A knock on the door drew everyone's attention to the person who had just entered the room.
"Hey, Vander, you brats. I found this little one outside the shop with a note tied to its tail telling me to come here."
Standing in front of the door was Benzo with Yako in his arms, and shortly after finishing speaking, footsteps could be heard behind him.
"Ho ho ho! Descending the stairs in a beautiful and amazing way, the incredible and intrepid Zeri presents herself to the oth- Oh."
The green-haired girl froze upon seeing more people than she had anticipated witnessing her presentation, and embarrassed, she crouched down covering her face, inadvertently dropping a letter similar to the one Benzo had on the ground.
Behind her, another figure appeared, leaning against the wall, a serious-looking Sevika who exuded vibes of being very annoyed, nodded toward the children.
"...The letter told me to come here."
Benzo turned around and set Yako down, then waved the letter in his hand.
"Same here."
Yako stood still for a moment, looking around, and seeing that neither of the two eccentric girls paid him any strange looks, he sat on one of the sofas, observing as Zeri's electricity slightly overflowed.
"Zeri, calm down—"
Ekko tried to calm Zeri upon seeing her state, but his words were cut short when he realized that Zeri's energy was accumulating at a point in the room, as if it were being absorbed.
"What's that?"
Powder stood up from the stool upon noticing the energy heading toward under Niko's bed. Without paying much attention to the others' looks, she crouched down and, after crawling a bit, managed to grab a red wooden box that seemed to be made from the same wood as The Last Forge's counter.
"Have you found something, Powder?"
Vi separated from Vander's embrace, feeling a bit embarrassed after realizing Sevika was looking at her with slight amusement, and approached Powder.
"Yes, it's a red box, but the center seems to be connected to Zeri."
Upon hearing her name, Zeri lifted her gaze and, confused, stood up while shaking her head from side to side.
"Are you okay, Zeri?"
"Better than ever, Ezreal! It's just that... it's like something is calling to me."
Zeri's face turned serious, and she slowly advanced toward Powder, extending her hand toward the box she held.
"May I?"
Confused to see her act this way for the first time, Powder simply nodded as she handed over the box.
As if in a trance, Zeri's eyes never left the box, even when she turned toward Powder. Her hands seemed to tremble, and her breathing became irregular when she opened the box.
In the blink of an eye, Zeri's energy exploded, enveloping her completely and making her eyes glow.
"I-It's like a firelight."
Ignoring Powder's whisper, Zeri closed her eyes as she placed her hands on the object inside the box.
'...The spark resonates, absorbs, and amplifies...'
Electricity crackled all over her body and began to diminish into small waves that compressed focusing on her heart and forming a connection with the green jacket in front of her.
[IMG here]
Without hesitation, she grabbed the jacket and put it on, then dropped to her knees as tears streamed down her face, but received no reaction from anyone, as everyone was stunned by what they had just witnessed.
"*sob* I-I can control it... I can control electricity."
"Mages are amazing."
Everyone nodded unconsciously at Ekko's comment, and Zeri lowered her head in embarrassment. However, unlike in the past, she didn't release any involuntary sparks around her, and none of the lamps began to flicker suddenly.
"N-No... the amazing one is Spidy, he..."
Zeri began to ramble while looking around, and when her gaze fell back on the box, she realized there were two letters placed parallel underneath where the jacket had been.
Zeri's sudden pause in speaking caught everyone's attention, and as they followed her gaze, they saw she was looking at two letters. One of them had 'Zeri' written on it, while the other had 'Everyone' written on it.
"Am I hallucinating or are there two letters in the box?"
Ekko glanced at the others, and seeing that they were all focused on the box, he quickly slid over and picked up both letters, handing Zeri the one with her name on it and sitting down at the table while holding the other in his hand.
"What? I want to read it."
Seeing the looks everyone was giving him, Ekko shrugged and began unfolding the letter.
Zeri, meanwhile, sat down next to Yako and watched as everyone gathered around Ekko. Lowering her gaze, she began to read the letter.
_______________________
'Hello Sparky,
If you're reading this it means you've found it... Surprise!!!
I made it thinking about how I could help you, and I couldn't think of a better way than giving you a companion to help you control your energy. I know I'm great, you don't have to think to much about it, but in any case, her name is Storm Mantle, take care of her.
...You know, I hate liars and being one fills me with pure self-disgust, but if I didn't do what I have to do, I'd hate myself even more. Forgive me for not being there when I promised to teach you, and I want you to remember something, Zeri, although the mantle can help you control your magic, it doesn't mean you have to restrict it.
Magic is the representation of your feelings, your thoughts, and your abilities, so... live, smile and sparkle that magic like nobody has done before.
A little hug from your friend and neighbor, Spidy.
PD: Storm Mantle looks so cool you'll need to hide it, just take a deep breathe and think to hide it.'
_______________________
As Zeri finished reading the letter, more tears streamed down her face. Finally completing it, she lowered her head and hugged the letter tightly to her chest, showing a wide smile.
"I'm not mad, you silly Spidy... Thank you, truly."
The Storm Mantle seemed to respond to her emotions, slowly enveloping her in electricity, surprising both her and Yako.
'Thank you too.'
After wiping her face and getting off the couch with a smile, Zeri closed her eyes and, following Niko's advice, imagined as if a veil was hiding the jacket, causing it to change color and age on the outside.
[IMG here]
Ezreal, noticing a green glow out of the corner of his eye, turned and gave a teasing smile.
"You already broke it, pffft"
Zeri looked between what she was wearing and Ezreal, pouting she looked at him with false annoyance but the jacket emitted a small neon green spark that hit Ezreal's backside.
"Ouch!!!! Hey, I was just kidding!"
"Hehe. No one messes with the incredible Zeri and her companion."
The green-haired girl slightly lifted her chin and began to laugh maniacally to hide the traces of tears in her eyes.
Ezreal turned slightly annoyed and continued reading Niko's letter addressed to everyone.
_______________________
Hi, fries.
Oh, of course, you don't know what 'fries' means... Well, too late to erase it, I don't have an eraser.
I suppose you've all gathered, including Ezreal. That's right, Ezreal, I knew you'd come back, you're an idiot, make no mistake about it.
I won't beat around the bush, I'm going to prison, or at least I hope so. I refuse to join the Kiramman House, so they'll either imprison me or kick me out of Piltover. Frankly, I prefer the former.
I didn't tell you this because it would be a headache, both for me and for the rest of you. It would also cause unnecessary worry and suffering, so I chose to do it in the only way I could, through letters.
First and foremost, especially for you, Sevika, I want to make it clear that I surrendered of my own free will, and I completely understand if you feel disappointed.
Secondly, I don't want any of you to come and help me. I don't want or need help. If you try anything, you'll only mess up all my efforts, so I ask that you refrain from unnecessary actions.
Lastly, I bid you farewell. I don't know how long it will take for me to return, but I'm sure I will. I've left a letter for each of you at the forge, except for Zeri, along with something special... for most of you.
See you later, Niko.
_______________________
Ezreal was slightly embarrassed to see that Niko had predicted his return, and a loud noise snapped him out of his distraction, directing his attention to his left.
Standing alone, Sevika displayed a face full of fury towards Vander with one of her fists on the table. Letting out an annoyed huff, she turned and quickly ascended the stairs as if she had somewhere specific to go.
"What's wrong with her?"
Vander looked at all the children and finally at Ekko, who was holding the letter in his hands looking somewhat confused as he gazed towards where Sevika had gone.
"Kid, she's spent the most time with Niko. She must be seeking answers."
"Are you saying...?"
"Yes, she's gone to the forge. Let's go."
Vander raised his voice deliberately so they could all hear him, and seeing that everyone shared the desire to go, he stood up ready to leave.
Zeri stretched and felt a tug on her back, turning to find Yako pulling at her clothes with his tail.
"Something's wrong?"
Yako seemed a bit intimidated as he pointed to himself and then to Zeri's neck, wrapping around the sofa as if trying to communicate something with his big blue eyes.
The green-haired girl brought her hands to her shoulders, looking at him wide-eyed. Seconds passed, and an idea struck Zeri like an electric light bulb over her head, recalling how Niko had returned two days ago carrying Yako on his shoulders.
"Maybe you want me to carry you?"
After hearing her, Yako began nodding vigorously in confirmation, prompting Zeri to show a big smile as she lifted him onto her shoulders and followed Vander up the stairs.
When they reached the first floor, Vander approached the nearest table by the bar where two young individuals were sitting, the same ones who had come two days earlier to inform him about Grayson and Niko.
"I have to step out. Can I trust you to watch over this place?"
Both young men looked at each other and excitedly stood up, nodding enthusiastically.
"Of course, Mr. Vander, leave it to us."
"Absolutely, we'll make sure nothing happens."
Somewhat satisfied with their enthusiasm, Vander nodded with a small smile and proceeded to the entrance where the rest of the group was waiting.
Outside the shop and on the way to the commercial district, the group was feeling down. Zeri, on her part, was busy teasing Yako playfully while casting occasional concerned glances at Powder, who seemed somewhat withdrawn.
Vi noticed this and her expression turned somewhat melancholic as she approached her.
"Are you okay, Powder?"
The blue-haired girl didn't say a word and simply lowered her head while shaking it.
"Would you mind telling me?"
Both walked in silence for a few seconds until Powder finally decided to speak.
"I'm sad... and angry. He said he wouldn't leave. So why did he go? ...He's a liar."
Vi remained silent and didn't know how to respond. Trying to think of an answer, Vi left Powder waiting for a few seconds until the girl finally got a response, but it wasn't from Vi; it was from Vander.
"He left to protect you all. If he stayed and tried to hide, the enforcers would tear through the streets searching for him, causing the Zaunites to get angry. Over time, that anger would turn into hatred that would grow into a wave of violence."
Powder looked at Vander with surprise and displayed a complicated expression of sadness.
"...But he said he wouldn't."
Vander stopped and sighed, extending his hand over Powder's head.
"If you promised something to someone you care about, but fulfilling that promise meant causing harm to them or others, would you still do it?"
Powder glanced to the side and, after a moment of thinking, looked at Vi, then at Mylo and finally at Claggor, before turning back to Vander.
"No."
"Do you understand now?
"...Yes."
Vander tousled her hair and turned around, walking ahead.
Ekko and Ezreal were watching from the side and exchanged a smile tinged with sadness before turning their gaze toward the Merchant District in the distance.
____________________
"What's happening?"
The group had finally arrived in front of The Last Forge but found themselves bewildered by the crowd surrounding the shop. Vander stepped forward and tapped the shoulder of one of the nearby individuals.
"Could you tell me what's going on?"
The man he addressed gave him a sidelong glance and widened his eyes in surprise.
"Vander?"
The mention of his name caused those around him in the crowd to turn with a similar reaction.
"I think I can help with that."
Then, an elderly man approached Vander from the front of the crowd, surprising the group. Zeri stunned everyone by leaping forward and giving the old man a big hug. "Grandpa!"
"Hehehe, what brings my little princess here? ...Ahem, Vander."
The latter was surprised by the old man's arrival and approached him with a smile, extending his hand.
"Mirlo."
Zeri looked confused between the two adults and went back to her group of friends to ask them, receiving an answer from Ekko.
"When I went to deliver some orders at the tavern, I bumped into your grandfather. He stops by there to buy some bottles that Vander reserves for him. Truth be told, it's the first time I've seen him sober."
"Oh."
Zeri looked between Vander and Mirlo, who seemed to have stepped aside to talk about something while wearing serious expressions, then turned back to her friends.
"If you see my grandpa trying to buy again, stop him. I think my grandma will be... very upset."
A chill ran down Zeri's spine while Ekko and Vi exchanged confused looks, but a shout from Vander brought their attention back
"We have to go in, let's move."
Zeri looked at her grandfather, who smiled in response and gestured for her to go.
"Seems like Sevika came in too agitated, and when she tried to open the store with the key... She broke it."
The children followed Vander's gaze and could see the huge titanium door guarding the shop lying on the ground with dents, fist marks, and blood in the corners of it.
"...And not just the key."
Vander glanced at the destroyed entrance frame and sighed before stepping into the shop first. The reception area inside was empty, completely devoid of the vibrant red decor he had seen last time, leaving only an empty room.
The echoing footsteps of the rest of the group resonated in the room, and Vander turned around, receiving confused looks from all the children except Zeri and Benzo.
"Is this the kid's shop? Looks like you got scammed, Vander, haha."
Benzo's attempt to lighten the mood fell flat as the others gave him unamused stares, prompting him to look away with a cough. Meanwhile, Zeri approached Ekko.
"Is this Niko's place?"
Zeri's question snapped Ekko out of his confusion, and he turned to her.
"Yes... but something's missing."
A knock on the door of the forge room grabbed everyone's attention, causing them to look toward it. Vander stepped forward again and opened the door slowly, revealing Sevika's figure seated on the floor.
She was slightly hunched over, clutching a red box with traces of blood from her knuckles, upon which her name was written.
Sevika lifted her head and fixed her gaze on them, her brow furrowed and her expression weary and lost, emanating conflict. She seemed unwilling to release the box in her hands.
"Aunt Sevika—"
Zeri took a step forward with the intention of approaching Sevika, and a surge of electricity emanated from her body. Concerned that she might have damaged Niko's gift, she looked down, but that wasn't the case.
She felt as though all that energy wasn't being expelled but absorbed instead. The electricity formed into bolts that ricocheted around the room, finally connecting with various red boxes scattered throughout.
"H-How?"
Sevika lowered her gaze, watching as the color of the box she held turned green, and hundreds of lines appeared on the surface, converging around the area where her name was written, with her blood being the only red left.
The names on all the boxes glowed, and after a few seconds, several clicks resonated through the room simultaneously.
Everyone watched as Sevika's box opened, revealing two beautifully crafted purple-silver gauntlets with Ionian-style claws atop them, accompanied by a folded letter.
[IMG here]
Sevika set aside the box, grabbing only the letter as she stood up and moved away from the rest.
"Let's give her some space."
Vander approached Zeri, receiving an affirmative nod from her, then looked at the others, each staring at the box bearing their name.
The entire group, including Benzo, looked back at Vander, who sighed internally, nodded at them, and curiously made his way toward the box with his name on it.
_______________________
Hello Sevika,
First, I would like to apologize for not telling you anything, for hiding what I was going to do, and I understand if you feel betrayed.
From the beginning, I told you that I didn't like being a leader. The truth is, I don't like being a role model for anyone because I don't even consider myself good enough to be one.
But despite all that, you stood by my side and fulfilled everything I asked of you, so I have no choice but to be grateful to you.
Thank you for following someone like me, Sevika, for taking me seriously even with my age, and again, I'm sorry for not telling you anything.
I have to leave, but leaving without repaying you for everything you've done would be shameful, so I left you the only thing I think can be of use to you.
The gauntlets inside the box are the 'Claws of the Underworld,' and to be honest, I don't even understand how I can do this. Somehow, the weapons I make seem to have a will of their own, attributing characteristics to them.
These gauntlets have the ability to damage only what their owner desires them to damage. I entrust them to you.
I just want to ask you one last thing: protect yourself and protect them.
See you, Niko.
_______________________
After finishing the letter, Sevika returned to where the box was but couldn't stop recalling Niko's last request as if it echoed in her head. Looking at the rest, she saw that they were busy with their respective letters, and as she watched them, she remembered what she had experienced in these last few days.
Feeling unsteady, she sat down on the floor next to the gauntlets while lifting her head with a faint smile.
"At your command, boss."
After a few moments, she stretched and felt a twinge in her knuckles. Upon looking, she could see the wounds from hitting the door and felt somewhat embarrassed by her outburst
Searching around, she found a couple of rags nearby, which she used to wrap around her hands. After wrapping them, she decided to put on the gauntlets, and as she did, a violet mist emerged from the fingers, enveloping them.
'Oh? I see.'
Sevika looked curiously at the gauntlets and brought one of the claws towards the wall without stopping, seeming to be in a trance as if a voice instinctively guided her on what to do.
'Cut.'
The claw sliced through the brick wall as if a child were separating sand on the beach, and the pieces of the wall fell easily to the ground. She then brought the claw to the wall again but this time imagined the opposite.
This time, the claw didn't cut the wall but pierced through it. Sevika continued to pierce through it until she instinctively stopped and retracted her hand. If she had continued, the gauntlet would have gone too far, and her arm would have ended up trapped.
'...This goes beyond the level of genius. Is it even possible?'
Seated, Sevika closed and opened the gauntlets, noticing that on the underside they had a word written.
Prowler.