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Third POV:

Ahri looked at the setting sun and frowned. The distance to Wel'hel turned out to be longer than she expected. By this rate, she believed that the Spirit Blossom festival would be starting by the time they reach the town.

"We should probably make camp soon," her traveling companion suddenly said, obviously noticing that they won't reach the town today.

"No, we should keep going," Ahri protest as she started walking faster. "If we stop don't stop, we should reach the village before sunrise tomorrow," she added, not wanting to be caught in the Spirit Blossom festival.

"Are you saying we'll find someone to take us on their boat if we get there before sunrise?" Grey's question caused Ahri to stop and flinch.

She knew he was right. Even if they continue walking, it would be too late at night to find someone to take them on a boat to Bilgewater. They would have to stay in an inn, and that means they'll have to go through the festival. Ahri sighed in annoyance at realizing she couldn't avoid the Spirit Blossom festival.

Deciding to at least go through the trouble of the festival with a rested mind, the Nine-Tailed Vastaya crossed her arms. "Alright, you have a point. We'll make camp tonight but leave early tomorrow. There's a river nearby. We can rest there."

The Undead Swordsman simply nodded, showing that he has no problem following her instructions. Ahri began leading them to the river, hoping to at least get closer to Wel'hel so they can leave as soon as possible tomorrow.

She truly hated this time of year.

...

Meanwhile, in Wel'hel, Darius walked through the streets of the town with Captain Farron following him. Looking around, the Hand of Noxus saw the Ionian citizens prepare decorations and feasts when they weren't glaring at him.

Darius paid them no mind. He had heard that there was a festival happening, but that was none of his business. His business was making sure that Prexis doesn't endanger Noxus' position in the Institute of War.

Normally, Darius would never approve of joining something like the Institute, which he considered a sign of weakness. However, Swain still made Noxus join in order to 'prepare for an ancient evil and enemy of Noxus' as he said.

Darius trusted Swain's orders. Whatever enemy he was preparing for must have been powerful for the General to even think of joining the Institute. Not to mention that they recently lost most of their territories in the Ferljord, so they can't go to an all-out war with all of Runeterra at once with the Institute helping them.

The single survivor of the Ferljord said that a 'bear covered in lightning' suddenly dropped down on their camps and killed everyone.

Darius would be lying if he said he hadn't seen stranger things. After all, their forces in Shurima were defeated by a spiked armadillo.

Back to the current situation, Darius kept walking through the streets before noticing something. The soldiers were not only putting crates inside the ships, but also moving crates from inside them and leaving them on the docks.

Walking to a pair of soldiers who just left another crate on the docks. "What's going on here?" he asked causing the soldiers to jump and immediately give a salute.

"C-Commander Darius! We were just leaving out unnecessary boxes to make rooms inside the ship," one of the soldiers replied, shaking in his armor.

"Open it," Darius ordered, motioning to the crate.

With shaky hands, the soldiers followed the order and removed the top of the crates, showing the content inside. The crate was full of odd rectangle stones with red runes engraved in them.

"What are these?" he asked, glaring at the two soldiers.

"Runes, sir. We used them t-to heat up the ships at night. B-But, since we're leaving, we're removing them to make room for what Noxus won in the Institute," the soldier replied, his voice shaky and stuttering.

Darius scoffed before walking away, and the two soldiers sighed in relief before covering the crate again, each one looking at Darius in fear, knowing for a fact that their life was almost lost just now.

As for Darius himself, he was now convinced that Prexis was lying. He had seen dozens of reports from all kinds of squads and never had he heard about using runes to heat ships, as the engines of the large ships covered that part.

However, he couldn't act yet. He needed hard evidence. The Hand of Noxus was harsh, but he was not unnecessarily cruel as to kill without proof. That would give him a bad image amongst his soldiers, and soldiers that didn't entirely trust their leader were as good as dead to him.

...

In the meantime, Ahri and Grey had settled down near a river. Flowers were beginning to cover the parts of the trees, which was a sign that the Spirit Blossom festival was going to start soon.

Ahri couldn't look more anxious if she tried. She was hugging her knees with one of her fingers tapping at her elbow. She kept looking around at the flowers, hoping they wouldn't bloom around her.

Grey had noticed Ahri's state, but he refrained from saying anything. He didn't believe anything he says can comfort her or make her feel better. It was obvious that whatever Ahri was feeling was a deep emotional wound.

Suddenly, the Nine-Tailed Vastaya stood up from her sitting position. "Where are you going?" her traveling companion asked.

"I'm just going for a walk to clear my head. I'll be back," was all the reply he received before she quickly walked beside the river deeper into the jungle.

The Abyss Watcher simply looked at her as she left before returning his stare into the calm water of the river. He didn't believe a simple 'walk' would help with whatever Ahri was feeling, but if it does calm her down even a little that would still be enough.

Meanwhile, Ahri sighed as she ran a hand through her face. Memories kept flooding back into her mind. Some not even her own. But, she has no one to blame for that but herself and her own inability to control her hunger.

Looking around at the flowers, a part of her wanted to believe that she could see 'him' or connect with his soul in the Spirit Blossom festival, even if it's for a few moments.

However, Ahri knew that was impossible. She knows for a fact that his soul was gone... After all... She was the one who devoured her lover's soul herself... The one man that truly opened his heart for her.

Foggy memories of their time together. She did not entirely remember his face and that was another thing she blamed herself for. Her visit to that odd garden was also a memory that the flowers brought to her.

"Are you lost, young one," Ahri jumped slightly at the voice. She looked at where it came from and saw it was from an elderly woman that appeared from the trees.

She was wearing a cloak and hood but Ahri can still see her face that was full of wrinkles. She was using a wooden staff to help her walk. Ahri questioned how she didn't hear her coming, but she supposed that she was too caught up in her thoughts.

"No, I'm just... Clearing my head," Ahri confessed before looking at the lady with a raised eyebrow. "What are you doing out here if I may ask?" she was truly surprised about that and the fact the lady didn't give any reaction to her ears and tails.

The old woman chuckled. "The Spirit Blossom festival gathers people from all over Ionia. Is that why you're here? Are you going to the festival?" she asked.

Ahri shook her head and smiled politely. "No, thank you. Me and my friend are just travelers," she replied.

"Oh, you have a friend?" the woman asked looking around. "I don't see them around."

Ahri herself was surprised with what she said. She sighed at realizing that she was now automatically considering herself to be traveling with Grey. "They're around. I'm just taking a walk. I'll join them shortly."

"Then why don't you go to the festival together?" the elderly woman asked innocently. "I'm sure you would love it there."

Ahri shook her hand again. "Thank you, but we're in a hurry. We don't really have the time."

"Don't you have anyone dear to remember?" the Nine-Tailed Vastaya went quiet at that question. "Ah, so you do have someone. Is it a family member? Or perhaps... A man?"

Ahri growled at how old women seem to easily read her on that part. The old lady at that strange garden found out the same thing just as easily. "I... Don't want to talk about it."

"No one does, sweetie," the old lady said with a chuckle. "That's why the Spirit Blossom festival exists, so we can see them for ourselves instead of talk about it with someone else."

"I can never see him again," Ahri said turning down and looking at the water of the river. "Even the Spirit Blossom festival can't bring us together again."

"Is it because you did something wrong?" Ahri felt the guilt on her get heavier with each word the lady said. "Perhaps you don't want to see him again? Or perhaps you simply feel unworthy?"

"What I did can never be undone," Ahri argued as she hugged her elbows lowering her head.

"Then perhaps you should apologize to him. Or you could seek redemption through punishment? Have you ever thought of that?" the old lady said.

Ahri opened her mouth but didn't say anything and instead just looked at her reflection in the water. She questioned if any amount of apologies would ever be enough to make up for what she had done.

The Nine-Tailed Vastayan thought about a punishment. She couldn't imagine one that would be equivalent to what she had done in the past. All those live, not just her lover's, were taken by her and her inability to control her hunger.

This made Ahri question what she would do in the Institute of War, should she even find a way to live without killing anymore. She couldn't return the lives she took, she could never pay their loved ones back, and she didn't believe she can ever find happiness.

As tears appeared in her eyes, the Nine-Tailed Vastaya stared deeply at her reflection. Almost waiting for the tears to drop... Until she noticed the reflection of something else.

Ahri's eyes widen. Instinct took over as she immediately jumped to the side to avoid the staff of the old lady that came crashing down at where she used to be standing, smashing the ground with far more strength than a lady that age should have.

However, when Ahri looked again, she realized that she was not dealing with an elderly lady. The eyes of the lady were pale white, her teeth became fangs and downright demonic. And her staff now looked like a short spear.

"I should have struck earlier!" what used to be an old lady growled.

"What are you?!" Ahri asked, summoning an orb of fire in her hand. "What do you want with me?!"

"Food!" the beast took off the cloak to reveal that it looked nothing like an old lady under it.

What was standing in front of Ahri was nothing short of a Demon. It had dark blue skin, a bald head, small horns, and two tusks coming out of its mouth. Its size got bigger so it now was twice bigger than Ahri.

The Demon roared and charged at Ahri, dragging its short spear through the ground before swinging it at her. The Nine-Tailed Vastaya jumped over the attack, flipped through the air, and launched the fireball she was holding at the back of the Demon.

Surprisingly, the only thing her magical flames achieved was making the Demon grunt before swiftly turning around and attacking Ahri as soon as she landed with its spear.

The Nine-Tailed Vastayan barely had a chance to jump back to avoid the strike, but the fact she didn't look behind her caused her to land inside the river with a splash. Thankfully, it wasn't very deep, as it only reached to her waist, so all it took for her to resurface was to stand up.

Soaked, Ahri glared up at the creature as it laughed. "Your guilt is delicious!" it said before taking a deep breath of air. "Ah, that smell is wonderful! I wonder what all those people you killed would think if they saw you now?"

"Shut up!" creating a large fire between her arms, the Nine-Tailed Vastaya threw it at the Beast.

However, it simply jumped high in the air, causing the ball of fire to explode where it once stood. Using magic to empower her legs, Ahri jumped from her position, dodging the Demon as it tried to crush her by landing where she was, causing the water around them to splash around.

Ahri landed on the other side of the river, panting for air as the creature pulled itself from the water. "Do you think you can beat me?" the Demon chuckled darkly. "Then what? Do you think you'll ever find redemption or happiness? After all the lives you killed?"

"I said shut up!" Ahri yelled in rage, leaping out of the water, creating 3 orbs of magical flames around her, and launching them at the Demon.

The creature laughed, swinging around its spear and destroying all three blasts. Ahri glared at it as she landed on land on the other side of the river. "Ah, poor fox. All alone? All those looks, and you can't find happiness. Perhaps it's because you're no different than I am!"

"I'm nothing like you!" Ahri cried out, creating another orb of fire, but this time keeping it with her as she began to think of a plan.

"Oh? And how are you different?" the Demon laughed as it began walking closer to her. "We both kill people for food. The Spirit Blossom festival is so full of mourning souls, and monsters like us use it to eat and enjoy."

"I don't do any of that!" Ahri cried out, resisting the urge to throw the ball of fire at the Demon's face.

"Are you saying you weren't planning to take anyone's life in Wel'hel?" the creature asked.

"No! I... I..." Ahri had nothing to say. In truth, she had started feeling her hunger acting up again, especially with her current use of her magic. She didn't actually doubt that she would have tried to find another prey in Wel'hel.

Seeing her confusion and conflict, the creature took its chance. It suddenly charged at great speed, giving Ahri no time to react. It was by pure instinct that she managed to jump away, but not before the Demon managed to cut at her side causing her to cry out as she fell and rolled on the ground.

The fallen Vastaya picked herself up and held her now bleeding side. She glared up at the Demon that was slowly approaching her. "Don't worry, perhaps you'll be able to apologize to the people you killed in your afterlife. If they'll even forgive you," the creature laughed as it got closer.

Ahri growled as she started looking around for a way to escape. Her magic wasn't doing much. The best it can do is cause the demon to flinch a few times. She believed that she can perhaps use it to distract the creature and make her escape.

However, before the creature got a few feet close to her, a red blur suddenly came in and crashed it from the side, sending the Demon flying and even crashing through one of the trees.

Ahri smiled at seeing Grey standing at where the creature used to be. "You took too long," Grey explained his reason for showing up, holding his sword and looking at her.

"I think we're developing a habit of meeting each other like this," Ahri joked lightly, but that merely caused her to groan and hold her wounded side harder.

"I'll treat your wounds in a moment. This won't take long," after everything she saw him do, Ahri didn't doubt her traveling companion's words as he began walking towards where he sent the creature.

The Demon dug itself out from the pieces of the fallen tree and glared at the one who attacked it. "Ah, you must be the traveling partner?" it chuckled, but Grey ignored it and continued walking. "Oh, a hardened Warrior? Your kind always gives the best guilt and despair. Let's see what you-..." the creature stopped as it began sniffing in the air, similar to what it did while facing Ahri earlier. However, this time, its eyes widen and it took a fearful step back. "What... What are you?" it asked, as it felt absolutely no emotions whatsoever from the Swordsman, neither negative nor positive ones.

Ahri was confused by the Demon's reaction while Grey continued walking forward. Being ignored made the Demon angry, so it roared in anger and charged at his opponent, bringing down its short spear into a powerful swing.

The Abyss Watcher reeled back his sword and gave a powerful swing upwards. Their weapons clashed loudly, the Demon using both its arms to push his while the Swordsman simply used one of his arms.

His other arm swiftly pulled out his dagger and stabbed the creature at the side which was left open. The creature screeched in pain and jumped back. But, before hold its wound, Grey quickly dashed forward, swinging his sword and slashing at the Demon's chest, leaving a large wound and sending it flying back.

Ahri watched this with two emotions. One, surprise because her fires did nothing but Grey's weapons were definitely effective. It made her wonder what they were made of. Two, a somewhat sadistic joy in seeing the creature that attacked her in pain.

The creature didn't even get the chest to stand up again before Grey's foot stepped on the wound on its chest and pushed it back down, causing it to screech in pain.

The Abyss Watcher raised his sword and was ready to finish off the beast when it started speaking again. "Why do you protect her?" it wasn't visible, but Grey raised an eyebrow under his mask. "She killed countless innocent people! She's no different than I am! Are you planning to kill her next? You have no feelings! You don't care about her and I can feel it! So-," The beast didn't even finish its talk before its head was swiftly cut off from its shoulders. The head rolled away as blood began pouring from the neck.

The Abyss Watcher stepped back from the now-dead Demon and looked at where his traveling companion was... Only to see she wasn't there, with only a trail of blood leading towards the forest.

Ahri continued to run the best she can with her wound. She continued to run trying to get as far as possible from both her traveling companion and the town of Wel'hel.

The Nine-Tailed Vastaya believed she was a fool. That trying to get to the Institute for a way to stop killing was something impossible. That she does not deserve such a chance after all she did.

Ahri looked behind her to see if she was being followed to see no one. But then she ended up colliding with something hard, knocking her to the ground. When she looked up, she saw Grey standing before her.

Getting up again, Ahri was ready to begin running the other way when Grey spoke. "Why are you running?" he asked.

"Because I quit!" Ahri cried out, with her back facing him. "Find someone else to lead you to the Institute. I'm not going there anymore!"

"And why is that?" another question.

"None of your business!" she cried out as she began limping away, but her ears picked up the sound of him following her.

"Is this about what those people that tried to hunt you and that Demon said?" she heard him ask again.

This time, something inside Ahri snapped. "IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT THAT!" she yelled as she finally faced him, looking at his eyes through the mask that seemed always emotionless. "What those people said? What that Demon said? It was ALL true! I killed people! Many innocent people for my own hunger! And the one time... The one time I met someone who believed in me, I killed him too! I wanted to go to the Institute so I can find a way to stop killing, but I don't deserve a new start! I don't deserve happiness!" Ahri fell to her knees while tears began falling from her eyes. "I don't deserve... Any of it."

Grey stood there in silence during her whole speech and simply let her release everything she had been bottling up, when she was done, he knelt and got closer to her. "Let me check your wound," he requested.

Ahri simply had no more energy to do anything but nod. She was exhausted, mentally and physically. She opened her dress with one hand while covering her chest with the other. Grey didn't even bat an eye at her near-nude state and looked at the wound at her side.

While he was looking over it, Ahri looked at him in confusion. "Why are you helping me?" she asked before hissing in pain as Grey pressed his hands where her wound is.

"I don't know," Grey replied, looking to see how deep the wound is and if it had any form of infection.

"That's not an answer," Ahri said shaking her head. "You've said that a few times, but I want to know, why are you helping me while knowing all the horrible things that I have done?"

To her surprise, Grey reached back and started ripping a long piece of his cape. After he was done, he began wrapping the fabric around her waist in order to cover the wound. "It doesn't look infected, but you should still see someone more suitable for medical treatment," he said, tightening the fabric and causing the Vastaya to hiss in pain again.

"Answer the question," Ahri demanded as she started putting the top part of her clothes back on. A part of her wanted to make some teasing remark, but she knew that this wasn't the time.

Her traveling companion took a deep breath and looked at her in the eyes, for once, Ahri saw an emotion in his eyes. It was conflict. "I truly do not know. I suppose it was simply instinct. Perhaps it was me wanting to save a life instead of taking one. Either way, I still do not know," he stood up before he continued speaking. "But, I do know something. You are not without redemption. I have seen what truly irredeemable beings, and you seem nothing like them."

Ahri looked down in thought. She can tell that comforting people was not something that the Abyss Watcher did a lot. She wouldn't doubt that this was his first time trying to comfort someone. The fact he was going this far for her truly warmed her heart.

The Swordsman suddenly began walking past her, causing the Vastaya to turn her head to follow him. "Where are you going?"

"The Institute of War. They might have answers for how I can get home," Grey replied as he got further and further from her. "I am close enough that I do not need you to guide me anymore. You may stay here. Or you may follow me to the Institute when you feel better. The choice is yours."

Ahri actually felt her ears drop slightly at hearing that he was going on his own from now on. "Will I find you there?" she asked.

"If something doesn't kill me before, then yes," this time, Grey's blunt response managed to draw a chuckle from Ahri. She didn't believe anything could possibly kill him at this point.

"Do you... Do you really think I can find redemption?!" Ahri cried out so he can hear her, as he made quite the distance between them.

"Believe me, Ahri, if I didn't believe you were redeemable, I would have killed you myself," another blunt response that managed to draw another chuckle from the Nine-Tailed Vastaya.

While Grey walked away, Ahri began thinking. She wanted to stand up and follow her now former traveling companion... But she needed to think things through. She needed to get her decisions straight.

She knew one thing for sure, she was definitely going to find Grey in the Institute, and whatever decision she makes now, that's her final destination.

Meanwhile, Grey reached the river that he and Ahri were at a while ago. "I assume you're here for whatever that creature was?" he asked and looked over his shoulder.

Behind Grey, a dark figure stood. It looked mostly human, with the exception of a red mask that covered most of their face that had a long black mane. The eyes of the mask glowed a purple color. In their hands were two swords. One seemed like a normal katana, but the other was made of a Crimson blade with runes near the handle.

The figure simply nodded. "I already took care of it, whatever you do with the corpse is no business of mine," Grey said, showing that he had no interest in what that creature was, and would not interfere with what the figure wanted to do. The figure then turned its head to look at where Ahri is. "Leave her. You're not here for her, and her decisions do not affect you whatsoever," he said.

The figure looked back at Grey and nodded before vanishing in a flurry of purple sparks. With that, the Abyss Watcher continued his way to Wel'hel, and the only thing on his mind was that the people of this world seem to only keep getting weirder and weirder.

(A/N: Thank you for reading this.

First: the Noxian plot gets deeper, and Darius revealing a few reasons why Noxus joined the Institute. I hope you understand those reasons.

Second: an Azakana appeared, which should have been predictable. Ahri's emotional state was basically a beacon for them.

Third: Grey showing more about how emotionally conflicted he is on how he talked to Ahri.

And lastly: Ahri and Grey got separated. That's because I have plans for "The Ruined King" event. As such, they'll be meeting again there.

Again, thank you for reading this. Please comment, review, and give me your thoughts on my story.)