Ending the Cycle || A Timebomb Fanfic

XVI

Running on nicotine, alcohol, and energy drinks to get me through finals and writing this book <3

(Please forgive me if I mess up any of the lore of Demacia, taking some creative freedom from this point on but its going to be accurate as possible :))

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Ekko tugged the saddle straps one final time, securing them snugly around his horse. The black stallion shifted beneath his touch, pawing at the ground as if eager to move. Ekko reached up and patted the horse's neck, his hand brushing over the sleek, midnight coat that shimmered under the afternoon sunlight. "Easy, boy," he murmured, his voice low and calming. The horse responded with a soft nicker, its dark eyes glinting with quiet intelligence.

Around him, the sanctuary buzzed with activity. Supplies were being loaded, weapons prepared, and quiet prayers whispered by families who were about to send their loved ones into the heart of Demacia. Jinx and Ekko had been gifted horses by the families of the sanctuary—a symbol of trust and hope in the mission ahead. There were four horses in total, including Starfire, Lux's loyal steed, who stood off to the side nibbling lazily at a patch of grass. The others were for the young mages who had volunteered to join them. They were brave, but Ekko couldn't ignore the nervous energy that lingered in their movements, a quiet reminder of the risks they were all about to take.

He was tightening the last strap on his saddlebag—packed with ammunition, bombs Jinx had crafted, and spare weapons—when the rhythmic clopping of hooves behind him drew his attention. He turned, expecting to see Jinx's white mare, Shiro, in its usual pristine state. Instead, what greeted him was a sight that left him both amused and bewildered.

Shiro was no longer white. Her once spotless coat was now streaked with vibrant colors—blues, pinks, greens—all smeared across her flanks in wild, chaotic patterns. Jinx was leading the horse, her face painted with a grin of pure mischief, and beside her was little Kuro, skipping happily along with a paintbrush still clutched in her small hand.

Ekko couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. "What did you do to your horse?" he asked, his tone caught somewhere between exasperation and amusement.

"It's art, Ekko," Jinx replied with a mock-serious tone, "You wouldn't understand."

Before he could respond, Kuro broke away from Jinx and ran toward him with outstretched arms. Ekko caught her effortlessly, lifting her into the air and spinning her around. Her giggles filled the air, light and infectious, momentarily cutting through the tension of the impending journey.

"Mama said I could paint Shiro as much as I wanted!" Kuro declared, beaming as Ekko set her back on the ground. "As long as it comes off later."

Ekko glanced back at Jinx, raising an eyebrow. "And you thought this was a good idea?"

Jinx shrugged, her grin widening as she scratched Shiro's neck. "A little color never hurt anyone. Besides, the kid's got an eye for style. Look at those streaks—masterpiece material."

Shiro snorted, shaking her head as if in agreement, her colorful coat catching the sunlight in a way that almost made her glow. Ekko ran a hand down his face, but he couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"And you love it," Jinx quipped, flashing him a smirk as she brushed past to adjust the saddle on her newly decorated masterpiece of a horse.

Ekko crouched down to Kuro's level, resting his forearms on his knees as he smiled at her. "You gonna miss me, kiddo?" he asked, his tone teasing but gentle.

Kuro's grin widened, but there was a flicker of sadness behind her bright eyes. She held up her tiny hand, pinching her thumb and forefinger together as she said, "Only a little." Her voice wavered, belying the truth in her heart, but she was clearly trying to stay brave.