During this trip to the Frostguard Citadel, Lissandra granted Li Lin permission to establish the first defensive line in the Howling Abyss. He had achieved his goal, though the same could not be said for Ashe. She had intended to negotiate with Lissandra regarding the unification of the Freljord, but Lissandra deftly avoided the issue by leading her to the Howling Abyss to encounter the sealed Watchers.
Ashe was not naive to Lissandra's tactics; she could sense the underlying malice buried deep within the Frostguard leader. Lissandra's disdain stemmed from the fact that both Ashe and Sejuani were descendants of Avarosa and Serylda, possibly even their reincarnations. Worse yet, they were aware of truths Lissandra wished to keep buried.
For now, however, according to Li Lin, Lissandra wielded the crucial power required to prevent the Watchers from breaking free of their seals. Yet even her efforts could only hold them back for a limited time, as the Watchers were growing restless. Lissandra was forced to channel her full strength just to keep them suppressed.
For the time being, with Li Lin's cooperation, Lissandra's influence wouldn't impede the unification of the Freljord—so long as Ashe stayed clear of Frostguard-controlled territories. Yet after witnessing the Watchers firsthand, Ashe's priorities had shifted. She realized that with the Void threatening to devour the entire world, even the survival of Runeterra was uncertain, let alone the fate of a single Freljordian tundra.
Knowing what was truly at stake, Ashe, as the war mother of the Avarosan Tribe, understood the importance of focusing on the greater threat.
After departing from the Frostguard Citadel, Ashe and Sejuani returned to Gregori's place of confinement to delve deeper into the legends of the Three Sisters. Meanwhile, Li Lin wasted no time heading back to Piltover and Zaun, leaving the Freljord behind without lingering further.
Just as he arrived at the Frostguard Citadel, an alert from his AI came through—a report from a mechanical scout. While surveying the terrain of a Zaunite trench for an upcoming reconstruction project, one of the hired yordle Bellrats stumbled upon a harp capable of manipulating minds. It was likely a new Darkin living weapon.
Fortunately, the mechanical scout was present to prevent the Bellrat from accidentally breaking the harp's seal. Had it been awakened prematurely and not yet brought under Azir's control, this Darkin would undoubtedly have unleashed chaos and bloodshed.
Currently, the mechanical scouts had evacuated the few remaining inhabitants of the trench, while the AI notified the Shuriman Empire. Upon learning that the weapon in question was a harp, Aatrox personally requested to be teleported to the academy near the battlefield, arriving at the location swiftly.
Li Lin's surroundings shifted as he transported from the icy tundra to Zaun's undercity. Aatrox had already been waiting for some time.
"Li Lin," Aatrox greeted with a curt nod, golden light flickering in his eyes, his excitement palpable.
Still clad in his combat armor, Li Lin returned the nod. "Another one of your former subordinates?" he asked curiously.
From the Darkin Ballista sealing Naganeka in Ionia's Navori province to the Darkin Halberd found on the Shadow Isles containing Taarosh, Aatrox's old allies seemed to resurface frequently. Li Lin could only marvel at the legendary status Aatrox had once held as one of Shurima's most renowned Ascended warriors. His influence rivaled even that of Nasus, the empire's "Scholar-General."
"Yes," Aatrox confirmed. "Her name is Stirlat, a great elemental mage and Ascended from Ixtal."
"She?" Li Lin raised an eyebrow and eyed Aatrox with a teasing grin. "You didn't seem this excited when we found Taroosh."
For once, Aatrox seemed at a loss for words, a rare occurrence for the infamous "Mouth of the Darkin." After an awkward laugh, he mumbled, "This is… different. If Styraatu were to awaken and not see me, she might spiral into madness."
Li Lin's expression turned thoughtful, a subtle suspicion forming in his mind. If even someone as sharp-tongued as Aatrox could be rendered speechless, their bond must run deeper than mere camaraderie. But how? After Ascension, the Ascended lost much of their humanity, including physical characteristics and even some emotions. Could their connection truly be romantic, or was it just a strong bond of shared battles?
Shaking his head, Li Lin pushed the idle musings aside. Now wasn't the time for such thoughts.
The Darkin Harp lay buried deep underground, concealed beneath layers of stone and discarded metal. The Bellrat had noticed part of it sticking out during their survey, and the mechanical scout's scans revealed it to be a living Darkin weapon sealed within the harp.
The mechanical scouts, impervious to blood magic due to their lack of flesh, were tasked with the excavation. With matter-dissolution technology, they easily dismantled the surrounding material. Within minutes, the harp emerged—a monstrous creation of blackened obsidian and crimson bone, with jagged spines and strings that shimmered like fiery embers.
Aatrox's radiant gaze grew more intense, his armored face betraying an almost nostalgic expression. Without hesitation, he leapt into the pit and picked up the harp, its massive frame nearly as long as a grown man. In the hands of the five-meter-tall Ascended warrior, however, it fit perfectly.
As a sliver of magic coursed through it, the Darkin Harp erupted in fierce, blazing flames. Then, as if sensing Aatrox's presence, the energy softened and coiled gently around his obsidian-like form.
A raspy, female voice with a trembling undertone suddenly echoed from the harp. "Aatrox… Aatrox! Is it… really you?"
Back in the days of the Ascended, Aatrox's immense power had made him one of the first to be sealed by the mortal hosts of the Celestial entities. Leading the charge were Astraea, the mortal host of the Aspect of War, and Mysha, the mortal host of the Aspect of Twilight. They had surrounded Aatrox's army with their forces.
Aatrox charged boldly at Astraea but never reached her; Mysha had ensnared him using a cunning trick, binding him to his sword with the gravity of a thousand dead stars.
When Styraatu learned of Aatrox's imprisonment, she sought out Mysha to exact revenge, only to meet the same fate.
"Yes, Styraatu, it's me," Aatrox exhaled deeply, his voice heavy with emotion. "Don't worry. Your seal will soon be broken."
For Aatrox, finding Styraatu alive was a welcome surprise, while the fact that Aatrox had freed himself from the Celestial seal left Styraatu stunned.
"You've even discovered a way to lift the seals?" she asked in disbelief.
"Of course. And it's all thanks to Li Lin," Aatrox replied. "A human. He and the new mortal host of the Aspect of Twilight, Zoe, developed the method to undo the seals. What's more, he struck a bargain with Aurelion Sol, the Star Forger, enabling us to ascend once more and address the flaws caused by our original Ascension."
As Aatrox explained his journey, Styraatu remained silent, suppressing her disdain for humanity. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "This human… Li Lin? Who is he, exactly?"
To Styraatu, Aatrox's tone was uncharacteristically respectful, which was baffling given his usual contempt for mortals. What could have happened during her slumber to make him revere a human so highly?
"When your seal is lifted, I'll explain everything in detail," Aatrox assured her.
(End of Chapter)
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