第5章 凱隱
“ThechildisgoneThekillerremains”
Kayn
Noxianbybirth，ShiedaKaynandotherslikehimwereconscriptedaschildsoldiers，acruelpracticeemployedbyonlythemostdeviouscommandersinBoramDarkwill’sempireFollowingthedisastrousbattleatthePlacidiumofNavori，theinvasionwasdeliberatelyreformulatedintoaprotractedwarofattritionIoniancompassionwasaweaknesstobeexploited—theirwarriorswouldhesitatebeforestrikingdownasupposedinnocentThus，barelyabletoliftthebladehehadbeengiven，Kayn’sfirstdayinbattlewasalsoexpectedtobehislast
StrikingagainsttheprovinceofBahrl，NoxianforceslandedatthemouthoftheEpoolRiverKaynandtheotherswereareluctantvanguard，facingdisorganizedbandsoflocalsdefendingtheirhomefromthesereturninginvadersWhilehisyoungcomradeswerecutdownorfledthebattlefield，KaynshowednofearHedroppedhisheavyswordandsnatchedupafallensickle，turningtofacetheshockedIoniansjustastheNoxianregularssweptinfromtheflank
ThecarnagewasstaggeringFarmers，hunters—evenahandfulofvastaya—allwerebutcheredwithoutceremony
Twodayslater，afterwordhadspreadthroughoutthesouthernprovinces，theOrderofShadowcameuponthegrislysceneTheirleader，Zed，knewthisareahadnotacticalsignificanceThismassacrewasintendedasamessageNoxuswouldshownomercy
AflickeringglintofsteelcaughthiseyeAchildofnomorethantenlayinthemud，levelinghisbrokensickleatthemasterassassin，bloodyknucklesstrainingwhiteTheboy’seyesharboredapainthatbeliedhisage，yetstillburnedwithallthefuryofahardenedwarriorThistenacitywasnotsomethingthatcouldbetaughtZedsawinthischild，thisabandonedNoxiansurvivor，aweaponthatcouldbeturnedagainstthosewhohadsenthimheretodieTheassassinheldouthishandandwelcomedKaynintotheOrderofShadow
Acolytestraditionallyspentyearstrainingwithasingleweaponoftheirchoosing，butKaynmasteredthemall—tohim，theyweremeretools，andhewastheweaponArmorheviewedasacumbersomeburden，insteadcloakinghimselfinshadowsandslayinghisenemieswithquicknessandstealthTheseswiftexecutionsinstilledfearintheheartsofthosefortunateenoughtobespared
AndasKayn’slegendgrew，sodidhisarroganceHetrulybelievedthatonedayhispowerwouldeclipseeventhatofZedhimself
ThishubrisledKayntoembracehisfinaltesttoseekoutadarkinweaponrecentlyunearthedinNoxus，andpreventitfromeverbeingusedagainstthewearydefendersofIoniaHeacceptedwithouthesitation，neverquestioningwhyhehadbeenchosenforthistaskIndeed，whereanyotheracolytewouldhavedestroyedthelivingscytheknownasRhaast，Kayntookitforhimself
Thecorruptiontookholdthemomenthisfingersclosedaroundtheweapon，lockingthembothinafatefulstruggleRhaasthaslongawaitedtheperfecthostinordertorejoinitsdarkinbrethrenandlaywastetotheworld，butKaynwillnotbeeasilydominatedHereturnstoIoniaintriumph，convincedthatZedwillnamehimthenewleaderoftheOrderofShadow