"Are you ready?"
Orion nodded.
Months had passed since the Cultivar incident. Orion had spent his time diligently training to improve his speed when swapping between magical threads. In the past, it might have taken him two or three seconds to switch between what he simply called offensive and defensive threads. Now it took him a second or less, still not instantaneous.
He wanted to be capable of defending himself when Janna lowered the barrier.
The second training he undertook was similar to containing magic, except this was slightly different. It was like a foreign star burning inside him. Almost literally a star, now that he could finally sense and visualize what Janna had sealed with the little power she had left after holding back the Gray, the toxic smog beneath the Undercity.
It burned with the brightness of a thousand suns, and it was deeply troubling.
"How do you do it, Janna?" Orion asked, frowning as he condensed it into a violent ball of energy in his chest. "It feels like I'll have to live the rest of my life playing the piano with one hand, awake and sleeping."
"It becomes second nature with time," Janna answered gently. "But listen, Orion, if you fail to contain it, the Aspects and the Ascended will find you. They will either chain you as their tool… or destroy you."
Orion grimaced. He had only a rough idea who the Ascended were. Demigods, maybe stronger, but his knowledge of Runeterra's lore was fuzzy at best outside of League of Legends and Arcane.
"You are closer to Ascension than any mortal I've seen," Janna continued, her expression clouded with unease. "Yet you have not been reshaped to bear such power. That alone is dangerous."
His eyes widened. "What? Really?"
"Yes. And worse, this power traces back to Aurelion Sol. That should have been impossible. His light is the birth of stars, pure Celestial fire… but what you carry is tangled with hatred, with rage."
Her tone softened, but the weight of her words lingered. "You were given this strength to break his chains. But if you follow his path… then Runeterra will be destroyed."
Orion blinked. The name connected at last in his mind, a Celestial Dragon who despised this world. "Why does he want to destroy Runeterra?"
Janna exhaled, shaking her head slowly.
"Pride. And betrayal. He was deceived by the Aspects of Targon, gods that take mortal form from a willing follower. They offered Aurelion a crown. In truth, it was a shackle. It sealed his vast power, let them siphon it for their own designs, and then they banished him far from this world."
She raised her hand, pointing toward him. "That crown is weakening. You are the proof of it. The Aspects know their mistake and they will silence you to keep it hidden."
"So the Ascended are… their soldiers?" Orion asked, slipping on his jacket.
Janna shook her head, feathers rustling faintly as she did. "No. The Ascended are Shuriman creations, mortals who embraced Celestial power to serve their people. The Aspects themselves cannot leave Targon but their will spreads through those who serve them. And yes… they will hunt you, Orion."
He pulled the jacket tight, his voice low. "I'm already hunted, if everything you're saying is true." He paused, then added sincerely, "Thank you, Janna. Without you, I'd have been dead a long time ago."
Her smile was warm. "It is in my nature to protect. You owe me nothing."
"Still. Thank you," Orion repeated, returning her smile. "The least I can do is try to convince others to believe in you again."
"Kindness doesn't ask for repayment," Janna said softly. "But your heart is in the right place. That matters." She lingered for a moment, then added with rare gravity, "I will not be able to answer you for several days. The barrier will be coming down. Please… be careful."
"I'll try," Orion said quietly.
--------------------
//The Last Drop//
Metallic clanging echoed through the room as Mylo repeatedly tossed a ball against the metal plate in their lounge. Everyone except Orion, who had left early, was sprawled about, simmering irritation hanging in the air.
"Vander and him worked on something together," Vi grumbled, her forehead pressed against her hand. "Why don't they trust us?" She gestured at the group in frustration.
Scowling, Mylo threw the ball harder. "Orion's probably off doing some badass jobs while we're stuck with lame throwaway ones!"
"It's not fair!" Vi shot to her feet and Claggor tried to calm her down.
"Maybe nothing's really going on? You know how Orion keeps to himself."
Vi scoffed. "Come on, do you actually believe that? We've all been out late on Vander's gigs and we don't come back looking like he does! One day he's fine and the next he looks like he's spent weeks in prison!"
Claggor sighed, his tone low, uncertain. "Yeah…" His gaze shifted to Powder and Isha. "You're right. I hate being treated like a kid too."
Powder frowned, fidgeting with her stuffed bunny before asking softly, "Why don't we do something?"
"Oh-ho! See that? Even Powder agrees!" Mylo exclaimed, sitting up with a dramatic gesture. His outburst drew annoyed looks from both Powder and Claggor, but Vi's eyes lit up with determination.
"Won't Orion get mad?" Isha asked hesitantly, her voice small.
"Psh, of course he will. He always listens to Vander. But if we succeed, he won't be mad for long." Vi's gaze swept the room, her tone firm.
"We need to prove we're not kids anymore!" she declared, raising a fist with resolve. "We'll show them we're ready."
Claggor shifted uncomfortably, his expression still worried. "I don't know guys. Remember Old Hungry? What if that happens again?"
"Don't worry about that. That was months ago!" Vi said dismissively, brushing it off. "We've got this. I'll find something."
The gang exchanged glances, hope flickering faintly among them. Even Isha who was the youngest and being swept up in the mood. Smirking, Vi planted her hands on her hips, tilting her head with confidence.
"We've grown gang. This time, we'll show them what we're made of!"
----------------
Orion's months hadn't been spent solely on training. He still needed to live and protect the gang. Outside of small jobs, he had started scouting for Vander, searching the Sump coast for any factories though he found nothing tied to Silco. Vander reluctantly agreed to let him continue but only on the condition that Orion immediately report back instead of starting a fight.
By the end of this week, however, with no results to show, Orion decided to start searching along the riverline instead. On the bright side, his outings weren't a total waste. He'd been collecting gears, fans, and mechanical components, tossing them all into his old brown sack.
Today's routine wasn't going to be much different outside of his conversation with Janna this morning, one that meant things would be changing moving forward. Orion was walking to the Last Drop again, ready to deliver more "goodies" to an eager Powder before stopping by Benzo's shop. Powder had a growing collection of explosion gadgets, none of them functional, of course, but it was still endearing to see her reaction while trying to showoff to Isha.
"Hey Powder! Isha! More parts," Orion called as he briskly pushed open the tavern doors. The gang, usually busy cleaning at this hour, wasn't there.
Frowning, he checked the front and back rooms. Nothing.
'Weird… I guess they went to the arcade?' Orion thought, heading that way. Yet again, no sign of them. Unease prickled at his consciousness, his grip tightening on the sack.
'Where is everyone?'
Puzzled and concerned, he briskly strode toward Benzo's shop, racking his brain for any events happening today. Rounding the corner, he spotted Ekko bouncing in place at the entrance, wrench in hand and waving eagerly.
"You got more parts?!" Ekko called out, practically vibrating with excitement.
Orion chuckled, a small wave of relief easing the knot in his chest. Ekko's energy mirrored Powder's when she was excited, especially when his eyes went wide to the sack.
"Awesome! I get first dibs?!" Ekko asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet, arms tucked close like he could barely contain himself.
"It's your lucky day," Orion said with a smile, setting the bag down so Ekko could dive in. "Say, have you seen the gang? Haven't run into them at all this morning."
"I'm here!" Isha waved weakly from just inside the cracked entrance.
'She looks depressed… and nervous?'
Ekko paused, glancing back at Isha with his arms still buried in the bag. "Oh, uh, Vi said they had something important to do. Didn't tell us much though."
Shrugging, he went back to rummaging. "You know how she gets when she has a plan. All secretive and stuff. Usually means it's for a gig."
Orion stiffened. His eyes rose to the smoggy sky as his mind raced and he didn't like where the thoughts were going.
Ekko noticed and looked up curiously. "Why? Did something happen? You look on edge."
"Ekko…" Orion began slowly. "Remember how I told you to keep an eye out for any fancy topsider who comes down and doesn't haggle?"
"Yeah!" Ekko exclaimed, standing up straight and glowing with pride. "He came after you left yesterday! I did what you said and charged him triple! How'd you know? Is he some super-wealthy merchant? Oh, yeah, your portion is inside- AAAH!"
His words cut short when Orion suddenly grabbed his shoulders. The boy froze at the sight of Orion's trembling hands and the panic burning in his eyes.
"Hey, I did what you asked! What's wrong?" Ekko stammered, fear creeping into his voice.
Fearing the answer, Orion sucked in a sharp breath before demanding, "Ekko… did you follow him when I told you not to?"
No response. Just a guilty look cast down at the ground.
"EKKO!" Orion roared, the shout echoing through the alley. The boy jumped, yelping under Orion's grip.
"Tell me how to get there. NOW!"
----------------
///Meanwhile, as Orion was jumping between locations///
Vi, Claggor, Mylo, and Powder made their way across the Bridge of Progress. Vi's face was set in determined resolve, Claggor's gaze was fixed nervously on the ground, Mylo hummed a mischievous tune, and Powder's wide eyes darted around with uncontained wonder.