Chapter 9

Akali re-emerged back on the battlefield again, determined to spill some of Zed’s blood. He was trying to catch her off guard, which he did with that bottom lane gank with the jungler, and now Akali was set behind because Zed got a kill and she was late roaming to botlane. It was her fault, she knew, and she felt the disappointment within her peak. She really was weak, wasn’t she? She shouldn’t have focused on farming and should’ve paid attention to the spatial awareness around her. If she caught a glimpse of Zed somewhere on the map, perhaps she would’ve caught him mistepping on a ward or something if she placed on down. But Akali was so determined to get a kill that she forgot about the important thing about the game—vision.

“Akali, I’m here for you,” Shen said simply, and Akali felt her heart flutter at that when he mentioned those words. It gave her renewed strength and hope, and Akali convicned herself that she would overcome this and make her team proud, but most especially Shen proud. She wanted to show him that all her training hadn’t been for naught, that she improved drastically, that she can surpass the mentor that she called a lover as well.

It was a miserable match, though. Zed ended up bullying and killing Akali after getting fed off of kills, and made smart plays to outfox her despite the fact that she was initially ahead. Akali knew the basics of teh game, of course, and she found herself as a competent fighter who could get kills and objectives with ease, usually, though Zed made the game harder. He knew macroplay as well as microplay, and he weaved his knowledge beautifully into one devastating dagger like point to focus on her and kill her off so that he would snowball off her and Varus instead.

No matter what they did, they couldn’t protect Varus, and the opposing ADC, Caitlyn, would siege down turrets. They let Dragon go a couple of times because they simply couldn’t contest against it. But eal clincher was, after the enemy team got all the out turrets, they then proceeded to get Baron. Their Jungler, Vi, tried her hardest to Smite Baron away from them, but ended up dying uselessly as a result.

Thresh went to whisper in Akali’s ear something cryptic, and the words rang in her head as they got Baron and wathed helplessly as the enemy team sieged down mid and got to the Nexus.

“Ever wonder what happens after you die on the Rift, Akali?”

Akali said nothing, though she felt a strong shiver worm its way down her back while Zed and the others declared victory.

—x—

“We lost,” Akali said dully while Shen headed out with her. “It’s my fault.”

“Don’t blame yourself, Akali,” Shen said while putting a reassuring hand on her back. “That was a tough game. Zed knows how to play from behind and take crushing advantages. I imagnie that he was behiind all the shotcalling and why their team was so well coordinated. I’msorry that I couldn’t save you that one time, Akali. That was an error on my part.”

“No,” Akali said with a sigh. “You ddi right trying to save the ADC. We needed Varus to push down turrets, but they just go head of us. I feel my blood tingling because of all that.”

“We all have bad games,” Shen said sagely. “Everyone goes on winning streaks and losing streaks, depending on their Summoner and the conditions of the match beforehand. There are many builds that you have to consdier, along with map awareness, warding, trading, harassing, farming, and a bunch of other macro and micro elements. It’s not easy to play the game that the Summoners set up. It takes a lot of time and dedication to learn all there is to know about it.”

“I still can’t help but feel bad,” Akali whispered to Shen, clenching her hands into her fists. SHe wanted to prove to Shen that she could progress further in her training, that she was ready for greater resopnsibilities, but she couldn’t even keep her promises. She couldn’t kill Zed, and she cost the team the game. That was her fault.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Akali,” Shen said to her. “Though what did Thresh to say to you?”

Akali was still spooked by what Thresh said, and Shen could easily see it on her face, despite the mask covering part of her face.

“He told me…If I ever wondered what It was like dying on the Rift?”

Shen paused, before he furrowed his brow in thought as well. “It’s something that the Champions never really questioned. Though this could be forbidden knowledge that will only lead to despair or disillusionment. What will you do with that knowledge, Akali?”

Akali shrugged, staring down at the floor. “I don’t know.”

“Well,” Shen said, before he parted away from her a moment. “Go to the Infirmary to check if anything is still broken or whatnot. I will be seeing you.”

Akali watched Shen depart, feeling love swell her heart with fierce pride, before the smile disappeared from her face. There was something that she needed to find out, and she knew what she must do.

I must go to Thresh.