Ending the Cycle || A Timebomb Fanfic

VII

Another long chapter, but worth it I promise <3

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The dark woods swallowed Jinx as she tore through them, her breath ragged and her pink eyes glowing ferociously in the blackness. The shimmer coursing through her veins made her faster, stronger, but it also amplified the chaos within. Her thoughts spiraled, twisting into an unbearable cacophony. The scene with Ekko played over and over in her mind, a maddening loop of vulnerability and terror. Her chest tightened as the taste of fear and regret flooded her mouth. She hated it. Hated herself.

She didn't know where she was going, only that she had to run. To get away. From Ekko, from the memories, from the feelings clawing at her insides like feral animals. She felt sick, her stomach lurching with each step, but she couldn't stop.

As the forest thickened around her, the shadows came alive, pulling her deeper into her unraveling mind. Hallucinations flickered to life, grotesque and vivid. Silco's face appeared behind a tree, his one good eye glinting with that familiar, calculating stare. "Jinx," his voice whispered, soft but menacing, echoing in her ears. She screamed and stumbled back, but the torment didn't stop. Vi emerged next, her strong frame and piercing eyes cutting through the darkness. Isha was there too, her laughter haunting and cold. And then Sevika—her broad features twisted into a cruel smile—loomed over her, shaking her head in disappointment.

They were everywhere. Watching her. Judging her. The neon outlines of their forms glowed brightly against the darkness, growing larger and more vivid as they closed in.

"Stop it," Jinx muttered, clutching her head, her voice breaking into a sob. "Stop looking at me!"

Her vision blurred with tears as she stumbled blindly through the woods, her steps faltering. The shadows pressed closer, suffocating her, until suddenly... they began to fade. The glowing outlines dimmed, their haunting voices replaced by an eerie stillness. Jinx blinked, her breath hitching as she realized the darkness ahead of her was breaking apart, giving way to a soft, radiant glow in the distance.

Her chest heaved as she stood there, trembling. A part of her wanted to turn back, to run away, but something about the light was magnetic, pulling her forward. She swallowed hard, wiping her tears away with shaking hands, and began to follow the glow. The crunch of twigs and leaves under her boots filled the silence as she walked, each step hesitant, her heart pounding like a war drum.

When she reached the source, she froze. Her breath caught in her throat.

In a small clearing bathed in silver moonlight stood a girl, no older than Jinx herself. She was ethereal, her presence almost otherworldly. Her blond hair cascaded down her back in wild waves, catching the light as if it were spun from molten gold. Her fair skin seemed to glow faintly in the darkness, and her soft, delicate features held an air of both youth and wisdom. There was a kindness to her face, but also a quiet strength.

Jinx's eyes widened as she took in the shimmering magic that danced between the girl's fingers. Tendrils of pure, radiant white light twisted and swirled, moving as if alive, illuminating the clearing in a soft glow. The girl moved with a fluid grace, her hands weaving intricate patterns in the air as she guided the magic. The light flickered and bloomed like a living flame, and the girl smiled at it, her expression one of quiet joy and wonder. She seemed utterly at peace, lost in the beauty of the moment.

Jinx's heart raced as she watched from the shadows. She couldn't tear her eyes away. There was something mesmerizing about the girl—something beautiful and haunting. For a moment, Jinx forgot about the forest, the hallucinations, the voices. She was simply... captivated.

But then a thought struck her, pulling her back to reality. Magic? Here?

Her brow furrowed. She knew Demacia outlawed magic, hunting down mages with ruthless efficiency. The girl's very existence in this place was a defiance of everything Demacia stood for. And yet... here she was, fearless, unguarded, weaving light and life in the heart of a kingdom that would imprison her for it.