Ashes, Ashes, They All Fall Down

 "Move quickly, position well, and the battle is won before blood is drawn."~ Ashe, The Frost Archer

Was the last chapter good? Different from the cinematic I know, but this flows better. I want Daisy alive (Author's privilege).

Also this chapter is 3k words long. As I wrote it it felt better to be read together, so you get it in one chapter.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Annie ran as fast as her little legs could take her. Her hands held on to Tibbers as tight as possible, her only comfort in this moment.

Sprinting through the forest was a difficult feat for her in normal conditions but in rain? It was nigh impossible. And it resulted in her tripping on stray roots, falling into puddles and and getting cut up by stray bushes.

Despite being tired and in pain, Annie did not stop running. Her daddy had yelled at her to go home. He never yelled at her before. And it was scary.

Annie ran past the trees and crossed the creek using the bridge and ran to the door. 

Leanna had already made her way to the door, opening it as Annie ran into her. She had kept watch out of the window for the three of them and seeing only one return made her heart almost jump out of her chest.

Annie hugged her hard and started crying.

"Mummy... mummy...." She got out between sobs.

Leanna hugged her tight and softly asked her, "Annie.... firefly what happened?"

Annie looked up at her and spoke while trembling, "We were playing in the rain.." Then she heaved, "Then then we saw a butterfly and we tried to to catch it...." She heaved through the words. "Daisy jumped after it and fell into into the river. Daddy jumped after her and yelled at me to to go home."

Hearing this, Leanna held Annie tighter. She had told them not to go out in the rain, she had told Gregori to keep them both safe.

No.

He promised to keep them safe. One daughter has returned safely. He would bring the other back, he gave his word. The months of knowing him and his daughter filled her with just enough confidence to know that he would rather die in the most painful way imaginable than let his daughters get hurt.

Now she had to something only a mother could do, be there for Annie.

She saw Daisy get whisked away by the river and her daddy jump after her, her daughter needed a mother right now. Her needs and wants would come second.

"Annie?"

Annie looked up still sobbing.

"Lets get you cleaned up, you don't want to wait for your sister and daddy dirty and wet do you?"

Annie shook her head.

An entire hour later, Annie sat in front of the fire while looking out of the window, Leanna sat next to her applying healing salve on her arms. She whispered happy things into her daughter's ear. Enough to make her think no, enough to make her believe that they would come back unharmed. Conversations on what they all would do together after they returned, what they would do and such. It proved an effective distraction.

Annie took some time to fully calm down and just look outside in waiting.

As they sat, Leanna pulled out her recipe book and started writing something in it. She had wanted to show it to Gregori when he had come back but she felt that it might be better for him to read what was written in it himself and adding a little note of her own might just be something he found nice. She also brought the thick book on creatures with her as well and leafed through it.

And so the duo of parent and child passed time in wait for the rest of their family's return home.

But life in Runeterra was never that easy. Never would things go well for the ordinary man or woman. And it wasn't for Leanna either.

Loud roars broke the two out of their reverie. The noise cutting through the pitter patter of the rain drops.

Shooting up Leanna rushed to the window and looked to the sides. She spotted a pack of Drakenhounds and Noxian soldiers marching past the trees and toward the creek. In a panic she lifted Annie and ran with her to the stairs.

"Mummy what is happening? Are they coming back?"

Annie asked.

Leanna stopped as she reached the top of the stairs, took a moment to think and ran back down. She ran to the spot under the stairs, got on her knees and tried to lift the little door underneath it. It being invisible to the naked eye was something Gregori was probably proud of. 

Despite heavily straining to lift it, it did not budge even the tiniest amount.

Why?

Leanna ran every conversation they had had about it. They had talked about that little spot under the stairs multiple times since that incident and he had to have slipped a clue there. Something..... anything....

The roars, yips and heavy footfalls were getting closer.

Then it clicked.

Blood.

"Blood locked through magic."

If it recognizes blood... then it should recognize his daughter's as close to his.

"Annie can you lift this open please?"

Annie nodded. She placed Tibbers on the ground and used both her hands to lift. And it opened.

Leanna instantly pushed both Annie and Tibbers inside and told them, "Annie. My firefly. I need you to be brave right now. I want you to silently hide here and not come outside until you hear your daddy or your sister okay? Bad men are coming and they shouldn't know you are here."

She then slid both the recipe book and the creature book inside alongside Annie.

She stood up shot a look to the door at the entrance and looked back at Annie. 

"Mummy loves you my beautiful daughter." 

She quickly placed a kiss on her daughter's forehead and closed the door, leaving behind Annie who started tearing up.

Annie looked through the gaps in the floor and saw Leanna walk to the door and pull it open.

"Hello there? What's got you army men in this area of the woods?" She heard her speak.

She couldn't her the response.

"My husband? He took my sick daughter to Delverhold for treatment. The cold and the rain. I've got bone soup on for that reason."

"My child? No no me and my husband met each other recently. It was only him living alone."

Annie's eye widened.

Her mummy was lying to the bad men.

"You need to search the house? Go ahead. Haven't seen anything out of the ordinary here for the half year I've lived here."

Big people in full armor walked into the house, the floorboards creaked as they stepped in. After them came in big lizard dogs with green and brown scales. They came and started smelling the house.

"Why are these clothes wet?" One man asked her mother.

"Leaving wet clothes in a crumpled heap often leaves them wet for long? What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. Why are these clothes wet if you husband took your daughter to Delverhold?"

"Huh? How do you think she got sick? Magic? She is a child, wanted to play in the rain, didn't listen to me, ran about in the rain and got sick. I would have let her stay like that for the day, builds character. But my husband, he is too soft."

SNIFF SNIFF

The lizard dogs were almost on top of her.

Annie tightly covered her mouth with her little hand and stayed very still.

"Builds character indeed." The man spoke gruffly and shuffled off in his armor.

"Captain! Look ova' here! The soup's pretty good."

"Give me that spoon. It is not for you. My husband has paid the monthly due of his earnings to the army already. And I expect a hungry husband and child back home soon enough."

She heard footfalls on the floors above.

"Cozy home you got here."

"I know. One of the reasons I got with my husband in the first place. He built it with the help of his old friends from his days on the army."

"Your husband served?"

"Yes he did. Is quite proud of it too? Introduced a couple of his retired friends in Delverhold."

SNIFF SNIFFF

The lizard dogs went past her and kept sniffing and then stopped and sat.

"Where was he stationed at?"

"Didn't say. But he did mention how he never wanted to go that far in the Freljord again. So I can only assume he went on one of the campaigns there."

Annie's breaths quickened as the man who spoke walked closer to the stairs, softly tapping his feet on the floorboards.

"Against the barbarians? It makes sense why your husband would move out here. Not many men remained sane after those campaigns."

"So, why are you lot here then?"

"We lost one of our hounds recently and we tried to track it. Can't let beasts like these roam alone or free."

"Haven't seen any here. The forest only has birds for some reason. Nasty things those are, can't stop shitting every where."

He stopped moving and walked back to her mother.

"Well then ma'am. Everything seems fine, we will get out of your hair once the rest get back here after the search."

"Fine, take your time but can you keep the hounds outside? They are a little unnerving."

"Of course. A lot of civilians feel that way. These are war beasts after all."

PHWIII

He whistled sharply and the lizard dogs... no.... hounds moved to him and the they moved outside, all while letting out yips.

"Checked two rooms sir. Nothing out of the ordinary." One of the soldiers called from the top of the stairs.

"Any other rooms left?" The man questioned his soldier.

"One sir. Denar is checking it this moment sir."

"Well then ma'am, we will leave." The man spoke and with a nod he led his soldiers outside.

Then footsteps sounded from the stairs and ran outside.

A few seconds later, the big man walked back in to the house.

"Is there an issue?"

"Is your husband a mage?"

"No."

"Then why are there books on magic in your house?"

"His previous wife might have been. We haven't really talked about it. I mean who talks about their previous relationship when starting a new one."

"And you only have one daughter?"

"Yes. Only one from my previous marriage."

He whistled once more. The hounds ran back in growling.

"Then why are there two large sets of children's clothing?"

"For my daughter? I made them myself."

"But the ones on the drying rack are of two different sizes."

The growling intensified.

"The ones that don't fit anymore are used as rags to clean the house. We clean them regularly."

"Okay then. Finally, why is there blood on that windowsill?" He said as he pointed at the window next to the fireplace.

"My daughter ran through the rain, got her palms cut up by some branches and bushes. There is dirt there too if you want to take a closer look. Its also why there is healing salve on the chair over there."

The man walked to the windowsill and ran his finger through the dried blood.

"Tut tut tut."

He walked around the room slowly and bent down to the fireplace.

"It was almost perfect. You had an answer ready for every question. A smart woman you are. But you see. The blood might have dried up but the dirt hasn't."

"What?"

"The room is warm. The dirt would have dried up if your words were true. By giving too much in your answers you got yourself caught."

He poked at the fire using the poker laid on the side.

"So... what will it be? Ready to reveal whatever it is you are hiding?"

"I am not hiding anything. You can have one of your men stay and watch for my husband to return with my daughter."

The man still stayed facing the fire.

"Tut tut. You know why the hounds just sat there after they did their initial search? They follow blood. Drakenhounds are pack beasts and they have an extreme sense of smell, especially in the case of blood. They stopped there because the scent of blood stopped there. They would have led up in the direction of your husband if he did go to Delverhold in the first place. Why would they choose to lose a fresh trail?"

"You tell me. I've told you the truth."

"You might have. But I wouldn't take the chance."

Slowly, he walked to the stairs once again.

"Why did the scent stop here?"

He bent under the stairs and looked.

"Something is here."

"There is nothing there."

"See. Rising up the ranks is not easy. But it becomes easier if you follow the one thing you are born with. Instinct. Mine has never let me down. There IS something here and you are going to tell me just what."

"There is nothing there."

He turned around and let out a slow whistle.

PHWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

The closest hounds leapt at Leanna and mauled her arms which had come up in defense. Leanna cried in pain, then yelled and screamed.

PHWIIT

The big armored man let out a short whistle and the hounds stopped.

"Now do you want to speak?"

"I told you there is nothing there. My husband will have your head for this."

He stepped over the fallen Leanna and walked to the door.

"Well, it seems my instinct is wrong today. And don't worry lady, your husband won't know who killed his new wife."

PHWIIIIIIII

YIP YIPP GROWLL

Leanna screams filled the air as the hound mauled her to death. 

Annie, witnessing this, had tears flowing down her face. She ignored her mother's instructions and a walked out. 

She stood up and looked at the hounds stood over her mother's body and rage filled her body. She pointed her open palm at the hounds.

The hounds looked up at her, instinctually realizing something might be going wrong. And as the pack looked up, their sight was filled with flames.

That was the last thing those creatures saw as they burned to a crisp. 

Leanna's corpse has also been scorched by the outburst of fire.

Annie slowly walked to the corpse.

"Mommy?"

Her question was left unanswered.

KILL THEM

She heard a voice in her head. And she moved as if answering it.

She stepped out of the door to look at the captain and his soldiers. Their hands were reaching for their weapons.

"There is the secret. A young mage." The captain spoke.

GIVE ME FORM

"AHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAA" She screamed a raw guttural scream at them.

THROW ME

And for the first time in her life, she threw her bear. 

Tibbers flew out in a small arc and at its peak it caught fire. The fire grew into a blazing inferno as it landed. The rain doing nothing to stop the growing fire. The fire then moved toward the men. Starting at a slow roll and then a walk to a run. 

"SHIELDS UP." The captain yelled.

All the soldiers formed close rank and raised their shields to tank the incoming flames. 

But what came at them wasn't just flames.

The fire split open to reveal a massive bipedal bear. Its stitches splitting open to reveal not stuffing but endless flames. Its one eye glowing brightly on fire and its other button eye with a mute glow. But the part that terrified the soldiers was not the flames, but its jaws. Lined from end to end with sharp jagged teeth, its gaping maw a portal to the hottest flames.

Their shields stood no chance as the bear's claws ripped it apart like paper. It rampaged through the soldiers.

Annie watched limbs fly off bodies and subconsciously compared it to that of a stuffed toys limbs going flying.

Tibbers decimated the squadron and lifted the captain with one arm and moved around so Annie couldn't see past its large back. It then raised it other clawed hand and swiped once separating the captain's legs.

The captain screamed.

He screamed in pain and he screamed in fear. The creature in front of it. Its face was morphed into a wide smile as it hurt him.

And in that instant he heard a voice in his head.

YOU HAVE GOOD INSTINCTS?

WHERE? SHOW ME.

SCREAM

The captain started to cry. He knew he wouldn't live. But facing something like this wasn't how he expected to go out, in battle was a worthwhile death but this? This was a massacre. 

He had his orders but was it really worth it when this was the outcome.

Every single crime he had ever committed, every single person he had killed or had had killed they all came rushing to the forefront of his thoughts as the bear looked at him.

TASTY

"D-"

He got out that much before his head was crushed, helmet and all.

Dropping the body and shuffling back to Annie, Tibbers patted her on the head and held his paw toward her.

FWOOOSHHHHHHHHHHHH

One of the dying soldiers shot a flare into the sky. A magical flare. These flare stayed in the sky for a couple of days, alerting allies to their location. 

Tibbers pointed in a direction and nodded to Annie. Annie took the hand that was offered and nodded. 

As she grabbed the hand the bear turned back to the normal cuddly toy. 

Sometime during the bloodbath the rain had completely halted.

Annie walked past the bodies and as she walked past the creek, she looked back once at the now burning home. She then looked at her bear and then to the house again. She pulled the bear into a tight hug and skipped away into the forest.

Her sing-song voice carried through the forest, "~Ashes, ashes, they all fall down.~"