"From one big bad to the other. How about we head off to the Shadow Isles Ashlesh?" ~Nilah, Joy Unbound.
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Before addressing the trio, Azir's attention went onto Sivir.
"You have returned daughter."
"She's more like your great great great great-"
"Caalyx." Gregori cut in.
"Fine. You know what I mean."
Azir turned away from Sivir and focused on Caalyx without letting Sivir speak, "And you... You are still... sane."
"As sane as can be boy!" Caalyx chirped.
His eye blinked in Azir's direction.
And Azir stared right back, his left hand holding up his spear while his right held up his head. His body differed from the Ascended Gregori had seen. It was metallic. Even the head. Or that was what he had initially believed.
That changed when he saw Azir stand up. The metal was not his skin. He could see it under the metal. No, the metal was golden armor grafted onto himself. Armor which did not seem like it could be removed.
Sand swirled as the massive emperor took step after step toward Gregori, his clawed feet scratching at the floor as he did.
"I ask you once more..... Are you here to overthrow me?"
The room became hard to breath as the words left his mouth. Sand began floating in the air, blocking Gregori's vision leaving only a dark silhouette in front of him. Gregori and the rest coughed as the sand got into their nostrils.
"No." Caalyx answered without a care in the world, the intimidation not working on him.
"Then what is your purpose for appearing before me... in this state no less..?" Azir's eyes were glowing the same cyan color as the water that gushed out the Sun Disc.
"We need your assistance in ending both the Darkin and the Void."
The sand dispersed as if it had never existed, leaving the entire space spotless.
"It was my belief that the Voidhad been defeated. But that was false." Azir spoke, his voice not losing the regal nature despite the nature of the askance.
"You knew that the Void was present?" Caalyx asked.
"I realized this the moment I Ascended completely. If I had known this back then I would not have attempted to Ascend." Azir answered.
Caalyx growled, "Then why did you not do something?"
"Do you know why I rose to the throne uncle? And not the rest of my siblings, not the rest of your children or any within the family?" Azir asked.
"Patience." Caalyx answered, he knew this. He had been among the ones to select Azir in the first place.
"A single freshly Ascended against the infinite Void." Azir continued, "Who would win?"
"That does not excuse your inaction."
"That is what you think." Sand swirled under Azir's feet, lifting him and moving him back to the gold throne. "But I have acted. I brought life back to Shurima, albeit slowly. The water was the first. Cultivable land followed. And that brought people and animals. I spoke with Targon, relighting our vested interest in the protection of this realm. I gathered what was remaining of the Ascended." He gestured toward Nasus. "And I have held the Void back with an endless wall of sand. The wind has been a reliable ally. Shurima needs to build up its strength before facing such threats."
"But you haven't left your throne." Sivir retaliated.
Azir turned to her, "I do not need to. The sand obeys my command."
"And Shurima is nothing but sand." Caalyx commented, "You knew why we were here from the beginning."
A horrified expression appeared on Sivir's face.
Azir nodded, "Your host's conversation with Nasus did not escape my vision."
"Not big on privacy are you?" Caalyx asked.
"Returning this land to its former glory matters more than pitiful privacy." Azir answered.
Caalyx made a clicking noise, "Tch. But you would become weaker."
Returning Shurima to its previous state would get rid of the sand and leave behind normal soil. And losing the sand that was the cornerstone of Azir's power would no doubt weaken him.
"A king's strength comes from his people."
"Phewww! You've become a good king haven't you?" Caalyx sounded impressed. His voice then dropped the comical edge it had the entire time, "Then why don't you let us take care of this."
"I already have." Azir answered. "The sand has begun moving all Voidcreatures to what was once Icathia. The entire region has been cordoned off leaving nothing but sand. Anyone living nearby have evacuated to avoid the devastating sandstorm heading their way. What else of you require of me?"
"Fuck the good king nonsense I said earlier you've become a smart one." Caalyx spoke, "That is far scarier. Well done. We do not need anything else."
"Then I propose we use this opportunity to get rid of the thorns on our side as well Nasus?"
Nasus looked up understanding what Azir was talking about. But he struggled to get the words out.
"You know it must be done. Renekton is feral. His madness has consumed him. He is nothing but rage. And the slave.... he must be eradicated before he gains more power." Azir continued.
"That was a slave of yours?" Caalyx asked.
"My persona slave. The one meant to assist my Ascension. But greed overtook him. Xerath leapt into the Rays ofAscension before me and the Sun Disc fell in the process. His Ascension is incomplete but I fear the power me may attain once fully Ascending." Azir replied honestly. "The fool doomed our land for freedom he was bound to attain."
"But he cannot do that under your watch." Sivir stated. "He cannot Ascend."
"He can." Azir answered. "My attention is on holding up the Sun Disc and controlling all the sand in our land. I am stretched thin. A frontal attack would leave us exposed."
"Then why not make more Ascended?" The scarf wearing girl asked, speaking up for the first time.
Azir looked up at the Sun Disc, "The Rays of Ascension need time to build up within the Disc. Followed by the acceptance of a Celestial, whose might we embody. Even if the Rays are built up there is no Celestialthat would approve."
"Then how did you Ascend?" Sivir asked. "You were not alive when I found you."
"I was both alive and dead. My Ascension had been interrupted. The process had just restarted once I awoke. Xerath did not have the acceptance of a Celestial, it is why he does not have a physical vessel to hold his mind. The coffin is all he has. And it seals him to this day."
"Then you can seal him once more."
Azir shook his head, "A slave's greatest desire is freedom. Xerath will escape. It is but a matter of time."
"Then Renekton?" Caalyx asked.
"He is too far gone." Nasus answered, he then looked up at Azir, "I will personally bring him to the Void."
"No." Azir stopped him, "You must bring Xerath. Your brother will come by himself. His hatred for you sealing him away has grown tremendously with Xerath whispering in his ear for all these years. I can hear his madness in the sand. I will let him know of your location and he will arrive there unprompted. I can trust you to do this?"
Nasus bowed respectfully, "I will bring Xerath to Icathia."
"Look at that." Caalyx spoke in Gregori's mind, "That is how a man leads. That Jarvan boy needs to learn more. But he does sound more detached than I would have expected, like a puppet master moving his puppets."
Gregori noticed Azir's detachment to his self as well. A probable side effect of his problematic Ascension.
"Now..." Azir's eyes fell on Sivir and scarf wearing girl, "You two hold the future of Shurima within you."
"Us?" The girl asked.
"What is your name child?"
"Taliyah. Of Nasaaj." The girl answered.
"You wield the power to control the earth beneath you. And you," He looked at Sivir, "are to wield the water from the Sun Disc. The two of you hold the future of our land. Of our people. You hild the power to return this wasteland to the paradise it once was. Do not run from your responsibility."
The two young women looked at him, the weight of what lay before them settling into their bones.