"Come have a look! Bilgewater's Golden Rum, absolutely the finest!"
"Freshly baked cakes, made from wheat grown on virgin soil, delicious beyond compare!"
"Carpets from Shurima, silky to the touch, undeniably top quality!"
…
All along the road, Duke was surrounded by hawkers' cries, merchants shouting, and the haggling voices of townsfolk. Aside from the news he heard earlier, all that reached his ears was the chatter of vendors, buyers, and shopkeepers.
"They say he seized the Laurent family's bridge and defeated ten challengers already. That must be him, right?"
At those words, an image rose in Duke's mind: a figure wrapped tightly in blue cloth, three-fingered hands, a lens-fitted mask, always carrying a lamppost, and an unexplainable fondness for boiled eggs.
The Grandmaster at Arms, Jax.
If the timeline was right, then this was exactly when he should have appeared.
Ever since Icathia was consumed by the Void, Jax had wandered the lands of Runeterra as the last surviving Kohari. The Eternal Flame stretched his lifespan beyond all measure, keeping him alive for over a thousand years.
He had long since earned the title of Weapon Master. After centuries of honing his craft, his skill had transcended mastery, reaching a realm that defied description.
But his body was no longer that of a man, his figure was warped, unrecognizable as human.
Why did Jax wander Runeterra? His purpose was simple: to find warriors worthy of standing by his side, to fight the Void, to rebuild Kohari, and restore Icathia's lost glory.
His presence now in Demacia meant only one thing: he still hadn't found those he sought. Instead, he stood guard at a bridge, testing all who dared approach.
"If it's Jax… should I go see him?"
"If I can sweet-talk him, all the better!"
Duke leaned back, crossed one leg over the other, and let his mind drift away from the bustling avenue before him.
Lux, noticing Duke's distracted look, hopped off her carriage without hesitation, climbed into his, and slid into the seat beside him. She took the reins from Ang and steered the horses herself as they made their way toward the manor of her aunt, Tianna Crownguard.
They passed along Guardian's Avenue, lined with towering statues, the streets overflowing like waves of humanity. Ahead loomed the domed Hall of Valor, where the names of every fallen Blue-cloaked martyr were enshrined.
Lux turned northward, crossing the Triumph Bridge, passing the heavily fortified Bastion. Then she steered east, climbing Victory Hill, where pale stone houses slipped past, the crowds thinning. Through a sculpted colonnade they went, finally entering the famed Orlon Gardens.
Her aunt's estate lay within.
Ang's steps were steady and quick. Soon, they reached a snowstone archway, the entrance to a manor built in the style of Mithril City, its architecture so exact it left one speechless.
As they arrived, Lux spotted a young man emerging from beneath the stone arch. Her eyes lit up, and she called out brightly:
"Brother Dyran!"
The youth addressed as "Brother Dyran" broke into a smile when he saw her. His pace quickened as he came toward the carriage.
"My lovely Lux! What brings you to Highsilver City?"
"I came with my teacher," she replied cheerfully. "Father and Mother want me to stay by his side until I come of age."
Lux nudged Duke with her elbow. Brought back from his wandering thoughts, Duke finally took notice of the youth before him: broad-shouldered, handsome, with a radiant, sunlit smile, the very image of a golden boy.
But he stood too close to Ang. Didn't he see that the brown-eyed beast was already ready to burst into flame?
"Ahem."
Duke cleared his throat. Both Dyran and Lux turned to him, while Ang, suppressing his urge, looked away. Had Duke not drawn attention just then, Dyran might have found himself bitten.
As for the blue-eyed one? That creature had already gathered wind, ready to strike in concert. But at Duke's subtle warning, the power dispersed, and it settled down obediently.
"Greetings."
Dyran offered Duke a friendly smile and introduced himself. "Dyran Crownguard."
"Duke Sanchez, of Piltover. A pleasure to meet you."
Duke returned the smile and inclined his head. Lux, meanwhile, asked curiously why Dyran seemed to be in such a hurry.
He sighed. "The family arranged a marriage for me not long ago. But… my betrothed seems rather cold toward me."
Lux blinked. "Your Fiancee?"
Dyran nodded. "Her family's lands are troubled. Some stranger has blocked the bridge into their territory. I was just on my way to help."
At that, Duke's brow arched. "Forgive me for asking, but… your Fiancee wouldn't happen to be from the Laurent family, would she?"
Dyran looked at him in surprise. "You know of it? Yes, it's Fiona Laurent, the third daughter."
Hearing the name spoken with pride, Duke could only give the poor man a pitying look. So this was the hapless Fiance from Fiora's backstory.
Of course.
In the tale, this very man was publicly rejected by Fiora, shamed, and challenged her family in a duel. In another story, he would've been a perfect protagonist, humiliated youth, fiery defiance, rising from obscurity to greatness, seizing destiny and love alike.
But not here.
Instead, Fiora's father accepted the duel in his stead. Tradition forced Tianna to assign a champion, and when the plot was uncovered, Fiora's father ended in chains, leaving his daughter to sacrifice everything to preserve the Laurent name.
And poor Dyran? He became nothing more than a footnote, mocked in noble circles, his pride in ruins.
Duke almost laughed, but instead, his gaze softened with sympathy. The man didn't even know the storm that awaited him, charging off full of zeal to "help."
As if anyone could "help" against Jax.
Even with both hands bound, Jax could dismantle the finest warriors in Demacia. A millennium ago, in Icathia's capital, he had shattered an Ascended champion of the gods into porcelain shards, ground to dust.
And now, after centuries more of refinement? His strength was greater still.
Dyran truly had no idea. But perhaps ignorance was its own bliss.
If not for Jax's vow never to take a life, that bridge would already have been painted red.
…
"The Laurent family's third daughter?" Lux's eyes widened with admiration. "Brother Dyran, you're so fortunate!"
Dyran scratched his head, embarrassed. "Just the family's will. Fiora was born for marriage alliances, but she carved out her own place with her Runesteel blade."
Duke stroked his chin thoughtfully. Following Dyran might just give him a chance to see both Fiora and Jax. And if he could somehow win Jax over, that would be a prize beyond imagining.
Jax wanted comrades? Duke could offer him a mechanical army, a war against the Void, years of allegiance. And even if not, forging a connection was never wasted effort.
Besides, Duke knew exactly what to talk about to crack Jax's guarded shell. Mention the Void, and the rest would flow.
"But we're supposed to see my aunt first!"
Lux puffed her cheeks, indignant.
Duke sighed, ruffling her hair. "Alright, alright. We'll visit your aunt first, then I'll go."
He turned to Dyran. "Is there urgency?"
Dyran thought, then shook his head. "No. If Master Duke wishes to see for himself, I'll wait."
"Much appreciated."
Duke smiled broadly. Dyran gave a polite bow and stepped aside as Ang guided the carriage beneath the snowstone arch and into the estate.
Past the tree-lined avenue, around the front court's statue, they halted before the main hall. Unlike the Crownguard estate in Mithril City, where a fountain adorned the yard, here stood only a solemn statue.
As Duke stepped down from the carriage, a golden-haired woman in gleaming armor strode out from the hall. Her furrowed brows and tight lips gave her an air of authority, her brisk stride radiating a presence that brooked no delay.
"Aunt!"
Lux hurried down and bowed her head. At the sight of her niece, Tianna Crownguard's expression softened slightly, though her frown quickly returned.
"Lux, you're a day later than expected."
"There was a reason for that, "
"Enough. You've chosen your own path. I've little more advice to give. Go rest. We'll speak tonight."
Then her sharp gaze fell on Duke. A faint nod. "Welcome to Highsilver City, Master Duke."
"You honor me, Marshal," Duke replied with a polite bow. "May I ask, has something happened?"
"Nothing but pests that need squashing."
With a tight smile, Tianna turned to her steward. "See to their needs."
"Yes, Lady Tianna."
Without another word, Tianna swept away, her stride as fierce as her reputation.
Watching her retreating figure, Duke raised a brow. "A true heroine indeed."
End of chapter....
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