The sun's rays glowed harshly, stinging the land beneath it. Wind blew it into the air, creating a storm of molten sand. Dust blew and sands shifted, creating conditions only those who were truly insane would dare to trespass among its land.

But among the howling winds and shifting sands came a figure, cloaked in a pale purple garb, its sleeves and hood tattered and worn from the days of traveling in the barren lands. The sunlight beat down harshly upon the figure, as if its rays seemingly attempted to extinguish her spirit. The ground shifted beneath her, sands giving away to where the figure stepped, stumbling as it traversed the terrain.

For days on end, Diana had been moving without rest or food. While it had granted her more breathing room against her pursuers, she was fatigued, nearly incapable of sustain her own any longer. It wouldn't be long now. If she were to travel much longer, she would undoubtedly fall prey to the environment. And yet she couldn't rest, for those who were following her would find her, and in her present state, it would mean certain death to confront them. And she had not yet fulfilled her purpose.

Diana suddenly grunted as she stumbled, her foot giving as she tumbled down a small dune of sand. Collapsing to her knees, she kneeled for a moment to attempt to catch her breath. The soft ground scorched her knees, but she was too tired to move.

She gazed at the sky. As always, the sun glared down at her, as if there was a being inside that knew of her betrayal and of her deeds. Diana shook her head. Perhaps she was going crazy in the desert heat after all. Perhaps…she was wrong in her decision. It was now clearer than ever that she alone would not make it to her destination. Clasping her hands together, she closed her eyes and bowed, her head nearly touching the shifting sands beneath.

Moon in the sky. Your presence is not seen right now as the sun reveres itself high upon the heavens. But I am in time of need. Please. Grant me the strength so I may carry out the duties that have been blessed to me upon the way of the moon. Grant me strength for my own feet and my own soul are failing me.

For a heart lurching moment, there was no response, Diana only hearing the constant howling of the sands around her as she lifted her head. But for a brief moment, she saw a crescent suddenly carve itself out in the sands writhing in front of her before it disappeared, swept away by the shifting ground.

Diana bowed her head once more to the heavens above her. The moon was still watching over her after all.

"Very well then" Aurelius stood once more, prompting the entire congregation to stand as well, their ceremonial robes fluttering as they all stood hastily. "It seems that we have all come to an agreeable solution to this problem. If there are no further questions, I shall adjourn this meeting now."

There were several mutters and whispers but once more, no one spoke up against the Elder.

Aurelius nodded, satisfied with the sight before him. "There will be another congregation soon to exercise what we will do upon the encounter with Diana at this Institute. Otherwise, you are all free to leave. Many thanks for your attendance and cooperation, especially under such circumstances."

At these words, counselors and their aids alike began to file out of the heavy atmosphere of the room, eager to escape into the embracing warmth of the air and the sun outside. Pantheon, like all of the others, stood to leave as well. Cracking his neck, he hefted drew his ceremonial cloak once more over his head and followed the line of Rakkor that were leaving the room.

"Pantheon."

Dammit. The young Rakkor tensed, recognizing the familiar voice much to his displeasure. He turned, annoyed to see Aurelius leaning tiredly against the marble walls. "Do you have a moment to spare with me my boy? There are certain things I would like to talk to you about upon your journey."

Pantheon's jaw tightened, but he maintained his composure.

"Yes?"

"First of all, allow me to be the first to thank you for volunteering to do this." Aurelius continued despite the very clear displeasure on the paragon's face. "As you already know, this won't be an easy task. It is important that you do not forget that Diana is a capable Solarian warrior and not to be taken lightly. Who knows what else she is capable of? The ability to slay several Elders should be well noted in along your journey Pantheon."

"And is that all you wished to tell me Head Solarian Elder?" Pantheon growled mockingly, "If you came to me solely to inform me on such obvious information, then you have wasted your time, and even more tragically, my time. I am no fool Aurelius. Do not ever take me for one lest you wish to make more enemies."

The Elder's eyes narrowed at his sharp words, his normally benevolent and friendly eyes taking on an uncharacteristic guarded look, "It's simply a reminder young warrior, no need to take my words so harshly. Whatever the case may be, your mission is to bring Diana back alive. She must not be slain upon the grounds of the Institute. We will not tolerate and provide any room for failure. Bring her to the mountain; and do it quickly."

"And do you think she will come of her own free will? You are a fool if you truly believe that Aurelius. Have you ever met the girl? It would not surprise me if she would rather fight me to the death than to be brought back to be humiliated!"

Aurelius ground his teeth. He of all people fully understood why Pantheon now held a grudge against him, but this was simply too much. Holding a grudge was one thing but disrespecting an Elder could not be tolerated. Past or not, the young Rakkor needed to respect the Elders like everyone else.

"Watch your tongue boy," Aurelius hissed, "Perhaps that may be true Pantheon, but by the gods of Targon, you will try or you will fall in your attempts. Her death will be the end of your role as a warrior in the Rakkor as well. She will be brought back alive or not at all. Is that clear to you?"

Pantheon glared at the Elder, his coals of anger seething in his abdomen as his stare intensified. Though the Rakkorian warrior was nearly a head taller than the Elder, Aurelius did not back down and held his own presence against him, facing right up against Pantheon's unspoken aggression. For a moment, they stood face to face, will clashing against will to see who would surrender first. The air between them was so thick with tension, one could almost swear you could cut it with a knife. Glare matched glare, despite the age between them. Then, Pantheon looked away.

"Very well Aurelius," Pantheon muttered, looking away. If he was to follow his orders, he might as well spare himself from having to look at the man. "If that is what you believe to be the best decision. Then I will follow it. I only hope it is better than the decisions of your past."

The paragon of the Rakkor turned away once more and swiftly exited the room, leaving the Elder alone once more in the great marble chamber.

The paragon sighed quietly to himself as he slowly but carefully sharpened his spear. He was finally back in his room after all of that nonsense; given to him when he had passed the Rite of Kor to officially become a member of the Rakkor's military. Here, he had more privacy, and given the fact he was nominated to be the paragon of the Rakkor allowed him more privileges as well. But that position did not come without its responsibilities. Now, he was to do something now other Rakkor had done before. Hunting a Solarian, Diana herself no less, was no easy feat. It was certainly not something he very much looked forward to.

Yet he himself had chosen the task as well as embraced the position, but not because it was something he felt he owed to the tribe. And it sure as hell wasn't for that damned fool Aurelius either. His leadership could be absolved in a power coup for all he cared. Putting down his spear, he examined his shield before putting it back beside its position to his other arsenal of weapons. Standing, his glance fell upon the set of building in the high distance.

Though he would never admit it out loud, his reason was for Leona. He understood that if not him, someone else would have been sent in his stead. And though he was not close to Diana as Leona or even Erix was, the other Rakkor would have most likely had no personal relevance at all. They would undoubtedly move on her with extreme prejudice, seeing for revenge of the Elders she had killed. And while the council had stated that the warrior sent after her to bring her back to Targon keep her alive, he knew that was a foolish request. Fighting would ensue, and Pantheon believed that the warrior sent would likely be overpowered by Diana and killed, inflaming the problem even further. And Leona would most likely get involved as well, pitting her against someone he knew she could not and would not kill. Diana would likely have no qualms however, and Leona would fall to her. He could not risk it.

And as much as he enjoyed the art of combat, this was not what he had come to love. This not war. This was not honorable fighting. This was the work of an executioner, chasing a criminal.

A knocking at his door drew his attention away from his thoughts. Slowly, Pantheon made his way to the entrance and opened it to reveal a Solarian messenger, dressed in their traditional gold attire.

"Yes?" Pantheon asked wearily. He was not sure what the Solari wanted with him. He did not believe that the Solari would try and stop him from moving to bring back Diana, but he could not say that the thought had never crossed his mind. His hand tightened around a knife hidden in the compartment of his cloak.

The messenger cleared his throat. "Solari Leona requests your presence at the Solarian encampment as soon as possible. She states it's urgent and that you see her at your first opportunity."

Pantheon was surprised. He was planning to visit her before he left but did not think she would have the power to summon him. He chuckled to himself for he had wondered how long it would be before she heard about his task. This was sure going to be interesting.

"I see. Thank you for the message. May the gods of Targon guide and bless your path."

The Solarian nodded respectfully to the paragon before disappearing in a wisp of sunlight. Closing the door once more, Pantheon turned to grab his weapons and supplies from the floor before turning around to leave. But for a moment longer, he gazed wistfully at the room around him once more. How long would it be before he returned home?

Dark. That was what Diana noticed immediately about her new surroundings. Not that she minded the protection it gave from the blazing sun, but it could provide attackers an advantage over her already weakened state. The crescent had guided her to this cave, but she still did not understand why. There was nothing here and she had already scoured the room for minutes to attempt to find what the crescent wanted her to see here. But so far, her work had borne no fruit.

Suddenly, Diana tripped on something in the darkness and she cursed as she fell to the ground.

You've got to be fucking kidding me.

The former Solari glared angrily at the object she had tripped over before ruefully turning away. What a god dam nuisance this darkness was. The fact that this square rock in the center didn't really he-

Wait. Square rock?

It was just a hunch, but Diana crawled quickly over to examine the rock she had tripped on. She drew her blade, illuminating the room with its pulsating moonlight as she took a closer look at the rock. It was a slab of marble, but that was not what really caught her attention. Instead, on the center was of the stone was a single L inscribed its surface, the character delicately and intricately carved.

She could not resist but reach out a hand and touch it. Resting her hand on it, she ran her finger over its smooth surface, etching out the pattern so well ingrained in the stone. For a moment, Diana could hear nothing but her own heartbeat and the coldness of the cave's air on her skin. Suddenly, she heard a large crack and the sound of rocks crumbling behind her. She turned to see the once great wall of solid rock that had blocked her path in the cavern now eroding to nothing more than a few pebbles rolling around in the dirt. There was now a huge opening that seemed to beckon to her to cross its chasm.

Subtle enough I suppose.

She walked through the now opened cavern, ducking under the low arch way. In a moment, she entered a large room even more grand than the first cavern. Gigantic pillars upheld the ceiling, decorated and engraved with scenes of battle and the art of magic. Symbols and images, some of which Diana recognized, of great battles and wars hung along the stone walls. Strange swords and beautiful mage staffs lined themselves below the symbols. She stood, gawking at the powerful scene around her, so well hidden beneath a ton of rock.

"Quite the scenery even down here in this drafty cavern eh?"

Diana snapped to the sudden sound, instantly on guard as she instinctively held her blade in a defensive position towards the direction of the voice. But instead of a heavily armored warrior, there was simply a short but stout old man sitting by a small pot of steaming golden fluid. Diana blinked. She could have sworn she had not seen anyone when she first entered the room. And yet here the man was.

"Oi," he chortled at her reaction, "Quite the jumpy one ain't ya? Well girlie, looks like you got some nerves. Don't worry though. I'm no enemy."

"You'd be surprised at the amount of people who want me dead," Diana responded. She paused, not quite sure exactly to go with this conversation. "Er...who exactly are you?"

"Me?" The stout man chuckled, "I'm but simple doorman, though the councilors tell me different. The name's Estus, watcher of the lower gateways at your service."

Diana smirked slightly at the mention of his name. "Estus? Is that your real name?"

"Oi, Oi now" the short stout man growled at her response, "It certainly ain't nice to make fun of my name. Besides, it's not the worst name in the family. One of my cousins is named Gragas. Now there's a man who has to be weary along with all of them dam barrels he has to carry around. Wonder how he does that with all that weight he's got on 'em…" He laughed at his own joke, seemingly forgetting Diana was there for a moment.

"Well…what exactly do you do here Estus?"

"Ah bollocks," he muttered, "I went on rambling again." He stood, as much as a short man such as himself could stand, and faced the warrior. "Well, in the simplest terms I am the guardian to the Institute. It's what you're seeking right?"

Diana nodded, "How did you know that?"

"Ah, your friend in the sky told me. But at any rate, you've come to quite the interesting place if I do say so myself." Estus spread his hands around at the room. "This is an old abandoned entrance to the League. It was used many years ago in the Rune Wars and then later turned into a monastery but that was abandoned later on as well. Few know of its existence and even fewer have ever laid eyes upon it. How you ended up here I certainly don't get but you are here nonetheless."

Estus motioned to Diana, "Cme're."

The former Solarian wearily moved closer to the pot of liquid gold that Estus had been standing next to all this time. "Take a drink of this 'ere. And when ya done, head on through the doorway there." He pointed towards the arched opening ahead of them. "That'll take ya where you want to go. You've already had the long hard path eh? Hope ya find things better on the other side."

Diana turned to glance at the doorway, squinting her eyes through the veiled darkness to attempt to see what was beyond but she could not. It was simply just too dark. She shook her head.

"Very well. Thank you for yo-" Diana stopped. Estus was nowhere to be seen. All that remained of the stout man was the bubbling cauldron of golden liquid that still bubbled happily. But beside the pot was a single phrase etched in the dirt that had certainly not been there before. She smiled as she read it. Taking a quick swig of the soup, she rose to her feet once more and advanced towards the dark doorway.

Welcome to the League of Legends.

Pantheon stopped in front of the small familiar house that was Leona's. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door, his finger making a hollow sound against the wooden frame. He lingered on the doorstep for a brief moment before the door creaked open to reveal the figure he had been waiting earnestly to see.

There was the prodigy of the Solari, dressed in a messy tunic, her hair in quite the mess. Certainly not the best for wear. Pantheon chuckled inwardly at her appearance.

"You called for me?"

Leona frowned at his words. "Yeah. Get inside."

"What? Leona, I don't think that it would be a great idea for us to remain alone in your ro-"

She cut him off, roughly pulling him inside of her house armor and all. She quickly closed the door and turned around to face an uncharacteristically nervous Pantheon. She was sure acting… aggressive.

"Leona… what's wrong? You're not like yourself…"

Leona drew a deep breath as she watched her childhood companion stand before her. Her friend. Her protector. Her love.

"I've heard from other Solari around that you volunteered to take down Diana. That you volunteered to kill her if she refused to cooperate. Is that true?" she asked in a quiet voice.

Pantheon stood stunned for a moment before he could even respond. Was that the rumor going around the other Solarian members? The slander among of him among the Solari must have spread quicker than he anticipated.

"Leona, you know it's not…" he said softly, "I know how important Diana is to you. The original mission statement given by Aurelius was to bring her back to Targon. There's not going to be an-"

"Pantheon, you know that's not even remotely the truth," the warrior of sunlight growled, "We both know dam well that Diana isn't going to come back on her own will! She, as well as you and I, both know of the consequences if she does." Leona paused, "How could you have volunteered to pursue her knowing that?"

"And what if I didn't? The Rakkor and Solari would have sent someone else regardless whether or not I would have chosen the duty! It is something that I owe to the Rakkor and the Solari to do. No one else should have to die chasing Diana!" Pantheon retaliated, his voice strained at her outburst

Leona froze at his words. Her voice, no matter no hard she tried, would not work. Of all the people she regarded, she never thought he would hurt her. He was supposed to be the one to stay with her, to be with her.

"And what if you die?" she croaked, barely able to utter the words, "What if you don't come back to me? Our relationship might be an infant one, but do you care so little for it that you would throw your life away? What about us Pantheon? Have you forgotten so quickly?"

The paragon of war stood conflicted. So that's what she was concerned about. Of course he valued her like no other person he knew. She was his light, his key. But there was no way she would understand. She might have been of the Rakkor but she had never been fully invested in the art of war. This was a matter of tradition and honor for the Rakkor, and tradition was something Leona did not care for.

"You have to understand, it's not like that…"

"Then what is it like?"

Pantheon, in a flash, surged forward and grabbed Leona by the hands and pulled her close to him until she was chest to chest with the warrior. She was surprised at first, then struggled against his grasp angrily but Pantheon held on with an iron grip until she slowly stopped pushing against him.

The paragon let out a sigh, tucking the top of her head under his chin. She felt so warm against him, even through all of his armor she radiated warmth. How he would miss this feeling when he would be away.

"There is nothing more I value in this world than your companionship Leona," he confessed quietly into her hair, the auburn strands tickling his nose. Though his admission stung his pride, he continued on, "I couldn't do without you. But as Rakkor, this is a duty I have to do. By hand by sword, by foot by war, this is something I can't avoid."

Leona closed her eyes and leaned heavily against him, inhaling that familiar scent of metal and armor. By the gods, she wanted to be selfish with him but she knew Pantheon was right. It was his duty. To uphold the art of war. To grace the name of its leaders. To serve without fear and with faith. But she couldn't shrug off the sense of an ominous foreboding.

"Fine, I'll let you win this time…but if you don't return to me Pantheon, by the gods of Targon I will find you in the afterlife and beat you half to death." She murmured.

Pantheon smirked at her threat. Though, in the back of his mind, he wholeheartedly believed it.

"How about you come to me then if you're so worried? After all, I'm sure you could manage it."

"Very well paragon of war, if that is what you want, then I'll join you at this Institute Give me 1 month." she replied.

"Oh? And how am I to know that you'll keep that promise huh?"

She chuckled in response and removed Pantheon's large helm.

"Here's something to seal the deal."

The warrior of sunlight pressed her lips against his, her hands hooking themselves around his neck as he deepened the kiss. His hands trailed down to the lean muscles of her lower back, holding her steady against him they stood, embracing each other for an unknown time. He could have stayed there forever, inhaling her sweet scent that was so intoxicating.

"Ahem."

Reluctantly, Pantheon broke the kiss and turned to the sound of the voice. There stood the messenger, red faced at the scene he had intruded upon.

"What?" Pantheon snarled, clearly unhappy to be interrupted.

"Uh," the young boy swallowed nervously, "The procession is leaving paragon. Aurelius has called for your departure."

Pantheon sighed and turned once more the woman in his arms.

"1 month," he whispered against her "I'll be waiting for you."

Footsteps pounded on the paved road as a figure ran by. It moved swiftly, occasionally checking behind it to ensure no one was following. Passing by the main buildings of the camp, the hooded figure slipped into a small concave concealed by a layer of heavy moss by the side of the road.

The dark shadow stepped into an area that seemed like a church. Medallions of suns hung along the walls. Benches were nearly set up in orderly rows and a dais was placed at the front of it all. And at the front of the dais stood 3 more hooded figures, but their garbs were embed with ceremonial jewels and symbols whose understanding has been lost to the ages.

Slowly, the dark figure approached the trio and knelt, its head bowed low so that it nearly touched the gravel beneath it.

"Ah, your old habits die persist young one," an old voice suddenly rasped from the center figure, "We were to convene here at 3 past noon were we not? And yet you are late, dirty none the less."

"Forgive me my Lord," the figure groveled even lower, "The circumstances in which I had to come here on were not easy. Suspicion and tensions run high among the Solari and they watch any who deviate from normal behavior."

"Ah, young Solarian, you have much to learn about prudence."

"Enough chatter," boomed the second figure to the left, He turned to hover above the kneeling shadow, "Son of Aldrin, as you may know, the one who has betrayed us had left much turmoil and chaos in her wake. Furthermore, the continual existence of her life serves as an example for dissent in our ranks. This cannot happen. She must die; there is no time for a trial."

"I am honored sire, but I cannot kill her myself. I am not strong as she is in the body," the dark figure replied, "Surely she would kill me first."

The center figure let out a raspy laugh, "Ah, but you are not alone. The upstart Aurelius has sent his best to deal with her. Their battle will be great and from it, you will find your opportunities there young one. I have foreseen the future and it is possible. We have chosen you with great care and we believe you can succeed. That leaves only one thing."

"Will you, son of Aldrin, take the mantle of responsibility to strike down those who have struck at the Solari?"

"….I do."

"Will you remain faithful to the covenant at all costs, laying your life down should it be deemed necessary by its ideals and its leaders?"

"..I swear it."

"And if the time comes for the Solari to fall, will you remain faithful and loyal to its foundation until you breathe your last?"

"Yes, I pledge my soul and body alike."

"Then rise, young one, for your purpose has now begun. Strike down those who would break us and defy us! You will leave for the Institute as soon as possible. Do not fail. The Solari counts on you."

hey yo, your boy here with another update. This one took me a while to think of the substance, hope you guys like it C:.

Also, I've been trying to change my writing style to distinguish more formal conversations and less formal conversations between certain characters, so be on the lookout of that.

Quick thanks to Miss Yaoi Hands for some tips; best Talon Quinn writer on the site.

Story Notes and Canon: Pantheon's got an ego for sure, not as big though when it comes to dealing with Leona.

He still hates Aurelius alot tho.

Diana one of the most gifted and pragmatic students, given how she's been in the Solari since a very early age.

Enjoy!

Until Next Time dear reader,

C. Geng