Karthus could feel the call radiate through him. The Mist was summoning him. It was time for a Harrowing.

Karthus's soul ached to go forth over the ocean and bring new souls back to his congregation. His wraiths were restless, his magic welled within him, and his thoughts turned towards the sea. And yet, a new uneasiness stirred within him for the first time since his new existence in the Isles. He was not ready for this Harrowing.

There was no fear of being destroyed while he was out liberating souls; few mortal weapons affected him. No. He worried that some foolish living person in their futile attempt to prevent the inevitable would misfire their pistol and hit the very vulnerable, very mortal Achlys. The thought was so unbearable that Karthus decided to do what he previously thought unthinkable. He would leave his daughter with a babysitter.

Elise was his first choice. Achlys was comfortable around her and more importantly, Elise seemed to genuinely care about the wellbeing of his daughter. However, she had departed the Isles several days ago and would not return again for quite some time. Hecarim was another option. Karthus could not think of a more ill-fitting guardian, but he knew the Horseman had sworn to protect Achlys. However, he too was gone, at the first sign of the Harrowing, he had called his Iron Order to him and sped out across the waves. It was much the same with every other spirit Karthus considered leaving Achlys with. The Chronicler was summoned to record the names of the slain. The Fire Keepers were called from the ruins of the lighthouse to lead the way. The Rekindler, summoned. The Mason, called upon. The Kraken Caller, already searching the sea for stray vessels. This left Karthus with one undesirable option left.

Rather than put off this unfortunate meeting, he resigned himself and prepared to bargain this unpleasant specter head on. He packed Achlys a bag of her clothes, food, and a few toys and books, but he was careful to leave her favorites safe and sound in his cathedral. Lastly, he picked up his daughter and hoisted her onto his back.

"Go?" she asked him.

"We are going to the sunken capital."

Karthus and Achlys could hear the great host of spirits before they saw them. The air was quivering with the cacophonous wailing and screeching of the impending Harrowing. Karthus loomed above the cliff side, and looked down at the mass of spirits in the ancient harbor. They were a mess of bright blue forms, crawling over each other to be taken up by the Mist and carried out to sea. Achlys's mouth hung agape.

"Wow," she commented.

"It is an impressive sight," Karthus said, "and someday you will join us, my dear daughter, but not this time. I am sorry, but I need to leave you with someone here."

Karthus descended into the city, seeking her to-be babysitter. Spirits passed on either side of them, making their way towards the sea, tugged on by tethers of Mist. Ancient guards of a long lost land, drowned pirates, Noxian soldiers, bristling wolves; all answered the call with a ravenous eagerness. But Karthus's gaze was fixated on the lone spirit standing atop a ruined tower of the Arcane Vaults. The specter remained still and instead watched the ethereal procession below with a dull interest. His expression changed however when he spotted Karthus below.

Clutching Achlys to his chest, Karthus waited at the entrance to the ruined vaults. Achlys was growing uneasy, burying her face in his shoulders and looking back longingly towards the other spirits. Karthus stroked her hair.

"Be still," he cooed in her ear, "fear is natural, but you are stronger than it. I know this."

The air grew still at Thresh's approach. The steady steps of his boots on the pavements sent ripples of dread through the stagnant air. As he approached, he donned a welcoming smile that was brimming with malice.

"Karthus," Thresh greeted with an exaggerated gesture of open arms, "and little Achlys, this is a pleasant surprise. I expected you two to be half way out to sea for the baby's first Harrowing, unless you weren't summoned? Oh, but that isn't the case is it, Karthus? I see can the Mist curling around you. It wants you. So, why don't you go?"

Karthus could tell by the devious gleam in Thresh's eyes that he knew the reason for this visit. It was likely he knew from the moment he saw Karthus break off from the procession, but he wanted to hear Karthus say the reason aloud.

"Achlys cannot accompany me," Karthus stated bluntly.

"Is that so," Thresh responded, "what is preventing her?"

"Nothing is preventing her."

"Then I see no problem," Thresh cut in, "take her with you. This will be the perfect opportunity for you to teach her how to rip the soul from a body. I may even accompany you. I am in need of some entertainment."

Thresh moved to leave, but Karthus held out a hand to stop him. Thresh cast Karthus façade of a surprised expression.

"Karthus," Thresh continued to bluff, "what is the meaning of this?"

"I," Karthus spoke up, "am what is preventing her from going."

"Shameful," Thresh mocked with a shake of his head, "to think that you would stifle her growth and deny her this chance to serve the Isles."

"But it would be more shameful if she was to perish prematurely at the hands of some mortal," Karthus snapped back, unamused by the Warden's game, "and if there is shame in either outcome, I would chose the one in which Achlys thrives."

"Then leave her in your cathedral to await your return. If your mind was already made up, then why come to bother me with your guilty mind."

Again Thresh made to move and again Karthus stopped him by moving to stand directly in the way.

"Because," Karthus began.

"Because, what?" Thresh cut off in a tone that was a mixture of the previous feigned annoyance and anticipation.

"Because, I do not want her to be left alone. I want her protected."

"And?"

"Damn it, Thresh. You know what."

Thresh cocked his head to the side.

"Do I?" he asked.

Karthus locked his gaze with the smug specter. The awful union of frustration and loathing roiled within him and atop of that, the call of Harrowing continued to tug on his soul. Only the steady sound of Achlys's whimpering kept him grounded and focused on his mission.

"Thresh," Karthus began again, "I am asking you to watch over her until I return."

The balefire around Thresh flared momentarily as his entire disposition shifted.

"Is that all," Thresh asked in an abruptly cordial tone, "you should have said so to begin with. I accept."

Thresh dropped his lantern and weapon, allowing them to hang in the air alongside him, and held out his arms expectantly for Achlys. Karthus scowled as he watched Thresh curl his fingers in sickening gesture of expectation. Karthus gave Achlys a final hug before handing her and her pack off to Thresh.

"I will return as soon as the Mist permits," he promised.

Achlys looked back at him with confused sadness. Her eyes were beginning to tear up as she reached back towards him.

"Fah?" she asked.

Thresh grabbed her and pulled her back to him. Instantly, Achlys's confusion turned to panic.

"Fah! No!" she protested and began to squirm, "No!"

"Achlys, please," Karthus tried to soothe, "be still. I will come back."

"No! Want Fah!"

Guilt was welling up within the lich almost as strongly as the Mist's call.

"There is no need to thrash like this, little Achlys," Thresh chided, "I have not done you any harm."

As Karthus watched Achlys wriggle in Thresh's grasp, he could almost hear the word "yet" being added to the end of that statement. But whether that word was imagined or not, Karthus did have a final warning for the other specter.

"And you will never," Karthus stated boldly, "or I will-"

"Or you will do things to me that even I could not conceive. Yes, I remember your threat," Thresh cut off, "now hurry off, Karthus, your Harrowing awaits."

Karthus ran his hand over Achlys's hair once more.

"Be brave," he promised, "I will come back."

He turned to leave and Achlys struggled to follow him. Thresh grabbed her arm, forcing it through a waving motion. She began to cry.

"Say 'bye-bye,' Achlys," he said, "bye-bye, Karthus."

Karthus didn't turn to acknowledge this. He didn't want to see his daughter so distressed. Achlys's struggles grew more frantic until Karthus was out of sight. She screamed until her pale cheeks were bright red and streaked with tears. She kicked, she pulled, she thrashed about, and through it all, she repeated her protest of "no!" Thresh proceeded calmly with the ghost of a smile crossing his face.

"Such a temper you have," he said as he carried her into the ruins, "are you spending more time with Hecarim than I thought?"

She didn't answer and he didn't care. Thresh carried her to a safe room above the Vaults before setting her down on the ground. At once, Achlys pulled herself to her feet and ran as fast as he tiny, unstable legs could carry her towards the doorway. Thresh imitated a sigh of disappointment.

"No running away now."

Thresh threw out his chains to block her escape. The blade reached the door before her and clanged loudly as it sunk into the ancient frame. Startled by the sudden noise, Achlys stumbled backwards. Thresh curled his fingers around the chain at his hip, infusing the whole length of it with his magic. They sprang to life at his will, crossing themselves over the doorway to further barricade his charge inside. Achlys regained her footing and tried to get through the barrier. She tugged at the chains, screeching and babbling angry nonsense the whole time.

"Cry all you wish, Achlys," Thresh said as he reclined onto a piece of rubble, "I can wait all eternity."

Achlys continued her ineffective assault lasted half an hour until, at last defeated, she fell down and began to cry.

"Are you finished," Thresh asked as he leaned forward in his seat, "it was an entertaining enough display, but I did have other things I wanted to attend to."

Achlys's puffy, tear streaked face whipped around and she gave Thresh what was perhaps the nasties expression she had produced in her entire life.

"Oh, now there's a face," Thresh said, "do you do this for your father as well, or am I special?"

Even though she couldn't fully understand his words, Achlys understood his tone; mocking. She had had enough. The glint of green shone brightly through her teary eyes as balefire rapidly formed around her hand. With an unintelligible shout, she hurled this amassed magic at Thresh. With little more than a flick of his wrist, Thresh called his lantern to his hand. It radiated its sickly light, filling the room with energy. Achlys's pitiful attack instantly fizzled out under this new pressure, leaving its caster to stare up at Thresh in terror.

Well, well, Achlys," Thresh said with a smile, "that was interesting."

He walked over and knelt down to be closer to eye level to her. Achlys, stunned, remained still and fixated on him.

"I'm going to change my plans just for you. No need to thank me, we will both enjoy this."

He held his lantern up to her. In its light, her pale skin glowed as brightly as though she were also a spirit.

"Achlys," he asked, "have you ever seen a soul?"