Echoes of the past
The world returns in fragments as Caitlyn pulls the blindfold from her eyes. Blurred shapes sharpen into towering beams of metal and wood, bathed in the soft, ethereal glow of bioluminescent flora. Lanterns hang from twisted vines, casting flickering shadows across the repurposed industrial structure, once forgotten, now transformed into something alive. The air hums with quiet energy, the distant murmur of voices, the creak of makeshift bridges swaying overhead.
"Was it really necessary?" she mutters, adjusting to the dim light.
"Haven’t you caught up already?" Jinx’s voice lilts with amusement, exaggeratedly formal. "Safety measures, your majesty." She gives a theatrical bow, grinning behind her mask.
Caitlyn exhales sharply, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.
Jinx turns to Ekko, jerking a thumb toward their unconscious guest. "Take Gert somewhere else while we wait for her to wake up. And don’t let her choke on her own spit or something."
Ekko huffs.
"You’re the one who knocked her out. Told you not to hit her that hard," Jinx singsongs, waving him off as if it’s a minor inconvenience.
Caitlyn barely hears them. She turns in place, taking it all in—the cascading platforms, the reclaimed wreckage woven seamlessly with nature, vines creeping over rusted railings, neon markings illuminating hidden pathways. It’s a stark contrast to Zaun’s usual chaos, an oasis suspended between the ruins.
"It’s beautiful," Caitlyn breathes, almost to herself.
She turns on her boots, her gaze catching on the massive tree standing at the center of everything. Its roots twist through the reclaimed wreckage, weaving into the foundation of the hideout itself. Beneath its sprawling branches, a mural stretches across the wall, figures painted in rich, muted tones. Firelights, she assumes.
Jinx catches her staring and steps up beside her. "Fascinating, isn’t it? The first time we saw it, we knew it was the right place. Ekk—" She cuts herself off, rolling her tongue against her teeth before correcting herself. "Z said something about how if a single seed could grow down here, then so could we."
She tilts her head, her gaze drifting up to the mural. The usual mischief in her voice lost. "This is everyone we’ve lost. The price of our freedom. Some of it was enforcers…" Her fingers twitch at her side. "Most was Silco."
Caitlyn watches her out of the corner of her eye. There’s something else there, unsaid, lingering in the way Jinx’s lips press together, in the sheen of her eyes. But Caitlyn doesn’t press. Instead, she studies the mural again, her focus landing on a pink-haired girl at its center. Something about her tugs at Caitlyn’s mind, maybe the eyes. A strange familiarity. But it must be a coincidence.
The silence between them isn’t quite comfortable, but it isn’t tense either. Just… there.
Then Ekko’s voice calls from above. "She’s awake. And pretty annoying."
Jinx exhales, the weight in her shoulders shaking off as she snaps back to her usual self. She spins on her heel, throwing Caitlyn a grin. "Well, duty calls. After you, Princess." She gestures toward the upper level where Ekko waits.
Caitlyn adjusted the mask over her face, the unfamiliar weight of it pressing against her skin. It wasn’t anything fancy, just a simple cover to hide her identity, but it was enough. She remained at the back of the room, arms crossed, watching as Gert sat bound to a chair, thick ropes digging into her wrists.
The moment she had woken up and taken in her surroundings, she had smirked. The Firelights. One of the only gangs that didn’t work for Silco.
Ekko stood before her, arms folded. "We know Silco was behind the attack on the university," he said, voice level. "You tell us what you know, confirm it, and we let you walk out of here. That simple."
Gert gave a short, amused exhale, shaking her head. "You're crazy if you think I’d tell you anything."
Ekko remained unfazed. "How many people worked the attack? How’d they pull it off without anyone noticing?"
Silence.
Gert leaned back against the chair as much as the restraints allowed, completely at ease, like she was lounging in a bar instead of being interrogated. Caitlyn watched Ekko’s expression tighten. He had expected this, Silco’s people were loyal but he was hoping for at least a slip, a tell, something to work with.
Jinx, on the other hand, had far less patience.
Without warning, she lashed out, gripping Gert’s jaw and forcing her head up. The air shifted, the room growing smaller, heavier.
"Do you feel that, Gert?" Jinx murmured, her voice sickly sweet. "I’m sure you can smell the gunpowder."
She didn’t even bother pulling her gun first. Instead, she leaned down, pressing her forehead against Gert’s, fingers tightening painfully against her jaw. Then, suddenly, she let go, only to bring the back of her hand across Gert’s face. Hard.
Gert let out a sharp grunt, her head snapping to the side. A thin trickle of blood welled at the corner of her mouth.
Jinx grinned. "My bad, you know how I get."
Caitlyn stiffened.
Jinx finally pulled out her gun, pressing the barrel roughly against Gert’s temple, forcing her head back.
"Don’t play smart with us, because in a moment, it could all go to hell," she whispered, her finger resting against the trigger. "Bang."
Caitlyn could tell that something had drastically shifted in Jinx’s behavior, her eyes full of turmoil and something heavier that she could not tell.
Gert’s breath hitched, just for a second. She still tried to play it cool, but Caitlyn could see the slight tremor in her hands, the way her shoulders tensed against the restraints. Jinx scoffed, pulling back just enough to twirl the gun in her fingers before slamming the grip of it into Gert’s stomach. The woman coughed, her body jerking against the chair.
"So… let’s try this again, huh?" Jinx said, voice dripping with mock patience. "How many?". For a moment, the silence stretched. The only sound was the faint hum of the underground hideout, the distant murmur of Firelights moving about. Then Gert exhaled, rolling her shoulders like she was settling in.
"You already know who did it," she said, her voice light, almost amused. "Only took one person."
Ekko narrowed his eyes. "One person?"
Gert nodded. "And the only one capable of doing it alone, without getting caught, is The Hound."
Jinx stiffened, The Hound. No one was worthy of that name, specially not that beast. A name that once filled her with pride, a tribute to her father figure. A name that used to bring hope and peace to the streets of the Undercity, and now it only brought disgust and anger to her gut.
At first she tried to force herself to believe it was just a rumor, spread by Silco’s men to instill fear and respect in what were now their streets. A lame move to try and eliminate whatever respect and loyalty was left for Vander and his movement, a myth to scare topsiders and everyone who dared to oppose him. But then the bodies started to showing up, not just enforcers but Firelights.
Then it all became too real, the pattern became impossible to ignore. Torn apart, just like the enforcers. Just like the stories. That’s when she knew The Hound wasn’t just real, it was a problem. And now, hearing the name again, her stomach twisted. Her grip on the gun tightened as she met Gert’s gaze.
"Who is The Hound?" Caitlyn asked, her voice sharp.
Gert turned toward her, tilting her head like she was just now noticing the mask. And then, she grinned.
"You guys are taking Pilties in now? Hard days, huh?"
Caitlyn opened her mouth, but Gert cut her off with a knowing smirk. "Your accent gives you away."
Caitlyn’s jaw tightened beneath the mask, but she didn’t flinch. She kept her stance steady, waiting.
"It’s Silco’s lapdog," Jinx spat, her voice laced with something bitter, something venomous. "That thing’ll kill anything in its way."
But then, she hesitated. Just for a second. Her lips parted, her brows knit together. She glanced at Gert, her fingers twitching. "But this" Jinx shook her head, like she was trying to make sense of it. "This doesn’t make sense." Her mind raced, pieces clicking together, forming an image she didn’t like.
"Silco would never attack enforcers," she said, her voice quieter now, but sharper. "They work for him."
Caitlyn’s breath hitched, something in her gut twisting at Jinx’s words. Silco would never attack enforcers. They work for him. The weight of that statement settled over her like a slow-building storm. She had known something was off about the whole situation, the way the Sheriff barely addressed the murders, how the bodies were quietly dealt with, how the Council received only vague reports that led nowhere. She had chalked it up to negligence, maybe even fear.
But this? This was something else entirely.
Her mind spun with the implications. If Silco didn’t order the attack, then who did? And why? And if The Hound really did kill those enforcers, was it on orders… or something else? Her grip on her arm tightened, nails pressing into her sleeve as she forced herself to stay still, to not react. Not yet.
Jinx took a slow step forward, her breath steady but her chest tight.
"So what changed?" Her lips curled into something like a snarl. "Little lapdog got out of her leash?"
Silence.
Gert didn't say anything. Just sat there, head slightly turned from the last blow, breathing through her nose like she could still taste the blood in her mouth.
She moved closer, the gun pressing against Gert’s temple now. "I said, what the fuck changed?" Gert barely had a second to react before Jinx’s fist met her face again, sharp knuckles cracking against her jaw. Her head snapped to the side, blood dripping fresh from her nose now.
"Jinx!" Caitlyn started, stepping forward. "I believe that’s eno—"
The door slammed open, the impact loud enough to rattle the walls. A figure stepped through, the scent of metal lingering in the air as she did.
She was tall, broad-shouldered, with a presence that demanded attention without needing to speak. Her left arm gleamed under the dim lighting, a hulking mechanical prosthetic, bulkier than most, fitted with exposed wiring and plating that looked like it had been through hell. The design was jagged, almost cruel but with what seemed to be a child’s doodles in it.
Her mask covered most of her face, but Jinx knew those sharp, assessing eyes anywhere.
The tension in the room shifted instantly.
Sevika exhaled, almost like she was disappointed but not exactly surprised by the scene in front of her. Her gaze flicked lazily from Jinx to Gert, taking in the bloodied mess, before landing on Ekko and Caitlyn, barely sparing them a second glance.
"What the hell is going on here?" Her voice was calm, low, but carried the weight of someone who was used to being listened to. Jinx still had her gun against Gert’s head, her fingers twitching like she was debating whether or not to pull the trigger just to prove a point.
Sevika raised an eyebrow at her, then exhaled, shaking her head. "Why don’t you go see them?" she said, voice almost casual. "You need to cool down for a bit."
It was like a switch flipped. Jinx’s expression twisted, her manic energy draining in an instant. Her grip loosened on the gun as her jaw locked.She turned her head slowly, her pupils blown wide, lips parting just slightly like she might say something. But she didn’t.
She just stared.
Sevika met her gaze head-on, unreadable.
Jinx swallowed hard, then scoffed, clicking the safety back on her gun. "Tch." Jinx turned on her heel and strode toward the door without another word, her boots scuffing against the worn floor.
Caitlyn watched her back as she walked away, noting the rigid set of her shoulders, the tension in the way her fingers twitched at her sides. For all her usual bravado, there was something unsteady about her now, like a wire pulled too tight, ready to snap.
Ekko exhaled sharply through his nose, then tilted his head—a small, almost imperceptible motion. Caitlyn caught it immediately. A silent command.
She hesitated only a second before following Jinx. She didn’t acknowledge Caitlyn. She didn’t speak, didn’t fidget, didn’t even hum under her breath like she usually did when her mind was restless. She just walked, stiff and quiet, like a coiled spring wound too tight.
They passed through a narrow corridor, the walls damp and scarred with age, the air thick with the smell of rust. Firelights moved around them, sparing curious glances but saying nothing. At the end of the hall, Jinx pushed open a heavy metal door, stepping inside without hesitation. Caitlyn followed.
The room was small, dimly lit by the flickering glow of candles. And in the center, against the wall, was a makeshift altar. Caitlyn’s breath caught.
Photos were arranged with meticulous care. Their faces preserved in time, surrounded by offerings: scattered bullet casings, gears, a rusted wrench, a pair of old boxing gloves . A small, stitched doll sat in front of them, eerily familiar, its button eyes reflecting the candlelight.
Jinx stopped in front of it, staring.
Caitlyn swallowed, her voice softer than she intended. “…You made this?”
Jinx didn’t answer. She just stood there, gripping the edge of the table so tightly her knuckles turned white. For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The only sound was the soft flicker of candle flames, the distant murmur of the hideout beyond.
“This is the best we could do for them,” Jinx murmured, finally breaking the silence. She lowered herself in front of the altar, staring at the photographs as if she could bring them back just by looking long enough. She lifted a finger, pointing to each one in turn.
“The pink-headed one is Violet, my sister. Those two are Claggor and Mylo—my brothers.” Her voice wavered for just a second, but she masked it quickly, tapping the last picture. “And this one… Vander. He raised all of us.”
Caitlyn found herself at a loss for words. She hesitated, then gently placed a hand on Jinx’s shoulder.
Jinx let out a bitter chuckle. “Today makes eight years since we lost them. This stupid altar is the best we could do for them. We didn’t even have bodies to bury. Not like we do that down here, but, y’know… it would’ve been nice. It’s the least they deserved.”
“I’m really sor—”
Jinx held up a hand, cutting her off. “Save it, Princess. I don’t need your pity. It’s been a while now.”
Caitlyn glanced at the pictures again. “She looks really brave. Your sister, I mean. Like nothing scared her.”
A small, fleeting smile ghosted across Jinx’s face at the mention of Vi. “She was the toughest person in all of Zaun. But Vi was brave because she was afraid. Her fear of losing us made her fight so damn hard all the time. There wasn’t a single kid who didn’t admire her. You should’ve seen Pretty Boy when he was little—he was her biggest fan. After me, of course.” She let out a humorless laugh, but there was warmth beneath the grief.
Caitlyn hesitated. “May I ask what happened?”
Jinx’s expression darkened, the light in her eyes flickering like the candles beside her. “Silco happened.”
She inhaled sharply, fingers curling against her arms. “He took Vander to this stupid old factory—something about revenge, some old dispute between them. I don’t know the details, but Vi went after him. My brothers followed, like always.” Her voice dropped lower. “She only told me one thing: to stay put with Z. One simple damned thing. But I couldn’t just sit there while my family was in danger.”
She exhaled sharply, jaw clenched. “So I grabbed my bombs and went after them.”
Jinx’s hands shook slightly as she continued, her voice distant. “When I got there, I saw them. Vi was screaming, covered in blood. Vander was tied to a chair, Mylo and Claggor were trying to free him. And then… Silco showed up. With all his goons.”
Her breath hitched, and Caitlyn could see the moment the memory swallowed her whole. “I panicked. I was so scared of losing my family again. So as his men closed in, I did the only thing I could—I threw the bomb.”
She stopped, her mouth slightly open, but no words came. The silence stretched, suffocating.
Jinx swallowed hard. “The next thing I saw… were their bodies.” Her voice cracked. “And Silco. Lifting Vi’s body.”
Jinx let out a hollow breath, barely above a whisper. “Y’know, watching your family die is one thing.” Her fingers curled tighter around the edge of the table. “But knowing they died because of you? That’s something else entirely.”
Caitlyn’s throat tightened. “You were just a kid, Jinx.”
For the first time, Jinx lifted her gaze from the altar, her blue eyes cold and glassy as they met Caitlyn’s. “So were they.”
Just as the heavy silence settled between them, the door creaked open. Small, hesitant footsteps padded across the floor. Jinx blinked, her expression shifting in an instant as a small figure made a beeline toward her. “Isha,” Jinx muttered, straightening up. “The hell are you doing here?”
The little girl stopped just in front of Jinx, tilting her head up at her with wide, expectant eyes.
Jinx ran a hand down her face. “How many times do I gotta tell you?” Her voice was sharp but not unkind. “You stay in your room or with the others when we’re working. You can’t just wander in whenever you feel like it.”
Isha frowned but didn’t back away. Jinx let out a long sigh, rubbing at her temple. Then, almost reluctantly, she glanced at Caitlyn before looking back at Isha.
“…Fine. This time.” The words carried more weight than they should have, a quiet admission that, for once, she wasn’t worried about the kid being in the room.
Isha’s eyes flickered between them, then she raised her hands and made a few quick gestures.
Jinx rolled her eyes. “Alright, alright, I get it.” She turned to Caitlyn with a smirk, though it lacked its usual sharpness. “Princess, meet Isha.” She ruffled the girl’s hair, earning a glare. “She’s a little pain in the ass, but we like her.”
Isha crossed her arms, unimpressed, but her lips twitched like she was holding back a smile.
Caitlyn crouched slightly to be at eye level with the girl, offering a small smile. "Hello, Isha," she said gently. "It’s nice to meet you."
Isha watched her for a moment, then gave a small nod before turning back to Jinx, seemingly satisfied. Caitlyn hesitated, her gaze flickering between Isha and Jinx. Then again. And again. She wanted to ask. The question sat heavy on her tongue, but every time she opened her mouth, she stopped herself.
Jinx caught it. Of course, she did. A loud, abrupt laugh burst from her lips, echoing off the walls. "Gods, no!" she wheezed, clutching her sides. "She’s not mine."
Caitlyn blinked, startled.
Jinx smirked, shaking her head. "Well, not like that, but at the same time... kinda." She reached out and ruffled Isha’s hair again, and this time the girl swatted her hand away with a glare.
Isha quickly signed something to Jinx, her hands moving in sharp, deliberate motions. Jinx’s grin faltered for a second, her expression shifting. "Huh?" She clicked her tongue, then, without warning, lifted Isha effortlessly into her arms.
"Guess that means we should find Sev," she said, turning to Caitlyn. "C’mon, Princess, you’re in for a treat."
Jinx barely had time to set Isha down before Sevika pulled her aside, her grip firm. Caitlyn and Ekko exchanged a glance but stayed close enough to overhear.
“There’s a blockade forming,” Sevika muttered, low and serious. “Word is, Piltover’s locking down the bridges. If you’re gonna get Princess here back to her castle, now’s the time. Otherwise, she’s stuck here.”
Jinx crossed her arms, lips pressing into a thin line.
Sevika’s eyes narrowed, “She got what she wanted. She knows who did it. So unless you’re looking for more reasons to get yourself killed, I suggest you quit playing hero and let her go, she’s not our problem anymore Jinx.”
Caitlyn bristled, stepping forward. “I’m right here, you know.”
Sevika barely spared her a glance. “Yeah, and I don’t care.”
Jinx scoffed. “Always a ray of sunshine, Sev.”
Just as Sevika was about to bark back the door swung open with a loud bang. Scar stumbled inside, panting, his face streaked with soot and sweat. “We got a problem.”
Jinx tilted her head, unimpressed. “What else is new?”
Scar ignored her, looking straight at Ekko. “One of Silco’s shimmer factories just went up in flames. The enforcers are all over it.”
Ekko stiffened. Jinx turned sharply toward him.
“You think they’ll be there?” she asked, her voice quieter now
Caitlyn’s heart clenched. She had gotten what she came for—the truth about what happened. She could leave, make it back to Piltover before the blockade locked her in.
But she looked at Jinx, at Ekko, at Isha clutching Jinx’s sleeve. Then she looked at Scar, breathless, covered in the aftermath of whatever hell had just gone down.
Jinx caught her stare and grinned. “Well, Princess? You coming or what?”
Caitlyn exhaled sharply. Then she reached for her rifle. “I’m coming.”
The building loomed below them, its roof half-collapsed from the explosion. Smoke curled out from the shattered windows, thick and suffocating, masking the figures moving inside. The only thing they could hear were the screams—high-pitched, desperate cries—and the sharp cracks of gunfire cutting through the chaos.
From their vantage point on the roof, Caitlyn adjusted her rifle, peering through the broken skylight. The smoke swirled, parting just enough for her to see inside.
She felt her stomach drop.
Dozens of children were huddled together, pressed against the walls, their small bodies trembling in fear. Some clung to each other, their faces streaked with soot and terror. Others cowered behind wooden crates, their wide eyes darting toward the armed enforcers storming through the room.
But what made Caitlyn’s blood run cold was the sheer brutality of it.
The enforcers didn’t hesitate. They dragged children out from their hiding spots, tossing them toward the exits like discarded cargo. A few of the older kids fought back, throwing makeshift weapons, clawing at their captors, but they were struck down with brutal efficiency.
Caitlyn’s grip tightened around her rifle. She had heard whispers of corruption, of enforcers turning a blind eye or accepting bribes. But this? This was slaughter.
Her voice was quiet but firm. “We need to help them.”
No one answered at first. Then Jinx let out a humorless laugh, shaking her head.
“The son of a bitch uses kids to mask his drugs.” Her voice was sharp, bitter. “Smart, in a sick kind of way.¨
Ekko’s expression was unreadable, but his fists were clenched.
Sevika exhaled through her nose. “Be smart, kid.” She didn’t look at Caitlyn but at the enforcers below. “His pawns are gonna be here any minute.”
Caitlyn hesitated, lips pressing into a thin line. She knew Sevika was right, Silco’s people wouldn’t let this go unanswered. If they stayed too long, they’d get caught in the crossfire.
Still, she couldn’t just stand here and do nothing.
Then the lights went out and for a moment everything was silent. The only sounds were the panicked shouts of the enforcers, their boots scraping against the debris-covered floor. Someone barked an order, but it was lost in the confusion.
Muzzle flashes lit up the darkness as the enforcers fired blindly into the shadows, hitting nothing. Their voices turned frantic, their movements more erratic. And just like that they saw it.
A figure moving in the darkness—fast, brutal. A shape cutting through the enforcers like they were nothing more than paper. Caitlyn barely caught a glimpse at first, but then the smoke parted just enough.
Metal gleamed in the dim light.
A fully mechanical arm, tore through an enforcer, sending blood splattering across the floor. The figure was relentless, moving with a predator’s precision, every strike lethal.
Then the light from a stray muzzle flash illuminated her face.
A mask covered the upper half of her face, gold and ivory gleaming under the light, its sharp, mechanical edges catching the glow. For a moment, the mask almost seemed alive, its purple eyes staring back at them through the skylight.
Caitlyn’s stomach twisted into knots, she had seen that mask before.
A memory surfaced—a darkened room, the scent of perfume and liquor thick in the air, the glow of neon signs bleeding through the curtains. The pleasure house.
It’s her.
Her mind was still catching up, processing everything she was seeing. The Hound was not just killing enforcers out of sheer enjoyment and brutality, she was protecting the kids. Whenever an enforcer got too close to one of the trembling children, she was there—ripping them away, throwing them into the darkness. One of them tried to grab a small boy, but before he could even react, the Hound was already on him.
Her claws sank into his chest. A sickening crunch.
Then she tossed him aside like a broken doll. The children didn’t scream. They just watched her with wide, hollow eyes, as if they knew she wasn’t there to hurt them.
Jinx exhaled through her nose, shaking her head. “Well, shit.”
Caitlyn swallowed, unable to look away.
The Hound straightened, chest rising and falling with slow, measured breaths. Smoke curled around her, her black hair falling over her mask in loose, messy strands. She turned her head slightly, just enough to glance up at the skylight.
Caitlyn felt her heart stop.
Because, for a split second, she swore The Hound was looking right at her.