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Kiran felt the vibration of the timeline as he moved from the Shuriman sands toward the Twin Cities. The self-repairing nature of time was aggressive here; the more the inhabitants tried to change their fates, the more the universe conspired to force a confrontation.
The repair of time is absolute, Kiran thought, his eyes narrowed. The war between Zaun and Piltover is no longer a possibility. It is an inevitability.
Evolution Day in Piltover was a spectacle of light and gold. Mel Medarda stood at the podium, her presence commanding the attention of the city's elite.
"Now, please welcome the promoter of human civilization! During the recent invasion, he used his brilliance to drive away the enemy. He is Piltover's Future Guardian! Please, a warm round of applause for Jayce Talis!"
Jayce walked onto the stage amidst thunderous applause. He looked for Heimerdinger, but the Professor's seat remained empty. Swallowing his disappointment, Jayce began his address.
"I come from a family that makes hammers," Jayce said, his voice echoing through the plaza. "Years ago, the Hexgate connected us to the world. But today, we look further. Today, we show you the power to change the future!"
Jayce signaled for the curtain to be pulled back. Viktor, sallow and leaning heavily on his cane, pulled the cord.
The curtain fell away to reveal an ornate anvil. It was empty.
A cold sweat broke out on Jayce's brow. He looked at Viktor, whose eyes were wide with panic. The backup crystal was quickly produced from Viktor's coat, and the speech was saved through sheer desperation and improvisation. The crowd loved it, but backstage, the atmosphere was freezing.
"It wasn't there, Jayce," Viktor whispered, his voice trembling. "I brought a spare just in case, but the primary crystal... it's gone."
"Stolen?" Jayce's heart hammered. "If someone has a Hextech Crystal in the Undercity... we have to notify the Enforcers immediately."
Jinx skipped through the shadows of the ventilation shafts, humming a jagged little tune. She had traded her Powder-style bangs for a more aggressive, swept-back look that covered half her face. In her hand, she tossed a glowing blue gem like it was a common marble.
"He's just a loser, always looking like he's about to cry. Da da da da~"
She spun around, pulling her pistol as a shadow moved in the alley. "Who's there?"
"It's me! Put that away!" Chen hissed, grabbing Jinx by the arm and dragging her deeper into the darkness. "What are you doing here? I told you to stay at the Sanctuary!"
Jinx pouted, holding up the Hextech Crystal. "You told me to make a big missile. I made it, but it needed a 'spark.' So I went and found one."
Chen stared at the crystal, then at Jinx. "You stole a Hextech Crystal from the Evolution Day podium? Powder, do you have any idea how much heat this is going to bring down on us?"
"Learn the superior techniques of the barbarians to control the barbarians!" Jinx chirped, using the authentic Chinese phrase Chen had taught her.
Chen was momentarily stunned by her perfect pronunciation. "That's... not exactly what that phrase means in this context, but fine. We need to go. If the Enforcers lock down the bridge before we're across, we're trapped."
"I know a shortcut!" Jinx laughed, dragging Chen toward a massive garbage chute. "Last one down is a rotten Gromp!"
They tumbled through the chute, landing in a pile of industrial waste. Jinx pulled a vegetable leaf off Chen's head, her eyes softening for a brief second. She suddenly leaned in and hugged him, her head resting on his shoulder.
"I never thought it would be you who stayed," she whispered.
Chen held her, wishing for a moment that the war at the gates could wait just an hour longer.
Back in the Council Chamber, the atmosphere was poisonous. The theft of the crystal had confirmed the Council's worst fears.
"It was the Zaunites," a councilor roared. "They have been unruly for too long! We must stick to the plan. Mass-produce the weapons and reclaim the Undercity by force!"
Jayce tried to protest. "We don't have proof! We should investigate—"
"Investigate how?" Lady Kiramman interrupted. "The bridges are closed. They do not submit to our authority. They will turn that crystal into a bomb, Jayce. Do you want to see another Silco? Do you want to see Shimmer Warriors armed with Hextech?"
Jayce fell silent. The logic of fear was a powerful current. "I will build the weapons," he finally said, his voice hollow. "But only to protect the city. Twenty rifles. No more."
The yellow-haired councilor smiled. "Of course, Councilor Talis. Only twenty. To protect Piltover."
But behind Jayce's back, a second set of blueprints was already circulating. The Council didn't want twenty rifles. They wanted hundreds.
In the laboratory, Viktor watched Jayce begin the assembly of the first Hextech Rifle.
"Are you really doing this, Jayce?" Viktor asked, his voice a ghost of its former self. "Mass-producing slaughter?"
"I don't have a choice, Viktor. They promised it's only for defense."
"I am a man of Zaun," Viktor said, his eyes filled with a cold, final clarity. He didn't argue. He simply grabbed his cane and the Hex Core—the device stained with his own blood—and walked out.
Viktor left the Academy, following a path through the Sump that only he and a certain chemist knew. He found a familiar, fog-choked laboratory.
Singed looked up from a swirling vat of solvent, his voice a hoarse rasp. "Viktor. You're back. I knew that one day, you would understand. The flesh is weak... but the evolution is glorious."
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