9. The Howling Within
She wasn't the fastest Demacia had under their banner, nor was she the strongest. But the fire that burned deep in Lux's heart drove her forward. The road that lay before was straight and flat so she sped along the road quickly bending the light so that she glided across the stone. Lux had her eyes fixed on the road ahead and her senses on the forest around her. Lux thought back to her departure from Demacia. She had said no words to her family or friends instead her actions spoke far louder. A swift departure with the intent to carry the justice of Demacia. Lux carried on till she saw several figures ahead of her. She began to slow down when she saw the standard of Demacia carried on the back of a soldier, the squads blue and gold armour gave Lux a moment of relief but then her fury rose once again. The squad was standing over a number of corpses, mercenaries by the looks of them. There was a single mercenary who was sitting still in the centre of the group looking at the ground. She stopped in front of the squad and a single soldier stepped forward. The man spoke to her as he saluted.
"Sergeant Telfoy reporting."
Lux spoke with her voice strained and on edge.
"Where is Xin?"
The sergeant took a gulp in before replying.
"We haven't seen him pass by but we found these bodies as we continued patrolling the road. We also found footprints further up the road."
Lux glared at him.
"You're telling me, you found signs but did not pursue Xin?"
"We didn't know where he was exactly and we were ordered to wait for you."
"But you didn't and instead you carried on with your patrol."
Lux raised her wand above her waist and Telfoy's eyes darted between the weapon and Lux's face.
"I made the decision to continue collecting intelligence so you would be fully prepared."
Lux shook her head.
"None the less you disobeyed a direct order. I will recommend you be disciplined when I return to Demacia."
The soldier saluted Lux.
"Very well ma'am."
Lux pointed to the corpses which lay still in a large pool of blood.
"Was this Xin's doing?"
"According to him, yes."
Telfoy gestured towards the sitting man who hadn't even looked up to watch Lux who nodded in reply.
"Do you have anything else to report?"
"Yes as we were making our way back we made camp back up along the road. During the night we heard roaring and stampeding in the forest. We don't know what caused it but it carried on in the direction of the bridge."
Lux frowned as replied.
"Sergeant, clear the corpses away and return to Demacia to report your findings and for re-assignment."
"Re-assignment? Are we not aiding you in the pursuit?"
Lux barely looked at the soldier as she walked around him. She threw back a quick sentence as she readied her wand.
"If you can keep up then by all means."
And with that her wand erupted into an array of waves and beams. Lux jumped forward and began to soar over the road. She pressed on through the warm day, the insects and birds humming in the forest around her. Up ahead Lux saw the shapes of debris strewn across the road. She slowed down as she drew closer to several trees that had been uprooted from the thick jungle and tossed over the road. Lux stopped and observed the debris. She thought to herself as she looked across the scene. Whoever must have uprooted the trees was a strong individual; much more than Xin. Lux looked around to see if she could find any sign of Xin but there were no signs that the individual who had left the jungle had re-entered it. Lux sped on down the road following the deep holes made by a single creature. Lux carried on and it was a while till she could see the bridge. She sped forward but as she drew closer she saw something was wrong.
The bridge was a mess; the stone floor was cracked and shattered, the metal supports and railing on the left side were dented and smashed. Lux looked closely and realised a fight had occurred here. She wondered who had won and who it had been between. She looked over the bridge and towards the tangle of trees and fog that lay ahead. It was the Howling Marsh and Lux feared to enter the dense fog. She gulped and gripped her wand tightly. She had to pass through the Marsh to reach Noxus and find Xin.
Lux passed over the bridge and felt a shiver run up her spine as the first trails of the fog brushed her skin. She walked along the path which gradually became covered in moss and vines. The further she strayed into the Marsh the thicker the trees became and the fainter the path ahead was. Lux struggled to find the path in the thick fog but she carried on. She jumped over tree roots and pressed on deeper into the Marsh. Lux was walking when she thought she heard something, she looked around but she decided her ears had deceived her. She continued when suddenly she heard it again. She ducked down behind a root when she heard it again. It was laughing. Somewhere within the fog and trees was a shrill laughing that made Lux's stomach tighten into a knot. She remained hidden trying to locate the sound of the laughing. Then from the fog a voice came.
"Does this fog give you a chill?"
Lux frowned.
"Come out my dear, I know you're there."
She knew that voice.
"Come now you can't hide all day."
Lux stayed low and slowly moved from tree to tree trying to circle round the voice. She had to move fast and get away from this place. She continued moving as the voice kept talking through the fog.
"Where are you little one? Show yourself."
Lux vaulted over a root but froze when she heard a twig snap underneath her foot.
"There you are!"
Lux saw an wisp of faint blue light suddenly appear at her feet. She dived forward as it exploded behind her sending bits of timber and dirt flying out in all directions. She spun round and threw a ball of light into the fog. It illuminated and parted the fog giving Lux a brief glimpse of a robed skeleton holding a book in his hands, staring at Lux. Lux roared at the top of her lungs.
"What do you want Karthus?"
"I want to know why you've come here."
Lux saw another light at her feet and she rolled away as it exploded.
"How about you stop trying to kill me and we can talk!"
"Oh but my dear I can hear your screams forever once you're in my book."
Lux didn't hesitate when she saw his silhouette in the fog. She threw another ball of light and it collided with Karthus, the light suddenly unraveling to become a cage around him. Karthus snarled and Lux turned to run. She began to run through the Marsh when suddenly she felt a chill down her spine. Something was wrong. She stopped and looked around. Then it happened, she felt a bolt of magic course through her and she screamed out in agony. She collapsed to the ground and as she tried to stand up a purple wall suddenly engulfed her. She screamed again and stumbled through it slowly. She felt a huge weight fall on her and her movement slowed to a grinding halt. The voice came again from behind her.
"Now, now little one. Come share my curse."
Lux was on her hands and knees with her wand in her hand. She spoke and rolled over to see Karthus standing over here.
"Go to the Void."
Lux was on her back and her wand floated between her hands as she let a yell of rage. The wand burst into a stream of light and a beam shot forward. It smashed into Karthus and sent him flying back. He collided with a tree and tumbled to the ground. Lux stood but groaned as she did. She felt the pain that wracked her body and she ambled over to Karthus. The Deathsinger groaned and reached for his book but Lux slammed her foot on his hand. Karthus laughed and spoke.
"I like you; you would be willing to kill wouldn't you."
Lux pressed her foot down harder but Karthus continued laughing so Lux spoke.
"Listen here you undead filth. You just tried to kill me and on a good day I would let the League handle this but today is not a good day. So what's going to happen is you're going to tell me what I want to know or I'll write your name in your precious book."
Karthus replied with a sadistic grin on his face.
"My, my, Garen's little stay in the hospital really has you in a bad mood. It's quite exciting really, I'm looking forward to writing his name down."
Lux's face contorted into an expression of rage and she held her wand next to Karthus' face as she channelled her power into it.
"Push me Karthus and I will blow that smile right off your face."
"And you think the League would let you get away with that? Please my dear, as a spirit I would inform a Summoner and you could guarantee your execution."
Lux was fuming but she knew it was true. She lifted her foot and backed away from Karthus. He made a move for his book but Lux threw a cage around it and blocked him from retrieving it.
"Questions first, book later."
Karthus stood up and brushed the dirt off of his robes as Lux spoke.
"Why are you here?"
"I like the Howling Marsh. It has a song of death and despair."
"I thought you lived on the Shadow Isles?"
"I do, but I wish the Marsh was mine. I wish to rule it with my mind and book. It's been a while since I've been back so I decided to visit."
Lux looked around at the dreary marsh, its drooping trees covered in moss and vines. Lux didn't know what was so appealing about the Marsh but she kept the thought to herself as Karthus continued.
"Then I heard the news about Xin Zhao, personally I'm not surprised."
Lux glared at Karthus.
"What are you talking about?"
"I know what it's like. The screaming, the thrill of taking another life. Death is such a beautiful thing, music to my ears. And to Xin's. He has the heart of a monster buried under all that honour and silence. He loves the adrenaline, the rush he gets when he takes a life."
"You're wrong."
Lux almost hesitated when she said those words but they came forward so naturally.
"He cannot deny what he is."
"No, but anyone can tame the darkness within them and use it for a greater purpose. That's what monster like you don't understand."
Lux was snarling by the end of her sentence and Karthus grinned.
"Lux my dear, you really have taken this whole thing to heart. Where's that sweet laughter of yours and that cheerful naivety that always makes me want to hear you scream."
"To the void with you, I've got questions."
"And I may not have answers but that will not help you. Do you know what can give you freedom?"
Lux stared in silence.
"Death can young one, to die is to release your soul from its cage and to ascend beyond the veil."
Lux shook her head and spoke.
"I don't care about your mad obsessions Karthus. I want to know if Xin passed through here."
Karthus thought to himself.
"And what would I get in return if I tell you?"
"I seek to destroy all life that would oppose me, I'm sure that is something you would enjoy."
Karthus once again cackled and laughed.
"Ahhhh yes, the sweet melody of death. There is no sound sweeter."
"So?"
"Then the answer is no. Xin didn't pass through here."
Lux rolled her eyes.
"You're not much help are you Karthus."
"But here now, let me tell you a story. Last night I was here walking through the sweet symphony, singing to myself when I heard a noise from the river. I headed over to see the bridge in total chaos, glorious chaos. Xin was taking a swan dive off the bridge and into the river. I didn't see where he went but what was interesting was his foe."
"Who was it?"
"It was the minotaur."
"Alistair?"
"The one and only."
"What's he doing outside of the Institute of War?"
"I couldn't say. But I do know that he continued his pursuit of Xin. Started running along the edge of the river back after Xin."
Lux nodded and began to walk away.
"And where do you think you're going?"
Karthus' words stopped Lux in her tracks.
"I'm going after Xin."
Karthus shook his head.
"By yourself? Do you know who is waiting on the other side of this Marsh?"
Lux gave Karthus a querying look so Karthus explained.
"Beyond the Marsh, a Noxus battalion is awaiting the arrival of Xin. They wait so that if any Demacian agent comes they can evacuate Xin without concern. From what I could see and hear Swain, Urgot and Le Blanc are there. You alone cannot fight those three not even with the help of Alistair."
"What does it matter to you? A Demacian never retreats from a fight."
"Oh I know that much and I understand. I'm not here to convince you not to fight. I simply want to guarantee your victory."
Lux glared suspiciously at Karthus.
"How?"
"As you well know there are many magical artifacts from the ancient Runeterra wars. Artifacts that could give their user the power to send mountains crumbling to the ground, to cause earthquakes and summon great monsters. As it so happens I happen to have one of those artifacts in my possession."
"And?"
"And I would be willing to part with it."
"What's the catch?"
"The catch is that one day I will come to you and ask for something."
Lux laughed and shook her head so Karthus spoke.
"I promise it won't be your soul or anyone else's for that matter."
"And you still think I would make that deal?"
"How badly do you want Xin dead?"
Lux hesitated because now that she considered her situation the more hopeless it seemed. Xin was going to be hard enough to kill but with Swain, Urgot and Le Blanc in the way…
Lux looked at Karthus.
"When will you ask this of me?"
"Whenever I feel like it."
"And how do we make this deal?"
Karthus pointed at his book which was still encaged. Lux sighed; she couldn't believe she was doing this. She released the cage and watched as Karthus picked it up. He turned through the pages till he found the page he was looking for. He began whispering incantations to the book which began glowing. A light appeared and hovered over the book. Karthus held out his palm and the orb of light came to a rest in his hand. The light faded and Lux could see a mask was left in his hand. The mask was some sort of stone, which had etchings in the face to appear like a demon. The etchings were filled with swirling, purple magic. Lux knew this kind of magic. She went wide eyed and stepped away from Karthus.
"This is Void magic, where did you get it?"
"I found it."
Lux looked back and forth between Karthus and the mask. Karthus held the book up to Lux and quill appeared in the air.
"Sign the book and make the pact."
Lux gripped her wand tightly, it was this or Xin would escape. She grabbed the quill, the shaft was ice cold and it swirled around her fingers. She began writing, the ink flowed and swam across the page. Slowly she signed her name in the book and felt the weight of her decision fall upon her. When her name was finished the book snapped shut and the mask floated off Karthus' hand and into Lux's. Lux looked at the mask and at the marsh around her.
With a wave of his Karthus cleared a path through the fog and waved his hand in the same direction.
"Off you go my dear. Write me a song that I will never forget."
Karthus began laughing and Lux looked at him in fear. She looked at the mask in her hands and she began running. She ran over roots and through the fog. But all the while the laughter followed.
"Go now Lux. Sing the hymn of death so that world will forever fear you! Go, kill Xin Zhao!"