The Lost Knight

Chapter 1

Since the first Harrowing, the sentinels of light have been fighting tirelessly for generations to protect the world from the king of the shadow isles, Viego.

Each of these warriors is equipped with a relic capable of killing the numerous wraith hidden in the mist.

While they are all scattered around Runeterra, two of them are staying on standby and act as reinforcement when a Harrowing is spotted.

"It seems like they are going to refill the fountains again." The woman says, pointing at a shining point on the map.

This map is quite unique as it shows where the mist is in real time, while it is normally blackened around the isles, a little light shines next to it, slowly making its way toward the coast.

"Let's hope there will be no casualties this time." The man sighs, his arms crossed.

Guessing what happened to the last person who tried, the woman sighs too, her eyes locked worriedly on the point.

But she suddenly frowns. "What is this?" Her head gets closer to the map, next to another point.

This one does not shine, but it still is a white color, showing that something in the mist is wrong.

"Yes, there is something in there, but we were never able to establish contact with them." He stands next to her and frowns too. "But this one is new."

He was referring to an almost invisible light continuously traveling on one of the isles. However, the lonely point the woman found is located on another island somewhere near the fountains.

"This does not make sense. Why would there be no mist there." The man talks to himself, the woman giving him a serious look.

"Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do right now." She straightens herself, walking away.

He just stays frozen, his perplexed eyes stuck on the mysterious point.

Those who set foot on the isles never return, that is a common truth.

A young man has sailed with his mother, equipped with aurora, a liquid coming directly from the sun, he is determined to refill the fountains as the mist has gotten closer and closer to the shore each year.

A golden light englobes the two, protecting them from any wraith or corrupted souls flying around.

The mother tells him that he might not be ready yet, but he reminds her about the dangers of the Harrowings. She kisses her son on the forehead, asking him to come back safe and sound.

He nods, a serious look hiding his uneasiness.

The boy reaches the first fountain and refills it, summoning a dome similar to the one englobing their fishing boat. He follows the trail linking the fountains together, his duty not accomplished yet.

Lost souls fly ominously around the boy, some out of curiosity, others for more obscure reasons. However, he does not know that.

With a sigh, he reactivates the last fountain, recharging the seal weakening the Harrowings.

But he hears a sound behind.

He turns around, squinting his eyes to look at the silhouette turning its back on him.

"Father?" He calls, recognizing his paternal, the one who carried his duty before him.

But he does not seem to have heard the boy and continues to walk deeper into the isle, entering a shattered building.

After a brief moment of hesitation, the son follows him with a jog, careful not to the spill the aurora on the floor.

Each time he feels like he will catch him, his father seems even further away than before. But the boy does not stops, he wishes to bring back his father more than anything.

And when the man finally stops and faces his son, he vanishes with a bloodcurdling scream as his being ends up siphoned into a lantern-like artifact containing numerous souls.

Surprised by this development, the boy falls down, spilling what remained of the aurora.

A creature chuckles from the smoke. "Poor lost souls." Revealing its monstrous appearance, it looks at the frightened boy fleeing with delight. "Round and round we go." It spins its short scythe, a long bone chain connecting it to its back.

The boy runs and runs, losing his way in the broken environment, the clicking of the monster's steps following close behind.

He finally reaches the building's exit, his mother appearing in his view as he struggles to breath.

Halfway toward the comfort of the aurora, he slips, slamming face first on the ground. He struggles to stand up for a moment, before resuming his frenetic rush.

The young man reaches for his mother with his hand, a sigh of relief ready to come out.

But he crashes into the barrier, relief giving place to shock.

The mother does not move, unable to understand what is going on.

The monstrous clicking reaches the woman hear, taking her out of her trance. Both humans look behind the boy, the mother gasping when they see his cadaver laying where he slipped.

"NO!" She cries out when, like his father, the young man gets sucked into the lantern, the monster chuckling darkly.

"That is the truth of the isles." It starts but quickly spins around, interrupting his speech.

A shadow appear right before the boat, its glowing eyes scaring the woman and making her fall on her back. A weight is put on her, and when she opens her eyes.

Her son's lifeless expression meets hers.

Her tears fall harder, blurring her vision as she hugs his corpse, sobbing uncontrollably.

The boat starts to move as the shadow pushes it with her foot before facing the monster.

"Well, well, well." The monster makes his scythe spin slowly, menacingly. "Another fish took the bait."

The shadow does not answer but raises its hand, red particles merging into a ball of magic before forming a black sword with red lining, the ground shaking from the power released by the summon.

Strangely, the weapon is not affected by the shadow effect.

The knight shows its empty hand, gesturing for the monster to give back what it stole.

It just laughs. "Do not worry, you will soon join him." It mocks the shadow by showing its lantern.

The swordfighter's empty hand joins its comrade on the sword handle, the weapon contrasting ominously with the knight's smooth black figure.

Red energy explode from the blade, enveloping the weapon and revealing the girl's armor details with red reflections.