Runeterra: Begging for Help in a Parallel Universe!

"Jayce—"

Mel noticed the despondent look on Jayce's face and quickly approached, intending to comfort him.

But Jayce raised a hand, signaling her not to speak, and walked away with his hammer in hand.

No matter the time or place, he always seemed to arrive too late.

When Viktor was gravely ill, he noticed it far too late.

When the riots erupted in the Undercity, he was also late to respond as a councilor.

In trying to lead by example and correct the chaos, he had inadvertently caused the death of an innocent child.

And now, with this attack on Piltover, he had once again been a step behind.

Watching Jayce's retreating figure, Mel was about to speak when her secretary, Elora, appeared beside her and shook her head.

"Give him some time alone. Besides, there's a mess here that needs your attention."

Mel sighed deeply, her gaze lingering on Jayce's lonely silhouette.

Indeed, this was no time for personal matters—her focus needed to be on the present.

"Start compiling the casualty reports immediately," she ordered, shifting into a commanding tone. As she organized the relief efforts, she approached Caitlyn.

"Caitlyn, do you have any leads on that mysterious figure?"

"To be honest—" Caitlyn gave a wry smile, "I don't."

"From the moment he appeared to the moment he left, there was so little information, so few details. Even I can't figure it out right now."

"No matter what, we must uncover his true identity. Piltover needs someone like him to assist us!"

"Assist you?" Vi interjected, frowning as she joined the conversation. "Zaun's already suffered enough because of you people!"

"You must be Vi," Mel said, meeting her gaze with a frown of her own.

"And I'm honored that the great Piltover councilor knows my name," Vi replied coldly.

"Let's not debate Piltover's treatment of Zaun here," Mel said, turning to gesture at the devastation around them.

"But Zaun's impact on Piltover is undeniable!"

"That wouldn't have happened if it weren't for you—" Vi began, but her words were cut off by the sound of synchronized footsteps.

Mel turned to the doors, recognizing the heavy clang of steel boots.

It was her mother.

"Mother, you're here just in time!"

Mel quickly approached Ambessa, who surveyed the scene with an impassive expression.

"I received an urgent call for aid from the council, so I came immediately," Ambessa said calmly.

"Though it seems I've arrived too late."

"Indeed, you have," Mel replied sternly.

She knew her mother's nature and her ambitions all too well.

"Everything has been handled by Piltover's people, and the culprits have been apprehended. There's no need for your involvement."

Ambessa's gaze shifted to Mel's face.

Her daughter's defensive posture was evident—protective, wary. It both annoyed and amused her.

The once-weak girl had finally grown a backbone, though it was still far from solid.

"I see," Ambessa said, turning to leave. Before departing, she added softly, "I'm glad to see you're unharmed, Mel."

Mel's icy demeanor melted instantly. She watched her mother walk away, her lips trembling as if to speak, but no words came.

Elora placed a comforting hand on Mel's shoulder.

Once Ambessa's figure disappeared, Mel instructed her, "Elora, find out the identity of that mysterious figure."

"Didn't you ask Caitlyn to—"

"I'm not putting all my eggs in one basket."

Meanwhile, as Ambessa returned to her quarters, she turned to her attendant, Rector.

"Mobilize the Stoneweavers. I want to know what happened at the meeting hall and who disrupted my plans."

Rector nodded silently and left to carry out her orders.

Ambessa clenched her fists as she walked the affluent streets. Piltover—she was determined to make it hers.

Riverside Workshop

"Ow..."

The moment Link Star returned to his workshop, he eagerly removed the exoskeleton from his body.

The armor stood upright, like a loyal guard watching over him.

Link, now free of the heavy suit, stripped off his boots, pants, and shirt, revealing his body covered in bruises and burns from the exoskeleton's use.

Grimacing in pain, he made his way to the mansion's medical kit.

The workshop was well-equipped, and a medical kit was no exception.

Link applied ointment to his wounds, wincing each time the cream touched a tender spot. Once he'd bandaged himself up, he let out a long sigh and collapsed onto the couch.

Not wanting any interruptions, he dragged himself back into the workshop, crashing onto his folding bed.

He wanted nothing more than to sleep.

Ding!

"You have a new message. Please check your inbox."

The notification from his dimensional inbox floated before him, but Link ignored it and drifted into a deep sleep.

He woke the next evening to find the workshop dark, the forge's fire extinguished. Groping for a light, he illuminated the room and grabbed a leftover piece of tea cake.

After forcing it down with water, Link returned to his folding bed and stared blankly at his inbox.

New message?

"I'll deal with it later," he muttered.

Reflecting on the chaos of the memorial attack, Link knew this was just the beginning. The task ahead—saving both Piltover and Zaun—was monumental.

The conflict between the two cities lay in wealth inequality, class divides, and mutual hatred.

Changing even one of these issues would be a challenge.

But for now, Link pushed these thoughts aside. There were pressing issues with his first-generation exoskeleton:

The strain it placed on the user.Heat injuries from prolonged operation.Inconvenience in transport.Limited combat versatility.Insufficient identity concealment.

To solve these, he began sketching ideas for upgrades. Perhaps a fusion of chemtech and hextech—or even elements like True Ice—could revolutionize his design.

But time was short, and he couldn't stay holed up in the workshop forever. He had to act step by step.

"First Piltover, then Zaun," he murmured, shutting his notes.

Zaun's key players—Jinx, Viktor, and Singed—would be pivotal.

But where should he start?

Shaking his head, Link returned to his inbox. "Let's see what the new message is."