Hello everyone, I'm back.
I apologize for the delay in posting chapters, as I had medical complications last month.
Well, let's continue this story! I'm also thinking about creating an original novel. This idea stayed in my mind while I was hospitalized, reading those Chinese novels about cultivators and apocalyptic worlds.
I must say, if they didn't always make the protagonist the same lucky and domineering type, there would be many great stories with interesting themes to read.
Let's get started!
With a thunderous crash, the stone walls fell, revealing the square to everyone. The soldiers squinted their eyes as they saw Jarvan and his companions injured but still standing.
"Prince!" one of the soldiers shouted, rushing toward him, but Jarvan raised his hand, signaling them not to approach.
"Relay my orders: arrest all mage hunters here and free the mages who have no history of violence. From today onward, Demacia will be a free nation for mages!" Jarvan declared firmly, surprising the soldiers.
At that moment, the sun broke over the horizon, illuminating the square and heralding a new day, one that seemed to promise great changes for Demacia.
Mark smiled beneath his mask upon hearing the prince's words and, along with Katarina and Riven, began to walk away. They had important matters to attend to now.
"Prince Jarvan, I'll be heading to the prison to retrieve one of your prisoners. Additionally, I hope to speak with Demacia's council as soon as possible," Mark shouted. Taking a letter from his pocket, he tossed it toward Jarvan.
"Give this letter to Miss Luxanna as well," he added. Then, donning his cloak, he began to walk. The three figures slowly vanished into the city under the watchful eyes of the soldiers.
Some mage hunters considered stopping them for a moment, but upon seeing the marks of destruction caused by Mark throughout the square, they reconsidered their choices.
A few hours later
Sylas slowly lifted his head as he heard the sound of approaching footsteps. His chains rattled noisily as he tried to move his neck to look at the bars of his cell, anticipating who might be visiting him.
Years in prison had taken their toll. Sylas was now thin, with sunken eyes and long hair and beard. He might have gone insane if not for Lux, who visited him from time to time to talk.
And it was her he expected to see, but it wasn't Lux who stood before his cell.
"Who are you?" Sylas asked, seeing the man in a sheep mask before him.
His eyes widened in surprise as he felt Mark's magic. To him, the man seemed like a blazing ball of fire, burning constantly but radiating a warm sensation.
"My name is Mark, Mr. Sylas, and I've come to make you a proposal," Mark said solemnly, approaching the cell bars.
"A proposal? I refuse to help mage hunters again. Don't waste your time," Sylas replied, assuming Mark was a mage hunter. However, the latter laughed and touched the cell made of petricite.
His hand began to glow with flames, slowly melting the bars.
"The mage hunters are finished, Sylas. You're free. All mages in Demacia are free," Mark said. Sylas looked at him incredulously, watching as Mark approached his shackles and unlocked them one by one.
With a resounding clang, Sylas's chains fell to the ground, and he remained motionless for a moment.
"How many years has it been?" Sylas thought, feeling the weight of the chains leave his body.
With Mark's help, he slowly stepped out of the cell and looked down the dark corridors, seeing other mages leaving their cells and heading outside.
Soon, they all emerged from the prison, and the blinding daylight enveloped them, forcing them to shield their eyes. Fresh air surrounded them, and as the prisoners realized they were truly free, many fell to their knees.
Some began to cry, while others remained silent, simply gazing at the city before them. Their once lifeless, vacant eyes now held a spark of light and hope that had long been absent.
Sylas was among them. With Mark's help, he sat on the ground and watched this mysterious man step forward and address the group.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Mark, and as I said before, you are free from this day forward. Prince Jarvan has issued a decree ending the persecution of mages." His words carried on the wind, but none of the prisoners could believe it.
The prince, who had destroyed countless mage camps, had freed them? To these prisoners, it seemed impossible. Many of them had been imprisoned by Jarvan's own soldiers.
Mark wasn't bothered by their skeptical gazes and spoke with conviction.
"But the danger is not over. Far away, across the seas, in the desert depths, and even in other dimensions, our world—and our lives—face grave threats," he said firmly, ensuring everyone listened attentively.
"I know what I'm asking might be too much for you, but I'm planning to build a resistance to defend our world, and I invite any of you to join me on this journey. In three months, ships will dock at the ports, and I'll take anyone who wishes to start a new life to a distant land to prepare ourselves."
The prisoners exchanged glances, stunned. The content of Mark's words was too shocking.
One moment, they had been prisoners; now, someone was asking these criminals and mages to help save the world. It felt surreal.
However, Mark paid no mind to this and prepared to leave.
"I hope you all live well from now on. Goodbye," he said, and with a gentle gust of wind, he flew away, leaving the prisoners in shock.
Sylas, standing in the crowd, now had a gleam of purpose in his once-empty eyes. He could never forgive Demacia for what it had done to him, but now he had no reason to seek vengeance either.
"Perhaps a new beginning wouldn't be so bad," he thought. Looking at his now-free arms, he gave a sincere smile for the first time in years and gazed at the sky.
"I'm free!" he shouted, startling the other prisoners. But soon, another voice rang out.
"I'm free!" another mage shouted, and soon they began yelling and roaring toward the sky, releasing their feelings and celebrating their newfound joy.
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The following days were extremely busy for Mark, to the point where it felt like his feet barely touched the ground.
At first, he met with the Demacian council, serving as a key witness against Eldred and aiding in the trial and condemnation of the mage hunters.
There were violent reactions from the population once they discovered the truth about the mages. Demacia, a nation that prized justice and honor above all else, faced protests and unrest throughout the country as its actions were called into question.
However, with the purge of the mage hunters and Mark stepping forward to speak with the people, tensions eventually calmed, and the government managed to salvage some dignity.
The ancient noble houses of Demacia felt deeply grateful to Mark. They knew that if he wished to stage a coup, all he needed to do was lead the crowd to the palace, and even the guards would not resist.
Mark didn't do this because his goal wasn't to seize power but to make Demacia the cornerstone of an alliance that could protect the world. Mark was only one man; he couldn't be in every Demacian territory and region simultaneously to handle key issues.
Only God knew how much effort it would take just to help Noxus rid itself of the Black Rose, let alone destroy the Shadow Isles or fight the gods of Targon.
Mark needed allies—many of them. So, without hesitation, he presented a proposal for an alliance to the Demacian council. While this wasn't part of his original plan, a conversation with Prince Jarvan after the latter's anger and anguish had subsided revealed to Mark a profound sense of regret and justice in the prince's heart.
Only God knew how much Jarvan wanted to take Eldred's head and punish himself for everything he had done in the past. Seeing this, Mark immediately brought Jarvan to his side and shared the plan for his global alliance.
At first, the prince was skeptical, but under the persuasion of Lux—who insisted on believing in Mark—even Garen began to see him as someone with no ill intentions.
The Vanguard Captain had never seen his sister speak so highly of someone in his life, her face bright with a radiant smile. "She couldn't possibly have fallen for this revolutionary, could she?" Garen thought, shuddering at the notion.
With great effort, Mark managed to gather the mages, the Demacian council, Jarvan, the leader of the Order of the Sentinels of Light, and numerous other key and influential figures of Demacia at the planning table.
Without delay, he led them directly to Morgana's lair, surprising her with the arrival of so many people. Many were stunned at her presence, and upon learning her identity, bowed in respect.
"Why did you bring them here?" Morgana asked. Mark, smiling, replied, "With so many people here, you can't say no when I invite you to my crazy plan to save the world." Morgana stared at him in disbelief; she couldn't imagine anything in the world that would make her hesitate to help Mark save lives.
But after a few hours, even she felt overwhelmed by what Mark was proposing.
Looking at all the champions and iconic characters gathered in the ancient shelter around a table, Mark felt a sense of accomplishment. He smiled and removed his mask, surprising everyone.
"Now we will officially begin the first meeting of the Runeterra Alliance!" he declared, spreading papers and documents across the table.
A Few Hours Later
Jarvan felt a headache brewing as he stared at the endless documents, struggling to process the information rapidly coming his way. His father had died just over a month ago, yet he hadn't had time to mourn amidst the constant influx of governmental matters.
Even the late king's funeral had to be hastily arranged and held simply. Jarvan couldn't help but feel overwhelmed in recent days with the constant flood of responsibilities and information.
If not for Shyvana, who constantly stayed by his side—at Mark's insistence during his daily visits to the castle—Jarvan might have lost his mind.
However, he was also growing irritated with Mark, who always found opportunities to play matchmaker between him and Shyvana, putting them in awkward situations.
With his newfound ability to read people's hearts, Mark had become quite annoying. Jarvan and Shyvana, radiating an aura of forbidden love, became his primary targets.
The two were hopelessly in love with each other. What kind of mad prince would bring a dragon into his castle? And what kind of dragon, even crazier, would willingly walk into a fortress of heavily armed soldiers ready to kill it at the first opportunity?
Though neither of them realized it, their actions were completely irrational and absurd from a critical perspective. If Viktor were present, he would bluntly state that Jarvan and Shyvana were far from rational beings when it came to each other.
"Focus," Jarvan muttered to himself, going through the papers handed to him and the others at the table. The documents contained detailed information about the threats currently facing the world.
Jarvan began sweating as he read the first threat, which described the Void. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined a dimension seeking to enter Runeterra and destroy it.
As he read about the characteristics of Void creatures, a cold sweat dripped from his brow as he recalled areas in his territory where similar entities had been reported.
But that was just the first entry. The more he read, the more despair set in. Jarvan was already aware of the Black Mist, and Demacia had been preparing an invasion of the Shadow Isles to cleanse the evil near its borders.
However, after reading the descriptions of the powerful beings within the mist and their strength, his confidence wavered. The grandmaster of the Sentinels of Light in Demacia felt the same.
After reviewing the information, he realized Mark knew far more about the mist than the very order that had spent millennia fighting it.
Jarvan couldn't take it anymore and began breathing heavily, letting the papers slip from his hands. One section described Mordekaiser, who was preparing in the Underworld to conquer the surface.
Feeling overwhelmed and showing clear signs of anxiety, Jarvan's despair grew. It was then that Mark's voice rang out, loud and clear:
"I know you're all wondering how we can fight against beings capable of destroying entire kingdoms with a single blow," he said, drawing everyone's attention at the table.
"But don't worry. I have a preliminary plan." He spread out a map on the table and pointed to Freljord. "First, we need to gather allies. Riven, I'm counting on you to go to Freljord with some Demacians and meet with a war mother named Ashe. Form an alliance with her and try to bring her into the fold," he said. Riven, seated at the table, nodded in agreement. Mark would provide her with more details about the mission later.
He then turned to the Demacian council. "I need you nobles to reorganize the Demacian army to include mages. I will head to Noxus and initiate a coup, convincing the Noxians and the pirates of Bilgewater to form an alliance with you. Together, with the combined forces of these three nations, we should be able to break through the Shadow Isles," Mark stated. The councilors stared at him in disbelief.
Everything Mark said sounded absurd. Just the mention of an alliance between Noxus and Demacia was an offense to both governments. Yet, none of them laughed or dismissed him.
Understanding the gravity of the situation, they knew they had no other choice. They also realized that Mark was no ordinary individual. Seeing the determination in his eyes, they believed he could make it happen.
After assigning tasks to everyone, Mark left them all thoroughly busy—except for Katarina, who would return to Noxus with him to convince her father to aid them in the coup. Everyone else now had critical missions to undertake.
Mark instructed Shyvana and Jarvan to team up with some demon hunters and recommended Vayne to them. Their mission was to hunt demons across the kingdom and eventually throughout Runeterra.
It wasn't hard to find loose demons wandering around; with a bit of effort, anyone could track them down. The real challenge came when trying to kill them. Demons were beings bound by special laws and rules that both protected and weakened them.
However, Mark was confident that if the trio worked together, they could even stand against one of the incarnations of the Aspect of Fear, also known as the malevolent scarecrow.
"I'll head to Piltover to resolve some pending matters there. It will probably take a long time before we meet again in person, but if you want to send me a letter, just drop it from a high place with plenty of wind," Mark said. With that, everyone rose from the table, bowed, and left, leaving only Morgana and him behind.
Morgana looked at him with an expression of sadness and anger, though it soon shifted to one of reflection. "Do I really have to meet with my sister and mother?" she asked, a bit resentful, now understanding why Mark had said those words earlier.
Seeing Morgana's reluctance, Mark gently held her hand and looked into her eyes, trying to provide some comfort. "You may not know it, but your mother is still alive somewhere within the Aspect of Justice. You can save her and your sister, who lost her purpose long ago," he said. Morgana let out a sigh before a determined look appeared on her face.
Her entire life had been burdened by the expectations her mother had placed on her, even though she had never met her. Everything she knew about her mother came from her father, and her impression of Mihara wasn't favorable.
But she also remembered her father saying that before becoming an Aspect, Mihara had been a great warrior and a person of justice and kindness. She recalled how he spoke of these stories with a warm smile.
"If what you say is true, and somewhere within the Aspect of Justice my mother still lives, I'll bring her back," Morgana declared resolutely. She released Mark's hand and turned to prepare inside the hideout. However, after a few steps, she paused and looked back at him.
"You should take this opportunity to resolve your personal issues too. I think that woman will soon start getting deeply frustrated with you," Morgana said with a laugh. Mark stood frozen, a chill running down his spine as he looked behind him.
At the cave's entrance, he caught Katarina's intense gaze, followed by a sharp huff before she turned and walked away. Her reaction left him uneasy. "I've been putting this off for far too long. I'll make my move when I return to Noxus," Mark thought to himself.
He was fully aware of Katarina's feelings, and while his own weren't as intense, they were still there. The problem was that he started to feel paralyzed by the matter.
For some reason, in this life, he felt extremely innocent and nervous when considering having a relationship with someone again. "It must be because of this karma," Mark concluded, letting out a weary sigh.
Realizing that his confidence and charm in these matters had vanished, he could only take a leap of faith and see how things unfolded.
Hello, everyone! I'll be busy tomorrow, so there will only be one chapter again on Sunday.
Additionally, I'm planning to release the first chapter of my original novel today. If you can, stop by and show your support!