Ending the Cycle || A Timebomb Fanfic

XVII

Happy Friday guys!!

Have a fatty drink for me <3

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As they rode deeper into the outskirts of Demacia, the grandeur of the capital faded into shadow. The towering white stone buildings that once gleamed in the sunlight were now replaced by crumbling structures, their walls blackened by soot and overgrown with vines and moss. The streets narrowed, the clean cobblestones giving way to uneven, cracked paths littered with debris. The air grew colder as the last rays of sunlight disappeared, and the faint glow of street lanterns cast eerie shadows on the dilapidated surroundings.

The lively chatter of children and bustling marketplaces had long since faded, replaced by a heavy silence broken only by the occasional cough or shuffle of feet. Figures cloaked in tattered garments huddled in doorways, their faces hidden by makeshift hoods and scarves. They moved with a quiet urgency, as though each step risked drawing unwanted attention. No one spoke unless necessary, and even then, their voices were hushed, carrying the weight of fear and desperation.

"This used to be a mage district," Lux said softly, her voice barely audible over the clatter of hooves. "Before the Mageseekers gained power, this place thrived. Now..." Her gaze drifted over the empty windows and darkened alleys. "Most of them are gone. Either imprisoned, executed, or driven into hiding. The ones who remain... they're survivors, but barely."

Jinx's eyes darted from shadow to shadow, her hand resting instinctively on the pistol at her hip. "Doesn't seem like much of a life," she muttered, her voice tight. "Feels like they're just waiting for something worse."

Lux glanced at her but didn't respond. Instead, she continued, her tone tinged with sorrow. "The harbor's not far. It's why this part of the city was built—mages were used to help with the fishing trade centuries ago, back when magic wasn't feared. Now, those jobs are given to the poor. The ones who don't have anywhere else to go."

As they rode, the group passed guards clad in gleaming petricite armor, their weapons sharp and polished. Their presence was oppressive, their eyes scanning every face and movement with suspicion. Lux, Daxen, and Seryn straightened in their saddles as they approached, their postures stiff and cautious. The tension was palpable, every hoofbeat on the cobblestones echoing like a drumbeat of apprehension.

The guards didn't stop them, but their gazes lingered, following the group long after they had passed. Jinx clenched her fists, her trigger finger twitching slightly. Ekko reached over and gave her reins a subtle tug, a silent reminder to stay calm.

The further they went, the worse the streets became. Trash piled in corners, the air carrying the stench of decay. Faint graffiti marked the walls, cryptic symbols and words hinting at defiance against the Mageseekers, though most of it had been hastily scrubbed away or defaced. The people here moved like ghosts, their faces gaunt, their eyes hollow.

Finally, they approached a large temple, its petricite bricks stained dark with soot and grime. Overgrowth crept along its walls, twisting around shattered windows and cracked pillars. The temple loomed in the dim light, its once-regal structure reduced to a haunting shell of its former self. Lux motioned for the group to dismount, and they hitched their horses to a rickety post nearby.

"This is it," Lux murmured. She led them around the side of the temple, the alleyway narrow and cluttered with broken crates and discarded debris. The air felt thicker here, laden with a tension that made every sound sharper, every shadow more menacing.

Daxen approached a small, weathered door and knocked twice. A faint metallic scrape followed, and a slit on the door opened, revealing a pair of glowing amber eyes. A gravelly voice came from behind the door. "Who are you, and what do you want?"