Ionian Nights- Part 6
###Part 6
About a week had passed since the initial attack on the council. Now everyone was returning from their respective missions, all bearing little results save for the group that had gone to Zed's temple. It was late evening when the final group (Lee, Yi, Wukong and Ryota) returned to the chamber of the council. "Well, we have good and bad news. Good news is that we're one-hundred percent sure Zed had a hand in killing the council. Bad news is that Ozawa is dead. Don't suppose ANYONE knows where the last guy is?" Wukong asked.
"Damn it, I knew that bastard had a hand in this," Shen muttered, displaying anger quite out of character for the usually quiet, passive kinkou ninja. Akali placed a hand on Shen's shoulder, patting him gently. Shen exhaled loudly, taking deep breaths to keep himself from breaking down in a rage. "And what's worse is that Zed will not receive punishment for this. Damn the rules of the Institute."
Utsusemimaru spoke up this time, raising his hand in a student-like fashion. "If I may ask, and I hope I'm not the only one here who is confused, why can't we go get Zed?"
To answer his question, Jax tapped his lamp-post on the ground, drawing attention. "I'll answer that one kiddo. Ever hear of Rob Blackblade?" Jax's question was met with silence, Utsusemimaru apparently not being the only one unfamiliar with this man. "Didn't think so. Rob was this handsome would-be champ. Nice guy, good with a sword. Anyways, he was primed to be a champ like myself and many of you all here...except for ooooooone little fact."
Again, silence. It almost looked like Jax was rolling his eyes under his mask. "Gods, you guys know friggin' nothing about history do ya'? Rob was a wanted man, mostly by this enormous criminal organization...the...Heartland somethings...doesn't matter. Anyways, this was back when everyone was like 'oh the Institute ain't a problem' or somethin' so the Heartland idiots decided to snuff out Rob. Straight-up, they paid some summoners off to stab him in his sleep." Jax chuckled to himself, shaking his head as if this story was humorous in some way.
"See, the Institute doesn't like it when you take some candidates from them and they REALLY needed to show that they're not some dumbasses in robes. So, in less than a week, they tracked down every single Heartland person and either killed them for interfering with summoner business or imprisoned them," Jax finished, waving a finger in a mocking gesture. "Why else do you think we got people like Syndra letting any first-year magician in her brain? The League is a criminal's paradise: Long as you don't screw with their plans, you are basically free to be as evil as you want or something. They certainly have the magical finger wiggling power to do it too."
Silence as everyone let this sink in. Well, until Wukong chimed in: "Soooooooo anyone else think the Institute is like, Noxian-levels at this point?" Nobody responded to this save for Yi, who implemented the secret wuju technique of 'elbow-to-the-ribcage' to put his pupil in place. "Ow, sorry, sorry. Jeeze."
This time Irelia spoke up, one of the later initiates to the League. "Well if that's the case what about Urf or-"
Jax shook his head. "Accident in the line-of-duty. Warwick gets off because it was an accident," Jax paraphrased accident with extremely obvious, drawn-out air quotes. "Point is that if Zed did this, he has some reaaaaaaaaal guts to go after another champion."
At this, Yi paused, leaning over to speak to Karma in a quiet whisper. "Duchess, if I may speak in private?" the master questioned, Karma giving a silent nod and beckoning him to follow her outside of the chamber. The two were able to slip away unnoticed as Jax was already telling some grand stories about meeting other would-be champions who didn't make the cut. Some well magician, a voodoo priest, and even some oversized blue-man who looked like Ryze's miniature twin.
"Is there something you didn't want to tell us, Yi?" Karma questioned, raising an eyebrow. Master Yi was one of her oldest, most trusted champions. If he felt there was a problem, it was definitely something worthy of her notice.
Master Yi turned, checking to make sure the door was closed. Next, he looked side-to-side, making sure the two were alone. "Karma," he whispered, "I believe that there is more to this than we know. Zed killed Ozawa...but why kidnap him? Furthermore, why would he implicate himself with obvious shadow disciples? There are too many errors here to ignore, duchess."
Karma hummed to herself, looking down before pacing slowly. "You...raise a good point, Yi. There are too many errors in this to be sure. Zed likely did not come up with this and attacking me was a diversion," Karma said, speaking as she paced. "Syndra might know something we do not about this plan so-"
"WHAT?" Yi and Karma turned to see Ryota standing before them, having left the chamber when they were not looking. "Yi, you knew this and didn't tell me!? You fool, you would keel valuable information from me!?" Ryota's voice began to raise, hissing angrily as his massive fists clenched hard. Yi's own fist clenched, his free hand reaching for his sword. Clearly, the wuju master figured that he may have to clash with the shogun.
"I should tear those goggles from your face, you idiot. If anyone is to defen-"
"RYOTA. ENOUGH," Karma sternly said. Ryota stepped back, shocked by Karma raising his voice to him. The shogun took a step back, sighing and unclenching his fists. Yi's hand calmly moved away from his blade, nodding to Karma in thanks that this did not escalate to a full-blown duel. "Your anger is understandable but your childish outburst is not," Karma continued, Ryota turning and placing a hand to his helmet.
Ryota paused before speaking. "Right...right...if Zed...wanted to do something...or if it was Zed...they wanted to prolong our search...get...get something done..." he muttered, Ryota tapping his hand to his head as he tried to think. "Someone...wanted to draw it out...make us wait to..." At this, Ryota snapped his fingers. "The council, that's it!"
The shogun turned to Karma and Yi, nodding fervently. "They wanted to draw out the time to prepare people to apply for the council. Don't you see, in wasting our time here they want to prepare several people to join the council and push whatever agendas they are hiding!" he said, both Karma and Yi looking slightly skeptical. "Think about it: Even with my survival, they have three open seats. That's MAJORITY control. This is bad. I'll put together a list of those I trust an-"
Karma raised her hand to Ryota, pausing him in his speaking. "Again, calm yourself Ryota. I appreciate your initiative but we must find Kouga first. If he's alive this may all be for naught," Karma's voice once more disarmed Ryota. He was clearly upset but he nodded at the woman. "Syndra likely has Kouga, if she's the only one we haven't investigated, but it will be difficult to reach her palace in the sky."
Yi chimed in this time. "We could ask Janna, considering she has skyships?" Yi stroked his beard, shaking his head. "No, wait, nevermind. Zaun and Piltover's current issues prevent that, not to mention Janna losing her ship to those rogue criminals," Yi muttered, remembering the news of the Summoner who had apparently stolen important league documents.
"There is one who could grant us passage...but I doubt he will be willing to help us freely," Karma muttered. Both Yi and Ryota turned, Yi's lips curving into a frown while Ryota maintained his confusion. "Ryota, go into the chamber. Bring Soraka, Wukong and Utsusemimaru. Hopefully they will be of interest enough to persuade-"
This time it was Ryota who interrupted Karma, earning him a swift and aggravated glare. "With all do respect, Karma, who in all of Ionia could grant us passage into the skies? Yasuo, maybe, but he is a rogue ronin and a criminal."
Karma looked back and forth, making sure nobody was nearby. She whispered low, keeping her voice hushed so others would not hear her. And with good reason: These words shocked Ryota to his core while Yi only nodded with grim determination.
"We must request the aid of Ao Shin."
End Part 6
