Two Lost Souls

10

Third POV:

Ahri looked at the setting sun and frowned. The distance to Wel'hel turned out to be longer than she expected. By this rate, she believed that the Spirit Blossom festival would be starting by the time they reach the town.

"We should probably make camp soon," her traveling companion suddenly said, obviously noticing that they won't reach the town today.

"No, we should keep going," Ahri protest as she started walking faster. "If we stop don't stop, we should reach the village before sunrise tomorrow," she added, not wanting to be caught in the Spirit Blossom festival.

"Are you saying we'll find someone to take us on their boat if we get there before sunrise?" Grey's question caused Ahri to stop and flinch.

She knew he was right. Even if they continue walking, it would be too late at night to find someone to take them on a boat to Bilgewater. They would have to stay in an inn, and that means they'll have to go through the festival. Ahri sighed in annoyance at realizing she couldn't avoid the Spirit Blossom festival.

Deciding to at least go through the trouble of the festival with a rested mind, the Nine-Tailed Vastaya crossed her arms. "Alright, you have a point. We'll make camp tonight but leave early tomorrow. There's a river nearby. We can rest there."

The Undead Swordsman simply nodded, showing that he has no problem following her instructions. Ahri began leading them to the river, hoping to at least get closer to Wel'hel so they can leave as soon as possible tomorrow.

She truly hated this time of year.

...

Meanwhile, in Wel'hel, Darius walked through the streets of the town with Captain Farron following him. Looking around, the Hand of Noxus saw the Ionian citizens prepare decorations and feasts when they weren't glaring at him.

Darius paid them no mind. He had heard that there was a festival happening, but that was none of his business. His business was making sure that Prexis doesn't endanger Noxus' position in the Institute of War.

Normally, Darius would never approve of joining something like the Institute, which he considered a sign of weakness. However, Swain still made Noxus join in order to 'prepare for an ancient evil and enemy of Noxus' as he said.

Darius trusted Swain's orders. Whatever enemy he was preparing for must have been powerful for the General to even think of joining the Institute. Not to mention that they recently lost most of their territories in the Ferljord, so they can't go to an all-out war with all of Runeterra at once with the Institute helping them.

The single survivor of the Ferljord said that a 'bear covered in lightning' suddenly dropped down on their camps and killed everyone.

Darius would be lying if he said he hadn't seen stranger things. After all, their forces in Shurima were defeated by a spiked armadillo.

Back to the current situation, Darius kept walking through the streets before noticing something. The soldiers were not only putting crates inside the ships, but also moving crates from inside them and leaving them on the docks.

Walking to a pair of soldiers who just left another crate on the docks. "What's going on here?" he asked causing the soldiers to jump and immediately give a salute.

"C-Commander Darius! We were just leaving out unnecessary boxes to make rooms inside the ship," one of the soldiers replied, shaking in his armor.

"Open it," Darius ordered, motioning to the crate.

With shaky hands, the soldiers followed the order and removed the top of the crates, showing the content inside. The crate was full of odd rectangle stones with red runes engraved in them.