"More... So empty...!"~ Kog'Maw, The Mouth of the Abyss
Little info on how far Demacia is from Ionia. The map in the game shows the continent with Ionia off to the side. This doesn't mean that it is the map of the word. Its is like a picture of Europe and Asia together. So you can't just go around the other side and reach Ionia (Like America to Japan). This means the travel is through the sea in between the two halves of the continent (Runeterra and Shurima) or around the back of Freljord (Significantly longer and more dangerous).
Adapting a ten page comic with few words into two chapters is not fun. But I'm doing it. More chapters out soon. Both for this and the other fic. (This is called Pilgrimage and is on the wiki.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Brother! This is the man I was talking about. The one I was last night." An Ionian man seated on the ground said as Xin Zhao walked toward them.
Both men were dressed in traditional Ionian garbs of a half vest and pants, with armor like pauldrons made out of wood and straw. These pauldrons were of different kinds, some preferred to wear them over both shoulders and others preferred them on only one. It provided quite a lot of leeway when one of your shoulders weren't being held up when you needed to hold a weapon, especially Ionian weapons.... long bladed edges required more space for movement in the arms. The off hand's shoulder had the pauldron, one that stretched out and curved upward in order to block attacks. These ones were usually made of metal.
Both men were bald. A common style for the younger men in Ionia. Atop their heads were headpieces which was just a thread holding up small metal disks. This particular headpiece was a regional one. Other regions had their own clothing styles..... cloaks... armor.... lack of armor.... headpieces.
Ionia was diverse.
The other man looked up, his bald head covered by a conical rice farmer hat, "The one with the blossom?"
Xin sat with the two and held out the plant.
The man's eyes widened as he adjusted the hat, "Beautiful. Though it is unlike any spirit blossom tree I've ever seen." He looked up at Xin, "From your home province? Qaelin perhaps?"
"Listen to his accent!" The other man interrupted, "Its like how those in Sudaro speak."
"No." Xin Zhao said as he looked down at the plant, "This little tree sprouted in The Great City of Demacia. Many months of sea travel away."
Both men looked taken aback.
"That..... that's impossible?!" One of them blurted, "The blossoms don't bloom outside of Ionia."
Xin nodded, "And yet.... here it is."
One of them uncrossed his legs and leaned back, "How?"
Xin shrugged, "In my travels..... I've heard many things. Strange whispers. Rumors. Words of magic. Magic rising everywhere."
"But this is Ionian magic." The other man denied, "It cannot exist out of Ionia."
Xin leaned forward as be tried to explain, "What if.... what if its not the case? What if this-" He pushed the blossom forward, "-is a sign? A sign of something big?"
"Be careful with your words traveler." A voice interrupted them.
The two men looked up at the tree beside and lowered their heads reverently, "Master Kennen!"
Xin Zhao looked up and made eye contact with the Yordle stood on the branches of the tree. The Yordle had its face covered and full body cloaked in purple clothing with gold trims. A ninja. It was his first time seeing one. The glowing blue eyes stared back at him with a mild look of interest.
"Saying things like that could get you in a lot of trouble." Kennen continued.
Rising to his feet he pulled out his spear and held it out in front of him.
"You.... you are of the KinkouOrder?" Xin Zhao asked.
"Indeed."
WHOOOSH
The Yordle appeared on the tip of his spear," And I am most curious to know why you have brought a weapon into this holy festival."
Step
Step
Kennen walked onto the handle, "Why don't we take a stroll.... Xin Zhao of Raikkon."
Xin Zhao's grip on the spear tightened. The place of his birth. How did this Yordle know of his origins?
Kennen hopped to the ground, "The most impressive ceremonies take place after sunset."
As he hesitated, the man with the hat spoke, "Go with him. That is the Heart of the Tempest. One of the leaders of the Kinkou."
Xin Zhao bowed to the men before following Kennen, as the Yordle walked the streets.
"Master Kennen..." Xin Zhao began.
Kennen walked onward with his hands behind his back, "You have a lot on your mind. It is quite evident on your face."
Watching a petal fall in front of him, Xin Zhao sighed, "Forgive me. It is just that I feel like an outsider. I was born here. Spent many of my foundational years here. But one fishing trip changed everything. Returning after all these years..... I don't know how to feel."
"You have been gone a long time for a mortal. The land has changed. So have its people." Kennen replied.
"Noxus." Xin Zhao stated.
Kennen nodded, "Noxus cut more than flesh and bone in their attacks. Suffering was all our people knew during that time." He pointed to the blossoms, "Not a single blossom during their invasion. Not one. But the season after their leaving? The whole of Ionia erupts in bloom."
Xin walked beside him in silence wondering how this was related to what he had said.
"Young master Shen believes that Ionia and the Spirit Realm is grieving alongside us." Kennen continued, "I think so too." He stopped walking as he couldn't hear Xin Zhao's footsteps behind him anymore. Turning around he spotted him standing in front of a statue.
He walked back, "This one." He looked up at him, "Do you know of her tale?"
Xin nodded, "The devoted shrine maiden. The Fist of Shadow of old. I've considered her often in my time among the Demacians. During the War of the False Kanmei, it is said that she chose to follow her Patron Spirit into exile even though she had done no wrong."
"Indeed." Kennen nodded, "Demacia. That is quite a distance away." He met Xin's eyes, "Why have you come here.... Seneschal?"
Xin Zhao did not react to Kennen knowing of his position. If he had known his name and place of origin.... it wouldn't be unbelievable for him to know where he had traveled from, "The blossom. It is an impossibility. A simple Demacian birch tree that I had nurtured from a seed had flowered with sacred blossoms of my distant homeland. There has never been any record of this ever happening.... to my knowledge at least. So... I began to wonder...."
"If the blossom came from the tree or from you.... a descendant of the First Lands." Kennen finished for him.
Xin nodded, "Yes. At first I was willing to overlook it. Happy with having a piece of my home with me but my King, Jarvan, he felt it right that I return home for this. Find the answer myself."
"And in the same vein find the answers to everything else that troubles you." Kennen said.
"Now I see that this is all part of something greater. Even if it is not.... it is only right for it to have its roots in Ionia rather than elsewhere." Xin contemplated.
Kennen smiled, "Are we still talking about the tree?" He pulled his hood off revealing a furry face and a short puffy ponytail, "Come Xin Zhao of Raikkon. Where are your guards?"
Xin Zhao followed him, "My guards should be on their way to Demacia.... along with the ship we came on."
"Do you not deem Ionia dangerous?" Kennen prodded.
"I believe their service would be better toward my King." He explained, "I do not intend to bring them on a personal journey. I respect them and their time."
"Good." Kennen answered, "I couldn't have made exceptions to allow them to come with us. Where we are going... you will have no need of them."
"Then there is no danger." Xin replied.
Kennen craned his neck over, "I do not recall saying that.... but that is up to you."
The two walked along the streets until the came to the foot of a mountain. Stone stairways leading up and houses built into the ground nearby.
"Where do these stairs lead to?" Xin asked as they climbed up. In this small walk he had seen more Vastaya than he had seen in the last thirty years.
"The order.... it was ousted from Thanjuul during the war. Hence, we are rebuilding..... in this much older mountain stronghold. We are heading toward the Kinkou temple and Koeshin." Kennen explained. He then stilled for a moment and then asked him, "Do you perhaps know a Yordle from Demacia?"
Xin looked at him in askance.
"One named Poppy." Kennen finished.
He nodded.
Kennen smiled, "Does he still carry that hammer around?"
Xin smiled at that, "She does. Her search for the legendary hero still continues. I assume you know her?"
"I do." Kennen chuckled, "Her stories of your homeland were quite fascinating."
Xin Zhao nodded. It was common knowledge that Yordles had a home that they could access whenever they'd like. No one has ever seen it. No one has ever managed to successfully have a Yordle open a portal to that place, not through kindness nor torture.
"It is funny isn't it." Kennen began, "She has been searching for the hero for so long but she hasn't looked within herself yet."
His eyes widened at that information, "She is the hero?"
"Most likely." Kennen answered, "She is able to lift the hammer is she not? And as far as I remember from her stories..... she was searching for someone worthy enough to lift the hammer and wield its strength."
"The whole time....." Xin muttered.
Kennen nodded, "Yordles live long lives. She will eventually come to realize this. Though when and how she does is her own story. It is fascinating how often one forgets to look inside themselves and find that the answers to most of their questions is within themselves." He looked away from him, "You included."
The two walked silently for a while.
"This stronghold was once part of the order?" Xin Zhao asked.
Kennen nodded, "The very first. Koeshin was where it all began."
Xin nodded in understanding.
This was a sort of homecoming for them too. And it was only right that all things return home. Wherever that may be.
Even him.