Arcane: The Gods Want Me to Pick a Route

"Logan, what are you muttering about over there?"

Jinx appeared with a blue towel wrapped around her hair in a huge bundle, like she had a little mountain on her head, one hand pulling along a yawning Isha. The little girl's wet hair clung to her cheeks, and Jinx's other hand was pressed to the top of her head, rubbing another towel over it.

Seeing that, Logan smiled and tossed Aatrox off to the side before walking over. Jinx sat down naturally on the edge of the bed. Behind her, Logan knelt upright on the mattress, and in front of her, Isha crouched on the floor, drowsy and half-asleep.

Jinxie dried Isha's hair. Logan dried Jinx's.

Aatrox, seeing the scene, very tactfully let out a cold snort in his heart and stayed silent.

Right now, his mind was clear, no longer sunk in chaos. Logan's spiritual power had strengthened Aatrox and kept the Void's negative corruption from swallowing him, and because of that, Aatrox could think again.

Just as Logan had said, Aatrox had once been mortal too. Of course he understood exactly what this scene meant. So he quietly shut his mouth.

He leaned there against the desk without throwing a fit, the eye on the greatsword turning as it watched them.

After staring for a long while, Aatrox let out another cold laugh. Any awe he had felt toward Logan for knowing so much vanished on the spot. Say whatever you wanted, humans were still slaves to low desires.

And this scene stripped away Logan's mystique in Aatrox's eyes.

The next morning, Logan woke first. Propped against the headboard, he yawned, then carefully moved Isha's little hand off his pajama shirt where she'd been clutching at his chest. After that, he glanced at Jinx, whose chin was resting on top of Isha's fluffy head.

The three of them had all slept together last night, like a little family. Looking at the still-sleeping Isha and Jinx, Logan stretched, got up, and immediately laughed.

Outside, he threw his weight around, dealing with power brokers from every land, pressuring Noxus first and then campaigning through the Freljord. He'd caused enough trouble to earn a place in the history books of Runeterra. But a man like that, once he came home, became the cuddle pillow for the grown one and the little one, and now he had to make breakfast for them too.

Outside, he was a demigod. At home, he was the guy making breakfast.

The thought made Logan grin. He reached out and rubbed Isha's fluffy head, then carefully brushed aside the strands Jinx had pinned awkwardly under her head, the ones now tickling around Isha's eyes.

To Jinx, Isha was a younger sister. But to Logan, even though Jinx kept making Isha call him big brother, the way he got along with her felt more like... father and daughter?

Well, Logan didn't mind that feeling at all.

"Heh."

The moment he got up, Logan heard a cold laugh.

He turned his head and saw Aatrox standing in the corner, the hilt propped against the desk, one giant eye staring at him.

For some reason, Logan could practically picture two little arms sticking out from the sword, hands on its hips, looking at him with total disdain.

Probably because of Aatrox's tone.

Logan held out his hand, and Aatrox flew over. The sword didn't resist. Even though Aatrox had never clearly said last night that he was willing to become Logan's weapon, the fact that he hadn't refused was basically the same as agreeing.

With someone as proud as Aatrox, not objecting was the same as consent. If he'd truly disagreed, then instead of hopping mad and spouting nonsense all night, he would've directly called Logan delusional and told him to dream on.

So, gripping Aatrox, Logan released his power. The Spirit Blossom spiritual force neutralized the bloodthirst clinging to the Darkin, and then Logan gave the blade a light experimental swing.

Aatrox looked huge, but he actually wasn't that heavy. Logan guessed even little Isha could probably lift him with both hands.

Then Logan slung Aatrox across his back and headed for the kitchen.

Carried there on Logan's back, feeling the power coming off him, Aatrox fell silent for a moment before muttering, "Your power... if I stay around you long enough, it might actually erase my negative impulses. Hah. Don't get the wrong idea, Logan. I never agreed to become your sword. Staying by your side just happens to benefit me."

"Sure, sure. It's an exchange of interests. I need a sword to use, and you need someone to wield you. You fight for me, and later I'll help you meet Sivir and Azir."

"Yes. Exactly that." Aatrox's voice came out firm and forceful.

Logan shook his head, amused.

"Uwaaah..."

"It really is more comfortable sleeping at home. Okay, Isha, time to get up."

"Huh? Why's your hair all wet?"

Back on the bed in the bedroom, Jinx stretched out in her little bear pajamas, her glowing pale wrist slipping out from her sleeve. Her big blue eyes rolled around once as she reached out and rubbed Isha's head.

Isha had actually been awake for a while, just lying there staring blankly at the ceiling. Hearing that, she looked at Jinx with deep resentment.

Why was her hair wet?

Because her sister had been chewing on it in her sleep, obviously!

But Isha couldn't talk, so all she could do was grumble and gesture out her complaint.

The problem was, both the big one and the little one were still groggy from just waking up, so neither could understand the other. They could only stare at each other blankly.

A moment later, though, Jinx burst out laughing and smacked Isha lightly on the butt.

Isha rubbed the spot, then watched as Jinx pulled today's clothes from the wardrobe for her, a pretty princess dress.

Isha immediately protested with every bit of attitude she could muster. That dress did not match her vibe at all!

Using Logan's words, what was she again?

Oh, right, a tomboy!

But Jinx paid absolutely no attention to Isha's muffled objections. With a playful little growl, she pounced on her, pinning the giggling girl to the bed. One hand held both of Isha's wrists together, while the other went left and right, forcibly stripping off her sleepwear.

Jinx wanted Isha to dress pretty every single day and be happy every single day. These two sisters had no blood relation, but they really were alike. Especially Isha, who was practically Powder as a child with a different hairstyle and hair color.

Once they were both dressed, they left the bedroom and started toward the bathroom to brush their teeth and wash their faces.

As they passed the kitchen, they heard arguing.

"Logan! You bastard! I am the great Aatrox! I am Aatrox, destroyer of worlds! And you, you actually dare use me to chop vegetables?!"

"Yes, yes, great Lord Aatrox. I'm just trying to build some coordination between us, okay? I need to get used to using you. And don't look down on chopping vegetables, damn it!"

"There's real technique to chopping vegetables!"

"Technique my ass!" came the hoarse, furious response, making it very clear Aatrox disagreed with Logan's opinion.

What kind of joke was this?!

He was Aatrox. Aatrox!

As an Ascended he had been a general, and as a Darkin he had been a being as mighty as a king!

If the other Darkin ever found out that he was now willingly letting a human use him as a weapon, and not just a weapon but a kitchen knife, what would they think?

Aatrox had mocked their true forms before, after all.

Farm tools, sickles, kitchen ladles, big cooking pots, he'd ridiculed them all without mercy.

If they ever found out what had become of him now...

Hell.

Demacia.

Jarvan III sat in the royal garden, eyes narrowed as he sipped tea. Not far away, the sound of lively chatter drifted over, but those voices weren't coming from some royal harem.

Though he was ruler of a nation, Jarvan III had only ever had one wife, and only one heir as well, Jarvan IV. Which meant the noise belonged to the people of Demacia.

As for why common folk were allowed into the royal rear garden, that was because of Queen Catherine.

She had opened her garden to the people, letting them admire the flowers she grew and enjoy them alongside her. After she passed away, Jarvan III had never changed that rule. Even though doing so was dangerous for him and greatly increased the chance of assassination, he still refused to undo it.

Drinking flower tea imported from Piltover, Jarvan III sat in the breeze and began to feel drowsy.

But just as he was about to nod off for a bit, footsteps sounded. He opened his eyes and saw Tianna standing before him, face flushed red and eyes burning with anger.

"What is it?" Jarvan III asked with amusement. A Tianna wearing that expression... hah, eight times out of ten it meant the little ones in House Crownguard had caused trouble again.

The last time he'd seen her look like that had been when she learned that her niece had magic.

That little girl had thought she was hiding it so well, trembling in fear as she concealed her power. But the royal family knew. House Crownguard knew. A whole crowd of people knew she had magic.

Even the brother she'd once been close to and later distanced herself from knew, and Garen seemed to have talked himself into accepting it too.

"Lux is gone." Tianna took a deep breath and said it to the king.

"Oh? Where's she run off to play this time?" Jarvan III asked cheerfully.

"She probably overheard talk within the family and found out she'd be joining this diplomatic delegation when it travels out. Then she went ahead and left for the Twin Cities on her own." Tianna's teeth were practically grinding.

She and her husband had no children of their own, and her brother's two children, Lux and Garen, could almost be said to have been raised by Tianna herself. Lux had been very close to her when she was little, but after discovering her magic, she started avoiding her. As for Garen, he had followed Tianna around since childhood.

So to Tianna, those two children were children of her own.

And now her "daughter" had run away. Run away without saying a single word.

"That's not hard to understand, Tianna. She's always feared that you all would find out she has magic. I think part of her may have wanted to flee Demacia ever since she was very young. She doesn't feel safe. She's afraid she'll be condemned and become a burden on House Crownguard."

Jarvan III's voice was gentle. He even took some of the blame himself. "If the little thing slipped away at night, then she may very well have intended never to return to Demacia. This matter... isn't her fault alone. It's yours and mine."

"We should have pushed forward with Lux's marriage to my son sooner."

Tianna sighed at that. "But His Highness doesn't have that kind of feeling for her."

Jarvan III smiled and let the matter drop.

A marriage alliance between Lightshield and Crownguard would absolutely benefit Demacia. It would strengthen the bond between the two houses, and Lux's status as princess consort would help conceal the fact that she had magic.

Just like... Catherine, once upon a time.

Besides, Jarvan IV and Lux had grown up together, childhood friends from the start. Them becoming husband and wife would have been a fine thing.

But Jarvan IV had always regarded Garen as a brother he'd lay down his life for, which meant he had always seen Lux as a little sister.

Jarvan III had loved Catherine deeply, and of course he hoped that the child he'd had with her could have happiness of his own. So when Jarvan IV objected, Jarvan III stopped forcing the matter.

"Don't be nervous. I'll inform Silco and have him help us find Lux. And besides... Tianna, I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing."

Tianna nodded. She understood what Jarvan III meant.

If Lux stayed away from home long enough, the fact that she had magic would naturally come to light.

The little princess of House Crownguard being a mage would absolutely shake Demacia, but if Lux was outside the country by then, Tianna would have countless ways to shift the blame away.

That would make things easier for the king.

So Tianna asked, "Are you... going to do it?"

"Yes. We can't drag this out any longer."

Jarvan III closed his eyes. His graying beard trembled in the wind as his voice reached Tianna's ears.

"Demacia must change. The people's resentment has been growing louder and louder. Being born with magic is not their fault. It should not be treated as a curse, but as a gift."

"In the past, we feared magic because magic destroyed our homeland. But now, we should not continue rejecting it. In the end, magic is only a tool. What caused all of this was the people who used that tool. The tool itself was never the crime.

"Our forebears were not wrong either. It was because they forbade magic in that era that Demacia became what it is today, stable and peaceful. But every age has its own rules."

"We act ahead of schedule."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Tianna bowed, solemnity in her eyes.

Once this matter began moving, the person in the greatest danger would be Jarvan III.

He would face assassination attempts from countless nobles. In Demacia, the ban on magic had long since ceased to be about protecting the nation. It had become a political weapon in the hands of the nobility.

And yet Jarvan III still intended to change it all, because the ban on magic was destroying Demacia.

In Zaun, a small figure wrapped in a cloak, hiding her petite frame, walked down the street and headed toward the largest tavern in the city.

Forgen Tavern, the best tavern in Zaun. She'd read about it months ago in a Twin Cities sightseeing booklet. It had said this was a place every outsider had to visit.

So of course she wasn't going to miss it.

Carefully avoiding the people around her, she ducked inside.

It was afternoon, but the tavern was still packed.

The way people were dressed was all over the place. Some wore work clothes, some wore linen and wool long sleeves, others wore red leather armor, and a few were dressed in ways she couldn't even make sense of.

Soft music floated from the jukebox near the door, and her eyes lit up instantly.

Then she looked around, only to hear a voice at her ear.

"What can I get you?"

She looked over and saw a bartender smiling at her.

After hesitating for a moment, she stepped forward and carefully pulled down her hood, revealing an exquisitely beautiful face. Her skin was fair, her face soft and oval, her brows delicately shaped, her large green eyes as clear as spring water. Her small, lovely nose curved in a graceful line, and below it were pink, glossy lips.

Most striking of all was her beautiful golden hair, almost as if it gave off light.

There were plenty of blondes in Runeterra, but blond like hers...

The bartender's expression turned a little strange, and he blurted out something she didn't understand. "Wow. Your hair kind of has the same thing going on as Zeri's."

"Zeri? Who's that?" she asked, blinking her big eyes curiously.

"Not important." The bartender smiled and shook his head, then propped an arm on the counter. "So, what'll it be? Or are you here to ask around for information?"

The girl paused, then said, "A glass of juice, please."

"Seven copper," the bartender said, not surprised at all. The girl didn't look very old, sixteen or seventeen at most, even younger than Zaun's... princess.

That one had grown up in Zaun and still drank juice, so what was strange about this pretty girl from out of town doing the same?

He handed her a glass of juice, then added, "Find yourself a seat. Don't worry about people staring."

From her clothes, the bartender had already figured something out.

This girl was from Demacia.

She nodded, took the cup, and sipped through the straw. Her eyes brightened immediately. Then she set seven shiny Zaun coins on the counter and said to him with a smile, "Thank you. The juice is really good. Oh, and my name is Lux. Nice to meet you."

The bartender froze for a second, finding the girl kind of adorable. After thinking it over, he pointed somewhere. "Sit over there. Over there, nobody'll bother you."

Following his gaze, Lux saw a table tucked away in the corner. It stood out immediately. Every other table in the tavern was gray or brown, but that one was pink, with a few cute stuffed dolls on top. Lux's eyes lit up at once.

Sitting at that table was a girl with her back to Lux, long beautiful blue hair tied into a high ponytail.

She wore a blue-and-red jacket over black pants, with strange but gorgeous boots on her long legs. One leg was crossed over the other, bouncing lightly as she drank something.

Lux hesitated, then followed the bartender's suggestion and walked over to the table.

Then she met the girl's eyes.

Lux saw those eyes brighten for a second, and then the girl leaned back in her chair with an utterly inelegant posture, looking her up and down with a grin.

"Hi... can I sit here?" Lux asked.

The girl nodded and tapped the table with a finger. "Go ahead. You're really pretty. So what's up with your hair? It looks like it glows."

"You're really pretty too!" Lux immediately answered after being complimented.

"Right? I think so too." The girl was incredibly easygoing, chatting with Lux right away with a bright grin.

But around them, several men in red leather armor had already turned to look.

They stared at Lux, squinting when they saw the white armored dress she wore.

That style... Demacian.

After exchanging a few words, the group got up and walked over to the girl's table.

The two girls who had been chatting happily both looked up at the same time. Lux's heart jumped when she realized she was being surrounded.

She got nervous. Those clothes belonged to Noxians.

She didn't think they'd hit her because of it, but being singled out and hassled was a first for Lux. She had no idea how to deal with that, so she looked at the girl across from her.

The problem was, the other girl was still chattering away like nothing had happened.

"So what then? Keep telling me about the statue in your country. What's the deal with that giant friend of yours? This is the first time I've heard of a statue actually moving."

"Uh..." Lux saw that the girl had no idea what was going on, but after taking a deep breath, she decided she couldn't drag a new friend into her trouble.

Off in the distance, the bartender saw what was happening. He wasn't the only one. A lot of people in the tavern had noticed.

People of the Twin Cities, on the other hand, only watched with mocking smiles.

"So... maybe we can talk next time. My family might be looking for me," Lux said, trying to think of a way out as she stood up to leave.

But an arm shot out and blocked her.

She looked up and saw a scar-faced man.

"Let's have a talk, Demacian."

"I have nothing to talk to you about. You've got the wrong person." Lux tried to step around him, but another man blocked the way.

Come on. Demacia and Noxus were sworn enemies. They'd spotted a Demacian in the tavern, a lone Demacian at that. There was no way they were passing that up.

Of course, they didn't dare start a fight in Forgen Tavern. But causing trouble, throwing around a few threats, that was still fair game, wasn't it?

"Hey. Why are you blocking her?" a voice suddenly rang out.

The Noxians looked toward the blue-haired girl and frowned.

She'd been chatting happily with the bartender earlier, and the bartender had treated her extremely well. That told them one thing.

She was from Zaun.

"This is between us and her. It doesn't have anything to do with you, does it?" one of them said.

"We know the rules of Forgen Tavern, so we'll take her outside to talk. And we know Zaun's rules too. We won't make a move on her in Zaun," another Noxian added.

Hearing that, Lux relaxed a little. Good. Just like she'd heard, no one dared start trouble in Zaun now. So even if she wandered out alone without much thought, she wouldn't really be in danger.

As long as she stayed in Zaun and didn't leave.

"What rules? Do you seriously not know who I am?" The blue-haired girl actually laughed in disbelief. She pointed at herself, blue-painted fingernails flashing under the tavern's white lights. "You came to Zaun without knowing who I am?"

"Who are you?"

"Even if you're somebody important in Zaun, this is between us and Demacia. Zaun doesn't have any reason to stick its nose in that deep, does it?"

The blue-haired girl gave a dismissive snort, her voice crisp. "What if I insist?"

"Noxus is also Zaun's ally. If you're going to side with a Demacian, aren't you afraid you'll bring trouble to Zaun? We just want to have a little talk with her. We won't hurt her."

"A little talk? If you mean threats, then just say threats. Why dress it up?"

"And what if we insist on taking her?" The Noxian narrowed his eyes.

The atmosphere turned tense instantly. Lux was just about to speak when she saw her new friend change positions.

The girl slid back in her seat, tipping the chair up onto its back legs. Then she lifted both feet and planted them on the table. Her arms folded across her chest, and the metal on her boots clicked sharply as they came down.

Then came her cold voice.

"Try it."

The moment her words fell, nearly two-thirds of the people in the tavern stood up and turned to look this way.

Even the bartender took the Hextech rifle hanging on the wall into his hands and stared over coldly.

In an instant, the Noxians were surrounded.

Lux stared at the scene in shock.

And just like that, she finally understood what the bartender had meant.

"Sit over there. Over there, nobody can bother you."

This new friend of hers...

Good grief, who was she?!

And also, wow, she was cool.

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