Of Silence and Scars, Chapter 9 (Previously labeled Sonax Draven until I thought of title)

I thought of a title finally as seen by clicking on this article at all :p. It only took me you know... 9 chapters to think of a title! Ha. Anyway, please leave a comment of the new title, the chapter itself, or previous chapters below! I would really love to hear what anyone thinks of the writing or the plotline! Thanks and enjoy!

IX The boat rocked heavily on the turbulent seas. This did nothing to dissuade Draven’s enthusiasm as he stood on the bow of the ship and shouting his excitement into the winds. It was windy with dark clouds hovering over the Shadow Isles. The marsh ridden archipelago was home to all sorts of horrors and was mostly uninhabited by humans still. The concert was scheduled to take place in a small town called Ravensport. The cracked and worn docks were already overloaded with ships, Draven did not see how they would arrive ashore. Gangplank hollered to his crew from the wheel and gave an uncomfortable laugh, “Hope you land lubbers are prepared to get wet!” The drunken pirate shouted at the passengers he had taken to the Isles. The crew began loading up small lifeboats with passengers and embarked onto waves larger than the boats themselves. After a nauseating trip to shore with several times where their lives flashed in front of their eyes, the Noxian brothers stumbled onto the shore. Darius planted his feet firmly on the earth and felt the overwhelming joy of once again being in control of his fate. He personally hated ships. Floating disasters that were impossible to fight on until you inevitably sank. The town made Noxus look cheery. Half the inhabitants of the town were prisoners to various residents of the Shadow Isles, and the other half were in the demented spider cult. But this also did not phase Draven as he spied the spotlights and the stage already surrounded by a horde. The show was not for a couple hours, but people had come from far and wide to see this. Draven and Darius found a nice spot to watch from a deck on the attic of a nearby bar. It was clearly crafted just for this event as the “doorway” to the makeshift deck was a bludgeoned hole in the wall still sporting splintered edges. The table was a large wagon wheel held up by 2x4 planks nailed on. The moon rose to illuminate the swamps with a haunting light. The spotlights of the stage burst into life. The five silhouettes of Pentakill appeared in the smoke. Mordekaiser and Yorick raised their hands to the sky. Souls of the damned and ghouls rose to the call of their masters, souring into the air in a cyclone of howling and light. When their cries faded the band began with Light bringer as their first song… After the concert the crowd cleared out pretty fast. No one wanted to stay in the town for too long after dark. It was still the Shadow Isles after all. Sona was with the band in another dive bar, though any bar in Ravensport was a dive. The town was a dive! She liked her band mates, but their habits after each show got a little redundant for her taste. Morde and Olaf were arm wrestling while Yorick and Karthus played cards against some locals. The place reeked of the pungent local brew that flowed freely from the taps into the ever empty cup of the Berserker as he bested the Master of Metal once again. Sona sighed and reached for her tea when she heard the smooth voice and slight lisp she hadn’t heard for nearly a week. Not since the hill… “Need rescuing yet again milady? Deja vue.” Draven said offering his hand. She accepted eagerly and could not hide the excitement from her face. She had not heard if he had been killed or not, she wanted to hug him but held back. That was an odd impulse. As they walked outside she pondered why that came to mind so quickly. The night was clear, no fog rolled from the swamp for once. Draven led her through the town, “I thought I should at least thank you for the free tickets.” She signed back that she was glad he was alive. “Please. If Swain killed me all of the women in Noxus would demand his head!” Draven winked as he leaned on a door. Hinges groaned in protest, but gave way to the human’s will. Draven lead Sona through a stable of sickly horses until he came upon two glorious Shadow Isle Stallions. Much like their breeder Hecarim, each horse was crafted mostly of metal and connected by a spirit fire of teal. Flowing manes of fire sparked in the dark barn. Draven lifted Sona onto one before she could protest and swung onto his own mount. With a raise of the eyebrows and a smile he took off into the night, his voice trailing behind, “Catch me if you can!” Sona smiled and drew her etwahl off of her back. Dropping the reigns she played a sharp note instead, driving the horse onward. Playing multiple rapid notes she breathed strength and speed into the mighty creature’s limbs, quickly catching Draven. He was surprised, but recovered his composure quickly as he hopped into a crouching position on his mount. Hair flying in the wind, illuminated fully by the soft glow of his steed, Draven looked alive! He seemed so happy, and it was contagious. This was the most fun she felt in a long time. He pretended to lose balance, then laughed. The Shadow Isles did not phase them as they laughed and raced through swamps and across rickety bridges. They passed the Twisted Treeline, waved to Maokai who was repairing one of the more destroyed bridges, and interrupted Elise’s sermon to her followers. Laughing the two slowed as they approached an outcropping of cliffs. A stick held a green lantern that Sona knew all too well. Thresh and Hecarim stood arms crossed and smiles of amusement playing on their faces. Draven dismounted smoothly and went to help Sona down. He exchanged the horses for a bottle of dark liquid from Hecarim. Thresh and Hec faded into the swamp as Draven bit the cork and yanked it out easily, spitting it over the cliffs. He offered her a drink after taking a swig and she accepted it, looking into the murky liquid quizzically. Draven strolled to the cliff’s edge and sat down under the lantern light. He called backwards, “Don’t worry, it isn’t the local pisswater they call beer. It’s a fine Noxian liquor. I figured you would like it. Strong stuff, but fruit based so it is sweet. I called in a few favors to get my hands on it. She cautiously took a sip, it was a sweet nectar, not at all what she had expected. They looked out at the ocean and talked for nearly two hours. Well to be more accurate, Draven talked for two hours and Sona listened quietly. Draven told embellished versions of tales or certain battles in the League. He told her of some of his larger executions and where he got certain scars. When he has finished his latest tale, she signed him thank you. “Huh? What for?” She said this was fun and refreshing to hang out with someone and just goof around. Soraka was great and her best friend, but their evenings were much less adventurous and invigorating. “Ha! All you could expect from Draven sweet thing! The best and brightest in all Valoran!” She smiled at his lack of humility, then signed him the question on her mind all night. Why do this for me? ‘”Because, it was the least I could do with how bored you looked. Also the whole getting kidnapped but not selling us out business. Sure I let you go, but still most would’ve let us all burn.” She asked if he was ok, and what the punishment for her release had been. Draven explained to her all that happened since they had parted ways at the hill. Sona was surprised at Swain’s restraint, but was thankful. She told him she was glad he was alive. His face twisted quizzically, and his smile shifted. It was not one she was used to seeing on him, but before she could figure it out he pulled her to her feet. “You know, a beating heart doesn’t make you alive girl, feeling alive to match it is the true essence of life. Do you trust me as I trusted you in Demacia?” Draven gazed to the trashing ocean bellow them. Sona was afraid, she knew what he intended to do. When she looked into his eyes though, she saw it. The confidence that held his head high from darkest night to brightest day. Not madness, but a viscous aggression and desire to be alive. He was not crazy, she grabbed his extended hand and prepared to jump. “Fall feet first, tuck your legs together before you impact, pin your arms to your side. You ready?” Sona closed her eyes and nodded. Her arm was tugged forward as Draven launched them off the cliff, hurtling towards to great dark maw below. Sona opened her eyes and envisioned herself as a bird. If she could speak she didn’t know whether to shout in joy or scream in terror! Draven was next to her doing flips and roaring in laughter calling various gods and warriors pansies. Just as they were going to be enveloped in the frigid water she tucked her legs as instructed and slid through the surface. It didn’t hurt at all surprisingly! She swam to the surface and breathed in deeply. The adrenaline coursed through her, throbbing every vein into life. The air smelled great, the water felt refreshing, life was good! Sona was alive for the first time! A roar came from next to her as Draven guffawed at the fact that his most recent challenge to death had gone unanswered. He swam over to Sona and asked her if she was ok, then asked how it was. Realizing she couldn’t sign, he accepted the smile and nod as her being ok. She was having trouble staying above water, the chains on her stage outfit weighing her down as well as the long cloth absorbing the water. Draven grabbed her arms and pulled her onto his back as he swam towards a ship emerging from around the cliffs. She kicked her legs, half to help Draven, but also out of excitement and adrenaline still very much alive in her. Upon reaching the ship Gangplank reached down and hauled Sona and Draven into the ship one at a time. Fresh clothes and blankets were given to them and Draven paid Gangplank for the services rendered. He approached Sona and said “We can go get the etwahl once we reach shore. I told Thresh to look out for it when he went to retrieve his lantern.” Sona shook her head and smiled. She waved an elegant hand towards the cliff. Draven was confused, then awestruck as two seagulls dipped down and dropped the instrument into her awaiting hands. She shrugged and signed how the instrument always finds a way back to her like magic. He laughed and shook his head. “You are crazy, that’s for sure.” Together they stared back at the cliffs where they had spent the last hours. Draven looked at her, “You’re a great friend to have!” Sona asked if he did this for all of his friends. Draven chuckled, “If I had any I would, but that seems exhausting.” She laughed silently with him. The drink might have gotten to her head, or the night air, or the adrenaline. But she found herself wanting to be more than just his friend. All of Soraka’s questions came back vividly to her mind as she stared up into the scarred but smiling face of the Noxian. Her voice echoed in her head, “What is Draven to you? Why protect him?” Some things are worth protecting Soraka. Some just surprise us.