Steps of Targon

"Something sinister stirs." ~Yunara, The Unbroken Faith

Why is the quote so small? I despise the character. Gameplay wise she is great, but lore wise? Garbage. She is put forth as an ancient Ionian who has devoted her entire life for the Kinkou but then acts like a literal child. I mean how do you talk so much shit while doing fuck all?

Lets call one of the three people who are keeping the entire island's magic and spirit worlds from collapsing, a spineless coward. Shen had to remain at the order because Zed left. Despite that he fought against groups of Noxians. Alone. And no one knows. Or cares. At this point the idiot writers have such a hate boner for him you might as well call him Spider-Man. Just constantly keep beating the one guy who won't defend because he has to make unbiased decisions for the sake of balance. For all of Kennen's lore the little rat doesn't seem to step up when he is supposed to.

Then lets hype up Zed, a mass murderer who uses power that actively harms the land and its magic just because he wants to feel worthy. Jealous prick. Acts like the average harem fanfic protagonist.

Horrific writing. As bad as Seraphine on release. Does the same mistakes as well by the way.

Comes across like a edgy teenager.

Somehow, across all the Ionian champions, despite looking the part, Kayn is the least edgy.

Forgive the rant.... I did not want to involve Ionia in the story but there are four Darkin there, soon five (Praa, Xolaani, Rhaast, Varus and the new Glaive guy). And I will not be pandering to the dogshit writing the place has. Characters who are actually important will be prominent.

Stupid fucking writing. As I said in the very first chapter of the story..... moving your writing team to the MMO and then firing every competent person will show cracks.

Don't worry, chapter word count will not be affected by this mental breakdown.

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"I await you at the Astral Grove."

The group heard a soft voice tell them. 

Rell looked around in alarm. Gregori placed a hand on her shoulder calming her down.

"Is that her?" Daisy asked, "Soraka?"

Gregori smiled, "Yes. I haven't heard that voice in ages."

"Tibbers doesn't like her." Annie said as she hopped from one rock to the other.

Initially, he had tried to stop her from doing so. But six of the seven children did the same every few minutes so he chose a different approach. A smarter one.

The children couldn't hurt themselves if they did not fall.

Gregori's magic was useful in ways beyond combat after all.

"Can we eat that?" Briar pointed in the distance.

The mountainous plane had been a challenge at the start but his children had adapted. The beasts adapted even better than them. Though, Gregori considered that a result of leaving the more hot regions of Shurima and the naturally lower temperature of the mountain range.

"That is not something to be eaten Briar." Gregori explained as he too gazed upon the beast, "It is protected by the people of this land."

"What is it?" Daani asked.

The beast was a herbivore, like any normal domesticated beast. Its feet were clawed to help grip the soil and rocks better and its body covered in wooly fur. It had one distinguishing feature that set it apart from other herbivores, the fur on its head. Its white mane looped over its head like a comb over and stretched all the way till its back. And under its neck the mane looked like a beard. Making the creature look like a wizened man. The rest of the creature were varying shades of brown.

"That is a Tamu. Targonians do not kill those beasts because of the hair and beard. They think that it is the return of one of their dead friends." He explained.

"Dead friends?" Faye asked taking a step back.

Gregori chuckled, "Not ghosts. But they think the soul of their friend has returned to the living in the form of that animal."

"So that's why they don't kill them?" She asked to confirm.

He winced, "Well that and the fact that their wool is really good against the cold and Tamu milk makes good cheese."

Rell frowned, "They milk their friends?"

"Yuck." Sydell gagged.

"They are animals are they not?" Gregori said. "Tamus are quite smart and are usually in flocks. There are probably quite a few over the edge there and a Targonian shepherd most likely."

"They look tasty." Briar said and then she frowned, "Daddy?"

He turned to her.

"If I became an animal.... would you eat me?" She asked.

"No?" He answered confused by the sudden question.

"Why?" She asked. "I think I will be very tasty."

Sydell interrupted, "You would probably be hard to eat."

"NO!" She shouted, "Take that back!" She raised a fist in the air.

"I'm sorry." Sydell folded immediately, "I reckon you would be quite tasty."

"Yeah!" She exclaimed, then frowned, "I won't let you eat me."

Sydell's eyes widened, "Why?"

"You are mean!"

Sydell turned to Gregori hoping he would step in and mediate but he raised both hands and just shook his head. There was no point in getting in between that.

But Willa was willing to step in, "Briar you shouldn't say that and Sydell! Do not talk to your sister that way!"

"Yes!" Briar echoed, "Do not talk that way!"

"O.... okay. I'm sorry..." Sydell replied.

"So... where's the Astral Grove?" Rell asked. "And are you sure you she will be there?"

Gregori looked to the mountain. "The grove is in the Upper Slopes. Not too far up but a little bit from the the caves we will be visiting."

He gave the kids a look, "It will not be easy. But then again, you can just hang off Oompa and Loompa. They should be able to climb it easily."

"Okay!" Annie chirped and then jumped onto Oompa.

Gregori blinked, "Not right now...."

"But my legs hurt."

"Then okay." Gregori conceded.

"So what's that in the sky?" Daani asked pointing to the sky.

"Stellarcorn." Gregori answered as he watched the glowing ethereal beast gallop through the sky, its wings just flapping in effect.

"Its really blue." Daisy noted.

Gregori nodded, "They say when you see one it brings you luck."

Faye began to blink rapidly.

"W.... what are you doing?" Rell asked.

Faye replied without stopping her continuous blinking, "Well... daddy said that if you see one it makes you lucky. So, if I blink a lot, that means I'm seeing it many times. That means more luck."

"I..... don't think it works like that." Rell frowned as she thought about Faye words. It made sense. "Maybe it might?" She asked turning to Gregori.

"That is not how it works." Gregori said. "It is one Stellarcorn. Seeing one many times does not make it many." Though he gave them that explanation, he wasn't sure himself.

"Is it like a many Stellarcorn thing then?" Sydell asked, "Or is it a time thing? Like you can only be lucky when you see it once and not increase the total luck if you see more in a certain period of time."

"I don't know." Gregori shrugged, "I did say that the Targonians say it, how about you ask one of them about this."

"I'll ask Soraka." Faye said

"You do that." Gregori nodded.

The group continued their journey until Gregori slowed down.

"Here we are..... at the start of The Climb." He said as he stopped in front of some drawings on the stones surrounding them.

"What is this?" Willa asked as she observed the drawings.

"Targonian writing." Gregori raised a finger, tracing the lettering, "They are different from other languages. It is dots and lines connecting the dots. Like the constellations and stars in the sky."

"Don't they change?" Sydell asked. 

Gregori nodded. "But this is from a time where they did not. It is among the most ancient languages."

"Do we need to learn it?" Daani asked, put off by the lettering.

"No no." Gregori chuckled at his reaction, "They don't use it at all. I myself don't know it. They speak Valoran just fine."

"Why are there so many weapons on the ground?" Rell asked as she walked forward. She was taken aback by the sheer number of weapons stabbed into the ground all leading up to the mountain. It covered every inch of the ground except for the one path.

Gregori walked forward onto the path that led them to the foot of the mountain. "These weapons-" He scanned through them, "It belongs to those who failed The Climb."

"They gave up?" Daisy asked.

Gregori shook his head, "They died."

The children looked at all the weapons on the ground.

Daani gasped, "So many?"

Gregori nodded, "Their bodies either freeze into the mountain or fade away. The weapons are the only thing that remain. And every few years, the tribespeople come down the mountain and fill this place up even more, having collected all the weapons.

"Its a graveyard." Rell whispered.

Gregori nodded.

Willa gasped, "They sent you here!" Her head shot to Gregori, "They sent a child to climb the mountain."

Gregori didn't look at her. Instead, he replied with, "I lived because I did not climb."

"Why not give up?" Daisy asked. 

Gregori shook his head, "Once you begin The Climb..... there is no stopping. It is a deal with you, the mountain and the magic surrounding it. Reach the top... or die and be forgotten."

"So you just die if you don't make it?" Sydell asked, not believing his words.

"Yes." Gregori answered calmly.

"Then why do they climb?" Annie asked.

Gregori craned his neck looking all the way to the top of the mountain. "Everyone has their own reason. Power. Knowledge. Answers. Freedom. Whatever they think they need.... is probably waiting for them at the end of The Climb."

"Do you know anyone who made it?" Briar asked. "Who got their wishes?"

Gregori nodded, "I know two. One I met when I was here. In the caves, among the tribespeople. He became an Aspect. Though I don't know how much of him remained. The other one you also know."

The children looked at each other.

"We do?" Sydell asked.

Gregori nodded with a knowing smile.

Rell scoffed, "Of course we do. Of course its him."

The rest turned toward her, "Who is it?!"

"Caalyx." She answered while looking at Gregori.

His smile widened at that.

"So?" Rell asked.

Gregori kept smiling, "So what?"

"What is up there?" She asked.

"An audience with the Celestials." He answered, "But that is all I know. I don't know how it looks. What all is up there and how many Celestials you would meet."

"Why not?" Briar asked.

Gregori turned away from them and looked back at the mountain, "Because sometimes.... You don't need to know all the answers. Sometimes, not knowing the truth is better."

And then..... they began their climb, not The Climb but a climb. One that would lead them to their destination.

Looking back on this moment, none of the members of the group could ever have imagined the way their story would progress.