Revenge Comes

It was raining.

Out in the jungle in between the two nexuses had for the longest time been where the dark teams had made their homes, with this came the varying changes in weather that you could not account for while this had just been game.  It went from nice weather, too scorching hot, too cold, too rain.  All with the changing of seasons just like it always had in real life.

It was raining, and Phalanx didn't like it.

It wasn't that the rain itself bothered him, it'd be nearly a year since he had been plunged into this reality that was like League of Legends but not at the same time.  Today had just not been his day, and it had put him on edge.  Every shadow seemed longer than normal, and the rain muffled his hearing, he was never quite sure if he was being followed or not.  But he had this crawling sensation whenever he didn't turn around, almost as if something or someone was constantly watching him.

He'd been out for about a week from his teams house, he had been given a job to take someone out that payed fairly well.  He was heading back from a successful job, but they journey had been marked by bad weather and thus his progress had been slowed.  He had gone to sleep last night with the feeling that he was being watched, but had thought nothing of it at the time.  Now he was not sure.

He slumped against a tree, he was making no progress and figured he may as well stop here.  It was only now he noticed how many shadows were around, and that they all seemed to connect with one another.  Too late did he realize how much trouble he was in.

"Rough day?"

He seemed to materealize right next to Phalanx, it was dual-wielding Yasuo from what he could tell.  Phalanx quickly transfered to a different shadow to gain some distance.  There was something strange about his left eye, it was glowing red.  It was then that he thought he recognized the voice.

"Splinter?"

The figure laughed.  "What's it to you?  You didn't seem to care the last time you killed me."

Phalanx was sure of it now, so Splinter was back for revenge.  Phalanx who'd taken off his helmet, grinned as he realized what was going to happen.  "Don't assume this is going to be free."  He said to Splinter.

Splinter shrugged.  "I'd already known that."

They stood apart from each other for a few, long moments.  Sizing each other up and waiting to see who would make the first move, finally Phalanx decided he'd wasted enough time.  He was going to end this before it had even begun.

He moved so fast no normal person could have followed him, as he started running while using a shadow to close the distance between him and Splinter in one single fluid motion.  Confident he'd out smarted his opponent, he swung down at his neck.  But instead of hearing his blade sink into soft flesh, all he heard was the clang as metal connected with metal.  But it was not the sound made when two blades connected.  His eyes widened as he saw a metal gauntlet blocking his blow, casually, almost as if they had walked up to high five.

"Impressive, you've gotten better since that day.  However no one can touch me now."

Phalanx felt as though he'd been hit by a dragon's claw, and before he knew it he was flying back into a tree behind him.  He sat there for a moment, dazed and unable to move.  As his vision cleared he saw Splinter standing in the exact spot as when this fight had begun, was he toying with him?

Phalanx made a move to use a shadow, but before he could even do anything Splinter had closed the gap between them.  Phalanx could just stare as he felt his feet get knocked out from under him, as he landed Splinter sent a punch into his gut, knocking the breath out of him and leaving him completely at his mercy.

Splinter drew one of his blades.  Once again Phalanx could only stare.  "That can't possibly be..."

"It is, this is one of the blades of the set called Phantom Dancer."

Phalanx had heard of many items being found in the game, it had quickly become common knowledge that they still existed.  Whenever you got one it seemed to just become a weapon suited to the champion you embodied, all of the commons had been found.  Infinity Edge, Statikk Shiv, Bloodthirster, Rabadon's Deathcap, Deathfire Grasp, Trinity Force, Blade of the Ruined King.  All but one, that item had been Phantom Dancer, no matter how much searching had been put in by anyone.  They had failed to locate this item, and with each item's passive being changed to fit the game as it is now.  No one knew how strong a item it was.

Bloodthirster provided the user with a buff that shielded them on occasion from a blow that would otherwise kill them.  Statikk Shiv sometimes sent a electrical charge, stunning your enemy.  Infinity Edge needed to only graze it's target to make that limb useless for a certain amount of time.  Deathfire Grasp burned your opponent, and made them more vunerable to magic abilities.  Rabadon's greatly magnified one of your spells occasionally, making it unblockable.  And the Blade would suck the life from your opponent if it struck once.

No one knew what Phantom Dancer did.

Splinter spoke. "It's strange you know, how this came into my posession first.  It has two passives, the first is it will occasionally phase through my opponents weapon, the other is that one strike can kill.  Shall we test it out?"

Before Phalanx could say a word, Splinter drove the blade through his heart.

Phalanx coughed up blood.  As he watched strange symbols slowly envelope his body.   He chuckled.

"It would appear you were right."

Phalanx disappeared into many pinpoints of light just like Splinter had the day he'd died at his hands, Splinter simply turned as he sheathed his blade and headed back into the forest.  His job done.

...

"Poison!  Have you heard?"  Came Wicked's voice as Poison sat hunched over a table of papers, one of the many duties of leading the top team in the game.

"What is it, Wicked?"  He asked his panting friend who'd just run into his office.

"It's been announced on the news bulletin that a new event is taking place!  Three weeks from now a even called The Rift Games starts in a arena newly erected right between the two nexuses, it's too decide the top team in the game!  Dark, red, blue, it does not matter.  Any and all are allowed to participate."

Poison grinned for the first time in many days.  "Well it would hardly be a event if the top team in the blue nexus didn't participate now would it?  Tell the members to begin training!  In three weeks we will be the new kings of this game, no questions asked!"
"It will be done."

After Wicked had left Poison's grin disappeared, he look at the ceiling.  Lost in thought.

"I wonder how you're doing now?  What are your plans for this I wonder?"  He said to himself.

...

In the jungle, almost to the place he now called home.  Splinter too, wondered what plans would be made by the team he'd once been apart of.

But first things first, he was now a man with quite the price on his head.  Over the months he'd consistently taken down dark team members, not once had he failed a contract.  But really seemed odd is he had gained followers, a team of sorts although they didn't seem to be one with ranks.  They had taken to being called Immortals, and now he was the appointed leader of that group.  He walked into the house and began making announcements as he walked.

"Make sure all is in place and ready in three weeks, no one knows yet of our existence.  The time has come to explode on the scene and make a name for ourselves."

"Ghost, make sure that everyone is ready come that day.  Double the training schedule."

"Aye, sir!"

Splinter smiled to himself, this is what he'd been waiting for.