Their group had come to a pause later than what would have been ideal but it could have been intentional considering circumstances. A quarter of Noxus' Crooked Company had been selected to partake in what one of the higher ups called a training exercise. There had been a great emphasis on reconnaissance. Tekun was far from an ideal scout, but his superiors would do as they pleased and he would not dare protest aloud. Only a handful of them would need to depart for this "shift" as they had taken to calling it.
The sun was on the verge of dipping below the horizon, twilight had established itself but would see itself out soon. They would split off from one another to make sure that they covered as much ground as they'd like. They were always armored, much to Tekun's surprise but their commander would always get what they wanted.
They drew straws to see who would have to brave the night, at least this close to home there'd be no danger of running into Demacians.
'He cheated.'
Tekun always drew the shortest straw. It was because they still considered him a foreigner.
Their commander demanded that they be thorough during their scouting. The last man who had been sent out had been disciplined for coming back "too early" for their liking. He was certain that during the day someone shadowed them to make sure they weren't neglecting their duty. He would have to assume the same for the night.
He come across a cavern, his expression grimaces with a little disgust. Tekun reminds himself.
He decides at the first sign of any sort of beast, that he'll flee. He won't throw his life away because his commander demanded he'd wake a Noxian Dire Bear for this senseless task. His armor would offer protection but anything like that would tear him apart.
The Freljordian steels himself and advances in with caution. The sound of steel toed boots against rock resonate. The calm sounds of the forest are left behind, exchanged for the distant dripping of water. His torch bounces off the walls and the cavern narrows more.
He looks into the inky black ahead and his imagination dances with the torch light.
In the Freljord, there are monsters. His father warned him as much when he was alive. You feared the elements, the cold would take you just as soon as a beast or rival clansman would. But if She found you, you would have wished a troll had dragged you away kicking and screaming into the night.
He finds courage, he's been away from the north for a time. There's something he misses about the biting cold. There's a loneliness that creeps in. Like his homeland, the monsters are far away. The cavern twist and narrows further.
At the edges of his fire is something he can't make out well that's about knee height. There's movement and it creeps closer until the begining of a pallid face surfaces from the abyss. Eyes are wide and white like something blind, they're boring into him. The wall behind it is moving. Tekun scrambles for his scabbard in surprise as he extends the torch somewhat and illuminates more.
Pointed teeth and a bloody mouth. It's arms are blackened and the burns extend well past it's forearms. That isn't a wall but... wings. Twisted and they expand as it rises to his face height.
His imagination has gone more than wild. He's since stopped reaching for his scabbard. He's no longer able to keep the torch steady or find the means to shriek. Only watch.