Arcane: Ekko and Powder

The horizon was smeared with the flickering orange of torchlight, the unmistakable sign of an approaching force. Zaunites and Piltovans alike stood side by side on the outskirts of Piltover, their makeshift defensive line bristling with tension. The Firelights had rallied in full, their green glow a stark contrast to the rigid formations of the Piltover Enforcers. Among them stood Ekko, Swordbat resting on his shoulder, its faint shimmer matching the eerie glow in his eyes.

Powder stood beside him, her modified explosives hanging from her belt like deadly ornaments. "You sure about this?" she asked, her voice low.

Ekko nodded, his gaze fixed on the distant movement of Noxian troops. "They want to test us? Let's show them what we've got."

The Noxian vanguard struck first. A battering ram, hewn from blackened steel, slammed against the outer barricade with a deafening crack. Piltover's defenders retaliated with volleys of projectiles: hex bolts, grenades, and explosive charges. The Firelights swooped in from the skies, their hoverboards buzzing like angry hornets as they rained chaos on the invaders.

Ekko charged into the fray, his Swordbat gleaming under the moonlight. The first Noxian soldier who faced him swung a massive axe, aiming to cleave Ekko in two. With a burst of speed, Ekko sidestepped the blow, his enhanced reflexes making it look effortless. The Swordbat came down in a brutal arc, its blunt edge smashing into the soldier's helmet with a crunch.

The man crumpled, but Ekko didn't pause. He spun, the glowing blade slicing clean through the spear of an advancing foe before slamming the bat side into their chest, sending them sprawling.

Powder's voice crackled through the comms in his ear. "You good over there?"

"Better than good," Ekko replied, his voice tinged with adrenaline. "Keep them off the barricades. I'll handle the front."

The Noxian soldiers pushed harder, their sheer numbers threatening to overwhelm. Ekko darted through the chaos like a shadow, his movements amplified by the perfected Shimmer serum coursing through his veins. A halberd came swinging toward him, and he parried it with the Swordbat, the clash of metal sending sparks flying. Using the momentum, he flipped over his attacker, landing a crushing blow on their back as he landed.

Nearby, a Noxian lieutenant barked orders, rallying a group of soldiers to flank the defenders. Ekko spotted him and made his move. He vaulted over a pile of debris, landing in the middle of the group. The Swordbat's blade hummed as it cut through the air, disarming one soldier and slamming into another's shield with enough force to knock him backward.

The lieutenant turned, drawing a curved blade. "Zaunite trash," he sneered, lunging at Ekko.

Ekko sidestepped, the Swordbat catching the blade and twisting it out of the man's hand. "You'll need more than insults," Ekko shot back, delivering a spinning kick to the lieutenant's chest. The man stumbled, and Ekko followed up with a powerful downward strike, the Swordbat's blunt edge knocking him out cold.

The battle intensified as more Noxians poured onto the field. Powder's explosives detonated across the battlefield, creating fiery craters and scattering enemy ranks. Vi, wielding her newly-built gauntlets, smashed through the Noxian lines with raw power, her punches leaving craters in the ground.

But the Noxians were relentless. They unleashed siege constructs—hulking, spider-like machines armed with cannons and blades. One of them lumbered toward Ekko, its massive legs crushing anything in its path.

"Pow!" Ekko called out, dodging a cannon blast that scorched the ground behind him. "Little help?"

Powder's voice came through, tinged with mischief. "On it!" A moment later, a drone buzzed overhead, dropping a payload directly onto the machine. The explosion sent shrapnel flying, but the construct remained standing, its armor scorched but intact.

Ekko narrowed his eyes. "Guess I'll have to do this myself."

He sprinted toward the construct, dodging its cannon fire with impossible agility. As he reached its leg, he leaped onto it, scaling the metal limb with his Swordbat in hand. The construct's blade arm swung toward him, but Ekko ducked, the weapon slicing through empty air.

Reaching the top of the machine, Ekko jammed the Swordbat into a seam in its armor. Sparks flew as he wrenched the blade free, tearing out a chunk of its inner mechanisms. The construct shuddered, its movements becoming erratic. Ekko jumped clear just as it collapsed in a heap of smoke and fire.

The destruction of the construct rallied the defenders. The Firelights redoubled their efforts, their hoverboards zipping through the air as they harried the Noxian troops. Piltover's enforcers held the line, their hextech weaponry proving effective against the invading force.

Ekko found himself face-to-face with another group of soldiers. They were larger, clad in heavier armor, and wielding weapons that glowed with an ominous red light. Elite Noxian warriors.

One of them stepped forward, swinging a massive warhammer. Ekko dodged, the weapon smashing into the ground and leaving a crater. He countered with a slash of the Swordbat, but the warrior's armor absorbed the blow.

"Alright," Ekko muttered, gripping the Swordbat tighter. "Let's see how tough you really are."

The next swing of the warhammer came faster, but Ekko met it head-on, the blunt edge of his Swordbat clashing against the hammer. The impact sent a shockwave through the ground, but Ekko held his ground. With a surge of strength, he pushed the hammer aside and delivered a powerful upward strike, the glowing blade finding a weak spot in the warrior's armor.

The Noxian staggered, and Ekko followed up with a spinning blow to the head, sending the warrior crashing to the ground.

The battle raged on for hours, but the defenders of Piltover and Zaun eventually prevailed. The remaining Noxian forces retreated, leaving behind a battlefield littered with debris and wounded.

Ekko stood amidst the wreckage, the Swordbat resting against the ground. His body ached, but the glow in his eyes remained steady. Around him, Firelights and enforcers worked together to tend to the injured and secure the area.

Powder approached, her face smudged with soot but her eyes bright. "You did it," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We did it."

Ekko nodded, his gaze sweeping over the battlefield. "This was just a test," he said. "They'll be back. Stronger."

Powder tightened her grip on his shoulder. "Then we'll be ready. Together."

Ekko smiled, his resolve hardening. The battle had been won, but the war was far from over. And he would do whatever it took to protect everything they had built.