A/N: Apologies for the late update
Chapter 6
The Storm
HAMLET
It was early in the morning, Jill Wesely's brown leather boots crunched the dew-covered dirt beneath her feet while she had on her dark blue dress with her blonde hair tied back in a plaid bonnet, a basket of fresh eggs ready to sell at the Hamlet market when she decided to take a detour by Zachriah's farm, it wasn't soon after he fled did the Mayor give the farms land to the Wesely's as payment for Zachriah attacking George. God's poor face, she didn't know why she was heading there, but as she climbed the hill to the still charred remains of the farm she saw someone.
Jill nearly dropped her basket of eggs seeing the cloaked figure, it wasn't any cloak someone from Hamlet would wear. It was fur lined, with spiraling designs and there was something large like a pack behind the wearer, hidden. Was it… was it him "Z-Zachariah?" she called.
But she froze when she saw him turn, and his eyes a pair of glowing eyes looking right at her. She dropped the eggs as the cloak approached her and reached out with a purple hand.
THE GREAT BARRIER MOUNTAINS
Cold, that's the only thing he felt; Zachariah had been cold before when the winters in Hamlet came they were tough. All the green was blanketed in white, the lakes became ice hard enough for the children to skate on it. George and Zachariah had even tied Mama Wesely's kitchen knives to their boots to make skates, but this wasn't cold. It was colder than cold, every breath he took up the mountain trail a cloud formed in front of his face. It's been two days since he left Alistar and Teemo behind, he missed Bess terribly. But at least he knew the old horse would be safer there then trying to survive this storm, she was probably safe in whatever the Minotaurs of Alistar clan used as a stable. Fresh hay and vegetables to eat, a warm fire somewhere to keep her and themselves warm. But what did Zachariah get? He got the storm from the lowest pit of hell his winter gear Alistar had given him was doing everything it could to keep the cold out but that wasn't much. A fur lined parka and trousers were fashioned from the mountain goats double layered with leather for a child Minotaur which was about the size of a young teenager like Zachariah. He barely had time to admire the embroidered designs and patterns on his parka, trousers, gloves, scarf and hat when the first snow began to fall. His bag was tied over his back and he had to use the staff to push himself up against the deep snow.
Zachariah felt a chill run up his spine, not from the cold air around him or something else, there was danger, the glowing of the staff crystal brought it to his attention. Zachariah looked around and behind he could see figures coming up from behind him in the snow.
There low growling rising like themselves from the snow, the Murk Wolves had returned and they were hungry. "Oh you guys are worse than the Magehunters." Zachariah tossed his bag to the group and held the staff up with both hands. One of the smaller ones rushed him, Zachariah swung his staff at it, clocking it in the jaw as the pack had surrounded him, their claws scraping against the stone blue eyes glowing, fixed on him; At this point he was more afraid of the staff than he was the wolves but better to have it on his side then risk being dinner for the beasts. The murk wolves barked bone white teeth at him that would rip him apart if they got their chance.
He waved his hand casting a wave of fire around himself to melt half an inch of snow and try to deter the murk wolves, but the big one got closer, it's two heads looked starved, biting at one another who would get the chance to eat him first. Zachariah remembered these types of murk wolves were called greater murk wolves, their two heads made them twice as smart, twice as deadly than their counterparts. No way could he leave anything to chance he had to break their chase right here and there or they'd hound him all the way to Piltover if he'd even make it there alive. The Greater Murk Wolf snarled at him and Zachariah raised up his staff to try and warn it off like a hunter holding a spear to a bear. Zachariah would prefer a bear, to murk wolves. There was one spell he knew that would stop it, he told himself over and over he wouldn't kill again with magic, he wouldn't kill another person. Murk wolves were animals they wouldn't give a second thought about killing him if it meant a fresh meal in their stomachs. There was no other way he couldn't kill it without magic, squeezing the staff he slammed it into the ground making the snow covered ground tremble some of the wolves stopped, backing away but the Greater Murk Wolf got closer, it wasn't afraid— it attacked running at him the murk wolf pounced on Zachariah, falling back the last thing he saw was the two murk wolf jaws closing in on him and the magic power broke from the staff when he thought of the attack spell known as 'Smite'. A loud crack like thunder and lighting echoed across the mountain splitting the air. The next thing he knew the Greater Murk Wolf collapsed on top of Zachariah, pinning him into the snow. Clawing his way out to see the other murk wolves running away tails between their legs. Zachariah's hands were trembling; he used the staff to kill again. Not a person a wild animal, but that didn't make it feel any less wrong.
Looking at the wolf Zachariah knelt down seeing the wolf wasn't done yet, it's breathing was soft, slow and getting weaker, the blue glowing eyes dimmed and he heard the Murk Wolf whimper like Jack haddone. Zachariah hesitated to do anything he couldn't save it, Grandpa had taught Zachariah smite as a last resort spell, all he could do was put his hand on the creature feeling it's heartbeat weaker and weaker, slower, slower, gone.
Zachariah sighed, putting the staff down before he felt a light on his face, raising his head he expected it was the moon or sun finally coming through the clouds. But it wasn't the moon, a glowing white arrow was stuck out of the purple frost caked fur and he wasn't sure what she was. Standing over Zachariah and the dead greater murk wolf was a creature glowing pale white over him. She looked part human and part animal shrouded in ethereal white fur holding a bow in one hand the other gently resting on the murk wolf. Two eyes of pale light appeared behind a dark wolf mask with a curved mark on it, two ears pointed up from the mask and another set of white from her silver mane. Zachariah was entranced by her appearance; she was beautiful, maybe the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen.
A spirit.
More snarling, from behind, Zachariah turned slowly to see another wolf, this one wasn't made of fur and flesh but black smoke glowing blue eyes and a white lamb mask between its eyes and snout. It rushed him and before he could grab the staff the white spirit stopped black one. She shielded her arms out wide and the other one growled before she patted its nose like a child would boop a snoot. Backing away the darker spirit wolf receded into the shadows before vanishing and the other one spirit gave him a long hard look before she moved over to the dead greater murk wolf. She placed her hand where Zachariah had put his and reached for her arrow the second she touched it the glowing white arrow evaporated into small sparks of light. And more, the murk wolf deflated into nothing but its pelt. Zachariah looked up the spirit but saw she too was gone.
Zachariah wasn't sure what had just happened, but he wasn't going to question it now in the middle of a winter snow storm. Grabbing the pelt be fastened the murk wolf's front paws around his shoulders and tied a knot, one of it's heads was wide enough he could pull it over his own as a hood the other resting on his right shoulder. It offered him some additional protection when he pulled it low but it was heavy, for now keeping warm was more important than being comfortable so he headed close to the rocks to give him some protection from the wind, and grabbing onto the cold rocks to pupp him forward. He stuck the down hard into the snow like an ice pick so he could force his body forward through the harsh winds. The murk wolf pelt was heavy and awkward, he could feel it drag along the ground but the cold had started to lesson, he could even feel some blood returning to his feet. But that spirit, who was she, what was she. Why did it spare him and the other want to kill him? He figured if he thought of that then he wouldn't be thinking of how cold it was.
The rocks began to sink deeper into the snow or the snow was rising like the mountains, Zachariah couldn't rightly tell which. Keep moving he told himself, that was how he would stay alive, keep moving, keep walking keep…
A person?
Zachariah stopped in the snow to see there was someone ahead of him in the storm, maybe they new he way "Hello." Zachariah called out from behind his scarf mask. The figure didn't move, they were holding a lantern, walking through the snow. Zachariah knew it was the wind so he pulled his mask down and shouted "HELLO!"
The figure stopped, they heard him and turned.
Zacharia waved his arm back and forth to let them know he was there "CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME DIRECTIONS—" he panted one shout was hard, another took some much needed air out of his lungs "I'M TRYING TO GET TO PILT-"
BANG
A gunshot shattered through the storm winds and he felt something whiz past his under his arm a small hole in the new murk wolf cloak. Zachariah saw a small rock jutting out of the snow and jumped behind it "HOLD YOUR FIRE HOLD YOUR FIRE I'M JUST A TRAVELER!"
Zachariah peaked out from behind the snow to see the figure was now barreling toward him lantern in hand, a pistol in the other and when he was close enough Zachariah saw two things, the reflection of the lantern of his cold metal Magehunter mask and a dozen more lanterns coming out of the snow "Oh shit." Zacharia mumbled before he jumped to his feet and scurried away like a fox who broke into the henhouse.
Magehunters found him again, how? Zachariah ran back down the way he came toward the rocks and could hear the sound of shouting orders and gunshots signaling where he was. Over his shoulder the Magehunters were coming down after him he saw swords, rifles, pistols even crossbows in their arms. All after him, taking a hard turn East Zachariah climbed up a set of snow covered rocks as bullets bounced off the rocks around him, sparking and ricocheting in every direction.
Whichever god was doing this, Zachariah really didn't like them.
He managed to get his way onto a higher ledge and looked down to see a hook appear in front of him before he slid out of the way. The hook caught onto the ledge and four more suddenly appeared digging into the rock. Looking down Zachariah saw the Magehunters were scaling the rocks faster and in lines, the flashes out of barrels made him rip his head back. Thinking fast he kicked the hooks loose before he ran off around whichever peak he was on. The snow was harsher up here, the wind fiercer but if he had to pick between the storm and the Magehunters, it would be the Magehunters.
Their lantern lights were getting closer, turning around Zachariah clutched the staff tight; he could feel the magic coming out of it as if it were begging to be used. He could still think of the smite spell in his mind but that would kill them, but did they deserve mercy they were trying to kill him— NO, killing with magic was wrong, killing people was wrong it made him no better than them.
The Magehunters burst around the mountain side and saw Zachariah fanning out. They held up their weapons, if it wasn't projectiles they were bolo's attached to strings.
Last chance had to try and reason "I didn't do anything wrong." He said loudly.
"You already killed one of us, you'll kill again." One of them shouted, Zachariah wasn't sure who because they were all in metal masks.
Shaking his head "I'm sorry, he tried to kill me. I couldn't stop the spell, it was an accident I didn't mean to." Zachariah said trembling from cold and terror.
"Mages can't be trusted, you destroy the world once there will not be a second Rune War." The same voice said, it was like they were all speaking of one. And of the Rune Wars, a cataclysmic conflict between warring mages that nearly the world centuries ago from what Grandpa had taught him.
Zachariah felt the ground shake, he glanced up the mountain he was on seeing the icea peak crack, it was going to give way, all he needed was time "I'm not… I'm not going to start a war, I'm just trying to get away from you." Zachariah said loudly trying to get his voice to echo up.
The Magehunters cocked their weapons "Magic will corrupt all it touches, it must be cleansed and so must you." He saw one, reach under his cloak, they were the one speaking they pulled out a large weapon that fit in both their hands. It was too big to be a rifle, to short to be a blunderbuss, it was a cannon. "Die mage." The hunter said pulling a string action leaver.
KABOOM-
SHIELD, Zachariah yelled in his mind the crystal atop the staff expanded it's aura into the same blue bubble that protected him from Darius in the tent at the same time something collided into the shield. Zachariah saw a cannonball the size of a melon grinding into the shield pushing him toward the nearest ledge. If he focused on the shield it would repel the ball back into the Magehunters if he didn't it would break the spell and kill him.
Focus.
Focus.
Focus on…
The….
Mountain!
Zachariah expanded the shield, the cannonball rebounded off the magical sphere and into the mountain side shaking the ledge and echoing loudly all around them. Then the mountain started to shake, snow and ice groaned loudly all around them just like Zachariah had wanted "Avalanche!" One of the Magehunters shouted turning to run all of them started to run except for the one holding whom had fired the cannonball at him he held his ground looking at Zachariah staring him down, his mask was different it was iron yes, but it only had one eyehole in it and the eye behind it was filled with hatred.
He dropped the cannon and drew a cutlass from his robe running at Zachariah before a tsunami of snow engulfed them both. Zachariah felt the snow crash into his shield swarming all around him, over him but he held onto the staff tightly. Focusing on the shield as long as he kept his concentration, held the staff it would hold, hold, hold hold…. The weight began to relent. The mountain side slowly ran out of snow to thrust at him until finally silence.
Zachariah took his free hand off the staff ending the spell with a cloud of white air on all sides around him. Looking down over the edge he saw nothing but the storm and white snow rushing along with the wind. It was over for now, but the Magehunters would be back eventually.
Taking a short moment to catch his breath, Zachariah knew the storm was going to get worse before it got better. He had to find shelter, or he wouldn't last the night, his tent wouldn't hold in the storm. Zachariah wouldn't even be able to get it up in these winds no, what he needed was a cave solid stone, looking up at the staff he eyed the frost covered crystal. He wondered if it was powerful enough to clear the storm, weather magic wasn't something he'd ever been good at. The most he could do was summon a small thundercloud to water the flowers and vegetables when it was the dry season. Even then Grandpa said it took magicians years to master temptesancy. Zachariah thought back to the bridge when he called down the lighting, it was instinct magic that he'd never dreamed or tried to use. Focusing now he saw the crystal glow bright, he focused on the storm, trying to get it to lessen. Focusing on warmer climates, on a hot summer's day, no wind, air do dry your tongue would turn to sand paper.
A powerful gust of wind finding its way through his clothes broke his concentration, and he shivered furiously before moving on knowing if he stopped his blood flow would cease. Walking forward he soon found himself face to face with the mountain side, cold ice covered stone. Leaning on it with one hand he tried to get his bearings. The wind was coming from the north, fast and strong hand against the mountain he turned right or at least he hoped it was right. The thick dark gray outline of the mountain around him mixed with racing specks of thick snow covered his eyebrows in snow, his face was numb through the slit of his hat and scarf under the hood. It was hard to keep his eyes open when he fell forward face first into the snow. Gasping he looked up to see he'd lost his footing because of a hole in the mountain side, no not a hole a cave. Forcing himself to get up, Zachariah stumbled into the cave, he held his hand up and tried to move his fingers under the mitten to summon fire in the palm of his hand. Raising it up like he was holding a torch the young mage saw the wind push the fire forward the cave was deeper still. All the better Zachariah thought, he could get out of the cold walking deeper when he began to hear something from behind the mufflment of his hat and hood.
It was starting to get louder?
A rushing noise, not thin and crisp like wind?
Heavy, loud, water. It was the sound of rushing water, but water couldn't get up this high in a mountain? Zachariah knew as much from Grandpa's lessons of the earth's movement that the only way water could exist on a mountain was because it was the start of a mountain stream and that for something so high up in a mountain raised from the moving of Tectonic plates, and magam that followed the only logical explanation was.
"A hot spring." Zachariah said as the warm whips of the stream melted the snow on his ice to make tears of joy run down his face. Because steaming thick in front of Zachariah were giant pools of bubbling water flowing into smaller ones. He tore off his mitten his hand was nearly bone white, frost is bordering on frostbite, letting the steam warm his hand he slowly put it into the water, perfectly warm "WOOOOOO!" Zachariah shouted, tossing off his hat, scarf and dropping the staff and bag. Faster than a mage could chant a spell to end the world Zachariah stripped down to nothing but his grandpa's necklace and jumped into the nearest hot spring warming him up in a matter of seconds. He breached the surface, his brown hair matted wet on his head, he splashed around shouting and laughing. Finally after Magehunters, being held prisoner by two sides in a war, Murk Wolves, the forces of nature itself he'd finally caught a break at last.
NORTHERN SIDE OF THE GREAT BARRIER MOUNTAINS
Noxian Forward Camp
The Noxian Legions had pushed deeper into Minotaur territory, they were now in the mountains themselves, their tents lining the trails as miners and diggers blew holes in the mountain passes for the legions to pass. Inside the commander's tent, both Darius and Draven were eyeing a stranger who'd arrived. Draven sat propped up on the table using a knife to pick his teeth while Darius towered over the same stranger who had frightened Jill. The champion had one arm in a sling but still held onto his great ax while Commander Cyrus sat behind his desk. "The Commander may tolerate your presence here, I don't. I'm beginning to wonder about the intentions of mages, our recent transaction with one I don't plan to repeat."
"That's enough Darius, apologizes Darius and his brother are loyal to a fault, that wound on his arm wasn't a minotaur."
The stranger glanced at Darius' broken arm, "And still he stood down the entire Minotaur tribe, showing off." Draven said sarcastically.
"I mean no harm to you, or your Commander." the stranger said "Though Noxus is no friend of mine, nor are you my enemy, my question remains, where did the boy go?"
Commander Cyrus leaned over his table "That boy, though may appear to be one, has become… a person of interest to the Noxian high command and the Black Rose."
The stranger focused on this, Draven spat on the ground hearing the commander say the organization's name, "We ended up returning him to the Capital for his own protection after a Magehunter somehow infiltrated our camp, just to kill this 'boy'.' Cyrus said pulling out the burnt mask of Magehunter Darius had cleaved with his ax.
"I've met their kind, they weren't as lucky either." the stranger said.
Cyrus stood up from his desk and walked round the table to the stranger ane Darius "So there are more, Battle Mages are rare to the Legion, but this affects all of us and I do not wish to see that cabal of pompous nobles and occultis have another reason to waste good soldiers and resources."
"What do you propose?" the stranger asked under his hood.
"A compromise, you will tell me all you know about these Magehunters and how Noxus can better… deal with them, and we will tell you where the boy is heading."
The Stranger waved his hand and a soft lavender light appeared as he summoned a bag out of thin air with nothing but magic. The bag was fat with whatever was inside, slowly the stranger openedit and poured out over a dozen of the iron metal masks Magehunters wore. Some were blown half open, others melted or looked like they'd been dipped in acid. "I don't know where they came from, but they are tenacious. In my travels I've encountered them in villages of Ionia, the ports of Bilgewater, and as far as the deserts of Shurima. Their resources are vast and their knowledge on how to kill mages is extensive."
"Do you believe they're connected to Demacia?" Darius asked.
"I doubt it, they have Battlemages and court wizards as much as Noxus." the stranger said.
Draven snickered, "Hmm, I'd put money on Demacia."
"Do you know of any bases, locations they gather?" Cyrus asked the mysterious mage.
"No, I believe they are trained as rangers to live in the wild, blend in and disappear, they believe just the mere existence of Mages will bring another cataclysm that shook the world when Mages tried to use the World Runes." the stranger said.
A few moments of silence echoed in the tent, "Their weapons are projectiles mostly, guns, crossbows, arrows and throwing knives, they're also skilled in trapping and close quarter combat whoever or whomever is supplying them is giving them cutting edge weaponry, Piltover perhaps they have not forgotten what the ancient Mages have done."
Commander Cyrus smirked "Then you're in luck, that's where he's going."
PILTOVER
The University of Piltover
Far below the Great Barrier Mountains, in the upper city where only the most noble families lived and sent their children to the most esteemed academic institution on the continent. The University of Piltover, one of the oldest institutes founded by the cities eldest statesman and head of the academy Professor Cecil B. Heimerdinger, the brilliant yordle had a golden statue of him outside the academy and he could often be found walking the hallways with his longtime assistant "Viktor did you remember to get me tonight's opera tickets?" Professor Heimerdinger.
"Yes Professor." Viktor said walking next to him using an assisted walking cane, he was a slender young man with pale papery skin, sunken eyes and brown hair slicked back over his head. He looked like he was about to keel over at the slightest misstep. Dressed in the university student uniform of a gray lined vest and white shirt, with red tie, black pants and laced up boots.
"By the way you have a lecture starting in thirty minutes, a demonstration of combustible powders." Viktor reminded him of holding a clipboard.
Heimerdinger made noise of surprise "Ah yes, thank you for reminding me."
Just then they were passed by a tall young man who couldn't have been more opposite of Viktor, he had broad shoulders, dark haired and brown eyed. He was holding books upon books in his strong arms, when he suddenly dropped a piece of paper. The other student didn't seem to notice his lost note. Viktor looked over at him as they passed, leaning over to pick up the notes. It had a mix of scientific calculations and rune symbols. Before the young man walked all the way out of the university and down the streets of Piltover to a large apartment building. Making his way up the stairs he looked over his notes, a mix of runes and calculations, and glanced down at the rune bracelet on his wrist. Heading upstairs to his apartment he looked up at the door to see it was open and shadows were moving around, someone was inside.
He set down his notes and books sneaking up to the door he clenched his hand into a fist so tight his knuckles popped. Springing into action he burst into his apartment "Jayce!" A shrill shriek of a girl met him.
The young student Jayce reeled back to see a blue haired girl in a noblewoman's skirt and dress, she had a small string bow tie, white puffy sleeves and a waistcoat around her cupcake-like skirt "Caitlyn?" The girl was young, maybe only a year or two into her teens.
"What are you doing here?" Jayce said bending over to pick her up dusting her off in a caring manner.
"I got out of my lessons early, thought I could help you with your research Jayce?" Caitlyn said.
He walked back out to pick up his notes and books, coming back in "Well I appreciate the company." He said as he set his notes down on his desk, the interior of the lab was filled with strange gizmo's, instruments, and gubers. Notes like the ones he had were a mix of scientific symbols and magical runes, he had a chalkboard mixed together and a different device, shaped like an upside down plate on the table that was larger than the others. It had runes carved into the metal with a set of claws in the center, looking like it wanted to hold something.
"What's this?" Caitlyn asked.
Jayce came up next to her looking at her, "My latest invention… as soon as I figure out a way to make it work."
"What's it to do?"
Jayce smiled and stood his chest puffed out, the young man proudly held up his fist "It does…. Uh, stuff." Jayce sighed.
"You mean you built it and you don't know?" She asked.
Jayce slumped down on a stool "It's supposed to channel magic, but I can't find the right power source. The runes I carved into them don't respond to oil, coal, electricity, and there are no mages in piltover so everything I know is from these books and more than half of them are fifty to a century years old." He said as he opened up one turning the pages to show a wizard.
"So you need a mage, I can see how that's a problem for a city expressly built so we didn't have to worry about warmongering mages, like how mother says." Caitlyn said, opening one book to a picture of a great battle between mages.
Jayce closed his book "Your mother means well Caitlyn, but mages aren't all warmongers or conquerors, from the stuff I've learned there were many, thousands who dedicated themselves to research, the betterment of the world like us, in some sense of the word mages were the first scientists." Jayce said turning the pages to show mages studying books, using magic to build great cities, and even a great council of mages gathered together with pointed hats, white beards, etc.
Caitlyn turned the pages over and over till she came across a sketch of a ring with a dragon on it, "What's this?" She asked pointing to the
"Oh this, the Dragonlords." Jayce said.
"Dragonlords, that sounds like a band name?" Caitlyn asked.
Snickering at it "It does, they were an order of Battlemages in ancient times, but I can't find anything more than that on them, the Dragonlords are lost to history and here we focus on the future." Jayce said picking up a set of tools to get to work. But Caitlyn kept her eye on the drawing of the ring of a Dragonlord.
SOMEWHERE IN THE MOUNTAINS
Zachariah let all the stress, cold and exhaustion melt away into blissful relaxation. He felt some solid stone under his feet, it was smooth to the touch and moving his feet around he found a decent low enough spot of the pool he could lean on and rest his head on the rocks. He wasn't sure how many hours passed when he stopped, he even thought he fell asleep a few times. The water was so warm but by the time his strength had returned he could figure out where he was. The map that Teemo had given him showed he'd left the Minotaur village. The mountain trail they'd given him was marked up with slender stones but by the time the stone started to fall he couldn't even see the markers anymore. He was lost for sure, but he was lost on one of the peaks of the Great Barrier Mountains.
Rolling out the map in front of him as he pressed his chest on the edge of the pool, he reached into the bag pulling out his food. It was restocked, there were some apples, dried meat, carrots and two water skins both hard as rocks from the cold. He set them by the steamy waters to try and thaw before he looked at the map marking where he'd last seen a marker and focusing on the best way to try and get down the mountain.
Easier said than done, he thought, he didn't even know where he was? Reaching into the water he pulled out the Dragonlord ring, wondering about Grandpa. He'd never questioned the existence of the ring since he could remember it was something Grandpa had always carried with him, besides lots of the villagers in Hamlet wore rings not just wedding ones, but ones on their pinkies or even the Mayor who had one for every finger on celebratory occasions. He found himself thinking a lot about Hamlet right now, worried if the Magehunters had attacked the place or if Noxus was already there building a garrison?
Putting those thoughts aside he turned to his spell books wondering if there was something inside it he could use that could help him, he fumbled through the spellbooks he looked at the map and then picked up the book on Animation by Yinsid, opening it he skimmed the chapter list, all listed alphabetical from average household items to Zygots, he slipped his finger down to T for topographics, page 72. Turning over to it he skimmed the under passages looking for the right stuff. He stopped on one page where there was an illustration wizard wearing a safari hat with goggles holding a map, casting a spell and the map shifting to show a dark line trailing through it and the spell was called "Clairvoyance…?" Zachariah said, reading the runes.
Clairvoyance, a novel illusion spell where the caster focuses on a certain objective with a combination of enchanting the item, a book, a puzzle or a map(there were a series of runes for enchanting an item underlined) for finding one's way when lost. In order for the spell to be used properly the caster must envision what they wish to find in their mind's eye when casting.
Sounded simple enough to Zachariah, he knew the runes about enchanting items easy enough, Grandpa would often use it to enchant spoons and kettles to make tea, he never used it on brooms and told Zachariah never to either saying 'You never trust brooms, ever' something about one apprentice enchanting brooms to fetch water or something. The clairvoyance spell runes were more complicated so he stretched his fingers out and started to practice them over and over.
Zachariah was so focused on making sure he did it right he was unaware of the lower, larger and boiling pools starting to bubble over, something was stirring at the use of magic. Taking a few deep breaths, Zachariah cast the enchantment on the map making the paper levitate off the stone floor then with his other hand drew the clairvoyance runes thinking of and whispering "piltover, piltover, piltover…" suddenly a small blue light appeared on the map in the heart of the Great Barrier Mountains, it went south down the mountain curving and winding like a snake before it stopped at the end of the continent, where Valoran and Shumira met at Piltover. Zachariah smiled at his work and clapped his hands "Woooo." He yelped, happy to have a clear path ahead. He cursed himself also for not thinking to look for this spell sooner, but to be fair. Escaping Noxian soldiers, Magehunters, getting captured by them and Minotaurs all while fighting your way through a blizzard puts a lot on a young man's mind and he was hungry, his stomach was growling but the food he'd brought with him was still frozen. Looking closer he could see he was just short of the Great Barrier Mountains' zenith, with any luck the storm would pass in the morning and he could get on with a fresh start.
All this hiking and walking, sleeping outside or in a cell really made him think about what was going to happen next. Not like back at the farm when he'd wake up knowing what the day held for him, up early before the sun to eat some breakfast then go check on the animals. Make sure the chickens had fed the cows, the pig all while Daisy followed him across the farm before he joined the two cows in the field. Zachariah would brush Bess if she needed it, and then Grandpa would wake up. He'd make the old man breakfast and then they'd practice some magic.
Zachariah chuckled when he first tried to use fire to make his bath hot like the hot spring, he accidentally set the bathtub on fire before Grandpa doused it. Snickering at the memory, Grandpa had made him go get a new one from the carpenter in Hamlet. Not that he was complaining, he got to see Wesely's in town. Finn burst out into laughter in the middle of town when he heard Zachariah had burnt the bathtub. The good thing about the Wesely's was that even while working their farm they'd all had some sort of different trade in the town when they weren't helping out on the farm. Clark often worked closely with Pa Wesely on the farm, being the eldest, John had somehow found himself working in the Mayors Townhouse as an assistant or scribe. Merrin and Perrin were often found working or sometimes drinking at the Dancing Pig, either way they got free ale from Tabolt. George had been a surprisingly good hunter; he'd even shown Zachariah a few ways to tell different tracks apart. He missed her terribly, especially Jill, her curly blonde hair and the softness of her lips made him sad. But most of all he missed Grandpa, he plucked the gold ring out of the water with his other hand, he originally wanted to keep it buried with him but it was too precious now, every time he felt it on his chest i was like Grandpa was still here.
Swimming to the edge of the pool he leaned on the hard stone and sighed, tapping his finger on the rock he started to get into a rhythm. There was a song his Grandpa would always sing, there were a lot of songs he would hum or sing. George and Zachariah would even join in at the songs at the Dancing Boar, but this was a sadder song, Zachriah never asked him where he learned it. It was sad and happy at the same time. How did it go again he wondered…
Oh, I bid farewell to the comfort and hearth
And I wonder away from homes soft warmth
To search for my forgotten friends
To search for the place I hear all men must end
As the souls of the dead fill the space of my mind
I'll search without sleeping 'til peace I can find
I fear not the weather, I fear not the sea
I remember the fallen, do they think of me?
When their bones in the land forever will be
Plot a course to the night to a place I once knew
To a place where my hope died along with you
So I swallow my grief and face life's final test
To find promise of peace and the solace of rest
As the souls of the dead fill the space of my ears
Their laughter like children, their beckoning cheers
My heart longs to join them, sing songs of why
I remember the fallen, do they think of me?
When their bones in the land forever will be
When at last before my ghostly mates I stand
I shed a small tear for my home above land
Though their eyes speak of depths filled with struggle and strife
Their smiles below say I don't owe them my life
As the souls of the dead fill the space of my eyes
And my horse toppled over and tried not to die
I'm this far from following, this far from home
I remember the living, do they think of me?
When my bones in the land forever will be
Now that I'm staring down at the darkest abyss
I'm not sure what I want but I don't think it's this
As my comrades call to stand fast and forge on
I make way for the dawn 'til the darkness has gone
As the souls of the dead live forever in my mind
As I live all the years that they left me behind
I'll stay on the road but still gaze at the past
I remember the fallen and they think I'll last
For our souls in the land together will be
I remember the fallen and they think of me
For our souls in the land together will be
Somehow, even with how sad it was there was some peace in it, Zachariah assumed it must have been one Grandpa had learned at the inn, or somewhere in his travels as a younger man. While he'd been singing Zachariah couldn't hear the howling of the storm it was starting to sound like it was letting up. He could go soon, soon he'd be in Piltover.
Climbing out of the water he grabbed his dried clothes and started to get dressed, he didn't have his pants up when he heard voices coming from the cave entrance "Here shelter…"
"Oh shit." Zachariah said, fumbling to get all his stuff together. Boots, trousers, his books in his bag, and his shirts on, he tied the two headed wolf hide around shoulders after he got his waistcoat and jacket on. He didn't have any chance to get the food or maps when he grabbed the staff and dove behind the largest rock to hide from whoever it was. Peeking out from behind the boulder to see the last people he wanted to see, Magehunters. They're cloaks were caked in snow and frost. There were eight of them now lost to the storm or, or worse, he tried not to think about it.
One of the Magehunters runs his cloak free of snow. "We need to go back out, find him."
Zachariah saw the person who spoke drop his cloak, it was the one with only one eye, another one sitting near the hot spring "We will, after the storm clears?"
"You think that's going to stop the Mage." the one eyed hunter hissed, "He's already killed two of our own, now he escaped us, not to mention getting through a warzone unseen?"
"Easy, every mage in Runeterra will get what's coming to them." another said, but Zachariah wasn't sure who. They were all slowly getting closer to the hot springs to get warm, away from the entrance, his exit.
He'd have to be fast, a dead run without looking back so he could "-Hey look at this?"
Oh no, his supplies the maps, "The mage was here, there are Maps." Zachariah cursed at himself as they gathered around and left the exit wide open. Not wasting a single moment he sprang from behind the rock in a flight making enough noise for him to hear "THERE HE IS!"
The second his boots made contact with the snow, he heard gunshots and crossbow bolts whiz past his head, as he ran out into the storm the blinding sleet of ice and wind was thin enough he could see the mountain side rising up. Scrambling through knee high snow every step it felt like the snow was rising to his waist. He turned left around the mountain trail and was hit with the very worst the storm could throw at him knocked back onto the snow. The wind felt like it wanted to run out of his lungs. "UP THERE!"
Zachariah looked back to see the Magehunters clambering up the snow waist deep like he'd just been. Getting up he looked forward and all that laid before him wasn't a blizzard, it was a frost giant battle of a storm and it was either that or the Magehunters. He didn't have to be an Archmage to understand which he had better chances with, climbing back to his feet Zachariah pushed through the wind and ran into the storm.
Meanwhile, down in Piltover the snow had started to follow down from the Great Barrier mountains, the city was getting its first blanket of snow at night. People were already dressed in their thick winter coats, furskin hats and gloves. Up in the city's prestigious academy Professor Heimerdinger was pouring himself some hot cocoa while he went over some notes about academy business. When he decided to take a break, walking his little legs over to the office fire he turned it up to warm his hands before walking over to the window to look down at his city. Down in the halls, Jace was wearing a fur lined coat and fitted a ushanka hat over his face and a dark red scarf as he checked his notes for a new device. He walked outside the academy and began to take the long trek home to his apartment. Piltover's streets were already starting to get slate by people from the undercity tossing salt to the ground for pennies.
Taking a shortcut through the nearest park he spied some kids playing in the snow, making snowmen, sliding on the ice covered pond. He looked up at the snowflakes tracing the clouds back the mountains cutting through the storm like claws taking the brunt of the weather so Piltover didn't have to. He knew what it was like up on those mountains it almost kill-
SPLOOF
A cold slap of a snowball smacked Jayce right in the face before he looked over to see Piltover's up and coming sharpshooter. Caitlyn was wearing a silver fur fox hat and matching winter coat with a thick collar and eight gold buttons on her coat. "Caitlyn, what are you doing out here you should be home it's freezing." Jayce said, walking up to her wiping off the snow.
"You said we'd do stargazing tonight." the young Kiramman said.
Jayce looked up at the gentle fall of snow and cocked his brow "Uh…. Caitlyn?" he asked, pointing at the sky of thick clouds.
"Well you can make it up to me by letting me see what you're working on?" Caitlyn asked him to walk up, Jayce rolled his eyes with a groan before he snickered.
He gestured for her to follow "Alright, I know I can't say no to you little lady."
Caitlyn followed and looked up to the storm above the Great Barrier mountains "You came to Piltover in a storm like this right?" she asked.
Jayce's smile turned upside down "Not exactly, it wasn't winter, anyone up there is as good as dead.
Back up in the mountains, this was it, the wind was too strong Zachariah the air thin and frozen not like ice, the air was ice. Every flake of snow that slipped into the gap between his eyes felt like they had tiny knives poking at them he could barely see. He stepped forward wading through the snow, the thick wool and leather was freezing up and his feet were numb. Another step before he collapsed face first into the snow, Zachariah told himself to get up but his body wasn't listening. He was going to die, if not the storm of the Magehuners who'd chased him into the storm. He rolled over looking at nothing but swirling snow and dark black sky. It hurt to breathe, there was light… Was it the light… no, the staff. The runestone in it was glowing dimly, pulsing, like a heartbeat about to go out.
Getting dimmer…
And dimmer…
Dimmer…
No, not yet…
Zachariah grabbed onto the staff, he stuck it into the snow looking at the crysta, still glowing softly there was still some life in him, still some magic and he channeled every last bit of his mana into the spell; there was only one thing that could break this storm. An equal to a force of nature itself, the crystal burned with light spitting flames sprouted. Every few seconds he could feel the warmth punch threw the cold air. More, he needed more, the fire started to rise into a fountain of golden light growing, consuming, forming, bigger. It had to be bigger than a snake, bigger than a horse, "Good Now Shape it" He held the image of the creator in his mind, first thing that came to mind were the wings sprouted from the body growing in size every second like two waves of solar flares and the head the heat turning the frost or his cloak to steam. Two legs touched down melting the snow revealing the mountain's stoney scalp, then forward arms carved away the glaciers sending them down to the mountain face. He gazed past the crystal to see its head finally take form, a great golden dragon looking like it was about to take flight, crowned with horns atop its head all made of flame. A great monsoon of cold wind ripped into the dragon, almost shredding it. Zachariah focused on everything he had to give. He wouldn't die up here, he wasn't going to be defeated by a little snow and wind, he knew the staff had power he was going to use it. The avatar gazed down at Zachariah to sapphire eyes in each side of the head, the same shade of the crystal before it raised its infernal head to the storm, breaking its jaw wide white flame roared out of its mouth and into the storm breaking through to the sky above the snow turned to rain in seconds then to steam the dragon beat its wings and the storm giants inside the clouds thundered accepting the dragons the ancient challenge of fire and ice. Bouts of fire sprayed from the dragon's serpent head and the storm's winds clashed without hesitation.
Even as the storm and the dragon fought atop the peak, it was a battle seen for miles around. From the inner township of Hamlet the villagers could see the reddish hue on the horizon, inside the Noxian forward camp, both Draven and Darius came out behind Commander Cyrus the entire camp turned out to bare witness to the flashes of flame coming out of the storm entangled with the lightning. Alistair sat inside his mountain fortress when he walked to the window to see the mountain on fire. The Magehunters, Zachariah had avoided before he reached the peak, finally knew where he was and started to head toward him, all the way on the other side of the mountain the Piltovians were watching.
"Astonishing, Viktor, are you taking notes?" Heimedinger asked from behind his telescope, looking at a sickly pale young man sitting in a chair with an assisted cane beside him scribbling down what he was witnessing. His hair chestnut, combed back over his slender face, wearing a waistcoat, white shirt and dark trousers.
As he wrote he says "Yes Professor, what could cause this molecular discharge from the lighting?" He asked.
Heimedinger focused upon what he thought was a wing "We'll soon find out my boy, there must be a scientific explanation I'm sure of it."
"That's not science, it's magic." Jayce said, holding his adopted younger sister Caitlyn up to his own smaller telescope from the top of his apartment's balcony. His black hair, strong jaw and build was a polar opposite to Viktor, even though he wore the same academic uniform, and Caitlyn was taller than the yordle professor but raven haired in a young girls dress of a noble house.
She pulled away "How can you be so sure?" She asked.
"Watch the bursts of fire, they may seem random at first but they're moving in a pattern, wild yes but connected." He says pointing to a series of fire blasts moving left to right out of the storm.
Even those in the undercity who'd heard about what was happening had climbed the steps and vaulted to the nearest docks and bridges to watch. Vander and his kids were out on one of the docks with the rest of the crowd. Powder was trying to get a better view but was too short "Come on lass." Vander said, putting him on his shoulders to see the spectacle.
"Okay I'm calling it, that's the end of the world can we loot now?" Myrtle said before Vi slapped him across the back of the head.
The mop top said "Ow- Vander?"
"She beat me by one second." Vander chuckled as he watched with Powder dumbstruck by the lights.
Back up at Jayce's apartment watched the fires and looked back into the telescope, seeing the dragon's face "A dragon!" She said,
"It can't be?" Heimedinger gasped from his own telescope across the city.
Jayce pulled her away "A dragon, this close to Piltover?" He reached for the telescope looking to see it more clearly made entirely of flame. The lower parts of the storm had cleared and he could see the shimmer of a blue light at the peak.
"A mage…" he whispered, Jayce's face was a mix of terror and excitement "Finally."
Back on the peak Zachariah was fading fast, he couldn't even feel his arms anymore but they refused to let go of the staff. The sapphire crystal radiating him in its colored light as snow turned to steam by near flames, he could feel his body sweating under the heavy furs. But the storm refused to yield to the dragon's flames, he had to end this now before he passed out. Focusing on his left hand he somehow wrenched it free from the staff focusing his mind on the monsters neck it drew back mimicking his arm magical energy firming around Zachariah left arm in the shape of the dragon's neck his fist it's head, he closed his first feeling the intensity of the fire course up his arm as if his left arm was engulfed by it. Yelling with all the air left in his lungs he shot his arm to the heavens and the serpent's neck did the same opening his fist the dragon's jaws opened brighter than the sun. It cut through the clouds like armor to blades of light blinding everyone who had been watching.
The next thing Zachariah knew he was on his back against hard stone, he tried to move but he couldn't, he couldn't feel anything except the rocks on his back poking against the fur. The worry that followed wandered into a new feeling, awe. The storm was gone and only clear night sky remained, above were all the stars one could see and something Zachariah and nobody else in that part of the world had seen before the sky's color had changed to an explosion of colors flowing across the sky in a river of light with no end.
"An aurora…" Heimedinger said, pulling away from his telescope.
Viktor was out of his seat using his crutch to hobble over to the nearest tripod camera and came back quickly to snap a photo. "Professor, what does this mean?" Victor asked as the picture started to come into focus and just as it had been on the mountain the aurora remained in the form of a great dragon.
"I'm… I'm not sure, I'm all my centuries I've never seen anything quite like this."
Jayce and Caitlyin were in awe like everyone else, the auroras rainbow kept changing from more colors then there were names to give them, spreading across the sky for everyone to see. At the port the under-city dwellers too saw it "Beautiful…" Jinx said atop Vanders shoulders.
Vi was nearly as speechless as the boys "Whoa, Vander what's going on?" she asked him.
The bartender scratched his scruffy beard with his mitten "Dunno kid, sometimes you just don't need to overthink it and enjoy the view." He said, while everyone was looking up at the mountains, only one was looking down.
Zachariah fell to his knees, panting in the thin air there it was, a sparkling metropolis of bridges, rivers, stone and metal attaching the two great north and southern continents together "Piltover…" his eyes rolled back, and he fell face forward into the snow. He laid there on the cold mountain peak stone unaware of the boots walking up behind him. They stood over him and rolled him over.
"He's still alive." Teemo said, looking up at the stranger who'd been looking for him. Zachariah's face was apple color all but drained "Thank you Teemo." the stranger said, kneeling down pulling his hood off. A man with purple skin with a thick beard around his chin wearing simple winter garments before he pressed his hand over Zachariah's chest his eyes glowed bright with magical light before it turned green and a healing spell over Zachariah but he didn't wake up.
Teemo looked over at the boy "Ryze, Is he-" "Asleep." Ryze said, smiling at him, his eyes no longer glowing, but serious.
"Hard to believe a boy his age could cast something like that." Ryze looked over at the staff. "But I see why now." when his purple hand got too close to the staff a bolt of blue lightning zapped his hand back.
Ryze rubbed his fingers together "Now how about that."
Then something else caught his eye, poking out from under Zachariah's coat, pushing the cloth aside, Ryze saw the golden ring, and the Dragon that was inlaid in it. "Hmmm so that's what you were doing."
Before he or Teemo could do anything else they heard Magehunter boots heading toward them "Teemo, get him out of here." Ryze said. The tiny yordle looked at him and them at Zachariah who was twice his size.
"Um, okay what about you, you were looking for him." he said seeing the obvious size difference.
"He'll be in Piltover won't he, I'll keep an eye on him till I know more about this apprentice." Ryze said sensing the Magehunters were close turning his back to Teemo, he dropped his robe and tossed off the winter tunic to reveal his heavily tattooed purple body and a great scroll that was slung across his back. Teemo pushed Zachariah onto the back of his cloak and started to pull him over the peak toward Piltover while Rune waited for the hunters. By the time Teemo was out of sight the Magehunters had found their way to Ryze, he held up one hand and channeled out his magic "We'll meet again boy, soon."
Next stop, Piltover and possibly the meanest Pink haired thief Zachairah has ever met, her two lackeys, a crazy blue haired saboteur, and a reunion nobody expected.