Arcane: In This New World

Tarren stood near the towering gates of Piltover, the sharp morning light reflecting off the polished brass and steel. Around him, a small contingent of guards watched stoically as Jayce Talis—the man now branded an exile—prepared to leave the city. The scene ahead was a poignant one: Jayce's mother, tears streaming down her face, clung tightly to her son as if she could hold him back through sheer will. Jayce, his own eyes heavy with regret, did his best to comfort her, though his words were lost in the sobs that filled the air.

From a distance, Tarren observed the scene, his arms crossed. He'd been careful to stay out of the way. The sight of Jayce's mother's anguish tugged at something deep inside him, but he quickly pushed it aside.

"Emotional, isn't it?" a voice said from beside him.

Tarren turned, startled to see Caitlyn standing just a few steps away. She'd approached so quietly that he hadn't even noticed her presence. Caitlyn's arms were crossed over her chest as if mimicking Tarren, her gaze fixed on Jayce and his mother. Her expression was tinged with sadness, though she tried to mask it with a neutral façade.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence between them was awkward, a tension that neither seemed to know how to break. Finally, Caitlyn turned her head slightly, catching Tarren's curious glance.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," Tarren said with a shrug. "You and Jayce must be close if his leaving makes you this sad."

Caitlyn let out a soft sigh. "Of course I'm sad. He's my only friend. Who am I supposed to bother now when I'm bored?"

Tarren chuckled, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "You could find friends easily, Miss Kirraman. Everyone wants to befriend the heir of the Kiramman family."

"Not that kind of friend," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Fair enough." Tarren nodded. "You can always write letters to him, you know."

Caitlyn gave him a dubious look. "And where exactly am I supposed to send those? He'll be wandering aimlessly."

"I'll figure something out," Tarren said with a shrug. "I'll need to send him some updates myself."

Her brow furrowed, and a slightly long pause could be felt between them.

Then, Caitlyn spoke again.

"Caitlyn." she said.

"What?" Tarren turned to her in confusion.

"Call me Caitlyn." she repeated. "It's weird that you call me 'miss', we're of the same age."

Before Tarren could say something, Jayce finished his farewell with his mother and turned toward them. He walked slowly, his posture heavy with the weight of everything he was leaving behind. As he approached, his weary smile flickered into place.

"Tarren," Jayce said, his voice subdued. "We haven't talked since… the trial. I… about your sister—"

"It's fine," Tarren interrupted. "Part of it was my fault. I knew how stubborn she was and underestimated her. I should have taken more drastic steps to stop her."

Jayce's shoulders slumped further. "Still, I'm sorry. I was reckless. I should have—"

"Stop," Tarren said sharply, cutting him off. "Let's not dwell on it anymore. What's done is done. The question now is, can you survive five years outside the city?"

Jayce chuckled lightly, the sound bittersweet. "You gave me those years. I probably couldn't come back if you hadn't… finished what we started. I owe it to you to stay alive and see this through."

"We haven't finished anything yet," Tarren said. "This is just the beginning, remember? Speaking of which, what should we call it? You were the one who discovered it first."

"Me?" Jayce shook his head. "I had the idea, but you made it come alive. You should name it."

"I insist," Tarren replied.

Jayce let out a small sigh, considering. "Hextech. Let's call it Hextech."

"Hextech it is," Tarren said, nodding. "About the crystals…"

"I know," Jayce replied. "Sprout's mother here mentioned to me about establishing a trade route to secure more supplies. You'll have what you need soon enough."

Tarren's lips twitched into a faint smile. "Thanks."

Caitlyn, who had been silent until now, scoffed. "Don't call me 'Sprout' or whatever ridiculous nickname you've churned up."

Jayce laughed, reaching out to ruffle her hair. "Promise me you won't bother Tarren too much while I'm gone."

Caitlyn swatted his hand away, a defiant gleam in her eye. "I wasn't planning to."

"Sure," Jayce said with a grin, pulling her into a quick, firm hug. "Don't do anything reckless, alright?"

She stiffened at first, but after a moment, she returned the hug, her face buried against his shoulder. Her voice was quiet when she finally spoke. "I'll miss you."

Jayce released her and turned back to Tarren, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. "I'll look forward to seeing how much Piltover changes when I return."

"I… wouldn't count on it," Tarren replied, though there was a trace of humor in his voice.

Jayce smirked, shaking his head in amusement before stepping toward the gates. He climbed into the waiting transport, pausing only to wave one last time from the window. Tarren and Caitlyn watched as the vehicle disappeared down the road, carrying Jayce away from the life he'd built and into the unknown future.