Chapter 9 – Flash

"The plan failed."

"It wasn't a plan. Simply an idea."

"And it failed."

"It's irrelevant."

"You were the one worried about her! You came to me and told me she needed to be removed, and now that your 'idea' didn't work, you suddenly don't care anymore?"

"I believe I overestimated her. She won't be a problem."

"She better not be! And you better know what you're doing, Falnic. I've got a lot resting on our success, and if you don't pull through, there's going to be hell to pay!"

"If we don't pull through, there will be far worse consequences than 'hell', you know that."

"Just do your damn job!"


Riven was sure to be first off the ferry. Waiting in line was not one of her enjoyed activities. Though it seemed she need not be concerned. The other passengers happily let her through to the front, a few yelling "Long live Demacia!" as she passed. Behind her, Lux returned the phrase in as strong a voice as she could pull off. Riven shuddered involuntarily. She didn't want to be around if people found out she was actually Noxian, and she mentally thanked Lux for leaving that information out.

As she stepped off onto the dock, Lux stopped her and said she'd forgotten something in their room. Riven rolled her eyes, agreeing to wait on the dock. She stood on the opposite side while the other passengers disembarked, remembering the benefits of traveling alone. She idly scanned the area, and a grim realization hit her. This was the last place she'd been in Ionia; the small town just west of her final battle. She hadn't even bothered to learn the name of it back then. She didn't think she'd ever need to.

A figure approached her side, and she turned, surprised, to see Irelia there.

"Welcome to Ionia, Riven." She greeted with a bow. The people passing by looked on in awe, but kept their distance. Irelia's blade hovered just a few feet away, and seemed to bob a bit, as if greeting her as well.

Riven awkwardly returned the gesture, mostly for the sake of the people watching.

"Are you ready to go? We have a long list of tasks to complete." Irelia said formally.

Riven frowned. More schedules, she presumed. What would Irelia have in store for her? She wasn't exactly specific when she said she'd 'show Ionia to her, and her to Ionia.'

"I'm back!" Came the cheerful voice of Lux from behind her.

Irelia looked positively shocked at the appearance of Lux. Though she quickly made an effort to conceal the surprise, Riven could tell she wasn't exactly happy to see the Demacian.

"Luxanna," She greeted, bowing again, "I wasn't expecting you."

Lux returned the gesture naturally, "Good morning, Irelia. I'm sorry to drop in so suddenly. I've come as a representative of Demacia to attend your festival in good faith, and promote the continued friendship between our two city-states," She explained without missing a beat. Riven marveled at the ease at which she lied, and figured that this was the elaborate story that she'd prepared.

"I see," Irelia, responded, her tone of voice not quite in sync with the smile she displayed, "I hadn't received word of this beforehand. Had I known, I would have made travel arrangements to take you to the Placidium."

"That's alright," Lux replied, grabbing onto Riven's arm, "I'll just keep tagging along with Riven."

Irelia's smile faltered for a brief second, "My apologies, Luxanna, but Riven and I have prior engagements."

Riven wanted to back away and disappear. It was clear to her that, once again, she'd have no say in the matter.

"I won't get in your way," Lux insisted challengingly, "Besides, I'm sure Riven would like the extra company in a potentially hostile environment."

Riven inwardly sighed. This was getting out of hand.

Irelia's smile dropped, "So, what you are saying is that despite your earlier words, you do not trust me, but are willing to side with a Noxian if a conflict were to arise."

"No. It's much simpler than that. No politics. Riven is a friend, and having just saved my life, I feel I owe her something in return."

"… Saved your life?" Irelia asked, turning to Riven, "What does she mean?"

Riven really didn't want to be involved in this. Fortunately, Lux answered for her. "The ferry was attacked by pirates. If it weren't for Riven, none of us would have made it," She explained coolly, her facial expression softening. Riven looked to her in surprise as she continued. "Not only that, but she risked her life to save mine. I'm indebted to her," She finished with a smile towards the girl in question.

"Lux…" Riven murmured softly. Her heart skipped a beat. She wanted to say something cool like 'it was necessary' or 'you don't need to feel that way,' but something in her mind was telling her this was a good thing. With Lux indebted to her, she could…

What? She wanted to slap herself. What was she thinking? She could take advantage of Lux's appreciation and respect, for her own selfish feelings? That wasn't right at all, and she knew as much. But then why did she even consider it?

"I may have misjudged you, Riven," Irelia interrupted her thoughts, "I did not consider you would perform such a noble action of your own accord."

Riven averted her eyes, still frustrated with herself. "We just shared a common goal," She lied. The anger she felt affected her tone, and she immediately regretted speaking at all. Lux loosened her grip on her arm, and Riven knew what kind of expression she'd have right now. She dared not look.

Irelia crossed her arms and smirked, "Be that as it may, you have done a great thing. I think I can adjust my plans for you."

Riven groaned in her mind. She should have expected this. Irelia wasn't planning on just teaching her any ability. She wanted something in return. What, though, was still uncertain to her.

"Come, Riven. We have somewhere to go before we leave for the Placidium," Irelia instructed, "You may come too, Luxanna, if Riven wishes it."

Riven finally snuck a glance at Lux, who, to her surprise, was still wearing her usual smile. Their eyes made contact, and Riven looked away again, her breath stopping short. But she nodded to show her decision.

Irelia pressed her lips together. She obviously wasn't very happy about the idea, but she didn't argue further.

"Then shall we depart?" Irelia suggested and turned to lead the way.

Riven followed, and heard Lux's steps behind her. Normally she'd be the one to lead, and Riven felt it was odd for her to keep her distance this way. It seemed she planned to abide by her promise of not getting in the way.

Irelia led them through the town square, and Riven took the chance to take in the surroundings. The town hadn't changed much, if her memory served her correctly. It was lively and quaint, and no one seemed to pay her any mind. Back then, she'd traveled by night, and she hadn't exactly taken the time to examine it in her last visit, nor was she in a proper state of mind. Her only goal had been to get on a boat, and get out.

She'd like to say she never looked back. If someone asked her, she would tell them that lie. But the truth was that she had watched the sun rise over the mountains in the place that had changed her. She had laughed at the irony of the metaphor, and cursed at the unfairness of it. It was her first time having anything close to a mental breakdown. It was foreign and entirely unwelcome. As she sat in that boat, something in the way she thought changed, for better or worse.

At first, she considered it just an effect of the chemical bombardment, and it would pass in time. Yet still it remained. And as much as she disliked the fact that her wall she'd so carefully kept had crumbled in an instant, she continued on as she always did. She grew accustomed to it, since she soon realized there was no going back to the way she was. Not with this anger, this frustration she harbored. She began learning how to fit into a life not destined for military glory.

They stopped at the stable house, and Lux squealed in excitement at the idea of riding a horse.

"Do you know how?" Riven asked her while Irelia made the arrangements with the stable-hand.

"Of course," Lux replied matter-of-factly. And that was the extent of their conversation for the next few hours.

Before mounting her horse, Irelia's blade changed shape to a smaller form, and seemed to latch onto Irelia's back securely. Riven looked at it curiously. She imagined the Ionian could do this at will, but wondered why she didn't do so more often. She took the chance to follow suit with her own sword, adjusting Nigel's belt to her shoulder. It wasn't as comfortable having her sword strapped to her back, but she didn't have much choice.

Irelia continued leading them eastward, and Riven's heart sank as she felt she knew where they were headed. How Irelia had found out, she didn't ask. It wouldn't make a difference at this point. She recognized the road they traveled. It was the same one she'd been on 9 years ago, in much different circumstances. A brief image of the fog flashed in her mind, and she shook it away.

'Focus,' She reminded herself.

They veered off the road and started up a nearby hill. Riven's anxiety climbed as they rose higher above ground level. Irelia slowed to a stop at the top and jumped down. Her blade fanned out to its full form when she landed and hovered nearby, the two of them waiting expectantly.

Riven paused a little ways down the hill, and took one last deep breath before demounting. She honestly didn't know how much this would affect her. She'd seen the image so many times in her mind. The horrifying mess of gore and death. She would have been content to never return to this place, to the beginning, but as she climbed the rest of the hill, she remembered her goals. If this was the way she needed to go, then she would wholeheartedly press on.

Riven reached the summit and felt the eyes of both Irelia and Lux on her, seeing how she'd react.

Coeur Valley lay before her, a vast, empty place that separated the mountains from the hills. Some small patches of mist still clung to areas in the late morning sunlight, only reminding Riven of how it was that day. She shuddered as her skin prickled coldly, despite the heat of the sun on her. She could clearly see the areas hit by the melters – even after all these years, the vegetation struggled to grow there.

Her breath caught in her throat as the memories came roaring back into her mind. This time, instead of letting it pass submissively, she stood her ground. She closed her eyes, viewing the mayhem one more time, as fresh in her mind as ever. When she opened them again, she scanned the field.

"Martin and Emmanual," She said quietly, pointing to a location in the field, "They were first."

"Jin, Calen, soon after," She stated a little more boldly, pointing to a different spot. She paused to recollect again before continuing.

"Dassel, Brite, Mannen," Her voice resounded in the silence as she found the locations in the fields. Irelia was watching her with a shocked expression, but Riven didn't stop.

"Krim and Sal, while I was lighting the flare…" She paused once more, though it wasn't for memories this time.

"Tam… As we prepared for our loss... He was brave…" Her voice cracked. She quickly rubbed away the moisture forming in her eyes. This was getting more difficult, but she forced herself to continue. She didn't know why, but she had to.

"Ardus. He was spared…. just before…" A tear made it down her cheek. She gave up on fighting it.

"And then everyone…"

In two large strides, Irelia crossed the distance between them and pulled her into an embrace. Riven didn't feel it at all. Her mind was cloudy, and her senses weren't normal. There was pressure on her hand, and she looked over to see Lux with a concerned, supportive expression on her beautiful face. Slowly, methodically, Riven brought herself back to the present. Irelia released her, and Riven found only a neutral gaze in her visage.

"What did you do with their bodies?" She asked the Ionian weakly.

Irelia averted her eyes, "We burned them. We burned the whole field," She said, sweeping her arm across the vista.

Riven bit her lip. That was the Ionian passage ceremony – cleansing through fire. It wasn't the Noxian way. Riven didn't believe in most of religion, but when it came to death, she at least wanted the person honoured in some way. Not burned to dust. But she knew that wasn't the reason behind the fire.

"It was the only way? After the bombardment?" She asked. The answer was obvious, but she wanted confirmation.

Irelia nodded and regarded her for a moment longer, as if judging her reaction. "Come." She motioned with her hand. Riven followed Irelia to the other side of the hill, and Lux stayed beside her, still grasping her hand.

Riven's vision had cleared enough to see it before it was entirely in view. The sight made her gasp.

Below them lay rows upon rows of Noxian gravemarks, all skillfully bound of Darkwood branches and decorated with a single Crimwort flower. There were hundreds, maybe thousands of them, lined neatly across the field. Riven was at a loss for words, and could only stare in awe.

Irelia smiled lightly, "I thought you might like this."

Riven's stare transferred to the young woman. She was confused.

"Why?"

"Why what?

"Why did you do this?"

The smile became a smirk, "I thought I told you, Riven, we do not hold grudges. Noxus may have been wrong to come here, but that does not mean we should disrespect the lives of its people." She stepped forwards once, standing only a foot away. "Do you understand? We are not enemies."

Riven looked away, slightly overwhelmed by all of this. "I knew that… But to go this far…"

She breathed deeply, stepped back and bowed properly to the Ionian. "Thank you," She said shakily, tears threatening her eyes again.

"Don't thank me. This was done out of respect for life and death. Not for gratification."

"And for that I thank you." Riven repeated, finally rising from her bow.

Irelia looked amused. "You have strange sense of honour, for a Noxian."

"Honour is not necessary in Noxus," Riven replied, "But when you leave Noxus, it becomes necessary."

Irelia laughed, "Well said. It still surprises me, though, that you developed such a mindset after being raised in that army."

Riven shrugged and looked away, "It made sense to me. So I changed."

The truth was, she had had this mindset all along. She respected those that were strong, as any Noxian should. However, she had a distaste for those who used underhanded tactics to win their battles. She liked her victories to be won by individual strength. Tactics, of course, were an admirable advantage, but no one could convince her that throwing sand in your enemy's eyes was a strategy.

"We should go," Irelia declared, "We have a long ride, and I would like to make it by nightfall."

Riven glanced at the sun to gauge the time. They probably had five or six hours 'til sundown. With one last longing look at the memorial below, she turned to mount her horse, nearly running into Lux.

The Demacian gave her an encouraging smile, making Riven's stomach turn to butterflies. She quickly looked away as she blushed lightly. She'd actually managed to keep the girl off her thoughts for an extended time, and she wasn't sure how to feel now that they had returned.

Without a word to her, Riven kicked up onto the horse and looked to Irelia to lead on. She nodded in return and steered her horse northward, toward the Shon-Xan Pass.

Once again, the journey was silent as they rode on. Every now and then, against her better judgment, Riven would sneak a glance back towards Lux. She felt a strange warmth whenever she saw the girl, who was often too distracted by the scenery to notice the furtive looks. Riven felt a little ashamed of herself acting this way, as a grown woman and warrior, but she couldn't help herself. This new experience had captivated her mind. The mental debate raged on, and despite her best efforts to convince herself that, logically, this was a bad idea, she just couldn't accept it. She wanted it to make sense, desperately. She needed some form of affirmation that this wasn't crazy.

Her gaze lingered a little too long, and Lux caught it, returning it with a puzzled smile. Riven avoided the look and faced forwards again, cursing herself.

'Stay focused,' The words of her drill instructor rang in her mind. She'd never had trouble with that advice before.

Finally, they emerged from the pass onto the main expanse leading to the Placidium. The city built around it scaled the mountain dramatically, with a significant settlement at the base. In the fading daylight, Riven could see many fires already illuminating the mountainside. It was her first time seeing it in person. Sure, she'd seen paintings of it in markets, but even the most exceptional of them didn't compare to the real thing. If she wasn't sore and exhausted from riding all day, she might have asked to stop to view it a while longer. But right now, all she wanted was to get it over with and rest.

Irelia quickened the pace ahead of her, seemingly thinking the same thing, and Riven gladly followed suit.

They reached the city by nightfall, and arrived at the main gates without incident. There were no guards, Riven noticed. There was hardly a gate, for that matter. Simply a large, intricately decorated arch that stretched high above the roadway. It was too dark already to make out the fine details of it, but Riven thought she saw some damaged areas, likely results of the battle here years ago. The battle the younger woman in front of her won almost single-handedly against the army Riven was a part of. That was an odd thought.

She didn't deny the fact that Irelia was skilled, but to take on an army was astounding. She felt a strange form of respect for her, bordering at admiration.

A heavyset man was waiting for them on the other side of the arch. Irelia halted her horse and jumped down to converse with him, while Riven and Lux dismounted themselves.

"Phew!" Lux sighed loudly, "Am I glad that's over with. It's been so long since I've had to ride that much."

Riven smiled. She could agree with that sentiment, though her last time was probably under much different circumstances. She doubted Lux would have reason to escape a particularly angry and persistent Demacian who'd discovered her 'borrowing' some food from him. She heard Irelia laugh, and then a quick whistle. A boy came out to the road and took the reins of the horses away from the girls. As he led them away, Irelia returned and smiled politely, "Welcome to the Placidium. You will be staying in the guest residences at the main plaza. I will accompany you there."

"Great," Lux replied, her voice full of relief, "I'm exhausted. So where is it?"

Irelia smirked, "I hope you saved some energy," She said, pointing up the mountain towards a distant light.

Riven watched, amused, as Lux physically deflated. While she herself was a little tired, she knew she'd make it alright. But the fragile girl beside her looked like she was about to faint from despair.

"Hey Riven," She said in a daze, "Carry me?"

"Nope," Riven answered lightheartedly, "Not this time." Just the idea of it made her nervous, let alone the embarrassment of letting someone like Irelia see it. She knew she'd never live it down.

Lux seemed to collapse on the inside and let out a deep sigh. "Ughhh… I should have saved it for now instead of wasting it on the ship."

"That's not how it works," Riven replied with a smirk. She felt Irelia's eyes on her and felt her face grow warm as she was studied again. It was uncomfortable being analyzed like this, and it was beginning to get on her nerves.

"I wish you'd stop that," Her words came abruptly.

Irelia looked surprised for a brief moment, and bowed her head, "My apologies. I did not mean to stare. I was simply curious about your conversation."

Riven felt a tinge of regret for lashing out against the Ionian. She was a guest here, and she knew better than to disrespect the host. "That… is a long story…" She replied softly with a glance back to Lux.

Lux grinned devilishly, and skipped ahead past Riven. "C'mon, Irie, I'll tell you all about it. Turns out Riven is incredibly dashing in the right circumstances."

"Lux, you wouldn't!" Riven protested with a step forwards.

Lux giggled and pulled Irelia off into a run, who was visibly confused at the process.

Riven sighed as she watched the two leave. "So much for being tired, I guess," She said to herself. She wasn't sure if Lux actually planned to tell Irelia, but she was at least amused that she wasn't the only one to get caught up in the light mage's unpredictable pace.

As she walked onwards, making no effort to catch up, the events of earlier weighed heavily on her mind. Suddenly, she wished it was still Lux preoccupying her thoughts, instead of the grim memories of the war. But rather than the images of the gruesome battles that usually showed up, she was thinking about Fury Company.


"Oi, P.C." A voice called out to her. She turned in response, grimacing at the nickname. Her post was indeed Party Captain, but she knew the others jokingly referred to her as Poster Child.

"What is it, Dassel?" She responded, knowing what he wanted already. If it was Dassel, it was about food.

"Do you think those weird rabbit-looking things taste good?" He asked, pointing to some animals in the brush at the edge of the camp.

"Why don't you go eat one and find out?" She replied sarcastically.

"Maybe…" He said distantly, making no move to do so, "Maybe I will…"

"Still don't know why you didn' jus' be a cook, eh, Dassel?" Krim piped up, his slum accent heavy in his voice.

Dassel didn't reply. Once he got into a certain mindset, it was hard to get him back. Unless, of course, someone simply attacked him. No one here was really willing to take on the buff ogre of a man, though. What he lacked in brainpower, he made up in brute strength. He had once torn a chainmail vest in half in front of everyone on a dare. Granted, it was a bit old and rusty, but still impressive nonetheless.

"Captain," Ardus' voice sounded beside her, "Scouts report nothing so far."

She nodded at the boy. If there was one person who impressed her more than Dassel, it was Ardus. Just barely older than her, and incredibly skilled with dual blades. Neither one of them had lost a challenge or skirmish to the others, and the two seemed to have an unspoken agreement to not challenge each other, lest they ruin the other's record. They shared a form of respect on a different level, and she knew she could trust him completely.

She motioned for him to sit down beside her, and he complied with a polite nod of gratitude. That was one thing she couldn't understand about him; his courtesy towards others. And not just his superiors. He treated everyone with the same amount of high respect. She had asked him why, once, but he hadn't answered.

"You did well in that last battle," She complimented him pointedly.

"You were watching?" He asked in surprise, "If I remember correctly, you were fighting four people at once nearly the entire time, and yet you still managed to keep an eye on me? I'm flattered."

She shrugged, "I watch everything. Like how Sal nearly got himself impaled but tripped over a dead body and escaped."

Ardus burst out laughing, "That so? His luck never fails to impress me."

There was a short silence as they watched the flames of the campfire flicker in the darkness.

"I've been watching you too, you know," He continued, a touch quieter than normal.

"I know."

"And?"

"And what?"

He looked at her strangely, "How do you feel about that?"

She stood and brushed herself off. "I don't," She answered as she began walking off.

"Don't what?" He called after her in confusion.

This time, she didn't answer. At least not out loud. 'Feel', was the unspoken response.


"Riven!" Lux's voice interrupted her memories. Riven looked around and realized she'd made it up the mountainside already. Lux was walking towards her from the large building to her right.

"You looked like you were gonna walk right by it," Lux smirked playfully, "Something up?"

Riven returned the smile and shook her head, "It's nothing. I was just thinking."

"Oh? What about?"

"Just… past stuff. It's irrelevant now."

Lux frowned, "I think I know what you mean, but I also think it's important to remember things like that. They shape our lives, you know?"

Riven chuckled, "Personally, I sometimes think it's the other way around. Our lives shape our experiences."

Lux pondered this before replying, "Hmm… You mean something like fate?"

"Not exactly, but you could look at it that way."

Lux smiled brightly and grabbed both Riven's hands, "Then do you think we were fated to meet?" She asked excitedly.

Riven was caught off guard, and her face reddened quickly. "That's not really what I meant."

"Hmm," Lux hummed as she turned away, tapping her chin with her index finger. "But it sure is a pretty idea, fate."

Riven could come up with more drawbacks than benefits to the idea, but she kept silent, observing Lux instead. She felt guilty that she couldn't get enough of just seeing her, and tried to push away these thoughts by asking where Irelia had gone.

"Oh, she's inside making the arrangements for our stay. I think I may have complicated things a bit by showing up," Lux answered sheepishly.

"Which reminds me," She continued excitedly, "I have a big favour to ask."

Riven hesitated. She didn't often agree to favours. "And that is…?"

"Well," Lux paused a moment, "I wanted to take a shower, or a bath at least, after all that riding, but it would seem that all they have here are the public baths…" She raised a hand to her face to hide it. "It's a bit too embarrassing for me."

Riven didn't like where this was going.

"Could you… go with me and keep me company?" Lux finished.

Riven's mind hit a wall. She had seen it coming a mile away, and still she couldn't fathom a response.

'Think of this logically,' She ordered herself.

If she said yes, she knew her feelings were going to get out of hand. She was afraid of the thought that seeing Lux… like that… might influence her even more. Would she lose control? She honestly didn't know. She may have been struggling with these feelings for years, but she hadn't expected love to be so much more powerful than anything else.

But then, even if she said no and spared herself the stress and embarrassment, she was afraid of disappointing Lux. She was stuck. If she wanted Lux to see her in positive light, she'd have to say yes, right?

'Or,' Her mind responded, 'You could just solve everything right now by telling her.'

She looked at the girl in front of her, who looked right back, embarrassed and expectant.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," Lux said quietly to fill in the sudden void in the conversation.

"No, it's not that," Riven replied, bringing a hand to her temple in an attempt to force an answer out.

'Just tell her.'

"Lux, the truth is…" She paused again as she felt pain in her abdomen. Why was this so hard? Her gut felt like it was tearing itself apart. Lux suddenly looked much more concerned than usual, and seeing this caused Riven to feel incredibly guilty. What was she doing? The answer was so plainly obvious. How could she unload such a ridiculous burden on Lux right now, when she was troubled already?

"That is pretty embarrassing," She finally said, both relieved and disappointed by her change of heart.

"I know! It's so strange, having to bathe with other people. It's just weird!" Lux complained lightly.

"Almost as strange as kissing people you hardly know," Riven replied jokingly.

"What?"

Riven felt a sudden weigh on her shoulders. "Um… I meant… That night…" She explained awkwardly.

"Oh!" Lux exclaimed, blushing, "Yeah. Umm. I thought I told you to forget about that…"

"I can't."

Lux raised an eyebrow, "You can't?"

Riven turned away fully, "I can't just forget something like that. I'm not like you."

"Oh, I see." Lux said deflatedly.

Riven could feel the conversation was running to a standstill. She desperately racked her brain for a way to salvage it.

"So, about the bath…"

"I think I'll skip it for today," Lux interrupted, "Maybe I can find a time that's not busy tomorrow. I'm gonna head straight to bed. So good night, I guess."

She took a step backwards with a slight bow, and turned on her heel to walk inside, leaving Riven alone and upset. What just happened? Lux seemed really put-off about something. Did she say something wrong? Or was she just acting weird?

She wished she could be normal around the girl, while wondering if love was always so awkward. How did anyone manage to get past this point? It was harder than any battle she'd fought.

Riven sighed and stretched to relieve some of the pain from her muscles, to no avail. It was strange to find which parts of her were perfectly fine under normal stress, yet one day of riding was enough to tire them completely.

'Actually,' She thought to herself in the silence, 'A bath would be a good idea right about now.'

She ventured into the inn and asked the hostess where she could find it. Minutes later she was in the change room undressing. She wrapped herself in the towel lent to her and stepped out into the steamy expanse of a room. It was scarcely decorated, with stone floors and wooden walls, and scarcely populated as well. A few other women were chatting lively in the middle of the bath, so Riven veered towards the back corner. She needed some time alone.

Stepping into the pool-sized waters, she set her towel down beside her, pretending not to notice the glances she received from the other women. Her darker skin was probably a rare sight for them here.

She didn't feel ashamed or embarrassed of her body. She had only said as much to Lux because it was her that would be the issue. The thought of seeing her, or being seen by her, like this was unbearable. Anyone else, though, she couldn't care less.

"Good evening, Riven." Irelia's voice sounded beside her.

Riven instinctively pulled up her legs to cover the length of her body, thinking ironically that she'd spoken too soon. She was a bit shy of Irelia, for some reason or other. Irelia laughed at the display.

"There is no need to be modest, Riven. You have a great body. It would be wrong not to show it off a little."

Riven relaxed slightly and nodded in appreciation of the compliment. It wasn't the first time she'd heard such words, but they sounded different coming from her.

The Ionian made to sit close by, and Riven took the opportunity to study her figure in return. She was quite fit, with the usual pale skin Ionians possessed. Her build was rather petite like herself, though Riven could tell she wasn't as toned as she could be. Perhaps the reason came from not needing to lift her blade. All in all, she was beautiful in her own way, and Riven had to catch herself before she stared too long. But something seemed odd, and it clicked immediately afterward.

"Where's your blade?" Riven asked curiously.

Irelia smiled meekly. "It is waiting for me in the change room. Impatiently, I might add."

Riven was confused, "You mean it has an idea of patience?"

Irelia laughed softly, "No, no, I meant that metaphorically, I think. It is difficult to describe. But it does take a lot out of me to keep it at this distance."

Riven noticed that Irelia was speaking without actually looking in her direction, and wondered if it was due to the mental strain.

"I imagine baths aren't as enjoyable for you, then." She suggested.

Irelia shook her head, "I never really liked them in the first place. Far too boring." She smirked, her gaze still elsewhere. She looked like she was sweating. Or was it just water? Riven couldn't tell.

"So tell me about yourself, Riven. I am afraid I do not have the… research techniques of Luxanna at my disposal."

"What do you mean?" Riven asked sharply, her attention grabbed.

"Well, your interests, hobbies-"

"Not that. What research techniques?"

Irelia regarded her, finally breaking her strange concentration. "You do know she was, and still is, a spy, do you not?"

Riven paused. Her stomach churned as her mind processed the information. Lux, a spy? Somehow, that made perfect sense. How did she not consider this beforehand? It was so obvious. She could lie like a professional, sneak up on people so easily, even vanish in plain sight. She'd seen this, not to mention how much information the girl seemed to know already. Riven felt ridiculous that she hadn't even bothered to ask how she'd managed to acquire it.

But more than that, she wondered why she didn't care. Was it because of their friendship? Or the hope of more? Or was she simply indifferent in the first place? Her mind wanted to just ignore it and say 'so what'.

Yet still, she couldn't help but speculate what Lux was here for. If she was a spy, what information was she looking for? What was her goal, and what had she done to accomplish it up to this point? Was she really just here for the reasons she gave Riven, or was there something else to it?

She felt just a little frustrated at all these questions, but it was mostly directed at herself. She wanted to know the answers, but she knew she couldn't bring herself to question Lux. Her feelings for her hadn't changed in the slightest, and she was afraid of opening a rift between them by being suspicious.

"I… see," Irelia said, her eyes downcast, "I am sorry, I did not mean to be inconsiderate. I thought you knew." She was breathing heavily and looked like she was having trouble concentrating.

"Are you alright?" Riven asked her, setting aside her thoughts of Lux.

"I am… fine." Irelia said determinedly with a faint smile, but she wavered as she did, prompting Riven to reach out to support her. Irelia clasped the hand gently in return.

"Thank you, but it really isn't necessary," Irelia sighed. She seemed a bit more stable from the contact.

"I really should go," She continued, "As much as I would have liked to stay and chat, it seems it is beyond my capability."

She rose, swaying, and wrapped herself in her towel.

"It has been a pleasure, Riven. I wish it could have lasted a little while longer."

Riven nodded, feeling that Irelia was being entirely honest with the statement. There was something about her that struck her as 'off' most of the time, but at this moment she sounded incredibly sincere in that sentiment.

"Don't stay too long yourself, Riven," Irelia said over her shoulder as she took her leave, "I'll meet you outside at sunrise for your training."

Riven nodded again and leaned back. She felt a glimmer of happiness at the idea of facing Irelia again. It was strange how just a few days ago she dreaded the idea. But now, maybe because the Ionian had something real to offer, she looked forward to it.

She spent a small amount of time washing herself and massaging her sore muscles before leaving as well.

Lost in thought at the day's events, she lazily walked back to her room. Her mind drifted back to Lux, as it tended to recently, giving her the increasingly-familiar fluttery feeling in her stomach. She wondered again what was bothering Lux, if anything, or if she should even ask about it. She wanted to believe Lux when she said she wanted to be friends, and felt it was her responsibility to fill that role.

She resolved to ask her after the training session tomorrow, and find out if there was something she could do.

Upon reaching her room, she immediately headed to bed. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten anything that day aside from a brief packed lunch Irelia had given her. But she was already too tired to consider going to find food, and drifted off to sleep despite the discomfort.

That night, the dreams returned.


Author's note: 'Where did all those names of Fury Company come from?', you might ask. Well, the bare truth is I made them up. And strangely, in the process, I started giving them personalities. And now I can't get them out of my head. So I've decided the only way to do so is to write a story about them. Keep an eye out for Tales of Fury, coming soon to a website much like this one (in fact, it is this one)! :D

On a side note, thank you all for reading this far! I've got big plans for the future of this story. Too big. It's a bit overwhelming, to be honest. But I think I'll manage somehow. :P