Desperate Times

a League of Legends fanfic

Chapter 11: Mustering for War

-The Ionian Coast-

The Deadpool sat anchored in the ocean not far from the Ionian coast. A massive shark circled in the waters nearby, and most of the crew stood ready on deck as their Captain's guests spoke in his cabin.

"So, allow me to clarify, if only for my own sake." Said Yi, the Wuju Blademaster, "You wish to invade the Demacian palace, find your impostor, and potentially kill her. In broad daylight. With all the world watching. Is that about correct?"

Jarvan Lightshield IV stood at the head of the table, looking at those that had gathered at his request. "That's correct." He said, "The world currently thinks that LeBlanc is me. If I am to reclaim my kingdom, it will need to be with the whole world watching, so that all will see her deception for what it really is."

A laugh sounded from the prince's right, "Sounds like it'll be a good fight." Fizz said, smiling. "I'm in."

The woman standing across the table from Jarvan shook her head sadly. "Unfortunately, Ionia as a nation cannot afford to become involved in this. It is much too politically dangerous for our nation."

Jarvan nodded, "I understand lady Karma. You must of course see to the needs of your people. And honestly, Ionia has already helped me far more than I deserved."

"Ionia may not be able to help you, but I am simply a warrior monk who lives here, and happens to represent the nation in the League." Master Yi spoke up, causing Karma to smile. "I'll aid you Jarvan."

"And of course, you shall have my aid. It is my responsibility to help you, after all, I'm more or less the reason you are in this situation in the first place."

"Thank you Zilean." Jarvan nodded.

At this, another voice piped up, "Well if Si-fu Yi is going, then I'm in too!" A large, almost six foot tall monkey stepped up to the table. "You're going to need someone to help punch through the Demacian soldiers. And I'm the best there is for that."

Yi smiled and nodded, "I'll be expecting you to show me how you have improved my old student."

Wukong grinned widely and saluted, clasping his clenched fist under an open palm. "Of course Master."

Jarvan smiled widely. Truly, he was blessed to have such friends. "Thank you Wukong, Master Yi. I hope the battle lives up to your expectations." He chuckled lightly, and the others gathered in. "Now the only difficulty lies in getting to the palace. We'll have the advantage of the Deadpool up until we make it to port, but once we're on land, we'll have to go street by street."

"Well, tha' 'Pool could lay down supporting fire." Gangplank said with a bloodthirsty grin. "That'd certainly keep our road clear."

Jarvan shook his head. "It would also put the civilians at more risk. Not to mention reduce several neighborhoods to rubble. No captain, I'm sorry, I want to save my country, not demolish it." Gangplank shrugged, but nodded all the same.

"We'll also have another problem." Yi spoke up, holding up a newspaper from the Institute of War. "Something's got LeBlanc spooked. She raised the War Shield a few days ago, as if she were preparing the nation for an all out invasion."

Jarvan took the paper from him, reading it briefly. "Hmm... If we assume that it isn't me that she's worried about..." He grinned wolfishly, "This could work to our advantage." The others simply blinked at him, obviously waiting for him to explain. "The War Shield is a 'last resort' weapon in Demacia's arsenal." He began, the knowledge awakening in his mind as if he hadn't spent the last several months with no memories. "It is historically impenetrable, but it works both ways. The army cannot leave the nation while the Shield is in place. There are ways for individual people to leave magically, in case someone like myself were needed at the Institute for diplomatic reasons. However, this means that Le'Blanc is expecting an attack to come. And soon. It also means that the Summoner's Council will become aware of her movements."

The others stared at him for a few seconds, clearly surprised at the sudden clarity of his memory. It was Gangplank that finally broke the silence, "Alrigh'. But how does tha' help us?"

"For that, captain, we're going to need to make a detour." Gangplank raised an eyebrow curiously. "Either to your home of Bilgewater, or somewhere that you know a very good information broker. We need to know who it is that has Le'Blanc on the defensive."

Karma finally spoke up, "I suppose that will be my cue to take my leave. I expect that time is of the essence, and you will no doubt wish to depart immediately." She beckoned to several others in the cabin to join her before turning to Jarvan. "I wish you good fortune young Lightshield." She bowed, "I look forward to reading of your coming exploits."

Jarvan stepped around the table to stand in front of her, "I owe a great deal to Ionia Lady Karma." He said with a bow of his own, "If ever you need anything, you need only ask, and I will move mountains to provide aid."

Karma suddenly stepped forward and embraced the young prince in a warm, motherly hug. "Kindness towards a friend in need needs no repayment." She said with a smile, "I am sure that you will have the chance to pass along this kindness in your own turn soon."

With that, she stepped back, and nodded to a mage to her left. The man intoned an incantation, beginning a teleportation spell and returning her and her enterage back to Ionian soil.

Jarvan turned back to his gathered allies. "Captain, I'll leave our destination to you. Where has the best info broker to get us what we need?"

Gangplank tapped his chin in thought for a few moments. "At this point... I'd say Zaun. It be closer to Demacia than Bilgewater, an' Zerhid is surprisingly good at his job by all accounts."

Jarvan nodded, "Alright. Lady Karma was correct, time is crucial. How soon can we depart?"

The captain grinned widely, walking to the door, patting Jarvan on the shoulder along the way. As he left the room, his roaring voice sounded, calling his men to action. The rest of the gathered champions soon felt the telltale jerk of the main-sails catching the wind and pulling the ship into motion.

Jarvan turned to Zilean. "I know you did something to help speed our escape from Demacian waters on our way here." The Chronomancer nodded, "Can you help once again in getting us to Zaun?"

"Of course my friend." Zilean too made his way out of the cabin and onto the deck.

That left Jarvan with Fizz, Wukong and Yi. "Im going to go and help the crew," The prince said, "Not much other call for a warrior to fill right now."

Yi nodded, "Wukong and I will join you."

"We will?" The large monkey looked slightly surprised.

"Yes. Think of this as additional training."

"Oh, then yeah, we will." Wukong thumped a fist to his chest as a very large smile split his face.

"I'm no good with all that rigging," Fizz said, "Besides, Chomper's probably getting hungry. I'll meet you guys in Zaun."

The three of them made their way out of the cabin, leaving Jarvan alone for a few moments with his thoughts. Turning back to the table, he once more picked up the newspaper, reading it over once again. "Who are you so afraid of Le'Blanc?" He asked the empty room, "Who else knows of your deceptions?"

-Above Noxus-

Garen took a few moments to acclimate himself to the extreme strangeness of the situation. He was currently seated at a massive stone table alongside Katarina Du Couteau, his own sister Lux, Jericho Swain, Galio, and Syndra. And all of them were currently several hundred meters airborne, in Syndra's massive floating palace. Finally, after several moments of thinking, all he could do was chuckle, drawing several odd looks from the others around him.

"Would you like to share what you find so funny Sir Crownguard?" Syndra asked, frowning.

"I'm sorry," He said, still chuckling, "It's just that there is more wrong with the world than I first thought if this sort of gathering is actually taking place." At his words, Swain simply nodded, while Katarina actively laughed. "At no point, in any of our lives up till now, would any of us have thought that we'd actually find ourselves needing each other's help."

Syndra's cheek twitched as her expression darkened. "Hilarious." She said, clearly not entertained, "Now then, if we can get back to the topic at hand." She gestured to the large map laid out on the table. "I can destroy the War Shield." She said simply, "After that, I will drop a small strike team into the Demacian capital district. From there, it will be up to you to find Le'Blanc and drag her into the light."

"Wait... how do you plan to destroy the War Shield?" Asked Lux, "That thing was designed to be indestructible!"

Syndra simply smirked. "Nothing is unbreakable. And the power that you have witnessed me display at the League is but a fraction of my full potential. The Summoners placed a limiter on my powers while on the Rift. But out here, I can unleash my full power."

Lux sat back down, a slightly terrified look in her eyes. Garen then spoke up. "Alright, fine, let's say that you do break the unbreakable shield. Who all will be the Strike team, and how exactly do you plan to 'drop them' right in the capital district?"

This time it was Swain's turn to speak, "I have been giving that some thought." He said, rising from his seat, "Obviously, our three Demacian friends will comprise the core of the strike team, it is their nation after all. Beyond that, I would like General Du Couteau and General Darius to accompany you." He said turning to face Garen, "They represent the best that Noxus has to offer. Meanwhile, I shall arrange a suitable distraction for the Demacian military, so that your path to the palace is more or less clear."

Garen felt a chill crawl up his spine. Kat, he was fine with, he knew that she would help him through to the end of this. Darius was another matter. The man was dangerous, and this plan would put him right in the middle of Demacia, while it's military was out of commission. The damage could end up being catastrophic. But in this scenario, he had no other options. Finally, he nodded, "Fine. But I want your word that you'll minimize the damage to Demacia as best you can. I'm doing this to save my country, not serve it to you on a silver platter."

Swain's cheeks rose in his version of a smile. "Very well Sir Crownguard. You have my word."

The words only served to make Garen more nervous, but he forced himself to nod once more.

"As to how you'll be getting to the capital district," Syndra once more spoke up, grinning wickedly "You just let me handle that."

-Demacian Throne Room-

Demacia's military leaders were all gathered, the preparations for the battle that they could feel coming were going well. Prince Jarvan sat at the head of the war table, gazing down at the troop deployments, his mind flashing through different possibilities. "We cannot rule out the disturbing possibility that Swain may actually have something to break the War Shield." He finally spoke, quieting the others with the severity in his voice.

The others, generals, advisers, and several League champions, all glanced to one another nervously. Something that could break the indestructible War Shield? Did such a weapon even exist? Poppy decided to be the one to finally break the silence. "Then what Your grace? What is the goal of this battle?"

"I would have thought that would be obvious Ambassador." The prince said darkly, "Noxus wishes to conquer us, the Institute be damned. Or have you forgotten the events of the past several months?"

The yordle shook her head, "I'm sorry your majesty, but that doesn't make any sense. We are operating under the assumption that General Crownguard was somehow a Noxian spy working undercover, yes?" The others around her nodded, "Then why would they risk his cover the way that they apparently did? I'm sorry, but if Garen had wanted to assassinate you, he had several thousand opportunities to do so infinity more subtly than a bombing." That caused several people to pause in thought, "I'm sorry your grace, but this whole scenario doesn't feel right. There's something at play here that we are not seeing."

Behind her mask, Le'Blanc froze. Did the yordle know? Had she made some sort of mistake in her act? No. Impossible. Regaining her composure, she spoke with as much authority as she could muster, "Of course there is more going on than what is obvious. Our opponent is Jericho Swain. The man has contingencies for when his contingencies fail. However, I assure you, my agents intelligence is reliable. Swain is planning to conquer Demacia."

Poppy frowned, but inside her own mind she was beaming. It had been subtle, but she had seen it. That nearly imperceptible pause in Jarvan's speech, the equally small and unnoticeable twitching that indicated nervousness. She had struck a nerve, apparently one very close to the mark. She decided to let it go for the day, the other champions in attendance would have seen it as well, which would help her case when she gathered them after this meeting.

The war counsil dragged on and on, the various generals and advisers each retreading the same topics again, and again, each repeating the other's assurances, and each coming to the same eventual conclusion: 'We have no actual idea what Noxus could be planning, so we have no idea how to prepare in this scenario.'

Finally, Jarvan dismissed them all and left the assembly through a small back door. As the others began to file out, Poppy caught up to the various champions that had been at the meeting. With each of them, except for Shyvana, she asked them to meet her at a small bar in the middle city.

Two hours later, Xin Xhao, Scout Captain Quinn, Fiora Laurent, and Poppy all sat around a table, waiting on one final late-comer.

"This had better be good Poppy." Said Quinn. "This whole meeting has the feeling of treachery to it. And I need to get my scouts deployed."

"How iz zis treachery?" Asked Fiora, as a server approached their table, with drinks. "We are simply comrades in arms, drinking one final toast togezer before battle." She held up her drink in a toast. "And besidez. If zis meeting ends up being vith whom I suspect it iz, zen it will be most worth it indeed."

"You are, as usual, correct Laurent." A voice said from the door. Shauna Vayne stepped into the bar, nodding to the server to bring her a drink before sitting down at the table. "Your rats have been very busy. I'm glad you set me on them."

"Vayne? What is this about?" Xin Xhao looked nervous at the sudden appearance of the Night Haunter.

Vayne accepted the drink from the server, took a swig, and then tossed an item onto the table between the other champions. "I trust you all recognize that."

Xin Xhao and Quinn both nodded, sitting on the table was a pendent identical to the one that had been found on Garen Crownguard the night of his arrest. "So it's a badge that a traitor had." Quinn said, "So what?"

"It belongs to the Black Rose." Vayne took another drink before continuing. "Long Story made short, The Black Rose is an old, OLD, Noxian cult that used to more or less run the political scene over there before before the military took over."

Xin's eyes narrowed, "So you are saying that General Crownguard was a cult member?"

"No." Vayne shook her head, "Garen has nothing to do with this. And yes," She said, cutting off Quinn, who was about to say something, "I am getting to the why and how in a moment. Apparently, the Black Rose got more or less forced out of Noxus by the military, and by Jericho Swain in particular. So they moved and set up shop here in Demacia. Now here's the big kicker, want to know who is in charge of the Black Rose?" The other's leaned in to better hear her. "Le'Blanc, the Illusionist League Champion."

Everyone gathered blinked in surprise, the pieces of the puzzle suddenly beginning to fall into place. "Wait..." Quinn asked finally, "If Garen had nothing to do with this cult, then how did he have the badge? And come to think of it, how do you suddenly know all of this?"

Vayne smiled wickedly. "Several months ago, right after Shyvana got injured by Garen during his escape, Fiora here came to me and asked for my help. She said that something 'dark' had taken root in Demacia, but she didn't know what or where. It took me longer than I expected, but over the next few months, I carefully investigated. About a week ago, I found one of their safe houses. I have spent the last few days have a very in depth conversation with that safe house's leader." The smile that she gave sent shivers down the spines of everyone gathered. "He was most forthcoming after a while."

"You mean you tortured him." Xin said, the disgust evident in his voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry Xin. Did I hurt your delicate feelings with how I treated the scum that tried to bomb Prince Jarvan to dust?" Vayne spat, "You know better than most that this world isn't a very nice place. And besides, say what you will, my way get's results." She took a moment to calm herself again before continuing. "Anyways, my new cultist friend told me that the Black Rose was behind the attack on Jarvan. But something went wrong during the attack, there wasn't supposed to be an explosion as far as he had been informed. But while the attack didn't go as planned, the cult leadership was able to turn the situation to their advantage. They cleared their tracks expertly, and left one of their badges at the scene. Meanwhile, they somehow gained influence over Jarvan while he was still unconscious, and then after he awoke, sent him after the badge. Telling him that the one with the badge was the one who tried to kill him."

Xin couldn't believe how masterfully the Black Rose had maneuvered the nation, the final pieces of the puzzle finally falling into place. "And Garen, who had been investigating the bombing with the tenacity that he is famous for, became the cult's ultimate patsy..." He finished, "Unbelievable..."

Finally Poppy spoke up, "And the cult has had us chasing after their one loose end for the last seven months. You can be sure that Garen has put all of the pieces together by now as well. This 'attack' that Prince Jarvan is so worried about isn't a Noxian invasion. Most likely, it's Garen's counter-play."

Quinn nodded. "Alright, let's look at what we know. We know that the Black Rose somehow has influence over Jarvan, we know that Garen is in Noxus, and we know that Jarvan is expecting a Noxian attack soon."

"We know more zen zat." Fiora spoke up, "We also know zat Luxxana Crownguard is more zen likely with her brother by now. And we know zat ze Black Rose also has some measure of influence over Shyvana as well."

"How do we know that?" Asked Xin.

"Fiora and I have known about Shyvana for a while now." Poppy explained, "The cult got to her somehow right after Garen escaped, most likely. They're essentially using her as a large, metal-clad bloodhound. That's why she's been so intent on murdering Garen since the beginning. We also know one other thing."

"Oh?" Quinn's eyebrow rose curiously, "What's that?"

"We know that Galio, who has been magically barred from entering the palace since the bombing for some reason, left months ago to see a... 'specialist'."

Everyone present exchanged a nervous glance. After a moment, Vayne spoke up. "What kind of a specialist?"

I am so sorry for the really long time lag between updates guys. It's been a hectic few months. I should hopfully get my life back on track soon, and get some more chapters out not long after that. Until then, thank you so much for your patience. :)