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As you may have noticed, this fic is diverging from Arcane Season 2. Since the season's content is no longer necessary, the story will instead focus on expanding the world of Runeterra and exploring champions who weren't featured in Arcane.
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Watching Orianna's figure disappear into the distance, Katarina, who stood behind Ryan, spoke:
"Your Excellency, I don't believe she's worth your attention."
Ryan turned to look at Katarina. Her dissatisfaction was evident, and he understood her thoughts perfectly.
Orianna, the girl who had just left, appeared no older than Katarina herself. With a faint smile, Ryan asked:
"Katarina, tell me—what do you think is most essential for machine ascension?"
"Exceptional knowledge. Unyielding will." Katarina replied without hesitation.
Just days ago, she had witnessed Viktor implant a Hextech crystal into his own body. The gem's energy shock was relentless, tearing apart flesh and bone alike, forcing Viktor to use shimmer to repair the damage.
The process was harrowing. His body was continually destroyed, exposing the stark white of bone beneath mangled tissue, only for the shimmer to rebuild it moments later.
Destruction. Reconstruction.
Over and over, his flesh and blood were ravaged and reconstructed until there was nothing left of their original state.
By the end, Viktor's body no longer looked human. His once vibrant flesh now radiated a shimmering purple, intertwined with veins of glowing blue that pulsed with the energy of the Hex crystal.
Katarina could hardly imagine the agony Viktor must have endured. Yet, throughout the entire ordeal, he never once screamed. There was no grimace of pain, no sign of torment—only unwavering calm and a look of anticipation.
She had been in awe of his resolve.
After the ceremony, Viktor's power had surpassed hers by leaps and bounds. Yet, surprisingly, Katarina felt no jealousy. She held nothing but admiration for his transformation.
Ryan had warned them beforehand: should Viktor lose his focus or fail to maintain his willpower, his body would never recover.
The destruction would be final. This was a trial of both will and the raw power of Hextech.
But Viktor had succeeded, becoming the first human to reshape his body with Hextech.
"You don't believe that girl has the same qualities?" Ryan asked, his tone curious as he moved toward a nearby device—an intricate construct resembling a Hextech mechanism.
Katarina folded her arms, watching as he worked.
"Her knowledge is far inferior to Viktor's. He could perform groundbreaking surgeries without relying on crystals. And her will? I see nothing extraordinary there."
She paused before adding, "I can see her desperation—her desire to save her father. But desperation alone isn't enough. Orianna is like a gambler risking everything on one final throw of the dice, placing herself on the table as collateral. It's reckless, not admirable."
"You've only seen part of the story," Ryan replied.
He extended his hand toward the mechanism, brushing its metallic surface. Slowly, streams of water spiraled through the air, slipping into the cracks of the spherical device at its center.
A thin, shimmering layer of water expanded in front of him, forming a mirror that revealed the intricate inner workings of the iron sphere.
At its heart lay a pulsing, bluish light that surrounded a mass of living tissue—a heart.
Katarina's eyes widened.
"Is that…?"
Ryan's voice was calm as he answered.
"Orianna's heart."
Her words faltered as the realization struck her.
"Her heart is… here? Then that means..."
A shiver ran through Katarina's body as she turned her gaze toward the direction Orianna had walked.
That girl… she had already replaced her heart with a Hextech crystal.
"And… it worked?!" Katarina's voice carried disbelief.
"What kind of joke is this? Did someone help her?" she demanded, her skepticism evident.
Ryan's earlier question lingered in her mind: had Orianna performed the operation herself?
The answer she'd received—yes—still seemed impossible to believe.
"There are only traces of her handiwork," Ryan replied calmly.
"In Runeterra, there are those born with talents far beyond the ordinary."
He raised his hands, and a cascade of water droplets streamed from his palms, weaving through the scattered prosthetics and mechanical puppets littering the ground.
One by one, they were lifted into the air by the water's fluid grip.
Moments later, the remnants of an operating table emerged in the center of the room, encircled by broken puppets and tools. Several prosthetic hands dangled from thin, frayed threads, each linked by a network of silk-like strands.
"This is… the operating site?" Katarina's sharp gaze swept over the scene.
"She didn't perform the surgery directly. She used puppets… to replace her own heart?"
Her voice faltered as the horrifying realization dawned.
Thousands of threads stretched upward, connecting to the prosthetic hands suspended midair.
Most of the threads were broken, yet Ryan's control over the water kept them aloft. The fragmented tableau before her hinted at the unimaginable events that had unfolded.
Katarina's body stiffened as a cold sensation crept over her. She could almost picture the scene.
Orianna had lain motionless on the operating table. After injecting herself with anesthesia, she cut the threads she'd prepared—her last conscious act before succumbing to the numbing embrace.
The threads pulled taut, guiding the first prosthetic hand to make the initial incision across her chest.
One by one, other prosthetic hands moved in perfect synchrony, controlled by the network of threads she had painstakingly placed.
They delicately removed her heart and replaced it with a Hextech crystal.
The remaining threads operated with incredible precision, sewing her chest closed. Hundreds of threads worked tirelessly to ensure the crystal heart was secured within the mechanical sphere.
Each thread's trajectory, each prosthetic's movement, had been calculated down to the smallest detail.
Katarina stood frozen, awe-stricken. A single mistake could have killed Orianna instantly.
Yet, she had accounted for every step, restrained every possible physiological reaction, and executed this impossible surgery entirely on her own.
The success of such a feat bordered on the miraculous.
As the full weight of the revelation settled, Katarina's initial disdain melted away. Her contempt was replaced by profound admiration.
This girl wasn't just remarkable—she might have surpassed even Viktor.
"She possesses the richness of human emotion, yet she is a flawless machine," Ryan remarked, his voice carrying an air of fascination.
He leaned forward, placing his hand on the remnants of the operating table. A soft, magical blue light radiated from his palm.
Hum!
The water droplets scattered on the ground coalesced, slowly rising to form a glowing, intricate symbol above the table.
"What is this?" Katarina asked, her curiosity piqued.
"A rune," Ryan replied simply, his tone almost reverent.
The glowing symbol reflected in his black-and-white eyes as he studied it intently, committing its every detail to memory.
The magical image replayed in his mind repeatedly, a puzzle waiting to be unraveled.
"I don't yet understand its full meaning," Ryan admitted,
"but by recording it, I will, in time. Perhaps Orianna herself is the key to deciphering it."
Katarina's gaze shifted to Ryan.
"Your magic is always extraordinary, Your Excellency," she said, her admiration genuine.
Water was often considered one of the gentler elements, but in Ryan's hands, it transformed into something infinitely versatile—capable of mimicking all things, bending to his will.
"This power doesn't belong to me," Ryan corrected, his voice calm.
"I simply drew it forth with magic. And in doing so, I've confirmed one of my theories."
The rune shimmered as it floated closer to Ryan, merging into his body as his eyes glowed faintly with magical energy.
"I was once fortunate enough to discuss the mysteries of runes with a great mage," Ryan explained.
"We both agreed that runes are the essence of the Arcane itself. To truly advance as a mage, one must understand as many runes as possible. Each rune represents an entirely new branch of magic. To learn them is to draw closer to the very origins of magic."
His voice carried conviction, and Katarina felt a rare sense of awe in his presence.
As the glow of the rune faded, the room fell into silence, but its significance lingered in both their minds.
Orianna's brilliance, her sacrifice, and her connection to this ancient magic seemed to hint at something far greater than either of them could yet comprehend.