11. Into Darkness

Lux shook as she remained kneeling in the mud and rain.

"Such a tragedy isn't it?"

His voice came from behind her so she responded.

"What are you doing here?"

Karthus stepped next to her as she spoke.

"Did you really think I was going to miss out on a battle of this magnitude? The death, the glorious music of demise and pain."

Lux looked up to see Karthus writing in his book as he looked at the faces around him. The faces frozen in agony and terror; the final moments of their lives. Lux whispered as he continued writing.

"Do you have no respect for the dead?"

Karthus chuckled.

"Of course I respect them, I understand them. I know their agony, their endless song."

"Get out of here!"

"Are you going to make me?"

Lux fell silent again.

"Because you have the power to."

Lux looked up.

"What?"

"You have the power to kill me, even to bring Alistar back."

"How? His body is broken, his soul is gone."

"I have his soul right here."

Karthus turned his book round to show Lux. In it Lux could see Alistar's name written in fresh ink. Lux held up her wand and pointed it at Karthus.

"Give it to me."

"Oh no need to worry I will."

Lux lowered her wand and glared at Karthus.

"Why?"

"No need to worry I won't ask for anything. The honest reason is because Alistar is one worth bringing back. He has given me so many names to write down, such agonising deaths. If we bring him back he can give me more names I'm certain of it."

"You're a twisted creature."

"And you want to save him."

Lux was breathing slowly.

"Even if I retrieve his soul, how do I mend his body?"

"Use the mask. It has the power to bring him back."

Lux shook her head.

"No way does it have that much power."

"Oh but it does, go on and try it."

Lux stared at Karthus, unsure if she should believe his madness; but then she looked at Alistair and his corpse lying still in the rain. Lux clenched her fist and felt the mask pulsing on her hip. She slipped it out of the buckle that held it in place and she held it up. She spoke to Karthus.

"How does it work?"

"Put it on and the power of the void will become yours."

Lux looked at the mask as the lines swirled and pulsed with the sickly, dark magic. She looked at Alistair's body and she whispered to herself.

"Forgive me brother."

She lifted the mask and placed it gently over her face.

Lux instantly started screaming as the mask bound itself to her flesh. Lux tried to claw at it and tear it off but it would not budge as she felt the mask burn her skin like molten iron being poured onto her face. She fell to the ground and writhed as she screamed.

However drowned out by her screams was another sound; the sound of Karthus laughing.

Lux screamed, rolling in the blood and rain.

The mask seared and burnt her skin but as she clawed at it she felt her fingernails dig into her own skin. The mask melded into her flesh and soon Lux was left lying on the ground panting. The mask was gone but she could feel the searing pain coursing through her veins. She slowly stood and looked at Karthus who had finished laughing. Karthus spoke to Lux and she composed herself.

"Your pain was such music to my ears."

Without thinking Lux whipped her hand and suddenly Karthus was snared in a cage. However the cage didn't have the appearance of the pure white light that was Lux's standard style; instead the bars of the rage were a sickly dark magic that pulsed softly. Karthus chuckled and spoke.

"So you can perform your magic without your precious wand now. There's more power in that mask than I thought."

Lux looked at her hip where the wand had remained. She lifted it from her hip and pointed it at Karthus as she spoke.

"So imagine what I could do with my wand."

"Are you trying to threaten me my dear?"

"I'm telling you to tell me how to bring Alistair back."

"Well you need draw upon enough power to mend his body. Do you think you can do that?"

"I don't have the knowledge to perform such magic."

"No but there is somewhere you can ask for help."

"Who?"

"Not who, what."

"Enough with your riddles Karthus."

Lux twisted the wand in her hand and the cage tightened so it began to compress Karthus between the bars.

"Using the mask you can open a tear into the void. And from the void you can summon a creature that would be capable of mending his body. Then of course I will give you his soul."

"Impossible if I tried to traverse the void my body would be flayed and disintegrated in a heartbeat."

"The mask will protect you."

Lux released the cage and Karthus stretched his limbs out in the open air. Lux pointed her wand at Karthus as she spoke.

"If you're lying to me Death Singer I will obliterate you."

"I have no doubt you could."

Lux looked out into the empty fields beyond the camp. She walked out and stood in the pouring rain. She breathed slowly and tried to ignore the pain that wracked her body. She focused her mind and listened closely. Faintly she could hear it; a whispering from deep within. The mask was whispering to her. She listened to its words and as though she were in a trance she lifted the wand. Lux uttered a short incantation to herself and with a flick of her wrist a churning ball of darkness shot from her wand. It stopped mid-air at Lux's wand height and it hung there suspended. Then suddenly the whispers in Lux's head grew louder. Their volume began to surge and soon Lux clamped her hands over her ears as the whispers turned to screams inside her head. The sphere that hung in the air began to expand slowly growing in size. As it grew larger the screaming grew louder and Lux found herself on her knees clutching her ears trying to block out the noise. Suddenly the screaming stopped and she looked up to see that the sphere had expanded and was at least two metres in diameter. Lux turned around and looked at Karthus who was smiling back at her. Lux stepped towards the sphere with her wand raised. She was about three metres from the sphere when the void unleashed its darkness upon Lux.

Suddenly a beam of purple light rocketed out of the sphere and Lux only just managed to raise a shield to block. The beam smashed into the shield and Lux held up her wand as she fought to keep it raised as the beam surged around her. The beam suddenly stopped but before Lux could brace herself a ball of purple light shot out of the sphere. Lux dived to the side but as she recovered the ball exploded and divided into two smaller balls. One hit Lux square in the chest and she stumbled back as she felt the force of the ball crack a rib.

Lux threw a ball of darkness into the sphere and she flicked the wand to cause the ball to explode. However Lux underestimated her newfound power and the colossal explosion knocked Lux off her feet. She was dizzy for a moment but she recovered quickly. As she stood up she saw a creature lying on the ground on the other side of the sphere. Lux walked over to the creature that was slowly recovering itself. Lux saw the creature's form and she spoke.

"What are you doing here Vel'Koz?"

"I felt the presence of void power and I came to investigate. Instead I found you!"

Vel'Koz suddenly whipped its tentacles out and a rift opened in the ground. Lux dived to the side as the rift exploded but she found herself over a circle of swirling darkness. The circle exploded and Lux was sent flying up into the air. Lux felt the mask suddenly take a hold of her actions and mid-air she recovered to come to a standing on top of a disc of swirling darkness. She then threw ball of darkness at Vel'Koz and the cage unravelled to become a cage around the creature. Vel'Koz squirmed inside the cage but could not escape. It spoke to Lux.

"Free me you disgusting creature."

Lux applied pressure to Vel'Koz who screeched in response. Lux spoke as she hovered over.

"Can you heal a broken body?"

"What?"

"Tell me what I want or I'll crush the life out of you."

"I cannot."

"Do you know something that can?"

"I know of a voidling that can mend the bodies of you creatures."

"Give me a name."

"There are void names and your uncivilised names. Which is you require?"

"Give me their void name."

Vel'Koz chuckled from within the cage.

"You cannot possibly comprehend their name. It would destroy your mind."

"I said…"

Lux tightened the cage and Vel'Koz screeched again.

"Fine. Come close."

Lux lowered herself to the ground and walked over. Vel'Koz struggled within the cage but suddenly a noise erupted from the creature. Lux wasn't sure if it was scream or just incomprehensible noise but suddenly she heard a name form in her mind; Rai'Tel.

Lux released the cage and stared at the creature as it fell to the ground pitifully.

"Be gone Vel'Koz."

"Oh I'm sure we will see one and another very soon."

With that Vel'Koz took off into the rainy sky and flew off into the horizon. Lux remained rooted to the spot. She looked at Karthus and spoke.

"I'm going now. You and Alistar will still be here when I return."

"As you wish."

Lux looked at the sphere and walked over to it. She slowly stepped up to so that she could feel it against the palm of her outstretched hand. The sphere wasn't cold or hot, she couldn't feel a surface or the air of the world. Instead there was nothing against the palm of her hand and the strange sensation made Lux withdraw her hand. She then took a deep breath and prepared herself. She composed herself once more and when she had gathered the strength needed she stepped into the Void.

It was the screaming that first consumed Lux's mind. An endless torrent of agony and torture flooded her mind but before she had a chance to fight them back she felt them retreat. She could still hear the whispers around her but she felt the mask pulse and continue to keep them at bay. Her vision returned to reveal nothing but swirling black and purple shapes that creatures flew and swam through. Lux waved her wand and a footpath constructed piece by piece quickly underneath her feet. As she walked the footpath crumbled away behind her and pieced itself together as she walked forward. She looked around at the misshapen creatures that fought one another in eternal conflict. Some consumed others whilst others simply tortured their victims. Lux was unsure how long she had been walking for but she was glad that she had gone unnoticed. She remembered she had a task at hand and needed to focus.

She closed her eyes on focused on the name; Rai'Tel.

At first there was nothing but as she focused harder and harder the darkness around her pulsed gently. Suddenly she heard a screeching sound and she watched a snake-like creature, with a mouth that ran half the length of its body and three eyes on its head emerge from the dark haze like it had entered her plain of existence. The creature opened its mouth screeching and soared at Lux. Lux suddenly heard a whisper from the mask and with a flick of her wand she felt her body suck away as if she had teleported. The creature became opaque and it closed it mouth as it approached Lux. Instead of attacking her it passed through her like a ghost. The Void around her had shifted in appearance; now it was series of roads and bridges that hung over the emptiness below. Lux flew between the roads and bridges as she tracked the soft pulses the name Rai'Tel produced. The pulses grew stronger and stronger as Lux approached a section of a bridge. She continued walking when suddenly the pulses began to weaken. Lux walked back till she stood in the spot and she focused on the name once more. Suddenly she felt herself being sucked through the plains of the Void again and without warning she found herself standing inside a dark space. The space was filled with sacs that looked like eggs that were sickly grey and throbbed gently. The sacs were as tall as Lux and as she worked her way between them she focused on the name once more; Rai'Tel.

Then a voice came from within the eggs.

"Who disturbs my slumber?"

The voice was neither of sound or thought but a feeling that Lux could sense. She replied in like fashion through the mask.

"I have come seeking Rai'Tel."

Lux felt a noise from behind her and saw the tip of spike suddenly dart behind a row of eggs. Lux walked slowly over with her wand at arms-length. She peered round the corner as the spike disappeared again behind more eggs. The voice came again as Lux followed the flickering spike.

"Rai'Tel is occupied with matters far more important than the squabbling of lesser Voidlings. Now leave this place."

Lux darted through the eggs when she saw an opportunity to intercept the voice. She replied as she moved quickly.

"I am not leaving this place without him."

"Then if you will not leave here willing…"

Lux shot out from the eggs to intercept the voice but found the source had disappeared and instead there was still the maze of eggs around her. As the voice continued Lux looked up.

"You will die here!"

Lux saw perched on top of an egg was a head that was deformed, a large area of discoloured flesh where the eyes should be and a mouth that stretched from one side of the head to the other. Lux also saw a tail with a spiked end whipping about but there was nothing that Lux could see. The head and tail suddenly moved towards her as if they had jumped when out of nowhere a halberd phased into the plain aimed straight at Lux's head. Lux just managed to raise a barrier in time to intercept the halberd which slammed into the shield with immense force. Lux stumbled back and threw a ball twisting darkness at the creature but the halberd phased out and the ball passed straight under the head. Lux spoke to try and give her some space.

"I am here to talk to Rai'Tel. Nothing more."

"You were warned to leave."

"It wasn't much of a warning."

"You intruded upon this sanctum. You should consider yourself lucky I gave you a warning."

"Well you're not much of a host."

"Then let me show you what we do with unwelcomed guests."

The head and tail moved quickly towards Lux and again the halberd phased into existence but this time Lux saw the hands that were gripping them. Lux threw a cage that wrapped around the halberd and halted its advance. However the halberd phased away again and the creature moved backwards. Lux was preparing another attack when a voice came from within the eggs.

"Sei halt!"

The floating head and tail stopped moving as a figure emerged from the eggs. The figure was a small creature that had six spindly purple, grey legs one of which dragged along the ground uselessly. The creature's body was equally gangly and Lux could see the bones of the creature's torso; the position of the bones made it evident the creature was far from human. The creatures head however was humanoid aside from the oversized cranium. The creature slowly ambled towards Lux as it spoke.

"Sei how dare you attack a guest!"

The floating head responded.

"I'm sorry master but they were intruding and you have a strict policy about intruders in the breeding sanctum."

"Yes but this one is special."

"I don't see how they are."

The creature was now standing in front of Lux and it spoke.

"Well she is wearing a mask to cloak her real appearance but she is undoubtedly a human."

Lux frowned and spoke.

"You can see past my disguise?"

The creature looked closely at Lux.

"Your disguise is basic, nothing special. It didn't require much for me to see past it. Now I must know why a human would venture into the Void alone? I've only met one other human who can do that but he even doesn't dare to venture this deep."

"I've come looking for Rai'Tel."

"Then you've found him."

Lux looked at the creature.

"You're Rai'Tel?"

"I may not have the intimidating physic like the other Voidlings you might have met on the outside world but I wield a far more dangerous weapon."

"Void magic."

The creature shrugged.

"I was going for the ambiguous my mind conclusion but yes."

"What sort of magic?"

"The sort that controls life and death."

"Then I need you to come with me."

Rai'Tel chuckled before replying.

"Now that is hopeful of you. Naïve is a better description."

"I need you to bring a friend of mine back to life."

"And why would I want to when I have what I want right here."

Lux looked up and noticed Sei had disappeared and she began looking around when she saw the head floating behind her. Suddenly two arms phased into the plain and grabbed her arms. Her arms were restrained behind her back as Sei continued.

"Did you think I was being nice for conversation sake? Hold her still Sei I need to make a precise cut."

Rai'Tel's hand became engulfed in a faint purple aura that then took the form of a knife which then travelled down to the end of the index finger. Rai'Tel gently placed it against Lux's heart.

"Finally I can have my own human heart!"

Lux struggled against Sei but she has locked down tight. She then closed her eyes and calmed her mind. As Rai'Tel lifted their hand to make the first cut Lux disappeared.

Lux found herself in the same room except Rai'Tel had a faint ghostly appearance about them, whilst Sei's arms, head and tail were ghost-like. Lux could see Sei's thin body and legs that were solid in this plain so she spun around out his ghostly arms and threw a cage around the body. She stepped behind Rai'Tel and closed her eyes. Instantly she shifted back onto their plain and she grabbed Rai'Tel around the neck bringing him into a sleeper hold. She didn't squeeze but forced them to walk backwards as she had wand pointed at Sei.

"Make a single move and I kill Rai'Tel."

Sei's head and tail tried to move but his trapped body prevented them from moving any further. Lux pre-emptively threw a ball of magic at Sei's body when they suddenly phased onto their plain. The ball smashed into their gut and Lux detonated the ball sending Sei crashing through the eggs which ruptured open. Rai'Tel screeched as the eggs burst open.

"No not the eggs!"

Lux saw that the ruptured eggs had contained strange, deformed creatures but she didn't spare much thought to it as she saw Sei recover. She gripped Rai'Tel tightly and spoke.

"You're coming with me."

She closed her eyes and without a further moment's notice Lux and Rai'Tel found themselves on the plain Lux entered on to. She began pushing Rai'Tel forward as the pathway formed and crumbled away around them. Up ahead Lux could see the sphere suspended amid the darkness. She was pushing Rai'Tel quickly towards the sphere when she heard a screeching noise erupt from behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to see the giant snake-like creature bearing down on the pair.

"RUN!"

Lux pushed Rai'Tel forward but the Voidling didn't need any more encouragement as they hobbled forward as fast as he could. Lux pulled Rai'Tel faster and faster as they drew closer to the sphere. The creature was nearing them and Lux saw its mouth open. She picked up Rai'Tel in her arms and jumped for the sphere as the creature descended upon them.

Lux and Rai'Tel crashed onto the mud and grass and Lux thought she'd never be so relieved to be covered in mud. As Lux and Rai'Tel stood up to recollect their composures there was a screeching noise from the sphere. Lux looked at Rai'Tel.

"Move!"

Lux pushed Rai'Tel towards Alistar and Karthus when she heard the screeching pierce through the rain. She turned around and saw the creature erupt from the sphere. The lower half of its body still within the Void but its long mouth shimmered in the rain. The creature spotted Lux and it launched its immense jaws at her. Lux knew the mouth would instantly crush and swallow her whole so she acted quickly and dived to the side. The creature missed Lux and retracted its mouth to prepare for another attack. Lux aimed her wand at the sphere and tried to close it but the spell had no effect. She looked at Karthus who was smiling and writing in his book.

"Are you going to help?"

Lux could see Karthus was in a world of his own the quill in his hand was writing and at the same time waving an imaginary wand like he was conducting an orchestra. Lux turned back round to face the creature and she tried to think of what to do next. The creature came in from the side this to sweep her away but Lux ducked under its terrifyingly quick attack. Lux stood up and braced herself when she heard a whispering. It was the mask. She felt power flow into her wand she looked at the colossal creature that towered above her. Without hesitating she brought the wand up between her hands and held it there. She began to focus her power into the centre and she compressed the power further and further. She felt her hair and skin being drawn to the centre and she felt the ground rumble underneath her feet. The ball of magic in her hand shook violently and the creature reared its head to prepare for another attack.

Lux felt the world shake and she screamed.

"BEHOLD MY POWER!"

The ball exploded into a beam of churning darkness which rocketed at the creature. The beam smashed into the creatures head and kept going. Lux's eyes were closed when she released the magic but when she opened them she saw that the front half of the creature's mouth had been blown off and it writhed in agony in the night sky. The creature retreated back into the Void with a final screech of agony. Lux aimed her wand at the sphere and with a flick of her wrist the sphere vanished. Lux turned around and walked over to Rai'Tel who was working desperately to clean mud off of their body. Rai'Tel was murmuring to themselves as Lux approached.

"Disgusting, putrid place."

Lux kicked him.

"Get up."

"You have no command over me."

Lux raised her wand and focused magic into the end.

"No but I have command over your mortality. Now get up."

Rai'Tel begrudgingly rose onto their thin legs and followed Lux as she walked over to Alistar. She looked at Karthus who appeared surprised.

"You don't look happy to see me."

Karthus tried to stifle out a response.

"Well I knew you would be alright."

Lux glared at him.

"I have the Voidling, now give me his soul."

Karthus looked over Lux's shoulder to see Rai'Tel lingering behind. He walked around Lux and offered the book to Rai'Tel.

"His soul is here."

Rai'Tel looked at the name and nodded. With a wave of their hand they summoned magic and held their hand over the book. The name gently wafted off of the page and into Rai'Tel's hand. The Voidling then stepped next to Alistair and placed their hand on the Minotaur's heart. Rai'Tel murmured to themselves for a short while before their hand began to glow over Alistar's body. Rai'Tel then stepped away and Lux could see around Alistar heart was a ring of strange symbols that were burnt into his flesh. The wound however was closed and Alistar was indeed breathing. Lux couldn't believe it. She looked at Rai'Tel who was trying to clean their hand. Lux raised her wand and spoke.

"You're coming with me."

Karthus intervened and spoke to Lux.

"Actually my dear he's coming with me."

Rai'Tel was disgruntled with both of them.

"I think I'm going to back to the Void thank you both very much."

Lux pointed the wand at Rai'Tel.

"There's someone else I need you to bring back."

Karthus shook his head.

"A deal is a deal Lux."

"Rai'Tel was not a part of our deal."

"No our deal is complete so now we must agree who gets to take him."

"And this is my offer."

Lux channelled her magic into her wand which began to glow. Karthus opened his book.

"And here's mine."

He started writing in his book and Lux screamed as her body was crippled by agonising pain. She tried to fight against it but it was no use. Soon she succumb to the pain and fainted.

"Lux. Lux are you alright?"

Lux opened her eyes and to look into the deep eyes of Alistar. Lux sat up and flung her arms around Alistar's neck.

"Alistar you're alright."

Alistar gently returned Lux's hug and responded.

"Yes but I don't know how."

Lux released Alistar and stood up. She brushed herself down as she spoke.

"I did it."

Alistar looked at Lux.

"How? I didn't think you had that kind of power."

"I went into the Void and brought back a creature that mended your body."

Alistar was silent as he looked at the mark on his chest and Lux saw the struggle in his eyes.

"I know it was wrong to do Alistar but it was all I could do to bring you back."

Alistar nodded and replied.

"I am grateful for what you have done Lux. But I worry about how you traversed the Void and survived?"

Lux shook her head.

"I got lucky I guess."

Alistar placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Lux if you used something to enter that place then it is either still with or is in your mind. Do not underestimate the power of the Void and its power to corrupt ones soul."

"Thank you Alistar but I will be fine."

The pair took a moment to look around before Lux spoke again.

"What happened here?"

Alistar sighed and his head drooped.

"I was in pursuit of Xin when I encountered the Noxians encamped here. However when negotiations failed Urgot taunted me."

Alistar looked at his hands and clenched them.

"I lost myself Lux. I let my anger take me once again."

Lux looked at the bodies and blood across the ruins of the camp.

"You did all this?"

"Yes."

Lux placed her hand on Alistar's shoulder.

"Alistar there is nothing to be guilty about, they were Noxians they…"

"No Lux!"

Lux took a step back as Alistar continued speaking.

"I may harbour no good intentions for Noxians, but these soldiers did not deserve to die due to my anger. These soldiers are fathers and mothers. They are sons and daughters. Who knows who will miss them when they don't return home?"

"Death is inevitable."

"Maybe for those who believe in the gold and blue Lux. But for the rest of us we cling to life because for some it's all we have left."

The pair stood in silence for a while as the rain tricked down Lux's arms. She knew she had to keep going, to find Xin.

"I have to leave now Alistar."

"Lux…"

Alistar's voice trailed off as he contemplated his words.

"Forgive Xin. He is fighting a demon within him that has long been hidden. The Noxians will try to break him and if Xin breaks then we will lose him forever to Viscero."

"Who is Viscero?"

Alistar looked away from Lux and shook his head.

"Whatever you do, do not let Xin Zhao fight. He is still there Lux. You need to save him. Forgive him for what he did to your brother."

Lux's hands clenched tightly but she restrained lashing out at Alistar.

"Where will you go?"

"I will acquire a cart and transport the deceased home to Noxus so they can be buried as they deserve."

"You think the Noxians will just let approach and leave?"

"It's an act of redemption and they won't want to risk letting anyone know they were here."

"Very well, then we will use this as cover for me to enter the city."

"If you think that will work I will not stop you."

Lux looked at Alistar.

"And afterwards, what will you do?"

Alistar paused as he breathed in the cool air.

"It's time for me to confront my own demons. It's time for me to go home."