Zero: new chapter for ya'll. ENJOY!
The Prodigal Explorer
"This way!" he said, excitement and adrenaline coursing through his veins. The land he was on had a river flowing through the middle, bridged by a strip of land at which two towers stood at each end as arcane sentries, ready to blast the enemy away with shots of pure energy. He looked around himself, the half smile never leaving his face as he saw every facet of land as if new, the fog of war receding to let him glance where he wanted then covering it again so he couldn't even make out whatever he saw if he got too far, despite seeing it just 3 seconds ago. The part of the river he was at was the easternmost side, near the edging path of land that curved up toward the enemy base. To his left was his teams jungle, with golems, wraiths and the red Lizard Elder situated inside and ready to fight any who challenged them. To his right was a ramp of earth leading straight into the domain of the blue Ancient Golem, a bush curving along beside it and around the line of trees that marked its boundaries, a trio of rabid wolves snarling in their little camp just past it. He had this all memorized. He knew where they were and how close he could get before he'd be in sight of them and how many shots he could get off before they caught up to him and attacked. That wasn't the exciting part, none of this is what made his adrenaline rush.
It was not knowing what else could be near.
With a warning of "careful" to his summoner, he poked his head in the brush, heart beating as he risked stumbling onto a waiting enemy. The brush clear he checked his ally vision, seeing his team near the mid lane turret, preparing to push. He was not near, planning to stop the advancing enemy minions that were starting to pile up at bot lane. Once he got rid of them and started heading back mid his team would push. If they got into a fight he could come out and deal damage to the weakened enemy, who wouldn't be able to focus him properly after starting their assault on the rest of his team. He proceeds the check the other bushes behind the enemy wave, making sure no ones near before he focuses on the minions.
Little does he know he wasn't alone.
The fight was nothing to him. He didn't care for the petty conflicts Noxus got into or (more often) caused. He was only here to make sure she didn't die. He sacrificed himself often to make sure she got out alive, he knows not why but he doesn't dwell. Besides, she would never thank him and he doesn't ever expect a thanks from the serpent woman anyway. But, this was a perfect opportunity. With the Explorer out of the way, their teams damage output would be drastically reduced. Less chance of her dying, and all his hard work of keeping her perfect match score would've gone to waste. Regardless, the boy is out and alone, perfect for him to do what he does best.
The minions were nearly gone, a couple more shots and the wave would be dead, just in time for his team's next wave to come and reinforce the survivors. Suddenly a flash is seen out of the corner of his eye. He turns and before he can say anything a blade slides across his throat, gushing blood as his esophagus is cut and the healing magic of the rift quickly sets to work re-sealing it. Another blade rips into his back, several points entering before ripped out. 6 more blades, connected to each other fly out and break through his chest then are pulled back in. Coughing out blood Ezreal chokes while turning quickly firing off a single mystic shot behind him. His attacker barely grunts before twisting his arm and stabbing him again, pulling his armblade out for blood to leak profusely from the wound. He catches the whirl of a bladed cloak before his attacker disappears and suddenly he is cut by the expansion of a ring of blades surrounding him. He looks around, not seeing who struck him, only the blades that hang suspended in the air. He turns and takes 2 dashing steps North, towards mid lane, a plea for help from his team forming on his lips before the armblade stabs into his back once more, and 2 blades from the ring fly through his chest from in front.
He drops down dead, clothes soaked in blood and filled with holes from the veritable explosion of blades he suffered. The Blade's Shadow merely mutters "another body for the gutter" before running up the river to rejoin his team and assassinate any who come close to Her.
Ezreal's mind darkens quickly a light passing through even faster to save his soul before it passes into the abyss. Yet even in death, the Explorer's title rings true.
"What's this?"