The Sinister blade

T W E N T Y S I X : G A R E N

Katarina is standing beside me waiting for the Ardshem to display the answers she's looking for. I can see too many emotions laying in her eyes. The sorrow, the fear, and the courage all mixed together.

Katarina and I expect a movie scene to play within the screen, but instead, a strong wind starts blowing around us. All the tree leaves roam around us in circular motion. The tree leaves get so thick and they completely cover both of us. Suddenly, a strong force starts dragging Katarina inside of the screen.

'' Garen! '' Katarina cries out for my help as she holds onto me. '' Garen what is happening! '' She holds my arms with her strong hands hoping I can help her stand still, but I can't. My force is not enough.

I try to force myself to stand still and hold Katarina, but I fail and she drags me with her inside of the screen. A black vision comes around us. I get dragged into the darkness with Katarina, not knowing what's happening. The Ardshem is very strong Garen. Only mages can understand its powers. My father told me these words about the Ardshem, he said it's dangerous. That was his excuse to keep it out of people's reach.

I woke up to find myself at the shore. I examine the area around me, trying to remember what happened. As soon as I get flashbacks of the Ardshem and Katarina dragging me into it with her. I stand up and the area around me looks so much like Noxus, I immediately start searching for Katarina.

'' Kat! '' I shout hoping she'd hear me. I run on the sand hoping to find Katarina in the huge shore.

'' Garen? '' I hear a soft voice calling my name from afar.

'' Kat! I'm here. '' I call back hoping my voice will reach to her. Meanwhile, I run in the direction of the voice.

As I run along the shore, I spot Katarina standing still. Her daggers are still hanged on her thighs. Her swords are hanged on her shoulders as well. Nothing changed in what she wore before we get swallowed by the Ardshem.

'' Kat. '' I run towards her. '' Are you okay? '' I hold her face between my hands hoping she isn't injured.

'' Yes. I am fine. What happened to us? '' She asks as she's panting. I don't know if it's fear that makes her shake now or the confusion. I just wish I had answers to her questions. I wish I can comfort her.

'' I don't know how we came here. '' I honestly tell her as I have never used the Ardshem before. I only knew a couple of information about that mysterious magical book, and the main one was to stay away from it.

'' Where are we? '' Katarina wonders as her eyes are roaming around, trying to recognize where we are standing.

'' It's so familiar isn't it? '' I look at Katarina's wide emerald eyes as they watch the place with the same passion which they watched me in the jungle of Leary, the first time we met.

'' I don't think I've been to this side of Noxus before. '' Katarina says as she frees her face from between my hands. She's still looking around us in surprise, as if she's trying to spot familiar places which she has been to before.

'' Come on. '' I take her hand. '' Let's go find what we came here for. '' Her hand is so small while holding mine. I can feel her tight grab and the warmth of her palm. In that moment, I never want to remove my hand from hers.

'' What are you talking about Garen? '' She doesn't move. '' The book was supposed to give us answers, we cannot simply find them. '' She stops me from moving forward towards the land.

'' We can as long as we are together. '' I encourage her. '' It's your land. You know its secrets & pathways. We'll be fine. You just need to lead. '' I say the words and Katarina is blankly watching me.