"How exactly are we going to get our gear out from under their noses?" Shyvana hissed as they paused outside the shack. Orange light glowed from the windows, casting a soft light from inside, slicing through the darkness like a knife. She was silhouetted against it for a few moments as she swept past towards the wall, her long red braid bouncing around behind her.
"I'm... not quite sure..." Jarvan said, stepping up towards the window, peeking around the edge of the frame. Inside, someone silhouetted the window and then faded past after a few seconds, Jarvan freezing where he stood. He slowly let the tension ease out from his shoulders as he exhaled.. A twig snapped underfoot and he froze again, shaking his head. "Hmm..." he spoke softly, reaching towards the door handle, when it turned without any help. The door cracked open and Forsythe emerged, looking at Jarvan with a wry grin.
"Welcome back." He said, waving the dragoness and Jarvan forwards, holding the door open for them. Jarvan and Shyvana exchanged glances, but as the smile slowly spread onto Shyvana's face, Jarvan knew that he was done for. His shoulders fell as he sighed and he slipped in the door, Shyvana following behind him. Forsythe stuck his head out the door and looked around, back and forth across the field that stretched out from the shack. He seemed satisfied that there was no one else and shut the door behind him. He paused, looking at Jarvan with a suspicious glare, but it slowly broke into a soft smile. He patted the prince on the shoulder as a smug, knowing grin spread on face as he turned away and headed towards the middle of the room, kneeling next to the fire.
"You wouldn't have happened to have been plotting something out there, now would you?" Isaacs said with his eyes so narrowed that it appeared they were closed. Jarvan felt the withering glare sap all the strength out of him, but he glanced away, pretending that he was helping Shyvana have a seat against the wall upon the ground.
"What?" Jarvan said, trying to look innocent as Shyvana sat down along the far wall, pulling a blanket around her shoulders. "Of course not." Jarvan set his lance in the corner, and leaned against the wall, slowly walking himself down the heavy timber he leaned against. Shyvana leaned forward as Jarvan wrapped an arm around her hips as he let out a long sigh.
"You look rather hale and hearty, for that matter." Quinn said, eying Jarvan curiously. He had barely been able to walk that morning and now, aside from a bit of stiffness, he seemed perfectly healthy. Jarvan didn't miss a beat though.
"I was scrounging amid some of the rubble and bodies..." Jarvan said with a struggle to shrug with Shyvana now wedged up against his side, the blanket wrapped around her against the chill that was evident even in the fire-lit shack. "I found a few health potions of Noxian issue..." Jarvan said grimacing. "Nasty, but effective things."
"Right..." Isaacs voice was hesitant, but he met Jarvan's glare and withered back after a few moments, shrugging with some effort. Jarvan opened his mouth to continue his explanation, but Isaac's eyes snapped open, tracking towards Jarvan like a marksman looking for his target. Jarvan shivered as the old officer gave him a glare that could have curdled milk. He met the gaze for several seconds, feeling Shyvana shift next to him, but finally Isaacs ran a hand though his short cropped silver shot brown hair. "Before you try and reel off some more bullshit excuses," Isaacs said, sitting up where he sat, glaring at Jarvan, though with a much muted intensity, "Let me just preface it with any and all of my responses: bollocks."
Shyvana chuckled softly, hiding her laughter behind the edge of the blanket as Jarvan looked down at her. She looked back up at him with a mix of pixie like humor but also relief dancing in her eyes as he felt her inhale and then exhale, the tension flooding out of her shoulders. Jarvan scowled at her, but she shrugged and looked towards Isaacs, Jarvan shaking his head and sighing.
"You've lost your leg, old man." Jarvan growled, glaring at the lieutenant, his eyebrow and the corner of his mouth twitching just slightly. "Don't tell me you're going to try and stop me."
"Stop you?" Isaacs snorted, leaning forward, patting the stump of a leg he had remaining, letting a vicious grin spread on his face at the prince. "Wouldn't dream of it."
"Then what..." Jarvan said, a frown starting to spread on his face. He paused, a look of astonishment blossoming on his face, his jaw dropping. "Ohhhh no." Jarvan said, shaking his head stabbing a finger in the air in Isaac's direction. "No, no, no. HEEEEELLLL no."
"It's already decided." Forsythe said, letting an amused smile plaster his face, his boyish features showing through the hardened outer exterior. Forsythe chuckled to himself as Jarvan shot him a dirty glare before turning back to the wet stone in his lap. His majority of the length of the shiny blade was covered in burlap so he could handle it, but he picked it up and maneuvered it carefully across his lap, sliding the cutting edge along a dark grey rectangular stone. He paused the long, repetitive strokes of the sword along the stone while dripping water from a soft sided canteen on the stone, looking up at Jarvan and Isaacs with an amused grin.
"You're both crazy if you think I'm going to let you come with us." Jarvan said, shaking his head, his heated scowl now aimed back at Isaacs. "I won't let you."
"You don't have a choice." Quinn said, shrugging. She returned to a pair of cast black pots that were poised over the fire, hanging from a bent up piece for metal. She used a long pewter spoon to stir one pot, pering into it before she pushed the second over the fire. "They knew right from seeing you missing that you'd be planning on it, so it's best not to try and fight it." She smiled at him, glancing up at him and glancing back away immediately when he let his scathing glare pass briefly over her. Jarvan glowered, shaking his head as he turned back to Isaacs.
"I'm not going to put you all in more danger..." Jarvan said, shaking his head. "This is fight is for Shyvana and myself... Alone." He tried to match the intensity of Isaacs' glare, but the older man had honed his anger into a razor sharp blade he could wield, piercing the hearts of hardened soldiers and men anywhere. Jarvan's knit brown and angered frown soon started to falter. Isaacs finally sighed, shaking his head, leaning on his good leg heavily as he flopped about oddly to turn his torso a bit. It was clumsy, but it did the job.
"I would slap you silly, boy, if only I could get to you." Isaacs growled, a menacing look on his face as he looked up from the ground, the orange light of the fire bouncing off his wrinkles and the lines in his face. "That monster, that thing, stole my son from me and that's something I can never get back." He looked at the ground, the fire in his voice starting to splutter, but he looked back up at Jarvan, the look now even more intense. "He stole Forsythe's eye... and he stole Shyvana's father and her childhood." He shook his head as Jarvan started to open his mouth, silencing the protests. "You can shout and scream all you want, but if you think I'm going to stay behind... Well you can guess exactly where you can shove your bloody protests." He crossed his arms over his chest, continuing to glower.
Jarvan glanced at the ground, suddenly feeling bad about so much as suggesting that Isaacs and the others should stay behind. Shyvana placed her hand upon his arm, the palm of her hand now warm. He looked down at her and she looked up at him sternly but evenly, matching his gaze for a few moments as if to say 'He has a point, you know...' Jarvan sighed, running a hand through his shock of black hair, scratching at his neck as he did.
"Fine." Jarvan said, finally giving in, shaking his head from side to side, as he looked at the man who sat across from him over the fire. It was as if he was looking into a mirror as Isaacs let a cocky, overly confident slide on to his face. "But you're in the back running interference with Quinn. On horseback." Jarvan growled. "No getting around that one... you don't have a choice, old man."
Isaac's raised his hands as if in surrender, bowing his head, the smile now starting to wane. "I know, I know..." He said with a shrug. "Quinn already scavenged a bow for me, so it shouldn't be an issue. I'm a bit rusty, but it's just like riding a horse... you never really forget." Jarvan nodded as Quinn slowly stood up, two plates in hand. She handed one to Shyvana and one to Jarvan, the plate heaped with food and hot to the touch. Shyvana immediately took to the plate, using the supplied fork to start shoving a heap of potato and roasted lamb into her mouth. Jarvan did the same, tucking into the plate, not realizing just how ravenous he had been.
"While you're eating, I'll give you a quick rundown of the plan." Isaacs said, watching with a grin as Jarvan and Shyvana continued to eat, the latter realizing how beastly she looked, wiping at her mouth and blushing slightly when Jarvan pushed a handkerchief to her face and it stuck there from the juices from the meat.
"Sorry..." She said meekly, swallowing a mouth full of lamb.
"Before you get going, where did the food come from?" Jarvan said, raising an eyebrow.
"Here and there..." Quinn said with a smile as she hugged her knees to her chest, stirring a pot as she did, absentmindedly.
"It's good." Shyvana said, holding out her plate. "Can I... can I have some more?" Quinn looked surprised but an easy wave of laughter washed over the group as a smile spread on Quinn's face and she nodded, filling the plate up.
"The plan remains more or less the same as before," Isaacs said, as Quinn passed the full plate back to Shyvana. "With only a few slight changes. Shyvana will be used to draw the dragon out of the cave, without venturing inside." He paused, meeting Shyvana's gaze, the dragoness looking back at him with no lack of fire of her own in her eyes. She nodded calmly though and returned to her food. "Jarvan will be standing by to bring the cliff-side down on top of him while Forsythe, Quinn and I stand by to back up Shyvana if need be. If things go according to plan, we draw him out, pin him against the wall of the basin and then when he is immobilized by the rock, we move in and take him down quickly and cleanly." He paused, looking at the diagram he had drawn in the dirt. "Any questions?"
"What if he doesn't come out of the cave?" Quinn said, a frown creasing her brow.
"He come out, all right..." Shyvana said, her voice low and menacing. "He may be strong and stubborn, but he's also aggressive to the point of careless. He won't be able to stand any goading at all."
Isaacs nodded. "That shouldn't be an issue." He looked back to Jarvan. "Any questions at all?" Jarvan shook his head, setting the empty plate down beside him and shrugging.
"I have a million concerns with this plan still, but I don't think we've got the time or position to do anything else." He shrugged. "I'm all for it."
"It's set then." Isaacs said nodding. His gaze drifted to each of the other men and women in the room there with him. The room dissolved into quiet chatter, Isaacs and Jarvan conversing with Shyvana about what little she knew about Kampf and his ways. Quinn and Forsythe talked for a while, but neither of them lasted long. Forsythe snored quietly where he sat, his head back against the wooden wall and his mouth hung open. Quinn was more dignified, having turned her back on the group and wrapping a blanket over her when she finally drifted off the sleep. Jarvan and Isaacs were the last awake, Shyvana having fallen asleep, her head in Jarvan's lap. Isaacs laughed and teased Jarvan about it briefly, but the old man also gave him some encouraging words amid the fun he poked at his junior.
"You better keep your wife happy, young man." Isaacs said, winking in a way that managed to convey both a dirty and moral meaning to Jarvan. The prince rolled his eyes, but nodded none the less, stroking Shyvana's hair gently as she slept, the thick blanket wrapped around her like a nest.
"Yeah, yeah..." Jarvan grumbled as he looked back at Isaacs. The man had lain down and his eyes were closed, but Jarvan could tell he wasn't asleep. "Isaacs?"
"Hmm...?" The man grunted, open one sleepy eye and looking at Jarvan.
"Why did you and your wife end up separating?" Jarvan asked, looking down at Shyvana. His mind was drifting now as he loomed over the edge of the fall towards sleep. Isaacs sighed.
"It's a long story for another day, lad." He said quietly. Jarvan could hear the pain in his voice though and realized it was probably not a good idea to press any further, especially with the painful memories of Shore so close at hand. "If you treat her with the same respect you would any other Demacian, and give her the love and respect she deserves... you'll have yourself the closest and most powerful ally in the world, my friend." A smile spread on Jarvan's face as he nodded quietly, simply staring down at Shyvana's face. It looked serene as she slumbered, the intensity of her eyes absent and the inhuman beauty of her pale, almost gray skin a warm orange color in the dimming fire light. "Get some rest, lad."
"Thanks, Val." Jarvan said, letting his eyes fall shut. He slid his hand into Shyvana's and wrapped his hand in hers the Dragoness's hand curling around his as she shifted slightly, a smile on her face as she slept.
"Whatever happens tomorrow..." Jarvan said quietly, using his free hand to brush a lock of hair from Shyvana's face, "Neither of us are going to be the same..."
Jarvan looked up towards the sky, to where the sun should have been hanging over the world, high overhead in the middle of the sky, warming the landscape with its rays. He grimaced though as a gust of wind swept up under his cloak and he shivered, grumbling to himself as he looked away from the sky and shook his head. The winter weather was starting to take a turn for the worse, and if what little he could remember about the weather was correct, there was going to be a bad storm coming in soon.
They had woken to the wind and clouds early that morning, the frigid weather delaying them slightly before they could depart. It hadn't cost them much time, but the horses had been struggling in the freezing air, clouds of steam appearing with every breath. Jarvan pulled his cloak tighter around his shoulders, trying to put the chill out of his mind as he looked at the sky.
Clouds had covered the entirety of the sky, a dull gray coating the entire world. The air was frigid as wind swept over the top of the cliff face, battering the few scraggly trees that were rooted to the rock and sandy dirt. A sheer cliff face and a drop that was easily several hundred feet stretched down into the canyon below, the burble and bark of a river echoing up from deep below. Trees gripped the cliff in places and a long twisting path led downy the cliff side, ending at a large open area at the base of this cliff, the dark and ominous mouth of the cave opening up as if it were the mouth of a great beast. The cliff dropped again, falling deeper into the canyon. Jarvan cast a wary glance over the side as he took a deep breath, shifting uneasily. He looked over his shoulder where Shyvana shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably where she stood, looking down at her hands as she struggled to make sure she could control her transformation. She wore a pained look on her face as she struggled to keep the transformations steady and even.
"Take it easy, Shy..." Jarvan said, shaking his head. She glanced over at him, her nerves obviously on edge now.
"I am." She said, shaking her head, uneasily. Heat poured off her body, her hair billowing around her body as she paced slowly along the edge of the cliff. Every time she came close, Jarvan could feel the heat radiating off her body, and she was so lost in her thoughts that Jarvan couldn't help but notice something was wrong. Jarvan sighed, pushing himself up and holding his lance in his hand as he approached her from behind. He put a hand on her shoulder and she jumped, flames exploding around her like a ball of fire, her hair standing on end like a massive red pillar. Jarvan ripped his hand back, the skin on his wrist a bright red. Shyvana spun, her eyes thin and reptilian, the anger clear on her face. She blinked a few times as she looked down at the burns on Jarvan's wrist as her eyes returned to normal. "Jarvan, I..." She reached out towards him tentatively, worried about him, but she stopped, poised to take a step before she took a few steps away, her hair falling still around her. "I didn't mean to..."
"It's fine." Jarvan said shaking his head, massaging his hand. He tried to hide the cofusion on his face as he looked up from his wrist to Shyvana, but as Shyvana stared up at him he could see it reflected in her eyes "Shy... what's wrong? This isn't like you..." He began to reach out to her but his hand shrank back, hesitating ever so slightly at the memory of the flames. Shyvana saw this and a heartbroken expression seemed to slide onto her face.
"I feel something deep within me... something black and hateful." She shook her head and stepped backwards when Jarvan tried to draw closer to her. "Don't! You'll merely get burned!" Jarvan scruffed his hair about, growling.
"Damnit, I don't care!" He said, stepping forward and wrapping his arms around her waist. She looked surprised and afraid, the expression a child wore the first time they accidentally stepped on a new puppy's tail. She clamped her eyes shut as if she expected something horrible to happen.
But nothing happened.
"Jarvan..." She began to say, her voice hoarse.
"Silence, Shy." He said gruffly, holding her head with one hand, the other wrapped around her body, holding her tight. "I don't want to hear it." Jarvan stroked her hair gently while she took a few moments to collect herself, her breaths sharp but deep. He waited till she had finally calmed down, before taking her chin in hand and holding it up as she blinked, blurry eyed. "Now please... tell me what's wrong."
"I just... I don't know what's wrong with me." She said, trying to look away. Jarvan held her chin steady though, forcing her to meet his gaze. She looked won then back up, blushing slightly. "There is a dark, angry feeling within me... It hates when you look at others, and it makes me feel isolated when you laugh with your friends." She tried to tear herself away from Jarvan's grasp, but he held tight. He firmly grabbed her chin and tilted it upwards, pushing his lips against hers. He could feel the brush of tears upon her cheeks against his own, and the fluttering of her eyelashes as they shut. She had been taken aback, and had tried to pull away, but he held her tight and kissed her deeply till she began to melt into the embrace. He finally had to pull back for air and she gasped, breathing deeply.
"No fair." She said, blushing, wiping a tear from one cheek. Jarvan chuckled softly, wiping another from her cheek with his thumb as he cupped her cheek.
"All's fair in love and war." Jarvan said gently. Shyvana nodded bravely, taking a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Keep it calm, love." Shyvana nodded, letting her breathing slow. Jarvan let her go slowly, before he returned to what he was doing, now keeping an eye on Shyvana. Jarvan paused, looking down over the cliff, shaking his head and shivering.
"I hate heights." He muttered, looking away from the drop as he kneeled. He brushed the dirt and fragments of stone away, examining the rock material that was hidden just beneath the surface. "Good... it's granite." he muttered again, his breathing surprisingly calm. He stood up, brushing the dust from his knees, pausing to look over his armor. It was piecemeal at best. One shoulder pauldron was torn up, and his chest plate was decorated with a couple of holes. He had counteracted that with two heavy cloaks, one he wore close to his body, held in place with some leather straps, and another larger one he simply had draped around his shoulders, pinned at the neck. He heard the quiet clop of horse hooves and the crunch of steps approaching from behind.
"Where'd the river come from?" Quinn said, announcing her presence, a frown on her face as she looked over the edge of the cliff. She eased herself down towards the edge, her legs dangling over the rocks that crested the cliff top. Isaacs's horse shook it head as it took several steps back from the sheer drop, Isaacs struggling to control the animal as it tried to distance itself from the cliff's edge.
"Easy there, whoa..." Isaacs spoke softly to the animal as he patted the beast's mane. He looked back to Quinn and then towards the far canyon wall, a slight frown creasing his brow. "It's probably a runoff for most of the surrounding areas." He paused, thinking, and then shrugged. "All the rain must have caused it." Quinn nodded, but continued to stay perched on the edge of the cliff, looking down over the edge, the distant rumble of rushing water rising up out of the distance. Valor was perched on her shoulder, his feathers ruffled as he looked about uneasily, his movements twitchier than normal. Isaacs noticed that Jarvan was looking at him and turned toward him, raising his fist to his chest in salute.
"We're ready when you are, Prince Jarvan." Isaacs said. Jarvan nodded his head to clear his mind and then stood up, putting on a confident face before he turned about to face the others. Shyvana was stood off to one side, slightly apart from the group, the tension bunched in her shoulders as she held her arms close to her body. Forsythe had wandered up from somewhere, leading two horses by the reins. Isaacs was mounted on his horse, and Quinn had finally dragged herself away from the edge of the cliff and was headed to take her horse from Forsythe. As soon as she did, all eyes were upon Jarvan.
Forsythe carried a shield in his free hand, his great sword strapped to the horse, and his other hand was clamped around the reins. Gone were the jumpy, panicky motions of a young man out of place in the world, replaced by confident strides and quick, intentional movements devoid of extraneous motion. He may have looked nervous, but he was also confident, his eyes were harder and darker now, not the shining and oblivious eyes of a greenhorn. Jarvan nodded at him and Forsythe bowed his head, staying down for a few seconds before he looked back up.
Jarvan looked to Quinn next, her motions the opposite of Forsythe. The young tracker was unable to hide her fear like the others, now that she was mounted on horseback. She was fidgeting with her gear, checking and rechecking to ensure that her quiver was easily accessible, her armor was sitting properly and that the horse was responding to her commands. When she noticed that Jarvan was looking at her, she blushed but sat up straight and looked proud, as if she were a Knight on parade. She wore a smile that stretched her cheeks, the excitement and fear suddenly overwhelmed by the idea that she was a knight, on parade before the prince. She looked to where Valor was perched on her shoulder, scanning the area, alert and ready to protect his master and friend. Satisfied with her gearfinally, Quinn looked to Jarvan and bowed shallowly, smiling at Jarvan as she came back up.
Isaacs was the last in the line, the oldest of them all and easily the most experienced. He had seen the worst that Demacia and Noxus combined could throw at him and he was still kicking, albeit with only one leg now. Though the wound would have incapacitated a normal man, Isaacs had defiantly opposed Jarvan's order to stay back. Jarvan had threatened him with treason and mutiny and various other things on the journey, but Isaacs had obstinately refused telling Jarvan exactly just where he could stuff his mutiny charge. Jarvan had nearly punched the old miser, but inside he had been glad that Isaacs was here. Jarvan needed all of the help he could get. Isaacs had outwardly changed very little, but at the same time, he was different, Jarvan could see it despite the man's attempts to hide it. He was still his cheeky, sarcastic self, but deep inside, something had died when Shore had been killed. It had left him harder, colder and despite the outward cheekiness and jokes, Jarvan could see it in his eyes. Isaacs would never blame Jarvan or Shyvana for it, but he now swelled with anger for the loss of his son. He watched Jarvan with an even expression, but inside, Jarvan could tell that Isaacs was as excited and ready to fight as any of them. Jarvan nodded and Isaacs nodded back, matching his glare for a few moments.
Jarvan turned to Shyvana and gave her a warm, reassuring smile. She had drawn slightly closer now, Isaacs had beckoned her closer, when he arrived, but there was still a bit of hesitation in her shoulders and eyes, as if she were afraid to get but so close. Jarvan put it out of his mind for the moment. The dragoness blushed slightly, the pink tinging her cheeks, but she matched his expression, putting on a brave smile. Fire danced in her eyes, with an intensity that none of the others had even come close to. Shyvana contained an unbridled fury within her that was equal parts scary and exciting, but the only thing more impressive was how well she hid it. It threatened to explode and burn all those around her, but Jarvan had a sinking suspicion that it would blaze and keep him warm through the cold world. She only wore light armor, strapped to her clothes, because when she had transformed the last time, it had shattered the metal plating and broken away. The fabric would let her take it on and off quickly.
Jarvan paused as he watched the young Dragoness, meeting her glare and staring into those fiery eyes. Shyvana had grown the most out of any of them, going from a scared and insular young woman to a smart and fearsome young warrior who was easily one of the strongest fighter Jarvan had ever seen. While she still wore her emotions like a jacket, she was still growing and struggling to control her body and temper. With time she would grow into these things and she would prove to be a powerful ally that Jarvan could rely on, on and off of the field of battle.
Jarvan took a deep breath and looked at the men and women before, a sense of pride welling in his chest as he watched over them. "We've got a tough-..."
"Prince Jarvan..." Isaacs said, raising a hand, and forestalling the prince's rally speech. "We know you want to rally the troops and all, but we wouldn't be here by your side if we weren't ready and fully committed." A smile rippled across the faces that surrounded him and Jarvan couldn't help but grin. "We need no convincing, sir. We're ready to follow you anywhere."
"Alright, I'll skip the speech." Jarvan said, firming up his smile, putting the amusement aside, prearing for battle. "But I just wanted to say this first: It has been an honor to serve and journey with each and every one of you." Jarvan nodded as Isaacs and Forsythe saluted proudly, and Quinn bowed. Shyvana smiled at him and nodded at him knowingly. "There haven't been any last minute changes to the plan but I'll go over it one last time: Shyvana is going to descend and draw Kampf out into the open. Isaacs, Quinn and Forsythe are going to route his advance and allow Shyvana to engage him and keep him busy while I bring the cliff down on top of him to immobilize him. Then we can move in and kill him swiftly." Jarvan punched a fist into his open hand, with a reassuring slap of his leather gloves. "Any questions?" Silence followed as Jarvan looked back and forth across his men. Isaacs nodded and then waved Forsythe and Quinn to follow him as he turned his horse and moved towards the trail that led down the mountain. Quinn gave Jarvan a fleeting glance before vaulting onto her horse and kicking it along.
Forsythe hung back a few moments, as he pulled himself onto his horse. "Good luck sir." He said, saluting again. "I know Isaacs would never say it, but do us a favor, Miss Shyvana... Keep Jarvan safe." He nodded quickly and turned, kicking the horse into a trot to catch up with the others before he could face the scorn Jarvan wielded. Jarvan sighed, shaking his head.
"Shy..." Jarvan said, turning towards her. She was close, and she pressed a finger to his lips, shaking her head as her crimson locks bounced from side to side. She stood on her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, pushing her lips against his and holding that for a few moments till Jarvan returned the kiss in earnest. She finally had to pull back and breath, blushing as she did. "Just like old times, right?"
"You say that like we've been at this for years." Jarvan said fondly, stroking his hand up and down Shyvana's back slowly, letting himself get lost in her embrace for a brief few last moments.
"It feels like it's been years since I met you..." Shyvana said, shaking her head. She felt the warmth of a tear running down her cheek. Jarvan cupped her check and wiped it away with his thumb, a soft smile upon his face. He nodded knowingly.
"And it almost feels too short, you know?" The corner of his mouth tugged upwards as a smile struggled to form, his eyes searching as he looked at Shyvana.
"Isaacs told me about an old saying..." Shyvana said, lowering herself gently to the ground, though she continued to lean against Jarvan. "'May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead.' I don't know if Dragon Heaven is the same as Human Heaven... but if it is... I'll meet you in the tavern." Jarvan chuckled softly as he shook his head.
"Isaacs was always good for crummy advice." Jarvan murmured, rolling his eyes. Shyvana giggled softly and nodded.
"Pardon my abruptness, but your Prince has an order for you..." Shyvana raised an eyebrow as looked up at Jarvan. "Come back, alive."
"I'll be right there next to you..." Shyvana said, smiling. "So you better do the same."
"Don't worry..." Jarvan said with the same old cocky grin he always wore on his face. "I have a whole new world to show you and to share with you... I don't plan on dying just yet."
"Jarvan... I..." She turned towards the cliff, starting to pull Jarvan with her. He pulled her back, wrapping her up in his arms, pulling her into an arm hug. Shyvana's breath caught in her throat as she felt the warmth of Jarvan's body in the cold air. She wrapped her arms around him and returned the embrace. She held the embrace for as long as she could, Jarvan finally pulling back to look down at her. She wore a timid but warm smile and her cheeks were blushed the shade of her hair. She slid from his arms, moving towards the cliff, keeping an eye on Jarvan as she slowly pulled her hand out of his.
He resisted letting her slide out of his grasp, slowly letting her hand slip from his, the warmth of her skin tingling on his fingertips for just a few seconds before it was swept away by icy wind. Shyvana paused, one foot on the precipice of the cliff and the other firmly planted on the ground. She paused and gave Jarvan a last glance and a tight lipped smile, the Prince nodding at her before she jumped over the edge, descending down the cliff, flame billowing around her as she slowed her descent. Jarvan stuck his head over the edge, just in time to see her land softly in the middle of the open area that sat in front of the mouth of the cave.
Shyvana leaped over the edge of the cliff, using her flames to control and maneuver her descent, kicking off of rocks that jutted out from the side of the cliff. She descended quickly, landing softly upon the ground in a billowing of dust as she used a cushion of flames to slow the fall. She took a deep breath as she raised herself to her full height, trying desperately to hide her fear, gulping, finding her mouth dry.
"Easy, Shyvana..." She told herself, speaking under her breath. "Just follow the plan and this will be all over before you know it and I can go home..." Her voice faded as she spoke that last word, pausing, poised to take another step.
Home... Her stomach had butterflies in it as she thought about the word, wondering just what Demacia would bring when she arrived. Jarvan had told her stories of the great spires rising as high as mountains, the intricately carved stone work that decorated the city, and the gardens the stretched out endlessly till the sea which crashed upon the shore. It may not be her true home, but if that was where Jarvan was, that would become her home. Shyvana shook her head as she tried to calm her nerves and concentrate on the task at hand.
A gray cast had fallen over the world around her as the pale clouded sky seemed to wash over the entire landscape around her. Everywhere she looked, the world was duller than it should, as if the very presence of Kampf was sapping the life from the trees and the earth. Shyvana slowly began walking along the wide, open area that stretched between the massive mouth of the cave, the sheer drop to the river below, and the wall of stone that now seemed to stretch up towards the sky. She paused mid stride as she looked up the cliff face to where Jarvan sat perched, down on one knee, watching over her like her own guardian angel. Shyvana couldn't help but smile, shaking her head as she turned back towards the mouth of the cave.
Vast, looming, and dark as pitch, the mouth of the cave was a black spot upon the landscape. Jagged rock crested the lip of the cave, arching around and then stretched into the darkness, getting swallowed by the simple lack of light. Shyvana had been walking for nearly a minute now, and she swore she should have reached the entrance of the cave by now, but it only seemed to be getting larger and larger. The rocks above the mouth of the cave towered above her and as she closed with the mouth of the cave, she felt her stomach begin to drop, as if she were plummeting endless through the sky. Boulders five times her own height that were marred with deep claw marks had been strewn about like pebbles, and the bones of cattle and other predators were littered about freely. Dried, blackened blood stained the ground and the rocks, often splattered in gruesome patterns.
"This is the sort of place Father always warned me to stay away from..." Shyvana muttered as she stopped at the mouth of the cave, peering into the darkness. She shifted from foot to foot, wondering exactly what they would do if Kampf wasn't here. It wasn't exactly something they had covered, though as she looked around, she spotted some fresh animal carcasses, the bones still marred red with blood and bits of muscle. "Something is here..." Shyvana said aloud, trying to drown out the sound of her heart thundering in her ears.
She looked over her shoulder and out of the open ground behind her. There wasn't anything for a hundred yards, and even then, the closest cover was probably half that to either side. Shyvana would be exposed if she came face to face with Kampf. Hopefully he would take the time to taunt her and gloat... her life was banking on it.
Shyvana formed a ball of fire around her hand and took a deep breath, putting the fear out of her mind and preparing for the largest battle of her short life. She raised her arm back and tossed the ball of fire into the mouth of the cave, watching as a wave of orange seemed to flash along the cave's walls as it traveled deeper and deeper into the cave. She watched as the ball of flames started to curve downwards, getting deeper and deeper, before it disappeared behind the curve of the stone. The light shone along the top of the cave for a few brief moments before it disappeared again, returning to utter darkness.
"Just what is this cave..." she muttered as she watched the ball of fire disappear into the depths of the cave. Something deeper in the cave stirred, as the ground rumbled beneath her feet. Dust and pebbles fell from above as she looked up at the cliff that rose above her.
She raised her palm up and conjured another ball of fire in her hand, the vibrant orb of flames sparkling and dancing as she looked at the glowing orb. She took another deep breath, tossing it into the cave and watching as it passed along the walls of the cave. She sharply inhaled as one of the walls moved, coiling around and then shaking slightly as the shiny surface started to raise up from the wall. As the fireball began to disappear into the depths of the cave, a horned head loomed out of the darkness, a sharp triangle decorated with points and flared nostrils outlined by the fading orange light. A mix of ice and flame raced through Shyvana's body as she froze in place, flames bursting forth around her in a mixture of anger and fear. The mountain seemed to rumble around her as dust descended from the ceiling and the ground shook beneath her feet, the silhouette disappearing as the flame died out in the depths of the cave.
As the light from the flames that danced around her body coated the entrance of the cave in a soft orange light, a single mote of light began to shine in the depth of the cave, wagging back and forth across the cave as it began to grow larger. The serpentine diamond glowed with a brilliant red sheen, the blood lust of a predator already beginning to swirl around him like a miasma.
"I was beginning to think my little ploy had worked..." The deep bass rumble that shook the earth around Shyvana was unmistakeable.
"Kampf..." She hissed, her fists now beginning to shake with anger.
"It's good to see nothing has changed, young one..." Kampf rumbled with satisfaction. "It had been so long since we've seen each other... I've missed you..."
Shyvana took a nervous step back, startled by the dragon's words as his eye grew larger and closer. The scarred head of Kampf finally slid into view, his black skin gleaming like polished onyx in the light of Shyvana's flames. "You killed my father, and now I'm going to kill you..." Shyvana growled through clenched teeth. Her feet were slowly carrying her backwards as her body reacted unconsciously to the fear in her heart.
"Such fire in your words.. and yet the fear is in your eyes..." He chuckled gutturally, and the ground shook under her feet. "How about something warm to melt the ice in your heart!" Kampf roared as his chest began to glow and expand, the oily black plates starting to spread as the orange glow grew intense. Shyvana turned and sprinted for the entrance to the tunnel, diving to the side as a wave of flames erupted from within the cave with enough force to cause the air to lift Shyvana off her stomach and toss her aside like a leaf caught in the wind on an autumn day. The flames died down as Shyvana rolled to a halt on the ground, coughing dust from her mouth as she sat up and got to her feet, looking about as she struggled to her feet.
"Is that all you've got?!" Shyvana shouted, coughing into her hand.
"You hardly seem capable of fighting, much less willing..." Kampf chuckled again, pausing in front of the edge of the mouth of the cave. "Tricky little harlot..." He rumbled, a serpentine smirk crossing his lips as he bared his teeth. "I bet your pathetic little human lover and his dogs are waiting for me to step out of this cave..." Shyvana froze and felt her stomach turn over. Her mind raced as she tried to think of something to goad the dragon out of his hiding. She turned and looked about as she struggled to think.
Isaacs! Shyvana felt a smile spread over her lips.
"You know, I'd love to sit here and insult you all day, but the sad thing is that I'd never be able to do as good a job as mother nature." Shyvana pushed her back against he edge of the mouth of the cave, sitting just out of sight as she listened to the grunt of disbelief that echoed from within.
"Funny, you little abomination..." Kampf roared back as he struggled to control his temper, his voice beginning to waver. "The last thing that made me laugh so hard was watching your father beg for his life." Shyvana felt her hair and clothes billow as flames licked her body. She forced a smile onto her face, as she felt the anger in her heart start to cause her transformation to push through, the rage starting to build.
"I have to ask: Does your ass ever get jealous of the shit that comes out of your mouth?" Shyvana laughed cruelly, letting her joy at the dragon's confusion and anger seep into her voice.
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Kampf roared, his claws tearing into the stone. Shyvana smiled, and jumped out of her cover, raising her arm and extending a single finger in an archaic gesture that Jarvan had once put on display for Kampf to see. The dragon was livid, his one eye gleaming in blood curdling fury, his chest heaving and glowing with every breath. He sucked in a breath as Shyvana turned and sprinted aside, the mountain side almost exploding around her as flame billowed forth like an explosion. The world shuddered beneath her body and the side of the mountain threatened to collapse on top of him as the deafening roar echoed around him like thunder.
Shyvana lifted herself up out of the dirt. There was a gleaming strip where the flames had been so hot they had scorched the ground, glassing the earth. Lumps of unidentifiable glass sat along the shining path, the remains of great boulders now not more than molten stone. Steam and smoke twirled upwards towards the sky. Shyvana pushed herself up to her feet again, looking over the glass with surprise.
"Goddess..." Shyvana whispered, taking a few steps as she could feel the heat pouring off the glass as it cooled rapidly.
Kampf lumbered out of the cave, his head sweeping from side to side, his single beady eye swinging back and forth as he growled and wheezed, his chest heaving as he looked for Shyvana.
"Come here, girly! I've got something to share with you!" He shouted as he leaped forward and slapped the ground, sending shards of glass arcing up and away from where his claw smashed the ground, a wave of dust, glass and air sweeping over Shyvana. She felt her feet lift off the ground as she raised her arms to cover her face as glass swept over her body, nicking her arms and legs. She landed a handful of yards back as the dust started to settle. Kampf was standing over her as he heaved still, still struggling to catch his breath and looking about with his good eye. "Going to keep running forever are we?" Kampf snarled, pulling his body along the ground with his claws, an evil smile upon his chops. He lifted his head to the sky and laughed. "Nothing has changed then! Your father died for his sins and now you will follow him straight to hell!"
"Bite me, you overblown gas bag!" Shyvana growled, sprinting towards him and kicking off the ground, taking the dragon by surprise, Kampf raising up and snarling as Shyvana came sprinting up between his wings, her skin and muscle boiling beneath as she screamed in anger and pain. On wings of fire and flame, she exploded outwards, her neck extending, her torso elongating, her legs snapping forward and bending backwards as she sprayed flames at Kampf. He howled and twisted his head about as the wave of heat Shyvana sprayed struck his eye and he clamped it shut. Shyvana spread her wings and flapped once, letting the rapidly rising heat of the flames lift her up harder and faster. As she cannon-balled into Kampf, she latched her mouth around his neck and flapped her great wings again sending both of them crashing backwards towards the rock wall. She smashed into the ground with Kampf roaring and clawing at her soft underbelly as they struck the stone hard. Shyvana released his neck and flapped her wings, sending her blasting backwards away from Kampf. Shyvana hovered in the air for a brief moment before looking skyward.
"Now!" She roared, spraying a wave of flames over Kampf, the dragon still howling in rage and pain as Shyvana sprayed flames into the open wound she had inflicted on his neck. "Jarvan!" She howled, running out of breath. Arrows whistled around her and the stamping of hooves signaled the charge of the humans. Isaacs and Quinn kept their range, spraying arrows inaccurately, most of them whistling overhead and to either side. Shyvana gulped as she realized they were trying to avoid striking her, and weren't even aiming for the tangled knot of draconian muscle, claw and anger. He did shrink back from the sound of the arrows, backing away at the threat of arrows.
"Drive him back!" Forsythe barreled in past Shyvana, standing atop his horse with his great sword raised above his head. He leaped off the horse as the animal went charging away, leaving him cannon-balling through the air. His blade sunk deep in the open wound, and he hung on for a brief few seconds, but he was shaken off as Kampf whipped his neck about. Shyvana shook off her momentary confusion and charged forth, letting her claws lead her attack as she crashed into the sword that extended from the dragon's neck. Kampf screeched as he rolled backwards and crashed to the ground, stunned by the pain. "Clear out!" Isaacs bellowed as Shyvana started to back away. She felt ice cut through her veins as Kampf froze and looked up the cliff.
Kampf ceased his struggling just long enough to realize what was happening. Atop the cliff, a small figure lifted off the ground and then came crashing back down at the top, the entire cliff rumbling and shaking violently. The rumbling stopped after a few seconds, the rumble dying out as the quietness and stillness in the air seemed to hang there, like a heavy fog. Shyvana had landed and skidded to a stop, clawing her way to a stop, even Kampf had fallen silent with the shuddering mountain.
"Wait..." Shyvana's breath caught in her throat as the heat of her flames struggled to escape, and she shook her head in disbelief.
"Pitiful humans..." Kampf chuckled as he casually rolled over onto his stomach and pushed himself to his legs, his chops pulling back in a cruel smile over his massive teeth. He stretched his head back and forth, letting the pain in his neck ease as black blood trickled down his chest. "And you, the half dragon whore... you'll pay for tha-..."
There was a sharp crack as the entire mountain side dropped about a foot. Kampf froze, the smile on his face immediately turning upside down as he twisted his neck to look over his shoulder. Shyvana wore an imperious smile on her face as the mountain began to rumble and slide down, crumbling and breaking to pieces. She looked upwards and felt the fear in her heart begin to fade, a sense of pride and hope swelling deep within. Jarvan rode the top of the largest section of rock as it gained speed, the entire world starting to shake as hundreds of tons of stone and dirt began to careen down the mountainside.
"Oh, woe is me!" Kampf said with a sneer. His voice was sarcastic at best, and it echoed even over the roar of an entire mountain dropping down towards him. He twisted about and sucked in a great breath, lowering himself to the ground as his chest expanded and began to glow an ominous orange. Shyvana felt her heart stop and her stomach turn to ice as she realized what he was going to do.
"Jarvan!" She screamed, galloping along the ground and kicking into the air, her wings pumping as fast as she could to gain altitude, moving towards Jarvan, the look of shock appearing on his face as he watched her race towards him. "LOOK OUT!"
"Goodbye." Kampf hissed as he raised his head and spit a stream of fire directly up towards the wall of stone. Shyvana screamed in pain as she watched the wall of flame sweep up the wall of stone, splitting, splintering and incinerating the stone, steam and the explosions of expanding air in the rock sending fragments of stone arcing through the air. The wall of flame swept upwards and seemed to slow as Shyvana dived towards where Jarvan was sprinting to the side, trying to get clear of the wall of flames that was racing up to meet him.
Shyvana flapped her wings, the pain she felt beginning to course through her wings as she dove, picking up speed and tucking her legs in, trying to gain as much speed as possible. The world slowed around her as she watched in horror as the wave of flames swept up and over the Jarvan, consuming him. She watched as his silhouette, consumed by the black smoke, and the orange and yellow flames slowly dissipated, breaking apart, the outline first becoming blurry and then disappearing to nothing.
Shyvana bit back a scream as she watched his outline, black against the flames, disappear into nothing.
"NO!" She shrieked, trying to dive into the flames after him. She clamped her eyes shut and held her breath as she dived into the inferno. Pure heat seemed to surround her as she swept her arms and legs around blindly, reaching, trying to catch hold of Jarvan and rip him free of the inferno. Shyvana felt her lungs began to burn as she had to turn, the heat beginning to burn through her armored scales and singe her skin. She felt the heat die away as she opened her eyes and looked towards the flat grey field of sky above her.
"Is this heaven..." She breathed slowly, the sensation she, as if her heart had been ripped out and her skin boiled was real. "...or is this hell..."
The world protested with the loudest, explosive sigh she had ever heard, as if it had suddenly been punched square in the gut. Shyvana tore her eyes away from the sky as her body began to tumble towards the ground, righting herself as she spread her wings, righting herself. Shyvana billowed her wings out, catching the wind and decelerated rapidly. She looked back down towards the ground and it was as if someone had driven a dagger in the surface of the earth and a cloud was escaping from within. Great clouds of billowing white steam erupted from where super heated stone had crashed into the river, vaporizing the water and sending it charging into the sky.
The white billowing steam quickly covered the area, pooling in the canyon and blocking all sight of the ground, only the gouged out mountainside and the path that wound down the side of the mountain towards the canyon were visible from where she was plummeting towards the ground. She flapped rapidly, still hanging in the air, her head swinging back and forth as she looked for any sign of Jarvan amid the steam. The smallest of glimmer of golden armor, the black sheen of the horns on his armor, the husky call of his voice to let her know he was okay through the hiss and impenetrably thick steam that now coated the landscape.
Shyvana listened for anything.
Silence.