"There's a legend told in the depths of the battlefields between the border of Noxus and the Freljord," said a girl, climbing onto a metal pipe in front of a crumbling wall.
This girl, with silver hair and green eyes like freshly polished emeralds, raised her hand in an exaggerated manner, pointing a finger toward the dark sky. Her clothes were dirty and torn, with bandages around her hands and ankles, as if she were always ready to fight at any moment.
Right now, she stood in a forgotten alley—dirty and unsanitary—where darkness and the strange toxic fumes of Zaun spread like wildfire in a storm. In front of her were five children, their eyes somewhat dull.
Despite their expressions, the children were deeply interested in the story she was telling, for these were rumors that came from far beyond the depths of this depressing city.
"It's said that when a warrior is about to die, two piercing blue eyes watch them from afar. That strange being can appear deep within the dark forests of Noxus, or among the cruel, freezing snow of the Freljord—but it will always be there, waiting… watching your final moment."
She moved along the pipes, making strange motions, as if imitating some bipedal monster that walked with its hands over its face, mimicking a mask.
"Its name is Kindred—the very personification of death. Once you see it before you, you'll understand that you're already dead. It hides beneath the skin of a lamb, using a mask to conceal its ethereal face. In its mysterious hands, it holds a curved bow it won't hesitate to use to put an arrow through your face."
She raised her hands, mimicking the claws of a wolf.
"However, death itself is not alone. Kindred is not a single entity—because when you see the Lamb, you can be sure the Wolf is watching you too, its fangs ready to tear out your throat."
The children were visibly frightened by the story. One of them covered his eyes, unable to look at the terrifying gestures his older sister made while imitating the legendary Kindred.
That boy… was Midas.
She noticed her little brother's fear and smiled mischievously as she approached him.
"That's right—Kindred is relentless in every way. You'd be lucky to encounter it, but you'd be a monster if you survived its presence. And after everything I've told you, there's only one thing left to say…"
She suddenly leapt at him.
"No one escapes death!"
She bit his neck.
Midas screamed in terror and, without looking back, ran off as tears streamed down his face. The other four children watched him, noticing that he was heading straight toward a wall. They tried to warn him, but Midas slammed into it, falling onto his back as he kicked his legs and rubbed his forehead in pain.
"Aah… it always ends like this," she sighed, moving toward him—but one of the kids stopped her.
"Midas is way too much of a coward. Hey, are you sure this idiot is your brother? You two don't look alike at all…"
"Yeah, you and Midas are totally different."
"You're tough and cool, but Midas is a crybaby."
"Midas is so pathetic he once cried because he stepped on a worm."
At that last comment, all the children burst into laughter.
She simply shook her head. She wasn't disappointed in her little brother—not at all—so she smiled, because she was the only one who truly understood this small coward.
"Midas is brave," she said proudly.
All the children just stared at her with blank expressions. No one believed her. Everyone in this area knew Midas as a crybaby and a coward—there was no way someone like him could be brave.
"Well, I think we're heading out. It's already late. My dad will hit me if I get home too late."
"Same here."
"Me too."
"I've got no one waiting for me, so I'll go bother Silco for a while."
After that, the four kids left, leaving the two siblings alone. She nodded, then looked at Midas sitting on the ground, staring into nothing after everything they had said about him.
She felt bad for him, yes—but she was also someone who always spoke the truth. She would never lie to her beloved little brother. He was the only family she had left.
"Get up, loser. Let's go find something to eat. Oh, and don't let what those idiots say get to you. People say things—but only you decide how to interpret them."
Midas wiped the tears from his face.
"Okay…"
Even though he said that, he still felt frustrated. It kept him from getting up, so he crossed his arms and puffed out his cheeks like a squirrel.
Seeing this, she smiled and crouched in front of him.
"What's wrong, Midas? Are you such a loser you can't even stand up?"
That made Midas snap instantly.
"No! I'm not a loser!"
Before he could keep barking, his older sister hugged him.
"You are a loser—and unless you improve, you'll stay a loser. But don't worry, I'm here to take care of you. I'll stay here with you… until you become a strong man who can protect his dear big sister."
Midas couldn't argue with that. He hugged her back and closed his eyes.
At that moment, there was something he really wanted to say—something he thought when he felt the warmth of her embrace.
'Thank you, Mai.'
***
It felt strange for Midas.
As the mysterious warm liquid spilled across his chest, it felt like his skin was burning. He looked at Briar, confused, then lowered his gaze to understand what was happening to his body.
When he saw the blood pouring from the large, horrific wound in his chest, he looked at Briar again—before his throat filled with blood. He coughed, spitting some of it out, but doing so made him extremely dizzy.
As a result, he fell face-first to the ground while his consciousness began to fade.
'What's happening to me?'
He asked himself—but the answer was obvious.
Seeing Kindred present at the scene, he remembered a certain story his sister used to tell him. Kindred only appears when your death is certain.
So now, everything was clear… and blurry at the same time.
"Aah… one less."
After knocking Midas away, Darius looked at Briar—and was surprised by the expression on her face.
Briar stood in silence, staring at the pool of blood forming beneath Midas's agonizing body. That blood looked delicious in a way… but it also gave her a strange feeling in her stomach.
It was like she wanted to throw up.
It was the blood of the guy who used to cry at night…
"Midas… hey…"
Midas didn't respond. His gaze was empty, and his breathing—once steady—was slowly fading. It seemed like he wanted to say something, but because of the distance, she couldn't understand him.
"Dying to protect someone isn't a mistake—it's something that lets you keep your honor until the end," Darius said, releasing Briar and standing up. He looked at the dying Midas seriously. "But you were weak—and you'll die knowing you couldn't truly protect anyone."
Darius had no intention of being cruel. He was simply stating the truth.
Briar kept staring at Midas's blood, her eyes wide, standing near Darius's feet. He could imagine how tragic her existence was. Briar would remain hungry for the rest of her life, with no way to ever truly satisfy it. Even if she tried to control her power, she would attack and devour everything in her path.
Briar was a being of immeasurable tragedy—there was no doubt about that.
Still, Darius chose to give her a chance to stand. That was why he let go of her neck—so she could rise and fight again.
But instead, Briar crawled toward Midas.
Their chance at freedom was gone.
Now, all that remained… was goodbye.
Midas, on the verge of losing consciousness, understood that undeniable truth. That was why he tried to give her one last message.
When Briar got close enough, she finally heard him whisper:
"My blood…"
His eyes were losing their light.
"Drink my blood, Briar…"
"Your blood…"
Briar didn't look particularly sad. Rather, she didn't understand what she was feeling. She was so confused that her expression became distant—the same look someone would have when discovering emotions for the first time.
Briar hadn't grown up as a human. She couldn't understand what Midas was trying to do.
But…
"Briar… drink my blood… run… and live…"
At last, Midas passed out from blood loss, and Briar remained there, staring at him in silence.
The weight of human emotions was something Darius knew very well. And seeing Briar so confused was like watching a small child learning to speak at the worst possible moment.
Even so, Darius allowed it to happen.
He was certain that Briar would drink Midas's blood, recover, and charge into battle once more.
If she did, he would kill her—granting her the respect a Noxian soldier deserves.
And so, Briar leaned over Midas's chest and licked the blood flowing from his wound.
Her remaining injuries healed, and she stood up.
With her back turned, she asked:
"Is this how the families of the people I killed feel?"
Darius tightened his grip on the axe.
"I don't know. After all, you don't even understand what you're feeling yourself."
"Hehe… yeah…"
Briar turned around, the hemolith trembling violently. Her mouth was stained with the blood of the person she once called a friend, and she wore a soft, confused smile.
That expression made Darius show a faint smile—almost imperceptible.
For the first time, her hunger wasn't a problem. Something else had filled that space in her mind.
Her hunger was restrained by the pillory on her shoulders—but her spirit would never be confined.
Briar herself was a weapon.
And now… she alone would wield that weapon.
With that, the pillory opened once again, and Briar's manic smile turned toward Darius. Her eyes burned with the flames of her hunger, and every muscle in her body longed to explode with power against Darius's axe.
"Ahhh!"
"Oraaaaah!"
The two clashed… in a final duel.