To all this may reach,
We, the people of Runeterra, are a unique and diverse set of individuals. It is a wonder we have managed to live among each other in even what would be considered the worst possible conditions to do so. I am amazed at how far some lives have gone- even those that lost their lives to war. They and the impactful people they lived alongside will undoubtedly be remembered.
But I didn't start this letter just to shower you all with praise. Unfortunate as it is, we are all at risk of what could become one of the most dangerous conflicts in Runeterra's history. There are beings out there that intend to evoke the darkest areas of your mind- the cold-blooded sides you all intend to hide and shield from the world. These souls intend for us to eat each other alive, and at no point should we ever consider ourselves out of harms way.
None of us are, and none of us will be ready.
That is why I ask all of you, diverse and conflicting, to come together once in an effort to save yourselves.
Noxian, Ionian, Demacian, Shuriman, Vastaya, Freljordian, Bilgefolk, Targonian, Zaunite, Yordles- Your titles do not matter to these beings.
What and who they are is currently unknown to me, but there are few out there that have come into contact with them. Seek them out. We need their advice- as much as we can hope to understand to combat them. And most of all, stay in groups. Be safe at night. Don't go alone. Stay in the light. Stay in the light, whatever light you can find. And if you should find yourself stepping out of the deepest darkness and into the light...
Do not think you are safe.
I do hope this letter reaches your government, and I sincerely apologize for my assumptions of Noxus.
Cordially,
N.
It had been weeks since Nero wrote that letter and had Kled leave it in Noxus. It didn't take long for those that lived there to stumble across it. Though there were doubts circling around about the genuineness of what was said, the lack of context in the letter is what created talk about it. And suddenly, it was posted everywhere. Copied, printed- all in an effort to decipher what it meant. If it did mean something, it was worth knowing.
But if it was truly a warning, why was it so vague? Some argued that it was because the writer himself didn't understand. Others said that it was a joke, and it should be ignored. The words of the letter found its way into the hands of a familiar general, who looked to be growing just on the border of middle-aged. His brother walked alongside him, staring at it. The moon shined brightly over their heads.
"Why're you so focused on that letter?" He stuffed some fried dough in his mouth and swallowed. "You'd had your hands on it for the past hour."
"This was meant for me. Can't you see here?"
His finger grazed over the last sentence on the letter.
I do hope this letter reaches your government, and I sincerely apologize for my assumptions of Noxus.
"Some guy's sayin' sorry for callin' us shits, nothing odd to me!" Draven gave a smug grin. "Just goes to show, Draven always wins."
"Draven, this is the yordle I was telling you about!" He shook his brother. "His initial is even at the bottom, marked with blood! This was a message of urgency!"
"If you know that, then why is it such a big deal...? Didn't he try to attack you?"
"It's concerning because why would he try to assist us?" Darius spat, "He has no reason to do so! Unless his words are true. He's seen something terrible...or experienced it,"
"This is ridiculous, Dar..." Draven sighed. "You're getting worked up over what's probably some shit prank. As usual."
The Executioner shoved more dough into his mouth, getting a sneer from his brother.
Darius raised his head from the note to see an illuminated ground, tinted with specks of purple. His and Draven's gaze shot towards the sky as a screech echoed across Noxus. There he saw it, a giant creature not too unlike a spider, grasping onto the side of a building. Violet eyes dotted not only its face, but its many deformed and half-rotted limbs. Half of Draven's fried dough fell out of his mouth. Darius' jaw dropped. He folded the note and stuck it in a pocket, drawing his axe and charging towards where the creature was.
He was soon pulled back.
"Draven-"
"You can't go."
"Noxus could be at stake! We were given a warning that we didn't heed!"
The ground rumbled as rubble from one of the buildings crashed against the ground. Despite Darius' words, Draven stood where he was, frozen. Genuine fear covered the man's face as he saw the city he knew begin to break at the seams.
Darius stared into Draven's gaze, and he saw not The Glorius Executioner, but a young boy. One who's face was soot-covered and sickly. He looked to be starving.
"I'm not letting you kill yourself." The words seemed so familiar.
Darius brought Draven into a hug, the younger brother stiffening. "If not me, then who else. Certainly not yourself...?"
A pang of guilt hit the executioner.
"That's alright." Darius ruffled his brother's hair. "You have a more important job to do."
Another screech brought Darius' attention away from Draven. He broke free of Draven's grip and ran off to defend his nation.
"DARIUS!" Draven took a step forward, stumbling as the ground shook again. Frightened eyes gazed upwards. There were not one, but multiples of the same monster. The executioner took a step back and turned on his heel, sprinting. His head glanced back once towards the ruined city, and he was greeted with the gaping maw of the spider beast. All he could do was scream.
It felt like he'd been running for hours.
Later...
There was still no sign of daylight, and Draven had all but exhausted himself. He stumbled, dropping to his knees and clenching his gut, vomiting into a coughing fit. His eyes were in slits
"Think we found another one, Kled...?"
"Might be dead, let's check."
An axe met another, The Executioner whipping his face up to see two yordles, one looking more deranged than the other.
"You..." Draven grit his teeth
"Welcome to The Wild!" Kled cackled.
Draven brought himself to his feet, turning to Nero. "And you..."
"Pleasure to meet you, Executioner Draven. Kled's told me much." The blue-furred yordle held out a hand.
Draven couldn't help but notice the minor hatred in Nero's tone. It was laced with guilt, oddly enough.
"Have you come back from those terrors?"
"How did you know about them!?" He pointed an axe towards Nero, his gaze furious. "DID YOU SEND THEM TO ATTACK US!?"
Nero put up his shield, but Kled stood in front, an arm held in front of Nero, and another pointing his own axe.
"Nero ain't done nothin'! He's as much a victim as you and I!" Kled growled. "Step further and yer spine'll be used as a backscratcher!"
Draven huffed, sinking back to the ground and lowering his head. He didn't want to be here. Not out alone- around someone, anyone he was familiar with. Not two bozos who are probably gonna find some way to kill him. Not him! Not Draven.
"...I got nowhere else to go. Ain't goin' back there. Place is nothing but a living hell right now." He stared into the dirt.
"Then come with us. Kled's found his way around Noxus again." He gestured to the yordle, who pretended to vomit.
"You cityfolk are crazy! I saw a woman with the dumbest outfit! Looked like one of them hookers."
Draven squinted. "You mean LeBl-"
"ANYWHOO! I FOUND US ANOTHER GUY!"
Draven heard thuds coming towards their direction. His jaw dropped as he saw an even larger man, sporting an axe much larger than Kled's. It was Sion, whose eyes were lidded. He felt...off.
"How did you get ahold of-"
"Kid, I've known Noxus longer than you've ever existed. From beginnin' to end. I knew Sion back when he was...less uh...gray. Wrestlin' him from that bird freak was harder than it should've been!"
"Swain- Where's Swain!?" Draven turned his head back to the path he traveled.
"Still in Noxus, probably dealing with those freaks. As for Nero and I, we're headin' to Ionia. Sion got us a method of getting there. Be ready in the morning. You're coming too."
"Guess I've got nobody else to go to."
"Your brother?" Nero's eyes widened.
"Left to go fight them. If I'm right, it's a suicide mission. Better to say he's gone than to hope he's alive. Hurts less if I'm right."
Nero heaved a sigh. 'Forbid my heart from softening again...'
Yet he still stood in front of Draven. "Loss...is difficult to deal with. I understand completely. But...there's always a reason to hope."
"Typical Ionian horseshit...but okay. Fine."
Nero seemed satisfied with Draven's words, giving a nod of approval.
"Answer me one question first."
"Yes...?"
"Why does Sion look...so strange?"
Kled raised a hand. "Nero and I are going to get his memories back, one day at a time. We've been at this for weeks now, right after I made that plan...But that's not important now. What's important is us getting out of here and warning the rest of the world before worse happens."
"Get a good rest, you'll be needing it." Nero nodded, turning to head back to the makeshift tent in Kled's camp.
"Wait." Draven reached out for him.
"It's late, I need sleep. What...?"
"You met my brother."
"...I was wrong about him. And you. Now, get to sleep. We can talk more later."
"And you'd better be ready for the biggest fight of your entire life." Kled tilted his hat forward, following Nero to the tent.
Draven stood there, uselessly. Sion came to his side and faced him, staring him in the eyes.
"I...remember...a time when Noxus was rid of dark magic...How long ago that was...I don't know."
Draven turned back to his path. "What happened to Noxus...?"
Sion put a hand on his shoulder. "That is not our concern now..."
He faced the sky. "We have bigger problems to solve."
And that was all to be said.