Of Silence and Scars, Chapter 29

Only two chapters left after this one, it is almost sad :(. I loved writing this story. I am thinking of polishing up some loose ends, and lengthening the chapters by including details and side stories to try and publish a real book out of this. It is much longer than I had anticipated and I actually like the story. Plus I see people posting to riot about wanting a League book series. I kept things simple/brief-ish for the fan fic because no one wants to read a full novel in a fan fic :/. But anyway, if anyone has any advice or thinks that the book idea is cool, please comment and let me know! Thanks for reading up until this point and have been loyal! Also if anyone knows where I can post the whole story at one place let me know.

XXIX The day broke on the Ragged Cliffs deep in the Freljord. The Demacian standards blew in the breeze next to those of Noxus. Swain, Sejuani, Ashe and Jarvan discussed the uneasy truce to fight a common cause. Amongst the chaos, Draven waited for his orders. After a long conversation, Swain strode over and mounted a slight rise then cleared his throat. A small gesture, but a wave of silence radiated outward in the Noxian forces, Demacians were not used to the gesture. Jarvan held up a hand for silence and they quieted as well. All eyes looked to the two powerful leaders. It was announced that an assault on the front of the fort would commence, while a designated team of skilled warriors rushed the base itself to secure the stolen mages and assure the Watchers did not return as planned. The enemy force was estimated to be comprised mostly of trolls, with a few Frostguard remaining and a host of the Forged creatures. Jarvan took over the speech, booming out over men and ice, “We are no strangers to war. We are no strangers to hardship. Demacia has always protected the just and the righteous. But we come here today to protect all who live in Valoran. We fight to save our allies, Piltover, Ionia and even our enemies, Zaun, Noxus. Noxians stand with us today, displaying strength and resolve to spare. A generous act was shown to me by your leader, Jericho. He told us everything he had learned, and that Lissandra was the culprit of the attacks on our friends and champions who were off to fight to bring us honor and were taken in their prime to this hellish waste where they wither in darkness. No Noxian had been taken yet, but he saw the need to aid us for self-preservation. We are not friends, I hold no love of Noxus and this is known. Noxians hold no love for me either. We are not here for each other. But, we will work together, like water and fire must coincide to create steam. Forget your hatred for one day! Disband borders for just twenty four hours and fight as though blood bound you! We fight to free our comrades from a darkness they did not choose! The void wishes to consume you all as the Watchers grind you into the dust! Will you let this happen?” A chant rose, “No!” “Will Demacia fade away?” “No!” they answered, raising the Demacian standards high. Will Noxus cower from the storm?” “No!” they answered as well, waving the Noxian banners. “Then fight with me, brothers and sisters!” Captains bellowed out orders as the speech concluded. Energy filled the air as inspired men took up arms and raced out onto the plains and into war. Swain wove his way to Draven and several other prominent Noxian warriors, “You and the band you gathered will break through their lines with me and get inside. Once there I will direct you to the prison chambers and Sona.” Draven cocked an eyebrow, “How do you know the interior?” Swain gestured backwards, Draven spotted Urgot holding Kog’maw on a chain. The executioner asked, “Gross. Did I hear correctly that you are coming with?” The tactician nodded, “A calculated risk. I need to be inside to guide you.” Draven shrugged and gestured at his worn wooden cane, “You going to make it? It is going to be one hell of a fight.” The other scowled, “You know damn well I can fight, and were the situation not so vital I would hospitalize you to teach you a lesson.” “Sorry chief. How do we get in?” “Leave that to me.” He chuckled slightly as he led the party away, but it quickly turned into a dry hacking noise. Xin Zhao came out of the crowd and followed closely behind Swain. “Oh, did I mention we have a babysitter? Jarvan did not like the thought of being left out in the cold commanding the main force while we proceeded inside, but I convinced him and allowed him a pair of eyes. Keep him alive or Jarvan swore to kill my ravens and I would rather not risk it.” Urgot waved at Swain, “What cuuuurgh do I do with the mutt?” He pointed at Kog’maw whimpering and pulling on the chain. “Just hold onto him, don’t enter the battle unless things go south.” They departed the bluff, leaving Urgot standing alone with the Mouth of the Abyss. Kog’maw wretched and burped up a half-digested boot. Urgot looked at the boot, then at the void creature. He reached out and patted its head lightly. The small creature made an odd chirping noise and bounced slightly in delight. Urgot bobbed slightly, he might like this creature. It was almost as disgusting as he was.

The battle commenced shortly after, the two forces collided in a resounding boom that made the world go silent. All eyes of Gods and men turned to the spectacle on the white sheet of snow. Bloodlines and bodies made a work of destruction across the virgin plains. Men screamed as goliaths of ice and crystal slammed them to the earth. The juggernauts lacked any real form, oblong limbs jutting out at roughly shoulder height. Trolls followed the living siege weapons sporting clubs and maces. The Demacians formed a phalanx, fighting the immense brawn with a tactical brain. Spears stalled the Forged, but decimated troll ranks. Howls of anguish echoed off of the mountains as one after the other fell. They were not alone as hosts of men were lifted off their feet and thrown about. Broken bodies strewn along the icy walls of the fortress were beginning to pile on each other. The fighting style of a frost troll was not a delicate art… Jarvan paced along the backlines of his force, waiting for the right moment, he held a hand high. In a row beside him were twenty ballista artillery pieces, waiting to fire. Each had a set target of a Forged goliath, leaving the smaller creatures to the phalanx. He bellowed out and order to fall back, and the metal wall of the phalanx took three well measured steps backward. Coming into range at last, the behemoths pursued the men to their doom. The prince’s hand fell, and steel bolts rocketed into the air, bringing deadly force crashing into the crystal forms. Any hit fractured immediately from the force. Those who remained located the real threat and reached to the ground. Jarvan turned to order a reload to fire again when the titans straightened up, huge chunks of earth in tow. He barely managed to order the men to take cover as a barrage of rock swept up nearly a fourth of his artillery, pulverizing the crew along with them. Splintered wood and cries of pain rang in his ears as he ordered the others to hold fast and fire again. Another salvo rung out and more behemoths fell. The battle was holding in their favor for now, but the Demacian general could see reinforcements streaming around the mountainside. Ragged breath of the trolls steaming in front of them as they huffed and hauled their lumpy forms over the snow. Sunshine glistened on the crystalline forms of smaller Forged soldiers entering the fray. The Demacian force would be easily crushed by this new force if left all alone. But they were not alone. As he ordered the Phalanx back in a staggered retreat pattern, he looked from the bluff to the snowy pines to the east and west of his vantage point. Waiting in the trees were his allies. Giving the order to launch the signal flare, he watched as the Freljord horde swung in from the east and the Noxian army looped in from the West. The Frostguard did not see the noose closing around them, only concerned with the retreating formation in front of them. They thought the battle was won. Their surprise was palpable as Sejuani and Tryndamere led the screaming warriors deep into their flank. Roars of man and beast coincided as ice and steel conquered flesh and crystal. The Noxian force fought feverishly as well, not wishing to be outdone by the Demacian host serving as the front line. Angry shouts and roars of triumph vibrated in the throats of the seemingly victorious forces of the combined nations. The last of the trolls fell and silence reigned once more. Panting and wounded, the men relished their victory, not seeing the new force streaming from the interweaving caverns under the mountains. Like ants from their hill they streamed into the valley and threatened to overwhelm the men. Purple husks and shells glistened. The void had entered the fray. Regrouping at their commander’s call, the three forces merged into one. No time for clever strategy they reformed the phalanx. The void rush crashed upon them like a wave on rock. Holding firm at first, voidlings fell in tides of their own purple fluids. But cracks were forming in the shield wall, the insect like creatures scrambled over the metal wall and began to devour those who opposed. Men began falling as fast as they could replace them. The wall threatened to collapse at any moment. Jarvan called for relief. Sejuani heard the call and ordered the charge. Her horde laid into the onslaught, pushing back the vermin from the falling Demacian line. Trampling and flaying the creatures, they bought some time for the phalanx to reform. The Freljord shock troopers pushed as far as they could, suffering heavy casualties as well. Jarvan called out once more, and the heavily armored Noxians marched out onto the plain to take the heat off of their retreating allies. When all were behind the wall once more, the Noxian defenders fell back in an orderly, slow retreat to reset the battle. Swain sensed their chance was here and he approached the strike team in the chaotic battle. “We leave now!” He gave the order to Sion and the Undead Juggernaut smiled, then parted his lips into a throaty roar. He charged with unstoppable force into the horde, knocking aside scores of the scuttling monstrosities. The champions followed him closely, deflecting any attempts at attack, but were relatively safe behind the rage shield of the Juggernaut. Sion did not slow as he approached the great doors leading inside. With one last roar he smashed headlong into the wooden structure. Splinters and smoke filled the lobby of the Ice fortress as trolls and Frostguard cleared dust from their eyes and stared into the smoke to try and discern the intruders. From the smoke they only heard sounds of the battle in the distance when a voice called out in a deep shout. “Welcome to the League of Draven!” Draven sprinted from the shroud and threw both of his axes in a crooked whirling death, “Don’t be shy now! Come out and play!” He laughed cruelly as his revenge was at hand. The blades sliced along the ice leaving behind two tracks from the mighty throw. They travelled diagonally across the floor, digging into the rounded walls of ice and looping around the room in a rough corkscrew path. They severed the connection of a rather large chandelier to the ceiling and it descended to crush the hapless Forged who had stood to close underneath it. The guards began to move too slowly as Darius rushed to back up Draven, spinning around to heave Talon and Katarina high into the air. Katarina tucked her body into a rapid spin, sending knives flying into any targets near to the doors while Talon used his momentum to sever the head of a rather large Forged guard. He then spun and released the blades in his cape, raking and slashing all who stood around him, splashing crimson blood in a circle around him as they slumped lifeless to the floor. Xin Zhao, Darius, and the members of Pentakill charged into the fray, slashing anything they could reach. Karthus wrought waves of death with his aura of magic. Swain transformed into a massive black bird, rending flesh of anyone near him. Cries and screeches rang from his beak as he tore into the trolls surrounding him. Broken forms piled in the lobby as the champions of the League went seemingly unopposed, the frail forms could not challenge their determination. A large crystalline creature trudged into view at the end of the hall. Appearing to be some sort of turtle, the creature sported a massive cannon instead of a shell upon its back. The cannon charged, aiming for the center of the intruding force. Sion rose holding his head in his hand. Shaking it violently, he regained his senses and howled as he charged once more. Seeing the large and well-armed monster at the end of the room, he took it as a personal challenge to his might and confronted the foe directly. Shrugging off pitiful blows from the insignificant forms trying to slow his assault, he reached the Forged artillery. Grabbing firm hold of the cannon, he planted a huge boot on the face of the turtle monster and tore the armaments from its body. Using this as an improvised club, he laughed heartily as he pummeled the beast and any who tried to help it. Draven danced in a world of spinning axes and steel as he dodged attacks from all sides and flitted with ease through the intense battle unscathed. His resolve to win and exact his revenge fill his arms with strength and the liquid fury coursing through his veins sharpened his reflexes to the world seemingly in slow motion. A lull in the fighting came, but it would not last. Voidlings turned from the battle and flooded in to the lobby. Swain called to Draven, beckoning him up the stairs. Xin followed him as well, not letting the Noxian out of sight. Swain stood with Darius and ordered all three of them to go down a staircase he pointed to. “Sona and the others are down there! Go now. We will hold this position to buy you time.” He glared briefly at the lone Demacian, then left. Draven waved the other two forward and sprinted down the icy stairs. Danger and fear aside, he felt the moment was close. He would see her again!