#okay. jinx as one and lux as two. but then flip them and watch the world burn IYKYK!!!!

[tequiilasunriise]

“In another life, I loved you right.”

“In another life, you loved me at all.”

Tag your ship(s).

[rosywrites]

The Tale of the Lunar Kingdoms, Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Mortal Realm Fandom: League of Legends Ship: Jinx/Lux AU: Lunar Revel, Warring Kingdoms, Immortal Journey, Blood Moon

[AO3]

Word count: 4086

A figure slinks through the shadows of the kingdom, sticking to the walls and ducking under rails whenever an attendant passes by. They run across the wooden floor, a rhythm to their feet as if they’re dancing. But there’s a misstep, and a floorboard creaks. They freeze when they hear the sound of a howl nearby and breaks into a sprint, no longer minding all the creaking of the floorboards.

Around the corner just outside of the hallway, a white-maned wolf skids to a stop before continuing his pursuit. At the other end of the hallway, he sees Lux running away faster and erratically. “Get back here!” he snarls. 

“Already?! How?!” Lux cries, picking up the pace. But it’s useless as Warwick catches up in seconds. She groans. “I’m sorry, Warwick!” With a swing of her wand, a golden light shoots towards the guardian and roots him in place. 

“You!” he howls. 

“I said I’m sorry!” Lux cries again as she gains distance from Warwick. She turns several corners to shake him off her trail. She pauses for a few seconds to catch her breath. But she knows she can’t rest for long. Warwick has the best sense of smell among anyone in the kingdom. Surely, he would find her within a minute. 

One more breath, and she takes off again. Just as she’s close to exiting the outer palace, she sees the familiar dark mane of her other guardian. 

Oh no. 

Nasus appears from around the corner with a manuscript in hand, a scepter in the other. Without even sparing a glance, he swiftly tucks his scepter under his arm and extends his hand out to grab her by the collar. 

“No!” Lux whines. “How did you know I was heading this way?!”

“You’re easy to read,” Nasus answers. He finally looks at Lux with a raised brow. “Not to mention, you’ve been trying to sneak out of the palace frequently nowadays.” He releases Lux, who slumps in defeat. 

She glances at Nasus grabbing his scepter again. His scepter. Her wand. Her old wand. She doesn’t remember when it happened, but one day, Nasus had awakened his powers through her wand. Lucian must have seen it, since he’s the one who requested the wand to be crafted into a scepter. It looks completely different from what it used to look like.

Lux, in the meantime, was given a new wand. A two-sided wand with a sculpture of Nasus and Warwick on either side with a gold plating at the center of the rod. Her new wand was much lighter and easier to use, and it was still crafted at Azir’s kingdom.

“Warwick, you’re late,” he says as Warwick slides to a stop before them.

“Hey, it’s not my fault she rooted me!” he protests. “I almost caught her three times today.”

“Then you should be faster.”

Warwick rolls his eyes and scratches the back of his ear. “Yeah, yeah, at least you caught her.” He huffs in annoyance when Nasus grunts in acknowledgement. “What are you reading this time?”

Nasus shuts the manuscript and holds it up. “Names and mentions of demons.” He flips it in his hands as if he’s examining it from cover to cover. “It’s rather short, but this is all I can find.” He then sighs. “Lux, don’t think we don’t know you’re trying to sneak out again.”

Lux, who was trying to tiptoe past them, twirls around with a nervous smile. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was just, uh, thinking of heading to the training grounds!”

“You’re going the opposite way,” Warwick says, pointing at the hallway in which they came from with an expectant look. “Get going, or I drag you there with you in my teeth.” He shoots Lux a toothy grin. 

She hangs her head in defeat. “Okay…” She trudges back to the inner palace with Warwick and Nasus following closely behind. She blows a stray hair strand out of her eyes.

Why wasn’t she allowed down to the mortal realm yet? All her predecessors were able to take the carriages there. Why couldn’t she ? She sighs. She was just so curious about the kind of lifestyles humans had there. Being a demigod and raised in a palace in the heavens, she can only imagine what new and fun adventures would await her.

“Lux, we know you want to visit the mortal realm. But you can barely protect yourself,” Nasus states. “What if something happens down there, and we’re not there to protect you?”

She pouts. “I know, I know… It’s just,” she pauses with a sigh of exasperation, “There’s a festival going on down there, and I want to join in on the festivities! I just want to take a peek and have some fun, even if it means I’ll be watched for every second I’m down there.” Her eyes suddenly light up, and her pace slows to a stop. “What if the three of us go? Lucian would allow it if my two guardians would come with me, right?” She bats her eyes innocently with her hands clasped together.

Warwick and Nasus exchange looks.

“No.”

  Lux lies in bed, buried under her blanket and listening to the sounds of the night. Just as she thinks the silence is getting heavy, the click of her door catches her attention. Thump. Thump. Oh, it’s Warwick. She doesn’t poke her head out of the blanket. She then feels a weight by the side of her bed. Curious, she peeks out and sees Warwick’s head beside her own.

“What are you doing, Warwick?” she asks.

“Watching you,” he answers. “I can’t have you running off again.”

Her lip juts out in a pout. “Yeah, yeah, I know.” She reaches to pet his muzzle, at which his tail starts wagging happily. “Where’s Nasus?”

“In the archives.”

“Hm,” Lux hums in acknowledgement. 

Though she doesn’t remember when it all started, she somewhat recalls Nasus spending more and more time in the archives when they were younger. Not to mention he became a lot more mature earlier too. She tried asking Lucian about it once, Nasus’ change being sudden and all. He only smiled and told her that he’s probably settling into his guardian duties now. 

She remembers how small they used to be. They were so small, and she could carry the both of them in her arms so easily. But they grew bigger so fast, they were already towering over her by the time she turned sixteen years old. She thinks they stopped growing since then.

Probably her too. She feels like she’s been the same height.

Ah, her eyelids are getting heavier. Her hand soon relaxes atop Warwick’s head as she dozes off. Warwick patiently waits for the steady breathing before he gently nudges her hand back and pulls the covers over her. He huffs and steps out the room, sitting in front of the doors.

Soft crickets fill the room. Lux sleeps peacefully under her blanket. 

Or so she pretends.

Her eye cracks open and peers around for her guardian’s presence in the room. So far, so good. But the problem is getting out without Warwick catching onto her. She turns in bed and inches closer to the other side. She freezes up when her door is slid open. 

“Hmph,” Warwick grunts when he sees her sleeping figure. Guess she was just turning in her sleep. He closes the door again.

It takes her much effort to stop herself from sighing in relief. Warwick would have heard it. She quietly steps out of bed and stuffs a pillow underneath the covers. She removes her robe to reveal a casual outfit underneath. This way, it should be easier to move around in. She folds it up and places it on the floor, hidden.

She peers outside her window to make sure neither of her guardians are patrolling the back. She lifts herself up and slips out, careful not to step on any creaking floorboards. Once the coast is clear, she picks up her pace and heads towards the outer palace. It’s a little far, but it’s never stopped her.

Just as she’s about to reach the outer palace, she spots Nasus from the corner of her eye. He seems preoccupied with another manuscript from the archives. She hides behind a pillar and waits for him to pass by, holding her breath as he approaches her hiding spot. Once he walks past, she ducks and continues on.

Nasus stops and turns. Though faint, he sees Lux’s shadow crawling towards the exit of the inner palace. He rolls his eyes and sighs. He closes the manuscript and walks towards Lux’s room, where Warwick is standing guard.

“You saw her?” Warwick asks boredly.

“Mhm. She’s not that great at stealth.” Nasus lets out a loud sigh as he shakes his head. “Ready to go?”

“Whenever you are.”

They find an empty carriage in front of the outer palace. The two squeeze into the driver’s seat, a pair of reins materializing in Nasus’ hands. To drive a carriage in the heavens simply requires magic and control, which Nasus excels the best among the two. 

They ride the carriage out to the gates, where a pair of guards seem to be expecting their arrival. “Good evening, Guardians,” they greet. “Chasing after Her Majesty, we assume.”

“As always,” Nasus answers calmly. “Even if she decides to go alone, we must fulfill our duty as guardians to protect her from the shadows.”

“If I had to be honest, I just want to see her embarrass herself because she’s never interacted with mortal humans before. They have different traditions down there.” Warwick quietly cackles when Nasus elbows him in the ribs. “While we’re here, I’m surprised you even let her through. Why’s that?” he asks the guards.

The guards exchange looks and smile. “The Lord requested that we let her through tonight. He overheard your conversation this morning, it seems.” 

“His Lord is too soft on Lux sometimes,” Nasus mutters.

“Actually, he was counting on you to chase after her,” one responds happily. “We think that’s probably why he was willing to let her go.”

“Guess he’s not wrong,” Warwick says. “Well, we got a little lady to chase after for trying to push her luck. Can we go through now?”

“With pleasure, Guardians.” The guards hold up their scepters and insert the tip into two locks in the gate, turning them until two orbs glow turquoise. The mechanics of the gate twist and turn until the gate opens to a golden path that leads down the clouds. Beneath those clouds is the mortal realm. 

“Do you know how to get down there without being seen?” the guard asks. 

“Is it the same as traveling to the other kingdoms in the heavens?” Nasus asks.. He’s never driven the carriage down to the mortal realm before, but perhaps it’s the same with every other place in the heavens he’s taken Lux to. Don’t stray from the golden path, and you shall reach your destination.

“Almost. In the mortal realm, they have an element called ‘wind’. Once you reach the veil between the heavens and the mortal realm, you will feel a gust of air blowing around you. It is benevolent, for it will hide your presence as you descend from the clouds.”

Nasus nods. “I see. It seems I still have much to learn.” He bows his head to the guards. “Thank you for the information. We will come back with Her Majesty before sunrise.”

The guards bow as the carriage rolls out to the path. “Have a safe trip, Guardians.”

As Nasus and Warwick descends down the golden path, they realize: they have never interacted with mortal humans before either. If anything, they might be just as lost as Lux would be. Worse, they may be recognized as heavenly beings instantly. There are beings similar to them in the mortal realm, but wouldn’t they stand out?

“Perhaps next time, we should bring a change of… casual clothing,” Nasus quietly suggests.

“I mean, isn’t it a festival down there? I think we’d fit in,” Warwick says. “I heard that humans like to dress up as dragons or something during festivals.”

“I guess we’ll see.”

As they approach the veil, they feel a slight breeze picking up around them. It brushes against their fur as it swirls around. Warwick sticks his head out and sniffs the air. 

“Weird,” Warwick says. “I thought ‘wind’ would have a smell, but it just smells like… like nothing.” He sniffs again. “Wait, I’m starting to smell  a lot of different things now.”

Nasus looks around. He notices there’s magic embedded in the currents as it wraps around them like a mother protecting her offspring. “We’re here.”

The clouds slowly part to reveal the lands of the mortal realm. Clumps of lush forests, lines of tall mountains, and specks of light in various areas spread throughout the regions. From afar, they spot establishments from the well-lit regions, presumably the “cities” the mortals inhabit. Despite the dark night, the moon offers its light to guide them through the sky. Everywhere they look, there’s something new to see.

But more importantly, the wind feels really, really nice. Warwick sticks his head out and visibly relaxes as the wind strokes his fur, his tail wagging faster and faster as the wind picks up. Nasus’ grip on the reins tightens. His muzzle stiffens up as he tries his best to avoid sticking his head out of the carriage and enjoy the wind as well. 

Focus, Nasus. We need to find Lux, even if the wind feels so nice . 

But it doesn’t stop his tail from wagging just a little bit. 

“So that’s where Lux went,” he says, as they approach the outskirts of  a city below. “Lord Azir’s kingdom. I suppose she would choose his kingdom over the others.” 

“Look,” Warwick calls, pointing at something beneath the trees. Between the gaps, they spot an abandoned carriage from their kingdom. “Lux already went ahead. We should settle here too.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Nasus directs the carriage to the trees and leaves the carriage next to Lux’s. 

---

Lux tugs at her shawl as she approaches the bustling street by the forest—the aroma of fried, steamed, stewed, or grilled food, the laughter and the ever growing volume of voices from the crowds ahead, the sound of vendors luring another customer to try their game or their food, and lanterns and lights that seem to go on forever. Her eyes widen at the sight. She’s heard the cities were much bigger than the kingdoms, but this was a whole new world for her.

“Outta the way, shorty!” someone calls as they nearly knock Lux down from the tree she was hiding behind. A teenager runs ahead while two children follow closely behind. 

“Sorry!” one calls with an apologetic wave before disappearing into the crowd of people and vendors.

“Well, so far, so good. No one’s noticed who I am,” she mumbles to herself nervously. She takes her hood off, letting her silver hair fall in place. She takes a deep breath. “Okay, Lux. Act natural. You’re a human being just like them.” She steps out from the shadows of the trees and into the lights. She holds her wand tighter when she feels a couple eyes turn to her, but they immediately carry on with their stroll through the streets.

“Hey miss! You look new here. Just visiting?” an older vendor asks. 

Her head perks up, maybe a little too fast, and nods, maybe a little too fast. “Y-yes! Just visiting! I’ve never been to a festival before, so…” Was that too much information? It should be fine, right?

“A first timer! Well, you’re in for a treat! The vendor leans against the counter and ushers Lux over. “So, we got some pretty good places to visit ‘round here. You’re currently in the south side of the festival. If you head north, there’s a little place where people go through a series of physical challenges for the “Strongest Being Alive” title for the year until the next festival.”

“D-do any of them get hurt?”

“Some do, but usually it’s because they push themselves too far or bite off more than they can chew.” She pats her shoulder in laughter. “I wouldn’t worry about them much. They’re a tough and rowdy bunch, but they play fair.” She points to another street. “If you head west, you’ll see where they hold entertainment like plays, comedy skits, and whatnot. If you ask me, it seems more like a talent show, to display their skills to the people.”

“That doesn’t sound that bad. If people laugh or are fascinated by what you do, I think whatever you practiced for is a success.”

“I like your optimism, miss!”

“What about the east? What’s there?”

“Oh! That’s usually off-limits to common folks like us, but that’s the Kingdom of Rooster, where His Majesty Azir resides. Don’t be surprised, but some say he actually comes down to the Lunar Revel festival dressed like a common folk to enjoy the festivities.”

That… kinda sounds about right, actually. “Really?” she feigns surprise. “I heard he’s rather tall. Wouldn’t he stand out?”

The vendor smiles and shrugs. “Who knows? All I know is that it’s a rumor. But he doesn’t come off as the “cooped up in his kingdom all day” type of guy, so I wouldn’t be that surprised if I happen to see him roam around.”

“It’d be an honor to meet him then. I wonder what he’d be like trying to blend in with the crowd.” She almost can’t imagine it.

“Why don’t you walk around and have some fun then, miss? You might just happen to meet him.”

“Aw, thanks! I appreciate it!”

“Hey, y’know what?” She reaches for a bamboo basket behind the counter and lifts the top. A burst of steam rises from inside, and the vendor reaches for tongs and places a giant bun on a paper tray. She pulls it apart in half, a sweet and savory aroma wafting from within. It makes Lux’s mouth water almost immediately. “Here, try it. My own recipe.”

“O-oh gosh, I didn’t even bring any money. I don’t think I have anything else I can pay you with either.”

“Naw, on the house. I appreciate you taking the time to listen. I don’t get many customers, being all the way out here, but I like to chat with anyone who stops by.”

“Thank you so much.” Lux accepts, though hesitantly. She should have brought some money on her own, but she didn’t know what kind of currency they used in the human world. Gold… would seem suspicious, probably. She bows in thanks and heads north, where the brawls are.

She takes a closer look at the tray, and it seems like a pork bun. She blows a few times before taking a bite. “Hot!” she exclaims, covering her mouth to blow the hot steam out. She starts chewing, and a combination of sweet, salty, and savory flavors burst in her mouth like a firework. Her eyes light up and sparkle like it’s the best thing she has ever eaten.

Because it is. It’s the best thing she has ever eaten.

“Hey kid, where’d you get that?” someone asks.

With her mouth full, she hurriedly points at a vendor towards the forest and give them a thumbs-up. The stranger smiles kindly, thanks her, and heads for said stall. She swallows the food and peeks over, seeing the vendor smile happily at the new customer.

Lux giggles and continues her way north, occasionally stopping a lost stranger to guide them to the vendor. The moment she manages to squeeze through a crowd of people, she’s greeted by a spark that flies towards her. She yelps and ducks, evading the spark just in time, as it lights a nearby box on fire.

“Damn, I needed that!” a faint voice complains. “Stupid thing can’t even hold its fire correctly, ugh!”

Lux opens her eyes and looks up to find the source of that spark. Just beyond the crowd in a darker area, away from the vendors, lies a giant firecracker of bronze shaped like a dragon. She spots a girl, around her age, kicking the side as if she expects it to work by doing that. The girl seems petite, though a little taller than Lux, with black hair and braids in red wraps. Looking closer, she even has dragon tattoos around her right arm.

She wonders if she’s one of those ‘rapscallion’ people she hears about from the lords in the mortal realm.

The girl suddenly meets her eyes, and a moment passes before the blank expression on her face lights up with an idea. “Yo, moonlight! Care to help me out here?”

What? Her? “Me?”

“No, I mean the rat that’s scurrying behind you. Yes, you! This thing’s heavy, ya know!” The girl tries to lift the firecracker herself, but it does seem too much for her to carry on her own.

Lux looks around before making her way over, catching the other side before it collapses on the girl. “Hey,”  Lux calls, peeking over the top of the rocket with a scowl of her own. “You know you could’ve hurt me back there. That spark, or whatever it is, almost flew into my face!”

The girl rolls her eyes and waves her off dismissively. “Oh please, it’s just one little firecracker. It won’t kill you.” Her lip juts out in thought. “Eh, I guess it’ll hurt. But hey, not my fault if these things have a mind of their own.”

“I’m pretty sure they don’t,” Lux mutters. “What is this for anyway?”

“It’s for the party, duh!” the girl exclaims. “You can’t have a party without something big and fun as this .” She extends her arms out to the firecracker with a big grin. “Made it myself actually. Pretty proud of it.”

“This whole thing?” Lux is impressed. It doesn’t look easy building a firecracker as big as this. “Wouldn’t you need a lot of flash powder for this?”

“Oh yeah, definitely,” the other girl answers proudly. “I got my resources, hon. Anyways, help me angle this thing on this doohickey.” She points at a small wooden block with an arc carved into it. “I gotta make sure this thing flies as high into the sky and throughout the city!”

“Well, when’s the party?”

“Eh,” the girl hums in wonder. “Dunno? Usually it’s at the end of the festival. Sometimes at the end of the brawls. It’s kinda different every time.” 

Lux can’t help but hum in curiosity. “I see…” They set down the firecracker on the block and position it so that it will be shot over the crowd. “So… is that it?”

The girl’s head shoots out from the other side of the firecracker with an incredulous look? “Is that it ? Oh, no, no, this is just the beginning, moonlight! We gotta get more stuff! Wanna join me? I promise it’ll be lotsa fun!”

“Oh…” Lux hesitates for a moment. “This is my first time at a festival, so I was hoping I can see everything first.”

“Uh-huh, I am definitely listening. We need firecrackers. LOTS of them. We can get them from different places all around the festival. I’ll go south, and you head west!” The girl is about to take off into the crowd before she’s pulled back by Lux. “What now?”

“Don’t we need money to buy those? I don’t think they’d give them out for free.”

The girl’s lips purse into a crooked line. “Ugh, why’d I have to ask a little lady for help…” she mumbles to herself as she reaches behind her and brings out a small sack. “Here, moonlight. Go crazy. We don’t have much time!” She tosses it into Lux’s hands and runs off before Lux can ask about her share of the money.

“What did I get myself into…?” Lux asks herself. She looks into the sack and see a small pile of coins inside. She takes one out and examines the engravings. “Okay, so this is this much…. And this is this much... I think I got it. West, she said?” Lux hurries off with the sack of coins strapped to her belt under her shawl.

A shadow looms over where she was standing, eyes watching her weave through the crowd. Found her.