Desperate Times

a League of Legends fanfic

Chapter 5: Flight from Demacia

Garen opened his eyes slowly, allowing his vision to grow accustomed to the dark of the room. I must have dozed off. Taking a moment, he did a mental check of his body; most of his limbs still ached a bit, but nothing felt broken or even really painful anymore. Good.

He made to sit up slowly, but suddenly found a small hand pressing down on his chest. Kattarina crouched next to him, keeping him from rising, "Don't move yet," she said, speaking in a voice so quiet, he wouldn't have heard it if he had been even a few feet further from her. "There's someone here, looking for you."

"Do we know who it is?" Garen asked in an equally quiet voice. "If it's just a group of soldiers doing a basic search, we can easily avoid them."

"It's the Vanguard. Or at least a squad of them, seem's someone recognized you afterall ." She replied with a small smirk, "You really did teach them to never give up didn't you?"

Cursing silently under his breath, Garen sat up slowly and silently. "Of course they don't give up, and they won't either. We need to leave, now. Preferably without a fight. Who's leading this squad, do you know?"

Before Kattarina could reply, a creek sounded from the hallway as someone moved from the stairs to the hall proper. Whoever it was stopped in front of the door to the room Garen and Kattarina were using. Then a voice quietly sounded from the door, the speaker talking almost as quietly as they had been. "General Crownguard? It's Poppy. I want this to be a bloodless night. I am alone and unarmed, I want to talk to you before someone dose something stupid. May I enter?"

Garen and Kattarina shared a slightly confused glance, before he nodded. Kattarina moved silently to the door and opened it noislesly, just enough to allow the Yordle to slide through, before closing it again. Poppy moved into the room, sparing only the briefest of glances at the Noxian dagger now held a hair's breath from her side. "So you really have thrown your lot in with Noxus Garen?"

Garen locked eyes with the diminuative warrior, "What are you doing here Poppy?"

"I am here to get answers. Now look me in the eye and tell me you aren't a traitor."

Garen smiled a bit, "I will die before I betray Demacia."

Poppy visibly relaxed a bit, turning to Kattarina, she said, "You can put that away Noxian, I'm not going to fight you tonight. I am here to talk and only that." Garen nodded slightly and the blade moved back, but did not dissapear. Poopy looked back too Garen, "Something has happend to Prince Jarvan," She said simply.

Garen was silent for a moment. Then he took a breath and nodded, "I know Poppy. I've known for a few weeks, since I was arrested. My old friend would have confronted me about accusations of treachery himself, not hidden behind the Vanguard."

Poppy nodded as well. "He has made captureing you the top prioraty for all Demacian Champions, as well as the Dauntless Vanguard, and put Shyvanna in charge of actually catching you, and I fear he has done something to her too. She has become obbsessed with finding you, as if the very fate of the world hinges on her success. And also..." She hesitated only a moment. "He has given the order to kill you if you refuse to return peacefuly."

Garen's eyes widened, "That... is interesting." As he sat in thought, a question rose in his mind, "Come to think of it, how did you find us?"

Poppy glanced towards the Noxian behind her, "Someone thought they recognized her. I worked the rest out myself and convinced Shyvanna to let me try to capture her."

Garen let out a brief cough of laughter. "That's two gold you owe me Kat." When Kattarina's expression didn't change, he continued, "Fine, we three know that Jarvan is acting strangly, and you Poppy, know where I am. What do you intend to do? You can't just let us walk out of here, and the soldiers downstairs are certainly not going to."

The Yordle's gaze hardend, "That is up to you General Crownguard. Will you see this through to the end? Even if it means becoming a traitor to the crown? I am, unfortunatly, under explicet orders. Orders that I must follow if I want to avoid suspiscion while I and a few others discover what dark evil has taken root in the heart of Demacia. All that remains is to see what you will do."

At this, Kattarina spoke up. "There is really only one choice Garen, and you know it."

Garen glanced between the two women in front of him, then sighed. "You realize we're going to need to make it as realistic as possible right Poppy?" A nod. "OK. Do me a favor, tell my sister that I'm doing what must be done, and that everything will be alright."

As Poppy nodded again, she saw Garen throw a quick glance behind her. Realizing what was about to happen, she only barely managed to tense up before Kattarina's leg swung arond. The kick took Poppy in the stomach, winding her even with the brief warning.

Private Nielson was nervous to say the least; their mission was to identify and if nescessary, capture the supposed Noxian that was reported to be hiding here. And it wasn't just any Noxian that they were here to capture, it was one of the most infamous and dangerous killers in a nation of killers, Kattarina Du Couteau.

Added to that was the sudden order to allow the Yordle ambassador and Champion Poppy to take command of the mission, and rumours that the traitor General Garen Crownguard was also hiding here. Yes, Nielson was nervous.

When the squad had arrived at the inn, Ambassador Poppy had ordered them to stay downstairs and secure the building, while she went to try and talk the enemy down. That had been several minutes ago, and the unit had heard nothing since she had reached the top of the stairs.

Nielson stood at the bottom of the stairs, gazing up into the darkend hall, holding both his sword, and the ambassador's hammer, she had insisted on going in unarmed to prove that she wanted to talk. As he stood there, Nielson heard what sounded like a cough, muffeld through a door. Nielson motioned for his captain to come over and then began moving up the stairs, focusing his every fiber on making absolutly no sound.

As Nielson crested the stairs, he let out a small sigh of relief, and set his foot down in such a fashion that made the smallest creak. No sooner had the noise sounded, the first door in the hallway exploded outward in a shower of splinters and broken pannels, and one very supprised looking Yordle.

Poppy hit the opposite wall with enough force to crack the wooden planks, and slumped to the floor in a weazing heap. "Ambassador!" called Nielson as he hurried forward, and then stopped dead as she stepped through the remains of the door. He had seen her fight dozens of times in the Leauge matches, watched her clash blades with the best the world had to offer. And now here before him, long knives in hand, Kattarina Du Couteau stood looking straight at him. "Oh shit."

A viscious smile spread across the Noxian's face, "Ooh, you are a very unlucky boy, aren't you?" Nielson didn't even see her move, but the next thing he knew, her left hand was wrapped around his sword hand and twisting, as her right fist punched squarely into his stomach, doubling him over, just in time to see her knee swing up into his face. After that, Private Nielson knew only black.

Kattarina pulled the sword out of the slackend grip of the soldier she had just laid out on the floor and tossed it almost lazily back to the door. "Here," She said, "You're going to need this."

Garen picked up the sword as he stepped through what had once been a perfectly servicable door, glancing from the crumpled form of the Demacian soldier at Kattarina's feet, to the still weazing Poppy. "I think we have exausted the subtle approach."

A small shrug, "I was getting bored anyways."

"Remember Kat, we only need to get out of here, not butcher the whole town."

Kattarina sighed, "You Demacian's and your aversion to killing... it's a wonder you even know how to have any fun at all." Garen simply glared at her, "I know, I know. Come on, oh mighty General, let's go."

As she turned towards the stairs, Kattarina saw an angry looking Demacian soldier swinging a large sword straight at her head. Grinning widely, she leaned back just enough to let the heavy blade flail harmlessly past her nose, before loosing a kick to the man's knee. The soldier bucked forward and smashed his face into the stairs and sliding limply back down.

Garen stepped forward, around Kattarina, and took the lead moving quickly down the stairs. As he reached the bottom, close to a dozen members of the Dauntless Vanguard surged forward, swords raised and faces set. Garen took only a brief moment to admire the lack of fear he saw in his former unit, before stepping forward to meet them, Kattarina right behind him.

The two became a hurricane of steel, turning blades aside left and right, as if they had been training together since birth. None of the Vanguard could get close enough to land a single blow. Then the two began to strike back, quick brutal strikes from Kattarina, coupled with slightly slower, but just as devestating blows from Garen, to the hands, arms and legs of the soldiers around them, knocking them to the ground, wounding them, but never killing them.

Within a few minutes, Garen and Kattarina were the only two left standing. Those soldiers who weren't unconsious, very wisely didn't try to stand. Kattarina had a flushed look on her face, and was breathing as if she had just finished the most exhilerating dance of her life. "That was fun!" She smiled to Garen.

Garen flashed a supprising smile of his own, "It has been a long time since I fought like that. Now let's get out of here before..."

"Not so fast Traitor!" A voice sounded from behind them. Turning, the two saw Poppy standing at the base of the stairs, leaning heavily on her recoverd hammer. "You won't escape that easily."

Kattarina simply laughed, understanding why the Yordle was putting on such a performance, while Garen replied, "Stand down Poppy. You can barely stand as it is, and I have no desire to kill you."

A new voice appeared from the exit. "On the contrary, I will kill you, traitor." Garen and Kattarina turned to see who the new comer was, and Garen quietly cursed under his breath. Shyvanna stood in the doorway, sillouetted by the moonlight. Rage and fire burning in her eyes, "Garen Crownguard. You are hearby found guilty of High Treason, aiding a Noxian, and attacking both Demacian soldiers and an Ambassador. And by order of his majesty Prince Jarvan IV of Demacia, You are sentenced to Death."

Garen turned to Kattarina, "Well, so much for the 'cut and run' plan. Stay inside, it will limit Shyvanna's combat capablilities, at least a bit." Turning back to the Half Dragon in front of him, Garen took up his combat stance. "I have no intention of killing you Shyvanna, but I will see this through to the end, no matter who stands in my way."

Shyvanna smirked, "If you don't want to kill me, you'll only make my job that much easier." With that, she thrust her hands forward, conjuring a fireball and flung it at Garen.

Garen couldn't believe that Shyvanna would be so foolish as to use her full abilities in a public building, and his supprise almost cost him. Kattarina however, was fast enough to pull Garen aside as the fireblast flew through the space his head had occupied not two seconds before, and instead ran into Poppy's chest, blasting the shocked Yordle off her feet and literally through the wall behind her.

"Poppy!" Garen shouted. Rage flowed through his veins at Shyvanna's foolishness, and at seeing one of his best friends and only remaining allies fall. Turning back to the Half Dragon, he gripped his sword, and charged.

Shyvanna blinked in supprise, as Garen seemed to blur as he moved. She had seen him fight, of course, and had trained alongside him on several occasions, but she had never seen him this angry. She had only a brief moment to realize what had happend to Poppy before the man was on her, raining blow after blow down at her.

It was the single hardest fight of her life, she realized with a shock. The man before her was more like a force of nature than any warrior she had ever fought. Dodging, blocking and just trying to stay standing, it took a few moments for her to realize he was shouting at her as well.

"You Stupid! Ignorant! Arrogant! Foolish! Brat!" Garen shouted, emphisizing each word with a sword strike. "Useing Dragon's Fire in a public building! With civilians still here! And with injured allies all around you!" He increased the pace of his attacks once more. "You want to kill me Shyvanna?" he asked, "Fine, here's your chance. Take it if you can."

Shyvanna leaped backwards, back through the door and out into the open night, putting as much space between her and the enraged man. As Garen rushed after her, she lunged forward once more, changing as she did. By the time she barreld head first into him, Shyvanna had taken on the form of her inner dragon.

The beast hit Garen like a hammer the size of a building, flinging him back through the wall of the inn. Rising swiftly, Garen looked around for Kattarina, but couldn't see her. Choosing to trust his instincts rather than call out to her, he leaped back through the fresh hole he had recently made bringing his sword up in time to catch Shyvanna's claws in a blocking strike. The dragon reared back to once more strike at him, this time with all her might and size behind it. Garen dove to the left, coming up beside her and inside of her reach. He brought his sword in to stab at her head, glancing the strike off of the horn that curled over the eye.

Over and over Shyvanna turned, attempting to smash Garen into the dirt, and again and again, Garen dodged aside and retaliated. As Garen continued to evade her, her rage grew grater and greater, finally, she let loose a bellowing roar, causing fire to erupt all around her and flinging Garen away, too land and then skid almost fifteen feet.

Shyvanna loomed over him, flame dripping from her jaws and smoke wreathing her form. "I guess I win. Traitor." She growled, raising a massive claw to strike a killing blow.

Kattarina suddenly appeared on the dragon's back, stabbing her twin blades into the her back. Shyvanna roared in fury and bucked, throwing the Noxian aside just in time to see Garen rise, sword aglow. Leaping forward, Garen stabbed his blade into Shyvanna's chest, and called upon the Might his country had bestowed upon him years ago. A massive golden blade appeared in the air above Shyvanna, smashing itself down onto her back. As the dust settled, Garen stood over the now broken body of the Half Dragon, breathing hard. "Stupid girl." He muttered, before turning to make his way over to Kattarina, offering his hand. "Come on, we need to make sure Poppy's ok, and then get the hell out of here."

Kattarina said nothing, still winded from being thrown several yards from the back of an angry dragon, but nodded all the same.

Fiora Laurent stared at the remnants of the battlefield with honest amazment, according to the soldiers who had maintained consiecsness, it had been a battle that would envy most wars. Moving over to where the military healers were tending to the two fallen Champions, she knelt beside Poppy, "What 'append Poppy?"

The Yordle coughed a little bit, "Well, it happened pretty much like you see it, I confirmed what we already knew, and then got beaten, by the time I was back on my feet, the rest of my unit was down, and Shyvanna was at the entrance of the inn. She tried to blast Garen with fire, but missed and took me out of the fight completly. By the time I came too, Garen and the Noxian were already gone. How's Shyvanna?" She asked, looking at the man tending to her scorched wound.

The healer glanced aside towards where the Half Dragon lay, "Honestly mam, we're not sure. She is alive for now, but that could change at any time. We were lucky to reach her when we did, or she would have been dead by now."

Fiora glanced back to Poppy, "You confirmed everything?" A nod from the Yordle brought a grim smile, "Zen I shall inform ze others. recover swfitly, my little friend. We shall need you before ze end." She rose and turned to leave.

"Wait," Poppy said, Fiora turned back, raising an eyebrow. "Can you leave us for a moment healer? I have very confidential information that must be told only to Fiora," The man nodded once and rose, shuffleing over to help try to heal Shyvanna. Fiora knelt once more, curiosity etched on her face. "Garen gave me a message to get to Luxanna, but, given my present condition, I'm not going to be able to fufill that request."

Fiora nodded, "I understand. Tell me, and ze Crownguard girl will know."

Many miles had passed since the battle with Shyvanna, and Garen hadn't said a word. Kattarina glanced back over her shoulder to the man sitting in the back of the cart, staring at the sword that had struck the Half Dragon down. "You ok?"

Garen glanced back, "I suppose I'm just... unsure. Unsure of who I am anymore."

"Care to elaborate on that? I mean we both know who you are."

"Do we? I am a traitor to the nation that I swore my life to protect, that I have killed to protect. I just fought one of my oldest friends, possibly killed her, and I'm now fleeing my homeland to seek shelter under the wing of the one nation I swore to defeat."

Kattarina turned to face forward once more, "Well when you put it like that... you still sound like an idiot. Regardless of circomstances, you are the Might of Demacia. Nothing is ever going to change that. You still fight for your home, even when the entire nation is arrayed against you, you still try to do what you feel is right, and best for Demacia. A lesser man would have broken in that prison. You used it to focus yourself. You even took the time to worry about the lives of your men, even while they were trying to kill you. Now stop moping around feeling sorry for yourself and get your ass up here. It's your turn to drive."

Garen smiled as he climbed over the seat to take his place, "Thanks Kat."

The man known to the crew as Jay hauled on the line with the rest of the team. It felt good too be up and doing something productive, even if the men still looked at him in confusion. Tying the line down, he moved back and let the team continue on as he stopped and just breathed the sea air.

"I still say ye not be needin' ta work like this J lad," Gangplank said as he made his way over to the amnesic man. "Me crew could get along just fine ifin' ye were to take the rest o' tha day off."

"Perhaps captain," Jay replied, "But I feel so useless just sitting in that bunk all day. I can't remember anything. Not my name, not my home, nothing. The work helps me to ignore the giant hole where my memory should be. And besides," He grined, "I think I'm finally getting the hang of it."

"Ay lad, that ye are." The captain flashed a toothy grin as well. "All tha' same, I think ye'd be better off not bein' up an' about on deck when we pass the international line. Trust me, twood cause some... interestin' questions ta be asked, should we be stopped by a Demacian ship. I been hearin' some strange rumors floatin' about from Demacia right now. Best to avoid any o' tha' trouble if we can."

Jay sighed, "Very well captain, I shall make my way below decks then. perhaps I can be of use in the cargo hold." He then turned on his heel and made his way down.

As Jay made his way out of sight, Gangplank breathed a small sigh of his own, "I really hope Sorakka can help ye lad," He said to himself, "Otherwise what's comin' next is gonna be neigh impossible." Turning, he made his way up to the ship's Captain's Cabin, locking the door once he was inside. "Ye failed te mention the lad would forget everythin when ye asked me to pick 'im up Ol' Zil."

Floating in the center of the cabin, Zillian opened his eyes and fixed the pirate with ancient eyes. "I did not think it would happen, the blast I set off was only supposed to mask his escape, not throw him into the bloody bay! He must have been too close to the bomb when it went off. I amit that I miscalculated, but we must not give up. He needs his memories back."

"I'm workin on it old man." Gangplank snapped, "It's hard enough bein' in Demacian waters without gettin' arrested."

Zillian smiled a small bit, "Then I shall help," closing his eyes, the Chronomancer raised his hands and began to glow. "I have sped up the passage of time around your ship, you should be able to make it to the mouth of the Serpentine River by nightfall now. I'll need to rest after that."

The pirate captain grinned once more, "Then I'd better get out there an' kick me men to work."