A Search Through Runeterra (Arcane)

"Finally! I have discovered Sextech!" Jayce, Defender of Tomorrow

What?

Its not a real quote?

But he discovered it didn't he?

I changed cannon here because it felt good. I like Talon and I feel like he is really looked down in lore and this gives underdog vibes.

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Tap Tap Tap...

Tap Tap Tap....

Gregori kept tapping his feet as he leaned against the outside of the library. It was around four in the evening, the time around which he met Talon for the first time.

Of course they met inside.... but with the new librarian, Gregori did not want to take the chance. She already seemed to think ill of him. And after his first impression and his reasoning, there was no chance that any conversation the two would be having would be between the two of them.

Someone would be listening in.

He would rather that not happen.

Instead he had a more elaborate set up. A fun filled one.

As he waited for well over an hour, something strange happened. 

Strange to him..... Apparently not a single other person going into or leaving the library seemed to notice anything strange with the interaction... An armored Noxian walked up to him and handed him a letter.

He flipped the letter over and spotted the seal.

Medarda.

Slowly he closed his eyes and grit his teeth. A few seconds later he let out a heavy breath and slid the letter under his cloak and into his shirt pocket.

Only one Medarda would think it fine to call out to him. Only one. Ambessa. So much ambition in one body. It couldn't possibly be healthy.

After reopening his eyes, he spotted another cloaked man standing beside him.

"I've heard you want a favor repaid?" The man spoke gruffly.

Gregori chuckled, "Unless you went through puberty again over the last ten years, I'd urge you to drop the voice Talon." He pushed against the wall and started walking. "Come lets take a walk while I explain what I need from you."

Talon followed him in silence.

The both of them walked through the general populace of Noxus on its streets. Slipping into the alleyways and less traveled roads.

Breaking the silence, Gregori spoke, "I need your assistance with my quest. It is small and wouldn't last longer than a month or maybe a few weeks over a month."

Talon stopped, "Nothing to uproot the government."

Gregori shook his head, keeping his face out of you, "You don't need to be doing anything other than provide information." He turned around with a smile, "And you don't need to be involved with what I plan to do either."

Talon raised his eyebrows, "So you plan on going after a noble family?"

"Something of that sort...." Gregori shrugged as he led him. "What I need from you is information."

"You've said that already."

"Do you remember the woman who used to be with me Talon?" Gregori asked.

Talon nodded.

Of course he would remember, it was due to the actions of both of them that Talon managed to escape with his life on a mission gone bad.

"She was my wife. Died years ago."

"My condolences."

"What you would like to know is that she was magical..... and so is our child. Blessed with strong magic." Gregori spoke. "I managed to remarry nearly two years ago. A nice woman who took to my daughter as if she were her own."

Talon walked behind him in silence.

"Now... what was I to do when my home was attacked while I was away and my pregnant wife dead. My daughter? Missing." He slowed down his steps as they arrived at Metol.

Gregori turned to Talon and looked him in his eyes, "Your job to repay my favor is to provide me with information regarding any and all locations were magical children are kept. Regardless of who in Noxus is behind them."

"Only information?" Talon asked flummoxed. He had come to this meeting fully expecting to be handed a mission and sent off to kill someone.

"I need it to be reliable and you have the resources and the connections to make it so." Gregori replied. "I will it repeat for you. A girl with powerful magical ability and all places where she could be kept."

"Okay." Talon replied. "I can get it done for you. Give me till dawn. I'll hand you all the information you need. I guess you will be staying the the Livery?"

Gregori nodded.

"The information will be slide under your door at dawn." Talon spoke.

"I appreciate that Talon." Gregori spoke. "With this your favor to me is repaid completely."

"Thank you." Talon spoke. "Now why are we here?"

"This is a question for you. It might even come under the favor you are repaying." He pointed toward the fortress.

Talon's eyes shot to the fortress.

"This might be what you are looking for." Talon spoke as he looked at it. "In our initial investigation into this fortress, we figured out someone was kept inside. After torturing one of the researchers we found out that there is a girl kept captive inside."

Gregori clenched his fists.

"It was also built over the past year. So you might be onto something but I will look into this. Again.... all I want you to do is to wait till dawn. And you will have the information. Once you go through the information, then you can go ahead and make a move. But wait until then." Talon reassured.

Gregori slowly nodded, his eyes never leaving the fortress.

"I suppose I will see you later then Gregori." Talon spoke. 

Gregori unclenched his fists and turned around, "I'll not be seeing you later Talon. Once this is done... I'm leaving Noxus. For good."

"I... see."

"However, I do hope you achieve you dream, assuming you are still with the same dream." Gregori wished.

Talon nodded.

"Take care of your sister as well." Gregori spoke. "She will be a good ally if you decide to trust her."

"You haven't spent much time with my sister. You don't know what she is capable of." Talon spoke rebuffing his claim. "She is not stable. Her desire to not listen to authority is a detriment."

Gregori looked him in the eyes, "Is that what you've learnt?"

Talon nodded. "One cannot fail direct orders."

"You still have much to learn then." Gregori spoke as he slowly shook his head. "There is only so much you can achieve under someone. I've heard of your ascension to the head of the Du Coteau family. You are the authority now. When you are truly faced with the decision of following orders or ignoring them... I hope then you will make the correct choice."

Talon remained silent but he grit his teeth.

Gregori frowned at the reaction, "Unless....." Another piece of the puzzle clicked in place as his eyebrows raised. "I see. My apologies then. You still aren't free from your chains."

Gregori turned around and walked past him. Patting Talon on his shoulder as he walked by, "I truly hope you achieve your dream Talon, you can still rely on your sister my friend. Goodbye."

Talon stayed in the same position long after Gregori had gone. His mind turbulent. He had been asked for an actual favor. And an easy one at that. Just information collection. That was it. Gregori didn't even ask him for anything extra.

What annoyed him were the last few words.

He was the authority?

No.

FUCK NO.

His adoptive father just faked his death. Talon represented the family in public but in the shadows? It was all his father.

Gregori hoped that he would make the correct decision?

How could he? He was in a position where every move could end up with his death.

"Just ask her for help." A voice in his head commanded.

Talon shook his head. Gregori's support of his sister was unusual but the man seemed genuine in his wish for Talon's success.

He sighed.

Why did things have to be so complicated?

All he wanted was to achieve his dream. To be the greatest assassin. And he held himself to the highest standard possible. Considering a kill a failure if it wasn't instant. Prolonged death meant failure. Getting involved in a fight was a failure.

A clean kill must be immediate. No combat. No one alerted. 

In and out.

That is all. No one had measured up to the standards he had set for himself..... not even Marcus Du Coteau.

But once he had achieved the status himself, only then could he accept himself as the greatest.

However, he couldn't reach that level if he had to keep covering for his father. He valued the family. He really did. What more can an orphan ask for? A family was the most important thing to him, aside from his dream.

His interaction with both his sisters were bad, to say the least.

He had been sent to kill Katarina. Talon failed. Katarina might think she had gotten the upper hand and beat him to escape but only he knew the truth.

Talon let her go. He couldn't bring himself to kill her. The scar was all he gave her.

In that way, he had avoided the worst possible punishment from his father for having failed to kill his sister. A scar to forever remember the consequences of her actions was acceptable for his father but that didn't stop him from nearly breaking Talon with inhumane training.

All of which he completed without a word. His body was strong. Beyond normal Noxians. That was because he wasn't fully human. He suspected an Ionian parent or grandparent. His Ionian heritage gave him certain skills. He kept this under wraps. No one knew of this.

It was his trump card after all.

Revealing it was pure stupidity.

Despite everything he had experienced, he loved his family.

He replaced every single poisoned food item his mother and other sister sent. Every single one he replaced. No one knew better. If his presence was not there, his father and sister would have died over a hundred times.

He had kept the family together. Despite each of them wanting to kill each other.

Cassiopeia had tried to have assassins kill her sister multiple times. Every attempt he thwarted. His father had sent multiple people after his mother as well. They all perished under his blade.

All to keep his family alive. The first few years together kept him going. Everyone was happy. Or at least the three siblings were.

Gregori wondered if he would make the correct choice?

He had been making it.

He had been making it every single day.

The Du Coteau would not fall now. Not after everything he had sacrificed for it.

The only thing he was willing to consider was making the death of Marcus Du Coteau a historically accurate event.

Maybe he could unite the family again.

He reminisced the dinners they had together. Him fidgeting, not feeling like he belonged. His sisters bickering with each other. His mother looking upon them fondly. HIs father keeping his face a cold mask while eating elegantly.

As he walked back to the family mansion, he wondered if it would be a good decision to let Katarina into the fold. Let her know of his actions.

She still believed him to be a mindless follower. 

Maybe that was for the better. His family viewing him as a mindless follower was fine. That was the only way he could keep them safe without them knowing.

Talon closed his eyes as he walked into the shadows. When he reopened them, his eyes had slitted pupils. He blinked once more and disappeared.

An assassin works in the shadows after all.