The Duality of Being Grey: Part 1 (Morgana and Kayle)
Kayle no longer cared for the pleasantries and chivalry of combat. This incessant struggle against Morgana had seen to that care being torn from underneath the heavy plates she always wore. "What else have I lost?” Kayle would catch herself wondering, counting the parts of her she has given up to bring order and security to her people. With each swing of her engulfed sword she would list them. Chivalry, slash. Honor, counter. Compassion, counter-stab. Mercy, slash. At the end of this ritual, she would likely find herself standing over a corpse, but sometimes it would simply be a disarmed opponent. Long ago Kayle may have offered a chance at redemption to the disarmed foe, those she felt were redeemable. Today, was a day long past that time. Today was another chance to end this conflict for good. Today Kayle had tracked Morgana to her current living quarters, a road-side town between Noxus and Zaun, nestled in the Ironspine Mountains.
Nervously checking the straps of her plate, and testing the edge of her blade, Kayle stalked into the edges of the town. There was no point in straining her wings, as they were the one advantage Kayle had been able to maintain over her sister. Even after offering her immortality to the Eldermages of her home world, the power granted to Kayle was only enough to prevent her from dying to Morgana’s ever-advancing control of dark arts, the study of which has been long since abolished. The Eldermages had told her that until she was willing to sacrifice more than her own life, Morgana would never be defeated by her hands. Kayle couldn’t possibly fathom what more she had to offer. She was already giving up her people, for without her they would certainly fail to maintain order. Kayle believed that if she could at least rid their world of Morgana, perhaps their people stood a chance.
Her pace brought her ever closer to the hut on the other side of the town; all the while the populace were hurrying to make themselves scarce, stories of “The Winged Sisters” heralding times of fallow grounds and burnt homes across Runeterra. Kayle ignored them, knowing that any number of sacrifices on this world would be worth less than even one more of her people being converted to Morgana’s twisted desire for free expression. Didn’t Morgana know that free expression drove hatred and personal vendettas? Why couldn’t she see it? Kayle shook her head, these were questions she didn’t need clouding her crystalline judgement. Morgana had been judged, and now it was time for Kayle to cut away the necrosis that was Morgana’s impact on her people.
Morgana’s back felt like a thousand crawling, biting bugs were finding hospitality just underneath her skin as she sat hunched over her makeshift table. The tome she had been so laboriously studying was from some ancestor that lived on the home world thousands of years ago. Morgana had read the book in every conceivable direction, trying to translate the newest cipher she had discovered, her fingers delicately brushing through the pages. It was hard to focus, the pain coming in undulating waves across her body at times. It would all be worth it though, for in this book was a civilization’s worth of magic. Morgana had stumbled across this tome during the time of her exile, prior to her uprising against Kayle. In fact, this tome was the only reason that Kayle was losing this war. It made the pain of stillness worth it to Morgana.
That pain of stagnancy was not just an emotional pain as Morgana felt a range of maternal emotions for her people; but it was a physical pain, a side effect of her constant body alterations through the power of the Tome. With every change came a new discomfort, a new burden to carry with her for the rest of her immortal life. Morgana’s ancestors thought it wise to lock this power behind the threat of pain, imagining that none of their people, with their immortality, would opt into a life of constant pain. Her ancestors didn’t imagine the tyranny that Kayle represented. They weren’t creative enough to imagine the forced conformity, hidden beneath the guise of safety and security that Kayle offered.
But Morgana would not have opted for this, if Kayle could have been reasoned with. But Morgana’s sister was not one to be reasoned with anymore. A thousand years of conflict had seen to it that Kayle viewed anything not of her own building, to be a threat to the stability of what she has wrought. Kayle’s jaded nature was the reason Morgana had to shoulder not only the burden of her people, but that of pain and exile. Morgana was willing to take on these burdens though, because she knew that when this conflict was over and she was victorious, Kayle would be able to see the error of her ways. Morgana believed her sister was capable of change, but first she had to be shackled and made to stand watch, as Morgana’s vision blossomed into existence.
A wave of nauseating pain wracked Morgana, as she fell to the ground shivering. Her manservant quickly rushed to her side. He was an elderly man who was given to her along with her extensive financing and support in Runeterra, by the Noxus High Commander after an exhibition of Morgana’s powers shortly after traveling to Runeterra to complete the Tome’s cipher. The manservant, whose name was irrelevant to Morgana, offered her a glass of water which she took reluctantly, gulping half of it down before retching it up. At least some parts of the pain were predictable. The manservant than handed her a glass of wine which she sipped at to mask the taste of bile.
As Morgana took a moment to recover on the floor of her temporary home, a knock at the door sounded. The manservant unlatched the door, exchanged a few inaudible words before closing the door and returning to Morgana’s side. He hesitated for a moment, and before he could muster up the courage to speak to Morgana she was on her feet, the Tome tucked away in her skirts. “I know… She’s here.” Morgana mustered up her hatred, and smothered her pain with the warm embrace of the anger, fear, and hatred that shielded her mind from the pain. Morgana opened the door, stepping out into the brisk, autumn air, her feet cursing the ground fallow as she sallied forth to meet her sister. This time, Morgana thought to herself, Kayle will feel the pain she has caused.
Fallow Ground and Smoldering Ruins: Part 2 (To come)
Note: Opinions, input, feedback, and criticism (especially this) are always welcome.
I've always been a lurker, but this is my first time putting a fan fiction out in the open air where it can be seen (and hopefully enjoyed!). If there is some interest, I can release Part 2.
