Author's note: I know it's been forever since Vengeance finished, and I'm sorry for the delay, but I simply haven't had enough... motivation until now. With that said, I will try to update every few days, but because school is in session and crap like that I can't guarantee it. Anyway, here's the sequel, and I hope you all enjoy! :)


5 years after the defeat of Noxus and the Crimson Elite

Jayce and Vi had stowed away on a ship to Ionia, hoping that the peaceful island would serve as a retreat from the bounties placed agonizingly over their heads by Caitlyn. Word of their escape happened the day after the sheriff had set them free, and while swallowing her aching heart, Caitlyn proclaimed that the two former Piltovians would have to be caught using any means, offering a large sum of money to anyone who could capture them alive. In the meantime, Jayce and Vi had disguised themselves: after a long, tedious argument, Vi had grudgingly dyed her hair a dirty blonde, letting it grow out, and Jayce dressed in traditional Ionian garb and wore hazel colored contacts.

However, their appearances weren't the only issue. Vi was much too noticeable with her huge hextech gauntlets; same with Jayce's hammer. To resolve that, they had reluctantly stored away their weapons within the device that Caitlyn had given them when they'd first left Piltover: a capsule that would shrink any inanimate object and store it within.

At the moment, the two were visiting a local night market in hopes of finding out rumors, replenishing their supplies, and of course, to keep themselves updated on the state of Valoran. Vi scowled as they pushed themselves through the throng of farmers and villagers, the pair beaten on every side by vendors shouting advertisements for their wares, the odor of sickly sweet fruits and fresh meat mixed together, and the gentle shoves and nudges of other market-goers trying to get by.

"This is way too much trouble to go through every week," Vi grumbled, glaring at a man who had just shoved roughly past her. "Are you sure there's nowhere else we can go?"

"We've already been here for five years, and you ask me that every day," Jayce smiled. "Stop your groaning; we'll get dinner soon, all right?" He'd learned quickly that Vi's temper had a direct relationship with her hunger levels.

"It'd better be something good," she scowled in reply, her gaze drawn longingly to the street food held in others' hands.

The two visited each of the stalls in turn, buying dyes, clothes, food, and other items. By now, they had become regulars known in the village they were staying in, and although it took a while for the villagers to become accustomed to the Piltovian disposition of the two, they were finally accepted. The village was somewhere close to the Hirana Monastery - a beautiful place surrounded by forest and streams. There was even a path that led to the Monastery; a few hours' journey on foot according to the villagers.

In any case, it was a small place to live in, and not too well known, which fitted Vi's and Jayce's needs perfectly. The Piltovians finally retired to a small restaurant that had popped up only recently, called "Z's Cafe", where they ordered their dinner and chatted idly. When their food arrived, however, the waitress accidentally slipped and the two could only watch, dismayed, as their meal clattered to the floor. The door to the kitchen banged open, and the chef ran out, yelling, "You okay?" He seemed oddly familiar to Jayce... his height, stature, and even voice were reminiscent of... it couldn't be.

"Z-Zed?" Jayce stuttered. The chef stiffened and glanced up at Jayce, and then helped the shaken waitress off the floor, leading her to the bathroom.

"I apologize for the mess," the chef said coolly. "I will have your meal brought out shortly, with full compensation."

With that, he hurriedly left to grab some mops, looking quite nervous indeed.

"What's that all about?" Vi asked Jayce, looking curiously at the frowning inventor.

"Where I'm from, Zed destroyed the Kinkou Order and pretty much set out to gather an army and do who knows what," Jayce explained in a low voice. "And here, he's just a chef?"

"Zed was a League champion, too," Vi replied. "He was actually the head of Kinkou... and even stopped the Crimson Elite from destroying his temple when Noxus occupied that part of Ionia."

Jayce blinked at the new information. Though he thought it constantly, the new timeline he'd stepped into was truly strange. "Why is he a chef, then?" Jayce hissed.

"I suspect that after the fall of the League, he hid himself to prevent Noxus from destroying him and the order," Vi suggested with a shrug. "But that can wait," she added as Zed appeared once more, bearing fresh dishes as promised.

He set them down in front of the ravenous pair, a small, tight smile on his face. As he prepared to go, however, he leaned down and whispered in Jayce's ear, "I'd be careful if I were you." Zed straightened up and walked away as if nothing had happened, but the venom in his words made Jayce shiver.

"What was that?" Vi asked, gulping down her soup. "I've never seen you so pale."

"Whom was I commanding?" Jayce asked suddenly, his appetite completely drained.

"What?" Vi blinked, slowly setting her spoon down.

"When I was Commander, whom was I commanding?" he said insistently.

"You were the leader of the Crimson - oh," Vi's face paled as well.

"But during our battle, they didn't say anything-" Jayce started.

"Of course they didn't!" she interrupted impatiently. "Once you were considered an enemy of Noxus, did you think they'd consider you someone even worth acknowledging? And now you've revealed yourself to Zed... ugh, this day just gets worse and worse."

Vi scowled down at her half-finished bowl of soup as Jayce stared hesitantly down at his own plate of rice, pork, and vegetables. "Do you think it's poisoned?" he whispered.

"Knowing Zed, it could be," Vi muttered. She finally picked up her spoon and started finishing her soup, a black look on her face the entire time.

"Well then, why are you still eating?" Jayce probed, leaning back and crossing his hands over his chest.

"I had no affiliation with Noxus at the time that they invaded Ionia," Vi shrugged. "I may as well eat and not waste any of our money."

The inventor sighed and glanced down at his own meal. By now, it was cold, but Jayce knew he still had to eat something. As he took the first bite, neither he nor Vi noticed that the patrons had slowly slipped out one at a time, leaving the place empty.

"Jayce," Vi said suddenly. "I've been wanting to tell you something. It involves-" In the middle of her thought, she groaned and put her hand on her forehead as sweat started to drip down her face. "Shit," she was able to utter before she tumbled to the floor.

Jayce quickly stopped eating and spit out the rest of the meat onto his plate, and hurriedly rushed over to where Vi had fallen. "Hey," he called anxiously, bending down and shaking Vi's limp, body. "C'mon, get up. If I have to carry you you'll never live it down..."

"She won't wake up for a while," Zed's voice came from in front of them. Jayce gritted his teeth and looked up to see the former ninja watching them with cold, yellow eyes.

"What did you put in there?" he demanded.

"Don't worry, it's not poison," Zed assured him. "And it doesn't matter anyway... you'll be in the same state soon."

Indeed, Jayce could feel a fog slowly creeping up inside his brain, and as the world around him wavered, he slurred, "Why are you..." before he, too, collapsed, and Zed gave a small smile of satisfaction.