League of Legends Series

Taric x Diana

Mount Targon. A place of higher power and redemption for any ambitious adventurer in search of a quest. If one sought guidance from the gods, then they had come to the right place. It was a perilous journey, however, and those who crossed into the dwelling of the gods were unlikely to come back. Few possessed the courage and determination to conquer the spirit of the mountain.

It had been years since Mount Targon had last received an adventurer willing to climb its peak and face the wrath of the gods. The Solari and Lunari alike had long since deserted the summit, finding refuge and purpose elsewhere along the plains of Runeterra. A single lost soul remained atop the mountain. Diana, the Scorn of the Moon. She sat atop the summit peak, her eyes scouring across the racing constellations, their beauty unparalleled in the night sky.

As always, her blade remained at her side, and a hushed prayer left her lips. Praying. Hoping. Perhaps it was too late. Every night, Diana prayed for her goddess to return to her, but she had yet to answer the call. The Lunari was stripped of her powers, feeling like the same helpless little girl from years ago. She felt powerless, but most of all, abandoned, leaving the Lunari feeling scorned and betrayed. Her prayers were no longer a means to strengthen her faith, but rather angry whispers to the ones above.

As the final of her hushed prayers left her lips, Diana clenched her hands, digging her nails into the flesh of her palms in hopes of relieving the sorrow and anger swimming in her soul. The otherwise warm feeling she once felt was now gone, replaced by a bottomless pit merely waiting to devour her soul. In a fit of anger, the Lunari threw her blade to the ground, letting out a frustrated scream. The blade clattered, and for the seconds to pass, its metallic ring was all there was to be heard.

A loud cry shattered the silence, and Diana looked on with mortification, hoping none had seen her childish tantrum. The Lunari was quick to recover her blade, ready to strike the stranger where he stood until she watched as he wobbled, fighting against the figments of his imagination. The stranger had made it this far, so she concluded that the gods were merely testing his resolve. Diana took a seat on the stairs of the temple and observed as the man battled through the living nightmares haunting him.

He swung at emptiness, but she noted the force behind the blows would be enough to knock any man to the ground. She wondered if it was desperation or hope that lead the way. Diana wasn't sure how long this went on, but the sky had grown a shade darker, indicating the early hours of the morning were upon them. Finally, the stranger dropped to his knees, panting and greedily sucking up any air he could. His face sagged with exhaustion, and with a blurred vision, he stared at the woman making her way to him, but then collapsed.

Diana would have called the man a fool for ascending the sacred mountain, but who was she to judge? She had been a fool herself, remaining atop the summit when others saw it fit to leave. She had changed, and not for the better. And so the Lunari observed as his chest rose, his breaths steadying as the adrenaline slowly pumped away. There was something about him that felt odd; perhaps it was his ridiculous outfit or the calming aura that radiated from his body. Under the right circumstances, she felt compelled to divulge her deepest secrets, and the thought forced a scowl from her lips.

The fact that the man had not succumbed to the living nightmares meant he had passed, and so she set her blade aside, her fingers brushing the hilt. The moon loomed over them, and Diana waited for the stranger to get his wits about him and rise from slumber.

When the man awoke, he was met by a breathtaking view, the arrays of colors overhead were mesmerizing, and there was no way for him to express the range of emotions coursing through his veins. A sense of completion washed over him, and a gentle smile graced his feature as he basked in the moment. It was a masterpiece beyond mortal comprehension, an unknown he found himself thrilled to explore. No fear or uncertainty, just contentment.