enforce - vi

5

Liona blinked, her vision still hazy, and groaned as she touched her throbbing head, feeling the rough cloth wrapped around it. Her gaze swept the small wooden room she was in, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. As she tried to sit up, the door creaked open, and a young boy entered, holding a bucket of water.

He stepped closer, offering the bucket with a shy smile. "Jaelin is my name! And you, ma'am, you're Liona, right?" His eyes dropped nervously to the floor.

Liona chuckled despite the pain in her head. "Ma'am? Don't call me that," she replied with a warm smile. "Why am I here, Jaelin? And how did I get here?"

The boy shifted uncomfortably, glancing around the room as if afraid to say too much. "I... I can't say anything about that. The leader will come soon." He turned quickly toward the door.

"Wait!" Liona called, but he slipped out before she could get another word in. "Great," she muttered to herself, flopping back onto the bed.

The room had a calm, earthy vibe that soothed her—a wooden ceiling and walls adorned with natural, hand-painted patterns that reminded her of the forests in Piltover. Liona let herself relax for a moment, closing her eyes, just as the door swung open again.

A figure with white hair and a familiar intensity in his gaze stepped inside. Liona sat up quickly, recognition sparking in her mind. "Ekko?"

He nodded, his face both relieved and cautious. "Yeah, you're awake, huh?"

Liona watched him approach, processing the surrealness of seeing her old friend after so many years. He studied her, and then his eyes narrowed. "You don't work for Silco, do you?"

"Are you kidding?" Liona scoffed, a flicker of anger flashing in her eyes. "He tried to kill me. I'd never work for him."

Ekko let out a sigh of relief and sat beside her, offering her a small cup of water. "I was worried, y'know. Powder went away from us... and for a while, I was afraid you had too."

Liona took the cup gratefully, her heart sinking at the mention of Powder. She thought of the fierce, erratic figure Jinx had become, the person Powder was now.

Liona stared down at the cup in her hand, her voice soft. "Powder's still there. She was just... left alone after everything that night. No one took care of her properly." She sighed, her words barely leaving her lips before the door burst open.

Vi and Caitlyn rushed in, both looking worried, and Liona couldn't help but smirk, raising her cup in mock cheer. "Well, hello to you two."

Once everyone settled, Caitlyn turned the conversation serious, explaining her intent to take the Hexcore crystal back to Piltover for the city's safety. After some heated back-and-forth, Ekko finally agreed to take it himself, knowing he could handle the journey more discreetly.

-

Together, the group moved toward a dim, winding bridge that would lead back up to Piltover. Shadows danced along the edges of the path, adding a sense of finality to each step. As they walked, Vi suddenly stopped, her gaze cast downward, a heavy silence falling around them.

Liona turned, concern etched on her face. "Vi?"

Vi clenched her jaw, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can't leave her again."

Ekko moved closer, his expression somber but resolute. "You can't change her, Vi."

Vi looked up, determination blazing in her eyes. "I have to try."

Ekko sighed, shaking his head, but he pulled Vi into a tight embrace. "Just... don't get yourself killed, okay?"

Vi chuckled dryly, though there was little humor in it. "No promises."