Rek'Sai growls~ Rek'Sai, The Void Burrower
Into Demacia!
I have an idea for how I want things to proceed here but I would like an input. Choose what you would like:
Fast paced.(The entire arc take place within four days and the war starts immediately after.)
Slower paced. (A little bit of the political background is explored and things happen over weeks with the war at the end.)
Regardless of what you choose the same main things would happen but one would feel smother while the other would be a little rushed.
Even a couple votes is enough. Just need an idea to make a decision.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The large white walls of the Great City of Demacia stood tall. Large straight walls that countered the hooked grey walls of Noxus. There were soldiers at the walls with spears that overlooked both inside and outside the city.
The East Gates.
The gates were different as well. Large doors were left open. A gigantic statue of a soldier in Demacian armor and shield was etched into the wall itself.
It was the southern part geographically but the actual south was the harbor.
Eastern Demacia was the more religious part of the capital. Home to the sepulchral halls for the Temple of the Lightbringers.
Across from the halls were the aviaries.
Silverwing Aviaries.
Gregori looked up at the walls. The weight of his decisions now fully bearing down on him. His family would see him. They would realize what they had thrown away. They would realize that even without them he had made something of himself. He was strong. He had a family. He was happier.
It hurt to make the decision to come here. Especially without the presence of his wife. She was the final piece of the puzzle. That final bit that needed to be there to show them his success. But after the loss of both his wives, he was tired of romance.
It might not just be in the cards for him.
"Wooooooow!"
The exclamations from his kids changed that line of thinking as a smile appeared on his face. Romance might not be in the cards..... but love sure was.
And he was willing to give and receive them all from his kids.
It didn't matter that they weren't all of his blood. It didn't matter that they might have their own demons they would have to face when they reached a similar age to him.
What they had was different. It was a bond. A bond beyond blood.
But he had stilled for a moment at the sight of the massive walls.
"Excited to see your home again?" Eileen asked as she saw his hesitation but it was more sarcastic than she had meant to.
She was the only one who stayed near him. Gregori had noticed the members of the First Shield distance themselves from him and his family. They were on edge. Alert. Against him. Maybe he had been overzealous in his approach.
But looking at his sister, those thoughts disappeared.
Gregori smiled at her. "Not really no." He answered seriously.
This wasn't really home anymore.
In his travels away from home he had built his own. A better more loving one.
Now, home was where his family was.
He wasn't the most emotional man and his relationships with his wives had shown that. But he couldn't just treat his children the same way. They needed to develop as people and he needed to show them a more emotional side of him.
He was still working on it. The occasional grunts and nods still seeped through but he tired his hardest to respond to them with just as much enthusiasm as them.
"I was sarcastic." Eileen replied.
Looking forward he replied, "I know."
They continued on.
The closer to the gates, they walked, the more of it they could see.
Quinn stood by the large gates conversing with the guards, Valor stood on her shoulder and stuck his head under his wings.
"Commander Garen! Commander Eileen!" The guards saluted by raising a hand to their chest.
"At ease soldiers." Garen spoke.
"We were informed about you bringing in a group?" The guard asked as he looked to Quinn.
Garen nodded. "A messenger and his family."
"The beasts?" The guard questioned spotting the creatures.
"Harmless as far as we have seen." Quinn answered.
Garen gave her a pointed look for interrupting him, which she returning with a shy smile. Quinn liked the beasts. They were quite soft and cuddly.
"AND ME!" A high-pitched voice called.
Eyes shifted downward as they saw Poppy waving at them enthusiastically.
"Lady Poppy you are always welcome, there is no need to introduce yourself." The guard spoke exasperatedly, like he had said this a hundred times before.
"But it is customary." Poppy replied. Before her voice dropped, "What if someone was impersonating as me?" She questioned.
"Yordles cannot be impersonated Lady Poppy. You know this." The guard answered.
Poppy looked at him and squinted in mock anger. The guard met her stare with one of his own.
The other guard sighed and took over the conversation, "Can I speak with the messenger?" He asked.
Gregori stepped forth, "Yes?"
The guard assessed him. "What are your intentions after passing on the message?"
"I have to meet someone and collect something of mine I had left behind a decade ago." He answered in a straightforward manner, "After which, me and my family will be heading to Mount Targon."
The guard frowned, "Targon? With children? Do you have a death wish?"
Shaking his head Gregori answered, "I have business with the Rakkor. And you don't need to worry about my children... I am more than capable of taking care of them."
Shrugging the guard moved aside, "Your funeral..."
Grunting, Gregori moved forward stepping into East Demacia City.
His children followed.
"Look the raptors are walking on the ground!" Daisy exclaimed as she pointed to the soldiers pulling on the leads of the raptors leading them to the aviaries.
"This looks nothing like Noxus." Sydell noted.
Daani agreed, "The skies aren't gray." He pointed out.
"Very white." Annie spoke.
"Very." Faye repeated.
"Can we see the sea from here?" Briar asked Gregori.
Gregori smiled as he answered, "When we go to the south side you can see the sea okay?" He rubbed her head, "We are almost there. Just a little bit longer."
Briar nodded with a large smile.
Rell walked up to him. "What if they find out that we are mages?" Her voice was shaky and insecure.
Gregori placed a hand on her back reassuringly. "It doesn't matter. I will always keep you all safe."
"What if-"
"Do you think they can beat Caalyx and I?" Gregori asked her.
Rell stopped. A smile sprouted on her face. "No."
"Then why do you fear?" Gregori asked but he knew the reason. So, he continued, "Just look around. Explore a new society. A new location. New architecture." He pointed to the different pointed buildings, "Explore Demacia. Worrying is my job Rell. Not yours. A few days is all we are going to be spending in Demacia and they won't even care about us when they realize war is coming to their footsteps."
"Gregori?" Quinn called to him.
Gently pushing Rell to join her siblings, Gregori turned around and walked to Quinn who stood next to Garen and Eileen.
"Yes?"
Garen looked at him, he voice was hard, as if he had already judged him for something. "Your presence is required tomorrow at 8 in the morning."
"Where?" Gregori asked.
"Royal palace grounds." He informed.
Gregori nodded before asking, "Will I be led inside? Or do I have to inform my arrival to the guards?"
"I'll be waiting outside." Eileen cut in smiling. She noticed the look Garen gave her. "What? I find him interesting and if I lead him in it covers for me leaving my post." She flashed two fingers. "Two in one!"
Gregori snorted.
Garen immediately turned to him. "Where will you be staying?"
"An inn...." Gregori answered. "Hopefully."
"You have the money?" He asked.
Gregori shook his head. "No. But it have fur and the like which I will be selling for some gold." He pointed to the bags on the backs of his two beasts.
"We will keep an eye on you." Garen said harshly.
Gregori waved him off. "I really do not care what you do." He maintained eye contact with Garen, "I am here as a favor to the Warmother.... and to make Sylas's job a little harder." A smile crept up as he said the last words. "It is not my concern if you want to believe me or not. I am in and out of here as fast as possible."
He turned to Quinn. "Thank you for your assistance Quinn and I hope you traverse the forests safely." His words were stern but well-intentioned. "We won't be there with you next time."
Quinn smiled and then nodded solemnly.
He turned around, "I am not a big fan of Demacia or what it stands for considering the status of my children and me as mages. I have heard of what the Mageseekers have done to children and it does not instill great confidence in this nation." He continued as he kept an eye on his children, "The faster we are out of here, the safer it is for them."
Garen did not reply and Gregori did not turn to see his expression.
After his words Gregori walked forward.
Forward into the future but also to face his past.
The son who had been thrown away had returned.
[Read the AN at the top please!]