Strength And Honor

by dudenotactive

Toxic Chemistry

The muffled cheers could be heard beneath the earth, two souls walked through a tunnel as the arena above roared with life. Draven loved the attention, the cheering crowd, and beautiful women. But as he walked with a well-dressed yordle, he couldn't help but wear a bitter frown on his face.

The Glorious Executioner, brother to the Hand of Noxus, both a lover and a fighter. A deadly warrior with skills that could almost match his brother's, none could outpace his tempo once he entered the arena with his axes. He may be a showman, but Draven earned his place in the spotlight. Best of all, he was Swain's closest friend, perhaps the only one.

The yordle was named Karl, an arena bookie who helped set up matches for the masses to watch. He wore glamour, of course, so no one knew he was a yordle, except for certain psychos. When he woke up in this new world, the first thing he did was build an arena, under Draven's orders, the man boasted that it was his idea, not Karl's. Even then, the yordle didn't care, what mattered most was gold. And oh boy there was so much of it.

Creatures, big and small came from all sorts of places just to watch genuine gladiators beat each other to a pulp, spending bits is worth the trouble just to see these Noxians in action.

You would think Draven would be happy about having undying fans that would cheer for him, but for some reason, he was grumpy all week.

"Hey Draven, what got you feeling down?" Karl asked. "Is it because of that Demacian lady stealing the show?"

"Oh please!" Draven scoffed. "It isn't about Miss Pokey! She may be a fancy pants with fancy needs, but we both know the crowd loves me more."

"Then why are you so um... Darius?"

"It's the doctor, always calling me for some stupid errand instead of leaving me to enjoy my arena." He growled, the yordle decided to follow Draven at a slower pace. "Worst part is, I hate him as much as Swain does."

"The uh... Grand General knows this guy?" Karl was curious about it.

"Does he know this guy?" Draven laughed. "Swain tossed assassins at this lunatic! Each one didn't even come back, all found in a ditch somewhere in Zaun. Let me tell ya, Swain wants him gone so bad, that he almost started an invasion on Piltover just to get rid of him!"

"Is he that bad?"

"I've seen what he can do, and I'm 100% on board with Swain here, the guy should just die." Both Noxians stopped by a large metal door, the cold air sent a shiver down Karl's spine, the aura of the whole place was too heavy for the yordle, he didn't like to be here as much as Draven.

The door opened, Draven could see something slither in the shadows, the rattle of a poisonous snake kept him on his toes. The room was barely lit, and it was dark enough for a gloomy and creepy aura to form, and a short yordle in the room seemed to like it more than anyone would. Draven glared at the fuzzy rodent who glared back at him along with their shadow.

"I don't like you..." The yordle said blankly.

"Feeling is mutual, rat." Draven sneered as he walked past her.

"Hey, V-Vex!" Karl greeted as he followed Draven. Then Vex glared daggers at him which caused Karl to quicken his pace.

Just at the end of the room came an ominous green glow, Draven flinched once he stepped on the plastic that layered on the floor, there were some more on the walls and ceiling. Tables with surgical tools, some alchemist set on another, and fridge brimming with blood bags. It was like a makeshift hospital, even smelled like one too.

In the center was another table, occupied by a corpse, and tended to by a tall and skinny man who wore a lab coat. His hand moved rhythmically with great accuracy as he danced the scalpel on the deceased. He paused and turned around to face Draven, though the light was behind him, the man's lower face was clearly hidden beneath several wraps of bandages.

"You called, Singed?"

The Doctor hummed. "Yes, I require that you bring me more of these ponies, as you can see, I am running out of volunteers." He said as he plunged the scalpel into the corpse. "This one barely lasted a minute."

"Why do I have to go? Those two lunatics are back, so just send them out!" Draven said, determined to skip out on the task. "I have better things to do, Doc, got to make sure our team is funded."

"Jhin and Jinx are currently detained for their recklessness. Because of them, there is a chance that Ryze will find us. If that ever happens, then our efforts will be pointless."

"What about the gloomy rat? She's just been sulking in this room ever since she got here!" Draven glared at the yordle in subject. " Always thought your kind was all happy and cheerful, from what Swain told me."

"I'm not happy," Vex said. "this room is the only place I can find that feels like death and sorrow... You can't tell, but ghosts are trapped in this room, and they're better company than you or anyone."

"Why you gotta be so down?" He sneered.

"If you are done conversing with the yordle, it would be appreciated that you begin my assignment. I need five of each pony race, all female, ages 18 to 24, preferably healthy." Singed listed off his demands.

"You know what Singed? To hell with you!" Draven snapped at him. "I'm done doing your dirty work, and I'm done following your orders!"

"Let's not do anything hasty, Draven!" Karl tried his best to calm the Executioner, but his words fell on deaf ears.

Draven only took one step before he felt something sharp on his throat. "Some Noxian you are." He sneered at his assailant. "You're more snake than human, Cassiopeia!"

"Silence! No one harms the Doctor, or else they will suffer my wrath." She hissed.

Cassiopeia, a Noxian noble cursed by an ancient force. What was once a beautiful woman, now a snake with uncontrollable power. And this serpent won't think twice about dismembering you.

"Do not spill blood in my lab," Singed glared at both Noxians with his green eye. "It is important to keep everything clean, or else my patients will become sick!"

"I'm sorry Doctor, but let me kill this worm once and for all!" Cassiopeia pressed her claws against Draven's neck. "He's but a peasant, nothing worth our time!"

"Go ahead!" Draven dared. "I'll make some boots out of you, and trust me, darling, I'll rock the look!"

"It's useless killing him," Singed returned to his work, unbothered by what was happening with those two Noxians. "it would be better to simply keep him for some experiments I have in mind..."

"W-wait! Please!" Karl begged for Draven but clamped his mouth shut after Singed glanced at him.

Draven stared wide-eyed, in some cases, death is a mercy. But when it comes to Peter Singed, death is the only thing you desire. He knew what Singed is capable of, ever since Draven met him, the Executioner fought Singed's abominations in the arena. These monsters were a crowd favorite.

Watching gladiators fight for their lives against the horror of the unknown.

Knowing what is behind these iron doors to this lab of death, Draven caved in and surrendered. Though he may have numbers on his side, the Doctor had two terrifying monsters, maybe more if he was being honest with himself. And there was also the rule of Zaun which Jinx was so determined to tell everyone...

NEVER CHASE SINGED!!!!

He may not be known well throughout Zaun and Piltover, but many of the lower class and some elites of Zaun were familiar with Singed. Even a girl who lost all her marbles knew not to mess with the chemist, many who tried would be found in the same manner as those Noxian assassins that went after him.

"Fine Singed, I'll go." Draven was roughly shoved towards the door by the serpent, he tried to make a move but found Vex in his way.

"Get lost, human, you're ruining the mood, in a bad way."

"Kuh!" He scoffed.

It wasn't worth the trouble.

Draven stormed off, he needed some time in the arena just to relieve his stress. Karl went after him, eager to leave this horrid place.

"Finally, I thought he'd never leave..." Vex sighed in sorrow.

"We should've just tossed him in the dungeon, along with the other beasts." Cassiopeia voiced her displeasure.

Singed shook his head. "He is as valuable as the rest of you, no matter how much of an idiot he is. Just like his brother, Draven is a warrior to be feared, especially in the arena. And the only thing that we have against Ryze is numbers, the rune mage is dangerous when facing him alone, his spells are far greater than one could imagine."

Singed continued to dissect the corpse with precision.

"Yordles..." Vex's attention focused on Singed as he continued his speech. "Yordles are dangerous, clumps of magic turned sentient, apex predators of our world. Though many are simply mischievous and jolly, they are warriors and killers, just like the rest of Runeterra's inhabitants. If what the two said is true, then we are facing the oldest Noxian warrior on Runeterra, Kled."

"I've met him before..." Vex sighed. "thought he'd be cool since he's part of Noxus, but turns out he's crazy..."

"You are right to be worried about the Noxian, Doctor!" A new -but screechy- voice spoke. It was Veigar, the Tiny Master of Evil! "Kled is as ferocious as any Noxian that lives, perhaps even more."

"Ugh, great, it's Veigar." Vex groaned loudly as the smaller yordle approached.

"Greetings #2! Your master has returned!" Veigar stood proudly by Vex's side. "Also, did you get shorter? Wonderful!"

"No Veigar, I'm slouching..."

"Back to the subject!" He pretended not to hear her. "Kled is a mindless beast on the battlefield, I've witnessed one of his many battles during the expansions of Noxii. Before my story began! That blasted beast tore through armies with his equally stupid pet! Oh, how I hate him!"

"Jeez, Veigar, didn't know you had cool history..."

"Enough Vex." Singed silenced the gloomy yordle. "You said you know who this Poppy is? Explain."

"Poppy!" Veigar's eyes blazed to life with rage, nearly setting the ceiling on fire. "The Demacian yordle is my nemesis! For years we have fought, good and evil, lives on the line! The hero who foiled my plans countless times, it drives me insane! Always showing up just when I am one step away from victory!"

"I've heard enough." Singed pulled off his surgical latex gloves, hands now free of those red stains, he reached into his pocket and brought out his recorder. "Entry #36 of Project Chimera: Patient 12 was a failure, she did not last longer than patient 8. Her body could not survive the operation due to arrhythmia, after a background check I have discovered that it is common in her family. If I wish for any progress, I require a healthy patient. So during her operation, she experienced a heart attack and died. End log."

"You sure are scary, Singed." Vex complimented.

"Yes, yes, Singed is terrifying. But not scarier than me, right #2? " Veigar asked, only to be ignored.

Cassiopeia returned to the shadows, she had nothing else to do, so it was better for her time to be spent on hiding. She could run the risk of hurting the Doctor, her powers were still beyond her control, one wrong move and somebody could get hurt. It wouldn't be a problem back on Runeterra, but she needed to keep herself from killing anyone, not yet.

She still needed Singed alive, only he could help her. If anything happens to him, she doesn't know what she would do.

Meanwhile above ground, hundreds of spectators roared with excitement as a fighter in the arena battle with a manticore. This woman danced across the sands, delivering strike after strike with her sword, the crowd watched with bated breath as she brought this beast down to its knees. This show was nothing but a one-sided beat down, the manticore never stood a chance.

Once defeated, the fighter raised her sword towards the audience, a smirk on her face. "Are you not entertained!? Another victory for House Laurent!"

Draven could only watch from the shadows with a deep scowl, though he despised Singed and his inhuman projects, he hated this Demacian second. It was always like that throughout history, their factions fought for their beliefs. He didn't care about it, no, he only thought about how she had it better than him. Always on the ring fighting, not sneaking around the country kidnapping ponies like him. Draven was honestly jealous for once, and he didn't like the feeling.

For now, he needed to bide his time and wait for an opportunity. Singed will pay for everything he did to Draven.

Unbeknownst to Draven, or anyone in the arena, a lone Raven watched with curious eyes, focused mostly on Draven. Somewhere in another world, a man smiled upon seeing the Glorious Executioner. A plan began to build itself, and it would need the help of some locals.

Author's Note:

Back when I still played League of Legends, I was a Singed main. Before that, Garen was my go to because of his simple kit. When I discovered Singed's simple design and tactics, I fell in love with him. Playing my first few rounds, I knew that he was the champion for me.

Mind you, this was back when his passive was still the mana amount=health. So I built rod of ages and paired it with frozen heart. I became unkillable for many games and I didn't even do great, just there running around poisoning everyone.

I actually didn't mind the new passive, of course I was kinda mad they remove his chunky one, but being able to slingshot myself from my team to the enemy was really something. It helped greatly after I learned to proxy farm, just touching the enemy as they try and kill me.

Now what I'm saying is, that I'm a Singed main through and through, so expect some favorites in this story.

---

Blue Team!
Ryze
Poppy
Kled & Skaarl
The Mane Six and Co

Red Team!
Singed
Jhin
Jinx
Veigar
Vex
Draven & his gladiators
Demacian pokey pokey
Cassiopeia
Kha'zix
Rek'sai

Comments

[Frazzle2Dazzle]

I wonder why Fiora’s putting up with all that. Seems like a strange way to waste time while in another world.