Marcus didn't bother responding to Lissandra's desperate questions. Instead, he kept his attention focused on the Void Watcher slowly materializing in the purple-tinged sky above them, its twisted form gaining substance with each passing moment.
A flash of blue light suddenly cut through the chaotic energy surrounding the Howling Abyss, accompanied by the crackling of ancient magical runes. Ryze appeared at the edge of the chasm, his iconic scroll secured to his back and power radiating from every inch of his weathered form.
"The void has indeed been unleashed," he muttered grimly, taking in the scene before him. "But what in the world is happening down there?"
From his vantage point, Ryze could clearly see both the ice-wreathed figure of the Phantom and Lissandra's rage-filled form. Though most of the Frost Witch's body was concealed by swirling ice crystals, her fury was unmistakable—and deeply concerning. Lissandra was many things, but she was never careless with her emotions.
Still, Ryze had spent centuries wandering the world and understood the void's danger better than most. He couldn't afford to waste time puzzling over the strange confrontation below. The Void Watcher was still in the process of condensing its physical form—this was his best chance to banish it back to the realm between worlds.
Drawing forth an enormous tome bound in materials that predated most civilizations, Ryze began to chant in languages that had been forgotten when the first stones of Demacia were laid. As his voice rose and fell in complex patterns, he reached toward the book with one outstretched hand.
Immediately, countless magical symbols began streaming from the pages—glowing letters and arcane formulae that danced through the air like living things. They swirled around Ryze's hand before launching themselves toward the materializing Void Watcher.
"Rune Prison," Ryze intoned, and the magical symbols expanded into a cage of pure magical energy, wrapping around the creature like chains made of solidified spellwork.
Unfortunately, Ryze was holding back his most powerful tools. If he'd been willing to tap into the World Runes themselves—those fragments of creation magic he'd spent his life collecting—he might have been able to banish the Void Watcher immediately. But those runes were too dangerous, their power capable of unmaking entire continents if misused.
The conventional magic he wielded, though derived from rune studies, simply wasn't enough. As the Void Watcher's form solidified, its alien strength began testing the prison. Cracks appeared in the magical bonds, spreading like fractures in glass under pressure.
When the creature finally achieved full materialization, the prison shattered completely.
BOOM!!!
The Void Watcher's emergence sent shockwaves through the air, its alien presence warping reality around it. The entity was a nightmare made manifest—two massive hands sprouted from its forehead, each palm containing a single, unblinking eye. Its mouth was perhaps even worse: a gaping maw filled with rows of razor-sharp teeth, with an enormous eye nestled deep within like some perverted tongue.
Most disturbing of all was the humanoid torso that sat atop this monstrosity, complete with a face that wore an expression of cruel intelligence and malicious amusement.
"You've doomed us all!" Lissandra's voice cracked with centuries of suppressed emotion. "We cannot stand against the Void!"
Even as she screamed her accusations, her hands were moving, directing streams of black ice toward the now-physical Void Watcher. She'd spent eternity preparing for this moment—the day when her seals would fail and these creatures would return to threaten the world.
There were more than just this one Void Watcher imprisoned beneath the ice. Now that the first had achieved physical form, the second was already beginning its own manifestation process. She had to stop it, had to buy time for some kind of solution.
Ryze immediately began weaving more powerful spells, drawing on every technique he'd mastered over his extended lifetime. He maintained his resolve not to use the World Runes unless absolutely necessary—their power was simply too destructive to risk.
The commotion finally spurred Ashe and Tryndamere into action. The Frost Archer drew back the string of the Avarosa Bow, and several arrows of crystallized ice materialized along the legendary weapon. With practiced precision, she released them toward the airborne monstrosity.
Tryndamere raised his massive blade defensively, positioning himself between Ashe and any potential threat. Against a flying enemy, his combat options were limited, but he could at least ensure his wife's safety while she worked.
Suddenly, the distant mountains began to rumble with footsteps that shook the very foundations of the earth. Ancient snow that had remained untouched for millennia began to melt as the peaks themselves seemed to come alive.
The horizon glowed red as a massive figure emerged from the mountain range, carrying a forge hammer and an anvil that burned with eternal flame. This was Ornn, the Fire Below the Mountain, one of the oldest and most powerful beings in Freljord.
Dark clouds began gathering overhead, pregnant with thunder and lightning that seemed to move with purpose. Within the storm, observers could catch glimpses of a massive bear-like silhouette. Volibear, the Relentless Storm, was approaching with the fury of nature itself.
A fierce wind began howling through the mountains, carrying ice and snow in massive spirals. Through the blizzard, a majestic ice-blue phoenix soared with grace that belonged to another age. Anivia, the Cryophoenix, had answered the call.
These were the Freljordian demigods—ancient entities who had watched over the frozen lands since before human civilization. Whether it was the gentle but determined Anivia, the craft-obsessed Ornn who preferred isolation to politics, or the human-hating Volibear who despised civilization itself, they had all come.
Their reasons might differ, but their purpose was unified: this was their homeland, and they would never allow the void to corrupt it.
Seeing the arrival of these legendary beings, both Ashe and Tryndamere felt a surge of hope. Despite Volibear's well-known hatred for humans, Anivia had always shown them kindness, and Ornn was usually willing to act as mediator between the conflicting forces. They weren't worried about becoming targets—at least not while the void threat remained.
With the aid of actual demigods, surely they could contain this nightmare.
"I'm afraid even this won't be enough," Ryze muttered, his expression growing darker as he sensed the second Void Watcher beginning to solidify. "A single demigod might struggle against one Void Watcher, let alone multiple."
He could feel more of the ancient prisoners stirring beneath the broken ice. If this continued, they'd face not just two or three of the creatures, but potentially dozens.
"If conventional methods fail," he said to himself, reaching toward the scroll on his back, "I may have no choice but to use them."
The thought filled him with dread. The World Runes contained power beyond mortal comprehension—the raw forces that had shaped creation itself. Using them carelessly could cause more destruction than the void itself.
When Ryze's magic reached out to contain the first Void Watcher, everyone else joined the assault. Lissandra surrounded the creature with thousands of black ice crystals, forming them into a crystalline coffin designed to freeze the monster solid.
Ornn stepped forward and brought his massive hammer down against the earth. Blazing power spread outward from the impact point, raising huge pillars of molten rock that rose to cage the Void Watcher from below.
Anivia spread her magnificent wings, calling forth a blizzard that would have buried entire cities. The supernatural storm descended on their target with the fury of eternal winter.
Volibear faced the creature directly, lightning gathering between his massive paws. Though he despised humans and everything they'd built, he hated the corrupting influence of the void even more. His thunder, when it finally struck, lit up the entire sky.
Even Ashe contributed, sending several more frost arrows to aid in the creature's imprisonment.
"Absolutely disgusting," Marcus finally spoke, his voice carrying clearly across the battlefield.
The Void Watcher's physical form was indeed revolting—a twisted amalgamation of eyes, teeth, and alien geometry that seemed designed to offend every natural sense. Compared to this abomination, even the undead spirits he'd encountered looked positively beautiful.
As soon as he finished speaking, an explosion of frost power erupted from beneath the Phantom's feet. Sharp ice crystals formed like a tidal wave, rushing toward the imprisoned Void Watcher with lethal intent.
The temperature drop was so dramatic that even Volibear's lightning-heated air and the melted ice around Ornn's position instantly refroze. This sudden environmental shift made everyone turn to stare at Marcus in amazement.
The strange figure had remained silent throughout the entire battle, but this single action had negated the environmental effects of two demigods simultaneously.
"Incredible power," Tryndamere murmured, his grip tightening on his sword. This mysterious individual was clearly the one who'd driven Lissandra to fury and unleashed the void in the first place.
While he had no way to reach the airborne Void Watcher, he could definitely fight this ground-based threat. If the stranger made any move toward him or Ashe, Tryndamere would charge without hesitation. As the Barbarian King, protecting his people—especially his wife—was worth any personal sacrifice.
Marcus remained completely indifferent to their stares and suspicions. He was thoroughly enjoying himself. This expedition to Freljord had exceeded all expectations—not only had he encountered Ryze with his collection of World Runes, but he'd also met several of the region's legendary demigods.
Regardless of how this battle concluded, he'd be able to harvest their abilities and potentially extract enough Aya essence for a significant power upgrade.
Looking up at the Void Watcher frozen within the combined prison of ice, stone, and lightning, Marcus raised his hand and slowly clenched his fist.
The supposedly impregnable ice immediately developed a network of cracks, as if struck by an invisible sledgehammer. Moments later, the ice crystals Marcus had launched completed their work, shattering the weakened prison completely.
The freed Void Watcher immediately attacked everyone present, its alien features twisting into something resembling amusement. Purple void energy began gathering within its massive maw, condensing into a concentrated beam that lanced toward Marcus.
Void creatures knew no gratitude—the closest thing to appreciation they could offer was a quick death for those who aided them.
The purple energy beam punched straight through the Phantom's chest, creating a gaping hole where the construct's core should have been. But instead of falling, the damaged Phantom released an explosion of absolute cold that traveled back along the void energy beam, flash-freezing the Void Watcher solid.
Both the Phantom and the Void Watcher were destroyed in the exchange—the construct dissolving into ice crystals while the alien creature became a massive sculpture of twisted ice.
The sudden turn of events left everyone staring in confusion. Why had Marcus freed the Void Watcher only to destroy it immediately afterward? Why had he seemingly sacrificed his own form in the process?
Their questions would have to wait. Above them, the second Void Watcher was nearing complete materialization, its form gaining solidity with alarming speed. They had to act while it was still vulnerable.
Once again, everyone coordinated their attacks. Powerful spells, elemental fury, and legendary weapons all focused on the emerging threat. Without Marcus's interference, their combined efforts proved more effective, sealing the second creature within a massive iceberg that sparked and crackled with residual lightning.
Just as they began to relax, thinking the threat contained, the sound of cracking ice filled the air.
The noise grew louder and more ominous as countless fractures spread across the iceberg's surface. Horror dawned on every face as they realized their prison was failing.
Ryze's hand moved toward the World Runes on his back—conventional magic clearly wasn't enough. Lissandra awakened her Frostguard, thousands of black ice fragments forming massive claws ready to strike. Volibear's lightning became even more violent as his hatred reached new heights. Ornn became wreathed in flame, transforming into a living embodiment of volcanic fury. Anivia's eyes blazed with determination as frost gathered around her with deadly intent.
Ashe channeled every ounce of her ice-touched bloodline into the Avarosa Bow, crafting an arrow that hummed with legendary power. Tryndamere felt his legendary rage building to a crescendo, his eyes locked on the failing prison with deadly focus. He was the Barbarian King, the last hope of his people, and he would not allow them to suffer further.
BOOM!
The iceberg exploded in a deafening roar that echoed across the mountains. Everyone prepared to unleash their most devastating attacks as the Void Watcher burst free from its prison.
Just as they were about to strike, a massive hand made of solid frost descended from the sky, slapping the emerging Void Watcher back down into the remains of the iceberg with tremendous force.
"Where do you think you're going?" Marcus's voice rang out across the battlefield with casual authority
He materialized in the air above them, his form now composed entirely of living frost and ice. The temperature around the Howling Abyss plummeted even further as his presence made itself known, instantly refreezing the shattered iceberg into a solid prison once again.
"He survived?" Tryndamere stared in disbelief. They'd all witnessed Marcus being destroyed by the void energy beam. His body had been completely obliterated—they could have found the remains if they'd looked.
Several of them glanced back toward where the Phantom had fallen, only to find nothing but smooth, reformed ice. There was no trace that anything had ever died there.
Ignoring their confusion entirely, Marcus turned his attention to the third Void Watcher, which was still in the process of materialization. His expression showed only scientific curiosity and perhaps a hint of satisfaction.
"A secondary void created through fusion with a dependent reality," he mused aloud, "capable of spawning an endless stream of twisted life. How absolutely fascinating!"
As he spoke, a sphere of pure void energy appeared in his hand—not the corrupted purple power the Watchers wielded, but something far more primal and dangerous. This was the original void, the space between realities where only the strongest entities could survive.
Without hesitation, Marcus hurled the void energy at the materializing Void Watcher. The moment the original void made contact with the corrupted secondary version, the alien creature began collapsing in on itself, its carefully constructed form unraveling like a tapestry coming apart.
Within seconds, the would-be Void Watcher had been reduced to nothing more than a ball of condensed light, which floated gently down into Marcus's waiting palm.
"Merely void wraiths," he said with slight disappointment, examining his prize. "Not particularly high-level entities after all."
His attention shifted to the iceberg containing the second Void Watcher, and beyond that, to the frozen form of the first. These two had completed their materialization process, making them significantly more challenging to unmake. Even original void energy couldn't instantly dissolve a fully physical entity.
"I suppose I'll have to transform you into angels instead," Marcus said, almost conversationally.
He raised his hand and released a stream of frost power unlike anything the assembled heroes had ever witnessed. This was his first attempt at creating void angels—a process that required extremely rare materials. He couldn't afford to waste these specimens through carelessness.
Watching Marcus work with casual efficiency, everyone gradually began lowering their weapons and dispersing their gathered power. None of them understood what was happening anymore. It had been Marcus who released the Void Watchers in the first place, but now he was personally dealing with each threat as it arose.
Was it possible that this had all been planned from the beginning? Had the stranger come here specifically to eliminate the hidden void corruption once and for all?
The questions hung in the air like the frost from Marcus's breath, but no one dared to ask them directly. For now, they could only watch and wonder what other surprises this mysterious figure had in store.