After the amazing realisation that I was going to be a summoner, we had a small drink to celebrate. A small drink of Coke, that is, as I reserved drinking to when I wasn't going to be made an idiot in front of my new colleagues. Shen had disappeared a while back, not telling anybody where he was going and giving a tiny nod to Akali before he left, she seemed to understand, and I passed it off as he had other things to do rather than babysit the newbies. We sat patiently as Akali explained to us what was expected of us, and how our timetables were planned out from now on.
"First up, you'll have a tour today, just to let you get to know the place, meet the champions or at least a few of them, perhaps later if some of them are free, we can have a small lesson in controlling them out on the field, but I'll leave that to whoever you get," she smiled at us as she finished, and took us outside. My mouth dropped as Shen stood, two massive horses on either side of him; one was the colour of fresh snow, and the other was the colour of an evening sunset, almost pure red all over.
"This is Cavalier, I have... Borrowed him from Xin Zhao to allow you to get around. There is no roads for other means of transport, unless you'd like to take a leisurely blimp ride, but it would take a few hours to get there. These are the quickest way until you learn to use the summoner spells."
Izzy seemed cautious, but I recalled my days of professional riding, not too many years ago, before I became a security guard. My family had always owned horses on their quiet little farm in Ionia. My first horse was a big black brute named Cheeky, who had broken more bones than any drunken bar patron I had tackled to the ground. Needless to say, after taking a break and buying a shiny new horse, I became a local star for my jumping. Approaching the stunning beast, I raised my hand to let him sniff it, his delicate, velvety muzzle resting on my fist, snuffling slightly.
"He's beautiful," I grinned at Shen, taking the reins from him and easily hoisting myself high in the saddle. Up here I was on top of the world, towering high above everyone, and a feeling of peace washed through me, muscle memory setting in and adjusting my position.
"Xin prides himself on his steed, he is an excellent horse man and often spends his time lounging around the stables." With that, he boosted Izzy quickly into the saddle, where she sat uncomfortably, but well. She had clearly also ridden before, but was nervous. Shen pointed to the largest building of the group down next to the lake and confirmed that we were headed there. He quickly showed me which direction to ride and we set off, waving goodbye to the ninjas. They were left behind quickly in the dust churned up by hooves clopping on the road. Heaven to my ears.
As we rode, I made conversation with Izzy. I wanted to know my new friend and colleague, so we chatted. She was from a small village west of Piltover, spent most of her life helping her father in his workshop, tinkering with bits and pieces that had been left. She was only 20, 2 years younger than me, but had traveled so far, including to the Freljord to see Queen Ashe. When she asked in return, I told her what I could. About being born in Ionia, how my father and mother split at an early age - she gave her sympathy. To which I thanked her and told her it was not necessary, I was too young to remember. My father remarried a few times, had my younger brother and then began focusing more on his work on the farm. I lived with him most of my life, with the farm, the horses; every day attending to the animals and the crops, ensuring we were stocked on everything we needed and travelling to the nearby villages with a horse and cart to sell milk, fresh eggs, even fish we had caught freshly that morning in the lake on the farm. Izzy listened intently, nodding here and there, asking questions; I answered the best I could for her. Having never been to Ionia, she asked me about the festivals and I told her honestly that I had never been to one, my family preferred the quiet of the farm, surrounded by rolling hills and gentle valleys rather than the mishmash of people crammed into the space of the festivals. After about an hour of talking and riding, we were nearly there, just a spate of open fields to go until we were there. Giving my mount a squeeze, I urged him on and he responded in kind, launching himself off his haunches like a trained warhorse and flying into the fields at a mad gallop. I was still laughing as I screamed behind me.
"Catch me if you can!" And Izzy urged her horse into a gallop as well, flying after me with mane and tail streaming like fresh linen behind her. We were far ahead, and as we moved through the field, I noted a rather large tree had fallen to the ground, fitting for a perfect make-shift jump and as I turned Cavalier to it, he took it in his stride,easily flying over it and continuing on towards the Institute.
We were still breathless and giggling from the exertion when we dismounted with legs like jelly outside the institutes grand front doors, open to allow the fresh air to blow in the doors. Next to the doors stood a rather tall, unimpressed looking man. He was beautiful golden armour, decorated in blue jewels. When Cavalier noticed him, his head raised high and he neither out a greeting. Obviously this was Xin Zhao. He was none too pleased to see his prize destrier in the hands of somebody he did not know, nor trust. He clapped the horse on the neck, taking the reins from me, and leading him off, collecting Izzys horse on the way. He turned to me before smiling. It brightened his face substantially and I had the feeling he didn't do it often.
"I thank you for looking after him. Maybe I will see you at the stables later?" I nodded an affirmative and turned to head into the building. Xin seemed slightly frosty at first, but I suppose who done good for him, was done good by him and I turned my head to watch him leave again before heading into the building. Akali met us at the door, looking impatient. She shuffled us away, towards what looked like a lunch hall. The noise hit us when we entered the vast room, tables lined up and champions sitting wherever they could. A dog man was just leaving as we entered, decked in armour; he reminded me of the tales my father would tell to get us to bed, of the ancient city of Shurima and the great ruler Azir. It was a story he told fondly and often.
"That is Nasus, he's the librarian here, you'll get to know him well," Akali added, noticing my interest. As we moved along to the cafe, she pointed out various others, of all shapes and sizes. Zac, the strange green blob was sitting at the corner of the room, chatting to an older looking bald man, who had his face bandaged like he had been severely injured. Singed, I think his name was. So many names, so many new faces in front of me to learn, faces that I would have to know sooner or later since I was here. Upon buying some food, we sat at a quieter table so Akali could speak to us without raising her voice.
"Welcome to the main building, this is the main hub of everything. There no fighting allowed here, so if you have a dislike, you leave it at the door." She pointed to two very large, very heavily armoured men, one bearing the blue and gold of Damacia, the other on black and blood red of Noxus. A friendly - or not so friendly - arm wrestling match was going on in here, with supports standing around them. Muscles were straining, veins pulsing on foreheads. You could see the sweat on them. Akali laughed.
"They've been stuck like that for hours now, never moving. That's Garen and Darius there, two sides of the same coin." She turned back to us and continued, "Harmony, you already know where your house is, Izzy, you stay in the Summoners quarters, not too far from her."
"What!?" I nearly spat my sandwich out, "That cottage is my house? How come? How does Izzy have get to have a house of her own?" Questions pounded through my mind, each one thinking of a hundred answers.
"For a start, you are two different kind of summoner. You, Harmony, obviously did not read the small print of your competition winning," I had the courtesy to look ashamed, "You are a bound summoner, you forge a bond with a particular champion, they mentor you and in return, they are almost 'your' champion, hence Shen and you are bound as such now. However, Izzy is a free summoner, every week we have a rotation schedule of champions who can be used by anybody for that week, so Izzy works with them. She doesn't have quite the same relationship with them, but she gets to try out a lot of different styles. This means that although she might shoot ahead in training, she will never be able to handle Shen as well as you will. Both in and out of the field." She paused here to munch on some chips and think about what else she had to tell us, pointing to a young man who stood next to Garen. His eager, attentive eyes were on the Damacian as he cheered and whooped for him, booing at the Noxian supporters.
"You will never be the same summoner as him. Garen is a warrior at heart, with a warriors spirit, so it takes one to know one. Jordan is loud, bold and exceptionally brave, so those two matched up easily, another bound summoner like you. Shen is a... Different story. Entirely," Akali pondered her words carefully, trying to describe her friend, "He was taught to be emotionless from a young age, but you've already seen a lot more of him than anyone else has, jeez, you got a shoulder wobble. That's more than most," Snorting, she continued, "Shen needs balance to use his full potential, balance between offence and defence, and also balance in behaviour. Don't bring negativity into the summoning room, that counts for both of you."
I was sure she would have continued of not for a roar that shook the very foundations of the building. It was a terrifying sound, like a dinosaur from times long forgotten. The room quiet ended for a split second then returned to previous volume once more, as if nothing had happened at all. The arm wrestling had not budged one bit, conversations continued and so did the eating. Nothing to suggest any strange activity. We looked at each other, confused and frightened, then to Akali, who seemed gloomier after the sound.
"What was that?"
"That was Renekton. He is Nasus' brother, reptilian, like a very large, angry crocodile. He was in an unfortunate accident long ago that led to his insanity and the need to kill Nasus. However, he has the occasional day where his madness leaves him and he is allowed out. He remembers nothing of the madness, but understands when we lock him up once more. It's heartbreaking to see Nasus reunited with his brother, then torn away from him again."
Quickly changing the subject, I let my curiosity get the better of me. "So this, umm, bound summoner thing, it's not like romantic is it?" My face flared red when I realised I sounded like a teenage girl - something I grew out of three long years ago. "I just wondered is all."
Akali looked to Jordan and Garen, "So you think those two are together, oh god no. Garen has a girlfriend of his own, but she's currently lurking about elsewhere. The relationship doesn't have to be romantic or anything like that, it's a... Different kind of knowing someone I guess." A mischievous look passed her face and she grinned at me, "Feel free to try though, trust me, I have. Shen's got a heart of stone. A heart like a ninja should have. Though he means good. If he doesn't return your advances, don't worry about it. I guess it would relax him a little, I don't think he's used that thing in like, ever." It took me a minute to figure out what she was referring to before I flamed up again. Oh god. Another teenage girl moment, but I giggled anyway.
An hour later saw me with a spherical ball in my hands, shimmering and glowing. It hovered an inch or so from my skin. A chill seeped through it currently, but I was told that as I used it, the friction would heat it up, even though it never touched my skin. Magic friction, they called it. As the bell rung for the beginning of the summoning, I was twisted into a strange world. I was looking at Shen from a birds eye view, though I had no physical body there. I could still feel the ball in my hands, but the rest of me was elsewhere. I had been given no instruction, no words, just a simple 'begin' and left to my own devices. Slowly shimmying a hand, I watched the ninja begin to shuffle forward and when I was a little more sure of myself, I let myself move him full speed. Pressing a middle finger in closer to the sphere, a shield popped up around Shen. Hmm is that how it worked? I experimentally pressed other fingers, watching him dash and shield, also aiming his blade. Fully aware of what I was doing, I roamed the map, which consisted of three lanes and a jungle area, split up into camps of monsters.
Izzy had volunteered to verse me, Akali agreeing to be the test subject, so I ran up the middle lane, expecting to see a flash of green.
When you see her, shield me, dash and then blade, Shen advised, his voice ringing clear within my head. However, Akali had different ideas. A green circle was on the ground, magic pulsing through it. I could feel a warning in my mind, Shen was cautious. Perhaps more cautious than me, who crept slowly towards the circle, hands tense... There, Akali lept from the circle and I used Shen's dash to shoot away from here, leaving her without her precious cover. Throwing a blade, I watched it hit and leave a floating symbol of the sword above her head.
When I attack her now, I regain health from it, but don't worry about that now, this is practise.
Taking his advice, I ran for her, hit once, twice, then retreated to the relative safety of my turret. This went on for ten minutes or so, taking pot shots at one another until she managed to ambush me and Shen went down.
"Shen?! SHEN. Are you okay? Answer me?" I had never felt anything like this... This... Tugging in my head, like an awful migraine, then drained of energy, and then... Just like he disappeared, so he was back, fully rejuvenated and well once more.
I am fine, do not be alarmed, that is what happens when I am defeated.
Reassuring... Of course I balanced the odds after this. Akali ended up losing to us and when we had left the Summoners room and I had rested - after all, it was horrible feeling somebody die under your control, even if they did come back - Shen had a glint in his eye.
"You haven't beaten me quite so badly since we were kids Shen," Akali laughed as we left. Shen was silent, Izzy on the other hand, was not. She had that big silly smile on her face, telling me how great I had done although she had been beaten. Graceful in defeat as ever it seemed. As we started to peel off to go home, Akali hovered by me, smiling.
"Thank you Harmony, I haven't seen him like that for a while, and you stuck wit what he said. He's proud of you, you know. Now go on, get some sleep. Jayce will take you to your flat to get your clothes in the morning." Just like that, she was gone in the night, the darkness creeping around me. She had walked me to the door anyway, and handed me the set of keys. Immaculate inside, I wandered to the bedroom to find a pair of plain cotton pyjamas set out for me, changed into them and left my clothes in the hamper. Clambering into bed, I thought about the day, the new people I had met and the days ahead of me. The duvets sunk me into a deep sleep as I dreamed of the possibilities.