Dancing With Death
"Are you sure about this, Syndra? Y'know you don't have to go if you don't want to..." Irelia stated softly as she fastened a bow behind Syndra's neck, effectively securing her dress in place.
"But you're going... which means I'm going too." Syndra answered flatly, sounding rather indifferent to the entire ordeal.
Irelia chewed her lip slightly, but allowed herself a small smile. It was the first time that Syndra willingly volunteered, or rather insisted on accompanying her to yet another Ionian ceremony. Granted, this time it was significantly less formal than the others.
"Well... Just remember, if someone asks you to dance, you don't have to. Alright?" Irelia whispered in the mage's ear.
Syndra grunted in response, but opted to change the subject.
"How do I look?" The sovereign inquired, somewhat hesitantly. It was evident that such a question was strange coming out of her mouth.
Irelia pretended to give the mage a scanning gaze up and down as she rose from her seat. Syndra had opted for a white dress, lined with black and small traces of purple. The dress complemented the full curves of her body from her neck down to her waist before flowing out into an elegantly flowing lower half.
"You're going to outshine me." Irelia stated with a joking twinge of jealousy in her voice.
Syndra smirked at that.
"How about me?" Irelia inquired, taking a small twirl to display her own dress.
"Of course you look good, I picked it." Syndra replied with a twisted grin plastered across her face.
Irelia pouted slightly, but smiled when she met Syndra's gaze. Her dress was an exact replica of the one that Syndra wore, only it was a dark blue dress lined with streaks of gold and light blue. The two looked remarkably similar aside from their eye color and height difference.
"Alright. You ready?" Irelia inquired.
Syndra nodded mutely and turned to the door, an unreadable expression on her face. When Irelia caught the mage's hand with a gentle tug, Syndra briefly turned and met Irelia's gaze. Even without saying anything, the warrior's request was clear and simple.
"Keep a low profile, okay?" is what the gaze begged.
"Yeah. I got it." Syndra finally, her annoyance clear in her voice.
Irelia immediately responded by giving Syndra a large smile.
"Thanks..."
The Ionian Festival of Lanterns was among the largest celebrations that ever took place in Ionia. It had a special place in Ionian history as it represented the Ionian victory over Noxus in the League of Legends. After weeks of frivolous festivities, the celebration concluded with a climactic finish in the city square.
The moment both Syndra and Irelia set foot in the town square, a warm round of applause lit up the square. Every Ionian alike clapping and taking small bows in acknowledgement of Irelia's presence.
"Popular aren't you." Syndra commented in a sideways manner.
Irelia cringed slightly, although she masked her feelings with a fake smile and a small wave to the crowd of Ionians.
"Just remember you are mine... not theirs' " Syndra continued with a possessive grin on her face.
Irelia's fake smile broke into a genuine one.
"Here..." Irelia quickly whispered, guiding Syndra to a private area reserved for the Ionian leaders and elders.
"You can wait here if you don't want to dance, you shouldn't be bothered by most people..." Irelia spoke up in a rather sheepish tone.
"But what if I want you to dance with me?" Syndra inquired in an expectant tone.
Irelia blushed openly at that.
"In a little bit, okay?" Irelia replied, still embarrassed.
Syndra smiled before speaking.
"I'll be waiting." the sovereign answered before turning away and moving away to find her own seat at the table.
By the time Syndra found a seat at a table a safe distance away from the disgusting crowds, Irelia had already been pulled away by the hand of one of the various commanders of Ionia's army.
She frowned slightly, jealousy briefly flashing across her face as she watched Irelia slowly weave about with the general, effortlessly in tune with the steady music playing in the background.
Her thoughts, however, were brushed aside when a lone female sat down at her table, directly across from her.
It was Karma.
Syndra's eyes narrowed suspiciously, but she withheld her tongue; daring Karma to provoke her first.
"Of the people I expected to find here. Perhaps you were the last person on that list." Karma spoke up softly, making a clear effort to sound as cordial and inoffensive as possible.
Syndra rudely ignored her.
"Perhaps I should expect a similar response if I inquired as to why it is you are here." Karma continued, her voice less cordial this time.
Syndra ignored her again. She did however, glare directly into the Ionian's eyes; silently daring Karma to continue.
Before Karma could press the sovereign any further, another figure entered their conversation.
"Ah, Enlightened One, you grace us with your presence." an old, wizened voice sounded from behind Karma.
Turning serenely in her chair, Karma turned and smiled at the elder behind her.
"The pleasure is mine, Elder Kwan..." Karma replied in a genuinely kind and light tone.
"Ah, my friend... so kind as always..." Elder Kwan spoke up with a wrinkly smile.
"Would you mind if I joined you?" The elder continued.
"Ah, you are asking the wrong person, Elder Kwan." Karma replied with an understanding smile.
"Oh, then... Oh dear! Sandra, I did not see you there. You were so quiet!" Elder Kwan spoke up in a genuinely apologetic tone.
"Forgive me, would you mind if I joined you here?" The elder inquired earnestly.
Karma visibly drew in and held a fearful breath; clearly expecting Syndra to lash out in a fit of wrath.
However, it was Syndra that surprised her.
"Please." Syndra replied with what appeared to be a genuine smile, making a small gesture to the chair directly to her left.
Elder Kwan shuffled over and rested his old frame down on the chair without a moment's hesitation after Syndra indicated a seat for him.
Karma's eyes bulged for a second.
"Ah-ahhh..." The elder sighed with satisfaction.
"So..." Elder Kwan continued, turning to face Syndra, "The aura about you is... lighter... today. You have found yourself then?"
Syndra stared straight at Karma as she replied.
"Very much so. Thank you, Elder Kwan." Syndra answered smoothly.
Karma continued to gawk, completely caught off guard by Syndra's sudden hospitality.
"Ah-ha-ha-ha..." Elder Kwan chuckled with delight, "I am glad to have been able to help you then."
"As am I..." Syndra replied. This time, she visibly twitched. If anything was apparent, it was that too many kind words in succession left a bad taste in her mouth.
Finally, Karma recovered enough from her shock to speak.
"Perhaps a drink for you two?" Karma inquired politely.
Syndra smirked, knowing that she had caught the enlightened one off guard.
"I will serve myself." Syndra replied shortly.
"Oh, but I insist, do not trouble yourself... Sandra..." Karma stammered slightly.
Regardless of Karma's words, Syndra rose to her feet and moved in the direction of the drinks table.
Karma watched helplessly as the sovereign silently swept away. Alas, Elder Kwan shook her out of her daze.
"She has changed so much from just a few days ago, that Sandra..." Elder Kwan commented with a visible amount of pride in his voice.
Karma managed a chuckle.
"More than you can imagine." The enlightened one replied.
"Oh? And how might that be?" Elder Kwan inquired curiously.
Before Karma got a chance to answer, Syndra returned carrying four glasses of wine, all precariously balanced in one hand. The mage was subtly using her powers to keep the glasses from crashing spectacularly to the floor. Thankfully, nobody noticed.
As the sovereign set the glasses down on the table, both Karma and Elder Kwan gazed at her rather quizzically. Both wondering as to why the sovereign got four glasses instead of just three.
"It's for the other person at this table." Syndra snapped, momentarily forgetting to sound friendly.
"Ah, you mean Irelia!" Elder Kwan exclaimed happily.
A frown briefly flashed across Syndra's features as she brushed aside the elder's obvious comment.
"Aha-ha-ha, it's so good to see you two getting along so well. You know, for the longest time I was worried that she wouldn't find someone to fill that hole in her heart." Elder Kwan chucked.
Syndra, however, stiffened in response to his words. Though she already knew that she held a special place in Irelia's heart, she never really entertained the idea that she was now a part of Irelia's family.
Karma, on the other hand, watched in disbelief as she witnessed the flash of thoughts and storm of emotions whirl around behind Syndra's eyes.
She took an uncharacteristically large gulp from the wine glass in her hands.
"Sae Eleisa Tera Vi... surprises, everywhere we go..." Karma muttered to herself as she tried to take in the overwhelming change in Syndra's typically hostile behavior.
Syndra shot her another glare.
Yet, that was far from the end of the surprises in store for Karma. Minutes after the group had settled into a "normal" conversation, Irelia seemingly materialized out of nowhere and seated herself beside Syndra as though such a thing were commonplace.
"Ughhhh! There's no end to it!" Irelia uncharacteristically whined, clearly referring to the countless number of men asking for her hand in a dance.
The warrior followed up her complaints by scooting her chair closer to Syndra and burying her face in the mage's shoulder.
"Save me..." Irelia finally spoke up, her voice muffled as she neglected to remove her face from the sovereign's shoulder.
Syndra allowed a possessive smile to paint her face as she swiveled in her chair to completely smother Irelia in a warm hug. Out of the corner of her eye, she stole a glance at Karma. The sovereign was immensely pleased to find Karma completely star struck by both Irelia's actions and Syndra's response. Syndra, on the other hand, smiled like a child that was bragging after winning a prize. Finally, Syndra released the warrior and cleared her throat.
"We have guests..." The mage whispered.
Irelia instantly stiffened in her seat. Finally, she slowly, sheepishly, turned and faced the two Ionian elders seated at her table.
"Ehe...he..." Irelia stammered in a failed attempt to let out a sheepish laugh.
Her face turned a brilliant hue of crimson as she watched realized that not only had she ignored both elders, but she had also displayed the intimacy of her relationship with Syndra to the two elders. Finally, Irelia broke down and bowed her head in shame at the two elders seated at their table.
"Elder Kwan... Karma... It is an honor." Irelia forced out in a strained attempt at a polite greeting.
While Karma struggled to form her own words, Elder Kwan was ignorantly unfazed by Irelia's affection.
"Ahahaha! Love is such a beautiful thing, I am so happy for you, Irelia." The elder laughed with a twinkle in his eyes.
Irelia raised her head and gave Elder Kwan an appreciative smile. When she turned to Karma, however, she finally realized the severity of the situation. Turning her head to gaze at Syndra, and then glancing back at Karma, Irelia's mouth opened and closed in a wordless attempt to question whether or not Karma knew who Sandra actually was.
Finally recovering from her shock, Karma took another large gulp of wine before catching Irelia's gaze and subtly conveying a message of both shock and amazement with Irelia's choice of a partner.
"Ah... so, Miss Irelia, how are you enjoying the festivities?" Elder Kwan inquired, completely oblivious to the glances Karma and Irelia shot at each other.
"Huh? Oh, it's great!" Irelia lied half heartedly. Realistically, she had already grown tired of the countless number of men attempting to court her.
"Aha! That is wonderful... It wouldn't be much of a celebration if one of our key players wasn't enjoying herself now would it?" Elder Kwan chuckled.
Irelia smiled in response, but didn't offer any words, causing a brief silence to settle between them.
It wasn't until a foreign voice spoke up from behind Syndra that the silence was broken.
"May I ask your hand in this dance?" A deep, masculine voice sounded.
"Perhaps later... I am a little bit tired right now..." Irelia immediately spoke up, assuming that the man was addressing her.
He wasn't.
Finally, Syndra turned around and gazed at the man behind her.
Instantly, her eyes widened in shock as she recognized the man. Though his unarmored figure went unrecognized by the three other people at the table, Syndra more than knew who the man was. With countless scars across his battle worn face, the sovereign could have recognized her associate anywhere.
"I... Uh... Of course!" Syndra managed to stammer as she allowed Zed to gently grasp her proffered hand and lift her from her seat.
The ninja wordlessly guided her to the dance floor in the middle of the square before he finally spoke again.
"What are you doing here." Zed hissed with a subdued amount of annoyance, though there was clear concern behind his rather harsh words.
"Accompanying my plaything." Syndra replied immediately.
"Syndra, you know full well what that Ionian pig is responsible for. What she represents." Zed whispered in a cruel tone.
Syndra unconsciously swallowed as a feeling of guilt rose in her chest.
"She is no pig!" Syndra argued back defensively.
"She is... different." Syndra pushed forward almost beseechingly.
Zed let out a mutedly disappointed sigh.
"I disapprove... But it is not my place to say such things. I am glad that you have found someone..." Zed answered, a small twinge of jealousy in his voice.
Syndra picked up on the subtle tone of jealousy.
"But Zed, why can't you just tell Akali already? I know you two loved each other, you should tell her the truth behind what happened!" Syndra urged.
Zed's face hardened.
"I took my actions knowing that I would break many bonds. I am and always was ready to bear the burdens of my decisions." Zed stated in a low tone.
"Besides... She will be happier with her brothers than she can ever be with me." Zed continued.
Syndra wanted to slap the ninja across the face. Before she could even voice her opposition, however, Zed changed the subject.
"That is not why I called you here. You have more pressing matters to worry about." Zed warned.
Syndra blinked in response.
"What might that be?" The sovereign inquired.
"I am not here to enjoy this festival of pigs." Zed stated with clear disgust, "I am merely here to tell you..."
"Tell me what?" Syndra pushed forward bluntly.
Zed twitched at Syndra's impatience.
"Assassins." Zed finally stated.
"What? Where?" Syndra demanded.
"Four. Rooftop of the building behind you. Guard tower to the east. Table to the right of the one you were sitting at. Main entrance to the square." Zed stated in a very concise manner.
Syndra glanced around at the four positions, successfully locating the four extremely well disguised assassins. The only thing that gave a hint as to their true objective was their constantly shifting eyes.
"What do they want?" Syndra immediately asked after she had located the four men.
"They were looking at the old man at your table for a very long time." Zed answered flatly.
With that, the ninja released Syndra and turned away.
"My job here is done." The ninja stated."I owe you no further favors."
He didn't even wait for a reply from Syndra before he swiftly strode to a dark alleyway and vanished, leaving only a small black splotch on the floor as a hint of what used to be.
Syndra, on the other hand, found a troubled myriad of thoughts whirling in her mind. Only one stuck out among the rest.
Irelia.
As she returned to the table, Irelia immediately fixed Syndra with a pleased smile. The expression subtly conveyed the fact that the three were indeed talking about the sovereign while she was away.
"Who was that?" Irelia inquired lightly as the sovereign returned to her seat.
Syndra was too lost in thought to hear the warrior's words.
Karma cleared her throat expectantly.
"What?" Syndra looked up, mildly annoyed.
"I was just wondering who that was, that's all. Nothing big..." Irelia quickly interjected, playing off Syndra's absent mindedness.
"Oh... He was just... an old friend I guess." Syndra replied.
Karma raised an eyebrow at that, knowing that Syndra only had one "friend" other than Irelia who was technically more than just a friend. None the less, the enlightened Ionian kept quiet.
"Well, it certainly is good to find old acquaintances every now in again." Elder Kwan commented as he took a small sip of wine.
"We were just discussing how Irelia met you back at the institute. Quite a story you have there!" the elder continued with a small chuckle.
Syndra raised an eyebrow and hid her true feelings behind a poker face.
"That's private." Syndra stated bluntly, taking a pointed glance at Irelia.
"Alright, alright... I won't talk about it..." Irelia surrendered with a wave of her hands.
Syndra frowned at that as she simultaneously noticed the empty wine glass in Irelia's hands.
Abruptly, the sovereign rose to her feet.
"Dance with me." Syndra stated flatly in a manner that sounded more like a demand than a request.
"But we were in the middle of a conver-"
"Please." Syndra interrupted. There was no joking twinkle in her eye or any hint of willingness to back down.
"Oh go on Irelia, this conversation can wait. Don't let this old timer hold you two back!" Elder Kwan urged Irelia. "You will only stay young for so long!" The elder finished with a twinkle in his eyes.
If Irelia's cheeks weren't already pink from drinking alcohol, they were most certainly red after the elder's comment.
"I... Uhm... Thank you... and sorry..." Irelia managed to blurt out as Syndra led her away.
"Ahaha... Aren't they just beautiful together?" Elder Kwan commented with a sideways glance at Karma.
Karma flinched unintentionally.
"Synaandra.. wait up will you!" Irelia huffed as Syndra pulled her away at a startlingly quick pace.
"What are you-"
"Shh." Syndra silenced her before abruptly turning around and latching on to the warrior's hands, drawing the warrior close so that she could speak into her ear.
"Syndra... What is going on...?" Irelia whispered, somehow able to feel the anxious aura about Syndra.
Syndra drew in a small breath before flicking her eyes around in search of the four individuals that Zed pointed out to her.
"Syndra-"
"The man that asked me to dance was Zed." Syndra interrupted for yet another time.
Irelia's words caught in her throat.
"Is he going to... What did he say?" Irelia demanded harshly.
Syndra flinched at the abrupt change in attitude from Irelia. It quickly became clear that Irelia still viewed Zed as an enemy of Ionia.
"Do you trust me?" Syndra abruptly asked in a small voice.
"Syndra, what are you-"
"Do you trust me." Syndra demanded.
Irelia sighed.
"Do you even need to ask that?" Irelia replied softly.
Finally, Syndra drew in a deep breath.
"Assassins." Syndra stated bluntly.
"What?" Irelia immediately quipped.
"Four of them." Syndra continued.
"Sent by Zed?" Irelia asked accusatively.
"No." Syndra replied in an annoyed tone.
"Then why did he-"
"Because he owed me a favor." Syndra stated.
"And you can trust him?" Irelia asked slowly.
"I'd trust him more than I would trust your country." Syndra hissed darkly.
Irelia sighed and began running a scanning gaze through the crowd.
"Where... and who..." Irelia whispered, trying to seem as inconspicuous as possible.
"Rooftop, guard tower, main entrance, and table next to us." Syndra whispered in response. She paused briefly before continuing, "They want Elder Kwan."
Instantly, Irelia stiffened and she shot a glance at the two Ionian elders still seated at the table where Syndra and Irelia had left them. It wasn't until Syndra forcibly moved Irelia that the warrior resumed her dancing.
"I knew we should have taken that more seriously..." Irelia muttered to herself.
"What?" Syndra snapped, managing to only catch a snippet of Irelia's voice.
Irelia sighed.
"Elder Kwan has been getting death threats as of late." Irelia answered in an anxious tone.
"And you let him-"
"He's been getting them for a while." Irelia interrupted, "We didn't think this was any different. But if what you say is true..."
"It is." Syndra interrupted firmly. "Zed is an honorable person."
"Pfft. Honorable to stab his adopted father in the back." Irelia shot back.
Syndra twitched.
"I could uproot the entirety of Ionia by telling you what actually happened." Syndra snapped angrily.
Irelia didn't answer after that.
"Shouldn't you be more worried about your elder?" Syndra continued. Annoyance was beginning to seep into her voice.
"I can't just jump someone and attack them at this festival..." Irelia finally answered.
"You can't. I can." Syndra replied bluntly.
Irelia let out a grunt of mild frustration.
"If you do that, the entire Ionian Army will come running." Irelia stated.
"Not like they can stop me." Syndra answered readily.
"Syndra, these are my people..." Irelia whispered exasperatedly.
"And you are my plaything!" Syndra replied with her trademark possessive grin.
Irelia shook her head in exasperation, though a helpless smile spread across her face.
"I'll handle this okay? Just stay with Elder Kwan... In case something really goes wrong... okay?" Irelia begged.
"Fine." Syndra gave in with a frown.
Irelia had a tendency to become extremely blunt in her speech whenever lives were at risk. This time was no different. As both she and Syndra returned to the table where Karma and Elder Kwan sat waiting, Irelia wasted no time with explanations.
"Elder Kwan, I will be escorting you to the safety of the inner capital. If you could follow me please." Irelia stated in an extremely concise and commanding manner.
"Oh? But the festival! Surely something life threatening has not arisen has it?" The elder inquired curiously and somewhat reluctantly.
Irelia didn't respond for a few moments.
"Oh dear... Does it have to do with the letters again?" Elder Kwan asked.
"We have word that an assassination attempt is being planned right now at this very moment. I have adequate reason to believe that your life is at stake." Irelia answered.
Elder Kwan pulled himself out of his chair, wearing an extremely disappointed frown on his face.
"Very well, Miss Irelia... If you insist..." The elder finally sighed.
Karma, on the other hand, caught Irelia's gaze and was having a silent conversation with the warrior.
It wasn't until the group began moving that Karma spoke up.
"Irelia... What is going on..." Karma inquired with an extremely serious edge to her voice.
"Syndra met with Zed. Zed told her there's going to be an assassination attempt on Elder Kwan." Irelia stated flatly.
Karma exercised unusual hesitation before replying.
"And you... Trust... them?" Karma asked carefully.
"I would rather play it safe..." Irelia answered back.
By the time Irelia finished talking, the group had neared the main entrance to the town square.
Only one man dressed in commoner's clothes stood by the entrance, leaning against a nearby wall with his eyes hidden behind a farmer's hat.
Syndra eyed the man suspiciously as they passed by.
He did nothing; only reach up to his face and scratch his beard.
She didn't notice the small communication device wrapped around his wrist and hidden underneath his sleeve.
Now a safe distance away from the entrance, Irelia turned back and glanced at Syndra; her eyes begging to know that she was doing the right thing.
Syndra gazed onwards; her eyes darting about suspiciously as she could feel the sense of danger loom ever greater.
None the less, the group continued as an uneasy silence settled upon the atmosphere.
Finally, Irelia spoke up.
"Stop." Irelia abruptly commanded.
The group grounded to a sudden halt.
"Something's not right. It's way too quiet. This is the busiest district, why is it completely empty." Irelia mused aloud.
As abruptly as Irelia had stopped the group, Karma took up the reigns.
"LATH RIAN OUNE-" Karma practically screamed until
-BOOM-
"-VI." Karma barely finished just as a colossal explosion of hextech explosives erupted just before their faces.
Had it not been for Karma's quick reaction, the group would have undoubtedly met a grisly end.
"Irelia!" Karma yelled out as she tried to drag herself to her feet. "Look out!"
Instantly snapping into a combat mentality, Irelia rolled to her feet and scanned the destruction for incoming enemies.
It didn't take much effort to find it.
From out of the smoke emerged three cloaked assassins, each baring daggers and rapidly closing in on Elder Kwan.
Not on Irelia's watch.
"HEEYAAA!" Irelia roared as she violently summoned her blade to her side and dashed to the closest assassin.
The man didn't even have enough time to turn around before Irelia mercilessly cut him down with a flourish of her blades.
Having subdued the first assassin, Irelia turned to the remaining two. Without a moment's hesitation, Irelia manifested the strength of her inner will, summoning four blades into existence.
"HAH!" She shouted and flung a hand in the direction of the assassins.
The blades flew with such speed and force that they caught both assassins in the back before sending them crashing into the wall behind Elder Kwan; pinning them to the stone cold surface like bugs in a display case.
With the immediate danger dealt with, Irelia turned and surveyed the damage.
Karma returned to her feet and hurried over to Elder Kwan's side. The elder was safe, with only minor bruises on his body.
"Syndra?!" Irelia called out.
No reply.
"Syndra are you okay!?" Irelia called out again.
No reply.
Finally, Irelia's eyes settled on a small flash of white hair laying several meters away from them.
"Oh my god, Syndra!" Irelia shrieked and rushed to the sovereign's side.
Frantically peeling of sections of rubble off of the mage's body through the use of brute force, Irelia dug up Syndra's unconscious form.
"No..." Irelia muttered frantically.
"No... Syndra... Wake up... Please wake up..." Irelia begged the unconscious mage, gently shaking her limp form as she supported the mage's head with a hand.
Then she felt a hot liquid drip down her arm.
"No!" Irelia repeated, her voice even more agitated than before.
Lifting her hand, Irelia gaped in horror as she saw the large amount of blood coating her entire hand and forearm.
"No. no no no." Irelia sobbed, almost breaking down into tears as she ripped a section of cloth off of her dress' leg and pressed it up against the side of Syndra's head.
In the back ground, Irelia could hear Karma inquiring as to Elder Kwan's health. From the sound of things, he seemed completely fine.
"Syndra... Please..." Irelia begged again.
"Don't leave me alone again..." Irelia begged even further as her emotions caught in her throat.
"No!" A panicked tone suddenly sounded.
Irelia whipped her head back around to gaze at both Karma and Elder Kwan.
Instantly, her heart dropped.
She forgot about the fourth assassin.
Standing a few meters away from Karma and Elder Kwan stood the same man that had been standing outside the main entrance to the town square.
He had enough hextech explosives strapped to his body to level a small building.
"No!" Elder Kwan repeated again in a panicked tone.
"Please... My child... let us help you..." Karma called out in a soothing tone as she reached out with a hand.
The man backed away with a terrified look on his face.
"My child, we can help you. Please... just let us do so..." Karma continued in the same soothing tone.
"Nothing can help me. Not anymore." The man answered, even more panic in his eyes.
"You don't know that until you let me try..." Karma called back kindly.
"NO! NOTHING YOU DO CAN STOP HIM! THIS IS FOR MY FAMILY! FOR A PURE IONIAAAAA!" The man screamed.
Time seemed to slow as his thumb travelled the one inch distance between its initial position and the bright red detonator in his hand.
Irelia's eyes widened in horror as she helplessly watched until-
-WHAM!-
Before Irelia even knew what happened, the man was catapulted backwards at phenomenal speed; a purple sphere caught square in his midsection. All the warrior saw was a blur as the man went flying into the abandoned guard tower behind him.
Milliseconds later...
-BOOM!-
Irelia watched in horror as a flash of light erupted from within the tower. Seconds later, the shockwave expanded and knocked her to the floor once more. The warrior scrambled to her feet once more, only to find her eyes riveted in even further horror on the old watch tower.
Having been abandoned and neglected for so long, the tower was already in a decrepit state. The blast put it on its final legs.
"KARMA GET OUT OF THERE!" Irelia screamed in panic.
Karma glanced at Irelia before tracing her gaze to the building teetering dangerously above her.
The tower wobbled again...
Karma scrambled to her feet and attempted to help Elder Kwan escape as well.
Finally, the tower heaved one last painful groan.
"KARMA!" Irelia screamed as the tower began its inexorable descent down towards the two elders.
"HHNNNAAAAAAAH!" A strained voice suddenly sounded from beside Irelia.
Instantly, Irelia's eyes registered with shock as she saw a familiar hand shoot up into the air, willing forth a raw surge of magic.
The building shuddered to a stop, wobbling unsteadily on thin air.
"What are you waiting for" Syndra gasped as the strain put her on the verge of passing out once more.
Syndra didn't need to ask twice as Irelia surged forward before forcefully grabbing both Karma and Elder Kwan in an unceremonious manner and half shoving, half carrying them out of from underneath the collapsing tower.
Not even a second after Irelia had cleared the impact zone, the old tower smashed to the floor in a ear shattering crash of destruction that showered everything within twenty meters in a rain of debris and rubble. The one source that was keeping the building aloft had returned to the darkness of unconsciousness once more.
By the time Karma and Elder Kwan recovered from their shock, however, Irelia was already gone.
Nothing could stop the warrior from getting her mage to a hospital.
Author's Notes:
Well... I don't know how I should say it... I'm not too happy with how the chapter turned out. It feels a little bit rushed. I really don't know what to say... "help" sounds like a good one... ha... ha... ha...
In the future, I will probably end up delaying chapters like this so I can develop them further. I'd rather delay something but have it turn out well than publish something prematurely and... well... have it turn out badly. That being said, do leave me any advice or critique you have as to how I can make these "faster paced" chapters better. Or perhaps if you like them the way they are, then that is good too I suppose. Either way, help me out and do let me know. (I won't hate you if you say it's horrible, just make sure you tell me why it's horrible)
I'm not going to hint as to where this story is going because I'm going to try to wrap things up with a very emotional finish. It would be bad if I spoiled things here so early. I still have a good amount planned out for this story so I hope you will all look forward to it.
As always, thank you so much for your continued support and I hope to see you in the chapters to come.