Arcane: Twin Cities Mechanic

The core of a hydrogen bomb triggered by an atomic detonation can reach tens of millions of degrees, but Li Lin's controllable nuclear fusion missile surpasses even that destructive power. 

In an instant, temperatures tens of times hotter than the Sun's core incinerated everything in their path, triggering a massive earthquake. At its epicenter, near Nerimazeth, the shockwave radiated outward in a perfect circle, reaching the neighboring mountainous region of Mount Targon. 

Boulders cascaded down, mountain ridges collapsed, and vast areas were affected. 

If not for a magical barrier glowing with emerald green and starry blue hues, holding back the crumbling mountains, at least a tenth of the Mount Targon range near Nerimazeth would have been obliterated by the fusion missile's blast. 

Amidst the blinding light, tens of times brighter than the Sun, and lasting only a few heartbeats, the nuclear fusion explosion shattered the storm clouds and lightning summoned by Xerath's ultimate ritual. A colossal mushroom cloud surged skyward, drawing even the gaze of a being beyond the stars. 

A "sun" had detonated on Runeterra—a phenomenon even the celestial seer had not foreseen, and one unheralded by the Twilight Aspect. 

No divine punishment had been decreed upon this planet, so how could mortals or native deities accomplish such a feat? 

Before long, streaks of light resembling falling stars descended from the heavens, landing at the furthest edge of the explosion's aftermath. 

Figures began to emerge. 

Each of them bore the dense aura of celestial magic, their forms wreathed in colors unique to their essence: a pair of sisters with wings, one enveloped in golden light and the other shrouded in dark violet shadows; a towering man clad in blue armor, his head crowned with a helm radiating golden starlight, wielding a spear and shield; a woman adorned in red and gold armor, a solar emblem crowning her forehead, clutching a blade and an imposing shield almost as tall as she was. 

Among them stood a peculiar being with purple skin, a prominent horn protruding from her forehead, holding a crescent staff forged of starlight. Her expression was heavy, as if enduring unbearable pain—a creature clearly not of human origin. 

In the shadows, far removed from the others, a woman with a crescent moon symbol cradling a radiant sun upon her forehead observed the scene. Cloaked in black armor and wielding a crescent blade, her long white hair billowed as she concealed her presence, unnoticed by the others. 

The celestial beings hovered near the edge of Mount Targon, keeping their distance. None spoke or acknowledged one another—there was no need. 

Though they shared the same domain, they had never interfered with one another's lives. 

Especially the purple-skinned woman with the unicorn-like horn—Soraka, the Child of the Stars. 

A wandering celestial, Soraka had dared to abandon her divine essence, descending in her true form to endure endless agony for the sake of aiding humanity on Runeterra. Her selflessness evoked a sense of awe among the celestial hosts, who dared not approach her. 

Morgana, with her dark violet wings, instinctively clutched the hand of her sister, who stood clad in white-and-gold armor with radiant wings. It had been a long time since Li Lin had seen the angelic sisters after parting ways in Demacia. 

"Sister, this…" 

Countless words caught in Morgana's throat. She could neither voice her disbelief over a "sun" detonating near Mount Targon nor comprehend why so many celestial hosts and entities beyond the stars were now focused on this location. 

Of those present, Morgana recognized several figures: Pantheon, the Aspect of War, who had inhabited a mortal vessel and descended to the battlefield; Leona, the Aspect of the Sun, blessed by the powers of the Solar Celestial; and, of course, Soraka, a true celestial being with blessings from countless stars. 

What shook Morgana even more were the gazes from the heavens above. 

The Justice Aspect, the Guardian Aspect, the Wanderer Aspect, the Solar Aspect, the Lunar Aspect... 

It had been millennia since such attention had been concentrated in one place. 

Not since the ancient war between Shurima's ascended god-warriors and the Void had so many celestials been united in their concern. 

Even when Xerath destroyed the Sun Disc and brought the Shuriman Empire to ruin, only a few celestial entities had taken notice. 

Adding to Morgana's unease was a presence that felt as ancient as time itself. Just the faintest sensation of its gaze sent shivers down her spine, as if she had lived through countless epochs in an instant. 

Morgana lacked the knowledge to identify the owner of this presence. Despite reconciling with Kayle and returning to Mount Targon to inherit the true legacy of the Justice Aspect, she had acquired only a fragment of celestial knowledge. 

She had never heard the name Aurelion Sol, nor did she understand the great secret of how the celestials had cursed and imprisoned the Star Forger, stealing his knowledge and power. 

"Before that sun fell, did you sense an energy you recognized?" Kayle asked sternly. 

"That was Li Lin's… orbital laser?" 

"Indeed." 

Kayle vividly remembered the moment she had nearly been obliterated by the beam of light descending from the heavens. Even her celestial blessing had barely withstood it. 

If not for the magical elixir Li Lin had created with celestial blessings, she would have perished in Demacia. 

Her hand tightened around her sister's, the golden flames in her eyes flickering faster beneath her helm—a sign of her growing unease. 

As the aftermath of the explosion slowly subsided, revealing a bottomless crater, Kayle turned her gaze toward Pantheon. 

The warrior, possessed by the Aspect of War, let out a disdainful snort before leaping into the heavens, vanishing without sparing a thought for any mortals who might have been caught in the blast. 

Leona, on the other hand, looked grim. Raising her Dawnshield, she invoked the Sun's protective power, transforming into a meteor that descended into the now-dimming white light.

Leona decided to investigate what exactly could trigger a phenomenon so uncontrollable that even she, blessed with the sacred power of the Solari, couldn't harness its solar might.

She glanced at the distant worshippers prostrating themselves in prayer to the stars, beseeching them to restore the Mount Targon range and mitigate the aftershocks of the explosion. The destruction threatened not only the surrounding regions but also the nomadic tribes living on the mountain, who were especially vulnerable.

Taking several deep breaths to steady the shock and tension within her, Morgana turned to her sister. "Sister, what should we do?"

"What else can we do?" Kayle replied. "It's highly likely that this is Li Lin's doing. As absurd as it sounds, the satellite's beam was followed immediately by a 'solar' explosion devoid of any magic…"

Kayle didn't finish, but Morgana easily understood her implication. Suddenly, she recalled something crucial that had almost slipped her mind.

Li Lin's so-called "mecha" had shown traces of solar energy long before.

Morgana's worry surged. "This… this can't be! How could an ordinary human like him endure an explosion of a magnitude even we cannot withstand?"

"Hmph. Let's just hope that certain Twilight Aspect who seems so fond of him doesn't take it out on us," Kayle muttered, her tone carrying both irritation and exasperation. She was referring to the whimsical young woman who had recently visited Mount Targon and had been insistent about meeting "Li Lin."

However, the Starborne's missives had to be delivered, especially since the cosmic beings seemed to be facing significant unrest lately. Kayle herself needed to relay urgent messages to the celestial aspects and couldn't remain in Runeterra for long.

"Let's go assess the situation," Kayle declared, raising her half-sword to summon a divine blessing from the heavens. The radiant light enveloped both her and Morgana.

Morgana, too, summoned her blade—a weapon she had been reluctant to wield since her clashes with Kayle and their mother's legacy. Nevertheless, she had come to accept that only by uniting their power could the true force of judgment be unleashed. 

Channeling her magic, Morgana cast a protective Black Shield, layering it over Kayle's golden barrier. This dual shield would maximize their defense against the residual solar energy's destructive force.

The sisters took flight, their wings slicing through the air as they followed the Dawnbringer into the explosion's epicenter, unleashing their full power to search for any sign of Li Lin.

"I recall there used to be a human city in this area…" Kayle murmured as she scanned the devastated landscape.

Suddenly, Morgana's startled cry caught her attention. "Sister! Is that… is that Li Lin?"

...

...

(End of Chapter)