Arriving in Ionia

The following passage is excerpted from the official League of Legends story "Homecoming."

Dry leaves drifted through the rustling forest; the fading wind howled among the desolate mountains.

Yi floated inches above the ground, eyes closed and hands clasped, listening to the Baruo Birds' morning song.

The cool breeze brushed his bare face and ruffled his eyebrows.

He let out a quiet sigh and slowly descended until his boots touched the earth. Opening his eyes, he smiled. The cloudless sky was a rare and welcome sight.

Yi brushed the dust from his robes and noticed several strands of hair that had fallen out. Most were black, though a few were white as wild silkworm silk.

How long had it been? he wondered.

He slung a twill bag over his shoulder and continued on, leaving behind a forest that had once teemed with life but now stood still.

Yi looked down the mountain, retracing the path he had taken.

The land below was soft and fragile—a treasure to be protected.

He looked ahead and continued climbing. Along the path, lilies were withering, their colorful petals turning a sickly brown.

"I didn't expect to see anyone up here," a voice called.

He stopped to listen, one hand tightening around the sword at his waist.

"Are you looking for livestock, too?" The voice drew nearer.

"Stupid beasts. They always wander in here and can't find their way out."

Yi saw an elderly farmer approaching and relaxed his grip on his sword. She wore a simple underskirt, patched here and there with scraps of cloth.

When she came up to him, Yi bowed.

"Hey, I'm no nun. No need for all that," she said. "You don't look like someone who works the fields, and those swords of yours aren't for cutting grass. What brings you here?"

"Nice weather. I thought I'd take a walk," Yi said, feigning innocence.

"So you're here to practice your swordplay, then? Noxus coming back so soon?" she said with a laugh.

"Where the sun sets, the sun will surely set."

The farmer snorted. She knew the old saying. Most people in the southern provinces did.

"Fine. Let me know when they come back. I'll take a boat off this island then. But right now, how about using that sword of yours to help a tottering old woman?"

She beckoned Yi to follow.

He didn't refuse.

They came to the edge of a wooded area. A young nilgai was crying out in distress, its hind leg tightly bound in thick vines. The more it struggled, the tighter they wound around it.

"That one's Lasha," the farmer explained. "He's a little fool, but he's got his uses—if we can get him off this cursed mountain and back to the fields."

"You think this mountain is cursed?" Yi asked, kneeling beside the animal.

He stroked its furry back with one hand, feeling its muscles twitch and spasm.

The farmer folded her arms.

"Whatever it is, something's gone wrong here," she replied, jerking her chin toward the summit. "Without the natural magic, the land demands something physical in its place. Sometimes, it even takes lives. If it were up to me, I'd burn the whole place to the ground."

Yi studied the vines. He hadn't expected to find them so far from the summit.

"Let me see what I can do," he murmured, drawing two blades from the bronze sheaths on his boots.

The instant he brought the steel blades close to the tangled vines, they seemed to recoil.

That moment lingered. Beads of sweat stung Yi's bare face.

He closed his eyes.

"Ima," he murmured in the ancient tongue. "Ibe."

The nilgai broke free with a joyful, high-pitched cry.

The severed vines dangled from the ground like loose skin.

The little animal bounded down the mountain, celebrating its freedom, while the farmer hurried after it.

She grabbed the nilgai with both hands and held it tight.

"Thank you!"

She shouted, not realizing Yi had already continued on his way.

She called after him, "Hey! I forgot to ask. What kind of sword do you practice? The war's over, you know..."

He didn't turn around.

My war isn't over.

An hour later, he reached the barren land. The ruins of a village lay scattered around him, and the same vines had invaded this place, too.

This was Wuji. This had once been home.

Yi headed for the graveyard, passing toppled pillars and stone carvings, the remains of homes, a school, and shrines—all the broken fragments jumbled together.

His parents' workshop had vanished among the rubble. There was nothing left for him to mourn, and no time to spare.

The graves he visited were arranged in perfect symmetry, with gaps between them for people to pass through. People like Yi.

"May your memories live on in Wuji."

He touched each sword hilt planted in the ground. They were his memories of warriors, teachers, and apprentices. He missed not a single sword.

"May your names be remembered by all."

"Rest in peace."

His voice soon grew weary.

The sky turned orange-red. Three graves remained untouched. In front of the nearest lay an iron hammer, its head rusted by the mountain's damp air.

Yi took a peach from his bag and placed it before the grave.

"Master Doran, Wukong sent this. He couldn't come with me, but he wanted me to give you his favorite fruit. He loves his staff, but he loves making fun of the helmet you gave me even more."

He walked to the last two graves, where golden scabbards stood guard.

"Ima, the weather is warm today. Ibe... I hope you like the warmth."

Yi drew his two short swords and slid them into the scabbards before his parents' graves. They fit perfectly. He knelt solemnly and bowed his head low.

"May your wisdom continue to guide me."

He stood and reached into his bag for his helmet.

The afternoon sunlight shone across its seven lenses, each reflecting a different glimmer.

He pressed the helmet to his chest and remembered the lily garden that had once been here.

Before the screams began.

Before acid and poisoned water twisted the magic of the land.

He put on the helmet, and the world around him filled his vision through its kaleidoscope of lenses. He clasped his hands and quieted his mind. His thoughts fell away. No mind, no thought. His feet lifted from the ground, though he didn't know it.

He opened his eyes and saw everything. Death and decay, with barely a trace of life.

He saw the spirits dwelling in another realm.

Like the poor nilgai, they were bound by vines, their essence slowly weakening.

He knew any spirit strong enough would break free and abandon this cursed land.

Those who remained had already been corrupted... or soon would be.

Their cries of pain and sorrow echoed through the air.

Yi, too, had once cried out in anguish, but that was long ago—back when he still believed that tears could bring back the dead.

He blinked, and the material world returned. For a moment, he pretended the burden on his shoulders didn't exist. Then he blinked again.

The spirits continued to cry out.

Yi drew the sword at his waist.

He shot forward like a streak of light, sweeping across the entire area. Like the changing seasons, he was gone before anyone could do more than follow the traces he left behind.

In a flash, he was back where he had started, perfectly still, his sword already sheathed.

The vines collapsed one after another. Some slid off the fallen rooftops; others shriveled where they stood.

He sat cross-legged and took it all in. Now the spirits sang with joy. He knew no thanks could be greater than this. They slowly faded away, and the land rejoiced with them.

Peach blossoms budded where the vines had spread. The drooping bamboo straightened, like students called to attention.

A fleeting smile crossed Yi's face.

He removed his helmet and tucked it deep into his bag, beneath his other travel supplies. Fruit, nuts... charcoal and flint. Some things were for him; others were for cleansing the land completely.

Not now. Not yet.

He took out a reed pen and a crumpled scroll. Symbols covered the page.

60

54

41

Yi added a few strokes today. At the bottom were a few words.

Cleanup interval: 30 days.

He knew it wouldn't be long before he had to grant the farmer's wish and burn his home to the ground.

But not now.

Not yet.

At last, Jia Ruo and Neeko set foot on Ionian soil.

After enduring three months at sea, summer had come to an end.

They didn't continue north along the coast with the merchant ship. They weren't going to Placidium.

Even though Captain had tried his hardest to persuade Jia Ruo. "You're a good kid. Why not come work for me? Life's a lot easier that way."

But Jia Ruo had smiled and declined.

"You young folks are always itching to wander. You'll learn your limits after you've hit a few walls. Here, take this."

Captain handed Jia Ruo a flintlock and a small pouch of ammunition.

"The western coast of Ionia's rough these days. Take it, just in case you need to protect yourself."

Jia Ruo and Neeko had disembarked at Baruo, the first province the merchant ship reached.

Jia Ruo had his own plans. He already knew who he wanted to find.

"No wonder it's called the First Lands."

Jia Ruo took a deep breath.

The magic here was especially abundant.

"This place smells a lot like Neeko's home!" Neeko remarked.

"Let's go." Jia Ruo tightened the bracer on his right hand. Whenever Neeko saw it, it reminded her of Nidalee.

What concerned Jia Ruo more was that the shard's color was slowly fading. It seemed to have transferred a great deal of its mysterious energy to him, but his fighting ability didn't seem to have improved much.

He had been absorbing magic into his body for half a year, yet his physical abilities were only on par with those of the strongest sailors. He'd felt it when he wrestled with them.

There had been plenty of time to kill aboard the merchant ship. The rough sailors would occasionally wrestle and set up a betting pool.

Jia Ruo often joined in. It was a great chance to train.

By the time the ship neared Ionia, only Captain could still take him down.

Though the bearded man never seemed to take anything seriously, he knew what he was doing. He always spotted Jia Ruo's openings and swiftly flipped him onto the deck, then boasted smugly to the cheering sailors.

He really would miss Captain.

Jia Ruo came back to himself and touched the flintlock tucked into his belt.

"Hey, could you point me in the right direction?"

He stopped a fisherman at the docks and asked,

"How do I get to Wuji Village?"