The Boy Saviour

Chapter 8

I walked alongside Mel and my mother as the seagulls cawed from afar, until she spoke, breaking the silence. "Your brother is gone". I almost fell to my knees as Mel also stopped in her tracks. "What do you mean he's gone?" I asked, clearly heartbroken in my voice. My mother gave me a solemn look and for the first time, I could see the sadness in her eyes. "What happened?" Mel asked. "He crossed the wrong man. I was distracted. That's a mistake I can't take back" Ambessa replied, as I heard Mel's heavy breathing among the silence, also accompanied with my own heavy breathing. "Your Jayce Talis has turned his eye to Hextech weaponry" she replied, as I scoffed. "So, that's the reason why you came here?" I shook my head "I knew it" Mel replied, as we both started to walk off. 

"War is coming. You've let the problems of your undercity fester far too long" Ambessa replied, as Mel retaliated. "Piltover isn't like Noxus. War isn't our first and every recourse. I sponsored Hextech to protect the city, not burn it to the ground". "It's not conjecture, it's a fact. Weapons can't be unmade and they are always used. I'm here to guide both of you to the right decisions" she replied "I don't need your guidance" Mel said, as I nodded in agreement. "Miss Medarda?" - a man's voiced called opposite us from an air balloon. "Yes?" we all answered in unison. The man extended the staircase, as our mother put her hand on both of our shoulders. "He's for me, dears. I'm off to sample the local cuisine". I scoffed to myself in disgust, as Mel looked annoyed. "Why does she have to be here of all places?" I asked Mel, as she sighed. "She's definitely up to something, but what that is I have no idea. I best get back to the council to discuss this matter of affair. You coming?" she asked me. "There's something I have to do first, but I'll be back later. I promise" I answered, as my sister nodded before heading off. 

As I walked on the outskirts of the Bridge of Progress, I heard a few voices, as I investigated to see what it was. Sitting under the bridge was Ekko and what looked like to be, Professor Heimerdinger?! I ran as first as I could to get to where they were. "Ekko?! What happened?!" I asked, kneeling down to his level. "Jinx...she set off an explosion on the bridge last night. I've been here since then but I injured my ankle in the process" he answered, as I looked at his ankle, which appeared to be broken. "I honestly thought you we're back at the Firelight hideout when I left. And Professor Heimerdinger? What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at the council now?" I asked him, as he looked disheartened. "I'm retired" was all he said, as I looked at him confused. "Retired? What do you mean?" I asked again. "Let's just say, I'm no longer a member of the council. I've been voted out" he answered. Surely Mel couldn't have done this with the others. "Come on, let's get you back home" I replied to Ekko, helping to support him.

Once we reached the entrance of the hideout, using the secret door code, Scar pried the door open, as he looked shocked to see Ekko in a terrible condition. He offered to support Ekko while I gave Ekko a walking stick I managed to find on the way. Heimerdinger towed behind, carrying Ekko's hoverboard in one hand. "Astonishing!" he exclaimed, seeing the tree for the first time. "That was my first reaction when I saw this place". I replied, looking at Ekko, smiling at me warmly. 

"You say all this came about in your own brief lifespan. How were you able to accomplish so much so quickly?" Heimerdinger asked him. "You'd be surprised what you can pull off when your life depends on it" he answered. All of a sudden, I heard a click come from Ekko's leg, as Scar positioned his fracture back in place. I grimaced at a thought of me breaking my own leg. "Uh, why this form? Surely, there are more efficient and safer methods of transportation" he continued, when Scar banged his stick into the ground, causing a loud rumble. "FIRELIGHTS!!" he shouted, as the other kids looked from the balcony in wonder, with Scar howling, and the kids cheering. I also cheered too. "It's not enough to give people what they need to survive, you have to give them what they need to live" Ekko replied. I really admired Ekko a lot and how he's so positive, even in the midst of adversity. 

"Wise words spoken from the Boy Saviour himself!" I replied, as Ekko looked at me. "Have you and Jinx been talking or something?" he asked, as I looked confused. "No, what do you mean?" I asked, as he sighed to himself. "Jinx called me that on the bridge" he answered. "Oh..I'm sorry. I won't call you that again" I replied, thinking I had offended him so I began to walk off, until he grabbed my hand. "No, don't apologise. You wouldn't have known. Personally, it has a nice ring to it" he reassured me, as I chucked to myself. "I'm going to speak with Heimerdinger about a few things but meet me on the balcony later at 8pm ok? There's something I want to ask you" Ekko said, as I began to feel warm and anxious inside. What could he potentially ask me that had to wait til then?

Whilst waiting, I practiced on my hoverboard to pass the time, as I spotted Ekko coming out of his room. Looking at my watch, it was exactly 8pm, so I headed up to the balcony where he was waiting for me. 

"So how are you and Heimerdinger getting along?" I asked. "Really well, actually. He's come up with a few inventions to help with the kids here. I know they'll love what he'll come up with" he answered. "That's good to hear. So....what did you want to tell me?" I asked him. Ekko took a deep breath, noticing how nervous he was. "Well....remember when we first met and we started hanging out when you came to the Undercity?" he asked me, as I nodded. "I actually liked you...a lot...and I still do now". I smiled at him, "Yeah, you like me as in a best friend, right?" I asked. "Umm, yeah sure as a best friend, of course" he replied, while rubbing his neck and chuckling to himself.

"I like you too. To be honest, ever since I came to the Undercity, I've been dying to go back, but I got so tied up with my sister, that Piltover didn't feel like home but I want to spend time with you and develop our friendship more" I replied. I was clearly lying to myself, I did like Ekko more than a friend, but I knew he still cared for Jinx, and I also felt like he was lying to himself too. "I guess I'd better get back" I replied, without giving him a chance to say anything else, before I headed off to the council where my sister was. 

Upon entering, they were all sitting around the table, putting their hands up, with some of them cheering. "What's going on" I asked my sister. "We're supporting Councilor Talis proposal for peace" she replied, as I looked at Jayce smiling from ear to ear. "That's great! Now we don't have to go to war!" All of a sudden, everyone's faces were shocked, staring at the window, and to my sight, a big grenade was heading towards us, as it pierced into the glass. 

This..... is not good.

And that's the end of Season 1 story. I will shortly be writing up Season 2 after seeing Act 1, which was AMAZING!!!! I hope every single reader enjoyed the first part of this story! See you in the next one! ☺️❤️