The darkness engulfed the hallway, no moonlight to shine through the windows only a few scattered candles poorly illuminated the hallway. Strong hazel eyes scanned the hallway, not bothered by the darkness but simply willed forward to reach the end. The prize was so close, silent feet quickly shorten the distance towards the exit of the hallway and after that the back entrance of the mansion was simply a few meters away.

Riven smiled, her dance lessons though boring and tedious certainly made her light on her feet and a graceful being. She grudgingly admitted that it had helped her with swordsmanship but her admittance to it only reached to her thoughts, which by contrast was a feat in itself. She quickly made it towards the end of the hallway and pulled herself down towards the bottom, not willing to risk making any noise descending down the stairway. She made a soft thud as she landed on the ground and quickly moved towards the back entrance.

The door opened a fresh breeze greeted Riven as she stepped outside, but something wasn't right and instantly her hand reached towards her sword on her back. Her arm was blocked expertly and with sudden force she was spun around and a forearm shoved its way towards her throat. Fiery Hazel eyes stared into Riven's own cold Hazel eyes. Her brother's white hair softly whipped around the cool breeze while Riven's shorten white hair did not.

"Honestly, I should have kept the dogs," Her brother said, his eyes never leaving and his forearm stayed firmly in its position. "Actually if I trusted the dogs I most likely would have found them gagged somewhere," her brother added.

"Hmph," was all Riven could muster to say to her brother.

His eyes squinted and as if his eyes were knives he tried to cut deep into Riven's mind and find the answers to his unspoken questions. "The next patrol won't be around for another ten minutes and the Military Recruitment will remain open until tomorrow. Though I would be wary of some of the muscle heads in there, no manners they have," her brother simply said, releasing her.

Riven looked dumbfounded but quickly pulled herself together and slowly walked around her brother, unsure of what to say Riven stepped in closer to him and embraced him once more, and perhaps final time. "I love you brother, may you grow strong." Riven said, inclining her head right next to her brother's neck.

"I love you as well sister of mine, may your blade never bend away from your heart." Raven said, he turned his head slightly and planted a soft kiss on Riven's forward and with that their embraced ended and Riven quickly moved towards the garden of the mansion.

- Months after the end of the Ionian War -

Fate indeed was cruel, or rather Fate never had much to do with destiny or fairness. The unrelenting sun blazed high up in the sky, the warmest day that all of Runerata had ever felt before. Heavy footsteps dragged along a pathway through a forest. Shade was everywhere, but the lone traveler refused to allow even the smallest of comforts and continued to walk underneath the hot sun.

Only the strong survive, only the strong survive Thoughts passed through the traveler, trying desperately to either justify her past or simply come to terms with the atrocity that was committed not only to her but to the countless of soldiers that followed her into battle. Life knew nothing of what was fair and just, and so far the traveler simply thought that the life today only knew how to offer death.

As if an entirety walking the traveler made it to her destination, the doors to the Institution of War. The traveler pulled down her hood and cowl, her tan face shown through and her hazel eyes stared deeply into the doors itself. Riven walked in, her hilt of a broken blade, the only weapon she held, swayed slightly with each step she took into the Institute of War. Judgment was to come to all that entered these doors, and for once Riven felt no fear stepping into another institution of war.

The Institute, by contrast, was vastly different than was Riven had imagine. Being trained in Noxian barracks for years certainly had brought her expectations for anything grand rather low. Inside now, it felt and looked completely different than what she would call "Institute of War" and more of "peace" than anything else. Which primarily this was the reason such organization was created, its purpose was to create peace and settle engagements here.

Riven moved, her feet moving softly now, she hardly wished to attract the attention of the other, "Champions" so they were called. She stalked further towards the shadows of the buildings, her eyes though caught a flutter of some sort of cloth, deep color of purple? Riven mused but as quickly as she spotted it the flutter of cloth disappeared back into the shadows.

She quickly made her way across the market district and into the apartments built for the champions that choose to make their residence in the Institution instead of the wilderness that encompassed a majority of what the Institution owns. Riven moved quietly into the building, she remembered that her room was on the first floor, down the hall fourth door to her left. The hallway was empty, rather it was deathly quiet. She didn't mind, she actually preferred the solitude for the time being. Riven slowly opened her door, scanning the room and with caution she walked in.

Her room was simple enough, single bed, single furniture and decent size closet. Perhaps it might had been subpar to most people but Riven simply hoped for a bed. This was one luxury she allowed herself to enjoy. Her torments of the past never allowed for quality sleep. Her hazel eyes targeted her bed and her body simply fell ontop of the bed, clothes and all. A small yelp startled Riven as she bolted right up once more. Something cried out and a moment later a furry thing with a hat and goggles stood on her bed. Riven gave the, yordel yes that was what they were called, a wide eye stare. "Um" was all Riven said.

"Oh, sorry Miss Riven. I am Captain Teemo! Here to simply alert you of any matches that the others might not have told you about." Teemo said cheerfully.

Riven tilted her head slightly, not sure of what to make out of this intrusion of privacy. "Do I have a match Captain?" Riven asked.

Teemo was taken aback and twiddled his fingers a bit, "Ah no, but I just wanted to introduce myself to you. You didn't seem to want to meet others so I thought I should meet you instead. Well I guess I should go now," Teemo said, he quickly jumped off the bed and scampered towards the door. He turned his head around and offered a smile to Riven and to her surprise Riven gave him a fait smile.

Riven could not believe the life around her, it felt rather surreal. She refrained from visiting her Noxian brethren, but that is not to say she chosen Demacian company either. She was certain that the Ionains would most certainly detest an exile such as her, perhaps the only the group that harbored no ill intentions were the yordels. But their small doors and housing made exchanges with them quite difficult at times.

A small sigh escaped her lips, already a week has gone by and already she had won several matches. Though she could not take all the credit for her wins, experience summoners matter greatly in League Matches, they understand the mechanics and concepts as well as strategy to fully utilize her skills as well as working as a team. Riven could not say much to the other champions she had fought alongside and against. All their actions were under the control of the Summoners, and regardless of which country or nation or city they fight for, the champions have no say in when or where they fight. Usually.

A cold shiver ran across her spine, Riven twisted her body around and noticed a dark presence, the Fallen Angel herself, Morgana. Her pure white eyes and dark wings, she was not of any warring factions but some supernatural being of higher cause and power. Riven could only but guess of what thoughts resided in the Fallen Angel's mind. Morgana turned her head quickly faced Riven, her gazed locked in with hers. As if reading her mind Morgana offered a smirk, then she turned back and continued walking. Riven took in a grasp of air, not realizing she was holding in her breath to begin with. There was something strange about that Morgana person, but it was not Riven's concern.

"Well, ain't it wounderfoul," a growl muttered.

Riven quickly turned around to face a dark furred creature, the creatue's red glowing eyes bore into Riven's own. It was the wolf man, Warwrick. Riven had no intention of meeting this dark creature of Noxus outside of the League of the match grounds. Riven simply huffed and turned around to walk away but then suddenly a large being blocked her path.

"Now, um- why don't you say hello?" A Skull asked, Riven recognized him as Sion. His intelligence was not something frightful but his sheer strength certainly made great minds stumble of how to confront such force.

"Because she believes to have ridden herself of Noxian blood, ain't it?" A muffled voice responded, Riven turned her head and her blood boiled at the sight of Singed.

"What do you three want?" Riven asked.

"Just want to say hello to the face of Noxian military? Or have you forgotten you were nominated to be the poster child of Noxus military! I mean even with your sudden leave of the army, I'm sure General Swain won't mind accepting you back," Singed responded. He did not bother to looked at Riven but causally leaned against the building they were all next to.

Riven shook her head, "Not going to happen, if you have forgotten already, you were the one that shot at your own forces, killing them with your chemical barrage. I have no interest of ever rejoining a General that orders the murder of his own troops." Riven spat back as her response.

A pair of claws rested on Riven's shoulder a breath filled with stench and decaying death flooded her breath. "Now, now, won't you let bygones be bygones? Because if you don't become an ally, you're my enemy and I have yet eaten today." Warwrick said as he licked his mouth revealing a set of nasty sharpen teeth.

Riven was hardly afraid, she twisted free from the Wolf's grasp and moved to face the three, "Now if you three are done tossing around your ego, I got places to go," Riven said, her voice strong and unwavering.

Sion scratched his skull with one of his massive fingers, as if considering what had just been said, "Um, you have a match?" Sion asked. Singed simply sighed in utter disbelief of his numbskull of an ally.

"No she does not, don't you remember the schedule matches? And if it was an unexpected selection our gracious Captain Teemo would alert us," Singed responded.

Riven scowled, not realizing that all three were below average intelligence. Before though either her or her three former comrades could say a word a dark purple cloak intervened and stood between Riven and the others.

"I would suggest leaving the woman, now. Before you three make me annoyed." A solemn voice said, and before Riven stood a cloaked being, his elongated bladed held by his right hand and the signature dark purple color now stood between her and the others. The Blade's Shadow was defending her. A Noxian defending her?

"De Couteau servant, this does not concern you, your services and reputation as the deadliest assassin speaks for yourself but you have no authority over us." Singed responded blatantly, undaunted by the appearance of the fierce man.

"Perhaps I have none, but Katarina does. Her title supersedes that of your authority, and I am simply an extension of her power. Now do as I say, or things will become . . . stabby." Talon responded, his voice dripping with so much malice even Riven shivered at the threat that wasn't even directed towards her.

The other three to their credit did not take a step back in fear, which Riven would have enjoyed witnessing, and the three simply waved their hands and walked away. Perhaps Warwrick and Sion were smarter than Riven had given them credit for. But it doesn't take a genius to recognize superior strength. But not superior to my own Riven mused.

"Thank you, Blade's Shadow." Riven said, not beyond the ability to be grateful.

Talon turned his head around and without a response he walked away. Riven gave a curious look at the Blade's Shadow, he was certainly a strange person then Riven had first thought he was. Riven sighed and quickly made her way towards another part of the Institution grounds. Perhaps the craziness of today could be washed away by the soothing waters of the lack nearby. Perhaps, but not likely.

A/N:

My aren't I a tardy? I am sorry :'( But at last I am done with Finals and now I am officially on break from College. Now I have the time to spend on my story. Now I shall continue this weekly and for the moment please excuse the grammar errors. And I lied, Talon did make an appearance before Chapter 6, well at least now I can write both now together as I originally plan. Of course though, I can't forgot the two cute Daughters of the General, Cass and Kata, though now I dare say they are no longer bundles of joy.

Comment, review, or simply enjoy reading. I appreciate any and all input and as it seems Kata and Talon pairings are winning the vote. ;)