Two and a Half Days (update)

Camille Ferros.

One of the four legendary sisters of the top lane in the Summoner's Rift, known for her high mobility, devastating damage, and the ability to tank hits while dishing out punishment.

But beyond her in-game prowess, her presence in the official lore and setting is where she truly shines. She is arguably the most compelling character in the Piltover and Zaun narrative.

The Ferros family, with Camille at its helm, is the unspoken ruler of the twin cities. Camille herself is the sharpest blade in their arsenal. To her, Piltover and Zaun are like a massive machine, and her duty is to maintain and repair it, ensuring that even the smallest malfunction doesn't bring the entire system to a halt.

Her power stems from the Hextech crystal core implanted in her chest, which has replaced her heart. This core not only fuels her but also grants her strength and longevity far beyond that of a normal human.

In the original lore, Camille is over eighty years old, yet she retains the vitality and appearance of a woman in her mid-twenties. The Hextech crystal within her core is no ordinary gem—it's not even a crystal in the traditional sense. It's more akin to the heart of an ancient race.

Yes, that race is the Brackern, the same species to which Skarner, the crystalline scorpion, belongs.

However, after Riot Games reworked Skarner, they chewed up his old lore and spat out a new set of details.

If the rumors Tamara mentioned are true, and if Camille truly exists in this timeline, then is there even a need for the story to unfold?

Not really!

This is also why Riot didn't include Camille in Arcane. She was only briefly mentioned in the first season, with a nod to her family.

Why? Because her power level is simply too overwhelming.

Jinx causing chaos on Progress Day?

Hextech Ultimatum comes crashing down!

Silco building a Shimmer factory underground and creating Shimmer-enhanced soldiers?

Hextech Ultimatum comes crashing down!

The Iron Matron of Noxus eyeing Piltover with greedy intentions?

Hextech Ultimatum comes crashing down!

If Camille were around, Vander and Silco would never have been able to instigate the "Day of Ashes."

And without that, the entire plot of Arcane would collapse.

This is why Camille was left out of the series.

But beyond her overwhelming power, there's another critical reason: lore inconsistency.

Camille's power source is the Brackern's primal magic crystals, and the Ferros family played a pivotal role in the development of Hextech gems.

This directly conflicts with the Arcane narrative, where Jayce is portrayed as the inventor of Hextech.

To avoid these contradictions and maintain narrative coherence, Camille was effectively "banned" from Arcane, leaving only her family name as a passing reference.

But now, Link Star has heard rumors of Camille from Tamara and even encountered a gardener from the Ferros family.

Could Camille truly exist in this timeline?

And if she does, why would she reveal herself now?

It doesn't make sense. None of it does.

With these questions swirling in his mind, Link Star had a meal with Tamara before politely declining her invitation to celebrate at a bar. Instead, he returned to his dormitory near the Sun Gate.

Back in his room, Link pulled out the business card he'd received earlier, running his fingers over its surface.

Ever since he noticed the mention of clockwork technology, he'd felt that something was off about this version of Piltover and Zaun.

And now, with Camille potentially in the picture, the situation had become even more convoluted.

But—

Link flicked the card onto the table and slumped into his chair.

These matters were far beyond the reach of a lowly apprentice like him. For now, he needed to focus on more immediate concerns.

Madame Norlin had paid him handsomely—ten gold hexes, to be exact. After Tamara took her cut, he was left with eight gold hexes and fifty silver cogs.

He'd also received a few books as bonuses.

In Piltover and Zaun, the currency is gold-based, with the gold hex being the most valuable, worth one hundred silver cogs or one thousand bronze gears.

His rent was only eighty-five silver cogs a month—a pittance compared to the exorbitant prices in the upper city, where rents could easily reach dozens or even hundreds of gold hexes.

Still, even with this windfall, the money was far from enough to bring his designs for a clockwork augment to life.

No one would invest in a mere blueprint. To secure funding, he'd need a working prototype.

"Ugh—" Link did some quick calculations and realized that his current funds were nowhere near sufficient for his ambitions.

Sure, he was surviving in this parallel universe, but he still needed to maintain his credibility.

The mysterious wanderer who'd granted him his abilities had tasked him with changing the fate of Piltover and Zaun. To fulfill that promise, he'd need to take concrete action.

But how could he save the twin cities?

Link crossed his arms and began to recall the original storyline.

There were several pivotal moments in Arcane that determined the course of events: the memorial service attack, Piltover's crackdown on Zaun, Caitlyn becoming the Sheriff, Jinx's rampage at Stillwater Prison, and so on.

To alter the timeline, he'd need to intervene at these critical junctures.

The closest event was the memorial service attack, which marked the Iron Matron Ambessa Medarda's first major move into Piltover's affairs.

Before this, despite her ambitions, Ambessa had been kept at bay by Mel's strict oversight.

But after the attack, Ambessa's timely "assistance" gave her the leverage she needed to extend her influence over Piltover.

And let's not forget—the attack was a false flag operation orchestrated by Ambessa herself.

If Link could prevent this event, the entire course of the story would change.

But how much time did he have?

Link pondered this. The funerals for the three councilors would take at least two to three days.

The wake and mourning period would add another one to two days, with the memorial service held shortly after.

Assuming the funerals took two days, and the invitations for the memorial service were sent out immediately afterward, Link had only two and a half days to prepare.

Two and a half days to plan, gather resources, and thwart Ambessa's scheme.

It wasn't just tight—it was nearly impossible.

Even if he stretched the timeline to four days, it would still be a race against time.

But he couldn't afford to plan for four days. Any unexpected delay would ruin everything.

He had to prepare for the worst and act with urgency.

The designs left behind by his predecessor gave him some inspiration. While the original intent was to help the disabled regain mobility, with some upgrades, the designs could be transformed into a full-fledged clockwork exoskeleton.

Link's education in his previous life had taught him one thing: power comes from the barrel of a gun. To make a difference, he needed strength.

But a new problem arose: even if he could upgrade the designs, where would he get the money for materials?

Creating a prototype required funds for materials, room for trial and error, and resources for testing.

And all of this had to be done while preparing for any unforeseen complications.

How could he possibly accomplish all of this in two and a half days?

Unless he could ascend to godhood and grow a third arm.

But if he had that kind of power, he wouldn't be sitting here worrying.

He'd just sink Ambessa's fleet and let Darius do the rest—Noxian Guillotine style.

"This is so frustrating!"

Link ran a hand through his messy black hair, his brow furrowed in frustration.

[You have a new message. Please check your inbox.]

The notification snapped him out of his thoughts.

Out of the ten letters he'd sent, someone had actually replied?

[You have a new message. Please check your inbox.]

Link's eyes widened. Wait, two replies?!