[A/N:] The plot thickens! :D You are also treated to a change of perspective and a bit more world-building on my part; this time around featuring magic rather than geography.

Additionally (and if you're interested), I have a tumblr account. I'd be happy to talk with you and gush about random things! You can find me under the URL "tinyrogue".

Please enjoy this chapter!

His mouth was dry and he knew that only an incoherent stutter would come out if he tried to talk. LeBlanc however, saved him the trouble.

She sauntered over leisurely, hips swaying, and obviously enjoyed his perplexed reaction. Oh, how she loved catching people off-guard. She passed him by and took a seat in a broad armchair, satisfied when she saw how her perfume seemed to revive his ghost.

Vladimir turned but didn't sit. He waited, feeling sweat pooling at the base of his neck, and prayed to any deity that would care to listen that LeBlanc would not—

"Had you given me notice of our clandestine meeting, I would have prepared tea for two," she interrupted his train of thought and stirred a spoon through her cup. Again, Vladimir must have missed the tea's appearance in the first place. He licked his lips mostly unnoticed and tried to determine on how to address the subject.
"I'm sorry to disturb you unannounced. But, there is something I might need your help with." LeBlanc glanced at him, smile still playing on her lips, and he was relieved when she turned her attention back on her tea, "That much I figured." She took a sip, "What can I do for you, Vladimir?"

Right, you idiot. Don't give her a reason to remove your head from your shoulders! Vladimir scolded himself before clearing his throat, "Someone is targeting a… mutual acquaintance. I still have use for them so I need to relocate them to a place where no one will suspect them. Best if the world thinks they're already dead."

The Deceiver hummed in understanding, a sleek eyebrow raised, "And you came here to ask for my assistance." Vladimir nodded, "Yes. I… am afraid this exceeds my own magical expertise." It took him some effort to swallow his pride and admit that his knowledge in that field of magic was indeed inferior to LeBlanc's — usually the Crimson Reaper carried himself with arrogance.
"I take it this needs to be done quickly and quietly," the woman inquired and Vladimir didn't need to confirm the obvious. LeBlanc looked at him and he felt like he was being measured — by what standards, he could only guess. He feared he might be found inadequate.

It were a tense few moments and the only thing keeping Vladimir firmly in place instead of running away in sheer terror was the gruesome thought of the slowly dying Cassiopeia in his chambers. He knew they were all in their own compromising situations, but if he learned anything from living in Noxus, it was to keep your friends close and your enemies guessing.

It was just never quite clear if the woman sitting before him without a care in the world was former or latter.

"Very well. I'm curious to see where this will lead," she eventually said. LeBlanc motioned in the general direction of the small dresser across the room. "Top drawer, the one on the very right." Vladimir moved on autopilot and pulled out the drawer. Before him, an exquisite collection of various charms rested on top of black velvet.
His eyes widened but he halted before actually touching any of them. A single drop of sweat vanished into the line of his collar; magical charms were a fickle thing. While some of them could cast protective auras around their bearer, others were a death knell when you so much as touched them.

He didn't know what to make of this discovery. The fact that LeBlanc was in possession of such an admittedly impressive multitude of charms wasn't even what surprised him the most; it was the fact that she had apparently managed to get them past the Institute's security protocols. Either she smuggled them here, Or she is in cohorts with someone influential and they turned a blind eye.

LeBlanc's eyes were still fixed on his back and he heard her sip on her tea when as she spoke, slow and grave, "Help yourself, Vladimir. But be cautious. Anything you take, comes at a price." He wavered and watched his fingers trembling even though he couldn't do anything against it. He was grateful he still had his back turned to the other mage.
There was a tingling sensation that overcame him at that exact moment and for a second he feared LeBlanc might have gotten up. He swore he could feel her hand on his shoulder and her breath on his neck, but when he straightened the feeling was gone. The quiet sip of tea he heard signaled for him that she was still seated in her armchair. He figured it must have been his imagination playing tricks on him in his current state of mind.

I don't have a choice, Cassiopeia needs me right now. I can't let her die; whatever happens, I have to keep her alive. Kat's going to kill me if I don't. Also, he managed a swallow that went unnoticed, LeBlanc is scaring the living daylights out of me! I just want to get this over with and get out of here!

Without asking her for the price — for her price? —, the Crimson Reaper reached out and took the charm that LeBlanc said would help him. He had held his breath, fully expecting some kind of magic to be set free when he touched it, but nothing of the sort happened.
He turned, the golden charm dangling from a delicate chain in his hand, and dared find LeBlanc's eyes. She smiled still. I wonder if she's pleased that she has me now. Goddess, this is the worst idea I've ever had. He silently wondered if maybe he should have just dragged Cassiopeia somewhere else by the tip of her tail — on full display for anyone who might care to look.

The mirth of the mental image was lost on him. The two mages remained in silence for a few seconds until Vladimir spoke up again, "How do I use it? How will it help?" LeBlanc politely set her cup of tea aside. Then she snapped her fingers and Vladimir jumped when the drawer behind him closed itself. He exhaled.
"Put it around whoever you wish to hide. No one will see them. That way, you should be able to relocate our acquaintance." There was something akin to a knowing glint shining in her eyes but as usual, she didn't speak her mind.

Vladimir just choked out an affirmative and a thank-you before LeBlanc actually shooed him away. She didn't bother showing him out and Vladimir didn't turn around again. He rushed back to his own chambers, mentally chanting I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive! as the tension fled from his shaken body.

When he returned to Cassiopeia, he found her lying on the couch in such a sorry state that he almost did a double-take. Her skin was even paler than normally and her lips had started to turn black. Her eyes were still unfocused. "Vladimir?" she croaked.
"I'm here, I've got something that'll help." She made an effort to look at whatever he brought when he knelt by her side and managed to pull up an eyebrow, "You bought me jewelry? Have you… gone mad?" Her voice didn't sound nearly as threatening as he knew it would have had she been her usual self.

"It's not that. We can get you some place safe with this. Come on," he urged and slung one of her arms around his neck. Then, he placed the charm around both of their necks — and the magic did its work. The air around them thickened, like a woolen blanket that made your breathing heavier, and the air flickered like it was lit aflame.

Cassiopeia slightly gasped when she realized just what he had utilized and she clawed at the fine golden chain, "A charm! You got your filthy hands on an invisibility charm!" Hoo boy, you have no idea how worried I was that it was something else entirely… But yes, I've got my hands on an invisibility charm.
He pulled her up with as much of his meager upper body strength as he could muster and together, they stumbled out of the door.

Fortunately, there was no one around in this part of the Noxian wing. They made their way over to one of the secondary staircases and stopped. "I believe the best place for you to be right now would be the dungeons. Nobody will suspect you there and only a handful of people go down there at all. Plus, the magic barriers will cover up any magical traces the charm might leave behind."
If Cassiopeia tried to protest, it was so weak he never even registered it. The way to the dungeons wasn't very long per se, but they had to pass a few of the main hallways. Luckily, they both weren't idiots and knew how invisibility charms worked.

So, with a bit of shuffling to stay out of anyone's path and not get in physical contact with them, they traversed the corridors of the Institute of War. They tried desperately to keep any grunts of exertion down to a level where nobody would notice; as that would also break the spell the charm had cast around them.
They snuck past Akali and Kennen, wormed their way through a group of Summoners who decided to hold a tea party in the middle of the corridor, and avoided nearly tripping over one of Ahri's prized tails when she came in their direction. Maokai proved to be a bit more of a challenge, since the massive Champion was broad enough that even the hallway seemed too tight for more than three people.

Vladimir ground his teeth together and tried not to lose his temper now. Cassiopeia had long since gone limb in his grasp and when the Crimson Reaper looked up—

—he stared straight into the glassy, blind eye of none other than Singed the Mad Chemist. He skidded to a halt and it fell likes scales from his eyes. Cassiopeia attacked and sick, the meeting with Swain a few days ago, the revelations about Marcus Du Couteau's disappearance…
And now Singed was back at the Institute, going on his merry way like nothing was wrong. The pieces started to fit together but Vladimir didn't feel the euphoria that usually came with a puzzle successfully figured out, however insignificant it turned out to be.

Sweet lord of blood… I had hoped this wasn't the case. I had hoped this Balaq person was just a driveling idiot. He sighed, not caring if he was being heard or not.

He didn't answer Cassiopeia when she asked what was wrong — her eyes more white now than yellow — but the tension in the air was nearly palpable. A quick glance told him that nobody had noticed his frustrated noise and he half-shouldered Cassiopeia onto his back before urging along.

I need to get her out of sight.

It didn't take much longer for the two to reach the staircase to the dungeons and they began their descent. The lower they came, the colder the air felt; like a stale prickle on the skin. Vladimir cautiously opened the massive door leading to the corridor where Katarina had also left Balaq and was relieved to find it empty.

Cassiopeia grunted in her misery, a most unladylike sound, and dragged her lower body after them. As soon as the door fell closed behind them, Vladimir took the charm off of them and stuffed it in the pocket of his mantle.
A sigh escaped both Noxians, the thick magic around them lifted. "Thank goodness that's over…" Cassiopeia drawled. They passed Renekton's cell and when Vladimir looked over, the Butcher of the Sands was staring at them with glowing red eyes.

A shiver ran up his spine, but the hemomancer refused to be intimidated, "If you so much as breathe a word to anyone about this, I swear on the grave of my mentor that I will end your life before you take even one step out of this rotten cell."
But Renekton's fiery gaze was firmly fixed on Cassiopeia's limb form. There was the sound of heavy, rusted iron rattling when he smashed his hand against the cage, "What the hell happened?"

He is such a brute… No wonder they locked him up here. But Cassiopeia beat him to the punch when she replied with feverish voice, "Don't you have eyes in your head, Renekton?" She managed a smirk that had her sharp fangs glinting, "I'm obviously sick… of my lavish chambers."

The comment sent all three of them into silence — until the reptilian Champion growled out ironically, "Couldn't imagine why." Then he turned and curled in on himself, though his eyes never strayed from Cassiopeia's, "You're in much better company down here than up there anyways."

It felt odd to hear him say that and Vladimir actually neither want nor cared to mull over it. He helped Cassiopeia into one of the cells on the far end of the hallway; next to where Balaq was still chained. He briefly wondered if Katarina had made sure to feed him, lest he died in his own mud.

The cell was dirty and devoid of furniture and it stank worse than horse dung. But, it was the only place Vladimir could think of to leave Cassiopeia while he searched for some kind of antidote. All he had to do now was make sure that nobody would find her here.

He felt awful leaving her on the ground like that, but the Crimson Reaper straightened and left the cell. He took a few swift steps, fully intend on making his way to Soraka, when a slim shadow fell over him. Alarmed, Vladimir sprang into a fighting stance, magic already swirling in the palms of his hands, and came face to face with the Sinister Blade of Noxus.

The breath was once more knocked from his lungs as they stared intently at one another. Katarina narrowed her eyes at him, "What the hell are you doing, Vlad?"

[A/N:] Wow… You have no idea who much it hurts me to have Cass suffer like this :'(

I'm still figuring out how exactly I want to portrait Vladimir's inner dialogue. I'm not 100% happy with the result as of now, but I'm not opposed to try and refine it. So you might see more of Vlad-centric content in the future.