I opened my eyes to see I was inside a tent of some sort. I sat up, surprised that I was even alive, let alone in a tent and with all my injuries healed. I saw that I had a massive scar across my chest where that damn blade of Irelia's stabbed me. As I looked around to see my surroundings I noticed other soldiers lying on medical beds, some I saw were already dead. However some still had pieces of armour still on and I immediately recognised them as Ionian armour.
"Ah shit" I said aloud as I realised that I had been taken prisoner, but questions ran through my head. 'What sort of information could they possibly want from me? Why not just kill me? Why were all my injuries completely healed?'
My thoughts were interrupted however when I saw a lady with blue skin, hooves and a horn protruding from her forehead. She approached me and to my shock, gave me a warm smile. Here I was, captive, and this strange woman, if I could even call her that, was smiling at me. "It's good to see you awake after all this time" she said calmly as she walked up to me and inspected my wounds.
"How and why am I still alive? I should be dead." I said as the woman finished looking over my injuries.
"And you would have been had Gareth not arrived when he did, with you unconscious" Gareth, that was a name that sparked my memory, but I hadn't seen him in years, and it couldn't possibly have been the same person. "It seems like you know the name, he had mentioned that you were an old acquaintance from his time before he came to Ionia." And yet what she had just said seemed to point it to being the person who had disappeared from Noxus years ago.
"But I never saw Gareth, I was busy dueling Irelia when I fell unconscious" I asked, curiosity taking priority above all else.
"From what I heard, Gareth saved you just before Irelia finished you off. He got you here as fast as he could to try and save you. You lost so much blood that you almost didn't make it, but I managed to heal your wounds in time and here you have been; lying unconscious for a week." 'What? I was unconscious for a whole week? That must have been one hell of a battle.' I thought to myself with pride.
"Where are my armour and weapons" I asked as I realised that my gear was no where in sight.
"Your equipment was stored for safe keeping and will be returned to you when you have fully recovered, which should only be a matter of a full nights rest. But regardless, if you so pleased you would be able to manage small walks in your current state. By the way, my name is Soraka and I heard from Gareth that your name was along the lanes of, Zydon was it?"
"Zydan, actually but thank you for healing me, whatever purpose it may serve." Soraka looked at me questioning me about my words, so I elaborated. "I am a prisoner, am I not? I am a Noxian soldier who invaded your lands and now I am to be questioned. That is usually the way such procedures work, or am I wrong in your assumption?"
"I know not what purpose you would serve to us and that is something you should find and speak to Irelia about, she made it clear that she wanted to talk to you as soon as you were able." In that instant I decided that if I was to face whatever punishment that would come my way, I would rather face it sooner rather than later.
And just as I was about to tell Soraka, I noticed a floating blade fly into the tent and as I recognised it as 'her' blade, she walked into the medical tent and looked directly at me. I could see a mixture of surprise, contempt and, to my surprise, respect in her eyes. "Soraka when did the Noxian regain consciousness?" she asked the healer with a calm and steady voice.
I decided to answer for Soraka. "I have only been awake for a few minutes if that is what you mean." came my response in a smug tone. I soon found that bloody blade pointing dangerously close to my neck.
"If I was asking you then I would have directed the question to you, not to Soraka. Seeing as you look fit enough to walk though, I would like you to follow me so we can speak" She intended that to be the final word but I wasn't quite finished yet.
"Why did you spare me Irelia. Why have you not just killed me or taken me to a jail of some kind?"
Irelia simply sighed before replying with, "If it was up to me then you would have died then and there but fortunately for you, I wasn't given much choice in the matter. Now if you will follow me then I will tell you more of what has transpired."
"Do I atleast get my weapons and armour back?" I wasn't going anywhere with her, without my chakrams by my side. I still didn't understand how I was able to make them fly back towards me but I wanted them where I could easily reach them at all times for now on.
"Soraka, get Zydan's weaponry for him" she ordered the healer. When Soraka left the proximity however, Irelia stared daggers at me before threatening me, "If you even try to use your weapons against me or anyone else in Ionia then I will cut you where you stand without a second's thought and this time I will make sure that you die" I nodded my understanding, I wasn't particularly threatened by her words, but I knew they were sincere and I respected them for it. As Soraka appeared again with my weapons and armour in check, I suited myself up and placed my chakrams on my belt and followed Irelia as we made our way out of the medical tent and into a smaller tent where only one other person was waiting patiently. I was in shock as I recognised that face from so long ago.
"Gareth?"
"Where do you think your going?" I froze up when I heard the all-familiar voice coming from some nearby shadows
"The General has given me a task and I'm going to complete it" I lied
"You never were any good at lying Gareth, so why don't you tell us what you're really doing?" I heard the voice of Katerina a few seconds before the cold steel of a dagger pressing up against my throat.
"I'm heading to Ionia" I replied
"Gareth?"
On hearing my name I was snapped out of my flashback, I looked in the general direction of where the voice had come from and was greeted by the sight of Irelia and Zydan entering the tent, at Zydan's confused expression I couldn't help but smile.
"Its been a long time Zydan" I said extending my arm towards Zydan who in turn shook my hand.
"It's been so long Gareth I never expected to see you again, let alone in Ionia."
"I could say the exact same thing for you Zydan as I never thought you would be one to go to war"
"I wouldn't have if I was given a choice, but apparently not being a good assassin makes you weak and in need of punishment." Zydan said with a look of relief before continuing. "And it seems that the word 'punishment' actually translates to 'go to a pointless war that I couldn't care less about.'."
"I'm sorry Gareth but I didn't bring Zydan here just so you can reminisce over events from the past. We need to discuss our agreement with Zydan."
"Oh come Irelia, do you really have to end our fun of testing your patience?" I sighed as Zydan began to talk sarcastically. 'It seems some people will never change after a near death experience.'
'Mercy?' I 'thought' to myself
'Yes?' Came the reply
'Are you sure that saving Zydan will be worth the headache?'
'Showing mercy is worth any cost.'
"Zydan, I am letting you live and you the first thing you do is try to antagonise me. Is that really such a smart decision?" Irelia replied calmly but I could see she was wondering whether or not she should have just finished him off regardless of my intervention.
And yet Zydan still couldn't resist trying to get the last word. "On the contrary, if what I've heard is true, it was Gareth who let me live and you who wanted to rid the world of a perfectly innocent being."
'Perhaps I was mistaken'
"Innocent? Then why were you busy killing Ionian soldiers who had done nothing wrong except for standing up against power hungry tyrants."
At Irelia's question Zydan became serious. "To prevent them from slaying soldiers who were simply following orders in service for their country. Tell me, what is so heinous about following orders? most of those men weren't even given a choice as to whether they wanted to join the campaign or not."
"Although I enjoy watching an old married couple bicker as much as the next guy I believe we were going to have a proper discussion our agreement" I said smugly, I grinned as I was rewarded with glares from both of the warriors.
Irelia was the first to concede and began to get back to the matter at hand. "Zydan, Gareth managed to convince me that you earned your freedom through your actions. I will let you wait until you have fully recovered but after that you will have no more than a day before I want you out of Ionia. Be warned however that if we meet again on opposing sides I will not hesitate to kill you."
I expected Zydan to simply comply with Irelia's orders but I was just as shocked as Irelia by Zydan's next words. "And what if I wish to stay here and seek a new life outside of Noxian command?" At first I thought he was just trying to get on Irelia's nerves again but I realised that there had been nothing sarcastic or smug in his request and that it was a serious question.
"That would be a great idea, if you could live under constant suspicion and have the majority of the population despise you, but other than that yeah good plan" I said before Irelia could make her views on the matter known
And of course just to make matters worse Zydan returned back to his usual sarcasm. "I don't see the problem, I think that would make me feel right at home."
"Why would you even want to stay here when you could go anywhere else? There must be a reason you would pick here instead of Piltover or Demacia." Irelia questioned him as she looked at him with a glare that made me think that Zydan would burst into flames.
"Irelia, Demacia would probably be the worst place for me to go to because of my birthplace and I don't think Piltover would suit me very much." Zydan said
"Yeah, a Noxian going to Demacia is one of the worst things you can do and I don't think Zydan would fit in very well with Piltover" I replied to Irelia's suggestions.
Zydan now went back to being serious. "Look, aside from getting on your nerves every chance I get, I want to be free from everything that even closely resembles Noxus. Ionia is about as opposite to Noxus as water is to fire, and I feel like I'm pretty sure I can be more use here than anywhere else."
Irelia seemed to relent slightly and but she still wasn't certain whether or not Zydan really would be able to help her country. "Gareth, if I let Zydan stay here in Ionia then I will need you to promise to keep a watch over him and if he does anything out of line, I will expect to deal with it immediately, because you will be held accountable for any harm dealt on his part."
"Irelia, I give you my word I will end him if steps out of line, I will also feed him and take him on walks" I said mock saluting
"Don't worry about food, I will just rip your arm off and nibble on that for a week or two." Zydan replied jokingly before continuing "Also do Ionians usually give death threats to people as if they aren't even right next to them?"
"Don't worry most Ionians are too polite to give death threats even if you're not there, Irelia is just special like that" I said basically feeling her glare burning into the back of my head.
"Yep just the perfect example of Ionian diplomacy, don't you agree Irelia?" Zydan asked with a serious face, but I could see he wanted to burst out laughing.
Irelia sighed before saying "You can stay in Ionia for now Zydan, but remember, one wrong action against my people and you will be cut down. Now if you'll excuse me, I have duties to attend to while the two of you think of stupid ways to make fun of me."
Zydan raised an eyebrow before she left. "Irelia using manners to the person she tried to kill not too long ago? Looks like we're rubbing off on her Gareth" As she practically stormed out of the tent, me and Zydan couldn't stop ourselves from bursting out in laughter.
"Ok now that we've finished pissing Irelia off lets get you back to medical tent" I said pushing him out of the tent flaps.
"Oh come on Gareth, why can't we just race each other. Physical activity is always the best way to recover."
"Fine, I'll give you a ten second head start" I said sighing and pointing to the end of the military camp where we would race to.
Zydan smirked and said "You'll regret that head start you gave me." before he ran off as if he was in perfect condition, reaching speeds that I had only seen Irelia herself reach. I counted to ten and I grinned ready to teleport to the end of the camp but just as i was about to activate my spell, I found myself stuck to the ground. I looked down to see a chakram snaring me with magic. Since when could Zydan use magic? I finally got out of the snare but I looked to see the chakram returning to Zydan's hand as he stood at the end of a camp. I teleported to him as he looked at me with a smile that couldn't possibly get any wider.
"Well played, now wipe that stupid grin off your face" In response to being outplayed. "Now that you've had your fun, you're going back to the medical tent before Soraka comes looking for you"
In response Zydan cocked his eyebrow and said "What you're scared of a Healer?"
"Believe me, in all the years I've been the two people who scare me the most are not warriors like Irelia or Master Yi but Karma and Soraka" I said flinching at some fairly unpleasant memories involving the two.
"Well then, we should probably get you to see the healer so you can recover from your injuries" Zydan replied with a smirk
"Very Funny, but I am serious either you go back to that tent of your own accord or I drag you in there" I replied to his smartass comment
"Fine, I'll have my fun with Irelia later" Zydan said mocking disappointment as he headed towards the medical tent.
"At the rate you're going, she'll probably end up killing you before we even start repairing Ionia" I said while trying to determine exactly how long he had left.
'I'm going to say about 8 months' said Mercy giving his input
'Alright you're on' I 'thought' in reply to his comment
"Just makes it all the more fun to antagonise her" Zydan said as I started to think he was on a suicide mission
"Do you ever take anything seriously?"
"When battling for my life? yes. Everything else? not really."
'Seven Months'
'How about Six just to be safe?'
'Yes, just to be safe'
I was glad that Zydan didn't know about Mercy yet or he would probably make up some terrible joke about 'listening to my inner-self'. But thankfully I was safe for now as he ran towards the tent getting what little physical activity he could before having to rest. It was good to see Zydan after my years away from Noxus.