An hour later, Zyra emerged from the vine-choked ruin, her petals wilted and hair tangled, but clutching something as if it were the jungle's last treasure.
Nestled in her hands was a delicate crystal vial, shimmering faintly in the dim light.
The instant she crossed the threshold, every trap in the ancient tomb had sprung to life, collapsing ceilings, lashing vines, grinding stone gears, but she'd slipped through them all, half by skill, half by sheer stubbornness.
If not for her ability to dissolve into plant form, the vial would still be buried beneath tons of rubble, and Zyra along with it.
"Just a single drop is enough to temper a person's soul for a thousand years, and harden their skin to the toughness of antimagic stone!"
A delicate crystal vial rested quietly in Duke's hand, its contents shimmering faintly. The potion within caught the sunlight, scattering a tiny rainbow across his face.
Inside, there was barely a spoonful of the liquid.
Held in the palm, it felt icy-cool to the touch.
As for what Ezreal once claimed, that despite its small volume, it weighed as much as a load-bearing pillar, well, that was pure nonsense.
He'd simply exaggerated to drive up his payment, painting the potion as some miraculous wonder.
Whether this vial truly possessed the legendary effects was something Duke had yet to determine. A little testing was in order. Without a perfect test report, he wasn't about to risk trying it on himself.
So, for now, it would just gather dust in his inventory.
"Time to head back to Ixtal and see if they've gotten everything ready."
"This trip to Ixtal… I've pretty much seen it all."
Stretching lazily, Duke glanced behind him at Zyra, slumped in her seat and looking utterly drained. Retrieving Uloah's potion from the ancient ruins had cost her dearly in effort.
The moment the potion was lifted from its stone pedestal, every trap in the ruins had sprung to life.
Had she not been able to transform into plants, she'd likely be buried underground alongside the potion by now.
Ten days later.
Piltover, the docks.
Even before the expedition ship had reached the pier, a crowd had gathered in anticipation.
This was the very first advance vessel to return from an expedition into the wild jungles, the first to push deep into Ixtal's territory.
Everyone waited eagerly for news, hoping to glean scraps of information from the crew, rumors of a land untouched by civilization, said to be as rich as if gold lay scattered on the ground. The prospect of gold mines, endless forests, and countless other resources had greed glittering in their eyes.
A ceremonial honor guard stood assembled as well, clearly awaiting someone of importance.
Murmurs rippled through the onlookers.
When the ship finally docked, the first to disembark were not the crew but a group of short-statured figures in elaborate, foreign dress.
Several among them radiated an air of authority, adorned with gold and encrusted gems, each ornament valuable enough to keep a poor miner in luxury for life.
"So this is Piltover?"
Qiyana stood amid the throng, gazing at the bustling pier. The cool sea breeze was nothing like the jungle's sweltering humidity.
The temperature was just right; the sunlight warm but not scalding.
Only the deafening noise of the crowd made her frown. Every gaze was fixed on her and the Ixtokan envoy she led.
This envoy numbered over a hundred, with Qiyana at its head, accompanied by her elder sisters Inessa and Mara.
The rest were nominally "apprentice artisans," though many served as attendants for the three sisters; only a portion were true craftsmen sent for cultural exchange.
"Duke, why are they getting off first?"
Jinx stood beside him in the ship's cabin, Zyra leaning silently against the wall behind them. Katarina had already been sent back to Noxus via Tahm, after she and Duke struck some… private arrangement.
No one but the two of them knew the details.
Watching the Ixtokan delegation descend to the honor guard's welcome, Jinx's face was full of annoyance.
"They're guests from afar. Let them go first. Once they're off, it'll be quieter for us," Duke replied with a faint smile.
The delegation didn't look surprised by the ceremony, if anything, they seemed to accept it as their due.
As daughters of Yuun'alle's ruler, the three sisters were, after all, princesses.
And princesses did not flinch at such small displays.
The question was… would they remain so composed after what came next?
Duke found himself curious. Still, he had no time to dwell on it, his second "Sin" awaited crafting, and preparations for his trip to Demacia had to be made.
Demacia's waters ran far deeper than those of the twin cities.
Somewhere in its shadows hid Morgana, whose presence could easily draw the cold, uncompromising Kayle herself, and it was home to nocturnal terrors like Nocturne and Evelynn.
In the depths of Mithril City slumbered Galio, while Poppy roamed the land with hammer in hand, forever seeking her destined hero.
Beneath the surface, tensions between Demacia's people and its mages had built to a breaking point.
"Too many things to do, too little time," Duke sighed, ruffling Jinx's hair until her twin tails were a tangled mess, then tying them together for good measure.
Jinx glared, cheeks puffed in indignation.
Zyra, still leaning against the wall, eyes closed, was as silent and still as a thornbush.
Soon after, the honor guard escorted Qiyana and her sisters into a carriage bound for their lodgings.
Inessa stared out the window, arms crossed, deliberately ignoring Qiyana, while Mara, who was a little afraid of Qiyana, was far more fascinated by the carriage's plush interior.
"The cushions are so soft! Softer than my own bed back at the palace."
Mara ran her fingers over the seat, while Qiyana's attention fell on the door's strange button. Remembering Duke's lessons, she pressed it, causing the window to glide down smoothly.
Even Inessa, stony-faced until now, leaned forward at the sight.
"No trace of elemental magic… how does it work?"
Curious, Inessa touched the control herself, while Mara fiddled with another button on the armrest, only to have the carriage's roof suddenly shudder, then fold back entirely.
The sisters stared upward in astonishment. In the jungle, such wonders didn't exist.
Now the streets lay open before them, throngs of people, bustling markets, hawkers calling out their wares.
For the first time, the three of them were truly captivated.
Qiyana recalled more of Duke's memories and pressed another hidden control. A small refrigerated compartment slid out from beneath the floor, stocked with chilled drinks and liquor.
"Incredible… no wonder Father agreed to Ambassador Duke's request. If I hadn't seen this myself, I'd never have believed such marvels existed!" Mara exclaimed.
Inessa, however, noticed other details, and kept them to herself.
The carriage left the market district and stopped at the villa Lady Dakor had prepared. It was furnished to the highest standard, designed to immerse these envoys in Piltover's comfort and abundance… and bind them as loyal allies.
Once inside, Qiyana eagerly explored every corner, flushing the toilet, inspecting the gas stove that lit without fire, savoring the cool air from the newly installed conditioning unit, admiring herself in the mirror.
Compared to the jungle's constant damp heat, biting insects, and foul-smelling mosquito-repelling plants, not to mention the crude latrines whose waste spilled directly into the moat, this was paradise.
She picked up a clear, label-less bottle of liquor and swirled it thoughtfully.
"Time to check on Inessa and the others."
Glass in hand, she strolled into her elder sister's room without knocking, only to find Mara nervously poking the air-conditioner's buttons with a clothes rod, while Inessa stood wreathed in elemental light as if bracing for an attack.
The sight gave Qiyana a rush of smugness. Being manipulated by Duke had been unpleasant, yes, but his knowledge had given her a head start in navigating Piltover's marvels.
"Sisters… what foolish thing are you doing now?"
Mara laughed sheepishly. "Just being cautious…"
Qiyana snorted and stepped forward, pressing the control with one finger. A cool breeze flowed instantly across the room.
"See? Simple."
Mara eyed the rod in her hand, embarrassed, while Qiyana pointed out each function, the power switch, the fan setting, the mode control.
"You know so much, Qiyana!"
"Of course I do."
She sipped from her glass, looking every bit the queen of the moment, as if she'd forgotten her own awe the first time she saw Duke's memories.
🔹 Hexcore Initiate – 15 chapters ahead
🔸 Arc Reactor Elite – 35 chapters
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