Arcane: Sovereign Of The Broken City

---

Act 3, Chapter 2: Beneath the Gilded Sky

Year: 893 AN

POV: Caitlyn → Jayce → Piltover Council → Mel → Jayce

---

[Caitlyn & Jayce POV]

The morning after the explosion.

Caitlyn stood atop the northern terrace of House Kiramman, telescope pressed to her eye. Her gaze was locked on the horizon—the skyline of Zaun. Or rather, the absence of it. The familiar, oppressive smog had been pulled away, revealing... blue sky.

Jayce arrived, cloak flapping behind him.

"You saw it too," he said.

Caitlyn nodded. "The sky's clear. For the first time in our lives."

They stood in silence.

Jayce muttered, "It's beautiful… but it doesn't feel right."

Caitlyn lowered her lens. "Not when it happens right after a detonation of hexcrystal magnitude."

Jayce grimaced. "I thought someone was trying to weaponize hextech. But now... it's Zaun. Something's changed down there."

Caitlyn's voice was low, conflicted. "And change down there usually means conflict up here."

---

[Piltover Council – Mel's Inner Monologue]

Mel Medarda entered the Council chamber with a mask of calm over a storm of thought.

None of them will understand the weight of this.

She moved silently past portraits of old men who called themselves visionaries, toward a semi-circle of living relics still clinging to the past.

Hoskel, Salo, Shoola, Bolbok—all hiding behind regulation and ritual. And Heimerdinger, so brilliant, yet so terrified of change. And Cassandra kiramman, the only one here who can see it clearly as her.

She took her seat.

They'll want to frame this as theft, as rebellion, as instability. But this is something else. This is the beginning of the end—for one of us.

Her gaze flicked toward the glowing city map behind them—Zaun's skyline pulsing blue and silver.

And if my mother hears of this before we do something, war is inevitable.

---

[Council Session Begins – Council Introductions]

The chamber filled with tense whispers.

Present Members:

Heimerdinger – thoughtful, cautious, founder of the Academy

Mel Medarda – diplomatic, calculating, visionary

Salo – militaristic hardliner, openly supports preemptive force

Shoola – risk-averse, legalistic

Hoskel – economy-focused, fearful of instability

Bolbok – head of infrastructure, values tradition

Cassandra kiramman - Economic leader, far sighted politician.

Bolbok stood first. "Yesterday, an explosion was felt from across the Academy district. Today, the smog has cleared. Coincidence?"

Salo scoffed. "A Zaunite act of aggression. What more proof do we need? Hextech crystals were stolen hours before that light show. They're weaponizing our work."

Hoskel chimed in. "This is sabotage. Economic terrorism."

Shoola nodded. "We can use the theft to justify an immediate investigation."

---

Heimerdinger stood slowly, eyes pained.

"There is no proof the event was caused by hextech. The radiance emitted was distinct—finer, less volatile. Whatever it is... it is not our design."

Salo's jaw tightened. "Then we send in Enforcers. Let them sort the truth."

Heimerdinger frowned. "Framing Zaun will only deepen the divide. This—this could be a chance to understand something new! A technological marvel, even! I propose we extend an invitation to its creator. Bring them to the Academy."

Salo and Hoskel rolled their eyes.

Shoola muttered, "Invite a saboteur to the Academy?"

Heimerdinger looked to Mel. "Surely you see the potential."

But Mel said nothing.

---

Salo turned to the chamber. "Regardless of the science, the public demands an answer. A theft occurred. Piltover was violated. We will investigate publicly under the pretense of recovering stolen crystals."

Shoola nodded. "And privately... we examine that tower. We find investigate their tech. If it's uncontrollable, We take it before it becomes a threat."

Bolbok added, "Send Enforcers to the Lanes and hold the Sumproutes. Stillwater and the glimmerdocks must remain under our control."

Hoskel: "Let them light up the sky. We'll take the ground beneath their feet."

While Mel wanted to object but if hexcrystals is really used for wepons in zaun the amount of trouble following would not be small.and the fact that the hexcrystals stolen by zaunites cannot be denied.

With a single exchange of eye contact with councillor Kiramman both decided to let it play out.

---

Salo turned coldly. "Then we begin development of countermeasures. Heimerdinger, we'll need you to resume weaponization of the hexcrystals."

Silence.

Heimerdinger's ears twitched. He turned away.

"No."

Everyone froze.

"I have seen war. I've watched cities fall because of minds like mine, repurposed to serve ambition."

He looked at them all—one by one.

"I will not build weapons. And if that is what this Council intends to do, then I will no longer sit among you."

With a heavy breath, Heimerdinger stepped away, cane tapping sharply.

The chamber fell quiet.

---

Mel has expected that so...

As the doors closed behind Heimerdinger, Mel finally stood.

She walked to the center of the chamber, and turned to face them all.

"We still have a chance," she began, tone sharper now. "But not through brute force. Through understanding."

She gave them a folder.

Containing all the information she pieces together.

"Ashryn Virelle," Mel said. "No house. No council affiliation. Not a chem-baron. But her speech yesterday was broadcast across half the undercity. They're calling her the Clock Queen."

The room tensed.

"She's no politician. She's a movement."

Hoskel snapped, "Then let's crush it."

Mel cut him off.

"We tried that ten years ago. It gave them martyrs. This time, we need knowledge."

She gestured to the side.

"I propose we grant a seat to the only one who can rival her understanding of crystals—and potentially undo her influence."

Jayce stepped forward.

he said plainly. "I can trace their flow. I can identify their modulation."

Salo looked skeptical. "You're not even a councilor."

"He will be," Mel said. "Effective immediately. With Heimerdinger's resignation, we need a scientific authority."

A long pause.

Then: silent agreement.

Then the next topic came Salo asked "whose hexcrystals was stolen?"

Jayce who just took seat, stood up and answered "it was mine ."

Hoskel questioned," I don't remember talis family having Custody of hexcrystals."

Cassandra who was silent till now gave jayce a look and spoke for the first time," it was in kiramman family's custody."

That shut them up.

---

[Jayce POV – Closing Thoughts]

Jayce sat down slowly, breath held.

This wasn't what I wanted. Not like this.

But now—now he had a second chance.

He would prove hextech's worth.

He would protect Piltover.

And if that meant uncovering the secrets of the Clocktower?

So be it.

---

Mel looked at jayce. And thought back to what is promised.

[One Hour Before the Meeting]

Mel stood alone in the chamber's marbled silence, sunlight cutting through the stained glass and pooling at her feet. Her gaze drifted across the empty seats—each one occupied by a man or woman who thought themselves untouchable. Untouchable, yet blind.

She heard the footsteps before she turned.

Cassandra Kiramman And Jayce Talis.

Still clad in his cloak, jaw clenched, eyes shadowed by fatigue.

"Good morning Lady Medarda what is so urgent that you can't wait for the council to start"

Cassandra knows that Mel calling them there meant she needs to talk privately and including Jayce meant she knows more than she should.

Mel didn't waste time," Good morning Lady Kiramman. I'm sure you guessed it by now. Yes, I know about Jayce's research on hexcrystals, which I must say without yesterday's lightshow would have landed him and Kiramman family in deep trouble. But the way things turned out, you should know what I'm asking."

"It seems I underestimated the Medarda family's reached." And saying so both she and mel turned to Jayce.

Jayce was confused. he just got earful from Cassandra for putting himself and Caitlyn in danger and not discussing with her about his research.

Mel said directly.

"We need weapons, Jayce."

He blinked. "No."

"Not now. Not ever."

Mel didn't flinch. "Then Piltover dies."

Jayce stepped back, shocked by the bluntness.

Mel advanced, calm and firm. "You saw the sky. You felt the tremor. You know what that tower in Zaun did wasn't magic—it was science. Crystal science. Like yours."

Jayce shook his head. "We're scholars, not soldiers. I made the hextech to improve lives."

"And now it may be used to end them," Mel replied. "Not by you. But by them."

Jayce exhaled, frustrated. "That's not fair."

Mel lowered her voice. "Jayce. Zaun has changed. Whatever they've built down there—it's more advanced than anything we've seen. If we don't prepare for the worst—if we don't have a deterrent—then we'll be slaughtered the next time conflict erupts."

He clenched his fists. "And you want me to be the butcher."

"I want you to be the shield," she said gently.

Silence.

"I won't help you attack innocent people," he finally muttered.

"You won't," Mel said. "You'll build tools we pray we never use. Failsafes. Last resorts. But we need them. Because if Heimerdinger refuses—"

"He already has," Jayce interrupted, quietly.

Mel nodded.

Cassandra added," And if you don't step up, someone else will. Someone without your morals. Someone who will use them."

Jayce looked away, jaw tight.

Cassandra softened. "No one's asking you to become a killer, Jayce. Just a protector. A mind sharp enough to keep Piltover breathing."

He was quiet for a long time.

Then:

"…Under one condition. The project is mine. I'll decide what's built. And what isn't."

Mel smiled faintly. "Of course."

Jayce turned away, but his voice lingered.

"…Then I'm in."

---