And so she had set up to meet with Leona in front of the Institute of War. In the open, where the truth shone brightest at night.
Diana tensed as she felt the wisp of a presence pass behind her. For a fraction of a second she was about to attack, arm tense and body poised.
But she caught herself; it wasn't right, it didn't feel like her. There was no glowing aura or air of sunshine.
Instead she caught a different scent in the breeze - a heady damp musk.
"Who is it."
Her tone was demanding, almost threatening. There were soft footsteps and Diana felt something stirring in the air. She readied her weapon.
Varus appeared from behind the pillar, bow resting in his hand by his side. Diana had met most of the champions before, usually at the end of her blade, but she had never bothered to notice them. All she needed was to be able tell them apart, tell 'friend' from 'foe' in battle.
She had yet to face Varus though. In fact, now that she thought about it, she hadn't seen him in any of her matches since she began not too long ago. Sure she had caught glimpses of him when the champions were all gathered together to be briefed on new patches but he was just another one of the many faces in the crowd of champions.
As such, she was a little intrigued by the… substance that covered his lower half and his arms. Her gaze flickered over him. Even his bow seemed to be coated in it.
She had never taken much note of it before but looking now, it caught her attention that it didn't look quite like flames nor quite like liquid. It resembled more of a combination of both, and it seethed across his skin, almost like as if alive.
"Diana."
Varus' voice echoed to her, deep and mellow yet there was something unearthly in it. She tensed at her name as he stepped towards her, the fading light illuminating his pale face.
Diana lifted up her blade out of reflex, barring him from coming closer, the tip touching the hollow of his neck.
"Why are you here." He glanced at her blade, his face emotionless.
"I could ask you the same question." There was a tone of something like mild interest underneath his cold voice. Diana's eyes narrowed, unimpressed with his taciturn reply.
"Do you have any business here?" her icy tone unmissable; it was evident she wanted him to take his leave. Varus made no move to reply.
The silence was starting to infuriate her. She pressed her blade deeper into his neck, almost enough to draw blood. The corner of his mouth twitched up - as if amused, seemingly unperturbed at the sharp tip of her weapon digging into is neck.
"Just seeing for myself the true likes of another."
He looked up from her blade, his eyes locking onto hers. She could feel his gaze piercing her, seeing through her.
"We're forsaken. Both of us." He stated quietly.
The tip cut into his neck from the movement of his Adam's apple as he spoke. Varus appeared indifferent to the small beading of blood trickling down his neck.
Diana was about to refute out of reflex but something about his tone and expression made her hesitate. His face had been impassive and emotionless before but she could have sworn a downcast look flickered across his face just then.
He wasn't seeking to provoke her by that comment, she realised - it was a flat statement.
Cautiously, she lowered her blade from his neck.
"How so." she inquired, her tone rhetorical. He made no move to reply, merely glancing to her forehead. Unconsciously, Diana reached up to touch the sigil branded into her forehead.
"Marked for death." Varus answered to her gesture. She looked at him, her brow furrowing slightly.
In reply, he mirrored her movement but placing his hand over his stomach instead. Diana looked and underneath his fingers she barely made out elaborate lines traced over his skin, the colour pale and faded from time. They interwove with each other across his torso to form the shape of a guarding owl.
She was puzzled; what did he mean by this? That owl…why? Forsaken? How? Diana opened her mouth, a string of question forming on her tongue when a loud grating sound from behind caused her to turn around.
The stone doors of the Institute were opening as a group of champions streamed out, finished from a match. Her attention instantly snapped back to her original purpose, zoning in on the people coming through the doorway, searching for that painfully familiar face. Leona.
"She's not coming"
It was as if he knew what she had been thinking, his voice echoing to her from a distance away, carried by the wind.
Diana spun back to see his retreating figure as he walked off, white hair blowing in the breeze, leaving her with a niggling feeling of unsettled business.
Taking a step, she was about to call after him, intent with intrigue and Leona temporarily forgotten.
"Scary moon girl?" the voice from behind her was clumsy and oafish, coming from a hulking figure in a business suit with a large briefcase hanging in his hands.
Diana turned around, irritated at the interruption and moreover, at having to reply to the owner of said voice.
She would question Varus later then, she knew where he resided.
"Yes, Mundo?" her cold words were drawn out and slow, as if talking to a child. Or someone who was, most likely, mentally impaired.
What did he want this time?
"Who moon girl talk to?"
"Varus." She replied, irritated.
His face furrowed in strain as if processing a thought.
"He bad. Too good."
Diana sighed in frustration at his confusing blundering. A voice piped up from behind Mundo, carrying with it a rather pungent smell.
"He means that Varus is too strong." Twitch scuttled up to Diana, flies buzzing around him. Mundo nodded vigorously in agreement. She fought the urge to cringe away at the foul smell emanating from Twitch, instead resorting to breathing through her mouth. Seems they both just finished a match.
"We're facing him tomorrow, we can't beat him." He tittered, his head twitching as he flicked his ears against the flies.
"But we can if he is… handicapped." an evil little grin forming as his eyes darted around, landing on Diana on the word 'handicapped".
She frowned, not quite liking the way this is going.
"You were quite chummy with him." Twitch continued on, an evil gleam in his eyes. "You could get close to him, yes? Maybe…" his nefarious voice trailed off.
"You want me to do something to him?" she replied, slightly incredulous.
"You good assassin, you quick sneaky." Mundo finally managed to struggle out his thoughts but Twitch quickly swatted him in disagreement.
"You can't kill him because of the bindings." continued Twitch. "Which is a pity." He tittered.
"But you could do a little something to his bow eh? Maybe a little tinkering?" He flicked his tail.
Diana stood there, a little disbelieving at being requested such an obscure and odd favour.
"So you want me to sabotage his bow?" She raised an eyebrow, a tone of mild dissatisfaction in her voice.
"If it's no trouble for you." Twitch crossed his paw and dipped his head in what appeared to be a courteous bow.
"Or if you can." He added.
Diana scowled, flipping her blade over her shoulder.
"Of course I am capable of such a small thing as this." Her tone frosty.
"I'll leave things to you then." Twitch nodded at her, flicking his ear.
"We'll see." She replied curtly, her voice cold.