Performance
It was fortunate that Elise had arrived on the Isles before Karthus was called away for the Harrowing. For her part, Elise had been more than willing to prolong her stay to care for Achlys. The Harrowing presented a unique opportunity. Not only would she be able to spend time with Achlys without the Deathsinger looming over her, but with so many wraiths called away, searching for artifacts became (marginally) safer. And so with Achlys at her side, Elise searched Helia for a prize for the Black Rose.
"This is excitable," Achlys chirped.
"Exciting," Elise corrected, "treasure hunting is exciting. You, my little bug, are excitable."
"Those words mean different things? They sound the same. Is it like Noxus the city and Noxus the empire? Why am I excitable?"
"Excitable means that you are easily excited."
"Oh, yeah, I am."
"I know. Now, let us turn all that excited energy towards our little treasure hunt."
"Okay. What are we looking for again?"
"Anything valuable or magical."
"I got a magic bowl once. A nice flower wraith gave it to me."
Elise let out a small sigh that turned into a chuckle.
"I don't suppose any of your other wraith friends have any magical items they could give us?" she asked.
"I can ask them," Achlys offered, "Most of them don't need things anymore, but the ones that do are very, very protective of them."
Elise stopped walking and turned to look up at an ancient archway. Though the archway itself had been spared the worst of the Ruination, the walls it was attached to were in far worse shape. Pieces of them had fallen away and the canvases that had served as awning now existed in only an ethereal form, but it was still possible to tell what this place had been during its prime; an amphitheater.
"I do not think I have searched here in the last century. Come, Achlys," Elise ordered, "let us see what we can find."
As they passed through the archway, sconces on the walls began to burn with cold flame, illuminating their path until the corridors opened up to the amphitheater itself. Achlys looked over the rows of benches sloping down the hill towards the stage. She imagined the seats filled with wraiths, just as she had seen them huddle in the pews of the cathedral.
"What is this place?" Achlys asked, "I haven't been here either."
"This is a theater."
"What's that?"
"A place where people perform."
"Like how my Father sings to his wraiths?"
"Similar, but it is not just music that is performed in theaters. There are also plays. Think of multiple people reading you a story, but as they read the lines, they also act out what the characters do."
"That sounds like fun. Do you think the wraiths here did the plays?"
As they had been walking down the aisles towards the stage, Achlys watched the lesser wraiths that were lingering among the benches. They were all small, little more than heads with insubstantial bodies and arms, but each wore a mask frozen in an over exaggerated expression. Terror, joy, wrath, despair; all were present, and the wraiths whispered sounds that corresponded to their eternal expressions as Achlys passed. But they did not hold her attention for long, as it was drawn to two more fully formed wraiths.
They were a pair, each wearing an animal mask. They chased each other around the stage and recited the lines of an old fable that had long been forgotten to the rest of the world. In the lead was a young man, tall and nimble, wearing the mask of a rabbit. Behind him, his partner wore a mask like a cat and revealed feline fangs in her mouth when she spoke. Achlys tried to listen to their story but their voices of the players were muddled, shifting between human words and unintelligible animal sounds as they spoke.
With graceful movements, the players leapt off the stage and landed several paces from Achlys, though they paid her no heed before continuing their chase through the audience. As they passed, Achlys saw that it was not actually masks that they were wearing, but rather fur growing from their faces in the shape of a mask. She wanted to call out to the wraiths to have a closer look, but before she could, Elise spoke.
"Stay focused, Achlys," she said as she placed a hand on the young girl's shoulder, "we are not here to watch theater today. I will take you to a show in Noxus someday though, I promise. But now, we must remain focused on our task."
"Looking for treasure, right," Achlys nodded.
She began to search up and down the rows of benches, climbing over them and joining the spiderlings in their search of the floors as Elise pulled herself up onto the stage.
"What kind of shows do they have in Noxus?" Achlys asked as she searched.
"All kinds, my little bug," Elise answered, "but I have an idea. What if today, I am the one who asks you questions about Noxus?"
"Me?"
"Yes. I want to see if you have been reading the books I have been bringing you."
"Okay! Ask me!"
"What is the capital of Noxus?"
"Noxus the city, not Noxus the Empire."
"And how did the Empire begin?"
"Survivors of a war stayed together to be stronger together and decided everyone would be stronger together."
"Yes, the Noxii tribes survived the Rune Wars by banding together. Next question, what are the three Pillars of Strength?"
"Might, Vision, and uhh, Guile!"
"Very good. Now, which of the Pillars can you embody?"
"Umm, I didn't read which one I do anywhere."
"I know. Think, Achlys, where do your strengths lay?"
"I'm not strong like a soldier is strong, so not Might, but I do have magical powers so maybe Might, but wait, no, not Might. I don't like to fight."
"Which leaves the other two."
"Vision. I have a destiny."
"A destiny set by your father. Do you have any goals for yourself?"
"I've only thought about helping wraiths," Achlys mumbled as her cheeks blushed, "I haven't thought more than that."
"Which leaves Guile."
"But I'm not supposed to lie."
Elise shook her head with a soft smirk.
"You speak of lying as though it was a simple matter of right and wrong," she said, "when you tell the truth, you are a good girl, and when you tell a lie, you are a bad one."
"It isn't like that?"
"Not always."
A devious smile curled on Elise's lips. With Karthus nowhere around to stop her, Elise could finally explain something to the girl that all noble Noxians learned at a young age.
"My little bug, nobody is truly honest."
"What do you mean?"
"Guile is more than simply lying. It's also about knowing when to only share some of the truth, when to leave things implied, and when the truth is the correct thing to say."
"But I was told to always tell the truth."
"Parents always tell their children to tell them the truth. Parents need their children to be honest with them to keep them safe, but adults lie to each other and they do it for many different reasons."
"You're confusing me."
"I assume you were taught that lying was a selfish action, but this is not always the case. Sometimes, we lie for others to help them, and other times, we manipulate the truth to help both ourselves and others."
Achlys furrowed her brow, trying to make sense of everything her aunt was saying. Elise noticed her confused expression and continued speaking.
"Achlys, you said that you do not like fighting."
"Yeah."
"Sometimes people lie to avoid fighting."
"They do?"
"Yes. Many people are afraid of my extra limbs," she flexed the spindly appendages sprouting from her back as she spoke, "and when they see them, they become afraid of me, so I cover them by wearing long robes."
"But you aren't telling a lie."
"But I am withholding the truth. And then there are days when people almost see the legs. They ask me 'Lady Elise, did I see something? It looked like a big scary claw,' and then I tell them, 'no, you did not see anything. You do not need to worry about a thing.' And then they feel better and are no longer afraid."
"I think I understand, but how does that help stop fights. They are only afraid of you."
"When people are afraid, they don't always run away. Sometimes they fight."
"They would want to hurt you because they are afraid of your spikey legs?"
"Not just my legs. Achlys, I am going to show you something special because I trust you. I am not always a beautiful, human woman. I have another form, one truer to my nature. Watch."
A crimson mist swirled around Elise as the power of her dark god coursed through her body. A moment later, eight chitinous black legs touched down upon the stage.
"Do you see, my little bug," Elise said, her voice now coarse, "when they see me like this, they do not see Lady Elise. They see a monster that they want to destroy. And if they were to attack me, I would defend myself. It is only by concealing this form and denying its existence do many enjoy my presence."
At the sight of the enormous spider suddenly appearing before her, Achlys stumbled back in shock. This creature that now stood upon the stage was quite different from her beloved aunt. But the longer Achlys stared at the massive spider, the more certain features became familiar. The way her many ruby eyes stared attentively at her, the way she carried herself with an effortless grace, her legs, long and slender, and how they tapered down to a crimson point.
"It's still you though, Auntie?" Achlys asked as she walked back towards the stage, "It's just magic."
"Very powerful magic," Elise answered.
She strode the edge of the stage and peered down at Achlys, who stared back up with, not a face of terror, but one of confusion and curiosity. Achlys was stretching up on her tip toes, drawn in by the sight of herself reflected in Elise's many eyes.
"That sounds interesting. You get to be like a big spider. I bet you can do spider things, like climbs walls and make webs and probably talk to your little spiders."
Elise nodded. A little smile crept onto Achlys's face as she continued to talk.
"I don't think you're scary," she said, "but that's because I'm not afraid of spiders."
"I couldn't agree more, Achlys," spoke a voice from the audience.
Both Achlys and Elise had been so focused on each other that neither had noticed that all the other wraiths in the theater had fled. Now, Thresh alone sat in the ancient stone seats.
"I myself have never been troubled much by spiders," he continued to speak as he rose from his seat, "I find that, how does that saying go, they are more afraid of me than I am of them."
"Oh," Achlys gasped, "hello, Thresh."
"Hello, little Achlys," the specter returned.
Elise was far less cordial with her greeting as she returned to her human guise.
"Thresh," she said, her tone cold, "what are you doing here? You appearance is, unexpected."
"You two know each other?" Achlys chirped happily, "that's nice."
"It is advantageous." Thresh commented.
"You still have not answered my question," Elise continued, "why are you here, Thresh? Do not tell me that you are here because you were a patron of the arts in life."
"No," Thresh answered with a dry chuckle, "I was far too captivated with my work to enjoy such forms of entertainment, though I do find that a compelling tragedy can be quite stirring."
Without breaking his stride, Thresh levitated up onto the stage to stand by Elise.
"They always had better monologues than the comedies ever had, far more thought provoking. Ah, all these centuries later and I can still recall this scene from one of the more popular tragedies of my time. A withered king is on his deathbed, trying to impart a final piece of wisdom to his son."
Thresh took a few steps towards center stage and began to recite.
"Oh prince, my son, I've yet to share the truth
of kingship carried well. Though age has come
and left me lesser, save for wisdom earned.
I ask you lend me, one last time, your ear,
your mind, your heart. What sort of king you will
become, is still yet yours to say. So pray,
my son, if loved I am, take heed and keep
my words. A spider weaves a darkly web,
but not for wrath or ill. It serves a term
to feed. An ugly, uninvited thing.
The firefly, alluring sight, does oft'
fall prey to wicked web. A kindness one
might think would be to free the light, from that
unasked for prison weave. But if the web
can hold no food, the spider shall yet die.
Rejoice does firefly, for life, and joined
by locust undeterred, for none remain
to quell their plague. My son, the king, will yet
you throw your lot with spiders or with flies?"
Achlys, transfixed, watched Thresh. She had grown accustom to only her father speaking with measured cadence while he sang or preached, that to hear another speak in a similar manner was enthralling. She absorbed every word Thresh said, though she had only the faintest idea of what he was saying actually meant.
"Well," Achlys asked, "was the prince able to be a good king?"
"Would this have been a tragedy if he were?" Thresh questioned back.
"No," Achlys sighed, "I guess not."
"Your performance was all well and entertaining," Elise cut in, "but you still have not answered me. Why are you here?"
"I overheard that you two were searching for treasures," he answered, "I thought I could offer my assistance. Here, a trinket I found. I have no need of this."
From some hidden pocket, Thresh produced a small, golden chain with a glass lens, set in a triangular frame the size of a man's palm, attached to the end.
"Careful," he said as he handed it over to Elise, "we don't want anything to break now, do we?"
As Elise reached out to take the object, she saw the meaning behind his burning eyes. He was invoking their pact and he would seek her out later to discuss what it is he wanted her to collect for him.
"No," Elise responded with a nod, "we wouldn't."
"Is that the thing you were looking for, Auntie?" Achlys asked, "Do we need to keep looking for things or are you going to keep teaching me?"
"Oh, did I interrupt a lesson?" Thresh asked.
"She was teaching me about lying."
"Lying?"
"Guile," Elise corrected, "She needs to be taught the importance of guile. Lying is but a small part of it."
"I will not argue the importance of such a skill."
"So everyone really does lie?" Achlys asked.
"Almost certainly," Elise responded, "People lie to those they do not trust and it is impossible to trust everyone."
"Why?"
"Because not everyone will have your best interests at heart," Thresh answered, "Achlys, your necklace, would you give it to Hecarim if he asked you for it? Even if he promised that he would keep it safe?"
Achlys looked down at her pendant, the sea glass softly reflecting the green of the wraith's balefire, and shook her head.
"No!" she stated vehemently.
"But would you trust me, or Elise, or Karthus if we asked you?"
"Yeah."
"And why is that?"
"Because he's mean to me and you aren't."
"You distrust Hecarim."
"I guess so."
"So if you had your necklace in your pocket and he asked for it, would you lie and tell him you didn't have it, because if you simply told him no, would he not just take it from you by force?"
Achlys thought for a moment before nodding.
"You are right."
"It is as I said before," Elise added, "lying can help you avoid that conflict you dislike so much."
"I think I get it," Achlys shrugged, "but I don't think I like it."
"It has never been my favorite thing either," Thresh agreed, "I often find that the truth, no matter how cruel it may be, is often the right thing to say."
"And if you do not wish to lie," Elise added, "you can always remain silent. Secrets and Guile go hand and hand."
"So if you can keep something secret, you should?"
Elise nodded.
Achlys was silent as she became lost in thought. Something hadn't been sitting right in her mind and now she felt as though she had to bring it up.
"Do you think my Father has been keeping secrets from me?"
"Now isn't that an interesting question," Thresh said, "what has brought upon this doubt, Achlys?"
"Before a Harrowing I always have the same nightmare, but last time it was different. At the end of the nightmare, I saw someone's eyes. They were bright green, like mine are. Father looked upset when I said this. He tried to hide it, but I could tell. Then he said that I must have just seen the eyes of a wraith, but they weren't. I know what a wraith's eyes look like and they didn't look like them! They looked like mine! Then I asked if there was anyone else like me and he said there wasn't but what if he was keeping a secret?" Achlys scowled and balled up her fists, "What if there is someone else like me?"
Elise knelt down and gently cupped the side of the child's face to turn it up towards her.
"There is not one living person on these Isles with eyes like yours," Elise said, "and that is the truth."
Achlys let out a small sigh, and then reached up, grabbed Elise's arm with one hand and the lip of the stage with her other, and attempted to pull herself up. As Elise held one of Achlys's arms, Thresh leaned over and grabbed her other. Together, they lifted her onto the stage.
"Oh, thank you," Achlys said before continuing, "so you aren't lying to me, right Auntie?"
"I never want to lie to you, my Little Bug," Elise cooed.
Achlys hugged Elise before looking over her shoulder and up at Thresh.
"And you aren't lying to me either?"
"I have no reason to lie to you," Thresh answered, "there are none alive here with eyes like yours. One wraith perhaps, but your eyes are so very different from his, still full of happiness and innocence. There is hardly a comparison to be made in that regard."
Now that her father's statement had been confirmed twice over, Achlys felt the uncertainty she had been holding on to begin to slip away. That was one less thing to worry about. Now all that remained was trying to learn how to use that third Pillar of Strength, Guile.
Special thanks to the Wonderful Spouse for writing the monologue. I married a bard and could not be more thrilled.