~Lux PoV~
Lux sits next to her husband, Darius, as their train arrives into Zaun. Due to increasing social, economical, and political pressures several political marriages between Noxus and Demacia took place. As the only daughter to the prestigious Crownguard family, Luxanna was one of the people selected for this 'honor'. Without any say in the matter, she was engaged, then married to the Hand of Noxus.
As far as husbands go, Darius isn't a bad one. For a man with a ruthless reputation, he is surprising gentle. He's never hurt her, belittled her, or acted out against her. At first, Darius was almost shy around her. To this day, exactly six months later, he treats her like spun glass. He's never voiced his opinion about being forced into marrying a Demacian. A part of Lux is afraid to find out the truth. She wants him to love her, and she is starting to fall in love with him.
In his own quiet way he courts her. While they were engaged he would bring her gifts of flowers, jewelry, and various other things. Now that he's learned more about her preferences, he surprises her with books. Often the two of them stay up late talking about various books they've both read. Lux hasn't traveled far from Demacia. The greatest distance she has traveled is on trips to Piltover. As a General, Darius has been on expeditions all over Runeterra. Sometimes he'll tell her stories about Ionia, Shurima, Kumungu jungle and the Freljord.
As Lux lays snug against his chest, Darius will bring the outside world to life before her eyes. His deep voice lulls her into a deep peace, as she pictures the places he describes to her. Oh, she knows he edits the stories he tells her. All of the times Darius has left Noxus is for military excursions. In all of those pretty places he was rather happily chopping people to bits with his axe. That is one part of him Lux hasn't fully accepted yet. Darius loves Noxus, he loves his job, and he loves battle. Could such a deadly man love her with the same passion? Does she want that same devotion? Could she survive if he does? The thought scares her slightly.
While growing up, Lux's image of a Prince in shining armor mirrored that of her friend, Jarvan the Fourth. Darius is nothing like Jarvan! Yet, Darius has proven himself to not be a bad husband. Just not the man she thought she would end up with. Hell, for a while her brother Garen told her she would end up marrying Jarvan. Life is full of surprises! What else does her future hold? Surely it can't get worse, only better right?
"End of Line! Zaun Central Station! All passengers must disembark now!" A voice announces through a hextech speaker. While lost in thought, her train had arrived in Zaun. Darius is already standing. One of his large hands reaches out to help her up. Lux gives him a smile as she accepts his help. Effortlessly he pulls her to her feet. Before he releases her hand, Darius kisses her palm. No one else is in the cabin, the two of them are alone. A hot blush races across her.
Despite the fact that two of them are married for several months, his sudden acts of affection still catch her off guard. The man is a beast in bed. Equal parts wild and gentle. A part of Lux prays that their bed will have good springs. That one bed in the room they shared on their honeymoon was loud. Even though they are married, the knowing looks people give them in the morning cause her to blush for hours. None of the beds in Demacia were so poorly made you could hear people's private time! Not so much the case in their home in Noxus, but she and Darius share a large well made bed. No embarrassing squeaking escapes their bed springs!
As the two of them leave the train station, Lux looks around her intently. Zaun is so different from all the other places she's been. In some ways it is similar to Noxus, but it has a lot more hextech. Darius leads the way. He's been here many times before, he knows the way to their hotel. Jericho Swain ordered Darius to do some sort of important business here. To her surprise, Darius invited her along. Lux rapidly agreed. This is her first time to Zaun, and the thought of exploring someplace Darius has described was irresistible. Darius's descriptions of the central station are spot on.
Neither of them holding hands, that is too soft a display for Darius. Lux respects this about him. Noxus is built on the strength of its people, and Darius is at the apex of Noxus strength. Just as she respects his might, he respects her intelligence. That is something she has grown to love about him. Darius knows she is smart, and treats with full respect of a powerful warrior. He has explained to her that strength isn't just physical, but also ties into smarts of an individual. More than once, he has consulted her knowledge of magical warfare. At first she worried about what he would do with her expertise, but his questions never lead to the harm of any Demacians. He respected their marriage, and the fragile peace it maintains.
As the crowds part for Darius's large frame, Lux follows close behind him. His pace is brisk, allowing for no time to dally. Certain that she will have time to explore more later, Lux follows close behind him. Still, her gazed sweeps all around her, taking in the exotic sites. Suddenly yells start to ripple through the crowded streets. A disturbance is happening ahead of them.
Darius flexes his arm, axe at the ready position, but he doesn't stop his steady progress forward. Lux peers around him at the growing problem. A young boy with dark skin, wild white hair, and an odd weapon is fighting off against a goon. Some sort of hextech enhanced worker is attempting to get the boy to leave the area. Senses of Deja Vu overcome her, as Lux watches the battle unfold. He isn't magic exactly, but a device he is controlling is influencing the world around him.
To the best of her knowledge it seems that the boy is rewinding time. Every time Lux feels a shiver cross her skin it seems that the boy has done sometime with time. Slightly defocusing her grip on the view of reality, Lux studies the view of the magic instead. It takes effort, but Lux is able to study the fight unfolding. Somehow everyone in a certain radius is trapped in a time loop, as the boy attempts to reach his preferred ending. No matter how far forward she and Darius travel, they return backwards when the lad resets time. They're pretty much stuck until the boy reaches what he wants. It isn't magic as she knows it, or she would steal the spell in a heartbeat.
Oh, whatever hextech that boy is controlling influences, and controls magic, but not like she understands. Curiosity overcomes Lux. She wants to study the hextech device with a burning desire to learn more. The uses it could provide! However, as long as she is trapped as an outsider to it, she can't directly do anything. Completely dropping her focus on reality, Lux reaches out to the magic flowing around her. The boys influence on the magical reality tingles against her skin. Lux presses harder against the cage holding her. What was once a faint tingling sensation starts to burn.
Sweat drips down her skin. Blue eyes narrow with concentration. Lux will break free of this time loop! Lightning starts to spark up and down her fingertips. Pain intensifies as she pushes harder against her bonds. Suddenly she bursts through the barrier. Her world shifts from what it was before to a more, concise sphere. All around her people become more shadow like, and they gain echos of themselves. Lux realizes that she is now inside of the time loop.
"Hi! Can I help?" Lux inquires to the boy who is studying the goon in front of him.
"Ahh!" He yelps in surprise at the sudden interruption.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to startle you...but what you're doing is so interesting! How are you..." Lux asks as she approaches the boy, who is frozen still in surprise.
"How are you doing this?! You shouldn't be able to do this! Are you crazy?!" He screams in rage.
Completely ignoring his unhappiness Lux walks closer. As she does this, her shadow self follows slowly behind her. In this state, only the two of them seem able to move. The rest of the world is frozen. One of her hands reaches for the hour glass shaped device by his side.
"I don't have time for your idiocy!" He yells and twists a knob on his hand.
Suddenly the world seems to drop, shift, and warp. All around her time resumes for the rest of the world. The goon is glaring at the boy, and now her as well. Both of them are staring at each other. Lux is upset at the boys reluctance to let her learn more about what he is doing. Opposite her, the boy is annoyed at the fact that someone figured out his hextech. In front of the two of is a frustrated goon that things are suddenly not the same. Off to the side, several feet behind the three of them is a horrified Darius.
"Leave the area bitch!" The goon snarls at Lux one meaty arm swinging in an arch to make her move.
As Lux jumps to the side to dodge being smacked she bumps into the boy. Not expecting this turn of events he crashes into Lux as well. Frantically trying to regain control he goes to reactivate the device. Lux reaches out to grab hold of his hand, attempting to interrupt him from trapping her back in that time cage. A bright light sudden bursts forth as the device is knocked off the boy and shatters on the ground.
Startled by the sudden explosion, Lux barely has enough time to throw up a magical shield. However, her magical defenses aren't designed to counter this type of damage. Green light pierces through her barrier and rips into her skin. Pain spikes through her, spreading across her entire body. An agonized scream escapes her lungs. Her entire world turns white, then blackness swallows her.
For a brief second the entire crowd is silent. People start yelling in pain as Darius throws people out of his way. In the center of the blast zone is a pile of clothing, armor, and a very shocked looking young Lux. The goon is unconscious blood seeping from various wounds. Managing to get cover is the boy who is starring in utter dismay at the mess in front of him.
"LUX!" Darius screams as he tries to reach his wife's side.
Startled by the yelling, the younger Lux starts to cry. Tears flow down her cheeks. A small sob starts to leave her mouth. Darius freezes uncertain what to do. People start to point, and muttering ripples through the recovering crowd.
"I can fix this!" The boy yells out, attempting to regain control.
"I'm going to kill you for what you did to her!" Darius snarls, glad to have a target for his rage.
"Oh shit…!" he twists another knob on his hand before Darius can slice the him into pieces.
Another green light flashes brightly, stunning everyone. Once the light fades the boy and Lux are gone. All that is left is what remains of her clothing, some broken glass, and the bleeding goon.