The transformation of the Undercity—no, of Zaun—was nothing short of miraculous.
Every single day brought new changes, new innovations, new signs that the old world was dying and something extraordinary was being born in its place. The grimy, desperate slums that had festered beneath Piltover for generations were evolving at a pace that left even the most optimistic observers stunned. It wasn't just progress—it was a revolution compressed into weeks instead of decades.
The Kalinda Crystal Tower stood at the heart of it all, now towering nearly fifteen meters into the air, its crystalline structure pulsing with steady blue light that could be seen from almost anywhere in the lower levels. The energy field it projected had expanded dramatically, covering a substantial portion of what had once been called the Undercity. And within that field, Victor's genius was given free rein to reshape reality.
The equipment he'd designed—aided by occasional bursts of creativity from Powder and Ekko—was spreading throughout Zaun like wildfire. Devices that would have been considered science fiction just months ago were becoming commonplace. Tools that leveraged the crystal tower's unlimited energy to accomplish tasks that had previously been impossible or prohibitively expensive.
In recognition of the crystal tower's central importance, Vander and Silco had made a bold decision: they'd designated it as the literal center of their new society. The political heart of Zaun was being constructed in concentric rings around the tower itself, with government buildings, administrative offices, and civic institutions all oriented toward that glowing beacon of hope.
It was symbolic, of course—the idea that their entire civilization would revolve around this gift of advanced technology. But it was also practical. The closer you were to the tower, the more stable the energy field, the more reliable the crystal-based technology. It made sense to put the most important functions near the source.
"Welcome to Zaun—the city of the future!"
The cheerful recorded voice echoed through the streets, playing on loop from speakers mounted at the boundary of the energy field. It was an enthusiastic, almost playful greeting that caught everyone who entered off guard. The voice belonged to one of the local kids who'd won some kind of contest, and while some people found it annoying, most thought it added a touch of whimsy to the otherwise serious transformation taking place.
But it was what came after the greeting that really shocked newcomers.
Overhead, figures zipped past at startling speeds, weaving between buildings and over crowds with effortless grace. They moved like a school of fish, darting and turning in perfect synchronization, their laughter echoing off the metal walls. And they were flying.
Well, not exactly flying. They were riding hoverboards—sleek pieces of equipment that looked like simple skateboards but floated several feet off the ground, propelled by crystal energy matrices that drew power directly from the tower's field. The riders leaned into turns, adjusted their weight to control altitude, and rocketed through three-dimensional space with the kind of freedom that children had only dreamed about before.
The core technology had come from Marcus, naturally. He'd provided the fundamental principles of anti-gravity propulsion, energy stabilization, and momentum conservation. But the actual design of the hoverboards? That was all Powder and Ekko. They'd taken Marcus's dry technical specifications and transformed them into something fun, something accessible, something that perfectly captured the spirit of Zaun's youth.
Now, every kid who lived within the energy field had access to a hoverboard. It had become the primary method of transportation for young people, and watching them move through the city in their synchronized flocks was genuinely breathtaking. They'd developed their own culture around it—races, tricks, aerial games that would have been impossible in the old Undercity.
It was one of the most visible signs of change, and it never failed to impress visitors.
Most of the buildings in Zaun hadn't changed much—they were still the same ramshackle structures of metal and stone that had housed the desperate and forgotten for generations. But the life happening within and around those buildings? That was different. That was new. That was a glimpse of what the future could be.
Zaun was becoming something Piltover could never have imagined: a technological showcase that surpassed the gleaming city above in innovation if not yet in aesthetics. Where Piltover clung to its established industries and conservative approaches, Zaun was leaping forward into uncharted territory, embracing radical change with the enthusiasm of people who'd had nothing to lose.
Silco strode through Victor's laboratory with his characteristic purposeful gait, the tap of his cane against the floor announcing his arrival. He'd been making regular visits lately, checking on the various projects that would cement Zaun's independence and prosperity.
"How are the environmental modification devices coming along?" he asked without preamble. Silco had never been one for small talk. "The energy field has expanded significantly. These systems need to be operational."
Victor looked up from his workbench, where he'd been making fine adjustments to some piece of equipment Silco couldn't immediately identify. The young inventor's face broke into a genuine smile—the kind of expression that had become much more common since he'd started producing real results instead of just theoretical designs.
"No problems at all," Victor assured him. "The environmental modification devices are complete and ready for deployment. Come, I'll show you."
He led Silco through a side door into an adjacent warehouse space. The room was filled with equipment—dozens of devices in various sizes and configurations, all waiting to be distributed throughout Zaun. This was the technology that would finally, finally address the environmental nightmare that had plagued the Undercity for as long as anyone could remember.
Silco surveyed the equipment with a critical eye. His gaze settled on a row of objects that looked, for all the world, like simple street lamps—tall metal poles with crystalline fixtures at the top, nothing particularly impressive or exotic about them.
"These are...?" he asked, gesturing at the lamp-posts with obvious skepticism.
"Air purification devices," Victor confirmed, walking over to pat one of the units affectionately. "Well, not all of the system—these are just one component. Their function is to scrub the atmosphere, removing toxins and particulates, improving air quality throughout Zaun. The water purification equipment is over here, and the waste reclamation units are there..."
He led Silco deeper into the warehouse, pointing out the different device types as they went. Each system was specialized, designed for a specific aspect of environmental remediation. The water purifiers looked like large buoys that could float on or beneath the surface of Zaun's contaminated water channels. The waste processors resembled industrial crushers, all heavy-duty construction and reinforced mechanisms.
"These three systems will address virtually every environmental problem Zaun faces," Victor explained, his voice taking on the enthusiastic tone of someone explaining a beloved project. "The air purification devices will make our atmosphere cleaner than Piltover's—every toxic gas, every particle of smog, every industrial pollutant will be collected and broken down into harmless components."
He moved to the water purification units, running his hand along one of the smooth metallic surfaces. "These will process the endless wastewater that flows through Zaun—all the runoff from Piltover's industries, all the contaminated groundwater. They'll convert it into potable water and extract valuable chemicals and minerals from the waste stream for industrial reuse."
Finally, he gestured toward the massive waste processors. "And these beauties will handle solid waste. Garbage, scrap metal, broken equipment, organic matter—anything we throw at them, they'll break down to component molecules and reconstruct as raw materials we can use in manufacturing. Zero waste, maximum efficiency."
Silco listened intently, his analytical mind already calculating the implications. Environmental cleanup wasn't just about quality of life—though that was certainly important. It was about resources. About self-sufficiency. About not being dependent on Piltover for clean water or proper waste disposal.
"Yes," he murmured, nodding slowly. "This will save us considerable resources. Resources we can redirect toward expansion."
He was already thinking several steps ahead. Zaun's rise required massive rebuilding—tearing down the worst of the old slums, constructing proper infrastructure, creating a city worthy of the name instead of just a collection of desperate hovels. All of that cost money and materials. If they could reclaim and reuse their own waste products, if they could purify their own water and air instead of trying to import or steal from above...
The savings would be substantial. Enough to accelerate the timeline for Zaun's transformation significantly.
"However," Victor said, his tone becoming more modest, "I should mention that these designs all came from Marcus. The underlying technology is... complex. Far beyond anything I've worked with before. I can build them—I can follow the schematics and assemble the components—but I don't fully understand how they work yet."
He looked almost embarrassed by the admission. Victor took pride in understanding his creations on a fundamental level, in being able to explain every function and troubleshoot any problem. Having to work with technology that was still partially black-box to him clearly bothered his scientific sensibilities.
"The technology is in your hands now," Silco said, waving off Victor's concerns. "Study it at your leisure, master every principle if you wish. But the priority is deployment. The environmental modification devices need to be operational as soon as possible. Your education can happen on your own time."
His tone was firm, brooking no argument. Silco had always been a pragmatist. Understanding was valuable, yes, but results were what mattered. They could figure out the underlying principles later, after Zaun's air was breathable and its water was drinkable.
"I understand completely," Victor replied with a slight smile. "That's why I've already manufactured them. The research is purely for my own curiosity—it has nothing to do with Zaun's immediate needs."
He wanted to master this technology for personal reasons, for the intellectual satisfaction of comprehension. The environmental devices were marvels of engineering, representing solutions to problems that had seemed insurmountable with conventional approaches. Of course, he wanted to understand how they worked. What kind of scientist would he be if he didn't?
"Good," Silco said, satisfied. "Zaun's rise is built on the foundation of the Kalinda Crystal Tower. Everything depends on maintaining that infrastructure and expanding our capabilities. We can't afford failures."
With that, he turned and walked out of the warehouse, his cane clicking against the floor in a steady rhythm. A few moments later, a team of workers entered and began carefully loading the environmental modification devices onto transport carts. Within the hour, they'd be distributed throughout Zaun, installed at strategic locations within the energy field, beginning the long process of undoing generations of environmental damage.
Marcus sat at the bar in Vander's tavern, nursing a drink while the background noise of conversation and laughter washed over him. The Last Drop had always been a gathering place for the Undercity's people, but these days the atmosphere was different. Lighter. More hopeful. People came here after work not to drown their sorrows but to celebrate small victories, to share stories about the latest innovations they'd seen, to argue good-naturedly about what the future might hold.
It was nice to see. A sign that things really were changing for the better.
Vander was behind the bar as usual, methodically polishing glasses with a cloth that had seen better days. The big man glanced at Marcus, seeming to make a decision, and then reached under the bar to retrieve a thick envelope. He slid it across the polished wood without comment.
"This is everything Benzo's people have collected," Vander said quietly, his deep voice barely audible over the tavern's ambient noise. "Finding an archmage who doesn't want to be found isn't exactly easy. But they tracked down his last known location, at least. Or his last several locations, more accurately."
Marcus opened the envelope and began scanning through the documents inside. Maps, witness testimonies, second-hand stories, incident reports—a collection of fragmentary evidence that, taken together, painted a picture of Ryze's recent movements. Or tried to, anyway.
The wandering mage was, as expected, extraordinarily difficult to pin down. According to the information Benzo had collected, Ryze never stayed in one place for more than a few weeks. He'd appear in some remote location, usually near ancient ruins or sites of magical significance, conduct whatever business he had there, and then vanish. His movements seemed almost random—one month he'd be spotted in Noxus, the next in Ionia, then Shurima, then back to Demacia. There was no obvious pattern, no predictable route.
But that made sense when you considered what Ryze was actually doing. He was hunting World Runes, following magical intuition and ancient lore to track down the scattered fragments of cosmic power. You couldn't predict that with conventional logic because the Runes themselves didn't follow conventional logic. They existed where reality was thin, where the fundamental laws of the universe could be bent or broken.
"Interesting," Marcus murmured, filing away the information. "Looks like he's still actively searching. Good to know he hasn't given up on his mission."
He closed the envelope and set it aside, then produced a small metal sphere from his pocket. The object was beautifully crafted, covered in intricate patterns that seemed to shift slightly when you looked at them from different angles. It fit comfortably in the palm of his hand, surprisingly heavy for its size.
"I need you to do me a favor," Marcus said, holding up the sphere so Vander could see it. "I need this delivered to Freljord."
Vander nearly dropped the glass he was polishing. "Freljord?" he repeated incredulously. "That frozen hellhole at the top of the world? You're joking."
"Dead serious," Marcus confirmed with a slight grin. "I know it's not exactly a pleasant destination—"
"Not pleasant?" Vander interrupted. "It's one of the most hostile environments on the planet! The locals aren't friendly to outsiders at the best of times, and that's when you're not also dealing with the constant threat of freezing to death. Why in the world would you want to send something there?"
Marcus's grin widened. "Because there are things in Freljord that I need. Resources that only exist in that kind of extreme cold. True Ice, for one—a substance with unique magical properties that could be extremely useful for my research. And there's a... let's call him an artisan... who operates up there. Someone who might have items of interest."
He held up the metal sphere again, letting it catch the light. "As for the delivery, it's actually quite simple. Whoever you send just needs to get to Freljord and throw this sphere somewhere remote. That's it. They don't need to meet anyone, don't need to negotiate anything, just activate the device and leave."
"Activate it how?" Vander asked suspiciously.
"Twist the top hemisphere counter-clockwise until it clicks, then throw it," Marcus explained. "The sphere will do the rest. It's essentially a beacon—once it's active, I'll be able to lock onto its position and... well, let's just say I can take things from there."
Vander stared at the sphere for a long moment, clearly weighing the request against the considerable difficulty of reaching Freljord. Finally, he sighed and reached out to take it.
"Fine," he grumbled, tucking the sphere into his pocket. "I'll talk to Benzo. He's got contacts all over—probably knows someone crazy enough to make the trip north. But you owe me for this one."
"Noted and appreciated," Marcus said cheerfully.
The sphere—which Marcus had privately dubbed a "Phantom"—was one of his more clever recent inventions. It was a specialized beacon infused with Void energy, designed to create a stable connection point across vast distances. Once activated, Marcus would be able to lock onto its position and essentially teleport himself to its location, or open a portal to bring things back. It was his way of accessing distant locations without the tedious process of actual travel.
And Freljord... well, Freljord was interesting. True Ice alone would be valuable—a substance that existed at temperatures far below what was naturally possible, with properties that made it ideal for certain magical applications. But beyond that, there were legendary figures in that frozen wasteland. Warriors, mages, demigods. And somewhere in those icy mountains was Ornn, the forge-god who crafted artifacts of incredible power.
I wonder if I'll run into Olaf or Gragas while I'm there, Marcus thought idly. Both were legendary figures in their own right—the former a berserker seeking a glorious death, the latter a brewmaster of unparalleled skill. Meeting either would be entertaining, at the very least.
But that was a concern for later. For now, he had more immediate matters to attend to.
Marcus finished his drink, nodded farewell to Vander, and headed out of the tavern. The sun was setting—or what passed for sunset in Zaun, where the light had to filter down through multiple levels of Piltover architecture. It cast long shadows through the metal framework, creating patterns of light and dark across the streets.
He needed to get back to his teaching space. Today was important—it was the day he'd be unlocking the restrictions on Vi and her crew's equipment. They'd been training with limited power for weeks now, learning fundamentals, building technique without the crutch of overwhelming force. Now it was time to let them experience what their weapons could truly do.
He didn't want to be late for that.
When Marcus arrived at the training area, he found exactly what he expected. Vi was going through practice forms with Mylo and Claggor, all three of them moving through combat sequences with impressive coordination. Their improvement had been dramatic—what had once been raw street-fighting instinct had evolved into something approaching genuine martial skill.
Off to the side, Powder and Ekko sat at a workbench, hunched over sheets of paper covered in technical drawings and calculations. Both kids were gesturing animatedly, clearly in the middle of some heated technical debate. Their previous successes with the capture weapons and the hoverboard designs had lit a fire under them—now they were constantly brainstorming new projects, new applications for the crystal technology they'd been learning to work with.
"No, no, no," Ekko was saying, stabbing his finger at a particular section of the schematic. "This design is way too demanding for the average user. You're requiring precision aim with a weapon that has kickback and energy dispersion. Most people won't be able to hit anything!"
"Then they shouldn't be using advanced weapons!" Powder shot back, her voice sharp with frustration. "If someone can't handle basic marksmanship, why would they even pick up this kind of equipment? We're not building toys here!"
"We're not building experimental prototypes for experts either!" Ekko countered. "The whole point is to make equipment that regular people can use effectively. What good is a weapon that only works in the hands of a master?"
Neither was willing to back down. They'd clearly been at this for a while, each convinced that their approach was superior. It was the kind of passionate argument that happened between people who genuinely cared about their work—not personal animosity, just the clash of different design philosophies.
Marcus watched them argue for a moment, amused. He could have intervened, could have offered guidance or settled the dispute with his greater experience. But he didn't. This was part of their learning process—figuring out how to balance theoretical ideal with practical application, learning to defend their ideas while also recognizing valid criticism.
They'd work it out on their own. And in the process, they'd probably come up with something better than either of their initial designs.
Instead, Marcus walked over to where Vi, Mylo, and Claggor were training. He stood at the edge of the practice area, hands clasped behind his back, simply watching them work. They'd gotten good enough that he didn't need to provide constant correction anymore—they knew the forms, understood the principles, were developing their own styles within the framework he'd taught them.
After a few minutes of observation, Marcus spoke up: "Alright, that's enough for now. Take a break and come over here. I have something to tell you."
All three stopped immediately, exchanging quick glances before moving to stand in front of Marcus. There was curiosity in their expressions—and maybe a hint of nervousness. Whenever Marcus called a halt to training for an announcement, it usually meant something significant was about to happen.
"Your training has reached a milestone," Marcus began, his tone serious but not stern. "You've learned the fundamentals, developed proper technique. What you need now isn't more training from me—it's practical experience. Real fights, real stakes, real consequences. That takes time to accumulate, and it's something you'll have to pursue on your own."
He paused, letting that sink in. All three of them nodded, understanding that they were graduating from student to practitioner. It was both exciting and intimidating.
"However," Marcus continued, his expression shifting into a slight smile, "there is one more thing I can do for you right now."
He raised his right hand, letting power gather at his fingertips. Energy crackled softly, casting blue light across his face.
"I'm removing the restrictions on your equipment," he said simply. "From this moment forward, you'll have access to the full capabilities of the weapons I've given you. Which means you need to be extremely careful from now on. These aren't training tools anymore. They're real weapons of war, capable of devastating power."
He snapped his fingers.
The effect was immediate and dramatic. All three sets of equipment lit up simultaneously, blue energy racing across their surfaces in intricate patterns like liquid light flowing through invisible channels. The weapons hummed with barely contained power, resonating with a frequency that could be felt in the chest as much as heard.
Claggor's shield and dagger reacted first. Patterns emerged across the shield's surface—geometric designs that hadn't been visible before, glowing with crystalline luminescence. The shield projected outward, creating a massive barrier of solid energy that could have sheltered a dozen people. And the dagger, which had been a simple blade before, now burned with razor-sharp light. Claggor experimentally tapped it against a nearby stone, and the blade passed through the rock like it was warm butter, leaving a perfectly smooth cut.
Mylo's staff flared at both ends, energy concentrators activating with a sharp whine. He'd been using it as primarily a blunt instrument before, relying on leverage and impact. Now it was something else entirely—a directed energy weapon. He gave the ground an experimental poke, barely applying any pressure, and the staff's tip punched straight through the solid floor, drilling a deep hole effortlessly.
But Vi's gauntlets... her transformation was the most dramatic of all.
Blue flames seemed to erupt from the gauntlets, wreathing her forearms in crackling energy. The power flowing through them was immense—she could feel it, thrumming through her bones, demanding to be released. When she threw an experimental punch at the air, the motion left visible trails of energy behind, and even without connecting with a target, the discharge sent a translucent blue fist-print flying forward to slam into the far wall.
She stared at her hands, at the power now literally at her fingertips. This was incredible. This was terrifying. This was everything.
All three of them stood there for a moment, just processing what they were now capable of. The difference between restricted and unrestricted modes was staggering—like comparing a candle to a bonfire.
"You three are going to become the first official enforcers of Zaun," Marcus said, breaking the awed silence. "The first representatives of law and order in the new society we're building."
"Enforcers?" Mylo's voice cracked slightly as he spoke, and his face twisted into an expression of dismay. "Oh, come on! We finally get real power, and you want us to become enforcers? That's literally the job I've been running from my entire life!"
The irony wasn't lost on any of them. They'd spent their whole lives fleeing from Piltover's enforcers—those brutal, corrupt thugs who treated Undercity residents like vermin. The idea of becoming enforcers themselves felt almost like betrayal.
But Marcus was shaking his head. "You understand what's happening to Zaun, don't you? The transformation that's taking place? If Zaun is going to become a genuine city—a place of law and order and safety—then it needs a legal system. And that system needs people to enforce it."
He gestured toward their glowing weapons. "That's where you come in. The stronger you are, the more power you wield, the more stable Zaun becomes. Because people will know that the laws aren't just words on paper—they're backed by individuals capable of defending them. You'll be symbols as much as enforcers. Proof that Zaun can police itself without becoming the chaos that Piltover always accused us of being."
Vi's eyes had been growing brighter as Marcus spoke, and now they seemed to burn with internal fire. Her jaw set with determination.
"I'll do it," she said firmly. "Whatever it takes. I'll help protect what we're building here."
She understood, maybe better than the others, what was at stake. Zaun's transformation wasn't just about technology or independence—it was about proving that the people of the Undercity deserved better, that they could create something worth protecting. And if that meant becoming an enforcer, if that meant being the shield that kept Zaun safe...
Then that's what she'd do.
Claggor nodded silently, moving to stand beside Vi. He didn't have her way with words, didn't feel the need to make declarations. But his presence spoke volumes. He was with her. He'd always been with her. Whatever she chose to do, he'd be there supporting her.
Mylo looked between his two friends, saw their determination, and felt his own resistance crumbling. He let out a long, theatrical sigh.
"The stability of Zaun is in our hands," he said, trying to sound resigned but unable to completely hide the excitement in his voice. Then he laughed, a slightly manic edge to it. "I never thought I'd say this, but... I guess I'm an enforcer now? Man, younger me would be so confused. We used to run from enforcers, and now we're supposed to be the enforcers. That's just weird."
The absurdity of it made everyone smile. It was weird. The world had turned upside down in the span of a few months. Kids who'd grown up dodging the law were now being asked to uphold it. Outcasts and criminals were becoming the foundation of a new social order.
But maybe that was appropriate. Maybe the people who'd suffered under the old system were exactly the ones who should build the new one—because they understood, on a visceral level, what not to do.
"Life's strange like that," Vi said, her tone lighter now. "Things change. We're changing. Zaun is changing. And yeah, maybe there are going to be problems—not everyone is going to adjust well to the new way things work. There'll still be chaos for a while, still be people who want to go back to how things were."
She looked down at her gauntlets, at the blue fire still dancing across them. "But that just means our work is important. Someone has to help maintain the peace while everyone else figures out how to live in this new world. Might as well be us."
Claggor grunted in agreement. Mylo shrugged, accepting the inevitable with as much grace as he could muster.
And Marcus watched all three of them, satisfied. They were ready. Maybe not for everything they'd face—you could never be truly ready for the chaos of real life. But they had the skills, the power, and most importantly, the right mindset.
Zaun's first enforcers were about to take their place in the new order.
And although she was laughing, Vi also expressed her own thoughts. In addition to training these days, she often heard Vander's words.
There are many problems with Zaun's changes. Not everyone can adapt to the new life. For a long time in the future, the chaos in Zaun will continue.