Pentakill II: Grasp of the Undying

This article is about the song by Pentakill. For other uses, see Grasp of the Undying (disambiguation).

		"Frontier's whatever you want it to be." This story occurs in another universe within the Multiverse, separate from the main Runeterra Prime universe.

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Music Video

Pentakill II: Grasp of the Undying

By Pentakill

No one shreds like the undead.

Starring: Karthus, Kayle, Mordekaiser, Olaf, Sona, Yorick

Mentioned: Poppy, Rumble, Teemo, Tristana

Lore

Grasp of the Undying

No one shreds like the undead

04-Aug-2017

We asked Pentakill how much to charge for the record but the only number they gave us was the beast's.

The infernal prophecy of Pentakill: born of shadow, forged in flame, metal as hell.

Their last performance ended the band - and the lives of the audience. But Pentakill didn't stay dead for long and, now, no stage can escape the grasp of the undying.

Aftermath

When the sky in the far north of the Freljord grows dark and warriors gather around the hearthfire embers, they sometimes speak of a deathly night on the ice, of murderous rage unbound. It is a tale only spoken of in hushed, awed whispers. Some claim it is no more than a legend invented to frighten youngsters, others claim that even to speak of it is to invite the return of those metal warriors from their tour of the realms beyond. None lived to tell of this grim night but, sometimes, a reckless taleteller speaks of a berserk axeman reaping lives with his axe. They whisper that not even his brothers could restrain his fury. Only by bringing a mountain down upon the metal giant was his rampage halted.

Thus did Pentakill's last live performance end.

South of Heaven

Accounts of Kayle's arrival in Runeterra variously speak of her borne by a fiery comet that split the sky or straddling the girth of a glittering, serpentine dragon. These are just two of the legends of how Kayle came to walk among mortals. Gleaming in jagged warplate, she was a golden warrior goddess from a strife-torn world in search of allies to fight an epic war against the diabolical hordes of her faithless sister. Planet Earth had failed to produced warriors of mettle, so she travelled to Runeterra in search of warriors of metal.

So rarefied was Kayle's divine speech that she could only communicate via grand, symphonic metal operas that told of her plight. The depthless sorrow of these operatic arias pierced the hearts of all who heard them and her listeners were frequently overcome with such overwhelming melancholy that they simply dropped dead at the end of her performance. But since each song was typically many hours long, they had time enough to put their affairs in order before death took them. Yet, for all the heart-rending emotion contained in her lyrics, none of her audiences could truly understand the depths of her woes, no one could hear the sorrow of her existence without immediately perishing.

No one except Karthus.

Beneath the Remains

After the disastrous end to their last live performance, where Mordekaiser destroyed the entirety of the Freljordian crowd, Karthus gave the fateful order for Olaf to drum the 'Worldsplitter Rhythm' that sundered the land and brought down the icy realm's highest peak upon Mordekaiser. As the rock of the mountain cascaded down, the band fled to the far corners of Runeterra to escape the wrath of Freljordian battle queens and the raft of inevitable blood feuds.

Karthus pitched up in Bilgewater, earning a crust as a hooded reciter of funeral dirges. This had an unexpected health benefit to natives of Bilgewater, as people started looking after themselves rather than have to put their families through such an ordeal. So Karthus toured the most squalid and fetid dive bars to sing at the drunken wakes of murdered pirates, instead - what with grim dirges being a vast improvement on sea-shanties. A slow descent into madness and obscurity beckoned until the radiant form of Kayle arrived in Bilgewater.

She heard the depthless well of misery in his despairing lyrics and knew Karthus alone could understand her own sorrow. What followed was a drunken woe-off, a night of debauchery, gothic poetry, and operatic singing that saw the men and women of the Slaughter Docks hurl themselves into the monster-filled ocean rather than listen to their maudlin duets. In the aftermath, Karthus and Kayle pledged the Vocalist's Oath to return stronger than ever. After all, shared woe is better than solitary woe.

It would be the comeback tour to end all comeback tours.

Among the Living

The hooded and hunched figure of Yorick headed south from the bloody carnage of the Freljord and did not stop until he reached the sun-bleached wastes of Shurima. Sunlight was something new to Yorick, something he avoided for fear of people recoiling from a face not even a mother could love. He helped excavate the tombs of long-dead emperors, which allowed him to spend a great deal of his time in the darkness underground - something his fellow diggers certainly appreciated.

His unique bass was the perfect tool to crush the soft rock of Shurima but often had the side effect of liquefying the sand to a degree where many of the workers excavating the tombs were buried alive. To many of these buried souls, this was preferable to enduring another moment of conversation with a man who could literally bore rock. After being forcibly ejected from dig sites all across Shurima and months spent deep underground with long-dead princes, Yorick decided that he too desired to be buried in the sands.

He dug deep into the bedrock to craft his own shadowed mausoleum and, there, he interred himself within a lightless tomb, intending to pass the eons in splendid isolation. And so, Yorick slept beneath the desert until Karthus and Kayle pried open his tomb. The two singers did nothing to disabuse Yorick of the idea that eons had passed and that all who desired him dead were, themselves, now dead.

The mortal realm was, they told him, once again ready for Pentakill.

Let There be Rock

The entombment of Mordekaiser beneath the mountain of Freljord had inspired Sona and, while the other members of the band split to the far corners of Runeterra in despair, she was consumed with the desire to craft soaring, symphonic rock operas. She toured the grandest temples of the world (and beyond) but none of the acoustics were powerful enough to satisfy Sona's need for the most cosmically resonant sounds. The great glacier temples of the Freljord were now denied her so Sona took ship with the doomed crew of the Serpent's Feast to a series of volcanic islands in uncharted waters east of Bilgewater.

The dread crew swiftly departed as Sona set up her keyboards and began to sculpt the island with sonic brutality. She played the very notes of creation and dragged volcanic islands from the depths as they rained lava to form titanic organ pipes to further magnify Sona's playing. So powerful were her notes that they travelled between worlds and sank entire continents (a planned gig in Atlantis had to be cancelled). Encircled by mighty volcanoes, Sona set the sky ablaze with hellfire dragged from the heart of the planet. Yet, as awesome as it was, her playing needed more. It needed the demonic wailing of unearthly guitars and the quaking thunder of drums and bass.

And that's when the burning ferry bearing Karthus, Yorick, and Kayle ran aground on Sona's basalt ring of fire.

Destroyer

Though it went against every instinct he possessed, Olaf did not stay and die under the mountain with Mordekaiser. With Yorick heading south, Olaf's favorite drinking partner was gone. So, to mourn his survival of what he always believed was to be his final performance, he sought to drink himself to death with the deadliest booze of Runeterra. He found a fellow named Gragas and ended up in the depths of Zaun with him, drinking potent sump cocktails, bragging of his glory days, and daring chem-jacked thugs to take him on.

He readily found ways in which to ply his trade as a professional hitter of things and soon found himself embroiled in underground golem fight-clubs. Up against chem-powered golems, Olaf found his natural talent for pounding drums was also good for pounding mechanical giants to pieces. He sought out the most dangerous opponents in fight after fight, eventually falling under the metal hammer of Drago, one of Viktor's most lethal creations. Just as his foe was about to deliver the deathblow, a piercing wail shattered the crystalline globe containing the golem's transplanted brain. Bellowing in rage at this denial of death, Olaf surged to his feet, ready to pound again. He found himself face to skull with his old lead singer.

Olaf would live. And he would drum again.

Rust in Peace

When the mountain fell on Mordekaiser, he took it as a sign from the Gods of Metal that his demonically-ordained task to bring metal to the masses was done, that he had achieved full Metal. His power chords had so shredded the very fabric of the world that the universe smote him with a mountain. A fitting end to the high priest of metal.

But Mordekaiser knew he would be reborn, rising from the molten ruins of the fallen peak as the once and future king of metal. But as time passed, his wait became a slumber. The crushing mountain was shunned by those who lived in its dark shadow, an evil peak of black metal and cursed rock. Upon its highest summit, the gleaming, obsidian haft of a snarling axe protruded from the rock. Legends grew around this cursed place, legends telling that whosoever drew the axe from the mountain would be the one to reunite the heralds of a new age of metal.

When the mountain finally shuddered and fell, a brazen god of rock was revealed. As Mordekaiser rose to meet the giant who had drawn the axe from the rock, he saw his old bandmates accompanied by a fiery, hellion-valkyrie from beyond. Karthus held out his axe, its razor strings shivering with anticipation.

"The band's back together", said the Deathsinger.

Tracks

• Prelude
• I
• II
• III
• IV
• V
• VI
• VII
• VIII
• IX
• X
• Tour
• Production

From Fire, Reborn
Born of shadow, forged in flame. Blood will spill: axes raised. Power runs in all our veins. Rise as one, break the chains. We'll take this world: it's ours to reign. Born of shadow, forged in flame. From hell's heart, torn: axes raised.   We. Are. Pentakill.
01:10	20-Jul-2017

The Cull
Cut down one by one, no sound remains. Don't fear if death finds you this day. Are you with me? Let us savor the pain. Do you hear the distant sound calling your name? In time, all of us are forgotten: the ones that don't belong to the pages of history. But, as my forefathers, I take to the open sea. And, as long before, we'll follow and don't ask more. Passed down long before: the stories of old. This time, I will not be forgotten, I won't be towed along with the feeble and the enemy. But, as our forefathers, I take to the open seas. And, as long before, I follow and don't ask more. Passed down long before: the stories of old... and won't be called upon.
05:15	03-Aug-2017

Mortal Reminder
Audio Video
Blinded by hate brought by the fall as I swear death to all: you will feel my vengeance as I claim your mortal soul. I will punish and destroy those responsible for this ploy: I will seek a thousand deaths, I will bring a thousand years of war. All that I had, taken away. My home is gone and my loved ones, slain. For every sleep claims a piece of me, every waking moment, every single dream. As the masses came like a shadow through this land, they laid siege to all we ever had. I stood strong, I was honor-bound; I stand defiant, I stand ever proud; I am the chosen: I am the guardian... the guardian. Now, I seek the blood of those who claimed the innocent: I will hunt the enemy to the last. I'll banish and rejoice. The final breath of foes: you will see what you have made, you will see what I have finally become. All that I had, laid to the waste. My spirit broken and these memories remain. For every day claims a piece of me, Every waking hour claims my inner peace... my inner peace. As the masses came like a shadow through this land, they laid siege to all we ever had. I stood strong, I was honor bound; I stand defiant, I stand ever proud; I am the chosen: I am the guardian... the guardian.
04:04	03-Aug-2017

Tear of the Goddess
The unknown terror that stood alone passed, from the days of the early suns, through worlds of lost belief, laid waste, and buried deep; summoned to be set up to fall but there's no fear that lives inside this soul. Inside this world, there is no way back to forgiving us. Undone: deliverer, the sinful, and the saviors of the innocent. And so, keepers of old: keep us from cold, let us fight once more till our honor is restored. The unknown terror that lives below breaths the flames from the dying suns and lives to wake the dying ones... the dying ones... (the dying ones) Inside this world, there is no way back to forgiving us. Undone: deliverer, the sinful, and the saviors of the innocent. And so, keepers of old: keep us from cold, let us fight once more till our honor is restored.
04:00	21-Jul-2017

Infinity Edge
Beyond the lands of lost dreams, I hear the call of riches: word of waters blessed unnatural, granting power of gods to men. Under the desert sun is my calling: I walk the lands that death cannot conquer and, through the unforgiving worlds, the battle lays in wait, seeking the way that leads me to the  power of the Edge... the Edge. I'm living and dying a thousand lives and it's taken its toll on me this time: the Edge cares not, so why should I? Because I breath the air of immortals and I'll be the true invincible: the Edge is my destiny. So far from home, I'm reeling: I've seen the fall of friends. The end of the road, approaching: I will have my victory. I will not cease to be, you will not ever stop me. I won't give up the dream, you cannot ever stop me. Seeking the way that leads me to the power of the Edge. I'm living and dying a thousand lives and it's taken its toll on me this time: the Edge cares not, so why should I? Because I breath the air of immortals and I'll be the true invincible: the Edge is my destiny. I'm living and dying a thousand lives and it's taken its toll on me this time: the Edge cares not, so why should I? Because I breath the air of immortals and I'll be the true invincible: the Edge is my destiny... my destiny... my destiny... my destiny... my destiny.
04:00	03-Aug-2017

Dead Man's Plate
Is there a reason, in this life, we call our own? So many misguided visions and trusting deceit. And, in our shallow pursuit of truth, we lost ourselves. May the storms gather, may the cinders roam, those that will die will still remember. You drank deep and you paid the price (what did you think you would find?) Answer the dark whisper and you will tear this world apart... our world apart. When the walls came down, we were left abandoned here. There's no soul inside us: we're all just flesh and bone to wander the dead lands forever. Will we ever get the chance? Will we ever get the chance to show them? So many forgotten and we live on in the city that once was timeless. You drank deep and you paid the price (what did you think you would find?) Answer the dark whisper and you will tear this world apart... our world apart... our world apart... you will tear this world apart.
04:49	03-Aug-2017

The Hex Core mk-2
Is that all you've got to say? 'Cause this is not another game, not one that you wanna play. Step, by step, by step, death march to your grave. Is that all you've got to say? 'Cause this is not another game, not one that you wanna play. Step, by step, by step, death march to your grave. There's no one left you can blame. A lonely war dance of pain: step, by step, by step, death march to your grave. Is that all you've got to say? Is that all you've got to say? Step, by step, by step, death march to your grave.
03:26	03-Aug-2017

The Bloodthirster
Cast down the weak, those who deceived us, those who would let us burn. Liars and cheats, brittle and weak: another day will come. Crawling on your knees right to the end, I let you pretend you had your last days. Calling for me to disappear, I cannot be so easily sent forth. As you descended on them, you carry their memories of endless pain. As remnants to their end, one after one, you sever them... sever them... sever. Sever... sever your demons deep within: a shadow that's been long instilled. Cast down the weak, those who deceived us, those who would let us burn. Liars and cheats, brittle and weak: another day will come. Torment so easily dispensed, you tried to break our will but you failed. Calling the serpentine flame until we were just dust and remains. As you descended on them, you carry their memories of endless pain. As remnants to their end, one after one, you sever them... sever them... sever. Cast down the weak, those who deceived us, those who would let us burn. Liars and cheats, brittle and weak: another day will come. Cast down the weak, those who would flee us, those who would let us burn. Liars and cheats, feeble and weak: I see them: another day will... another day will... another day will come.
04:47	21-Jul-2017

Frozen Heart
Up here on the roof of the world... up here on the roof of the world.   Long have we sought to ascend this place, a life of servitude to omens. The elders have promised us long before: with evil banished to the wastelands, hands of the chosen will extend to us. Upon the roof of this world, distant voices calling for the final fight: we will answer with victory. Long have we fought for these lands in the shadows and the stories of the promised light: now, to take our place beyond. Up here on the roof of the world... up here on the roof of the world... where we are sworn to guard no more... up here on the roof of the world.   Long have we fought to protect this place. These haunted dreams never ending, clinching to the promises of life reborn. Upon the roof of this world, distant voices calling for the final fight: we will answer with victory. Long have we fought for these lands in the shadows and the stories of the promised light: now, to take our place beyond. Here on the roof of the world, in the cradle of the storms, where vengeful winds cut to the bone,   and there's no turning back.   (here on the roof of the world... here on the roof of the world... here on the roof of the world) Up here on the roof of the world... up here on the roof of the world... where we are sworn to guard no more... up here on the roof of the world.
05:00	03-Aug-2017

Rapid Firecannon
A forgotten place inside the lonely tower: tear it down with a metal roar. The war eternal, I assail the unassailable: a second release unhaunted by my past. Beneath the marshlands, calling forth the night. Buried deep, a weapon forged in fire. Fathers and sons: their kin laid to waste. (an evil is renewed) Light up the night with flames and cinder, for I am renewed. (down in flames, feel the kick, and watch them burn) Light up! Caught in the crossfire, overwhelming firepower. (now, return to hell... in a firestorm) Out with the old, in with the new world order. Die or obey, the choice is yours. Undetected, into the spider's web: taken apart, slowly, piece by piece. Find a shadow to hide me and I wait. Tricksters and spellweavers, beware: with this flame, I culled the weak, made my nation strong again. Well, now, they're all dead and gone... dead and gone. With this blade, I cull the weak, make my nation strong again. Beneath the marshlands, calling forth the night. Buried deep, a weapon forged in fire. Fathers and sons: their kin laid to waste. (an evil is renewed) Light up the night with flames and cinder, for I am renewed. (down in flames, feel the kick, and watch them burn) Light up! Caught in the crossfire, overwhelming firepower. (now, return to hell... in a firestorm) Burn!
04:13	03-Aug-2017

Blade of the Ruined King
\m/  Instrumental  \m/
07:01	03-Aug-2017

Dates

Vernal Equinox / Noxus

The Immortal Bastion Lounge

Support

Noxtoraa, Quadrakill

Midwinter Solstice / Stonehenge

Sarsen Circle Pit

Support

Tufnel's Folly, Living Rock, Merlin's Bane

Red Snows Day / Freljord

Howling Abyss Arena

Support

Ice Witch, Frostguard

Festival of Carnea / Mount Olympus

Acropolis of Zeus

Support

Heaven and Hades, Titanomachy, Greek Tragedy

Ruination Day / Shadow Isles

Vaults of Arcana

Support

Moonbane, King of Ruin

Harrowing / Bilgewater

Butcher's Bridge Slaughter Docks

Support

Death's Daughter, Rigger-mortis, Dead Pool Down

14th of Piltember / Zaun

The Sumptown Bowl

Support

Howlin' Doom, Bad Moon Rising

2017 / New Wasteland

Bandle City Coliseum

Support

Tiny Feet of Doom

Video of Pentakill's 'live musical carnage' in Bandle City, performing Mortal Reminder from the new album, Grasp of the Undying, recorded in the catacombs of the Shadow Isles.

Credits

Alex 'Scherzo' Temple

production on Blade of the Ruined King and orchestration on Mortal Reminder

Bob 'robesman' DeBelina

production coordinator

Christian 'Praeco' Linke

executive producer, engineer

Danny Lohner aka Renholdër

production, mixing, and vocals on The Hex Core mk-2

Dzijan Emin

orchestration on Blade of the Ruined King

Eugene 'kyugene' Kang

bass guitars

Jason 'chupacobbler' Willey aka ProtoShredanoid

lead guitars

Joe 'Keytar Dragon' Atlan

keyboards, piano

Jørn Lande

vocals on The Cull, Mortal Reminder, The Bloodthirster, Dead Man's Plate, and Frozen Heart

F.A.M.E.'S. Macedonian Symphonic Orchestra and Choir

orchestra and choir on Blade of the Ruined King and strings on Mortal Reminder

Mike 'PitmanDrums' Pitman

producer, drums, rhythm guitars, lead guitars, acoustic guitars, and synths

Noora Louhimo

vocals on Tear of the Goddess and Frozen Heart

Per Johansson

vocals on Infinity Edge and Rapid Firecannon

Richard 'RickyTee' Thomson

drums, rhythm guitars, acoustic guitars, lead guitars, and lead synths

Scott Kirkland

production and mixing on The Hex Core mk-2, Synths on The Bloodthirster

Smiley Sean

drum recording and engineering

Tommy Lee

drums on The Hex Core mk-2

Viranda 'Viranimal' Tantula

creative director, producer

All music and lyrics written by Pentakill

Engineered and produced by Riot Games in Los Angeles, CA, and London, UK

Mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen

Pentakilled

by Mordekaiser, Karthus, Olaf, and Sona

This week is for headbanging.

	What is the common language in Runeterra?
	Power chords are understood in every language.
	If Graves can have his cigar, can Karthus have his face back? Why is Karthus not a skeleton?
	Oh, look, another amateur necromancer uneducated in the difference between a lich and a skeleton. Look upon my glorious undeath - tell me, do you see a bag of rattling bones? Or a Deathsinger cloaked in necrotic sorcery? No autograph for you.
	Why is there a Lumberjack Sion skin but no Lumberjack Olaf? Because there are now two trees ( Maokai, Ivern). I mean, it's only fair.
	There already is a Lumberjack Olaf skin. it's called Pentakill Olaf because I crush trees and rocks and drums and skulls. I don't discriminate.
	There are champs like Twitch and Sona, who don't require much skill. And then there are champs like Azir and Ryze, who are practically impossible to play. What do you plan to do to bridge the imbalance gap between these champs?
	「 .-- .... .- - / - .... . / ..-. ..- -.-. -.- / -.. .. -.. / -.-- --- ..- / .--- ..- ... - / ..-. ..- -.-. -.- .. -. --. / ... .- -.-- / .- -... --- ..- - / -- . --..-- / -.-- --- ..- / .-.. .. - - .-.. . / - . . -. -.-- / -... --- .--. .--. . .-. ..--.. / .. .-.. .-.. / .... .- ...- . / -.-- --- ..- / -.- -. --- .-- / .. / .--. .-.. .- -.-- / .- - / - .... . / - --- .--. / - .. . .-. ... / .. -. / ... --- .-.. --- / --.- ..- . ..- . --..-- / .- -. -.. / .. ...- . / -... . . -. / .. -. ...- --- .-.. ...- . -.. / .. -. / -. ..- -- . .-. --- ..- ... / ... --- .-.. -.. / --- ..- - / ... .... --- .-- ... / ..-. --- .-. / .--. . -. - .- -.- .. .-.. .-.. --..-- / .- -. -.. / .. / .... .- ...- . / --- ...- . .-. / ...-- ----- ----- / -.-. --- -. ..-. .. .-. -- . -.. / .- ... ... .. ... - ... .-.-.- / .. / .- -- / - .-. .- .. -. . -.. / .. -. / . - .-- .- .... .-.. / .-- .- .-. ..-. .- .-. . / .- -. -.. / .. -- / - .... . / - --- .--. / ... ..- .--. .--. --- .-. - / .. -. / - .... . / . -. - .. .-. . / .-.. . .- --. ..- . / --- ..-. / .-.. . --. . -. -.. ... .-.-.- / -.-- --- ..- / .- .-. . / -. --- - .... .. -. --. / - --- / -- . / -... ..- - / .--- ..- ... - / .- -. --- - .... . .-. / .- ... ... .. ... - .-.-.- 」「 What the fuck did you just fucking say about me, you little teeny bopper? I'll have you know I play at the top tiers in Solo Queue, and I've been involved in numerous sold-out shows for Pentakill, and I have over 300 confirmed assists. I am trained in etwahl warfare and I'm the top support in the entire League of Legends. You are nothing to me but just another assist. 」
	Will we ever get a more dark and scary themed champion? Like a demon/reaper/ghost one who strikes a bit more fear into summoners? Cause the scariest one now is Yorick and he is, well, not so much - but could be fun with a more dark approach.
	Really? Yorick is more terrifying than my songs of eternal despair and death? That thick-skulled bass player couldn't scare a shiver out of a wet cat.
	Do you plan to show Karthus some love and give him an update or two to make him fit into the current meta better?
	I'm sorry, is there a meta where a Pentakill doesn't fit? We're a metal band but that doesn't mean you should ask us bronze questions. This interview is over.

Trivia

• This volume was named after the rune Grasp of the Undying.
  • All of the tracks in this volume were named after items.
    • The first track was named after Cull (stylized as The Cull).
    • The second track was named after Mortal Reminder.
    • The third track was named after Tear of the Goddess.
    • The fourth track was named after Infinity Edge.
    • The fifth track was named after Dead Man's Plate.
    • The sixth track was named after The Hex Core mk-2 (the item's name before patch V9.19).
    • The seventh was named after The Bloodthirster (the item's name before patch V9.19).
    • The eighth was named after Frozen Heart.
    • The ninth track was named after Rapid Firecannon.
    • The tenth track was named after Blade of the Ruined King.

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References

Lore and Events