manynovel Page 93
Page 93
Unlike in the game, where Irelia's initial weapon was her family crest shattered by the Noxians during her awakened Blade Dance, later in battle she switched to a more lethal metal blade. Now, six crystalline scabbards floated out from behind Irelia, emitting a faint glow. Even someone with absolutely no knowledge of weapons could clearly sense at this moment that these blades were far more complex than they appeared.
Meanwhile, upon seeing these blades, Shen exclaimed in surprise, "These are... Spirit Realm weapons? Does the Zan family have them too?"
Spiritual weapons possess both spiritual and material forms, capable of inflicting greater damage on spiritual beings such as evil spirits. When attacking living beings, they also exert a psychological influence, directly attacking the soul. These weapons often possess a degree of intelligence; however, unless they gain the weapon's own approval, their effectiveness is often inferior to simply picking up a random twig.
To this, Irelia smiled and said, "It is an ancestral relic." As she spoke, Irelia also looked at the Noxian fleet that had begun to head towards Pelor.
"It's just that now is the time to draw it out."
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I've been running around dealing with my grandmother's cancer lately, mainly concerning medical treatment options... Most of it is mostly resolved now, and I'll start updating intensively on the 21st to make up for the missed updates.
298. The Problem of Syndra
Unaware of what was happening outside—although he could guess that Irelia and the others were fighting, Faen was still focusing as much of his energy as possible on Syndra's dream in the Dream Pool.
While pondering this, Farn followed young Syndra to her home.
As soon as Fane pushed open the door, he saw Syndra's brother, whose face was bruised and swollen. Upon seeing Fane's arrival, the boy, who had previously managed to confront him with courage, now looked terrified, hiding behind his mother and pointing at Fane, saying, "He's the one who hit me! It's him! He's here again! It must be because of that Syndra guy!"
Hearing her brother's words, a dark glint flashed in Syndra's eyes. Beside her brother, Syndra's mother, after hearing her son's words, didn't react. Instead, she sighed, then hesitantly looked at Fan. Finding that Fan wasn't as violent as her son had described, she asked, "Sir, I can somewhat guess why you disciplined Ewald. So, what brings you here?"
Upon hearing Syndra's mother's words, Fain nodded, confirming in his mind that the reason Syndra's parents' attitude towards her was so contradictory and conflicted might not simply be because they disliked Syndra, but rather because there were deeper reasons behind it.
Thinking to himself, Farn asked the question that had been bothering him: "You seem like a very organized person, so you should know that when one person makes a mistake and bullies another, assuming that both are at fault is essentially covering up the wrongdoing. Although little Syndra is easily distracted, she is not a child with a bad heart, so why do you always treat Syndra with prejudice and indifference?"
Syndra was taken aback when she heard Farn ask her mother such a question, not expecting it. She then nervously glanced at her mother, as she had long wanted to know the answer. Previously, either the naive Syndra didn't know how to express her thoughts, or she simply didn't dare ask her mother such a question…
Now that someone had asked the question for her, Syndra instinctively looked at her mother, then at Fain. Syndra's mother remained silent after hearing Fain's words, seemingly lost in thought. Under the banana, Fain, noticing Syndra's gaze, returned it gently and ruffled her hair to reassure her.
This gave Syndra, who had never felt protected before, a sense of warmth, and she lowered her head, somewhat at a loss.
During this process, whether it was a misperception or not, Fain heard a barely audible click of the tongue, as if someone was dissatisfied and disgusted by it. This made Fain realize something, and he then looked at Syndra, whose eyes were filled with confusion and helplessness, and gently ruffled the girl's hair.
Meanwhile, after a moment of silence, Syndra's mother said helplessly, "In fact, I know that I sometimes do things wrong, but I don't know why, whenever I get close to Syndra and she does something wrong, even if I try to soothe her gently at first, I end up getting angry with some inexplicable feeling."
As she said this, she paused, a hint of surprise appearing in Syndra's eyes, and then said, "Strange, why don't I feel... that strange feeling today?"
Upon hearing Syndra's mother's words, Fane nodded thoughtfully and then said, "If that's the case, then the problem might lie with Syndra."
Upon hearing this, Syndra's mother didn't say anything, but Syndra's face was already covered with fear and unease, as if she was afraid that Fane would blame her for all the mistakes, just like the others.
But just as Syndra was feeling uneasy and desperate, and as the darkness began to spread outward through the cracks in her heart, Fain's hand landed on Syndra's head once again.
This made Syndra raise her head again, almost unconsciously.
Feeling Syndra's gaze, Fain turned to Syndra's mother and said, "Syndra possesses immense potential. The source of this power lies hidden within Syndra, as part of the Soul of Ionia itself. It was only due to the influence of the ancient past that it was forced to separate and slumber within Syndra."
Fain's words caught the attention of Syndra and her mother. Sensing their gazes, Fain calmly explained the origins and past of the dark power. However, considering Syndra and her mother's limited knowledge, Fain didn't directly state that the power dormant within Syndra was as vast as the negative emotions of Ionia. Instead, he simply let them know that Syndra possessed a hidden, powerful force, and that even the slightest emanation of it, without proper guidance, would cause discomfort.
Listening to Fane's explanation, Syndra's face lit up with a look of sudden realization, tinged with even a hint of excitement and relief. Before this, Syndra had always believed that everyone disliked her because there was something wrong with her. But now it seemed that wasn't the case… it was simply a powerful force within her at work.
Meanwhile, Syndra's mother, having learned this, nodded in sudden realization and said repeatedly, "I see, I see... that's why. No wonder I always felt strange when I was near Syndra..."
As she said this, Syndra's mother looked at Fane with pleading eyes and asked, "Sir, do you have any way to restore Syndra to normal?"
Upon hearing Syndra's mother's words, Farn smiled slightly and said, "In fact, that's exactly why I came here."
As they spoke, Fain extended his right hand to shake hands. Although she didn't know why Fain would suddenly make this request, Syndra's mother still reached out and touched the double dragon seal on the back of Fain's hand.
299·Syndra's body
While the Twin Dragon Seals represent Karma's will, not everyone is aware of it. However, in this magical world, it's not difficult to let others know how noble the origin of something is.
For example, right now, the moment Syndra's mother placed her hand on Fain's, accompanied by numerous illusions appearing in her eyes, Syndra's mother quickly realized just how noble Fain's status was.
That is the recognition from the very soul of Ionia, a sublime quality that every Ionian who feels it cannot refuse. It is also a mark that cannot be faked.
As Fain released her grip, Syndra collapsed to her knees the instant she was freed from the illusion. She looked at Fain in disbelief, then tears streamed down her face as she gazed at the back of his hand.
"Venerable One...is he/she truly Venerable One?"
“Yes.” Farn gave a thumbs up and readily admitted it without any hesitation.
As a pragmatist, Faen always felt that while Karma's Twin Dragon Mark was merely an honorary title that facilitated Faen's activities in Ionia, in practice it was far superior to any other region's reputation.
Because the Twin Dragon Seals have been backed by the prestige of Kalmar for thousands of years in this land of spirits, even if someone wants to do something outrageous or illogical, they can easily gain the approval and obedience of the people simply by bringing them out. Moreover, it's not just humans; many spirits, animals, and plants in nature will also assist them.
As dusk fell, Syndra's father returned from the fields. After hearing about what had happened with Fain and Syndra, he looked bewildered, clearly not quite understanding the situation. Explaining the various forms of spiritual energy to these rustic villagers was undoubtedly troublesome, so Fain resorted to his old trick. After his wife, like himself, sensed the mark emanating from the Twin Dragons, Syndra's father accepted Fain's identity. That very night, Syndra officially became his disciple.
Although not obvious, authoritarianism in Ionia is actually more pervasive than in other parts of Runeterra.
The next morning, Fan opened his eyes, ready to get up and set off to assist Syndra on her path of cultivation. However, to Fan's surprise, when he opened his eyes, he was greeted by a pale white space.
Yes, it was pale, not pure white. In that boundless white, Fain could clearly sense a faint, desolate loneliness mixed in, making the flawless pure white seem like a poor-quality mobile phone screen, where an unsightly grayish-white always appears when viewing a pure white image.
He paused briefly, but Fane didn't show much tension. After all, when he heard that barely audible click of the tongue yesterday, Fane had already guessed something. And now…
"Since we're already here, why don't we have a proper chat, Syndra?"
Upon hearing Fan's words, the surrounding space rippled, and then the space in front of Fan suddenly distorted, from which a large amount of black matter overflowed. It then distorted again, transforming into a tall figure.
Floating in mid-air, her figure tall and proud, her long, pale hair danced in the invisible force, the ends swirling with a ghostly purple light. Her face was cold and beautiful, with a sharp jawline and sharply arched eyebrows. Most striking were her enormous eyes—without pupils, only swirling stars and shadows constantly dancing within them.
Her fair skin and jade-like bones revealed the inner energy channels within her. Her deep purple armor barely outlined her full bust and slender waist, and her long legs were slightly curled, yet still exuded a near-perfect purity. Three dark orbs, like planets, circled her, casting a ghostly glow. While her beauty was captivating, one could also clearly and profoundly sense the terrifying power emanating from her.
Looking at Syndra before him, Fain remained silent for a moment before asking, "Should I call you Syndra, or should I call you the Darkness of Ionia?"
Upon hearing Fain's words, the adult Syndra smiled dismissively, then said nonchalantly, "Syndra is me, and the darkness of Ionia is also me. We are inseparable. Or would you like to hear some other name? Like the uncontrolled chaos, calamity, or a harbinger of doom?"
"Hey, hey, there's no need for that. If we're going to go by that, then I'm not exactly a saint either." As he spoke, Fain measured the seven-handed cursed hand seals. Ordinary people might not understand this, and even Syndra herself might not, but the darkness of Ionia had clearly heard of it. Upon seeing the seven-handed cursed hand seals on Fain's arm, she was briefly surprised, then Syndra coldly sneered:
"Haha, now Karma actually puts the Twin Dragon Mark on an apostle like you, a nascent demon? It seems the destruction of Ionia is just around the corner!"
Hearing the hatred Syndra expressed for Karma, Fain didn't take it too seriously. To be honest, if it were Fain himself, if someone sealed him in a dreamlike pool at the bottom of a pool for hundreds of years without him being able to break free, then even Fain himself would definitely hate that person—as for why he was sealed, that's none of your business.
However, things are not always the same—
"Although I can understand you, I still have to say it: the people of Kalmar in this era are quite good."
"What does that have to do with me?"
Syndra sneered, then said, "But more than that, I'm curious why you entered the Dream Pool in the first place. If you wanted to kill me, it might be difficult for others, but for you, killing me from the shore shouldn't be a difficult thing."
Although the Dream Pool seals Syndra, Syndra is only imprisoned within a dream. When someone with malicious intent approaches, Syndra's physical body senses it. When the physical senses of the material realm transmit to the spiritual realm, Syndra gains the opportunity to break free of the seal. For example, in the novel Dream Pool, Syndra was able to break free because Hirick and others entered the Dream Pool and awakened her.
“The darkness of Ionia will never disappear.” Upon hearing this, Fain shook his head and said, “In fact, I’ve always felt that some of the old things in the Temple of Eternity are more valuable dead than alive. That’s why I’m here.”
300 Challenge
Upon hearing Fane's words, Syndra's eyes lit up with interest. She didn't say much, simply staring at Fane for a moment before a playful glint appeared in her eyes as she said, "Oh? You were given the Twin Dragon Seals by Karma, and now you have a problem with the Temple of Eternity?"
"Times have changed, but there's always a group of stubborn fools clinging to the old ways." Hearing Syndra's playful teasing, Fain's face remained largely expressionless, showing no particular interest. He simply nodded and continued:
"The coming era will be a vast and long period of conflict, and both Karma and I believe that Ionia will inevitably face malice from other city-states in Runeterra. Therefore, we hope to restore the darkness, war, and conflict inherent in Ionia, so that we can face this era more calmly."
Upon hearing Fain's account, Syndra's eyes flashed with surprise. As an Ionian, and as the darkness of Ionia itself, perhaps no one in this era could understand better than Syndra how much the Ionians feared and repelled thoughts related to darkness.
After a brief silence, Syndra's playful expression gradually faded, replaced by a cold stare as she looked at Faen before her. She calmly stated, "When Ionia didn't need darkness, you sealed me in the Dream Pool, subjecting me to an endless, recurring nightmare where I suffered even more. Now that you need darkness, you want to release me, demanding my selfless assistance as Ionians?"
Syndra then sneered, "Don't you think this is a bit too ridiculous?"
“To be honest, I think so too.” Upon hearing this, Farn shook his head and said with emotion, “Actually, I am a prophet.”
"The Prophet?" Syndra raised an eyebrow with interest, a thoughtful look appearing in her eyes. She was clearly reviewing Fane's words and actions, as well as his reactions when communicating with his younger self.
While Syndra was pondering, Farn continued to explain methodically: "Although the future I can see is mostly fragmented pieces, by connecting these fragments and combining them with the intelligence gathered in the material realm, I can roughly piece together what the future looks like. And among the many fragments, I see war."
"This war will sweep across every corner of Ionia, and the entire country will face destruction in the flames of war. Even if we win the war, the undisguised malice from the other city-states of Runeterra will forever change the spiritual realm of the Ionians."
As he said this, Fain shrugged and looked at Syndra, saying, "But you know, even a profession like a prophet faces various restrictions in Ionia. A considerable group of old fogies think my thoughts and words are too extreme. Not only do they not adopt them or take precautions against them, but they even go so far as to treat Noxians better, hoping to influence them with Ionian traditional culture. They also keep postponing my master's exam, even though I have already met the skill requirements, or even surpassed them."
"Ha, then why do you still listen to them?" Upon hearing this, Syndra stared at Fain for a while.
Although Syndra appears insane, she is actually very clear about what she represents. Thousands of years of imprisonment have fueled Syndra's hatred, but they have also made her realize why the Ionians fear her so much.
Although both Syndra and Fayse suffered betrayal from Ionia, their identities and circumstances differed, but this did not prevent Syndra from being curious about how Fayse, who was also subject to traditional prejudices, viewed Ionia today.
As she spoke, Syndra seemed to recall something and chuckled softly, then said leisurely, "Since you also dislike the Hall of Eternal Life, why are you still carrying out Karma's orders? How about this..."
A smile appeared on her lips, and Syndra's figure suddenly disappeared, then reappeared in front of Fain, and they looked at each other.
"Release me, and then let's rule Ionia together."
Syndra placed her fingers on Fane's chest, ignoring the calm expression on his face. Looking directly into his eyes, she said, "While I don't know the exact nature of your relationship with this nascent demon, or why Karma would take such a great risk to bestow upon you the Twin Dragon Seals, this demon apostle, the demon's approval means that the emotions it represents are of use to you..."
"What I need is the darkness of Ionia. Where this darkness comes from, or what these negative emotions represent, is not important to me. If we join forces, both the process and the outcome will be far better than dealing with Karma and those fickle villains of the Temple of Eternity, won't it?"
“Then let’s forget it.” Upon hearing this, Farn waved his hand and said, “I think the Kalmar people in this era are quite good. It’s not worth making trouble for them.”
When Syndra heard that Fain thought cooperating with her was like asking a tiger for its skin, she smiled. Although she didn't seem to care much, the wisps of darkness spreading from the surrounding environment clearly proved that Syndra's mood was not as good as it seemed.
"So, you're going to be my enemy too?" Syndra asked.
To this, Fain simply shook his head, then pointed to a spot and calmly said, "Not as an enemy—although you are Syndra, you are not complete. When the Soul of Ionia sealed you into the Dream Pool, it also stripped away a beautiful and pure part of your soul to prevent you from being completely corrupted by darkness during this long seal."
"In the spiritual realm, everything unfolds according to the deepest instinctive desires of the human spirit. Although I am not yet sure what to do, I will make this Syndra happy."
Upon hearing Fan's words, the adult Syndra's eyebrows twitched slightly, and after a moment, she burst into laughter: "Alright, very well, then come and try. Don't forget, even in the spiritual realm, darkness and Syndra are inseparable!"
As he spoke, the adult Syndra suddenly vanished. The scene before him blurred for a moment, and when Fain opened his eyes again, he was greeted by the worried gaze of the young Syndra.
"Teacher? Are you alright?"
301 - Lessons Learned
When Syndra addressed Fane as "teacher," her eyes visibly flickered. She was clearly worried about whether Fane would respond. Or rather, even now, Syndra felt as if yesterday's events were a dream.
Meeting Syndra's gaze and sensing the timid look in her eyes, Fain smiled gently: "Prepare to begin your training, starting with meditation."
Upon hearing this, Syndra's previously worried expression visibly changed, her mood shifting dramatically from cloudy to sunny with astonishing speed. Meeting Fain's gaze, Syndra nodded emphatically and said, "Yes!!"
Seeing Syndra's reaction, Fain nodded and then led Syndra on the path of cultivation in the Dream Pool.
According to Faen's observation, while the young Syndra before him would be influenced by the adult Syndra who had merged with the darkness of Ionia, the influence was extremely weak in the current situation. It couldn't directly distort Syndra's will—of course, this wasn't due to the young Syndra's strong will, but rather the isolation provided by the Dream Pool.
Perhaps the original intention behind the seal on the Dream Pool was that the Soul of Ionia hoped to use dreams to transform the hatred and regret deep within Syndra's heart, thereby suppressing the spread of darkness in Syndra's heart.
Unfortunately, there has been almost no progress in this over the past few thousand years—without outside intervention, the predicament Syndra faced in her childhood was virtually unsolvable.
Even parents who deeply love their children will feel repulsed by Syndra because of the darkness of Ionia, let alone others.
Now, with Fane involved, while he has successfully made amends for Syndra's downfall, he is well aware that the real crisis lies ahead—as Syndra grows, she will be exposed to more and more temptations, meaning the adult Syndra can influence the younger Syndra's mind from multiple dimensions. If this influence is not handled properly, the consequences could be far more severe than this childhood trauma.
With this in mind, after completing the basics of dark magic, Fane took Syndra away from the remote village and began to venture into the ancient times of Ionia.
It truly lives up to its name, the Pool of Dreams. Within it, Faen can clearly sense the living environment and customs of the Ionian people thousands of years ago—almost no different from those of thousands of years later.
During the first five years after entering the Dream Pool, Faen took Syndra on a journey through the remote and untouched parts of Ionia. Faen's purpose was simple: to remove Syndra from her past high-pressure environment and, before she could control and understand her own abilities, minimize her contact with ordinary people who were easily influenced by the dark energy. This would prevent her from suffering from group-based bullying and developing paranoia. At the same time, a stable environment would also help Faen cultivate trust with young Syndra.
Several years have passed in the blink of an eye, and Syndra has grown from an innocent little girl into a graceful young woman.
Looking at Farn's almost unchanged appearance, Syndra asked curiously, "Teacher, why don't you look old at all?"
“Aging is just a manifestation of the decline in bodily functions.” Upon hearing Syndra’s words, Fane chuckled and said, “As long as one can replenish one’s magic and spiritual power, the rate at which life force in the body recovers will always outpace the rate at which the body ages, and naturally, one will not age.”
Hearing Fain's words, Syndra blinked, a hint of joy in her eyes, and said, "So, Master will never grow old and can watch me grow up forever?"
“Yes, but you won’t only have me in your life.” Hearing Syndra’s words, Fain gently shook his head and said, “During this time, you should have been able to feel the faint power within your body, right?”
Hearing this, Syndra nodded, a serious look appearing between her brows as she said, "I can feel it! Just like Master said, it's stirring within my body and mind. Although I haven't unleashed its power yet, whenever I release magic, that dark power merges into my magic, amplifying its destructive power, and even... affecting people's minds."
As she spoke, a hint of sadness crept into Syndra's eyes.
Although a great deal of time has passed, it is clear that Syndra is still deeply saddened by the terrible treatment she suffered as a child.
Although living with Fain over the past few years has brought Syndra much relief, the memory of the past still leaves her feeling lost and powerless, as if the whole world has abandoned her…
Your teacher is just using you.
A strange voice echoed in Syndra's mind, instantly making her tense.
Since the voice first appeared in her mind several months ago, Syndra has been deeply worried about it. She doesn't know where the voice comes from, nor can she understand why it's appearing in her heart.
Before this, Syndra had wanted to bring up this issue with her teacher more than once, but each time the words reached her lips, she would involuntarily fall silent. The reason was that even Syndra didn't know whether this was the power of dark magic or her own true feelings…
Now, sensing Syndra's hesitation, Darkness continued unhurriedly, "He only covets your power. He will limit your talents—whether you like it or not, because he wants to control your future and mold you into his own weapon and slave..."
While Syndra was still wondering where the voice came from and how she should react, Fain, after a moment of silence, said, "Syndra, I may have to limit your power and talent from now on."