Author's Note (#1) 09/10/14: please note that this story was started before Riot made changes to their old lore starting with the Shurima Update. This story and the plot behind it was conceived around the beginning of Season 4 (before the Institute of War was removed to divide gameplay and the world setting), and some parts of it may be finished what is canon at that time.

Author's Note (#3) 08/16/19: the introductory prologue has now been updated to reflect some of the primary content of the story. Please enjoy.

(Prologue: Unstable Matters)

War. War never changes.

Two centuries ago the world was sundered by the powers mankind unleashed during the Rune Wars. The skies bled, the earth split, and the oceans burned. Across the world, humanity faced certain Armageddon until a miracle happened.

Sickened by the carnage and wanton destruction, men and women with power from across all reaches of the planet would come together to form a new organization: the Institute of War. Sharing a common fear that everything they valued was facing annihilation, this group set out on an ambitious project to create a new system of governance that could temper humanity's addiction to violence and conflict. By providing artificial battlegrounds for warlords, kings, and tyrants to play out their struggles, the League of Legends would allow for creatures of all different backgrounds and cultures to settle their grievances without threatening the world. Managed and maintained by some of the strongest and brightest bodies and minds on Runeterra, the Institute of War and its League of Legends have unified much of the world through its structure.

However, as history has shown, sometimes the most violent upheavals come from within.

...

One of the strongest nations in the world, Demacia, was born from refugees who had fled from the violence of the Rune Wars. Their descendants would go on to create a strong lawful society built upon the principles of justice, honor, and integrity. To many, Demacia was a dream draped in blue, silver, and gold. A kingdom offering peace, protection, and prosperity dreamt of by the abandoned masses surviving in lands where the laws of man did not touch.

That dream was shattered by a single man: Sylas of Dregbourne. Once only known to the wardens of the Mageseeker order, his name has now become synonymous with chaos, freedom, and the number one hundred and forty three. On the day that Sylas broke free from his prison, many things happened: fires burned, people bled, a prince became a king, and the illusion of Demacian unity shattered.

Now a part of the League of Legends, the kingslayer found refuge above the laws of his homeland. Inside of the Institute's walls he rallied countless supporters to his cause; those persecuted and hurt by the laws of their homeland, and outsiders who would like to see the lands of Demacia burn alongside its people. In response to this, the new king of Demacia will be forced to make a decision on how to respond. But he knows that the lessons learnt during his time in the Institute of War will fall on the deaf ears if a solution cannot be found.

...

On the opposite side of the world another struggle for dominance continues.

The Empire of Noxus is the largest collective of people from different cultures, tribes, and backgrounds on Runeterra. With the stronghold of an ancient warlord at its heart, Noxus has succeeded where many other nations failed: unification under a common set of principles. What appears for many outsiders to be a brutal, expansionist legion where might makes right, is also an inclusive society where strengths and talents of all kinds are to be respected and cultivated. Everything is for the good of the empire, and everything good for the empire will in turn be good for its citizens.

The reign of Boram Darkwill will be noted by military historians as a period of trial and error by Noxus. A time period where the limits of the empire were tested, and a period where the empire's strength was flaunted for the rest of the world to see.

But with a new Grand General comes a new strategy; recognizing the flaws in the unifying empire's structure, and consolidating power into the hands of the worthy. To this end, he has established the Trifarix; three seats of power chaired by living pillars of might core to Noxus' identity. Underneath these three seats stand the strongest warriors, cunning mages, and brilliant leaders Noxus has in its ranks. So too, the Grand General has begun to revoke the privileges of the nobility, seeking to test their resolve and dedication to Noxus once more if they are to retain what power they own.

A witness to all of this is Katarina Du Couteau and Riven the Exile, both famous in their homeland for their battlefield exploits and in the League of Legends for their skill and prowess. Only time will tell if they decide to fall in line as their country demands, or strike out their own path like many Noxians before them. As their fates becomes deeper intertwined with others, their path toward their own happiness becomes less and less clear.

…

On a large island far out into the oceans resides men, women, and beasts of a distinctly unique culture. The treacherous seas surrounding the land mask its real identity; a land where one of the earliest civilizations emerged, evolving into a culture that sought balance and understanding of the world around them. Spared from most of the carnage of the Rune Wars, the people of Ionia were blessed with an understanding of what destructive horrors could be unleashed by the hands of their fellows. But the hearts and minds of these people would not succumb to any fears, yielding nearly two centuries of peace and prosperity to study and master the secrets of the universe.

That was until Noxus attacked.

Nearly thirteen years ago Noxus would lead its first expeditionary warbands onto the island, teaching the natives the true meaning of war. Although the inhabitants would eventually defeat the invaders, it would be at a great cost of life and moral innocence. Even to this day pirates harbored in Bilgewater continue to raid the shores of Ionia, with Noxian gold lining the pockets of the raiders.

A great conflict is approaching on the horizon of Ionia; one that could be the breaking point for its people. Countless factions demand action, all claiming to be the inheritors of the brutal lessons learnt by the Ionians in the war. Monasteries of Shojin monks and the remnants of the Kinkou Order seek a return to isolationist pacifism, and pastoral traditions once honored by all before the start of the war. Opposed to them are Navori Brotherhood and the Order of Shadows, who demand the militarization of the land's magic, to create a single, unified nation that can take vengeance on Noxus through the Institute of War.

The fate of Ionia will be determined by the bold and the brave. Those willing to fight, human or otherwise, must ensure that what remains of the delicate balance remains intact. If not, Ionia will devolve into yet another landscape ravaged by political strife, ceasing to becoming the paradise it once was.

…

If you are reading this, I want you to know that I have worked my entire life to ensure that the Institute of War and my League of Legends live up to the standards it was founded on. This world we have maintained in the center of the world is a pillar to support humanity through the best and worst of times. We aimed to become something greater than the sum total of our parts, perhaps even ascending to something beyond what humans are capable of.

But we are not infallible. We thought we were committing ourselves to justice, when they knew that we were committing ourselves to a perpetual cycle.

And to break that endless cycle we were forced to make sacrifices.

This story, like many stories with heroes and villains, is about sacrifice. It is more than a story about a boy in the body of a monster; it's a story that should double as a warning to anyone who wishes to safeguard their ideals.

Signed,

Vessaria Kolminye, residing Chair on the Council of Equity of the Institute of War.

Author's Note (#2) 9/17/17: to help combat some writer's block I am experiencing, I will be editing the early chapters of this story and adding/removing content to bring it up to par with my current writing. The next chapter of this story is still being worked on, and I thank you for your patience over how long it takes me to update this story as of the last year.