Returning Aatrox to the Shuriman Empire went smoother than expected, even exceeding Li Lin's predictions. With Zoe's help, the legendary general of the Ascended regained his celestial form, unmarred by the corruption of blood magic. Though his soul remained tainted, the Sun Disc's radiance could significantly slow the Void's encroachment. As long as Azir lived, Aatrox would serve Shurima for many years to come.
With a third Ascended of relatively sound mind, Shurima's rise was bound to occur faster than in the original timeline. However, because Aatrox bore the burden of past transgressions, Azir refrained from hosting any grand ceremonies to welcome him back.
Later that day, the Emperor convened a meeting in the imperial palace with his Golden Envoy, Resurrection Envoy, and trusted ministers. Li Lin, Zoe, Nasus, Aatrox, and even Sivir were present. With Bel'Veth's threat looming, they had only six months to prepare. For now, Aatrox was the only Darkin who had returned to Shurima.
Li Lin, however, reassured the group that this posed no significant issue. As long as Shurima provided the names of the former Ascended, he could use the miniaturized Runeterra to locate them, provided they had broken free of their seals at least once. If not, the strength of the celestial magic used by the previous guardian, Myisha, would make it impossible for the device to pinpoint their location, offering only clues about their last known whereabouts.
The search for the Darkin was challenging. Among them, Li Lin only knew that Varus might have escaped his seal. The Noxian wars had ended just over a year ago. Kayn, a boy once sent to the battlefield by Noxus and later defeated and taken in by Zed, the Shadow Master, was still a novice in shadow magic and had yet to encounter Rhaast. Furthermore, Noxus had not uncovered any rumors about the Darkin scythe, suggesting Rhaast remained sealed. The same could be said for the other Darkin.
Azir appointed Aatrox as the general tasked with locating the Darkin weapons. With Li Lin's assistance, Aatrox would search for his former comrades and persuade them to submit to Azir's rule. For those Darkin who could not suppress their twisted ambitions—like the treacherous Nezuk, who once betrayed the empire—they would face total annihilation. Shurima had no need for disloyal subordinates, and Li Lin would not tolerate any of the Darkin stabbing them in the back when the time came to face the Void. Nezuk's betrayal, which led to Horok's death, served as a grim reminder.
Before the confrontation with Bel'Veth, Azir assigned Nasus a crucial mission: within three months, he was to reclaim the northern Shuriman ports of Urzeris, Tereshni, and Belzhun, currently occupied by Noxus.
As the meeting concluded and the sun dipped below the horizon, everyone departed to carry out their duties. The Ascended needed no rest, and neither did Li Lin. Shortly after the meeting, he and Zoe sought out Nasus before heading toward the Shuriman city walls, where Aatrox stood, gazing at the sunset from a high vantage point.
Zoe, uninterested in the desert or Shurima, remained solely because of Li Lin. While he ascended the steps to the wall, Zoe floated idly nearby, chewing bubblegum and swaying to a melody she hummed softly to herself.
Aatrox's broad, three-meter-tall frame was silhouetted against the horizon, the orange glow of the setting sun blending with the golden sands. His enormous sword, now dull gray and stripped of most of its crimson hue, rested in a specially crafted slot on his backplate, its dark presence contrasting with his regal and holy form.
Hearing the approaching footsteps, Aatrox did not turn. After a long silence, he sighed deeply.
"I have touched the stars and witnessed the light of thousands of suns. We swore to protect this world with our lives, and yet it was us who plunged it into the abyss."
When Aatrox finally turned, his golden eyes glimmered with sorrow. His face bore a look of utter despondency, tinged with fleeting flashes of rage and bloodlust that he quickly suppressed.
"Forgive me," he said, forcing a faint smile. "I wasn't always this melancholic."
For centuries, Aatrox had grown accustomed to the unrestrained existence of a Darkin, reveling in the bloodshed that brought him solace. Such ingrained habits could not be shed overnight. This, more than anything, explained why Azir hesitated to entrust him with Shurima's Golden Legion.
"I understand," Li Lin said, meeting his gaze. "Some things are inevitable, but at least we still have a chance to make amends."
"Amends…" Aatrox looked up at the Sun Disc, its glow fading with the approaching night. "You're strong, stronger than I expected. But I can see you lack proficiency in martial arts."
"For me, martial prowess has become almost irrelevant," Li Lin replied.
"True. With your mechanized armor, even I might struggle to defeat you as I am now."
Li Lin dismissed Aatrox's self-effacing comment with a slight shake of his head. He had no intention of underestimating Aatrox, whose strength had once earned praise from both Azir and Nasus. The history of the Ascended warriors made it clear: no one doubted the power of this legendary general. Even now, in his newly restored form, Aatrox's sheer presence exuded a pressure that Li Lin suspected would overwhelm him in close combat, despite his triple-enhanced physique. If Nasus faced Aatrox in his ordinary form, the battle would likely end within moments.
"I'm here for something important," Li Lin said, cutting to the chase.
"You want to discuss the Emperor's order for me to locate the Darkin weapons?"
"Exactly." Li Lin nodded.
"I've obtained the list of Darkin from the Grand Scholar. These were the survivors of the Void War among the Ascended," Li Lin explained. "Including the Grand Scholar and Renekton, there were 78 survivors from that time. However, whether they survived between the fall of Shurima and the Darkin War is unknown."
Aatrox fell silent for a long moment, seemingly deep in thought. Eventually, he pressed his hand to his forehead, his expression pained as he muttered through gritted teeth, "The Void affected me greatly. Coupled with the torment of being sealed in a weapon, much of it is a blur. But..." He paused, then continued bitterly, "I do recall many of my kin falling during the early stages of the Darkin War, all thanks to that traitor, Nezuk!"
The mention of Nezuk's name made Aatrox clench his jaw with such force it seemed his teeth might crack. He spat the words out, one by one. Among the Ascended, his bond with Horok had been especially strong. A hero who had ended the Void War deserved a death on the battlefield, not at the hands of their own kind. Aatrox's fists tightened, his muscles trembling as he struggled to suppress the rising tide of rage and bloodlust. After several deep breaths, he managed to steady himself.
"In any case, I estimate that around 36... no, maybe 39 Darkin perished in the war. I can't recall the exact number," he admitted, a hint of melancholy in his voice. "Tayanari once tried to convene us to discuss Shurima's future, but few answered his call. At least I know who didn't attend—myself, Varus, Rhaast, Horazi, and Taroosh..."
Aatrox listed over a dozen names before the golden light in his eyes began flickering rapidly, his aura fluctuating wildly as he remembered his enemies. "And Xolaani," he finally said.
Li Lin recognized the name. Unlike Varus and Rhaast, Xolaani wasn't someone he had known prior to his time in Shurima. She had appeared in Shurima's history as a healer among the Ascended, revered by her followers for her compassion. Xolaani had once ruled over the city of Zoran, not far from the port of Belveth. That was how Li Lin had come across her title, "the Faceless Goddess." But he had never imagined such hatred could exist between her and Aatrox.
Li Lin frowned, considering asking about their history, but when he saw Aatrox's anguished expression, he decided against it.
"It's in the past now," Aatrox said, regaining his composure. "Among the Darkin, as mad as many of us were, Xolaani stood out as someone who still cared for mortals, even if she controlled them through blood magic. We clashed often on the battlefield, but her unique magic always turned the tide in her favor. However, my subordinate Taroosh did manage to defeat her once."
He paused briefly before continuing, "After that ill-fated gathering, I heard from Nafaari that Tayanari betrayed the others. Four Darkin, including Tayanari, dissolved into nothing under a spell cast from the heavens. The only survivors were Xerobatal and Varus' sister, Varivya."
His gaze drifted towards Zoe, who was nonchalantly blowing bubbles nearby. "The spell was cast by the Aspect of Twilight."
"What are you looking at me for? That wasn't my doing!" Zoe shot him an indignant glare, prompting Aatrox to awkwardly avert his eyes.
"Anyway," Aatrox resumed, "there aren't many of us Darkin left. Nafaari, Rhaast, Taroosh, and Horazi might still answer my call—if they're alive. As for the rest, I doubt they would return to the Empire's rule."
Aatrox locked eyes with Li Lin. "The Void is approaching. The most pressing matter now is to issue an Ascension decree. We need to find warriors in the Empire's domain who are qualified for Ascension and rebuild the Ascended Order."
Li Lin glanced at Zoe, feeling a twinge of helplessness. Freeing the Darkin from their weapons and restoring their divine forms wouldn't require much power from the Celestial Dragon, as they had already ascended once before. However, creating new Ascended would be an entirely different matter—something Zoe had made abundantly clear, which was why she hadn't taught Azir and Nasus the lost rituals of Ascension.
During a recent meeting, Azir had explained to Aatrox that Ascension drew upon the power of the Celestial Dragon, a being of creation. Yet Aatrox still insisted on this proposal, underscoring the dire threat the Void posed. After all, Aatrox had fought in Icathia and witnessed the horrors of the Void firsthand.
"I know this puts you in a difficult position," Aatrox said, "but I hope you'll consider it carefully and discuss it with... er, Miss Zoe. At the very least, we need ten capable Ascended warriors to face this so-called Void Empress in six months."
Ten Ascended warriors...
"I understand," Li Lin said, taking a deep breath. "But for now, let's focus on finding the remaining Darkin."
(End of Chapter)
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