//------------------------------//
// Cleanup 
// Story: Tonight, We Hunt 
// by ShadowFall 
//------------------------------//

        “Equestria will prosper when ponies like you are out of the equation.”

        Before he could enact anything, he turned to Shining Armor.

        “Captain, inform the princesses that we are done here.”

        Shining Armor nodded and asked for any sort of paper and writing utensil that he could get his hooves on. While he was busy, Rengar tossed down Golden Might onto his back against a tree, then placed his paw right on his chest wound, pressing down on it to earn a gritted-toothed gasp of pain.

        “When I came to this world, I thought that you ponies were weak. Spoiled. Insufferable. But now, I know that isn’t the case. There are some souls here that I myself, would gladly call allies and even have goals that are worth fighting for. However, that means that there are ones like you. Absolutely no regard for life in order to meet their own sinister agendas.”

        Rengar took a claw and pressed it into his wound, digging along the exposed flesh to earn a scream from Golden Might.

        “Using children as hostages. That shows how much of a coward you are, hiding behind the back of a child, with a knife to it. I’m a hunter that fought for personal glory within the League of Legends, but even that is an atrocity that I can recognise that needed to be stopped.”

        Rengar’s claw extracted out of Golden Might’s wound, blood dripping from it. He took ahold of his horn, and pointed it at his throat.

        “If it weren’t for the fillies, you wouldn’t even be worth hunting.”

        Golden Might was in far too much pain to mutter a word, except for the painful breathing that he had to endure from his injuries. His vision blurred as he looked down at one of his legs. It had been twisted in the wrong direction. Possibly broken when Rengar tackled him from before.

        “Rengar, the princesses were quick to respond.”

        The hunter turned to the captain, who bore a look of what seemed to be disappointment.

        “What did they say?”

        Shining Armor read it again to himself and sighed.

        “They want him alive. For a proper sentence. For an interogation.”

        Golden Might suddenly perked up and smiled on the inside. Alive? He knew that Canterlot’s interior prison was still easily breachable from his memories. When he decided to enact his plan, he also created  a backup of which he could escape if he were captured and put into this prison.

        Oh, how he loved the princesses in this time of their mercy. They were far more useful than he-

        “Give me that!”

        Rengar snatched the scroll, and his eye flashed over the words. Infuriated, he tore the scroll with is claws and tossed the ribbons down into the dirt.

        “They can’t be serious! This pony is too dangerous to be left alive! Have they learned nothing from their reign of this kingdom?!”, Rengar roared in anger.

        “What do you mean?”

        “Simple. I’ve only spent a few years here, but even I know that whatever deity or trouble that has been imprisoned, will only find a way to slither back from the depths of where it was locked away, bent on revenge. Tirek didn’t even kill ponies, from what I can remember. This pony right here, is responsible for the deaths of hundreds.”, Rengar explained out of earshot of Golden Might.

        “I… I don’t question the princesses’ authority. They have to be-”

        Then, Rengar said something that shook Shining Armor down to his very core. He didn’t know wether to be angry, or intimidated at Rengar.

        “I am above the princesses. Listen to history. The only thing that will happen if we imprison this traitor is history going through the same cycle again. I say that this pony should not be left alive.”

        Shining Armor looked down at the crossbow in his hooves, then looked at the torn up scroll on the ground. He inhaled heavily, then exhaled.

        “You’re right. This pony cannot live. So, we execute him.”, Shining Armor took his crossbow and aimed it at Golden Might’s head.

        Golden Might looked up and his heart sank, aside from his bleeding. He now stared at the pony who was leveling the crossbow towards his head. They were actually going to defile the princesses’ wishes and kill him.

        Then, Rengar pushed his crossbow down.

        “No. The princesses said for us to not harm him. We’ll go.”

        “Wha-What? But you-”

        Golden Might watched Rengar and Shining Armor’s figures fade off into the night, as his crippled form was still leaning against the tree where they have left him. Finally, he mustered enough strength to shout at them.

        “You can’t leave me here! Your bitches in high command said they want me alive! You’ll regret this dearly!”

        Rengar and Shining Armor heard the cries.

        “We don’t kill him. But… the Everfree will do that for us.”

        “Ah, now I see.”

        Shining Armor didn’t like this to some extent, but to be honest with himself and the safety of Equestria, Golden Might had to die. And technically, they wouldn’t kill him.

        “How long do you think he’ll last?”, Shining Armor asked Rengar as they regrouped with the coalition.

        “He’ll be dead before we get back to Canterlot.”





        Night still showed its dark face across the land. 

        He couldn’t see anything around him. Golden Might knew that it was pointless to move, as his legs had been crippled, and the pain in his chest was far too unbearable.

        Watching around the forest, he had seen something moving around the area.

        Circling.

        Judging.

        The figures hardly made a sound as they scampered about, unsure to Golden Might what they were. Perhaps they were just some foxes scurrying about. What he’s heard about the Everfree being a hellish forest was simply a blown out of proportion myth. 

        Then, as the figures drew closer, they appeared far too big to be foxes.

        Golden Might suddenly held his breath as each of the figure turned around, revealing yellow eyes that glowed through the night. As they drew near, Golden Might could smell the thick scent of sap.

        Then, he could catch a glimpse of one of these creatures. A large wolf, completely composed of sticks, bark, and forest material growled as it approached the helpless pony. He turned to his left and another was already approaching as well. To his right, there were two more.

        He had no idea how many were behind him.

        Golden Might backed up against the tree, his vision fading from the sheer pain that coursed through his body. The timber wolves could smell his blood, and they knew that he was a ripe meal, waiting to be torn apart.

        He frantically waved and punched away the wolves with his hoof, not intent on getting torn to pieces by their maws. Golden Might’s breathing and painful heartbeat accelerated as he knew that eventually, the wolves would close in. He would be done for.

        Then, a purple glow emanated through the forest. The wolves looked up towards the source of the eery glow, and suddenly turned tail, fleeing the scene.

        Golden Might breathed a sigh of relief. Whatever that glow had come from, it ended up saving his life. Perhaps he could eventually muster enough strength to get up again.

        Then, he heart hoofsteps coming behind him. Except… they weren't hoofsteps. They sounded stronger, yet lighter. And from the tone… more foreign.

        The footsteps drew near from behind.

        Golden Might couldn’t crane his neck around the tree to see what was coming.

        An odd sound came from the being that was approaching him. It sounded like the crackling of magic…

        ...no. Magic never crackled like that. 

        He didn’t know what made that sound.

        Then, the figure stopped moving. Just behind the tree where he was.

        Golden Might did something that would be his last regret in his life.

        He shouted.

        “You! Who are you?! Help me-”

        Then, a gigantic glowing blade of purple energy erupted from the tree and pierced straight through one of his arms, the jagged and crackling energy boiling and burning through his arm, and the tree that it was resting on. He let out a scream of sheer suffering as the blade withdrew from the tree.

        Then, the figure stalked towards the front of him.

        The only thing he could see were two glowing eyes, the green light from them shone onto Golden Might’s face, illuminating his helpless look in his own eyes, as well as two huge purple blades that crackled with that foreign, yet obviously deadly energy. His heart now raced faster than before, each beat becoming agony to him. His breathing would not slow down. His pupils shrunk at the light coming from those eyes.

        He pushed himself even harder against the tree he was leaning against, trying to do whatever to extend his fleeting lifespan.

        Then, the being in front of him spoke in a voice, so horrific and ghastly that he knew, that it had to have come from the devil itself.


“Your fear tastes… delicious…”


        The Everfree Forest was too far away from civilisation for Golden Might’s screams to be heard that night as he was slowly, yet surely peeled and butchered alive.





        The coalition had arrived back at Canterlot after freeing the animals that had been captured by Golden Might’s forces, as well as escorting the detained mercenaries back to Canterlot. The princesses were eagerly awaiting the arrival of Rengar and Shining Armor, as Lamb had already come earlier to treat Wolf and his injuries.

        The lion and the captain took the train back up to Canterlot to save time. Arriving at the gates, the guards didn’t ask for Rengar to give up his weapons this time. At least this next visit to this castle would feel a tiny bit more welcome.

        The staff still avoided eye contact with him, but guards now saluted him as he walked past.

        Or… did they salute Shining Armor.

        Rengar couldn’t care less.
        The two came into the princesses’ throne room, with Shining Armor saluting upon arrival.

        “Princesses, the uprising has been stopped.”

        Celestia nodded.

        “That’s good news, you two. But what about Golden Might? I didn’t see him among the prisoners.”

        Rengar shook his head.

        “A casualty, among the rest. Though it is better he remains dead than attempts to escape and reform this horrendous insurgency again.”, Rengar explained to the princesses. Though they didn’t agree with him initially, they remembered that from his experience as a League of Legends Champion, his choices could be very trustworthy as a seasoned veteran.

        “I see now. Well, let us all be glad that no more lives were lost today than what could have transpired. I honestly never thought a pony would go through such lengths by harming a child for their own goals…”, Celestia shook her head and looked down.

        “It… really is sickening.”, Luna replied, looking towards her sister.

        Then, Rengar took a step forward.

        “Princesses, you must listen to me. Now. For what I am about to say to you must be taken to heart.”

        The two alicorns looked at each other.

        “Okay. What do you have to say, champion?”, Celestia asked.

        “Your kingdom is weak. Very weak.”

        The princesses took the expression of shock, but mostly Luna did, as Rengar had already told Celestia about this beforehoof.

        “Your military is incredibly weak and insignificant. I have seen the griffons and their armed forces. They are an army worthy of being recognised. For such a giant nation you ponies control, a sizable military is needed to enforce those borders. Or… in this case… not rely on a League of Legends champion and some small coalition to stop an uprising.”

        Luna couldn’t believe what she was hearing. This lion was dictating her flaws of being a ruler? Surely her sister must feel the same.

        “Luna, he’s right.”

        “What?! What are you going on about? He’s merely a lion!”

        “No. He’s a champion. He has even more experience than our thousand years of ruling. He’s always been caught up in political struggles in the League of Legends, while our conflicts haven’t returned since a thousand years ago.”

        Luna turned back to Rengar.

        “In addition, you hardly know what land you’ve even claimed as your own. The Everfree Forest is overrun with volatile and dangerous life. Barren lands that can serve as mining are available for you, but instead have already been claimed by diamond dogs.”

        Celestia nodded.

        “Go on.”

        “However, you won’t be able to achieve these goals without a backing. A gigantic backing. A backing so large that if you obtain it, your country will truly grow to be the most powerful on this entire planet.”

        “Thou doesn’t mean…”, Luna asked in her Canterlish attire. 

        “That’s right. You need influence in the League of Legends.”

        Celestia shook her head.

        “But the last time summoners came, they told us that we don’t have any champions worthy of being accepted into the League.”

        Rengar looked back at the princesses.

        “Then find some champions. Reopen contact with them. Make your voice heard. They are very capable of doing interdimensional influence, as they have done so with The Void. The fact is… you two should become summoners.”

        The princesses actually gasped at this.

        They become summoners? Actually wage their own political matches against the other great nations of Runeterra, like Demacia, Noxus, and Zaun? Even actually command their own champions, and unlock champions for summoning in their matches?

        Rengar chuckled.

        “Believe me. I think you two have what it takes.”

        “But, we need champions under our own banner as well. We cannot mercenary other champions until end.”

        Then, Rengar stepped forward.

        “Then I shall be your first champion. Let me fly the banners of Equestria. I will hunt in the League of Legends once more if that is what it takes to fulfill a just cause, as yours here. Demacia and Noxus only squabble in their own conflicts, Zaun simply want less restrictions on their scientific experiments, and… don’t get me started on the Shadow Isles. A weakened kingdom to achieve its glory as it rightfully deserves. Even though I would have thought I could never align myself with any cause before, yours is an exception.”

        Celestia and Luna were in complete disbelief. Rengar, The Pridestalker was offering his allegiance to them a a champion in the League of Legends.

        “We have our duties as rulers. Wouldn’t that make us ineffective summoners?”

        Rengar shook his head at Luna.

        “When political matches are fought, they are fought at the time of consent of both sides. Otherwise, normal matches are often waged at anytime summoners choose. Though, it’s recommended that you should participate in the League as much as you can to get the hang of their regulations.”

        “You actually want to offer your allegiance to us?”

        Rengar nodded again.

        “From the beginning of the battle against Golden Might’s forces, I had wondered the same thing. Can this kingdom that I now have to live within be salvaged? Then, I remembered the League of Legends. It had grown stale for me, but with new champions arriving in, and now possibly a cause to fight for, perhaps I could join once again and show these other champions who Rengar, The Pridestalker means to them.”

        The two deities were at a loss for words.

        Then, Shining Armor stepped forward as well.

        “Then I shall become a champion to serve this land as well!”

        “Shining Armor… do you mean that?”, Celestia asked the captain.

        “I feel that with what combat prowess he displayed last night, he shall make a fine champion.”, Rengar approved of Shining Armor’s rather quick decision, “Though there are many things you must know about the League of Legends before you even think of fighting within it. Your princesses here actually know quite a bit. They watch battles in their spare time.”

        Then, Shining bowed to his magesties.

        “Not only shall I serve as your captain in your armed forces, but I shall serve as Equestria’s first pony within the League of Legends.”

        “Okay, don’t get carried away with all of this. You have a lot to learn. Speaking of learning, where is Lamb and Wolf? Did they arrive safely?”

        Luna nodded.

        “I administered them into the Canterlot Hospital. Wolf is getting fine treatment, as well as Lamb-”

        “Goodness! You had to have been injured as well!”

        At Celestia’s concern, Rengar looked down at his chest.

        “The bleeding’s stopped. But I do believe that there is a bullet lodged in me somewhere.”, Rengar chuckled as he looked around his body, “That, and a few slashes here and there. Perhaps also some burns from rifle explosions.”

        At once, Rengar was forcefully whisked away for treatment, though he didn’t really feel that much pain. He knew that he should still get treated anyways. 

        However, Rengar had to trudge through the city of Canterlot itself.

        Now he remembered why he hated ponies in the first place.

        Every single soul here reeked of posh and nobility. As he walked down the street, he earned gasps and heads turning away as he headed towards the hospital. Had it not been for Shining Armor at his side, the ponies might have called for guards to have him arrested, just for looking menacing. 

        Arriving at the hospital was a bit better, as the unicorn inside greeted them kindly and escorted them away. Rengar asked for a minute to visit another room, of which the nurse turned to Shining Armor.

        “Let him.”

        The nurse smiled and nodded. Rengar trudged out and looked down the hall. He could see one room emanated a very familiar aura.

        “Occupied?”. Rengar knocked on the door.

        “Come in, Pridestalker.”

        Lamb’s voice echoed and allowed Rengar passage inside. There was no bed in the room, or any ponies for the fact. Instead, Lamb was meditating with Wolf’s head on her lap, seemingly asleep.

        “The ponies cannot fix what damage has been done to Wolf. Only I can mend the mask of inescapable death.”, Lamb chimed through her meditation.

        Rengar looked over them.

        “Funny. Beings of death that can save people from it.”

        “You see, Rengar. Not only do we enforce death at times, we can also decide when the time is up for some. The fillies we rescued… their time was not up. Far from it. Golden Might was a different story. Besides, what happened to that pony?”

        Rengar looked down at where his knife was supposed to be, as he relinquished it to some guards prior to entering the hospital.

        “Dealt with. Only death can truly stop evil in its tracks. This kingdom doesn’t seem to comprehend that.”

        Kindred nodded.

        “A wise decision, Rengar.”

        The lion then looked back down at Wolf, his body still wavering, yet his head was still limp.

        “Too bad he couldn’t get a good feast.”

        “Hehe… you didn’t notice him sneaking up behind ponies that tried to take potshots at you during your fight and tearing them to pieces?”

        Rengar looked at Wolf, stupified.

        “Give him my gratitude. He deserves much more than it.”

        Lamb nodded and lightly kissed the nose of Wolf.

        “I shall.”





        In a landscape that bended and distorted all reality, no living soul that ventured inside, not being created from it could comprehend the horrors that existed in this realm. Creatures of bizarre and hideous structure spawned from within, bent only one one thing:

        Consuming.

        There is a place between dimensions, between worlds. 

To some it is known as the Outside.

To others it is the Unknown. 

To those that truly know, however, it is called: “The Void”.

While every creature inside hungered for something, there was a notable one that hungered not for physical consumption, but for mental absorption.

The Eye of the Void, Vel’Koz was currently analyzing several equations he had developed himself with a holographic projection that shone from his one gigantic eye. His voice was composed of the entire void itself, echoing and reverbing as he spoke.

Approaching him was something that should never belong in the void: a human.

This human was the only non-voidling that had been consumed by the void, but let himself take the corruption willingly. He floated up to Vel’Koz, watching his work.

“The Void beckons, Eye. I have sensed that you have willingly tore a hole in the void. Explain yourself.”

The three smaller eyes resting above Vel’s headpiece floated out from their sockets and gazed at Malzahar as Vel’koz resumed his work on the equations.

“This is none of your concern, prophet. This is an experiment that I must perform for the betterment of my knowledge. This experiment must succeed, and by my calculations, the chances of failure are… less… than zero.”, the Eye of the Void responded, his voice echoing.

“An experiment? What experiment of yours involves a tear in the space-void continuum? How did you manage to do this?”, Malzahar’s eyes began to glow a tiny bit, peering into the mind of the void’s archivist.

However, he was met with an overload of knowledge, recoiling his mind back. He placed a hand to his head, shaking it.

“Prophet, you should be aware that I have made link to another world. One rich with information. Information that cannot possibly be lost by me.”, Vel noticed a voidling had been given birth from the void right next to Malzahar.

Instantly, Vel’s tentacle outstretched and a burst of plasma zapped the creature into dust.

“Hmm… the creature’s structure is continuously evolving. Peculiar. I must analyze more of this world, as the information in the void has been fleeting for me.”

Malzahar looked around The Void. He could sense that a great presence was missing.

It was a strong presence. One that a League of Legends Champion that hailed from The Void would have. However, it appeared to be missing. Recovering from his mind overload and turning back to Vel’koz he demanded answers.

“Where is-”

“Kha’zix? Oh. He has gone to this world I have discovered.”

“What?! You sent him to some foreign world?!”

Vel’koz laughed a tiny bit.

“You human… clueless, yet remarkable. You see, voidlings are an ever-evolving race. They consume, they evolve or grow. Now… say if a voidling were to be sent to this new world, loaded with information. They consume all of that information, then arrive back to The Void.”

“What are you saying, Vel’koz?”

“Kha’zix shall consume everything on that land, quite possibly that planet, then return here. After such, I shall kill him and extract the information of everything that he has slain, and reconstruct him. Perhaps… I could even wipe his memory and let him do it again.”

Malzahar shook his head.

“And how are you so sure that he will live? What if he dies and we can never retrieve him? The League of Legends will punish The Void severely.”

“Simple. I’ve studied this world in my spare time. Incredibly weak species roam the planet, but they have interesting characteristics. An overload of magic is found there, and I need it. Besides… Kha’zix is an ever-evolving organism. Nothing can stop him when he is fully grown… that is until I shall extract the data. I admire his ruthlessness. I really do. But what’s the point of destroying eveything you see if you don’t learn anything about what you destroy?”

Malzahar looked back into the never-ending expansion of The Void.

“Experiment or not, Kha’zix will ravage that entire world. Even then, you will not be able to stop him, Vel’koz.”

Vel’s eyes floated back into his sockets as he continued on his equations.

“I shall see.”