Chapter 22: Merciless Maidens
Thresh landed the hook. It was just as he predicted. Sona came forth to charge her blue power chord and auto attack to chuck him down, so he hooked her in return before she could retreat. He then punished her with a flay and auto attacks, before giving one last final attack with his sickle before retreating. Sona retreated as well, saying nothing, but her expression looked pained. She didn’t want to fight Thresh. Yet she was being forced against her will by the Summoner that was controlling her. She had no other choice.

Sona healed herself with a calming melody that shielded her and gave her sustain. Thresh had no such sustain, though he would patiently wear her down and all in her when the time was right. She was squishy, and Thresh knew that he could overpower the Maven with his abilities if given the opportunity. Still, he had to give respect to the Maven of Strings. She was a powerful fighter, deceptively powerful, and those who didn’t go into battle with her without caution would find themselves chunked down with a small amount of burst from her blue empowered auto attack and blue power chord.

This battle would not be easy, especially with Sona’s sustain. Though there is a possibility that he could wear Sona down and make her chunk down her mana; which involved strategically placed auto attacks here and there while conserving his own mana.

He flailed his chains and sickle, while blue bursts of energy came from the etwahl that she carried. It was an intense battle of supports, and both of them knew their role well. Both aggressive supports that would wear down the other enemy, their battle against one another was like an intricate dance that was a flurry of auto attacks and abilities.

Thresh knew he needed to do something to turn the tides of the battle. He was low health now, and Sona sustained just a bit that she had a health advantage over him. Both of them were worn out, exhausted, and not only that, but the Summoner that was controlling Sona was still around to help should she fall. But the most important thing that Thresh do is defeat Sona. That might distract the Summoner enough so that he wouldn’t have to continue performing the ritual that would give Thanatos his perfect body.

Thresh suddenly wondered; would this idea work? What if he attacked the Summoner first instead of Sona? If he hit the Summoner, it would distract him and make him lose control over his Champion. But the problem was getting there in the first place. Still, Thresh was patient. He waited for opportunities. He could also make them, too.

With one last desperado attempt, Thresh hooked Sona and lured himself in— but instead of targeting Sona, he ran towards the Summoner that he could see was astonished by this ploy. His hold over Sona was temporarily broken, and Sona stopped attacking Thresh while Thresh grabbed the Summoner with a gauntleted hand

“Checkmate,” Thresh said
—x—

Syndra was furious with him. Syndra could have quite a temper, and coupled with her unstoppable power, she was even more dangerous. Zed dodged her magical balls, though one managed to explode at his feet and cause him to crash down on the ground with a Thud. She stunned him with the ball that was on the ground, and then hovered close to him, seething.

“I don’t care about your personal battle with the Summoners,” Syndra said through gritted teeth. “But I want to know why you abandoned me for her.”

“Syndra,” Zed murmured, wondering if he had to use his persuasion skills to help calm down Syndra and make her fight the Summoner with him instead of attacking himself. “Akali and I are on your side. If you would just listen, then…”

“I don’t care to hear whimpering words from the weak,” Syndra said with a haughty stare. “I will eliminate you right here so that there is no trace of your existence left.”

“Then it looks like I’ll have to beat some common sense into you, woman!” Zed said with a roar, emerging from his stunned state and slashing at Syndra with his blades and hurling shurikens when she retreated from him, her spells on cooldown.

“You dare strike against me?” Syndra said with equal fervor, before saying. “I will kill you, Zed. I promise you this.”

“Woman, your final option is always about killing someone!” Zed said. “I made a fatal mistake in the past, but I have to live with it. But there is time to change from our past mistakes and move to a better future. The fate of all the Champions; not just you, not just me, but all of us; is that we’re going to die if we don't’ team up together and take down your Summoner!”

“Ha!” Syndra said. “Who knew that Zed would be easily swayed by fools that spout nonsense. You’re weak, Zed. I have no use for a weak partner.”

“Just listen!” Zed shouted at her as he decided to use his ult on her; he really didn’t want to do this, but maybe if he did, she would finally get it through her thick skull. “Syndra, you’re forcing me to do this. You’re trapped now. Do you yield?”

Syndra, suddenly wary, knew that her life was at stake. Some part of her also loved Zed still, as she said, “Such foolishness. I am a weak woman. Just…go Zed.”

“Thank you, Syndra,” Zed said with a nod towards her direction before he rushed towards the Summoner that was performing the ritual and held a blade to his throat.

“Tell Syndra the truth,” Zed said in a dark tone.