Chapter 85: Orion (1)

Visions, like those from his imprisonment and the void portal in the warehouse, tormented Orion in his unconscious state.

A blur of screams, anguished cries, and shouts of rage washed over him, stretching time into something both endless and fleeting.

Then, in an instant, as if carried away by a gentle breeze, those feelings and images were swept away into the distance, leaving him standing in a black void.

Orion looked down at his hands, faint outlines against the abyss. Slowly, the darkness gave way to form and light. The air, once sickeningly vile and putrid, now felt as fresh as Ionia's. A rare, peaceful sensation settled over him.

Blink.

His eyes fluttered open, staring at the dark ceiling of his apartment. Silence pressed in, heavy and thick.

Looking down, he saw Isha curled up against him, hugging his form atop the blankets. Tear-streaked and contorted with worry, her small face betrayed just how deeply she had attached herself to him.

Moving carefully so as not to wake her, Orion sat up. His entire body ached, his clothes still stained with blood. Fragments of the night before returned to him bit by bit up until Tahm Kench.

"Shit... Did I make a deal with it?" he muttered, unsettled.

"No." The voice was soft, gentle, like wind through the open window. "And your soul remains."

A jolt ran through Orion. Isha stirred at his side, but he barely noticed. His gaze snapped toward the window.

A bird sat on the sill, its beady eyes locked onto him. Then, with a flutter of wings, it glided into the room, bringing a misty breeze in its wake.

"You have a strong will, to suppress the Void for so long," it said, disappearing into the mist- only to reemerge, reshaped.

The transformation was seamless. What stood before him now was something similar to elvish in nature. Pure white skin, long wavy blonde hair, and glowing light-teal eyes. She wore light, silken garments adorned with orange gemstones, a crown of embedded crystals, and in her right hand, a floating teal crystal atop a crystal staff.

Orion recognized her instantly. A name surfaced in his mind before she even spoke.

"You know me," she observed, hovering closer, a continuous breeze swirling around her. "But how?"

Orion hesitated. "Erm… your portraits and depictions are everywhere." His voice dropped slightly as his gaze flickered toward Isha. "A bright blue bird shifting into a beautiful woman? Only Janna, the benevolent spirit goddess who saved the Undercity, matches that uniqueness."

Janna arched a brow, her sharp features maintaining their softness. "That is true. But you recognized me at a deeper level."

Orion swallowed.

"Don't worry about her," Janna added, glancing at Isha. "She is asleep. Do you know what you are?"

Orion frowned. "What I am?" He hesitated. "Human...?"

Janna studied him, measuring his response. "Perhaps. I've watched you- an anomaly- since birth. And ever since you… awakened… your powers seven mortal years ago, I have worked hard to suppress your aura from escaping Piltover."

"You've known about me my entire life?" Orion's expression darkened. "Since the explosions? Since Ionia? Since Stillwater? And why suppress my presence at all?"

Janna sighed. "It takes great effort to protect both this city and you. Your existence, if known, would bring Celestials, the Ascended, and the Void itself to Piltover."

Orion looked away. "Then why didn't you just kick me out?"

"Your birth is not your fault," she said simply. "Nor are your powers. And throwing you out merely shifts the inevitable."

She tilted her head, her voice turning remorseful. "Ionia, however, was beyond my sight. And your imprisonment… while cruel… saved both you and Piltover upon your return."

Orion's jaw tightened. "And you just… watched?"

"It is impossible for a spirit goddess not to notice your presence returning," Janna admitted. "Stranger yet, for you, is how easily we now speak."

A thought flickered across Orion's mind, unease creeping in. "So... why now? Is it because of the Void inside me?"

Janna's staff arced forward, the teal crystal atop it shimmering faintly as it lightly touched Orion's chest.

"That is why I have descended," she confirmed with a sigh. "You, however, are not entirely human. No normal human wields celestial healing, is touched by spiritual magic, commands elemental magic, and resists the corruption of the Void as you do- yet you were raised by mortals."

A soft glow pulsed from the staff. "A normal human," she murmured, "could not suppress the Void for this long."

Her fingertips brushed his cheek, her expression filled with sorrow. "I'm sorry I haven't been able to help you sooner. But for your sake, and for everyone else in this city, I had to trust that you could resist its nature on your own, first."