Beginnings: Varus (Fanfic)

So with the new champion coming out and the new information on Darkin, I decided to do a Varus fanfic based on this concept. Please tell me what you think.

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“Breathe in as you draw your arrow.” Varus told himself as he prepped his bow. Notching the arrow to the string, he aimed to the straw man shaped target dummy and exhaled, “Aim, then breathe out."

“Pull back...to tension and breathe deep again in your chest.” he said with as little breath as possible.

“Release”

The arrow flew in a clean arc as he exhaled, traveling 200 yards before scrapping the sack cloth skin of the target’s right side and piercing the dirt behind it. He cursed himself, that was the fifth miss this morning.

“Maybe you should stop talking yourself through it.”

Varus stood stiff before quickly turning and bowing his head to his unseen audience, “Elder Khan, please forgive me for not noticing you sooner.”

“There is no need. It was rude of me to interrupt your meditation.”

“Meditation?” Varus looked up, confused at the elder’s observation.

“Yes.” Khan said as he signaled Varus to rise. The old man stroked his long and thin white beard as he stepped up to the archery platform.

“Everyday before sunrise I see you here, practicing long before the day watch wakes up. Your accuracy has led to the nightwatchmen taking bets on how many arrows land in the head or body.”

Varus gave swift scowl in the direction of the temple watchtower. He’d have to plan some special training for them when he returned.

“So, what troubles you, commander?” Khan asked as he gazed at the not so skewered target dummy.

“Nothing, elder.”

Khan smiled, “So your worsening aim in the past week has nothing to do with your trip back home next week?”

“I…”

The elder laughed, the kind that made a grown man feel like a child. “Do not hide your worries from me, commander.” he rested a hand on Varus’s shoulder, “After all, what use am I with elderly wisdom if I cannot share it to those in need?”

Varus struggled to speak, “Y-you honor me, elder Khan.” he had talked with the elders before, but they were never so informal. When he was first assigned to Pallas Temple the archer had heard that Elder Khan was...different. But this was…

“Khan will do. As one man to another. Now tell me, Varus, where do you come from?”

Varus pointed south, “My home is two-days journey in that direction. It’s a small lakeside village surrounded by vast grasslands. Every year during the summer festival there is an archery tournament with different competitions for accuracy and distance.”

“I see,” Khan stroked his beard in thought, visualizing Varus’s home, “I take it you have won many?”

“A few. I am more consistent now, but I’ve been too busy with military life to enter in recent years.”

“Ah yes. The life of a soldier does rob us of some comforts. Are you married by any chance?”

The archer nodded, “For five years before I volunteered. It’s been three years since I have seen her face, or that of my son.”

“That is a long time, too long for a man to be from his family.” Khan said solemnly.

“Yes. The invasion has much of our forces too preoccupied to allow for such comforts.”

The elder sighed, “And old grudges make alliances between our own people difficult. It took losing his fortress for Elder Fu to finally agree to join forces.”

“As stubborn as he is, I expected his archers to be better trained when they arrived.” Varus said, remembering all the extra lessons and drills he had to push into Fu’s men. It took a month too long before he felt they were ready to stand watch, let alone fight off invaders.

Khan laughed, “Fu believes more in quantity than quality. Though even I know that quality cannot make up for quantity on its own. A single archer cannot kill an army.”

“Give me a safe spot, enough arrows, and some dumplings and I’ll prove you wrong.” Varus joked.

Khan looked over Varus carefully with a grim expression. The laughter erupted from the man yet again, laughter that Varus finally joined with. As it died down, they both looked to the sun rising in the east.

“Do not be afraid of your family, Varus. I am sure they will be overjoyed to see you. Plus a reminder is always good.”

“A reminder? Of what, elder?”

“Of why why fight.”

The morning gong rang throughout the temple of Pallas, strangely followed by the gong for the front gates.

“Are you expecting someone?”

Khan frowned, “No.”

A single rider entered through the gates. Varus had never seen the man before, but he recognized the look of dread in his eyes.

“My name is Shushu and I bring news from the south.  A large noxian force has been cutting their way through to this temple.  I have been watching their movements for weeks and it has remained unchanged.  They will be here by nightfall.”

“The village of Jiantou, did you see it on your way here?” Varus demanded, “Have they evacuated? Surely someone warned them of the large advancing force. They should have seen it at least!”

Shushu slowly shook his head, “When my ally and I arrived, we found nothing but corpses. I don’t know what happened exactly, but I fear the lake was poisoned or tainted in some way. My friend died of fever on the way here and I...I,” Shushu’s words failed him as he fell off of his horse. Varus caught him, realizing how feverish the man was.

“Close the gates!” Elder Khan ordered the watchmen before turning to Varus, “Commander, I need you to prepare us for the attack. I will send word to other temples and elders asking for reinforcements. And take Shushu to the infirmary or find someone else to!” “Yes Elder!” Varus bowed before he carried the messenger off. He pushed the thoughts of his family aside, something he learned to do after years as a soldier. Discipline however would only hold for so long.

---

The Noxian forces arrived earlier than Shushu predicted. Varus however had the entire temple prepared hours before they saw the red flags of Noxus over the horizon.

For three days they were assaulted by black iron armored grunts and war machines. Varus’s men had felled many soldiers by exploiting the openings in their armor, but the invaders fervor of battle was undeterred. Varus watched the sight grimly from the vantage point of Elder Khan’s office. They were locked in a battle of attrition; a battle they’d lose.

Thankfully, Varus didn’t need to win. He just needed to keep them from breaking through in time for reinforcements to come and charge the flank. Until they hopefully arrive, he would keep his mind on tactical matters and kept emotion out of his judgement.
It was like shooting an arrow; if you don’t keep calm, the arrow’s path will reflect your inner turmoil.

“I fear my messages have been intercepted.” Elder Khan said as he surveyed the battlefield alongside Varus.

“That or we have been abandoned.”

“No, they will not abandon this temple, commander. Certainly not to warmongers like Noxus.”

“With respect, Elder Khan, this temple is too far from any major city for a tactical advantage. It was ancient in my grandfather’s day, and I’ve been told it’s only protected for historical tradition.”

Khan sighed, “Do you really think Noxus would go after something with no strategical value?”

“Elder?”

“I suppose it’s been long enough to say the order has been successful in burying these things in the past...for the most part. I’m starting to question if that was the right decision though. To hide our secrets so deep that we forgot why we guard them.”

Khan pulled out two maps, one of the temple that Varus had memorized from memory. The other was the very same except it had extra details, details that lead to a secret chamber.

“The true nature of this temple is that of a prison for one. A being of terrifying power, so much that like its brethren it was sealed away in the hopes of stopping them.”

“A demon? Here?” Varus asked as he studied the map.

Khan shook his head, “I do not believe it is a demon. If it is, then the five of them share a title among demons. Darkin, they were called. Come with me.”

The elder brought Varus to the secret chamber, hidden deep within the temple. They passed several doors with ancient carvings sketched across them. They looked like more detailed spirit wards, like that of some priests Varus had seen use in his youth. Varus felt heavier as they traveled deeper, as if a river was slowly pushing against him. Khan was unimpeded.

“This is Pallas, the Darkin we imprisoned.” Khan said as he opened the final door. Varus’s eyes opened wide in terror at the weapon before him.

A black and four limbed bow stood on a pedestal in the middle of a vast room surrounded by tattered talismans and withering charms. A dark purple liquid surrounded the pedestal, but it moved in ways Varus could only describe as slow burning flames. Varus swore that the bow was moving as he stared closer, shifting like it was alive.

It chilled him to his soul.

“Is...is it-”

“Alive?” Khan nodded, “Alive and slowly corrupting this place. The pool surrounding it wasn’t always this big.”

“This...this is what Noxus is after, isn’t it?”

“Yes. And I’m not sure which is worse: Pallas going free because they cannot control him, or to see Noxus weaponize such a terrifying being.

The room shook before Varus could reply, with explosive sounds rumbling above them.

“What was that?!” Khan asked.

“The siege engines, you old fool.”

A knife dug itself into the elder before he or Varus could react. A heavier blade followed the archer, and with little room to dodge Varus brought his left arm to block in panic. The blade dug deep into his arm, cutting into the bone and removing any feeling in his fingers.

A swift kick knocked Varus to the floor, dislodging the blade from his arm and splattering his blood across the room.

“I’m honestly ashamed of myself for taking this long.” Shushu said as he stepped from the shadow of open door behind Varus and the now deceased elder Khan.

“Shus…” Varus tried to talk but the blood loss made it difficult to form coherent words.

The messenger grinned, “Nobody expects the messenger. It’s made infiltration much easier. Villages can disappear overnight without a war party to cause any attention to neighboring towns. All it takes is some forged documents, one night, and an easy to access water supply.”

“Traitor…”

Shushu cupped his left ear, “What was that? I’m hard of hearing for the dying, but I could have sworn you called me a traitor. That’s not true, I’m just a hired blade. Noxus pays well after all, so much that they even have a few elders in their pockets. Including one Elder Fu.”

The room shook again from the explosions above. Shushu shrugged, “But enough of that, it’s time to earn my pay.”

Varus had already blacked out as Shushu approached the bow. His final thoughts shifted to his wife and son, how he’d never truly see their faces again. How the bastard responsible for their deaths was before him.

The lock on his emotions shattered. Rage consumed his body, but it could not force it to move. Instead he mentally cursed Fu, Shushu, and all of Noxus in his final few seconds. Praying for something to cause a terrible demise for every one of them.

Delicious.

A voice echoed, like a thought but not his own.

It has been too long since I’ve come across this scent. The despair is especially divine. All that wrath on your deathbed and no power to express it, such a pity.

The voice’s prideful tone grew louder, Varus’s head felt as though it would burst from the pressure.

I can give it to you. Another chance to express your hatred upon those who’ve scorned you. All you have to do is let me in. I’ll even let you keep control. Deal?

Varus couldn’t nod, but the soft laughter that followed told him that it knew his answer.

Good. Now, say my name.

“Pa...Pall,”

SAY IT!!

“Pallas.” Varus whispered with his final breath. Shushu’s screams echoes throughout the chamber before Varus felt a massive wave overwhelm him. His blood surged from his body as the darkin took place within his body, warping his form as his bones shattered and rebuilt themselves in his left arm. He opened his mouth to scream, but the darkness of the pit surged inward, nearly drowning him in corruption while his body burned.

When the pain subsided, Varus found himself at the top of the front gate. Seeing his own diseased and dead men littering the temple from behind its walls while the Noxian army marched forth swelled his ire within.

Oh, that’s a new one. I must applaud how quickly this virus spreads. I wonder if they used those catapults to launch any infected cadavers over these walls. Or maybe they tainted the water supply? No, it seems too fresh for that.

“Shut up.”

Oh? Does talking about how quickly your friends die anger you? Good, let’s use some of that.

The black bow seeped out from the scar on Varus’s arm where Shushu’s blade had cut.

Pull me back. You’re going to love this.

As he pulled the string back, Varus could tell that it was stronger than any bow he had used before. Stronger than any bow had the right to be. It didn’t take much effort to pull however, and the farther he pulled the further extended the limbs of the bow became. A straight and red arrow formed in the center, he used it to pinpoint his first target as he aimed for an opening in the enemy armor. The voice laughed.

Don’t worry about that. Just make sure it hits.

Varus didn’t question it as he let the arrow fly. It pushed past 200 meters without any resistance before skewering six soldiers.

Again.

Another arrow fired, this one killing twelve.

Again.

Eighteen soldiers.

AGAIN!

More fell with every arrow. Some arrows split into several mid flight, as if one hundred archers fired them together. Palla’s laughter echoed with every kill, while Varus kept quiet as he aimed for a new target with each arrow. He could not express his rage in mere words or emotions. But this bow? This bow was his voice and the arrows were his cold desire for vengeance.

By sundown the battlefield was littered with arrows, each dug deep into a noxian soldier or drenched in their blood.

Oh that was fun. Where to next?

“South.”

What’s south?

"Motivation." Varus answered grimly.