Chapter 6: Revelations pt.2
"Love? What an overrated emotion, hmph" Mordekaiser said with his pompus tone. "I'm disappointed in you Shen. I never expected such a suitable warrior as you to be burdened with such things."
Akali was stunned by the revealing of how Shen felt. It stunned her to such an extent she didn't see Shaco running at her with his shivs held in the air. One of them came down, stabbing into Akali's shoulder. She let out a pained yelp, getting Shen's attention. Akali reacted quickly to her injury and threw a punch straight for Shaco's face, connecting with a large amount of force.
Shaco stumbled backwards, holding his nose while Akali pulled the shiv straight from her shoulder. "Hehehehe…talk about a punchline," Shaco said happily like if he didn't just get punched in the face.
Taking the moment Shen was distracted, Mordekaiser swung his great mace towards Shen, to which Shen ducked in response and just in time. "What do you mean overrated emotion? We all feel love and hate, it is balance and balance is within everyone," Shen explained, dodging another swing from Mordekaiser.
"Hmmph, do not preach to me like I am your student. I am not," Mordekaiser responded and swung another crushing blow. Shen dodged it easily and slashed at Mordekaiser's armor a couple more times.
"I think I can safely say you have never been truly loved Mordekaiser. Is that why you are so hateful?" Shen questioned this time blocking the strike from the giant mace with crossed ninjato.
Mordekaiser, obviously angered, growled his response. "If you are trying to change my mind then your attempts are in vain. I feel no need for this 'love' you humans feel." The giant metal man pulled back his mace and stared at the ninja, both breathing heavily.
"Then if you don't feel it, why are you so hateful of it? How can you truly understand what love is without feeling it?" Shen asked after a deep breath. "Akali is carrying my child Mordekaiser…A product of both of our beings becoming one. She will be the mother of my child. Know this and tell me that love is overrated," Shen said, his tone becoming soft and soothing to try and sway Mordekaiser's loyalties.
It seemed to have the desired effect because Mordekaiser looked at Akali who was having a very fast fight with Shaco. He could see the beating life of the child's heart and soul beginning to develop. A father should always love his child, a combination of his own being, and the child's mother. No longer could Mordekaiser ever say love was overrated.
"Shaco," Mordekaiser said, his voice echoing in the large open area. Shaco stopped mid slash and looked over at the giant metal man. "We are done here."
Shaco's face was a twisted mixture of anger and disappointment, "Are you growing soft on me Mordie? We're here to do a job, not learn lessons from our enemy…"
"They are not our enemies. Let's take our leave now," Mordekaiser said, placing the giant mace on his shoulder and beginning to walk away. Shen breathed a sigh of relief and Akali let her guard drop. She was about to walk over to Shen when she felt a searing pain shoot through her abdomen. It was like slow motion as she fell to the ground, pain and anguish, sorrow and anger flowed through as she reached for the shiv sticking from her abdomen. Her body hit the ground with Shaco's weight, the pain she felt was only amplified as Shaco stabbed her repeatedly over and over again. It felt like eternity before he stopped. Akali laid there, broken, wounded, all hopes of surviving lost.
The cry of pain that resonated loudly enticed Mordekaiser and Shen to bring their attention towards the falling woman. Shaco only stood there, a giant grin plastered on his face.
"YOU FOOL!" Mordekaiser yelled, his voice booming piercingly. Shen immediately ran to Akali's side, his eyes wide and watery from worry and shock.
"Oh grow up Mordie! I once thought highly of you. A being who bowed to no one's will, who ruled the slums of Noxus with an iron fist and crushing all those who opposed you. I see it now, you are nothing more than a coward in a giant's suit," Shaco said, his usual playful tone now gone from existence. He was now showing a more demonic and evil side. His grin was no longer a grin, but a menacing mask of immorality. Sometimes people forgot just how cruel Shaco really was.
"Do not speak to me in such a tone jester, I will…." Mordekaiser began but was interrupted by Shaco.
"Do what?! Love me? Pfft, you are more worthless than a rubber knife," Shaco said before turning to Akali. "I made sure your child didn't live." And with that, he disappeared from the group in a puff of orange smoke.
Shen wanted to wring Shaco's neck, twisted his body till every bone broke, but now was not the time. He only worried of Akali and her well being. She was coughing blood, a sign that death was not too far away. The two held hands silently, wishing that things had gone differently, but not mentioning it. Slowly Akali's life began slipping, her skin growing cold, and her body becoming weak and feeble. Her breathing soon stopped, her body went limp, all traces of life drained from her body. Shen then did something no one had ever expected him to do. He cried. No, not the loud, noisy crying most humans performed. Tears streaked down his face, but he made no sound as he mourned the death of his friend, his colleague, his love.
The giant metal man watched this scene, becoming increasingly saddened by the events. A father should love his child, a piece of himself and the child's mother. They should be the most important things in a man's life, and Shen just lost both of those things. He couldn't say he was surprised to see Shen in such a vulnerable state, but it made his cold, black heart weep.
The Master of Metal approached the man, and placed a giant, gauntleted hand upon Shen's shoulder. Shen looked up at Mordekaiser, eyes full of anger, but his knowledge of balance kept him from acting on the anger he felt.
"Haven't you done enough already?" Shen asked in a defeated tone. "You've done what you were asked, now please, leave me be. I must give her a proper burial."
"That will not be necessary," Mordekaiser said as dark clouds began to gather above him in the sky. He lifted his mace high above his head. Shen looked up from his position, watching as the giant held the mace. He knew the deathblow as coming, but he didn't care anymore. The one thing he allowed himself to care for had left. The mace came down with crushing force, but never struck the ninja.
Instead, it struck the ground where it stood as Mordekaiser reached his hand in the sky. As lightning struck, a brown book was sitting in Mordekaiser's hand. He opened it and began reading verses in a language even Shen was not familiar with. When Mordekaiser stopped reading, Shen noted a green aura surrounding the giant metal being. The Master of Metal placed his hand upon Akali, the green aura migrating from Mordekaiser to the fallen ninja.
The wounds Akali bore were no longer present, instead, she gasped as if she was brought out of water, he eyes wide with shock. She looked around, confused at her sudden revival. Mordekaiser nodded with satisfaction "Your child lives, I can feel his heart beat," he said as he stood up. As he walked away, he was interrupted by Shen calling him.
"What is it that you want?" Mordekaiser asked in a snotty tone.
"Who sent you to kill Akali?" Shen asked directly.
"I've brought back your…friend. I'm not the type to give favors," Mordekaiser responded.
Shen unsheathed his ninjato and stared daggers at Mordekaiser, "You will tell me," Shen threatened. Mordekaiser only laughed.
"If you MUST know. The black hooded ones sent me. They told me your child will become a powerful ruler of Valoran," Mordekaiser said before turning away.
"Who are the black hooded ones?" Shen asked as Mordekaiser walked away.
"Remember Shen, I'm not the type to give favors," Mordekaiser replied, summoning his Thunderhorse and riding off into the distance being devoured by the landscape. Shen sheathed his ninjato and walked over to Akali who was now rubbing her temples as if she had a massive head ache.
"I never liked the feeling of revival, even on the fields of justice," She stated before standing up. She embraced Shen almost immediately and felt the wound on his back where Shaco had stabbed him. The blood was dry, but the wound was still open, meaning he would need healing. "Let's get you to the infirmary."
Akali helped Shen back to the institute. Without the adrenaline running through his system, Shen now felt the pain of the wound. He felt weak, drained, and almost useless now. The trip back to the institute was painful for Shen, each step echoed an aching shock, though he managed the entire trip.
Soraka immediately took Shen in and began fixing his wounds he had suffered from not only Shaco, but the metal shards the floated around Mordekaiser. Soraka never asked many questions which was always a good thing in Shen's eyes. People shouldn't know more than what they needed.
Akali had been waiting outside the infirmary when Shen finally came out, his arm around Soraka's neck. Soraka handed Shen over to the ninja. "Get him to bed quickly. He is lucky nothing of importance was harmed, but the wound itself is great," Soraka explained. Akali nodded her understanding.
"Thank you Soraka, we owe a debt to you," Akali said as she began to walk away with Shen. Soraka merely shook her head.
Akali set Shen down in his bed and sat next to him. Her hand found his chest as she began to rub it slightly. He was now asleep, exhausted from the entire occurrence that happened earlier in the day. She smiled as she grabbed Shen's hand and placing it on her stomach.