Arcane: Winds of Change

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Chapter 20: Phil VS Vi

Phil had spent the entire night studying the Hextech crystal, yet he still couldn't stabilize it. Feeling defeated by his fruitless experiments, he got up and left the lab. Despite the all-night research, he wasn't the least bit tired. After a quick breakfast, he made his way to Silco's office.

"How's it going?" Phil asked while yawning, taking a seat opposite Silco.

"Piltover hasn't responded yet," Silco replied, injecting a droplet of Shimmer into his left eye.

"They won't hold back forever; they'll either fight or negotiate," Phil said, unsurprised. Piltover's slow response was expected.

"Vi's back," Silco said, his tone heavy.

"Vi? She's not dead?" Phil was surprised; he had helped Jinx look for Vi but to no avail.

"It's not just Vi; there's also an Enforcer from Piltover. They turned the Last Drop upside down," Silco continued, glancing at the drawings Jinx had left on the table.

"Jinx won't leave," Phil stated.

"But Powder would! Jinx is better suited for surviving in Zaun. I just want her to have a better life." In their two years together, Silco saw a reflection of himself in Jinx—reclusive, paranoid, and insane, all having been betrayed by someone they trusted.

Phil looked at the items on Silco's desk: Jinx's doodles, a graffitied ashtray, and the small toys she crafted.

"What do you plan to do?" Phil asked, fiddling with his fingers.

"Kill her before Jinx returns," Silco said, his expression icy.

"She'll go crazy if she finds out, Silco," Phil said seriously.

"I won't let her know. This time, I'll go myself."

"I'll go with you."

In the lowest depths of Zaun, Vi and Caitlyn had gathered some intel in the Undercity. Vi then went back to the Last Drop while Caitlyn was distracted. Her injuries from the prison beatings hadn't healed, and though she managed to disrupt the pub and beat up some thugs, she got grazed by a shotgun on the shoulder. Fortunately, Caitlyn rescued her in time, or Vi would have met her end there.

The two escaped to the lowest depths of Zaun, and Vi, finally unable to continue, collapsed to the ground. "Give me a hand, cupcake," she said.

"My name's Caitlyn," Caitlyn said haughtily but still helped Vi up.

"But you're soft and sweet, just like a cupcake," Vi muttered weakly, leaning against Caitlyn.

Here, the oppressive atmosphere from Piltover was most apparent. Radiation, toxic gas, smog, and all sorts of waste were dumped here.

The real underclass lived here. They worked in extremely dangerous jobs for meager wages. Due to Silco's Shimmer, many here were addicted to it.

Though Shimmer was addictive and harmful, it was excellent at unlocking human potential, giving those on the brink of death a bit more time.

To make it affordable, Shimmer was sold or distributed at a low price here.

Vi's consciousness was already blurred. This was where she and Powder had lived as children. Their childhood graffiti was still faintly visible on the walls.

"See? You Piltover people are always coming up with new ways to oppress us," Vi said, pressing her wound and leaning against the wall for a short rest.

"We're not monsters; we're human just like you," Caitlyn said, looking around with a hint of sorrow.

Then, seeing the murals around her, the heavily injured Vi glimpsed traces of Powder: "I shouldn't have left you."

Those words were meant for Powder, but she wasn't there. Caitlyn mistakenly thought Vi was apologizing for leaving her at the small salon.

"It's okay. No matter what, I can tell you're a kind person," Caitlyn said, feeling somewhat comforted. Soon after, Vi completely passed out. To save her, Caitlyn went through many twists and turns, ultimately pawning her gun to get some Shimmer to help Vi. Caught in hallucinations due to her severe injuries, Vi saw glimpses of her mother in Caitlyn since both had blue hair. With Caitlyn's care and the help of Shimmer, Vi's condition gradually improved, and her wounds miraculously healed.

This ordeal significantly strengthened their bond, evolving from initial distrust to being able to trust each other with their lives. However, they didn't have long to enjoy the moment. "How's that? Our potion works wonders, doesn't it?" Phil's voice came from above. As the two looked up, Phil leaped down. Behind him were Silco and two infected Zaunites. The infected eyed the two vials Silco held with greed.

Due to the rushed situation, Phil didn't have time to gear up in his cumbersome battle mech Kingdomech "Blue Wolf." Instead, he wore the lighter Original Plan armor and hurried to the spot where scouts spotted them. "Phil! How's my sister doing?" Vi asked, her voice tinged with coldness. "She's doing well, sometimes even thinks of you. But she's more likable without you," Phil replied provocatively. "Enough talking. Kill her, and it's over," Silco wasn't one to waste time with banter before a fight, unlike Phil, who thrived on taunting and mocking his enemies.

"Alright, this is boring," Phil said as the Emperor "SR" Blaze Mech covered his body from his backpack. The Hextech crystal was secured at the back of the mech's head to prevent it from exploding due to severe impacts. If hit hard enough, a person would be knocked out, if not blown up along with the enemy. "Though I don't want to kill you—on the contrary, I do admire you—but for Jinx, there's no room for negotiation," Phil said one last time and charged at Vi.

Vi, now healed and elevated by the effect of the Shimmer, felt incredibly strong. Though unarmed, she felt ready as she saw Phil rush at her. Caitlyn, having pawned her weapon, could only watch from the sidelines, unable to join the fight. The two clashed head-on. Although Phil's physique wasn't as strong as Vi's, with the active armor's support, their punches created shockwaves. Credit should be given to Vi for being capable of fighting a mech bare-fisted. Seeing that his first strike was ineffective, Phil twisted his waist and delivered a sweeping kick that struck Vi. Even though she blocked it with her arm, she was still sent flying.