It was the perfect beach day. The sun was obscured by a veil of Mist but still shone brightly enough to keep the lesser spirits in their lairs. The wind was gentle, the waves steady, and Achlys was full of energy. So without hesitation, Karthus packed a bag, scooped up his daughter, and was off before midday.

On one of their many tours of the Isles he brought Achlys on, he had discovered a secluded cove where the shore was sandier and the water shallow. After just one visit, it had become their favorite spot outside the cathedral.

Karthus set Achlys down in the sand. Immediately, she set herself to work on the important task of pushing around the damp turf.

"Sand," Karthus told her.

"Nnnnd," she repeated.

She continued to hum this noise as she created a mound of sand, stopping only to protest "no" at the waves that washed too close.

"The ocean will not obey you, little one," Karthus said, "but that doesn't mean you cannot do anything about it. Watch."

He crouched down beside her and stuck his hand into the sand. He scooped it back, digging out a trench for the waves to spill into. Achlys watched intently.

"Now the waves will have to go through my moat before they reach your castle," he said as he finished forming his barrier before them, "what will you do now with this knowledge?"

"And," Achlys answered as she took another handful of sand and threw it at her pile.

Karthus smiled. He wasn't sure what he was expecting for an answer, but he was pleased by what he received. Sand clung the edges of his damp robes, but he ignored it and began to assist in the construction of her grand fortress. When was the last time he had done something like this? There was a memory, foggy and incomplete, but there.

He was soaking wet, having just waded ashore with a burlap sack gripped tightly in one hand.

Why had he been diving? The harbor and river were filled with flotsam, but was the wreck from a storm or battle? Those details were lost, but what did remain was the young girl waving him over. He remembered her this time, his youngest sister.

"Karthus," she called, "come look."

He went to her and could feel the salt beginning to dry to his skin.

"Look," she said excitedly, "it's the Immortal Bastion."

She pointed proudly to the sand castle she had constructed. Even through memory's haze, Karthus knew that this sculpture only looked like Noxus's most famous fortress if you squinted really, really hard.

"I think I see it," his younger self said. He saw the disappointment in his sister's face. "Oh," he continued, "here's why I didn't recognize it. It can't be the Immortal Bastion without the Noxian flag."

He peeled a piece of red kelp from his sack and placed it atop the castle.

"Now it's the Immortal Bastion."

Hecarim loomed above them. As always, his expression was a grimace. Karthus levitated himself back upright.

"You lower yourself further," Hecarim growled, "now with childish foolishness."

"Not all of us take pleasure in slaughter," Karthus replied, "what do you want?"

"You know what I want, but the Mist forbids me from it. Now I wish to know what it sees in your brat. It is weak and I am unimpressed."

Hecarim scowled down at Achlys, causing her to whimper.

"She is scarcely over a year in age," Karthus said, "it will still be years before she is able to things on her own, much less fight, or do you suggest I make her a tiny lance so she can pierce the crabs on the shore?"

"You would make a pathetic spearman."

"Did you intend to teach her?"

"No."

"Good, she only just learning how to grab things, she would make an even poorer spearman than me."

Hecarim snorted.

"When will you teach it to fight?" He asked bluntly.

"I don't know, Hecarim, maybe when she can walk on her own and speak."

"And until then you will be its protector. You cannot protect it forever."

"We will be her protectors as long as she needs. You swore on the Mist that you would."

"If we are invaded, I shall destroy all who attempt to harm it, but I have more important tasks for my time than to save it from its own weakness."

Kathus scoffed.

"And what would those tasks be?"

Hecarim turned his gaze towards slope. There, was one of his damned knights starring back down at them. His mount pawed the ground impatiently and wisps of Mist billowed from its nostrils as it snorted.

"We have picked up her trail," the rider reported.

Hecarim's body went still at these words. His head was facing his knight, but his gaze was somewhere beyond. Suddenly, the balefire around him blazed. He raised he weapon aloft and left out a roar before charging up the slope. The ground under his hooves sparked as he led knights further into the heart of the island.

Achlys was crying, so Karthus turned his attention back to her.

"It is safe, Achlys. There is no need to cry, Hecarim is gone."

He picked her up, and as he did, he saw one of Hecarim's enormous hoof prints smashed over his sandy moat. A wave washed up through this breach and pulled away at Achlys's castle.

"I can still protect her from the waves," Karthus thought bitterly to himself.

Using his feet, he remade the trench as he pat Achlys on the back and hummed a comforting melody. Still, it was many minutes before she finally cried herself out.

"I will be here for you as long as you need me."

With Achlys calm again, Karthus let her back on the sand. As soon as her tiny fingers began to fidget through the sand, she acted as if Hecarim never came. Karthus's face rested at a relieved smile. Achlys was once again busied herself with the beach, until the glint of something blue caught her eye. It was the wraith of a crab. The creature seemed to be unaware that it was dead, so it patrolled the beach just as it had in life. It was fascinating to Achlys.

The ghostly crab scurried along the damp sand towards them. Achlys cooed in excitement and crawled towards it. The crab raised its claws at her approached. It waved them as threateningly as possible, but this only left Achlys giggling.

"Careful," Karthus warned, "if you bother it, it will pinch you."

Despite Hecarim's words still running in his head, he wasn't worried about the crab harming her. It was such a weak spirit, that it couldn't physically manifest. It was a cold light that could respond to basic stimulus and was more akin to the glowing echoes of the leaves on the trees than Karthus's wraiths. At worst, its claws would pass through Achlys's hands and leave a slight sting as though she submerged them in icy water.

So, it was no surprise that when she reached down to grab the ghost, it snapped its claws on her. Achlys let out a shocked "eeh!" as the spectral claw passed through her fingers. She looked up at Karthus with an expression that demanded an explanation.

"I warned you," Karthus said, "now , leave it alone and come back to your castle."

He reached down to pick her up but she waved her arms in protest.

"No!" she exclaimed and reached for the crab again.

Once more its claws passed through her hand and once more, Achlys recoiled at the chill. She furrowed her brow and tried again.

"Achlys," Karthus chided, "it will be the same every time."

"No!"

Karthus watched and by the fifth time the crab pinched her, he wanted to personally evaporate it back into the Mist. With one hand extended toward the tiny spirit, he wrapped his other around Achlys and started to pull her back.

"Ah do!"

From the corner of his vision, he saw a quick glint of blue light in Achlys's eyes. Before he could process what was going on, her hands were glowing that same color light and he could feel the energy radiating from them. He was momentarily stunned by the phenomenon, and during this brief moment of disbelief, she made another attempt at the crab. This time she grabbed the ghostly creature and held it aloft.

Achlys giggled for a moment before hurling the offending spirit into the ocean, where it disappeared below the waves without a splash.

"Eeet!"

Karthus looked down at his daughter in amazement. She touched something no mortals should have been able to. Magic. And not just any magic, magic that could manipulate the energy of the Isles. The rare emotion of elation rose within him.

"You truly are my daughter."

Greetings Summoners,

Thank you for your patience over this unexpected hiatus. Spring has been a wild ride, conventions, wedding planning, and a new job just to name a few. I hope that you all enjoy this chapter. As a thank you for you continued reading, I would like you all to vote on the next chapter. Both events will happen, but which order they happen will effect the other.

1. Karthus is summoned by the Mist for a Harrowing and must hastily find a babysitter.

2. Now that he knows his daughter possess magic, Karthus is eager to teach her her first spell.

Please comment or PM me with which option you would like to see first. I will do my best to have this chapter up before the month's end.

Best of luck on the Rift,

-Gwoo