Chapter 17

The smoldering ashes and destroyed granite had transformed the once vigilant Council Chambers into the semblance of an ancient ruin. The cackling sounds of the fire had sparked intensely in this anxious moment, just silently waiting for the first move. Artrix stumbled out of the debris and got himself a clear view of the powerful archangel.

"Lord Artrix! I've finally found you," Amethus began.

The Summoners regained their posture and readied themselves for another barrage of spells. Artrix noticed this and quickly stepped directly in front of their path, acting as a shield of deterrence.

"No, halt! He is an ally of ours, a friend," Artrix hollered. Everyone was puzzled at this notion as Artrix had just sided with a being that had decimated a large section of the Institute without remorse.

"I bid you all to lower your aggression for he will come to no harm for us!" Artrix continued.

Amethus then made a swift gesture with his hands and the entombing rocks that snared Vessaria and Caitlyn crumbled into dust, freeing them. Vessaria quickly brushed off herself and readied two swirling balls of inferno in her hands, her gleaming eyes demanding answers.

"What is the meaning of this, Champion Artrix. You are siding with an enemy that nearly killed us all, this is treason, betrayal!" Vessaria blatantly accused.

Artrix shook his head. "No, he is not our enemy and neither am I. Please, friends, cast your spells elsewhere for we must converse in peace."

Riven, still uncertain at the notion of all this, gripped her blade tightly.

Amethus then flushed his cape back and proceeded to kneel before Artrix. "Lord Artrix and the true king, you must return with me to stamp out the chaos of Heaven, your uncle has…"

"I'm well aware of that, General."

Amethus looked up and returned to his towering stance. His eyes quickly and clearing surveyed the now mortal Artrix and he found that only a infinitesimal strand of his original power pulsed weakly in him.

"Then you know what must be done."

Artrix, now feeling as though everything he had worked so hard for, his lies and his deceit was about to collapse. He fearfully glanced at Riven, who had casted him a worried expression. He feared of what he would do to Riven, what if he breaks her fragility hidden underneath all her warrior appearance. His heart debated with itself, his mind raced for a single possible solution for this madness yet he could find none.

Riven lightly stepped over to him. "Artrix…"

Artrix lowered his head in seeming shame, as though he could not bear his love's eyes.

Vessaria, sensing the peace of the situation, allowed her charged spell to fizzle and signaled the other Summoners to do the same.

"Explain yourself, Champion Artrix," she confronted him.

Artrix sighed and took a deep breath. He thought, it has finally come to us and now it bears no usage to lie any further. He had decided to speak everything of the truth.

"Amethus here is my ally, we hail from the same place, a place which has now been gripped by an evil. A place called Heaven where the most powerful beings in all existence reside. However, chaos and conquest now steams from Heaven and it threatens everything, especially Runeterra. We are all in great peril."

Riven, who was completely taken by surprise at what he said, nearly dropped her blade. Within, a sense of confusion and denial brewed violently as she tried to find her words.

"You are… not Noxian?" she managed to ask.

Artrix felt an iron bolt piercing his heart, his throat mangled and torn and unable to produce any words, any truths.

"Answer me!" Riven shouted. Deep inside she wanted all of this to be nothing but a false dream but Artrix's depressed motions had cemented what she feared.

"I am sorry Riven, I lied…"

After a painful moment, Riven sheathed her blade, turned around and proceeded to leave. Artrix quickly reached after her.

"Riven! I-"

"Just, go. Leave me, I need to think," she said as she left the scene.

Artrix felt stupid, he suddenly hated himself. He hated at how poor his decision was and was filled with overwhelming regret. He knew, from the very beginning that this was an inevitability, yet he did so anyways. He regretted not telling her the whole truth from the beginning and instead followed this path. He wondered if he could've done this any better, if he could've not broken Riven's heart.

"Damn it…" he cursed under his breath. He clenched a fist, wanting to strike himself and let pain be his lesson for this stupidity.

Vi, seeing all of this drama, whistled at the tenseness of the atmosphere. "That's not good…"

Amethus, sensing Artrix's affection for the mortals, stepped into the scene.

"Lord Artrix, we must be remain strong and focus on our goal," he said.

Artrix raised a hand as though acknowledging him. His heart knew what must be done, and what should be done. If he couldn't protect Riven here, then he will have to defeat Othrius to save her.

"I understand, General, and I am capable," Artrix responded.

"But your emotions cloud you, we must remain clearheaded my Lord."

Vessaria, unable to stand not being the centre of plans and not knowing what is going on, stepped in in order to protect her title as High Councilor.

"I demand clear answers from both of you!"

Amethus casted an aggressive glance at her. "You dare interrupt the business of Heaven?"

Artrix held up his hand to ease up everyone and signaling his desire to speak.

"General, this is no longer just the business of Heaven, it threatens all of us," Artrix said.

Amethus bowed and remained silent, showing his loyalty to the true king.

"Then tell us, if it is so dangerous, what everything is about."

Artrix took a breath and explained the entire story, from the beginning of his exile to the present. He told of who is really was, of the royalty what Heaven was and about the gods and the angels. He emphasized on their nigh-omnipotent powers and how one god could reshape all of reality of his plane if he so desires. He then warned of his uncle Othrius' treachery and that he was the true villain and that he puts all in peril.

"The Prince of Heaven? I find that it is hard to believe," Vessaria said.

"But you must, we have to act. When Othrius comes, no one, not you, not Demacia not Noxus will be safe. We must act together, unite and repel him," Artrix pleaded.

"Then it sounds like there is nothing we can do, if Othrius or whatever his name is, is so powerful," Caitlyn commented.

"Lord Artrix is the only one that has the right to challenge Othrius, if anyone then it will be he who must defeat him," Amethus said.

Artrix shook his head and held out his powerless palms. "I have no godly strength left in me, my chances against Othrius is as high as any one of us here. I cannot fight him."

Amethus, looking slightly distressed, pulled back his hair and pondered. "We must act, there has to be a way to return the power to you."

"If only I knew how."

Vessaria who was unwilling to believe that her powerful Summoners will be so easily defeated, stepped up.

"Our magic will be able to challenge this foe, do not underestimate the power of the Summoners," she said.

Amethus scoffed. "Do not be foolish. Have you not just witnessed what my powers were capable of? And that was but a mere fraction of what I can fully accomplish. I can crack open this pitiful planet if I so desired. Now imagine, gods, beings that can out even me trembling on my knees and they wield powers when compared to mine, is like a mountain to the eye of an ant."

It did indeed sound grim. Understanding the perspective of a god and the scope of their power was nearly impossible for the mortal mind yet they must as precious time slivers away.

"Then what do you propose us we do?" Jayce asked.

Artrix looked up to the clearing skies, free of Amethus' influence. The creeping sun over the horizon now visible again.

"We will think of something, we must."

The day has passed as night came to cradle Valoran. Instead of a clear, starry sheet however, solemn dark clouds had come to blanket the earth. Accompanied by the clouds was the seeping rain that drenched all of the lands in gloom. The splattering dripping and dropping sounds of the rain had drummed heavily for the past hour as Riven wandered in the wet, dark woods.

Away from the chaos of civilization and embracing the peace and placidity of the forests, she allowed her mind to churn. Yet only confusion and despair resulted from her thoughts. Artrix was the only thing on her mind now, but she could not understand. She felt vulnerable, open, exposed. She allowed her fragile side, which she has never let others witness; to be exposed to a man she now realized she barely knew. The one question stirred restlessly in her mind; who is Artrix? So he is no Noxian, nor Runeterran, not even human. She felt so alienated, once again alone in her world of exile. The one person she thought could accept her was now shattered away. Only agonizing confusion pounded at her head.

Unknowingly, Riven had wandered into the small clearing which was that of the pond. The same pond that she and Artrix had first shared passion, the magical pond which they could escape to and are relieved of all worries. She lifted her bowed head and gazed around the area. The place now no longer had its passionate and mythical aura as it did before. To her, it was but another part of the woods.

The rainwater had overflowed the pond, now covering the sandy banks with blackness. She stepped into a part of the clearing and sheltered her wet body under thick, drooping branch of a tree. She pressed her back against the slippery trunk and slid down to the grass. The droplets of water dripped from her now flattened white hair as a result from the weather. Her eyes gazed off aimlessly into the distance, her thoughts completely engulfing her. Any ambushes now would've surely gotten her, and she would've died in contemplation.

She felt this fear, a fear which had consumed her before she had met Artrix; the fear of rejection and of loneness. Without Artrix she wondered, who then understand her. Who will know who Riven really was, and not just another Champion of the League.

A bush rustled nearby as a topless figure stepped into the clearing. His muscular form was covered in a slippery film of rain, his blindness not deterring his path one bit.

"Riven, I've found you, thank goodness. The rain had rather disturbed my senses a bit, but your despair was not hard to detect," Lee Sin said as he stepped in.

Riven, recognizing the voice from the dark stood up and surprised at his sudden appearance.

"Master Lee," she greeted solemnly.

Lee Sin gently bowed. "I know what happened, Riven. Perhaps you would like to talk to me?"

Riven's weary eyes had lost all their usual glittering determination but instead was replaced by a lifeless void. She lightly sighed and clutched one of her arms.

"I don't know Master Lee, I don't think I know anything anymore. It's just so confusing, one second I am faced with this situation and the other I am thrust into a whole new world. What can someone like me do?"

Master Lee gave out a hearty laugh and sat down in the grass. He then gestured Riven to do the same.

"Well there is one thing you know, and that it is you know nothing," Lee said, still chuckling a bit. "Understanding that you are confused and not forcing yourself, that's a first step, is it not?"

"I guess…"

"We all are confused, lost and misguided but that is the way of life. It is chaotic, unpredictable, but the trick is to live it and live it well. One day I could be sitting comfortably in my house and the next I could become homeless and wrecked but I need to understand that misfortune is a part of our lives."

Lee Sin then slid his hands smoothly over his naked skull and brushed off the rain droplets that had gathered upon.

"What is most important is finding the path," Lee continued, "and choosing the path."

"But I don't even know if I have a path," Riven said, "And I know him even less…"

Lee Sin softly grinned and placed his hand upon Riven's as a comforting gesture of reassurance.

"Are you sure you do not know him? Or that you merely only do not know what he is, but who he is. Riven, identity is something we are all born with, be it a lowly thief or a mighty king. But do not let that shape who you are, I can be born a peasant, but rise to become a hero. You know who he is Riven, you do. He is a man who loves you, who is determined, who is strong, who is willing."

"I fear… being left out, alone. What if no one knows me, accepts me."

"We are never alone Riven, never. This world just does not allow, there will always be someone there for you."

Lee Sin then released his hands and Riven found that he had given her a cradle of beautifully placed Orchids. They were all bunched like a baby in its sleepy home, their placidity overwhelming her. A single tear was shed from the corner of her eye, only to be masked by the rain but Lee Sin saw, felt it.

"He loves you, he truly does. But that is only one half, what will you do?" Lee asked.

Riven opened her lips and was about to speak when Lee Sin held up one of his hands to halt her words. "Save them for the one who deserves them, not me. Select your path, and tread it with care and life will go on as you desire."

Riven held the cradle of Orchids tightly, she held them up to her nose and sniffed the sweet aroma from the graceful flowers. Orchids, she thought, was the flower that bloomed even in the harshest of days, a small, unnoticeable strength that she witnessed and admired as a youngling. Perhaps she could too wield their strength, and become what she desired to become. The path ladled with Orchids.

The thunderous rain had beat on Artrix for a senselessly long time now. He casted his hopeless gaze into the darkened clouds as he felt the sharp, painful rain coldly crash down on him. With each passing second, he felt his regret grow. He tried to move on, but he could not. Only agonizing feelings clawed at him. He could not bear the weight of having hurt Riven, it was one thing he had sworn to never do yet he did it, and he could've avoided it but his own stupidity had cost him.

He dropped to his knees deep in the mud as he pounded the cold ground with his fist. It splashed away, quickly reforming the dent that Artrix caused which angered him as he struck the ground again and again.

"Why was I so stupid, why…? My idiocy hurt her, and I couldn't stop it," Artrix cursed himself.

In the far distance, another bolt of lightning flashed, its intense light ripping through the dark clouds for a split second. Its thunderous echo had shook Valoran to its core. The rain seemed to have no end to it as Artrix felt like he was about to drown in an eternal pool, he wanted to just let the darkness swallow him whole.

"Calling yourself stupid will not help the case," a voice sounded behind him. Artrix recognized it, it was Riven.

Artrix shot straight up and turned around and saw her. She stood under the edge of the building, just barely clear of the rain. She had a wet towel wrapped around her neck and a fresh one in her hand.

"You should get out of the rain, before you catch a cold," she said.

Artrix, feeling both relieved and concerned at the same time, slowly pulled himself from the clutching mud and to her side. He was unsure of what to say, fearing that her broken heart is still unhealed. He then spotted the cradle of Orchids sitting nicely in one of her pockets.

"I see you've gotten my small gift. It took some time to find all the flowers but…" he then noticed Riven's indifferent expression. "Riven, I…. I am so sorry I lied, I never meant to it's just…" Riven then shoved the towel in his face, forcing him to accept it.

"Dry yourself, the soaking rain must be unpleasant."

Artrix took the towel and wiped his hair with it, causing it to turn into a whirlwind. He then dried his face with it and held the towel at one hand.

"It's alright, I understand," Riven said.

"I do not seek your forgiveness, I only wish that I could reprimand you for how I had hurt you, I could not bear to see you like this."

Riven looked up at Artrix and allowed the faintest smile to spread across her lips. "I'm sure we all had lied in our lives. Artrix, as long as you are still you and not someone who I've never met, it's fine. I guess I cannot blame you for being born that way, but I just hope you will remain as the Artrix I know and love."

"Of course, I would never change, unless you wish me to."

"Don't, I want you to be you no matter what. I want you to promise me, that you will be who you are now, even in the face of death."

"I promise," Artrix said without hesitation.

The sound of the endless rain continued to beat tirelessly upon the roofs of the Institute as they returned back to the easing warmth of the interior.