Fiction [Aatrox] - Fifty Sentences for the Darkin Blade

A Superb Villain·Sep 19, 2015·4 votes·2,706 views

http://i.imgur.com/0MtwhZp.jpg

Something a little different; fifty, one-word prompts by or about League's first and only Darkin. Tell me what you think. Which do you like the most?

FAITH His body is an altar bathed in the offerings of war.

LOST There were others once, but he can hardly remember their names through the bloody haze of memory.

LEGACY One hundred nations sing his praises, one hundred nations curse his name, and one thousand more have forgotten it entirely.

BURN The dragon’s blood is hot, but it feels so cold against his skin.

ENOUGH One was but a taste, two whet his appetite, and three only spurred his thirst.

QUESTIONS Their eyes begged for an answer through the smoke and fire; he gave them none.

LESSON Survivors could learn, but those that died with sword in hand already knew.

WINTER All men grew old and spurned the battlefield for fear of their creaking bones, and they grew more inclined to send young men in their stead; for that he was grateful.

CRUELTY He could think of no fate more terrible than to die feeble and forgotten, far from the bloodied fields.

STALKED He had been given so many names it was a wonder any might document his passing with any measure of success.

IMMORTALITY He wonders which will end first, his life or his legend.

SAINT They made an idol of him when the dust settled, but without a pledge of blood it is inconsequential.

SINNER Wrath rests in every soul, and he delights in pulling it forth.

VACATION The only respite he finds is amongst those long since turned to dust.

AGITATED Something about the grooves beneath his fingers feel achingly familiar, yet he cannot recall when or how the stone pillar was cut.

WESTERLY From dawn till dusk they advance with the sun, and when it sets there is nothing left but ashes beneath his feet.

MAUSOLEUM The world is a graveyard and the dead lie buried in the mountains, beneath the desert sands, behind rotting forests, at the bottom of roiling oceans – by his hand, they were laid to rest.

NO MAN’S LAND They call his domain “no man’s land” for only he has the right to claim it.

INABILITY He was without age or limit, yet for all his power, the world seemed to blur beyond the point of his sword.

GRADATION He distinctly recalls the mountain reaching greater heights, yet now it barely grazed the clouds – when had men come to live on its slopes?

VIEW The river shimmers with gold and red in the morning light, cutting through a forest of trees dancing to the promise of distant rain, and above it all a weary castle is crowned by the rising sun, but all he can see is a warrior raising a sword in one final act of defiance.

MUSIC They scream from ditches carved by falling stone, wail behind crumbling walls, howl above the bleeding silence in their arms; he conducts the chorus with every swing that hews flesh from bone.

DRINK Setting his blade down on the muddy banks, his uneven hands lift cool, clear water to parched lips; the taste of metal bites his tongue, and he hums as another corpse drifts by.

BREATHE Air does not come so easily, and the warlord’s chest sinks deeper into a rotting throne; the battered breastplate rises once more with a faint whisper of, “we’ve done it,” and he replies, “yes, we have.”

ARDENT They shine so brightly, through rain and fire, through the withering grasp of time, but when they clash, the flickers before fading could rival the sun’s radiance, and he thinks there is no greater beauty than when men wage war.

SLOW Time flies like an arrow, yet without a blade in hand he found it hardly moves at all, and eternity seems that much longer.

CASTLE Armor rattles faintly as the wretch slides around an exhausted guard, golden crown slipping to the stone floor – cowards had no place in history, and regardless of who stood in his way, he will ensure none remember the traitor king.

FOOL The craven pray for courage, the weak pray for strength, the aimless pray for guidance, the idle pray for excitement; he answers their prayers, though none seem to appreciate his deliverance.

MOUTH What use were words when his message could be made much more clearly by the point of a sword?

PHOTOGRAPH It is so brief, the sliver of red hanging in the air, catching sunlight like a ruby, every cut painting a new pattern, and he wishes its magnificence could be captured before it falls to the ground and spoils.

PARADISE His heart pounds with the marching of countless feet, his arms ache from hefting a blade drowning in blood, his shallow wounds itch as dirt and dust settle on exposed flesh; he would not wish to be anywhere else.

MONEY Cold coin slips between his fingers, dancing from one hand to the next; he pauses the exchange to gaze at the fine relief of King Jarvan I, and smiles.

WOOD The soldier presses his knife against the block, shaving away layers of fine grain, and a body begins to take shape; how fitting, he thinks, that man cuts his image into the world when moments before he was cutting his fellow man out.

MIDDLE It does not matter where blood meets so long as he is caught between it.

RELEASE For the soldiers crawling over their own entrails, freedom is never more than a few messy feet away, but for him there can be no peace.

CUTE In the light of a new dawn he watches the ball of white fluff bury itself into frost-touched pouches and smiles as it excitedly drags a round prize from beneath a frozen corpse.

APPLE Some are bitter, others are sweet, but he finds that guiding their forebears into war is a prudent investment, as they never fall far from the tree.

MAGIC There is a point between waking and dreaming where three suns dance within one and beasts of the forest exchange faces, and he has been there before, but cannot remember how to return.

RESPECT Satisfaction can be found in defeat, for a worthy opponent is always a pleasure to meet.

CUP They raise their drinks in triumph as the sun sets, but it is clear to him the red flowing over eager lips is not wine, and he wonders when they might notice.

CLIMB Men rush over the fallen to meet him and the mountain grows taller.

CURIOSITY It was with mild interest that he explored the streets of mighty empires, but a closer look revealed only ruins.

WINDOW Beyond helmets and behind visors he can see in their eyes a fire that burns with fear and hate and lust; the truth laid bare.

BRIDGE Peace isolates man; war brings them together.

COLOR The world rests in mute shades of grey, but where his sword carves a path there is color and life.

MILD On the battlefield there exists only the passion of life and the silence of death; everything between is pretense.

WHEEL From one end to the other he delivers the promise of victory, the question is how long before he carries it back.

ILLUSION Celebration fills the city and cheers echo down every street, but he knows their peace will not last.

BREAKFAST In the shadow of a mountain with more names than he can remember, he quietly chews through the rations none returned to claim.

HERO He is remembered as a hero, but only because those that would claim him a villain no longer live.

6 Comments

MelledoneusSep 20, 20152 votes

[{quoted}](name=A Superb Villain,realm=NA,application-id=2XjzURgc,discussion-id=16ml0fQT,comment-id=,timestamp=2015-09-19T19:11:33.767+0000)

BREAKFAST In the shadow of a mountain with more names than he can remember, he quietly chews through the rations none returned to claim.

Aatrox eats? My life has been a lie.

Nonetheless, great work. However, Aatrox may not be as influential in history as you may think. He doesn't turn every battle, he picks and chooses the most game-changing moments to intervene. He only came recently to create Tryndamere, a man who he saw a special type of rage in. A rage that could not be quenched. One that would lead him to defy even death itself. "Rage against the dying of the light."

A Superb VillainSep 20, 20151 votes

{quoted}

Aatrox eats? My life has been a lie.

I rationalize it as Aatrox being a member of an ancient race; he is not a spirit, like Kindred or Bard, thus he is still beholden to the rules that apply to all mortals, just not in the same capacity. He does eat and drink, but requires so little of either you could be forgiven for believing he did not.

Nonetheless, great work. However, Aatrox may not be as influential in history as you may think. He doesn't turn every battle, he picks and chooses the most game-changing moments to intervene. He only came recently to create Tryndamere, a man who he saw a special type of rage in. A rage that could not be quenched. One that would lead him to defy even death itself. "Rage against the dying of the light."

You are right, and I do not mean to imply Aatrox has a hand in every battle, only that he is present in most. Aatrox lives for battle, it is his life passion, and once he has turned the tide in a major conflict I doubt he relaxes under a tree for a few hundred years just waiting for another opportunity.

In regards to Tryndamere, he does say "my greatest creation" implying there were other attempts to foster an undying rage within someone.

And thank you for commenting. = )

MelledoneusSep 20, 20152 votes

Do you entertain the thought that a Darkin and his blade are symbiotic? Perhaps the blade sustain's Aatrox, and Aatrox uses the blade as a weapon to find it blood to drink. It's a possibility, as it seems that Aatrox has a glowing abdomen, which mirrors the same glow on his blade.

As for when he does turn a battle, I think he watches his plans become set in motion from afar. Maybe on a nearby mountain he watches the army he inspired run down armies then times their size and continue a campaign of bloodshed until victory. Perhaps he is always watching, drawn by strife, anger, and the will to fight. Aatrox is mysterious because his intentions are not clear. But it is clear that he enjoys sowing the seeds of strife, and watching those who grew complacent by sheer numbers look on in horror as their foes turn the tide of a seemingly lost battle.

Aatrox is a hero not because of heroism, but because he did heroic acts for all the wrong reasons. He did not save Demacia because he wanted to save the City of Justice, he wanted to watch the slaughter. And we all have to admit we'd rather watch 300 dudes slaughter 10,000 like complete bosses rather than the other way around.

As for Tryndamere, he paid the blood price. He is now on a path to destruction, a weapon of war. Lest he know it, Tryndamere is slowly becoming corrupted until he becomes the Demonblade, who will prove Aatrox's existence and become the champion of strife for a Godlike figure watching from above.

Also, I love Aatrox's lore and character. He embodies the darkness that lies within all men, the need to wage war, the act of calling a murderer a hero, and how easily men can become made into monsters for the most seemingly virtuous goals. I thank you for the time spent on this piece, Lord Veigar.

A Superb VillainSep 20, 20151 votes

{quoted}

Do you entertain the thought that a Darkin and his blade are symbiotic? Perhaps the blade sustain's Aatrox, and Aatrox uses the blade as a weapon to find it blood to drink. It's a possibility, as it seems that Aatrox has a glowing abdomen, which mirrors the same glow on his blade.

I am not entirely certain. The various theories surrounding Aatrox and his blade are all plausible, as an eternal being who lives for war and violence, anything is possible for the Darkin. I do believe there is a deep connection between Aatrox and his weapon though, as you pointed out, there are distinct similarities in design shared between them. Maybe the sword actually grew over time, from completely normal weapon to the iconic blade we have today, bathed in so much violence. Perhaps Aatrox made it using a part of himself, literally building the blade from his own body. Whatever the case may be, it is quite likely Aatrox derives some sustenance from the violence he orchestrates. To what extent, however, is a mystery.

As for when he does turn a battle, I think he watches his plans become set in motion from afar. Maybe on a nearby mountain he watches the army he inspired run down armies then times their size and continue a campaign of bloodshed until victory. Perhaps he is always watching, drawn by strife, anger, and the will to fight. Aatrox is mysterious because his intentions are not clear. But it is clear that he enjoys sowing the seeds of strife, and watching those who grew complacent by sheer numbers look on in horror as their foes turn the tide of a seemingly lost battle.

This is where I have difficulty forming Aatrox's modus operandi, as we have clear evidence the Darkin Blade turns battles around in favor of those facing defeat and then leaves, but as we can see in-game, Aatrox himself enjoys the act of war personally as much as he enjoys causing it. To make an analogy, war is like baking a cake; the process is enjoyable and the end result is delicious, all the while being beautiful to observe from beginning to end.

Aatrox is a hero not because of heroism, but because he did heroic acts for all the wrong reasons. He did not save Demacia because he wanted to save the City of Justice, he wanted to watch the slaughter. And we all have to admit we'd rather watch 300 dudes slaughter 10,000 like complete bosses rather than the other way around.

I agree, Aatrox is a hero in the classical sense, a larger than life figure that accomplishes impressive deeds.

As for Tryndamere, he paid the blood price. He is now on a path to destruction, a weapon of war. Lest he know it, Tryndamere is slowly becoming corrupted until he becomes the Demonblade, who will prove Aatrox's existence and become the champion of strife for a Godlike figure watching from above.

Time will tell what becomes of him.

Also, I love Aatrox's lore and character. He embodies the darkness that lies within all men, the need to wage war, the act of calling a murderer a hero, and how easily men can become made into monsters for the most seemingly virtuous goals. I thank you for the time spent on this piece, Lord Veigar.

Again, I agree. Aatrox is fascinating, to me, because despite his mythical presence and ageless deeds, he is still a physical being of flesh and blood. Even though he is not a fundamental force of the universe given form, or an eternal spirit, Aatrox has seen the rise and fall of countless nations, ended more lives than most will ever meet, and possesses a cruel wisdom made possible through an eternity of war. He knows man more intimately than almost any being in the universe of Runeterra.

And thank you for reading it, Melledoneus.