-Note- this one's for your Dreaded Rasengan =) Thanks for reading and reviewing so much, it means a lot to me XD

Lungui.

The name was so beautiful- graceful, easily rolling off of the tongue. Its meaning was once nothing but a word, yet at the same time, something powerful- something great.

It was fitting really. A beautiful name, for a beautiful country.

One that is now tainted by the shadow of the Noxian flag.

Xin Zhao scowled as he sat in the small meditative garden in the Institute. The scowl went away immediately- this was a place of peace and serenity, not a place for harboring thoughts of vengance.

He took a deep breath, and plunged back into that state of mind, pushing all thoughts away. He was not thinking- he simply was.

A memory floated into Xin's mind. Then another. They were not memories of his adopted country, not of the dead king Jarvan II.

Lungui. The word- name- was rolled around in his mind for what seemed like an eternity. In his mind, he could see the battles- Noxus' flame burning the country, right before Noxus went and burned Ionia. He could hear the sounds of battle, feel the ground tremor from soldiers, taste the terror. From what seemed like miles away, he heard the door to the garden open.

Xin's eyes opened again, and he turned to face the newcomer. Ah, the Blademaster Irelia had arrived. He began to stand.

"No, no, please sit," Irelia said with a dismissive gesture. "I don't wish to interrupt your meditations." She began to sit on the mat,

"No, I was just leaving." Xin replied. His counterence darkened, as he somewhat muttered, "Thoughts of Noxus are not quite conducive to inner peace."

Irelia looked away. "I know what you mean," she said softly, sighing deeply, a deeply sad look on her face. Xin could even notice a tear leaking out of the corner of her right eye.

"I-I'm sorry," stammered Xin. He'd been taught that making a lady cry is the height of evil. He'd also been taught how to remedy that, but that wasn't quite appropriate here...

Xin stepped forwards, offering a convenient handkerchief laying in his pocket. Irelia waved it away, tear gone, face straight again. Had he imagined it?

"And you?" Irelia asked, desperately trying to get the subject off of the Ionian invasion. "What has Noxus done to you?"

Xin's eyes hardened, as he appeared to stare into space. "Have you heard of the great country Lungui?" Irelia nodded. Xin sighed. "I was one of her higher generals."

Irelia gasped. Being on the shore, Lungui and Ionia shared many traditions, peoples, and were close diplomatically. Lungui, she'd heard, suffered much the same fate as the southern parts of Ionia did. This, she supposed, was why Xin shared many Ionian customs, such as meditation. Irelia silently leaned in, eager to listen to more.

"I was captured," Xin said. His face twisted into a expression of disgust. "One of my fellow generals turned traitor, and drove us into an ambush."

Xin's face was now the picture of despair. "My men... They all..." Xin fell quiet, his voice unable to say the words he wished to. He felt a warm hand on his shoulder.

"I know what that feels like," Irelia murmured. "I'm sorry for making you relive that."

Xin shook his head. "The Fleshing was nothing compared to that." He looked up. "Besides, a Demacian does not retreat," he said, quoting the late King Jarvan II, "and that includes from his past." Xin then looked at Irelia with curiosity. "I know what the League told me about you and your stand at the Placidium-"

At this Irelia shook her head. "It was nothing, nothing compared to what others-"

Xin interrupted. "It takes a brave soul to rally an entire nation to fight, and an even braver one to fight alone, as their champion." Xin paused for a bit. "Braver than I ever was," he said, looking down at himself.

"Bah," came out Irelia's response. Xin looked up in surprise. "I fight for Ionia, true. But you fight for your people's memory- you are the champion of Lungui."

Xin, looked thoughtful for a second. "Yes," came the word finally. "Yes, I suppose I am." Xin thought more for a bit. "And it is only right that I avenge their deaths."

"And it is only right, as the 'champion' of Ionia, that I fight Noxus until their last man leaves our soil." Ionia replied.

"Say," she said. "Do you know the old Warrior's pledge?"

Xin looked surprised. "I had thought that the tradition was gone, lost with the people of Lungui."

Irelia laughed heartily. "No, it's flourished in Ionia. Do you know it."

Xin, beginning to get the idea, shook his head. "No," he said, "I will not allow you and yours to be drawn into my own fight for revenge."

"No," Irelia replied with fire in her eyes. "Our fight."

Xin continued to shake his head, while Irelia continued. "Noxus has done horrible things to both of our lands."

Xin was quiet for a second. Then-

"I pledge this upon my honor." Thus he started the Warrior's pledge.

"I pledge this upon my honor." Irelia echoed.

"Your friends are my friends."

"Your family is my family."

"Your rivals are my rivals."

"Your enemies are my enemies."

Xin took a deep breath. "We will face them..."

Irelia and Xin's eyes met, as their mouths moved in unisen.

"Together."