Arcane: Winds of Change

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Jayce held the access pass Phil had given him and quickly returned to the upper city. The enforcers were slightly surprised upon seeing him. "Councilor Talis, what brings you here?" one asked. "Notify the other councilors immediately. I need to convene the council at once," Jayce replied with urgency. 

Under Jayce's organization, the meeting quickly got underway. The once-damaged council chamber had been restored, and the sunset's glow through the glass cast a red hue over the room. 

"Jayce, you..." Mel started to speak the moment she saw him. 

"Later," Jayce placed his finger on his lips, indicating they should wait until after the meeting. He stood where Heimerdinger once did and surveyed the room. 

"Council members, my recent, rash visit to the undercity has taught me two things. The first is that I am utterly unfit to govern the people of the undercity, and neither are you. We missed valuable opportunities to show compassion, selflessness, and unity. They have every reason not to trust us." His days spent with Vi had shown him the undercity was not as he had imagined. 

"Jayce, you're being disrespectful," Caitlyn's mother interjected. 

"I mean no offense, but hear me out. I will soon be resigning from the council. The second realization is that Zaun's development has far exceeded our expectations. They have brilliant scientists and enough capability to lead their own development." 

"Therefore, before I leave the council, I have one final proposal," Jayce leaned forward. 

"Jayce, you shouldn't leave the council," Mel urged him not to act impulsively. 

"I have reached a peace agreement with Silco. In return, Zaun will be released from Piltover's control," his words were firm and resolute. 

"What? That's absurd! What price do they have to pay? It can't end like this!" "Impossible, Jayce. Since the war has begun, there must be a losing side, and it cannot be Piltover," the council members reacted intensely, standing up, their wine glasses shattering on the floor, chairs tipping backward. 

"You're trampling on Piltover!" A flurry of hurried footsteps approached. 

"I support Jayce's view." A furry head peeked through the door, followed by an entrance into the chamber. 

"Professor Heimerdinger?" Jayce was surprised. 

"Though I've left the council, I felt I should attend this meeting." Heimerdinger made his way to Jayce's side, Jayce helping him stand on a chair. A little poro hopped onto the table nearby. 

"Think how remarkable it is; our city has almost two centuries of history. We cannot let civil war destroy it." 

"Are you suggesting we could be defeated by Zaun? I disagree with your sentiment. They're merely undercity dwellers. Crushing them would only require some casualties," voiced a member. 

"Never underestimate others; that's a lesson from my 300-plus years of experience," Heimerdinger stated. "For many years, our development has progressed rapidly. Yet, we have forgotten our neighbors, Zaun's ecological plight. Oppression only leads to conflict; mutual understanding is the way to progress together. Perhaps I am too old and no longer fit for Piltover's fast-paced growth, but Piltover must not be easily destroyed in your hands." 

Heimerdinger's words were harsh and uncompromising, effectively scolding the entire council. However, as Piltover's founding father, he had earned the right to speak so, even though he was no longer a councilor.

After several hours of discussion in the council, supported by Jayce, Heimerdinger, and Mel, the peace agreement was finally approved. However, Zaun had to pay a price, such as suspending the production of Shimmer. The detailed terms filled three sheets of paper. This was the result of their negotiation. "Since everyone has agreed to our proposal, the peace agreement will be signed next Monday. We all look forward to the coming of peace," Jayce concluded before leaving the council chamber. He intended to meet Viktor to share his experiences over the past few days. Before that, he also needed to inform Silco that this week-long war was over. Heimerdinger took one last look at Piltover's view. This city was like his child, growing each day. He sighed and slowly departed. 

In Zaun, "Phil! Look what we've invented," Jinx burst into Phil's bedroom, wearing a massive pair of goggles with Ziggs bouncing on her shoulder. It was three or four in the morning, the time when Phil was soundly asleep. Hearing Jinx's voice in his dreams, Phil knew trouble was looming. He wrapped himself tightly with the blanket, hoping to ward off Jinx's antics. But soon, when he saw a small flashbang being placed under his blanket, he knew sleep was no longer an option. He flung the blanket away as the light from the flashbang illuminated the entire bedroom, making it as bright as day. "Hey, I thought my door had a lock," he said. This lock was super-enhanced, specifically targeting Jinx's tricks after her frequent nocturnal disturbances, and it should not have been so easily bypassed under normal circumstances. His gaze then turned to Ziggs on Jinx's shoulder, whose guilty smile made Ziggs shiver slightly, "Heh-heh, good morning." 

"Alright, what have you invented?" Phil resignedly noted the time, 4 AM. He might as well consider it an early start. Seeing that Phil was now fully awake, Jinx eagerly dragged him to their lab, which wasn't far from the bedroom—a basic attribute for a scientist. "This is the Hextech Explosive Minefield, although it doesn't really relate to Hextech. The only connection might be the gem's instability we borrowed from," Jinx explained enthusiastically. "We can cover the bridge with this under the night's cover. The Piltover folks crossing it tomorrow will be utterly perplexed. Let them know it's not just them who can play with bombs." Jinx's eyes sparkled fiercely, reflecting her deep-seated animosity toward Piltover. "Just toss this package in the air, press this button, and the area will turn into a minefield. With just three packages, we can establish the first line of defense." Phil yawned, "Alright, let's get going, what are we waiting for?" Knowing he couldn't stop her, he decided to accompany Jinx, keeping an eye on this madcap to prevent any further chaos.