Hello! It's time for chapter 2! Also, be warned, chapters are about to get longer. The prologue and chapter 1 were still pretty short (only like 1300 words or so), but those functioned as an intro, so I hope you like longer chapters!
-tehQinQin
Chapter 3: Thousand Year Flashbacks
As Azir plummeted into darkness, his mind travelled. Suddenly, he awoke with a start. The day was bright and he was back...
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It was around midday. Azir sat in the shade of the pavilion, hiding from the heat of the desert sun. Next to him, sat his father, the emperor. When he turned to look in his eyes, he saw no affection that a father should give his son, "Father, with all due respect, why did you call for me?"
With a sigh, his father's face softened for a second, only a second, before returning to the cold calculated expression of a strong ruler, "Azir, as you know, I have made many emperors in the process of my acquisition of Shurima. I soon fear that I will be that target of hostility, internal and external," he paused, searching for understanding in Azir's face.
"You've received basic training in how to be a good ruler and diplomacy, but that hardly deals with any threats that you could face, so I've assigned my commander-in-chief, Xerath, to give you basic combat and magic training in exactly an hour at the arena," Azir waited expectantly, "You are dismissed."
Azir bounded off excitedly, he had always wanted to learn magic! The emperor lectures and physical combat bored him; they didn't seem very practical, but magic! Commanding magic! Only half an hour remained before he could use magic. He ran into Shurima's mess hall, planning to grab a quick lunch before his lesson.
As usual for this time of the day, Shurima's dining area was packed. He saw many soldiers also eating before afternoon training sessions. Azir took long strides to the buffet area, his stomach growling. He hadn't realized how hungry he was. Indeed, the mess hall smelled quite good, with the spices and smell of the cuisine typical of Shurima filling the air.
Grabbing an empty plate, Azir picked up a pair of tongs, grabbing tender grilled meat of some kind, garnished with spicy red and green peppers, the pungent aroma detected by his nose. Laying down the tongs, Azir scooped up a handful of corn tortilla chips, baked by the sun, and their corresponding bean salsa. With his quick meal in hand he walked towards the nearest open seat.
His father always told him, "A good emperor should sit alone; his men should never think themselves equal of their ruler. If an attachment is created to a soldier, and that soldier dies by your command, you will be affected mentally, weakening your rule."
Azir didn't mind. He actually rather like sitting alone, it gave him time to settle down one-on-one with his thoughts, not bothered by the constant pestering that came with being heir to the throne. Azir ate in silence, enjoying the various flavors on his plate, the tender meat melting in his mouth, the corn chips adding a starchiness to balance out the meal.
Judging by the sun, it was nearly time. Pushing away his nearly clean plate, Azir briskly proceeded to the arena. Azir approached the arena, a large circular open air enclosure, used for war drills or duels that elicited an audience. When he stepped in, Xerath was already waiting for him impatiently, arms crossed and foot tapping.
Azir never much liked Xerath, he never seemed kind or compassionate, only caring about Shurima and Shurima only. Indeed, he was smart, the kind of man able to follow orders from a leader and who could carry them out competently. The kind of man a good emperor would choose as a commander-in-chief.
"Azir, you're nearly late," Xerath remarked, "Magic is no practice to waste such time on," Azir started to apologize, but before anything could come out of his mouth, Xerath cut him off, "Do not apologize, let us begin promptly."
"Magic," Xerath began, "must be understood before it can be used properly. You must know that every person has a certain degree of magic potential within them, and everyone's magic is different, although all competent mages are able to perform a universal set of abilities with magic."
Xerath looked at Azir, "Now, we must assess your magical potential. I suspect it should be somewhere above average given your descent of the emperor, but not extraordinary, as if that was so it should have already manifested itself after fourteen years," Suddenly Azir couldn't move, paralyzed by an invisible force. Xerath.
Azir growled, "Why are you doing this?! Stop!" The pain and discomfort grew, but Xerath did not stop, his gaze locked onto Azir, "As heir to the throne, I command you to stop! Teach me actual magic instead of this blasphemy!" Azir's body slightly moving, struggling against invisible bonds.
Xerath did not relent, "You wanted to learn magic boy? How can you learn magic if you have no magical potential? Show me you can break free of a weak paralysis and maybe, just maybe, you have a sliver of hope." Suddenly, Azir felt an energy growing inside of him, he reached for it with his pain and anger. Oddly, the sands around him began to shift, to swirl against his body, covering it with a fine layer of the dust. With a yelp he tried moving again, and the sands around him exploded outwards relieving all the pressure from his body, as if the chains that held him had exploded.
As Azir did this, Xerath let out his own yelp, but one of pain, injured by the force with which Azir had broken his tether and also by the torrent of sand he used to do so, "Impressive, not only did you break paralysis without any magic experience," he said gasping for air, "but also had enough energy to harm its user," Azir saw Xerath smile for the first time, "and even more impressive, we have discovered your own unique 'type' of magic we shall call it: a great gift to a heir of Shurima, Azir, you control the sands."
Azir and Xerath spent the rest of the time testing the limits of his newfound powers, Azir excited and confident, and Xerath genuinely interested, trying to reenact the moment when Azir had forcefully pushed the sands, seeing its potential as a valuable weapon. Azir just wanted to explore everything about it, making it swirl, creating objects out of the sand, and also trying to reenact the sand explosion.
Everything that they did, Azir could only hold for a few seconds, lacking the focus and too weak and inexperienced. They were never able to reenact the explosiveness of Azir's first time, frustrating both mages. Finally, as the sunset placed itself on the horizon, Xerath dismissed Azir, "Go, we have done much today, you are expending too much time and energy on your newfound powers. Eat your dinner and get well-rested, for tomorrow we will again train." Azir nodded respectfully and ran off excitedly into the night, still feeling the euphoria and power from the feats he could perform.
He got back home, practically jumping into bed. Lying on the soft mattress made him realize how tired he actually was and how much energy he had expended. Hmm, he thought, I should ask Xerath about the energy I expend when I use magic. Before he even knew it, he had fallen asleep, drifing off without warning, lost in the blankness of good sleep for several hours.
A voice brought him back to reality, "Prin-er- Emperor Azir! We have to go, get up now!" He saw Xerath's face and mumbled confusedly, "Your father was assassinated, I fear you will be next, in case of his death I was assigned with his personally guard to protect you. Hurry!" Just at that moment a rock smashed through the window, and angry voices and the clash of metal on metal resounded into the room.
Azir sprung out of bed, the adrenaline pumping through him. Xerath sprinted through the night, and Azir blindly followed, unaware that his father's personally guard had joined them, forming a protective square around him. They had left the proximity of the palace, but they were still in the midst of combat, arrows flew everywhich way and occassionally the guard had to shove a man out of their path. A guard cried out in pain as a shaft appeared in his calf. The other guards started to make a move towards him before the injured guard's face transformed from one of pain into a grim expression of determination, "No, keep going to the hideout, protect Azir and the legacy of Shurima," he panted, "I'll stay behind and try to stay behind." The guards nodded solemnly and started their mad dash again. Azir would never forget that guard.
Azir numbly continued the pace with the guard, wondering how all of this was real, it felt like a dream, or rather a nightmare. Finally a pyramid appeared before the group. As they rushed in, the sun rose, its pink and orange tendrils just touching the horizon. Xerath spoke as he entered the pyramids, "Azir have you heard of the Ascension ceremony?"
Azir nodded his head, confused, "Of course, but those are just legends, it can't be possible."
"You possess the power to control the sands, Ascension is possible. This pyramid is your father's final resting place," he said gesturing at the golden tomb in the middle, "but he never made it here. If he were to die, at the precise moment, sunlight would shine through the apex of this pyramid and he would be ascended, and would have the power to continue the rule of his empire," Xerath looked at Azir, "You are emperor now, and a young and inexprienced one at that, you already have enemies many times more powerful than you and a loose control over your empire. You must ascend, for the sake of Shurima."
Azir's jaw had dropped as Xerath was saying all of this, Ascension? Becoming a near God with the most powerful magic and strength? Me? "I will do what I must in order to protect Shurima."
Xerath responded with a nod, "Good, now let us begin, the sun is almost at the position. Step into the tomb, it will protect you from the rays of the magnified sun but give you enough power to make you Ascended."
Azir walked over to the tomb, took a good look at it, then lifted its top and lay down inside, closing the lid, "Alright," he said, voice muffled, "I'm ready to Ascend. For Shurima!"
Xerath gave an evil chuckle, "No, I'm ready to Ascend. For power!" Just as Xerath had revealed his plan, Azir felt the air change inside of the temple, as if charged with energy. A whirring sound filled the air. He could see the room brighten considerably, even from the small cracks in the tomb.
A bright flash of light filled the room, and Xerath screamed as the light of Ascension struck him, "YES! I can feel the power! Watch as I become the Magus Ascendent!" But it was not only Azir who was ascended: as the light of ascension had struck him, his body had not been able to absorb all of the energy and it rebounded off of him, striking the tome, charging Azir with the same energy. The shock of so much power entering his body put him into unconsciousness, but not before he saw another two bright flashes of light. Azir blacked out, but somehow his mind's eye saw everything that happened.
With the first bright flash of light, a humanoid with the head of a canine descended from nowhere into the room. The second brought another creature into the room in the same fashion, this time with a head of a crocodile. Their voices boomed together, "You! You dare abuse the power of Ascension?! The right is only reserved for great emperors and their heirs. We hereby condemn you Xerath!"
Xerath showed no sign of fear, and instead laughed, maniaclly firing a bolt of energy that descended from the skies. The two brothers tumbled away from the blast area, "Fine, if you wish to fight gods themselves, Nasus and Renekton, so be it!"
Renekton spun towards Xerath, his crescent blade viciously spinning, tackling him to the ground, or at least what used to be Xerath. As Renekton had made impact with Xerath, his skin peeled off, unable to hold the pure arcane form of what was now Xerath. Renekton growled in frustation, but Xerath only grinned, pulsing his new arcane form outward, its energy blasting Renekton, stunning him. As he turned to Nasus, a fire exploded at his feet, burning him.
"Ha! You know the power of the ascended! Now bow down before I end your path-" Xerath was interrupted as Renekton pulled him to the ground, pinning him down.
Renekton called out desperately to his brother, "CLOSE THE TOMB! Summon the sands! It is the only way."
Nasus nodded, and with deep grief in his eyes he ran outside the tomb, summoning an enternal barrier, shouting "You are a great man brother, you do not deserve this sacrifice please forgive me!" The barrier finished forming with a boom, and Renekton was no more, trapped in the tomb eternally with an unkillable madman. Nasus sighed with a heavy heart. Now, it's time to summon the sands, this event can never be known to mankind. With a spin of his staff, the sands around the empire swirled towards the pyramid, attracted by the power of its inhabitants. With a grimace on his face, a flash summoned Nasus out of Shurima.
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Azir woke with a start to the dark. He burst explosively, swishing sand all around him, breathing heavily and with anger, sweat running down his brow. He finally realized it was just a dream, a horrible flashback, and cooled down, well at least as much as one could in the desert sun. He started towards Mogron Pass, which was now only a short walk away. After crossing it, he thought to himself, Finally leaving Shurima behind, and hopefully my memories.
Yes, I finally finished, a good 2500 words and the first run in the Nasus, Renekton, and Xerath! Also if you're confused about this it has to do with the upcoming lore changes, so once Riot officially pushes it to live, you'll understand all of this and it'll be a lot more awesome. If you want to know now check out . The article will be titled "Azir's Lore" or whatnot. Until next time!
-tehQinQin