In the bustling tavern, remnants of food remained on the table as Li Lin, Kassadin, Sivir, and Taliyah, having satisfied their appetites, continued chatting about recent events.
Taliyah, particularly intrigued, focused on the resurrection of Azir, the Eagle King, who had ascended to godhood once again.
Her gaze swiftly passed over the three individuals, and she hesitated, unsure how to broach the topic.
These were the rumors she heard upon arriving in Keneteth. The last emperor of Shurima had reestablished the Sun Disc in the central city of the desert, attempting to unite his people and bring order to the disparate tribes.
Taliyah knew that at this time, her tribe would migrate to the ruins in the center of the desert to seek water.
If the rumors were true, she had to hurry back to her family, protecting them from enslavement...
Li Lin noticed Taliyah's conflicted expression. "What's on your mind, Taliyah? Do you have something to say?"
"Um..." She pursed her somewhat cracked and dull lips. "Actually, I heard... the last emperor of Shurima has returned?"
"Oh, that..." Li Lin raised an eyebrow, sensing Taliyah's misconceptions about Azir. "The rumors are true. Emperor Azir has been resurrected through the royal bloodline and completed the ascension ritual, becoming a god-warrior."
He glanced at Sivir sitting across from him.
Seemingly oblivious, she continued to pour beer into her flat and featureless belly, not paying attention to Li Lin's gaze.
A shadow of worry crossed Taliyah's eyes as she lowered her face, lost in thought.
Li Lin could probably guess what she was thinking—how to protect her tribe from the hands of that "tyrant."
But Taliyah's thoughts were nothing more than her own assumptions and misunderstandings.
The reality was that Azir had been an enlightened ruler of Shurima, leading the city to its peak even after the Void War. If not for Xerath's interference, he might have expanded the empire beyond the Shuriman continent, incorporating the Valoran continent, Ionia, and even Freljord.
Although the ascended beings, later known as Ascendants, were not as powerful as the original demigods incarnated by the rules and concepts of the Rune Wars, the sheer number of Ascendants in the Ascension ritual made a difference.
Even if other demigods from different regions were formidable, they couldn't withstand the overwhelming force of the Ascension.
After pondering for a moment, Li Lin addressed the worried young sparrow, "We have witnessed the Eagle King's ascension. To be honest, he is much more benevolent than we imagined."
"...Huh?" Taliyah was taken aback, a hint of astonishment in her light brown eyes. "You... you guys..."
Kassadin, looking thoughtful, glanced at Li Lin and continued, "Li Lin is right. Azir is indeed different from what is recorded in the archives."
Taliyah's expression became perplexed, not understanding why they were speaking in favor of a tyrant.
Or is it... that I've been too one-sided in my understanding of this Eagle King?
"But, but I heard... he wants to restore the slave system..." She spoke, her tone uncertain.
"Nonsense, just baseless rumors," Li Lin chuckled. "In fact, several thousand years ago, during Azir's ascension ritual, he declared the abolition of slavery."
"What?! How... how is that possible?" Taliyah wore an expression of disbelief.
"He has been in power for so many years. If he really wanted to emancipate the slaves, why didn't he announce it earlier? At the very least, it could have spared the slaves from suffering and torment," she added, her voice lacking certainty.
"You're simplifying politics, little girl," Sivir, who had finally put down her beer, interjected. Although she had a negative first impression of Azir, she knew that most of it was her own baseless assumptions.
In reality, her ancestor was far more progressive than she imagined, in various aspects.
Sivir stared seriously into Taliyah's eyes. "Many times, many things are not as simple as we'd like them to be. Most of the time, we are not in control."
"That's right. According to historical records, the emperor at the time was lacking in many aspects. For example, Azir was the only emperor who decided his own ascension ritual, rather than having it conducted by the Sun Priest," Li Lin continued, taking over Kassadin's words. "Slavery was a tradition passed down in Shurima for thousands of years. You have to understand, Taliyah, how many nobles and ministers are entangled in this system."
Taliyah bit her bloodless lower lip, her expression still conflicted.
She hadn't received much education on political matters, so she didn't understand much about these things.
But when it came to interests, she could comprehend a bit.
"But... he's the emperor, right? Since he's the emperor, shouldn't he get what he wants?" she questioned, her tone not entirely convinced.
"Power doesn't mean everything, Taliyah." Li Lin's tone became stern. "Political struggles, especially those among the royal bloodlines, are extremely bloody..."
Azir was originally the youngest and least favored prince.
In the midst of a deadly assassination attempt on the royal family, all the princes perished. If not for Xerath's assistance, Azir wouldn't have survived.
In the following years, the emperor unleashed ruthless massacres. Anyone even remotely suspicious was sent to the guillotine. Azir, as the sole heir to the throne, managed to survive.
During this time, Xerath secretly orchestrated the murders of all the unborn heirs in the queen's womb. When she finally gave birth to a healthy prince, Xerath even used dark magic to summon a thunderstorm, causing the newborn prince, along with the emperor and empress, to die in a "tragic accident."
The royal family itself faced such tragedies. Those opposing Azir's ascension, especially using the slave system as a pretext, found a perfect opportunity.
That's why Azir kept this plan strictly confidential, not even revealing it to Xerath. Of course, this was just one of the primary reasons. Another reason was his excessive arrogance, believing everything was within his control...
Li Lin recounted the bloody struggles and political intrigue among the feudal royalty to Taliyah, omitting the unknown history of Azir and Xerath conspiring together to ascend.
After hearing this, Taliyah was profoundly shocked, feeling that her original beliefs had collapsed. She stared in thought for a long time before looking back at Li Lin.
"Why did Xerath betray Azir? Azir has already freed him and the other slaves."
"Because Xerath is inherently an evil guy. He had long prepared a plan to seize the throne and the power of a god, and he couldn't stop himself."
Suddenly, a majestic and deep voice echoed from the entrance of the tavern.
Li Lin, Kassadin, Sivir, and Taliyah all turned their heads towards the source of the voice, showing expressions of astonishment.
A figure clad in weathered golden armor, with Shuriman inscriptions and votive belts, and wielding a long-handled battle-axe, walked into the tavern, his imposing figure resembling that of a wolf-headed giant.
"Oh my... Is this Nasus, the Son of the Dessert?"
"How did he end up here? Could it be true that Azir, the Eagle Father, has returned and become a god?"
"May Ram summon blessings..."
The tavern erupted in commotion. Some were excited, some worried, and some fearful. Most people felt an indescribable sense of unease.
Nasus paid no attention to the chaotic crowd. His crimson eyes briefly lingered on Kassadin, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.
Then, he shifted his gaze, noticing the crossblade on the back and the young woman carrying it.
"Chalicar." Nasus murmured lowly, walking straight towards the round table where Li Lin and the others were seated.
Except for Li Lin and Kassadin, Sivir and Taliyah both stood up, entering a state of alertness.
"What are you planning?" Taliyah quickly formed a complex magic pattern in front of her chest, and ripples spread across the stony ground at her feet.
She recognized Nasus, but after this short interaction, she had already regarded Li Lin, Kassadin, and Sivir as her friends. She wouldn't allow anyone to harm her friends, even if that person was a demigod.
Nasus halted his steps, raising an eyebrow.
"Taliyah, don't act impulsively!"
Li Lin was startled, quickly grabbing Taliyah's hand and interrupting her brewing magic.
"Your magic is potent enough to break even the toughest Shuriman rocks. However, don't misunderstand, young lady. I'm not here for a fight."
Li Lin suppressed his nervousness, stepping forward to ask Nasus, "May I know the purpose of the Grand Master's visit?"
Even though he had long known why Nasus sought them...
Nasus barely paid attention to Li Lin, his gaze fixed on Sivir and the Chalicar she tightly held—a weapon that ordinary people couldn't wield.
"You are Azir's descendant."
"What?!" Taliyah was surprised by Nasus's statement. However, judging from Li Lin and Kassadin's reactions, they seemed to have known this for a while...
For some reason, Taliyah felt a tightness in her chest.
"So what?" Sivir's expression remained unchanged, the golden crossblade in her hand flexibly turning, ready to strike.
"Do you know whose weapon that belongs to?"
"Shurima's first emperor, the Ascended War Queen Setaka. Of course, I know... But now, it's mine."
Nasus was somewhat astonished. He didn't expect her to be aware of these secrets.
"Never mind. The imperial blood flows within you. Since it recognizes you, it means you are qualified to wield it. You, along with it, resurrected Azir and Shurima. There must be a reason behind it."
Nasus suddenly knelt down, crossing his hands in front of his chest in a respectful salute.
Sivir's face remained stern, the golden crossblade in her hand ready to unleash its power.
Nasus shook his head, not paying too much attention to Sivir's hostility. He slowly spoke, "Xerath is coming. The royal bloodline must be protected."
(End of the Chapter)
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