"I promise my friend. I will end this." ~Jayce, Arcane Survivor
Did not expect Syndra last chapter did you guys? Well you are going to be seeing a lot more soon.
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Caitlin held her staff in front of her, slowly circling around her opponent. The staff was like any other but with one small difference. It had hooks at both ends.
Spinning her staff around, Ambessa calmly spoke, "Your speed in improving." She stopped circling and moved her leg forward into a deep stance, "But eventually.... you need force."
Rictus dropped his anti-magic runes into the brazier next to him, murmuring as they began to glow green.
CLACK
They hit the brazier.
Ambessa stepped forward, swinging sideways. Caitlin blocked the sideway attack and flicked her wrist sending the staff down at Ambessa.
Raising her own staff, she blocked the attack smoothly. And in the same motion, swung the staff down at Caitlin's leg.
Caitlin dashed back and instantly copied the move, aiming at Ambessa's leg.
Smirking, Ambessa raised her leg and let the staff pass under.
Watching her attack miss, Caitlin instantly spun her staff around, pushing it close to Ambessa, forcing her to take a step back.
But to Ambessa, this was just a game. A spar with the intention to instruct.
She stepped in and spun the staff around her back, dodging Caitlin's forward thrust and swung the staff at her torso.
Caitlin frowned at the attack flying at her and leapt forward, fully following through with the thrust and barely dodging the attack aimed at her.
"You are improvising. Good." Ambessa commented as she swung the staff at her head.
Caitlin raised her staff to block it.
THWACK
Both staffs hit each other, sending vibrations down both their arms.
Ambessa lunged, sliding her hand along her staff and pulled back. The hooked end of her staff caught onto Caitlin's.
Caitlin jolted forward.
Right into Ambessa's shoulder.
She was launched back but her hands still held onto the staff.
"Expect every kind of action. And DO NOT WAIT." Ambessa spun as she swung her staff in a wide arc.
Caitlin moved her body beside the staff and blocked the attack. The vibrations from the hit instantly dispersed because of her entire body leaning against the staff.
Watching Ambessa pulling back her staff, Caitlin jumped in, raising her staff overhead and sending it flying down.
She smirked, victory in her eyes as the attack fell toward Ambessa.
But Ambessa's smile never disappeared. She threw her staff into the air and turned her body sideways, letting the staff hit the ground. In one swift motion, she swung her leg onto the staff.
CRACK
Caitlin's staff cracked and split in two as Ambessa effortlessly caught her own and thrust it at Caitlin, her entire body turning as she did.
THUMP
The curved metal slammed into Caitlin forcing her to double over in pain.
Ambessa turned around, moving to hang up her staff on a hook.
WHOOOSH
She turned her head as a the sharp edge of a broken staff left a cut on her cheek. Spinning around, she knocked the broken staff from Caitlin's hand and very quickly sent blows to her shoulder and stomach. Sliding in closer to Caitlin, she grabbed her arm and threw Caitlin over herself and onto the mat.
Throughout the entire exchange, her smile did not fade, her eyes even gaining a glimmer of recognition.
"You repeat the same actions. Easy to predict. Though the last attack was quite good." Ambessa said as she hung up her weapon.
Turning back to the heavily breathing Caitlin, she held a hand out.
Caitlin grasped it as she pulled herself to her feet.
CLACK
The doors opened.
Rictus grabbed his glaive and stood tall, turning around to the intruder in the room.
It was the man, Corin Revek. In his hands were a device of sorts, with two tubes jutting out. One with a sickly green liquid and the other red with blood. "Pardon the interruption."
All eyes turned to the man.
He held out the device, "I've tracked him to Zaun."
Ambessa cracked her neck and began walking to her wall of weapons. A wall which she had nailed her weapons into, through their holes. Having her own weapons be used against her had been a revelation. Blades don't have memories. They are not loyal. They must be carefully stored.
Pulling out her gauntlets, she let the familiar weight guide her as she donned them, "Lets hunt a beast."
-x-
Underneath the warp gate, where the Hextech Gemstones that facilitated the teleportation were stored. Two hundred feet below the surface, where the main mesh was, this was a failsafe where the Hextech formed a particle beam to facilitate the teleportation. Explosions here would not affect the topside.
A man in gray clothing and wraps that ran across his body, twisted the power cores and pulled one out. His facial features obstructed by a cloak.
WHOOOSH
A burst of air rushed out as the power core slid out. A second core now in his hands.
He began walking out of the storage space, his bare feet clanking across the see through flooring. Clanking due to the metallic lines that ran across his legs, making it something akin to metal.
THUMMMM
A pulse of magic erupted behind him as his surroundings changed. Dropping the two cores to the floor, he turned around to see a sphere made of magic pulsing and ebbing.
SKREEEE
A screeching noise sounded from around him as a man began to form between him and the exit.
The man had multiple illusions of himself slam into him as his body solidified.
THUNK
He fell to the floor, his hands holding a..... hammer?
This man stood up and turned around, taking in the person stood behind him, cloaked, with two power cores lying next to him. The man pulled his cloak off.
"Salo?" The reformed man asked, "What are you doing here?"
Salo's eyes widened in recognition, "Jayce." His face had metallic imprints, imprints of fingers as if a hand clutched his face. "One could ask the same question." He answered.
Gone was the Jayce with the clean cut hair, and prim and proper clothes. His hair now fell around his eyes, an unkempt beard on his face and his clothes covered in grime and dust. His left leg in a makeshift crutch.
The world flashed in Jayce's eyes as he clutched his head in pain, "ARGH...." He let out moans of pain before gritting his teeth and focusing on Salo once more. His eyes latching onto the fact that his legs were fine.
It shouldn't have been possible.
Salo had lost the use of his legs from the attack on the council. The explosion had injured his spine. He shouldn't be able to walk.
"Who do you think could mend such a broken creature?" Salo replied, "Would you want.... to speak with him?"
His head rose as his eyes began to vibrate glowing the same metallic sheen as his legs. His head fell to a normal position.
"Jayce." He spoke.
Not in his own voice, but that of Viktor's.
"I'd feared I wouldn't have the chance to speak with you again." He spoke.
Jayce moved forward, "Viktor?" He asked breathlessly. His hammer sliding across the floor.
"I'd prefer to confer in person... but there is so much work to be done." He said as he too walked closer to Jayce.
Jayce stared at him, "How are you doing this?"
Viktor turned around, "I suppose this is somewhat beyond where we left off." The sphere behind them still pulsing as he stared at it.
Jayce's body flickered, "Is Salo still in there?"
Viktor's head shook, "Where else would I be?" Salo answered, "You have my solemn vow that anything you discuss will be kept in the strictest confidence. I owe Viktor... everything." He spoke almost reverently.
His head jolted to the side, "Very kind, Salo." Viktor began walking around the sphere, "I have so many breakthroughs to share with you Jayce."
Jayce blinked in pain, "I... I thought you were done with Hextech. And me."
"I was clouded by emotions." Viktor answered, "Come. Visit me. See what I've accomplished." He reached out a hand for the sphere, "I've helped so many." The sphere reacted violently, sending ripples across it. Viktor pulled his hand back slowly and the area around them returned to normal as the sphere disappeared.
Jayce hid his eyes from the bright light that flashed, "You've given Hextechto the people?"
"As we always promised we would." Viktor answered.
Viktor's head shook and Salo continued, "Viktor has truly worked wonders."
"Hextechisn't the miracle we thought it would be." Jayce resolutely claimed, "Its a curse. We have to end it Viktor. We have to."
"You seem different." Viktor replied. He frowned, "Something happened. Now I see it. You too have touched the Arcane. Your mind has suffered."
The two stared at each other, tension building.
"Now, you must excuse me. I must return to him." Salo replied as he lifted the two power cores and began walking past Jayce.
Jayce didn't turn as Salo walked past him, "I cannot let you leave."
"I'm sorry you feel that way."
Jayce closed his eyes as he let out a heavy breath, "I'm sorry too."
SLAM
His hammer rose to the air and fell onto Salo, decimating him.
"I promise my friend. I will end this." He muttered as he stepped over Salo's remains and walked to the elevator.