Chapter VII

Quinn's heart was racing with adrenaline. The uneven ride of the tank did nothing other than to upset her stomach as she tried to focus.

"400 meters," Vayne said over the radio, "Almost there."

There were a couple of replies before the line went silent. Quinn couldn't hear anything other than the sound of the tank against the tarmac.

As they approached Demacian territory, they saw the guards squint and move apart to let the tanks through, wary of the Avarossan seal. One of them had already radioed Jarvan about their arrival, which made both Quinn and Vayne uneasy. Quinn tried to keep calm, reminding herself that Sejuani had thought the plan out and that she trusted her intelligence. Though should she?

The Demacian buildings now towered over them and a couple of guards were approaching them but the tanks just kept advancing. They took no notice of their confused looks, as they didn't dare to interrupt, not having heard any response from Jarvan yet, who was undoubtedly trying to contact Ashe somehow.

"Positions," Vayne said into the radio.

Quinn and Vayne kept advancing to what Sejuani had called "the basement", while everyone else approached their respective targets. The Demacian guards radioed Jarvan more urgently, but with a swift cackle over the radio from Vayne, the tanks fired.

In an instant, Quinn jumped out and ran into the basement, having not yet fired her own tank. Vayne was left there, confused and unaware of her plans.

She rushed in and was indeed surrounded by what seemed to be a central network as Sejuani had described to her, full of wires and machinery. She shot the guard on sight, now better at withstanding the sight of blood. She dashed forward and rummaged around the room, pulling hard disks out from wherever she found them, all the time guided by Udyr in her earpiece, telling her what she was looking for.

"Quinn, there's someone behind you," his voice popped into her ear, "Hide!" He yelled, having picked up movement on the radars.

Quinn panicked, hearing the door behind her open. Hard disks in hand, her mind went blank as she found the staircase leading downwards and almost flew down the stairs. The voices of the Demacian guards above her were frantic.

"Quinn!" Vayne's voice shouted over the radio, "Quinn get out! I need to blow this damn thing!"

Quinn had no power to respond, her eyes wide at the room she found herself in. Her breath hitched and she felt her knees weaken.

In the semi-lit room, she could make out the shackled bodies. She gagged at the putrid smell and brought her hand up to cover her gaping mouth. Her earpiece rang with voices but she was deaf to everything around her. She lifted her foot in some attempt to walk away and mode note of the stickiness of the floor, but the fear of the Demacian guards outside stopped her from coming back up.

As her stomach calmed, her senses came back to her. The figures around her were groaning, barely breathing. Their limbs weak and stretched beyond recognition as they kneeled with their wrists pulled tight above their heads. The trickling of dried rotting blood was visible on their paper thing bodies as stomach acid escaped their mouths and stained their chins.

Quinn could do nothing other than stare at them, overwhelmed with her discovery. She made the mistake of meeting one of their gazes, and they looked at her longingly, as though she could save them from their torture. She didn't know what to do, and her first instinct was to run but knew she had nowhere to go. She inched forward, thinking about the possibility of unshackling them, but the smell of bodily fluids and decomposing flesh hit her harder than before and she stopped to gag.

She jumped at the sound of gunshots outside, and her mind jumped back to Vayne and the others in the midst of chaos. She was about to radio them when a figure appeared around the stairwell and grabbed her shoulder.

Her first reaction was to jerk away, gun in hand but froze when she met eyes with the figure.

Sejuani too took one quick glance around the room and winced, but quickly pulled Quinn outside. Quinn noticed the bodies at the entrance and Sejuani's smoking shotgun. She couldn't thank her, couldn't speak at all as she stumbled at Sejuani's side.

There were more dead guards outside, and the rest of the team was safe and already outside their tanks, standing amongst the rubble of the collapsed buildings.

Sejuani gave a thumbs up to Vayne and she, in turn, fired her tank, destroying what had once been "the basement".

"No!" Quinn yelled, "They're still in there!" Tears streamed down her face. Some part of her knew that the creatures chained there were long gone and that there was no hope left for whatever humanity was left in them. But she saw them, saw their rotting flesh, and now she knew they were gone.

Without intentionally meaning to, she leaned further into Sejuani's hold of her shoulders, until she buried her face in the crook of her neck, overwhelmed by a sudden burst of emotion. She sobbed silently for a few brief moments, and Sejuani didn't stop her, somehow understanding her.

"You lying bastard."

Quinn lifted her head and turned to see Leona aim her gun at them, Diana backing her up behind. She looked around and noticed Vayne coming out of her tank, her expression not any friendlier. Jhin and Ekko walked up, brandishing their own guns, while Fiora and Shyvana watched from the sidelines, absolutely dumbstruck.

Sejuani let go of Quinn and was about to ready her shotgun when Leona gestured towards it.

"Put it down, or we all shoot."

Sejuani glared at her, not liking being humiliated like this and hesitantly bent down to put her weapons on the ground. As she came back up she cocked her head to the side, considering her opposition.

There was nothing left around them but destruction. Demacia seemed to lie in ruins.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot-" Sejuani began.

"What the fuck is going on?" Vayne came up to Quinn, forcing her gaze onto her.

Quinn opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by Leona.

"She's a double agent. Can't you see? I warned you and you ignored me!"

"Is this who you work for?" Vayne asked Quinn.

Quinn shook her head, to which Leona scoffed.

"How do you talk to them then, huh? Did you think I wouldn't notice? Did you think I was stupid? What were you planning to do? Kill us as well?"

"Leona please-" Quinn began, but she didn't let her finish.

"There's nothing you have to say to us anymore. You're a good for nothing liar and you're better off dead."

She cocked her gun and aimed it at Quinn.

Before she could fire, Sejuani had stepped in front of her. "You didn't let me finish," she said.

"Don't worry, I was planning to shoot you too."

"You can decide on that once you've let me finish," Sejuani added, and Vayne raised her hand to Leona and she nodded. "Look around you. Demacia's gone. Look around you again. The Winter's Claw is nowhere to be seen - I came alone. You can relax, there are no threats left to you."

They lowered their guns and listened.

"I was indeed the one behind Quinn's plans for you. I was guiding her through an earpiece that I surgically inserted into her ear in the hope that I could use her to control you and that you would weaken the other gangs for me. I never expected things to turn out the way they did. I didn't know about the alliance between Demacia and the Avarossan and I realized only too late that the task I sent you on right now was too much. This is why I'm here. I came here thinking I could protect Quinn, thinking that the Demacians would get her - and they nearly did. But it turns out I had underestimated the threats posed to her." She looked around at everyone, their gazes still on her, listening intently. "I understand your hatred for me, but Quinn had no choice in the matter. If you let her and myself go today, I can give back what I took from her and set her free."

"And what's that?" Vayne asked.

"I have her bird. He's alive and well, but he's the reason why she agreed to this madness."

"You have Valor? You monster! How could you do that?!" Shyvana yelled.

Sejuani nodded. "I understand your anger too, but if you let us go, he and Quinn will be reunited."

"So you blackmailed Quinn into working for you and now you want to blackmail us too into letting you go?" Leona asked.

"I know it sounds that way, but how else is anyone ever going to get Valor back?"

"Bullshit like this is the reason I want everyone like you dead," said Vayne. "The only reason why I wouldn't let Leona shoot you is that I'd want to do it myself." She glanced around at the others as if to confer as to what they should do. "How do we know you'll keep your word?"

"You don't. The same way Quinn never knew whether her bir- Valor - would be kept dead or alive if she did as I said. I'm afraid you're going to have to trust me."

"Why would we?" Leona asked.

"Because no matter what you may think of me, I did come here and save your asses when things went sour when I could have just called you collateral damage."

There was a murmur among them. When more Demacian guards poured around the tanks, Sejuani had run in, gun in hand, and took them down. She gave them time to come out of their tanks and take up their own guns and personally went in to save Quinn when she was trapped. Things could have gone much worse for them if it weren't for her.

"But would we have been here without you?" Jhin asked. "You merely saved us from your own doing."

She shrugged. "I understand that too. But I also understand that I nevertheless risked my own life in doing so."

"Let them go," Vayne said suddenly.

"What? Are you serious?" Leona's eyes widened. "Vayne, what's gotten into you-"

"It's no use if we kill any of them. Just let them go."

"Vayne I-" Quinn began.

"There's really nothing left to say, Quinn."

"I'm sorry," was all she could muster to say to her, but she seemed to take no notice of it.

"I know this came as a shock to you all, but I assure you we've done more good than harm," Sejuani added before walking away. Quinn promptly followed, looking back at Fiora and Shyvana whose gazes were still full of confusion.

Quinn and Sejuani hadn't said a word to each other as they rounded the corner and headed down a narrow street. Here, they took Sejuani's car and planned to head back to her headquarters. Once behind the wheel, Sejuani looked across at Quinn in the passenger seat, searching for something to say. Quinn's gaze was fixed on her feet and Sejuani realized that there was nothing of use that she could say.


Once they were out of earshot, Ekko turned to the others.

"I know we're all shocked and mad, but maybe Sejuani had a point?"

Leona glared at him. "And what about her made you think that?"

"Well, she said we did more good than harm. In the long run, didn't we? We brought down a major gang."

No one said anything as they stared at their crumpled surroundings.

"Cait would have been proud of this," Ekko added.

"Cait's dead because of her!" Diana said.

Ekko nodded. "But at the end of the day, we chose to go forward with that plan, as well as this one. Maybe it was Quinn who was controlled by Sejauni but we weren't. We made the decision and we assumed the risk. At least that's how I'm gonna think about it." He started walking back towards their cars, eager to get back home.

In his mind, Cait was as proud of them as he was.

"We should really get going," Vayne said and they all followed Ekko.

"What's gonna happen to Quinn now?" Shyvana asked.

The truth was that no one knew. As much as they wanted to have a plan as to what they were going to do next, they didn't.

"I'm mad that no one listened to me," Leona added.

"None of us could have known," said Vayne.

"I did! And you ignored me!"

"You're right. I'm sorry." Vayne pondered for a few moments, but couldn't find a logical solution to where her thoughts led her.


They reached the headquarters and Sejuani led Quinn inside. She spoke with the woman the reception before taking Quinn into the elevator and bringing her to the top floor.

"I thought you'd give Valor back to me."

"I will. I promise. But first, just let me make something right."

Quinn was taken aback by what she heard. She was led into the conference room and stopped when she saw Sejuani open the steel door that she dreaded.

"It's not what you think. Please follow me."

Sejuani's gaze seemed almost pleading and Quinn followed her, trusting her more this time. She motioned towards the chair and Quinn hesitantly sat down.

"I have anesthetic this time. It won't hurt." She picked up a syringe and showed it to Quinn, making sure she knew what was going on. She carried on once Quinn nodded, administering it carefully.

She waited a few moments for it to take effect before touching her ear.

"You feel that?" she asked.

Quinn shook her head so Sejuani continued. She picked up her scalped and made a slow and thin incision along the inside of her ear. With a pair of tweezers, she pulled out the chip and placed it down on the table next to her before sewing the cut neatly back up. She dabbed her ear with some cotton dipped in alcohol to wipe away the blood and make sure the wound is clean.

She told Quinn to hold the cotton there until it stops bleeding.

She picked up the microchip and Quinn watched as she dropped it down the sink before washing her hands.

Quinn couldn't understand her sudden change of character and Sejuani must have noticed her confusion.

"It's the least I can do now," she said. "I realized only too late."

"That can't be it. You don't turn into a benefactress overnight."

Sejuani sighed. "I know what you saw."

"You knew they were doing that?"

"Not to that extent."

Quinn closed her eyes and shivered as the images flashed before her eyes again. Sejuani placed a hand on her shoulder and she calmed down slightly.

"I also know that I put your life in more danger than I should have. And that I split you from your friends." Sejuani cast her glance to the ground. Quinn realized that it was taking a lot for her to admit her mistakes and was surprised at what she was saying.

"You did save my life though. Thanks."

"I know you can't forgive me for putting you in this situation, and believe me when I say that I can't forgive myself either."

There was a short silence between them.

"It'll get better," Quinn said finally.

"You think?"

"What, you don't have another plan?"

Sejuani shook her head. "Things didn't go quite as I initially planned."

"You didn't expect to be nearly shot at I guess."

"No. I didn't expect to realize how wrong I was."

Quinn looked at her confused.

"What do you mean?"

"It all seemed so perfect. I could have used Vayne's group to weaken all the gangs and I could have taken over the city in no time. But I was so wrong."

"We did weaken them though, and we took Demacia dow-"

"I realize how wrong I was to hurt you like I did. You never deserved it. You never even had a place in any of this."

She started heading out but Quinn grabbed her arm before she could disappear.

"It's too late now. Give me back Valor and maybe we can still end the war."

Sejuani raised her eyebrows. "What?"

"I never had a place in any of this but I do now. Might as well make it count. I've always wanted to see this war end, but you won't like it."

"You want to get rid of all the mafia, don't you?"

"Isn't that what we all want, Sejuani?"

She shook her head. "I dedicated my life to taking this city."

"And I want to dedicate mine to making it whole again. You said you could never forgive yourself for what you did, so why not do something right for once?"

She genuinely seemed to consider her point for a brief moment, but she shook her head again.

"I can't lose everything I've gained thus far."

Quinn sighed, knowing she wouldn't get anywhere with this. Sejuani noticed her defeat and knew the conversation was over. She held her arm out and Quinn took it as she helped her off the chair, not that she needed it. She threw the piece of cotton in the bin.

"So I suppose this is the last time I see you," Quinn added as she followed Sejuani back into the conference room.

Sejuani said nothing for a moment but appeared to clench her jaw. Her gaze seemed thoughtful as she stared out the windows onto the streets below them. When she looked back at Quinn it was as though a piece of her strength was lost.

"I'm afraid so."

Quinn nodded, thinning her lips into a line.

"I'll go get Valor. Wait here a moment."

Sejuani disappeared through the door and Quinn listened intently as her footsteps diminished down the corridor.

She shifted her weight from foot to foot as she stared into space. A part of her was relieved that she would end all ties with the mafia and get Valor back. God was she relived to see Valor again. But simultaneously, was part of her somewhat disappointed to have come to the end of the ties with the Winter's Claw? Probably not. With Sejuani on the other hand? Perhaps. Maybe more so than she wanted to admit, as ridiculous as it seemed.

The door swung open and Quinn looked up immediately at a familiar caw.

"Valor!" She shouted and ran up to him, who stood perched on Sejuani's arm.

He hopped on her hand and nudged her cheek excitedly.

"Oh God, I'm so glad you're fine!" Quinn said as she ran her hand over his feathers.

Sejuani studied the two of them for a moment before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a badge of two crossed axes. She cleared her throat and Quinn was paying attention to her again.

"As you'll no longer work with us," she started, "you'll become just another citizen. The war's far from over and no one's safe from anyone but-" She handed her the badge, "Keep this with you. If you ever run into my soldiers, don't fear them. Show them the badge if they're troubling you and they'll know you're an ally. It's the least I can do to keep you safe I guess."

Quinn studied the shiny piece of metal for a moment before pocketing it and thanking her.

Soon, Sejuani showed Quinn out and drove her back into the city. With a goodbye, Quinn got out of her car and watched her drive away.