This is my first fanfic in six years. I honestly should probably start with one-shots, but some part of me refuses to allow that even though it would be more beneficial to my health. Getting pelted by rotten tomatoes from eager readers due to the lack of updates can be rather deadly. Forgive me; I may need some time to get into a good rhythm again.

I'd like to mention that I've expanded a bit on Elise's spider form and given her the ability to do a few things she cannot do on Summoner's Rift. Similar "expansions" will most likely happen to other champions as well as the situation arises, but I promise to stay within the realm of logic.

This is simply a prologue, so it is meant to be short. Future chapters will be much longer.

Be warned, the rating might go up.

Curious Spider

The halls were silent, lit only dimly by the mana fire that flickered upon the torches mounted on the walls. The pale rays of the full moon shone through the glass window, illuminating the stone floor. Crickets, if one listened closely, chirped a steady rhythm as they sang songs of the night. At this hour, even the most hard-working summoners had retired to their beds for a well-deserved rest.

Click. Clack.

The sound of movement was so quiet it barely echoed. A figure appeared in the way of the moon's radiance, a shadow forming beneath it in protest. It continued down the hallway slowly, towards the grand entrance of the Institute. Upon reaching its destination, the figure paused at the foot of the stairs. The shadow it cast was already curious in the first place, having not simply the shape of a human, but also what appeared to be two pairs of legs protruding from the back. Now however, it began to morph. The figure shrunk in height as all eight limbs grew longer and more jointed. A crackling noise was heard as a black carapace encompassed the whole body. Four pairs of beady eyes stared out, reflecting the moon.

Elise continued down the stairs, quickening her pace. To the east, a large forest surrounded the base of the League and that is where she headed as she hit the bottom. At this point, she paused to listen again, but could only hear crickets. Sighing internally, the Spider Queen commanded her body to shrink. The world became larger around her as her spider form dwindled down to only half the size of its glory on the fields. Satisfied, Elise crawled deeper among the trees, continuing her search. She summoned a few spiderlings, sending them off in different directions to cover more ground.

The Chain Warden had never been one for many words. Even when they had worked together, Elise was never able to make much conversation as Vilemaw tore apart her pitiful followers while she and Thresh stood idly by, the former waiting on the Spider God's venom and the latter to collect the damned souls. So, it was now that Elise found herself following Thresh, curiosity getting the better of her and with the knowledge that she wouldn't receive much of a response if she had directly asked the soul collector why he had been venturing out into the forest every night. However, it was proving rather difficult. Elise did not think herself an amateur when it came to tracking, but she'd be damned if asked to track a dead floating body. She skittered over a root and proceeded to climb a tree, hoping to get a better vantage point and spot the signature green glow of the lantern. Ah, there it was. It was dim among the trees, but unmistakable, heading south. Elise swiftly descended, using a silken strand to aid her, before setting off again in Thresh's direction. She couldn't see the glow from here, but she was confident she could catch up to him. She came to a clearing, and hid herself in a bush before peering around. Nothing. If Elise currently had eye sockets, she'd be rolling her eyes. She crawled up another tree and perched on a branch, waiting.

Approximately ten minutes passed before Elise grudgingly admitted to herself that she had no idea which way Thresh had gone and he was obviously not going to appear in the clearing anytime soon. Her spiderlings had not seen him either. It was getting extremely late, and while Elise did not sleep as much as most people, she did not want to be exhausted in case she was summoned for a match the next day. She turned around and moved back towards the trunk, using it as a bridge to reach the ground. She landed among a group of vines and made her way towards the Institute.

Another step and Elise felt something beneath her shift. The Spider Queen froze. Upon further inspection she realized the vines were moving. Upon even further inspection she found that they appeared to be sprouting thorns. Elise quickly turned back to her human form and backed away, hoping she had not been mistaken for a nighttime snack. While an encounter with a carnivorous plant was something she wouldn't have a problem with, Elise was definitely not in the mood for such a thing at the current moment. Nor would said plant's mistress appreciate her tearing through "her children" and creating a ruckus. Elise's shape shifting had alerted the plant to a sudden change in the weight on its vines, causing it to pause. She took the chance to leap to clear ground and hurried through the trees. Glancing back, Elise saw a pair of eerie orange eyes fixed on her before they faded into the darkness.

She did not look back again.