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Chapter 202 - Mother

​"Through suffering they come to love me. Every. Single. One."~ Evelynn, Agony's Embrace

No chapter yesterday. I had an assignment to rush.

Reminder exams are coming up so chapters will stop Thursday onward and resume on the next Friday.

I tried making characters seem human. Let me know if they feel authentic and real. And most importantly do they feel like the characters they are supposed to be.

Anyway, enjoy the chapter.

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"Elora." Mel placed a Shimmer laced brush in front of her, "Salo has been doping himself with this ever since the loss of his legs. It will only be a matter of time before he loses himself to the madness that follows."

Elora stared at the brush, "I apologize for suggesting this....but maybe... you need to rely on your mother."

Mel raised her head toward Elora, "My mother has a different goal for coming here Elora. She is a conqueror not a savior. Bringing her into the fold would only harm Piltover in the long run and she was already started to move." She tapped the brush. "Salo has already fallen to her clutches. That means we only have four unbiased members of the council left."

She sighed, "If anything even minutely dangerous happens..... then she would use that to force for control. And knowing my mother..... she would succeed."

"Piltover would become an instrument of war against Noxus." Her fists clenched, "These people are already suffering... I do not want to add to that."

"I think..." Elora began to shake.

CRACK

CRACK

Her body began to bend at impossible angles and her voice began to take on a gravelly tone, "You should have stayed close to your mother!"

Mel watched as Elora's face cracked apart as thorny vines made of magic that seeped through the cracks. But the fear in her eyes brought clarity to Mel as she began to run away to the nearest exit.

The reddish magic reached around her and restrained her arms and legs.

"No!" Mel exclaimed trying to reach for the door that was barely an inch away.

But her efforts were futile as the magic enclosed around her.

A moment later, the door opened and someone walked through, "Councilwoman?"

But the room was empty.

They entered the room to look around but there was nothing but a fading red mark.

-x-

Ambessa leaned against the railing on her balcony as Rictus let in Maddie.

"General." Maddie saluted by crossing her arm against her chest.

She looked Maddie up and down, noticing the scratches and dirt on her clothes.

"I suppose he denied our request and asked to be left alone?" Ambessa asked as she turned around looking toward Zaun.

"No general." Maddie answered, "He accepted the request but declined the invite."

Ambessa frowned as she slowly spun around, "Accepted?"

"Yes. He stated that this was to repay a favor owed to your son." She answered, "He also wants to remind you of the favor you owe him from seven years ago."

"He accepted!" Ambessa turned to Rictus with a victorious smile. "There goes our worry." She then frowned, "Did he rough you up to send a message?"

Maddie shook her head, "I had said that it was an honor to meet The Gray and he used his magic to send me flying out of their place of stay."

Ambessa chuckled before turning around once more, "And where is this place of stay?"

"The Last Drop." Maddie answered, "The place Silco used to run. And with him currently, are Caitlin Kiramman, Vi and the one responsible for all the attacks, Jinx."

"All of them?" Ambessa reasoned with a smile, "It seems he keeps being dragged into the center of everything going on. But he did decline my invitation.... Did he say when he would be going to my daughter?"

Maddie shook her head, "He wants her brought to him. And along with her Jayce Talis."

Ambessa tilted her head, "Now why would he want to meet our important inventor?"

"He asked for him almost like a passing thought." Maddie answered, "As if he had just thought of it all of a sudden."

"Fine." Ambessa said, "Send my daughter over to him. She will not listen to my commands so you would have to lie to get her there. A simple lie. Tell her that the enforcers are holding Jinx at that location and require both her and the inventor's presence before making a decision. Take the other two enforcers with you."

Maddie nodded, "Yes general." She then walked out of the room without another word.

"He denies our invite." Ambessa spoke out loud, "But accepts the deal. It seems that I still cannot predict his behavior."

Rictus leaned against his spear, "I remember him saying that he did us a favor free of charge.... without expecting repayment."

Ambessa nodded, "He did. But the weight of his favor lets him do such things. He destabilized Noxus, allowing us to firmly place our feet into its soil. I suspect that we are close enough to be added to the ruling class. A fourth member to the Trifarix. Though that would warrant a change in name."

"He was also fully willing to kill us." Rictus continued. "And it is not like we haven't heard of his actions in Demacia."

Ambessa chuckled, "That is what separates a man like him from the rest. He could have become Demacia's ruler, he chose not to. And even they speak of his feats in battle. I had chalked some of it to exaggeration but when all of our report began to match.... his control over magic has exceeded anything Noxus could hope to achieve." She looked toward the sky, "The act of flying with just his body alone."

"Our runes will stop his magic." Rictus answered.

"His magic yes." Ambessa nodded, "But he didn't make a name for himself with his magic all those years ago. He is resourceful. That is worse. You must never fear the strong just the ones who constantly survive every situation. Gregori is one such man."

Rictus didn't reply but he ran a thumb over the rune inscribed on the spear.

Ambessa pushed forward, "At least Mel's safety is guaranteed."

-x-

"The councilwoman is missing." Maddie told the other two enforcers. "Loris send word to the guards and Steb we have to get word to Councilman Talis."

The group then split apart.

Loris and Steb going to do their respective duties while Maddie rushed to Ambessa's quarters.

Within the hour every enforcer and guard had their eye out for Mel and once Steb figured out that Councilman Jayce had also gone missing, their efforts doubled.

Once Ambessa learnt of Mel's disappearance and of the fading mark, she along with Rictus instantly made their way to Gregori.

KNOCK

KNOCK

"Come in." Gregori called, "The door is unlocked."

Ambessa pushed the door open and looked over the room's occupants. Quite a few. She couldn't believe the solitary Gregori surrounding himself with people.

Gregori, noticing Ambessa spoke first, "I distinctly remember having asked for your daughter to be brought before me. You weren't included."

"I need your assistance." Ambessa spoke.

Gregori shook his head, "No." He then looked past her and nodded, "Rictus."

"Gregori." Rictus nodded back.

Ambessa growled at the interaction, "It pertains to my daughter. You said that you would protect her."

"That I did." Gregori answered. "Once she is brought to me."

"SHE IS MISSING!" Ambessa roared in frustration. "AND THEY LEFT A MARK!"

"I would appreciate you calm down Ambessa." Gregori said slowly, "The flower group?" He asked.

She nodded, "They threatened me and the next day they take my child."

"And what do you want me to do?" Gregori asked.

"Save her."

His eyebrows rose and then he shrugged, "No. I cannot afford a detour in my current situation. And especially in order to have those morons set their sights on me." He took a short breath, "My current situation is quite precarious and any unwanted attention would cause more harm than good."

"You said you wanted to repay the favor to my son." Ambessa tried to push.

Gregori nodded, "To your son, yes. And only if it was within my power to."

Ambessa's shoulder slumped and for the second time in her life, she pled, "Please. I cannot lose another child."

Watching this stalwart woman crumble for the second time wasn't something Gregori had expected to see. And for her to throw away the very pride that defined her....

"Fine." Gregori said. "I will give you two options. One, I can make it so you can get her yourself and the second... is that I can refer you to someone who will find her for you. He is an assassin but he will get the job done."

"I will go get her myself." Ambessa answered immediately. There was no other person she trusted more than herself to get the job done.

Gregori nodded as he pushed himself off the bar stool and walked out, "You lot stay inside." He told the room's inhabitants and walked out with Ambessa and Rictus in tandem.

He then closed his eyes in prayer and then looked to the sky.

And seemingly out of nowhere a star began moving. It positioned itself toward the south and emitted a bright glow.

"There." He pointed to the star.

"What?" Ambessa sounded confused.

Gregori turned to her, "That star. It is positioned exactly above her. And it is glowing brightly..... that means your daughter is alive and well."

"What..... sorcery...?" Ambessa looked at him in shock.

"I remember telling you that I knew that my daughter was alive all those years ago." Gregori answered, "This was how. And I found her."

He turned to the door and walked toward it, "Now it is your turn. Bring your daughter to me and I will ensure her safety."

Ambessa stared at his retreating back begrudgingly, "Thank you."

"Thank Kino." Gregori said as he closed the door behind him.

"I have never seen her like that." Caitlin whispered as Gregori reentered the Last Drop.

Gregori slid onto the chair, "I have. A long time ago.... after her son died. Ambessa is many things but the one thing she tries her hardest to be....... is a good mother. That is what you saw today. Just a mother."

He looked at the room's inhabitants, "There are quite a few pains one an experience but from all I have been through.... there is no greater pain than having a child taken from you. I have lost friends and wives, even parents but losing my children was what pushed me over the edge. I wouldn't wish that kind of pain on anyone except my worst enemies."

"But your parents are alive." Daani pointed out.

Faye stepped in, "And you have met them idiot. They tried to have him killed."

"I was just pointing out that they were still alive." Daani defended himself.

"Loss doesn't mean death Daani." Gregori answered, "When Annie was taken from me it was a loss. And when your unborn sibling was killed, it was also a loss. You can always lose something. Doesn't necessarily mean through death."

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