Here it is, the final chapter in my fanfiction of Xerath and Syndra. I did not want to include a real reflection, but give one of my favorite champions his first cameo; also, there is already a really great Syndra reflection out there. Anyway, enjoy.

Chapter 9: The Reign Begins

As the room began to fade into darkness, the voice of Summoner Madred came to her ears as a disembodied voice. "Syndra, you're first Judgment was made invalid due to… disagreements between the Institution of War and the Champions representing Ionia. As such, this is your second and final chance to prove yourself to the Summoners and your comrades from Ionia." His voice called out.

The word "comrades" was almost enough to make her gag. She was shocked to hear that he would think such a thing considering how they had turned her away the first time. True, he was not the summoner that judged her last; he still should have read the reports and have known.

Recomposing herself, she responded. "Thank you for this second chance." She said as she bowed politely in the direction she remembered seeing the man. Her eyes lifted up slightly, a devilish smile on her lips. "I will not disappoint." She promised; sincerely.

After a few seconds, light returned to the world in a sudden flash. She was back in her fortress, but it was… different.

Instead of empty halls, there were creatures of magic patrolling in groups of two to four. They were a dark shade, like her orbs, floated off the ground, and did not have faces. It was as if they were conjured to be sentries and nothing more.

After a group passed close to her, she realized she felt heavier. She glanced down at herself, and then her eyes widened. She wore a different outfit, though not much different than her common one. It appeared to be some kind of armor, with runes and metal pieces decorating it. At the right side of her waist was a whip, its handle sticking out for easy access.

Slowly, she moved her hands to her head, and then found that her headdress was mostly the same; a few gems or jewels were new but it was mostly the same.

A sharp sound brought her to attention, and then a furious cry as the dark creatures began to move swiftly. They were heading somewhere, and that sound was an alarm.

She followed the closest group, forgetting for a moment that she could float, and ran a few feet before her feet lifted from the ground. They were fast, but she was able to keep up with them as they moved. Still, the sound went off, followed by the cries of the creatures and something outside. She did not know what it was, but, somehow, she knew it demanded her attention.

When she finally came to one of four entrances to her fortress, she froze as the dark creatures charged forward. She was in a city, the building and streets alive with battle. There were soldiers fighting off the dark creatures, but they put up little resistance. For every soldier, there were three creatures, and it did not appear they tired or bled.

"For Noxus!" A familiar battle cry made her turn to the source. It was Darius, the Hand of Noxus, leading a large battalion of, who she had heard, were Crimson Elites, Noxian hand-picked, elite soldiers. He wore battle armor, the kind he only wore for real battles against impossible odds, but she doubted that would protect him.

Behind him, whirling wicked, crescent axes like chakras, Draven stood, his eyes scanning the scene, picking out targets. Behind him were men with other axes, ready to resupply him should he be unable to re-acquire his weapons. Even axe hit, but they only staggered the creatures.

A final familiar face was Swain, the leader of Noxus and its Master Tactician. Unlike his subordinate, he led a smaller group, but she knew them to be magical. His spells did more than weapons, but not much more as the creatures began to realize the threat and assault the group.

The offensive quickly turned to defensive, and it was being pushed back.

"Sovereign!" Came a voice from behind. Syndra turned and met the eyes of LeBlanc, the Deceiver. There was no fire in those eyes; only terror. One of the creatures held her hands behind her back; she was a prisoner. "You promised you would not attack Noxus if I helped you! You swore!" She cried out. Her face was bruised and stained with tears.

Syndra heard herself speak without intending to, but her voice was different, older. "I am not attacking Noxus. I am claiming it." She heard herself say, her tone cold.

She turned back to the battle before her. She noticed that, whenever one of the creatures died, it changed into a human in a robe, a robe much like that she had seen the summoners wearing. The rest of the battle, however, was being won by the creatures as they decimated the Noxian defenders.

"Please…" LeBlanc sobbed from behind her. "Please just spare them." She pleaded.

Syndra turned her head to the defeated sorceress. "My emissary never returned to me after I sent him to demand their surrender. I can only assume he is being held captive, and Swain has chosen to fight." She said, her cold tone returned.

The woman turned her head from the carnage, but Syndra did not stop there. "I'll admit that Demacia would not have fallen so easily without your help, but, then again, Jarvan surrendered before I arrived. Noxus, under the command of Swain, however, did not. If it pleases you, think of it as revenge for the war against Ionia. It makes me feel better." She said.

As the battle went on, the creatures began to capture men and women of rank. Darius, Draven, Swain, and others were brought before Syndra. She picked out Urgot, and ordered he execute the two brothers and remove Swain's right arm. He refused, at first, so she resorted to magic. Tethers appeared from her fingers and attached to the reanimated executioner, making him a living puppet of hers. With this, she carried out the deed, removing the brothers' heads and Swain's arm.

LeBlanc appeared calmer, seeing that Swain was not killed, but horrified, as were the rest of the Noxian soldiers and citizens, to see the two brothers put to death so easily and by one of their own, even if controlled.

After, she ordered Swain and LeBlanc bound, watched, and taken to the holding cell, she did not know she had one in her fortress, and then she herself began to walk the streets with the creatures.

"Quite a future, isn't it?" An unknown voice shocked her, forcing her back a step as the world seemed to melt away.

Syndra looked around frantically, not knowing what was going on. This was nothing like her previous reflection. "Who is there? What happened to Madred?" She called out.

There was a laugh, the voice old, and then the voice came again. "Oh, it's just an old man, haunted by his past… present, and future." He said. She heard ticking, like that of old clocks. "My name is Zilean, and I am known as the Chronomancer. It is a pleasure to meet you." The voice said.

She froze, and then slowly turned her head to the left. There, several feet from her, was an old man sitting at a desk. He was working on a clock while others floated around him. Some moved at regular times, others at quickened times, and the rest backwards. He looked up when she looked at him and smiled the way a grandfather might. "What I just showed you was the future I had foreseen weeks ago and told the League. I am sorry, but I did not think they would tell the summoners and finally the other Champions." He said, and then laughed. "I see the past, present, and future, but I've not control over them. If I did, only those three high summoners would know of that future." He added.

This old man was a chronomancer? A time mage, as it were? She couldn't believe it. "Then, that was what I would be? And what I would do?" She asked. He nodded, and then went back to working on his clock. "But, what about the famous assassins of Noxus? Like Katarina and Talon?" She asked.

He didn't look up from his work as he spoke. "You had them killed by Nocturne, along with others, all in the course of a single night." He paused and tapped the screwdriver in his hand to the desk in thought. "Katarina, Cassiopeia, Talon, nearly all of the assassins." He added.

"Nocturne?" She asked. She was unfamiliar with the champions, but she guessed the names were other champions.

"The living nightmare, yes. That's why you take down the Institution of War first. You conquer them, free Nocturne, have him act as your private assassin, and rip the magic from the summoners to turn them into those dark abominations." He paused from his work to look up at her. His smile, at first kind and warm, was not sad. "You nearly kill him too, for trying to kill you. He loses his left arm and the left side of his face is scarred. He may be a living nightmare, but you turn into more of a monster than he'll ever be." He said, and then went back to his work.

Syndra was dumb folded at what she was hearing and what she had seen. She attacks and conquers both Demancia and Noxus in the future? "What about Ionia?" She asked, frightened by the answer after she had spoken the question.

"Conquered by the Order of the Shadow after you help them wipe out the Kinkou." He shook his head. "Zed has your family killed immediately after you leave to prevent you from becoming weakened by them. Other than Xerath, he's your only ally." He said.

Xerath? What part does he have? "How is he my ally? I doubt he would follow me after I-"

"He's your adviser and teacher in the art of magic." Zilean interrupted.

Syndra stood in silence, watching the old man work. When he finished the clock, he shut the door behind it and picked out another one from under the desk. "Xerath leaves the League after you turned away from the League, about six or eight days ago, I believe. Fifteen years later, you and the Order of the Shadow attack Ionia, then you take your army to Demancia. Finally, Noxus falls and brings your twisted sense of balance to completion." He explained.

"My sense of balance?" She asked.

The old man nodded. "Yes. While you do not like much of what your elders and fellow Ionians say about balance, you develop your own form of it, with the Shadow of course. In short: You lead a tyranny of peace and stomp all those who wish to fight for anything." He said.

She was about to speak of how that was not so bad, but he cut her off. "And then, following your death, the Void breaks loose into a world dominated by peaceful people who do not know how to fight." He said. He waited a moment for that to sink into her head, and then continued. "They are pushed back, eventually, but the aftermath leaves civilization destroyed and without hope of returning to its former glory." He finished.

Syndra was speechless, but a few words came to mind. "What about Xerath?" She asked, more of a plea than a question.

"He is just one being, and one that does not care for others he considers weak or below him. He and Annie, an older Annie, are the ones who defeat the monsters of the Void, but not without the damage having been done." He responded.

She couldn't believe it, yet she had seen part of it. "How do I know what that was, that you showed me, was to be true? How do I know you are not lying to me?" She stammered, trying to keep herself calm at this point.

He smiled then, an honest, pleased smile that she understood. "I am lying to you." He said.

She let out a sigh of relief. "Thank god." She said, sitting down on the ground.

"What I showed you and what I told you were lies. That future would have happened, but now it cannot." He said.

She looked up. "What?" She asked.

Zilean pushed his chair back and stood up, and then walked toward her. He extended his hand, and she took it, letting him help her up. He gestured and she followed him to the desk, where she sat down. "I saw that future, warned the summoners, and they warned others. Thankfully, I did advise the summoners on this matter and told them Xerath was the only hope for the future. So far so good, as I've not had the vision again." He stated cheerfully.

Syndra was more uneasy, if anything, about this new information. "How does what has happened in the last week changed what would have happened then?" She asked.

The old mage ran his fingers through his beard, clearly thinking over how much he wanted to tell her. She did not blame him for not wanting to tell her, seeing as others had overreacted to his previous vision. Still, she was in awe at this mage, who could see the flow of time, but also curious about him.

Finally, he spoke. "You changed Xerath, and he changed you." He began. "You, as his student, gave him the opportunity to feel human again, to remember the limitations of mortals and that he once was one. He, as your teacher, has taught you control, acceptance, and forgiveness." He said.

He paused and looked down at her, smiling in that grandfather way. "You've learned to control your magic and emotions, have accepted your past and moved past it, and have forgiven those who sought to destroy you because they did not understand you. Xerath, likewise, has regained his humanity, lost some of his superiority complex, and has become a mage among mages again." He said.

He let out a sigh. "Thank goodness too, as now I can talk to him without being belittled." He joked.

Syndra smiled, but her mind was still racing with thoughts. Speaking of which, one thought came to her. She snapped her head to him, her eyes wide, and stood. The action caused the old man to stumble backwards a step before he could regain his balance. "This is my reflection, isn't it?! Everyone knows about what could have happened and will still think I am a threat!" She said, panicking now.

Everything was not going so good for her, people were beginning to treat her like any other and she was beginning to trust others again. Now, with a few new to the audience, things could only go downhill from here. Even Zilean appeared surprised. Maybe he couldn't see everything he claimed to!

The chronomancer looked bewildered and confused. "A reflection? How? I slowed down time to talk to you. Everyone should appear frozen in the blinding light of your… oh, that's what you mean." He said, raking the fingers of his left hand through his beard again. "So I finally timed it at the exact moment, did I?" He said proudly.

She looked at him. Now it was her turn to be confused. "What does that mean?" She asked.

Zilean smiled. "My dear, it means they do not see you, and your reflection has been paused until I undo my spell." He shook his head in wonder. "Anyway, is there anything else I can help you with? I just wanted to apologize to you for causing this whole mess. Next time, I'll take my future telling to the champions in question instead of the summoners." He said, chuckling a little to himself.

Finally she smiled. Wait! What was that last part? "Do you mean…?" She began, hopeful.

He looked back to her, smiled, and approached before extending his hand out to her. "Let me be the first to congratulate you, Dark Sovereign, and welcome you to the League of Legends. I am sure we will all enjoy your company and experience in the League." He said, shaking her hand.

"How many mages are there in the League?" Syndra asked, watching her teacher cast spells.

Xerath, who appeared a little exhausted as his body shimmered, turned his head to her. "I do not know… Ryze?" He asked.

The rogue mage, reading a book under the shade, looked up. "Too many to name for sure. Maybe six or eight?" He guessed.

Syndra looked from one to the other before finally stopping on her teacher. "You did not tell me about Zilean having told you his vision of my future." She shot.

The magus staggered, his arcane bolt sparking out of existence. He straightened himself, resting as well, and began to draw on the magics around them to recover himself a little. "Zilean had a vision about you?" He asked, genuinely surprised.

She did not think he meant it. "He said that, had you not intervened the way you did, I would go on to conquer Ionia, Demancia, and Noxus with an army of magical abominations made from the bodies of summoners." She said.

Both Ryze and Xerath stared at her. It was then, by the looks in both their eyes, she could tell they were sincere in their surprise. "Neither of you two knew about that?" She asked. Both shook their heads. "I see…" She said. She began to drift back into her own thoughts.

Xerath's voice brought her attention partly back to the real world. "Did you know about that?" He asked.

Ryze shook his head, and then licked his finger and closed his book as he spoke. "I had no idea of that. Zilean and I do speak on occasion, but never about his ability to see through time. I sometimes forget he can, honestly." He admitted.

The magus, finished with his spells, straightened and turned to Syndra. "Everything is ready. Are the two of you ready?" He asked. Both Ryze and Syndra stood, and then said as one "Yes." He nodded and locked himself into place. "Let us begin." He announced.

Syndra summoned forth her orbs, one floating over in front of her and three revolving around her. Ryze began to chant, the runes on his body emitting a faint glow. Xerath released himself from his locked stand.

"The battle has begun." Announced the disembodied voice of the announcer.

With that, the magic barrier around them dissipated into nothingness, allowing them to move.

Syndra, taking her first "steps" into the Fields of Justice as a full-fledged League Champion, felt a surge of adrenaline course through her. It was time for her reign, as a champion and the Dark Sovereign of Ionia, to begin.

Zilean, the summoners, and other champions may have had some influence in her choices, but, from now on, she would make her own decisions and live with the consequences of those decisions. She was no longer the little girl anyone could bind and control. Now, she was a woman of great and devastating power to be wielded by her and her alone. While she was not the most powerful woman alive, she would one day command armies against the worst Noxus could throw at her.

Rather than capture the point, as she learned was the point of the Crystal Scar, she charged toward the enemy, knowing one of them was trying to capture it. Just before it could be captured, she interrupted it with a quick toss of her orb, following up with by summoning a second and pushing it toward her foe.

In a matter of seconds, she was on top of her enemy. Rather than attack, she bent down and lifted her foe from the ground, tossed him into the air, and then hugged him to her chest.

"Wh- What are you doing!" Kennen exclaimed, stunned by her sudden action. In a way, it was a longer stun than the orb nearly cracking his skull.

He tried to speak again, but she tossed him into the air once more, laughing as she did. "Isn't it obvious? I'm relishing in my freedom!" She said. This time, instead of catching him with her hands, she caught him in an orb just before he hit the ground, and then released him. She smiled down on him as he straightened, resuming his stance. "Now then, let's finish our fight from earlier." She said, her tone turning malicious and deadly.

The Heart of the Tempest shook his head, clearing his thoughts, and then crouched down, pulling a shuriken into each hand. His eyes narrowed, but she detected the hint of humor. "Do not think this will end the same as last time." He challenged.

Even if it was a custom match between the three Kinkou and Xerath, Ryze, and herself, Syndra knew this would be a fun and interesting match.

Yes, I love the idea of Syndra toying with Kennen because the little guy needs some love. Everyone seems more interested in Akali and Shen, but what about the third member of the ninjas? Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed and sorry for any mistakes grammar, lore, personality, and... well, anything else.