admitted, not noticing how she widened just a little her eyes. "Shall we go?" he asked, rising up his right arm.
Lux pushed her hair aside and nodded slowly, smiling and grabbing his arm.
"Let's be a good fake couple, shall we?" Lux joked, taking a smile out of him.
"I think we'll make it through," he assured.
Both started to walk arm by arm to the exit, leading towards the city's auditorium.
Day fifteen
"Thank you for come, Miss Lux," said the young voice of Dante, the League's founder, echoing in his office. "It's very embarrassing to us to cite you here after sending a group to check on you personally in your home, but we still have to do the regulatory interrogation with everyone."
Lux smiled brightly, uncomfortably inside, cringing just slightly into her old chair. The gaze of the woman into the portrait in his desk made her feel tense.
"You don't have to apologize, sir, I know that it is for a very important cause," she said dismissively, avoiding eye contact with him.
It is rumored that Dante, being powerful enough to top the power of the Institute, is capable of mind reading. Mind reading was a lost magic, and the only known people of being able to do such an amazing thing is him. So Lux tried to focus instead in the room, deciding that she liked how the whole magic aura wrapped the room thanks to the odd objects and ancient decoration.
"I'm assuming that you already know what happened two weeks ago," she nodded. "Good; but first of all, I congratulate you for… your compromise. It surprised all of us."
Lux's smile didn't faded, although her muscles were suddenly tired, making her to move uncomfortably in the chair.
"Thank you."
"Now, I'm going to ask you a couple things about your past day, understood? Please answer with conclusive words to make the process easier."
"Understood."
Dante didn't ask immediately, but he waited a couple of seconds, apparently focused in the notebook that was in the desk. That didn't help with Lux nervousness, but as always, she hid it perfectly.
"Where were you between twenty one o'clock and twenty two o'clock?" he questioned, his voice sounding seriously.
Lux peeked through the corner of her eye at the strange bell in her side. Her mind quickly recognized as a Lie Detector, making her to curse mentally. Why did they put something like that in front of her? They didn't trust her? Such a complicated and valuable artifact? Well, it was obvious that she wasn't going to escape so easily.
"I was walking in the institute," she didn't lie, but didn't say the whole true. Lux felt better at the sight of the bell didn't sounding.
Dante's eyes narrowed slightly. He leaned in the desk and crossed his arms.
"To where and why?" he tried this time being more specific.
"Nearing the right wing of the building," she said. "I was trying to improve my magic with some tips my friend told me."
Dante's eyes seemed to flash over the bell, but it didn't make any sound; she crossed her legs to vanish some tension. Lux was smart, it was popular knowledge that the library was in the right wing of the building, as so the training room, study rooms and a lot of places. She had to play with the slightly line that separated the lie with the truth.
"Exactly where you stopped?" he pressed her, his last question apparently being the ultimatum.
"In the study room twenty two," the girl almost singed the words, wary. "I had to check my clothes a little before keep going…"...To where? Another room in the institute? Her house? Out of the building?
Lux hoped that he buys the excuse. He may think that she was then going to do something else
"After getting out the study room, where you leaded?"
"I had to pick up something before making the way to my house."
The room was silent. Dante sighed, in some way defeated, and leaned back to his chair, closing the notebook below him and staring at her.
"Thank you for answering, Miss Lux. I know everything I need to know. You may go."
Lux almost started to dance right there, but she only smiled again and screamed mentally in her mind, but making sure that she wasn't seeing at him, before.
"Goodbye, Master Dante," she dismissed herself and walked quickly to the exit room, opening it up and getting out as fast as possible.
Day sixteen
She scratched her chin, her right hand tapping the head of the Queen above the chest table. The sound of the sand running down and stacking in the end of the hourglass pressured her. Finally, she decided to move her Queen to the left, smiling satisfactorily. She leaned comfortably in her chair and smiled smugly, mocking at her company.
"It's impossible to me to win this," Noz told her, the sound of his voice almost sad. "Whatever, I'll just do this," he moved a random unit. "Come on, catch my King and finish this.
"No!" Lux cried indignantly, shaking her hands in disgust, putting back the unit to its original place. "If you do that, is not fun at all!" she said, eyebrows furrowed.
"Forget the game! I'm cited you here to tell you something!" he screamed desperately, snapping his fingers to send the table away in a blue whirlwind of magic.
"Hey! I was playing on that!"
"Look, Lux, pay attention, Gods," he smashed repeatedly the table of the room, drawing her attention to him. "Obviating the fact that I need to congratulate you for your compromise," he taunted this time, taking out a scowl of her face. "You need to change your plans of escape."
"Don't even mock me again with that, you heartless!" she cried, hugging herself. "Poor Jarvan, he…" Noz leaned over the table and tapped her nose.
"Lux, Lux, here, girlie, you heard what I said?"
"Don't touch my nose!" she slapped away his hand and crossed her arms. "Why should I change my plans? It's easy and fits with what I need."
"You considered powerful mages attending your wedding?"
Lux's demeanor dropped apart horribly, making way to an incredulous face.
"What?!" she screamed, standing up abruptly. "Wait, the summoners are going to my wedding?!"
"That's why I heard," he answered, crossing his legs and supporting his head into his hand. "So illusions won't work with them."
Lux snorted tiredly, dumping down into the chair again.
"I'm not that good in that kind of magic. I guess I would have to sneak out without anyone noticing it," she murmured to herself.
"Wrong answer!" he screamed. Lux glanced up and didn't like his smile. "Don't you remember? I told you that I was going to help."
"I… uh..." she tried to think an excuse, but in the end she shrugged. "I doesn't matter what I say, you will do whatever you want."
Day seventeen
Lux extended her staff, trying to feel the essence of the forest inside of her. She closed her eyes and waited. Slowly, she could feel the familiar feeling again, making her to smile. Remembering what the book said, she tried something…. strange.
"Hello…?" she talked to nobody else into her mind, feeling stupid just doing it. The book said that the magic nature in the forest was alive, just like the other one said. The objective to this was to empathize with it… in some way. There wasn't a single way, so the book gave her tips to do it. "You hear me..? Well, I… My name is Lux and… I hope we could be friends…"
The breeze howled, she took it as an answer so she continued.
"I don't want to bother you, but I'm in distress. Forgive me for asking you this, but would you help me?"
Extremely gradually, she noticed a change around her, the magic feeling different. Something inside of was permanently changed at the end of it.
Day eighteen
She was waiting outside Piltover museum's doors when she faced Ezreal walking out. The effect was immediate; the ambient changed drastically as so Ezreal's face at her sight. He straightened and stared her blankly, very, very silent. Lux cringed a bit and didn't dare to smile at him.
"I was looking for you," she spoke first, not wanting to meet his blue eyes. "Would you want to talk?"
"I don't know, Lux, will you stab me in the back again? Are you making fun of me?"
Her heart tightened in pain at his words. But he has the right to be angry at her.
"At least please let me explain you," she pleaded, this time staring at him back.
"Explain what?" he questioned, his voice sounding incredulous. "That you already were already engaged when you were going out with me?"
"Everything." She answered, this time her voice sounding steady. "Please…"
Ezreal looked at her eyes, hoping to find some hint of lie in them, but failing. He took some seconds, but sighed and nodded slowly.
"Five minutes, I have work to do." He accepted almost unwillingly and turned around. "Follow me, I wanna drink some coffe."
He started to walk away without waiting for her response. She silently followed him, making sure that she was under an illusion spell. The notice of her marrying propagated at the speed of the light in almost every place, especially Piltover, so she wasn't taking any chance of anyone recognizing her.
The coffee Ezreal talked about was indeed closer, and it wasn't the one he took her out in the last date. It was a small shop in the corner of a street. It was half-full, but it seemed that they were doing fine. He opened up the door, making the bell above to ring gracefully. She followed behind, the both of them stopping at one table at the end of the place. Ezreal sat down, as so she did, in front of him. A few seconds passed in silence before one waitress walked to them, holding up a little notebook.
"Hello! My name is Layla and I'm going to be your waitress. What do you want to eat?" she asked cheerily, smiling at both of them.
"Just bring us two Cappuccinos, please," Ezreal responded for Lux, very quickly.
"Got it!" she said while writing something in her notebook. "I'll be back in a few minutes or so."
Both of them nodded before the woman went away to the bar. Losing the excuse to not face Ezreal, Lux sighed mentally and stared at him.
"I'm just going to start from the beginning."
Day nineteen
"Well, show me."
Lux nodded quickly to Noz and summoned her staff. The forest around them went silent as she tried to summon its magic. As time go by, Noz started to frown in confusion, then awestruck and finally, amazement. He took a couple of steps closer and what he could saw and sense left him out of words.
Some green magic was materializing around Lux, flowing around her body, with leaves joining it. Lux's hair had some glimpses of brilliant green at the end of her threads. And when she opened her eye, he could verify that her eyes were now also green.
"Amazing." He praised, not having another word to say. "I can't believe you did it."
"Is it different?" she asked not with a voice oddly deeper than usual, making him to raise an eyebrow. "You sense it different?"
"It's indeed different, your magic imprint," he assured, making her to smile for the first time in that day. Noz found disturbing how different seemed her with the green magic around her. "While in that state, your magic will be no longer traceable for anyone. You made it, congratulations."
Day twenty
The pen into her fingers twirled in the sheet, writing and writing. After one minute, she finished the letter and said farewell to the addressee. She made sure to not forget anything before folding it perfectly and putting inside of the white package. She wrote in the back 'To Jarvan' and left in aside of the other two letters in the desk, the two of them saying 'To Garen' and 'To Janna' respectively. She saved the pen into the drawer and leaned in the desk, leaning her head into her arms and staring at the letters.
In ten days she would be escaping, and only one person knew about it beside her was Noz. To not tell her brother or Janna was hard, they were always worried of her (even his brother, who maybe sometime he gets out of himself thanks to Demacia). She wasn't going to be the Sister of the Year and the best friend either.
The thought of them having problems because of her made her to feel sick. She was tired to be the one who solves problems, so now she was the troublemaker. She was sure that Janna would understand her; not very sure of Garen, but in the end, they both would realize that this was the better. Also, she didn't want the League to be repeatedly disturbing them thanks to her and if they knew where she was. So, better safe than sorry.
She grabbed the three letters and saved them into her pocket. To Jarvan, she would give him through a maid. To Garen, she will just slip it into his pillow after the wedding day begins. No one will be in her house, anyways, so it wouldn't be a problem. To Janna, she enchanted the letter to appear in her old house in Zaun with the same spell has the letter to Dante.
Now, she has to prepare.
Day twenty one
22 of Martii 1 CLE 09:30
Dear Diary:
I have so much to tell you, but I have so little time… I'm sorry for not write for years. I have gone to some… life changers. One month ago, my whole existence was upside down, but now, I guess I'm going to make the right decision for me… in the first time of my life. If everything goes well, then I'll be writing again in one week or so.
I'll see you later.
-Lux
Day twenty two
"Lux."
She was suddenly snapped out of her thoughts. Janna was in floating in front of her in the middle of the Institute's gardens. Lux was now aware about how the sun was slowly hiding in the horizon, advertising her that the day will be ending soon. But that wasn't her biggest problem now.
She straightened and leaned into the three, taping the ground beside her with her hand, telling Janna to sit down. The white haired girl listened and followed her down to the grass. They enjoyed the nightfall, how the sunrays slowly dissipated and became dark. As the last ray of light disappeared, Janna found out the courage to talk.
"Why didn't you tell me, Lux?" she asked slowly, pacifically… hurt.
The tears were unstoppable. Lux tried to fight back, but her eyes felt now like exploding of sadness.
"I was afraid." She told her, biting her lip.
"Of what?" Janna's voice didn't get any louder, but the way how it sounded now was very unsettling.
"Of everything. I have so many things going on in my life. It doesn't seem that I'll find the peace that I need. I'm tired. I just wanted to forget it for a while; at least you won't pity me." She a murmured loudly enough to her friend can listen to her. "I found out a month ago; even my brother knew about it before myself," Lux talked, this time watching the ring into her left hand.
"Well, what you exactly expect from a friend, Lux?" she said with a sad smile. "Don't you remember the time when I told you what happened to me when I was younger while living in Zaun? The things that city did to me?"
Lux went silent for a moment.
"…I do. I really pitted you, though," She laughed melancholically. "My life can't be worse than yours. I'm sorry for bothering with these stupid things…"
"Forcing to marry someone is not a silly thing, Lux," Janna said sternly, with a very deep frown in her eyebrows. "As so to live all those things… You have to pity yourself sometimes, to let someone to comfort you, you know. We may not have the same life, but each one has their stuff."
"I guess you're right," she rambled, staring at the stars that were appearing in the sky. "Well, you don't have to worry for me. Everything will be ending soon."
Janna gazed at her, puzzled.
"For good?"
"For good."
Day twenty three
Lux moved around in the garden of her house, watering every plant she could reach and making sure that her mother wasn't seeing her, especially because she didn't like "to her doing the job of the servants". She watered the white roses Ezreal gave her in their first date, almost a month ago. The roses bloomed beautifully thanks to her magic, showing off every bit of its being.
She touched slightly one of them, caressing its petals and thinking how that was the day her life changed. She should thank him. If he didn't take the audacity to ask her, she probably would be inside of her room now, crying over and over to her parents… again.
She grabbed one rose and ripped off the ground, letting out a little gasp exactly when she did it. Ignoring the strange sensation, she summoned a little of her nature magic and wrapped the rose of it, freezing it in that instant. Then, she walked away to keep watering, the rose with her.
Day twenty four
Her hair was falling down through her back when the door of her room sounded. She passed the brush in her hair a couple of times before left it in her nightstand and saying "come in". The door opened up and she was surprised to see Garen peeking inside of her room with his head.
"It's ok to come in?" he asked, not seeming to take note of her previous quote.
Lux chuckled a little and nodded.
"Come in, big brother," she allowed the pass.
Garen smiled and opened the door fully, his giant body making it through barely. He walked to her bed and sat down beside her. She noticed that he was hiding something in his back.
"Sorry, the city keeps me busy. I barely have time to check over you," he apologized himself.
"Don't worry for that, you're doing what you have to do," she said, holding back the unnerving tone her brain wanted to use.
He smiled goofily and deigned to show her what he was holding: a little white box with a red ribbon on it. She watched it, curious, and then exchanged her eyes to him, waiting an explanation.
"It's a gift, for you" he said, making her mouth to wide slightly in surprise. "I know I should have waited to the wedding, but… I think it's better to give it to you now."
Lux blinked and accepted the box with one hand. She gazed at him and found out that he was waiting for her to opening it. She relaxed and reached for the cover, taking it out and appreciating what was inside. It was a platinum bracelet, very tiny but big enough to fit in her wrist. She grabbed it delicately and analyzed it, discovering that was carved with tiny draws of light, the sun and finally, her name at the end. It was beautiful.
"Garen…! It's amazing!" she said with a big smile as he helped her out putting it on her wrist. "Where did you get it?"
"I made it," he confessed. Lux's face was hilarious. "Really! It was me! Well… Maybe I got some help… But it was my idea!"
Lux stared at him in awe, exchanging glances between him and her bracelet. He actually made it? Garen? She wasn't trying to be that bad with him, but she found incredibly hard to him doing something so delicate like that. But the sight of his happy face shut her down, and she only could hug him tightly.
"Thank you," she whispered. "I love it."
"It's nothing, sunshine," he hugged back. "Everything you ask."
She almost regretted to flee away.
Day twenty five
She could feel it. The sensation of the end, of something that was close to culminate. That sensation when you are so close to reach the final.
She made sure to check everything, to check she has ready the letters from her loved ones, her four books in her bag, her necklace in her neck, the photo of Garen and her in the beach, hes new bracelet and her ring in her hand and, of course, her hopes not crumbling down.
She hoped everything went well.
Day twenty six
The people were hysterical. Everyone was running up and down, carrying things and finishing off some details in the decorations. Lux watched the mini-fight two maids were having about which was the best place to put the ornament in one of the tables, the one were important nobles will be sitting, such as dukes. She watched how the picture windows of the palace of The King were being decorated by long curtains by men. She watched how a red carpet was being pushed from the entry of the throne room to the very throne.
Suddenly, her mother was beside of her, wearing an elegant green dress.
"You know… It's hard to me to comprehend what's going now, Lux," she said slowly, making sure that the work of the servants was well done. "In three days, you're going to marry in the palace of The King. I'm astonished."
Lux frowned deeply, noticing how Aya was trying to open one picture window to ventilate the place, falling because her lack of strength.
"It's also hard to me, too, mother," she answered, hugging her arms. "I can't believe I'm going to marry."
Augatha stroked her blonde hard, tapping slightly her upper head.
"I'm proud of you, Lux."
Lux trembled for an instant, but recovered herself instantly. She wished that her mother would have told that before, before everything.
"Thank you… That makes me feel a little better," she lied shamelessly, faking a tiny smile.
Augatha kissed her forehead and smiled.
"Don't worry, everything will be ending soon," she said before walking away. Lux followed her for a moment with her gaze.
After that, she walked to Aya, with the letter to Jarvan in one hand.
Day twenty seven
She was surprised at the three bodies blocking her way out of the Summoning Room of the blue team. Her eyes took its time to fully recognize the people who were in front of her, but she can't blame them. She was stunned, too. Lux noticed Janna smiling at her, and behind of her were Ezreal and Ekko.
"Janna…?" she asked warily and a little afraid.
"Hey there, Lux," she greeted, floating at her and hugging her a little.
"What's going on?" she asked, but hugged her nonetheless. "Why is Ekko here?"
"Sup," he said, scratching the back of his head and don't glaring at her.
"And Ezreal?" she questioned uncomfortably, watching how he raised his hand and twirled it slightly.
"Hey, Lux,"
Janna stepped away of her, back to both boys' sides.
"You thought that you're going to marry without a party?" she asked, almost laughing at the sight of her face.
"You mean… a bachelorette party?" she talked gradually, sounding stupid.
"If you want to call it like that, I'm fine with that," she shrugged, this time glaring at Ekko, who straightened up and smiled at Lux a little nervously.
"Janna told me about this marriage thing, and I thought going out to celebrate you." He explained, making Lux to feel more puzzled. "So whaddya say? Wanna hang out with us?"
"I, uh…" she stammered, this time gazing at Ezreal. "And you were fine with this?"
He shrugged and smiled fondly, that type of smile he gave her in the dates.
"Yeah, you're going to marry in two days, so why not?" he answered, his voice sounding so different from before, even not changing from the Zaunit beside of him. "Do you want to?"
Lux was sure that she was having a heart attack right now. She never felt so grateful with Janna before, because this was obviously her doing. She repressed a river of tears from her eyes and smiled, nodding over and over.
"Y-yes, of course I want to!" she cried excitedly.
The three of them smiled at her. Janna rushed at her and grabbed her wrist, dragging with her.
"Then hurry up, we have so much to do!"
Day twenty eight
The sound of something awaked her up. Her eyes opened and she instantly felt a horrible hangover stabbing into her head. The dark environment around her was being illuminated by the faint light of the TV, making her to remember that she was in Ekko's flat. Her head turned around slightly in the couch, catching the three sleepy bodies of Janna, Ekko and Ezreal sleeping in the floor. The black boy was comically twisted, with mouth open and saliva rolling out of it. Janna was ball-shaped, snorting just slightly, opening and closing her lips. And Ezreal was murmuring something in dreams, shaking his head and scowling at no one, making her to laugh silently.
Lux rolled of the couch, falling down in the floor into her knees. She rubbed her head with one hand and tried really hard to not pass out there to keep sleeping. She could almost hear her mother's screams about why she wasn't in house already to prepare to tomorrow. Her head only hurt more.
She gathered the enough will to force her legs to stand up slowly, being careful to not fall down again. Her eyes reacted like a vampire when a few rays of light passed through the louver in the only window, making her to wrinkle them. She covered the corner of them with one hand and started to maneuver around the empty bottles of alcohol, pizza boxes and fry bags. Her mother would qualify this as an act of "savage people." She really liked to be savage.
Somehow, she managed to get to the principal door. Her hand tried a couple of time to open it before she realized that the door has a small latch. Laughing silently, she turned it, making a little sound. She knobbed the door but she didn't went out immediately. She turned around and gazed at the three people for a moment.
This was probably the last time she would ever saw them; and her eyes wasn't collaborating. She made sure to remember all of their faces, even Ekko; that guy was way too nice. She regretted not knowing him sooner. She regretted not seeing him and Janna developing as a couple. She regretted not to be something with Ezreal.
She regretted so many things.
"Goodbye…" she whispered to the air.
When one of her feet touched the floor of the hallway of the building, Janna's sleepy voice stopped her.
"Lux…"
Lux boggled involuntary, surprised. She flipped in and faced the eyes of her friend.
"Hey, Janna," she said, making sure to lower her voice. "How are you feeling?"
"Like, really bad… My head hurts a lot…" the girl answered, her voice sounding hoarse. "Where… where are you going?"
Lux smiled softly.
"I'm going back home. I didn't want to none of you get awake, so I tried to do it silently."
Janna blinked. She was silent for a moment.
"After tomorrow, I will see you again?" she asked, surprising Lux the hell out of it. "I really wanted to be your bridesmaid, you know…"
Lux leaned into the wall beside her, her legs almost falling.
"I… really wanted that, too…" Lux spoke, her voice broken. "I... will be back. Don't worry."
"You promise?" she whispered.
"I promise."
Day twenty nine
All the gazes were on her, feeling like daggers embedding into her skin. She strode through the red carpet, arm by arm with her father, Vicent. Everyone was standing up from their seats beside them, watching her intently. She never saw so much hypocrisy before. Jarvan was waiting for her in the altar, the tuxedo on him making him look amazingly gorgeous. Behind him, was the priest. Noz hadn't made any signs of life yet. She was worried; what if someone caught him? But now it was too late; she needed to escape.
As she walked with her grandmother's dress, she tried kept and eye in the hidden runes surrounding the place, the veil in her head hindering the process. In the right moment, some of them will activate, dazzling the whole room and giving her the time to run away. Her head turned around just the necessary to gaze to the very founder of the League of Legends, as a guest of the wedding. Her nervousness went bigger. Where the hell was Noz?
"Just a couple of steps more and you'll be the wife of another man," Vicent whispered suddenly, snapping her out. "I can't believe how fast the time goes by…"
"Me neither, father," she answered with low voice, focusing her gaze in Jarvan, which was closer now.
"I only have to say that I'm proud of you, Lux."
She stared at him intently. You only are proud of the future Queen. She smiled.
"Thank you."
They finally reached the end. Lux dropped the arm of her father and slowly started to climb the stairs to the altar, making sure that she wasn't going to trip over on it. She walked to Jarvan's side and faced him, smiling as always. Her father followed her steps, but walked to behind her, standing beside of her mother. Lux's eyes widened slightly at the sight of Shyvana behind Jarvan, a couple of meters away just like her parents. Alongside of her, was The King. Her heart felt bad when she made eye contact with her. But everything will be ending soon.
Jarvan smiled at her. I wasn't the happiest smile of him, but it also wasn't an unhappy one. It was a resigned one, a smile that contrasted so much with hers.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are here reunited to celebrate the union of two people loved by the people: Luxanna and Jarvan," the old man talked, being the only thing that could be heard in the place. "May the one who's got the rings come closer, please."
Vicent quickly moved to them and extended his hand, opening it up ad revealing two beautiful diamond-shaped rings. Jarvan picked hers, as so she picked his'. The man backed off after that. Lux and Jarvan united its hands and watched the priest expectantly.
"Jarvan, do you take Luxanna to be your wife? Do you promise to be faithful to her in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love her and to honor her all the days of your life?"
Lux stared at Jarvan, her eyes twinkling, watching in the corner of her eyes how a couple of guards were running out of the room. Her pulse accelerated.
"I do." He said and grabbed her hand to put the ring into her finger.
"Luxanna, do you take Jarvan to be your husband? Do you promise to be faithful to him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love him and to honor him all the days of your life?
Lux held her breath, frozen. Everyone was seeing at her, expecting to say yes. She didn't want to. Where was Noz? Did he dump her? She just couldn't keep doing what everyone wants of her. But they were seeing her, in the middle of the altar, hesitating… She…
"I do," she answered, repeating the same thing Jarvan has done.
"Very well. By the power God grants me, I declare you…"
Suddenly, a massive explosion flooded everyone's ears. Lux opened her mouth widely and reeled on the floor, almost falling down if it wasn't for the grab of Jarvan in her arms.
"What's going on?!" she cried.
"We're under attack!" said the voice from one of the guards at the end of the room.
That was the outbreak. The first scream was from a woman, and then came another, and another. Everyone started to run out of the place; Jarvan caught Lux's attention; the expression on his face being worried.
"We have to get out now!" he screamed, moving towards the exit, dragging her with him.
But before they even could make some steps, the room was covered by a dazzling light; no shadow could be seen. It was an instant, but she felt how Jarvan's grasp loosened force for a moment. She took the chance and broke free from his hand. With an extreme pain in her heart, she summoned her bath and cut the long part of the dress, allowing her to run without any problem.
As almost everyone was having the worst time of her life, Lux stormed off to behind the throne, facing a stone wall. She pressed one of the bricks, making the wall to crumble for a moment before a secret passageway appeared. Without any hesitation, she started to run through the dark corridors, using her light to illuminate the way.
"Minion Noz reporting…!"
"Noz! I was worried about you! Why took you so long to explode some things?!"
"Hey! In my defense, there were a lot of people guarding everywhere! Even a few summoners!"
"Well, it doesn't matters right now; I need to run or they will catch me up!"
"Don't worry, I already got that. Just make sure to get out of the palace and to reach the forest."
"I hope the runes work…"
Her thoughts were finished when her eyes caught a door at the end of the way. She quickly rushed at it and smashed her hand into the knob, turning it around and opening it. The sunlight splashed around her body, with the sight of the forest not too far away from her.
"The protections of the runes end here. I guess this is the goodbye."
"I believe so… I wanted to do this properly, but I guess that it won't be possible. Thank you. For everything."
"You're welcome, my friend. Now run, runaway girl!"
When the strange light faded, the first one to react was Dante. After a quick scan with his eyes around the room, he rushed to the altar, noticing Lux's absence. His senses quickly told him that something was off; almost everyone was already out of there.
"Lux?! Where is she?!" Augatha screamed, running to Jarvan, with Vicent behind of her. "We need to find her!"
"I don't know what happened! She was with me and then that light blinded everything!" Jarvan screamed, very upset.
Shyvana was suddenly at his side, drawing the attention of everyone there.
"I sent The King with a couple of guards; they'll escort him to the castle." Jarvan seemed to relax a little about hearing that at least his father was fine, but his stern expression wasn't telling the same thing. "What was that light? Where's Lux?"
"I don't know, but she's gone" he answered, and faced Dante. "Can't you do anything?"
"I'm already on it, boy," Dante answered, closing his eyes and focusing.
Being oddly difficult this time, he finally managed to sense the magic of moving away quickly to the west, barely catching it, making him to be puzzled; usually, his senses were way better.
"Over there," he said before running behind the throne, with everyone behind him.
They faced the hidden way. Dante almost started to run into it, when the dark passage was suddenly illuminated with small explosions. Everyone backed off in surprise, being necessary to wait a couple of seconds before the smoke dissipating. The passage was now blocked with giant rocks, sealing it. Dante scowled and raised his hand to use his magic to clean the way. He was surprised one more time when just little sparkles of blue light came out of his hand. It took an instant to his mind to realize what just happened. "Runes of magic suppression?! That girl! And even enough powerful to restrict my magic?!"
"Where it leads this passage?" he asked to Jarvan.
"It's a secret passage; it's supposed to be used only in an emergency," he answered. "But it doesn't make any sense. This is only knowledge from my family; Lux is not aware of this"
"Well, looks like you didn't know her very well, boy," he said harshly. "We need to find her; bring everyone who could help, now!"
She never ran as fast like that before. Her legs itched painfully, but she ignored it. Her breath was punching hard in her lungs, but the thought of being caught encouraged her escape. It was lucky to her to have the forest so close of the palace. When she reached to it, she would have to run alongside to the lane to the closest city. From there, her journey to Noxus will begin.
The forest was suddenly filled with the loud steps of a woman running with a white dress, jumping roots and avoiding the giant branches. That woman stopped after a few minutes, raised her staff and went still for a moment. Green magic started to surround her, changing her demeanor considerably. Only after that, she started to run again, revitalized.
Dante stopped straight into the entry of the forest, extremely angry. After going out on the chase of the fugitive, he found out that not only the summoners he brought were unconscious in random places of the palace, but as so the guards, too! And now, he loosed the track of the girl.
"What happened, don't you feel her?" Jarvan's presence made known, with Shyvana and a few guards beside him.
"No, I can't sense anything more. She just disappeared into the forest," he hissed, gritting his teeth.
Not only he couldn't feel a single bit of her magic, but he felt rejected by the very forest. Whenever he tried to scan the area, the magic repudiated his'. He didn't know what to think about it, but he needed to find that girl now.
He should have listened to his comrades. She was the thief.
FINALLY I FINISHED THIS.
I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you for all the reviews, faws, and follows. That really encourages me to keep writing.
And don't worry; I'm not stopping writing this anytime soon. I really enjoy doing it. This chapter probably has some narration lacking, but I wanted to publish it so badly…
In the next chapter, we may see Xayah and Rakan or we may not, I'm not sure. But we are close!
Fun fact: did you know that I shipped Ekko x Lux? And Talon x Lux? Weird
Bye!
PS: looks like I have a trouble with the words "his" and "her", I confuse it. You see, in Spanish it's just one word: "su", so don't be triggered, thanks!