Chapter 115 - 115: Shimmer
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Silco wasn't dead, but it was hard to say he was truly alive.
Trapped in his own warehouse fire, he had been the first to experience the lethal temperature of alchemical fuel. Under normal circumstances, his body would have carbonized in less than three minutes. However, the Shimmer elixir, evaporated by the extreme heat, infused into his body in massive quantities, forcibly sustaining his life through a process of "liberation."
Shimmer works by breaking "Genetic Shackles"—the physiological limits that prevent humans from becoming aberrants. While Silco's original Enforcers only had their muscle growth shackles "liberated," Silco's body was now mutating at an accelerated rate to adapt to the lethal heat. When Vander found him, Silco was a scorched, shriveled husk—half his original size, encased in a carbonized shell, but with a heart still beating rhythmically within.
"Make way, the professional is here," Kael said, pushing through the crowd. His eyes brightened as he examined the husk. To Kael, Silco wasn't a man anymore; he was a rare, precious experimental subject that could reveal the true potential of adaptive evolution.
"Better to give him a quick end," Vander sighed, sensing the scientific fanaticism in Kael's gaze.
"If he dies now, Zaun dies with him," Kael countered. "Think about how many people inhaled that purple smoke tonight. The Shimmer is in their systems. If we don't study how to neutralize the 'cracks' in their genetic shackles, Zaun will fall into unpredictable chaos as they mutate or lose their minds."
Vander's expression darkened. Silco's final move had been poisonous—turning his own death into a biological time bomb for the Undercity. Even if the dose was limited, the impact would expand over time.
"Compile a list of everyone who inhaled the smoke," Kael ordered. "And clear out the nearby rats and animals. If Shimmer hits the local fauna, you'll have monsters in the walls within the week."
Vander immediately barked orders to Sevika to lock down the district. Meanwhile, Kael packed Silco into a specialized containment unit, taking the remaining canisters of raw Shimmer with him. He had to save Silco's life—not out of mercy, but because he needed a "living map" of the mutation.
While Zaun simmered in a tense recovery, Piltover remained blissfully focused on the upcoming Hextech revolution. Madame Kiramann had fulfilled her promise, building Kael a state-of-the-art mechanical workshop.
Kael's first commercial product was a civilian Exoskeleton Mechanical Auxiliary Device.
Unlike the combat-focused rune gauntlets he gave Vi, these were clunky but perfect for construction and port labor. Madame Kiramann, seeing the potential to revolutionize Piltovian industry, placed a massive order immediately. Kael handed the production management over to Shopkeeper Colin, allowing the old man to reclaim his dignity as a master of industry.
In the depths of his private lab, Kael was working with Viktor. Silco lay in a glass casing filled with nutrient solution. His skin had peeled multiple times, replaced by a snake-like texture of heat-resistant scales.
"Shimmer is incredible," Viktor whispered, touching the glass. He was obsessed. While Kael studied the biology, Viktor saw his own salvation. If Shimmer could grant Silco the ability to adapt to fire, could it help Viktor's ossifying muscles find a way to survive?
"Don't get sentimental, Viktor," Kael called out. "Help me test the Type B elixir. We have a district of 'landmines' in Zaun waiting for a cure."
Jayce had already been to the door three times, complaining that Viktor was neglecting the Hexgate project. He looked at Kael as if Kael were "stealing" his best friend, unaware that Viktor was voluntarily sleeping in the lab to be near the only thing that might cure his terminal disease.
"The Type B model," Kael explained, "is designed to improve adaptability while minimizing the 'feral' side effects. We're not building monsters; we're stabilizing survivors."
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