"Suhbi al naa yih"
Quick note: Everything in italics and bold is thoughts/music and can be heard by those present. Isha's dialogues are all in sign language.
Vi felt like vomiting, she didn't want to see herself in the blue uniform or killing her sister... Maybe that was why Isha had hit her. How much had she ruined his life? Being an enforcer was already too much.
Silco felt Isha move in her arms waking up, the girl rubbed her eyes gently and yawned. "Did you sleep well, dear?"
Isha nodded before pointing at her dad who was looking at her with shining eyes. "He's my daddy."
Silco sighed, looking at the idiot boy. "Yeah, I know. We've met before."
Ekko looked at him with displeasure, that man had done so much wrong and he had the nerve to appear calm.
Isha looked at her grandfather happily. "Are you friends?"
Ekko looked at his daughter, not wanting to break her bubble of happiness, so he said through gritted teeth, "Yes, we are... Friends."
Silco smiled slightly amused at the effort Firelight was making to not bother Isha. His daughter really did have bad taste.
Powder wanted to get closer to Silco, maybe it was because of how she had seen him treat Jinx, she wanted the same. That understanding... Although it hurt her to say it, she didn't find it with anyone, maybe with Ekko but he didn't know everything that was going through her head and Silco apparently did and he loved her, well, he loved Jinx but she was her counterpart so technically he loved her too.
The metals of the projector made noise, giving off small sparks of electricity alerting everyone. Before they could react the projection turned on.
Jinx, Isha, and Sevika entered a cave with large pillars, what looked like an altar with a large mural of Janna behind it. Jinx was wearing a black crop top and shorts, with bullet ammunition as a belt, a leather jacket over her shoulders and boots, her blue hair was tied in two braids. As soon as they arrived, she crouched down in front of Isha.
"I need you to listen to me carefully, okay?" Jinx said softly to her daughter as she smiled at her. "You will stay in your place and not move from there for anything."
Isha frowned as she recognized the spot in the projection, her lips began to tremble. Silco, seeing this, hugged her.
Isha looked at her in confusion, her little miner's helmet swinging over her blue curls. "Why?"
Jinx sighed, she couldn't tell her little girl what was going to happen, she could only hope and pray that Isha would obey her, she didn't know what she would do if Isha was in danger. "Because mommy is going to do something and doesn't want you to... have a tummy ache."
Isha looked at her with an adorable pout, Jinx just wanted to kiss her baby's cheeks, she was so sweet.
Ekko smiled softly, his little girl really was a sweetheart, he wanted to imagine what she had been like growing up, with her chubby cheeks.
"I know you don't like it, my love, but if you do this for mommy tomorrow we'll have cake, the one you like." Jinx said, caressing her cheek.
Isha's eyes lit up at the mention of cake, Jinx smiled, her daughter had a sweet tooth just like her. Isha nodded her head enthusiastically.
Teenage Vi smiled, her little sister still had a sweet tooth after all these years. She wanted to get closer to Isha but she didn't know how, what was she supposed to say? She was afraid of scaring her.
"Okay, go with Aunt Sevika and you will stay where she puts you, don't move from there." Jinx said kissing her daughter's cheeks several times. She had a bad feeling, it was like a pressure in her chest, like a voice right behind her ear telling her that something would go wrong and that terrified her.
Vi pressed a hand against her chest, she felt like she couldn't breathe, she was so afraid of hurting Jinx and Isha... She couldn't lose any more family.
Sevika nodded at her, picked Isha up and carried her away. As soon as they left, Jinx sighed as she entered Janna's temple. Her footsteps echoed against the stone, the colorful drawings on the pillars were giving her a headache, she easily dodged her own traps and headed towards Janna's mural.
"Wow." Little Ekko exclaimed in surprise.
She placed a hand on the mural, feeling the cold stone. Her fingers ran over the reliefs of Janna's feet, and she felt a humming sound through the stone, making her frown. She raised her gaze, taking in every feature of Janna, so imposing, powerful and cold, sometimes she wondered if she really existed or was just a tale for the desperate.
"Is that Janna?" Claggor asked, impressed with the large structure.
Vander frowned, looking around in surprise. "I've never heard of a temple of Janna in Zaun."
Silco looked at the place in admiration. "I showed it to her."
Little Ekko looked at him with wide eyes. "Will you take me there?"
Ekko looked at his counterpart with a strange feeling in his chest.
Silco looked at the boy in conflict, but he was a boy after all. "If we have time..."
Carefully she placed her forehead on the stone just above Janna's feet and sighed, desperate times call for desperate measures.
"Janna, I've never been a big believer, my father Vander didn't believe in you, he only believed in your stories, but my dad Silco did." Jinx whispered, she didn't know what she was doing, but it felt right. "He taught me a prayer for you, I hope you listen to it and don't abandon me, well, don't abandon my baby. Give me your blessing, may your wind guide me."
"Do you believe in Janna?" Vander asked his brother surprised, he didn't know that about him.
"You have to believe in something in a world like this," Silco replied, still feeling awkward around Vander. His belief in Janna was something he held on to when he had no one else, gave him strength when he needed it.
Jinx knelt down, hands still on the mural, and whispered. "Bey’fet ihru ga, Ahuni lek’cho. Bey’un hahbab, Ahuni lek’cho. Suhbi al naa yih Suhbi al naa yih"
Powder whispered those words awkwardly, feeling a tickle in her stomach.
Maybe it was Jinx's mind desperate for some hope or maybe it was Janna but her body filled with an almost overwhelming warmth, she could swear that she felt as if someone touched her lower abdomen. She felt a strength she hadn't felt in a long time, her mind was silent and the fear in her chest disappeared, replaced by confidence. She really wanted to believe that Janna had blessed her and that Isha would be safe, thanks to her.
Ekko frowned, what if Janna was real? What if she blessed Jinx? He wanted to believe that she did, that neither she nor Isha would be in danger.
Jinx got up from the ground and began to walk to her spot, she shook the dirt off her knees and climbed up to the stone pillar, she looked to the side to see how the mirror reflected her perfectly. She wanted to laugh, the idiot would surely fall for the trick.
"Don't even think about insulting me so much, ok?" The teenage Vi warned Powder, who looked at her confused.
"I won't," she replied, rolling her eyes. "Yet."
The Vi teenager looked at her with her eyes half closed, she would have to talk to her seriously about respect, she just hoped that Jinx's dirty mouth wouldn't stick to her.
She turned her head slightly and saw Pow-Pow looking at her anxiously. "It's almost time, honey, don't worry."
Pow-Pow laughed maliciously causing her amusement, her weapons were always eager for blood.
"Eh... Those are also part of her... Madness?" Mylo asked, slightly disturbed by Powder's hallucinations.
Silco glared at him, if his granddaughter wasn't on his lap he would have already killed that disgusting boy. "Don't talk about my daughter like that."
Mylo was startled when he heard Silco, he didn't want to admit it but that man scared him.
Vander looked at Mylo disappointedly, he would have to talk to him sooner rather than later, that kid had crossed the line many times with Powder.
The shimmer in her veins was boiling, she could feel it running through her body, she could feel it in her head and every part of her body. Since she had that poison in her blood she felt thirsty, thirsty for blood. She wanted to kill, tear apart, bite and disembowel anything, the poison made her even more dangerous than before and she didn't know how to feel about it. She didn't know what Singed had done but somehow her body created the shimmer on its own and her body responded accordingly, at first she thought it was just her blood but no, every fluid in her body secreted shimmer if she tried hard enough. It was shit if you ask her.
Silco tried to swallow the guilt that swirled inside him, he would never have wanted to change his daughter like that, although technically he hadn't done it and it was Singed, he felt he had been the one who had put that poison inside her.
Jinx closed her eyes for a moment before hearing footsteps approaching, it seemed like it was time.
The projection became distorted and flickered several times.
"What's going on?" Caitlyn asked, the projector was starting to fail too much.
When the projection came back, it showed an adult Vi, with glasses over her hair, the blue enforcer suit and hextech gauntlets. She walked, her grey eyes scanning the drawings causing a pang in her chest which she quickly shook off, she was there for one thing and one thing only, to kill Jinx. With that thought in mind she screamed, "Jinx!"
The adult Vi desperately wanted to vomit... How had it come to this? What in the world had made her put on that hellish uniform? How had she failed her parents so much?
Seeing Vi so upset, Caitlyn put her arm around her shoulder trying to comfort her, she largely didn't understand what was going on in Vi's head but she would be there for her.
Ekko swallowed, feeling anger rise in his throat. Vi had truly betrayed them, she had betrayed all of Zaun.
The echo filled the temple, sending shivers down her spine.
"Finally got the name right." Jinx said without showing herself, her raspy voice made Vi search for her around the place. "Guess there really isn't a crack in the earth where you won't find me."
Caitlyn positioned herself hidden between two pillars and took out a bullet that she put into her hextech sniper.
Caitlyn was startled to see herself in the projection, the look in her eyes was one she didn't recognize, she seemed like a completely different person. She didn't like that, it was like seeing the twisted version that Jinx had hallucinated.
"What is this place?" Vi asked, pacing around the place, looking at each drawing.
"Don't you remember the old Janna bedtime stories Vander used to tell us?" Jinx remembered them perfectly, she told them to Isha. Jinx said in a melodramatic voice "Miners trapped underground. Air running thin! But then some wispy wind woman wafts to their rescue."
Vander smiled slightly, he liked knowing that Jinx remembered his stories, they were one of the best memories he had of his daughters.
Jinx let out a giggle "Wild the kind of crap people get up to when you choke them out."
"Isn't that ironic?" Claggor said, cocking his head. "She just prayed to Janna."
"We used the Grey to clear the streets. To keep people safe." Vi excused herself making Jinx even angrier.
Keeping people safe? Her daughter was choking and Vi thinks she kept people safe?
Silco felt those words like a strong blow to his chest, the traitor had used the grey... She had suffocated his granddaughter...
"You..." Silco began to say trying to control himself, Isha looked at him worried, oh she was so much like her mother.
Vander looked at Silco worriedly, he feared that he and Vi would start fighting with Isha in the middle.
"I haven't done anything yet," the adult Vi replied, her voice shaking, her own words choking her.
"Keeping people safe?" Ekko asked, clenching his fists. "Didn't you think about the consequences? How the grey would hurt more than just criminals? There are children."
Caitlyn tried to respond but knowing that she had helped poison so many people was painful. "I-it's for a good cause."
Ekko snarled and leapt up to face Caitlyn. "You think poisoning children and civilians is a good reason? The purpose does not justify the means. You poisoned an entire city. "
Caitlyn didn't back down, she looked at Ekko, trying to remain firm. "Piltover would never hurt Zaun without provocation or attack."
"Oh, so that justifies why children and old people probably died thanks to the grey?" Ekko asked sarcastically, clenching his fists.
"Can you... Please not do this?" adult Vi asked, her body feeling shaky.
Ekko looked at her angrily and backed away to his seat, Isha stretched her arms towards her father who took her and hugged her trying to calm down.
"We." Jinx said through gritted teeth, she and her fascist bitch. "Never thought my sister would turn bluebelly."
"Never thought mine would orphan kids." Vi replied, unaffected by Jinx's response.
Jinx wanted to laugh, she turned to see Pow-Pow who was laughing loudly. "Ha! Why not? Done it to myself enough. But plastering my face all over so someone else would do your dirty work? Poisoning our air?"
"Can that... Machine Gun stop laughing? It gives me the creeps." Mylo said with a shudder.
Jinx whistled. "You've turned a leaf, sister."
Vi lowered her fists with an exhausted sigh. "I'm done blaming myself for your mistakes. Done pretending you're my sister. You're not. You k*lled her. I'm not gonna let you stain her memory anymore." She said before remembering an important detail. "But I can assure you that Isha will be safe in Piltover."
"You are not going to touch my daughter." Ekko said through gritted teeth, he was trying to remember that it hadn't happened yet but it was so hard. The adult Vi looked at him hurt.
Jinx gasped in surprise, how... how did she know about Isha? No, no, no... Vi wouldn't take Isha away from her, she couldn't allow it, she wouldn't allow it.
"How?" Jinx asked, gulping, her fists shaking with anticipation for the fight.
Vi shook her head, the thought of having a niece overwhelmed her, the family she thought was dead wasn't so dead, her niece remained and even though she was Jinx's daughter she could turn a blind eye to that. "We asked the right people."
Jinx gritted her teeth tightly, oh she was going to kill a lot of people after this. "You are not touching my daughter."
Ekko closed his eyes for a moment, pressing his nose against his daughter's blue hair, trying to calm himself with her scent. Jinx's fear spread to him.
Vi clenched her fists. "When you're dead it won't matter anymore, she's safer in Piltover, it's a better place for her."
The adult Vi was startled upon hearing her words, she couldn't believe she was capable of saying something like that to her sister. There really was something wrong with her.
"How do you know that?" Jinx growled. "You don't know her, you've never met her and you never will, I didn't go through 9 months of pregnancy and over 8 hours of labor for you to take her to that fucking place."
"I'm going to meet her, maybe in time she won't even remember you like you did with Vander," Vi said, beginning to feel each word like a dagger.
The adult Vi gulped, feeling a dull pain in her throat, the pain in her chest only increasing further.
Jinx felt a lump in her throat. "I never forgot him, but he was always more of a father to you than to me and you know it."
Her relationship with Vander was always complicated, or so she saw it, don't get her wrong, she loves him and always will, but he connected with Vi, Claggor and Mylo more than with her. Maybe it was the age difference or the fact that she was different from her siblings, she didn't know. But with Silco it was different... He understood her and that was all she needed.
Powder looked down, those thoughts were also hers and she was ashamed of them, Vander had given them a home and she, like an ungrateful person, couldn't connect with him. At poor 11 years old she had tried it and thought she could do it if she wasn't so... damaged.
Vander felt a pang in his chest, it was true, he could never really connect with his youngest daughter but that didn't mean he didn't love her, he had a great love for her and was grateful that Silco loved her as much as he did.
Vi said in an angry tone, "It doesn't matter! He took care of us and sheltered us, and you changed him for a bastard."
"Don't talk about me dad like that!" Jinx shouted angrily.
Silco was touched to hear his beloved daughter defend him. He didn't care if she killed him on purpose or not, he loved her and could admit that he had made bad decisions regarding her. He wishes he had done better with her.
"You're pathetic." Vi said, trying to calm herself down. "I'm tired of chasing your madness, it's a chain that's always around my neck."
"Then stop me. 'Cause no matter what I do, I just can't seem to die." Jinx said, she just wanted to get this shitty day over with and get home with her little girl. She moved on the pillar so the mirror reflected her.
"I'm sorry." Vi whispered, glancing at her sister, and shrank her body a little, knowing what was going to happen.
Caitlyn pointed at Jinx with slightly shaking hands, her blue eyes blinded by fury.
Caitlyn was scared when she saw her eyes, she didn't understand how she had gotten to that point, she was scared of herself, she was afraid of what she could do.
"I'm sorry too." Jinx whispered, feeling laughter starting to rise in her throat.
Caitlyn took a deep breath and fired, her bullet flashed blue and passed over Vi, grazing her and hitting the mirror, breaking it and causing it to roll across the floor. Caitlyn growled angrily and stood up from her hiding spot. Vi looked at the mirror in surprise and approached it, briefly looking at her reflection, seeing herself in that blue uniform gave her a stomach ache.
Sevika and Isha quickly found Caitlyn's hiding place, the older woman told Isha in sign language. "Stay here, everything will be fine."
Isha nodded her head with shaky breathing, she had to obey her mommy but she was afraid. Sevika left a kiss on her forehead and went to find Caitlyn.
Silco smiled slightly as he watched Sevika lovingly care for Isha. He knew it was hard for Sevika to show her feelings, but she loved them, they were her family. Though he also knew that Sevika would do whatever was necessary for Zaun, and he would accept it as long as Jinx and Isha didn't get hurt but he knew she would never hurt them on purpose.
Jinx couldn't take it anymore and laughed, the trick worked and the idiot piltie revealed her hiding place. She knew it was impossible for her sister to come without her lapdog following her tail. "Oh~ Miss Motherless is here."
Caitlyn gritted her teeth tightly, rage boiling inside her, eating away at every part of her and defiling her. She wasn't going to let Jinx make fun of her mother's memory, the crazy bitch was going to pay.
"What?" Caitlyn started, her heart stopping for a moment. Her mom... No, her mom couldn't be... Jinx had killed her...
Her hand went to her chest, squeezing it, she couldn't breathe. She barely felt Vi's touch on her shoulder but she couldn't move, the shock was too much.
Vi feared for a moment that Caitlyn would ruin the plan but saw no movement from her. "Do you really have no heart? You've killed so many people and yet..."
Jinx rolled her eyes suddenly bored with her older sister's false morals. "I do have a heart, but do you really want me to feel guilty for killing some privileged rich people?"
A part of Vi wanted to agree with Jinx but she pushed that thought away, she had to concentrate.
"They're people," Caitlyn murmured, her eyes filled with tears, her fists clenched, feeling helpless.
"Cassandra Kiramman and all the council members are people who deserve to die, arrogant rich people, only wanting to favor their own pockets and their precious status. They never cared what happened to us, whether we were starving or killed in the streets, or even whether we could breathe." Jinx said, putting a hand on her chest. "No, I will never feel guilty for giving them even 1% of what we went through, but I think you've forgotten about that."
"True," Ekko agreed. "I don't know what Jinx did, but if she gave Piltover a good beating, that's fine by me."
"How... How can you say that?" Caitlyn asked, starting to get angry. "They're people, no one deserves to die."
"Child, there is something you must understand," Silco said, adjusting his jacket. "Piltover has always abused Zaun, and whether you like it or not, your mother is partly responsible for that. In Piltover they believe that Zaun is their sister city but it is not, we are oppressed and abused, they starve and thirst us, we don't even have clean air. The counselors who sit on their golden thrones do not care about people like us."
Caitlyn frowned, she wanted to refute him, to yell at him that it wasn't true, but she couldn't so she simply closed her eyes for a moment trying to calm down.
Vi wanted to pretend that those words hadn't hurt her, she remembered what Zaun was like when they were growing up and how it still was but... This... It was the right thing to do.
Jinx shook her head trying to remove the pain and helplessness from her mind, she decided to make fun of her sister. "I know you're sweet on her. Hope you got a chance to, you know... Before... The gods know I do."
Jinx laughed again as she watched Vi frown, oh her sister hadn't touched her limited edition piltie doll yet.
Adult Vi blushed at Jinx's words, she hadn't even kissed Caitlyn but she wouldn't deny that she would like to.
"I'm ready." Vi said, gripping her gauntlets, the magic or science or whatever in them throbbing with anticipation.
Jinx finally showed herself to her sister. Vi gasp in surprise and turn to see her getting into a fighting stance.
The scene quickly changed to a completely white place, Jayce Talis was there with a large hextech hammer.
Ekko was at his side in his dark green overalls and jacket, on his neck there was a purple mark, he took a couple of steps forward looking surprised "Is that a wild rune?"
"What?" Ekko said, surprised to see himself in the projection and in Piltover. "What am I doing there and with them?"
"What is a wild rune?" little Ekko asked confused.
"I don't know." Ekko replied, he didn't know what it was but he assumed it had something to do with hextech.
"I have no idea what that is." Jayce responded, staring almost open-mouthed at the wild rune breathing in front of him, next to him was Heimerdinger, the wind in the room ruffled his furry body.
"Hey, that looks like the magical thing... Or whatever it was that brought us here." Mylo said, pointing at the projection.
An ominous music began to play.
You walk along the edge of danger
Everyone present jumped when they heard the music.
Caitlyn pointed at Jinx who took Pow-Pow in her hands ready to shoot Vi but before she could shoot her, Sevika stood in front of her and she kick her making Caitlyn drop the sniper. Sevika tried to attack her with the shark jaws on her arm but Caitlyn quickly dodged it.
And it will change you
Jinx and Vi just looked at each other for a moment. The blue-haired girl could see for a moment her sister of barely 11 years old, the one who tucked her in at night and who saved her from nightmares. But... She no longer existed, there was only this twisted version Of her sister turned into a monster.
The adult Vi closed her eyes trying to remind herself that this had not happened yet and that it would not happen.
Why would you let this voice set in your head?
It is meant to destroy you
Jinx jumped off the pillar and started firing her machine gun, Vi in a quick movement grabbed the mirror from the ground and used it as a shield.
"Get mad all you want but I'm excited to see who wins." Mylo said earning a punch from the teenage Vi.
You summon storms, you play with nature
The bullets dented the mirror until it almost broke so Vi pushed it hard towards Jinx who quickly dodged it.
Now watch it hurt you
Vi seeing her chance leaped at Jinx with her fist ready to punch her. Jinx covered herself with her arms avoiding most of the blow but they both fell to the ground.
Why would you want to shape the world in your hands?
Caitlyn, seeing that both sisters were on the ground, hit Sevika before running towards her sniper.
You will never make it through
Vi and Jinx quickly got up, the younger one took her machine gun and tried to shoot the older one but Vi using all the hextech's strength broke Jinx's weapon in half.
Vander clenched his hands, watching his daughters fight like that was painful. But he had to admit that Vi fought very well and Jinx was not far behind.
Jinx's prayers began to echo through the song.
Bey'fet ihru ga, Ahuni lek'cho (Suhbi al naa yih)
Silco was surprised to hear the prayers to Janna, perhaps this was a sign and his daughter was being protected by the goddess.
Jinx couldn't help but be surprised to see Vi not holding back with her, it was almost terrifying.
Bey'un hahbab, Ahuni lek'cho (Suhbi al naa yih)
Jayce Talis in the white room couldn't take his eyes off the wild rune, it was something so majestic and disturbing, it made his stomach turn to see something so magical and destructive within reach of his hand. And he couldn't help it, he brought his hand closer to the rune that responded to his touch by stirring, changing its size and creating a stunning gust of wind.
The hextech hammer in his hand began to flicker, its shape changing erratically.
Ekko didn't want to admit it but Mylo was right the wild rune was the thing that had brought them here apparently. He leaned forward interested in the rune's reaction. It seemed almost... alive.
You waste your life to gain power
You shift the game rules
Caitlyn aimed at Jinx but before she could fire her hextech sniper began to flicker erratically.
Sevika took the opportunity and grabbed Caitlyn by the neck, pressing her against the stone wall.
"Wait... The rune affects everything that's hextech?" Silco asked interested.
Ekko nodded. "It seems that all hextech objects are connected to this rune like a hive mind."
How does it feel to reach the line that no one ever got to cross?
Vi tried to hit Jinx who was on the ground but her gauntlets flashed erratically causing an electric shock to her body, the gauntlets stuck hard to the ground. Jinx took the opportunity and quickly got up from the ground, running off to find Fishbones.
Adult Vi was relieved that the wild rune had stopped her from hitting her sister but she knew that wouldn't stop her, she knew herself, she was very stubborn.
Does it make you a god now?
Caitlyn, who still couldn't get Sevika off of her, saw that the older woman's hand was close, she bit her, she tried to do so with all her might but Sevika only laughed mockingly.
Isha let out a small laugh, her aunt Sevika was very funny even though her mommy said otherwise.
Every sin will be forgiven
Jinx walked with her fishbones under her arm, the hextech in it hummed, it felt erratic in her hands but she didn't let go, the electricity in it didn't hurt.
Vi tried to lift the gauntlets but they were too heavy, in desperation seeing Jinx approaching she pulled harder.
"How can she hold that thing so easily?" Powder asked in surprise, with each scene she admired Jinx more, although she was more damaged than her she was much stronger and more powerful.
If you lay down your weapons to the ground
Jinx positioned Fishbones on her shoulder and aimed and shot at her sister, who quickly took pressure off the gauntlets and was able to escape the rocket.
The rocket crashed right where Sevika and Caitlyn were, causing them both to fly away due to the explosion.
Vi ran to where Jinx was but her foot stepped on one of the traps and several grenades quickly came out of the ground. Although she tried, she couldn't avoid the explosion that shot her to the ground near Caitlyn and Sevika.
Jinx seeing Vi on the ground stood on Janna's altar but she didn't have a good shot from there so she threw Fishbones into the air and jumped with him so she could aim perfectly at Vi.
"I don't understand, how does she do those things?" Mylo asked confused. His Powder was tremendously weak but her counterpart was the opposite, maybe his little sister should learn something from her.
Bey'fet ihru ga, Ahuni lek'cho
The prayer to Janna echoed around the room.
Jayce Talis looked around in confusion, his mind felt dizzy but everything was moving too fast, there were many versions of him beside him. He didn't really know what was happening.
"What the fuck is going on?" Little Ekko asked, completely confused.
"Hey, language." Benzo scolded him, causing the boy to frown in annoyance.
Bey'un hahbab, Ahuni lek'cho
Jayce brought his hand closer to the wild rune again, there was something that drew him to it, it was like a magnet.
"Why does this idiot keep doing that?" the teenage Vi wondered out loud.
Catch the fire burning out your soul
The wild rune began to spin, changing its size, irregular shapes within its center that soon trapped Ekko and Heimerdinger, those whose bodies the rune began to change almost like a kaleidoscope. Ekko tried to escape but his body couldn't move, it was a suffocating feeling. Soon Heimerdinger and Ekko disappeared into the rune.
"Well, shit." Ekko said with a grimace. He wanted to believe that he hadn't died but what was the other option? He didn't know if he wanted to find out.
Isha looked at her father, not understanding why he looked so conflicted.
Bey'fet ihru ga, Ahuni lek'cho (Suhbi al naa yih)
Jayce's body was also affected by the rune, stretching and twisting.
Just make it die or you will fall
As soon as Jinx fired the rocket, Fishbones began to flicker, causing the shot to push her hard, her body crashed into a pillar but for some reason she felt no pain, maybe she was too stunned for that.
"She didn't feel pain?" Vander asked. "Maybe I'm going crazy but what if Janna really blessed her?"
"Oh dad, those are just stories," said the teenage Vi, shaking her head. But still, a part of her wanted to believe that there was someone divine who protected them or at least protected her little sister.
Vi saw Jinx crash into the pillar and ran quickly but to catch her, the blue-haired girl quickly recovered and fell on top of her older sister. Jinx quickly started punching Vi who tried to avoid the blows but it was almost impossible because she was on the ground.
The hex pearl fell from Fishbones and rolled across the ground flickering.
The adult Vi hugged her body tightly, feeling increasingly suffocated.
Bey'un hahbab, Ahuni lek'cho (Suhbi al naa yih)
Jinx took her gun and twirled it on her finger before pointing it at Vi who put her gauntlet in the younger girl's face trying to push her away.
Powder wanted to cover her face, she didn't want to see if she killed her sister. She felt a hand squeeze hers and without looking she knew it was Ekko, her Ekko.
Bey'fet ihru ga, Ahuni lek'cho (Suhbi al naa yih)
Caitlyn ran to her sniper and grabbed it, trying to aim at Jinx, but Sevika put her arm around her neck from behind, trying to choke her.
To ashes and blood
Vi covered Jinx's face with the gauntlet, Jinx's eyes glowing pink with fury. The bluenette tried with all her might to aim her gun at the pinkette's face but she couldn't. Vi managed to push Jinx hard causing her back to crash into a pillar.
Although Silco hated seeing his daughter being hurt, he liked that she didn't hold back, all the anger accumulated over the years was exploding.
Isha covered her face and pressed herself against her father's chest, who hugged her tightly, gently rocking her.
Bey'un hahbab, Ahuni lek'cho (Suhbi al naa yih)
Isha who was watching everything that was happening gasped in fear, her mommy was being beaten. Mommy was in danger, that simple thought made her eyes fill with tears.
Ekko gritted his teeth as he tightened his arms around his daughter, she shouldn't be seeing these things, she was too little.
To ashes and blood
Vi got up from the ground and got into a fighting stance. Jinx growled furiously, she felt an almost animal-like uncontrolled state inside her.
Jinx screamed in fury and launched herself at Vi, leaving a pink trail behind.
"Shit." Mylo exclaimed in surprise.
Ekko felt bad for being attracted to that angry Jinx in the projection, that woman was going to be the death of him for real.
Bey'fet ihru ga, Ahuni lek'cho (Suhbi al naa yih)
"What have we done?" Jayce asked with rapid breathing, he brought his hand closer to the wild rune that responded to him again. Electricity began to run through his arm and soon his mind was affected, he could see it, he could feel the snow on him, the almost deadly cold. His memories as a child, when he discovered what magic was. Several runes began to fly around him overwhelming him, with a shout he grabbed his hammer and smashed it hard against the wild rune.
As soon as the hammer made contact with the rune a quick image passed through his eyes, someone hooded holding the rune. That image faded away showing the room as it normally was. But the room flickered almost exploding into a set of colors and magic.
"Ok, what the fuck?" asked the teenage Vi. "Someone really needs to explain this rune thing to me or whatever the fuck it is."
"Vi," Vander scolded her, although he was also confused. He didn't know what hextech was, but it looked dangerous.
To ashes and blood
Caitlyn seeing that her sniper was flashing again pushed it against Sevika who, feeling the electricity, fell to the ground gasping. Sevika tried to get up but Caitlyn threw herself on top of her, putting the weapon to her neck, causing the magic and electricity of the hextech to run through her, causing her almost unbearable pain.
Caitlyn could find no mercy in her, only fury and more fury.
Caitlyn looked away from the projection, she couldn't see herself like that, it was so disturbing. She wanted to believe that there was mercy in her heart, that she was not like the other enforcers, but was it really like that?
Bey'un hahbab, Ahuni lek'cho
Jinx jumped up and kneed Vi hard in the face, Vi with a trickle of blood running down her face hit Jinx's face causing her body to break a pillar that had a drawing of both of them as children.
Jinx recovered almost immediately and tried to kick her, which Vi dodged so she lunged at her with her nails.
The adult Vi admired her little sister's strength, she had grown so much that she could already beat her up. That thought tempted her to smile but she didn't have the energy to do so.
Caitlyn stumbled up from above Sevika and grabbed her sniper, gritting her teeth as she felt the electricity run through her. She held onto the pillars, panting, and walked toward the center of the temple.
Suhbi al naa yih, suhbi al naa yih
Just make it die or you will turn it all
Jinx began to beat her sister, using everything Vi had taught her. Vi felt exhausted, she couldn't respond to Jinx's blows, the electricity from the gauntlets stunned her.
To ashes and blood
Caitlyn gasped at the sight of Jinx, her mind going blank and all she could think about was seeing her skull split open with a bullet. She quickly took aim and fired.
Jinx was pushed by the impact of the bullet and for the first time since the fight began she felt pain, a sharp pain in her hand, she looked at it and there she saw it, a finger was missing. And it was her favorite finger.
Jinx gasped, looking in horror at her mutilated hand. For a moment she was a child again and wanted to show her older sister where she had been hurt so she could heal her.
Everyone stared at the projection in shock before Ekko put Isha in Vander's arms and walked up to Caitlyn.
"Never in your fucking life touch her again." Ekko said, grabbing her by the shirt. Caitlyn tried to break free in surprise at the attack, a small part of her was happy to see what had hurt Jinx and that made her want to vomit.
Silco gracefully got up from the couch and walked over to Caitlyn, he placed a hand on Ekko's shoulder surprising him.
"Listen to me Miss Kiramman. You hurt my daughter again and Jinx wouldn't kill your mother, I will." Silco said in a threatening tone. Ekko was surprised to agree with Silco.
Caitlyn broke free from Ekko's grip and stepped back. "I haven't done anything yet."
"You won't, if you know what's good for you," Ekko said before turning back to his daughter.
Although that didn't last long because Vi pushed her, throwing her onto Janna's altar. Jinx responded by trying to get her away from her, she couldn't die here, her Isha shouldn't see that, no...
Vi put her gauntlet around Jinx's neck holding her against the altar and prepared her fist to kill her.
"Traitor." Jinx whispered with rapid breathing, the strength in her body had left her leaving her weak. There was no way out of this, right? Her Isha was going to have to watch as she was killed.
Ekko covered Isha's eyes, her eyes filled with tears. She did not deserve to see something as painful as the death of a father or mother.
The adult Vi covered her face, not wanting to see whatever happened next.
Vi looked at her little sister one last time but before she could hit her a small body stepped between her and Jinx, Vi saw the barrel of a gun right in front of her.
"No!" Jinx suddenly screamed in terror. Isha was above her, aiming at Vi, Caitlyn was aiming at her baby... No, please Janna... Not my baby.
"No!" Ekko screamed, tightening his hands around his Isha. Caitlyn wouldn't shoot a child, she wouldn't be able to, right?
He turned his head to see the Piltovian's face, which was pale and Vi's was not far away.
Isha whimpered softly, her little hand shaking from the weight of her mother's gun, fear imprinted in her big brown eyes.
Vi looked at her niece in surprise, it was the first time she had seen her and it made her stomach turn to see her eyes with fear towards her. Her grey gaze connected with Jinx's pink eyes that looked at her with fear and pleading.
"I'll kill her if she touches Isha," the teenage Vi said, her heart racing with fear.
Isha still trembling put her finger on the trigger and tried to shoot but a bullet hit the gun causing her arm to twist slightly and Vi was pushed back.
Isha, with pain in her arm and without the gun, quickly hugged her mother's body, who held her tightly against her.
Jinx had never been so scared in her life, the rage had faded, she could only focus on her baby crying against her chest but she knew Isha had to move. "Isha please go away."
Her voice cracked, tears filling her eyes as she tried to push her daughter away from her, desperation washing over her completely. "Please, my love, let me go."
Isha dug her little nails into Jinx's shoulders trying not to let go of her mom, Jinx felt her little heart racing and just wanted to cry, her baby was in danger and she didn't know what to do.
Silco felt his heart breaking, he could understand his daughter's fear and wished she would never have to go through that but life is truly unfair.
Ekko's eyes filled with tears, he had only met his daughter relatively recently but he already loved her immensely. His heart beat for her and seeing her so close to death burned him.
Vi watched the scene gasping, Jinx's desperation breaking her heart. Jinx met her sister's gaze pleadingly.
Please don't let her hurt my baby, please Vi.
"Get away from her." Caitlyn said, pointing her sniper at Jinx and Isha again.
Caitlyn gasped in surprise at her own actions. "No, I can't... I won't." She whispered.
Adult Vi had a small respite when she saw that she wasn't going to let Caitlyn shoot Isha. It was something.
"Cait." Vi said as she stepped down from the altar, standing in front of Caitlyn trying to stop her from shooting Jinx and Isha.
"Move." Caitlyn ordered, still pointing at the mother and daughter.
Vi felt desperation rise in her throat, Cait wasn't going to shoot Isha right?
"Cait, she's a child." Vi tried to reason with her.
"Move. She's not getting away again." Caitlyn growled, blind with fury.
"Cait." Vi exclaimed before being pushed back by a shot that bounced off her shoulder armor. Caitlyn had shot her.
Jinx covered Isha's head when she heard the gunshot, her heart pounding so hard her chest hurt, her body shaking in fear.
Ekko imitated Jinx's movements and covered Isha's head, trembling, a paralyzing fear harbored in his chest.
"Move." Caitlyn screamed furiously at Vi, the bastard who had killed her mother was there with her... daughter, she no longer cared who she shot, Jinx had to die.
Tears began to cover Caitlyn's pale cheeks, she really was willing to do anything to kill Jinx, she had become a monster.
"Cait!" Vi screamed as she approached, seeing that Caitlyn hadn't lowered her sniper, she grabbed the gun and pointed the sight at the ground just as Caitlyn fired.
Jinx looked at Vi who had protected her indirectly or directly but she had done it, pink tears came out of her eyes.
Caitlyn looked at Vi with hurt eyes. Vi couldn't believe that the Piltovian was going to shoot a little girl, she wanted to believe that it was a mistake but it wasn't.
Jinx turned her gaze to Sevika who had gotten up from the ground and walked over to a wall, stuck her hand into a crack and pulled the lever. She quickly covered Isha with her body.
Janna's large mural exploded, releasing the grey inside, a hurricane-force wind pushed the people inside the temple with force. Jinx fell to the side of the altar with Isha in her arms, Sevika ran to her and covered them with her body holding on with her mechanical arm.
Ekko sighed in relief, loosening his arms and letting Isha lift her head from his chest, she gently wiped away his tears. He kissed her forehead, breathing in her scent again.
Vi and Caitlyn flew out almost suffocating in the grey, both held on as best they could but ended up outside the temple, the wind broke the stone and knocked down the columns, completely covering the entrance.
The grey was pushed with supernatural force through the air ducts to a vent that, as soon as it was activated, released blue paint that combined with the toxic air.
The grey followed the path of the ventilation until it exploded with force in Piltover covering it in colours, soon the Piltovians began to cough and suffocate, they were covered in paint. Everyone's eyes were red and they were holding their throats trying to breathe.
Everyone looked at the projection in surprise.
"Did she just divert the grey towards Piltover?" Powder asked with a small laugh.
"It seems so." Ekko smiled, Zaun was free of the grey and hopefully Piltover would learn his lesson although he knew that was difficult when you were born with a golden spoon in your mouth.
Silco felt an overwhelming pride, his daughter was finally giving Piltover what it deserved. She was doing what he couldn't. He wanted to tell her how proud he was of her.
As soon as the wind stopped, Sevika separated from Jinx and Isha, the little girl was shaking and crying in her mother's arms. Jinx forcefully pulled Isha away from her body and took her face in her hands.
"What were you thinking?" Jinx asked, grabbing her daughter's face tightly. The fear inside her had not gone away, her body was shaking.
Isha looked at her mother with her brown eyes filled with tears, she knew she had disobeyed her mother but she had only wanted to save her. "I just wanted to help," she said, her hands shaking.
Jinx looked in horror at her daughter's tiny hands. She just wanted to help... She just wanted to help... She just wanted to help...
For a moment she returned to the alley, she saw a teenage Vi bleeding and crying in front of her, Jinx returned to Powder... S-she just wanted to help...
Jinx gasped for air, moaning as she felt her shimmering tears cover her cheeks. She finally understood, she understood Vi, the fear... The helplessness... Everything.
The adult Vi felt tears running down her cheeks, her little sister finally understood, but it was a little late, wasn't it? There was no coming back from what had happened at the temple, or so she thought. With how spiteful Jinx/Powder was, she doubted she would forgive her.
She looked at her daughter, her love, her everything who was still crying and gently let go of her face. "I know you wanted to help," Jinx stammered, her throat tight. "But if something were to happen to you... If you were to get hurt, I... I couldn't..."
Jinx sobbed, all the fear finally getting to her. Her daughter was almost shot... Oh, her baby. She couldn't live without her Isha, there was nothing in this world more important than her, if something happened to her she couldn't live anymore, she refused to live without her daughter. Isha was the best creation of her life, her heart beat only for her daughter, since Isha was born she lived only for her daughter. If Isha's little heart stopped beating at any point then hers would too.
Vander, Silco, Ekko and Benzo could understand that feeling very well. The fear of losing a child was overwhelming and terribly painful, It left you paranoid for days, taking care of every detail so that nothing would happen to them. Unbearable nightmares, feeling scared every time they were out of your sight. Being a parent was truly a challenge, filled with sharp fear but also tremendous happiness.
Isha looked at her mommy who was sobbing in front of her, she took her face in her little hands and wiped away her tears. Jinx smiled softly as she felt her daughter's touch.
"You saved me but don't do it again." Jinx said trying to be firm but her voice was shaking. "It's not your job to save me, it's mine. I have to save you and keep you safe, that's what I live for."
Isha pouted as she stopped crying, her body shaking from the aftershocks of her crying.
"Never do that again." Ekko told Isha firmly, who pouted at him, softening his heart.
Sevika helped Jinx up from the ground by grabbing her by her armpits and lifting her up. The blue-haired girl's knees shook as she stood up, her body exhausted.
"Let's go." Sevika growled, rubbing her neck which hurt tremendously.
Jinx took Isha's hand with her good hand and they started walking to the exit. She would come later to collect her weapons.
"You, brat, are grounded." Jinx said to Isha who frowned in annoyance.
"Don't you dare look at me like that," Jinx scolded her. "You disobeyed me, you won't be able to play with your firelights or Os-Os until I decide."
Isha frowned remembering how her mommy hadn't let her play with her little firelights and her poro Os-Os.
"Your firelights?" Ekko asked his daughter, perhaps she had met his people.
Isha looked at him excitedly before starting to speak. "Mommy built me some bugs because the real ones stopped glowing too quickly."
Ekko nodded in understanding, Jinx was a very cunning woman leaving little clues about himself in Isha's life.
Isha growled in discontent and kicked the ground.
Jinx stared at her, not giving in to her little tantrum. "Complain all you want."
Isha pouted and looked at Sevika for help.
"Don't look at me, kid," Sevika replied in a tired voice.
Jinx laughed seeing Isha's angry face, she was so cute. "Let's go home, girl savior."