Ending the Cycle || A Timebomb Fanfic

XIV

Finals week or my final week? Stay tuned to find out....

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"Our uncle," he said. "The leader of the Mageseekers. Sylas' forces executed him."

The air seemed to leave Lux's lungs all at once, and she staggered slightly. Garen reached out to steady her, his strong hands gripping her shoulders. She blinked up at him, her mind struggling to process the words. "Uncle Eldred is... gone?" she whispered, the disbelief in her voice cutting through the stillness of the sanctuary.

"I'm sorry," Garen said, his voice quieter now, almost pained. "I thought you should hear it from me."

Behind them, Jinx and Ekko exchanged glances. Jinx adjusted her grip on Kuro, the little girl clinging to her tightly, her wide eyes darting nervously between the siblings and the massive raptor looming nearby. Ekko placed a steadying hand on Jinx's shoulder, his expression serious but unreadable.

The sanctuary was eerily silent, the weight of Garen's words settling over the crowd like a heavy blanket. The loss of Eldred, the man who had been a symbol of power and control for the Mageseekers, was more than just a personal tragedy—it was a harbinger of chaos, a sign that the war was escalating in ways no one could have anticipated.

Lux's shoulders trembled as she took a shaky breath, her mind racing. She pulled away from Garen, wiping at her eyes and straightening her posture. "What does this mean? Uncle Eldred was the head of the Mageseekers." she said, her voice steadier now. "What's to happen to the Mageseekers? The Dauntless Vangaurd?"

Garen's expression darkened, his jaw tightening as he spoke. "Eldred's death hasn't broken the Mageseekers—it's only hardened them," he said, his voice low and grim. "They're retaliating with brutal efficiency. Mages, suspected mages, anyone who even whispers about magic—they're being slaughtered in the streets. They've turned the city of Demacia into a hunting ground, Lux."

He paused, running a hand over his face, the weight of the truth evident in his posture. "But Sylas' forces aren't backing down. If anything, they've become more dangerous. They're hitting Mageseeker outposts with precision, raiding their prisons, freeing captives. They've mastered guerilla warfare, striking where the Mageseekers are weakest and disappearing before anyone can mount a counterattack. It's chaos—both sides escalating, and the city's caught in the middle."

Lux stood silent, her arms crossed tightly over her chest as if she could shield herself from the enormity of the situation. Her sapphire eyes shone with unshed tears, but she forced herself to meet Garen's gaze. "And the Dauntless Vanguard?" she asked, her voice quieter, almost hesitant.

"They're scared," Garen admitted, his voice softening. "We've fought battles, wars even, but nothing like this. The enemy isn't at our borders—it's within the city. Every street, every corner could be a trap. Tianna is doing everything she can to keep the Vanguard together, but she's stretched thin. She made me second-in-command to help her hold the line, but—" He hesitated, his gaze flicking to Lux, as though what he was about to say carried an unbearable weight. "She wants you, Lux. The Illuminators ask for you every day. Kahina's been leading the charge to aid the mages still trapped in the city, and she's asking for you, too. She believes you can turn the tide, give the people hope."

Lux's breath hitched, her composure cracking slightly. She looked away, her arms tightening around herself. "I can't leave them," she whispered, her voice trembling. "These people, the ones here—they're my people now. They need me. They came here for sanctuary, for safety. I can't just abandon them to go back to the city, where I'll be forced to hide who I am."

"Lux, no one's asking you to abandon them," Garen said, stepping closer, his tone urgent but not unkind. "But you're needed in the city. People are dying. The Illuminators can't hold the city together without you. And Tianna—she's doing everything she can to protect you."