Sylas was originally a child from the remote town in Demacia.
Due to his extraordinarily unique abilities, when he was discovered by the Mageseekers and brought to the capital, he was not subjected to the magic-nullifying drugs that would have stripped him of his powers and then exiled to the foreign magic-nullifying slums.
On the contrary, because of his outstanding talent to perceive magic, he was chosen and trained by the Mageseekers. In the end, he avoided being made powerless and exiled, serving Demacia in the role of a Mageseeker.
However, at the time, Sylas was only a teenager and lacked a strong heart, his indecisiveness leading to his downfall.
Eight years ago, during a Mageseeker mission, his hesitation caused his mentor, Marseno, who had always taken good care of him, to be struck by withering magic and fall into a life-threatening situation.
Together with another Mageseeker, Vanis, they fled to a rural farm family for help, only to discover that the young daughter of the household was also a mage.
Because his companion couldn't survive, killed by magic, and fueled by his own hatred for magic, Vanis, in a fit of rage, wanted to eliminate this "threat."
Out of instinct, the little girl released magic, but most of it was absorbed by Vanis's magic-nullifying stone sigil and had no effect.
He swung his magic-nullifying rod to strike the girl's head, a blow that would have killed her instantly.
Sylas rushed to protect her, cradling her in his arms, attempting to block his companion's lethal blow.
However, he did not understand the unique magical ability he possessed to absorb magic.
As the magic from the little girl was fully absorbed by Sylas, his uncontrolled power erupted.
Deadly flames shot from his hands, instantly engulfing the entire farmhouse. Three lives were lost, their bodies reduced to unrecognizable charred remains.
Later, when Sylas was captured while on the run, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. He has been confined in the Mageseeker's Mithril Vault dungeon for eight years now.
Li Lin could not understand why, even without encountering Lux, Sylas had still managed to escape.
Without the help of the Crownguard family's young lady, Sylas would have had no way of knowing the true nature of the magic-nullifying stone—that it absorbed magic rather than suppressed it—and would not have been able to absorb enough magic to escape.
After all, Lux had the power to awaken Galio with a mere touch, and as long as she stayed near him, she could provide the energy he needed to move.
Moreover, when the Crownguard family discovered Lux secretly meeting with one of the most dangerous mage prisoners in the capital, Sylas's sentence was changed from life imprisonment to the death penalty. At the execution site, she once again touched Sylas, allowing him to escape with the magic needed to break free.
Additionally, since the king's close ally, Barrett, was killed by a mage while attempting to rescue the prince, causing him to give more power to the Mageseeker organization, it led to a six-year period of fear and tension within Demacia.
As a result, the mage rebellion in Demacia seemed like an inevitable, explosive event.
But now, with Li Lin's intervention, Barrett returned to the capital unharmed, and the legendary protector Morgana was by his side. The king had not granted more power to the Mageseekers to persecute mages, and even considered repealing the magic-nullifying laws.
Logically, the mage rebellion should not happen now.
But judging by the current situation, Sylas had still escaped from the prison, and this time it was no longer a "coincidence" brought about by years of accumulated tension.
Could it be Eldred?
Li Lin furrowed his brow, thinking for a moment.
In the past two days, under the constant surveillance of an invisible drone, Eldred had behaved very normally.
However, Li Lin believed that with the assassin who tried to kill the king captured alive and the mage rebellion dealt with by him, this old fox would soon lose patience and make a mistake.
Although Eldred had married into the Crownguard family, making him the husband of General Tiyana, the Crownguard family had served the Lightshield royal family loyally for a hundred years. A foreigner like Eldred could never shake the king's trust in them, though his reputation might suffer slightly due to his marriage.
When the time came, Li Lin only needed to pass the drone's gathered intelligence directly to the king, and Eldred would be charged with treason, a capital offense without question.
If the investigation with Barrett proceeded smoothly and evidence was found linking the Mageseeker organization with Noxus, that organization would be completely dismantled, and modifying the magic-nullifying laws would face little resistance.
As for Li Lin secretly spying on the great nobles with drones?
If Eldred was convicted of treason, the king would be more than grateful to him and would not care about any potential fault in his methods.
The mages below had mostly emerged by now, and under Sylas's leadership, they were clearly headed for the eastern district where the king and prince were located, not Dawnkeep Castle.
Li Lin narrowed his eyes, almost certain that the mage rebellion had originated from an insider in the capital.
Noticing that Sylas had used magic to attack a pair of guards attempting to stop them, Li Lin didn't hesitate. He immediately descended from the sky and stood in their way.
As the scorching flames of magic surged forward, engulfing the street ahead, the crimson light reflected in Sylas's eyes. Most of the mages behind him cheered and shouted in excitement.
"This is how we should show those damn lackeys our power!"
"Burn them, burn them alive!"
"Good job, Sylas!"
"Down with the damned Lightshield royal family, free Demacia!"
"…"
Everyone was focused on the rising flames, almost none of them noticing Li Lin descending from the sky into the fire.
They all assumed that the guards engulfed by the magical flames, even with their rune-forged steel armor, would not survive such terrifying fire.
But Sylas stared at the still-burning fire ahead, furrowing his brow, his expression serious.
He could feel the streets before him, engulfed in flames, suddenly radiating an immense energy that sent a chill down his spine. It was more powerful than any magic he had ever encountered.
This energy resembled magic but was fundamentally different, akin to the contrast between the ocean and magma—both liquids, yet inherently distinct.
If he absorbed this energy without restraint, Sylas was certain it would instantly overwhelm and destroy him.
A slender, gray-haired man standing nearby noticed Sylas 's grim expression and asked, "Sylas , what's wrong?"
"It seems we're in trouble," Sylas replied, flexing his wrist as he dragged the rune-forged chains to his side. The dozens of mages behind him, sensing the abnormality, quickly gathered around him.
As time passed, the flames lining the street gradually dissipated, dissolving into particles of magical energy that scattered into the air.
Once the flames were gone, Li Lin and two unscathed guards reappeared, standing intact before the group.
The mages behind Sylas broke into a commotion—some cursing, others panicking, while the more composed among them turned their eyes toward Sylas , their anchor of hope.
"Are you all right?" Li Lin asked, his gaze fixed on the mages several meters away, not bothering to glance back.
Having grown used to relatively peaceful days in the capital, the two guards had never imagined that mages would stage a prison break, let alone cast such formidable spells within the walls fortified by anti-magic stones.
Still reeling from the terror of nearly being consumed by the flames, the guards found themselves even more stunned by the mysterious figure clad in fully enclosed, unfamiliar armor who had just saved their lives.
After a brief pause, the older of the two guards stammered out a reply, "N-no... We're fine..."
"Good. If you're unhurt, leave immediately. I'll handle things here."
"But you..."
"Don't worry. I can take care of them."
The two guards hastily thanked Li Lin before turning and running toward safety.
Sylas spared the fleeing guards a glance, curling his lips into a derisive sneer as he let out a cold scoff.
He then refocused his attention on Li Lin, scrutinizing him from head to toe. "Who are you... or rather, what are you?"
"My name is Li Lin, and I'm a mechanic," Li Lin introduced himself simply, not intending to waste words. His tone was indifferent as he continued, "You're surrounded. Surrender now."
(End of chapter)
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