Chapter 5: Jerico Swain

Jerico Swain, leader of Noxus. His past is unknown to almost all. But not to the Black Rose.

Swain was orphaned at birth. As such, Swain was raised on the streets, taught how to steal for a living by the boys he grew up with. He adopted the name Jerico from the great Kings of Noxus, and Swain, a nickname the boys gave him, as his last name.

The leader of the Black Rose, a man with no name, found Swain as he went to go get some food from the market. He took the child under his care, and taught him the magics that would make him known. Along with Swain, he also taught a girl by the name of LeBlanc.

For many years, both Swain and LeBlanc grew up, playing, training, and learning together. The Black Rose watched over them, treating them as one of their own, even before they fully grasped their magic.

But, two years after their training was done, their master died, leaving them both grieving the man who acted like a father to them. Swain, in his grief, tried to bring his master back, only to have the spell back fire, and break his leg.

Swain, who was trained to be the next leader of the Black Rose, left the order as soon as his leg healed. He left no trace of what had happened to him.

He traveled for so long, his leg begining to break again. Eventually, he found himself on a battlefield outside Noxus. He got caught up in it, and found himself to a medical tent. There he was healed, though his leg was now broken again. If left on its own, he would need a cain to walk properly. After denying the offer to turn his leg back to normal, he toke a cain, and enrolled in the Noxian Military Academy.

Normaly the academy turn away people who were crippled. But Swain showed them his skills in magic, and his strategic mind. These skills allowed him to become a member of the Noxian military in two years. By the start of the Second Rune wars, Jerico Swain was a well known general in the Noxian military.

From that point, we all know what Swain had accomplished and became.

Katarina opened her eyes. She remembered what had happened the night before.

She looked to her left, and saw a sleeping Garen.

"Twice?"Katarina said with a laugh.

Garen stirred, but trned over. He mettered in his sleep,"Katarina."

Katarina smiled at him.

She got out of Garen's bed and looked at what she was wearing. She was wearing on of Garen's white shirts, which was about two sizes to big for her.

She found her clothes from the night before, and quickly changed into them before Garen woke up.

Garen stirred to see Katarina sitting in the chair by the fire."Morning,"he said, rubbing his eyes.

She nodded."Morning."

He got out of bed, and hcanged into a pair of pants and a clean red shirt."You sleep good?"he asked.

"Yeah,"she said blushing."You?"

He laughed."Very."

Katarina stood up, and streched."I'm only curious how you got into the same bed as me twice."

"Actually, you were the one who kept inviting me,"he laughed.

She blushed."Shut up,"she said, turning away from him.

Garen laughed.

Shyvana sat on her bed, listening to Ahri go through some stupid lesson on how to be "sexy."

After a few more minutes, Shyvana just sighed and sat up."Ahri, your not helping much."

She shrugged."You asked for my help."

"Don't remind me,"Shyvana said, shaking her head.

Ahri was silent for a moment, then burst out laughing. Shyvana joined in the laughing.

Swain put up his paperwork and streched. He looked at the clock on the wall.

"Damn,"Swain said, noticing he had worked through the night.

LeBlanc laughed."This shouldn't be a problem. You never slept like the rest of us back at the order."

"True enough,"Swain said, streching. He put his coat on over his sleveless undershirt, and tied his mask around his face.

"Do you have to wear that all the time?"LeBlanc asked.

"Stricks fear into people."Swain replied.

LeBlanc laughed."You have changed, I can't deny that."

Swain laughed to."Well, nothing stays the same forever."

"Not always,"LeBlanc said moving a hand across Swain's chin."Some things, never change."

Swain blinked. If you looked close, you could see he was holding back tears.

"You can always come back, and everything will go back to normal."LeBlanc looked pained when she said that.

"I can't,"he said, sounding so sure of himself."I lead Noxus."

"You should lead the Black Rose, not Noxus!"

Swain let a tear fall, and yelled,"The Black Rose dosen't need a failure like me!"

LeBlanc saw the pain in him. What had he failed at? Bring their master back to life?

She sighed."Failing to bring master back isn't something to be ashamed about."

"It isn't just that,"he said, pulling off his coat, and taking off his shirt. His chest, back, neck and waist were covered in burn scars.

"What happened to you?"LeBlanc asked, terrified.

"This is my failure,"Swain said, his eyes letting out all the pain."I didn't attempt bring a life back. I attempted to win the war."His eyes were flooded with tears.

LeBlanc felt his pain."What?"

"During the second Rune Wars, I attempted a spell that pushed my limits."Swain put his shirt back on."The spell burned away all my mana, and I couldn't stop it. My sheilds were gone, my power weakened. The fire caught the front of my shirt, and began burning me to death."

LeBlanc began to see what was happening. Swain didn't fail the order. He failed himself.

"These scars are the reminder of my failure."

LeBlanc pushed her tears back."You can't blame yourself."

Swain put his shirt back on."You don't know the full story."

"The spell killed your army?"she asked, scared.

"It killed almost everything within a mile,"Swain replied.

Leblanc's eyes widened."The Burning Plague?"

Swain nodded."Few survived. Even fewer knew what really happened. I was the only one who remembered, survived and was mostly unmarked. They thought my sheilds protected me. When in truth, I was the center."

LeBlanc shoke her head."Why not tell me this sooner?"

"Because,"Swain replied,"you would never understand."

Swain pulled his coat on, and walked out, closing the door behind him.

"Jerico,"LeBlanc said, her eyes filling with tears."If I can't hate you, the order can't."

The Noxian team, Swain, Darius, Katarina, Talon, and Draven, since LeBlanc suddenly couldn't fight today, were gathered, ready for their match.

And Piltover, Caitlyn, Jayce, Blitzcrank, Oriana, and the new champian to the League, Vi, stood facing the Noxians.

Then, both teams glowed blue, and vanished.

Everyone gathered around the screen, ready for a real battle, especialy since Piltover had a new champian.

Everyone was excited.

Vi and Jayce took the top lane, preparing for the noxians to attack. Catiyln took the middle lane. and Blitzcrank and Oriana took the bottom lane.

Swain toke the middle lane. Darius and Draven stood at the top lane, both prepared for battle. Talon and Katarina toke the bottom lane.

The two teams were ready.

Zyra laughed at what she had done.

Pantheon clawed at the vines wrapped around his mouth, struggling to rip them off.

Leona looked at Pantheon, and sighed."If you promise not to burst my ear open again, I'll cut the vines off."

Pantehon struggled for another moment, then submitted.

Leon cut the vines from Pantheon's mouth, and put her sword back.

"Thank you,"Pantheon said to Leona, before he began his roulette of curses at Zyra.

Zyra just gave Leona an evil look.

Vi grabbed Dravan's ax, and threw it back at him, slicing his right shoulder in half.

Jayse took his shot, and killed Dravan.

Darius charged, andsent his ax strait through Jayce's skull.

Vi just laughed.

"Whats so funny?"Darius asked, looking at the girl in front of him.

"This!"Vi shouted, punching Darius in the face.

When Vi made contact, her fish sent out a shockwave that shattered Darius's skull, spraying his brain everywhere.

Vi winced at the sight, but left it, and started attacking the minions.

"Interesting one there,"Sivir said, examining her weapon.

"Caitlyn's partner back before the League,"Zilean added.

Jarvan nodded."Former criminal too."

"I'm not doing this,"Shyvana said, looking at what Ahri had made her wear.

Shyvana's armor was taken off of her hair, showing her pitcfire-red hair. Ahri had put Shyvana's hair in a pony-tail. She wore a red dress with a V that Shyvana didn't trust to much, and was cut off at the knees, that Ahri had in her closet, which made it even more uncomfortable. With this, Ahri had also hidden Shyvana's weapons and her armor.

"Come on, you look beautiful. That dress realy brings out your skin and eyes.

Shyvana blushed a bit, looking at the V in the dress."Didn't you have anything that covered more?"

"That dress covers more of your body than your armor,"Ahri stated.

Shyvana blushed brighter, and sighed.

Blitz grabbed Darius, and pulled him closer.

Darius got in close, and sliced Oriana's orb in half.

Blitzcrank punched at him, only to have darius slice his arm off. Blitz began to retreat, only to be torn to pieces by one of draven's axs.

Oriana made it past her turret, carrying her destroyed orb in her hands.

"Damn, one got away,"Darius said, cleaning blood from his ax.

"We'll deal with her next time,"Draven said, waving his axs around.

Darius laughed."True enough little brother."

Vi punched Swain back, and Caitlyn finished him off with a good shot to the head.

"Good job partner,"Vi stated.

Caitlyn nodded."You too."

Vi turned toward the forest."Hold this end, I see something in the woods there."

"No problem,"Caitlyn said, reloading her rifle.

Vi went into the woods.

"Darius have her now,"Sion said aloud.

Ezreal closed his nose."Whatever you say Sion."

Sion laughed a bit.

Fiora gagged."Go take a bath Sion."

Sion smiled."Decomposition isn't pretty."

"Tell me about it,"Jarvan said, getting away from the rotting Sion.

Shyvana and Ahri walked into the room, and suddenly, all attention was on them.

Ahri wore her usual clothing, but Shyvana was the sight. She wore a red dress down to her knees, and had her red hair down, showing a new side to the Half-dragon. Her eyes had slight darker shade on the eye lids, showing off her skin more vibrantly. Her sandles were black, and she walked with a grace like she normally did.

All eyes were on her. People like Olaf, Ryze, Vladimir, and even Shen, who looked surprised at her stunning transformation. Others like Fiora and ashe, looked proud, and happy at this sight. Akali and Leona looked jealous at this. Even some of the summoners were dumbstruck.

Shyvana sat down in one of the chairs, trying to keep her dress from showing too much.

"Don't be shy, you look beautiful,"Ahri said, reassuringly.

Shyvana got annoyed."Your not helping."

Jarvan looked at the girl he had helped all those years back, and now began to see a beauty behind her anger and strength. Where had this side been all these years. Hiding behind the flame and armor?

Garon nudged Jarvan."Go on talk to her,"he stated.

Jarvan snapped back to reality, and went to go talk to Shyvana.

Lux had a defeated look on her face, and watched the match.

Vi walked through the forest, inspecting the trees for anything out of the ordinary.

She looked to her side to see a bulky shape come out of the trees.

"Darius, the Hand of Noxus,"Vi said, preparing for battle.

Darius smiled."Vigiolent, I like that."He held his ax out, ready to fight.

Vi ran forward, and punched him, only to have him block with his ax.

Darius went back a few inches, but held his ground."A real fight,"he said with a smile. He swung his ax, only to have Vi jump away.

"Agreed,"Vi said with a soud of excitment.

Caitlyn shot at Swain, but it missed, and the giant bird shot her with a blast of magic, kncoking her back to her turret.

It was a good thing her shields held back that hit, or she would be dead.

She shot again, and the bullet bounced off of Swain's shields, and went off into the trees.

Jayce appeared next to Caitlyn, and shot a bolt from his cannon, and broke Swain's shield, allowing Caitlyn to get a shot in. He swiched it back to a hammer.

Swain held his bleeding shoulder, grunting in pain. He sent a blast at Jayce, and kocked him back.

Before Caitlyn reloaded, Swain had recalled, and left them there.

Caitlyn and Jayce began their attack on the turret.

A bullet buzze right by Darius' head, cutting some of his hair off. He took no notice.

Vi was able to hold back many of his blows, and dealed a a good amount of damage to him.

Darius stepped bakc, and took a breath.

"Had...enough?"Vi asked, panting.

Darius smiled."Not even,"he said, holding his ax at the ready.

The two began anew, trading punches and slashes. Only now did Darius see what Katarina met about one of equal strength.

Katarina went in and sliced Blitzcrank apart while Draven dealt with Oriana.

Swain came in and finished the fight on Oriana, and helped katarina kill Blitzcrank.

"How are we doing?"Swain asked.

"Good,"Katarina said, taking in a breath.

Swain nodded."Draven?"

"Need you ask?"he asked with a smile on his face.

Talon appeared out of the forest and helped them push on the turret.

Caitlyn and Jayce soon stood in there way.

"You seem to missing someone,"Katarina laughed.

"Same with you,"Caitlyn retorted.

"Enough talk,"Swain said with an annoyed tone."Lets do this."

"What is with all these intense fights right now?"Garen asked.

Ahri shrugged."I don't know, but noxus may have a tough road ahead of them."

Garen sighed."They won't win this match."

"Not unless Darius can best Vi, it is highly doughtful,"Varus added.

"Noxus will win,"Sion replied to all of them.

Shen waved his hand over his nose."I may end like Lee Sin if Sion keeps this up."

It was of Shen's rare jokes, and the room laughed a bit at that, even Sion.

Jarvan watched the match with a blushing Shyvana.

Jarvan raised an eyebrow."Why are you blushing?"

"These ridiculous clothes Ahri made me wear,"she replied.

Jarvan laughed."They aren't rediculous. They actually make you look beautiful."

She blushed even more when he said that. She took her hands off the rim of her dress, and smiled."Thanks."

Those words may not have been much, but they gave Shyvana strength. Strength for many things.

Vi stood, facing Darius. Both covered in the blood of ally and enemy alike.

"Your tough,"Vi said aloud, smiling.

Darius laughed back."You too."

Vi laughed."I've never met someone so tough to beat before. Not even Caitlyn proved this tough."

"She never was much of a challenge for me eather."

Vi raised her fists."Ready?"

"Always,"Darius replied, waving his ax in front of him.

The two charged each other, ready for blood.

Caitlyn shot down the second turret, and toke aim at the advancing Swain.

He was just out of her range.

"Damn,"she said, rolling to avoid one of swain's spells.

Blitzcrank ran forwad, and confromted Swain.

Jarvan laughed."Were getting to a good part,"Jarvan said, watching Blitzcrank punch at Swain.

"Who do you think will win?"Shyvana asked, her arm over her chair.

Jarvan laughed."I'm hoping its Piltover to be honest."

"They do have an advantage with that Vi girl."

Jarvan nodded."Without Darius getting in the way, Piltover stands a great chance of winning the whole thing."

Nocturn laughed."Noxus is losing badly."

Brand nodded."Indeed."

"Why are we watching this?"Diana asked.

"To learn our foes,"Zed replied.

Nocturn nodded."If you hope to beat Leona, you will have to learn the people she will fight with."

"We all need to know to be ready for the next champianship."Brand made a fireball, and inspected it.

Fiddlesticks laughed, watching Blitzcrank through Swain into their turret.

Sawin tried despretly to break free from Blitzcrank's grip, only to have it tighten.

Blitzcrank threw Swain into the other turret, and Swain was destroyed by a blast of energy.

"Good job,"Caitlyn said, reloading her rifel.

"No. Problem."Blitzcrank went off into the forest while Caitlyn dealt with the minions.

Luwin drank more of the tea Gren brought him. he thought he could recall what this tasted like, but it always seemed to evade him.

He finished his cup, and went back to work.

Luwin looked to the door."Yes LeBlanc?"he asked.

LeBlanc walked in with a couple books."Here you go,"LeBlanc said, putting the books on the desk.

He looked at the books, and laughed."Never, in all my days, had I thought you would bring anything back unless forced to."

LeBlanc nodded."Jokes aside,"she stated, when he calmed down,"I think I found something in these books that might help in the investigation."She opened the book,"Demacian Royalty," to the page on Jarvan IV.

"Crellos Gren?"he asked.

LeBlanc nodded.

"The only Gren still alive is his younger cousin, who happens to be a summoner here in the League."

"Would he be involved?"she asked.

He shoke his head."No. He always hated politics. He prefered action. Thats why he joined the League. It is almost always action here."

"What happened to his family?"LeBlanc asked.

Luwin sighed."Killed when Crellos surrendered. Right after they executed Crellos, they began hunting down all the Grens, excluding Crellos' younger cousin."

"Why do you not call him by him first name?"she asked.

Luwin laughed."Because, when his family was killed, he surrendered his name, and took Gren as his only title."

LeBlanc nodded."Thank you,"she said, closing the book. She left with out a word.

He looked at the door, and pulled out another book."Maybe,"he said, looking over the black leather book that had no name on it.

All the turrets were down, and the Piltover team, excluding Vi, who still fought Darius, advanced on the crumbling Noxian defences.

The four Noxians, also excluding Darius, stood in front of their nexus, holding off advancing minions. They all turned to face the four Piltovians.

Minions began to give them room to fight, knowing not to get involved.

Swain prepaired his spells. Dravan began spinning his axs. Katarina held her daggers out. Talon sharpened his blade.

Caitlyn reloaded her gun. Jayce changed his cannon back to a hammer. Blitz and Oriana began to charge up for the fight ahead.

Both turned to see Darius walking toward them, his right eye covered in blood, his ax broken in half, his armor nearly destroyed, and his body covered in sweat.

Swain laughed."Looks like Darius won his battle."

Just them, a blood covered Vi was walking up, her right hextech fist gone, and stood next to Caitlyn.

"Not yet,"Vi said, moving her left hextech fist around, showing she was ready for more.

Darius used his Noxian Guiletine, ready to kill Vi.

Vi brought up her right fist, and punched at Darius' ax.

The meeting of the two broke Darius' ax in two, and shattered Vi's hextech fist. Darius' ax flew across, and opened a gash right over his right eye, filling it with blood.

Vi stood, breathing hard, Darius did the same.

Vi sighed."Looks like both our teams are fighting."

Darius nodded."Its not retreating, we are moving our fight."

Vi nodded. Both turned, and went to the Noxian base.

"Who would have thought that one person could stand up to Darius,"Garen said aloud.

Everyone agreed, and a lot of them wide-eyed.

Pantheon laughed."Two true warriors."

"Our village would kill to have them. And I'm not exaggerating."Leona added, agreeing with Patheon.

Jarvan laughed a bit."Garen has never admitted to being unable to beat Darus on his own before."

"This Vi sure is something,"Shyvana added.

Jarvan nodded."Lets see how this turns out."

Shyvana nodded, and smiled. She hated to admit it, but Jarvan was paying attention to her. Ahri was right, at least a little.

Vi punched, knocking Swain back, but most of the blow was blocked by his shields. Darius cleaved with the spike on the other end of his ax.

Vi jumped to the side, and the two were locked in combat again. She was using her fist as a sheild when she blocked Darius' hits.

Catilyn shot, and tore Katarina's right arm off. Katarina just cloutched at the bleeding stump, and went back to the spawn alter. Caitlyn shot again, only to have the bullet bounce off her shields.

Blitz protected Catilyn while she toke her shots, holding off Draven, which was very difficult for the machine.

Oriana saw that Blitz was in danger, and thre her orb at Draven, sliceing him in half.

Darius saw his brother fall, and took up one of his axs. He turned from Vi, and used his Noxian Guillotine on Oriana, slicing the robot in half.

That was Darius' big mistake, taking his eyes off Vi.

Vi punched, using her full strength, and broke past all of Darius' sheilds. The strength broke Darius' back, broke his heart in half, and nearly tore him half. The skin held, but everything around the area hit was crushed and destroyed. The blow also caused Vi's fist to blow up, sending sharapnel through her sheilds, and killing her.

The Nexus suffered some damage from the blast, and everyone turned to it.

Caitlyn took her shot at the damaged area, causing it to break chunks off. Blitzcrank wailed on it, breaking past almost all the layers in it. And jayce charged forward, and brough his hammer down on the core, destroying the Nexus.

Everyone cheered.

The match was well faught. There was no room for error, meaning you had to watch what you did. Two giant powers in Valoran, ending in Piltover going to the finals.

"A good match,"Jarvan said, nodding with approval.

Shyvana nodded."Now the only match left is Piltover vs the wildcard team."

Jarvan laughed."Yeah. Amazingly enough, my father didn't want us in the wildcard team this year. He has the person picked out already."

"Surprising,"Shyvana said with a laugh.

The two laughed a bit more. Amazingly, things were going better than Shyvana had thought.

LeBlanc waited in Swain's room.

"Yes?"he asked, a bit annoyed.

LeBlanc layed a book down in front of him."I need you to look into this book for me."

Swain studied it."Where did you get this?"Swain asked.

LeBlanc shrugged."Some silly summoner who fell for my trick all to easily."

Swain laughed."You never change,"he said, looking at the book."One of Luwin's books?"he asked.

LeBlanc nodded.

"No name,"Swain noted. He opened the black leather book. In noxian runes, the first page said,"The Gren Family."Swain studied it for a moment."why this?"he asked.

LeBlanc sighed."I need you to check for any hostilites between the Grens and Du Couteaus."

"Why?"Swain asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I have my reasons,"she said, blushing a bit, which showed.

Swain relaxed."I'll start tommarrow."

"Thank you,"LeBlanc said, leaving. She closed the door behind her.

Swain sighed."LeBlanc."

Shyvana layed back on her bed.

"It went well,"Ahri said.

Shyvan laughed."I almost hate to admit it, but you were right."

Ahri smiled."Thank you."

Shyvana sighed."What next?"

"We could go over how to-"

"No,"Shyvana said, blushing.

"Worth a shot,"Ahri shrugged.

Lux played with a ball of light.

"Damn you Shyvana,"she said aloud.

She threw the ball at one of sheilds she had brough in from the trining rooms. It left a hole in the center, buring the surounding area of the shield.

"Why?"she asked, crying."Why?"

Vi, walked to her room, her hextech fists left in the armery.

She looked behind her to see the armored shape of Darius, who appearently gave up on stealth years ago.

"Yes?"she asked.

Darius laughed."About time to talked."

"What is it?"she asked.

Darius laughed."I was hoping we could have a drink or two."

Vi raised an eyebrow."Why?"

"Well, we are fighting in the Championship match."

"No,"Vi responded,"I am. You lost."

Darius laughed."Did you forget the wildcard team?"

"A team made up of five different people from losing teams."Vi blinked."You mean?"

Darius nodded."I'm going to have my revenge."

Vi was wide-eyed for a minute, then laughed."I guess I'll take a couple drinks. Better to know a foe than a friend."

Okay guys, there will be two more chapters before the real point of this story shows.

These chapters are just for intorduction. The next chapter will be the final match. The chapter after that will be a Snowdown chapter.

After that, the wheels begin to turn.

TY again for reading. Please review if you have anything you might want to see in the series.