Chapter III

Throughout the night, as the moon rose high into the darkened sky, a certain assassin tossed and turned on the small bed that he currently occupied. Dreams were conflicting his thoughts, nightmares of a seemingly different dimension where ghastly beasts roamed free plagued his mind. It was a place spoken of in fairy tales, a place that seemed too unbelievable to be true.

A cold sweat had formed on his brow from seeing the horrors that crawled around the vast empty space, staring at him with glowing yellow eyes, filled with hunger and intensity. His body squirmed, tossing about as though the mere action would awaken him and get him away from the nightmare. Unfortunately, not even his body would allow him to awaken from such a dream, forcing him to deal with it until he was fully rested.

Or, perhaps not.

A jolt wracked his body as his eyes flew open, awakened by a gentle hand placing itself on his forehead. His breathing was unsteady, dark bags under his eyes as though he hadn't slept well for a decent length of time. His mind had grown numb from the dream, but his eyes were still able to recognize who was standing, or rather, floating, beside him.

"Did you see it?" Malzahar asked eagerly, removing his hand from Talon's forehead as he watched and waited.

"See what? I simply had a nightmare." Talon replied, forcing himself to slowly sit up as his gaze trailed to the window, spying the sky turning a rather nice reddish orange as the sun began to rise.

Malzahar shook his head, the response eliciting a sigh, "It was not simply a nightmare, assassin." This gained the focus of the Noxian, "You saw the Void."

Talon was silent for a moment, raising an eyebrow at the word 'Void'. Sure, he had heard of the place before... once again, spoken of in fairy tales and around the streets of Noxus as some 'fabled place that could grant immense power', but he never believed it to be true. After all, there was also a fair amount of people that immediately dismissed the subject as being a load of garbage.

The assassin was more inclined to follow the latter type of people.

"...Right." He replied with a scoff, "You expect me to believe that I witnessed, firsthand, 'the Void'? A place that has been spoken of only by drunkards and lunatics? Of course I did, that makes perfect sense!"

The sarcasm in Talon's words was extremely obvious, making the prophet roll his eyes as he floated over so he sat down on the bed beside the assassin. His fingers trailed lightly over the chains that bound his wrists, feeling the cool steel of the metal through the black cloth that formed his gloves. Without looking at Talon, Malzahar began to speak once more.

"Tell me, Talon... why do you think it is that I brought you here?" Malzahar asked, lightly lifting one of the chains with a single finger.

"...To chain me up until you find a way to kill me off so I don't kill you first?" Talon responded, though it was an honestly serious reply; it is what he believed to be true, after all.

Talon didn't even flinch as a hand was placed on the back of his head, patting it lightly, "Incorrect."

"Tell me why, then. ...Only thing that comes to mind is that you're a sadistic lunatic." Talon swore he heard a low growl come from the man beside him at that remark.

"...I have brought you here because the Void has instructed me to do so." Malzahar calmly began, setting the chain back down as his head turned, icy gaze meeting Talon's, "you have been chosen. The moment you set foot into the Shurima Desert, the Void called out to me, and ordered me to take you captive until your time arrives."

"My... time?"

"Indeed. The time for you to become a vessel. Your body has been chosen to house a powerful entity of the Void. Why it chose you, though... is another story entirely. Not even I know why the Void would choose an incapable street urchin to house itself in..." As he spoke, Malzahar instantly noticed the fire that once again burned within the bird-like eyes that were scowling at him; perhaps that could be why he was chosen... his determination and willpower were incredible. At least, to the prophet they were.

It was understandable, after all... the pain that Talon had endured through his childhood was simply incredible.

"You're nothing but a madman. Do you honestly expect me to believe all of that...?" The Noxian was practically seething in anger, "you trap me here without a properly good reason, chain me up, and then go raving on about how I'm a 'vessel to some Voidian entity'? You're absolutely insane."

Malzahar sighed, and for a short moment, his eyes held hints of sadness as he turned his head away from the assassin. Of course, Talon caught it; it was easy to tell, the glow of his eyes had faded for a short moment before regaining their light as they grew fixated on the far wall. Though he honestly didn't care if the prophet was upset by his words; it was all deserved.

"You are just like the rest of them..." The prophet growled, ethereal voice going much lower than normal as his eyes seemed to flicker back and forth from the wall to the assassin beside him, "No one believes... and then, they find themselves in predicaments, or without their lives. If only they had believed me... perhaps they would be in better situations."

Once again the Noxian found himself in silence. Part of his mind was screaming to believe that what Malzahar was saying was true, but his instinct was saying otherwise. There was no way this man could be telling the truth... they had just met barely even two days ago, so how was it possible that he knew so much about him already?

Unless, his notion was true, and he really was a seer... the robes certainly made him look the part, of what he had heard in the past about Shurimian prophets.

"Are you...?" Talon stopped himself, not allowing his voice to finish the question. Though, it was one that begged to be asked. To prove his theories correct, he needed to know more of this man. "Are you a seer? From this place?"

Malzahar's eyes once again focused on the younger male, the softly glowing blue orbs not averting themselves this time. It was still a little unnerving, being stared at by the other man... there were certain things about him that screamed that he was not from this dimension, but Talon chose not to jump to conclusions. Not until he received answers.

"Once. Long ago, I was a seer. I was destined for greatness, my name was spoken of throughout even the smallest villages in Shurima. I was a prodigy - at a young age, my visions rivaled those of the elderly." Malzahar began, a soft sigh escaping his lips as he stood from the bed and floated idly in the air, "Yet, the Void recognized my power as well... it chose me to be its herald. Thus, after following its calling, it is exactly what I became. The Void infused itself within me, which is why my eyes glow, and these markings adorn my robes."

Interesting, the assassin thought; so, he was correct in the assumption...

"You, too, have been chosen. Soon, you shall be just like me... but, with a powerful soul within you. Your powers will be destructive, and your name shall be feared by all mortals that inhabit this land..." Malzahar continued his speech, occasionally making hand motions for added effect, "Is this not what you have always sought? You have desired power ever since you were but a small child... that is what brought you to kill your only friend when he weighed you down, was it not?"

That simple statement made Talon blink in surprise, "How do you-?"

"I have seen everything about your past." Malzahar said with a wicked grin, chuckling softly, "Being that you are of such importance to the Void, it granted me a vision of the key points of your history.. as such, there is nothing kept secret from me."

Anger began to once again well up inside of the Noxian male, hands clenching in the fabric of the bedsheets. How dare this man look into his past, learn near everything about him, and then go on to preach about it so nonchalantly?! It was high time the assassin finally took a stand for himself.

Even if it was in the worst way possible.

Before he knew what had happened, his body had moved on its own.

Talon stood, and a powerful punch had connected directly with the seer's jaw. Malzahar's entire body seemed to jolt sideways from the force put into the fist, remaining still as he listened to the annoyed huffs of breath coming from Talon's lips. Perhaps he did go too far... but, he would not allow the assassin to get away with such violence so easily.

Just as the assassin was feeling good about himself for finally freeing some of his anger into the form of a heavy right hook, his body was lifted by unseen hands and thrown roughly against the wall. His mouth opened and his eyes grew wide as the breath was knocked from his lungs, Malzahar's hands instantly gripping onto his wrists. Though, as his eyes caught sight of the venom that the light blue orbs held, an eerie chill ran down the spine of the assasin.

Those blue eyes were glowing brightly, filled with seething anger, if not hatred.

The grip Malzahar once again had on his wrists grew tighter, bringing back memories of when he was dangling high above Shurima from the strangling hold that was once on his throat. His hands twitched as pressure was applied to his wrists just below the shackles with the prophet's thumbs, a low groan of pain escaping his throat in the process.

But, the prophet certainly wasn't one to stop there.

A small rift opened beside the prophet, and as the assassin stared into it, his body shuddered in terror; it was an endless purple abyss, filled with light spots that were glowing like stars in an evening sky. There was something ominous about the rift, and at the same time, it was unlike anything Talon had ever seen. But, as he gazed into the vast space, he caught a small glimpse of movement along the bottom of the rift.

It wasn't long before he was being strangled by a violet, transparent tentacle that shot from the rift and constricted the soft flesh of his throat, sliding him up the wall so his feet were just barely above the floor. Talon gasped for breath, squirming violently in the prophet's grasp as he was rewarded with nothing but a menacing chuckle from his captor. At that very moment, despite the fear that was instilled into his racing thoughts, the assassin knew that Malzahar's words were true.

No longer would he doubt him.

Except, he was unable to speak to tell him that at the current moment. Or, so he thought. Just as the world was beginning to blur and a horrible ringing had set into his ears, the grip the being had around his throat loosened enough for the assassin to intake air and breathe properly once again.

As his desperate gasps nullified all other sounds within the room, Malzahar laughed at the sight; truly pathetic, to see such a strong man reduced to looking like a fish out of water in no time flat.

"Do you believe me now, Talon? Or shall I restrict your breath once again?" Malzahar's voice was sickeningly playful, almost as though he were gaining enjoyment from seeing the Noxian like this. Despite his gasping, a deep, threatening growl came from Talon's throat.

"S-Screw you..." He began, seeing the tentacle reel about as though preparing to constrict his throat once more, "I... I believe you... but really, screw you..."

With that, Talon's wrists were released, the being retreated into the portal, and he was allowed to drop to the cold stone flooring in a heap. Aching hands immediately flew to his throat, feeling around at the tender flesh and wincing as the bruises on each side were touched. That certainly did irritate the bruises he already had, perhaps making them worse – today was really not starting off well.

"Good." Malzahar replied, roughly trailing a hand across his cheek to feel the numbness that was also inflicted upon him by the assassin's fist. "But, if you ever punch me like that again..."

While waiting for Malzahar to finish his sentence, Talon hadn't even noticed that he had moved to his level. As a warm breath was felt on his ear, his entire body froze in place. The touch that was on his shoulder once again was now gentle, almost caring, in a way, and completely unlike what he knew the prophet to be.

"...I will do much more than simply strangle you." The threat was clear, as it was whispered lowly into Talon's ear, "Do I make myself clear, assassin?"

It was as though the assassin's voice was caught in his throat; no matter how he tried to utter even a simple word, his mouth opened, but nothing emerged. His body was still frozen, feeling the heat radiating from the prophet's body and warming his own cool figure. This was an... awkward position for the assassin to be in, only now noticing that Malzahar on his knees in between his legs, one hand resting on the ground dangerously close to his thigh, as the other gently pressed onto his shoulder.

Talon felt far too vulnerable for comfort.

"C... Crystal." Talon finally replied, repressing the anger that was once again filling his veins.

Shockingly, Talon didn't take kindly to being ordered around and treated like a dog. There was only one man that could order him as such, and this prophet was certainly not him. It was infuriating and degrading, and to most eyes, it would seem as though Malzahar had 'tamed' his wild spirit through violent actions, but it was in fact the opposite.

The Noxian was just trained to follow along until an appropriate time to strike arose.

Even if he was currently once again lost in his thoughts, Talon felt the heat leave his body as Malzahar moved away, leaving the room without a word once more. His head lowered, staring at the sandstone flooring as his fingers lightly tapped onto the cool, rough surface. Admittedly, there was something about the prophet's touch that felt... familiar.

In a very strange sense, it felt rather relaxing, when he was being gentle and not strangling the life from his body. Though, the force that he was able to put into his grip was rather impressive, in Talon's eyes. A smirk found home on his lips as he thought of the man; even if he wouldn't admit to it, he enjoyed the mysterious nature that he held.

It kept him guessing as to what his next move would be.

General Du Couteau held the same nature. His actions were spontaneous, but never without good reasoning behind them. Perhaps, Talon thought... perhaps the Seer was the same way.

And maybe that was why he felt some sort of odd attraction to him.