SEVEN YEARS LATER

LUZ PUSHED THROUGH the crowd, getting lost in the crowd of random strangers that circled her brother. It's hard to get the attention of the Man of Progress, that was no secret. Ever since the Council accepted Hextech seven years ago, they've been continuously nagging Jayce, demanding that he use his invention to make things for them, while completely ignoring Viktor's collaboration with the invention. Jayce became a celebrity in Piltover; the houses of noblemen were always swarming to make a deal with him, inventors wanting to know how he did, how he recreated magic, schoolgirls swooning at him. "Jayce!" Luz exclaimed as she caught his eye, the thirty-one-year-old grinning as he spotted his younger sister.

"Excuse me," he said to the person who Jayce was mindlessly listening to, Luz didn't need to be close to him to know that Jayce wanted nothing more than to escape the herd of people. "Sorry— Just a moment." He pushed through the crowd, walking up to Luz, when he caught up to her, he grabbed her hand, turning her back around, "Just walk, don't talk."

Luz nodded, noticing the glaring eyes of Cassandra Kiramman in the background.

When they got out of the crowd, Jayce exhaled, letting out a sigh of relief. He looked at Luz, grinning widely, "I thought you couldn't get off work."

She smiled, "Perks of being the boss, no one can tell me off when I call in sick."

"Blacksmith Luz Talis," he grinned, noticing how she held herself, despite her short height, she stood tall, her head up high. The change in Luz's demeanor was subtle, a lot more subtle than when she decided to cut her hair barely past her shoulders. Since taking over their father's business, Luz always walked forward, her eyes forced, as if she stopped looking for whatever it was that she was looking for. Jayce looked at Luz, his eyes intense, making sure he didn't miss a single wrinkle or crack in her smile. Luz flashed him a reassuring smile, as if saying, it's okay, I actually like working in the forge. Jayce's stare loosened, he didn't believe her for a second but she was impossibly good at hiding how she truly felt. "You... It looks good on you."

"Thanks," she said simply, pushing a strand of her chocolate hair behind her ear. "It's been a... challenging couple of months. I'm sorry I haven't visited you and Vik more."

Jayce shook his head, the fact that they haven't seen each other in the last six months was just as much his fault as it was hers, if anything, he was more at fault. "I get it, you don't like coming to the lab, it's fine—"

"It's not just that," the looked down, two years ago, Viktor and Jayce opened the hexgates. Large towers that are placed in the centre of Piltover, they're made from the Arcane and they're a glaring reminder of Luz's untapped powers. Ever since they opened, she's felt an unforgettable charge, a pull in her bones. At first she tried to ignore the pull, she was eighteen, in her last year of school, she had the biggest problems to be worrying about. Luz was lucky, despite Jayce receiving a flood of new cash due to the success of the Hexgates, their mother refused to take any money from Jayce, including the large penthouse he brought for Luz and Ximena to move into. Instead Ximena and Luz stayed in their modest home on the outskirts of the city, a bearable distance from the Hexgates. It was easier ignore the Hexgates at a distance, but after her twentieth birthday, when she took over her father's forge, she was forced to walk into the city every day, spending most of her nights in the small apartment that was placed onto of the forge, with the sound of the arcane constantly ringing in her head, the terrifying feeling of power lingering on her fingertips. Seeing Jayce, the person who saw what she is, how there is something wrong with her, it became too hard, so she spent the last six months ignoring him, trying to build up the courage to ask for his help. "Jayce... I—"

"Cait!" Jayce gasped as he spotted their blue haired friend while she stood guard. Caitlyn has been an enforcer for the last four years and yet she's still just a patrol officer, a glorified security guard, as Cait puts it. There was no doubt that it was the doing of Caitlyn's mother, Cassandra had most likely pulled some strings in the Council to make sure that Caitlyn stayed at the bottom of the chain and it infuriated Caitlyn. Jayce watched as Caitlyn stood there quietly, her eyes sharp and focused, watching each person that passed. "Let's give her a scare," Jayce suggested as he approached Caitlyn.

"Right, let's scare the girl with a gun and impeccable aim," Luz rolled her eyes but followed along, sneaking up to Caitlyn quietly, following Jayce's lead.

Jayce smirked, as he knocked on Caitlyn's large enforcer hat. Jayce tried to be sneaky, moving before she turned around but he was too slow. Caitlyn spun around, grabbing his hand and twisted it, a smirk on her face. "Ow! Ow! Cait!" He groaned as she laughed.

"Serves you right."

Caitlyn's laughter dimmed as her eyes caught her mother's stern face, a frown plastered on Cassandra's lips as she watched the three. "You're still avoiding her?"

Caitlyn turned away, Luz couldn't see Cait's eyes but she didn't need to, Caitlyn and Cassandra usually weren't on the best of terms. "I'm working."

"Oh I can see that. I mean, there's so much crime to thwart outside your family's tent," Jayce teased, earning an elbow in the gut from Luz.

Caitlyn rolled her eyes, "I can only imagine the strings she pulled to have me posted here. On the busiest day of the year, today was my chance to prove myself but now..."

Jayce sighed, "Well—" he started, "At least now you'll have front row seats to the speech."

"Speech?" Luz questioned, she wasn't told about any speech happening.

Jayce nodded, grinning widely, "Hextech is giving the big address tonight."

Caitlyn chuckled, trying to hide the grin that grow on her face, "We really have descended to anarchy."

Luz smiled, pride swelling in her chest. Seven years ago, Jayce felt like he lost everything and now, he's achieved his life dream, he's given magic to the world, he did it! Well... Technically he and Viktor did it but if you asked Jayce he would also credit Luz despite her disagreement. "Have fun herding the drunkards," Jayce teased before Caitlyn returned to work.

Jayce turned to Luz, his face softening as his eyes filled with pity, Luz didn't know what he was about to say but she already hated it. "I need to return back to the lab, Viktor and I have a presentation. You should come, I— Viktor would love to catch up with you."

Luz crossed her arms, hugging herself as she was reminded of the pull, "I can't, you and Viktor need to be focused. I... I'll see him at the speech, I promise."

Jayce let out a disappointed sigh, "Okay, I'll see you then."

Luz nodded, "Good luck."

┊ ˚➶ ｡˚ ⚒️ ⚔︎

Luz spent the next five hours with her mother, exploring the city and all of the stands that surrounded the streets. Luz hadn't intended it but lately she had also been ignoring her mother, spending all her time working, she left Ximena alone in their quiet house. They walked around the crowd of seats, Luz filling with pride as she spotted two seats, one with her name on it and the other with her mother's. "Oh-" Ximena gasped as she covered her mouth, tears welling in her eyes as she sat down. As Luz looked at the stage, she saw a podium which was made out of pale pine wood and was embedded with what Luz thought was an unnecessary amount of gold decorations.

The stage was empty, the lights dimmed. Luz suddenly remembered what she had promised Jayce earlier. She looked at her mother, offering her a half-hearted smile, "I'm going to check on Jayce before the presentation."

Ximena nodded, trusting her youngest, "Wish him luck for me and tell him how proud I am. My son, giving the presentation to the Country on Progress Day."

Luz nodded, walking to the back of the stage, trying to ignore the ping of jealousy that formed in her chest. Luz has never seen her mother proud of her, the way that she's constantly proud of Jayce, even when Luz took over her father's company. Ximena wasn't disappointed in Luz, she always tells Luz what a strong woman she grew into, that her father would be proud but her eyes never watered in the way that they do when she talks Jayce and all his achievements, her mouth never twitches as if she isn't sure if she's going to cry or smile.

Luz shook her head, it's not her mother's fault that Luz has never done anything worth being proud of.

Luz was stopped by a lady with glasses, her face was soft and unfamiliar, "Mr Talis and Viktor are busy at the moment."

Luz's face scrunched as she looked at the lady, "Who are you?"

"If you want an autograph, you'll need to come back later," the lady said, ignoring Luz's question.

"Wha—" this girl couldn't be serious. Luz shook her head, trying to walk pass her but she stopped her, blocking the way. "Viktor!" Luz waved at the older scientist as she spotted him, hoping that he could get this lady off her back.

Viktor turned at the sound of his name, his eyes widening as he spotted Luz, "Luiza," he grinned, "Sky, Miss Talis is Jayce's sister, let her through."

The lady— Sky, stood straight as she heard the sound of Viktor's voice, her once stern face turning red as she stood a step back, "Oh— O-okay Viktor," Sky said.

Luz looked at Viktor, wondering if he noticed Sky's very obvious crush on him. Luz's eyes widened as she noticed the state Viktor was in. Luz always knew that Viktor was ill, it had something to do with his upbringing in the Undercity, unsafe air, the air which she once mistakenly called smelly. Viktor's face was sunken, his cheeks without any fat at all, he looked like he wasn't eating and his skin was soft pale it looked like someone threw a bag of flour on him. "Viktor," she started, wondering if she should say something but decided against it, they hadn't seen each other in six months, the first thing she said to him shouldn't be that he looks like shit, "Congrats on getting the big speech."

Viktor smiled softly, his dimples showing just how sunken his face has gotten, "Thank you, Luz. But I am not going to be presenting, just Jayce has those honours."

"What?!" Luz asked, her cheeks turning red, her becoming offended on Viktor's behalf. Yes, hextech was Jayce's original idea but he would have gotten nowhere without Viktor, they're co-creators, co-partners, and yet Piltover treats Viktor as if he was an assistant.

Viktor shook his head, "I made that decision, Luz. No one else did," he pulled his cane closer to his chest.

"Are you sure?" Jayce asked, making Luz flinch at his sudden appearances. "Cassandra is introducing us now, it's not too late to change your mind."

Viktor stood up, "No, no, not in front of... all of them."

Luz tilted her head, Viktor has never been a shy man, he's a bit quiet at times but that's because he knows he already draws enough attention to himself. She was confused, she understood why Viktor didn't like being looked at but he could change the way they look at him! Jayce nervously took the speech that was in Sky's hand, "You... had a speech prepared?" Viktor asked.

Jayce nodded, quietly muttering it to himself. Suddenly she heard Cassandra Kiramman's voice in the background, "An inspiration to Piltover's future—" she heard Cassandra say, making Luz roll her eyes.

"Jayce," she started, quickly thinking about the quickest way to say what she wanted to, "Mum... and I, we're so proud of you." Jayce grinned, he opened his mouth to say something but before he could, Luz continued, "Don't say anything stupid, please."

Jayce's smile turned into a smirk, his eyes gleaming with  mischief, "No promises."

She rolled her eyes, of course he would say something like that.

"Jayce Talis!" Cassandra called him to the stage.

Jayce turned to his partner and sister, "Wish me luck."

Luz tried to pay attention to the speech, she really did but as Jayce walked to the stage, her head started to ring. The looked around, trying to figure out why all of a sudden she was getting triggered. Yes, she was in the city, not too far distant from the hexgates but she hadn't felt it happen this bad yet. "Ah!" She groaned, her hand on her head.

"Luz, are you okay?" Viktor asked, his eyebrows crossing in concern.

She grunted, trying to pull herself together in front of him, "I'm fine," she blurted out, "I just need some air."

Viktor shook his head, taking a step closer to her. If he was Jayce, he would touch her shoulder and say something comforting but he's not Jayce and he's never been good at comforting people. "You're not okay, Luz—"
Luz ran out of the stand, the ringing so loud that she was worried that her head might explode. She needs silence, something to keep her mind quiet, anything. She kept running, not even sure where she was going when a large set of hands caught her, "Luz?" The person who caught her asked.

Luz looked up, her eyes squinted but still open enough to be able to see the familiar face in front of her, "Caitlyn."

"Luz, what's wrong?" She asked.

Luz frowned, why is Caitlyn here? She should be guarding the stage, she's meant to be. Luz didn't want Caitlyn or any of the other enforcers seeing her like this. "I—" Luz's eyes widened as she spotted a roaring orange in the distance, "Fire!"

"What? Fire?" Caitlyn turned around, "Fire!" She ran towards the flames without a second's thought.

Luz knew she should stay back, she's not an enforcer, she's not anywhere near as trained as Caitlyn but still, Luz couldn't sit around and do nothing. Luz followed Caitlyn and the other enforcers, watching as Caitlyn took charge, shouting orders to the others, even ones above her station. Caitlyn's eyes widened as she spotted Luz but she didn't argue, "Here, grab this," Caitlyn said as she gave Luz a fire extinguisher.

"Help! In here, please. Help me!" A young girl's voice cried from inside the building.

Luz went to run in but Caitlyn grabbed her by the wrist, "Stay here, help me stop the spread, the others can get the girl."

Luz bit her lip, she wanted to get the girl but she nodded, staying by Caitlyn's side at the front of the tent. After a few moments the fire brigade joined them, the flame standing no chance against the seven of them. The flames died down, Caitlyn gasping as the flames revived a tag of a monkey.

"Cait— What is that?"

Caitlyn ignored Luz, her attention turning to those still inside the tent, "Get out. Now!"

"What?"

"Luz, move!"

A blast of heat and force sent Luz crashing to the ground, the world around her going dark.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

THIS CHAPTER TOOK FOREVER! I am so sorry, my laptop died and then I was some personal stuff happened, anyway let me know what you think about 20-year-old Luz!

Like, comment and tell me what you thought about the chapter!

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