"Roar!!"
On the plains along the border of Noxus and Demacia, four Silverwings screeched in unison, wings flapping but hesitant to advance.
Perched on one of them, old General Laurent's eyes widened in shock.
"Winged Protector...?" he muttered.
Hovering in the sky ahead was Kayle, her six golden wings glowing against her silver-white armor.
But something was off—her sacred sword was gone. She held no weapon.
Yet even unarmed, the sight of her made Laurent's heart sink.
A month... not too long, not too short.
With the strength of Noxian mages, could they have...
"Scatter! Get word back to High Silvermere!" Laurent bellowed.
Without hesitation, the Silverwing riders split up, soaring in different directions, trying to escape as fast as possible.
Kayle's lips curled into a cold smirk.
The gold in her eyes slowly faded, replaced by black.
Then, in an instant, she vanished.
Shhk!
"Aagh!!"
A scream tore through the sky.
None of the other riders looked back. Only General Laurent dared to glance behind him.
The northern rider had been cleaved in two by a golden flash, consumed by holy fire before a single drop of blood could fall.
Man and beast—reduced to ash.
"Faster!"
Laurent clenched his teeth, forcing back fear and sorrow.
He turned his Silverwing westward—toward the heart of Demacia, where the path was clear.
In moments, only three remained in flight. Then two.
Then one.
Kayle had vanished.
Ten minutes later, General Laurent still hadn't unclenched his jaw. His mind raced as he made a snap decision:
"Eternal Peak's close—home of the Silver Vanguard' garrison. We have to warn High Silvermere about Kayle's betrayal!"
"Understood!"
The remaining knight dove, urging the Silverwing toward the towering mountain ahead.
But just as they neared it, a golden figure appeared in the air before them.
Both men paled.
Before either could react, Kayle raised a radiant bow, drawn and loosed in one motion.
Swish!
A golden streak cut through the sky.
The arrow pierced the knight's throat cleanly.
The rider slumped forward, lifeless, and the Silverwing shrieked, going into a frenzy.
"No—no!" Laurent shouted, pulling hard at the reins.
It was no use. The beast charged at Kayle, wild with rage and grief.
They were still a thousand meters up.
'The others… they're gone too, aren't they?'
Laurent's breath caught in his throat.
Noxus agreed to peace—why is Kayle, the Winged Protector, attacking us?
Was I wrong?
Is she trying to provoke war between us?
Golden light flashed again, piercing the Silverwing's chest.
The beast screamed, wings faltering.
Kayle gave one last glance—impassive, unreadable—then vanished into a scatter of golden embers.
"Is this how it ends?"
Laurent gripped the reins as the wind roared past him.
The ground rushed up to meet them.
So this was his prediction...
He gave a bitter laugh, eyes closing.
"RAAWWK!!"
Just then, the Silverwing let out a defiant roar.
Somewhere deep inside, it found the strength to fight back.
It flailed, wings straining to hold balance.
They didn't stop falling, but the descent slowed.
Through blurred vision, the Silverwing spotted a lake below.
It didn't hesitate—angled its descent—then dove straight down.
BOOM!!
They crashed into the water, a geyser erupting around them.
The lake stilled.
Then—bubbles. Ripples.
An arm burst from the surface.
"Haaah..."
Gasping, General Laurent clawed his way out of the water, armor sinking behind him.
He dragged himself to shore, body aching, breath ragged.
One step at a time, he stumbled toward the nearest village.
He couldn't afford to die.
Not yet.
---------
The Capital of Demacia
Eight high-ranking officials sat around an octagonal table at the heart of the parliamentary hall.
Each represented a pillar of Demacia: the military, the nobility, finance, administration, and the Mageseekers.
Seated behind them on a raised throne was a man in his fifties, wearing a crown. His expression was firm, commanding authority without a word.
"Garen Crownguard, report the situation," King Jarvan III said calmly.
In front of the table, a broad-shouldered warrior knelt on one knee—it was Garen.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
His expression was grave.
"A hundred kilometers east of Eternal Peak, we recovered the body of Knight Rens—he was one of the knights who accompanied General Laurent to the Noxian front."
"That's well within our borders," Lord Britos, the finance minister, muttered, frowning.
"Most likely Noxian work," Grantham, the Chancellor of Administration, said coolly.
But Grand Marshal Tiana Crownguard shook her head.
"There's no reason for Noxus to do this. Based on the timeline, they died on the way back. Captain Garen—any news from the front?"
She addressed him by rank in formal council, though she was also his superior in the military hierarchy.
Garen responded, voice firm:
"General Laurent remained at the front with four silver knights to receive Noxus's peace proposal. Afterward, he departed with the knights to return to High Silvermere and report directly."
That had been several days ago.
Since then, there were no other signs—except for Rens's corpse.
"What kind of wound killed the knight?" Eldred, commander of the Mageseekers, asked.
Having hunted mages for decades, Eldred leaned heavily on inference and detail.
"Arrow wound," Garen answered grimly.
"Judging by impact, he fell from over a hundred meters. Nearly all his blood was lost during the fall."
"We mourn his sacrifice," Eldred said softly.
Then he added, "How many warriors in Demacia could strike a flying Silver knight from such altitude?"
Tiana frowned and glanced at her husband.
His silent expression revealed the same suspicion.
Her face tightened.
"Eldred, none of our people would do this. Those capable of such a shot are in the Dauntless Vanguard or Lightshield Bulwark. Others are stationed at the Silver Knight training base near Eternal Peak."
Garen added:
"There's been no deployment from Eternal Peak, and neither the Bulwark nor the Vanguard have aerial units."
At that moment, a royal guard entered hastily through the side door and leaned close to the king, whispering.
Once the guard left, King Jarvan III turned to the others.
"General Laurent is alive. He's near High Silvermere now and will arrive shortly."
"The old general survived..." Garen exhaled in quiet relief.
Others exchanged looks of concern—or suspicion.
"That may not be good news," Lord Britos warned.
"You recall what Prince Jarvan reported?"
"You mean the shapeshifting woman in Noxus?" Grantham asked.
Prince Jarvan had once reported that Noxian intelligence had been compromised.
A certain woman could mimic their agents so flawlessly that she fed false information undetected.
After learning this, Demacian intelligence had launched an internal investigation.
While no noble houses were directly implicated, the findings were disturbing.
Nearly a hundred individuals in High Silvermere alone had been impersonated.
The infiltrators dissolved like reflections when caught. All signs pointed to one name—
Black Rose.
No one knew how many existed or were still inside Demacia.
Some feared there could be one even in this very hall.
"If Noxus is behind this, General Laurent himself may be compromised," Eldred said evenly.
"He's from House Laurent," said Eleanor Lightshield, head of noble affairs, hesitating.
Surveillance and investigation hadn't yet reached the nobility—no one wanted to take that step.
"We can't accuse them openly," Tiana said.
"But regardless of her goal, the truth will come out. I propose we place House Laurent under discreet but constant observation."
"Seconded."
"Seconded."
One by one, all seven officials voiced their agreement.
Finally, all eyes turned to Jarvan III.
According to Demacian law, the king held veto power if any single official opposed. But when all were unanimous, he could either approve or propose revisions.
He was the symbolic will of Demacia—elected by its people.
"I agree," Jarvan said with a nod.
He didn't have the luxury of hesitation.
Demacia was already on shaky ground.
Even the Lightshield family couldn't afford to stand apart.
But one detail troubled him:
Old General Laurent had long supported the Lightshields.
Yet the Crownguard... and the next generation of House Laurent... were getting too close.
He didn't know if this was good or bad, but since the Crownguards had proposed surveillance, he was willing to go along with it and keep a watchful eye.
"Captain Garen Crownguard, I'm entrusting this matter to you. Keep it discreet—do not disrupt the daily life of the Laurent family," Tiana said, addressing the broad figure kneeling below.
Garen's body stiffened for a moment.
It was the order he'd least wanted to hear—but it had finally come.
The task was more fitting for his uncle Eldred, but he remembered his promise not long ago to his mother and aunt.
He had to carry the burden of their entire house.
Garen took a deep breath and responded firmly:
"Understood."
"You may go," Tiana said with a soft smile.
Garen didn't linger. He turned and strode out of the room, his thoughts heavy and conflicted.
His mind spun in quiet chaos as the chamber doors closed behind him.
He hadn't expected to be asked to betray his sense of justice—to spy on allies who hadn't even been accused of wrongdoing, simply because they might be impostors.
How ridiculous.
He laughed bitterly to himself, walking away with leaden steps.
Nightfall.
Hidden in a quiet corner of the corridor, Luxanna silently listened to the heavy footsteps echoing past her.
Her youthful face was clouded with emotion.
She recognized that thread. It was her brother.
He'd just come from the family council chamber.
She understood the weight he carried now, which only deepened her resolve.
After the sound of his footsteps faded, she stepped out from the shadows and approached the council room door.
Before she could knock, a familiar voice called from inside:
"Luxanna, come in."
Her expression stiffened slightly, but she pushed open the thick double doors, carved with the Crownguard crest.
As they swung inward, the chamber came into view.
Her father wasn't present, but the other three heads of the Crownguard family were.
Aunt Tiana. Uncle Eldred. And her mother, Lady Augatha.
"Mother..."
The word slipped from Luxanna's lips, eyes flickering with emotion.
Even at home, Lady Augatha wore a full noble gown late into the night.
Her makeup was immaculate, her entire presence radiating an untouchable elegance.
"Luxanna," Lady Augatha said coolly, her icy blue eyes watching closely.
"Since you've entered, there's no need for that expression."
Luxanna's heart tensed slightly—her mother already knew.
She took a breath, letting her anxiety melt away.
Confidence returned to her features.
"I heard that Noxus is willing to sign a peace treaty. My brother is here as well."
"That's correct," Tiana replied without pretense.
"I think this is the right moment for Demacia to address its internal conflict. I'm prepared."
Her gaze was steady. She had already been taking action in secret, quietly gathering allies—those disillusioned by the fall of the Winged Protector, those persecuted for magic, those ready for change.
Something was coming. And she would be at the center of it.
"Things have changed," Tiana interrupted her calmly.
"Two things have happened."
Tiana's face remained calm as she recounted the day's events:
"The four knights escorting General Laurent back have all been killed within the kingdom's borders. You heard earlier from the public announcement, but the reality is far more complicated."
"Four Silver knights... dead?" Luxanna did not gasp—but her eyes darkened.
If the Dauntless Vanguard and the Lightshield Bulwark were Demacia's greatest infantry, then the Silver Vanguard were the elite of the skies.
Each one was worth a hundred ordinary soldiers.
Never before had four fallen together—especially not within Demacian lands.
Luxanna forced herself to stay composed and analyzed:
"Could it be Noxus? But what would they gain from this? They have no motive, especially not now."
Tiana's expression shifted subtly. Her tone turned strange as she replied:
"According to General Laurent, they were attacked by someone... unexpected. The Winged Protector."
Luxanna's brow furrowed deeply.
"The Winged Protector...?" she repeated, falling into thought.
Noxus, as an enemy nation, might have cause for betrayal—but Kayle?
The embodiment of divine justice?
Tiana gave a faint smile and continued:
"General Laurent claims the Winged Protector intended to kill them all. Perhaps to ignite conflict between the kingdom and the Empire. Or... perhaps the Winged Protector has been corrupted by Noxus."
It had been over a month since the battle of the gods.
According to the pact between the Demacia and Noxus, the Winged Protector was due to be released now.
But what had happened in that month? No one knew.
No one could say whether Kayle was still Demacia's guardian—or something else entirely.
And then Luxanna's eyes sharpened.
"Wait… if that's true, then how did General Laurent survive?"
She voiced the question quietly, but it struck the heart of the room.
Once, she might have only felt relief at the old general's survival—perhaps even called it a miracle.
But she had seen too much in recent years.
Studied too much. Thought too much.
The magic book had shown her history of empires long past—how power moved and betrayal hid behind coincidence. Her instincts told her: survival always has a price.
The three Crownguards looked at her with a quiet glint of approval.
Lady Augatha gave a graceful smile, but said nothing.
It was Tiana who answered:
"Kayle struck down the Silverwing mount, not the rider. General Laurent plummeted with the beast, and Kayle assumed he would die from the fall. She didn't confirm the kill."
"That's… convenient," Luxanna murmured.
Kayle had executed judgment for centuries.
Her justice was swift and absolute—she left no room for doubt.
That she would strike and not finish the job? Unlikely.
Eldred added, his voice low and steady:
"Our latest report from the Mageseekers confirmed something troubling. They found the Silverwing's corpse in a lake. Its wounds were magical—but not just any magic."
He paused, eyes narrowing.
"There was dark magic in the wounds."
Luxanna's eyes widened.
"Dark magic?! That's impossible. Kayle would never—she's never used dark magic."
"Exactly," Eldred replied grimly.
"Which leaves two possibilities. Either General Laurent is lying—or something is very wrong with the Winged Protector."
A long silence followed.
Luxanna's thoughts churned. Every explanation only led to more questions.
None of it fit together—except in a shape she didn't want to name.
After nearly half an hour of tense discussion, she left the council chamber with a heavy heart.
Her mother and aunt had been clear—she didn't need to act rashly.
Just continue her preparations quietly.
The Crownguards were waiting to confirm the Winged Protector's status before moving forward.
Back in her room, Luxanna sat at her desk in silence.
She picked up her pen and began to write in the back of her magic book, recounting everything from the meeting.
When she reached the final line, her hand paused.
Then she wrote:
"I don't understand. None of this feels right."
She couldn't yet explain what was wrong, but the instincts honed through study and survival told her one thing:
Something beneath the surface had shifted.
The Crown Guard's behavior. Her brother was tasked with surveillance.
Her aunt's aggressive push against the Laurent family: the mysterious return—and corruption—of the Winged Protector.
None of it should be like this.