Just as Duke Kassadin predicted, Riven, the elusive female acolyte, her eyes concealed beneath a dark cloth, stood before the towering gates of Castle Kassadin. She made her way toward the imposing fortress, her footsteps echoing against the stone pathway.
The vigilant guards stationed atop the walls spotted her presence and swiftly alerted Jayce and the Duke. In response, Riven found herself swiftly bound and escorted by a contingent of guards, who led her through the castle's imposing gates.
Jayce noticed Riven's fear as she crossed his path. Even though her eyes were hidden, her body shook with terror. He moved closer to her, worried, and asked what was wrong.
"Stay back!" Riven's voice pierced the air, a tremor of fear and urgency woven into her words. "There's something... something powerful and malevolent slumbering within that sword."
Her finger pointed unsteadily at the Morning Star.
Jayce, taken aback by her revelation, furrowed his brow. He took a long look at the hilt of his sword and felt nothing yet, the urgency in her voice resonated deeply within him.
The guards ignored Riven's warning and kept walking, pulling her further from Jayce and deeper into the castle.
As Riven disappeared from Jayce's sight, the echoes of her warning lingered in the air.
Later that day, in a grand chamber of Duke Kassadin's stronghold, Jayce stood before the Duke with Jax, Irelia, Sylas and a dozen others looking on.
"Jayce, for your unwavering loyalty and ruthless effectiveness, I present to you with a pendant of the black phoenix," the Duke proclaimed, his voice resonating through the chamber. "Pressent it wherever you need help and you will be treated like a Prince."
Jayce took the pendant, his fingers tracing the delicate lines that formed the majestic bird but there was an empty feeling inside him like something was wrong or something was missing.
The Duke then dismissed everyone else in the room leaving him alone with Jayce.
The Duke's expression turned grave, his eyes locking with Jayce's. "There is one final mission I must entrust to you," he stated, his voice laced with urgency. "This task is of utmost sensitivity, and its success depends on you carrying it out alone."
Jayce's brows furrowed, a hint of concern flashing across his face. "What kind of mission is it?" he inquired, his voice betraying his alarm.
The Duke's gaze hardened. "Five of the Earth Kingdom's generals conspire to construct a super weapon, a weapon of mass destruction, seeking revenge on the Fire Kingdom for their losses during the great war and the consequences would be dire."
Jayce's breath caught in his chest, alarm and worry intertwining within him. "What kind of weapon is it?" he interjected, his voice filled with genuine concern, "Isn't there no other way other than killing them?"
The Duke's eyes softened with a mixture of sorrow and resolve. "I understand your misgivings, Jayce. But the lives of innocents hang in the balance, and we cannot afford to wait. The delicate tapestry of peace unravels before us."
Jayce's fists clenched, his heart torn between duty and compassion. In the end, his unwavering dedication to protecting others won out.
"I will go, Your Grace," Jayce declared, his voice filled with determination.
The Duke nodded, a mixture of pride and gratitude twinkling in his eyes. "You have the heart of a true knight, Jayce. May the gods guide your steps and may your sword strike true."
With that, Jayce embraced the mission and ventured forth.
Before Jayce embarks on his mission, he decides to pay a visit to Riven. He enters her room, his footsteps soft against the floor, and his gaze falls upon the collar adorning her neck and the shackles on her arms and feet as she sits upright on a small cot.
"Hello, I'm Jayce," he says, his voice gentle yet filled with curiosity.
Riven's response is immediate. "You are the one with the dark sword," she says, her words both a statement and an acknowledgment of his presence.
"Wait, how did you know it was me?" Jayce asks, his eyebrow raised in surprise.
"Amongst all I have encountered today, it was your heart that shone the brightest," she explains. "I knew you would be the one to come and see me."
"Intriguing," Jayce says, his curiosity piqued. "Tell me more about what is sleeping inside my sword. How did you come to know about it?"
With a slow, deliberate motion, she lowers the cloth covering her eyes, unveiling what lies beneath. The sight leaves Jayce speechless, struck by astonishment.
"I was born without eyes," she confesses, her voice tinged with a hint of mystery. "But through magic, I perceive the world. And I immediately knew you were from another world."
Jayce's eyes widen in astonishment. He couldn't help but voice his surprise, his words laced with curiosity. "How did you this?" he asks.
Riven smiles, her expression peaceful. "Unlike most sentient beings, who remain disconnected from magic until they recite a chant, you, Jayce, appear as if magic effortlessly flows through your very being."
Curiosity stirs within Jayce, prompting him to inquire about Riven's life story.
She shared her tale, beginning with her birth without eyes, being bullied by others including her sister, and her eventual encounter with a mage named Zed. "He made me a part of the collective consciousness shared by the Xerathians," she explains. "Through this connection, I can feel what others feel and see what others see. It has given me a new understanding of the world."
Jayce's empathy deepens as he listens. "Can you see or sense me now?" he asked.
Riven's answer is tinged with a hint of sorrow. "No, not anymore," she admits, her voice tinged with melancholy. "This collar has rendered me blind by cutting off my connection to magic."
"Why did you give yourself up to protect your sister, even when she bullied you?" Jayce asks, his voice filled with genuine curiosity.
Riven's response is rooted in her beliefs and values. "Our principles dictate that we do not take action or through inaction cause harm to innocents," she explains. "It is not who we are."
"Why have the Xerathians chosen to become warrior priests instead of monks?" Jayce asks, his voice reflecting a genuine desire to comprehend their path. "And what led to the attack I experienced from one of your members, an older man? Furthermore, what drives the Xerathians to forcefully seek the unification of the kingdoms?"
"The monk who fought you," she reveals, "was trying to protect me. And the merge of consciousness we seek is meant to be voluntary, just as I chose it. Every member makes their own choice."
Jayce started to walk away but Riven stopped him. "Wait," she said, "I want you to know that I trust you completely. I have faith in you to do the right thing."
Jayce turned back to her, puzzled. "What do you mean?" he asked.
Riven said nothing but looked at him with a meaningful expression.