That night, in a modest inn,
Knock, knock, knock...
As the sound came at the door, Duke, standing by the window, called out without turning his head:
"Come in, it's not locked."
"Forgive me, Duke!"
Garen pushed the door open, his expression tinged with apology. "There's been some trouble in Fosbayro. For now, we could only arrange for you to stay here at the inn."
"It's fine," Duke replied casually, "as long as it keeps the wind and rain out, it makes no difference to me."
He paused, his voice dropping as his gaze wandered out the window. On the street below, scattered townsfolk trudged aimlessly through the freezing rain, faces pale and hollow, their steps heavy, their eyes vacant.
They looked like people who hadn't had a proper night's sleep in a long time.
"Still... something about this place feels off."
"I only just learned that Judge Giselle's child has gone missing," Garen explained gravely. "Everyone's anxious, and lately, many don't dare fall asleep. They say there are monsters haunting their dreams."
Trailing behind him was a young girl, still in her early years, wrapped in a thick cloak. She had a presence that was unforgettable even at a glance, Luxanna Crownguard.
"Good evening, Duke," she greeted, her voice bright but carrying a subtle note of worry.
"Hello, Lux. It's been a while."
Duke turned from the window and gave her a polite smile. Noticing her cloak dampened by the weather, he shut the door briskly and fetched a portable heater from his storage.
He placed it on the table and flicked a switch. Warmth spread across the small room, chasing away the chill.
"Is this one of your new inventions?" Lux leaned in curiously.
"Just a little trinket," Duke said offhandedly, sliding a skewer into the heater's grill slot. "It provides steady heat, and you can cook on it too. If you like it, take it with you when you leave."
"The power core's still full, should last another thirty, maybe fifty years."
Lux blinked in astonishment, sticking her tongue out playfully.
"Hard to believe, it hasn't even been a year, and you've already created so many new things. They say the Hexgate was your work as well!"
"Only a few suggestions," Duke replied with a shrug. "The project isn't mine alone anymore."
He gestured for the siblings to sit and added, "So, Garen, your conscription age is coming up, isn't it?"
"Mm. After this pilgrimage to honor our ancestor, I plan to enter the Glory Tournament and earn my place among the Dauntless Vanguard."
"You too?" Duke raised a brow.
Garen nodded firmly. "And not just me. Word is, the Lawrence family's young daughter will also be competing."
"Wait, you mean to say you're joining as well?" Garen gave him a doubtful look. To him, Duke was the archetype of a craftsman, not a fighter.
"That's the plan," Duke replied easily. "But before that, I'd like to travel Demacia a bit, get a feel for the land."
He handed Lux a plate of freshly grilled skewers.
"So that means," Lux mused aloud, "Garen might end up facing Duke in the arena?"
"Depends on the draw," Duke said with a grin, ruffling Lux's hair. The silky strands slipped through his fingers, remarkably pleasant to the touch.
"You look troubled," he remarked, sliding the plate closer to her. At the same time, he produced a bottle of rum and glasses as if from thin air.
Lux's eyes widened. "H-how did you, ? Duke, how can you use magic here?"
"Magic?" Duke chuckled, setting snacks on the table. "No, no, this isn't magic. It's technology."
"But void-summoning objects, that is magic!" Lux covered her mouth, glancing at her brother. Garen merely closed his eyes, pretending to see nothing.
"This is science. Space-folding technology, to be exact."
He picked up a pouch, holding it out. "Think of this bag. It holds a pound of bread. Now, by folding the container without altering its capacity, " He pressed the pouch flat, shrinking it to the size of his palm.
"You get the same storage, but in a far more compact form. That's space-folding."
"Wow... that sounds amazing!" Lux's eyes sparkled.
"It's just one branch of science," Duke said dismissively. "Here, let me show you something better."
He activated a hovering drone, which flitted to the corner of the room and projected a full three-dimensional hologram.
In an instant, the dreary inn chamber transformed into a sunlit meadow, with chirping birds, blooming flowers, and a clear brook murmuring nearby. Even the table before them appeared as a picnic spread.
Lux gasped in delight, chasing after butterflies conjured by the projection, while Duke subtly guided the drone so she wouldn't bump into walls.
"Humans perceive the world through their senses, sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste, and intuition," Duke explained calmly. "All I've done is trick every sense at once, creating a tapestry that looks and feels real."
"So it is illusion magic," Garen muttered, pulling his hand from the brook. Though it was dry, the sensation of water still lingered.
"You could call it that," Duke said with a sly smile. "But I built it with science, not spells. If magic can deceive the senses, why shouldn't science?"
Garen's frown eased into thought. "You're right. Viewed that way... the potential is immense."
"Do you have more?" Lux returned, covered in projected butterflies, gazing up at him expectantly.
"Of course." Duke tapped her nose and produced a pair of sleek wrist devices. "A little gift, spider-silk launchers."
He strapped one onto Lux's wrist and explained:
"Press the switch, and it fires a line strong enough to tow a cargo ship. With practice, you could scale cliffs and leap through forests with ease. If anyone tries to harm you, bind them with silk, they'll stay stuck for an hour, then the web dissolves harmlessly. No pollution."
Lux squealed with excitement, firing a strand across the room.
Garen, meanwhile, turned the launcher over in his hand, calculating its potential for scouts and cavalry. "Duke, if you, "
"You want to commission me?" Duke cut in, raising a brow. "Not my department. For sales, talk to Piltover's Ferros Clan. They handle all my distribution."
He waved dismissively and pulled out more gadgets:
A sonic screwdriver, pen-sized, capable of lockpicking, scouting, repelling beasts, or stunning foes.
Night-vision goggles with infrared scanning and long-range comms.
Ultra-thin static gloves, clinging invisibly to skin, able to grip walls or shock enemies.
Silent boots, springing lightly over obstacles.
An optical camouflage cloak.
Lux donned them all at once, vanishing beneath the cloak, sneakers muffling her steps, screwdriver in hand, eyes gleaming behind the goggles.
"You spoil her too much!" Garen grumbled. "She's never once called me 'Big Brother Garen,' but now she's all 'Big Brother Duke' like you're family."
"Jealous?" Duke teased with a smirk.
"Hardly. If it makes her smile... I don't mind."
"Don't carry so much weight on yourself," Duke advised. Then, more casually, "By the way, I've been considering a new project, a device that could suppress or conceal magic."
At this, both siblings stiffened, their eyes locking on him in shock.
Duke blinked innocently. "What? Do I have flowers on my face?"
End of chapter....
🔹 Hexcore Initiate – 15 chapters ahead
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