The source of the black mist was Sanctity Haze—a magical white fog that once enveloped the Blessed Isles, causing the island to vanish from the vast Conqueror's Sea. Sanctity Haze itself was the vaporized essence of the Waters of Life, which lay deep beneath the island. In essence, both were products of world rune magic.
The Waters of Life—now fully integrated into a nearly complete world rune—interacted with the rest of the rune's components to amplify their effects exponentially.
Emerald light radiated from Li Lin's outstretched palm, engulfing the entire Well of Ages in less than the span of a single heartbeat. Before the near-complete world rune, the black mist seemed as insignificant as a speck of dust in a boundless ocean, instantly purified into pristine white haze.
The hand gripping the Ruined King's Blade froze mid-air, and before the sword's edge could even graze the energy shield formed by Li Lin's armor, the blade disintegrated into nothingness.
Viego's power came from his weapon, Sanctity. But even though it granted him strength far surpassing mortals, it could not withstand the might of the world rune—the very source of arcane magic in this world.
Without Sanctity, Viego was no more than a mortal man. Even as the origin of the Ruinous Curse, even with the ability to command the black mist—what could he hope to achieve?
"No… no, no, no—what have you done?!" Viego roared in agony as his spirit began to unravel.
"Isolde… Kalista… Kalista, where are you? Why haven't you come to protect me?! Ledros, Hecarim!"
"Camavor has already fallen, Viego," Li Lin's voice was calm, devoid of pity or malice. "Your niece Kalista and your royal guard Ledros—both perished because of your selfishness, bound to endless torment by your curse. It's time to end this."
The world rune needed no external magic; it was magic itself. A single thought was enough for a human to unleash its boundless energy.
Viego's obsession was strong—strong enough to let him linger for a few seconds in the presence of the rune. But no more than that.
Before long, under his horrified gaze, his spirit disintegrated piece by piece, utterly consumed by the overwhelming power of rune magic.
The emerald light intensified, spreading outward from the Well of Ages like a storm. Everywhere it reached, flowers and trees bloomed in abundance, and life flourished.
The cursed, grotesque souls corrupted by ruin were restored, their taint transformed into vitality. They returned to their original states, bewildered as they glanced around, unable to comprehend what had happened.
Under Li Lin's guidance, life gradually returned to the Shadow Isles. The damaged material and spiritual realms of the island began to mend, separating and stabilizing.
Although it was impossible to restore the island to its former glory, for a land shrouded in black mist for a thousand years, this was nothing short of a miracle.
Even Senna, now fully human once more, was reconstituted by Li Lin's magic of Resolve. The restless souls once contained within her body separated, turning into countless points of light that hovered around the Well of Ages' ruined halls and the surrounding air.
"The world rune… You can actually wield a world rune!" Senna whispered in disbelief.
The Sentinels of Light were once a secret order based on the Blessed Isles. After the black mist consumed the island, the Sentinels dispersed across the world to carry on their legacy.
Senna and Lucian's lineage of Sentinels hailed from Demacia, where an ancient hall of their order still stood. Though much of their lore had been lost, Senna retained considerable knowledge, particularly about the Rune Wars of millennia past.
Now, seeing Li Lin wield what appeared to be an almost complete world rune—and doing so without being corrupted by it—was beyond anything she could have imagined.
Restoring life to the Shadow Isles took tens of minutes. More and more rational souls, drawn by the Waters of Life's power, drifted toward the ruins of the city of Helia.
It wasn't just souls, either—something even more extraordinary was approaching.
"I can feel the presence of nature's spirit… and Taarosh!" Aatrox's eyes gleamed with excitement.
The miniature Runeterra displayed in the Ixtali jungles revealed the names Xolaani and Taarosh. They had once fought a great battle there, only to be ambushed and sealed by humans.
Aatrox believed there must be another Darkin comrade on the Shadow Isles. His theory proved correct.
Taarosh, a celestial warrior with the appearance of a centaur, possessed immense strength. Drawn by Aatrox's charisma, he had willingly become a follower.
But this was not the moment for reunions. Taarosh was still sealed within his spear. Releasing him would require returning to Shurima, a task for another time.
Once the world rune's life energy had swept through the Shadow Isles, dispelling the Ruinous Curse, Li Lin returned the rune to the sealed container in his armor, ready to store it in Demacia upon his return.
Surveying his surroundings, Li Lin noticed the many spirits hovering nearby, all gazing at him with gratitude.
"The Harbinger of Death will arrive soon. You can all rest now."
With that, Li Lin took Senna—now fully human—out of the Well of Ages, flying back to the ground. Aatrox followed close behind.
As they emerged from the rift, an ancient, resonant voice caught their attention.
"You… You've restored the Shadow Isles?"
The voice came from a tree spirit, towering three or four meters high, with human-like limbs and a face carved into its trunk.
"A tree? Are you the spirit of nature on the Shadow Isles?"
"Maokai!" Senna exclaimed. "The ancient spirit of nature who lived here long before humans came to the Blessed Isles!"
When the Ruinous Curse struck, Maokai had sensed the impending disaster and extended his roots deep into the earth, drawing upon the Waters of Life with all his strength.
Even so, Maokai's form had been warped by the curse, transforming him into the gnarled Treant of legend. Only the most daring adventurers and sailors who survived the Shadow Isles had ever heard of him.
Since the curse, Maokai had harbored a deep hatred for humans, blaming their greed for the destruction of his home. But now, his perception of the group before him shifted dramatically.
"I can sense the Waters of Life within you. How did you manage this?!"
Maokai's gaze lingered briefly on the strange-looking Aatrox before settling on Li Lin, whose aura of vitality was the strongest.
"The world rune," Li Lin replied.
His armor receded into ordinary clothes, leaving only a metal satchel at his waist, which housed the world rune of Resolve.
"Humans once sealed world runes, and their residual energies birthed the Waters of Life that nurtured this island. But I've never seen anyone wield a rune without succumbing to its corruption!"
Bathed in life's radiance, Maokai shed his twisted exterior, becoming a serene ancient tree once more, with much of his bitterness washed away.
"Well, I'm clearly the exception," Li Lin replied with a smile.
Maokai was not the only "hero" of the Shadow Isles. Others soon arrived, drawn to the restored vitality.
Yorick, the gravedigger who had long wandered the Isles, appeared. Gwen, the hallowed seamstress with her oversized scissors, floated down.
Among them was a towering figure whose presence stood out even among spirits—Ledros.
(To be continued)
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