(( This RP is open only to individuals chosen by Zed and myself, and discussed ahead of time. It is otherwise closed. ))
June 10th, 23 CLE
Almost two months had passed since Riven had returned from her duel with the Spirit Walker. When she had arrived at the Kinkou Temple, she had barely been able to stand. Magical healing or not, her body had withstood tremendous internal damage. Blood clots had needed to be treated, cavities needed to be drained of fluids, and all together it had been an incredibly taxing affair. The Kinkou, however, were masters of Ki, the energy of the body, and martial training. Through their healing and rigorous physical therapy, Riven had recovered, and had meditated long and hard on her newfound depth and strength. She was now more powerful than she had ever been before. Her abilities were more refined, better streamlined than they had been only a month ago.
Being bedridden and undergoing rigorous training did much to hamper her goals of finding someone who could create the armor she had envisioned as she lay on her back in the field that day. In the meantime, however, she had come up with a short-term solution. She had done her best to convert her standard outfit into something that could help her contain her energy. Several small focusing sigils and trinkets had been inlaid along her attire, wrapped in the bindings of her breasts, close to her skin and under the leather wrap around her midsection. Green runic designs had been engraved and carved into the green pauldron on her shoulder, and on her gauntlet. The wrappings of her left arm concealed sigils, marks, and seals layered within the bindings, all to allow for better transfer of energy through her body.
Combined, they offered only, perhaps, a quarter more protection from her own energy, and were far more temporary than a true suit of armor would be, but that was 25% more she could push herself if the need arose, or even a longer operation time a her maximum potential. Riven had awakened. There was no turning back, only moving forward. A Noxian faced their limits, and found ways to rise above them. Though mostly crude, Riven had taken her first few steps to realizing her potential in just a month's time. Now, well-fed and rested, stocked with various supplies and a few potions for emergencies, Riven found herself moving along the outskirts of territory belonging to The Order of Shadows.
Ever since the announcement that Noxus and The Order had joined forces, Riven had been wary. She remembered what had happened the last time she stuck her nose into Noxian business. It had the intended effect of rattling the cage, but it was also a failure in other ways. Despite those failures, however, it had allowed her to fly under Swain's radar. The Grand General was more concerned with other matters than following up on someone he thought was foolish and childish. It was time to begin dismantling everything he'd laid in place. On her path to reforge Noxus, it was time to stoke the coals...
And the Order of Shadows was the perfect first stop...
So, Riven moved through their territory, looking through abandoned campsites, watching training exercises from a distance, and monitoring Noxus' increased military presence along the outlying areas. Whatever was going on here it was clear Noxus was garrisoning troops in less-than-ignorable amounts. There had to be more here. She just needed to find evidence of it...
Last Edit: Nov 27, 2013 22:07:14 GMT -5 by The Exile
Post by Kahn Hisan on Nov 29, 2013 16:24:35 GMT -5
The Exile was not the only one who was observing something or someone. Minutes after she had entered the territory of the Order of Shadows, she was placed under watch. Ninjas hide in the foliage, trees, or behind rocky outcroppings and observed her. What was the Noxian stray doing in their territory? Word was sent back to Zed, who ordered her capture after two days of observation. Now was the time to capture ninjas were taking position around Riven, using the shadows as their friend to move silently and out of sight. Kahn Hisan was one of these ninjas that watched her with great interest. This was a potential way he could get word out about Noxian numbers, and activities here in Ionia. However, her motives were still uncertain, therefore he could not trust her with such delicate information, and more importantly his face. If she were to betray him, he knew that death would not be swift or pleasant. The more concerning part would be the fact that he would fail his mission, not only to his little sister, but the the Kinkou as well. Kahn looked to his right seeing one of his fellow "comrades" sign that it was time to capture her as Zed had ordered them too. Well it was about time, granted he could not slip or tell her any information at this point. Perhaps, if she survived whatever Zed planned for her, and she proved to be trustworthy, then he could use her. If the two conditions were not met, he would be unable to give her anything. Whatever outcome the future held, The Lotus Hunter would have to wait and see.
Kahn nodded to his comrades, and they began to move from their hiding places. From the rocky outcroppings, the trees, and the surrounding foliage they would move slowly and silently. Like a wild fox stalking its prey. Their approach would be silent and very unnoticeable. Riven would may not even sense their presence until a something sharp roughly poked her back. If she glanced back she would see Kahn flanked by two ninjas on each side of him. All had their weapons drawn, but they were not the only ones. These were not the only ninjas in the area, Riven was quite surrounded and outnumbered, she may have not realized it yet. Zed trained his pupils well, and their mastery over the shadows only served to further their skills in Ninjutsu. Each was a skilled assassin in their own right, but mastery over the shadows was an honor few could claim.
Moments after Riven felt the edge of a katana poke her in the back, Kahn would speak, "Don't move, drop all your weapons and then place your hands on your head. Do anything else, and well....." He would let the threat hang as the edge of his katana pressed harder into her back. Zed had ordered them to capture her, not to kill her. Not one of his disciples was willing to go against his word, however, capture was a fairly easy condition to meet. One could be captured, while missing a limb or two. Now it was Riven's move...would she go quietly or would she rather try to put up a struggle? Either way, the Order of Shadow's ninjas would ensure she was captured in the end.
"Don't move, drop all your weapons and then place your hands on your head. Do anything else, and well....."
Riven had snuck up on her share of wolves, rabbits, and deer, and even been hunted herself at times. Being in the wilds for so long during her wandering had made Riven even more aware of her surroundings than your typical Noxian soldier. In the wild, it was hunt or be hunted, kill, or be killed. To say that Riven was unaware that she was being tailed, tracked, or followed was a severe underestimation of the woman's abilities. Of course, letting her would-be captors know this would be a bad idea. Letting anyone know how truly in-tune she was with her environment would give away one of her biggest and most honed skills.
Riven did not react as she felt the ninja approach her. She could almost feel the ground shift beneath his feet, hear the air slide against his attire. Had they wished her dead, she would have already felt the attack heading her way. No, this was something different. Riven adjusted her tunic and the wrappings of her chest before she rose slowly at the ninja's words.
"I will come quietly, Shadow Ninja, but I will not relinquish my blade." She paused, keeping her hands and blade in plain sight, making no sudden motions. She slowly turned her head to glance at the man out of the corner of her eye as she continued. "Keep your blades friendly, and we will have no problems... There is no need for bloodshed here. My fight is not with you..."
Riven knew there would be dozens more ninja hiding in the shadows all around her. It was possible she could defeat them, but not without great harm being done to herself in the process. Regardless, she was not about to hand over her blade and leave herself without her biggest means of defense. She would go where they took her, and they would get no fight from her, but her blade would stay at her side. Besides, destroying anything here would be counterproductive to her own motives...
Kahn was almost amused by Noxian stray's answer. Did she really think that Zed and his pupils were so foolish? Let another champion in their midst whose motive and purpose here was unknown while she was armed. The shadow ninja would not even allow the most peaceful person in their midst while they were carrying a weapon. The Exile thought herself special or thought Zed's pupils rather foolish. So, Kahn would repeat the same message as before, this time making the threat clearer.
"Perhaps I wasn't clear, or maybe you take us for fools, so I will say it again. Relinquish your blade, or I'll relinquish you of your arms." The Exile would be wise to comply, it was becoming rather clear that the shadow ninja would not be taking her anywhere until she disarmed herself. All the ninjas around here were at the ready, prepared should Riven be so foolish as to draw her blade. If she was not here to fight then why would she need her blade? Surely she had nothing to fear if she meant to do no harm to the Order of Shadows.
"Perhaps I wasn't clear, or maybe you take us for fools, so I will say it again. Relinquish your blade, or I'll relinquish you of your arms."
(( Almost a week of waiting for you to repeat yourself... *sigh* Please try to be on more, if you can. Q__Q The wait for this is killing me. I know holidays are coming up, so everyone's time is lessened, but, I do really want to move this along. ))
"There's no need for threats, ninja..." Riven sighed. The man must not have known who he was talking to. An ex-Captain in the Noxian Military, a Company Commander at that, and a woman celebrated by all of Noxus as the strongest spirit among them. Dispatching one subordinate ninja who thought himself hot stuff would have been easy, but Riven was not here to fight, and she was not going to fight all of the ninja that surrounded her either. Her runeblade, when fully reformed, was heavier than a Noxian kite shield, and nearly as broad, and made from Blackstone, a material so rare that the High Command emptied a merchant's entire supply, and likely set the man for life with the profit. Harder, lighter, and more resistant to damage than even adamantium, the blade was almost indestructible. It was rumored that Riven's will to shatter the blade gave her much of the power necessary to do so...
The shard that remained was about a third as heavy, but it weighed more than most any normally sized weapon, save perhaps a Demacian or Noxian Greatsword. Any ninja that would be taking the blade would be carrying around a much heavier item than they normally would, slowing them considerably, and making them easier to track... Riven released the blade, the tip stabbing into the forest floor with a shink and a thud.
"I've relinquished my blade as a sign of good faith, ninja. As a sign of yours, I would ask you not stab me in the back, or let the weapon leave my sight." Of course, Riven could fight, and fight well, without her blade. Removing one focus of her Ki did not remove her body itself. With her strength and speed, Riven was a dangerous hand-to-hand combatant, and when coupled with her Ki, anyone underestimating the Noxian would be sorry. Of course, most assumed her blade was the source of her power, and Riven did not bother to correct them. If your enemy believed you to have a weakness, turning that weakness into a strength was the best option. Basic military strategy.
With her hesitation to relinquish her blade, the illusion had been upheld.
Now, it was up to the ninja to hold to their end of things...
((Good news is that finals are now over, and my muse is back so I will be able to post back a bit faster now))
Kahn made no physical response to Riven's statement that there was no need for threats, perhaps not, but then again not cooperating was a good enough reason to resort to threats in Kahn's mind. He would watch her drop her blade and nod toward it, "Your request is noted." He would say as one of his comrades in arm took the blade and moved away from her. Granted, he moved slower due to the extra weight, which he had to carry in two hands. The ninja would allow her blade to remain in her line of sight, and the sharp edge of the blade that pressed into her back would be withdrawn, but not sheathed. A glance over her shoulder would show that Kahn still had it pointed at her, and he would continue, "However in return, I ask that you be patient and understand our caution. We are not well liked by the rest of Ionia, and for this reason we are wary of strangers. If you truly come in peace then you have nothing to fear, Zed can be quite understanding, but caution must still be taken." Another pause as he glanced toward a few of his ninja comrades, "Search her, take any other weapons, and anything with runes on it. We all know how Zed feels about surprises."
Three more shadow ninjas would step up and one would pat her down while the other two took her more noticeable equipment that had runes engraved into it. Her gauntlets, pauldron, and notable trinkets would be removed from her assuming she had no further objections or did not struggle with the three ninjas. If she had no objections then her equipment would be treated with the same care as her blade was. Ninjas knew the value of good equipment to say the least, after all in their line of work a dull blade could not dispatch their target with ease. Furthermore, if she did not object then Kahn would order her to walk as the group of shadow ninjas would lead her to the fortress, and into it. She was in the lion's den now as the group would stop in the middle of the plaza, and await for the Master of Shadows himself to appear. Riven's equipment would be placed under guard by additional shadow ninjas to dissuade any reckless and foolish ideas that she may have. The Lotus Hunter's katana would still remain unsheathed, and would continue to remain that way until Zed or some higher authority in the Order of Shadows instructed him to sheath the blade.
However, if Riven did object to being searched and striped of her armor, then she would feel Kahn's katana press into her back again, and a killer intent would surface among the group. It would become clear that she was starting to irritate the ninjas around her a little bit. After all she could not expect to walk into the middle of their home and meet with their master armed at all. If preaching peace allowed one to do such things then the shadow ninjas would have adapted that tactic long ago, however as it stands if she truly came in peace then she would have no need for her weapons, would she?
Riven very much objected to being fondled, stripped, and having all of her belongings taken from her without approval. She was a Champion of the League of Legends, and they were treating her like a common criminal. Was this how champions treated other champions? Was this how the Master of Shadows treated those who came in peace? Robbing them of their dignity and expecting them to remain silent and understanding about it?
The rage that boiled through Riven's body literally made her quiver and her fingers dig into her palms with such force they nearly drew blood. The only reason Riven did not rip the ninja around her asunder with her bare hands from the massive lack of respect was because she needed answers, and the only one who could give them was currently so afraid of her he was having his cronies strip her down to nothing but her white tunic, arm wraps, and sandals. His fear was its own kind of respect, she supposed.
"If you are quite done appeasing your master's worries and leaving me all but bare..." Riven glanced backward to the man holding all the cards, and her equipment. "I believe my show of good faith has been enough to convince you I'm not here to harm anyone." The irritation in her eyes was clear enough, but she made no hostile actions...
She was lead through the forest to the fortress and into the plaza where she kept an eye on everything that she was able to see. Approximate number of guards, the location of her gear, the possible exits and hiding spaces, how many guards she might have to deal with along each path. She was leaving nothing to chance. Her brain was incredibly tactical and filled with every sort of military strategy she had ever learned and seen. She was at a severe disadvantage, but she could still possibly escape if she pooled her resources correctly.
Regardless, her attention turned to the plaza's entrances once more, awaiting the appearance of the Master of Shadows himself.
Post by Master of Shadows on Dec 16, 2013 7:53:05 GMT -5
Almost imediatly upon entering the Temple grounds, Riven's affinity with Ki would allow her to feel the dark powers of the shadows that surrounded the area. It's influence was subtle but noticeable to one who knew where and what to look for. The shadows seemed more dense, as though each shadow not only blotted out the light, but swallowed it, consumed it entirely leaving almost pitch black nothingness. The ex-Kinkou temple had undergone changes since the Order of Shadows had taken over. The once peaceful forests, alive with sound birds had once nested here, foxes had hunted rabbits, wolves hunted stag and doe. But now, there was an odd unnatural silence around the place as though the animals had been driven away by some alien presence. It was not normally like this, even with the influence of the Shadows there was wildlife. Now however, it's because as Riven was lead up a series of long winding stone steps, ninjas hidden from sight were watching unseen from the foliage. Zed was known to have an army of ninja at his disposal, and it was as though every single one of them had come to observe the woman whom had been sneaking through their territory and watching their allies.
Her armor stripped from her and her weapon held by those who walked behind her, it would be an easy task to cut her life from her body by numbers alone. Yet they all knew to never disobey the Master of the Shadows. Loyalty to the Order was the number one thing to remember, loyalty to serve the shadows at the risk of ones own life. He had declared she would live, so live she shall.
Eventually arriving at the main temple they would come across yet more steps, though these were more delicately carved, carefully placed with the utmost care by the stone masons who had placed them. Walking up them, guided by the escort, she would come to face a part of semi-circular doors, each painted jet black with a pair of silver serpent-like dragons locked in combat decorating them. Ninjas not holding equipment would simply vanish from sight as the doors swung open without a sound to reveal Zed.
Smoldering crimson eyes bore down upon Riven from behind the chrome mask that obscured Zed's visage behind a curtain of darkness, as he spoke his voice seem to tear through the air as though, "The Exile graces my territory." He paused to simply glance at the ninjas who held her gear who then walked past Riven, through the large decorated doors and into the large courtyard beyond, "For what reason?" He questions her. Her answer would decide his next actions.
The "thickness" of the air and twisted sense of being did not escape Riven's detection. The forest she knew well was alien here, lacking in wildlife. She mused to herself that had she ventured closer to the temple itself, she might have been able to track the trailing ninja more easily, but even then that was an unsure guess. The environment would throw her off regardless. She knew her way through Ionian forests and other such locales, but she was not a master of all terrains...
The Shadow Master finally revealed himself, and as he did, the ninja that carried her gear left her sight. She felt herself growing more irritated. So much for keeping things where she could see them, she thought. Paranoia ran things here, she assumed. She sighed and shook her head before her amber eyes looked up to meet the crimson orbs of Zed.
"Can't a Noxian walk through Noxian territory without being treated like a prisoner?" Her eyes didn't leave his as she spoke.
Post by Master of Shadows on Dec 16, 2013 16:39:18 GMT -5
"You." Zed stated aloud as he looked down upon the woman as she stood at the steps, "Are no Noxian. You shed the right to call yourself that when you deserted your country." He paused and looked to his right, one of the ninjas holding Riven's gear stood, uneasily and unsure what to do with the woman's armor. Zed simply gestured to one of the many buildings behind him, with haste the ninja moved to place the gear within. Zed turned his attention back to the Exile, "And this, is not Noxian territory. This land belongs to the Order of Shadows." He turned upon his heel simply gesturing for Riven to follow as he moved toward the building where her possessions had been place.
Two small wooden steps is all they would climb before reaching the sliding doors, within an almost comforting warmth would spill out over the two. The simple polished wooden floors were basked in a soft orange flicking light from the lanterns that lined the walls. Riven's gear was placed off to the right in the corner, the ninja who had entered and placed the gear nowhere to be seen. In the center was small kotatsu where Zed moved toward and knelt upon one of the two cushions that had been placed at either end. "Sit."
Shadow people follow him everywhere he goes. Looking over his shoulder, the paranoia flows.
Riven did as she was asked for the moment and followed Zed into the building. Upon entering, she took a kneeling seated position on the cushion and looked to Zed once again, her amber eyes firm and hawklike.
"And I suppose that's why there are Noxian troops garrisoned nearby, and you have commanders of their military in your midst?" Riven huffed in amusement at the folly of Zed's words and shook her head. "If you think this is your territory, you're misguided." She made note of the location of her things before she continued to speak.
"The Grand General is merely using you, and when he is done catering to your needs, he will discard you, or take for himself what he wishes from you. Then your friendly Noxian troops will be raising the Noxian banners above your temple as they march for conquest." Her brow furrowed faintly.
"You're nothing but a pawn in his game of chess, and when the time comes, he'll sacrifice you to gain something else he wants." She leaned back, shaking her head again. "If you cannot see that, then your shadows have truly blinded you."
Post by Master of Shadows on Dec 16, 2013 21:21:19 GMT -5
"If you are done being ignorant child jumping to assumptions about an alliance you know nothing about, girl, you be wise to tell me why you were skulking through-out my territories, spying on the Noxians and scavenging through their abandoned camps like a wild animal." The smoldering crimson eyes looked to flare for the briefest of moments as they bore into the Exile, "We do not take kindly to people being where they do not belong. Especially, unwanted, people."
He did not care for her thoughts on what she thought the Noxians would do, Zed's own ideals aligned with that of Swain's in a majority of ways. Riven seemed to simply be trying to undermine Zed's confidence in their alliance, it would not work. He knew there was the possibility of betrayal, an alliance with the strong was never to be trusted. Yet both Swain and Zed had no logical reason to betray one another. So long as they stood together, and their goals were the same in the end, there would be no need for backstabbing. It was better to seem blind and underestimated by those who opposed him rather then them know his full potential. Zed was known to have an army of his own after all.
"As I've clearly said, I am not the ignorant one here. I know more about how Noxus thinks than you. I know how it operates, what drives it, what beats in the core of its heart." Riven sighed. "But, you don't believe me. You think me nothing but a common thug, a criminal. That much is clear by your men's treatment of me." She was still irritated by Zed's men treating her with little to no respect.
"You wish to know why I'm here? Use the knowledgeable mind you claim to have to determine why I might be looking at the Noxian occupation currently camped throughout 'your' territory." She scoffed. "The Grand General says he desires peace, and yet withdraws Noxus from the League. He then creates the single largest army Noxus has ever known, and begins preparing for war and hostilities that do not exist." Her eyes met Zed's once more.
"Then, he places a large chunk of those forces in Ionia, a territory that Noxus lost to the Trial for the Isle match, and he allies himself with you and your people, a clear opposition to the current Ionian Government." She frowned.
"So, tell me what all of that says of Noxus, what it says of you and your intentions, and why I might be here."
Post by Master of Shadows on Dec 16, 2013 21:53:03 GMT -5
"You know of Darkwills' Noxus." he stated, "Your aggravation toward Jericho Swain has no grounds other than petty childishness. You seem to see Swain as a malevolent force, yet he has done nothing but strengthen Noxus since his ascension, you claim to be a Noxian, should you not be proud of the turn around? Unless you provide proof stating otherwise, you are asking me to go on the word of a Noxian." Zed's voice remained cold as he continued, "You yourself just stated I should not trust how Noxus operates, yet came claiming to be one of them. Your case is flawed."
"You are annoyed that we treated you with such little respect?" He closed his eyes briefly, "We Ionian's remember what Noxus done to us while we were weak. My own people know the horrors you inflicted upon our land, some possibly directly affected by your actions, then you come again, skulking through our territory and spying, yet expect respect?" Zed's eyes meet the Exile's, "Earn it."
"Your case is more flawed, Shadow Master. I am a Noxian as I claim. A Noxian who sees with her own eyes, hears with her own ears. She fights for her own way, as is the true way of Noxus." Her eyes softened ever so slightly as she continued. "My fight is not with you, Shadow Master, and despite my intense dislike of you, I respect your ability as a warrior and as a leader of your people, your own band of outcasts." She adjusted her position.
"I, too, am an outcast. I'm marked a traitor by my own people for taking my own strength and carving my own path. That freedom, that strength, is the core Noxian value to which I have always held, even when I was an orphan fighting for a warm spot to sleep for the night, and enough moldy bread to last me just a few more days." She met his gaze once more. "I know your story, or at least what the Institute has on record, Shadow Master. I know you did the same as I am doing, and you, too, were thrown out, turned into a criminal and an outcast because of it." Riven sighed.
"Despite the propaganda, I love Noxus. I love it so much that despite the hatred that Swain creates for me, I continue to act to try and save Noxus from itself, to prevent more atrocities and death like the Ionian War from happening again." Her gaze turned to her hands and her eyes trailed along her fingers. "My hands are forever stained with the acts I have committed in my life. Faces, cries, blood, memories forever etched into my mind, even my dreams." She lifted her eyes once more to meet Zed's, a small frown across her features.
"I have witnessed Swain's lies and deceit myself, firsthand, the day I tried to return to Noxus and show others my strength." Her hand curled into a fist. "That damned manipulator, Swain's personal harlot...she created illusions, manufactured lies to sour my cause, said I had done things that I did NOT do." The anger and hatred was clear on Riven's face as she spoke, the emotion rippling across her lips and body.
"I was 'escorted' from my home, and I will likely never be able to set foot in it again until I do what needs to be done, until I can save the land I love from the vulture that hangs over it, ready to twist and manipulate it for his own selfish desires..." Riven's pain was contained, but tainted her words as she spoke. When her eyes met Zed's again after trailing along the table, her voice was less harsh and accusatory.
"I do not expect you to suddenly change your mind about me, Shadow Master. After all, you have clearly made up your mind about who can benefit you the most, regardless of what happens to my home or Valoran in the process." She sighed once more, pausing and running a hand through her silvery locks. "I do not think a Runeterra torn apart by war is what either of us want, Shadow Master. We have both suffered through enough of that to last us several lifetimes. Say what you will of me, but I have been nothing but honest with you. Lying to a master of deception and misdirection would quickly get me nowhere. I'm sure we can both agree to that. However, that is more than I can say of Jericho Swain and Emilia LeBlanc." She lifted a hand to place it on her chest.
"So, here I am, clad in no protective armor, stripped of my weapon. I am wrapped in nothing but a pitiful excuse for clothing and the matter of my honor and creed. LeBlanc herself is wrapped in lies, and Swain surrounded by half-truths and hidden intentions." She lowered her hand and folded her arms across the table, looking into Zed's gaze again.
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