Mutated Eyes

The defenses at the northern military camp were extremely strict, and anyone wishing to pass had to undergo a thorough inspection, especially with our disguises:

Darius used his usual methods, slipping a few gold coins to each guard. And so, under the guise of selling furs, we met the General here—Rappor.

Rappor was tall and burly, with curly hair and a beard. His small eyes were almost hidden beneath his thick eyebrows.

He approached us and recognized Darius at a glance. His eyebrows flickered upward, and then he pretended not to know him:

"These are good goods. Bring them in!"

Rappor's camp was magnificent, like a small palace. He dismissed everyone not involved, leaving fewer than ten people, who appeared to be his confidants.

"General Darius, why have you come in person? Is there something important?"

"It's not safe to discuss today's matters in writing, so it's better I come myself. Have you heard about the Emperor's recent situation?"

"I heard he dismissed many people again, all subordinates of you and Lord Swain. And the last time I returned, I noticed he looked very unwell and was acting extremely erratic, not even listening to me."

"Yes, that's exactly the situation. The War Axe, Black Feather, Blazing Sun, and Sandstorm Legions have always been the pillars of the Empire. I have no complaints about being dismissed after failing my campaign against Demacia, but he ordered Swain to forcibly attack Ionia. That's a battle with no chance of victory. Why remove his military authority? It's causing widespread discontent and wavering morale!"

"Why would he do that? Is your loyalty still in question?"

"Our loyalty to Noxus is certainly not in question, but loyalty to the Emperor is another matter. He only represents Noxus's authority, not its entirety. The Empire's expansion over the years has made him fearful. He's afraid he can't control so many territories, and even more afraid that we'll each become our own rulers."

"So he found an excuse to dismiss you?"

"No, he's not short-sighted. Even if he had such concerns, he would prioritize the overall situation of Noxus. So, the question is, why is he so erratic and doing things without considering the consequences? There's only one answer: he's being controlled!"

"You mean Brother Brawn is being controlled?"

"Yes, your brother, Emperor Brawn Darkwill, is being controlled. His inner self has become erratic and chaotic, and all the emotions that were once controllable are now manifesting. This is definitely not good news for Noxus."

"Then do you have a plan? Just tell me what you need me to do. You're the one I admire most within the Empire; I always have, and I still do!"

"I want to overthrow Darkwill!"

"You want to overthrow him!" Rappor was startled, then calmed down. "Then who will succeed him?"

"No one will succeed him. From now on, Noxus will no longer have an Emperor; it will return to the era of the United Kingdoms! As for your Blazing Sun Legion, it certainly can't leave here; the northern defenses are too important. However, I hope you can dispatch some troops to support me and show your stance."

Rappor was awestruck by Darius's boldness. After a long pause, he said, "My idol always surprises me. I've decided to follow your plan!"

"Good, then I won't stay long. Use the military portal to send me to the Sandstorm Legion. I need to talk to General Kled about this."

So Darius was planning a coup, and this was the eve of it? This was the first time I was experiencing the fun of a god's-eye view.

I had read this background story and knew he succeeded, establishing the Tri-Force Council with Swain and LeBlanc, symbolizing strength, strategy, and cunning, making Noxus unprecedentedly powerful.

But that's a story for later. Now, we had to find Kled. I never expected a nameless nobody from the background story to be one of Noxus's great generals; it was truly surprising.

Portal gates were instruments of Noxus's invasion. While convenient, they also had drawbacks, such as requiring a massive amount of magical energy. Unless there was a large-scale war or an emergency, they were rarely used.

There were only three of us, so Rappor dispatched a full ten Battle Mages to activate the portal. They chanted spells I couldn't understand, and soon they were ready.

"Let's go."

Darius called out and stepped in first. Riven and I nodded to each other and followed.

The experience of traveling through the portal was extremely uncomfortable. The colors inside were dazzling, and my body spun uncontrollably under the influence of a special power. It was unpleasant even with my eyes closed.

Fortunately, it was brief, lasting only about thirty seconds. I struggled to get up, immediately feeling a wave of nausea, nearly vomiting. Riven didn't look much better.

Darius had arrived first and was watching with amusement:

"Hahaha, you'll get used to it after a few more times. I forgot to tell you, when you go in, hug your knees to your chest. You won't fall so hard when you come out."

"Couldn't you have said that earlier? You've spun me dizzy."

I hadn't asked for Kled's location earlier, and now I felt extremely hot. The sun overhead was big and bright, making my mouth dry and my throat parched.

Was Kled's Sandstorm Legion stationed in the desert? Such a climate, in my impression, only belonged to one place—Shurima.

The soldiers here weren't wearing armor, only wrapping their bodies and heads in white cloth to block the harsh sun. Even so, many suffered from skin diseases. It seemed the Noxians weren't well-adapted to this climate.

Kled's appearance was just as described in the stories—a typical Yordle, only reaching my thigh in height. The exposed parts of his body were covered in brown fur, and his small eyes glowed red, looking extremely fierce.

In the stories, he was a beloved folk hero, a fearless and roguish warrior, the embodiment of Noxus's will, an idol admired by imperial soldiers, a ticking time bomb in the eyes of his superiors, and a contemptible pawn to be sacrificed by nobles... Now, it seemed that wasn't the case.

Not only was Kled in a high position, but even Darius treated him with respect, as if he were his elder.

After hearing the whole story, he glared fiercely at Darius: "Back then you told me to support young Brawn, and now you want me to overthrow him. Is he sick in the head, or are you? Being dismissed is being dismissed. You never liked war anyway."

"I don't like war now, but loyalty to Noxus, to humanity, drives me to keep fighting. I can't rest yet; there are more important things I need to accomplish."

"Loyalty to humanity? Is that Darius speaking? The souls you've slain with your War Axe probably number no less than mine."

"Perhaps even more in the future."

"Then why are you talking to me about loyalty to humanity? Loyal while slaughtering?"

"It's not a contradiction. What I need are people who can unite. War will never cease, hatred will never disappear, and differences will always exist. But in this eternal torment, I seek a brief unity to face the coming disaster."

Hearing this, Kled and I were a bit bewildered. We didn't know what Darius was trying to express. It sounded grand, yet it seemed to require great sacrifice. His expression became more serious than ever, and he continued:

"I fear nothing, not even in my dreams. But in recent years, I've often been stared at by a pair of eyes in my dreams, and each time it makes me break out in a cold sweat. So I feel that some kind of change is happening in Runeterra. The malice stirring in those eyes is likely aimed at all of humanity. To face this challenge, everyone must work together!"

Did Darius's ambitions shift from Noxus to all of humanity? No wonder he said he loved Demacia before.

Kled fell into thought after listening, he frowned his non-existent brow, seemingly recalling something:

"Your insight has always been sharp, and your premonitions always come true. I don't think this time will be any different. A while ago, my scouts had an accident, and a team of fifty went missing. I investigated later and found a few mangled corpses near a temple not far away."

"Only a few mangled corpses found for fifty people? What about the others?"

"A few managed to escape back intermittently. They were all mentally unstable, muttering about gods, demons, and such. They all died within a few days."

"Gods? Demons? What exactly did they encounter?"

"I suspect it was the Ascended from ancient Shurima. Only they possess such power and are referred to as such."

"Ascended! Weren't they wiped out during the Rune Wars? Could there be survivors?" Darius was very surprised.

"I'm not sure, it's just a thought. I've heard from the elders in my tribe that the Ascended are like ordinary people most of the time, but their power becomes immense after transforming, enough to fight an entire human army alone. The delirious descriptions from the scouts are very similar to the Ascended."

"Why did the Ascended kill your scouts?" Riven, who had been listening intently, interjected.

"This is just my guess, little one. Because the Ascended haven't appeared for many years, I agree with Darius: something strange is happening in Runeterra."

"So, are you willing to support me?"

"Nonsense! When have I ever refused you? I was planning to withdraw my troops anyway. The plan to conquer Shurima needs to be reconsidered. My soldiers can't stand the climate here. Hurry up and contact your former subordinates, take control of the War Axe Legion. When I get back, we'll march on the Immortal Fortress. I want to ask little Brawn personally what's going on."

Kled certainly had a grand demeanor, his tone was extremely arrogant, referring to the Emperor of Noxus as "little Brawn." It seemed his strength was immense, because in Noxus, a nation that values strength above all else, only those powerful enough are qualified to be so arrogant.

After hearing these descriptions, combined with the lore of League of Legends, I roughly understood what was happening:

The once prosperous Shurima was severely weakened from fighting the Void. Most of the Ascended perished in that battle, and the survivors were infected by the Void, turning into creatures unrecognizable to humans.

After countless years of legends, people believed the Ascended were annihilated in that battle. In reality, some survived, but they became humanity's mortal enemies—the Vastaya.

Kled's scouts most likely encountered Vastaya, not Ascended.

I didn't tell them this because it would be meaningless, and I didn't want more people to know I came from another world.

Having arrived here in a hurry for less than half a day, I had to rush back through the portal again. Thinking about that feeling was truly unpleasant. Riven, on the other hand, was eager, as if she had forgotten the feeling of dizziness.

This time, I followed Darius's instructions: once inside, I hugged my knees and closed my eyes tightly. I felt much better. However, exiting was even more comical; I rolled several times before stopping.

Riven, by comparison, fared much better. After coming out, she rolled once and then stood up smoothly, looking excited.

"Looks like you're much dumber than Riven, haha..." Darius mocked.