Arcane: Ekko and Powder

Ekko was returning to Zaun after a late-night Firelights mission in Piltover. The streets were quiet, illuminated by the faint glow of neon signs and the hum of Zaun's undercity life. His hoverboard hummed softly as he weaved through the maze of alleyways, his thoughts drifting to Powder and the work they had ahead.

He never heard the ambush coming.

A shadow moved faster than his reflexes could respond. Something struck the hoverboard, causing it to spin out. Ekko tumbled, landing with a thud in a narrow alley. Before he could recover, a figure cloaked in black loomed over him. The hooded stranger radiated an aura of power, and Ekko instinctively reached for his weapon.

"Don't bother," the figure said, voice calm but commanding. "If I wanted to hurt you, you'd already be out."

The stranger's words stopped Ekko in his tracks. There was something oddly familiar about the voice. He narrowed his eyes, trying to get a better look beneath the hood.

"Who the hell are you?" Ekko demanded, his voice steady despite the tension.

The figure pulled back the hood, revealing a face Ekko never expected to see—his own.

But it wasn't exactly him. This version of Ekko was older, his face hardened by years of struggle. Scars marked his skin, and his hair was streaked with silver. He wore armor unlike anything Ekko had ever seen, a fusion of Hextech and Shimmer glowing faintly in the dim light.

Future Ekko.

Ekko scrambled to his feet, his mind racing. "What kind of trick is this? Who are you, really?"

The older Ekko raised a hand. "Relax, kid. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to warn you."

"Warn me? About what?"

"The future," Future Ekko said grimly. "The one you're building now. It's not going to end the way you think."

Ekko clenched his fists, skepticism clear on his face. "What makes you think I'll believe anything you say?"

Future Ekko sighed, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a small device—a prototype of the Z-Drive Ekko had been conceptualizing in his mind but hadn't yet shared with anyone.

"How—how do you have this?" Ekko stammered, his heart pounding.

"You build it," Future Ekko said. "Or at least, you will. And trust me, it'll save your life more times than you can count. But the Z-Drive alone won't be enough. That's why I'm here."

He stepped closer, his voice dropping. "You need to be stronger—not just for Zaun or Piltover, but for Powder. She's the key to everything you've built, and she's going to need you more than ever."

Ekko's mind swirled with questions. "What's going to happen? What are we up against?"

Future Ekko's expression darkened. "Powerful foes. They'll come from places you can't even imagine—people who want to destroy everything you've worked for. You think the chembarons are bad? They're nothing compared to what's coming."

Future Ekko leaned against the alley wall, his gaze piercing. "You need to build the Z-Drive. It's more than just a time-manipulation device. It'll be your greatest tool against the enemies coming for you."

He pulled a small vial from his belt, its contents glowing a faint, silvery blue. "And this... this is the only perfected Shimmer serum."

Ekko recoiled slightly. "Shimmer? You're giving me that junk? You know what it does to people."

Future Ekko nodded. "I do. I've seen it destroy lives. But this isn't like the stuff you know. It's been perfected—with the help of an alternate Silco. In another timeline, he and I worked together to create this. It's not an addiction, not a poison. It's a chance."

"A chance for what?" Ekko asked, his voice laced with suspicion.

"To survive. To fight. To protect what matters most." Future Ekko held the vial out. "This serum will enhance you. Strength, speed, reflexes—all of it. You'll need every advantage you can get for what's coming."

Ekko hesitated, staring at the vial. "And what if I don't take it?"

Future Ekko's gaze softened. "Then you'll lose. Zaun will fall. Piltover will burn. And Powder... she won't make it."

The weight of those words hit Ekko like a freight train. His mind raced, torn between doubt and the fear of failure.

Future Ekko placed a hand on his younger self's shoulder. "I know it's a lot to take in. I was you once—unsure, doubting myself, thinking I could handle everything on my own. But I'm here to tell you: you can't. Not without this."

He gestured to the serum and the Z-Drive prototype.

"This doesn't mean you'll have all the answers," Future Ekko continued. "But it'll give you a fighting chance. Use the Hextech. Build the Z-Drive. Train like your life depends on it—because it does. And never forget what you're fighting for."

"Why can't you just stop whatever's coming?" Ekko asked, frustration creeping into his voice.

Future Ekko's expression hardened. "Because my time is running out. I barely made it back here to warn you. This fight—it's yours to win."

The older version of himself took a step back, the glow from his armor intensifying. "One last thing," he said. "No matter how hard it gets, remember this: you're never alone. You have Powder, Benzo, Vander, Vi... people who believe in you. Lean on them when you need to."

Ekko's fingers tightened around the vial. The weight of the decision bore down on him, but deep down, he knew he didn't have a choice. If there was even a chance to save the people he loved, he had to take it.

He uncapped the vial, the faint shimmer of its contents catching the light. "This better not turn me into some crazy monster," he muttered.

Future Ekko smirked faintly. "It won't. Trust me."

With a deep breath, Ekko injected the serum into his arm. A surge of energy coursed through him, unlike anything he'd ever felt. His senses sharpened, his muscles tingling with newfound strength.

"What the—" Ekko gasped, clutching his arm as the serum took hold.

"It'll take some time to fully integrate," Future Ekko said. "But when it does, you'll understand."

The glow around the older Ekko grew brighter, signaling his departure. "This is it for me. The rest is up to you. Don't waste this chance."

Before Ekko could respond, Future Ekko vanished in a burst of light, leaving him alone in the alley.

Ekko stood there for a long moment, his mind racing. He clenched his fists, feeling the faint hum of energy coursing through him. The weight of what had just happened settled over him, but instead of fear, he felt something else: resolve.

He turned his gaze to the horizon, where Zaun's flickering lights met Piltover's towering spires. There was so much at stake, so much to fight for.

And now, he had the tools to do it.

"Alright," he muttered, a determined glint in his eye. "Let's get to work."