Rell

Chapter 1

                                                                                             

Rell couldn't get the image of Gabriel's vacant face out of her head. He had been thin, his skin hugging his cheek bones tightly. All colors had faded. Where once there had been a red warmth, now there was only a cold grey. Of course, Rell knew her friend had died long ago, or at least his spirt. She had sealed that fate. But still, she had hoped to rescue what little remained. She hoped she could save some remnants of the boy who was brave enough to be her friend. The boy who had such beautiful and creative magic that was able to bring such joy to scared and lonely girl. The boy who she had used her austere magic to dominate him in their "exhibition match." She was too late. All of Gabriel was gone, but she could still save the others.

Gabriel had been being moved across the Rokrun plains. They had been heading with purpose Northeast towards Qualthala before the guards had gotten bored of their duty and decided hunting would be more fun, or so she assumed. Why else would they have been out on the open plains? Rell had witnessed her old instructor trying in vain to convince the guards to stay on task. Had they listened they might still be alive. She wasn't sure where their destination had been exactly, but her source had told her of another Null boy being moved to a complex just outside Qualthala.

Rain lethargically bounced of the Iron stead as it approached a jungle in the northern plains. This is where the complex would be, the failures of the Black Rose hidden deep behind thorny vines and out of sight of Noxus. She landed with a thud as she dismounted, the metal of the horse now forming into armor around her. A murder of crows that had been perched in the tress above fled at the sight of her, cawing with distain. The dense jungle would not make it easy for her navigate mounted, and she was desperate to avoid being to late a second time.

Everywhere she went thorns scratched at her armor, and vines sought to trip her. She had originally tried to navigate her way through jungle, attempting to use paths created by the bigger animals that called this place their home. She had quickly decided that it was a futile endeavor. She was now hacking her way through with a crude knife she had made from metal pulled out the ground. Every now and then Rell could hear wild noises from the shadows. Whatever they were, they had decided to stay far away.

Rell had felt like she had been trapped in the maze the jungle had made for hours. She was beginning to tire. What little light had been making it through the canopy had begun to fade with the setting sun which only enticed her more to take a moment to rest. Leaning up against a nearby tree, she closed her eyes ready to let the weariness take her.

For a moment she was transported back to military boarding school her mother had sent her to. She remembered how excited she was when that pale lady had offered her a place. She could finally do all the things she was never allowed to. Make friends with those "bellow their family's rightful station," not having to be the perfect "noble" girl all the time, to feel loved.

She remembered her old dormitory, with its dull wallpaper that seemed to make her room look more cramped than it already was. She smiled as she envisioned a miniature horse, made of pure magic, galloping around her as she sat on her bed giggling. In those moments she felt like a child. Rell raised her head to look at the boy creating this marvelous spectacle. A corpse looked back at her. "Rell, please!" a withered voice echoed around the room. "Don't"

Rell's eyes shot back open. "No, I have to keep going" she grunted to herself as she pushed herself off the tree with a re-ignited vigor.

It was pitch black now. The sun had faded, and no star light was strong enough to penetrate the roof of the thick jungle. To Rell's surprise, this was her salvation. Like a beacon beckoning her over she saw a light in the distance. Remaining as close to the ground as her bulky armour would allow, she followed the light to a clearing in the jungle. In front of her was a large compound with a wide wooden door.