Chapter 4 - Mount Targon I
Surely enough, they left the ruins at dusk. From what Jinx knew, they just had to keep moving southwest from where they were.
She only hoped they packed enough food and water to last the trip.
“Are we almost there?” Milio asked, for the eleventh time in the last half-hour.
“No.” Jinx answered, leading the trio up the mountain.
They had left the desert behind a while ago, and beneath her feet now were rock and sediment. The mountain was steep but not too slippery. They just needed to watch their step.
“I think maybe we should take a break.” Lux proposed, clearly struggling to keep up the pace.
“We’re gonna lose too much ground. We need to cross the first mountain if we want to reach Mount Targon before tomorrow’s dawn.”
“I know, but we’re not gonna do that if we pass out from exhaustion.”
Jinx stopped.
Ugh.
“You two are so dramatic! I once fell from a two-thousand foot drop to my imminent death while fighting a beast thrice my size, and I’m still here!”
Lux frowned. “What!?”
“And the beast was her dad.” Milio added, skipping around some rocks.
“What!?”
“Look, Pow!” The boy suddenly paused. He pointed to a place not too far from them. Jinx turned to look at it, when she finally heard.
Running water.
A river.
“Oh, fuck yeah!” She dropped the backpack on a nearby rock and ran towards the body of flowing water. Milio followed, giggling while jumping from rock to rock.
Lux watched confused, befores grunting and trying to pick up Milio’s things. She put all of their equipment together on the same rock as Jinx’s, and carefully followed the two running kids.
Jinx smiled watching her. So responsible, so boring.
(It was amusing, and mildly annoying, the fact that she didn't actually think Lux was boring at all.)
She cupped some water with both hands and brought it to her mouth. It was cold and fresh in a way she didn’t remember water could be. Milio washed his face and ran his wet hands through his wild mane to refresh himself.
Lux sat down next to him and helped him clean his ears.
“Dirty boy. You have to wash behind them, too.”
Jinx laughed. She looked at the clear sky above them and felt grateful the elements were on their side. A gentle, soft breeze helped with the heat, and somehow the mountain air had a lightness to it. Perhaps Lux was right, and they did need some rest.
With a sigh, she stood and walked to her backpack, searching for a sharp knife that could cut through the thick, unruly brown hair of the little boy. Once she found it, she paused, staring at it for a moment.
She used to cut Isha’s hair like this. She hadn’t done it many times, but it lingered in her memory, like most things they had done together.
In the beginning, she was afraid that caring for Milio meant she was replacing Isha. She feared she might use him to fill the empty space in her heart, but that never happened. The space remained unfilled. It ached less now, but it was still an open wound.
Now, however, she liked to believe that Isha had sent Milio her way so she wouldn’t be alone again. She liked to think that she could love him only because she had loved her first.
“I miss you, kid,” she whispered to the wind, hoping it would carry her message home.
Fighting away the tears behind her eyes, Jinx walked back to the river. Lux and Milio were throwing water at each other when she sat down behind him.
“Quiet now, I don’t want to hurt you,” she warned him.
“Can you cut it like yours?” he asked.
Huh. She thought. Her kids and their peculiar desire to look like her.
Ever since Jinx cut her hair short all those years ago, she never really let it grow much. It was easier for her to care for it short, and it fit her new adventurous personality.
“Yeah,” she said with a smile and began cutting.
Lux used the moment to refill their canteens with water and wash her boots.
“Lux,” Milio called, “you should come with us to Piltover after this. Powder’s going to introduce me to her family.”
Jinx froze. She glanced at Lux, who seemed equally surprised.
“Lux has her own adventures to go, Milio. She’s a mage like you, and there are better places to learn magic than Piltover and Zaun,” Jinx explained, separating his hair into sections.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Lux deflate slightly. Her shoulders slumped almost imperceptibly, and her smile faltered.
Jinx wondered what that was about.
“Yeah,” Lux eventually said. “I have some other places I want to visit, too. Jinx was telling me about how great Ixtal is, so maybe I’ll go there next.”
For some reason, Jinx’s heart skipped a beat. She wasn’t sure if it was because Lux had called her Powder or because she realized she was upset at the thought of Lux eventually leaving.
She hated being this soft. The Jinx from three and a half years ago would never have warmed up to anyone so easily.
“Ixtal is cool and all, but from the stories I’ve heard, Zaun is the coolest place in Runeterra,” Milio said excitedly. Jinx flinched slightly.
Those weren’t exactly the words she would use to describe her home.
“I’m sure it’s great,” Lux said with a smile. “Maybe one day I’ll come and visit.”
Jinx looked at her, trying to discern whether she was sincere or just being polite. She tried to stop her cheeks from warming at the thought of Lux visiting them.
Vi would love her. Unfortunately, Caitlyn would too.
It could be nice.
“You would be very welcome,” she said softly. She couldn’t meet Lux’s gaze but felt her eyes on her. Instead, she focused on chopping large chunks of Milio’s hair.
After she was done, he leaned down to look at his reflection on the water.
“I love it! Thank you, Pow!” He hugged her tightly around the neck and smiled.
She hugged him back. “No problem, kid.”
They readied themselves and resumed their climb. Jinx hated to admit it, but Lux had been right after all, it was far easier to ascend a mountain when your feet weren’t screaming in agony.
They walked for hours, after that. Luckily once the night came, they were high enough that next day’s walk wouldn't be so tiresome. According to that old nomad woman back in Zirima, they should be arriving in Mount Targon after a couple more days’ worth of hiking.
“I think this works.” Jinx said after she finished setting up the tent. Their camp was improvised, but good enough to provide them with shelter from the cold. They had settled nearby a weird rock formation by the sides of the mountain, that kind of looked like a cave with no walls. It would have to do.
Lux and Milio were lighting the fire using his magic, and so she could sit for a moment and rest. Nightfall was approaching quickly, and it was essential to have a source of light for the long hours of darkness ahead.
And with the rapidly dropping temperature, Jinx wanted to make sure none of them died of hypothermia.
They all sat around the fire, holding out their hands to try and warm up their palms. Milio’s shorter hair fell right above his eyebrows, in a way that his vision was no longer impacted by his long curls. Jinx smiled at him.
“We should have cut your hair a long time ago.” She said, as he looked up at her.
“You do look really dashing now, Milio.” Lux smiled.
Jinx shifted her gaze towards her.
The warm light reflected on her milky white skin like shining diamonds. Jinx wondered how someone could be as perfect, as polished as Lux looked.
Her wide and pearly-white smile. Her soft blue eyes, her long blonde hair. Even now, after days without a shower, she looked nothing short of pristine.
Jinx had never paid much attention to her own appearance, but at that moment, she couldn’t help wondering what Lux thought when she looked at her.
Her sunken eyes, unnaturally pink. Her chopped hair, her greyish skin. The way she looked malnourished even with the few pounds of muscle she gained over the years.
Jinx knew she looked… peculiar.
But whenever Lux looked at her, she smiled, and Jinx knew she was genuine.
“My mom used to cut my hair, when I was a little kid.” He said, but his tone wasn’t sad, more like he was stating a fact.
Jinx looked at the flickering flames in front of her. “Mine too.”
Milio scooted closer until he could rest his head on her shoulder. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her upper arm in a small hug.
“I’m tired.”
Jinx tilted her head to press her lips gently against the top of his head. He smelled of smoke and earth.
“You two can rest, if you want,” Lux offered. “I’ll take the first watch tonight.”
Jinx nodded and helped the sleepy boy inside the tent. He snuggled up to her as soon as she laid down.
“G’night, kid.” She whispered.
“Good night, Powder.”
—
Jinx woke up after only a couple of hours. She could sense something was off.
The hairs on the back of her head went up, and she held her breath to listen to any sound around her.
The silence of the mountains was heavy.
Unlike the desert, the mountains sounded like they were hiding something, and Jinx had never been a particularly big fan of a sense of impending doom.
Careful not to wake Milio, she crawled out of the tent and pulled back the flap. Lux’s silhouette was faint against the light of the dying fire, but Jinx could see the stiffness in her posture.
She stood up and walked to her side. Lux turned her head to look at her, but instead of her kind smile, Jinx could see a worried gaze.
“Do you feel it too?” She asked.
“Like we’re being watched?” Lux crossed her arms, her voice low. “Yeah.”
They stood in silence, trying to hear anything. Lux’s hand rested on the hilt of her dagger, her fingers wrapping tightly around the grip.
Then, a faint noise, a scrape of movement, came from somewhere beyond the firelight. Jinx lifted a hand, motioning for Lux to stay back, and stepped cautiously toward the sound.
The night wasn’t as dark here as it had been in the desert. The mountains, closer to the stars, seemed to borrow their light and bask under the moon. Even so, it wasn’t enough to fully see.
“Who’s there?” She asked, squinting.
The only sound she could hear was Lux’s nervous breathing behind her.
“I won’t ask again,” Jinx warned, her fingers curling around the pistol strapped to her thigh.
Before she could turn back to signal Lux, something moved, alarmingly fast, from the shadows. Jinx fired instinctively, the shot cutting through the still air, but a golden light erupted suddenly, illuminating the space in a brilliant flash.
Jinx shielded her eyes with her forearm, blinking against the brightness.
“Jinx!” Lux shouted, running to her. She touched her arm and looked into her face, searching for injuries.
“Who are you?” A voice was made known.
Both of them turned toward the figure stepping into the light of the fire. It was a woman.
Tall, beautiful, with long brown hair cascading down her back and a tanned skin that shined like bronze. She was wearing a golden armour and a spiky headpiece that looked like a downward-turned crescent moon.
Jinx scowled. “Who the fuck are you?”
How dare this beautiful woman come and ruin her and her kid’s night of rest?
She felt Lux’s hand on her arm.
“You are trespassing on the sacred grounds of Mount Targon,” the woman spoke. Her voice was soft but imponent. Very fitting for her appearance. “You are not welcome here.”
“And you need to learn some manners, lady.” She spit back.
“Powder?”
Jinx turned around to see Milio rubbing his eyes as he stepped out of their tent.
She noticed how the woman tensed once she saw him.
“Hey, kiddo,” Jinx said, forcing calm into her voice. “Go back to sleep, okay?”
“What’s going on? Who’s that?” he asked, pointing toward the woman.
“Well, that’s what I’m trying to figure out.” She didn't try to hide the annoyance in her voice toward the mysterious woman.
“You are trespassing on the sacred grounds of Mount Targon and the Solari,” the woman repeated.
Lux’s eyes lit up. “Mount Targon? We’re here?”
The woman’s stance stiffened. “You are not welcome. I must ask you to leave.”
“Why?” Jinx asked defensively. Lux once again touched her arm.
“I apologize, ma’am,” Lux interjected, and Jinx huffed. Fuck rich people and their diplomacy. She could solve this issue much faster with fists and bullets. “We mean no harm. We’ve been looking for Mount Targon for days now.”
The woman looked at her and her eyes flickered gold, like bright fire.
“And why is that?” She asked.
Lux smiled. “Oh, many reasons. We’ve heard it is the best place in all of Runeterra to learn how to control magic.”
The woman’s gaze shifted to Jinx, her brow arching skeptically. “She carries magic?”
Jinx let out an incredulous laugh. Lux stepped forward quickly, cutting off any retort.
“Oh, no,” She laughed, awkwardly. “She’s here for… spiritual reasons. The search of the soul, you know.”
Before the woman could respond, Milio stepped closer, his curious eyes locked on her. “Are you magic?”
She softened her pose and showed him the palm of her hands, before flickering a flame that engulfed her entire hand.
Jinx jumped back, uneasy.
Milio smiled at the trick, reached out his own hand and copied it.
The woman’s mouth parted slightly in shock. She studied him with a kind of reverence before extinguishing her flame. “How old are you, boy?”
“I’m turning twelve in ten months.”
Jinx laughed.
The woman ignored her, nodding slowly. “Impressive. I’ve never seen a child wield the fire axiom with such control. What is your name?”
“Milio. From the kingdom of Ixtal.”
The woman looked between the three of them, her expression shifting.
“What about you, girl? Do you wield magic?” She asked.
“Kind of. I mean, yes, but I can’t control it yet.” Lux answered. “That’s why we’re here, I guess.”
There was a moment of tense silence when the woman's expression turned from thoughtful to stoic.
“Very well,” she said at last. “I do not have the authority to allow your stay, but I can take you to the City and let the council decide.”
“Is it far?” Milio asked.
“If we leave now, we’ll arrive by tomorrow evening.”
Jinx winced. “Lux didn’t sleep.”
“I’m fine,” Lux insisted with a smile.
“No. She can’t walk for hours without resting first.”
The woman looked annoyed, but Jinx couldn't care less if she liked her or not. She had to care for her own crew first.
“Fine. We leave in the morning, no later than sunrise.”
Jinx nodded. “Deal.”
The woman walked to their camp and sat down by the fire, lighting it once again with the wave of her wrist.
“Woah.” Milio muttered, and Jinx had to lead him back to the tent.
“Sleep now, young man. A journey awaits us.”
“Adventure!” He smiled, and Lux caressed his face.
“Tomorrow, adventure.” She said, following him inside the tent.
Lux followed, stopping briefly at Jinx’s side. Her hand brushed against Jinx’s wrist, and she looked at her intently. “Thank you,” she said softly. “I know you hate wasting time.”
Jinx felt seasick. She felt her chest tighten, unsure how to respond to gratitude. “It’s nothing,” she muttered, suddenly warm under Lux’s gaze.
Lux offered her one last smile before heading in.
Jinx finally felt like she could breathe again. She wasn’t tired anymore, though she doubted she could sleep even if she tried. The woman still felt like a potential threat, and Jinx wasn’t the type to let her guard down. So she stayed by the fire, the faint warmth of it chasing away the chill that crept through the cave.
“You still haven’t told me your name,” Jinx said, breaking the silence.
“Neither have you,” She answered back.
“Oh, yeah. It’s Jinx.”
“Jinx?” The woman frowned. “Where is that from?”
“Nowhere, really. It’s just a nickname.”
“Hm.” She seemed to mull it over. “Well, Jinx, I’m Leona.”
Jinx stared into the fire until her eyes burned. “Wish I could say it’s nice to meet you, but you were kind of a bitch.”
Leona, surprisingly, laughed.
“The feeling is exceptionally mutual.”
Jinx smirked, then tilted her head. “Your accent, it’s weird. Is that how people from Mount Targon talk?”
“Solari people,” Leona corrected, “but yes. Mount Targon is home to many cultures.”
“Well, I think it’s ugly,” Jinx said bluntly.
Leona’s lips curved in a faint smile. “I think yours is equally unpleasant.”
Jinx watched as the woman took off her head piece and the golden bracelets from around her wrists, and set them beside the fire.
“What’s the deal with this council you mentioned?”
Leona leaned back on her hands, and Jinx noticed the relaxed look on her face, like she had nothing to worry about.
She wondered when she had stopped being menacing.
“The council is made up of the eldest members of our society, those who’ve mastered their magic. They debate, vote, and when necessary, seek divine guidance.” She explained.
“A theocracy, then.”
Leona’s gaze flicked to her, unreadable. “If you like.”
Jinx narrowed her eyes at her, then shifted her focus back to the fire. “Do you think they’ll let us stay?”
For a moment, Leona didn’t answer. She looked at nothing in particular and had this line between her brows that made her look concerned, or thoughtful.
“These mountains are not like other places. They are living enigmas. A presence that defies the stillness we associate with stone and earth. They choose who ascends and who does not. Not even the council has the power to go against its will.”
Jinx stared at her.
“You lost me.”
Leona straightened her back and threw her head backwards.
“The mountain isn’t static. It grows, shifts. Its nature is layered and unpredictable.” She explained. The fire danced before them and Jinx swore its shadows illustrated something on the cave walls.
“You make it sound as if it's alive.”
Leona starred as her and leaned forward. “You can’t feel it from here, but tomorrow, once we get higher up, you’ll see.”
“See what?”
Leona’s eyes met hers, serious now. “How the land seems to breathe. It expands and contracts, reshapes itself. No two journeys are the same. One climber might wander its paths for months, while another reaches the peak in a day, as though the mountain itself has decided.”
Jinx crossed her arms, skeptical. “Like we did?”
Leona nodded. “Exactly. If the mountain lets you climb, it has its reasons. The council will recognize that. Your presence here isn’t an accident. The mountain tests more than strength or skill, it tests something deeper. Purpose. Will. Maybe even the soul itself.” She said, “We don’t know.”
Jinx blinked, caught off guard. “No one’s ever told me something like that before.”
“Those who ascend do so at the mercy of something they cannot control or fully understand. Even those who succeed return... changed. It’s not always the change they expect. The mountain chooses. Always.”
“Sounds like bullshit to me,” Jinx muttered.
Leona smirked, amused. “Believe what you like. But you’re here, aren’t you?”
Jinx stared at her for a moment, then back at the fire. The shadows felt like they were reaching out, trying to tell her something. She didn’t know if she trusted Leona yet. But the mountain? The mountain wasn’t a choice.
And somehow, that was harder to argue with.