While Kailen rested, a certain individual stirred the pot in Demacia.
"I knew it, I should have finished him off, not given him a chance to wash away his sins. I'm done listening to you, Morgana," Kayle declared.
"Listen, sister, you must understand that the mines are a harsh fate," Morgana insisted.
"That is where they belong. They have committed crimes and should pay for them with their own hands. Now eight brave soldiers who served and protected the citizens are dead, and only two miraculously survived," Kayle whispered angrily.
"I understand that I made a mistake, but you must see that our laws are somewhat flawed; they must be corrected," Morgana replied.
"Flawed? No, sister, it is you who are lost. The laws of truth must be executed precisely," Kayle disagreed, a devout believer in the written truths. But even they were created by the hand of man, a being naturally prone to error.
Their conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door, and an ardent follower of Kayle's, Ronas, entered the room. He should have been behind bars himself. He was cruel, unyielding, and too mad.
"We have sent all riders and patrols. You will not escape; we will cleanse our territory of all criminals who dared to scorn your mercy," Ronas said politely.
"Excellent. I will personally find and punish them all," Kayle replied and left the room.
"Protector Morgana, I advise you to be more careful. Your actions endanger us all," Ronas warned, following her out.
At these words, Morgana nearly exploded. "He dares to threaten me? You will pay for your words and deeds. I will speak to my sister about this. He is too dangerous for the Judicators," Morgana thought, stopping herself from casting a curse.
As all of Demacia searched for the escaped prisoners-most of whom had already been recaptured-Kailen watched the receding shore from the ship. Unaccustomed to the sea, he battled the dizziness and nausea that had become almost constant companions. Through sheer self-control, he managed to suppress these bodily urges as he tried to adapt to the maritime environment.
To return, he had to get as far away from home as possible. According to Buck's stories, a long journey lay ahead: first, they had to cross the channel between two regions. The southern region was a vast desert with only occasional nomads. It was so hot that not a drop of water could be found for hundreds of miles. Such a place was not to Kailen's liking; even the weather was unfamiliar to him. He loved the frosty air that filled his lungs, the snow that lay like a cushion on the ground. The morning sun illuminating the land and reflecting off the snowflakes, blinding the eyes.
After the strait, they would reach Bilgewater. "The capital of the pirate world," Buck had said proudly. He added that it was only a port with a small town for now, but it was being actively developed and would undoubtedly become the center of their contingent in the future. For pirates, it was an ideal place; the laws could not reach too far, and the states would not try to seize it, as there was nothing of value to them there - an unprofitable endeavor. Thus, it could truly become a haven for those who wanted to disappear from the map and start a new life.
But for those who lived nearby and traded in those regions, it would be hard because of the marauder attacks.
Kailen watched the crew at work, how they steered the ship, what affected the ship's speed, and in which direction they sailed. Knowledge was never wasted; if their paths diverged sharply, he would need to be able to take the helm.
"How do you like life at sea? You never saw so much water back home," Buck asked, holding the wheel.
"So how do you like life at sea? Have you never seen so much water in your homeland?" asked Buck, holding the wheel.
"In our country, everything is covered with ice and snow, but we have the Northern Sea. Part of it is covered with ice, but where the water flows fast, there is no ice," Kailen replied.
"Yeah, I've never heard of the northern routes, maybe I'll try to sail them at the end of my life," Buck said.
"I would not recommend it, the ship will not reach its destination," Kailen replied, well aware of the inhabitants of these waters.
"Are you doubting my abilities?" Buck asked.
"No, but those waters you would be sailing are full of beasts bigger than mountains," Kailen warned.
"Really? Creatures that big? That's frightening. But our seas here aren't easy either. Some of the survivors say they encountered a beast with thousands of legs and a mouth filled with teeth like blades. It is as big as two of my ships. The sailors call it the Kraken. The creature rises from the water and tears ships in half with its tentacles, dragging all the sailors into its insatiable maw," Buck said.
"A sea god," muttered Gilbert, standing nearby.
"Well, I almost don't believe in it, but we still throw various foods into the sea to appease the monster's hunger. Otherwise, when it gets hungry, we'll become its food. But we don't want to scare our friend Gilbert, do we? It's unlikely that we'll meet him; he roams between Bilgewater and Ionia, somewhere in those regions. Our route will take us through entirely different places."
"How long will our journey take?" Kailen asked.
"About half a month, we'll cover most of the world," Buck replied.
Half a month to get there, the same amount of time to get back, and who knew how long he would spend there looking for power. When would he finally get home?
"Buck, is there a way from Ionia to Freljord?" Kailen asked.
"Well, there probably is, but again, I haven't sailed the northern routes, and I doubt many have. I can't say for sure. But it seems you can get to your home from Noxus," Buck replied.
"That's good to hear," Kailen replied, meaning there was a chance to get home faster.
"You haven't even seen the world yet and you already want to go home. Believe me, when you see other places, you won't want to come back," Buck said.
Kailen didn't react. He didn't want to travel alone; with his son, yes, but alone, no. He wanted to show him the world, and his gift would help protect them along the way. But life had a different destiny for him. Returning to his room, he fell into contemplation again, trying once more to feel his power. Why did he keep returning to this seemingly futile endeavor? The answer was simple - he had begun to feel the stirrings of his power again, but even a drop of water wouldn't obey him, only getting a little colder. Perhaps if he were in Freljord, nature would support his magic, but here he had to rely on his own strength, and it was unresponsive.
The ship, Vengeance, sailed steadily through the strait between two continents. No one lived on these shores. After the Rune Wars, there was no life left here. It was a dead region for now, though animals and vegetation had begun to reclaim their former territories.
There wasn't much to do on the ship. Kailen spent most of his time meditating, occasionally admiring the beautiful views and visiting the kitchen. The food they had taken with them for the long voyage was running low, leaving only the fish they caught each day and rum. They replenished their water supply by making short stops near the shore.
Within a week, they had almost reached the channel between the two territories. From afar, they could see that the width of the strait was narrowing between the shores on either side, creating small distances between the regions.
A small settlement had sprung up at the junction. It was mainly a stopover for merchants, fishermen, and other ships heading to distant shores. The place didn't even have a name yet. But it was already clear that this place would become a trading hub.
Stepping out of his room, Kailen decided to watch their approach to the port. Here their crew would rest from the journey and replenish their food supplies.
"So, Sub-Zero, are you tired of your room?" Buck asked.
"Yes, I've been on journeys before, but they were more interesting," Kailen recalled of his caravans, where he often had to fend off bandit attacks.
"Well, I wouldn't say I'm bored; I'm used to seafaring," Buck said.
"Maybe sailing isn't for me," Kailen thought aloud, still not quite overcoming his seasickness. There were brief periods when he felt terrible, but they passed.
"Believe me, I've turned many into true sea conquerors under my tutelage," Buck said proudly, pointing to the sailors working on deck.
"You'll take me to Ionia, and that's it. I'm not interested in becoming a pirate," Kailen said, sensing the hidden invitation.
"Ah, you wound me. I'm not a pirate, just a merchant who knows when and to whom to sell the right goods," Buck replied.
"Even humans?" Kailen asked directly. Though the slave trade wasn't widespread, some regions needed cheap labor, and so it happened. Bandits would kidnap people and sell them.
"Things happen, and sometimes there are people I can't refuse," Buck replied, not giving a direct answer.
Kailen had no desire to continue the conversation. He left the captain's bridge and went to the bow of the ship, where he had a view of the approaching settlement. It was more of a village with a few docks than a city.
On the shore, he noticed a strange wooden structure consisting of two logs: one standing vertically and the other lying horizontally, connected by beams. At the end of the vertical log was a round ring, and on the opposite side was a rope to which people attached something, allowing them to lift large quantities of crates effortlessly - a curious mechanism.
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The dock was buzzing with ships and the noise of many voices. The ship began to slow down and the sails were furled as it approached the dock at a very slow speed. A moment later, a man on the dock waved a flag and pointed emphatically in a certain direction. "Looks like he's indicating where to dock," Kailen thought.
Indeed, the ship was heading in that direction. Several sailors threw ropes that were caught by people on the dock and tied to wooden posts until the ship came to a stop. The sailors then erected a wooden gangway between the ship and the dock. Buck immediately disembarked and began talking to a man holding numerous papers.
"This is the dock master. He keeps track of the ships and collects the fee for docking," Gilbert explained, approaching from behind.
"I see," Kailen said.
"We'll be here for two days, then we'll set sail again. So you can stay in town or stay on the ship," Gilbert announced before walking away.
Kailen decided that it wouldn't hurt to explore the city. After disembarking, he walked along the edge of the dock where workers were busy loading and unloading various goods. Most of the cargo was handled by these mechanical devices. Up close, he could see their design more clearly. The mechanism was simple, yet ingenious.
Leaving the port, he ventured into the city. There were only a few houses, and the main street was lined with stalls displaying goods, with people bustling among them, looking for what they needed. Merchants were buying from other merchants.
His attention was drawn to a strange figure that stood out from the rest. He was small, with a large mop of hair on his head, and unusual goggles over his eyes. He was tinkering with a strange machine. Unlike anything Kailen had seen before, the creature was tightening bolts here and there, occasionally causing small sparks to fly from the machine. The people around paid little attention, as if they were used to such sights.
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Curious, Kailen approached to see what was so intriguing.
"The pressure is too high, I need to increase the diameter of the internal tubes," the creature muttered, pausing to make notes in a journal.
"Hmm, high energy consumption, need to work on efficiency," it said in words unfamiliar to Kailen.
"Well, if you don't forge science, you don't make progress," the creature said, abruptly pulling a lever.
With a sudden burst of activity, the machine came to life, clanking and whirring. Kailen watched in amazement as the device seemed to adjust and stabilize itself under the creature's expert hands.
The machine whirred and beeped, steam began to escape from various places, and with each passing moment, more leaks appeared - it was clear that something had gone wrong. The gauges were in the red. The scientist scurried around trying to fix it, but it wasn't working. Realizing that something dangerous was about to happen, Kailen grabbed the small creature by the scruff of its neck and quickly moved to a safe distance.
The explosion was imminent, and the iron machine blew apart, nearly injuring several people. Fortunately, no one was hurt, though many stalls and goods were destroyed.
"Damn Yordle, with your inventions again," shouted the affected merchants.
"Hmm, where did I go wrong?" the yordle mused, tapping his chin. All the while, he dangled from Kailen's hand, ignoring him and remaining calm.
"I tell you, enough of your experiments! We're tired of your experiments, you scare our customers and ruin our goods. I demand compensation," a burly merchant shouted, his face red and spitting with rage.
"Dear Limir, science demands sacrifices. I am on the verge of a breakthrough, and other values are less important," the yordle replied, sincerely believing his words.
"I don't care about your lousy science. Either compensate us, or we'll have to deal with you the hard way," Limir retorted, waving his fingers as several burly men as broad-shouldered as wardrobes approached him.
"Dear savior, could you put me down? I'm trying to solve this little incident," the yordle asked, looking up at Kailen. Realizing that he was still holding the Yordle, Kailen put the strange creature down, but didn't move.
"I don't think you understand. This device could change our world. Can a few shiny trinkets really be of greater value?" the yordle asked, genuinely puzzled by the merchant's discontent.
"You have pushed me too far. Take him, we'll sell this smart aleck on the market and recoup our losses," the merchant declared.
"I strongly advise against that," Kailen said, stepping in front of the yordle. The scientist had impressed him; he seemed free of human vices such as greed, anger, and avarice. The Yordle only cared about his science, nothing else.
"And who are you? Don't get in my way. I'm Limir, I have many connections. You won't even leave a wet spot," the merchant threatened.
"You? You're nothing here," said a man who had just approached. The merchant was about to hurl another insult, but stopped when he saw who had spoken. The man had dark skin, blue eyes, and a perfectly pressed suit. "I warned everyone not to touch him. You didn't listen. Tomorrow you will sail out of this city and never return," the newcomer said menacingly.
"Sir Nathan, this is just a minor misunderstanding. I'm sure Mr. Heimerdinger won't be upset," Limir said submissively, but Nathan's cold stare stopped him.
"Tomorrow," Nathan repeated curtly.
"You'll regret this, just wait," the merchant hissed menacingly and left.
"Thanks for your help, Mister...?" Nathan looked at Kailen questioningly.
"Sub-Zero."
"Mister Sub-Zero, I appreciate your help and your assistance in preserving our treasure. This place wouldn't exist without him. This esteemed Heimerdinger is the greatest inventor," Nathan said warmly.
"You embarrass me. I'm not that great an inventor; I can't even assemble a working engine," Heimerdinger replied modestly.
"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll succeed," Nathan assured him.
"I hope so. I have some ideas on how to improve the technology, but they will have to wait. I must return to my home for a while," Heimerdinger said.
"We will await your return. I hope you don't disappear for several years like last time," Nathan replied.
"I'll try not to. Time flies so fast," Heimerdinger said as he walked back to his machine.
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