Rengar placed a paw over his face. He could feel the soft padded fur close around his eye, yet he still saw only red. The light didn’t change when he lifted the paw off again.
So this was what blindness felt like. Rengar felt a bit sorry for Lee Sin, who had purposely took his own vision for atonement. At least Rengar’s hearing, touch, and smell remained, but losing one of his senses, now completely had dealt a blow to his composure. Something that he now had no problem letting Fluttershy notice.
“The summoners will fix this, Fluttershy. Not even they won’t turn away from a disaster like this.” Rengar huffed as he felt around for his dropped Hunting Knife. Fluttershy nudged the handle towards his paw.
“I’m… sorry about your eye.” Fluttershy was at a loss of words. Beside her lay the carcass of Kha’zix. Green blood drained out of the Voidreaver, pooling into the dirt and mixing into the brown.
Rengar felt his face again, “I’m sorry about your wings.”
“It’s okay. I just hope that everypony who had lost their lives can come back. The summoners can do that, right?” the pony looked towards the lion.
“They can.”
Fluttershy looked back towards the corpse of Kha’zix, the crystalline sword still sticking out from the back of his head. She felt uneasy as the feeling settled within her that she herself was capable of this.
“Fluttershy, you did what you had to. Many more would have died hadn’t you stopped that monster.” Rengar placed a paw on her back, “There was no other way.”
Then, Fluttershy said something that got Rengar to take his paw off of her back in surprise.
“I should have done it sooner. But I was afraid.”
Fluttershy began to walk back towards Ponyville.
“Come on.”
Rengar followed, silently sniffing around to follow directly behind Fluttershy.
Rengar could see nothing of Ponyville, but he felt around the houses. The perfect and smooth wooden surfaces of the homes were splintered, still hot from Kha’zix’s energy blades. Fluttershy looked over the perished citizens that lay left and right.
“Dear Celestia…”
Rengar slammed his fist towards the ground, “Damnit!”
Fluttershy looked over to Rengar.
“This is all my fault! I lived in this world for my own self-interest, and now look what happens!” Rengar thrusted his paw towards the destruction that lay behind him.
“Rengar…”
“I just lived here to hunt to my heart’s extent. All of it for myself, and this is what catches up to me.” the lion shook his head and collapsed to the ground.
“No, no, please don’t-”
Fluttershy galloped over to Rengar, who was now on his knees.
“I deserve to be blind. I deserve to die for my actions. I don’t deserve to represent Equestria for what I have brought on this nation, and possibly the world. Kha’zix came here because of me!” Rengar’s voice suddenly stifled, the first time Fluttershy had heard a pained sob come from Rengar.
Fluttershy took Rengar’s face with her hooves, and looked right into his eye. His eye blinding and his only working eye were both burned beyond recognition, the scorch mark having an ominous tint of purple seeping from it.
“Don’t blame yourself. Please. What happened is over now.” Fluttershy pressed her head into his mane, feeling the warmth, and the shiver come from Rengar.
Deep down, even Fluttershy knew that Rengar had to be responsible for Kha’zix’s appearance, but he tried his hardest to make amends and stop that monster before he spread his destruction too far.
Suddenly, a warm golden glow began to shine behind Fluttershy, getting her to turn her head. She was met with an incredibly bright and glowing anomaly that began to carry the sound of a deep gong, reverberating throughout the town.
“I… I know that sound.” Rengar lifted his face up from Fluttershy and looked towards the portal.
A very round and mystical figure suddenly rolled out from the portal, followed by a squadron of tiny whispering beings.
“Bard!” Rengar stood up, “You came! That means…”
“Oooooommmmmbaaaaa…” Bard chimed as he outstretched his hand towards the portal. Another being came out from within, walking forwards on her two hooved feet and rubbing her horn on her head with her hand.
“Ahhh… it feels good to stretch after that.” Soraka walked away from the portal, “Oh my… this town… what happened here?”
Another figure exited from the portal, this time a human with flowing long hair and blue armor, fit with crystalline pauldrons and a mace at his side.
“I’d say from the looks of it, some voidling had done a number to these poor creatures- Rengar!” Taric outstretched his arms, “Oh, it is good to see another champion in these unfamiliar lands! Tell me, how have you- oh… your eyes, er- eye.”
Rengar nodded, “Kha’zix had managed to escape and tracked me down to this world. Had it not been for Fluttershy here, the Voidreaver would have gone to destroy and ravage this world.”
“Kha’zix. I should have known.”
Another figure exited from the portal. This time, wearing a breathing apparatus and floating above the ground.
“I sensed that the void had sent another one of its bugs to someplace, but I could never guess who and where. Until now.” Kassadin spoke through his long and deep breaths, “The void needs sanctions after we have restored this world and its inhabitants.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
Then, two more figures stepped out from the portal. The long and covering robes etched with runic markings displayed the status of the humans.
“Are those…?” Fluttershy began to ask.
“Yes. They’re summoners.” Rengar nodded, sensing the arcane seeping from them.
Then, the older and higher ranking summoner, evident by the amount of runic marking on his robe began to speak.
“So, this is where you have gone to live, Rengar? I wouldn’t blame you. It certainly is a nice place… well, before all this happened, I assume.” the summoner spoke, “Pardon me, where are my manners? I am Diamond- Rank Summoner Tiberius, and this is my apprentice, Silver- Rank Summoner Allan.”
Allan bowed his head to Rengar, “It is an honor to meet you, former champion. I am a huge fan of your prowess”
“Noted.” Rengar blunty spoke.
“Thank goodness you all came!” the familiar voice of Celestia resounded from the air, the white alicorn touching down and tucking her wings, “I cannot tell you all for how thankful I am that you responded and offered to help us.”
“We cannot turn away from a disaster on this level, no matter who it happened to. Which reminds me. Our last friend should be-”
Tiberius was interrupted as a large living tree-like creature, a trent stumbled out of the portal.
“Oh goodness! I’ve never gone through that before!” the long-legged tree chuckled as he centered himself and brushed off his legs.
“Who is this?” Rengar asked, the unfamiliar scent filling his nose.
“This is one of our newest champions. Rengar, I would like you to meet Ivern. Though… I do believe that you two might be at odds to each other.” Tiberius noted, “Ivern will be gathering the Elements of Harmony who had fallen to Kha’zix, along with Bard and his meeps. Afterwards, he shall restore the forest life that had perished as well.”
Ivern kicked around his long legs, took a look at Rengar, then walked off towards the Everfree, murmuring something about “hunters”.
“Bard, I will also need your meeps to gather enough magic to sustain me and Allan’s mana for the revival process. We will need a lot of it. I’m sure that the forest near here will be more than enough.” Tiberius ordered.
“Vvverrroooommm…” Bard droned as he floated off with Ivern.
“Soraka and Taric, let’s get to work with what mana me and Allan already have.”
“Of course.” Soraka nodded and walked towards the town.
At this, Celestia turned back to Rengar and Fluttershy.
“Luna is waiting in Canterlot. I believe that there is much to discuss.” Celestia spoke.
“Lead the way. I’m going to need to get used to it for a while.” Rengar followed close to the alicorn’s voice.
Tiberius was doing most of the reviving, and had sent off Allan to go converse with the Princesses, Rengar, and Fluttershy. It was apparent that he could handle the situation down in the town alone, and prefered him to discuss the important matters that pertained Equestria’s new involvement in the League of Legends.
“Well, we can’t thank you enough for what you are doing.” Celestia smiled warmly, “If there is anything we could do…”
Allan nodded and smiled, “Actually, we do have another proposal for you.”
He handed them a scroll wrapped in a golden binding. On the binding itself was the League of Legends Crest.
“You see, we have actually been monitoring your world for quite some time. Seeing the kind of individuals that could possibly become summoners or even champions of the League. Rengar here, numerous griffons we have been keeping an eye on, Dragonlord Ember, Queen Chrysalis, so many individuals could become a champion to help their own struggles or grant them what they want in a way that wouldn’t harm another nation.” Allan explained as Celestia and Luna read through the scroll.
“Basically… The League of Legends would like to recognise Equestria as a nation that could participate in our League. Champions, summoners, you could all get a say in the greatest achievement ever made- the extinction of all conflicts are you know it.” the young budding summoner explained enthusiastically.
“Celly… they’re asking us into the League…” Luna gasped.
“As our first Equestria summoners.” Allan nodded and smiled.
“I don’t know what to say… that’s a big honor, isn’t it?” Fluttershy spoke up.
Rengar, on the other hoof, wasn’t onboard one hundred percent, “This disaster was caused by a being under your watch and control, and something that is affiliated with your games. What makes you think that we would join that very same institution?”
“Not to mention, the fact that I came here as well.” Rengar thought to himself.
Before Allan could respond, a massive glow of light began to appear in the room, and Tiberius had teleported inside of the chambers.
“Ah, still underway with the meeting?” the summoner spoke as he cracked his knuckles after teleporting.
“Yes, the meeting is going well, but there are some disagreeances coming from Rengar regarding how we-”
Tiberius interrupted Allan, “Oh, I see. Well… I must tell all of you something, and I wish that this wouldn’t be the only reason for your minds to shift to the other side. You see…”
Tiberius took a breath, “The revival process is proceeding as planned. We can guarantee you that all ponies that had perished from Kha’zix’s rampage will be brought back to full health.”
“That’s good news in a time we most certainly need some.” Celestia nodded.
“What’s the catch?” Rengar grunted. With the League of Legends and their politics, there always was.
“Well, it isn’t a catch. More so of an inability of our powers.” Tiberius began to speak, “The Elements of Harmony… we are unable to recreate the magic that grants the five ponies who had perished their extraordinary powers.”
At once, the room grew silent with disbelief until Fluttershy got up, trying to spread her wings, only to find them still absent from her body,
“W-What? Why can’t you restore the Elements? Am I the only one left?”
“We cannot restore the Elements due to the fact that the magic is too unique, too foreign to us. It’s impossible to recreate, and it may seem that Fluttershy here is to be considered the last Element of Harmony.” Tiberius grimly stated.
“I’m… the only one left? My friends are okay, right?” Fluttershy asked.
“Yes, they will be fine. The other Elements, though: Loyalty, Magic, Generosity, Loyalty, and Laughter cannot be recreated.” Tiberius explained.
“But the Elements of Harmony are this nation’s defence against internal and external threats. They must be in unison, or we are left exposed!” Celestia raised her voice slightly.
“So this is why we have to join the League, then.” Rengar faced towards Tiberius from the sound of his voice.
“Unfortunately, it would seem so. We would provide you with adequate equipment for defense and other necessary supplies. Anything you would need, we can accommodate for, as long as it follow guidelines that would not provoke aggression or-”
“Yeah, I know all of that.” Rengar cut Tiberius off, “So we don’t have a choice in this matter anyways at this point.”
“Oh no, the offer can be declined, and we will still revive those who had died.” Tiberius reassured Rengar.
“But then we’ll be left defenceless. Just think about it. Monsters, other maniacs, we’ll be exposed.” Celestia buried her face in her hooves, “Rengar, we have to join. What’s there to even stop another country from joining the League and gaining large enough of a gain to trample Equestria?”
“All countries within the League are prohibited from waging war.” Tiberius stated.
“So then the country wouldn’t join and just attack us right away since we don’t have the Elements. It’s a lose-lose situation if we don’t join the League.” Luna pointed out.
All the while, Rengar was remaining silent through the whole discussion now. There was something odd, though. He heard that Tiberius’s apprentice, Allan, was letting his master do all the speaking right now. What was the reasoning for that?
“I say we should join. We have to. Besides, I think it would be an honor to be represented by the League of Legends.” Celestia nodded.
“I vote for joining as well. We can wait for Cadence later, as she is now joining to tend to those injured after I had sent the news of what was happening.” Luna vouched.
Then, the group looked to Rengar.
“Are you going to say ‘yes’, Rengar?” Fluttershy asked.
He angled his face down, feeling each gaze wash over him for more than a second, then nodded, still facing down.
“I will vote yes, and rejoin the League of Legends as a champion under the banner for Equestria.” Rengar looked back up.
Tiberius smiled.
“Rengar, I respect you for your prowess, and I can represent the League in saying that we are more than honored to receive you back within the ranks of the League, and being the first champion under the banner of Equestria.”
The Pridestalker nodded to the Princesses and Fluttershy, “It’s the least I could do to living in your land without permit, and wroughting this disaster to your home.”
“Rengar, what matters is that you stood up and stopped what you nearly ended up letting through. Sometimes, heroes cause their own challenges, but the true ones are those who fight them through.” Celestia placed her hoof on Rengar’s shoulder.
Rengar smiled back, “Thank you.”
Fluttershy could feel her heart racing and fluttering back to life as she walked inside the tent that held her friends inside. She saw the familiar and bloated figure of Bard floating out of the tent, humming to her and outstretching a hand towards the tent. She could come inside.
When she pulled the flap and poked her head in, there was another creature inside that resembled the humans, but had a very elegant and curved horn on its head, as well as having hooves for feet, though only two. Her other appendages were hands, since she stood upright.
“E-Excuse me, I’m looking for my friends?” Fluttershy asked the creature.
“Oh, hello Fluttershy. The one named Pinkie Pie kept asking for you. As a matter of fact… they all did.” Soraka smiled.
“Wait, they all…?”
The pegasus looked to her left, and in five beds, the five faces she had grown to love smiled back at her.
“Fluttershy!” they all said in unison.
“Oh my gosh! You’re all okay!” Fluttershy burst into tears of joy, and flew towards each of them.
The Starchild smiled again, “Oh, it always makes my day to see loved ones reconnect…”
“Oh, Fluttershy, that’s Soraka over there. She literally just made me feel like I could take on the entire world again! Check it!” Rainbow Dash flapped her wings and she immediately hovered out of her bed, now posing herself in the air as if she was laying down on her bed.
“Rainbow Dash, I insist you remain resting. You’re not fully ready to be released, yet.” Soraka walked over and helped her back down onto the bed.
“I’m so glad you guys are all okay… I… I wanted to do something, and stop him from hurting you all, but-”
Fluttershy was caught into a hug by Twilight, “It’s okay. What happened, happened. Let’s just be thankful that we are all back together now, okay? And… Fluttershy?”
Fluttershy sniffled, still smiling, “Yeah?”
“What happened to your wings…?” Applejack asked.
Fluttershy shook her head, “That doesn’t matter. What matters is that I’m here with all of you.”
Then, another being entered the tent.
“Oh, was I late for something? Oh, ho, ho, ho!” the very elderly human chuckled at his own joke. Oh his back, was a massive clock-like device that continuously ticked and tocked.
“Fluttershy, that’s Zillian. He actually was the one that… I guess you could say, ‘brought us back’.” Rarity waved at the Chronokeeper.
“Basically, he turned back time on our bodies to revive us, though… Fluttershy, I have to tell you about the Elements and…” Twilight looked up to see Fluttershy already nodding.
“I know, the summoner told me.” she revealed.
However, the old man wiggled a finger, “Oh, getting you ponies back was tricky enough. I saw your deaths, they were painful! But just a little bit of chrono magic, and you were all as good as new! Well, except for the whole ‘Element’ thing. Turns out that magic is so eternal and set, not even time could recreate it and cast it in the molds of the present.”
“Well… thank ya Zillian and Soraka fer’ everything. We really appreciate all of it.” Applejack thanked the two League of Legends champions,
“But… mind if ya’ll could shoot me with another one of them ‘Astral Infusions’, Soraka? My side’s really starting to kill me again.”
Soraka sighed, “You know that every time I do this I have to technically drain my life for you. I’m not drinking any more potions to cure a cramp.”
Rengar was glad to… smell some familiar faces, namely in Bard who had floated past him, waving as he and his meeps went towards the Everfree. Throughout all of this time, he was walking around, and asking directions from the royal guardsponies to where Shining Armor’s tent was.
Feeling around and remembering the scent of everything was tedious enough.
He would have to tell him that the League of Legends is accepting new champions under Equestria, and that he would be the prime candidate. After all, he wanted to join anyways.
“We can’t recreate the Elements? But, the summoners are all incredibly adept in the fields of creating magic from scratch. We’ve been able to reproduce much more potent magic than the Elements of Harmony. We’re even better than Zillian, and dare I say their names, Ryze and Xerath in this field.” Allan spoke to Tiberius, who were walking alone through the now empty hallways of Canterlot.
“Allan, you have much to learn about how nations must rely on us.” Tiberius replied vaguely.
“I still don’t understand. We owe them the Elements. It was us who allowed the Void to begin free realm-warping again.” Allan argued.
Tiberius sighed, “Listen. You’ve seen that magic. You’ve seen how capable it is in terms of weaponization. Look.”
Tiberius then held out his hand, and turned it over so his palm was facing the ceiling. Flicking, a star appeared, floating on his hand, surrounded by a cloud with a lightning bolt, a trio of balloons, a trio of diamonds, and a group of apples.
“Is that…” Allan started.
“You see, they wouldn’t even need the League if they had the Elements. Without it, they will be forced to join, growing the influence of the League of Legends over other nations and cultures. Think about it, it’s a win-win situation. They get out protection and aide, while we gain new summoners and especially, champions.” Tiberius chuckled as the Elements disappeared, “And if we get the Element of Kindness, then we will have access to one of the most powerful magical weapons known to Runeterra.”
Allan couldn’t believe his ears. Tiberius had literally stolen magic from another nation.
“Oh, and why am I telling you this? Because I know that you will not say a thing. I was the one that picked you off the streets of Zaun, and I can very well put you straight back there. Not to mention, you know what the Tribunal is capable of. Don’t worry, you’ll soon see all of this as a necessary step to give a nation what is best for them. Equestria will have no more conflicts once all the other nations join, and that is why the League was founded. Right?” Tiberius looked back.
“Right.” Allan nodded, avoiding Tiberius’s gaze, “And what of Rengar’s blindness? That pony’s wings?”
“That pony is none of our concern. And blindness… I think it builds a lot of character for Rengar. A returning champion who is blind is sure to gain a lot of popularity.” Tiberius chuckled, refitting the top of his cloak, “But first, there is another matter to attend to.”
The older summoner took a group of purple stones, and threw them on the ground. Instantly, a massive purple portal grew on the wall where the rocks lay at the base of.
“I won’t be gone too long. Go see that our newest additions to the League are comfortable.”
Another blast of plasma, and the voidling was nothing more than a pile of ashes.
“Hmmmm… no new results yielded.” Vel’koz looked over the pile with his massive central eye, and flexed another tentacle, drawing on his self-sustained holographic display.
“Kha’zix should have returned by now. The amount of potential data he must be collecting should be-”
Suddenly, a gateway opened up behind him, and the summoner stepped into the continuously reality-shattering abyss that was the Void.
“Summoner Tiberius, what is your purpose for intruding my research?” Vel’koz swiped away his holograph.
“I know what you did, Vel. You were the one that sent Kha’zix to Equestria. Well, I’m here to tell you that he was killed there, and you are now responsible for the new sanctions that will be placed on the Void.” Tiberius explained.
At the mention of Kha’zix being killed, Vel’koz looked Tiberius straight in his eyes with his one large central eye, and the three smaller eyes resting above. All the potential data would be lost when Kha’zix is revived. All the things that he had killed would no longer be [resent in him for Vel to disintegrate and examine.
“But I know that we both don’t want a sanction on the Void. After all, it is one of our most ‘unpredictable’ factions within the League. So maybe we could work something out.” Tiberius slowly let a grin crawled across his face.
“Define that.” Vel’koz echoed.
“So… I thought of a proposition. Equestria will be joining the League of Legends. They don’t have enough champions to fill a full roster of five in a balanced team, so for their administration match, you will fill in their midlaner as a mercenary champion. I promise you, the rewards will be to your liking.” Tiberius started.
“And what will those rewards consist of?” Vel’koz still floated in the space of the Void.
“You will not have your role in sending Kha’zix to Equestria revealed.”
Vel’koz turned back around, “I find no interest in your offer.”
“And… you’ll get Kha’zix’s body. He hasn’t been revived yet.”
Vel’koz immediately stopped and turned back around.
“So…? What will it be, Eye of the Void?”
Vel’koz’s eyes drifted in all different directions, as he was clearly putting a lot of thought into this decision. Having the body of Kha’zix would be invaluable to him and his ever-growing research. However, he had no intentions for representing Equestria, even for one battle.
Then again, he has represented such nations as Bandle City before, degrading as it is, but he would always be affiliated with his home, The Void.
“Your bargain has been accepted.”