Again, sorry for the brief hiatus. I hope you guys enjoy this one.
-NOTE- I believe this is my 10th story! WHOOO! okay celebration's over, start reading =P
"Ah yes. The Ruby is for vigor," Taric said.
Ryze was in his examination room, trying to decipher the different magics the league's champions used. Taric's gems were each infused with a particular spell, aiding him in battle. The ruby in particular was infused with a speed spell.
"Absolutely fascinating..." Ryze muttered as he studied several of Taric's gems more intently.
"Gems contain unbridled power," Taric agreed, nodding.
Ryze stood up, handing Taric the gemstone back. "Thank you very much for this opportunity Taric."
Taric bowed as he moved to the exit. "Anytime Ryze."
Ryze scribbled down some notes, before offhandidly calling, "Next!"
The door creaked open, as Ryze's eyes narrowed at the being that had just floated into the room.
Xerath, the Magus Ascendant.
The Archon, encased inside a shattered Sarcophagus, said in his wispy voice, "I was told to present myself to the mage Ryze."
Ryze bristled. He'd asked the League to send him Champions with unusual powers, but Xerath was an abomination! He'd destroyed his city with reckless magics, and was trying to get out of his rightful punishment through the League. He didn't even deserve the recognition of Ryze giving him an examination!
"Out!" Ryze yelled.
Xerath did not move.
"Out!", roared Ryze.
Xerath slowly turned around, and floated out of Ryze's examination room. Xerath was extremely annoyed. He had hoped that the summoners of the League could undo the chains wrought upon him by the mages of Shurima, but so far, they'd only had him fight and ordered him to places that summarily rejected him- first the library, then a city-state's academy, and now the examination room of this mage.
At least they'd given him a source of magic in his room in the Northern Wing. He headed that way to replenish his stocks of arcane energy, sorely depleted after a heated battle in the Crystal Scar.
On his way to his room, Xerath sensed a being of intense magical power. The closest human description would be smell, for Xerath caught a whiff of hardened, concentrated power.
Intrigued, Xerath slowly floated towards the 'smell', always interested in new sources of power.
When he came across the source of the spell, he was expecting a majestic being of extreme power- perhaps another archon like himself.
He was not expecting a dark female with tattered wings and a ruined body, desperately trying to even wiggle her right wing.
Xerath sniffed again. The smell was definitely coming from her.
His curiosity overriding his judgement, Xerath's voice rasped out, "who are you?"
The Fallen One, previously facing away from the archon, slowly turned around, eyes wide. "Who's there?" She seemed startled when she noticed the archon behind her, and winced in pain when her left wing brushed the wall.
"I am the Magus Ascendant," rasped Xerath. "I sensed magic, and I came." He paused for a moment. "Why are you in pain?"
"My damn sister," Morgana growled. "I didn't follow all of her rules, and she did this." Morgana gestured to her tattered wings, as she turned her head to the side. "Let's talk about something else..." Morgana looked back at Xerath. "Why are you here?"
"In the League?" Xerath asked. Morgana just raised an eyebrow, then nodded slightly. "Are you sure?" Xerath pressed. "It's a long tale." Morgana gave a short bark of laughter. "Oh, I've got time." She mused to herself. "Almost too much time..."
And so Xerath's tale began.
"Back before the last Rune War, there was a great City-State called Shurima. The mages there always used magic for battle, and warfare. They controlled it tightly, wielded it as a sword, to conquer Shurima's enemies. I was different.
I wanted power- not to conquer, but for knowledge. Power could teach me- the world- about the universe, and the inner workings of time itself. And so I taught myself, granting myself ever-greater power. But my mortal form could not hold so much energy in myself, so I started a ritual to transcend my mortal body, and grant me one of pure arcane energy. The Backlash from the spell destroyed the entire Mage's district and half of the Market district in Shurima.
I had gained power, but the mages there did not know for what reason. They assumed I'd come to destroy, rather than learn. They sealed me away in this prison. Many long years later, I finally destroyed it, but the core remains, forever shackling me. I have been fighting in hopes of achieving freedom from these chains ever since."
Xerath's story finished, Morgana lowered her eyes in contemplation. His story was just like hers. She found herself speaking.
"My sister Kayle was the leader of a faction, that promoted 'Central Government' and 'Law'. I saw it for what it really was- dictatorship and tyranny. I refused to obey, and for that, I was branded 'fallen'."
A small tear slipped out of Morgana's left eye. "I just wanted peace, and the ability to be different, independent, creative- my own person." Morgana looked down at herself- her metaphorically stained hands, her torn wings. "I fought for my future, and this is my punishment..."
"You know..." Xerath began. Morgana looked at him. "We aren't so different."
Morgana's eyebrow rose.
"We both crave freedom from our own separate burdens." Morgana slowly nodded as she understood what the Archon was saying. However, what he said next caught her by surprise.
"You are a powerful mage, correct?" Morgana nodded. "Could you perhaps, aid me with my chains?"
Xerath's arcane form twisted the metal on the sarcophagus to resemble a smile. "And of course, I shall help free you from your own chains as well.
Morgana dared to hope for a moment. Xerath was amazingly poweful. She quickly nodded. "Anything."
With the Magus Ascendant standing beside her, perhaps even freed by her magic, perhaps one day she could finally get out of this living nightmare, and finally be herself again, not having to raise another finger against her own kin one more time.
Xerath's spirit felt lightened when he heard Morgana's answer to his request. Perhaps, one day he could be released from his chains, to finally wield his power once more, and gain more knowledge to share with the world- and make it a better place.
Perhaps one day, they could both be free.