"Duke, you have to understand, we're craftsmen. We believe in science!"
Colin's face was dark as the bottom of a soot-blackened pot. His eyes were locked on the bluebird talisman in Duke's hand, voice brimming with irritation. "Not in messing around with gods and ghosts!"
"A craftsman's only faith should be in the hammer and wrench in his hand, maybe a screwdriver, if you're feeling fancy!"
"Stodgy old geezer,"
Janna's voice echoed in Duke's ear, full of mockery.
Duke, however, kept smiling, brushing off the insult like rain on steel. "Hey, it doesn't cost a dime. Why not give it a try?"
"You little brat! Say that again and I'll smack you!"
Janna's indignant voice growled in his ear, but Duke simply ignored her rambling and went on peddling his bluebird talisman. This was all part of his grand experiment, turning this capricious wind goddess into his personal workforce.
"Papa, it sounds kinda fun. Why not give it a shot?"
Orianna popped out from behind Colin with bright eyes, fixated on the talisman. Colin glanced at Duke's sales-pitch expression, then at his boisterous daughter, and snorted coldly, "Fine! Knock yourselves out!"
With that, he stomped off upstairs, fuming.
Duke turned to Orianna and handed her the talisman. "Wanna give praying to Janna a try?"
"Will it really work?" Orianna's eyes narrowed in doubt. Her earlier excitement had clearly been to save Duke from awkwardness.
"It'll work," Duke nodded. "I'll show you a miracle, right now."
Holding the bluebird talisman, he closed his eyes and began to pray.
"O bluebird soaring freely through the mists, guide me forward!"
...Nothing happened.
"Goddess of Zaun, embodiment of the winds of change! I pray to you as your devout follower, please show me the path ahead!"
Still no response.
"I offer my body, I offer my soul, when I die, may my spirit drift forever on the breeze. Incarnation of the storm, heed my call!"
...Nothing.
Seriously? She's just ghosting me now?
High above, hidden in the currents of air, Janna hovered in a swirl of breeze, watching Duke's theatrics with gleeful amusement.
"Is this your so-called miracle?" Orianna asked, unimpressed as she watched Duke muttering to himself like some cult fanatic.
"Don't interrupt," Duke waved a hand, eyes closed. "I can feel I'm close."
"Oh, sure…"
Orianna didn't say more, though the mischief in her gaze only deepened.
Upstairs, at the stairwell landing, Colin scowled at the chants coming from below. "If that little punk corrupts my daughter, I'll kill him myself."
"When the wind arrives, I shall hold my breath, feel the wrath of the storm, answer me, Fury of the Tempest!"
Still nothing.
Duke's eye twitched.
"You mop-headed goddess, your mother's dead!"
Suddenly, a vein bulged on Janna's forehead. Her figure snapped forward from the void,
WHAM!
A blast of wind slapped Duke across the face, slamming his skull against the wall with a loud thud.
"I've lived for eons, and never, never!, have I met a more disrespectful believer!"
Orianna, who had been ready to tease him, now stood frozen with wide eyes and hands covering her mouth. In the center of the hall, wind whirled wildly.
Under the flickering light, the currents of air were clearly visible. Slowly, a figure coalesced, draped in gossamer robes, floating with ethereal grace.
Colin, peering from the second floor, took an involuntary step down. His eyes reflected pure disbelief.
"...Janna."
Orianna stared, awe and reverence lighting up her entire face. Janna's long hair danced elegantly in the breeze, as if protesting the slanderous nickname mop-head with divine poise.
She glanced at Duke, who was rubbing his aching forehead, then gracefully waved her staff.
"Embodiment of the wind, at your command."
The moment Janna recited her line, Duke saw Orianna's eyes sparkle, literally sparkle. If her gaze could manifest physically, tiny stars would've been shooting from them.
"WAAAHHH!!"
Orianna screamed in excitement, spinning in place like a child on her birthday. The image of Janna was already etched into her soul.
Colin, meanwhile, collapsed onto the stairs like someone had pulled the ground out from under him. His entire worldview was shaken to its core.
"She really... appeared..."
Janna smiled politely at Orianna, though inside, she was ecstatic.
It had been so long since she'd encountered a believer like this!
At the moment she manifested, Orianna's faith gushed forth like an oil geyser, wild, pure, and never-ending. Even that old curmudgeon Colin began to emit threads of belief.
But that disrespectful brat Duke? The power of his "faith" didn't even match 1% of the old man's.
A sweet, kind, and passionate girl like Orianna was a treasure to be protected.
As for her father… well, she'd just throw him a bone.
"Child, the winds of change shall guide your path."
With a graceful gesture, Janna summoned two sky-blue birds. One flew to Orianna and circled her joyfully before transforming into a bluebird talisman in her palm.
The other naturally had its own destination.
After flashing a warm smile at Orianna, Janna spun with the wind and vanished without a trace.
In Duke's ear, her voice lingered playfully:
"For helping spread my name, I'll overlook your earlier offense."
"Tch. Petty goddess," Duke muttered under his breath.
Before he could do anything else, Orianna launched at him, hugging his arm with pure joy.
"Duke! It's real! It's really real! A god actually appeared and gave me her blessing, I'm so happy!!"
"This is the best day of my life!"
Watching his daughter twirl like a whirlwind, Colin felt a pang in his chest. Who took you to the opera, huh? Who paid for your piano lessons?
How could you forget your papa this fast?
He clenched his fist, practically chewing his imaginary handkerchief.
"Ahem."
Colin gathered himself, tucked away the talisman, and descended the stairs with all the authority of a father reclaiming his dignity.
"All right, fun's over!"
"It's late. Our neighbors are asleep. Stop shrieking like lunatics. Go get ready for bed."
"Yes, Papa!"
Orianna skipped up the stairs to freshen up. Colin turned to Duke, gesturing sternly:
"Go to sleep. Don't forget your entry for the Blue Rose Estate's expo is due soon!"
"Yes, Mr. Colin."
Duke noticed the shape of the bluebird talisman peeking from Colin's pocket but didn't comment. He turned to head upstairs, chuckling inwardly.
What a tsundere...
After the two had gone up, Colin stood in the quiet, then slowly took out the talisman again. As the winds began to swirl softly around him, his face lit up with excitement.
"Praise Janna!!"
"Mr. Colin?"
Colin froze. He turned to see Duke peeking from the stairwell, wearing a smirk full of mischief.
"...What?"
"I'd like to apply for use of the basement forge."
"Do what you want. Now go to bed!"
"Right away!"
As Duke turned away, he poked his head back one last time and said sweetly:
"Oh, and Mr. Colin? When you're praying, maybe whisper next time? You might wake the neighbors."
"Get out!"
Colin hurled his slipper at the boy, but Duke dashed off laughing up to the attic.
"Little bastard!"
Colin grumbled, retrieving his slipper. But when he looked down at the talisman in his hand, the anger melted into giddy reverence.
Divine favor. Real divine favor!
How many people in all of Piltover had ever witnessed a god?
"I've got to build a proper shrine tomorrow... Pray to Janna daily. That way, I can protect my family better too!"
Muttering to himself, Colin clutched the bluebird talisman, turned off the lights, and headed upstairs, leaving only a lingering breeze swirling quietly through the empty workshop hall.
"Good night, my believers."