The Shield Bearer

Though she had visited Helia countless times over the years, today, with her newfound freedom, Achlys felt like she was seeing it for the first time. A trip to the city by herself was what she had asked her father for as her eighth finding day present. Karthus was reluctant to agree to this, but Achlys had worked hard to ease his worries in the days after he consented to her little adventure.

Karthus had tested her on every form of magic she knew that could be useful to her; attacking with balefire, empowering Acheron, binding lesser wraiths, levitation. With the exception of levitation, she performed all these spells with ease, and since she had not yet mastered levitation magic, she had promised to avoid climbing any structure taller than she was. The lich then spent several days leading Achlys through the city, making sure that she knew how to traverse the ancient place without getting lost. He had also made her promise to, at all costs, avoid the vaults.

Lastly, Achlys explained that she would not be completely alone. Acheron would be following her, as always, but so would Katherine. Achlys wanted to continue their search for Charis and believed that, though she had not lived in Helia, the young spirit may have been drawn to the site of mass death, as so many others had been. Knowing that Achlys would be in Katherine's company was the last bit of reassurance Karthus needed to allow Achlys out of his sight, for at least a few hours.

And Achlys planned to make the most of these precious hours. She ran alongside the sunken docks, taking in the salty air of the ocean and the sound of waves crashing against the ruins.

"I think this is a good place to start looking," Achlys said, "you both lived by the water, so we should start by the water."

"That is a good idea," Katherine agreed.

The wraith stared out across the ocean, her gaze growing distant.

"Do you think we will see those strange ships, Achlys?" she asked, "Charis and I saw them. Where did they go?"

Achlys took hold of Katherine's hand and pulled her mind back to the present.

"Those ships were in the past," Achlys reminded her, "They have all sunk under the ocean by now."

As she tugged gently on the wraith's hand to move her along, a brief glimpse of the foreign ships Katherine had talked about flashed through Achlys mind. At once, the girl recognized them from the Chronicler's memories. She knew which part of the harbor they had been docked at and decided to begin making her way towards them.

"I'll show you where they were," she said, "follow me."

Katherine followed after Achlys to the last pier.

"See," Achlys said, "there is nothing here. They are all gone."

"I wonder if they sank in the explosion," Katherine asked as she peered down into the waters.

"Explosion?"

"There was a loud noise and a bright light. I couldn't find my sister."

"That sounds like my nightmare."

"I think I had the same nightmare when I was lost. I hope Charis isn't having the same one too."

"We will find her and I will make her not lost."

Achlys sighed and looked around. She kept promising Katherine that she would find her sister, but she never felt like she was getting any closer. Still, she refused to accept defeat. After all, she had all eternity to find her.

"Did you know that he people who came off the ships made a parade?" Achlys continued to talk, "They all wore bright armor and carried flags as they walked through the city."

"I never saw them."

"Me neither, but the Chronicler did and she showed me. I think they went up this way. Do you want to try to follow the path?"

"Where you lead, I will follow."

"Then I will lead us this way."

With Katherine following faithfully behind and Acheron patrolling ahead, Achlys directed her own parade through crumbling Helia. As she skipped along the darkened streets, she noticed something odd. Curious wraiths peered out at her from the shadows, something she was quite used to, but there were far fewer than she expected. Instead, tendrils of the Black Mist billowed along the street.

Achlys was unbothered by the sight of the Mists, having grown up surrounded by it, watching as it constantly swirled around the Isles. Along this path though, it seemed to linger, as if it too were retracing the steps the procession had taken. Achlys thought of this as little more than an interesting coincidence, and carried along the path until they approached the library and an idea came to her.

"Oh!" Achlys exclaimed, "Why didn't I think of that sooner?"

"Think of what?" Katherine asked.

"The Chronicler. She says it's her destiny to learn and record things, including the wraiths here. Maybe she knows something about your sister!"

"Will she help us?"

"She likes me, so I think so."

"If you think this is a good plan, then I will follow you."

"Then let's go!"

Achlys took off along the street, running alongside the trail of Mist without a care in the world. The freedom she felt was exhilarating. Today her father had allowed her to visit the city by herself. Maybe the next year she could explore the rest of the island, and the year after that, other islands. Maybe soon he would let her go with Elise to see Noxus. Maybe she could fly in the Mists and see the rest of the world.

As they approached the library, Acheron became uneasy. His aura of balefire flickered threateningly at every perceived movement in the shadows though, oddly enough, there were fewer wraiths than before. Something had driven them off, and Acheron could sense its presence. He circled Achlys protectively as she strolled along, unaware of the powerful force that lurked somewhere nearby, until suddenly he let out a shrill hiss and flew into Achlys's chest, pushing her back.

Up ahead, the source of Acheron's unease sat. He was a wraith of enormous stature, clad in heavy dark armor and wearing a spiked helm. Against his legs leaned an imposing shield that glowed with inner light, making it look as though it were made of carved tourmaline rather than hammered iron, and was adorned with dark designs that resembled roaring dragon heads.

Katherine stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of the stronger wraith. Power radiated from this being and Katherine understood that to provoke this wraith was to invite destruction. Fear gripped her being and she found herself unable to move even as Achlys continued to walk forward, undaunted.

"Achlys," she whispered as loud as she dared, "What are you doing? That man, he's dangerous. Look at Acheron, he knows."

Achlys looked between Katherine, Acheron, and the sitting wraith. Gently, she pushed Acheron off her chest and, petting his head, held him before her until his hissing ceased. This other wraith was towering, even sitting down, and had a fearsome face, but she wasn't intimidated by his presence. As imposing as he appeared, he didn't radiate the malice that Hecarim did, and if she could stand up the Horseman, then she could approach this specter without fear. But just in case her judgement was off, she let some of her magic flow into Acheron, empowering him if he needed to fight.

"He doesn't look too scary," Achlys responded, not caring to whisper and instead cheered encouragingly to her friend, "come on!"

At the sound of her voice, the ancient specter turned his attention towards Achlys. He viewed her with cold, empty eyes that were impossible to determine any emotion from. But after a silent moment of observation, the wraith did not rise from where he sat and turned his attention from them with a sigh.

"It is not torturous enough that I am cursed to exist in these blighted lands," the wraith said in a harsh voice burdened by sorrow, "but I must be forced to remember those that I have damned with my inaction and see that children are among those who now suffer eternally."

"Oh, I'm not suffering," Achlys announced happily, "and I'm not dead, at least not yet, but eventually."

The wraith whipped his head back around Achlys at her words. As minimal as his features were, it was easy to tell that he was shocked, looking as though he had been struck, by her response.

"Child," he said the word as though it were a question.

"My name is Achlys," she answered giving a small curtsy as she did so, "Who are you?"

"Ledros," the wraith answered reflexively, though his mind was still processing what he saw before him.

"Hello, Ledros," Achlys smiled.

She approached Ledros, much to Acheron's displeasure, and extended her hand in greeting. He did not take it, but continued to stare at her as he doubted his own vision.

"Child," Ledros repeated, "you are still alive. Why are you here? You should be far from this place; safe and among the living."

"No, I live here. This place is my home."

"The people of these Isles have been dead for centuries. Have some survived?"

"I don't know. I think it's just me."

"I don't understand."

"That's okay, there's a lot I don't understand either."

The ancient warrior looked between the smiling child and the fearful wraith standing nearby. Questions swirled through his mind. How had a child gotten here? How was she still alive? Had some of the Helians survived? Why was she not being attacked by wraiths? Wasn't she afraid of him at all? His thoughts were interrupted by her continued chatting.

"Even if there are things we don't understand, we can still know each other's names," she raised her hand to him once more, "I am Achlys."

"I am Ledros."

This time he took her hand. Her small, pale hand stood out starkly against the dark metal of his clawed gauntlet. He held her as gently as he could, terrified that he may accidentally hurt her. The child showed no such fear at their touch. Instead, she looked quite excited to be shaking his hand.

"See, Katherine," she called back to the smaller wraith, "he's not scary. You can come over now."

Achlys beckoned Katherine forward and held out her hand back for the other wraith. Katherine approached at a cautious, slow pace, and was ready to turn and bolt at a moment's notice. But she never needed to, and as she took Achlys's hand, the calm cheer the younger girl exuded flowed into her. Katherine let out a long, shuddering sigh, before looking up at Ledros again.

"Hello," she whispered.

Ledros gave a polite nod in response as he regarded the young wraith.

"You were Helian, were you not?" he asked.

"I lived near the city," Katherine answered in her distant voice, "and now I belong in the cove. It is quiet there."

"I am sorry," Ledros said as he bowed his head towards her.

"Why?" she asked, "I have peace."

"Peace?"

"Yes," Achlys chimed in, "Katherine was lost, but I helped her find herself. Now we're friends."

"You helped her find herself?" Ledros asked, "How did you do that?"

"With my magic."

To prove her point, Achlys let go of Ledros's hand and raised it before her. The unnatural magic of the Isles flickered around her fingers for a moment before she dispelled it.

"You know magic," Ledros said surprise.

"Yeah," Achlys answered, "I use it to help wraiths like Katherine. It helps them remember things. With Katherine it helped her remember her name, fishing, and her sister."

The unfamiliar feeling of hope, fragile and beautiful as a newly bloomed rose, stirred within Ledros. For centuries he had searched in vain for a way to help his beloved and now, seemingly out of the blue, a possible solution to his hopeless task appeared before him. The questions he had about the child were pushed from his mind. What did it matter why she was here or how she developed her strange powers? What mattered is that she could save her.

This was a selfish choice, Ledros acknowledged, bringing the child deeper into the city rather than helping her flee it, but he also knew he would loathe himself forever if he let this chance pass him by. He paused for a moment before speaking, wondering briefly if this choice, endangering another to save his love, made him no better than the one who had damned them all to this existence. No, he reasoned. He was not going to kill the girl, he wasn't ordering the slaughter of innocents, he wasn't lost to grief. He was only going to ask for aid, nothing more. If Achlys were to refuse him, he vowed he would honor her choice.

"Child," he asked, trying his best to mask the desperation in his soul, "Achlys, you said that your magic affects the memories of wraiths."

"Yeah."

"And that you use it to help wraiths."

"Yeah."

"Would you be willing to use it to help me?"

Achlys's face lit up in a bright smile.

"Of course!" she cheered.

She summoned her magic back to her hand and reached for Ledros's hand. He withdrew it from her.

"What do you want to remember?" she asked, "Let me know and I will ask you questions and we will think of it together and hopefully you will remember."

"It is not for myself that I ask for aid," Ledros said, notes of hope trickling into his voice, "but for a friend of mine."

"Okay. Where is your friend?"

Ledros focused on Kalista, his connection to her in life forever drawing his soul towards her. He could feel her presence nearby. Steadily, he rose from his seat and turned towards where Kalista was.

"She is close," he answered, "by the beaches, outside the city."

"Outside the city? Oh, my Father said I'm not supposed to leave the city unless it's to come home, but I can follow you to the edge and maybe you can bring your friend the rest of the way."

"I can try to bring her."

"Oh," Achlys gasped, "Wait one moment. Katherine, you don't mind taking a little break from looking for your sister, do you?"

"I can be patient," the wraith answered, though in truth, her response was more to due to not wanting to do anything to anger the larger spirit, rather than her own generosity.

"Thank you," Ledros said.

Relief washed over the warrior and, against his better judgement, he could feel that flower of hope within him growing. His voice was nearly trembling with excitement and apprehension as he spoke.

"Please, Achlys, follow me. Your kindness is a balm for the soul. Thank you."

Achlys nodded and followed after the armored wraith. She had no idea what a "balm" was, but she could tell from his tone that what she was doing was the right thing. She was here to help wraiths, and right now, this wraith was the one who needed her.

As she followed Ledros through the city, she found that she couldn't keep herself from staring at the massive shield he carried. The light that glowed from it was hauntingly beautiful and kept the path they walked well illuminated. The roaring dragon heads adorning it kept drawing her attention upwards. Their eyes smoldered with balefire, making them look like they could leap off the shield and become wraiths in their own right at a moment's notice. Without thinking, Achlys reached up and placed her hand against the shield.

She recoiled at once, her hand snapping back to her side in surprise. At the touch she had felt a sensation flow into her. It wasn't a memory exactly, but rather a strong emotion she felt permeate her entire body. It was weight. Her left arm ached as though she had been carrying the shield, but this heaviness also pulled at her chest, back, and heart, as though she were similarly burdened everywhere. Ledros noticed her touch, though he did not appear angered by it.

"Your shield," she gasped, "it's so heavy."

"It needs to be," he answered.

"I understand. If it's not heavy, it's probably not strong, and you need a strong shield to protect people, right?"

"Sometimes even a strong shield cannot protect the ones you need it to."

Achlys could sense the pain in his voice.

"Was there someone you couldn't protect?" she asked.

"Yes," he answered, "I was too slow to protect my beloved in life, and because of that, she died."

He grew silent afterwards. Shame filled the wraith. He wondered if he had been faster, if he sensed Hecarim's betrayal, would Kalista have lived. And if she had lived, would she have been able to dissuade soldiers from attacking. They respected her, they would have listened! And if they did, then perhaps the whole Ruination could have been avoided?

Ledros shook his head. It did him no good to dwell on what might have been. Such thoughts could only lead to despair and despair could only lead to losing himself in the Mist once more. He had to remain. For her, he had to.

"I'm sorry," Achlys said.

She knew death wasn't the end, but she had grown to understand that many wraiths were still upset by it.

"Was the person who died the friend you want me to help?"

"She is."

"I think she will be happy that you still want to help her. Days are better when spent with friends."

She cast Katherine a smile as she said this, which the wraith returned. Ledros gave a single silent nod as acknowledgement of Achlys statement. He remained silent for the rest of their journey until they neared the edge of Helia. Where the ruins began to give way to wasteland, he stopped and motioned for Achlys and Katherine to stay back.

"She is close," he announced.

"I'm ready to help!" Achlys answered with enthusiasm.

"Whatever happens, I thank you for your kindness, child. I must warn you though, my friend, she has forgotten all of herself. Her memories are still within her though, I know they are, but when you meet her, she will not have them. I promise you, that when she is herself again, she will not be as cruel or cold as she may first appear."

Achlys nodded understandingly.

"Stay here and I will attempt to bring her to you."

Ledros departed. Achlys let out a small sigh and sat on a piece of crumbling wall.

"Do you think you will be able to help her, Achlys?" Katherine asked.

"I hope so. He seemed so sad. I don't want to disappoint him by not being able to help his friend."

Another sigh escaped Achlys.

"Katherine, are you disappointed we haven't been able to find your sister?"

"I am not. I want to find her, but I know we have eternity to do so. I can be patient and be at peace until then."

Achlys smiled, but it was a weak smile. Though Katherine spoke as plainly as ever, there was something about her passive tone that didn't feel quite right to Achlys. It sounded as though she were saying these words simply because they were expected of her, and that there was no real spirit behind them.

They did not need to wait long for Ledros to return. His approach was announced by Acheron, who let out warning flare of light as the wraith approached. Achlys jumped to her feet, her heart flushing with excitement as she turned to face Ledros. That excitement turned to fear in an instant when she saw the lethal specter that followed him.

"Vengeance," she gasped.

"Achlys," Ledros said, extending his hand to her, "this is Kalista, Spear of the Argent Throne."

Achlys's eyes were wide with fear. She took a step backwards, her body trembling. Kalista took a step forward to stand at Ledros's side. Her movements, as always were slow and steady, nothing being done without reason.

"Is this the child you spoke of?" she asked.

Her voice was as hollow as Achlys remembered it being, though she did not speak with the same cold fierceness she had during their last encounter. Her tone was steady and ever so slightly softer, but this did nothing to ease Achlys's panic.

"She is," Ledros answered his companion, "that wraith next to her, she claims she pulled her from the madness, helped her remember herself. If she can do the same with you, together we can set things right." He turned back to the young girl, "Achlys, please come and meet my friend."

"No," Achlys blurted out as she shook her head, "that's Vengeance!"

"Do not say that word!" Ledros exclaimed.

He turned and looked at Kalista, but saw that it was too late. Her expression was once more growing cold and distant.

"Kalista please," Ledros called to her, "stay with us, fight to remain a little longer. She will help you."

He held up a silver pendant that hung around his neck. He had already used it earlier to help her regain herself just long enough to lead her here and he knew that using it again so soon to try and help her recollect rarely worked. But he had to try.

"Look at this and remember. I tried to give it to you in life. Please, remember."

"I. . . I," Kalista stammered, her mind fighting to remain, "Ledros, I –"

Ledros turned to Achlys.

"Please," he pleaded, "help her. She was not always this way. Before, she was Kalista. She was strong, she was just, she should be that way once more. Please, help me."

Achlys looked over to Ledros and Kalista. Her heart was hammering in her chest and her stomach was roiling with fear. The greater part of her mind told her to flee, to get as far away from Vengeance as possible, but a small part urged her to stay.

She could feel Ledros's emotions radiating from him like a force. She felt his despair and desperation. It melded with her fear in an awful mixture. But she also felt warm emotions; fragile hope, unwavering respect, and love, though it was touched by pain and sorrow. Ledros was suffering. Vengeance, no, Kalista was suffering, and she could do something about it.

"It's my destiny to help wraiths," Achlys whispered to herself, "Be brave. Please, be brave."

Achlys called Acheron down into her arms. She held him close to her body with one arm and conjured the glow of her magic to the other. She looked back to Katherine one more time, giving the young wraith a weak smile in an attempt to mask her fear.

"I need to try and help," she said.

With trembling steps, Achlys approached Ledros. She reached out towards him, magic flickering off of her shaking hand.

"I, uh, I'll, I'll try, Ledros." She called out to the wraith.

He took her hand and pulled her gently towards Kalista.

"Thank you," he said, but she did not hear him.

With her spell having already been in hand, Achlys's mind was flooded with sounds from Ledros's past when he grabbed her.

Confused noises were all around her. She heard a cry of pain, a horse snorted and heavy hooves crashed on the pavement, metal rang against metal, more shouting, more metal, more shouting, ringing, hoof beats, screams, something snaps, a gasp, something is dripping on pavement, another gasp, another gasp, a heavy metallic thud on the ground, a single voice above the din.

"I have failed her."

Achlys gasped and collapsed to her knees. She didn't understand the memory that flowed from Ledros into her but whatever it was, it was too much. Too much noise, too much pain, too much anger, too much sorrow, too much, too much, too much!

Then, as soon as the memory tore through her, her senses became hers again. She looked up and saw Ledros kneeling beside her.

"Achlys," he asked, "what happened?"

"You were hurt," she answered, her eyes beginning to tear up, "Who did that?"

Ledros opened his mouth to speak, but Kalista'a voice rang out loudly.

"Betrayer!" she challenged, "Your moment of retribution is at hand!"

Both Achlys and Ledros looked towards Kalista, and saw that a spear was already in her hand. Her attention was turned to further down the beach where a roiling blaze of green light was burning through a bank of Mist. Hecarim strode out from it, flanked on either side by a company of his knights. At the sight, dread filled Achlys's heart.

"Betrayer?" Hecarim said as his booming laugh filled the air, "Which one of us in life betrayed our king? You were the one who disobeyed orders. Perhaps it is you who should face retribution?"

Achlys heard the horseman's words but did not understand their meaning.

"What?" she mumbled, "Orders? King?"

She was still trying to make sense of what was happening, when Achlys felt Ledros's large arm wrap around her waist and pull her back to her feet. He then turned, placing himself squarely between her and the cavalry.

"Achlys," he ordered, "Go! Flee!"

"But your friend," Achlys tried to blurt out, "did she-"

Before she could finish her question, a horn blared. There was a great roar from Hecarim and his knights as they charged down the beach. Ledros and Kalista did not hesitate to meet them. Achlys saw the spearmaiden leap into the air and hurl a spear through the chest of one of the knights, before landing gracefully on her feet, another spear already in hand. Another knight attacked Ledros, but Ledros did not flinch from his attacker. He raised his shield, crashing it into the chest of the rearing mount. Sparks flew off the shield at the impact and Achlys was close enough to see the look of surprise on the knight's face as his horse stumbled back from the force of the blow.

All of this was too close to Achlys for Acheron's comfort. The skull engulfed his form with balefire and threw himself at the knight. He crashed into his target's head with a great clang. The knight was thrown from his mount, and Ledros was upon him in an instant. In the blink of an eye, the shield bearer pulled his sword from his sheath. Its original blade was shattered centuries ago, but a spectral version shone unscathed in the dim light of the Isles. He plunged the blade into the prone knight, dispersing the rider and horse in one blow.

Achlys was frozen to the spot in terror of the violence that was playing out before her. Suddenly, she felt a cold touch on her shoulders. Katherine had grabbed her and was pulling her away.

"Achlys," she pleaded, "we need to go, now! Come one!"

Not waiting for her response, Katherine began to drag Achlys away from the battle. With Katherine's hands upon her, Achlys did not take long to regain her senses. She called Acheron back to her side and turned and fled back into the ruins of Helia with her companion. She did however, spare one final look backward and seared the image of Ledros, Kalista, and Hecarim fighting into her mind.

Katherine did not release Achlys from her grasp until she had escorted her all the way back to the cathedral. While Achlys normally would have protested such hand holding, right now the cool sensation of the wraith's hug was what she wanted. Earlier, Achlys had thought Katherine's dispassion hollow and almost sad, but after feeling the sorrow from Ledros and the wrath from the battle, she knew better. She knew now that what Katherine had was not emptiness, but peace, and she wanted nothing more than to lose herself in that empty peace until the uncomfortable grip of adrenaline passed.

When they at last reached the cathedral, Karthus was waiting for them by the gate. Katherine let Achlys go, and the young girl went running to her father. He caught her and hugged her close.

"Achlys," he said as he ran a withered hand over her head, "you have returned earlier than expected. How was your day?"

She looked up at him and tried to say something positive so he wouldn't have to worry.

"It was nice."

But as soon as the words left her mouth, tears welled up in her eyes and she began to cry. Karthus bent down to be eye level with her and she threw her arms around his shoulders.

"Achlys, Achlys," Karthus hushed, "What happened?"

And as she wept into his shoulders, she told him everything she had seen.

Greetings Summoners,

To the people who are very patiently waiting for Viego, I promise you, he is coming, but Achlys is very young and can be a little empty headed. If she were to meet him now, she would probably get herself killed. She needs a little more time to grow. Thank you for your understanding. If you still desire Viego content, don't despair though, he will be the focus of next month's Prelude to Ruin chapter. I hope to get something out for you by Valentine's, so check back around then. Until then, feedback is always appreciated.

Best of luck on the Rift,

- Gwoo