Chapter 3: The First Battle
Annie awoke to someone knocking on her door violently, "Annie! You are late for your champion assessment!"
Annie recognized the voice as Meril, and quickly looked toh er left to make sure Tibbers was still there. He was, so she jumped out of bed, scrambling to find her clothes, grabbed Tibbers and opened the door.
Meril grabbed her wriist and the two sprinted down the corridor. They sprinted down the grand entrance staircase and only stopped when Meril tripped on the last step and fell flat on his face in the grand foyer of the Institute, much to Annie' amusement.
"Now is not the time for laughter," growled a much annoyed Meril, "This is a very serious day for you. If you don't pass the champion assessment, they won't let you stay here."
Annie felt a small lump form in her throat, she hadn't really thought about the assessment too much, she just assumed it was a game to play. Her thought wandered as they traveled down to the basement of the Institute, where four summoners sat, huddled around a Nexus.
Meril, panting heavily, "Fellow summoners. I need you to summon Annie into the Howling Abyss."
Annie's mouth opened, "But I thought I was going to fight in Summoner's Rift. THe Howling Abyss doesn't sound like much fun."
"Yes, if you pass this assessment, however ARAM is how we will determine if you are able to survive in the Rift."
Annie was bewildered, but as the summoner's began murmuring chants, Annie felt her entire body go numb, it felt as if something was pulling her out of her body itself. She tried to scream but her body was no longer her own, and as she watched in horror she saw her body fall to the floor and the world blacked out for her.
She awoke to snow falling on her face. She slowly sat up, confused as to what happened. She looked around, the only noticeable difference was in her clothing. Her usual red skirt had been replaced by a white one, and on her head a white trooper hat, which protected her ears from the extreme cold. She also noticed Tibbers had turned white and was wearing a scarf.
"I'm cold," Annie whispered to Tibbers, and as she summoned fire, she was surprised to see it appear blue, rather than its regular red, "it's like a frostfire."
She looked up to see a long bridge. Directly in front of her stood a massive tower. It must've been ten feet high! TO her left she noticed a man standing in a shop. She quickly walked over to him, "Where am I?"
The man smiled,"Why! You are in the Howling Abyss, and this is my shop. I have all your battle needs here. Boots, swords, shields, charms. You name it, I've got it. However, you little girl seem like the magical type. For you, I'd suggest a Rabadon's Deathcap!"
She nodded her head, "Okay. I don't have any money though," but as she finished her sentence she felt the a small brown bag appear at her side. She looked into it, and was surprised to find gold in it. She turned back to the shopkeeper, "would this be enough?"
The man smiled, "For you little girl, I'll give it to you. You need to be careful out there. They are having you fight a current champion. So let me give you an idea of how this works. This structure behind you," he points to the nexus, "is called a nexus. There is another on the other side of the bridge. Basically, you need to defeat the opponent, and destroy their nexus. That will break the connection with this dimension, and it'll send you back where you came. Since there are only two champions, they turned the towers off, but the towers you see are a defensive weapon. Use them to retreat from enemies. Be careful as the towers can be destroyed however. Normally, the summoners would summon these little minions who'll fight with you against enemy minions, but I don't think they'll give you minions because they want to see your ability."
Annie nodded, and the shopkeeper continued, "Anyway, it's about time for you to fight, I think I can see the enemy running towards you. Here's the deathcap, use it well."
Annie donned the cap and suddenly felt arcane power surge through her. Her eyes radiated a bright blue light from the power for a moment and then eventually returned back to normal. Annie opened her fist and a much larger fireball formed in her hand, surprising her. (Ezreal)
As she ran towards the bridge she saw his blonde hair followed by the bolt of blue arcane energy aimed right at her. Annie rolled underneath the blast and continued running at him, a fireball forming in her hand.
The blonde haired boy had two red triangles underneath his eyes, and another bolt of energy whizzed by her head, singing the hem of her skirt, and burning her leg. She felt the pain as blood began to run down her leg, but she threw her fireball at his center of mass. She felt the fireball connect with his chest, and smiled triumphantly as he fell. However before she could celebrate, the boy got up again, most of his shirt gone from the fireball, exposing his charred chest. Annie wasn't happy and opened her mouth, and spit out a cone if fire in his direction. Before her fire could reach him, he instantly shifted back and shot a blast of energy at her. There wasn't enough time to dodge and it slammed into her left shoulder. It took her off her feet and she landed roughly on the ground. She couldn't feel the pain at first, but when she looked at her left shoulder she saw large gaping wound, spewing blood everywhere. Annie wanted to run away amd cry, but she couldn't get up from the pain. She felt the boy stand over her and aim his glove at her face.
Just as he was going to fire, she whispered, "Tibbers, come out an play."
An explosion. The boy was thrown back twenty feet and didn't move. Before her stood a giant white bear, flames licking the fur of it. Blue energy radiated from the bear's eyes and he growled again, his body standing over Annie in such a way that she was obscured from the boy's vision. The boy was trying hard to stand up, but as he began to rise, he threw up a massive amount of blood, and fell again. Tibbers slowly walked towards him, body ablaze and eyes paw outstretched to deal a killing blow. The boy shot a futile bolt from his glove at Tibbers, who merely brushed it off. Tibbers brought his paw down on the boy, crushing and killing him instantly.
Annie slowly got up, and Tibbers placed her on his back and ran towards the enemy nexus. Upon reaching the nexus, Annie could no longer keep the connection with Tibbers and he reverted back into a teddy bear. Annie struggled but managed to destroy the nexus using a few well placed fireballs. immediately after, she fell to the ground and everything went black.
She awoke in the chamber to Meril stood over her. She quickly reached to her shoulder to find that her shoulder had no injuries. In fact, she doesn't even feel anything from the fight she was in just moments before. Confused she looked at Meril, and then saw the blonde boy also get up, clothes intact. In fact, he smiled at her and told her it was a good fight.
"Good work Annie," Meril started, "The boy you fought was Ezreal. Ezreal is a difficult opponent for anyone to fight due to his high damage output, but apparently you're damage output far exceeds his. I think you'll make a fine champion, but we have to learn what the High Councilor says. She watched your match today."
"How?" Annie asked, "it was completed deserted there."
"Ah. You don't know. Well through use of our arcane abilities, we create a magical viewing screen that connects the two dimensions and shows the outside world the battles occurring. We also have the ability to broadcast these fights across Avaron. Many people tune in to the battles daily. However you have come just in time for the tounrnament. Basically the champions pair into 5 man teams and battle for eternal glory. There is a bracket system in which champions battle, and eventually the top 2 teams meet in the championship. With your arrival we have almost enough people to form all the teams. Luckily we have four more newly incoming champions. You actually just fought one of the new champions. He came here just days before you. Ezreal has become quite a threat in the league. He's carried more than one losing match to a victory which has earned him has nickname of Ez the Destroyer, and your defeat of him will be sure to turn some heads. For such a little girl, you've made a big name for yourself. Here he comes, you should talk to him. Make friends."
Ezreal calmly walked over to her, "What's your name?"
Annie smiled, "I'm Annie! And you must be Ezreal. Meril has told me very much about you."
"Well Annie, I must say, you're quite the powerful girl. I've traveled very far and seen many different things, but that teddy bear is something special. I'd love to examine him, I'm interested to know how you keep him contained in there. What ancient arcane ability is that?"
Annie smiled, "His name is Tibbers, and he's my bestest friend ever! We met in the forest and he just came home with me."
Ezreal nodded, "Maybe it was a spirit bear, you do have exceptional arcane ability. Abilities like that originated in the Shiruyma Desert, but were really enhanced by Noxians. I wonder which you're from."
Annie smiled sillily, "My mom told me not to tell strangers where I live.
They both broke out into laughter, and promptly left the summoner behind, and bewildered.
Chapter 4: The Arctic Trap
Xin tried to talk to her before she left, but Lux ignored him, still annoyed about last night.
"You really should grow up Lux. You're one of Demacia's greatest assassins, yet you still act like a child."
"I hate that you do that! I love Demacia more than life itself, but what does being a Demacian assassin and counter-assassin have to do about me being a woman. I have needs, and Xin, you just don't fulfill them."
"I don't understand. I've fulfilled all the basic needs that any Demacian women would need."
"Yes, you do. But I'm not just some Demacian woman. And I don't think you'll ever understand that," she said as she turned and walked away.
"What about us?" he called out as she walked away.
"I don't know, we'll see how I feel after some time apart," she replied as she walked out of his room and down the hall.
She continued down the steps, and double checked to make sure her wand was functional. She met Ashe outside the Institute of War. She noticed that Ashe wasn't wearing her regular blue cloak, but rather a much shorter white one, along with a white high thigh dress, which exposed most of her legs. Lux herself had decided to don her black hood, to help hide her brightly colored hair. She had also switched to her dark black skin-tight suit that made her body, with a little help from her light bending abilities, appear anamorphosis. The material hugged her body very tightly, showing the curves in her body. However as she approached Ashe she began to feel slightly embarrassed, however she didn't understand why.
As she shoved that thought to the back of her mind, Ashe smiled at her, "Are you ready? It's gonna be a long journey to the Freljord?"
Something about the manner in which Ashe said that set Lux off, but she ignored it "Yes I am. Let'g get going."
The journey to the Freljord was indeed long. The two spent the better part of the day walking towards the frozen wastelands of Ashe's kingdom.
Lux knew better than to ask, but her curiosity and her problem with Xin caused her to question, "How's your relationship with Tryndamere?"
Something about the density of the forest they had been walking through was making Lux uncomfortable. She could sense something was not right, but Ashe reply to her question drew her attention away from it.
Ashe looked at her strangely for a few moments, then shook her head, "Let's just say the marriage was mainly a political step for me in uniting the Freljord."
Lux nodded her head, "But do you. I don't know, love him. How do you know?"
Ashe smiled, "No one can really know who they love, but-"
Lux cut her off when she pulled her towards her as three knives struck the tree sitting next to her. Lux blasted a light bending shot at the attackers to cover their tracks, and she turned and pulled Ashe in the opposite direction. The two sprinted for a few minutes, then as they reached a denser part of the forest Lux suddenly stopped. She grabbed Ashe, pulled her around the tree and covered her body with her own, her face inches from Ashe's. She then bent the light around them so that the incoming pursuers wouldn't be able to see the two.
Ashe looked at Lux's face and concentration as she watched her scan the treeline for the source of the daggers. Lux saw it, quickly dropped the light bending technique and blasted a beam of light through the enemy's body, creating a gaping hole through the assailant's chest. Lux quickly grabbed Ashe again and the two ran in a different direction.
Lux pulled Ashe around another tree and bent the light in a similar fashion, "Divide and conquer. They may have the the numbers, but I can create an element of surprise wherever we go," she whispered to Ashe.
Ashe nodded her head, "I can put some arrows into the trees to scatter them as well."
"Not yet Ashe," Lux whispered. There was a clearing we passed before we were ambushed. We're going to heda there and create a last stand. I think there are 6 of them. the one I killed was definitely Noxian. This is going to be a long day. We need to wrap this fight up before the end of the day though, I won't be able to hide us at night."
As she finished her last statement, she dropped the shroud and shot another NOxian assassin out of the trees. The two then made a beeline for the clearing where they would create a last stand situation. As they ran, Lux quickly create a light binding trap. As one of the assassin's in swift pursuit didn't see it, his leg was cut leanly off, stopping him from continuing to fight. Lux and Ashe reached the clearing and prepared for a fight.
At first it was silent, then Lux heard the first dagger. It flew towards her face but she easily bent the light, altering the daggers trajectory to force it to travel into a tree far to her left. Ashe brought her bow around and fired eight arrows in a large cone in front of her. None of her arrows connected, but forced the enemies to move, allowing Lux to pick another one off with a light beam.
Lux let out a huge gasp as a dagger landed at her feet, "Katerina!"
As if summoned, Katarina appeared directly in front of Lux, blade drawn, "Hello gorgeous," she whispered seductively as her blade flew towards Lux's chest. Using her light abilities, she was able to phase Katarina's blade, however she couldn't stop it from digging deep into her thigh.
Lux's leg instantly began to bleed heavily, and Katarina smiled and brought her lips to Lux's, "a little parting gift from me."
Lux felt her lips press against Katarina's, as Katarina brought the dagger towards Lux's throat. As katarina was about to slit her throat, Ashe turned and put an arrow through Katarina's hand. Katarina's hand snapped back and she cried out in pain.
She quickly threw another knife that hit Ashe in the shoulder. Ashe was thrown onto her back as the blade connected. Despite the pain, Lux shouted out, "Ashe. Arrow, 9 o'clock!"
Ashe turned and fired a volley of arrows into the brush. Another assassin jumped through the brush into the arrows. Two sank into his chest and one hit one in the neck. The assassin fell and Lux held Katarina's knife in her leg. with her other hand she grabbed her wand and tried to blast Katarina in the face, but as she fired the bolt Katarina managed to knock the wand down, forcing Lux to fire at her leg. Katarina jumped back and landed on her ass. Lux quickly ripped half of her suit exposing exposing her bra. She used the suit to make a tourniquet in her leg to stop the bleeding.
Ashe looked over at her, "we gotta get out of here."
Ashe pulled the dagger out of her shoulder and the two ran for it. The two silently ran for a place to stay alive. The two finally found a few large rocks that made a small opening in which they could stay under. Ashe and Lux both sat down and looked at their wounds.
"Well that didn't go so well," Lux said half-jokingly.
Ashe smiled,"well at least I got a good look of your body."
Lux nodded her head, "I guess you did."
The two sat down silently, unmoving for a few moments as they were both extremely tense from the recent battle.
They both looked at each other for a moment, feeling a little tense from the battle they had barely survived.
Lux reached into the small pouch at her side and grabbed her first aide kit. She grabbed her stitches and slowly stitched up her leg. Ashe watched her in silence as Lux completed stitching her leg up. Ashe watched in interest as Lux showed no pain as she closed the wound. Fifteen minutes of watching and Ashe realized she was getting tired. She looked down at her shoulder and noticed a lot of blood.
"Lux," Ashe whispered, "I think I need a little help. I'm bleeding out."
Lux crawled over to her, and opened her suture kit. She slowly began to close the wound in her shoulder, "this may hurt a little bit."
Ashe winced as Lux slid the needle into her shoulder to close the wound. "It's too bad that Katarina's the only one who gets to taste your sweet lips."
Lux looked at Ashe for a second as she slowly closed the rest of the wound on her shoulder. As she closed it, Lux slowly leaned forward until her face was a mere inches away from Ashe's. Ashe slid her hands through Lux's golden locks and brought her lips to Lux's. Lux closed her eyes and felt Ashe's lips touch hers and allowed Ashe's tongue to slowly slide into her mouth. She felt a particular warmth, despite being with e queen of the Freljord. She allowed Ashe to push her back and despite the pain in her leg allowed Ashe to run her hand up her legs and between her legs.
"W-What about Tryndamere?" Lux whispered, not really caring.
"What about Xin?" Ashe asked, winking at her.
Speechless, Lux opened her legs once more and Ashe brought her lips once more to Lux's. Lux allowed Ashe to pull half of her bra down, exposing one of her breasts. Lux closed her eyes in enjoyment as Ashe kissed down her neck to her breast. Lux felt amazing, and as Ashe's head slid down her body and unzipped her suit Lux grabbed Ashe's hair and wrapped her legs around Ashe's head. Ashe glided her tongue up and down the length of Lux's vagina.
Lux began to let her guard drop down and softly whimpered as Ashe began to make her feel amazing. Lux was unsure whether she passed out from the pleasure or from the loss of blood.
The next morning Lux woke up to Ashe curled around her, "What did I do last night? That was a mistake."
Shortly after Ashe woke up, "Morning beautiful. How's your leg? We should probably get moving again."
"It seems alright," she reached into her bag and grabbed a cream which she appliied to the wound before handing the container to Ashe, "its an arcane infused cream. It'll help your wounds heal faster. Katarina isn't dead either, so you can bet we aren't out of this yet."
Ashe nodded her head and the two silently stood up. They continued on their way towards the Freljord again.
They had been walking for the better part of an hour before Lux finally decided to speak, "Ashe...about last night?"
"Don't worry about it. I won't tell Xin if you don't tell Tryndamere. Actually he'd probably like it if I told you, he's a real barbarian. Don't tell him about it just to be safe."
Lux still felt sick to her stomach, she did enjoy last night but if Xin found out he would surely try to persecute her. Homosexuality isa punishable offense in Demacia. She didn't know what to do, but she hoped that Ashe wouldn't tell.
"I have one more question?"
Ashe turned,"what?"
"You seem so comfortable with this...H-have you done thiis with other girls?"
Ashe smiled, she looked so cute when she felt insecure about herself, "Yes. More than once. Sometimes its for political advantages, and sometimes-" she winked at Lux, "it's for personal pleasure. But don't get me wrong, I still like the occasional man inside me, but I think one of my best nights was with Sejuani after two particularly long Summoner's Rift battle."
Lux nodded her head, barely comprehending how comfortable Ashe was with herself. Demacian policies were so strict. She accepted the strictness, but at a time like this, she wished that it wasn't so strict and she had had more time in her life to explore her sexuality. Suddenly, her mind shifted back to the mission at hand.
"Ashe. We've been being followed for awhile now. "
"We have?" Ashe asked oblivious, "where are they?"
Lux nodded with her head, "Currently they're following us in the trees. I don't think they are going to engage. It appears as if they're waiting for something."
Lux and Ashe continued, but Lux's eyes stayed in the trees. As she watched, she noticed strangely moving shadows, the occasional branch moving, "This isn't right. It's way to easy to see the. It's almost like they want us to know."
As she finished her sentence a dagger flew and hit the tree behind her, just inches from her head. Lux looked to see Katarina standing before them, twirling her two signature blades in her hands.
"Well little butterfly, seems like we'll get to play together again," she stated seductively towards Lux.
As Katarina finished talking the other assassins formed a circle around Lux and Ashe, who turned back to back, "Omaha split?" Ashe asked.
"Omaha split," Ashe whispered as the battle began.
A/N: Don't expect this quick of a pair of chapters all the time. THis happened because its been raining the past two days and I didn't have to work, so I kinda just sat inside, played League of Legends and wrote this. Anyway, like I said Lux's half will focus on Lux exploring her sexuality while Annie's will be a dark story. There is a plot developing, and I think you'll begin to piece together where I'm going with this after the next chapter, if you haven't already. Anyway, enjoy.