Chapter 2
Zaun—Piltover’s lower counterpart. A city built on the working class. Factories, mines, and child labor. It was often overlooked by Piltover, only acknowledged when the city needed something for trade or its own benefit.
The people of Zaun built families out of survivors. They stuck together in groups because fighting was the only way to stay alive.
It wasn’t always like this. Before, it was just Zaun—a small, thriving city. But then, outsiders came. A wealthy family from overseas saw the potential for more. They seized the opportunity to build a ‘better’ community—one that flourished at Zaun’s expense. One that forced countless workers into long, grueling hours.
Now, the city was overrun by gangs. Some wanted peace, hoping to make amends with Piltover. Others worked to bring both cities to their knees.
Vander, Felicia, and Silco were the heart of Zaun—a small group of friends who spent long, punishing hours in the mines, only to resurface and spend their nights at the bar Vander ran.
But over the years, everything changed. A fight on the bridge. One that killed many—enforcers and Zaunites alike. Felicia had taken a bullet to the heart. Vander could still remember the screams if he tried hard enough. The small, sharp gasp she made before her life slipped away. Not far from her, her husband followed.
They left behind two children. A small family, and countless memories.
—
“Vander?”
A soft voice pulled him from his thoughts. He turned, his grip tightening around his glass before easing when his eyes landed on a small girl—pink-haired, her face smudged with dirt from the day’s events.
Vander chuckled, setting his glass down. “Vi?” She looked tired. A little beat up. He sighed. God, he felt bad for this kid’s soulmate. “It’s rather late, don’t you think?”
Vi just shrugged and pushed herself up onto the bar. “I couldn’t sleep,” she muttered, rubbing her forehead before huffing. “I keep—” She placed her hands in front of her, palms up. They were covered in blisters. Her muscles ached. And—God—she hated it. “What’s happening?”
“You’re blistering, kiddo,” he chuckled, smiling. “What were you doing?”
“Nothing!” she shot back defensively. “I was just sitting around with Powder and Little Man.”
Vander snorted, shaking his head. “Must have been your soulmate then,” he mused, moving across the bar to grab a glass.
"Yeah, well, they’ve gotta be an idiot," Vi muttered, scowling at her hands before watching Vander pour her a glass of orange juice. She took it, despite the dull ache in her fingers.
“You hurt them more, you know that, right?” Vander said, shaking his head as he dried another glass.
Vi didn’t want to think about her soulmate—about how much pain she could be causing them. Living in Zaun was hard enough as it was. She didn’t need Vander constantly reminding her that she was hurting someone who might already be suffering. The thought alone stung.
The bar was empty. Silence stretched between them as Vi drank and Vander cleaned. The warmth of the juice lingered, but she still felt on edge. Her hands ached. Her thoughts raced.
By the time she left, the streets were nearly deserted. But the weight in her chest remained.
That’s how she ended up sprinting across rooftops with her siblings, hoping the rush of a heist would clear her mind.
—
Vi wasn’t exactly sure why she was taking tips from her sister and Ekko. But it was her own fault for following along so easily. They were smart kids—smarter than she was. Her sister had a knack for making bombs and trinkets that helped them when they needed it. Ekko was the kind of smart that came with fixing things.
So, part of her knew that, because of their like-mindedness, this tip would work in their favor.
She had gone out with her three siblings—Mylo, Claggor, and Powder. They had to leave Ekko behind—something about helping Benzo around the shop.
Vi found peace in running along the rooftops of the Topsiders’ buildings. Every roof was different from the last. Some slanted dangerously, others were flat, making it easy to sprint across. She felt at home leaping from building to building. If not for the three trailing behind her, she could have reached their destination in no time.
Powder was definitely the slowest of the four. She was a little less confident on the slick surfaces. Vi was sure it was because her shoes were too big for her. Mylo, on the other hand, was overly confident—something that always came back to bite him. He teased the younger ones, pushed them down, using their reactions to make himself feel superior. The two never got along—especially now.
But Vi loved her siblings nonetheless. She knew she had to be the older one—the one to step in and help when the time came. Which was now. She watched as Powder nearly tumbled over the edge, quickly grabbing her hand and pulling her up.
“Why are we doing this again?” Mylo asked, moving carefully along the edge of the building. His eyes locked upward, avoiding the sight of the drop below. Claggor lagged behind, his heavy boots clanking against the metal.
“Because Little Man said that guy was loaded,” Vi scoffed. He had been complaining the whole time. “If we can get in, grab some of his stuff, we can sell it for more and help Vander out.” She turned, jabbing a finger at Mylo’s chest. “Now shut up and keep walking.”
They kept going, leaping across a few more rooftops before arriving at their destination. The building was massive. Vi scoffed, shaking her head. “Fucking Pilties.”
She watched as Mylo tried to pick the lock. Her patience ran thin. Before long, she kicked the door in.
“Who knows how much time we have,” she muttered, stepping inside and dropping her bag before heading straight for the books.
The small family split up. Vi scanned the shelves. Mylo rummaged through odd trinkets scattered across a desk. Claggor did his own thing. Vi wasn’t sure where Powder had gone—she was too caught up in the sheer amount of stuff this man had.
The place was huge, filled with shelves and desks cluttered with blueprints, gears, books, and all sorts of strange objects. It was a lived-in home—obviously well-loved.
They were so caught up in their findings that when the door handle started to turn, Vi jolted back to reality. She rushed forward, grabbing a nearby chair and wedging it under the handle.
“Powder!?” Vi called out when she didn’t see her sister. Mylo and Claggor were already moving toward the exit, but Powder was nowhere in sight. That worried her.
A small click echoed through the room.
Before any of them could react, an explosion of blue erupted. Dark powder filled the air, shimmering with electric sparks. Sending everyone back, throwing Vi to the ground.
Vi was mesmerized. Maybe it was the sudden pain lancing through her skull. Or maybe it was the pulsating sensation crawling down her spine, spreading like wildfire.
She wasn’t sure when she hit the floor. Why her vision blurred. Why she couldn’t move. Her eyes fluttered, desperately trying to make sense of the shifting world around her.
Through the haze, she saw Powder stumble out of the smoke, coughing. Their eyes met, and Vi watched the color drain from her sister’s face. Powder’s legs buckled as she collapsed beside her.
Vi couldn’t hear anything—the ringing was too loud. But she saw Powder’s lips moving, forming words she couldn’t understand. Tears streaked down her dirt-smudged cheeks, glistening in the flickering blue light.
Vi was helpless. Stuck in a body that wouldn’t respond, forced to watch her younger sister sob over her.
Her vision swam, drowning in a sea of blue. Distant voices crackled in and out, warping like a broken radio. Shadows loomed above her—blurred, shifting figures she couldn’t recognize.
What the hell had just happened to her?