#彡 scraping your face on the sky ║ odyssey

[asundering]

mildly freaking out because i found the league wiki page holding the odyssey: extraction english announcer lines that I have been searching for. forever. for years. for these lines for both referencing and nostalgia purposes.

[asundering]

@lightshielded pleads: ' please be safe. ' he pushed an ornate lance into their hands at just the moment he would bring their lips together. one a gift, a hope for safety. the other a promise, a wish for return. ' and come back to me. ' the emperor takes a half step back, gathering shreds of composure and fragments of formality. ' you - you can consider that an order. '

It was a simple mission that only really needed an Ordinal as a set piece. Land in the biggest port of Kloa, check how the policing action was keeping up with the spikes in felonies, and smile for the local news scanners. Kayn was the perfect fit for putting real fear into any criminal circle thinking they could set up anything underhanded within the system. A little reminder of who controlled the Empire they all were under the protection and servitude of. The only issue was that it was on the other side of the galaxy, and nowhere near as pompous as main trading systems. And that often left the less galaxy-trotting worried.

Sheida stands at attention and offers a smirk when Emperor Jarvan meets with them for one final talk before the Fractal Shear departs. Remarks were exchanged with a smile, one of them certain something would go wrong. And it's not what Kayn thought otherwise; they knew it just as well. But they were also ready for anything the universe had to throw at them, a decorated Ordinal of the empire. They had been meaning to ask what the emperor carried with him, curious eyes watching it hungrily. And as Jarvan brought himself closer, eyes flicker up to his lips just in time to watch his request be cast. Sheida was leaning into the kiss before they even realised they knew it, before they realised they wanted it. Warmth in their armoured chest is both freeing and condemning, wanting this moment to last forever. They never wanted to leave him.

And then they are both pulling back, the weapon from the emperor's personal collection transferred to Kayn's hands. When breath has returned, their ajar lips morph into a wide smile. It's softer than usual. "You act as if I'm going off to war, my emperor." They jest, gloved hands cradling the precious treasure before they recall it's purpose of a weapon. The ordinal's head bows in thanks before they stand at attention again. Some of his worry must have carried over, pulling at their heart.

"Nothing in the galaxy will keep me from returning."

[asundering]

"When I'm finally emperor of the galaxy... do you think I'll get an autograph from The Ahri?"

[asundering]

@lightshielded sends: when the fractal shear made port by the locus armada's flagship, the emperor immediately made his way from the bridge to the bay. it was not often the emperor himself would personally greet arrivals on his ship, but ordinals were no ordinary arrivals. and they were not just any ordinal. [restrict the area] he would command the ship's ai as he walked. he would have no interruptions. despite the seriousness of the matter, he approached kayn with open arms. ' shie, welcome. you've been gone too long - ' the joy in his words fell to concern as he took in his friend's appearance and the thought of the brief he had been supplied. ' - what happened? who did th - ' he caught himself. while the area was restricted, it was far from an appropriate place for such confidential matters. ' no. not here. come, tell me everything in my quarters. '

The Fractal Shear was by no means a small warship, but the flagship of the Armada it had docked next to, the Colossus. more than dwarfed the usually mighty craft. Though most of its fires were extinguished now, clear damage from an attack marred the ship's hull; chunks and layers had given way to breaches and were a clear sign of a targeted, well-planned attack mission. What was left of the ship's slingtroopers stood at attention around the warship's open port ramp the moment the Emperor stepped foot into the enormous dock. And on queue with his approach, the Ordinal of the ship would step out to greet him, only… What marched down the docking ramp was a grave version of the Ordinal that the Emperor would have last seen, before their mission out to Kloa. Their best attempt at a smile upon seeing their dear friend pulls awkwardly around the new tech installed on their face, taking on more of a sneer than anything else. The sleek interface that once went discreetly over their left eye was replaced by a golden plating that now took up nearly half of their face. Approaching empty-handed, something briefly catches the light under the dark blue strands of their fringe. There is a pause held for too long, before Kayn accepts the offered embrace of a greeting from their Emperor. It must be they were tired. "It is good to see you too, my emperor. I do hope all was peaceful for you while I was away." While nodding in agreement with his decision, Kayn's jaw locks and teeth grind, like there was something irritating that only they knew of.

Dismissing the slingtroopers with a small wave, they join Jarvan on the stroll to his quarters, arms folded to rest against the small of their back. "There's an additional report, to go alongside the one I had already sent on my way back, now. Unfortunately, it also holds the reason I cannot stay for long.' Focus amiss, Kayn's attention is drawn away to the sparse but tall windows of space featured on the outer hull walls as they talk. 'I trust the Fractal Shear will be spaceworthy again soon, thanks to our empire's finest repair crews."

[asundering]

Yone

Alarms blared in time with flashing lights littered across the corridors of the Fractal Shear. Long strides and a brisk pace that could match the running speed of an ordinary person, Ordinal Kayn makes their way through their ship wielding an otherworldly weapon. A personal alert from their intercom system warns them of a call from the ship’s bridge before it starts up.

“Ordinal, we tried-”

“The details of your incompetence are irrelevant. Give me the status of the Templar prisoners.” Kayn ordered. There is a moment of hesitation that goes for a beat too long. Niceties had no place in this situation. Any good soldier knew this. “The-the intruders made a beeline towards the cells. They’re here specifically on a rescue mission. Do we flip the killswitch?”

“Negative, we need them alive. Especially the girl. Get as many troops to defend her cell down there as possible. I’m on my way.”

At that moment there was an explosion that rocked the ship just below Kayn’s feet, making them stumble to the hallway's wall for support. When the static in their comms levelled out, the troopers shaky voice could be heard once more.

“Un-unfortunately, she has just been freed.” With that, the ordinal snaps their comms down with a grimace. They would never get down to the prisoner’s level in time. Just as their grip around the scythe’s handle tightens with frustration and they take a step forward, Kayn is left surprised, thinking they had missed the ground, somehow. But just as they go to inspect what was happening, their other foot takes on an unnatural glow that is rapidly engulfing their form. Before they had a chance to realise what was happening, Kayn was falling through the ship floor.

Focusing on whatever little control they had while falling through the ship, Kayn decides to use this newly acquired skill to land directly on top of the intruders, and question how they were breaking the rules of reality later. “Are there any other tricks you want to tell me now, or are they also surprises for later?” Kayn grumbles, looking at the scythe in their grip. But they do not stay bitter for long, their attention snapping to the scene appearing below them; The Templar Sona being lead by her rescuer towards freedom, tailing the other templars and their saviours. Gripping onto the edge of some wreckage of their ship to slow their descent, there is still a crunch of metal as the ordinal lands between the pair and their companions.

“Just where do you think you’re going?” Kayn jeers, presenting the scythe as they approached. But the rescuer is quick to draw his own weapon - a high-end laser-sword from a quick glance - and pushing Sona behind him defensively. Once again, she only glares silently at Kayn... No, at the weapon. Kayn takes another step forward, staring down the two. “You have not only trespassed on but damaged an Ordinal’s ship and attacked my troops. Give up the Templar now, and I will make your sentence quick.”

“Sorry, Ordinal, but the Templar and I will be leaving now.” The rescuer responds with a smirk before advancing with a swing. But Kayn moves just as swiftly, bringing their scythe up to parry, and in one fluid motion swipe with its holographic blade. Sparks fly against the two weapon’s impact before they both take a step back. Irritation finds its way onto the ordinal’s face, but it seems its origin is not from the duel. It doesn’t take long before their focus is back on the two as they go in for another clash, slashing upwards with the curved blade. “You are meddling in matters beyond you! Just who do you think you are?” Forced backwards by the wide swing, the rescuer puts his own weapon up defensively. The blades catch on each other, forcing him to stumble back. Sona gives him a worried look, catching him before he lost his footing. Regaining his posture and patting himself down, he gives Kayn a half-chuckle.

“I never got to formally introduce myself, did I! I am known as Yone. Your reputation proceeds you, Ordinal Kayn.” Giving them a half-hearted bow, Yone jumps back with a flurry of swipes, skirting around the ordinal in an attempt to find a weak spot. Using the blade as well as the handle of the scythe, each blow is deflected. Kayn could see that he was doing; trying to turn them around get towards the exit. Their gaze shifts to Sona and their eyes lock for a moment. Still, she held that wide-eyed glare, but there was something-

A jolt of pain snaps Kayn’s attention back to the fight at hand. Jerking away from the blade that had caught their arm, even Yone looked surprised he had caught them. Anger flares over the ordinal, and with a full-force swing, they catch Yone on the butt of the blade. With a powerful kick, they send him skidding across the floor to land on a broken segment of the ship.

“Stop telling me how to fight!” Kayn yells out. The silence following held no reply for them. Ignoring the bewildered stares from the other two, Kayn marches forward, reaching for the winded Yone’s neck to pick him up. Through the open, jammed door to the hallway, the head of one of the other rescuers appears. “Yone, let's get out of here!” She quickly shouts out. Upon seeing the Ordinal’s gaze lock onto her, she quickly disappears back behind the door with wide eyes. Turning back to Yone, he was struggling in their grip, unable to loosen their iron grip as he was lifted off the ground to meet the ordinal’s eye level. “Give me... a moment! Sona, go!”

As he coughs out the final words to the templar, Yone’s other hand swipes up, still holding his laser-sword. It finds purchase in Kayns face, and they drop him with a pained wail. Stumbling back, their now free hand is brought up to cover the injured part of their face. Gritted teeth held back any more cries. And as Kayn dared to open their eyes, they found they could see a blurry vision of their ruined ship, the templar making her escape, and Yone struggling to his feet. Only, it seemed half of the scene was missing.

Preoccupied with fighting to keep their balance and struggling with their new lack of depth perception, the stress of the situation loomed over them; something vast and twisted weighing down on their shoulders. But instead of letting it consume their mind, Kayn fought back. Adjusting their grip on the slipping scythe, Kayn’s remaining eye watches the figure of Yone move. One shaking foot at a time, they struggle to approach.

“You... you...!”

There was a sickening sound of metal meeting flesh, reverbing off of the broken walls of the Fractal Sheer. Following the weapon that penetrated their chest, Kayn could make out the luminesce glow of Rhaast stuck in the rescuer, red dripping from the blade. And something else entirely... Something golden. But there was hardly time to think about that now, as their breaths began to become forced. With his last fleeting life force, Yone had pulled his blade back, letting out one last exhale as it clattered to the ground. Clutching at their own wound, fighting for air, a shaky hand looks for the button to call for emergency assistance, only to find the sparking augments and a nauseatingly empty part of their face. Crumbling to the rubble-covered floor, the ordinal’s hand lands on the extraterrestrial weapon, and clutch it with what little strength was left in their struggling body. Breaths stuck in their throat, Kayn’s already blurred and pained vision begins to fully darken...

...

KAYN.

...

KAYN!

...

AFTER THAT LITTLE DISPLAY, I’M QUESTIONING IF YOU REALLY WERE THE WORTHY ONE.

...

I ADMIT IT WAS QUITE THE SHOW. BUT WE CAN’T HAVE YOU KEEL OVER BEFORE THE REAL FUN BEGINS, CAN WE? USING THAT LITTLE WOULD-BE HERO’S ORA, I CAN AT LEAST STABALISE YOU. NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT THAT LITTLE EYE INJURY. NOW STAY COMPLETELY STILL, HAHAHA!

[asundering]

' happy birthday, shieda. ' the emperor smiled warmly at his long - time friend. he sipped slightly at the flute of champagne he had poured, a twin to the other he had offered to his friend. relaxing back into his chair, he relished in the moment casual shared between them rather than consumed by their jobs as usual. ' now, if you could have anything, whether that is something i could give or do for you, what would it be? '

Returning to warm look to the emperor, the ordinal takes their own seat, nodding in thanks.“Thank you, Jarvan.” With an exhale, Kayn finds themselves relaxing completely into the comfortable lounge, eyes closing slowly. How long it had been since they had been able to find the time, unrelated to their work, to be alone with their friend. Celebrating such a date that didn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things, was a good enough excuse as any. Reaching towards their beverage, they blink towards him at his question, almost surprised at the very idea of receiving a gift…

Lifting the glass, the ordinal takes their time answering, swirling the champagne as they thought. Anything they wanted… with the power of the Emperor’s permission, they could ask for nearly anything in the entire galaxy. How strange. Of all the hopeful ideas they would always find themselves planning between writing logs, all the daydreams that came to them when staring out at the colourful nebulas. None came to mind at that very moment. Amber eyes look over to the other, softening at his smile.

“My dear emperor,” Kayn begins, lifting the glass to their face, “I would ask for nothing more than to spend this time with you.” Going through a cheers motion as they continued, their blush is hidden as they take a drink.

[asundering]

'k/da ahri if you see this im free thursday night are you free thursday night so i can take you out on thursday night if you’re free i’d like to hang out thursday night please message me back if you’re free thursday night when i am free’

[asundering]

sun-scorned replied:

(raucous Dark Star-I mean Ora Voice laughter in the background)

rhaast: what are you, a simp?

kayn: are you calling me a simpleton?

rhaast: ... yes

[asundering]

I can neither confirm nor deny that the ordinal kayn owns kda ahri merch.

[asundering]

sits evilly in my villain chair on my evil spaceship

[asundering]

can i offer a teeny ordinal doodle in these trying times

[asundering]

rip to your previous space emperor but im different

[asundering]

Cosmic Emperor Kayn: It is no concern of mine whether your planet has- what was it again?

Civilian: uh... food?

Kayn: HO! You really should have thought of that before you became Peasants! We’re through here, take him away. Next!

[asundering]

odyssey kayn, finally defeating rhaast and unlocking all of the cosmic powers he had:

every other cosmic entity, just now noticing the tiny mortal that overpowered the dark star that got stuck in another dimension:

[asundering]

odyssey kayn has the vibes of an evil scientist but... more of a jock