A novel by Anthony Reynolds, and the 2nd full novel set in the universe of League of Legends.
Camavor, centuries ago. Young King Viego has ascended to the Argent Throne after the death of his father. By his side is his faithful niece and dearest friend, Kalista. Though nervous, the new king is happy. With the love of his life, Isolde, by his side and an adoring populace, all seems perfect. Until an assassin's blade threatens to wrench that away, sending Kalista on a search to save the poisoned princess.
A journey which will lead her to cross paths with a snake of a man named Erlok Grael. Seeking an escape from the role he has been assigned, Erlok sees a way out of his station in life in the mourning king.
His machinations, a manipulated apprentice of magic, and treachery from within Camavor will set in motion a tragedy none could foresee. Ruination.
- Appropriated Appellation: After decades of 'Thresher' being tossed at him as an insult, the newly transformed Erlok decides to use it to strike fear into the souls of those who used it against him and adopts his new moniker.Erlok: Erlok Grael is dead. Now there is just Thresh.
- Body Horror: The reader is given several descriptions of how Isolde's body is rotting away over the course of the book.
- Evil All Along: Downplayed Trope. Kalista comes to Helia believing that Viego is simply insane and not evil, and later sails him back there. Viego is unstable, but Kalista specifically takes him back to Helia with no army at his back and expecting him to keep his promise. While Viego isn't evil, per se, Kalista does indeed underestimate his duplicitousness when he opens the Mists and reveals he'd been manipulating her, having brought Hecarim and his army all along as a precaution, having always been prepared to cross the line into evil.
- Foregone Conclusion: Any character present in League of Legends or Legends of Runeterra has their fate spelled out for them prior to this book being read; Viego will become the Ruined King, Kalista, Ledros, Thresh and Hecarim will become wraiths, Camavor and the Blessed Isles are doomed to fall, and so on.
- Heel–Face Door-Slam: Just as Viego is about to turn around and sail home to bury Isolde, having finally accepted her death and therefore her peace, Erlok Grael comes to him and offers him an opportunity to revive her, sending him right back down into his worst tendencies and dooming Helia to Viego's conquest.
- How the Mighty Have Fallen: In the time Kalista is away searching for the cure, Viego drives Camavor into complete ruin. Throwing every red cent the kingdom has on any minute rumor that could save Isolde. By the time Kalista returns, the once prosperous kingdom is a desolate hellscape full of starving citizens and locked under martial law.
- Interservice Rivalry: The Host and the Iron Order do not like each other. With the pompous and nobility fueled Iron Order looking down on them as just common cannon fodder, and The Host seeing the Order as a bunch of stuck-up murderers in fancy armor.
- Love at First Sight: Vennix is smitten with the vivacious Jenda'Kaya the second she sees her, asking Kalista to introduce her to her later. The two are still together in the epilogue set 3 decades later.
- Mayfly–December Romance: The epilogue, written by an aged Jenda'Kaya, makes mention of how she has grown old and feeble. But her lover, Vennix, hasn't aged a day courtesy of her Vastaya blood.
- Mummies at the Dinner Table: In a much more tragic take on the concept, a completely delusional Viego believes his very dead wife is just slumbering very soundly.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: At the end of the day, Ryze is largely responsible for the Ruination. He himself does not deny this, noting how he let his pride and impatience manipulate him into helping Erlok attain his goal.
- Oh, Crap!:
- As the Ruination sweeps at him, Nunyo Necrit can only mutter one word.
Nunyo: Damnation...- Even Erlok realizes the situation is out of hand as Isolde's soul and Veigo's dying body warp the waters of life. He very quickly attempts to get out of dodge, but doesn't get far before the Ruination obliterates his body.
- Reveling in the New Form: Erlok's general reaction to his rebirth as Thresh.
- Who's Laughing Now?: Not shockingly, Erlok revels in his new Ruination form. Happily absorbing the first soul of many and giddily setting about capturing everyone else who he feels has wronged him.
