End of a Story
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Silco experienced the fleeting moments between life and death; in those moments, he understood the girl's heart.
They had always been together.
Though he deeply wished to sacrifice his own life to grant her a stable and beautiful future, the girl had already made a choice—one from which there was no turning back.
Still, he decided to follow through with the plan.
"We have no reinforcements," Silco said, his voice firm.
"We need to evacuate first. There's a small boat in the harbor behind us. Row toward Zaun. Sevika is on the other side—she'll come to rescue me."
"You want me to run and leave you behind? No way! Either we go together, or we stay together!" Jinx replied, her voice tinged with stubbornness.
Dodging a hail of bullets, she quickly swapped her weapon and fired two more rounds at their enemies below.
"Listen to me, Jinx," Silco commanded.
"The robot needs my orders, and I can hold them off for now. If you don't go for help, we'll both die here."
Reluctantly, Jinx gritted her teeth. She crouched low, keeping her body out of sight, and dashed forward.
With one swift motion, she leapt through the gap created by the merchant ship's earlier collision.
By the embankment, a small mechanical boat bobbed on the water. It was barely big enough for one person.
Jinx climbed aboard, her movements hurried. She gripped the controls and maneuvered the boat, steering it toward Zaun as fast as it could.
As the boat left the shore, a coastal defense battery swiveled, aiming directly at her.
But before it could fire, a hulking robot appeared beside it, smashing the cannon to pieces.
From afar, Jayce witnessed the scene. His hesitation vanished, replaced by resolve.
He channeled Hextech energy into the Mercury Hammer and fired a powerful energy shot into the sky.
Bang!
The energy shot exploded like a brilliant firework, scattering azure sparks across the battlefield.
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On the top floor of the academy, Mel Medarda turned toward Heimerdinger, her piercing gaze demanding action.
"The Drake still a prototype," Heimerdinger protested.
"Science must be rigorously tested to ensure safety."
But faced with Mel's unyielding expression and the rising chaos outside, he sighed deeply.
"Fine," he relented.
"Let's hope it doesn't lead to even greater losses."
He pressed a mechanical button. A chain reaction followed, opening the ceiling of a warehouse within the academy.
From within, a massive, metallic drake emerged its majestic and terrifying design.
Its wings stretched wide, gleaming with precision engineering, while four powerful legs braced its frame. At the end of its tail, a razor-sharp blade gleamed ominously.
The sheer presence of the mechanical drake radiated menace, leaving no doubt that it was a weapon of war.
Hum!
The lifeless eyes of the Drake suddenly lit up, glowing with the signature blue of Hextech energy. Embedded in its head were two enormous Hex crystals, radiating power.
With a deafening roar, the robotic drake came to life. Its wings unfurled and took flight, cutting through the air like a force of nature.
In the square below, everyone turned their eyes toward the drake. Their reactions were starkly different.
While Silco remained stoic, the others were overcome with joy.
They all knew the truth: this magnificent creation belonged to Piltover.
Aboard the mechanical boat, Jinx stole glances back at the scene. Her eyes burned with frustration and desperation.
She pushed the boat's acceleration lever to its limit, willing it to go faster.
"An impressive imitation of the Dragons," observed the crow perched on Ryan's shoulder.
"It's quite suited for battle."
Ryan nodded, his tone calm but contemplative.
"This city never ceases to surprise. A mechanical weapon like that could replace an entire battalion. Perhaps the Empire should reconsider the balance between magic and technology."
"True," the crow agreed.
"But while mechanical creations are promising, the Empire's elite must still be forged through hardship and battle."
Ryan gave a small smile.
"Indeed. The true heroes of the Empire are born in the crucible of death and struggle. Still, there's value in experimenting with such advancements."
The crow's scarlet eyes glinted as it gazed at the battlefield.
"Let's see if this machine is worthy of its reputation—or if it will fail like so many before it."
Above the square, the giant robotic drake soared, its steel wings cutting through the air with a thunderous roar. Its mouth opened wide, revealing a pulsating core of blue energy.
Hum!
The air itself seemed to tremble as the Drake unleashed its power—a devastating blast of Hextech energy that lit up the battlefield like the breath of a god.
The azure blue light swept across the square, obliterating everything in its path.
The corpses of the fallen, the robots unable to evacuate in time, and even the ornate sculptures decorating the plaza—all were reduced to nothingness under the drake's breath.
Silco stood unmoved, his expression cold and resolute. He issued a command to the remaining robots to advance.
He had always known Piltover harbored hidden trump cards.
His agreement with the Council had merely been a means to breach the coastal defenses.
Yet, he had never truly believed he could contend with Piltover's full strength.
Today, he hadn't planned to leave alive.
Over a decade ago, Vander had led him across the bridge, only for them to retreat in humiliation. The memory of that shame haunted him, and the man who had played a part in it still lived.
As his life approached its end, he struck at Piltover one final time.
Perhaps this was destiny—a cruel arrangement by the gods.
Slash!
The Drake's massive metallic claw crashed down, crushing the robot into scrap.
Slash!
The Drake's tail swung, striking another robot squarely where its Hex gem was stored, rendering it inoperable.
Side by side with Jayce and the enforcers, the Drake tore through one robot after another, leaving a trail of destruction.
From a distant rooftop, Ryan and the crow silently observed.
Their gazes lingered on Silco, noting the calm determination in his eyes.
"His faith is admirable," the crow remarked.
"His name is Silco, yes? He dies with honor."
Ryan nodded slightly.
"Silco's life was extraordinary. In the end, he accomplished what he always sought to do."
Silco and Jinx's story had reached its bittersweet conclusion. At the end of it all, he had become a father again, shielding the one he cherished most.
His towering, unyielding figure stood as his final act of defiance.
The giant robotic Drake ascended into the sky one last time, its jaws opening wide as it unleashed a devastating Hex breath.
Azure blue light engulfed the vessel where Silco stood.
Facing the Drake's final judgment, Silco tilted his head back, a faint smile on his lips. Arms outstretched, he embraced his fate.
When the light faded, all that had been Silco—his presence, his plans, his memories—was gone. Not even a trace of him remained.
"Silco!!"
Jinx's anguished scream tore through the air as her boat reached the shores of Zaun.
Her face was pale, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"He lied to me!" she cried, desperately trying to turn the boat back toward Piltover.
Her frantic hands wrestled with the controls, but the mechanical boat wouldn't obey no matter what she did.
It continued its course to shore, unwavering.
As the boat docked, she noticed two familiar figures standing at the water's edge: Viktor and Sevika.
Both stared in silence toward Piltover, their faces solemn.
Before them, a single white lily bloomed. It swayed gently in the breeze, a quiet symbol of mourning for the departed.
Jinx froze.
They had already known.
In that moment, understanding washed over her. She realized the truth behind Silco's plan: why the boat could only carry one person and why Sevika hadn't been nearby to wait for them.
She understood the choice he had made.
The final choice of the man who had called her his daughter.
Jinx didn't speak. She didn't scream or demand answers. Instead, she turned her gaze to the fading blue light in the sky.
Silent tears rolled down her cheeks as she stood motionless, her heart breaking under the weight of what she now knew.
In the brilliance of his death, her soul felt an unbearable shift. She understood, but she could never accept it.
"Silco... Piltover..."
Her voice trembled as she stared at the ruins of the ship. It was gone, annihilated to the last splinter.
Even the soil beneath it had turned black and lifeless.
Jinx clenched her fists, her lips trembling. Slowly, she stood, stepping off the mechanical boat.
She said nothing to Viktor or Sevika as she walked past them, her eyes hollow.
She moved toward Zaun's depths, her figure resembling that of a lifeless shell.
"Will she...?" Sevika began, her frown deep with concern.
"She will come to understand," Viktor said softly.
"The shadow of the Drake did not just accompany her; it left its mark on every corner of Zaun. One day, we too will have our own Drake."
Viktor's deep, contemplative eyes shifted toward the sky where the mechanical Drake still roared. Without hesitation, he turned and began walking toward his laboratory.
"Evolution," he muttered, his voice resolute.
"It is far from complete."
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Arc 1 - Completed
Arc 2 - Rise of an Empire