Arcane: Mage from Noxus

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Night.

Viktor and his assistant Skye watched as Orianna stepped into the glowing rune matrix, its blue light casting eerie reflections across the lab.

In an instant, her figure vanished within the shimmering energy.

"Let's go. We should leave," Viktor said, his mechanical voice low and firm.

The screeching sound of his iron-plated legs echoed through the room as he began walking, step by step, toward their next destination.

"Aren't we going back to the pub today?"

Skye asked hesitantly, her sharp eyes catching subtle changes in Viktor's demeanor.

There was something different about him tonight.

Viktor paused mid-step. Without turning, he replied flatly, "Today, we're going to the police station. If Zaun is to have a leader, we must ensure they have a proper office space. We cannot continue handling matters from a noisy tavern."

"But… aren't you the leader of Zaun?"

Skye stammered, trying to keep up with Viktor's relentless pace.

"Viktor, wait for me!"

Before she could finish, Viktor's silhouette was already fading into the dimly lit alley as his assistant rushed to follow.

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Last Drop – Silco's Office.

"So this is why you called me here? After all the work we've done to put Zaun on the right track, you're ready to throw it all away… for a kid?"

Sevika spat, her voice dripping with frustration.

She leaned back in her chair, swirling the cheap wine in her glass before taking a long sip.

Silco sat calmly at his desk, hands clasped together under his chin. His expression betrayed no emotion.

"You don't understand, Sevika," he said evenly.

"The things we've done—those terrible things—they're like invisible bombs waiting to go off. One day, they will."

"We?" Sevika scoffed, her mechanical arm thudding against the table as she leaned forward.

"Don't lump me in with your guilt. If anyone wants to accuse me of what I've done, let them. I'll take my punishment—whips, hammers, knives—whatever they want. As long as Zaun gets better, I'll endure it."

Her voice grew louder, her anger boiling over.

"But you? What's your plan, Silco? To die a martyr? To make yourself a hero in some twisted bid for redemption? You've always been a realist. Don't start hiding behind excuses now!"

Sevika slammed her mechanical fist onto the table, the impact rattling the bottles and glasses nearby.

"Death's the easy way out, Silco. And what then? Do you think Viktor, Singed, or the Chem Barons will carry on your work? Even Piltover's Council won't lift a finger to help us!"

Silco narrowed his eyes, his calm façade cracking just slightly.

"You're as direct as ever, Sevika. But brute force won't secure Zaun's future. It's not enough. You lack the vision to see the bigger picture. That's why I can't leave Zaun in your hands."

"Me?" Sevika let out a bitter laugh.

"You think I care about leading? Viktor has no interest in it, and I thought you would step up. But now I see you're no better than Vander. You're both cowards."

Silco's eyes darkened at the mention of Vander's name, his voice growing colder.

"You think your methods are enough? That the Chem Barons can fix this mess? Do you even consider the lives destroyed by shimmer? Jinx was right about one thing—you're just fanning the flames of destruction without thinking about what comes next."

Sevika fell silent, her gaze locked on Silco.

His words stung, not because they were cruel but because they held a bitter truth she couldn't ignore.

The Chem Barons were a necessary evil—Silco's way of securing power in the early days. But now, they had grown too strong, too unruly.

Even with Silco as their nominal leader, Viktor and the police department kept their distance, wary of Zaun's precarious balance of power.

Sevika hated admitting it, but Silco's position had become untenable.

If he turned on the Barons, he would lose everything: his influence, his control, his legacy.

Yet if he let them grow unchecked, Zaun's future would be shaped by greed and chaos.

And neither Silco nor Sevika could accept that outcome.

"If you don't get rid of the Chem Barons, they'll become another obstacle to reform," Sevika said bluntly. Her voice was sharp, cutting through the dimly lit room.

But she knew the reality. If Silco gave up his position now, countless people in Zaun were waiting to kill him.

For someone like him, the difference between dying sooner or later wasn't about fear—it was about how valuable that death would be.

"So, what's your plan?" Sevika sighed, folding her arms.

If she were in Silco's position, the most logical path would be to ally with Viktor, submit to his vision, and perhaps even go so far as to transform herself into a mechanical body.

But she knew Silco too well—his pride, his stubbornness. He'd never take that route.

"Tonight, there will be an incident at Warehouse 2. The defense robots stored there will be stolen," Silco said calmly as if it were just another day in Zaun.

Sevika's brow furrowed. "You convinced Viktor to let this happen?"

Silco shot her a sharp glance.

"He's a pragmatic man. He doesn't care for politics, but he understands order. If he isn't directly invested in evolution, he'll ensure Zaun can function without chaos. I even recommended you to him, but apparently, he's had a different idea—one involving machine intelligence to oversee Zaun's governance."

Sevika raised an eyebrow.

"Machine intelligence? I don't really get it, but… sounds more reliable than me, I guess. So, what's next?"

Silco leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled.

"Tonight, I've called together the Chem Barons. You, Sevika, will act as the Chief of Zaun's Police Department. You've built a decent reputation recently. It's far better than mine. Arrest all the Barons who come to this meeting. The people of Zaun will begin to let go of their grudges against you once they see this."

Sevika let out a short laugh.

"And you're just going to waltz into Piltover after that? With your guard robots and… what, some prisoners?"

Silco's voice remained steady, almost detached.

"I have to go. Jinx—she's still a child, Sevika. She wasn't taught properly. That's my responsibility. I have to save her."

For a moment, Sevika simply stared at him. Something in him had shifted, and it unnerved her.

The Silco she knew would have grumbled about how much trouble this was before leading an all-out assault to get Jinx back.

But no matter how much he changed, one thing remained constant: Silco never abandoned his people.

That was what she admired most about him.

"If you want to build something together, you better be ready to die for it," Sevika murmured, almost to herself.

Her smirk widened as she stood, her mechanical arm clinking softly.

Without another word, she turned to leave.

Pausing briefly at the door, she glanced back and muttered:

"Go all the way, Silco."

"Together for Zaun," Silco replied quietly, watching her leave the Tavern.

Once she was gone, the weariness in his eyes deepened. The reasons he'd given her were true—but only in part.

Zaun's future was already set in motion. And truth be told, he had been tired for far too long. Vander should have drowned him that day…

-----

An hour later.

Silco stood in front of the gathered Chem Barons, their faces a mix of confusion, curiosity, and suspicion. His voice was calm but commanding.

"Piltover has taken one of my people. As promised when I took this role, I would see to their rescue if anyone was captured. Tonight, I will go to Piltover. If you wish to join me, then come. But if you don't…"

He pointed to the open door, his voice growing sharper. "…leave now. And don't you dare claim any connection to me ever again?"

The room fell into tense silence. The Barons exchanged wary glances, some visibly hesitant.

The recent chaos in Piltover made this feel like a dangerous gamble.

Finally, a green-haired Baron nervously made for the door. When Silco didn't stop him, a handful of others quickly followed.

Moments later, a muffled BOOM! shook the building. The laughter of those remaining echoed faintly through the room. They all knew what had happened to the deserters outside.

Silco scanned the room, his voice unshaken.

"Five of you stayed. That's more than enough."

He rose from his seat, his movements deliberate and steady.

"We head to Warehouse 2 at midnight. Spread the word on the way—I want to see your commitment to Zaun."

Without waiting for a response, Silco strode out the door, his determination unwavering.

The remaining Chem Barons exchanged glances before following him, their expressions a mixture of fear and resolve.