[Fan Fiction] Witch Hunt- Prologue/Part 1
Shauna Vayne has dedicated her life to the destruction of every wicked being in Runeterra, all brought forth by the vicious murders committed by one powerful witch. When Lucian requests her aid due to the knowledge of that witch's current location, Vayne leaves the hunting grounds of Demacia and plunges deep into the darkness beyond the walls of the city. It's time for a Witch Hunt...
###Part One/Prologue
In all of Demacia, no bar nor pub could match the incredible popularity of "Doran's Mug". Named after the famous blacksmith in the Institute of War, this pub was the first of it's kind to feature a traditional Demacian style as well as the futuristic styling of Piltover. The owner of the tavern had paid quite a bit of money to install hextech monitors and a working generator to have broadcasts of League matches. A risky move, but one that ultimately paid off. Now "Doran's Mug" was the biggest bar in all of Demacia, perhaps even Valoran. Night-after-night the bar was packed to the brim with people, watching League matches or just enjoying the atmosphere.
Who would ever notice one person missing?
She moved through the bar like a specter, seeming not to touch a soul. Her prey was clear. A lone man, enjoying a solitary drink. By no means did he seem to be a loner, but he was someone she had spied before. She knew his patterns and she knew his methods. Easy prey for an easy night's work. His eyes were quite focused on the hextech display, going on about some huge announcement in Ionia and champions that would be joining the League. Brazenly, she sat next to him, one hand reaching over to grasp his thigh. "Enjoying your night, love?" she questioned, eyes locking firmly with him.
The young man turned to spy whoever was looking at him, blonde hair waving as he locked eyes. Blue, what lovely blue they were. A shame they had to be snuffed out. "OH! I uh...well then...helloooooo..." he said in the smoothest voice he could muster. Not smooth at all, considering the heavy alcohol on his breath. She grinned, the man playing his part like a well-wound toy. He had no idea she knew everything she needed to about him. "Have I met you before? Maybe seen you before? You look familiar." he murmured, raising an eyebrow at the woman.
"Not one bit, love. Hey, follow me real quick. I want to show you something grand!" she said, leaning over to whisper in his ear. As with anyone who was unaware of who she was, it was quite typical that he nearly bolted out of his seat, squirming to get to the door. How naive he was, completely unaware of the danger he was in at this very moment.
Sabrina grinned, licking her pearly-white teeth.
Five minutes later...
What was his name? Sabrina vaguely recalled it, he was shouting it in ecstasy a few minutes ago. All he was doing now is howling in agony. Which, to be fair, was the appropriate reaction to having spikes of hardened blood stab through your wrists and shins. "Oh dear, you really should stop yelling. All you're doing is wearing out your lungs and making a scene. Not that anyone can hear you," Sabrina chuckled. Quite risky to do this right next to "Doran's Mug" in an alley, but the noise helped drown out anything that would happen.
"Do you have any recommendations where I should start? Neck? Belly? Maybe just the face?" Sabrina questioned. The only response was a weak croak of agony. That amount of blood loss would do that to a human. "Tsk tsk. Come -on- sweetie it's no fun at all if you go and die..." She whispered. Sabrina's hand grabbed his face, fingers sinking in to his supple cheek flesh as she brought him eye to eye. Nothing felt quite as good as watching that final stare of horror before she got to the face. The best part of any feeding.
The beautiful face of Sabrina seemed to cut itself. Massive slits tore through what seemed to be flawless skin as her mouth split into three horrifying sections. Gone were those pretty human teeth, an illusion put on to trick even the wisest of magicians. Now twisting fangs pointed to her gullet, one sharp proboscis bristling with spikes. "Love. Look at me. Tell me how much you're grateful that-" Sabrina's words were cut off as she paused. A loud whistle rung through the air. Something a human wouldn't pick up, but her? She could hear it like a concert.
"One moment sweetie," she grinned as one hand lashed out, grasping the crossbow bolt that had been fired at her. The first four seconds were fine. The following five were agonizing as her fingers literally melted off her hand, bone crumbling to dust as she grasped the melting, sizzling stub that was once her hand.
From high above, upon the roof of the "Doran's Mug" stood a lone, shadowy figure. A crossbow-gauntlet on one arm and a massive crossbow upon her back, she gazed down at Sabrina. "You are either supremely brave...or the thousands of years you have existed has done nothing but rot your brain inside your skull," Vayne called down.
Sabrina howled in fury, trisected maw wide open to try and frighten Vayne. "This doesn't concern you, woman. This town is not yours and neither is the night!" She hissed. Many had told Sabrina that feeding in Demacia was telling your allies that you wanted to commit suicide. Sabrina, however, scoffed at that notion. Just one woman, she had said. She's no threat, she had said. And here she was now, one hand gone and face-to-face with the woman those of the night whispered about.
"Anything in my domain concerns me, wretch," Vayne leapt from the building top, hitting the side of the wall and slowly sliding down it. She leapt again, hitting the adjacent wall and sliding down that one until she stood in the alley, eyes impossible to see through those magic-reflecting lenses. "You know of me, as I am sure all others do. Now I sugges-"
The trisected maw of Sabrina let out a ghostly, ghastly wail. Vayne started in shock, attempting to cover her ears. This scream, however, was no mere work of the vocal chords. Black magics infused it's vibrations, making Vayne stumble where she stood. A banshee, maybe even a siren. Either way, such a blunder was beyond pathetic. Moments later that cry stopped, ears ringing and muscles aching. Still, Vayne was able to react and bring forth her gauntlet-covered arm as Sabrina was upon her.
Vayne fell to the muddy ground, head twisting to-and-fro as she dodged vicious bites from the monster "I care NOT if the League hunts me down for murdering you! This shall be a feast for the ages!" Sabrina sneered in delight. Vayne, however, did not show the least bit of fear. Already, she was reaching for another bolt. Who cares about firing it when Vayne could easily just force this bolt into her neck. Twist and weaving to avoid those life-ending bites, Vayne finally wrapped her fingers around that silver bolt...just as Sabrina grasped her wrist, holding that hand to the ground. "Ah ah ah, little muffin. You don't want to spoil th-"
There was a brilliant flash of light that illuminated the entire alley, Vayne's glasses blocking out the temporary shine. Lux was the most obvious culprit, meaning Vayne would have to answer all manner of questions about why she was outside the pub with this beast. That first idea was lost upon seeing the wound however: A perfect hole, shot directly through Sabrina's rib-cage. The banshee (Siren?) stood, croaking as she clutched the hole in her side. "How di-"
Two more flashes of light. Sabrina's shoulder was flung back, followed by her head. She stumbled, attempting to regain her footing before one final shot brought her to her knees. A thousand years flashed before her eyes: The Rune Wars, the Freljord, Shurima...all of it gone in an instant. Sabrina fell backwards, bursting to nothing but sand as she hit the ground. Vayne rolled her wrist, watching Sabrina's prey fall from the spread-position he had been forced into and onto the ground, blood pooling under him. "I did not need your help," Vayne growled, cracking her neck. Sore from all that weaving and dodging, no doubt.
"Well pardon me for being a gentleman," Lucian said, arms crossed as he holstered his weapons. Cinderblocks on gaudy handles, that's what Vayne had always called them. "From -here- it looked like I got here just in time."
"And from here, you're a jackass."
Lucian rolled his eyes. "Shauna, I nee-"
Within seconds, Vayne was in his face, that crossbow bolt stuck right near his eyes. "Do not call me that, Purifier."
Rather than cower or panic, Lucian slowly took Vayne's hand and moved it from his face. "Pleasantries aside, I was sent by the guild to ask for your assistance." Vayne stared hard at Lucian before turning, walking down the alley without even regarding him as an equal or an ally. "Really. You're going to go off and sulk like Amumu?"
"There is nothing the guild could offer me. We have been over this a thousand times: Your little club is soft upon those who have taken up darkness. I am not merciful like you weaklings are," Vayne muttered, walking out as Lucian watched her.
"Bandora."
Vayne froze in her tracks. Her veins filled with ice. For the first time in years, she felt the frigid sting of terror in her heart. Lucian saw her pause and watched her fist clench. "We got a lead on her. The guild said nobody has the raw fury you have against her so they told me to come get you. Although, if the guild really has nothing to offer you..."
"You will take me to the guild. Now. I am not joining your gathering and I am not pledging any sort of alliance or friendship. This is personal business. Nothing more, nothing less. You-"
"-are tools to me, I'm the terrifying night hunter, I work alone and blah blah blah." Lucian interrupted. Vayne glared furiously, the purifier not at all threatened.
Vayne turned to leave again, beckoning Lucian to follow. Lucian, however, turned and spied the young man currently sputtering in a pool of blood. He couldn't move at all, considering the spikes that had held him to the wall. "Aren't we at least going to help the poor kid out?" Lucian called, watching the pale young man turn whiter by the second.
Vayne sighed angrily. "You can if you want. I'm more interested in catching the damned witch."
Lucian grumbled angrily. "Meanwhile -I'm- the one being called cold and heartless." Lucian knelt down, quickly wrapping the young man's wounds to keep him from bleeding. Following this, he fired a beam of pure light into the sky, running to Vayne as the two fled the scene. The Demacian Guard would arrive not two minutes later, spying a young man lying in a pool of blood and the grusome remains of some wicked creature that had been slain mere feet from his shattered body.
All in all, just more remains of the Night Hunter's handiwork.
End Part 1
*Note: I have no idea how frequently this story will be updated. I'ma be kinda lazy with this one. *
Part 2
