HEIMERDINGER
The knob spinned subtly and the door to Ekko's office opened up slowly, care being taken to not let it make a creaking sound, tipping the no doubt sleeping occupant off.
Heimerdinger had to let the hours pass by until it was the small hours and those whom could sleep would, including Scar, the labors to move the rubble from the tremors having been left to tomorrow. Only the guard by the fissure remained and he was too concerned with guarding the breach entrance from the enforcers to pay any attention to behind him. A couple of guards remained as well, but were too tired as well. Thus, making his way to Ekko's office was barely a challenge.
Lighting up a small flashlight, taking care to avoid calling attention, he entered the dark room checking the most pivotal spots - the bed and the desk. The bed apparently was occupied, with a silhouette covered in a blanket, the breathing motion indicating he was asleep. He then pointed the flashlight into the desk where Ekko worked, left vacant, and started walking softly.
The first step, though, let out a slight creaking sound which immediately made the Yordle pause and hold his breath, alarmed, looking at the bed. No movement. Heimerdinger continued on slowly, almost creeping, his heart racing like never before, the situation unfolding before him - once a Professor, and even Councillor, to sneak in like a *lowlife burglar*...
He eventually reached the stool and climbed up to above, supporting himself at the desk and avoiding to do as much noise as possible. As he accommodated himself, he carefully leaned in and turned on the switch that turned the lamp tables on, lighting up the whole desk section, and then he turned to check the bed.
Apparently Ekko was still down, deep in sleep. As he turned to the table, he saw what looked like to be what Camille described - an ironclad, disc-shaped device, whose ornaments made it clearly of Piltovan design, with a raw gemstone glowing at it's top. But he could also see the device was strapped to something, apparently a separate device with two coils close to the gem, connected to wires that left the device and headed to some sort of container unit. Possibly a power source, deposit or amplifier, for some reason.
The very fact this gemstone was different from the other Hextech Ekko brought before and the device being too exotic and even copied, by the blueprints lying around, and the fact Ekko kept a secret *even* from Heimerdinger himself, proved the Professor there was something going on here...
Something almost akin to what Jayce and Viktor were doing with...
'Ekko, lad, what have you-'
The thought was interrupted by a sudden flash as the entire room came to light, and Heimerdinger noticed a second later, the instinct of sudden horror and alarm taking him over.
He quickly turned around. And saw Ekko himself, by the door, with a serious face, every muscle tense.
The Yordle was frozen, holding his breath.
With a VERY good reason.
"Not my first overnight. Even more given Jinx's visit...", Ekko started, the tone making it clear he's trying to contain himself, from the torrential feelings of clear and present betrayal washing over.
At the same time, the silhouette in the bed moved up, to which Heimerdinger's eyes darted, a tall, gray-skinned figure that then stepped closed to Ekko. Scar.
Heimerdinger remained silent and said nothing.
"Nothin' to say, short guy?", Ekko asked, as his right hand opened up and a shape started descending from it. His bat, Clockhand. "Won't even defend?"
The Angry Boy then glanced at Scar, whom then left after Ekko stepped forward.
"The rescue didn't go exactly as planned.", Heimerdinger started, keeping his calm, but clearly nervous.
"And that's the price of it, to come back.", Ekko said, walking a bit close to a nearby table. "Figured the killer granny wouldn't drop the bone..."
"Miss Kiramman and Vi, they're-"
Ekko sudden, immediately and rapidly swinged Clockhand into the desk above, sweeping away what items Ekko left on top of it, and toppling the desk to the floor, making a definitely loud noise.
Heimerdinger quickly recoiled at the abject anger of the young Firelight leader, and he couldn't blame him.
"No excuses!", Ekko shouted. "I *knew* it was a bad idea...", he then looked at threatened Yordle. "You could've opened up!"
"When I got here?", Heimerdinger asked. "How you would've reacted?"
"I don't know!", Ekko said, pointing Clockhand at him. "Wouldn't be like right now, you trying to sneak up, like that! Janna's sake, Heimerdinger, did I *ever* let you down? Did I ever hold up on you!?"
"No. Or so I thought...", Heimerdinger answered, a second later, his eyes darting back to the device before he glanced back at Ekko. "Ferros would've never minded you taking Hextech, would she? In fact, such an escalation would be to her liking. But this device... it was the whole reason behind the attack, wasn't it?"
Ekko lowered the Clockhand and then approached the desk in a hurry, resting Clockhand. "I wanted to show you, when I got back...", he said, holding his breath, avoiding in looking Heimerdinger in the eyes. "But you had your reservations on that Hextech. So, yeah, I decided to wait until you... you could've seen it right..."
"Seen what right?", Heimerdinger asked.
Ekko turned to face Heimerdinger, grabbing the disc-shaped device and handing it over to the Yordle.
"Turn it on.", he said.
Heimerdinger stared at the device, and then at Ekko.
"It ain't no bomb, turn it on.", Ekko insisted.
Heimerdinger grabbed the device, with some reluctance and then analyzed it, staring at the Firelight leader, whom simply did a 'spin the dial' movement. The Professor then rested his gloved hands with care and then spinned the dial as Ekko instructed.
Immediately, energy enveloped him as suddenly everything went backwards.
The device suddely jumped out of his hands and back to Ekko and then back to the desk.
Ekko retreated from the table as the words were being said backwards.
The smashed table and it's belongings returned themselves whole and in an orderly manner.
Ekko stepped backwards to the door, just as Scar was returning where he left.
Heimerdinger's body moved in accordance to what was going on, or rather what went on, but the soul - the very essence of the soul, if he were the religious type - was going quite aware.
The device then stopped, as Heimerdinger returned in control of his body in a shockwave unlike any other, suddenly becoming aware, as he turned to the device.
Images flashed of powers of such magnitude, used before. Explored before.
Exploited before.
"Nothin' to say, shor...", Ekko started asking, as he then noticed Heimerdinger staring at the device, Ekko's eyes then turning to the device itself, as it's gemstone had it's light almost dimmed out. Obviously, the Boy could put two plus two together, as Heimerdinger glanced back at him, in disbelief, shock and almost as tangible a betrayal of trust the hourglass tattooed youngling felt too.
"Ekko?", Scar asked, taking both off their trance, reminding them of his presence.
"Give us a minute, Scar.", Ekko said, tense, glancing at his Vastayan lieutenant, whom then passed by Ekko as the young boy stepped forward.
As Scar left, Ekko immediately shut the door and glanced the Yordle in the eye.
"Chronomancy?", Heimerdinger asked first, the outrage tangible. "Chronomancy!?"
"Sword legs told ya, didn't she?", Ekko asked back. "It's how you came back."
"You just showed me! You...", Heimerdinger started, exasperated, before his eyes darted to the device and back at the boy. "No wonder she was so invested in us! Have you lost your mind, young man!?"
"I ran into that.", Ekko defended himself. "Pilties did beat me to it, I admit, even *I* didn't think that'd be possible. But they kept it to just that, I've just been improv-"
"It doesn't matter!", Heimerdinger cut him off. "You're *way* over your head this time, Ekko! You must forsake that!"
"Forsake that!?", Ekko asked, upset. "After I nearly died for it!? And what of *everyone else* whom for died for it!?"
"Ekko-", Heimerdinger started.
"It's bad enough I had to hand the Hextech over!", Ekko retorted, raising his voice.
"Hextech is one thing, lad, but this...", Heimerdinger gestured at the device. "This doesn't just tap into the elemental, it taps into the continuum, a force with a *much more* destructive potential!"
"Janna's sake, little guy, does it look like I wanna use it and, what, take over the world?", Ekko asked, feeling offended. "I'm trying to save my friends, here! It's what saved me and your boy Viktor, by the way!"
"It's *still* too much power, Ekko!", Heimerdinger exclaimed. "As noblest as your intention is, it's still too much power for you, it's too much power for anyone!"
Heimerdinger stopped at the mention of the last word, as an epiphany hit him, the realization finally coming to him.
"Too much power for anyone...", he looked to a particular spot above them. "Especially..."
The Yordle then turned to the desk, an idea getting into him, glancing into the device, the gemstone at the center now with a dim glow. He also did notice the blueprints as well. "You've made blueprints, already."
"Was gonna make a backup...", Ekko said, his grip on Clockhand getting tighter. It was clear he didn't want to, but the options were running dry.
Heimerdinger then opened the device, after checking it out, and plucked out the gemstone from it, holding it. He then glanced at Ekko, whom was breathing subtly faster, getting ready to strike, the moment the Professor tried something, anything. "I should destroy it.", he said, slowly. "You know I *would've, if I knew earlier..."
"Sure I do...", Ekko kept his tone in control, but already expecting any sudden moves.
Heimerdinger then put the gemstone, all alone with it's energy recovering, at the table. "I only need the original device.", he said, trying to keep his control and gaze from both the gemstone and Ekko himself. "You have all you need, here."
"What of the rock?", Ekko asked, a couple of seconds later. "You know she'll notice."
"That is *my* concern, lad.", Heimerdinger answered, as he then looked at Ekko in the eye. "Even though I... might've lost your... trust permanently, just swear one thing to me. This device, it's clearly limited isn't it?"
"So far.", Ekko answered, bluntly.
"You're better off keeping it that way.", Heimerdinger said. "Despite the curiosity, despite the potential, you *have* to resist crossing it's boundaries. Regardless of all the promises you make to yourself. Regardless of all the recent traumas. A once friend of mine in the Council said the Arcane was the undoing of almost all his race. And this was the sort of power which was being exploited, back then. Swear this to me, Ekko."
Ekko glanced deep into Heimerdinger's eyes, the connection between apprentice and tutor that, though it was forged but days ago, it felt like ages. Ekko's eyes darted for a second before staring the Yordle back, walking to the desk, picking up the Z-Drive and pulling the wiring to the portable generator apart. "Can't make a promise I might not deliver, short guy...", he said, handing the device over. "But I'll try."
Heimerdinger picked the device up.
"They're really alright?", Ekko asked, a second later. "Vi and Caitlyn?"
The Professor stared at the Firelight. "About that.", he said. "There was a price for it. And not this device, this covered your safety, and this place."
"You're going back.", Ekko realized, a couple of seconds later. "Up there."
"Where I *didn't want to, this time.", Heimerdinger nodded, dropping down from the stool, with the device in hand. "If anything, thank you for the time here. I can find my own way back up.", he nodded, started walking to the door.
"Short guy.", Ekko called, as Heimerdinger turned to see him pick up his coat, wearing it on. "If anything, for helping us out, defending this place. C'mon."
Heimerdinger nodded and then Ekko stepped forward, opening the door where both headed to pick up Heimerdinger's board, as he then climbed in, and the Yordle hopped in, taking flight and heading out of the fissures, the tree falling far and far behind him.
Heimerdinger could feel the gust of air he was started to getting used to, during the flight, before suddenly Ekko decided to drop down into a free-fall.
"EKKO!", the Yordle shouted before Ekko pulled up, acquiring a speed not like any other to fly in a low level across the shore of the southern isthmus and right across the Pilt River, finding a secluded spot in a district where they then landed. Heimerdinger, feeling his heart and breath race like he didn't before, landed a bit dizzy, staring at Ekko.
"Makes us even.", the Firelight said.
"Wish it didn't, lad...", Heimerdinger said, a couple of seconds later. "I'll miss that tree...", he then glanced at the towering buildings, adorned buildings of Piltover now before him, instead of the rocky walls and simple constructs of the Haven, prompting him to shake his head slowly, in regret. "Is it late to apologize?", he returned to Ekko.
"Don't know.", Ekko said, a couple of seconds. "Never say never, I guess. Still don't mean I'm ain't mad at you."
"I know you are.", Heimerdinger nodded.
Ekko offered his right hand. "See you around.", he said.
"I hope so.", Heimerdinger shook it, and stepped back as Ekko took the board and took flight, leaving the Yordle behind with his thoughts, as he then glanced at the empty chronomantic device on his hand. He then looked above, at Piltover itself, and what it represented right now.
As what *she, the one whom did all that, represented.
A burning resolve brewed within him.
"A disc-shaped device with a glowing rock, you wanted?", he whispered, looking back at the device. "A disc-shaped device with a glowing rock you'll have..."