Marvel: Playing Iron Man, Falling In and Out of Love with Jinx

"Little one."

With her left hand resting elegantly on her hip, Camille, the Steel Shadow, strode toward Duke with graceful composure. WALL-E's mana engine blared at full overload, but even that wasn't enough to break through the suppression of the Hextech Ultimatum.

As the mana engine on his back flickered with blue light, Duke's mind raced for a way out.

"What do I do? What should I do?"

WALL-E's voice buzzed in his ear. "Father, we cannot break through the enemy's field."

"Of course not! You run on Hex Gems. She's using a Hex Core Crystal, an original crystal. It's a superior energy source that completely overpowers ours! We're utterly suppressed!"

"Then what should we do?"

"I'm thinking, stop rushing me!"

Duke's mind spun rapidly. He couldn't win, and he couldn't run. Her power level was simply out of his league.

Especially since his energy source was a strictly inferior version of hers.

A hard counter, Camille was the worst possible opponent.

"Maybe... there's only one path left."

Duke sighed inwardly. He couldn't fight, couldn't flee. All that remained was to lay his cards on the table, and thankfully, he had more than a few.

"Why so quiet?"

Camille circled him a few times. Her eyes briefly widened when she noticed the mana engine on his back, Talies' synthetic Hex Gem, appearing on this stranger's armor.

And the armor itself... it felt oddly familiar.

More than that, it was clearly decades ahead of current Piltover tech. The craftsmanship brought back memories, of a man from over sixty years ago. A man who once stole her heart.

"Tell me, madam, would you consider letting me off the hook?"

"That depends on your next choice, little one."

Camille halted before Duke. Her aura was overwhelming. Duke felt like he was standing before a living blade, its edge pricking at his skin.

"Very well."

Duke exhaled deeply. "WALL-E, open the armor."

"But Father, this may pose an unknown risk to your safety."

"Do it. That's an order."

"Understood, Father."

The outer layer of his armor hissed open, and Duke stepped out. Still held under the oppressive Hextech field, he struggled to stay upright, unwilling to kneel before anyone.

For the first time, he got a proper look at Camille's face. Unlike the fleeting glimpse he'd had before, she now stood tall and regal, fully revealed in all her dominance.

Wearing a tailored tailcoat, both hands resting neatly at her waist, Camille exuded noble poise, if one could ignore the deadly blades for legs.

Her eyes glowed with intense blue light, making it impossible to see her expression clearly. Yet, the curiosity behind them let Duke breathe a bit easier.

Curiosity meant there was room to negotiate.

Her metallic waist reels, key to her high-speed mobility, anchored the steel cables used in combat. Duke could see their design clearly.

"Duke Sanchez," Camille murmured, a trace of surprise in her voice. "I didn't expect Piltover's golden boy to be nothing more than a grave robber."

"Madam, I didn't have a choice."

"All for your research, right?"

Her next words cut him off cold. Duke bowed his head.

"Yes... for my research."

"What did you take? Show me."

Duke obediently presented the Hex Core Crystal. He couldn't fight, and he couldn't run. All he could do was comply and hope to salvage something from the situation.

Camille took the crystal, turning it slowly in her palm. "Even I didn't know this was in my ancestor Alicia's sarcophagus. How did you know?"

Duke's mind whirred as he prepared his next bluff. Everything hinged on this.

"Destiny's guidance, Madam."

"Destiny?" Camille glanced toward the gathering crowd in the distance. "Your time is running out, Duke. I suggest you convince me before others arrive. They won't be nearly as... patient."

"When I awakened my magical abilities, I heard the call of Alicia Ferros. I was drawn to her era, I witnessed her glorious life firsthand."

Duke looked up at Camille, then quickly bowed again. "It was her will... that led me here."

Camille's voice softened, almost lazily. "Look at me."

Duke did as told, calm-faced and clear-eyed, though his palms were slick with sweat.

Thanks to his old man's 'tough love,' he'd long since mastered the art of lying without flinching.

After a moment, Camille dissolved the crystal prison around them. She stepped toward Alicia's grave. Without a word, she tossed the Hex Core Crystal back to Duke.

He caught it with a start, surprised by the sudden change.

"Come with me, Duke," she said, beckoning. "If it was truly my ancestor's will that led you, then prove it, unlock her sarcophagus."

"If you can do that, we'll talk more."

"Understood, Madam."

Duke let out a breath of relief. First hurdle cleared. As for the lock,

Fortunately, fragments from the Loom of Fate had shown him how. It even contained secret knowledge of the Ferros family.

Earlier, he'd skipped the formal process with magic. But now he could flex a little, earn Camille's trust.

They walked together toward the grave. WALL-E followed behind. Alicia's coffin lay undisturbed in the hollow.

Camille looked to Duke. Duke looked to WALL-E.

WALL-E scratched his head, then hopped down and gently lifted the sarcophagus onto the grass.

"Your armor... it has a mind of its own?"

Camille was taken aback. She didn't show it on her face, but she was deeply shocked.

"Just a bit of minor tech. Nothing worth mentioning."

"If breathing life into machines is 'minor,' then all of Piltover's artisans might as well retire."

"This is revolutionary, Duke."

Her compliment was sincere. His value had just gone up, again.

"Maybe so."

But Duke wasn't proud. Viktor was the true pioneer of intelligent machines. Blitzcrank was even more impressive. He had only used magic as a shortcut.

Kneeling beside the coffin, Duke ran his hands across the carved surface. The lock required both sides to open simultaneously, and a second lock required synchronized activation from within and without.

But the Loom of Fate had revealed an alternate method.

He found a nearly invisible carving and pressed it inward. The mechanism shifted with a satisfying click. The outer lock disengaged.

Duke moved to the second lock, manipulated a few mechanisms, and the sarcophagus opened.

"Done, Madam."

"So it's just as you claimed. Even I couldn't have opened it that way."

Of course not. Her ancestor had prepared all of this before her death, worried her descendants couldn't handle the family legacy. She'd hidden the method and the crystal under a floorboard in the old Ferros estate.

Another secret revealed by the Loom of Fate.

Camille's gaze softened as she looked at Duke, until her eyes landed on the Hex Core Crystal.

Her tone grew serious. "You can keep the crystal, but on one condition, Duke."

"What is it? I'll do anything."

"I don't care what you use it for. But only a core member of House Ferros may carry it."

Her voice turned meaningful. "You understand what I'm saying, right?"

"What condition?"

"Become a secret agent for House Ferros. Serve the next head of the family. Dedicate everything to the house."

"Does that mean I can access the Ferros estate and resources?"

"If you agree, and become a core member, yes."

"But first... you must become my son."

"Your son?"

Duke's eyes widened. He pointed at himself.

Camille nodded. "I already have a younger brother. He fills that role in my life. And you're far too young to be my sibling."

"So yes, become my son, and a secret agent of House Ferros."

"That's your choice."

Duke stood stunned, his mouth working silently.

All I did was dig up your ancestor's grave, and now you want to be my mom?

What kind of logic is that?!

Once, there was Gima Yuji losing Jing Province.

Now, there's me, Duke, accidentally gaining a goddamn mom.

To be continued...