Author's Note

Here we go! Plot twists and conclusions incoming! On a side note: I finally got a second LoL account and posted this story on the NA forums! Yay! But, now...have fun!

Chapter 12

‟Curse me, hate me, hurt me, kill me!"

Riven awoke with a loud scream. She breathed heavily. Terrible nightmares had hunted her during her blackout. She still saw a blood stained Diana lying on the ground and a Noxian crow which feasted on Diana's flesh. Riven herself was slowly taken away by some artificial beings resembling a combination of the Piltovian robots and Orianna. They tied her up before they started to torture her. The point at which she finally awoke.

Sweat ran down her face, while she tried to get a grip on the reality. She closed her eyes again and took a few deep breaths. Finally, she calmed down a bit. Her mind was a complete mess, and her head felt like a whole company marched over her.

She tried to realize where she was and blinked a few times. It stayed dark around her. ‟What the fuck?", she exclaimed. She tried to move her hands, but they were bound together with a strong iron chain. Riven looked around, but she didn't see anything only complete darkness. The panic about suffocating and being buried alive grew inside of her, as she tried to break free. As she tried to move around, she hit the walls of her small prison. It felt like a..coffin, which didn't help much to calm down.

She looked around her and as her eyes finally started to adjust to the low light conditions she spotted some small holes on the left and right side of her small prison. A bit of light came into the inside of the coffin. 'Okay..okay...at least I can't suffocate right now', she thought and took a few deep breaths.

Her hands still shook in fear and panic. ‟Calm down..calm down...fucking calm down already!", she exclaimed to herself. Riven tried to remember her training. 'Focus...focus...', she thought. She forced herself to push out any fear, and any other useless emotion and concentrated on the essential right now.

Slowly she organized her thoughts which stormed in her head. Then she started to remember, what happened back then. Some thugs or something like this, got into their hotel room, they had punched Diana and herself and had given them a hard time. The last thing she remembered was a bright flash and a hit which knocked her out.

'So, I'm captured?', Riven thought and moved around a bit. She felt movement under her, they were obviously moving. 'Well, who are my kidnapper anyway? And where they take me?', Riven asked herself. She moved her tied up hands and felt the material of the coffin. Massive wood, without any space to move unbreakable.

'Maybe I can get a glimpse...' Riven nearly cricked her neck, as she tried to spy out of one of the holes. What she saw let her sigh in frustration. They were obviously in some industrial area of some city state. She spotted some giant chimneys and industrial smog hung in the air. She heard mumbling in the distance and a loud voice which yelled something.

‟Mundo wants this little thing for researching!"

‟But, doctor..she was sentenced to death!", Riven heard another man saying.

‟Mundo don't care! Give her to me, or I cleave you to death!"

‟Alright..alright", the other man said. Riven heard the sound of a whimpering girl and laughing of Mundo.

'Fuck...', Riven thought as she realized WHERE she was. Zaun. She knew about Dr. Mundo the mad scientist. He was a champion of the League and fought for both Zaun and Noxus. She was in the middle of her most hated enemy, captured in a coffin. She felt like screaming. Every vein of her body, wanted to kill these mad scientists, which were the cause of thousands of deaths.

But, as fast as this feeling had come, it was gone again. Replaced by helplessness. This was the second time in her entire life, where she felt like this. The first time it occurred during the assault in Ionia. She couldn't escape, she couldn't do anything right now, she was imprisoned like a wild animal in some sort of zoo...and she didn't know what happened to Diana.

'I hope she's okay...', Riven thought. But, her mind already started to paint pictures of her death. She remembered her nightmares. She crunched her teeth as she felt how tears ran down her cheeks. This could have been a perfect night, even though a bit embarrassing at the start. But, now it had turned into a living nightmare. 'She made it...she made it..she made it...she's a tough girl', Riven continued to repeat her mantra and closed her eyes again.

Suddenly the movement stopped. She heard voices from the outside and felt how her coffin was picked up. She was instantly back at the little hole and spied outside. They passed some sort of warehouse, or at least it looked like this with crates and barrels standing around everywhere.

‟Get her to her prison cell for now. I will...soon take care of her", a metallic and unnatural voice said.

'At least the don't try to kill me...for now', Riven thought. She heard how the men who carried her coffin, grunted. The movement of her prison was..unstable, like they walked down a staircase or something like this. Then she heard the squealing sound of a bad oiled iron gate, before somebody opened her coffin.

The sudden bright light, let her close her eyes in reflex. She felt hands on her arms, before she flew through the air and hit the ground hard. She moaned in pain and blinked multiple times. ‟I take care of her", she heard one woman.

‟Alright. I leave her blade here then. If she does something stupid use this one here. The boss doesn't want her to get hurt", a man said before he went back upstairs.

As the pain fainted and Riven started to see again, she looked around. She was in some sort of old fashioned prison. She was surrounded by big, high stone walls. Light fell into her cell, through one little window, high above her. She heard the noise of some people, so she wasn't very deep under the earth, nor far away from places where people usually went. Thick iron bars and a gate, dampened her to flee. There was not much in her cell, only a little wooden cot and a shabby linen blanket as well as a little tray with something to eat and drink.

She stretched her arms and legs and cracked her neck. At least a bit movement, even though her state didn't turn any better. Riven walked over to the tray and looked at the food. Nothing special, but better than she would have expected. Even though her mind told her not to eat nor drink, her headache and grumbling stomach told her otherwise. 'Huh...if they wanted to kill...they could have done it before', she thought and took the tray.

As she was finished with her small meal, she stood up and walked to the iron bars. One woman sat directly in front of her cell. She was a rather tall woman, black hair surrounded her face, which was mostly hidden by shadows. Her body was covered with a long mantle. Beside her stood a giant axe. She looked up.

‟So..you're awaken?", she said. Her voice was rather quiet and calm. Somehow Riven felt, that this attitude of hers could swap at any given moment.

‟I am. And I want to know...what do you want from me?", Riven asked. She forced herself to stay calm and looked to her. She spotted some sort of little flask on the table, as well as her sword.

‟I can't tell you. My job is to watch over you..nothing more. Our boss will take care of you", the woman answered and stood up. She had a terrible scar over her face, it nearly looked like it was cut in half. She stretched her arms and legs a bit.

‟Who is your boss? And...aren't anybody of you afraid, that the League will...interfere?" Riven knew, that this argument was somehow weak, but she didn't have anything else right now.

‟You will see soon. Oh, and we don't fear the wrath of the League..these walls here, protect us from the searching magic of the Institute. From this moment on...the summoners don't know where you are. You just disappeared", the woman answered and sat down again as she was finished with stretching his muscles.

Riven turned around from the iron bars and sighed quietly in frustration. Now it was up to Diana and the others to get her out of here. When they were..no. 'Don't think about it...focus on the stuff here', Riven thought.

‟You can't remember me...can you? How could you, when I'm such a disgusting figure..", the woman suddenly said. Riven turned around and looked at her for a moment.

‟I met you before?", she asked and went back to the bars. The woman stood up again and came closer to the iron bars.

‟Yes, you did. My name is Scarlet...party captain of 42nd standard..you remember now?", she said, and looked down on Riven, which thought about it for a moment. She examined the woman and her face, before she finally remembered.

‟I remember...you were promoted to captain in the same time as me. Your unit was the one, I should join up with Fury Company...", Riven replied. She and Scarlet were never really...close to each other. They had respected each other, but their different opinions about Noxus politics prevented anything beyond that.

‟Huh..so you do remember...", the woman said and laughed quietly. ‟Well, that's some nice meeting again."

‟What happened to you? And explain to me, what the hell is going on here!", Riven exclaimed.

‟Huh..let me get straight to the point. You still remember the Ionian war?"

‟Of course. How could I forget these terrible things?"

‟Alright. You wanted to know what happened to me? My unit was killed by melters", Scarlet answered and looked at Riven. Her facial expression was cold. ‟But, unlike you I didn't run away."

‟I didn't run away! How can you still believe in High Command and their allies, when they killed your unit?"

‟Because I swore an oath and I am a soldier of Noxus. If I had deserted, I would have become a traitor. And..unlike you I didn't build up a personal connection to my soldiers. They were my...tools for the job. Weak servants, not strong enough, to be an officer. I survived the assault. I proved to be strong enough to reach higher positions", Scarlet said.

Riven crunched her teeth. She wanted to punch this little bitch as hard as she can, just to let out her anger. It was true. She had built up a connection to her fellow comrades, even though she still acted cold as ice. She would have risked her neck, to safe one of them. Something Noxian officers didn't do very often.

'But, nevertheless, she's right in this matter...the instructor told us...the soldiers under us, are our tools', Riven thought. ‟I could never do this. I trained with them, I grew up with some of them...how could I just sacrifice them?", Riven asked.

‟You see..that is and always was the difference between us. You would try to save weaklings...lower humans. Only the strong prevail. If some of my soldiers would have survived the attack, he would have been a stronger man. But, they didn't. So, it's not a great loss. One scientist once said: It's survival of the fittest", Scarlet answered.

Riven crunched her teeth again and tried to keep calm, even though every vein and muscle in her body screamed to punch this heartless bitch of a soldier. ‟That's not right. Using chemical weaponry, and wasting the own soldiers like this ...that's not the true Noxian way", Riven replied.

‟Let's see...you're a traitor and I am a Noxian veteran and officer. How could someone like you..decide what is the Noxian way? Do YOU really think, that you know about the true way? It's just your misguided morals and emotions", she said.

‟Tse..and I couldn't believe you would get along with this moon lady bitch..she didn't offer much of a fight. You really fell in love with such a weakling? Pitiful...I wonder if she survived", Scarlet continued and awaited Riven's reaction.

Riven clenched her fists. She felt how a burning hatred grew inside of her. ‟Never..speak again like this. Otherwise...", Riven snarled.

‟You want to fight me again? Ha. I wasn't even there to capture you...the others told me you were not much of a problem either. I can't imagine why the boss has such a great interest in you", Scarlet said and laughed. ‟It looks like the League is a bunch of weaklings after all. I can't believe Noxus didn't start to invade all other countries."

‟The League is far more powerful than you think..", Riven replied. ‟But, you aren't normal soldiers are you? A normal human couldn't kick me and Diana through a whole room." She tried to control the anger and hatred and keep on focusing on important stuff, but it was a rather useless attempt as she felt how her hands were shaking.

‟Ha..now you're getting curious, huh?", Scarlet asked. ‟But, I'll show you...the next step of evolution."

Scarlet slowly dropped her long mantle on the ground, like she wanted to present herself as good as she could. She wore a silver shimmering piece of tight plate armor, a rather unusual color in Noxus armies, as they mostly preferred green and red. But, that was not all. At some spots, Riven spotted some hextech devises, like on her arms and legs.

She remembered what Caitlyn said, about the stolen technology. ‟This is the..enhancement technology, right? So, it is true then...Zaun stole it from Piltover..and you are the ones who are using it...", she concluded.

‟You're a clever one, huh? Yes. Our boss used some mercenaries to steal this technology from Jayce, and used it on us. Noxian veteran soldiers. We were sent here by Swain himself. He has a great interest in this kind of technology. We are here to test it..", Scarlet smiled, ‟and it worked out pretty well. With this...Noxus will be the strongest faction of the entire continent! We will rule over this land and finally show these weak Demacians true strength!"

‟You don't understand the difference between pure power and true strength. That is what most Noxians have forgotten. All what counts nowadays is power and victories. ‟Forever strong" tse... ", Riven replied.

‟This here is only an improvement of my own strength. Like a medal for my deeds for the military. You don't understand anything at all, Riven", Scarlet said.

‟Or I understand more than you..."

‟You damn little..."

‟ENOUGH! Shut up! Both of you!" They heard footsteps which slowly came down the staircase. Another man stepped into Riven's sight. He wore the same kind of armor as Scarlet, but even without it he would be a bear of a man. ‟The master wants to see her! Get her out...and you", he pointed in Riven's direction, ‟if you try to flee I have the permission to break your legs."

Scarlet opened the door to her cell and grabbed her by her shoulders. Even though her grip was pretty harsh, Riven didn't show any sign of weakness or pain, for that she was too proud. The man grabbed her sword and they slowly left the cell blocks, back upstairs.

They walked through long corridors, and Riven got a glimpse into a few chambers. Most of them were some kind of labors, or medical departments. Or at least it looked liked this. The stench of different chemicals, and herbs hung in the air. Riven spotted other researchers and scientists, writing things down or making some experiments with strange tools of science . And nearly everywhere were these...soldiers. On their way Riven counted at least a dozen of them.

‟Here we are", the man said and opened another door to a medium sized room. In the middle stood some sort of table. Riven remembered them very well. They were used for operations and other...rather brutal 'medicine'. There was a desk, with reports and other medical tools like syringes and so on. Riven didn't feel very well, in this kind of rooms. ‟Put her on the table and fetter her."

Scarlet pushed her to the table, and with no other choice right now Riven laid down and let herself captivate. She couldn't move even a bit anymore. She swallowed for a moment as she felt something like...fear grew inside of her. 'This isn't good', she thought.

‟The boss will come any moment...Scarlet you wait here." The man left the room. Scarlet nodded and sat down on a chair, while she watched Riven. They both stayed silent for a moment.

Thoughts rushed through Riven's mind, as she thought about an escape plan. Without her weapon, this would be a useless attempt. Beside that these rather small corridors weren't her kind of environment for fighting and the plain fact that these...enhanced soldiers are a dangerous threat. Even though she was sure, she could handle some of them with the proper preparation...the problem stayed, that her weapon wasn't in reach.

Before she could continue to dwell on her thoughts the door was opened again and a person got into the room. Scarlet stood up and saluted before her. ‟Master...she's here and everything is ready", Scarlet said.

‟Good...very good", the person said with an unnatural voice and turned around to Riven. The person wore a long mantle, which hid most of the body and a metallic mask with a hood hid her face and hair.

‟Who are you? What do you want?", Riven asked. She forced herself yet again to stay calm and speak slowly and clearly.

‟How rude of me. I didn't even introduce myself properly...", the person said. The person took down the mask and threw back the hood.

‟You...but, how? Why?", Riven asked, her voice was shocked. The person had long blonde hair, and clear green eyes. She smiled at Riven. ‟Elena...what the...fuck?" It took her a moment to realize, which person she saw.

Elena didn't answer and instead came closer to the table. She stroke a strand of blond hair out of her face and then suddenly kissed Riven on the mouth. Riven herself pressed her lips together and avoided too much contact with Elena's lips and playful tongue. She tried to move away her head, looked to the left and right, but it was a rather useless attempt, as she couldn't move much anyway.

Scarlet looked away, her face showing something like a disgusted expression.

‟Hm..still sweet like a raspberry, Riven", Elena said and grinned. ‟Even though the first one was better..must be Diana huh? Well, that's a pity..."

‟Instead of doing stuff like this, you should explain things to me!", Riven exclaimed. She felt anger because of the forced kiss. But she tried her best, to stay as calm as she could. ‟What the hell is going on here? You were the one behind the thievery of the enhancement technology? You were the mastermind behind everything?" She trusted this person and to see her working in a Zaunite labor...she felt betrayed.

‟Well..from the beginning, Riven", Elena said and picked up a syringe. ‟I will take some blood from you...alright, let me start then."

Riven felt how the syringe penetrated her arm. She tried to relax. ‟From the start..you know..I was born in Zaun, with the gift of magic flowing through my veins. I was trained here, I lived here. And when I was sixteen years old, I started to work in one of Zaun's labors...as an assistant of Singed. You know him, right?"

‟How couldn't I? This bastard launched chemical attacks all over Ionia during the war", Riven replied, while Elena put away the syringe, filled with her blood.

‟Singed and I created this weaponry. When the war came, Noxus asked Zaun for help during their invasion. What could be better than a battlefield, to test out the newest inventions and weapons? So, Zaun gladly accepted this offer.

But, that's not all. During my time in Ionia, I started to think about improvements for the human bodies. I saw soldiers who would be crippled for their entire lives, I saw weakness. And I started to think about, how I could...crush these weakness. How could I start a new evolution?"

‟And?", Riven asked. She felt Elena's hands, which wandered over her body and breasts. Riven growled shortly. ‟Take your hands away. Stop touching me."

‟You would enjoy this far more, when this moon lady wouldn't be there", Elena sighed, but then continued: ‟Well, let just say at this point I didn't have any good idea. Instead I was still focusing on the chemical weaponry. I asked High Command and Singed for the permission, for an experiment for my new mixture."

‟No...that can't be...", Riven slowly said as she started to realize.

‟It's true. Your unit and Scarlet's unit...were killed by my mixture. I was the one who created the chemical weapons. Singed was the one who released it on your unit...but, it was me who created it", Elena replied.

‟You god damn bitch! I should kill you right now!", Riven yelled and tried to break free from her bonds. ‟I should burn down your whole fucking city!" Riven couldn't catch a clear thought anymore. All she felt was hatred. A pure, fiery hatred. Even a creature from the Shadow Isles would cover, when it felt her rage.

Elena didn't pay much attention to Riven's outburst and plainly said: ‟You can curse me, you can hate me..huh, if you could you could even kill me. But, right now you aren't in the right spot. You're just a prisoner...MY prisoner." She smiled at Riven before she continued: ‟The experiment was a great success! Everyone died...only two people survived, one disappeared and one came back even though Scarlet was pretty burned from the acid air. That surprised me and I started to do research from Scarlet's blood and body. You were both...atypical."

‟And..?", Riven asked with crunched teeth. She still fought with her bonds, but Scarlet did her job pretty well.

‟You know, it's a pain in the ass to research stuff, which were never done before. But, after years I could create the first improved soldier with the help of Scarlet's blood and special mixtures. But, it wasn't a great success. He died from side effects of the mixtures. At this point Zaun cut off my money, and I needed to stop my research. Well, as an exchange, they offered me a place in the League as a summoner."

‟And they didn't mind your past? Just saying...", Riven said.

‟Tse...it's rather easy to manipulate certain persons within the League. Even though the summoners try to make anyone believe that there are an all mighty faction, they aren't. They are just normal humans, like everyone else. With a bit of...seduction, promises, my magic, and the help from some Zaun summoners, entering the League was a piece of cake.

Since then, I was only a summoner among summoners...until the day when you joined the League. I instantly remembered you and insisted to be there, when you enter the Halls of Reflection. After I saw your past, I was sure: You were the other surviving officer. I started my research again, and became your summoner", Elena explained to her.

‟And then? How could you hide your traces so well?", Riven asked, between crunched teeth. She felt how the leather of the bonds pressed against her skin, leaving red marks as she still fought them.

‟We're allowed to leave the Institute at certain times. Besides...I'm not a novice summoner like the rest of them. Zaun's best magicians trained me! I've made them believe I was elsewhere...and some of the official summoners of Zaun, helped me doing it. You know it best, Riven...neither Noxus nor Zaun accept the League. Right now, both factions haven't the power to stand against it, but the time will come."

‟And the rest? You hired the mercenaries to steal the technology from Jayce...how did you know about it anyway?" While she spoke, Elena looked into the blood which she had filled into a little flask.

‟I knew about it, because I looked into his head during one match. You can block out summoners from your secret thoughts, but Jayce..huh..he's a scientist and a womanizer. It was...easy for me to attract his attention. So why would he block me out?", Elena grinned and shook the blood a bit.

‟After that I hired mercenaries for two things. The first was to steal the technology, the second...the incident on your ferry. Luckily, at this point Zaun started to pay me again in secret, as the High Command of Noxus and Zaunites scientists showed great interest in this enhancement technology. "

‟So, it's true that they were mercenaries. For what?"

‟They placed a sensor within your backpack. So my improved soldiers could easily track you down. After your arriving in Piltover, we captured you in the hotel. Any means of transportation was booked out by me, so you couldn't leave the city. Everything was set up", Elena explained.

‟And why the whole sword summoning process? Why do you need me anyway?", Riven asked and crunched her teeth. That was an flood of information for her. She tried to memorize everything, what she heard now. It would be helpful, when she got back to the League. If she got back to it.

‟I needed you at full strength. So, I started working on it. The Ionian thing blew up the original plan, but that was just a side effect. Luckily you were able to summon it on the ferry. Why, I need you? I started to believe your blood is somehow stronger than Scarlet's. You have a greater resistance than her...of course I needed you for tests then."

‟Do you really think that? I was burned too, I got ill for a few days too", Riven replied.

‟Scarlet needed to lay in one of the military hospitals for weeks", Elena answered plainly.

'Well, that's surprising', Riven thought, and looked over to Scarlet, which just glared back. Hatred burned in her eyes. ‟And..what about the love thing?"

‟Oh, and the love thing. Well, can't explain it. One part was played, the other one was real love. Yes, it's true. I somehow fell in love with you. But, it would be better for me, when this moon bitch didn't interfere, with her feelings. But, well...right now it doesn't matter", Elena said and laughed quietly.

‟Get her back to the cell, Scarlet. We're ready for today. Tomorrow she will be fighting", Elena said and Scarlet stepped closer. Riven didn't show any resistance. Before they left, Elena gave her another kiss on the cheek, then Scarlet escorted her back to the cell.

While on their way Riven, thought about what she heard. Elena wasn't only a traitor to the League, but also a dangerous enemy to the unstable peace of Valoran. 'But, like Vi said...Noxus and Zaun will cut off any binding with her, if this information get public. Besides...the League wouldn't stand in a good light, when everyone knows, that there was a traitor summoner within their rows...shit.'

Scarlet threw her into her cell and slammed the iron gate behind her. Riven felt like she was angry about something. ‟Elena is mine. If you try anything stupid with her, I will kill you right where you stand...have I made myself clear enough?", Scarlet growled.

‟I don't want anything from here. So, I don't care about it", Riven replied, while she rubbed her back. ‟No emotions..my ass." Riven bit on her tongue. She should watch it, at least for now. Even though she felt more hatred and rage than ever before.

‟Shut up you piece of shit! Elena made me stronger and patched me up after I survived the incident. If she would be a Noxian..she would sit on a throne as a Noxian king. No High Command, no emissaries, no weak aristocrats. A king Noxian citizen could believe in. To be honest...you're right in one point. Noxus High Command is weak and corrupt. They bow before the lower humans of the League! But, not for long anymore..", Scarlet snarled at her, before she turned around and left the cells.

Riven was finally alone. She took a few deep breaths and looked up to the window. She saw a part of the moon and the stars. Riven felt how her hatred and anger was replaced by sadness and the feeling of being helpless. Captured like an animal in a cage, sentenced to death when she loses her use, what could be any moment when Elena got behind the secrets of her blood.

She fell on her knees and started to sob quietly. She had failed everyone...again. She wasn't able to rebuild Noxus, she wasn't able to avenge her fallen comrades...nor was she able to...protect Diana and be with here. ‟Again...and again...", she said quietly said and looked over her shoulder. Her sword was still lying on the table, so close, but out of reach.

These were the times, when she asked herself, why she didn't die back then. She remembered Diana's speech about destiny. She remembered the words of the summoner. 'Never lose hope...easier to say, than to do it', she thought and clenched her fists.

‟They will not break me..I will not die. Not here! Not like a prisoner!", she exclaimed. Riven looked up to the moon, her voice softened as she spoke: ‟Diana...I believe in you...you are my last hope...this time..I cannot save myself...I cannot break free..."

Riven laid down on the wooden cot and grabbed the blanket of linen. Suddenly she remembered the fairy tale. She grinned sarcastically for a short moment. ‟Huh..I'm not the knight...I am the damsel in distress..." As the time slowly passed, the merciful sleep finally overcame her.