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mischievous-piltovan · 3 years ago

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The Undying Oath (NSFW)

Chapter 2: Entropy (SFW)

Viktor x fem!Reader

Summary: The reader sets off on her quest, despite Jayce’s warnings.

A/N: Lore-heavy. This is more of a transition chapter to get the plot going. I tried to explain League Lore the best I could to those not familiar with it. I’ll leave a glossary with some terms in case anyone wanna read more about it.

Warnings: Major Character Death. Loss of a loved one. Angsty. War.

Word Count: 7.3K

Also on AO3

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A loud bang rang through the dorm, jolting Viktor immediately awake.

The sun cast an early light through the window, granting the dorm an ethereal golden aura. In his sleep inertia, Viktor blinked a couple of times, trying to make sense of what was happening around him; he palmed the side of the bed only to find it empty - not an uncommon occurrence for the past few weeks, [Y/n] trips to the library had been happening earlier and earlier each day ever since she started researching magic.

The odd element in the scenery was the dorm room wide open with a very distressed Jayce standing in front of it. He had a piece of parchment in a tight grip.

“Jayce… ?”

“She’s not here either,” Jayce muttered in between breaths. “Goddamn it… “

“Top of the morning to you too.” Viktor jested a bit irritated. “Care to explain what the fuck are you doing barging in here like that… ?”

Jayce looked at Viktor like he’d just realized his partner was there. His eyes scanned the room for a bit before they landed on something on top of the desk.

“Oh… You didn’t read it… “

“Read what, Jayce? Could you kindly start to make sense?” Viktor barked, exacerbated at his partner’s refusal to answer him.

Jayce huffed, trying to calm himself down. He picked up a folded-up parchment paper from the desk that Viktor didn’t recognize but quickly noticed it was very similar to the one Jayce was already holding. The taller scientist approached the bed without a word and offered the piece of paper still folded to Viktor.

Viktor opened up the parchment still looking at Jayce, searching for a sliver of sense in his partner’s face. But the man held only a tight frown, eyes fixed on the piece of paper in Viktor’s hands.

Finally, the leaner scientist glanced down at the parchment piece.

My dear Owl,

There’s nothing I desire more than growing old alongside you. I want us to have a long and fulfilling life ahead of us. I promise I’ll be back soon. I hope you can forgive me.

Your fianceé,

Little Woodpecker.

Viktor stared at the letter, mouth agape. He re-read it once, twice, thrice… his mind desperately trying to deny the truth the words conveyed. He tried recalling what happened the previous night, searching for a clue on why she'd done it… After promising to stay, after accepting his proposal.

The matching ring on his finger felt heavy.

Suddenly a wet spot appeared on the paper, smudging some of the words - he didn’t know when he started to cry.

Viktor looked up at Jayce, the desperation palpable in his glassy eyes. His partner pressed his lips tight together before speaking.

“I’m sorry, V…”

—

Luckily for [Y/n], the HexGates were still functioning the day she departed from Piltover - the last shipments still had to be sent before the total closure of the transportation service Jayce had ordered. She had boarded a cargo ship using her academic privilege - no one denied the Architect of HexTech her request to go with them to Shurima for a classified mission. Less than an hour later, she was at the capital - quite literally like magic.

But reaching Shurima was but a step on her pilgrimage.

Her true goal was reaching Mount Targon - the tallest mountain in all of Runeterra, located all the way across the Shuriman Desert. A mystic and isolated realm whose people were linked to the celestial entities above - ethereal beings said to be connected to the origin of magic.

It had been 3 days since [y/n] embarked on a commercial caravan headed to the region near Targon. She sat inside a cargo wagon, leaning her back onto a barrel filled with dried figs and dates. She studied her map alongside her notes on her journal, making sure nothing was amiss - there was no room for mistakes.

She kept rolling the silver and blue ring Viktor gave her with her thumb - both for grounding and reminding herself what was at stake.

[Y/n] sighed. Due to their isolating nature, there wasn’t much cataloged about Mount Targon and its inhabitants, only a few entries here and there of explorers that dared climb its stone steps to the point of safety. Rumors were that those who ventured further above and survived to tell the tale returned… empty, hollow husks haunted by the incomprehensible knowledge of the celestial realm.

But if she was right about her findings, she wouldn’t have to reach the summit and risk falling victim to that mind-numbing fate.

She’d found descriptions of a strange being that had traveled all around Runeterra, seemingly in a quest to mend humanity at their ripping seams and bring solace to mortals. A being that was said to single-handedly perform inexplicable acts of restoration in their path.

A Healing Mage.

She’d first stumble upon them while reading about Ionia - the land to the east. It was said that a horned half-animal creature with blue-tinted skin that communed with the stars could call upon their light to heal the wounded, they called them The Seer. At first, it struck her as a mere myth, a creature of old folklore born from the need to explain the inexplicable.

But then… She had found the description of a similar being while reading about Freljord - the frozen land to the north. Ancient tribes' records depict the existence of a horned healer related to the stars who had the power to soothe the icy bite of the most brutal winters.

The nail in the coffin came with a conversation she had with Viktor.

“Speaking of which, I’ve stumbled upon some interesting pieces of folklore in my last research sessions at the Library.” [Y/n] said while finishing to set up the new bag of medicine on Viktor’s iv-drip. “Both Freljordians and Ionians of old seemed to believe in a Vastayan that could heal all ailments.”

“Makes one wish such stories to be true.” Viktor scoffed, not looking at [Y/n]. His face lit up the next instant, something sparking behind his eyes. “Now that you mentioned it… I remember an old… eh, how do you say it… folktale. Yes, an old folktale my parents used to tell me about a lilac-skinned being that roamed the streets of the Undercity purifying weary lungs… I think it was called… The Lilac Medic?”

Upon further research on the Zaun archives, [y/n] found the full description of the elusive Lilac-Medic. The similarities between them, The Seer from Ionia and the Horned Healer from Freljord were almost uncanny. This spurred her into going beyond, unraveling each sliver of a lead she could find to their bare bones, desperate searching for a concrete path.

Her research led her to the Ottrani, an isolated tribe of Vastaya whose inhabitants bore characteristics akin to those of the Lilac-Medic. There wasn’t much information about them - the only assurance being that one of them was last spotted in Mount Targon.

And that’s where she was going.

The wagon suddenly came to a halt, snapping [Y/n] out of her thoughts. The curtains at the back flapped open, revealing the tired face of the driver. “This is our last stop, Miss.” He spoke with a husky and heavy-accented voice.

[Y/n] nodded and quickly began packing her things back in her bag. She stepped out of the wagon, being unceremoniously greeted by the searing Shuriman sun - an unpleasant reminder of how far she was from home. Once her eyes adjusted to the glare, she could see they were in an Oasis - all of the other wagons setting up camp. The sound of the driver clearing his throat spun her attention back to him.

“Mount Targon is an hour's walk from here.” He said pointing to the west where [Y/n] could vaguely make out the silhouette of the mountain in the distance. “We are leaving in four days. I advise you to be back by then. We cannot afford to stay here any longer, do you understand?”

“Yes.” She replied. The last thing she needed was to get stranded in the desert. “Thank you."

The driver nodded, heading back to his wagon. [Y/n] turned to the direction of Mount Targon and, with a determined exhale, marched towards it.

—

Jayce wasn't expecting to find himself in this situation once again so soon. It almost felt like deja-vu. Almost.

Because this time he was alone - [y/n] nowhere to be found.

He glanced over at Viktor, once again unconscious on the hospital bed, an inhaler attached directly to his respiratory system through his nose. Jayce had found him collapsed on the lab floor that morning, blood-splattered around him.

The first time it happened, [Y/n] found him first. Jayce met her moments after, sitting by Viktor's hospital bed. They both waited for him to wake up side by side, firmly holding hands for support once the doctor came to give them his partner's prognosis.

This time, he was alone.

Jayce clenched his fists, his leg anxiously bouncing under it. He had found Viktor by sheer luck - he was on his way to the Council Room when he passed by the lab door ajar and something in his gut told him to check inside. Had he not entered the lab to check on Viktor, his partner would not have gotten the emergency treatment in time and he might've been dead by now. The councilman checked the time again, he was supposed to be attending a meeting that began an hour ago, but he couldn't possibly fathom the idea of leaving Viktor's side before he woke up - he needed to be sure he was fine and there was no one else that could do it at the moment but him.

"[Y/n], you selfish little prick."

Jayce murmured under his breath but shook his head in regret right after. It wasn't [Y/n]'s fault he had a fuckton of things on his plate at the moment - she didn't make him a Councilor nor was she the one that fired that rocket at the Council Room. But he couldn't help but feel a pang of grief-masked-as-anger towards her. Both he and Viktor pleaded with her not to leave Piltover and she did it anyway, leaving behind a painful void at a crucial moment - an outcome that both men warned her about.

"Excuse me, Councilor Talis." Jayce snapped out of his stupor by a deep voice. The doctor responsible for Viktor's case stood by the door, a clipboard in hand. "We need to have a word."

—

The sun was setting over the horizon casting a pale orange glow on Mount Targon. [Y/n] could feel the muscles on her legs starting to tremble at every step she took up the mountain. Her throat was parched, tongue rough like sandpaper, but she refused to drink from her canteen - the water she brought along was supposed to last her whole pilgrimage and was already dangerously low - a sad miscalculation on her part.

The girl decided to rest when the sun dipped below the horizon and dusk began its transition into night. As much as she needed to make haste, trying to climb the stone steps with dimmed vision didn't seem efficient. [Y/n] slumped down ungraciously on one of the adjacent stone platforms that dotted the way up alongside the stairway, the raw soreness of her muscles striking her at full force once she caught her breath.

She opened up her satchel bag and fished out a couple of pieces of dried fruit she got in the wagon, immediately nibbling at them. The best strategy right now was trying to recover as much energy as possible before dawn so she could make the most of the sunlight the next day.

A cold gust of wind sent shivers down [Y/n]'s bones, reminding her that the harsh weather of the Shuriman Desert didn't end with the searing heat of the sun. She gathered some dried sticks and leaves from the foliage nearby and started a fire, shielding the flames as best as she could from the wind. Sighing, she finally let her body relax a bit as the fire warmed her up.

[Y/n] gazed up at the night sky, basking in the clear view of the constellations she didn't have at Piltover. She brought her hand to the bundle of bandages covering up her stump, it would be a lie if she said her resolve wasn't faltering a bit - her missing arm, alongside her aching muscles and parched tongue alarmed her to the very real reality that her body might hinder her unable to complete her mission. Hugging her bag close to her body, she wondered if this is what Viktor felt like all the time - a mixture of frustration and fear at his inability to trust his own body.

Viktor. She gently caressed her ring with her thumb at the thought of him. She couldn't second guess her decisions now - his very life was solemnly in her hands and she didn't have anyone but herself to count on. Her body just had to endure it.

A bright bluish light jolted her awake. [Y/n] couldn't quite remember when she fell asleep as she was still sitting down with her back to the wall, hugging her bag. She blinked a few times before making out the scene before her - a small figure shadowed by the light behind them stood a few feet away from her. Instinctively, [Y/n] stumbled back, away from the figure and the light, using the bag to shield herself as best as she could.

But the figure didn't budge.

"Hello, I… I mean you no harm!"

A soft voice spoke from where the figure stood. A child's voice. Lulled by this revelation, [Y/n] took a moment to perceive her visitor.

The child bore a humanoid form, but they for sure weren't human. Their skin was tinted blue, they had hooves for feet and a pair of horns on their head. They were a Vastaya.

[Y/n] rose to her feet at the recognition.

"You… You are an Ottrani!" The girl blurted out in a mixture of surprise and elation. The Vastaya giggled at her reaction.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Illi." The child spoke. They seemed to be a girl. "You must be [Y/n]."

"Yes, I… Wait, how do you know my name?"

"Your arrival was foreseen, I was sent to escort you to the Astral Grove."

A sudden surge of both relief and anticipation hit [Y/n]. She was right. She was actually right. All those days toiling away at the library, trying to piece together a plan of action based solemnly on the information she could muster back in Piltover actually paid off. There was a Vastaya, an Ottrani in front of her, just like she hoped she'd find in Mount Targon, and they were offering guidance. This was much more than what she was hoping for. [Y/n] smiled, pressing the ring on her hand down with her thumb.

"Nice to meet you, Illi." The girl spoke, getting up. "Please, lead the way."

—

"We're going to have to keep him here for the time being. This last sudden episode seemed to have hastened the deterioration in his lungs and I'm afraid home care won't be enough from now on."

Jayce pressed his lips together in a thin line at the doctor's words. The last thing Viktor needed right now was staying cooped up in a hospital room, plagued by the inability to do anything regarding his condition other than wait. If [Y/n] was here, she could at least make him company and keep his demons somewhat at bay… But right now, having Viktor stay at the hospital meant leaving him idle, alone with his thoughts.

"Do we know exactly what caused this episode?"

"It's hard to say, he was here for a check-up just last week and his condition seemed quite stable given the circumstances." The doctor responded, flipping through the papers on his clipboard. "It could have been stress-induced."

Jayce pinched the bridge of his nose with a heavy sigh. In all her calculations to heal Viktor, [Y/n] seemed to have forgotten to factor in how her absence could negatively affect her partner's psyche and overall health. Maybe it was her own self-esteem that seemed to blind her to her importance to others. Or maybe the allure of fleeing the whole conundrum and leaving all responsibilities piled up on Jayce's lap had overridden her best judgment. Either way, the taller scientist could not help but feel anger starting to boil up.

"I need you to make this man well." Jayce spat, not looking at the doctor. "I don't care what it takes or how much it costs, just cure him."

"Councilor Talis, you must understand… we've reached the limit to what we could do to heal his ailment. We've had the best doctors in all Piltover look into his case, but no one could come up with a solution and… "

"Get me the best doctor from Zaun then." Jayce cut him off, anger seeping into his words. "This is an order."

—

The first thing [Y/n] saw upon entering the Astral Grove was a body of crystalline spring water being fed by a small waterfall. Without a second thought, the girl rushed towards it, kneeling at the edge, and desperately gulped down copious amounts of water - at least her parched throat was dealt with. As she refilled her canteen, a strange warm sensation began spreading through her missing arm, starting from the stitched-up point.

"What the… ?"

Tossing her canteen aside, she quickly unwrapped the bandages off of her left upper arm. To her surprise, the skin under the bandages was completely smooth - the wound and stitches were nowhere to be found. Her arm, although still missing a large chunk of it, was all healed up. She also felt reinvigorated, as if she had just woken up from a good night of sleep. Her hunger was gone and the pain and fatigue from the previous day had also vanished.

Like magic.

"The water of the Star Spring has healing properties." A voice behind her cleared her bewilderment. It was soft and smooth but definitely didn't belong to Illi. [Y/n] turned around only to meet a lilac-skinned older Ottrani with silver hair and a single golden horn on her head. She immediately recognized her from her readings.

"You… you are the Horned Healer!" [Y/n] spoke incredulously, the corners of her mouth slowly curling up as elation flooded her whole being. "The Seer! The Lilac-skinned Medic! Oh, gods… You actually exist! I… I found you!"

The Ottrani smiled softly at her. "Ah… I remember those names, it's been a while since I last heard them. Here in the Astral Grove, I'm known as Soraka, it's nice to meet you, [Y/n]."

[Y/n] quickly pulled herself up. "Soraka! Miss… Soraka? Anyways, I come from Piltover and we developed a technology that can harness magic using these blue crystals and… "

[Y/n] stopped speaking abruptly upon noticing Soraka had her hand lifted up.

"I am aware of your plight, Architect from Piltover." She said calmly. "The Cosmos foresaw your arrival, I had young Illi fetch you for we knew you'd be arriving today."

[Y/n] pressed her lips together in a thin line before speaking again. "Then you know why I need you to come back with me to Piltover."

"I'm afraid I cannot leave the Astral Grove." The Ottrani responded.

"Well, could I bring some of that water back with me then?"

"Unfortunately the water loses its healing capabilities once it's taken away from the Grove," Soraka mentioned. "But do not fret, for the Cosmos vowed to have a solution to your woe." The healer turned around, motioning invitingly with her hand. "Follow me."

[Y/n] hesitated for a moment. The exhilaration she felt moments ago slowly began to fade, clearing up her mind - the situation had just taken a massive turn, entirely deviating from her original plan. If the rumors were true, communing with the Cosmos could permanently dull her mind and she definitely couldn't afford that - Viktor still needed her. Then again, having Soraka alongside her felt safe - the Ottrani didn't seem to mean any harm. And if she was telling the truth, the architect could leave Mount Targon with a solution. With a resolute exhale, [Y/n] followed the mage.

They walked in silence, climbing the stone steps towards the highest point of the Astral Grove. The air was becoming thinner and [Y/n] had to hug herself in order to maintain some sliver of body heat. Halfway through, the girl spoke.

"What is it that the Cosmos have planned for me?"

"I am not aware," Soraka answered, still looking ahead. "All I know is that they will grant you what you need… at a price."

[Y/n] stopped in her tracks. "What price?"

The Ottrani turned around before speaking. "Something precious to you must be taken for the exchange to be completed."

The girl frowned. Viktor's face was the first thing her mind conjured up at the word 'precious'.

"I cannot accept the offer then." She said with a stern look on her face. "If you know my plight as you said before, you know I'm here to save what's most precious to me."

To her surprise, Soraka smiled gently. "The Cosmos will take only that which is metaphysical, Piltovian Architect. Taking someone's life isn't of any use to them."

[Y/n] exhaled. That could mean anything. Maybe they'd take one of her personality quirks, maybe they'd take away her skills as an architect, maybe even the memories of the past five years she spent alongside Viktor. Either way, if it meant saving his life, she wouldn't mind falling for him all over again. With a nod, the girl and Soraka resumed their journey.

As soon as they arrived at the summit, [Y/n] felt her jaw suddenly drop as a surprised gasp left her lips. The sky here was… different, the black of night was dotted with different hues of silver, gold, blue and orange and the stars shone so bright [Y/n] could make out entire galaxies almost perfectly. Looking up and still captivated by the Cosmos, [Y/n] made her way into the summit platform.

She halted upon hearing the sound of her name. It wasn't one voice, but a multitude of them that seemed to come from all around her, as if the sky itself was speaking, but also from within her, like her very soul, was reverberating. [Y/n] instinctively glanced back at Soraka, looking for guidance, but the Ottrani simply smiled while nodding.

It was The Cosmos.

Pressing down her ring firmly with her thumb, she took a deep breath before speaking. "I've been told I was expected."

The harmonious cacophony of voices spoke once again. "We shall grant what thou seeks, yet a sacrifice is in order."

She pressed down on the ring with enough force to leave a bruise.

"You should know I'm desperate enough to accept it." She answered, a quiver in her voice. "Take whatever you want, just please… save him."

In a flash, a single ray of golden light emanating from the sky shone directly on the girl like a stage spotlight. She felt weightless as her feet left the ground, her body hovering suspended by nothing at all. Adrenaline kicked in and she instinctively fought to get away, but it was futile. Her vision started to falter and she desperately tried to keep conscious, but whatever had her trapped was too strong - she felt like a grain of salt being struck down by a tidal wave. Soon, everything around her started to fade until there was nothing but white.

The next time she blinked, the girl found herself back in Piltover, right in the middle of the HexTech lab. The morning sun shone brightly amidst a clear blue sky, its rays casting golden light through the spotless lab windows, engulfing the place in an almost divine atmosphere. All around her the world seemed… more vivid, every color stood out in an almost unnatural saturation. She'd have lingered more in the state of her surroundings hadn't a familiar voice called out her name.

"Ah, Woodpecker! You're here." Viktor exclaimed from across the lab. He was sitting in his usual spot and seemed to be tinkering with something as per usual. "I just finished ironing out those pesky little kinks we were discussing yesterday. Please, come here, I want to show you."

[Y/n] blinked twice before making her way to his desk, the absurdity of the situation completely going over her head at the sight of him. Viktor seemed well, healthy, the color seemed to have returned to his face and there were no IV-drip or any other medical gadgetry around him. As she got closer to him, her eyes darted to the project he was working on - a toy flying ship.

"I'll just add the power source on the controller… " Viktor murmured as he lodged a single little blue shard into the back of a glove he wore, its design much similar to the HexClaw's one. Her bewilderment regarding the shard started to fade in her mind as soon as it appeared as if she had known about them for a long time - the shard was a HexShard, a smaller piece of a HexCrystal - the solution Viktor and Jayce came up with to tone the crystal's power down enough to finally grant people access to its power. With enough capacity to power tools and small gadgets, but impossible to harness destructive power, even when a large number was stacked together.

A way to safeguard HexTech against misuse.

With a flick of Viktor's wrist, the toy came to life - its air balloon started to inflate and, before she knew it, the toy began to slowly rise in the air.

It flew around the lab a few times, the scientist controlling its direction with the movements of his hand.

A satisfied exhale escaped his lips, bringing the girl's attention back to Viktor. His healthier complexion wasn't the only aspect of his that was different, she could clearly see the indentation of expression lines beginning to appear on his face as well as a few strands of white adorning his chestnut hair. Viktor was… older.

Before she could make sense of it, the lab door shot open, revealing a Jayce as older as Viktor, Mel stood beside him. Right from behind them, two smaller figures rushed inside the room before Jayce could act, they eagerly made a beeline to Viktor's and [Y/n]'s direction.

"Uncle Vik!" One of them - a young boy with skin as dark as Mel's and Jayce's tooth gap - exclaimed. "Daddy said you have a surprise for me!"

"Hey, no fair!" The second child - a girl with olive skin and golden eyes - shouted behind the boy. "Dad said the surprise was for both of us!"

"Kids, c'mon, I told you not to run in the lab!" Jayce exclaimed. "Sorry, guys… They've been incredibly agitated ever since they woke up today."

"Of course, they would be, it's not every day that one turns 8 years old," Viktor responded with a smile. The scientist brought the toy back to his hands as the two kids watched mesmerized. "Isn't that right, twins?"

"Uncle Vik, what is that?"

"This is a hand-controlled toy airship." He said, bringing the toy closer to the children's line of sight. "This is mine and Auntie [Y/n]'s birthday gift to you. But you two have to promise to play nice."

With a barrage of 'we promise!' from the twins, Viktor handed them the airship and taught them how to use the glove.

Soon, the toy airship was erratically flying around the room as Mel kept the kids in check, making sure they didn't cause any accidents with it and Jayce came running towards Viktor to discuss the schematics of his gift. The HexTech Lab was vivid, the kids' laughter alongside Mel's guidance and Viktor and Jayce's excited conversation paired with the bright morning sun painted a picture of… serenity and joy.

"It's great, isn't it?"

An eerily familiar voice spoke from behind [Y/n], making her snap her head back, looking for the source. She saw her reflection on a metal panel on the wall, but older. Suddenly, her older self smirked at her - the girl blinked twice as she brought a hand to her lips, but she wasn't smiling.

“This could’ve been your future, y’know.” The [Y/n] on the panel spoke again. “Had you not been so stubbornly selfish and decided to stay… “

As soon as the reflection finished speaking, everything went completely silent. The girl looked around and everything was frozen into place, like a snapshot. Instinctively, she turned to Viktor who was frozen in a smile talking to Jayce, his eyes brighter than the day he first stepped into her office and noticed the Undercity model in the middle of it.

All of sudden, the ground beneath her vanished and the girl fell into the dark nothingness below.

—

The next moment [Y/n] regained consciousness, she felt her cheek pressed against the stone ground of the Astral Grove’s summit. She opened her eyes slowly but had to swiftly close them again as sunlight shone directly onto her. With her eyes still closed, she sluggishly hoisted her torso up with both hands.

She snapped her eyes open at the familiar yet foreign sensation.

From her stub, an unfamiliar growth in the shape of an arm and hand had materialized overnight. Although humanoid, her new limb looked like it was made of white marble with golden veins all around it. She brought her other hand to touch it and was surprised at how soft it was, much like her skin - yet, it was ice cold. Instinctively, [Y/n] tried pulling her new arm off of her, but it was useless - it seemed to be part of her body now.

“[Y/n]! Are you all right?”

The girl snapped her attention at the entrance of the summit where Soraka stood. The Ottrani seemed… different - she wasn’t wearing the same clothes from the night before and… [Y/n] didn’t remember Soraka’s hair reaching her shoulder in the front - did it grow?

The Healer Mage approached [Y/n] with rushed steps.

“What… What is this?” The girl spurted out hoarsely while holding her left arm out.

The Vastaya kneeled beside the girl and held her new limb with both hands, her brow furrowed in what seemed a mixture of alarm and awe.

“The Aspect of the Immortal Fire… “ Soraka mumbled. “They made you a Host.”

The girl blinked in confusion. “You lost me.”

The Ottrani looked up at her, still holding her new arm. “Are you familiar with the concept of the Aspects?”

“Isn’t it just another name for the Cosmos?” She answered quizzically.

“In a way, while the Cosmos refers to the celestial body as a whole, the Aspects are entities within the Cosmos,” Soraka answered. “Each Aspect has unique characteristics and, occasionally, they select a mortal to become their champion.”

“Champion? As in their representative?” The girl inquired.

“Something along those lines.” The Ottrani replied. “The champion becomes a Host for the Aspect’s powers, a vessel with which they can interfere in the mortal realm.”

“Powers?” [Y/n] exclaimed incredulously. “This arm means I have powers now?”

Soraka turned her attention back to the girl’s marbled limb. “You now carry the powers of the Aspect of the Immortal Fire.” She spoke. “The Aspect of rejuvenation.”

Rejuvenation, the word echoed inside the girl’s head as she studied her new arm once again, the reality slowly setting in. She turned the appendage around, opening and closing her fingers - the marble quality of it dimly reflecting the sunlight.

Rejuvenation.

Rejuvenation as in…?

“I’m a healer mage.” [Y/n] mumbled. She snapped her attention back at Soraka with furrowed brows. “I’m a healer mage!” She parroted louder at which Soraka nodded.

“Oh my gods, I’m a healer mage!” She exclaimed while holding her new hand over her face. “I… I did it! I can… I can heal Viktor! I can’t believe it! And in less than a week too… “

“Two years.”

The girl stared in confusion at Soraka’s words. “What?”

“The Cosmos held you asleep in suspension for two years,” Soraka spoke again, apprehensive. “That’s the toll you paid.”

Only that which is metaphysical.

[Y/n] held her breath in realization. The Cosmos took the only other thing that was more precious to her than Viktor - the little time she had left to save him.

“No.” She spat getting up, the weight of it all slamming into her full force. “No no no no… They couldn’t…” She looked back at Soraka. "You said the Cosmos didn't take lives!."

"And they don't," Soraka replied calmly. "They didn't."

"THEY DID." [Y/n] barked back. "HE DIDN'T HAVE TWO YEARS LEFT, HE MUST'VE…" She stopped mid-sentence as the weight of her next words sank in. "He must've died… oh, gods." The girl collapsed to her knees, the tears starting to flood her vision. She was too late… In her desperation to save him, she ended up leaving him to die alone, just as Jayce had warned her.

The girl glanced down at her marble arm, it shone in the sunlight, heavily contrasting with her other one. It almost seemed to mock her, like a golden key to a chest thrown into the ocean, fated to never unlock it.

This could’ve been your future, y’know.

Her older reflection's voice echoed in her mind, bringing the whole vision she had during her suspension to the forefront.

Without looking up, [Y/n] spoke. "Can the Cosmos predict possible futures?"

Soraka paused before answering. "They can."

The girl clenched her fists at the Ottrani words.

"The vision I had during suspension… " [Y/n] started again, her voice starting to tremble. "Was it really the future if I had stayed…?"

The Vastaya pressed her lips together before replying. "It is impossible to tell. I am not familiar with the vision you had, the Cosmos didn't tell me anything." She said, carefully choosing her words. "It could be a prediction of the Cosmos, yet it could also be just the fruit of a troubled consciousness."

[Y/n] didn't respond, Soraka's answer did nothing to help assuage her growing nerves. If this was just an elaborate joke with her anguish as the punchline, it was a fucking terrible one.

Why would the Cosmos trick her like this?

Why… would they grant her these powers?

…

[Y/n] frowned. If it was just a trick, then why would they bother to leave her with said powers? A consolation prize? But… Now that the reason she needed those powers were gone, what was even the point in granting them in the first place?

Unless…

"It's not too late." The girl whispered. "I must still have time."

It could be, couldn't it? Medical predictions might be based on scientific facts, but they were just that… predictions. Viktor could have survived. Viktor could still be alive.

She turned to Soraka. "I need to get back to Piltover." She said. "But first, I need you to tell me how to use this thing."

"When the time comes, the Immortal Fire will whisper to you and you will know." The Ottrani replied calmly. "We can send you back to Piltover, follow me."

—

In a flash of blue light, [Y/n] spawned somewhere else entirely. The smell was the first thing to hit, stuffy but nostalgic, as her eyes adjusted to the dimly lit enclosed space, she would recognize the poorly decorated living room anywhere - she was at her apartment in The Fringes.

It had been a while since the last time she had visited, not even considering the last two years she was held asleep. Ever since she was granted a dorm room at the Academy, she'd started using her small apartment more like a hub - a place to stop by whenever she visited the Undercity. After the animosity between Piltover and Zaun brewed to a boil, and Viktor's illness started to get worse, she stopped visiting the place entirely.

Viktor. She had no time to dwell on nostalgic memories right now. Without a second glance, [Y/n] stormed to the door, grabbed a dusty coat from the hanger beside it to hide her new arm in, and hastily stepped outside.

She was greeted by a drastically different The Fringes. The streets were empty, saved only by the lines of Enforcers patrolling them. There were big spotlights aimed at every single passage connecting Zaun to The Fringes, as well as military outposts guarding them. Before she could make sense of it all, a spotlight was turned directly at her.

"HEY, YOU!" She heard an enforcer shouting from somewhere below her.

"What the… " Was everything she could mutter before she started to feel the trembling of the steel staircase beneath her feet as a trio of Enforcers climbed up, reaching the floor she was in. Still blinded by the spotlight, she felt one of the Enforcers pinning her arms behind her while another pointed a gun at her and the third shouted at her face.

"YOU ARE UNDER ARREST FOR VIOLATING THE NEUTRALITY ZONE."

"What? But I LIVE here!" She tried protesting to no avail.

The Enforcers brought her forcefully to the ground floor and, before she knew it, she was taken to the bridge connecting Piltover and Zaun. The place was packed full of Enforcers and military infrastructure everywhere… and empty of civilians.

“Councilor! We caught this trespasser near the town center.” One of the Enforcers spoke. “Our squad is currently scouting the area to see if there are any others.”

“That’s…” A familiar voice rang from somewhere further on the bridge. “[Y/n]?”

The girl’s eyes shot up at the mention of her name. The next thing she knew, a broad-shouldered tall man hastily got her free from the Enforcers. He placed both hands on her shoulders as she saw his caramel eyes studying her face like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

“[Y/n]! You’re alive!” Jayce exclaimed, bringing the girl into a tight hug, cupping the back of her head protectively, like he was afraid she could vanish if he didn’t. “Oh, gods. I… We thought we’d lost you!”

She felt herself melt in the familiarity of his warmth and scent. As the anxiety of being arrested and dragged around subsided, her rational mind went back to work.

“Jayce, what is all this?” She inquired. “What happened to The Fringes?”

He pressed his lips together before answering.

“A lot has happened in the last two years,” Jayce replied “Piltover officially declared war against Zaun. The Fringes were evacuated and its citizens either descended to Zaun or traversed the bridge to Piltover. It is a Neutrality Zone now.”

"What? You've dismantled The Fringes??" She inquired. Jayce pursed his lips at her accusatory tone.

"We could have seen this through together if you hadn't left." He spat at her but composed himself the next second. "I'm sorry, it just boggles my mind you left with only a note, despite everything that was going on at the time. You have no idea how hard it has been."

[Y/n] exhaled deeply at his words. She couldn't possibly blame Jayce, despite her good intentions, her actions had a clear negative impact too.

"I'm sorry, Jayce… " She whispered. "I know I left you and Viktor with a lot on your plates… But I did it." She looked up at him trying to sound a little more enthusiastic. " I can save Viktor."

Jayce's face went through a journey at her words. At first, he looked at her in surprise, his mouth hanging open for a second. The next moment, he pressed his lips together, looking away - his eyes darting around like he was debating with himself about something. Finally, he exhaled deeply while closing his eyes. When he opened them again, he looked at her with the gentlest expression he could muster.

"That 's great." He said softly. "Follow me, I'll take you to him."

The walk back to Piltover and into the Academy was silent. Jayce faced forward with a very stern look like he was struggling with something. Although noticing it, [Y/n] didn’t dwell on it much - she was too busy trying to come up with an apology for Viktor.

Once she decided to go on her quest, she had a whole apology speech prepared. What she hadn’t prepared for is staying two years away from Piltover, without being able to contact anyone. Jayce mentioned it earlier - they thought she was dead, she couldn’t imagine the pain this could've caused Viktor, especially in his already deteriorated state.

Well, first things first - the moment she saw Viktor, she’d go straight to healing him. She still had no idea how, but Soraka said the Aspect would guide her - the girl hoped the Ottrani was right.

Jayce guided her up the Academy floors and into Heimerginger’s - now Jayce’s - ex-lab. Upon entering, she frantically looked around, trying to find Viktor, but there was no sign of it. She turned to face Jayce in confusion and the man simply signed with his head towards the balcony. “He’s up there.”

Confused, [Y/n] climbed up the stairs to the mezzanine where the statue of Stanwick Pididly stood in an alcove alongside another statue on the other side of the door, but something was different. A third alcove was dug next to the one where Pididly stood and, in there, the statue of a man she’d recognize anywhere.

The statue of Viktor stood in front of her in all of its golden glory. He leaned on his cane while looking at an orb he held between his fingers - a clear representation of a HexCrystal. She stared at it with confusion, what a statue of Viktor would be doing in Jayce’s office? If they were gonna celebrate the creators of HexTech, wouldn’t it make more sense to have a Jayce statue alongside him? Why was only Viktor here?

The pieces started to fall into place in her mind as she heard Jayce approaching behind her. She came to the dreadful realization before he spoke.

“I’m sorry, [Y/n]... But Viktor is dead.”

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Glossary:

Astral Grove - The Astral Grove is located on the upper slopes south of Mount Targon. It is where Soraka and the Ottrani Tribe reside.

Aspects - The Aspects are stellar beings that live beyond the physical and spiritual realms of Runeterra, in the Celestial Realm of the City of Gold and Silver.

Aspect of the Immortal Fire - An Aspect in the form of a four-winged phoenix linked to rejuvenation.

Mount Targon - A mountainous and sparsely inhabited region to the west of Shurima, Targon boasts the tallest peak in Runeterra. Located far from civilization,

Ottrani - The Ottrani are a landwalker sub-species and tribe of Vastaya that live in the Astral Grove of Targon.

Shurima - Desert city to the Southwest of Piltover. Used to be a powerful empire.

Star Spring - A spring of healing water in the center of the Astral Grove

Vastaya - The Vastaya are a chimeric race of Runeterra that are the weaker magical descendants from enlightened mortals that took the power of the spirit realm into themselves known as the Vastayashai'rei.

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