Ionian Nights- Part 8
###Part 8
With only the night sky and it's glimmering stars above their head, the group continued to walk through the sky. Now and again, they'd see the shimmering black shape of Ao Shin arcing across the clouds and soaring through the air but otherwise it was a peaceful walk. Leading the path was Soraka, Wukong jovially dancing and enjoying himself above the earth. Ryota in the middle, Karma and Yi conversing near the back. Finally, keeping a moderate distance from everyone was Utsusemimaru, focused more on the clouds than following the group.
Karma turned, making sure Utsusemimaru was following before sighing, turning back to Yi. "Was I wrong in keeping the knowledge from him? I can't go and deal with this now, considering all the political problems we have now," Karma said, speaking with Yi as the two took slow steps through the air. It was unsettling to see the ground so far below but as long as one kept their eyes elsewhere, it wasn't so bad.
Yi hummed to himself. "What I am more curious about is how you found an aspect. Truly those are difficult to discover and monasteries that have them usually keep them hidden," Yi added, genuinely curious on the nature of Utsusemimaru's discovery. Karma shook her head, looking up at the stars and moon as she walked.
"It was a few years ago, at the battle of Renzoku's Gate..."
Several years ago, during the Ionian-Noxus conflict.
Renzoku's Gate was one of the key strategic points of the Ionian-Noxus conflict. This gate was the only passage to the more northern sections of Ionia that could support an army's advancement. If Ionia lost the gate, Noxus would not only have a perfect passage to the more soft bits of Ionia but be able to establish a massive central outpost for further conquest. If it fell, it would be the beginning of a long and bloody end.
Karma wove her fans in a wide arc, sending a wave of energy air that sent piercing waves of air through the Noxian ranks. She and a small battalion of Ionian troops were guarding the gate, the majority of Ionia's forces perched on the gate's walls. Arrows rained down in front of them, having to beware of the dangerous advancements.
One particularly bold Noxian charged forward, swinging a broadsword of some kind in an attempt to cleave a good portion of Karma's head from her shoulders. "FOR NOXUS! He cried, flailing his blade wildly. Karma took a step forward, ready to shield herself as well as blast this fool back.
Two horrible events occurred: One, her fans snapped and the delicate folding on them was torn open. The second, her foot became caught on her tight dress, causing the woman to stumble. "Damn it!" she thought to herself, cursing the impracticality of her symbolic dress. Figures that her demise would come due to her poor choice of regalia and weapon.
As the blade fell, Karma turned her head to the side to brace for death. However, the blade did not meet her soft flesh. Rather, the boardsword was now nestled firmly in the giant's hand who stood in front of her. "F-for..." The Noxian soldier sputtered before one strong backhand sent him to the ground. He stared up at the man before him as Karma kept herself safely behind his form.
"From the armor and the size, I'm going to say you're the "Ryota" I've been hearing so much about!" Karma said, having to holler above the sound of battle. Ryota turned, lifting the sword in his other hand and cutting downward. Karma's tight-dress was torn, giving her a more free range of motion. Karma stared in shock, leg exposed, as she took a second to comprehend what had just happened to her.
Ryota turned, staring down at the man who had assaulted her to utter a single word: "Run." And, thus, the Noxian soldier did, fleeing back behind his lines. Now that the threat was taken care of, Ryota turned to Karma. "Your dress is not fit for battle, Karma. You'd sooner trip over yourself. Asides, do you think these animals understand any sort of honor? Compassion?"
The Noxian soldiers began to back off from the position and several archers made their way closer. All of them raised upwards, firing arrows high into the sky to rain down upon the Ionian forces at the gate's entrance. Karma backed up, as did many Ionian soldiers, yet Ryota stayed. He slammed his blade into the earth and stood firm as arrows showered over him. Several arrows stuck to his armor while others simply bounced off. Not once did he flinch or budge, a stone bastion blocking the gate.
The hail of arrows passed, Karma moved closer to Ryota. She raised an eyebrow, seeing faint splatters of blood around the newly-crowned (And self-crowned, from the rumors swirling of his ascension to the rank) shogun. "You're bleeding. You should have backed away from the arrows, you fool!" Karma glared, whispering as Ryota stood motionless.
"No," Ryota said matter of factly. "Look at their forces."
Karma looked over to the Noxians at the gate. Every single one of them had a look of confusion, fear. "Why won't he fall?" whispered one. "He should be dead. No one can take that many arrows and still stand!" said another. "Is...Is he a demon? Can we even kill him!?" Again and again these whispers flooded the front lines of the Noxian forces.
Ryota seethed, lifting his blade out of the ground before sheathing it. "These...animals. Noxians, whatever they wished to be called. They're cowardly. Pathetic. They respond to only two things: Power and fear. No honor, no mercy, nothing," Ryota spoke, turning to Karma. "We are not fighting a war, m'lady. We are defending against an infestation."
Karma's face was stern. She knew that Noxians didn't value honor or peace or any of the normal tenants of Ionia... but Ryota. This man was just...scary. He was almost Noxian in his views. "I know that Ryota. Yet I fear what is going to become of you once this conflict is over," She stated with ice in her voice. Once this war was over would there be a need for someone like Ryota?
Before he could even answer, one of the Noxian commanders slapped the reigns of his horse. "R-Retreat! Get back! That is no man!" he cried. Karma couldn't see under the armor but she was entirely sure Ryota had some vicious grin under that mask of his ploy working. "Regroup! W-We need to figure-"
The man never finished his sentence. A Noxian soldier (Someone of fairly high rank from the look of his armor and weapon) leapt high into the air, brandishing a massive axe. The Noxian on the horse turned just in time to see the axe swing in an arc, separating his head from his neck. The horse reared back in terror, shrugging the limp body off its back. Now the man with the axe grasped the reigns, placing himself right back on the horse. "Press. THE. ATTACK!" he commanded, axe pointing directly at the gate.
Now it was the Ionian's turn to cower, shivering and taking steps backwards. "He-He killed his commander without a thought!" whispered one. "How can we fight that!?" another cried. Some men were already knocking on Renzoku's Gate, begging for it to be opened. Disarray spread through the ranks as the axe-wielding man on the horse had a grin of pure satisfaction.
"IONIANS!"
The panic stopped as Ryota stepped forward. He unsheathed his sword, kneeling down to grasp at the weapon of a fallen soldier. A kanabō, massive for a normal sized man, looked like a mere secondary weapon in Ryota's hands. "Are we that weak? Do we scurry from mere BUTCHERS disguised as humans!? DO WE!?" Ryota's voice shook the field of battle, Ionian soldiers beginning to move closer.
"This is our home, this is our land. You may flee if you like, but I am going to fight to my last breath, even if you all scurry behind the gate. Animals respond to fear...Ionians? We only stop for VICTORY!" He cried, brandishing both weapons. Now the Ionian moral began to shift, more of the forces clustering closer to him. Personally, Karma thought the whole speech was a bit cliche and simplistic, but whatever works in wartime.
The soldier on the horse sneered, eyes locked firmly with Ryota's. It was clear there was some sort of rivalry or primitive respect exchanged between the two. Suddenly, the gate opened as a horse-riding messenger appeared. "Shogun Ryota, Lady Karma!" he cried, seeking out the two highest ranking members of the army. "There is trouble at the monastery overlooking the gate. We need one of you to come aid us!"
Karma nodded without hesitation, offering her hand to the messenger as the soldier pulled her upon the horse. "Ryota, try not to die. I'll see what the problem is at the monastery," she said, Ryota giving a swift nod without even turning to look at her. Clearly he was too preoccupied with the conflict that was brewing before him.
The messenger yanked the bridle of his steed, turning to get behind the doors of the gate once more. The last thing Karma saw of the battle was an advancing wave of Noxians, the Ionian guard standing strong in front. For once, the tides of this war might be turning in their favor...
Earlier in the morning, when the initial plans were made for the coming conflict at Renzoku's Gate, special attention was paid to the monastery. "Here," pointed out Karma, "is the monastery of Gaim. Dedicated to peace and tranquility, as most monks are, this monastery overlooks Renzoku's Gate. Whichever force can station archers upon it will have massive advantages when it comes to siege power and pure force."
"Then it's clear that we must station our troops at the monastery before the Noxians are even there. Send a detachment of archers and cavalry to guard that monastery. Hopefully the monks will be willing to cooperate..." Ryota said, stoking his chin with one hand.
As Karma and the messenger rode up the winding path she could see the battle overhead. Shockingly, the Ionian forces were holding their own against the Noxian push. Just goes to show how much a little motivational speech (no matter how poorly worded) can make men turn from cowards to heroes. "Now, we arrived earlier in the morning, ma'am, but we have a problem."
Riding around the corner, Karma's eyes widened with shock. The monastery was in shambles, flames licking banners as Ionian soldiers moved about sorting the bodies of the deceased. "Monsters..." she whispered to herself, holding back nausea as Karma spied no discrepancy in victims. Men, women, mere children, nothing would stop the Noxians in their attempt to secure the gate.
"The Noxian forces arrived several hours before us. They were able to kill a majority of the monks...but..." The messenger paused, letting Karma off. The monastery's main gate was closed off, a fair amount of archers and pikemen guarding it. "There's one lone monk left. We're not sure but...he may have killed all the Noxian forces by himself."
Karma's eyes went wide. "The master?" She asked.
The messenger shook his head. "We can't get. Every time we try he attacks us and wounds Ionian forces. They say he's...twelve. Thirteen maybe." Karma stared in shock. Now -this- was the type of news that could turn the tide. A young monk able to kill an entire battalion of Noxian soldiers on his own! News like this would-
No. It would be wrong to use a mere child like that.
Karma shook her head. "Open the gate and let me in. I'll deal with this," she said, nodding to the messenger. Karma's fans were broken and her dress was torn, but at least she could defend herself with some of her mystic powers. Still, Noxian forces were one thing. She could probably hold her own against a child regardless of how strong he was.
The Ionians made a path as Karma marched up the steps to the monastery gate, knocking on it softly. "Do not be afraid. I'm coming in unarmed," She yelled through the mighty wooden door. Nodding to the soldiers, they pulled open the door and offered Karma to go inside. At least the monastery could be used even if the main building was closed off.
The first thing Karma smelled was the rancid stench of blood and death. While holding back her vomit proved more difficult than it did outside, she was able to manage. It was dark within the monastery, Karma following a path of lanterns intersected with broken lanterns or piles of burning wreckage. "STAY BACK!!!" cried that young voice at the end of the hall. They weren't kidding, he had to be a mere child.
Karma pushed forward. "Easy, dear. My name is Karma. Perhaps you know who I am? Trust me, I will not hurt you," She insisted, pushing closer and closer to the end of the monastery's great hall. She took careful steps, occasionally having to step over the form of some murdered monk or a Noxian soldier. "Can you come closer, dear? It's difficult to see you in the darkness," Karma said, pouring the maternal charm on quite thickly.
Another few steps and she finally saw him. Indeed he was twelve, short black hair and bright, terrified eyes. He was wearing some torn-up gi with blood soaking in various parts. He seemed mostly unharmed from the scratches and light bruises but his mental state was the more concerning feature. He was in some sort of martial arts stance, profusely shaking as his eyes refused to leave her. The young man was stuck in some sort of permanent "fight or die" mentality.
"Easy now, ok? I'm going to come closer..." Karma said, taking a single step forward. Suddenly his arm shot out, a bright ball of pure energy flying out and right past her head. "Qi?" she blinked in surprise, following the ball with her eyes before turning back to the young man. "It's ok, I'm here."
Slowly, Karma took cautious steps forward. Every now and again he'd lash out with a blast of energy but his strikes were wild, inaccurate. It was easy to advance but he showed no signs of stopping his assault. "Calm down, child. I won't hurt you!" She tried to assure him but Karma's words only fell on deaf ears.
At last, one blast hit the mark. Karma braced herself, shielding her body within a sphere of jade energy as the blast hit her midsection dead on. Karma seethed, skidding back slightly as the shield blocked the brunt of the blast. The young man paused in his stance, clearly worried that he might have hurt her all of a sudden. She was likely the first person who didn't attempt to retaliate once he fired energy at her.
Regaining her composure, Karma slowly walked over to him. She knelt down slightly, being a few inches shorter than her, and looked the boy dead in the eyes. "You're safe, dear. It's ok..." she whispered. One hand reached up to stroke his face, wiping some of the blood off. That small act of physical affection finally broke his stance. The young man collapsed against her, face pressed into her chest as he bawled his eyes out.
Karma shook her head solemnly at this, greatly displeased at how the ones who suffered the most seemed to be the youth. Yet as she held him, she felt a sharp pain in her side. Gently she moved one hand to her side, feeling the area where he had hit her with his qi. "Is...my rib cracked? Was he able to not only get through the shield but-"
The door finally opened, gentle light pouring into the bloody monastery. "Lady Karma, are you ok? Can we begin fortifying this area!?" one of the soldiers asked. Karma turned, still holding the young man and nodding.
"What's your name dear?" Karma asked, tilting her head at the young boy and masking the discomfort of her broken rib.
"U-Ut...Utsusemimaru..." he sniffled, trying hard to be 'tough' in the face of this adversity but failing.
Karma smiled softly. "Don't worry dear. I'll make sure you're safe."
"Sometime after the battle I brought Utsusemimaru to Udyr. He said that Utsusemimaru's qi was nothing he had ever seen before. After consulting some tomes we finally found that he was an aspect," Karma said, nodding at Yi.
Yi shook his head. "And you truly thought to use him in the conflict?"
Karma returned the head-shake. "When I looked into his eyes, I saw just how vulnerable he is. Powerful or not, he's a child. He wouldn't be able to handle being the poster-child of a wartime propaganda movement."
Karma turned, seeing Utsusemimaru hidden behind them. "I suppose he denied his power himself. His mental scars must be great, Karma," Yi said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Karma gave Yi a half-hearted smile, glad that he wasn't chastising her for her decisions. "Once this is all over, we should have a serious discussion with him."
The conversation would have continued for a long, long time but that moment had passed. Soraka, Wukong, Yi, Ryota, Karma and Utsusemimaru stared up in awe at the mighty castle. It looked like a paradise, a literal slice of Ionia carved from the earth and dragged into the sky by sheer power of will alone. Hesitantly, each member of the group took a step onto the solid ground of the floating castle, looking back at the sky as they walked towards that dark palace.
No longer were they in Ao Shin's domain. This was the lair of the Dark Sovereign.
End Part 8