Lux's Farewell

Kalya knew the Mother of Masks.

He is the origin of the concept of Death in Runeterra. He is a very special concept god. Legend has it that He gives each Death mask, allowing the masked Death to harvest the souls of the dead and extradite them to the kingdom of the dead.

This ancient legend has been circulating since the early days of Shurima. Later, Kalya's reputation as the "Death God of the Desert" was largely related to his habit of wearing masks.

However, Kalya had already ascended by that time. As an immortal, he might never be able to touch the boundary between life and death, so he could at most just laugh it off - not that he didn't believe it, but whether he believed it or not. None of it makes sense.

Since everyone is immortal, who is still studying the God of Death?

Therefore, he had only heard about it but did not understand it in detail.

It wasn't until the last time he met Aatrox and listened to the other person's story about his wandering journey, his understanding of life and death, and the various characteristics of the land of the undead that Kalya had a clear understanding of the curtain between life and death. A little subtle understanding.

Therefore, at the beginning, he didn't realize why Maokai looked like this, but he just vaguely felt that something was wrong.

This big tree obviously has a lot to do with life and death, and he also respects the Mother of Masks, but when it comes to Kindred and Frog Spirit, he doesn't hide his subtle contempt, as if he is closer to those acting gods of death. On the nature of life and death.

Even when its life was threatened and it was about to be buried and destroyed by the gravel, it looked extremely calm - is there anything else that can make it closer to the Mother of Masks than those acting gods of death?

Don't tell me, it really does exist.

What is closer to the essence of life and death than the acting God of Death is the mask given to them by the Mother of Masks.

According to legend, the mask given to the God of Death by the Mother of Masks was made from an ancient tree called "Eldrok", but Eldrok actually means "leading to death."

This sounds like a false finger.

But after Maokai, Kalya suddenly felt a little enlightened - if Maokai had indeed reached a certain deal with the Mother of Masks, or received a prophecy about his destiny, then what this prophecy refers to could make The result of its happy acceptance is probably that it will become the non-existent Eldruck tree that leads to death, right?

Realizing this, Kalya tentatively terminated his spell. He wanted to see Maokai's reaction.

Maokai's reaction completely verified his guess. When Maokai discovered that Kalya didn't seem to want to completely embrace death, he became anxious.

"Why stop?"

"Because I don't want to be involved in the whirlpool of life and death." Kalya waved his hand, "I'm afraid I'm not the one who wants to bring you destiny - let me say it again, I just want to go to the land of the undead and visit Yato kes.”

"Then let me say it again, your vitality is very strong, and the fire of life is burning. It is impossible to enter that world." Maokai waved his branches dissatisfied, "Even if it is the gap between life and death, you can't enter that world." Can’t squeeze in.”

"How about this." Seeing that Maokai seemed to have decided that death was inevitable, Kalya had to change his approach, "Tell me first why you said my vitality is very strong, and then I'll see if I should send you there. Accept your fate."

"I can feel it." This question didn't seem to need to be avoided, and Maokai quickly gave the answer, "Life always flows between the body and the soul. No matter how weak the soul is, it must be attached to the body, and no matter how weak it is, Your body also has its own soul - I can see clearly that your soul is constantly flowing, and although you cannot see the source and end, it has definitely not reached the end."

"But I'm almost dead." Kalya shook his head, "I don't think I still have any vitality."

"Some people look like they have been wiped out in the wind, but their lives are still strong; and some people, although they are extremely strong, are actually about to die." Maokai's words brought a bit of metaphysics, "I won't Mistaken."

"People whose vitality is still strong cannot enter the place between life and death?" Kalya continued to ask, "But what happened to Aatrox - he is still alive, but he is already in the land of the undead. The master."

"He is a stowaway." Maokai's answer was very clear. "And if you want to stowaway like him, you must first deal with the guards."

Good guy, Kalya has seen people who seek death, but never one who seeks death so directly.

However, seeing that the other party did answer the questions Kalya needed, Kalya decided to give Maokai a happy ending.

Send it away first, and then study how to get the gate to the Land of the Undead.

The next moment, as Kalya waved his hand, the quicksand under Maokai began to flow slowly again.

........................

The huge twisted tree spirit sank little by little under the quicksand, looking very calm and peaceful.

It was obviously enjoying this moment, and as its body gradually sank, a slightly scary smile even appeared on its face.

Obviously, there is nothing in this world worthy of its attachment, and it just wants to embrace death at this moment.

Kalya watched Maokai die quietly, feeling very clearly that a little bit of his life was disappearing.

Then, just when this "euthanasia" was finally completed, Kalya ended the spell, and the twisted tree spirit's body lay across the ground, Kalya felt a heart-stopping spatial fluctuation very clearly.

Before this, Kalya had never felt such astonishing spatial fluctuations. At this moment, it seemed as if the entire world's space laws were torn to pieces, and even Kalya's small world was almost decoupled from Runeterra.

It was at this moment that a huge shadow, darker than darkness, completely enveloped Kalya.

The other party seemed to have picked up a match and easily twisted Maokai's fallen tree trunk. The tough wood seemed like an ordinary piece of plasticine in his hands, and he simply kneaded it. , the tree trunks became a row of masks.

The whole process was easy and fast. When Kalya reacted, the other party had already put the mask he was most satisfied with gently on his face.

It was only then that Kalya discovered that this guy's face was actually completely blank.

The next moment, the Mother of Masks stretched out a hand and gently tapped Kalya.

Kalya wanted to struggle instinctively, but this slow and leisurely arm seemed to have the magical power to compress space. When it was stretched out, it had already touched Kalya's forehead.

When she touched the finger of the Mother of Masks, Kalya seemed to be stripped of all her senses for a moment - just like when she was self-sealed, unable to perceive any existence.

However, after that moment, he quickly regained his perception, and along with his perception, he also had a foreign "foreign language".

Yes, Kalya seemed to understand a whole new language.

"Don't peek into the curtain between life and death." The Mother of Masks wore a mask, and her eyes glowed with faint fluorescence, as if she was watching Kalya, "Or do you also long to be a part of death?"

Kalya looked steadily at the Mother of Masks.

Ochen is the language of the dead, and even listening to it gives Kalja a sense of silence that is difficult to describe in words. Considering that this is an invitation from the God of Death, what this sentence represents may be even more terrifying than the silence.

However, Kalya is very calm.

For him, death is not unacceptable - or in other words, among Kalya's many future plans, passing away quietly is an excellent ending.

"Does death also welcome me?" The mask on his face showed a smile, and his eyes seemed to light up with interest. "Dear Mother of Masks, although life has brought me a very heavy burden, but from me In the past, death didn’t seem to welcome me either.”

"Yes, you deserve to die." The Mother of Masks seemed to be easy to talk to. "But death is always fair. As long as you are willing, it will always open its arms for you."

"So, what is the price?" Kalya was a little moved, but did not agree. "Death will not accept me easily. Compared to death, it may be easier for me to be completely annihilated."

The Mother of Masks waved her hand, picked out one of the dozen masks she had just made, and made a gesture of giving.

“Become part of death, and death will accept it.”

Say it earlier.

Looking at the Mother of Masks' posture, Kalya still doesn't know what the other party means - if she is willing to become an agent of death like Kindred, then death will accept her.

"But, I have lost my immortality." Kalya did not take over the mask, "Death should accept me."

"It's because you are unwilling to accept death." The Mother of Masks seemed to have guessed Kalya's answer a long time ago, and she put away the mask. "Leave here, mortal, your life is far from the end. It's not your time yet." When death needs to be explored.”

"I still have a small question." Kalya did not leave directly as the other party expected, but instead pushed a little further. "If the land of Rune is reduced to nothingness, is there any meaning in death?"

The Mother of Masks seemed a little surprised.

He didn't seem to understand what Kalya meant at first, and just looked at Kalya quietly.

And Kalya also looked at Him quietly, and even showed a "you understand" smile on her face, as if she was sure that the Mother of Masks understood what she meant.

"That's different." After a long time, the Mother of Masks finally spoke slowly and leisurely in Ouchen language, "Life and death always exist."

"Then, can the respected Mother of Masks be allowed to be a little accommodating?" Kalya continued with a smile, "for the sake of the cycle of life and death in Runeterra."

The Mother of Masks looked at Kalya steadily again.

After a long time, he finally nodded inconspicuously, then grabbed a mask again and stretched it towards Kalya; at the same time, his other hand grabbed into the air, in the air. Where there is nothing, gently.

An invisible curtain was opened, and the fluctuations that Karya had vaguely perceived before appeared in front of him very clearly this time.

The Mother of Masks offers her own deal - accept the gift of death, and when it's all over, become a part of death.

Or refuse this gift and let death deal with everything fairly.

Kalya touched her chin, and then simply ignored the Mother of Masks' conditions.

Moreover, not only did he not take over the mask, but without willing to pay the price, he strode straight to the land of the undead, seemingly wanting a reward.

However, the Mother of Masks did not refuse.

He just tore apart the curtain between life and death, allowing Karya to enter the gap between life and death, and came to the land of the undead.

........................

That's right, Kalya had calculated that both the Mother of Masks and Runeterra would be harmed, so she confidently took advantage of her for free.

After meeting the Mother of Masks, Kalya finally saw clearly that Aatrox could successfully enter the Land of the Undead and form the Black Mist Legion, largely due to the tacit approval of the Mother of Masks.

The only reason for this acquiescence is that when Runeterra is threatened, the Black Mist Legion also needs to stand up and "defend the dignity of death."

Although it is impossible for the Mother of Masks to give up her responsibilities and use the power of death to target anyone, she can still be a little more flexible and give Aatrox some room in the gap between life and death.

Coincidentally, Kalya's goal is also to defend Runeterra and defend the dignity of death in Runeterra - so Kalya is certain that the Mother of Masks will give her this face.

Judging from the results, it seems that Kalya was right.

The Mother of Masks gave him this face and let him enter the land of the undead.

But the reality is that any gift has already been marked with a price secretly.

Even Kalya himself didn't realize that after entering the land of the undead, the mask on his face had many interesting lines on its surface.

These lines are different from any magic circuits that Kalya has seen in the past, and they look like just ordinary decorative patterns.

But if Maokai was still here, it would definitely be very surprised, because in those seemingly inconspicuous lines, there is actually death flowing in it.

Although the Mother of Masks failed to issue a mask to Kalya, she has left her own traces on Kalya's mask - from this perspective, she is better than those on Mount Targon who steal the power of others. The false gods are much wiser.

Kalya accepted help from death.

Then one day, he will definitely pay a reciprocal price.

The Mother of Masks is very confident. She believes that Kalya is the person in the world who can best understand the nature of death besides himself. When the day comes when he is willing to accept death calmly, he will definitely become the most reliable agent of death.

The curtain between life and death quietly fell, and a smile appeared on the mother of masks' brand-new mask, as if her plan had succeeded.

However, from an angle that he couldn't see, an almost identical smile appeared on Kalya's mask.

It’s still too early to say this now... (End of chapter)