"They know everything, and Janna can protect them," Cipher explained briefly.
Vander and Silco, who had come closer, both had a sudden change in expression.
Silco's scarred eye twitched, his one good eye narrowing dangerously. If they weren't their own kids, he would have executed them on the spot. The secret of dimensional teleportation absolutely couldn't be leaked, not until Zaun had grown strong enough to defend itself from both Piltover above and the unknown powers beyond.
"Children loose-lipped from the start," he hissed, lighting a cigarette with a sharp click of his lighter. "And now we're trusting our most vital secret to a bunch of teenagers?"
"We have to keep an eye on them. Even when we come back, someone has to watch them closely," Cipher shrugged, clearly troubled. "It's not ideal, but the alternative is leaving them here with partial knowledge, that's far more dangerous."
"Are you sure Janna can protect them?" Silco's face darkened, smoke curling from his lips as his good mood evaporated entirely. "These brats are nothing but trouble. First Vi picking fights, then Ekko's constant snooping, now this coordinated espionage. What's next, them broadcasting to all of Piltover?"
"The place we're going is relatively safe," Cipher answered without hesitation, meeting Silco's skeptical gaze. "I've made three reconnaissance trips. The conflict is localized, Janna can shield them from Queen Bee's mental influence, and we'll keep them away from the frontline."
"You've been there three times already?" Vander's voice held a note of concern. "And you didn't think to tell us?"
"I didn't want to get your hopes up until I confirmed it was viable," Cipher replied. "Better to present a complete plan than half-formed possibilities."
Silco exhaled smoke through his nose, studying the children clustered behind Vi. "Fine. For now, we'll go with that. They know the secret now, so we can't just leave them alone in the Undercity. But if even one of them compromises our position, they're your responsibility, Cipher."
"Understood. The preparations are done. I'll head over first,", Cipher nodded, then glanced at his pocket watch. He lowered his head and spent several minutes focusing intensely, sweat beading on his forehead as the interdimensional rift began to form.
Maintaining the rift constantly drained his mental energy. At his current level, he could keep it open for about two hours. Whether others could pass through depended entirely on his permission, a safeguard he'd built in after the worms incident.
He knew the situation in the other world better than anyone. It made the most sense for him to go in and confirm it was still safe before letting the others follow.
"I'll be back in about ten minutes," he said, checking his watch once more. "If anything happens to the rift, Heimerdinger has the emergency protocols."
In an instant, he arrived in the Quraci capital of Ras al-Uqab, commonly known as the "Eagle's Nest" for the massive bird statue dominating its central square.
"The intensity has escalated several levels compared to last time…" he muttered, taking in the new damage. "Has Bialya breached the outer defenses?"
As soon as he stepped through, a rocket-propelled grenade landed right in front of his face, giving him no time to react. If Janna hadn't shielded him in time, he would have been dead on the spot.
The rift had opened in a hidden, shadowy corner of a bombed-out building, but that RPG landing right there? Pure bad luck.
Crouching among the ruins, he observed the battlefield. From his perspective, having studied both sides' tactics during his reconnaissance, it was only a matter of time before Bialya broke through this defense line.
The Quraci resistance were clearly better trained, he could see their well-disciplined formations, their careful ammunition conservation, their superior marksmanship... but their numbers were too few, and their supplies were severely lacking.
Despite being the actual army of a sovereign nation, their weapons were outdated compared to the invading forces. He recognized some of the rifles as models from the 1970s, meticulously maintained but woefully inadequate against modern armor.
Bialya's forces were bombarding the battlefield with modern artillery, supported by armored units pushing forward alongside infantry. Meanwhile, the resistance was still relying on outdated rifles, without even proper anti-tank weaponry, just a few World War II-era artillery pieces.
Even though their older weapons were well-maintained, they were outgunned a dozen times over. The dedication of the defenders was admirable but ultimately tragic.
"Janna, assist the Quraci resistance. Drive back the Bialyan invaders," Cipher called out to the wind spirit, seeing the armored units about to break through the western checkpoint. "Focus on disabling their armor, not killing if possible."
The bird blinked but did not refuse his request. She scanned Cipher's memories for Bialya's information, the nation's history of military coups, the rise of Queen Bee, the use of metahuman powers to subjugate neighboring states.
This nation was mostly ruled through fear and mind control, oppressing both its own people and its neighbors with no regard for international law or civilian casualties.
With a single beat of her wings, a violent gust swept across the battlefield, sending every Bialyan soldier within sight flying. Whether they survived or not depended on their luck.
---
"What in the name of Allah just happened?" Colonel Harjavti of the Quraci defense forces grabbed his Soviet-era binoculars, hands slightly trembling from exhaustion. He stared in shock as Bialya's armored column was scattered by a single gust of wind.
Through the lenses, he could see it clearly, that wind wasn't just air. It had a distinct color.
"Colonel!" a soldier from the resistance called out. "Something's happening in the ruins at grid seven-seven."
Following the direction indicated, Harjavti spotted a figure that stood out strangely. Their attire was completely different from anything seen in this place.
It was, of course, Cipher. Protected by Janna's shield, he boldly stepped out from his hiding place, raising both hands to show he was unarmed.
"Halt! Identify yourself or we open fire!" Harjavti raised his well-worn AK-47, aiming at Cipher while barking orders into his field radio. "Abdul, get a bead on him! Mohammed, covering fire position!"
During wartime, everything was under strict military control. If Cipher hadn't been unarmed and showing no hostility, the battle-hardened colonel would have already fired.
After all, a stranger appearing out of nowhere in the middle of a battlefield was suspicious no matter how one looked at it.
"I mean no harm," Cipher called out in clear English, aware that Harjavti had been educated in Britain before the current conflict. "My name is Cipher. I represent the Zaun Autonomous Zone and wish to establish diplomatic relations with your Republic of Qurac."
He paused deliberately before adding, "By the way, I'm well aware of your plight against Queen Bee. We've been observing your conflict from afar."
He stopped obediently, hands still raised. He was here to establish diplomatic ties and exchange resources for technology, not to get shot by trigger-happy defenders.
His initial reconnaissance had shown him the desperation of both sides, Bialya seeking to expand its dominion through Queen Bee's metahuman abilities, Qurac struggling to maintain its sovereignty against overwhelming odds.
The situation reminded him of Zaun's own fight for independence, only this time it was a nation being strangled by sanctions, embargoes, and outright military aggression.
He gestured with one hand toward the wounded soldiers scattered across the defense line. Some were still awaiting treatment, their medics overwhelmed, others were already on the brink of death from blood loss.
Janna didn't wait for Cipher to give explicit permission. She immediately unleashed Monsoon, having sensed the suffering of the wounded through Cipher's earlier observations.
A green wind, distinct from her earlier display, swept through the battlefield, carrying the scent of spring meadows and mountain streams. It flowed around each wounded soldier, soothing pain and healing wounds with visible effect.
The injured soldiers watched in amazement as their bleeding stopped, shrapnel wounds closed before their eyes, and their pain disappeared, they were completely healed. Even those on the verge of death from traumatic injuries recovered, sitting up in confusion and wonder.
However, for those who had lost limbs to mines and shrapnel, their disabilities remained. Janna's Monsoon, for all its power, couldn't regenerate severed limbs.
"What sorcery is this?" Harjavti stared in shock at the scene. His eyes widened as he suddenly connected it to the wind that had just blown Bialya's forces away.
Realizing Cipher's immense value, both as a potential ally and a diplomatic asset, he immediately lowered his weapon and sketched a quick salute. "Soldiers! Stand down! This man is under my protection!"
He dispatched his most trusted aide with urgent orders: "Ahmed, run to the command bunker. Inform the Prime Minister we have a visitor claiming to represent the Zaun Autonomous Zone. Tell him they possess the power of healing. And for God's sake, make sure no one shoots him!"
Turning back to Cipher, he addressed him formally. "Emissary of Zaun, I deeply apologize for our hostile reception. Qurac is in the midst of defending our sovereignty against unprovoked aggression, and we have learned to be cautious of all strangers. Please forgive our initial response."
He accepted the diplomatic document Cipher handed over.
"I will personally ensure this reaches our Prime Minister," he promised. "He is currently directing the defense from his secure bunker, we dare not risk his capture by the enemy's forces."
The leadership of Qurac was somewhat unique in this crisis. Traditionally ruled by the Al-Razi dynasty, they had transitioned to a provisional democratic government just months before Bialya's invasion, a move that had inadvertently provoked Queen Bee's military response.
Normally, such documents would go directly to the head of state. But from Harjavti's words, it was clear, the Prime Minister was holed up in a reinforced bunker system, coordinating resistance from the relative safety of thick concrete and lead shielding.
Cipher's eyes narrowed.
Qurac and Bialya had been locked in conflict for years, with external powers often intervening for their own purposes. The UN seemed more interested in posturing than actual peacekeeping, various nations had their own agendas, and mercenary groups like the League of Assassins were known to operate in the region.
He had no idea how volatile the current situation was or whether his arrival might trigger unwanted attention from other players in this geopolitical chess game.
If possible, he preferred to avoid dealing with Queen Bee directly. From what he'd observed during reconnaissance, her mind control abilities made her incredibly dangerous to negotiate with. Not exactly the kind of trouble he wanted to get involved with.
---
---
40 advance chapters!
p@treon.com/Malphegor