"Breaking out was nothing! Watch me break a kingdom."~ Sylas, The Unshackled
Drop some stones on the fic lads. All those who thought the fic was dropped need to know. THE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW!
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"Where are we going Daddy?" Faye jumped up beside him.
Gregori smiled and placed a hand on her head, "We are going to do some exploring of the forest, fairy."
His two beasts followed behind him obediently.
"EXPLORING!" Briar squealed in excitement.
Her enthusiasm soon affected the rest of the kids as they all jumped forward in celebration. Eileen gave them a soft smile and made her way to Gregori, hoping to get some words with him.
But as she walked up to him, a hand grabbed his and gave it a tug.
He looked down. Rell looked up at him with concern. "We can go on the exploration later. You need to rest."
"Its fine little lance." Gregori replied trying to convince her. "There is nothing wrong with me and I got plenty of rest in my shackles."
Rel shook her head, "You are weaker now..... I can see it. I can recognize it." She corrected herself as her eyes flitted toward the other kids. "You looked like this the last time you transformed."
Gregori tilted his head questioningly. "What do you mean?"
"Gray." She answered. "Your body is gray and your skin is paler."
Gregori nodded. "Yes...." He looked forward. They would eventually realize things. Children are extremely good at recognizing if something is wrong with their parents, though that is something that fades with time. He looked back at Rell.
He sighed.
He would have to tell them about it at some point anyway, why not tell her now?
"You see Rell...." Gregori began, "Using Caalyx comes with a cost. Caalyx is a Darkin. And Darkin are immortal warriors of old who were corrupted."
"You've told us this." Rell nodded.
"Yes." Gregori smiled, "You see Darkin need hosts to use their full power. And these hosts usually do not survive when they come into contact with a Darkin weapon. This is because of the cost." He gestured with his hands, "Though the weapons themselves are immortal and unbreakable.... the hosts aren't. They can be broken and the weapon can be sealed. That is how you beat a Darkin. Now the cost for my transformation is blood. Specifically my own blood. That is why every time I transform, I end up looking like this. I do not have a lot of blood running through my body right now. I am paler, my skin turns grayish and above all I feel tired."
"Why not use someone else's blood?" Rell asked.
Gregori shook his head, "It has to be mine. If I use someone else's then I won't be able to turn back. I will forever be fused to Caalyx. So this temporary weakness doesn't sound too bad doesn't it?"
Rell nodded in understanding. "But you can rest today?" She asked.
"Not today Rell." Gregori refused. "The nobles are distracted today. It is the perfect time for us to strike. There will be no eyes on us till nighttime at least and that is all the time we need to find the other half of Caalyx."
"Other half?" Eileen interrupted in shock, "You weren't saying it as a figure of speech?
"No." Gregori chuckled, "Caalyx is currently separated in two parts. I had come to Demacia over a decade ago to hide the other half in the Petriciteforest. Now that the other Darkin are moving.... it is time for me to unite both halves once more."
"To fight?"
"To seal." Gregori corrected. "I cannot let any of them roam free. Every single one of them can destroy a kingdom. Entire lands will be left devastated as they rampage and the ones who can stop them sit upon the highest reaches of Targon unmoving."
"The Aspects?" Eileen asked. "You should not speak ill of them."
Gregori snorted. "Those Aspects do not care for your wellbeing Eileen. They are higher beings who have descended to have fun among us pitiful mortals. They are worse than the vilest man you can think of."
"But they are benevolent and kind!" Eileen protested. "They work for the good of us all."
"Have you seen any of this sister?" Gregori asked. "Have you seen a single instance of their actions?"
Eileen didn't reply.
"I am not jesting sister." Gregori placed a hand on her shoulder. "The Aspects are like the Darkin in many ways. They just hide it better."
"But they are holy. They belong to the light." Eileen reasoned.
"Just because they belong to the light does not make them good Eileen." Gregori explained. "The Aspects do not care for you and yours. They are here for their own satisfaction. Not for some grand purpose as you all choose to believe."
"But we have spoken to one." Eileen said. "One who swears to help protect our lands."
Gregori's expression morphed to one of shock. "You have met one?"
"Yes." Eileen smirked, believing that her brother would finally see the error of his ways. "He used to be a Captain among the Dauntless Vanguard. He left to explore a ruin without word and his entire cohort was wiped out in an attack. The previous king had him sentenced to the Crown of Stone."
"He lived?" Gregori asked.
"He did." Eileen answered. "And he returned an Aspect."
Gregori could not believe it. The Crown of Stone. It was a form of banishment. The criminals were sent to Targon and forced to climb up the mountain in repentance. Gregori had been on a wagon with them. He knew how impossible it was to climb the mountain.
Even among the Rakkor there was only one who had managed it.
At his age, if he had been forced to climb it.... his chances of survival was nonexistent.
"What did he say?"
"He was all shiny. Glowing. Shimmering." She had a giddy smile on her face as she spoke of him. "Taric was fabulous."
Gregori watched her with a strange sense of confusion. She seemed to be fully absorbed in her thoughts of this man. Abnormally absorbed.
"Eileen?" He prodded.
She didn't react.
"Eileen!" He reached out and shook her. "Hey!"
She was shaken out of her daze as she looked at Gregori in confusion. "What?"
"You were out of it." Gregori said.
"What no?" Eileen spoke. "I just finished speaking to you."
Gregori frowned. This Taric. He has used some sort of mind altering ability. His glimmer and shine might be a side effect of this ability.
"What is he the Aspect of?" Gregori asked.
"Protection."
Gregori looked taken aback. Protection from what? What is he even protecting? He hasn't moved against any Darkin. Hasn't moved against any of the Noxians. Hasn't moved against the Demons.
"I suppose the only thing the Aspect of Protection cares for is itself." He muttered under his breath.
"Hmm?" Eileen turned to him. "What?"
"Nothing." Gregori replied, "I was just thinking about how interesting this revelation is."
He noticed Rell's hand clutch his own very hard. He rubbed her palm with a finger, calming her down. She had definitely spotted the change in Eileen at that moment.
"It is the truth. The Aspects are here to help us." Eileen repeated.
Gregori nodded. "I suppose they are. I stand corrected." He chose to accept defeat in this conversation since she wasn't in her right mind.
And he did not know how to break the control her mind was currently under.
"Daddy the forest!" Daisy called from ahead of them.
"Wait for us!" He called back. "Do not run inside alone!"
And with that he picked up the pace to get near his children. Rell followed him quickly.
He then took charge and led the group through the forest. They witnessed the destroyed forest and the unearthed ground.
"This is where you fought?" Daani asked.
Gregori nodded. "But we weren't alone. There is this giant statue in Demacia. One called Galio." He turned to Eileen. "That statue is a living thing. It flew into the fight and fought against both of us."
Eileen's eyes widened. She had heard of the statue moving but she had not expected it to have fought against Gregori.
"After I beat them, it returned to its original position." Gregori concluded.
"A big statue?" Sydell asked, his eyes glowing in excitement. "Can we see it?"
"After this. Sure." Gregori answered. "I will take you all around Demacia."
Sydell raised his hand a performed a fist pump.
"You have brought quite a few people here Gregori."
A voice was heard from around them.
"They are my family." Gregori replied.
"Hm.. I suppose you would want to be led to your weapon?" The voice asked.
Gregori nodded. "Yes that would be appreciated."
The owner of the voice slowly stepped out from behind the trees.