CHAPTER 3: FRIEND OR FOE

Stress. Lots and lots of stress. That's all Yasuo could feel. Even though he was summoned to multiple matches after that first one, he couldn't focus his mind, couldn't channel his energy into the Rift. He felt helpless. He trained for so long, looking for the one he could exact his vengeance on. But when he met the source of his despair, he couldn't do anything. He had run away without even speaking. He had run away without even feeling a source of anger. In fact, he felt ashamed. For no reason at all, he felt ashamed.

How could he kill her? She was his first (and possibly only) legitimate friend here in the Institute of War. During his lunch break, Yasuo just sat outside the Institute on top of his favorite hill, under a tree, his flute hanging limply from his fingers, not even bothering to play his melody.

He sat there with his eyes closed, before he heard that insolent Noxian again.

"Hey, my man, my man," Draven cooed, as he climbed up the hill, "heard ya got some laaady problems, eh?"

Yasuo opened his eyes a bit and peeked behind Draven. No half-naked ladies this time. He closed his eyes again.

"My man, my man. Skin'n'bones, listen 'ere," he said as he sat down next to Yasuo.

Skin'n'bones? Did he just call me skin'n'bones? Yasuo thought.

"Lady issues happen all the time, and Draven here's got the plan to get that lady for you," he winked.

"Draven. I have no feelings for Riven. I'm just sorting out some of my own thoughts."

"Your own thoughts, eh? Eh? Eh?" Draven started nudging Yasuo.

"Draven's got his own thoughts about ladies…"

Yasuo opened his eyes slightly and looked at Draven.

"Got my own thoughts indeed, hehehe…"

A vein popped in Yasuo's head.

"Ya know, Draven here can totally totally help ya out with some of your problems. I mean, I am obviously the strongest, handsomest, and smartest Noxian executioner around in this world."

Upon hearing the word "Noxian", Yasuo decided he had had enough. Standing up swiftly, he grabbed Draven's collar and lifted him up from the ground.

"Hey, hey, just what do you think yer doin', huh?"

Yasuo mustered all the hate he had, which was a lot considering Draven was Noxian, and looked deep into his eyes.

"Do not mess with me, executioner. If you keep up your annoying ways, I will kill you."

"Sassy Yassy, eh?" Draven said, "You know, nobody has ever threatened me with death before."

"Draven, get out of here now."

A breeze picked up by Yasuo's side and for the first time, he saw a bit of fear trigger in Draven's eyes. He covered it up pretty quickly with a fake laugh.

"Watch out, skinny boy. Nobody messes with Draaaven and gets away with it."

He looked back at Yasuo this time.

"Nobody."

With that, Draven walked back down the hill and into the Institute.

What a pain.

So Riven was his master's killer, huh? The bigger question was: does she even know that it was his master that was killed in the Noxian invasion? What could she have been thinking when she killed a helpless old man? How did she even find the shed in the first place?

Too many questions unanswered, Yasuo went to find the one that seemed to know most about him: Kassadin.

After a strenuous 15 minutes, Yasuo finally found Kassadin's apartment. He knocked on the door and waited. There was no answer. I thought so, Yasuo thought, Kassadin's over powered right now, he'll be used in any match possible.

"Unless Kassadin is always permabanned." a voice boomed behind him.

Yasuo turned around and to his delight, Kassadin was standing behind him, his yellow eyes glowing friendly.

"How am I supposed to answer the door if you don't let me near it?" He laughed, as he gently floated past Yasuo and unlocked the door. "Come in. I'm sure you have a lot to say."

Yasuo, dumbfounded as to how Kassadin knew everything he was thinking, walked in after him and closed the door.

The inside of Kassadin's apartment was unlike what Yasuo had expected. Instead of the purple themed Void furniture he thought Kassadin would fashion, it was filled with very human things. Light beige blinds covered the windows, a tidy marble kitchen sat nicely in a corner, and pastel colored paint vibrated throughout the apartment. Kassadin lead Yasuo down the hallway and into the comfortably decorated living room, and sat down on a fluffy couch. Yasuo sat down across from him, and looked down at the light green tinted glass coffee table.

After an awkward silence, Yasuo started.

"Why am I so stressed over this?"

"Your mind tells you that she is your friend, and your mind tells you to kill the one that killed your elder," he replied quite bluntly, "but what happens when your friend is the one that murdered your elder? What will you do then?"

"Well, when I leapt into battle during the Noxian Invasion, I knew it was the right decision. At least at that time I thought it was the right decision. I didn't falter the whole time I was out there fighting."

"You have a strong love towards your friends but also a strong hatred towards those who hurt you and the people around you."

"So you're saying…"

"You know she's your friend. In the short time you got to know her, you've already begun forgiving her and forgetting your 'promise' to kill your master's assassin. Namely, Riven."

"Does she… does she know that it was my master that was killed? And not some other Ionian's?" Yasuo questioned.

"I do not know. You may just have to ask her yourself," Kassadin spoke.

Suddenly, a bright green number appeared on top of Kassadin's head and started counting down from 60.

"Alright, thanks Kassadin," Yasuo said as he stood up and started for the door.

"No problem. You can always come talk to me if you need help."

Kassadin opened the door and Yasuo walked out. As the door closed, Kassadin lit up and was summoned to the Rift, leaving Yasuo alone in the hallway to his thoughts.