Forge of worlds - League of legends fanfic

Chapter 16 - Split souls

For hours they had been flying through the cosmos, spheres of planets that crossed their sight, decorated with comets that would have looked like still stars from Runeterra, stardust and drifting rocks passed them by. Their bodies kept safe with the barrier of starlight serving as a shield, giving the impression that they too were falling stars. Ezreal had been quiet the entire time, the wings of Yuuto guiding him through the galaxy, following the light of the others. As if the adventurer were sleeping he flew with his back down. His mind went out to Lux, the guardians that were waiting for a door to open for them and Kai'Sa who was almost at shore near in Ixtal. He thought of places he could go to in Shurima, sure to be more hidden temples and tombs, perhaps to piss the sand mistress even more to borrow more relics of her royal bloodline. A grin brightened his face and he brushed a strand of hair aside.
'Galaxy is very large, just like shoma it has no ceiling, no ground and no walls,' Neeko exclaimed happily to keep the fear out of the minds of her fellow guardians. 'Are we going up? Are we going down? No one know!'
Lulu giggled at the vision the chameleon had and flew closer by to speak of tastes in term of colours or how tulips were the only true evil.
Sarah had been quiet the entire time, not once did she speak a word, not when they were gathered, not when they left and he doubted she would freely say anything at all today.
'What's wrong, Sarah? You've been awfully quiet this past week.'
Sarah grunted and looked away when the explorer glanced towards her. 'I'm still angry at Ahri, who would have thought that you were the only one to notice.'
'Ahri is many things but smart, if you're mad at her you need to voice it or she'll just think you're in a bad mood.' Ezreal said while he were poking at rocks hovering past him. Clearly annoyed to talk about his leader.
'How do you know her that well? You've been only a part of this for a year or two.'
Ezreal pressed his lips onto another and shook his shoulders. 'Women like that are predictable, the world has been served to her on a platter, I've seen it a couple of times now.'
Sarah chuckled shortly and shook her head. 'What do you think of me?'
Ezreal grinned and looked her with the same bored expression towards her. 'I don't think of you, that's dangerous territory.' Sarah could not help but to like his comment at that moment. When Ahri had introduced Ezreal as the last member of their team she were the only one not excited of him being around, he was not disciplined, he did what he liked and were arrogant to the bone. Anything is a competition in his eyes and success is the only thing he ever reached for and still, the main reason why she disliked him was because he reminded her of her past self, before she lost her mother. 'I say a lot of things kid, but when it comes down to it, you're actually fun to hang with.'
'I know.' Arrogance radiated from the explorer as he winked towards Sarah, his hands folded behind his neck as he raced through the galaxy. His smile slimmed down the moment he caught onto the whispers of Xayah and Rakan, who held onto each other dearly, as if they were about to say farewell. It instantly brought him back to his goodbye and his face went from happy to disgust, he hated to feel so helpless, to feel sad in general. If he had let himself be ruled by sadness, he would have not accomplished anything that he had now, if only he could fight it like anything else. With a fresh splash of rationalism he thought about the fact that he only knew her for a week or two, but then his mind debated back that they had spent every day together, unlike normal friends, they had been together the moment they woke up and went to sleep. If he counted it up it was perhaps more than other people that consider each other as friends would see another in a time spawn of three months.
He grunted and turned from his back to fly a bit faster ahead of him, drawing the attention of others. They were not used to an Ezreal that let his emotions get clouded by negative thoughts, he was aside from Lux probably the most laid back, positive striving person and yet now he felt slightly defeated. There were only two things for him to do: he could or see her less and let their friendship tone down or he could try to spend more time with her, but make the times they weren't together a problem. Without any consideration whether his actions might be embarrassing or not he said aloud. 'Oh please stars, give me a sign on what to do.'
Jinx laughed at his rambling and picked up his pace to fly right beside him, Shiro and Kuro, her weapons and pets that giggled along with her. 'Why the long face, did someone step on your shoes or something?' Ezreal rolled his eyes and tried to chase her away, but it only encouraged her to stay even more. 'Or did Lux reject you again?'
'Can you please just go away?'
Jinx shook swiftly with her head, which only pestered Shiro and Kuro away. 'Wanna bet I get her to like me sooner than you.' Ezreal frowned his forehead and took a good look at Jinx and then trailing his eyes down to Lux who was in a conversation with Ahri about the whole plan, her eyes that glistened from time to time when the nine tailed fox would smile. She wouldn't... would she? He wondered. But it was already too late, Jinx stopped abruptly and flew towards Lux, who instantly had caught her into her arms, he thought out of leadership, since she felt responsible for their well being, but when he had caught her blushing nervously it sparked him the idea that her love for people might be... for everyone? Did he really have to worry about girls too now?
Ahri stopped the whole team as she had found the tower not far from them, pointing ahead. When first at their arrival she tried to find for the opening she had kicked through when saving her fallen teammates, but like any wound would, so did the tower's. Most people would have tried to kick another hole, but she feared that it might just weaken the magic and call for her attention sooner than they had planned and Ahri counted on Syndra to execute the plan perfectly. Landing near the entrance of the floating tower, everyone of the team held their breath at it's presence, just like Neeko everyone could now see, feel and taste the power that was kept within. This was the only place where gravity allowed them to walk over the ground without using their barriers.
'Janna, do you feel what I feel?' Syndra mumbled softly, standing at the head of the team.
Janna slowly passed everyone by from the backline, taking her stand right beside the sovereign, Janna gave a single nod and spoke with a silent vibration in her voice. 'The tower is under protection, the maze is ahead of us once we enter.' Everyone held their breath for a minute long when they realised what the greatest nightmare were to the strongest, they had to face for themselves now.
Lux stepped in, a head smaller than both guardians. 'What will happen to us when we enter?'
Syndra crossed her arms before her chest and sighed. 'Everyone of us gets their own path and it's designed to whatever sick games Zoe is up to play with you. It could be a trial to face the truth and turn away from a lie. To choose irrational over rational, or to do whatever she likes to do.'
Ezreal stepped in and wrapped his arm around Lux's shoulder to draw her close. 'So if I had to face a lie and a truth, would that mean in another world you would be mine?' He said with an attempt to persuade her into liking him again, but unlike she were when catching Jinx, she did not blush in his presence and brushed his arm off.
'Careful kid, if you purposely chose wrong you too will be trapped with the others or get locked in your own dimension and from what I heard from the love birds she is quite interested in you.' The team noticeably knew that they were enjoying the amusement and chuckled. Syndra took the first step towards the gate, with one more look over her shoulder she said that once people would hold onto the handle their faith is sealed and the others disappear.
While everyone hoped and suspected no one would fall tonight, they still said their goodbyes, made up their amends and buried whatever grudges they held for another. Xayah and Rakan shared one less kiss and an embrace, Lulu and Poppy that shook one another's hands. As if the tension between them were too formal Poppy walked in to pat her on the head and call her the closest thing to a hero, which sparked the light into her green eyes. Syndra and Janna gave each other a glance, as if they did not want to admit that they used to be a team, that they used to consider each other as sisters, but even at times where they had to face their nightmares once against they walked in for a hug, whispering good fortune. Soraka spoke with Neeko, since her return they had bonded fairly well and served as great support to everyone, but they friendship was mainly out of formality and nothing special to it, so their goodbye was brief. Ahri and Ezreal stood right next to each other, watching as the crowd got sentimental.
'Don't do anything stupid while you're in there.' Ahri hissed towards Ezreal, not giving in to her liking towards him.
Ezreal grinned and bumped her with his elbow. 'Don't worry mom, I'll be back before dinner.' And though she wanted to slap him for the comment, she could not bring herself to do it when they could lose one another, instead she wrapped her arm around his shoulder and hugged him. 'Now, go and try to fix things with Xayah before you might lose her again, I'm going ahead.' Ahri looked at him thankfully and nodded silently, letting go she walked nervously towards the couple.
This too big of a toll on him, watching everyone get soaked into their sadness and fear, at least he kept his mind free from all the worries, he was not nearly as attached as anyone else of the group and went ahead to open the gate, with his fingers hooked around the rings of the gate he took a deep breath and already felt the presence of the tower overwhelming him.
'Ezreal, why are you leaving already?' The explorer felt his heart sink into his chest, his breath hanging in his throat as he heard her voice from behind him. Was that... concern for him? Or just general concern because she's the first star. He turned around and looked into her cherry blossom eyes that reflected the galaxy, she was standing so close to him he could almost count every eyelash. Everyone had left already, probably when he were not paying attention. Did she like him, but did not wanted others to know?
With his fingers still hooked onto the handle he felt his glance turn into a stare when her scent lured him in, her facial features were even softer from up close, only now he could see it perfectly match with her blushing cheeks and small frame. Now he remembered why he fell for her, she was breathtaking, absolutely beautiful.
'I'm scared to go in, what if I make the wrong decisions and end up in her pocket dimension? All of my responsibilities for the team, the world, the stars... They would have all been for nothing.'
Two fingers had let go of the handle and he leaned closer into her, he wanted to comfort her, rid her of any worry, even the slightest, but he knew. He knew what game he was in and he refused to be a part of her chess team.
'I don't want to die, Ezreal.' The soft, vibrant tones of her voice allured him to let go, to hold her in his arms and never let go. Tears were drawn as a curtain before her eyes, playing onto the string of his heart and with every slight move of her lower lip he felt his pulse rising, but not as intense as he were used to at first sight when she entered the room. With a quick frown on his forehead he lifted his hand to cup her cheek, the warmth of her face radiating through his gloves and caressing his skin underneath.
'Don't worry, Lux. I wouldn't allow for you to die,' His eyes glanced to the floor, staring at their feet only an inch apart. 'I'll see you ahead.' It took him all of his strength to let go of her and push the gates open, the girl from his dreams that had vanished like dust before the wind. He could have taken advantage of the moment, take the chances of ending up in a pocket dimension, but there were things that he hated more than being trapped and that was being bored in a dimension he couldn't do anything in.
'Foul play, Zoe,' Ezreal shouted aloud into the depths of the hall that had welcomed him. The clacking of his shoes echoed from the empty walls, trying to seek for a spark of light he walked carefully deeper towards a tunnel that gave away a hint of fire dancing as shadows from afar. 'You don't involve loved ones into the game.'
Avoiding from sticking to the walls he walked closer towards the dancing shadows, the light that slowly offered vision. A brief sigh would roll over his tongue and he noticed that in the tunnel have torches spread with a distance of 20 inches in between. Holding his hand out to catch one of the torches he went over every darkened corner, assuming that his next trail would be just as devious as the other. What more could his weakness be? He only had so little to have any weaknesses for. A lot of people mocked him for travelling so much, when he learned more than just finding a new artefact that he could add to his inventory. The danger of being chased after gave him a boost of adrenaline, he knew exactly when he would run out and suffer under the consequences of fatigue and exhaustion. Whenever he were in drought or hunger, he knew what to eat and what to drink. If he developed a fear for darkness, venomous creatures or small spaces, he overcame them by just doing it. There was little left to be afraid of, maybe that is why he never allowed himself to get attached, perhaps than he would finally have a weakness to be really afraid of. He realised, that as he were lost in his mind, the tunnel had became smaller and the rocks turned into sand and mud. The torches were replaced by tree roots and the remnants of pillars were now bits and pieces of what belonged to a house. Where were he? He did not remember this place? He wondered why Zoe would use a tunnel like this when it were not a part of his memories. It awfully reminded him a lot of Shurima, almost the void, but that were impossible. He would never dig into a place that was not located into the ground, for the same price he could end up near a nest of whatever races lived among the void.
Fear was induced into his body when a loud, soul ripping screech echoed through the tunnel, followed up with screams and pleas of release, of saviour. Ezreal tossed his torch to the ground and quickly ran deeper into the tunnel, the ceiling above him growing closer and closer into him, until he had to crawl on all fours. He remembered those screeches, he recognised her voice once again. Gasping for air he scratched his nails over the ground, the tunnel that lead to a dead-end. There was not a single bone in his body that would accept an easy defeat when the life of a loved one was at risk and he aimed his gauntlet towards the wall, collecting his energy from Yuuto that was ready to fire himself at the dirt barrier. Light collected from the gem on his glove and launched the star animal, breaking the tunnel down. With a swift kick against the ceiling he rolled out of the tunnel, into a wide set underground space. Covered in mud and sand the explorer looked up in panic, hoping he were not too late to save her. Just as he had assumed did he see her squirming into a tentacle that was wrapped around her. Refusing an inch of movement from her limbs at it shook her in all directions, knocking her unconscious.
'Lux!' He shouted angrily, more towards the voidling that took much liking of that of a basilisk. It screeched once more, spitting bits of slime and saliva into his direction. Claws that served as it's feet would dig into the ground and launch itself from out the ground to kill Ezreal. With the reflexes he had sharpened thanks to Kai'Sa he quickly recovered from his fall and teleported away, dodging every claw that launched itself to him. When he got his feet onto a claw that lifted itself on the same height as Lux he took the opportunity and-
'Let go of me, you filthy glutton!' Ezreal lost his balance when a second voice would echo from out the underground chamber. Slipping from the claw he clawed around with his arms to get another teleport out of himself, before his body smashed into the ground he managed to collect his mana one more time to break his fall and rolled on his side into another puddle of mud. No, she shouldn't be here, what is she doing here.
Grabbing onto his side he noticed that Kai'Sa had beaten him into getting here, but entangled into the claws of the same beast. Neither of them had noticed each other, but now. The glowing eyes into the mask glanced into his direction and he swore he could have heard her gasp. Not her, not them he thought to himself in grief, sadness and panic.
He was left in a dilemma, the same horror that Syndra and Janna had warned him about: It was whatever Zoe liked best and apparently her mind was out to test them to the max. Feeling his heart rate slow down, so would time as he now watched the freak show unfold in a play where the protagonist had to chose, that even the slightest hint of hesitation could lead him into saving neither of them. While Ezreal processed the play move on before him, he glanced towards Kai'Sa's, her glowing eyes turned slowly to the girl in need, fighting for her life, hoping to find something to get a budge out of the tentacles. He did not have to see her face to know what feeling crossed her mind as of right now: Her acceptance of being the sacrifice. What seemed most ethical to her, meant giving up the only real friendship he had in his life. Her helmet drew back to reveal her courages face, mixed with the saddened expression she had when they parted from each other. Giving him the same gesture in the temple, pointing towards Lux.
Their eye contact was short when the voidling had found Kai'Sa unworthy to be feasted upon and threw her to the corner of the chamber, which did not have the same ground offered to either of them, it was the hole where he had crawled out from and no one knew how deep it dug into the ground. But just like the memory Lux was forgotten as snow before the sun and he stood up and ran towards the hole, he did not manage to catch her and instead fell along. With the wind of their fall pulling back onto their hair Ezreal dove down as if he were to enter water, making himself more heavy to surpass Kai'Sa's falling speed. When he finally got to her he catches her in his arms, summoning Yuuto to serve as his wings and break their fall, there was not much space left between their fall and the ground, so all that Yuuto could do to serve was to make the fall more bearable. Ezreal covered her back of Kai'Sa's head with his hand and turned so he would catch the fall and not her, when the ground had hit him all air and oxygen was forcefully pushed out of his lungs, hearing but a faint crack in his ribcage he still refused to let go of her and rolled down until they no longer moved. Grasping for air he finally dared to open his eyes, what he had expected the least to see that Kai'Sa were severely wounded. What had happened between the time she had been tossed against the wall and their fall?
A deep wound cut into her bottom lip, bruises and scratches trailing down to her collar bones and chest. He had not even noticed her jets were broken in three places, the purple light that would usually shine had given out, the containments spreading like blood, creating a puddle underneath her. As if it could not have gotten any worse pieces of miniscule scales gave off her suit and stuck onto his own skin, but it were already dead to grow onto him. The void had been stabbed by her as a child, paralysed when he had messed up with it's core and now it were already declared as deceased.
Was she... dying?
Ezreal sat on his knees, holding her weakened body against his chest, tracing for life on her face. He exhaled out of relief when her eyelids struggled to open themselves. Inhaling for air as if he had held it for hours on end, he held tighter onto her. Her pupils moved like the tides in her half opened eyes, her lips moving slowly from another to form words, but barely any came out. Holding onto the last bits of life it almost looked like she were refusing to die just to get her last words out.
With his fingers combing through her hair he raised her head and pushed her face against his neck, resting his chin onto the top of her head. He had never cried, not even when he had received the news that his parents had passed, because he never believed into it, there was no evidence to believe in it. But this moment, the scene that was playing right before his eyes was no announcement, not a letter of a person sent to share the news: His best friend was dying in his arms and he could not do anything to stop it.
'Ez...real' The words came out with a rasp of desperation and sadness, even her tears could barely role over her eyelids. 'E-Escape, please live-' Her sentence broke off, her body too weak to even slightly raise her chin to look at him. As if the string had been cut off when she tried to lift a single finger, her last breath was drawn. Ezreal had locked his jaw onto each other, knowing what he had to do to pass this test too. She was testing his selfishness, to accept his own death and stay with her as they had promised, until the bitter end would only prove that he would chose his own grief over the wish of a friend. Though it were impossible for his heart to physically break, it felt like a hand had grasped onto it and squeezed all of it's life out just for the entertainment of him shedding his first tears. He knew that she was not dead, that she were probably not even in Shurima yet, but the scene was too real for him to pretend that he did not care. With trembling fingers he had forced himself to let go of her, to let her fingers slip out of his hold. Though he did not sob, the tears rolled as a river down his cheeks, his jaw still shut tight. Even his breath shook whenever he tried to gasp for air, every limb, muscle and bone in his body that refused to walk out on her, begged him to stay, but he had no choice, his mind was set to escape, to flee the horror that Zoe created. With his feet weighed down by the world he looked at her one more time, but her body had already disappeared like Lux's had.
Her body was already consumed by this world.

As if he had finally hit the surface of the ocean Ezreal gasped for air when he woke up from his slumber, his tears from the last trial that had reached his physical body and burned into his cheeks and left marks. His chest moved uncontrollably fast, his heart beating in his throat he realised that it were not just his tears that stained his face and he blinked through the haze. Pink ponytails had welcomed him back into the real world, her gloved hands clenching onto his as if she thought he had died. Her pink eyes widened when the explorer had awoken and she quickly wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing his body close against his. He should be happy, feel victorious that it weren't him that made the first move or had to get past his fear to embrace her, but it sparked nothing. Still chased by the image of his friend laying dead in his arms he felt his heart going out for her and not for the woman that was currently holding onto him.
'I thought you died.' Lux exclaimed, her voice still shaking from panic. Before he could even ask he widened his eyes when her lips had closed onto his. His heart jumped into his chest, but not out of success, but out of pure surprise and shock. He had dreamed of this the first time he had seen her, hoped that one day she would accept him in his life or at least part of the team and now that he had what he wanted, he was not sure if it was worth waiting his life for. Within his dreams he expected the world around him cloaked in divinity, imagined sparks flying from them, heaven meeting earth, but now he just felt two lips pressing onto him with no sensation or feeling at all. When she leaned back and smiled at him with tears in her eyes she sniffed, brushing his hair away. 'I said I'd kiss you if you woke up, I didn't actually thought you would.'
Ezreal blinked a few times, looking to his hand that hung loosely in hers.

'Me neither.'