Arcane: Ekko and Powder

The aftermath of the battle left a heavy silence in its wake. The air was thick with the smoke of burnt barricades and the scent of blood that clung to the earth beneath the Firelights' feet. It was a battlefield, but there was no time for celebration. There were wounded to tend to, both from Zaun and Piltover, and that had to come first.

Ekko stood at the edge of the battlefield, his Swordbat resting at his side, its blade still slick with blood. His mind was racing, his body wired with adrenaline, but the task at hand was clear: care for those who had fought alongside him. The Firelights and Piltover enforcers had been through hell, and Ekko knew that no amount of victory would matter if they didn't tend to the wounded, those who had survived but were broken, bloodied, and battered.

"Vi," Ekko said, his voice calm despite the weight of everything around him. "We need to get them to the triage stations."

Vi nodded, her eyes scanning the battlefield with a sharpness that belied the exhaustion in her posture. She had blood splattered across her fists and her face, her breath shallow, but she was still fighting fit. She'd always been like that—relentless, unstoppable. But now, in the aftermath of the battle, there was a gentleness to her movements as she moved to help the injured.

"On it," she said, her voice tight but determined.

Ekko watched as Vi moved to the nearest group of fallen soldiers. Her instincts kicked in, and she immediately started assessing their wounds, directing people to bring the necessary medical supplies. She was quick, efficient, and calm under pressure. Ekko couldn't help but admire her in moments like these, even as his mind raced with thoughts of what was to come.

He turned his attention to Powder, who was crouched near the center of the battlefield, helping to move injured Firelights members into a safe area for treatment. Despite her usually carefree attitude, Powder had always been sharp when it came to matters like this. She understood that every life counted.

"Powder," Ekko called as he made his way toward her. "Can you help me carry the medkits? We need to make sure everyone gets the care they need."

She looked up from the wounded soldier she was attending to, nodding immediately. "Of course. I've got this!"

Her usual cheeky grin appeared, though it was a little more subdued now. Ekko admired how she was able to balance the weight of the world on her shoulders and still manage to keep things light, even when the situation seemed grim. Together, they worked swiftly, gathering what supplies they had, bandaging wounds, and offering what comfort they could to those who had been struck down in the chaos.

As Ekko and Powder worked their way across the battlefield, they found the two sides of the battle fielded by Firelights and Piltover enforcers slowly beginning to come together. Though their alliance was still young, it had already proven itself under fire. Now, it was becoming clear how far they had come.

The enforcers, despite their training and advanced technology, had suffered just as much as the Firelights. The loss of a few key enforcers left gaps in their ranks. Ekko saw several officers sitting against rocks, tending to their wounds while their comrades worked together to stabilize the injured. Piltover's soldiers were trained to handle the chaos of war, but nothing prepared them for the brutal, unrelenting street battles of Zaun.

Ekko knelt beside one of the enforcers who had a gash across his face, bleeding heavily but still conscious. "Hey, hang in there. We're getting you patched up," Ekko said in a soothing voice, applying pressure to the wound with a cloth he had pulled from his bag. The officer grimaced but nodded weakly.

"Thanks, kid," the enforcer rasped, his voice rough from the battle. "You're not what I expected..."

"I get that a lot," Ekko said with a faint grin. "We'll have you patched up in no time. Just stay with me."

Behind him, Powder worked with a small group of Firelight volunteers, helping to administer medical aid to other soldiers, both from Zaun and Piltover. It was a strange partnership, one born out of necessity, but it had its own kind of power. The people of Zaun had always been seen as outcasts in Piltover's eyes, but on this battlefield, they were allies, fighting side by side.

Ekko's mind drifted for a moment to the future. The alliance with Piltover had never been a sure thing, and there were still so many factors in play. He glanced over at Powder, who was tending to a young Firelight fighter, her hands shaking slightly as she bandaged the soldier's leg. Even she wasn't immune to the weight of what had happened today.

But Ekko knew—there was no turning back now. Zaun's future had already been set in motion. And it wasn't just about surviving anymore. It was about thriving.

The triage stations were a hive of activity. Makeshift tents had been set up near the edges of the battlefield, with Firelight volunteers and Piltover medics working tirelessly to treat the wounded. The wounded soldiers—some Firelights, some Piltover enforcers, and a few Noxians—were all mixed together in a chaotic jumble, but there was a sense of unity in the air. No one cared where the soldiers came from; they were all victims of the same war.

Vi had joined several of the medics to help patch up a group of Firelights who had been caught in a crossfire. Her hands were coated in a mixture of blood and grime, but her determination never wavered. She moved quickly, bandaging a soldier's arm, applying pressure to stop the bleeding.

"Stay with me," she told one of the soldiers as he winced from the pain. "You're gonna be fine. We've still got work to do."

"Thanks, Vi," the soldier muttered through gritted teeth.

Ekko walked past, noticing the way Vi's face had softened with each person she helped. She was never one to show weakness, but here, surrounded by the wounded, she had become the heart of the Firelights. They all relied on her strength, her resolve. And yet, Ekko knew that Vi, too, carried the weight of the battles they had fought, and the ones yet to come.

He stepped into the tent where the worst of the injured had been brought, his heart heavy with the weight of what they had all endured. The medics were working hard, but there were so many injuries—too many for them to handle all at once. Ekko had always been the one to fight, but now, he found himself in a position to lead in ways that were less about strength and more about care. He was learning—learning how to hold it all together, even when the pieces of the world seemed to be falling apart.

"Stay strong," Ekko murmured as he passed the injured, offering them a comforting smile or a pat on the shoulder. He made his way over to the firelight medic, a young woman who was trying to bandage a deep wound on one of the soldiers. Her hands were shaking, and it was clear she was struggling to keep up with the sheer number of wounded.

"Here," Ekko said, his voice calm. "Let me help."

The medic gave him a grateful nod, stepping aside as Ekko took over. His movements were steady, practiced. He had learned from years of fighting, but now he was applying those skills in a different way. His hands were firm but gentle as he applied the bandages, carefully wrapping the wound.

"Thank you," the medic said quietly, her eyes filled with relief. "We can't do this alone."

"No one should have to," Ekko replied. "We're all in this together. Remember that."

As the battle wound down and the triage stations began to stabilize, Vi took a moment to step away from the chaos. She leaned against a nearby crate, wiping sweat from her brow. Her chest rose and fell as she caught her breath. The fight was over for now, but Vi knew better than to believe the danger had passed.

Her thoughts turned to Ekko. He was different now. Stronger, more resolute, but still the same person. He had fought with such power today—power that he hadn't had before. The future was unclear, but Vi knew one thing for certain: whatever came next, they would face it together.

Looking around at the Firelights and the Piltover enforcers, she realized how far they had come. Zaun had once been a place of chaos, a forgotten city overshadowed by Piltover's towering structures. But now? Now, it was a symbol of strength, unity, and resilience.

The road ahead wouldn't be easy. But Vi had her family. She had Ekko. And that was enough.