In the heart of the treacherous Conqueror's Sea lies a cluster of provinces spread across islands, forming the region known as the "First Lands," home to the vibrant and mystical Ionia. However, the peace of this land was shattered years ago by the Noxian invasion. The delicate balance between the physical and spiritual realms crumbled, and the land no longer shielded its people. The harmony between humans and nature spirits was irreparably broken.
Yet, the source of Ionia's woes wasn't merely the land's disarray. When Irelia of the Xan family rose during the Stand of Navori and led the Navori resistance to a decisive victory against Noxus, the invaders, under their newly appointed Grand General, retreated. Irelia, stepping back from her leadership role within the resistance, left the warriors rudderless, unsure of Ionia's fate.
That uncertainty didn't last long, as an ambitious figure emerged from the shadows. They reorganized the Navori resistance into the Brotherhood of Navori, forging an alliance with the Shadow Order.
Standing now in the northeastern part of Navori Province, Li Lin gazed at the glacier-fed rivers weaving through the mountains. The once-sacred grounds of the Kinkou Order had been overtaken by the Shadow Order.
[Aside from a few southern coastal ports and Fae'lor Island, Navuri Province has completely fallen under the control of the Brotherhood of Navuri and the Shadow Order.]
[Perhaps influenced by the expansion of Piltover and Zaun, the Brotherhood and Shadow Order have recently made several moves.]
[According to their latest activities, their next target seems to be Zhyun Province.]
"So it's happening years earlier than I remember," Li Lin mused silently. "I wonder how deeply Master Kusho has already succumbed to the influence of the Shadow Tear."
The Shadow Tear, the source of Zed's dark magic, originated during the Shadow War at the end of the Rune Wars a thousand years ago. It was a relic of the same era as the eternal nightmare, Nocturne.
Master Kusho, once the Kinkou Order's Eye of Twilight and father to the current leader Shen, had long faded into obscurity. After enduring betrayal by his prized student, Jhin, and faking his death, Kusho retreated to the shadows, controlling events from behind the scenes while his disciple-turned-renegade, Zed, bore the brunt of the blame.
Li Lin couldn't pinpoint when Kusho fell to the Shadow Tear's corruption, but he had little fondness for the old man in his memories.
His thoughts swirling, Li Lin ascended the mountain path. Within a minute, he reached a temple halfway up the slope. Before he could announce his presence, countless circular three-pronged shuriken whizzed toward him from all directions.
Li Lin sighed and raised a defensive barrier. The blades collided with the blue-white energy field and disintegrated into black smoke, leaving no trace behind.
Seeing their first attack fail, several shadowy figures emerged from Li Lin's own shadow, rising from the ground. Without waiting for them to strike, Li Lin's infinite armor emitted a wave of plasma currents, dispersing all magical constructs around him in an instant.
"I am Li Lin, Councilor of Piltover. I am here to speak with Zed," he declared. "I sent a messenger with my letter a week ago."
His words lingered in the air, met with prolonged silence. Moments later, the temple gate creaked open, and two shadows, seemingly formed from black smoke, materialized at the entrance. One of them made a welcoming gesture.
"The Shadow Master will see you," one rasped.
Without hesitation, Li Lin ascended the final flight of steps, stepping into the grand courtyard of the Shadow Order's headquarters. His armor's scanning system detected over twenty living beings in the vicinity, at least four or five of them exuding immense power. They lurked behind rooftops and various concealments.
"There's no need to hide," Li Lin called out. "I've subdued the shadow demon Nocturne. Your shadow magic holds no secrets from me."
As his voice faded, a shadow emerged from one of the dimly lit buildings and swiftly materialized in front of him. The figure swapped places with its shadow in a blink, and in an instant, a man clad in light armor appeared in Li Lin's view.
He was imposing, his crimson cloak draped over a lean yet muscular frame. A menacing mask covered his face, resembling something conjured from dark magic. On his back, two large shuriken rested, identical to the weapons that had attacked Li Lin earlier. His silver-armored arms were adorned with wrist blades, poised to unleash a lethal strike at any moment.
This outfit was all too familiar to Li Lin—Zed, the Master of Shadows.
"Li Lin of Piltover," Zed's tone was far from friendly, his red gaze cutting through the tension. "Since you've abandoned your identity as an Ionian to align yourself with another city-state, why have you returned?"
Li Lin had foreseen this reaction and had sent mechanized drones ahead with a letter announcing his visit. Yet Zed, who harbored disdain for those who abandoned their posts in Ionia or wavered in their convictions, remained skeptical.
To him, Li Lin, who had fled his homeland during wartime—a deserter in his eyes—was a symbol of betrayal. Were it not for his shadow warriors' failed attempts to test Li Lin's abilities, revealing that they stood no chance against this man in his peculiar Hextech armor, Zed wouldn't have bothered speaking to him at all.
"I didn't leave my homeland by choice," Li Lin replied calmly. "Had I not boarded that ship to Piltover seven years ago, I wouldn't be alive to stand before you now."
Zed's eyes narrowed as Li Lin continued. "When Noxus began its invasion, the peace of our sacred land was shattered. You and I both know all too well how the provincial councils handled things—choosing a delusional pursuit of balance over resistance."
Zed clenched his fists in silent fury. The three years of war had taught him that this pacifist approach was a grave mistake. His decision to break ties with the Kinkou Order had been born out of a desire to rally those willing to fight against Noxus. Yet the losses Ionia suffered could never be undone.
Seeing Zed's tacit acknowledgment of this failure, Li Lin pressed on. "I'm sure you've heard of my vision for the creation of the League of Legends. The Noxian invasion is but a prelude to greater threats looming over us. Our future will demand unity, not grudges, to forge humanity's final line of defense."
The crimson glow of Zed's mask intensified. "And why should I trust you?"
"You don't have a choice," Li Lin replied, his gaze drifting to a statue standing in the courtyard. Without raising a hand, the armor on his back unfolded, launching a plasma projectile at the massive stone figure.
Before Zed or his shadow warriors could react, the blue-white energy sphere struck the statue, shattering it into countless fragments. Smoke and dust filled the air.
Zed's voice tightened, his blades snapping into place with a metallic clang as he glared at Li Lin. "What have you done?"
From the shadows, his disciples emerged, surrounding Li Lin in a defensive formation. The destruction of the statue was a direct provocation, an affront to their honor.
Yet before they could act, an unseen force pulled every blade, dagger, and shuriken from their grasp. Those wearing light armor found themselves immobilized, their bodies bound by magnetic fields.
"What kind of sorcery is this?!" Zed demanded, his voice louder this time, masking the fear he felt for his trapped disciples.
"Your weapons are useless against me," Li Lin said, his tone unshaken. "I came here because the Shadow Order has contributed much to Ionia. But it seems you've lost your way." He paused, a faint smile curling his lips. "Kusho has been corrupted by the Shadow Tear. Everything he does now stems from a twisted, pathological need for control. And yet, you still trust him."
The words hit Zed like a blow. Beneath his mask, his expression froze in panic. How could this outsider possibly know that Kusho was still alive?
"Think about it carefully, Zed," Li Lin said, his form dissolving into a flash of blue-white light. His final words lingered in the courtyard as he disappeared: "In three weeks, the first League of Legends summit will convene at the Academy of War in Piltover."
(End of Chapter)