Death and the End.

While Lunari were organizing themself, gathering all members who were still in hiding, Diana joined Sentinels to travel with us. Leona and Solari remained on Targon to restore the damages left by the mist.

I informed Ningguang and Astraea about Lunari matters, and they started preparations to welcome them in Hold. Ningguang herself went to Mount Targon and met with leaders of both fractions and negotiated an agreement, making Solari an affiliated force, while Lunari joined the Hold entirely.

There were some voices of opposition, but they were eliminated when Astraea took Artemis for a visit. When Soliari saw the goddess of justice and purity, they no longer doubted our cause. Lunari, meanwhile, instantly became ardent followers of Artemis as she represented all they longed for the moon to be seen as.

The blue-haired goddess was a little overwhelmed by their enthusiasm and ended up using me as a shield to block more persistent members of Lunari.

-"Sorry, Yue."

-"I don't mind."

-"But it was supposed to be your alone time with the girls, and yet you help me."

-"No need to feel bad, Artemis. While this is our honeymoon, we don't have to be with each other nonstop. To be honest, I'm happy that you can depend on me."

-"Sigh. I must agree that my attitude toward men is not good. If not for Astraea breaking the ice between us, I would never befriend you."

-"I still remember how you wouldn't even acknowledge my existence when we met for the first time."

-"Sorry for that. Seeing you next to Astarea waiting for Hestia, I thought that you were another god trying their chances with the naive goddess."

-"Haha. That must have looked like that from the side."

-"Thanks for help once again. I'll be going back to Hold."

-"Right, you are about to take your familia for their first deployment since joining Duty."

-"Yes, those girls can't wait to prove themselves."

-"Remind them to be safe."

-"I will."

Artemis returned to Hold, and I teleported to where my Guards were. Because the matter of Targon took a few days to resolve, they were now waiting for me before setting off to Shadow Isles. When I was busy, Sentinels and the Girls followed the mist to some other places in Runeterra. There were also a few new faces waiting here.

-"You are finally back, Yue."

-"Yes, sorry for the wait. Working with fanatics is never an easy job."

-"But it's all resolved, right?"

-"Do you think that one can resolve such a matter like moving a whole religion to another place in such a short time?"

-"Ehh..."

-"Luckily, I am blessed to have many people helping me."

-"Then you need some time to rest, or can we go right away?"

-"We can go now. Lead the way."

Senna nodded and moved to the portal. Everyone followed her, leaving Senitiels stronghold empty.

On the other side of the gate, I was instantly met with an overpowering feeling of decay. All around, greenery was nonexistent. Only false death was present. Because there was no nature in this place, my aura could not be hidden in it, making my surroundings to be somewhat chaotic.

-"Yue?"

-"Don't worry, the lack of nature here has an adverse effect on me."

-"Is it serious?"

-"No. Just give me a moment."

I sat down and focused on calming down. A minute later, I was able to soothe my aura, but it still was noticeable. Deciding that it's a waste of time to contain it further here, I stood up.

-"Let's move forward."

-"Oh, your friend has woken up."

-"You are?"

-"I'm but an old watcher, keeping an eye over these shores."

-"I see. Happy to have your assistance then."

-"You good, Yue?"

-"Yes. We can go."

-"You sure?"

-"The only way to make my aura calm down is to restore this place to nature."

-"We definitely don't have time to wait that long."

-"Ok, Pyke, Rengar, scout the way forward. We have to seek a way to pass the mist."

-"On it."

-"I'll take you to a person that can help you."

-"Thanks, old man."

-"Haha, I'm Sentinel to the end, son of Urias."

Everyone took their rained positions, with Ling taking the command. I remained in the back of the group, acting as a backup while helping them using the Path of Harmony. I also continued to listen to the land here, attuning myself to it with said Harmony.

The deeper we ventured, the more sound I could hear. It started with some rustles that then turned into murmurs. As we approached the place where the mist was thinning, my ears were ringing from constant incoherent mumbles.

-"This place is?"

-"Graveyard."-Sounded a gloomy voice nearby.

-"Let me introduce you to Yorick, the Shepard of Souls."

-"You here to rest, old man?"

-"I still have some life in me, so no."

-"Ohh... What about the rest of you?"

-"We will refuse."

-"Pity."

Yorick looked at me standing in the back.

-"You shouldn't walk that cured land, pure soul."

-"Sigh. I'm not pure soul by any definition, but I feel what you mean."

-"No, you are the only one whose mist can not corrupt, meaning that you are pure. What you hear are those who were corrupted. Their regret, sorrow, and misery."

-"..."

-"Well, Yorick, can you help us pass through the mist?"

-"I'll give you what you seek, but that man has to come with me somewhere."

-"Why?"

-"He can bring redemption to those suffering in death."

-"You go without me. When this is over, let's spend the remaining week sightseeing."

-"Don't worry about us, Yue. We have all time in existence to spend together."

-"Thanks. Yorick, lead the way."

-"Good."

I followed the undertaker to the ruins of the once-great city.

-"Helia."

-"The capital of Blessed Isles, huh?"

We continued walking through the streets, entering the ruins of the library second only to [Grand Library] of Hold in size. While it was looted, there were still many objects of great power remaining there.

-"Are you interested in those old tomes?"

-"Yes, I'll take them and look over them later."

-"Just don't let the history repeat."

-"Of course. I won't let death claim those close to me."

-"Heh, death claims all."

⌊ Hehe, little Lamb, that one understands.⌉

⌊ Yes, dear Wolf, but that Fox is like us.~⌉

Two beings appeared next to me. A Wolf and a Lamb.

-"You are?"

⌊ I'm Wolf.⌉

⌊ We are Kindred, Fox.~⌉

-"I'm Yue, but call me what you want. What do you seek of me, Sprirt of Death."

⌊ Little Lamb, can I hunt him?⌉

⌊ No, the Path of this Fox does not cross ours, dear Wolf. He is the same as us.~⌉

-"What are you saying?"

⌊ Oh! Can I eat the shovel-man?"⌉

⌊ It's not the time. Yet...~⌉

-"Yorick. I just met Spirit of Death."

-"Do I need to prepare a place for you?"

-"No. The longer I stay on this island, the more I doubt my sanity."

⌊ Litle Lamb, is that tasty?⌉

⌊ No.~⌉

⌊ Little Fox, give me something tasty.⌉

⌊ Little Fox?⌉

⌊ Litle Lamb said you are the same as us, so little Fox.⌉

⌊ Then shall I call you dear Fox?~⌉

⌊ As I already said, call me what you want.⌉

⌊ Little Fox, you want to hunt with us? ⌉

⌊ He is here to solve the abominations.~⌉

-"Let's go, Yorick."

⌊ Little Lamb, he ignores us!⌉

⌊ Let him be, dear Wolf. In the end, he will walk with us.~⌉

Doing my best to ignore the noise in my head, I followed Yorick to the tower that was the biggest landmark in the city. Inside, we walked down into the catacombs until we arrived in front of an ancient well.

-"This is where everything started."

⌊ Yes. Acussed place that overturned the order.~⌉

-"What do you want me to do?"

-"Solve the source of the cures over this land."

⌊ Tear it to shreds!⌉

-"I try."

Focusing on the inside of the well, I was able to see countless souls trapped inside by the ancient power lying at the bottom. Trying to affect it with Paths and Authorities, I found it very resistant to Laws in general.

⌊ This is World Rune, dear Fox.~⌉

⌊ World Rune?⌉

⌊ It carries power that once formed this world.~⌉

⌊ Power that created this world. This must be Law in physical form, but I never seen anything like that.⌉

⌊ This world lacks True Spirits, yet it's stable because of those Runes.~⌉

⌊ Law, if bound with soul, gives True Spirit. When it's bound to spirit, it creates Divinity. Runes are created by combining Law and body. ⌉

⌊ Yes. If life inhibits Divinity, gods are born. When the breath of life comes to the World Rune, Celestials are born.~⌉

⌊ And we spirit are beyond life and death, huh...⌉

⌊ We are End while you are Beginning.~⌉

⌊ How can I solve this then, Lamb?⌉

⌊ It depends. Do you want to save them?~⌉

⌊ Ending their suffering is enough.⌉

⌊ If you restore order to this land, we will help you create the End.⌉

Leaving the underground, I returned to the surface and found what once was a small park. I called Feng from Hold to help me with my plan.

-"Yue, what do you need me for?"

-"Sorry to interrupt your rest, Feng. I want to restore natural order to this land."

-"Can you achieve that?"

-"Yes."

-"What do I have to do?"

-"Use your flame to burn everything."

-"Everything?"

-"Yes. I will bring a new beginning to this land."

-"I'll follow your lead."

⌊ Kindred, will you help me?⌉

⌊ So you finally asked.~⌉

⌊ Hehe... Little Fox is like Little Lamb only cares about words.⌉

⌊ We will become your End.~⌉

⌊ What you desire in exchange.⌉

⌊ You.⌉

⌊ You will become our Origin.~⌉

⌊ Let's get to work, then.⌉

⌊ Haha.⌉

I rise into the air to overlook the whole Shadow Isles. To restore order, I have to destroy what remains of this land and use ashes as the foundation. Drawing upon Path of Destruction, I entered my false Aeon state.

My nine tails started burning with golden fire as I manifested my Phoenix Battle Spirit. Feng also took her true form and rose into the air. She flew over the entire island, taking every living being away from this land.

Using my strengthened senses, I removed everything worth taking from the ruins, leaving only World Rune in the depths. Feng returned and brought Yorick and the cloaked woman with her.

~"Keep them safe for now."

~"Leave them to me."

~"Kindred."

~"Never one...~"

~"...without the other."

As their words echoed around, a bow appeared on my hand. Focusing all my power on it, I slowly drew the bowstring, creating a golden arrow made from fire.

My battle spirit flew toward me, and it condensed into that arrow to strengthen it. Feng also used her full power to help me. As the power gathered, it attracted some eyes from many parts of the world, but they quickly retreated when Wolf gazed at them.

⌊ Tsk, cowards.⌉

When the Power gathered was enough, I let the arrow loose. It flew directly down toward the well and World Rune inside. When the impact happened, the ground shook, and golden flames erupted everywhere.

The whole island soon was covered in fire, burning off corruption brought by mists. Wraiths were being destroyed everywhere you looked, as inferno brought cleansing this land deserved.

The World Rune that suffered from direct impact lost grasp upon the souls, freeing them from the well. Those flew outside and burned golden, singing praises to Kindred.

I watched as the whole land slowly became an ashen wasteland. The golden glow dimmed to reveal the last traces of tragedy I just erased. Letting go of the bow in my hand, Lamb appeared on my right.

⌊ Dear Fox.~⌉

⌊ Fox!⌉

I looked at my hand, where the mask of Fox appeared. They now become the End that my world lacked. The mask in my hand was proof of a contract between us. Making it disappear for now, I changed the power that I was using from Destruction to Abundance.

My Deer Battle Spirit emerged as the wind started blowing the ashes from the ground. I also started using Authority of Origin, making purple crystal flowers bloom all over the island. As more and more ash was slowly rising into the air, I started restoring nature.

~"Fire produces Earth."

The whole island was now ashes, but the moment my soul words echoed, it all disappeared, leaving only earth ready to bear new life. Spirits of Earth were also created during that time, bringing back the essence that was previously stripped from this land.

~"Earth bears Metal."

Isles shook as the mountains started rising from the ground. Everything shifted, creating fertile plains and steep cliffs, but more importantly, basins from rivers and lakes.

~"Metal collects Water."

All over the land, gazers pierced into the sky, making new rivers and filling the lakes. Now everything was ready for the last step, to bring back life onto the Isles.

~"Water nourishes Wood."

Grass started spreading, and soon, there were no bold spots of earth visible from the air. Trees started growing, creating forests that shaded a big part of the Isles. All around, life was blooming.

Now, I used Origin and Abundance to create animals, restoring fauna as the flora was already done. Spirits roamed around, animals started finding their nests and burrows, everything returned to its primal form.

Looking over everything, I used my powers once more to create guardians for these lands this time. Taking the soul of corrupted treant form before, I cleansed it and replanted it to be birthed anew. I seeded many of such beings, hoping that they would preserve the nature of this place.

Finishing my job, I returned to my normal form. The mask of Fox is now hanging from my belt. I could feel a connection with Wolf and Lamb, being able to use some of their powers.

⌊ Done.⌉

⌊ Yes, there will be no more abominations here.~⌉

⌊ Can't wait to hunt here.⌉

-"Can you explain what just happened?"-The woman that Feng protected spoke to me.

-"I gave rebirth to the Shadow Isles."

-"That... Are you an Aspect?"

-"He is not, but I'm."

-"I'm just getting more lost."

-"I'm Yue. Sorry that I may have inconvenienced you."

-"Don't worry. I'm Ahri. Yue, are you a Vesani?"

-"No, I'm Spirit."

-"Spirit... Like Yordles?"

-"Don't insult him like that, Vastaya! Yue is True Spirit, something even we Celestials respect."

-"Don't worry, Feng. Ahri, what can I do for you? You seem to be looking for something?"

-"I want to learn how to become Protector of Life like my ancestors."

-"Hmm... I can teach you some techniques, but those didn't originate from here."

-"You truly can?"

-"Yes, after all, it's my fault that you can't learn from here anymore."

-"Then allow me to follow you."

-"OK. Yorick, what will you do now?"

-"Rest."

-"I see."

-"Thank you, pure soul."

-"Let me send you."

-"So that's why Lamb and Wolf stand by your side."

-"Farewell."

-"Yes... Farewell Fox."

I used the powers of Kinderd, granting Yorick the rest he deserved. Taking his shovel, I dug up a grave and gave him a proper burial, as he would his whole life. Leaving the shovel as the gravestone, placed crystal flower on the mound.

-"Why did you not use your power for that, Yue?"

-"He deserved respect."

-"Respect, huh..."

⌊ A fine life reaches its conclusion.~⌉

⌊ May his next be full of blessings.⌉