Author's Note: (Sorry me again D: )
I need to mention that I am a cluster writer. A cluster writer basically means I am going to to writing and posting many chapters in a short amount of time. People can expect multiple chapters in a single day at times. However, when I hit a writer's block or need some inspiration to continue writing there may be periods of time where an update is needed and won't arrive quickly. I'm by no means saying I will disappear for months on end with no updates I will simply be sitting at the creation station re-greasing the wheels of imagination! *Rainbow hands*
That is all for now.
Chapter 2: Haunted
Riven sat quietly on the edge of her bed within her dimly lit room. Her crimson eyes were locked firmly on the broken blade that hung from the wall as she moved her left arm around. The single rune continued to resonate a weak emerald glow as if begging to be held. Riven's gaze never faltered as she moved her fingers and tested the grip strength of her left hand, which had become significantly weaker than it once was long ago when she was a young commander.
The exile stood up after finishing her typical routine and strapped on what little armor she chosen to keep all these years. Riven quietly slipped her bandaged right hand into a large leather gauntlet and turned back to face the broken blade. Riven could feel the shattered glass from the broken mirror crunch lightly under her sandaled foot as she took a step forward. The exile looked down at the glass on the floor. She released a deep sigh meeting the eyes of the broken reflection within the scattered shards.
How appropriate…she thought as she walked away from the mess to her just as shattered sword. Riven took hold of the hilt without hesitation and lifted it from its holder. The once dim viridian rune shone bright with power as the sword made contact with its wielder. Riven herself felt the surge of lively energy emitted from the rune blade and it brought a slight smile to her face; an emotion that not many ever witnessed of the exile. Riven's fingers played along the edges of her blade's runic inscription—an idle habit, long deprived of meaning. She sighed softly and walked to the door of her room.
Irelia had already left to attend to matters of her own. Riven softly touched the now dry war paint that streaked across her cheek. Her friend was always doing things like that. When they first became acquaintances, Irelia was consistently offering help when Riven personally didn't seek any nor wanted it; Riven had always been stubborn about receiving help. She would rather struggle forever with a problem than ever seek help from another. Overcoming obstacles was a test of one's strength.
Seeking help is a sign of weakness! The old drill Sergeant's words echoed through her mind. You DO or you DIE.
"Because there is no room for the meek in Noxus," Riven mumbled to herself in the empty hallway while completing the old drill Sergeant's speech.
Riven's distracted thoughts were rudely interrupted by the growl of her stomach. The single viridian rune flickered slightly as if mocking its owner's internal embarrassment. Riven cleared her throat and tapped the sword's edge against the hard tile floor. "You best behave if you wish to see any action today," Riven grumbled slightly at the blade as if it could physically hear her. Who was she trying to kid; Riven had nothing better to do other than eat, suffer and train.
Riven walked silently up to the doors that lead into the main halls of the league. As much as Riven hated to admit it, she somewhat had grown accustom to the bustling of the Institute, despite her anti-social tendencies. She had never been much of a socialite, which allowed her to excel in the Noxian military. The fair-haired warrior took a deep breath and did what she had always done, looked down and walked silently through the crowd toward her already decided destination.
Every now and then, Riven would peer up through her alabaster bangs so she wouldn't bump into anyone. However, this time she felt more distracted than usual.
Clank
Riven stumbled slightly after bumping into the worst possible candidate. The bear of a man turned around with a slight sneer as he looked down at the exile, his dark glare almost as sharp as the gigantic axe he used on the battle field.
"Watch yourself stray, unless you wish to be put down for good." The threat was dark and direct. Riven narrowed her eyes at the Noxian General who continued to hold his cold, relentless, stare. The once lively crowd of champions and summoners alike began to die down and eyes shifted to focus on the potential danger of a fight breaking out.
Riven's grip on her sword tightened as she held the General's stare. She did not fear Darius in the slightest despite the war stories she displeasingly had the honor of hearing. The suspense within the hall had grown so thick that it could have been physically cut with a knife.
"Alright, that's quite enough of that!" A rather high-pitched female voice called out while the clapping of her hands finally chased away the lingering silence. Luxanna Crownguard elegantly strode up to the pair of seething Noxians who seemed unmoved by the sudden disruption.
Riven didn't flinch as she felt a hand come to rest upon her un-armored shoulder while she continued to glare at Darius.
"Walk away, Riven," Leona calmly asked as Riven began to feel her shoulders being pulled away from Darius. It wasn't un-common for other champions to step in when things became heated amongst opposing factions. Actions like these often ended most altercations before they spiraled out of control, forcing the league to step in and establish disciplinary action upon those who broke the rules of engagement outside the Fields of Justice.
The Radiant Dawn could feel Riven half resisting her intention of trying to end this confrontation until the petite blonde Demacian placed herself between the Hand of Noxus and the Exile; a brave move.
"Riven…please," Lux whispered softly as her tiny hands began to press forward on Riven's shoulders while Leona pulled the exile back. Riven's gaze shifted from Darius down to the much smaller light mage. "It's not worth it, be the bigger person and walk away."
The platinum haired woman gave in as she stopped resisting Lux and Leona and backed away from Darius.
"Yes, walk away Exile; just like you did to Noxus," Darius taunted Riven as she was being held back by Leona and Lux both.
Before Riven even had the chance to retaliate with a response she felt a hand cover her mouth firmly. Her crimson eyes darted to the third party that dared to stand in her way only to meet the cold glare of none other than Irelia. "Luxanna and—"
"Lux," the Demacian corrected.
"Lux and I can take of her from here Leona, thank you for helping," Irelia smiled at the Radiant Dawn before her expression faded back to a stern toward the Noxian.
Leona sighed in relief and released her hold on Riven. She bowed her head slightly toward Lux and Irelia before picking up her shield and zenith blade and walked away.
The crowded great hall shortly began to buzz with life once more as Irelia and Lux half drug the now silent exile away to a separate corridor. Once away from the crowd, Riven forcefully tore herself away from the Demacian and Ionian's grip.
"I don't need help," Riven growled. "Stop trying to help me all the time!"
Lux flinched slightly from Riven's tone but Irelia remained unmoved while crossing her arms.
"We're your friends Riven…we choose to help because we want to not because we feel obligated to," the blonde half whimpered. "I don't want to see you get hurt or in trouble and neither does Ire." Irelia slightly twitched from hearing Lux use her nickname that only her family had ever addressed her by.
"I don't want yours or Irelia's or anyone else's help!" Riven yelled. "So stop tr—,"
Lux flinched slightly as a loud slap echoed through the corridor. Riven didn't bother to move her head back forward to face the trembling blonde or the captain of the guard.
"Don't you dare yell at her for trying to be a good person," Irelia said with a tone as icy as the Freljord. "I don't know what's gotten into you lately Riven, but it needs to end before you do or say something you'll regret."
"You know nothing of the word," Riven grumbled as she forced her way past Irelia and Lux.
"Riven! Wait!"
"Let her go Lux," Irelia said as she set a hand on the Crownguard's shoulder. "Leave her be to calm down. She'll be alright in due time."
Lux's usual positive and chipper expression was somber as she stared off into the direction Riven had stormed off in. "She isn't alright, is she Ire?"
Irelia sighed hearing her nickname again. As much as she didn't want to be called that, now wasn't the time to bring up that conversation since Lux was just on the brunt end of Riven's frustration. If Luxanna sought comfort in the ability to address Irelia by her childhood name then so be it for the time being. However, Lux was right; Riven was not alright. "She is troubled deeply…" Irelia commented.
Lux shook her head softly, causing her golden locks to sway. "We are losing our friend gradually…if she continues to push us away Ire, I fear the worst possible outcome is just on the horizon. Riven is strong; I never doubted that, but, physical strength is a whole different type of power compared to mental strength. No amount of swinging a sword will strengthen the mind. She needs to let us in!" Lux shouted as she stomped her foot on the floor.
Irelia blinked a couple times in surprise from Lux's little outburst.
"I'm sorry," Lux mumbled as she adjusted her outfit.
Irelia waved her hand dismissively, "No need to apologize for expressing some frustration Lux. You are amongst a friend here. We need to keep in mind that Riven is a veteran of war that was betrayed and left for dead by the very people she dedicated her life to serve. It doesn't surprise me in the slightest that she has some trauma and trust issues," Irelia shook her head slightly before she continued. "The devastation left behind in the Coeur Valley was abominable. Some of my men within the guard that were deployed to provide assistance in the cleanup still seek counseling to this very day in order to cope with the horrors they witnessed."
Lux looked down at her feet as she listened to Irelia talk. She knew Riven was a war veteran and of the betrayal, but to hear Irelia describe her men that did nothing but cleanup the aftermath of the attack was deeply troubling. "If your guards are horrified just by the aftermath…no one but a survivor could even fathom the terror of being on the front line."
A war cry as strong and loud as one would only ever hear in the heat of battle rang true throughout the training room. Riven was never one to go through the motions as she swung the broken blade through the air at full force as if cutting down manifested invisible enemies. The single viridian rune left behind a streak of light as the blade sliced through the air. A bead of sweat trickled down the contour edges of her face as she stepped forward and jumped in the air. Using her own momentum and the weight of the shattered weapon she flipped forward slamming the blade down onto the ground with enough force it would easily cause her opponent to lose their footing.
Riven held that position for a short moment as her blazing irises locked onto a training dummy a short distance away; an easy gap for her to close.
Shink
The point of the broken blade sunk deep into the make-shift torso of the training dummy. Her frosty eye-brows pulled together as her crimson eyes analyzed the devastation of the wound she'd inflicted upon the dummy. It was nothing in comparison to when the sword was whole. The exile grumbled slightly as she pushed the blade downward causing the dummy to rip; a slow, torturous and agonizing death if the dummy could feel. The ripping sound of the dense fabric emitted a disturbing echo through the training room as the blade carved its path. The warrior closed her eyes, listening intently to the tearing sound. The sand from within the dummy began to pour from the gaping wound the sword left in its wake.
Her eyes remained closed as she flinched suddenly hearing the sound of liquid patter onto the floor. Riven opened her eyes looking at the crimson liquid running down the blade and spilling onto the floor. Riven's expression faded to horror as she realized what the liquid was and looked up from the messy floor to meet the pain twisted face of a person.
MURDERER! It screamed.
The stone rune sword hit the floor with a loud thud as Riven stumbled away from the dummy. She wanted to scream but her lungs could not find the air to. Riven's hands took entire fistfuls of her alabaster locks as her terrorized gaze stared at the damaged training dummy. Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath.
What the hell is happening to me!? Her mind raced as fast as her heartbeat pounded in her ears. Riven's eyes locked onto the blade lying at the base of the training dummy. A small pile of sand had begun to build up on the black stone of the sword. Riven snapped back to reality as a dagger swiftly flew past her head and dug deep into the floor at her feet.
"You cost me some money today."
There was a natural cockiness behind the female voice as Riven heard the soft landing of feet a short distance behind her current position. Riven didn't bother to turn around to face the owner as she lowered her hands from her head back down to her sides. She knew that voice.
"I was so ready to toss some gold coins on that fight earlier, but, seeing you freak out over breaking something that belongs to the institute was rewarding in itself. I can't say I've ever seen you so…riled."
"What do you want…Sinister Blade," Riven growled.
"Easy now, Exile, no need to speak with such a hostile tone towards a fellow countryman," Katarina slightly mocked Riven as she walked past the warrior while dislodging the dagger from the floor in one easy and swift motion.
The fiery red-head put the dagger away as she looked up at the physically and emotionally drained ex-Noxian. Riven's gaze shifted down towards the assassin. Katarina could not match up to Riven when it came to raw strength and physique but that meant nothing to an assassin. Riven knew how deadly Katarina's speed was and this put her on edge. The lingering silence did nothing to help Riven feel comfortable in Katarina's presence.
"Are you angry, Riven?" Katarina asked curiously.
"Why do you ask, or even care rather?" Riven replied narrowing her eyes at the assassin.
Katarina turned away from Riven while she over exaggerated ponderous body language. "Your form was terrible, your swings erratic, your strikes lacked meaning or killing potential and need I mention you basically freaked out over destroying a training dummy. Why even train at all if you're just going to practice bad habits. The proud Noxian military surly doesn't teach its commanders to slack off in training."
Riven could feel her knuckles crack as her hands balled into fists while she lowered her head causing her bangs to hide her eyes. She knew what Katarina's motives were; she wanted a fight. Katarina was purposely trying to get under Riven's skin so she would have a reason to fight after Riven lashed out. Riven took deep breaths as she honed in on the discipline the many years of military training and service beat into her. The taller woman walked passed Katarina to retrieve the sword from the floor.
Katarina narrowed her eyes as she watched the exile retrieve her weapon. The adrenaline of a potential fight coursed through the Sinister Blade's veins. The assassin's fingers twitched slightly as if preparing to take hold of a blade while Riven turned and approached her with weapon in hand. The red-head blinked in surprise as the warrior pushed passed her and walked towards the door. "Well, you're no fun at all. Exiled or not, you haven't changed one damn bit."
"Good day, Katarina," Riven said with a brutally neutral tone as she left the training hall.