Prologue: The Vastayan


Fear is described as an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something was is dangerous, likely to cause pain or a threat. Knowing this, it was safe to assume that most forms of sentient life could experience fear. Humans, Yordles, Vastaya, animals, etc. If it could think, it could feel, and if it could feel, it could fear.

The invention of machines only reinforced this idea. The cold, soulless husks felt nothing and therefore feared nothing. Some envied this aspect. The inability to feel fear. And so sought out ways to imitate machines. To become soulless, to not feel fear. They toyed with the idea, manipulating their minds and bodies until they achieved this goal.

Many perished, having sacrificed their own lives just for the sake of achieving this spectacle. Many went mad, having not found success despite years and years of commitment.

Few discovered a new advancement... The fusion of flesh and metal. This discovery would evolve the living as they knew it beyond their wildest imaginations. To become half-man and half-machine, one would be able to accomplish what both sides of the spectrum could. The mere idea titillated most and it wasn't long before the technological nation of Piltover seized the idea.

Hextech, they called it. This single resource was responsible for the massive advancement of both technology and humans alike in Piltover. But wherever Piltover lie, Zaun was not far behind. The district which resided just below the City of Progress, thriving underneath the city's shadow like some vermin.

But Zaun was far from vermin; evolving in their own ways equal to that of Piltover. The denizens, however, would disagree wholeheartedly. While the sun always illuminated Piltover every day, it's light barely reached the slums. The air, extremely polluted as many volatile and dangerous technologies were developed. There were several cases of "Lung Blight" were reported throughout the lower levels of Zaun.

And yet, it's denizens thrived, holding resentment for those above...

Zaun was a place of fear. You would nary witness a Piltovian wander any lower than the Boundary Markets, a place where the borders of Piltover and Zaun met. The Sheriff of Piltover has been known to patrol the area frequently in search of criminals. But you wouldn't catch her in the lower levels of Zaun, where the indigent lie. Where roaming packs of Vigilnauts often preyed on the weak and unfortunate. A dog-eat-dog world essentially.

"You know..." It was often during these harsh times that a hero would rise up amongst the rubble. Someone that the common rabble can depend upon when threatened. A hero that shows no fear in the face of peril.

But this wasn't that type of story... and he was far from a hero...

"I'm getting real fuckin' tired of you guys." He growled under his breath as the two Vigilnauts slowly cornered him. Though he was clearly at a disadvantage, he showed no fear. Rather, his rage grew more prominent with every passing second, as if at any moment the room could blow up from his anger alone.

"Vastayan rat..." The bigger Vigilnaut hissed. You could see the breaths that he took travel all around his body via the tubes on his back. "I wonder how many Golden Hexes we can shake out your augments..."

The Vastayan laughed, though it seemed forced. "Funny, I was just thinking the same thing."

The bigger Vigilnaut grunted, swinging his left arm with all his might down on the Vastayan, intending to crush him with overwhelming force. Imagine his surprise, when he found that the Vastayan had not only blocked the blow but caught it with his bare hand. The whirring of the Vastayan's arms filled the air as Vigilnaut's own arm began to tremble under the Vastayan's superior grip.

The Vigilnaut howled in pain as his entire hand was crushed under the Vastayan's. The second Vigilnaut hesitated as he watched his partner crumple under what was supposed to be a scrawny Shimon Vastayan thief. Instead, they encountered an augmented one, whose strength seemed to be double - maybe even triple - that of the biggest of Vigilnauts.

"You know what they say..." The Vastayan grunted, his left hand wrapped around the throat of the subdued Vigilnaut. The second Vigilnaut sprung to life and charged his enemy in the attempt to save his partner. But he did not anticipate the Vastayan to be as quick as he was strong. Such speed could barely be captured by the human as the second Vigilnaut coughed; red fluid splattered across the floor as did behind him. The hole in his chest oozing more blood while the Vastayan held tightly onto his removed lung.

The bigger Vigilnaut watched in horror as his partner collapsed to the ground with a sickening choke.

"The bigger they are..." Paralyzed with fear, the Vigilnaut's breathing went short as the Vastayan walked towards him. His former partner's lung remained in his grip. "The harder they fall..."


"Nice." The lower levels of Zaun were barely illuminated during the day. So when night descended upon the City of Iron and Glass, its denizens usually locked themselves in for fear of what lies in the dark. Therefore, it was often at night when the illicit activities were conducted as to avoid detection.

Let's take the disposing of corpses for an example.

"'I wonder how many Golden Hexes we can shake out of your augments.' Yeah, good job, asshole. You did it." He grunted, heaving the large corpse over the ledge. He didn't even flinch as the body smacked into the swathes of toxin below, destined to dissolve into nothingness. Whether this was a common practice amongst the slums of Zaun or not was a mystery as the locals tend not to inspect too closely upon another's business.

Zaun was a place of fear after all.

And the Vastayan knew that all too well...

"What the fuck did you guys eat and where can I find some...?" The final body of the former Vigilnauts was hauled over the ledge; his body creating a deafening smack! as it struck the bog below. The Vastayan wasted no time, immediately turning tail and making his way back to his hideout. He did not bother glancing around to see if anyone had witnessed him.

"Searching database." And it wasn't as if he wouldn't have seen them anyway... He could catch anything with those eyes of his. Of course, the way the illuminated in the dark was a dead giveaway, but a few upgrades here and there would take care of that. "Two matches found."

"Nice." He said to himself while interacting with the virtual UI in front of his eyes. "Guess I have something else to do." Using just his fingers, the Vastayan altered the HUD to his liking; swiping and pointing at the images in the air in order to obtain info. All while "strolling" through the slums of Zaun.

"Aya, when's the rent again?"

"Your rent will be expected the 17th."

"Thanks, Ay-"

"Sheesh! And you call me crazy?" It was perfect, the way the Vastayan swiveled on his dominant leg and whipped out his firearm in one fluid motion. Though he holstered it just as quickly upon realizing who had spoken.

"You got a deathwish sneaking up on me like that." He sighed.

"'You got a deathwish sneakin' up on me - blah blah blah." Her voice echoed, making him wince. He honestly loathed when she did that. "Deathwish this, deathwish that. Learn to have some fun, will ya?"

The Vastayan's eyes scanned the woman that stood before him. He noticed her very out of place attire in which she had bullet belts wrapped around her waist and chest. Her vivid, bright blue hair also stood out. The twin, french braids that reached her ankles definitely made her stick out like a sore thumb.

"There's a difference between having fun and being stupid."

"'There's a difference between having fuuun and being stupid~!" She mocked again.

"Alright." The Vastayan shrugged - what did it matter to him anyway? "Nice talking to you."

"Aw, c'mon! Don't be such a moody monkey! Y'know I'm just messing with ya!"

"Not a good time honestly."

"Oh yeah!" It was obvious that she had no tact whatsoever, choosing to skip towards him without a single care in the world. "I was watching the whole time."

"That's fuckin' creepy..." Though his voice was sincere, he never took his eyes off the road ahead. Even when her giggle gradually grew eerie with every step they took.

"Why thank you...! I was definitely going for the creepy tone." Clearly, she wasn't offended by his statement. "I figured it would compliment my charming personality!"

"Good one." They rounded the corner, his apartment in plain view. The Vastayan paused as he scanned his surroundings... everything was quiet. He didn't know if that was a good sign or not. On one hand, he had disposed the bodies swiftly and, for the most part, silently. On the other hand, slaying the two Vigilauts didn't go exactly how he wanted. He was sure the neighbors had heard the whole thing go down too...

But his neighbors weren't exactly clean either... no one in Zaun was, really.

"Hey, moody monkey! We're here!" Especially her...

"You're gonna get me killed one day..." He said with another grunt. "In case you didn't realize, I'm kinda trying to lay low..."

"Relaaax~! No one's gonna hurt ya while I'm around." She grinned. "They're all scaredy cats!"

"Right." With one final double-take, they both entered the apartment. "With how loud you are all the time, I'm sure they're just waiting in the shadows... biding their time." In response to that, she stuck her tongue at him. Though it was hard to make it out in the dimly lit hallway.

"I'm not gonna walk into a bloodbath, am I?"

"I wish you wouldn't be walking in at all..." He mumbled under his breath.

"Aw. You don't like me anymore, moody monkey?"

The Vastayan merely glared at her provocation. "I don't like who you bring around here. I don't like the idea of Zac oozing out my drain pipes, or Blitzcrank breaking down my door."

"Hey now! They've been off my back ever since that werewolf showed up!" This caused the Vastayan to pause as he was opening his door. "Besides, I've been - ugh - good."

"Really now?" He flicked on the lights, revealing the mess that he still had to clean up.

"But it looks like you haven't." She said, furrowing her brow at the stains of blood on the floor. "Did you have fun, naughty-"

"Aya, vents." On cue, the low hum of air flowing through his ceiling filled the room. They both removed their masks in unison as the fresh air began to flow through his apartment.

"Touchy subject I see."

"Just... hand me that mop."

"You're like... half robot and you need a mop?" She hadn't realized her words had more weight to it than she thought.

"Jinx." It was her name that ceased her high-spirited behavior. "Please..." But it was his pleading that made her listen.

"Fine. Sheesh. You're no fun anymore."

Anymore? The very word haunted him... Jinx hadn't seen it, but he had flinched at her words.

"Thanks..." It was more of a croak than anything, the way that word flew from his mouth.

"Got any snacks? I'm starving!" She gazed at his fridge with hungry eyes, having obviously missed the shift in his mood.


Time. He had all the time in the world. To think. To plan. To reminisce... It was all he would do when he could. It kept him... calm. Calm when he should've gone insane. Thinking. It reminded him that he was still there. Still whole. It wore him thin on his best days... The constant whirring. The clicking of his insides. The voice... It all reminded him of before. Before when he didn't have all of this. The whirring. The clicking. The voice. Back when he was all flesh.

"No problems found."

"Scan again."

Jinx's light snores. He could barely make them out in his room but he appreciated them. It was another sound, something to distract him from himself. And though he wouldn't say, he found it pleasing to be away from his own mind.

"No problems found."

"Scan again."

Was he lonely? No. He often sought out solitude rather than the hustle and bustle of Zaun's crowded streets. He actually made it a point to avoid large crowds if possible. So what of the woman in his room? Why did he allow her company above all else? A debt repaid perhaps?

"No problems found."

A longtime friend? Or maybe something more?

"Wha- Ah... Shaddap, Fishbones..." She mumbled in his room. The Vastayan glanced at her through the doorway, letting his eyes sink upon her elfin body sprawled across his mattress. Exhaustion had begun to set in and he desired nothing more than to be in her spot, though he felt it would be inappropriate to wake her. Laying next to her was out of the question as well.

Perhaps he would just stay on the worn-out couch and think. For he had all the time in the world to think...


"Ah..." Yawning, Jinx smacked her lips as she stretched the sleepiness out of her body. The early morning sun hadn't even risen yet as the room remained pitch black. She knew, however that it must be morning or at least somewhat close to it.

What was her dream about? She tried her best to recall, though to no avail as another thought intruded upon her.

It was too quiet.

"Oh, moody monkey, where are you~?" Sliding off the bed, she nearly squealed as her bare feet kissed the ice cold floor. Her impetuous nature being evident as she managed to drag the Vastayan's cover off the bed as she silently crept into the living room. There, barely illuminated on the couch, lay the Vastayan. Her lips curled into a grin when her eyes laid upon his glowing augments, it's bluish hue clashing with the faded crimson of the furniture.

"Psst. I'm gonna raid your fridge again... Say something if you don't want me to.." She said with a whisper, which only made caused his tail to stir. "Works for me..." With as much grace as one would expect from her slender self, she skipped towards his refrigerator, eager to empty it's contents without a single care in the world.

Well... perhaps there was one care...

But that was for her mind and her her mind only. "Hmmhmmhmm~" Humming a rather soft tune as she gripped the handle of the fridge, Jinx pulled.

His reaction was instant, and wouldn't have startled her if whirring of his arms hadn't gave him away. Her wild, pink eyes staring down his own golden orbs. This was where most would begin to fear him. The mere sight of his luminescent eyes glowing in the darkness, like a predator, would be enough to cast doubts upon most of the opposition.

But she did not fear him, not even in the slightest.

"You're leaving...?" His voice was low. Low enough that one might consider it a growl.

"Nah." And yet her grin returned. "Just eating all your food again."

"Oh." Whether he was satisfied with her answer or not she didn't know, his gaze had shifted back toward the living room window. It occured to her that he had been in that spot since she had dozed off in his room.

"You know... You don't have to sleep on the couch just because I'm on your bed." Her words were blunt, as her nature was. That single sentence alone would be interpreted as an invitation of something intimate. It was questionable if she honestly understood what she had just said. A woman of impulse rather than logic, Jinx tended to say whatever really came to her mind. "I'm not contagious or anything."

Her statement was met with absolute silence. Perhaps it hadn't registered with him. Or maybe... he detested such feelings...

"Uh- oh...!" To her surprise, he stood up, seemingly stretching his limbs or lack thereof and skulking into his room. Her posture remained frozen while she listened for familiar creak of the springs under his weight. And once more, she found her lips curling into a smile. This one deviated from her usual manic grinning, however, as Jinx gently reached for the small bowl of leftovers in his fridge before joining the Vastayan.


End of Prologue