Ecllipse, the Fallen Sentinel
Written on September 20th, 2022 by Ethan Z.NOTE: This work is not official RIOT Games work nor is it associated with RIOT Games. It is a work of Fanfiction. It is also a Work In Progress, as I have not finished the entirety of the story nor the artwork associated with it. If anyone would like to help with the art or the future of the story, I would love to have your help. But without further ado, please enjoy what I have written so far!
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Sentinel Training
Natalia sat on her bed in the barracks. Her gaze focused on the relic pistols she had been given upon her promotion. She stood up as she made her way to the training grounds, knowing all too well that Viego would one day come for her and her fellow Sentinels. Her focus charged her pistols as she dashed around and fired relentlessly at the small targets. Torrents of light seared the steel targets as Natalia focused her determination to beat Viego into her training as the volley of fire surged to a peak before all fell silent. Natalia panted, sweat beading on her forehead as one of her squadmates walked up to her, sweeping Natalia’s long black hair out of her face.
“You’ve been working hard.” Her comrade smiled and handed her a bottle of water, which Natalia drained gratefully.
“Thanks Val, I needed that.” Natalia looked to the blue sky. The air was still and Natalia took note. Val snapped her back to reality.
“Hey! It looked like you spaced out for a second. You mind training me?”
“Of course Val, let's have you run through the course.” Val picked up her relic rifle and kneeled, her gaze fixed on the horizon. The light flashed as Val squeezed the trigger with her mind. Bolts of light erupted from the rifle with pinpoint accuracy as she landed shot after shot onto each and every target that imperceptibly lit up in the sunlight.
“Ten seconds slower today Val. You know the drill.” Natalia spoke the words strictly; Val had no choice but to follow her squad leader’s orders and began to sprint around the training grounds.
“Arto, while Val is running laps, spar with Stilo, I’ll spar the winner.” Natalia was commanding as Arto and Stilo grabbed their relic rifles and moved to spar, dashing and dancing with the light as their rifles flashed until Arto kneeled to dodge a shot and aimed right at Stilo.
“Stilo, you’re done. Arto, let’s go.” Natalia pulled her relic pistols out of their holsters and began to spray a torrent of fire straight at Arto. At that moment, Val finished her laps and pulled out her relic rifle, and fired at Natalia, who carelessly dodged the shot and placed two of her own into both of her friendly assailants.
“Val, Arto, you’re out. Better luck tomorrow…if there is a tomorrow.” Natalia said as the sky darkened. The clear blue skies had turned dark, and the Sentinels’ worst nightmare loomed on the horizon.
“Viego.” Val said coldly, readying her weapon and their defenses. The dark fog drew ever closer as Natalia steeled her resolve.
“Sentinel Squad Spectre, get ready.” Natalia commanded her squad as they marched to their position, alongside the other elite Sentinel squads.
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Ruination and the Fall
Viego and his army of spectres appeared on the island. His blade slowly formed in his hand as spectres began to rush at the line of Sentinels. A torrent of light ripped them apart as Viego commanded the mist to surround the Sentinels, sowing confusion and disarray. What was once an organized force of Sentinels was now a shadow of Sentinels all alone.
Natalia looked around for her squad, but she hesitated. Do I want to see them? The mist closed in. Natalia took a breath and charged into the mist, firing her relic pistols as spectres wailed and howled in pain. She first stumbled upon the dead body of Arto, his uniform shredded by spectral spears and his rifle broken. Beside him, Stilo was also pierced by spears as a female spectre fired into his soul.
“Kallista!” Natalia screamed as she charged the spectre bursts of fading light erratically flew across the field, Kallista walking into the shadows. Natalia stopped and went back to her fallen squadmates and spun in circles as she fired relentlessly into the horde of spectres as they closed in. Then Val showed up, assisting her leader.
“Arto and Stilo are gone, Natalia. Let go. We’ll get back at Kallista another time. We need to find Viego right now.” Val whispered into Natalia’s ear. A single tear rolled down Natalia’s cheek as she nodded, all while firing her pistols, albeit shakily. Her resolve was wavering. Val grabbed Natalia and dragged her towards the front lines; other Sentinels fought off the spectres, covering their fellow Sentinels as they valiantly charged into the mist, only to be cut down by Viego himself.
“Viego!” Natalia screamed as she unleashed powerful pulses of fire in every direction, her primal instincts kicking in. The light was harmless to Val and the Sentinels but tore through the spectres. Viego slammed into Natalia as the mist took hold of her, and by extension…her soul. The world went dark.
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A Fallen Kingdom
Natalia woke up, a searing headache erupted as she looked around her. Nothing remained of her Sentinels except for a lone Val, up against a wall and wounded. Natalia looked down and saw darkness on her right side. Her Sentinel uniform had turned black and green on that side, contrasting with the white and gold that had been there before. The wisps of green clashed on the edges with the gold, as the gold recoiled and fought back. Natalia limped towards Val, not daring to look back at the edge of the cliff as Val also fought to reach Natalia. When they met, a torrent of light and bolts of shadows drove off the spectres. They sneered and laughed as Ecllipse took hold.
“Natalia, what’s wrong? You’re different…”
“Natalia? There is no Natalia here, just me…Ecllipse.” Ecllipse raised her fallen relic pistol, and Natalia watched in horror as the pistol went off. A surge of darkness and a surge of light. Val collapsed as Natalia fell off the edge of the cliff plunging her world into darkness for a second time.
Natalia awoke in the sea. She saw the island and looked on in horror. The fortress had fallen, and the Sentinels were slaughtered and strung up above the fortress walls, a gruesome sign of Viego’s reign. She swam to the shore as tears formed in her eyes, stinging as they mixed with the salty waves. As Natalia reached the shore, she sprinted to where she last saw Val—where she still lay. Val slumped against the wall; her rifle lay beside her, broken and charred. Her chest was marred with shadows, her uniform still mostly white and gold. Natalia smiled as Ecllipse frowned.
“You saved me.” Natalia said to her fallen comrade, kneeling beside her and closing her eyes. She buried her squad beside the wall and inscribed their names: forever fallen, yet eternally remembered.
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Voices and War
I was wrong, Viego betrayed me. That won’t bring her back, Ecllipse. We can fight him together Natalia, it doesn’t have to be like this. YOU MADE ME KILL VAL! I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU! I’m sorry. SORRY DOESN’T CUT IT. Natalia fought back with rage, the gold on her suit overtaking the green. She closed her eyes and turned to her enemy.
Natalia drew her two pistols. Her mind was dark and dimly lit in a faint golden glow. She stopped in her tracks as she felt her presence behind her. As she turned she saw Ecllipse holding the dead body of Val by the hair. Ecllipse tossed her aside as she drew her own pistols.
The darkness fell away as a light shone from one end. Natalia ran at Ecllipse, firing as Ecllipse fired back. Chaos ensued as Natalia’s light fought Ecllipse’s darkness. Light flashed as darkness engulfed it. The darkness stained the light as Natalia began to lose her sustained fire, losing her focus, losing her war. Ecllipse appeared behind her and she plunged into darkness. Natalia opened her eyes with a gasp. I’m winning, but I’ll cut you a deal: we can split time and personas however you want. I’ll never cut a deal with you, you’re a monster. Please, you have no right to call me that, after all…we are the same person.
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The Fortress Has Fallen
Natalia walked up to the gates of the fortress, wide open. She looked up to pure nightmares. Fallen Sentinels were hung from the tops of the arches, their bodies dangling in the wind as Natalia pressed on. As she approached the fallen fortress towers collapsed, crumbling to the ground as flames consumed them. The fortress Natalia had spent so much time guarding had fallen, and there were no survivors to see the fate of the base.
As Natalia walked through the fortress, more horrors greeted her. The Captain of the Sentinels was impaled at his extremities and in his chest, his body pinned against the wall above the door to the Wayfinder. Natalia entered the Wayfinder room to find it in ruins. The Wayfinder itself was shattered and broken, the map of Runeterra in disarray as the smooth marble was fractured and jagged.
“Well, Ecllipse, it’s just you and me, no reinforcements are coming.” Ecllipse smiled as she pointed toward a communication device. Natalia silently walked over to it and Ecllipse pushed the corpse in the seat out of the way, sliding herself comfortably into the seat and reading the messages.
Fort: Viego has come for us, the Sentinels are at the summit holding him off. </p>
HQ: Reinforcements will not be ready for a while, how long can you hold?
Fort: Not long, the front line is getting annihilated.
HQ: Putting you on high priority.
Fort: No need, Viego has just breached the gate. Reinforcements will get here too late. Permission to take up arms?
HQ: Permission granted. HQ out. Good luck Sentinels.
---End of transcript---
Natalia hurriedly rebooted the messaging system and sent a message out.
Fort: The Fortress has fallen. Sentinels were slaughtered, do NOT send help. Prepare for Ruination, the Ruined King is coming.
