Chapter 50 : The Forgotten Fodder (1/?)

Ajel woke up to a constant shaking on his side, as he slowly started to retrieve his consciousness.

His body ached, and his knees felt like they were going to give out when he was suddenly pulled up from the bed.

"Ekwah!" Roheen shook his companion awake.

"What's....what's sup.." Ajel opened his eyes, only to find the panicked expression of Roheen in front of him. "That looney is outside, asking to see you!"

"Looney?" Ajel wiped the drool from his face before his eyes opened fully when he remembered the events of the fight that happened yesterday.

Stumbling up and opening the door, Ajel was greeted by the smiling face of Quinton.

"Hello, friend," Ajel observed the boy in front of him. The same Black hair that shined like the midnight sky and the red eyes that looked like the darkest of crimson. But in front of Ajel, they looked darker than usual.

"I'm guessing Commander Lexus is getting his head served on General Farron's spit?" Ajel raised his eyebrow, as Quinton squatted his hands.

"You not scared of me?" Quinton raised his eyebrows, a mixture of intrigue and emotion that Ajel couldn't recognise present in his eyes.

"You would have killed me already if you wanted me dead, Quinton. Do not see me as a fool. So, are you heard to give me an explanation? or to give me something else."

Quinton's normally slit eyes were replaced with a faint glint of his pupils, as he turned his back to Ajel.

"Follow me."

Ajel followed behind the young adult, finally coming across the smithy that he had brought the Glaive from.

Noticing the "closed" sign present in front of the door, Ajel knew he wasn't coming in here to get his Glaive repaired.

"Sit."

Ajel obediently sat down, before Quinton came in front of him, a large bottle in his hand, it was a large bottle of vintage wine, Ajel watched as Quinton placed it on the large wooden table in front of him before disappearing in front of him and reappearing with three boxes and placing them on the table alongside some glasses.

Opening the wine and pouring himself and Ajel a glass, Ajel watched as Quinton raised the glass.

"Toast?" Quinton raised his eyebrows, no form of pleasantry or positive emotion inside his normally tender voice.

Ajel grabbed the wine glass, before toasting the man.

"You care about telling me why you used me as a pawn to fulfil your conspiracy?" Ajel looked towards the young adult, who deftly drank the wine in one gulp."

Quinton didn't respond, as he poured himself another glass of wine.

"I'm no fan of metaphorical speech, Quinton." Ajel eyes grew sharper. "Wine, made with grapes. A noble luxury... epically for one's with high status. Nothing a mere smithy boy could afford."

"Your sharp, Ajel." Quinton finally spoke words, before taking another sip of his wine and twirling it in his glass. "But, you have a certain naiveness inside of you. But that's why I like you."

"Naiveness?" Ajel's eyes grew cold, but he tried to restrain his anger. "Naiveness of what?"

"Planning of others," Quinton muttered, before putting his palm on his left eye, and twirling the red wine on the right.

"Im not Quinton, and I'm sure as hell, not that bullshit second name I made up on the spot. I am Vincentius Dark will, the thirteenth prince of Noxus."

Ajel's eyebrow briefly raised, before it fell.

Quinton laughed to see this reaction, before shaking his head.

"You're not surprised?"

"Well, the moment you unleashed a fuckton of mana onto the battlefield you weren't some commoner boy working in the smithy. "So, your royal highness, what are you doing on a Noxus ship going to the place somebody like you would be going the opposite of." Ajel clicked his tongue before his eyes opened. "Oh." Ajel had a grave idea of why he was here.

"Fate is a cruel whore, Ajel." "Quinton" laughed. "I'm sure somebody like you should know that more than anybody on this ship... at least more than what is here anyway."

"You... you know of me?" Ajel's eyes slowly grew red, as his Tattoo started to burn with a lustful rage that threatened to draw him in.

"If you were smart, you wouldn't have made such a commotion and gotten investigated." Vincent smiled before his lip pursed.

"How?"

"Mana is omnipotent, and Magic is the byproduct, nothing is impossible to find out, and we have plenty of spies in Demacian high positions, just like they have a lot in other Continents." Vincent shook his head. "That pattern on your leg is what intrigued me the most, however."

Ajel gritted his teeth as he forcefully placed his back on his chair. "Do not pry into me or my past."

"I understand." Vincent nodded his head, before raising his hand to a box. "The box to your left, open it."

Reached out to the box, before opening it with haste.

A small blue pendant, one that looked like a tear was present in front of Ajel in the form of a necklace.

"A treasure. Allows you to remove your magical footprints made by yourself and gives you extra mana, something I'm sure you will appreciate."

"Why are you giving me this?" Ajel clicked his tongue in annoyance, before handing the crystal back into the box.

"Am I not allowed to give you a gift?" Vincent gave a wry smile, as Ajel shook his head.

"Power comes at a cost, and when it comes from a sly bastard like you it's natural to be weary, correct?"

"You compliment me, Ajel." Vincent shook his head. "Take it as a reward for being... what's the word... a tool."

Ajel sighed, before grabbing the box and moving on to the next one.

Opening it almost immediately, a prosthetic leg could be seen, as Ajel keenly grabbed it and observed it.

Its quality and everything were something that the leg of Ajel lacked in his current leg. It was a lot more streamlined, possessing a greater outline and was made with better quality.

"A Runic Iron leg made for you specifically. With this, you should be able to run, jump and do everything like a normal leg, not to mention that has a few tricks inside of it." Vincent looked as Ajel nodded his head, before putting it next to his pendant. "And, your final "gift.", well "gifts" to be exact."

Ajel eagerly grabbed the box, which contained a manual alongside an eyepatch.

Ajel observed the eyepatch, and once more like his leg, it was a lot well made than his current eyepatch.

"I deny this." Ajel handed the eyepatch back to Vincent, as a confused expression filled the latter's face.

"Huh....?" Vincent's eyes opened, as laughter filled the room only seconds after.

"You truly are interesting! you do make me surprised every time I see you!" Vincent gave a hearty laugh, before asking a question. "Why are you denying my gift?"

"It was someone who it the most like a father I've ever had in my life."

"Awek the miracle walker." Vincent gave a hearty smile, but in this case, it was something that filled Ajel with shivers. "I know a lot about him."

You bastard... Ajel gritted his teeth.