Arcane: Mage from Noxus

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The Next Day, Piltover Council

The round table in the Council chamber, usually bustling with activity, was noticeably empty. Only a handful of members had shown up, their expressions ranging from exhaustion to unease.

"Since when did we need to meet so frequently?"

Mel Medarda leaned back in her seat, her voice devoid of emotion, as if delivering a casual greeting rather than a complaint.

"Good day, Patriarch Stevan. I didn't expect you to attend today."

Steven's frown deepened, his sharp eyes scanning the remaining council members before lingering on Camille Ferros.

"I was nearly killed yesterday. Shouldn't someone at least address that?"

"Marcus," Mel said, idly fiddling with a ring on her finger, her tone formal but uninterested.

"Tell us what happened last night."

Though Jayce Tallis had also been involved in the events of the previous night, Mel's attention remained fixed on Camille.

Watching her endure scrutiny amused Mel, especially when the matter didn't directly involve her. After all, the deceased councilman had ties to Heimerdinger's faction, not hers.

His death was, at best, a convenient occurrence.

Still, it was unfortunate that only the Ferros family's gardens had burned. If the entire estate had been destroyed, it might have been even better.

"Members of the Council!"

Marcus stepped forward, offering a stiff salute before launching into his report.

"Last night, our coastline was breached. The guards stationed there were all killed. Judging by the traces left at the scene, Hextech weaponry was used. Additionally, the academy's high tower and the Ferros Manor were both targeted and destroyed. A counilor and five civilians have been confirmed dead, with dozens more injured."

"Hextech... What of Viktor?" Mel's voice was measured as her gaze flitted briefly to Stevan.

The Medarda family's influence in Piltover was considerable, and she suspected they knew more than they let on.

"He fought councilor Camille last night. Do you think he was also behind the coordinated attacks?"

"This... I am not entirely certain of the events involving the three Councilors last night," Marcus admitted, lowering his head.

Memories of the chaos at Ferros Manor flashed through his mind as he added cautiously, "But I heard that Councilor Kiramman brought a Zaunite prisoner with him. It seems they didn't accomplish much."

"What are you implying?" Camille's voice was sharp.

"Vi was instrumental in aiding us last night. Are you trying to shift the blame onto us?"

"That's not what I mean, Councilor Kiramman," Marcus replied hastily.

"It's just... If you and Councilor Tallis had been present, we might have suffered fewer losses."

Caitlyn Kiramman, who had remained quiet until now, couldn't suppress her anger any longer.

"We fought in Zaun all night, barely making it back alive! Don't you dare suggest we didn't contribute."

"'Barely making it back alive'?" another council member interjected coolly.

"So, you failed. We nearly lost four Councilors in one night. And yet, you acted without authorization, leaving us in the dark about what transpired."

A short, stocky councilman slammed his hand on the table.

"Can you protect Piltover or not? If you can't, maybe we should let Noxus handle it!"

His voice trembled with both fury and fear. Just that morning, a certain envoy had appeared in his mansion, offering protection.

Otherwise, he might already be on an airship bound for the Immortal Bastion.

A Councilor had died last night. Who was to say he wouldn't be next?

"Don't worry, Mr. Councilor," Mel said, her tone laced with veiled disdain.

"For too long, we've focused solely on Piltover's prosperity. It takes... time to reallocate resources toward defense."

Her words hung in the air like an unspoken threat.

Mel smiled faintly, holding her thumb and index finger a short distance apart to illustrate a delicate point. Then, her tone shifted, sharp yet elegant:

"Of course, I believe Councilor Camille can give us a precise answer. Neither your family nor our citizens deserve to live in constant fear."

"This has nothing to do with Councilor Camille!" Caitlyn shot back, her voice firm.

"The real issue is our weakness. You don't understand what Viktor and Silco have done. They've turned Shimmer into a disposable weapon and manufactured Hex-powered automatons fueled by Hex crystals. They're arming Zaun with technology far beyond anything we've prepared for."

"I don't care what they have or what they're doing," a blonde councilman interjected lazily, examining his perfectly manicured nails.

"What I care about is whether our safety can be ensured. That's the only question that matters now."

His tone was casual, but the underlying fear was palpable. This emergency meeting wasn't called out of duty to Piltover—it was the fear that any one of them could be the next victim of a targeted assassination.

Not everyone was as influential as the Medarda or Ferros families. The councilman who died last night had been well-guarded—four bodyguards, a housekeeper, and reinforced security measures—but none of it had been enough. They were all dead.

Camille Ferros remained silent, her piercing eyes still locked onto Stevan.

Her face betrayed no emotion.

Jayce Tallis, seated nearby, seemed to wrestle with his thoughts. Finally, remembering the events of the previous night, he broke the tense silence:

"If Professor Heimerdinger agrees, we could integrate Hex crystals into Piltover's defense systems. Law enforcement weapons, vehicles... even automated defenses."

Mel's expression softened into an approving smirk.

"An excellent suggestion. Professor Heimerdinger, what's your opinion? As the creator of most of Piltover's current weaponry, your insight would be invaluable."

Heimerdinger, his furrowed brow and sorrowful eyes betraying his reluctance, sighed deeply.

"I've never supported the militarization of Hextech. It's brought nothing but suffering and devastation. But... if we do nothing, Piltover will fall victim to these very tragedies. With the death of a councilman, there's no longer room for reconciliation between us and Zaun."

He hesitated, raising his hand as if to speak further, then let it drop.

"I only hope this power doesn't lead to our destruction. Jayce, I will open my weapon design blueprints to you and assist in this effort."

"Thank you for your support, Professor Heimerdinger."

Jayce rose from his seat and bowed deeply, his voice solemn.

For all his brilliance, Jayce knew he couldn't match Heimerdinger's centuries of expertise in weapons. This was a necessary collaboration.

"The matter of our safety is partially resolved," Mel interjected smoothly, her voice slicing through the tension.

"But shouldn't we also address what happened last night?"

Feeling emboldened now that his immediate survival seemed less uncertain, the stocky councilman leaned forward, his tone accusatory.

"You promised surface peace while we turned our economy toward military strength. Yet I had no idea an operation against Zaun was underway."

"And now the Enforcers, under Councilor Camille's command, has no emergency contingency plans? Our coastal defenses were breached for the first time. This failure isn't solely on her shoulders, but shouldn't we have scouted Zaun's capabilities first?"

Caitlyn bristled. "Scouting Zaun's capabilities? Do you have any idea what we were up against last night? Viktor and Silco are engineering weapons we've never encountered before. We were fighting for our lives while you—"

"Enough." A female councilor cut Caitlyn off coldly, her voice steady but her words pointed.

"Last night, they killed a councilman. If we escalate to outright war with Zaun, how many of us here will survive? We need time—time to arm ourselves properly. We should negotiate with Zaun before things spiral further out of control."

"Negotiate? Are you serious?" Caitlyn's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Zaun's threat is right at our doorstep, and you're suggesting peace talks?"

The female councilor's gaze turned toward Caitlyn, her calm demeanor unshaken.

"Can you take responsibility for last night's disaster, Councilor Kiramman? What's your plan to appease the families of the victims? Will you offer them money? Empty promises? You're staying in Councilman Tallis's home now, aren't you? Do you think Piltover's people will trust the hollow reassurances of someone who hides behind their wealth and status?"

Her words struck Caitlyn like a physical blow. She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came.

Anger and grief swirled in her expression as she clenched her fists tightly, trying to contain the surge of emotion.

But the female councilor wasn't watching Caitlyn. Her gaze had shifted to Camille, silently waiting for her to speak.