The Arcane Trilogy: Sins of the Past - Book 2

Chapter 1: Painful Beginnings

Caitlyn's scream cut through Vi's heart.

Vi could not believe what her sister had done. There was no going back for her. Piltover would not let what she did stand, and her sister's life would be forfeit. The monstrous blue flames that engulfed the council chambers stretched up into the night sky, like an ill omen of what was to come, with the deafening sound that ripped through the city signing her sister's death sentence.

As Vi remained fixated on the destruction her sister had caused, Caitlyn fell from Vi's grasp as the last ounce of strength and willpower seeped out of the young enforcer. Vi was taken off guard, due to still processing what had just happened moments before and the sight that loomed over Piltover and Zaun. The young enforcer slumped back against the rickety barrier that lined the decrepit pathway. Vi quickly moved to catch her again, kneeling down in front of her, as Caitlyn fell deeper into a pit of despair.

Her bruising and marks that sat on her face began to slowly disappear under small rivers of tears that trickled down her damaged skin. Her eyes remained somewhat distant as her skin displayed a paler tone. The sight pained Vi to the core as the world fell out for a moment, leaving only Vi and Caitlyn left.

"Cupcake, Cupcake listen to me." Said Vi as she slipped the atlas gauntlet on her left hand off and gently held Caitlyn's head in her hands, bringing their eyes together, temporarily pausing Caitlyn's distraught state. "We've gotta get you out of here. Ok?" Stated Vi, as Caitlyn's blinking eyes became deeper and deeper. After a pause, Caitlyn replied.

"Jinx...you're sister she...my mother." Spoke Caitlyn in a hushed and defeated tone, as her voice faltered at the recollection of the blue streak that cut across the Piltover skyline. Vi promptly placed a slightly firmer grip on Caitlyn, gently bringing her forehead to lightly touch hers.

"I know, I know, but we can't stay here. We need to get you somewhere safe." Responded Vi in a gentle and hushed voice. She knew that Caitlyn was hurt to some degree. Her glossy and distant eyes, her weaker tone of voice and her obvious markings clearly indicated as such. Of course, that would happen if you had just been cracked across the face with a huge minigun, but her physical injuries in conjunction with experiencing the type of trauma that Vi was all too familiar with would continue to break Caitlyn down, which Vi desperately wanted to prevent or at least mitigate.

Caitlyn weakly nodded as Vi heaved the broken figure of Caitlyn back onto her feet. She fully leant into Vi as the Zaunite slipped the undamaged atlas gauntlet back onto her hand and the pair made small baby steps out of the warehouse. Vi could hear Caitlyn's breath increasing as they navigated through the ruined warehouse, with the fresh smell of smoke lingering upon their noses, reminding Vi of the night that ended her old family. She pushed those memories aside as her mind picked up on Caitlyn's breathing growing heavier and heavier with each passing step.

The pair slowly trudged through the quiet Southside streets, with Vi spotting a few residents waking up and curiously gazing out of their homes. Fortunately, the explosion took their focus away from Vi and Caitlyn, allowing Vi to focus on making sure the young enforcer was ok. She felt brief glimmers of hope as Vi spied the bridge off in the distance, praying that the nightmare they had endured would be over sooner rather than later. However, Vi's sliver of hope was interrupted by Caitlyn heaving heavily, so much so that Vi could feel it. Moments later, Caitlyn stumbled away from Vi's grasp as she fell onto a nearby wall, throwing up onto the cold and damp cobblestones. Vi quickly react to her sudden movement, re-collecting Caitlyn's arm as she vomited. Vi let her get it all out of her, slowly rubbing her back as she finished. Vi knew that time was of the essence and that Caitlyn needed help as soon as possible.

As Vi pushed Caitlyn along, holding up her weakened and broken figure, Vi noticed her stumbling more and more after every couple of steps. As much as she wanted to keep going, maybe through lifting Cait up and carrying her, she knew she would not be able to. The pain and fatigue she had endured against Sevika and through the events of her sister's elaborate dinner set up were taking a toll on Vi, as much as she tried to ignore it. Vi quickly scanned their surroundings, searching for a suitable resting point amidst the dark and damp alleys and streets of Southside. Vi was able to spot a tattered rug, a dirty blanket and a few empty cans scattered across the cobblestones, indicating that someone had been recently residing in that particular alley. Vi redirected Caitlyn to the rug and gently laid her down, allowing her to sit as he head slowly rested upon the mismatched brick wall that loomed over them.