"No one is spared!"
Duke's smile at Illaoi felt jarringly smug to her. Just then, Miss Fortune handed him a glass of rum. Illaoi glanced at the half-filled glass, then cast a deep, thoughtful look at Duke.
"Time will prove everything."
Illaoi stood up from her chair, hoisting Nagakabouros's idol onto her shoulder. She walked to the tavern door, then stopped, turning back toward Duke and Miss Fortune at the bar.
"The sea may have been calm, but desire, it always stirs the waves."
With that, Illaoi pushed open the door and left the bar. Outside, the sounds of shouting and commotion echoed, it seemed she was taking the group of young warriors with her.
"Whew!"
Miss Fortune let out a sigh of relief, biting down on her cigar, eyes filled with unease as she stared at the closed door. "She's not here for friendly reasons this time."
"After all, we sank Gangplank and the Harrower to the bottom of the sea. And by fighting off the Harrowing Night, we robbed her of the chance to harvest belief for the year."
"No way she's coming here with good intentions."
"So, what's the plan now?"
With her brow furrowed, Miss Fortune didn't even realize Duke had plucked the cigar from her mouth. He took a puff, fiddling with a bullet between his fingers.
"Hecarim's armor and weaponry, where are they?"
"You said to keep them stored away. Why, what are you planning?"
"I think your ship needs a new ramming prow."
Duke blew out a cloud of smoke in her direction. Miss Fortune's eyes lit up. She started tracing circles on the bar with her finger. "There's no one else around right now… How about we…"
"Oh, and your ship also needs a new engine. I recently got my hands on a hydro-drive. It can use seawater, freshwater, even sewage, as fuel."
"I'll install it for you. How's that sound?"
Miss Fortune gave Duke a long look, then yanked the cigar from his mouth and muttered fiercely, "Fine!"
"Whatever you say!"
Three days later.
Main Port District, one of the shipyards.
"That should do it."
Duke set the welding torch aside and eyed the armor left behind by Hecarim, nodding with satisfaction. He had affixed it to the bow of the Siren.
The old ship figurehead, once a siren, had been dismantled and replaced by this menacing suit of armor.
After all, what better symbol of strength and power than armor from a mythical undead warlord of legend?
What's more, the armor had excellent magic conductivity. With the right rune inlays, Duke had converted it into a Hextech heavy cannon.
It served as both a deterrent and a weapon.
Beautiful and functional, who wouldn't love it?
Gangplank had the Black Sails. Now Miss Fortune would have Hecarim's armor as her symbol.
"This is worthy of the Empress of Bilgewater."
Stretching with a grunt, Duke removed Edith from his back.
The hydro engine had been installed. He'd also added a new command cabin to the Siren, connected the controls, and installed a radar system to scan surrounding waters.
"Mr. Duke!"
Riven approached from behind. Duke took off his gloves, leaned against the rail, and said, "What's the status?"
"Half the invitees agreed to attend the banquet. The rest declined. Ekko leads that faction, they're expressing strong dissatisfaction."
"Give me a list of names. I'll take care of it. Just make sure tonight's banquet is ready."
"Yes, sir!"
Riven left to prepare the list. Duke remained on deck, gazing out at the distant horizon.
"Looks like it's time for me to move too. One last thing to do before I go."
Not long after, Riven returned with the name list. Duke scanned the densely packed names and quipped, "If all these names were on Pyke's list, that'd be amusing."
"That would be a massacre, sir," Riven replied smoothly.
Duke waved her off. "Go get the banquet ready. Tonight will be quite the grand performance."
"I'll take my leave, sir."
Once Riven left, Duke was alone again. He tapped the rail with the list.
Then tossed it into the air.
"Bring me everyone on that list."
"Oh, and their families too, invite them all."
The name list vanished, replaced by a slowly dissipating whirlpool in the sea.
That night, at the Nine-Headed Serpent Tavern.
The tavern hall blazed with light and activity. Every seat was filled, but worry flickered on many faces.
They feared what lay ahead.
"Why'd they call us here tonight?"
"Who knows? But Miss Fortune sent the invitation. Can't exactly say no."
"But Illaoi's already spoken out!"
"Did you see her during the Harrowing Night?"
"Nope. But Miss Fortune and her lot held down Pickpocket Plaza and ended the Harrowing Night!"
"Exactly!"
"They've got backing. Some say she even spoke directly to the Lamb Spirit."
"Offending Illaoi might not kill you. But crossing Miss Fortune and her patron? That's suicide. Don't forget who delivered her last letter."
"Shh! Enough! She's here!"
The moment the boy in the grey coat stepped into the hall, the crowd fell silent. Every eye turned toward him, raising their glasses in forced smiles.
"Welcome, everyone, to tonight's banquet!"
As Duke took center stage, an attendant brought him a glass of Noxian spirits. All the servants here had been temporarily reassigned from Piltover via Pharos.
With Tahm Kench around, Duke could travel anywhere there was water, bringing staff from Piltover wasn't even difficult.
"Oh, please."
"You're too kind!"
"Indeed!"
…
Amid the chorus of polite replies, Duke raised his glass high, signaling for quiet.
"But it looks like we're short a few guests tonight, aren't we?"
He scanned the room. Several people shifted uneasily, they knew exactly who was missing.
"No matter. They'll be here soon."
Just as he finished speaking, swirling portals opened one by one on the tavern floor. From each vortex, a person was flung out.
One after another, those who had declined the invitation were thrown into the room.
"I'm a man of rules and courtesy."
"But when someone doesn't respect rules or show basic manners, I don't return the favor."
Duke strolled over to a soaked man, smiling warmly.
"What do you say, Mr. Ekko?"
"You, aren't you afraid of Nagakabouros's wrath?"
Ekko struggled to his feet, still dazed. He had no idea what had just happened, only that he'd been pulled into water, and when he resurfaced, he was here.
"Why should I be afraid? Because of Illaoi?"
Duke chuckled. "Don't be ridiculous. The age is changing. Everything will change. And you think you can cling to the past? Is that realistic?"
"Oh, right."
As if just remembering something, Duke leaned in. "To borrow a phrase from Nagakabouros's teachings, let all things be in motion."
With that, all the guests Tahm Kench had delivered were forced to stand upright, held in place by invisible forces.
"Gentlemen, shall we step outside and enjoy a show?"
"An honor!"
"My pleasure!"
"Gladly!"
Everyone followed Duke out of the tavern. The sea channel of Bilgewater lay before them.
But under the night sky, everything looked hazy. No one knew why Duke had brought them outside.
Then he clapped his hands, gesturing for attention.
From the dark horizon, a blinding flash of light streaked across the sea channel. The waters boiled as the flash obliterated every rock and reef in its path.
Everyone stared in stunned silence.
Then the Siren emerged, electric arcs crackling from the figurehead. But the old siren statue was gone.
In its place: a fearsome suit of armor. The breastplate bore a ghastly demonic face, arcs of lightning dancing across its surface.
"Hecarim's armor!"
"That's impossible!"
"Miss Fortune embedded Hecarim's armor in her ship?!"
"Have I lost my mind, or has the world gone mad?!"
"The armor of the infamous Hecarim, used as a ship's figurehead?!"
…
Amid the chaos, Duke turned to Ekko, whose face had gone completely pale.
"Mr. Ekko, care to comment?"
"I…" Ekko's lips trembled, but he couldn't form any words.
"I think you should reconsider."
Duke had him released, then stepped forward and helped fix his collar and hair.
"I will bring order to this chaotic, futureless land."
"No one can stop me."
"I hope you'll reconsider."
He turned toward the crowd, toward the old, the weak, the women, and the children.
"You're still young, strong enough to survive the whirlpools."
"But what about your family?"
"Leave them out of this! You're crossing the line!" Ekko stammered.
Duke patted him on the cheek. "From now on, I set the line."
"Remember that, Mr. Ekko."
"I am the rule."
Duke turned away and re-entered the tavern, leading the others back inside. Everyone was still reeling from what they'd seen.
He gave them time to process, until a woman in a tricorn hat with flowing crimson hair stepped into the room.
The moment she arrived, everyone went still.
Only Duke approached her.
"Ladies and gentlemen…"
"Rejoice!"
"Bilgewater's new ruler, Miss Fortune, Sarah, has arrived!"
"Your Empress has descended!"
(End of chapter)
We're still in the early chapters fam! and to everyone who's joined the Patreon, thank you so much! 🙏Your support truly means the world. You're the reason this story keeps growing, chapter by chapter, world by world. I promise to give it my all! more content, more depth, more epic moments, to make sure your support is always worth it. You're part of the foundation that keeps this universe alive.
🔹 Hexcore Initiate – 15 chapters ahead
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