Chapter 10 - The dreaded Darkening Sovereign

"You dont need to flatter me to thank me, Riven. Syndra watched me as she made

that suspicious face. "What did you do this time?" She said with her eyes closed as she

stared at me with her arms crossed.

-ME? I did nothing! - I made a face of fake offended as I put my hands on my chest.

-Don't make a fool of me, woman! What did you do this time? - She looked angry.

Syndra, for the most part, looked more like my mother than my friend.

- I swear I didn't do shit. I raised my arms in surrender.

"You've got blood on your hands..." She pointed to my hands and then placed hers on

her face, clearly showing her disapproval.

She sighed heavily with her eyes closed, after some time of concentration she

revealed those beautiful white crystals that were her eyes and said.

-For God's sake, Riven!

I could see the desperation in his voice.

I felt a strong twinge of guilt seeing her in that state.

-Why do you always get in trouble, Riven!? Imagine if something happens to you?

How would I look? You don't think about me do you?" She made a sad expression as she

tapped her foot firmly on the floor and squeezed her hands tightly as her voice came out

loud and intimidating. -What if Irelia had caught up with you? What would happen? You

were unarmed and hurt. Think a little more before acting a woman! Syndra approached me

with tears in her eyes, she collapsed onto her knees and hugged me tightly, letting her head

rest on my neck.

I looped my arms around her body, enduring all the tears of worry I made my friend

silently drop onto my shoulders.

-Do not do that ever again! -She spoke in a low voice while giving me a light slap on

the back of my head.

I smiled when I felt such action, then I hugged her tighter, thus calming her in my

arms.

-Idiot. -She mumbled.

I felt guilty seeing what I had caused Syn, she had sudden mood swings, and it

affected her a lot, and me too. But of course, I got used to it and I learn to deal with it. She

just needed to calm down to be okay.

I blamed myself day after day for having refused her proposal to live with her, but

unfortunately my desire and curiosity to travel and explore the world spoke louder than the

immense love I felt for Syndra.

I felt extremely happy to know that at least she had Zed by her side.

Zed has been taking care of her day after day, his presence has made Syndra

happier, and take it easy. I could feel that his aura was calm and exuded an extreme

tranquility. She was happy.

Zed has been keeping her company, and from the looks of it, they had a lot of fun

when they were together. But still, I was kind of afraid that Zed wouldn't know how to deal

with her when it was really necessary.

------ Flashback on -----------------

After meeting Syndra in person, I saw that she was different from the legends that

circulated throughout Valoran, but after we found certain books and files in the castle's

grand library, we saw that not everything was the bed of roses it seemed to be.

Syndra and I spent days reading and rereading those files, and after we figured out

what they were all about, she had a panic attack and went crazy. Knowing from that day

forward that his power was even greater, and deadlier, than it appeared to be.

Syndra was smarter and more agile than me with studies, that was clear, and after

she realized what it was, I tried to calm her down as much as possible, but she was too

devastated and nervous for that. After a lot of asking to be alone, I respected her decision

and left her for a while, thus getting my head back inside that huge amount of files that I

didn't understand.

I spent hours deep concentrated on the floor of that library, jotting down and scribbling

things that I thought I needed to keep, and after gathering facts and images, I discovered

what was so devastating there.

Many monks, mages and scholars have researched deeply to know what Syndra

was, and where her immense power came from. I saw handmade paintings that showed a

body and two souls residing within it. One of those souls was Syndra, my friend. And the

second, she was known as the dark sovereign, the witch who had terrorized the world with

her immense destructive power many centuries ago. Syndra had told me that she had lived

in this palace for many years with her master and a few other monks, and found out that

many of those monks were actually people who wanted to get her power, so she killed them

and raised their islands high. It was for this very reason that she thought she had been

called the dark sovereign

I remember she had said that her master was gone and never came back.

But well, that wasn't what had happened to his master

In the archives, it is said that the sovereign had awakened, and that many monks

were called to contain her power, and one of these monks was her teacher.

The abilities they used to seal her were extremely strong, thus leading to the death of

all the people who conjured her.

Syndra was devastated to learn that the person she loved the most had been killed by

her, and I could do nothing but listen to her screams of pain.

From this day on, I swore to myself. I would never let the sovereign free herself again,

and I would do anything to keep her from coming back to life again, even if it cost me my

life

------- Flashback off---------------------

After a while hugging me tightly, Syndra said in a neutral and indifferent way

-Does your friend have cerebral palsy by any chance? -She looked over my shoulder.

I turned slowly back to see where Yasuo was. Person I had completely forgotten

about

He was dazed under the ground, he pointed shakily in our direction as he mumbled a

few words.

-Y-you know the sovereign? Like this?! -Yasuo was still amazed, trying to give a

crooked smile, to look like he was calm. Thing that wasn't working very well

I gave a slight laugh and told him.

-I said we'd be fine. -I gave him a sweet smile.

Yasuo seemed to recover slowly, but he asked a question suspiciously.

-How did she know Irelia was after us? - He looked kind of surprised still

-From the first wood of the bridge you will already be in my domain. And I know

everything that goes on from there. -Syndra replied.

-Her senses are as sharp as Irelia's. - I smiled at him to try to calm the situation down

a bit. - But don't be afraid, she won't do anything to you. Isn't it Syn? I looked at Syndra who

was still hanging on my lap, looking like a child.

-If he messes up, you're already warned. She looked at him through hooded eyes. -I

hope you're my friend, otherwise I'll kill you. - She smiled as she said.

-That's Syn! Not talk like that. It will make him afraid like that. -I complained and

slapped him on the head.

-Oh Riven! -She made a sulky face. -But he's already scared. Look at his retard face

hahahaha! - She laughed looking at Yasuo.

-Don't be mean to him Syn! -I scolded her

-You don't want me to mess with him because you're enjoying the male, right? Relax,

I'm not going to do anything absurd. " She whispered to me and blinked. Again she had felt

what was happening.

-Close that mouth Syn! -I climbed on top of Syndra and started choking her

-SEE MAN! THIS IS THE REAL RIVEN!- She laughed and yelled at Yasuo, who

remained standing watching that scene.

We spent some time in those children and games, Syndra introduced herself as a

normal person to Yasuo and soon we helped her with the garden, we picked some fruits

and vegetables from her orchard and vegetable garden. Looks like Zed was going to pay

her a visit today, so she wanted to give him an edible surprise. We went into the palace and

chatted in the kitchen while I helped her prepare the food. Yasuo remained silent, watching

the two of us.

I was looking forward to officially meeting the shadow master, I knew Zed only by

sight and stories, I was dying of curiosity!

Riven pov's off Irelia pov's on

I ran to the island to get them, there would be no way for them to escape me from there, he

would be dead this time, FINALLY!

My patience fades every second that Yasuo's barrier of winds remained in front of me,

his strong and biting winds impeded my passage and my attacks, unfortunately I ended up

using my blades by accident, I didn't think he would lift that crap on my forward, luckily the

blades hadn't ricocheted toward me. When the effect of its wall had worn off, I ran full steam

towards that great piece of floating land. I would rip him apart.

A wave of frustration, anger and hatred would run through my body, frustration at not having

caught that bastard when I could, anger at not having killed him when I had the chance and

hatred at having done all that and not even been punished.

When I put my feet on solid ground, I looked around and saw only fog and a single

old tree without flowers or leaves near the edge of the island.

"BUT IT'S DAMN!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. -I swear I'll KILL YOU YASUO! I

swear it! – I yelled as I knelt down and pulled my hair hard.

I screamed until I couldn't take it anymore, and after recovering, I got up and left the

Sovereign's island with blood in my eyes, I needed to warn Ionia's high command, I needed

to inform that the traitor was still alive.

I never liked Yasuo, and I always suspected he could do something against Yone. I

was sure he had killed him, and for that, I would hunt Yasuo like an animal.

I was angry, I left the bridge stomping my feet, my body was filled with hatred.

I reached dry land with a huff, the groups of soldiers looked at me in awe and fear.

One of the captains came to me and started talking.

-Mrs. Irelia, how will we do-

-Shut up. – I cut him off, I didn't care what would or wouldn't happen and what he

would say.

-B-But sir-

-I told you to shut up. Are you deaf? Let's go to the Capital and forget about this

ridiculous tournament. - I climbed on a horse next to me and went towards the road while

leaving the old captain without action.

I needed to go forward, I wasn't going to let that man get away from me again.

I couldn't stop thinking about Yone and his bastard brother.

My heart, which was broken by the disappearance of my beloved, was now on fire

because of such anger that I felt because of that unfortunate man. To help further scramble

my thoughts, Yasuo was running away with that white-haired woman. That appearance was

not strange to me, I knew her from somewhere, but I couldn't remember, my head hurt too

much just thinking about this problem.

My thoughts were so agitated that I hadn't even realized it was getting dark, but that

wasn't a problem, I couldn't stop along the way, I needed to reach the capital as quickly as

possible.

The big problem is that the capital was three days from the Sovereign's Hill, and I

would turn every night I needed to get there as quickly as possible. He felt sorry for the poor

horse, but he would be rewarded after this long race.

The missions done in that village were always ridiculous, they were just a bunch of

crazy people fighting for money, I don't understand why they always sent the soldiers to

interfere in that filth.

And every time it was the same thing, three or four days of travel to try to find the

person responsible and it never came to anything, that was the kind of mission I was

disgusted with and didn't make a single effort to accomplish.

Whenever we arrested an organizer, another would appear, and so on and the fights

returned.

But luckily, these ridiculous missions did something good, I had finally found him, and

I would do anything to get permission to kill him.

Irelia Pov's off Yasuo pov's on

I watched the two girls having fun in the kitchen, they got dirty more than they cooked, they

looked like two children. But I was happy to see the two of them having fun, from time to

time I even gave a few laughs at their messes.

I never expected that someday in my life I would meet the great Dark Sovereign, the

great and feared Syndra. And it would never have crossed my mind that she would appear

in overalls, tank top and straw hat in front of me, like a typical gardener. Of course, I never

imagined that she was that sweet and friendly person who was there getting dirty in the

kitchen, and I was very happy to hear that they were just rumors about her tyranny.

I left the kitchen and decided to go out in the wind, that would help put my thoughts in

place.

I wanted to know how and when Riven had met Syndra, that was a big doubt that

throbbed in my head, I wanted to ask Syndra and Riven so many things, but I don't think

this was a good time. I went to the entrance and sat on the steps of the great gate of his

castle, looking up at the sky and admiring the moon and stars. Amazingly, the view of the

last floating island was wonderful, there was no fog over all that land, it was as if the fog

protected that place, but without taking away its beauty, from there you could see the

immensity of a clear sky and starred in a way I've never seen in my life.

I stood there thinking about everything that was going on, and how I was feeling

about Riven, just thinking about her, a big smile spread across my face, a situation that

hadn't happened in a long time. She was so beautiful, she was so natural and so amazing.

As an original, quarrelsome, and stubborn Noxiana she was beautiful in a different way, and

I ended up falling in love with a person I barely knew but who I really want to meet.

I was so distracted in my thoughts that I had barely noticed certain movements on the

castle's large lawn. When I realized something was approaching, I got up quickly and

closed my eyes so I could see through the dark part that was under the trees.

I stared to see what was there, noticed sudden movements and then went down the

stairs and prepared to stop anyone from passing.

- Whoever it is. Get out of there immediately. -I spoke in a hoarse and firm tone of

voice

-Well well well. Thinking you're who to order me around like that? -I heard a hoarse

and tenebrous voice coming from under the shadows of the trees.

I recognized that voice.

Suddenly, a pair of red eyes emerged from that darkness.

- It's been a long time, little asshole. He emerged from the shadows with his arms

crossed and letting out his typical ghostly laugh.

-ZED? MY GOD IN HEAVEN, IT'S THE DAY!-I screamed with my hands on my head.

I didn't believe it, it couldn't be him.

-It's today that we're going to settle our scores, drunk swordsman! - Zed said in that

mocking voice as he rolled up the sleeves of his clothes and threw some packages on the

floor.

t may come unsuccessful! I waited many years to be able to hit that sweet face of

yours. -Smiles and we approach each other to finally settle our accounts.