This chapter takes place 7 years after the old one, and is still a prequel to the old lore, at least in parts. So I'm using the old lore as canon at least until the actual plot gets going. This part will probably be about 2 to 3 times the length of 'Part 1' if you could call it that but with uni finals in a months time I'll see how I go.

As the sun began setting over the horizon, thick smoke billowed over the silenced Placidium. With their optimism and defiance against losing their culture having vanished, the residents could only watch as the last few homeless and heavily injured survivors stumbled through, more casualties of Noxian ruthlessness. Now there's nothing between them and the Placidium. Except us. And our luck is coming to an end.

From the window of her quarters above the centre of Ionian military operations, Irelia stared towards the source of the smoke. Ionia's luck had been remarkable for most of the war but in response the Noxians had launched a series of desperate attacks that had given them the advantage. And now….

Soldiers with the strength of ten men and the brains of wild animals. They were bombed before they could turn around and savage their own troops. But the Noxians got what they wanted.

"I'm going to talk to the war council."

Despite the fact she lied constantly now, she still found it hard to believe how easily they came out of her mouth. It's not a big deal. No-one will die because of it. I just want to ask about something. Leaving her quarters, she made her way through the Placidium, which was now completely empty. Everybody's gone. Slowly she walked through the abandoned city.

Everyone's found something important to do. Presumably that means he should be the only person in the... gar…dens…

Slightly in shock, she stared in surprise at the hundreds of people meditating silently. It was almost as if everyone in the Placidium had decided to meditate at once. Or maybe he won't be. This is….a lot of people. And if people who rarely meditate have decided to start…then people who always meditate will definitely be around.

Attempting to disturb as few people as she could, she walked towards the looming monument in the centre of the gardens. The Wuju shrine.

We never did find any other survivors from the village.

Despite the vigorous arguing by the only survivor of the Noxian onslaught of the Wuju, the shrine had still been constructed, but not without extensive changes from the original design. Even considering that the original design would have bankrupted Ionia, the version they decided on seemed to be a little….plain.

What's it going to look like when we actually get gems to furnish the place with?

Slowly she moved around the inside of the shrine and looked around for any signs of movement. Nothing. Not that she expected anyone but him to be here anyway.

Walking around as quietly as she possibly could, she called out softly. "Hello?"

She knew that he wasn't dangerous but didn't want to take any risks. After his entire village got destroyed he was calm in appearance but on the inside….

No-one knew what he was like on the inside.

The warrior entered the room and customarily knelt in front of her.

"General Lito."

"Master Yi. Did I interrupt?"

"No, not at all. I wondered if you would arrive."

We're fighting tomorrow."

"I was aware of that. You wanted to discuss something?"

"Yes."

"You're nervous. Don't be. If you succeed, you succeed, if you don't, why does it matter if the reinforcements come or not?"

"I want to give a speech. To the troops tomorrow. And I have no idea how to inspire them. Do you….?"

"A wise man once said that great speeches do not come from the mind. They come from the heart. Which means that instead of being inspiring…one should just be honest instead. "

"But how do I…"

"And that is for you to figure out tomorrow. For now, however you look like you need to get some sleep."

"But…"

"Goodnight general Lito."

With the conversation having been completely sidetracked and rampant self-doubt running through her mind, Irelia decided to leave, despite being more puzzled than before. "Goodnight, Master Yi."

How on Earth does he expect me to be honest with them? I'm not even honest with myself! There's no way I'm telling the troops how suicidal this is, and no way I can make something up!

Unless….

I know someone inspirational.

As quickly as she could Irelia set out towards the hospital.

"Come on…"

I can do this. She's going to wake up any minute now and…

She's not going to.

I tried but….

I'm so sorry. I don't know who you are…but I'm so sorry. Closing the eyes, Soraka suddenly felt sick. I….I just don't know what I'm doing anymore.

And everything I have done…has just made things worse.

Soraka had began by refusing to acknowledge the war and had simply healed the innocent civilians. But Ionia had a culture that needed protecting, the wounded had kept showing up, the Ionian soldiers had families….

Then everything had gone horribly wrong. Either the Noxians had realised they were fighting the same soldiers repeatedly or they had just become desperate, because they became absolutely ruthless. And then the necromancy started.

If healing someone could be have been called easy, it rapidly became nightmarish. Injured soldiers and civilians started dying in the dozens The Noxians realised they were succeeding and brought better necromancers. And the war dragged on with no end in sight.

I forced this onto everyone.

"Soraka…is everything alright?"

The nurses keep insisting I'm doing well…but I know the truth.

"She's dead."

"I'm….I'm sorry. But you couldn't have done anything…"

"I could have not bothered to show up. All I've done is get in the way."

"But it's not your fault!"

"YES. IT. IS!"

Practically storming out of the building, Soraka stormed down the street, hardly even caring where she was going.

I should have died while I had the chance.

The hospital was so completely packed with people that Irelia felt worse just by entering.

Could I have done something to save these people? Honestly? I…I'm getting paranoid.

"Where's Soraka? I need to ask her something!"

A nurse looked at her. "She just left! You might want to wait though she's a little…"

Oh great.

"I'll deal with it!"

Why didn't I tell her while I had a chance!

The day before we defend everything in Ionia, and the only thing I can think of is that fucking speech!

Storming outside, Irelia ran towards the library, her determination making her completely oblivious to the patient in the hospital who seemed to be watching her….

Soraka had only made it half of the way towards the library before she ran into the last person she wanted to see. Or rather, the last person she wanted to see ran into her.

"Soraka?"

!

Soraka quickly tried to act like nothing had happened but couldn't bring herself to make eye contact. "Yes...Duchess?"

"I was just wondering if I could accompany you to your house for a few hours?"

Why does she want to ask me now of all things?

Finding herself unable to refuse the offer without being impolite, Soraka grudgingly accepted. "I guess you may as well come…"

As they started walking, Soraka found herself walking towards her house instead of the library while containing her mood as best she could. She wasn't in the mood for conversation but she couldn't refuse the only person who actually understood her. Whether that was good or bad…..was something she would deal with when the time came.

"Nice….house.."

"I didn't choose to live here."

Soraka's house could probably be described as a small temple much to her chagrin. Why celestial beings were deserving of larger houses still managed to have eluded her.

"Ionia has a tendency to reward you whether you want it or not. I'm currently thinking of living somewhere a bit smaller as well. Should I prepare some tea?"

"Thankyou….Did you want to discuss something?"

Karma sighed and put her ornate teacup down on the table. "To be honest…I saw you upset and I just wanted to know what was troubling you."

Soraka suddenly realised that she had underestimated Karma's perception enormously. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, she panicked.

"I can deal with it myself!"

"Not from what I've seen."

"I just…"

"Hold my hand….and try and tell me what the problem is."

Reluctantly Soraka clasped her hand together with Karma's. As she suddenly felt Karma's warmth and touch she froze in place, and Karma's hand tightened even more firmly around hers. Slowly she began to focus on the sound of her slow breathing which had become the only noise in the room.

"Are you feeling any better?"

"I'm…I'm just making people suffer."

"That's not true. Think of all the people who you've managed to save."

"I haven't saved anyone! The only people that really needed help are the ones that I…"

"You haven't failed anyone. People sometimes die and there's nothing you can do about it. You just have to let go."

"I can't let go! What happens if the war continues? What happens if I lose someone who I trust? What's going to happen now because I'm USELESS?!"

As Karma began to speak the slightest trace of emotion began to enter her voice.

"Soraka, listen. You can't carry the world on your shoulders. Believe me…I've tried. I don't like talking about this but I once felt like you do now. I felt like I was the only person doing anything and that everything I was doing was the worst thing to do…But I was wrong. You need to realise that having talent does not make you the cause of every problem. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Karma has a beautiful voice….

"Now this is probably more harm than good, but…I'm going to tell you anyway.

Have you ever heard of the Institute of War?"

"No…"

"It's an organisation that for the last 20 years has been promoting peace throughout Runeterra. Basically they organise the massive conflicts between nations to occur with only 6-10 people in tiny arenas with use of magic. So no wars…no deaths….no injuries. Just magic. About 2 years ago I began arrange Ionia's arrival into the Institute and now...I've finally finished. Within the next few days the final steps will be achieved and then…we'll be safe."

"And the war?"

"There will be no war. Noxus can't fight us because they've already joined the Institute. And then Ionia will be at peace."

The war can end. We just need a few more days…and then it will end.

"Have you told anyone else?"

"The general knows, the council know and the general's advisors….but that's it. If I told anyone else…there would be chaos."

"And if Noxus invade before then?"

"Then I will fight them every step of the way to the city centre."

The room was once again overtaken with dead silence.

"Karma….whether it works or not…for trying this…you're still incredible."

"No I'm not I-I'm just…"

As Karma suddenly turned beet-red, she stood up.

"Is something wrong?"

"I think I should be going…."

Mimicking what Karma had done earlier, Soraka grabbed Karma's hand.

"You can stay here, I don't mind."

There was a final long pause. Then Soraka decided to break the silence.

"Hot chocolate?"

"Soraka?"

Irelia was so certain the library was empty that getting caught yelling was bothering her far less than accidentally overlooking where Soraka was. The problem was every time she prepared to leave, there was another corridor she couldn't remember whether she had checked yet or not. Every. Single. Time.

"Soraka…"

This is ridiculous. Not even the librarian's here.

Somewhere on the balcony above and to her right, she heard a door slam shut.

That has to be her. Moving in the direction of the noise she wondered briefly to herself if she was getting lost. This library would be a lot easier to navigate if they took all the bookshelves away...

Starting to head towards the source of the noise, she suddenly ducked out of the way by pure instinct as a dagger flew past her head. She looked up. A man in a ragged Ionian soldier outfit and a face full of scars looked back at her.

Throwing another dagger he snarled at her and the dagger missed her by barely a fingernail as Irelia subconsciously moved out of the way.

Really? Assassinated in a library?

I'm going to kill that Noxian piece of shit.

Sprinting, she threw herself behind an enormous bookshelf, using it as a wall. As she saw a hallway in front of extending into another room she quickly analyzed her surroundings.

He can't see me, or the hallway from that angle.

He has to know there's a room because there's a hallway there from the upper level too.

I can't see him either but he's on the balcony, and he's not going to try a fistfight, so there are two ways he can go to check this side of the room and he's expecting me to run.

Slowly, she backed out the way she came using the bookshelf as cover.

No response. He hasn't seen me from up there…..so he'll keep searching.

As quickly as she could possibly go without making any noise, she painstakingly made it to the upper level and passed through the hallway to the room she had seen him enter.

The possibility of it being a trap flew through her mind.

If the room isn't large or furnished he could already know I'm behind him.

If I'm not going to die it better be both.

As she entered the room something metallic threw itself at her and she lurched out of the way. The assassin, with blades somehow literally emerging from his wrists, snarled at her.

"Die."

Then he charged.

Putting all her attention and effort into dodging his swipes Irelia found herself completely unable to retaliate to the assassins longer reach.

If I had my weapon with me…..

There isn't any way to beat his range!

Unless…

In desperation, Irelia threw out a massive kick at the assassins head only for him to duck underneath it and unleash an enormous swipe at the same time directly towards her chest.

Grunting in response to the visible scratch marks on her blouse, Irelia threw out another punch, and watched as the assassin simply stepped backwards away from her.

What is he doing….

The assassin leered at her and smiled.

"Poisoned blades, bitch!"

Finding the nerve to respond, Irelia leered back at the assassin.

"Armor, bitch!"

Then with all the force she could muster she launched a final jumpkick at the assassin, launching him off the balcony and towards the floor of the library below.

Crunch.

Looking over the balcony Irelia stared at the body of the assassin.

Not moving. Hopefully that ended that for good.

What am I going to tell the librarian?

Oh sorry, someone tried to assassinate me so I kicked him over a balcony.

Deciding to stay in the library and at least take some responsibility she leaned over the balcony and tried to ignore the body on the lower floor.

It's funny. Because if Zelos was here I bet he would come up with some joke and I just stand here and stare at a corpse in complete silence.

Although I guess you could say the assassin...lost his balance.

Puts on sunglasses

...YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...

Because Ionians...they love balance, that sort of thing...It's a horrible pun.

Also that Karmaraka isn't actually intended to be a ship. I dont even know why I put it in there tbh. It's just there.

Stay tuned!

-BBO