The Rise of Shurima (Fan Fict Story line)

Shurima, a once great empire that's borders reached from the frozen depths of the Freljord to the Plagued Jungles, but now, it is now nothing more than a distant memory, little more than a fairy tale told, some in fact do not believe its existence; however, its existence is far too real, and the dawn of Shurima's resurrection looms.

A Noxian noble woman, Cassiopeia, of House Du Couteau, found an ancient map that led to Shurima's greatest secret, a underground vault in the middle of the now desolate deserts of Shurima. The Noxian believed this trip to be extremely dangerous and only one with legendary skill could persevere the traps of Shurima. Cassiopeia searched out the mercenary Sivir, and her band of sell swords, paying them to escort Cassiopeia to the lost vaults. After five days under the immolating heat of Shurima's desert, they found the lost tomb and ventured into its depths...

** CHAPTER ONE: THE RESURRECTION OF SHURIMA**

Opening her eyes, Sivir peered onto the ceiling of a mysterious cavern. She was floating atop green healing waters, too dazed to comprehend what has even transpired in the last few hours; suddenly, memories flooded back into mind. She remembered a descent into a ominous crypt, filled with dangerous traps which ripped apart her band of treasure hunters, and a deal made with a noble woman, Cassiopeia.

It was all hazy. The disoriented Sivir suddenly remembered a sinister betrayal, followed up by a jagged sword running through her back and out her chest, then, a terrifying screech. Was it a dream? she pondered as she collected herself. Like a sudden kick to the head, the Battle Mistress realized that she had no idea where she was! This was not the crypt she was wounded and left to die in!

She pulled herself up enough to sit in the shallow green waters, and her eyes readjusted to the sudden sunlight which invaded the cavern. This is when she had noticed a tall figure standing on the edge of the well she sat in. He had the body of a man, adorned with golden armor, an illustrious red cloak, a tall pointed staff, and the beaked head of a bird; however, the beak was covered with a golden faceplate. He outstretched his left, taloned hand out to Sivir. "You're awake... How do you feel?" Inquired the mysterious figure in a soothing, yet commanding voice.

The woman reached out to her glaive, but to no avail as it had been stolen from her! "What are you?!" Sivir demands immediately, confused and disoriented. 

The mysterious stranger withdrew his hand and straightened his posture. He jabbed the blunted end of his royal staff into the ancient sandstone that he stood upon, he announced, "I am Azir, Emperor of Shurima." He was so tall compared to the sitting Sivir that his shadow overlapped her whole body, including her shadow.

"Tha- What?" She raised her left hand to rub her beating head. "Where am I, and how did I get here?"

"There is little time to speak now," he states assertively. "In time I shall answer all your questions, but there is not a moment to waste. I need you to trust me and come with me, now!"

"Not until I get my answer!" She barked out at him, and began to stand. The green water that had soaked Sivir began to drip and run off of her armor.

With a grunt, he nodded. "I can explain in more detail later, but as of this moment all you need to know is this: the fate of the world is now on the line. A terrible evil has been unleashed, a terrible evil that you, Offspring, have assisted in unleashing. We must head to the surface, to the Altar of Sun. There we must reactivate the Disk." He, once again, outstretched his left hand down to Sivir. "I need your help."

I don't enjoy this, she thought to herself. Betrayed once already, or was I? Everything was so hazy. "What choice do I have?" Her question seemed more as a statement as she raised her hands. She grasped Azir's hand, and and he pulled her out of the well.

"Let us not tarry," he said with urgency, and he began to lead her out of the cave, exiting through a massive crack in the wall.

Suddenly, the immolating heat of the dessert struck Sivir, and her eyes were blinded for a small instant. Azir seemed unphased by the heat, but he did not seem entirely human. She glanced to the left and the right, catching sight of nearby sunken buildings which only barely scraped the sands surface. That was no cave I was in... That used to be a structure. This used to be a vast city, the woman realized. Sivir then turned her gaze to the man she was following through the sunken city. "Hey, you said you were the Emp-" "I am still the Emperor," he abruptly interrupted her. His agitation with the question was apparent as he darted his gaze over his shoulder and back at her.

"Right..." Sivir continued. "How is that possible? I thought the Emperors of Shurima were... You know... Human?" She inquired, and Azir offered her a sigh. "In a way, yes, I am 'human'," he continued. "But I am also more than a human. I am an Ascendant."

"A what?" Sivir raised a brow. "You shall see," retorted Azir. She crossed her arms.

After a few more moments of walking, they gained sight of hulking towers piercing the dunes that buried it centuries ago. "We are almost there! Come, let us hurry!" he spoke, and he suddenly started to advance with increased speed. She could barely keep up with his fast pace through the dunes, and before she knew it, the dunes had run aground. Sand-covered steps lined the edges of the wastes, and led up the shortest of the towers, the one that stood in the center of the other four.

Now Azir and Sivir stood atop the tower; an altar awaited their arrival. Casting her sight to the left and right, she could see two magnificently large pillars standing out of the sand, like jaws. The pillars surrounded the two of them. Azir dashed to the altar, and peered down to it. "We are not too late. The watchful sun rests on our shoulders this day..." Azir muttered as he ran his taloned fingers across the ancient altar, pushing sand aside to read ancient script.

"What does this... pedestal do, exactly?" Sivir asked. Looking to Azir, she found what seemed to be a grin on his face, though it was hard to tell because of his beak. He raised his staff, and jabbed it down into a small opening in the center of the altar. "This! This is the key to Shurima's, and Valoran's, salvation against the coming evil!" he announced, and twisted the staff.

He turned to Sivir and motioned to a small switch in crested in the altar that was in the shape of a hand. "The Disk must be reactivated, Offspring, and only one who is truly alive and holds the royal blood of Shurima can activate it. Because of my resurrection, I can no longer breathe life into the Disk, but you can." He raised his right hand and pointed at her.

"Wait! What?! Resurrection, activation, Disk? What is all of this? Tell me now, Azir! I deserve to know. I've been betrayed once already, how do I know I can even trust you?" She suddenly barked at him, baring her teeth.

"Bah! You question too much, child! I said that I shall explain when we have the time! Even now, at the edge of our first victory, we have no time for idle talk, not until the Disk is reactivated."

"First Victory? Child!? Well maybe I won't 'activate' this 'Disk' just to spite you!"

"You would not dare!" shouted Azir in anger.

"Try me!" Sivir returned the shout.

After a few more moments of exchanging glares, Azir caved in and sigh. "Very well then. I will answer your questions, but we have no time for a long revision of history. Your answers will be short and simple."

She sighed. "That's better... Now, tell me, first off, what will this Disk do when it is activated?" "The Disk will do a thousand things, but mainly? It will reawaken ancient Shurima, uncovering the city that you are currently standing on top of right now. Second, it will awaken 'The Sands' Fury', granting Shurima a fighting force. Thirdly, it will activate a beacon for Shurima's greatest Champions to return home."

"What is the Sands' Fury?" Sivir asked. "Such a menial question!" He grunts. "The Sands' Fury is Shurima's last line of defense, meant to be used in its darkest hour. They are fallen champions of sand, once flesh and bone. But as their mortal bodies died, they swore their eternity to Shurima's defense, having their souls placed in the body of a sleeping sand soldier. The Sands' Fury is Shurima's only remaining army."

"Alright... And finally... What do you mean, only the Royal Shurima Blood can activate it?" She rested her hands on her sides, and raised a brow. Azir nods. "Finally... A wise question... You, you are a direct blood relative of the Royal House of Shurima. You are a born Emperor of the ancient civilization to be." Sivir deadpaned, seeming rather frustrated with this answer. "Are you insane? Shrurima's last Emperor was a thousand years ago, and you expect me to believe that I am, what? Your granddaughter? Do you understand how silly that sounds?" Sivir said, raising her voice.

"I am quite aware. I would not believe it either if not for all the evidence." "What evidence?" retorted Sivir.

"I would spend an eternity trying to explain. It would be better to see for yourself." He raised his right hand, and motioned to the trigger on the altar. The Battle Mistress's eyes darted to Azir and then the altar. A sigh escaped her lips and she walked up to the altar, reluctantly raising her right hand and inserting it into the trigger. A sudden click was heard, and the ground rumbled! Suddenly, the ocean of sand that surrounded the tower the two stood upon started to be sucked down! Triggers and doors had been opened! Mechanisms turned, and entire buildings started to rise! The pillars that stood on the left and right of the altar started to pulse with white energies.

In the following moments a colossal disk raised from the sands below them! This disk was larger than any of the buildings in sight, in both height and width. The colossal disk raised into the air and hovered in between the two pillars, in front of the altar. On the distant outskirts of the city, large sandstone walls and towers started to rise. While peering downwards, Sivir could see an entire city below the disk, uncovered. Two massive platforms raised from the ground and on these platforms, hundreds of standing bodies, armed with long spears, stood vigilant.

"Hahaha!" Chuckled Azir, and stepped next to Sivir. Resting his left hand on her shoulder. "It may not a traditional welcoming, but welcome to the family." He looked down to her, she could of sworn he was grinning, so she returned it. "Well, it seems as if you have a lot of explaining to do... Let's start with what happened down in the crypts." Her grin shifts into a serious expression.

(Please leave input after you read this. I am really trying to get peoples take on this. :) ))