I know the main way for good storytelling is "show don't tell" but I always seem to default to long in depth explanations for everything going on. Hmmm...Whatevs, I'll figure something out. I'll also attempt to not be too OC-centric focused, but considering the amount of League lore I know is zilch, I'll most likely "borrow" concepts from other media. But don't expect for Ezreal to invent the Flying Kamui or something.
I've also been reading another new Fate crossover fanfic named "Summoning Mage in the Marvel Universe" which was kind of the main reason I started this one too. Alongside other great fanfics where people summon Servants but that one I named was the turning point.
Anyway, finally at the final stretch of the "Starting Village Arc".
Please enjoy the chapter!
Over the course of the next few days, Ezreal and Karna trained and prepared.
Of course, they didn't plan to bring all the children with them. They decided the able bodied ones that were on the older side such as Kor would travel with Ezreal to raid a small-ish tomb near, but Karna would stay back to help keep the other children safe and teach them how to read and write alongside basic mathematics. Turns out, Kor and the other children had a sort of hideout.
Which had led to this current situation just before the expedition.
"Wee! Look, I'm flying!" A child was hanging off of one of Karna's golden earings, since Karna was standing, the child's feet was not touching the ground.
"Lancer! Lancer! This jacket is so red...is it red?!" A few other children were tugging and handing off of Karna's clothes and arms, though, Karna hardly looked overwhelmed by all these children, his expression as neutral as ever.
"Uh...Wouldn't hanging off of his earings hurt?" Kor and the other older children turn to Ezreal, as they were watching the display.
Meanwhile. Ezreal could barely contain his laughter at seeing Karna in the sitation, pointing and laughing like a true friend would.
"Pfft..! Y-Yeah he's fine. I tried dropping boulders and trees on him but that didn't do anything to even make the guy wince." Ezreal finallys ays after calming down somewhat from laughing.
"Boulders?" Kor asks with a raised brow.
"Don't worry about it. So! Which ones are coming with me to explore the tomb?" Ezreal turns to Kor "None of the other children seem to be standing next to you and I. Is it just you, Kor?" Ezreal asks, trying not to be too insensetive in case they were just too poor to help equip anyone else.
"No, two others will join me. But, they weren't with us when those bandits attacked, so you and Mister Lancer don't know them." Kor states, albeit after hesitating for a while "We all decided to trust you two. Make sure you don't tell anyone ok? I'd like you to meet Nana and Harith."
Two hooded figures enter the rooms, wearing similar outfits to Kor but are both covered behind large robes.
"Did we really have to be all dramatic like this. Why couldn't we have just met them when they first got here? Would have saved mroe time." The shorter hooded figure takes off their hood, they have bright pink hair and a pair of racoon ears "Hey! I'm Nana, once this is all done, I wanna play with Mister Lancer too!"
The other figure takes off heir hood as well, their hair a pale shade of white similar to Karna, on him adorned a pair of cat ears "Nana, we need to focus. This could be dangerous...though, I am looking forward to his quite a bit. Hello Ezreal...as you can see, we are both Vastaya. If that will be a problem then..."
"I'll have you know I'm pro Vastayan rights." Ezreal says quickly, the three kids seem to visibly lower their shoulders with relief "I get it. Vastayans tend to be magically inclined, even if you're not. This town is quite close to Demacia..."
"The Mageseekers..." Nana's ears droop a little.
"...Well, hey. Don't think about that. We have a day of spelunking to get to!" Ezreal says happily, trying to raise their spirits "If you both can use magic, you can use it all you want in there. Trust me, as long as you're careful, you'll never be found out. I'm a mage myself actually."
Ezreal makes a ball of mana which he throws up and down like a ball.
This raises both of the eyes of the two Vastayan children, though they differ in expression. Nana's eyes light up like a kid in a sweet store while Harith observes it with intrigue.
"Haha! Let's play catch while in the tomb then!" Nana cries out happily, her ears twitching eagerly.
"Its similar to my Syncrho Fission...but jts just a pure ball of mana rather than actually converting it into energy...how much magic reserves do you have..." Harith begins muttering to himself.
"Nana! Harith! We have somewhere to be remember? We were hired, this isn't a casual trip." Kor yells, but not that loudly as to not disturb the other children with Karna "You can talk about magic things in the tomb."
"Haha, its fine. I am a mage worth ten afterall. I have ten times the magic of your average other mage. But you're right, let's stop burning daylight. Lancer, have fun! Alright kets go!" Ezreal says while going to leave, Nana and Harith place their hoods back on as the two Vastaya and Kor begin to follow.
"So...where's the map to this place?" Nana asks as the door opens.
"Map? Who needs one of those." Ezreal replies happily.
"Huh?" Kor raises a brow at hearing this interaction.
"Ugh...that took so long..." Kor seems to be out of it and tired while standing at the entrance of a cave that seems to go deep down "Why in the world didn't you use a map, we took so many detours."
"Aw come on Kor, where's your sense of adventure!" Nana states, now practically throwing off her hood "Sheesh, the rough fabric always makes my ears and tail itch."
"Kor is human, remember Nana? He doesn't have the vitaloty of us Vastaya or is as trained or experianced in walking for so long like Ezreal." Harith also has his hood off, walking over to Kor to help him to his feet after he rests for a little moment and also handing him a water sac "I have to ask though, why no map?"
"Well as I say, I beaten path is a boring path. Does there have to be reason for everything?" Ezreal says while chuckling "Alright. We walked a long way, and being the considerate man I am, lets take five."
"Ten." Kor deadpans as he rests against the cave wall.
"Ten, and say please next time ok?" Ezreal actually had thought this would be a bit of a slog to get through, especially with his own experiences in the Acadamy, but these kids, while as old as 15 weren't annoying at all "I guess for now, lets look around. See those plants over there, the berry bush?"
"Hm?" Nana turns her head to look in the general direction Ezreal indicates to.
"Poisonous, most likely. Its memorisation and experiance at that point, colour, texture of the berry and if its viscous or not, number of seeds. That sort of thing." Ezreal imparts random casual facts about survival and exploring during this ten minutes, to varying degrees active participation.
"I see..." Harith was the most interested one out of the bunch "So its more about getting into the mindset of inferring and identifying things, whether that be traps or the value of things when exploring."
"Uwah...Harith finally found another nerd to nerd with things about." Nana has an expression that is akin to a proud mother "Anyway, ten minutes is up! Lets head in quick!"
The four walk into the caverns...and it certainly was a mini adventure. Though Ezreal had brought them along and was aware that the tomb itself shouldn't have any too lethal traps or defences, no tomb is completely unsafe. If not by man made traps, nature itself can do the work.
"Watch out for the crumbling pathway."
"If you look there, you can see the support pillar is eroded so lets not go that way."
"Ah, the classic trap door boulder. Keep in mind unless its a magical dungeon, the boulders themselvers are likely not perfectly spherical so look for gaps!"
"When you walk, also take into consideration the sound of your steps, it could reveal possible hollowings, nearby traps or if its wet and damp."
Ezreal pitches in now and again, while hardly a teacher, the fact that the exploration itself requires active perception, Ezreal's words could actually be the difference of life and death here, or even in the future.
"How..." Kor begins, almost uncertain "How are you so nonchalant about this? You speak of these things as naturally as breathing, yet they can end your life...Unlike Mister Lancer, you're not insanely strong warrior aren't you. You're like us..."
"Hm? Well...I guess its because I can die at any time." Ezreal says.
"Huh?"
"This kind of job, its not something you can plan perfectly all the time or predict. You Have to go along with the flow and leave it up to chance...about all the time." Ezreal mutters.
"I geuss...that kind fo makes sense...the sooner I learn this I can help the others waiting back at the hideout..." Kor said, smiling at Ezreal.
"Ah, wait a moment guys." Ezreal raises a hand to indicate for them to stop "What's this Black Mist..."
His eyes squint for a moment.
"Right, this stuff is magic. Lets head back the way we came. Its fast moving but doesn't seem toxic. Lets not leave it to chance though. Remember the first rule?"
"Make a strategic retreat at the first sight of inconvenience." The three kids all say at the same time with varying tones, one happy, one tired, one neutrally.
"I taught you all so well." Ezreal wipes away an imaginary tear "Alright. Lets run, but not too fast. Not in mortal danger yet-"
There is a sudden dripping noise extremely close to Ezreal, causing him to stop talking and look down.
"..."
There is a knife deeply embedded into his stomach course and dark, this knife was far from sleek and refined.
Sqeeelch
A figure obscured by mist and shadows turns the knife while its still within Ezreal, though it was a quick action, to the two it was as an eternity passed.
"Wanna play with me?"