Halde looked at me with a gravity I'd never seen before. "The girl you brought back... she's your responsibility now, Chen. You have to take care of her."
"I will," I promised. It wasn't just about the quest anymore. In this world of toxic fog and monsters, we were all each other had.
Powder's "Jinx" episode passed as quickly as a summer storm. She walked back into the room a few minutes later, acting as if she hadn't just tried to claw her own memories out. She didn't say a word; she just sat on the edge of my bed and squeezed my hand. Her grip was tight—like she was afraid that if she let go, I'd vanish into a pillar of blue light again.
I didn't mention Vi. I didn't mention Vander. I needed to give her a new North Star.
"Powder," I said softly. She looked up, those big, innocent eyes blinking at me. "You're a genius, you know that? These gadgets you make... even Halde and I couldn't do this at your age."
She shrunk back a little, clutching one of her clockwork bombs. "Really?"
"I'm serious. You're an unparalleled mechanical genius. When I'm back on my feet, we're going to build things that will make the 'Topside' geniuses look like they're playing with blocks."
I wasn't lying. I knew the lore. Jayce and Viktor were currently obsessed with Hextech—magic-infused technology. But Hextech was volatile and exclusive. I had the blueprint for a different kind of power: the Second Industrial Revolution.
While Piltover played with magic crystals, I was going to introduce internal combustion engines and electrical generators. No magic required—just pure, raw physics. If I could get these designs to Heimerdinger, the yordle who feared magic's corruption, he'd hail me as a visionary. I'd get us all out of the Sump and into the clouds.
The Junkyard Encounter
A few weeks later, I was finally mobile. My back was a map of scar tissue, but I could walk. Powder had become a staple at the shop, her nimble fingers working even faster than mine. Halde was thrilled; he'd basically doubled his productivity for the price of a few extra meals.
But we still needed parts for our "Big Project."
We were deep in a Sump junkyard, scavenging for copper wiring and discarded pistons, when the atmosphere changed. The sound of clanking metal was replaced by the crunch of heavy boots on gravel.
"Well, look at this. A couple of lambs wandered into the slaughterhouse."
I spun around. Three thugs—scruffy, smelling of Shimmer and cheap rotgut—were closing in. Powder immediately ducked behind me, her eyes flashing that dangerous, crimson shade of red again. I felt her hand trembling as she gripped my sleeve.
"Don't be afraid," I whispered, stepping forward. "I've got you."
I faced the lead thug. "Since when is the public junkyard anyone's territory?"
The man sneered, his mouth twisting into a jagged yellow grin. "Keep up, kid. Vander's gone. Silco runs the Undercity now, and he gave this sector to the Blackwater Gang. You want to scavenge? You pay the tax. Money, parts... or maybe we just take the girl for some fun."
The mention of Silco hit Powder like a physical blow. I could feel the murderous intent radiating off her. Her fists were clenched, her breath coming in sharp, jagged hitches. She was on the verge of snapping.
"Powder, hide behind that boiler," I said, my voice low and steady.
I turned back to the thugs, my heart hammering. I was still weak, my stats were garbage, and I had no weapons. But for the first time, a green pulse thrummed in my vision. My Grasp of the Undying was ready.
"I can give you the money," I said, my voice hardening into the tone of a true Zaunite. "But if you lay a finger on her, I'm not just going to fight you. I'm going to make sure you never walk again."
The lead thug laughed, pulling a rusted pipe from his belt. "Big talk for a kid with a stitched-up back. Let's see if you leak as much as the last guy."
He lunged.