So I decided to just move the rework to an entirely new story and not post it on the old one! I apologize if some people get confused. Also, chapter 2 rework will be posted soon, but I am waiting on Shaw to send me a message!

The sound of heavy steps was masked by the squish of the mud below the feet of Katarina, Cassiopeia, and Talon, as they ran from the barking and howling dogs gaining on them. Protrusions of dead trees snagged at clothing and the thick mud clung to every surface on their body, slowing them down. Their pursuers, dressed in the red and black garb of the Noxian military, were more prepared for the marshes. A large ax spun through the group, forcing the red head to slide to avoid being clipped. Kat didn't even notice when she lost sight of the other two, but she was aware that she was still being followed. She glanced down at her belt. Five, five daggers was all she had left, and she wouldn't be as agile – thanks to the mud – in melee combat. She'd have to save them for a sure hit.

She began to throw her view back over her shoulder, in hopes of catching a glimpse of the soldiers after her, but the answer was not one she liked.

"Fuck..." she muttered to herself, as Draven's ax glinted in the dim fog light. The man was an idiot with an overinflated ego that the whole of Valoran couldn't satisfy, but it didn't take brains to wield an ax with some precision. In fact, precision was what he was known for – that, and a really bad personality.

"Why him..." she spoke, as she made her way towards a small treed area.

It all began in the Du Couteau mansion. Unease had been growing since Swain gained power after defeating Keiran Darkwill, taking the position of Grand General, but this had little effect on the residents of the mansion. That is until the Crimson Elite stormed it during the night. It was Talon who had alerted the others and, while they had lost many guards, managed to escape through the sewers. Talon, having extensive knowledge of the underground, was able to lure the pursuers into traps and buy them more time to escape.

Once outside the city, they stuck to back roads and less traveled paths that eventually would take them to the Institute, but as they got closer they found checkpoints on the roads and patrols in the forests between them. They'd been spotted trying to sneak around one of these patrols and the chase began. The group was herded away from the Institute leaving them no other choice but to go through the Kaladoun Marsh, a dark foggy swamp inhabited by death itself, to their last hope, Demacia. Luckily, as they drew closer to the City of Justice the number of pursuers diminished until it was just a small group that remained.

Katarina slid to the side as an ax slammed into the tree beside her. "Come out and play!" Draven taunted. The excited barks from the dogs were right behind her, and – after a cursory glance – she parted with one of her five daggers. Two dogs fell, but that still left one more and Draven; spotting her distraction, the executioner took advantage of Kat's attack and launched a blade at her. It connected the edge of her arm after she tried to dive.

"Damn it...!" she cursed to herself, as she quickly got to her feet. The ground was getting harder, as she neared the edge of the swamp; however, through the gaps in the trees she could see the greener fir treetops of Demacia. With newfound hope she caught hold of a thick tree branch and spun up onto it. The dog, not prepared for her quick stop, skidded forward unable to slow itself in time. She sent a dagger towards the hound only to miss. Launching another dagger with a curse, she finished it off. Now only Draven remained. He didn't look the slightest bit worried about losing his dogs, and instead he looked amused.

The red head launched off the branch moments before his ax tore through it, forcing her to land in a hasty roll coating her with more mud. However, as she stood an ax tore up her back. She let out a scream of pain, as she stumbled forward with only the adrenaline coursing through her keeping her on her feet. Each step tore the wound just a little further but still she kept going. Finally, she broke through the last of the trees and all that remained was a sprint for the gates, but the executioner would have none of that. Kat wasn't quick enough to dodge the two spinning axes that clipped her side, sending her sprawling into the ground. There was the distinct clinking sound of metal that drew her attention, and she watched as her last two daggers bounced away from her. She scrambled after the blades, but she didn't get very far before an ax collided with her leg. She let out another scream as she collapsed onto the ground in agony.

Any attempt at a crawl was halted as Draven put his weight down on her back, procuring another scream. Just to add to his pleasure he wiggled his ax free from her leg, tearing the wound open further. "And the crowd goes wild!" he said as he took a fistful of red hair and pulled her up by it. "This is the part where you beg me, the Great Draven, for your life."

She twisted her body and spat into his face. "I'll never stoop so low!" Katarina growled.

Draven wiped the fluid free of his face, still wearing that stupid grin of his. "Redheads. They always like to play hard to get. I'll have you know I'm not limited to leaving you alive so long as you're still recognizable, so I'd watch your tongue…"

Kat heard him, but the words just didn't process. Instead she watched the clouds roll by like nothing mattered; she felt the cool wind dancing with the loose bits of hair; she smelled the bread baking inside the city walls; and she heard the cry of an eagle as it descended towards her.

'Huh?' She watched the bird, but she was having trouble focusing.

"You don't need this arm, do y-" a loud squawk interrupted Draven. Katarina tried to watch as the bird dug its talons into his face, but she soon lost the fight with her eyelids and the world went black.

While Kat lost consciousness a woman dashed towards the commotion. "Val!" The bird broke free, and his victim held his hand up to his eye as blood leaked out from under it. She looked startled, but composed herself. "What are you doing here, Draven?"

He laughed, spilling blood down his vest. "Why am I here? Why are you interrupting my show?!" He flung an ax at the woman, but his aiming was off due to being blind in one eye so she easily dodged the weapon. In response she launched a bolt into his free hand, but he showed no signs of pain and instead launched another ax. It ground against the dirt where Quinn once stood before returning to his hand. "Stop running, you coward!"

"I will not kill you Draven, the League prohibits it."

"Do you know who I am?" he snarled. "I'm Draven! I'm more important than the stupid League! Who cares what they think?!"

"Do not make me do this. I do have the right to use necessary force to protect myself."

"Nothing protects against Draven!" he cackled, launching a series of axes at Quinn.

"Val!" the bird swooped down slicing open his arm as she launched another bolt into his leg.

Her attacks were relentless, but he never backed down; even resorting to swinging the ax at the bird when it came near. He wasn't completely incapable of fighting and still managed to clip both Quinn and Valor a few times, but he was never able to connect to a vital area. They were at a standstill until Quinn spoke.

"We are done, Draven. Any more of this and you will die."

"No! I don't lose!"

"Give it up. Go back to Noxus." She made her way over to Katarina's figure, placing two fingers along her neck. "Good she's still alive. I'll take her to Demacia for medical treatment."

"Don't ignore me!" he screamed, flinging an ax. A loud clang rung from Quinn's helmet and sent her down to the ground. "I can't fail! I'm the great and mighty Draven! There isn't a thing I can't do!" Before Quinn could react a bloodied boot rested on her chest. "And now I will kill you!" He raised his ax, but before he could bring it down Valor latched on. Quinn saw her chance and fired a bolt straight into his throat.

Choking at once, he raised an arm in panic and finally managed to smack Valor away and began to swing the ax down once again, but he never finished as a second bolt entered through his good eye.

The ax impaled itself into the ground just beside her. She pushed Draven's corpse to the side as she clambered to her feet. She hobbled over to Katarina, who had fallen nearby, and checked her pulse a second time. It was weak, but still there. "Val, go get help," she called out. A squawk later and he was off to the skies. "Let's see what I can do..." Quinn began to root around in her pouches pulling out a few peculiarities, but also bandages and ointment. They wouldn't save her - she'd need serious medical attention - but it would at least slow the bleeding and help against any infection. After wrapping her more serious wounds, the side and back, she hoisted the woman onto her back, and began slowly walking towards Demacia.

o-O-^-O-o

"Just what is the meaning of this?!" a tall man dressed in thick blue and gold armor roared into Quinn's face. "Draven is dead and Katarina Du Couteau is within the last inches of her life! Just what in Demacia's name were you thinking?!"

"He would have killed me otherwise, sir," she answered, remaining calm. "Plus when I first saw him he was attacking what looked like a defenseless woman, sir."

"Defenseless woman?! That was Katarina Du Couteau! A trained assassin! You want me to believe that she was fleeing from that pipsqueak? She is much more grandeur than that." He glanced over the falconer and spotted a regally adorned man. "You are dismissed, but I will speak to you soon so don't go too far."

Quinn saluted the man and left the room without another word.

"What is the problem, Garen?" the man dressed in royal attire said as soon as he'd approached. "I was in the middle of... something important."

"I'm sorry for disturbing you my prince, but we have a problem," Garen answered.

"And just what would that problem be?" Prince Jarvan IV said, narrowing his eyes.

"During a routine patrol, Quinn discovered Draven engaged in a chase with Katarina Du Couteau."

"Katarina Du Couteau? Are you sure?"

"I am, sir, but at the time Quinn didn't know who she was as she'd been quite badly disfigured by running through the swamp. She wounded Draven in an attempt to stop him from killing her. This, however, only made him attack her. She claims that he was going to kill her, so she did what she had to survive."

"And just where is Draven? I would like to question him."

"That is the problem sir..." Garen confessed. "He's dead."

Jarvan blinked. "I see." he rested his hand on his chin before continuing, "What of Katarina?"

"She is in bad condition, but luckily we were able to catch Soraka before she left..." the Might of Demacia trailed off.

"That is good. We'll have a lot of questions for her as well. But why was Draven attacking her? That doesn't make any sense at all. Are you sure all this is true?"

"It is what I was told, but I don't have all the details. What should we do?"

"We need to inform the Institute of this," Jarvan said, grimacing. "They won't be pleased to hear this. Where is Katarina at the moment?"

"She's unconscious in the basement of the barracks. I plan to interrogate her myself when she awakens," he answered.

"Do that. I'll see if any of our spies have reported in and ask if they know of anything that could explain this."

"Sir, could it have anything to do with Swain's rise to power?" Garen asked.

"I won't say that for sure, but with the disappearance of our spy network we can't rule anything out. No matter the absurdity, this is Jericho Swain after all. He does the impossible as often as we use the restroom. Good luck with your end."

Garen saluted as the prince left the room. With a sigh he dropped into his chair to prepare a report when a light cough startled him.

"Brother?" Luxanna spoke.

"Lux," he grumbled. "What did I tell you about using your cloak?"

"Not to eavesdrop on your conversations... but I promise that's not what I was doing! I was just trying to... get... uh..."

Garen raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, maybe I was, but I haven't gotten my newest order of books and I've read all the others so I'm bored," she confessed.

The leader of the Dauntless Vanguard shook his head. "Sister, some of the things I talk about in here are confidential-"

"Like that time you pretended you were talking to Katarina?" she interrupted.

"Especially those times!"

"Times? So you've done it more than once?"

He took a deep breath and massaged his temples. "I love you dearly Lux, but you need to leave."

"Why?"

After another deep breath, he spoke, "I have work I need to finish, and I can't do it while you are here."

"Alright... I guess I'll just have to go dig around the library some more."

'Actually, why don't I go take a look at Katarina' she thought, skipping out of the doorway, humming the Demacian anthem as she went.

"She is going to be the death of me..." Garen mumbled to himself. He bent over and dipped the quill into the ink and began writing. "I need one of those 'pen' things Heimer keeps ranting about..."

Luxanna, however, was making her way to barracks, something her brother would almost certainly have objected to if he'd known about it. Not that she cared too much anyways. Right before entering she spun her baton wrapping herself in a cloak of light. 'Now brother said she was in the basement...' she spun about looking for the stairs. 'There!' she scurried past the few guards and slipped down the stairs through the door at the bottom. After the door, there were no guards. It was a damp and dark stone hallway littered with large iron doors. Lux made her way to each door and peaked inside but it wasn't till the forth one down on the left that she actually saw something besides empty beds and stone.

That last one, however, contained a large blue woman draped in robes, who she instantly recognized as Soraka, standing over the red head. Curiosity kicked in and she dared to get closer so she snuck in through the door, careful to not make a sound, and began inching towards the two.

"Luxanna Crownguard," Soraka spoke, turning around and staring at the startled mage straight through her cloak. "What are you doing here? I'm sure you know that you are not allowed in here."

"How did you know I was here?"

"The stars told me, child. Now this one needs some time alone, so if you'd please leave."

"But-" Lux began to protest.

"I am sure that only patience will sate your curiosity, but as of now she needs uninterrupted healing. And you are an interruption."

Luxanna didn't answer, but Soraka could feel her presence fading. "Now I can continue."

Soraka raised her star and crescent wand above her head and began to mouth a chant. Slowly the wounds were stitching themselves back together, but it was slow and would take days. Quinn's injuries were minor, and could be treated by a court mage. She'd probably be doing patrols tomorrow if the prince would allow it; however, she was being held until things got sorted out. She'd have a lot of questions to answer, just like Miss Du Couteau.

o-O-^-O-o

"Excuse me ma'am!" a man draped in dark blue robes called out as he approached Vessaria Kolminye, the High Councilor.

"What is it Summoner Ma'riah?" Kolminye grunted. She had about fifty more pages of reports about champion behavior left before she could turn in for the day.

"We have a message from Demacia. It's urgent."

She let out a deep sigh. "Very well. Bring in the crystal."

She watched as Ma'riah took out a small nexus fragment. "Here. This should be linked directly to Demacia."

"Thank you Ma'riah. Now if you'll excuse me?"

"Yes ma'am," he said as he left the office. Being the High Councilor had its perks and one was a grand working area. The walls were about twenty feet high and littered with bookshelves, drawers, and filling cabinets all perfectly sorted – something that her predecessor had never managed to grasp – and there in the middle of the room was her large wooden desk, completely covered with neat stacks of paper. Clearing a small spot on her desk, she set the crystal down and spoke a word in an ancient tongue.

The crystal began to hum, followed by a quiet, "Hello?"

"Prince Jarvan IV," she greeted. "You wished to speak to me?"

"Yes. We have had a bit of a situation here..." he trailed off.

"And that would be? I really don't have time for petty disputes between Noxus and yourself."

"One of scouts... encountered Draven earlier. He was within a visible distance of the city."

"And?" Kolminye tried to speed the process along.

"And during the encounter he attacked. In defense, our scout returned the attacks, but he refused to back down. She was forced to take his life, in order to protect hers."

Vessaria went silent, as she took in what was said. "So Draven is dead?" she repeated.

"Unfortunately, yes, but he forced our hand," Jarvan answered.

"Myself and a small envoy will be there within the next five hours. Please whatever you do, don't do anything else."

"One last thing ma'am?"

"What?" she was already tossing a few things around in preparation.

"We found him trying to kill Katarina Du Couteau."

Well there you go the first chapter! I hope everyone likes it!