Elicitation

By: Eadon

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Riot; I just play with their characters.

It was a bright and cloudless night, the light from the full moon and stars lit what felt like the entire forest. Akali was able to observe every bush, low branch, and above-ground root, anything that could obstruct her path. Not that she needed the light to guide her. Despite the lush vegetation of the forest around her, she's traveled this area so many times she could tell someone snapped off a low branch from the tree that one of the Monastery's students was fond of carving onto.

A light breeze wafted toward the assassin, the wind was too weak to fully lift her hair, but it was enough to manipulate the strands into tickling the skin on her exposed back. She irritably wiped at the sheen of sweat on her forehead before she dug for her water canteen and took a long pull from it.

Ionia's weather was typically hot and humid; their evenings offered no mercy either.

Akali continued her journey back to the Kinkou Monastery, her home.

Once she was on Monastery grounds, Akali took a moment to welcome the sight of her home. The Monastery was really a complex of buildings. Each one identical in appearance, grey walls, the roof tiles red and yellow, and numerous high small windows side by side, though some buildings were different in terms of size. Behind the Monastery was a tall, green mountain.

The moon was beginning to set and the dark skies lightened ever so slightly, dawn would come soon. She would have enough time to bathe before Shen and Kennen would be up, her travels left her clothes damp with sweat and passing through the forests foliage left her skin irritated and itchy.

Another breeze brushed across Akali's face, bringing the scent of water with it which reminded her of the small river that was located to the east side of the Monastery. The thought of water made her muscles ache in longing.

Her trained eyes quickly caught movement around her and by instinct she kept to the shadows. The movement revealed two patrolling guards, they would recognize Akali immediately and not become alert, but she preferred to arrive back home unannounced. It was something she always did when she returned from doing her duty.

She had yet to be spotted by the guards, something she wasn't sure was a bad or good thing. If Akali was able to avoid detection, then surely Zed or his men would be able to do the same. She made a mental note to talk to Shen about improving their security. A monastery with a small security force was an odd thought, but a necessary one. Shen did not want to risk a repeat of his father's temple when it was invaded by the Order of Shadow.

The only people that were up and about the Monastery were the guards. They all silently bowed their heads to her in greeting as she made her way to the women's dormitory. The interior of the building was a maze of long hallways, wooden floors, and the doors consisted of translucent paper over frames of wood. Thankfully the bright moonlight cascaded through the windows and lit the hallways. Again, not that Akali would need the lights assistance, there had been plenty of times when the nights were dark and she knew how to get to her room by memorizing the number of steps and turns.

Her room was small with enough space to fit a flat mattress, small desk and dresser. Half the room was caste in darkness; the other half was bathed in the moonlight that squeezed into the single window. Before Akali could rid herself of her light travel gear, her dark eyes focused on a piece of paper on the small table where she kept a water basin. Even the bright natural light made it difficult to read the notes contents, but she forced her eyes to focus on the letters.

Her weary face managed a small smile as she finished reading. It was a note from Shen. She had until noon to report to the rest of the triumvirate. Normally she met with Shen and Kennen in the early morning after her missions, but if he was giving her more time then that meant she could get some rest.

Akali couldn't rid herself of her gear fast enough. Once she was free of her burdens, she silently snuck out of her room and towards the baths. Thankfully, the tubs were already filled with water, all Akali had to do was ignite the wood-burning stove built beneath it to heat the water.

As the water heated Akali stepped towards the washing area. Numerous buckets of water had been left on the floor for bathing purposes. After she peeled the sweat soaked clothes from her skin, she dumped water over herself before she scrubbed her hair and body clean. A final rinse of water over herself left her feeling not only clean, but refreshed enough to drag herself to the now steaming bath.

She turned off the oven before she eased herself into the water, a hiss escaped her lips, the water was a little too hot than what she preferred. As she stretched her legs out across the square shaped wooden tub, her hiss changed into a soft groan as she felt her tense muscles relax. Akali normally took her baths with some herbs and oil, but she was too tired to fetch them.

When the water was cool and the skin on her fingers was terribly wrinkled, Akali retreated from the bath, wrapped herself in a towel, and quickly washed her clothes in the now cold bath water. The water was too dirty to be left for the next person so she dumped it into the drain before she returned to her room. Feeling so tired, Akali couldn't remember if she hung her clothes to dry or not, she just sighed as she lied on her mattress and slept.

Akali usually awoke before dawn and would be outside meditating or exercising just as the rising sun colored the skies orange. But on mornings like this, when she returned from her duty, she slept until the sun rays tickled her face with its heat.

The bath and few hours of sleep did wonders for her travel worn muscles, but she still felt sore as she climbed to her feet. Judging by the angle of the sun rays that seeped through the window she estimated to have enough time to eat before having to meet with Shen and Kennen.

As much as she wanted to relax for the day, her mother's discipline echoed within her mind and chased away any thoughts of recuperation. So, instead of dressing casually she opted for her sparring clothes. She overlapped the lapels of her forest green jacket and tucked them into her matching colored trousers before she fastened the ties around her ankles, knees and waist. It took her longer to thoroughly brush her hair free of knots before she tied it into the usual high ponytail.

Even in the late morning the dormitory was bustling with activity. Kinkou members, students and guards passed to and from the halls. Akali headed straight for the small building between the women's and men's dormitories, the mess hall. The place was heavily populated as well; it was quite small for all of the people it aimed to feed. Thankfully, most people ate their meals swiftly which allowed Akali to find an isolated place to eat in private. She all but inhaled her hefty meal of white rice, soybeans, vegetable soup, and fried eggs. After a week long journey her taste buds were grateful for food that wasn't dried or salted. She didn't have time to enjoy a cup of tea after her meal, but she and the other members of the triumvirate usually shared a pot of jasmine tea during their meetings.

To get to the meeting room, Akali had to pass through a garden, two training arenas, and their armory. The building that housed their meetings served two purposes, the first two floors held rooms that were mostly used for teaching or sparring, while the top floor was used solely for meetings, sometimes even meditation, although the gardens were a better choice for the latter.

The guards bowed their heads once as she passed them and into the triumvirates meeting room on the top floor. The room itself was spacious, but empty. The floors were wooden but rice straw mats covered every inch. Waist high lamps stood at every corner, and six windows littered one wall. A short-legged, circular table sat in the center of the room with three sitting cushions around it. However, two of the cushions were in use by the other triumvirate's members already, save one.

The guards closed the door behind her; the soft thud of the screen sliding shut announced her presence to the two men. Both of them were clad in their training clothes, similar to Akali's but their trousers were baggier. Shen's garments were midnight blue and Kennen wore his usual purple.

Shen was the first one to speak. He tilted his head downward slightly as he greeted her. "Good afternoon, Akali." As usual, his face was devoid of any emotion.

Kennen, a brown haired yordle, offered a large smile to her. He beckoned her towards the available cushion and then poured tea into the only empty cup. Before Akali sat down she could already smell the sweet aroma of the drink. She guessed correctly, it was jasmine tea today, not that she was complaining, she loved it.

"How was your mission?" The small yordle asked.

Akali took a moment to take a sip of her tea before answering. The early afternoon heat already settled into her throat, and climbing the stairs added to her thirst. "My duty was completed with minimal trouble."

She didn't go into further detail out of courtesy to Kennen. Despite his duty of conveying the justice of the Kinkou, he was a strong believer of redemption. While he respected Shen's decisions when he judged individuals that were a threat to the equilibrium of Valoran, which was Akali's duty to eliminate said individuals, hearing the details of their demise made him visibly uncomfortable. If her missions were flawless, she saw no need to report anything other than the outcome.

Shen's eyes studied her, though there was nothing perverse about his gaze. Akali knew he was simply checking her for any injuries. If she had been injured, her clothes would have easily covered any bandages. But that wasn't what Shen looked for; he studied her movements for any hints of weakness. She took that moment to take another sip of her steaming tea; she was uninjured and had nothing to hide.

"While you were gone, we received some news." Shen announced. His eyes moved to his still full cup. He lifted the porcelain to his lips.

Akali waited for him to continue. As vague as his announcement was she felt eager for more information. Most news usually led to another mission for her. She may have been glad to return home, grateful for a mattress to sleep on, warm food and relaxing baths, but a part of her relished in her duty. The adrenaline that coursed through her veins as she hunted her target was exquisite. Her favorite was when the targets anticipated her move and they fought to the death, although she had yet to hunt down someone that was a worthy opponent and didn't die so quickly.

"Do you remember the swordsman student that slayed an Elder?" Shen asked.

"With a wind technique?" Her response was a single nod. "Yes, I remember."

Shen continued, "we've received news of his whereabouts. As it happens when he is located, he leaves a trail of death."

Akali occupied herself from speaking by taking another sip of tea. Kennen always prepared it perfectly; it was never too bitter nor weak. Since news of that particular incident surfaced she believed the murderer was an upset to the balance the triumvirate worked to preserve. She hoped this bit of news would result in Shen's judgement of the murderer's fate.

Kennen spoke next. "Where has he been found? It's been several years since we've heard of him."

"Witnesses reported seeing him near the southern part of Ionia."

Akali frowned and placed her cup onto the table. "That part of the island is barren. Everything was either destroyed or taken by Noxus when they fled."

Shen nodded. "It is possible he may be meeting Noxians that may still linger there. Or he seeks refuge in the deserted region of Ionia."

"You think he is allied with Noxus," the yordle quipped.

"Why else would he murder an Elder?" Akali asked. "It seems quite convenient that he would murder an Elder after Noxus invaded."

Kennen rubbed a small, furry hand on his equally as furry chin. "Whether he is allied with Noxus or not, it is still troubling that a young man is not only a skilled swordsman, but has the wind at his side. We have not seen another master of that technique in years."

"The last master was when my father was a child." Shen added.

The smaller male sighed. "Add that the young swordsman has murdered an Elder and numerous other people, including his own brother."

Akali frowned at that. "I hadn't heard of that."

Kennen nodded sadly, his ears drooped down again. "It happened when you left."

We do that which must be done.

Her mother's words rung in her mind as she digested the information. Akali had to thread carefully. It wasn't her duty to judge individuals, that was Shen's, so she didn't want to make what she had to say next sound like she was overstepping her boundaries. "So we have a rare, powerful warrior on the loose who has murdered an Elder, his brother, and numerous other people. And he may or may not be working for Noxus." She paused and looked at Shen. He met her gaze, his face still blank of any emotion. Not even his eyes displayed what he was thinking. "Do you believe he is a threat to the balance?"

Shen broke eye contact with her, but he kept his gaze straight ahead of him, not looking at either Kennen or Akali. He was silent and he didn't as much as move a finger.

Kennen drained his cup silently and then refilled it. He glanced at Akali's nearly empty cup and filled hers as well. "This young man, Yasuo I believe is his name, is seen as a threat to the other Elders. Whenever he is recognized, battles and deaths occur. We do not know if he instigates the fights or if he is merely acting in self-defense."

"Self-defense or not," Akali interjected after a sip of fresh tea, "that doesn't account for an Elder's death by his wind technique. No one else in Ionia has mastered it but him."

Kennen rubbed at his chin again. It was a habit of his as he spoke of his thoughts. "The time of the Elders death was when Noxus had invaded, correct? What if the Noxians have wind masters of their own? As slim of a chance it may be what if a Noxian murdered the Elder?"

"You forget, Kennen, Noxian soldiers didn't fight. They hid behind their machines. If a Noxian did kill the Elder, he wouldn't have died to a wind technique, whether Noxus has people gifted in that skill or not."

Kennen was silent as he pondered Akali's words. After a moment his hand dropped from his chin and he nodded, signifying his acceptance of her argument. They both turned their attention to their third member. Shen was still silent, unmoving, and his eyes stayed fixated on the wall opposite of him. Akali and Kennen knew not to disturb him from his thoughts after they both gave their opinions of these matters.

A moment of silence passed and Shen finally blinked. He exchanged glances with them both before he finally spoke. "This man, Yasuo, is a threat to the balance of Valoran."

Akali fought against the smile that strained to grow.

That was all he had to say. When Shen pointed to a "target," Akali was the one that exterminated it.

"I'll leave immediately," she replied. "Where was he located exactly?"

Shen looked at her again and shook his head. "You just returned last night. Take a day or two to rest, gather your strength, and then you can pursue him."

Akali shook her head; her eyebrows grew closer as she frowned. "This is our first lead on his location in years. If I spend a few days here he will have that much time to disappear again. We shouldn't let him escape."

Shen lifted his chin slightly and kept her gaze. Even though neither position of the triumvirate had authority over the other, he was still the leader of the Kinkou Order. When he issued an order people obeyed it.

"Please understand, Akali." His deep voice was just like his face, void of any emotion. It wasn't filled with the anger or annoyance she expected and it wasn't cold or uncaring. "Yasuo shouldn't be underestimated."

Akali suppressed her desire to sigh. She understood the importance of not underestimating an enemy, her mother drilled that into her since she was a child, but she didn't like the idea of giving her target time to put distance between them. If she were injured she would probably heed Shen's advice, but she was unscathed, maybe just a little sore if anything. A little travel soreness wouldn't hinder her, she trained most of her life while sore and it never affected her success.

"I understand that, Shen. But I am in perfect health to set out. I wouldn't risk the success of my duty otherwise."

It was difficult to tell if he accepted her words. He continued to look at her with his stone faced expression. As she waited, she allowed her gaze to wander and look at the entirety of Shen's face. He kept his black hair cut short against his scalp and his strong, square jaw was clean shaven. She was always aware Shen was handsome and she imagined his smile could probably make any woman's knees weak. However, for the short amount of years she's known him she's never seen him smile. He was always in his Eye of the Twilight mode, his expressions impossible to deduce.

Akali felt grateful for her own duty. She was entrusted with Pruning the Tree; she eliminated those that were a threat to Valoran's equilibrium. Her duty was easy compared to Shen's. He always had to keep his judgements free of any emotion and bias. She couldn't do that. Her eyes caught movement of Shen's jaw muscles and she quickly retreated from her thoughts.

"Very well." Shen replied. He reached for his tea, no doubt it was probably cold by now but he took a few sips from it anyway. "I trust your confidence."

A small smile came to Akali's face and she bowed her head. She reached for her cup and drained it before she turned her gaze to Kennen. "So then where can I find my target?"

After the yordle gave her all the information she would need, and when Shen and Kennen had nothing else to discuss, Akali bid them farewell before she retreated to her room. Thankfully she hadn't unpacked her traveling gear, she only had to pack new clothes, fetch more traveling rations and refill her water canteens. She changed out of her sparring clothes and into her trademark green assassin attire.

With her bag on her back and her kamas in hand, Akali once again left the Kinkou Monastery and began her long trek towards the southern region of Iona. For the first few hours of her journey she contemplated if a swordsman with a rare technique would be enough to give her a challenge in battle. Her pace quickened as a small smile grew on her face, she was eager to find out.