The sun-dappled courtyard echoed with laughter as six-year-old Lux chased her older brother Garen around a marble fountain. Their wooden swords clacked together, Lux's golden hair flying behind her as she ducked and weaved.
"I've got you now, evil dragon!" Garen bellowed, his blue eyes twinkling as he swung his makeshift weapon.
Lux pouted, dropping her sword arm.
"But Garen, why do I always have to be the princess who needs rescuing? I want to be a knight too!"
Garen lowered his sword, his brow furrowing. "Lux, you know girls can't be knights. You're not strong enough to protect yourself."
"Says who?" Lux planted her hands on her hips, defiant. "I could be a fighting princess then! With magic powers and everything!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, Lux felt a flutter of panic in her chest.
She shouldn't have said that.
Magic was forbidden, dangerous. But deep down, she already knew the truth - she possessed the very thing Demacia feared most.
Garen laughed, ruffling her hair affectionately.
"Oh Lux, you and your imagination. Come on, let's play hide and seek instead."
As Garen turned away to count, Lux gazed at her small hands.
If only he knew, she thought.
A tiny spark of light danced between her fingertips, there and gone in an instant. Her secret burned inside her, both wondrous and terrifying.
"Ready or not, here I come!" Garen called.
Lux quickly hid behind a rosebush, her heart pounding. She loved her brother dearly, but in that moment she felt utterly alone.
How long could she keep pretending to be someone she wasn't?
…
Lux walked through the bustling streets, her bright blue eyes taking in the familiar sights of her homeland.
"Did you hear?" A merchant whispered to his neighbor. "They caught another mage trying to sneak into the city."
Lux's heart skipped a beat. She paused, pretending to examine a display of shimmering fabrics.
"Good riddance," the neighbor spat. "Magic is a plague upon our land. The Mageseekers are doing the gods' work, keeping us safe."
Lux's fingers twitched, and she quickly clasped her hands behind her back.
A tiny spark of light had threatened to escape.
She took a deep breath, forcing a smile as she continued walking.
"Luxanna!" A familiar voice called out. It was her childhood friend, Kahina.
"Kahina! How lovely to see you," Lux replied, her voice warm despite the tension in her chest.
Kahina linked arms with her. "Come, let's get away from this crowd. I have news!"
As they strolled towards a quieter area, Lux's mind raced. How many times had she nearly revealed herself?
The power inside her was growing stronger, harder to control.
She longed to confide in someone, anyone.
"Lux? Are you listening?" Kahina's voice snapped her back to reality.
"I'm sorry, what were you saying?" Lux apologized, her cheeks flushing.
Kahina's eyes narrowed slightly. "I was saying that my brother has joined the Mageseekers. Isn't that wonderful? He'll help keep Demacia pure and safe."
Lux felt her stomach drop. "Oh, that's... that's great news," she managed, her voice strained. "He must be very proud."
As Kahina chatted on, Lux's mind drifted.
She remembered the first time she had consciously manipulated light, creating a dazzling display of colors in her room. The joy she had felt, quickly snuffed out by fear.
How long could she keep living this lie?
…
Lux stood before the ornate mirror in her chambers, golden hair gleaming in the soft candlelight. Her fingers trembled as she raised her hand, a faint glow emanating from her palm. She quickly extinguished it, heart racing.
"What am I doing?" she whispered, clenching her fist. The weight of her secret pressed down on her chest, threatening to suffocate her.
A knock at the door made her jump.
"Lux? Are you ready?" Garen's deep voice called out.
Lux smoothed her dress, plastering on a bright smile. "Coming, brother!"
She opened the door to find Garen's towering form filling the doorway, resplendent in his polished Demacian armor.
His blue eyes softened as he gazed down at her.
"You look beautiful, little light," he said, offering his arm. "The ball awaits."
As they walked arm-in-arm through the grand halls of the Crownguard manor, Lux's mind raced. How long could she keep this charade going? The lies felt like poison on her tongue.
"Garen," she began hesitantly, "have you ever wondered if... if Demacia's stance on magic might be too harsh?"
Garen's brow furrowed. "Lux, you know the dangers magic poses. Our laws keep us safe."
"But what if someone was born with magic? Through no fault of their own?"
Garen stopped, turning to face her. "Where is this coming from, sister?"
Lux's heart pounded. She opened her mouth, the truth on the tip of her tongue-
A commotion from outside interrupted them.
Shouts and screams echoed from the streets below.
"Stay here," Garen commanded, drawing his sword and rushing towards the sound.
Lux hesitated only a moment before following, drawn by an inexplicable pull.
As she emerged onto the cobblestone street, chaos reigned. A crowd had gathered, their faces showed fear and awe.
In the center stood a man, chains dangling from his wrists. His voice rang out, passionate and defiant:
"Too long have we suffered under Demacian oppression! We are not monsters to be caged!"
Lux pushed through the crowd, transfixed.
The man's eyes met hers, and for a moment, the world stood still.
She saw pain there, and anger, but also a fierce hope that resonated deep within her.
"I am Sylas," he declared, "and I fight for all mages!"
As guards rushed in, Lux found herself torn between two worlds - the only life she'd ever known, and a dangerous new path that called to the very core of her being.
…
Sylas's eyes narrowed as he gazed at Lux, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. "Well, well," he said, his voice low and challenging.
"If it isn't the shining jewel of Demacia herself. Tell me, Luxanna Crownguard, how does it feel to be the paragon of a kingdom built on lies?"
Lux felt her breath catch in her throat. The crowd around them seemed to fade away, leaving only her and Sylas in this moment of confrontation.
"I... I don't know what you're talking about," she stammered, her normally confident voice wavering.
Sylas took a step closer, his chains clinking ominously. "Oh, but I think you do. I can sense it in you, Luxanna. The power you hide, the light you keep locked away. How long will you continue to deny your true self?"
Lux's mind raced.
How could he know?
She'd been so careful, so vigilant in concealing her abilities. Yet here was this man, this rebel, laying bare her deepest secret for all to hear.
"You're wrong," she said, but the words felt hollow even to her own ears. "Demacia stands for justice, for protection-"
"Protection?" Sylas scoffed. "Is that what you call persecution? Imprisonment? Tell me, Luxanna, how just is a kingdom that would lock you away for the crime of being born?"
The truth of his words struck Lux like a physical blow. She thought of all the years she'd spent in fear, hiding who she truly was.
The constant worry that one day, she might slip up and bring shame to her family, to her kingdom.
"I..." she began, but found she had no response.
Sylas's expression softened slightly. "We're not so different, you and I. Both trapped by a society that fears what it doesn't understand. But it doesn't have to be this way. Join me, Luxanna. Help me show Demacia the truth."
For a moment, Lux wavered. The idea of finally being free, of using her powers openly, was intoxicating. But then she thought of Garen, of her family, of all she'd been taught to believe.
"No," she said finally, her voice growing stronger. "I won't deny that Demacia has flaws, but violence and rebellion aren't the answer. There has to be another way."
Sylas's face hardened. "Then you've made your choice. Remember this moment, Luxanna, when the flames of revolution consume your precious kingdom."
As guards swarmed in, Sylas disappeared into the crowd. Lux stood rooted to the spot, her world forever changed by this encounter.
In the days that followed, as Sylas's rebellion grew, Lux found herself torn.
But when the final confrontation came, she stood with her brother and her kingdom, her light magic blazing openly for the first time.
She faced Sylas not as an enemy, but as a reminder of what could have been, and what still might be in a Demacia that embraced change.