DISCLAIMERS

This chapter is the second of Act V in the The Unofficial Acts series. It is optional, yet advised, you have read all chapters of TUA Act IV, as well as the previous one (A Sign of Weakness is All One Needs) before proceeding.

While being fanfiction, each chapter was formatted as if it were a 'scene' of a whole episode which is this work, as part of a hypothetical season which is the The Unofficial Acts (TUA) series.

This, once again emphasized here, is a HYPOTHETICAL SCENARIO and UNOFFICIAL, established far before the release of the teaser trailer in June 2024, so it shouldn't be taken with severe scrutiny.

Care was taken to approach this work as close to the canon element as possible, but there are no guarantees of non-discrepancy, especially in regards to added elements that are introduced here.

Some other elements from the original LoL universe (especially but not limited to origin stories) have been altered in as much a sense as they were originally in the series.

The elements depicted here contain multiple SPOILERS from Arcane: League of Legends Season 01. This is a warning to those whom have not completely watched the entire series, prior to start reading this fanfiction.

Elements of graphical violence, angst, psychosis and paranoia might be included across not only this chapter, but also the series. You were warned.

Based on Arcane: League of Legends by Netflix and Fortiche Studios. League of Legends universe and characters by Riot Games.

FROM THE RUBBLE

How is it that, despite the whims, wishes and quarrels of individuals, civilizations do still flourish?

It took a while before some of the thick dusk faded away and the shakes and the crumbling sound ceased, leaving nothing but some distant wailing and the usual urban sounds in the midst of the night. The children outside, whom took cover from the earthquake gathered at the apparent mound of rubbles of where the former orphanage was, seeing in dread and sorrow the rubble, feeling broken by the weight of the world that collapsed on them.

If sentient beings, people, by definition, are indeed ambitious, overreaching, self-centered and egocentric, able to fight one another on a tribal level, how is it that they still accomplish something as one?

One from the group moved ahead, towards the rubble mound and started climbing it. The short-haired, freckled girl.

"What you're doing, Maizy?", one of the kids asked.

"Tory is still in there.", she answered. "That Viktor man is there too."

She started to grab off whatever rocks she could and putting or tossing them away, on her own, as the others just looked. She didn't even bother if someone would call her, all that mattered was that she had to keep on going.

Because even animals, depending on their nature, do get along, hence going in packs and flocks.

All the other orphans soon after started moving in, joining her, helping her move away the rubble. Some grouped up to try and move up the larger, heavier ones out of the way, though the even larger ones couldn't be moved, with all the strength the younglings could muster. Hands and ragged clothes got dirtied as the rubble was pulled.

Loyalty can be coerced or bought, obedience can be imposed, unity can be enforced. But neither answer how people can get together, and accomplish something, despite their differences.

"Tory!", Maizy shouted. "Tory!"

"Tory!", another orphan shouted. "Tory, we're here!"

"Mister Viktor!", Maizy shouted again, as the moving of the rubble in it's various sizes and forms, from wall chunks to some wooden and iron beams. "Mister!"

The real answer to that question... is trust. The drive, the need, to rely and count on the other.

One of the large wall pieces started then moving by itself, rocking out slowly, until a large push called everyone's attention. Immediately everyone started moving in, swarming to help pull it out.

That the other would keep his word, pull his weight, and harm no one. That he'd set aside his personal aims for the sake of others, for something greater. That he'd not turn his back or let anyone down.

Despite the combined strength, the wall moved very little however, until a thump rocked it and cracked it, and then some purple-ish, almost azure shine came out from it. The orphans helped pick the wall's fragments as something pushed the crack forward, like a blister growing and about to pop. And then it did, backing the orphans away.

From the large hole, emerged a metal object, which uncurled itself to reveal an iron, mechanical hand, which now shone high and mighty in the night sky. The children re-approached, seeing the iron hand below and a sillhouette, on which they grabbed and helped pull up, the young person coming out of the whole, the hair messy and slightly dirtied up, whom the orphans embraced and hugged, the older one himself taking a breath of relief.

But trust requires surrender. It requires faith. It requires understanding. As it requires being forthright. Being honest.

Tory then turned around, extending his mechanical hand towards the hole, as he then helped someone else get out. His mechanical hand pulled out another one, which formed into a masked man with three arms, the third one, like a claw, almost defective, no doubt from the orphanage's collapse.

I thought I had that. Before everything turned around. But I still must believe that, in spite of all the lies, the hidden things, the second intentions... there must still be some trust left.

As he found his footing at the rubble, along with his staff holding the Hex Core, Viktor glanced at Tory with another eyes and nodded behind his mask, as he then glanced at the children, whom were dirtied and exhausted, but also relieved and some allowed themselves some smirks around, as if a light shone over them, even if there was no sun to lighten the place.

Even if the world was crumbled around them, it wasn't over. It only begun anew, instead.

Else, if there's no trust, at all... how come we're not at each other's throats, yet?

ACT V

IT'S NOT THAT BLACK AND WHITE

JAYCE

The deep sleep grasped the Councillor's tightly, numbing him down to the events around him, the only solace he could find, aside from the forge, from everything and everywhere, all at once.

And the latest hours weren't kind, indeed on him, his whole world turned upside down overnight. So deep it was he dreamt of nothing. Not of his times with Mel. Or his collaborations with Viktor or studying with Heimerdinger. Or his infancy with his mother Ximena, when things were definitely much more simpler.

Upside down again, that'd be, given that a few days ago, this did happen the first time over the explosive actions of a girl, whom just happened to be related to the one whom encouraged him into a rash action against the ruling injustice that gripped the fissures and was now spreading into Piltover.

And now, just like that day, control had just slipped out of his hands and ended up in the hands of another, whom was wielding it in a more effective, ruthless manner. Regardless of the opinion, let alone welfare, of others.

Just like Mel slipped, now tucked away, and her fate was practically in his hands, his collaboration with the new order of the day. And yet, the revelations of the supposed second nature behind her deeds did slip a turbulence of doubt that shouldn't be bothering him, and yet... they were.

He then suddenly felt himself being pulled from his depths, but not by being grabbed. But instead by a sound.

A knocking sound, which continued repeatedly and nonstop. That eventually drove away the sleep and he opened his eyes to his room still overtaken by darkness. The knocking proceeded, as if there were no tomorrow.

"Councillor. Councillor, sir!"

That pushed him to rise up from his bed and head to the door to unlock it and open it, revealing an unmasked enforcer woman, of an apparent Ionian descent.

"What happened, now?", Jayce asked.

"The world crashing down, sir, literally.", the enforcer answered, distressed. "We thought you were also awoke by the tremors, sir."

"Tremors?", Jayce asked. "What?"

"All of the southern isthmus, sir.", the enforcer answered. "A large earthquake, even new fissures opened up, whatever buildings there were in there were gobbled. It's a calamity."

The enforcer then handed out a set of photos that Jayce picked up. Photos not meant to be framed, but instead showing what the enforcer described - buildings collapsed and rubbled, out of a warzone, a fissure literally formed on a street with buildings dangerously close, some crates and barrels too close to the edge, one building cracked in half like an egg, the other one having fell down below.

Another picture depicted an area clearly within the fissures, mostly intact, yet not unscarred by the supposed earthquake as well, with some barely visible bridge having collapsed, as well as some smaller housing which also collapsed as well, far below.

The images of the apparent disaster that passed through his attention crept it's feelings of harrowing into the Councillor, whom took a breath. "Give me ten minutes.", Jayce handed. "Get me a transport to the Central Precinct."

"The Warden-Marshall already has, sir, she dispatched a wagon, it's waiting for you.", the enforcer interjected.

"Of course she has...", Jayce mumbled, slowly shaking his head and shutting the door.