"Look at you, Shyvana," Amatel spat her name, throwing it out like venom on his tongue. "The name of a filthy human for a filthy half breed." She struggled to free herself, only to feel his claws sink deeper, scratching at the edge of her ribs and threatening to break through. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Eniah summon his twin wolves while Jarvan conjured his Demacian standard, rallying his men in a flanking charge. Within the second, Freki jumped to Amatel's throat while Geri tackled the dragon's forelimb, the dragon's claws tearing giant gouges through her side as they were knocked aside.
Jarvan and his men attempted to strike from the back, away from Amatel's flaming maw but they were immediately struck down by his tail. Swinging his tail like a vicious mace, Amatel pierced through the soldiers' armor with a sickening squelch of organs being skewered by his spines. Just in time, Jarvan's lance darted out, connecting with his standard and pulling him and two of his men away from the path of the spiked tail. Charging in again, the prince let out a shout as shimmering light surrounded him, the spirits of Demacia's kings forming a golden shield that kept the dragon's claws from splitting his spine. As Amatel's claw glanced off the aegis, Jarvan landed between Shyvana and the larger dragon, encasing them in a great barrier of stone and closing them off from view.
"Jarvan!"
"Prince!"
The men still alive struggled to rise, panting from various wounds. Their lieutenant shouted for them to carry the dead out and treat the wounded, himself barely standing on his sword. The shouts and roars ceased with a final gout of flame and them men waited in anticipation. With a deafening crash, Jarvan's golden armor smashed through the makeshift coliseum, flung forward and landing in a broken mess at the stunned Dragonborn's feet. A searing jet of flame consumed the remaining men as Eniah dodged to the side, his wolves splitting to attack from different directions.
Dammit Shyvana! Move! You were never this weak. Your father is Savera. He taught you better... Move! She desperately looked on as Eniah and the last surviving soldier bravely struggled to at least take Amatel down with them. Fear gripped her heart as she realized it was hopeless. With an impossibly swift snap of his jaws, Amatel cleaved through the last soldier, his entrails splashing across her face. Both Freki and Geri were slowing as Eniah's mana drew near depletion. He fell to his knees, standing between Shyvana and the greater dragon. Amatel loosed one enormous jet of flame, consuming every corpse and the last standing fighter. One by one, the bodies crackled and burned, filling Shyvana's nostrils with the putrid scent of raw flesh blazing to ash. As their bodies burned to coal, the souls of each warrior rose above, standing next to the dragon in phantom bodies of orange flame. Amatel stepped forward.
"You are alone now, half breed. Where is the human will Savera so treasured? Where is your strength?" he gloated. "I will admit that Savera was strong. If he did not protect you, he would have killed me. Even protecting a worthless runt, he injured me. But his blood is lost on a human. It was tainted when he mated with some mortal whore. Look around, all those who professed undying friendship lie in charred ruins. Their souls belong to my flames, child." At that moment, each soul began to quiver, floating forward and lighting even the stones ablaze. "You are worse than nothing. Because of you, their souls will suffer eternal agony within my flames. You are cursed. Now allow me to end your suffering."
She instinctively backed away, stumbling and landing on the burning remains of some soldier's mail. "T-this isn't how it ends," she stammered. "Jarvan and Eniah. They pineed your wings. I-I transformed. I killed you." She had no strength in her voice.. Even the rage that brought on her ascent as a primal elemental faded away, snuffed out by an overwhelming dread. "We weren't supposed to die here! We moved to Demacia and I pledged myself to the king!" she shouted, hot tears streaming from her eyes. Memories of the muddled past merged together, colliding in an unholy kaleidoscope of nightmares. "I-I swore. I swore I would kill you. I swore I would live protecting the humans my father loved!" Amatel's talons reached out, positioned just beneath her jugular. She clenched her jaws, refusing to weaken in her last moments.
As the world turned to blackness, she heard a voice in her mind. "How does it feel to expose your mind, Dragonborn?" Everything clicked as she recalled the blackness of the Chamber of Judgment.
"Come out and I'll show you," she growled, flames igniting her hands as her body was freed from the earlier restraint.
"I'll stay where I am. I welcome you to the League." The voice in her mind vanished and she stood before the black door.
"I see you're out. Took you a while," mocked Eniah. She shot him a glare and he immediately dropped the matter, all too familiar with her fury. He stood with another summoner, this man dressed in a fancier, richer purple with an onyx medallion that seemed to radiate authority. He approached and extended a hand.
"Hello, Shyvana Dragonborn. My name is Reginald Ashram, the High Summoner of the League. Both of you were incredibly swift to pass your Judgments. Congratulations."
She slapped his hand away and dragged her claws across his throat. "Don't ever touch my mind again," she hissed. No threat needed voicing.
To his credit, Ashram shrugged off her claws. "I admit that particular memory may have been... excessive... but it was nothing more than what you agreed to when Caleb briefed you. Regardless, I apologize for encroaching upon the sanctity of your thoughts. And you as well, Desolate Wolf."
Both nodded uncertainly as Ashram bade them farewell, leaving them to the apprentice once more. Caleb turned the corner, ushering them through to their rooms. "Once again, welcome to the League, champions. There is a map in each of your rooms. Make your way to the cafeteria to eat. Champion Shyvana, I am assigned as your guide to the League. Champion Eniah, my colleague, Michael will address your questions tomorrow. Feel free to explore.
A/N: Chapter was short but I feel like this is a good place to stop (I'm sick of writing). They have finally arrived :D
