Rain didn't fall in Piltover.
It whispered.
It clung to the glass and chrome, dripped from the edges of neon signs, and cut through the cool night air like a sigh. His breath rose in clouds, sharp and unsteady, as he moved through the alley—lost, like a ghost in a borrowed body. The streets smelled of oil, perfume, and something older. Something that scratched at the back of his throat.
He wasn't supposed to be here.
But then, who ever was?
The weight of it pressed down on him—his own heartbeat, louder than the city's pulse, and the memory of her. Ahri. The way she fell. The screams. That final, whispered promise.
"You might be our last encore..."
The words rattled in his skull, a dull ache. But he couldn't afford to linger on it. Not now. Not when everything was shifting beneath his feet.
He woke up on the floor of an alley. No warning. No plan.
The system flickered into his vision like an invasive presence.
[Quest Activated: Recalibration Complete]
Objective: Analyze surrounding environment. Objective: Establish contact with K/DA representative.
Warning: Temporary lapse in memory detected. Proceed with caution.
A hazy recollection of where he was, of who he was supposed to be, came slowly. His fingers, trembling and foreign, reached for his forehead. He was no longer the person he'd been. He didn't know how to reconcile it. But this world—this dark reflection of neon and shadow—wasn't his anymore. Not completely.
Everything felt wrong, and yet, it felt like the only place he could be.
The alley narrowed as the door ahead pulsed violet, as if it were breathing. The neon hue reflected in the rain-slicked ground like a forgotten dream. The sounds of the city, a blend of distant shouts, machinery whirs, and the low hum of synth beats, felt like a second skin to him now.
The bouncer stood at the door—eyes digital, flickering like the last moments of a dying star. He didn't speak. Didn't need to. His presence was enough.
"You're not on the list," the bouncer muttered, his voice flat, like the echo of something long gone.
"I'm not supposed to be here," he said, the words slipping out before he could think better of them. The cold night air stung at his throat. His heart beat heavy, like a drum inside his chest.
The bouncer blinked once. Twice. His gaze flickered, a flash of recognition or maybe just malfunction. "Go in," he said, the tone strange—somewhere between an order and a warning.
The door opened.
Inside was something else entirely. Not a club. Not a bar.
It was a world where the music hummed in your veins, where the lights bled colors that didn't exist. Velvet and chrome. The scent of electricity mixed with perfume and something metallic. Bodies moved like memories, shifting between shadows and strobing lights. Eyes caught his, sharp, calculating. He felt their weight before he saw them, before he knew their names.
And then, there she was.
Evelynn.
Not the stage version. Not the performer bathed in neon glory. This one—this one was a shadow, dressed in black satin, movements fluid like silk pulled through water. She weaved through the crowd like a specter, eyes glinting with something dangerous.
She saw him.
And she smiled.
It wasn't an invitation. It wasn't kindness. It was something darker. Something older. Her smile held secrets.
"You don't belong here," she purred, stepping toward him, her voice a low hum that seemed to ripple through the air. Every movement was calculated, each one drawing him closer, like the predatory grace of a creature stalking its prey. Her eyes locked onto his—purple, endless, predatory. Her clawed hand slowly crawling up his arm.
His chest tightened, and his mouth went dry. "I didn't come for you," he said, each word tasting bitter. But it wasn't just the words that felt wrong. It was the way she made him feel—small. Like a single thread in a tapestry he didn't understand. The shivers and goosebumps that accompanied the tracing of her fingers.
"Really?" Her lips curled into something far too knowing, far too amused. "Then why are you still here?"
His breath hitched. Her fingers, delicate and cruel, traced the line of his jaw, sending a cold shiver down his spine. It was too much. Too close. His instincts screamed to pull away, but his feet wouldn't move.
The music dimmed. The room felt like it was folding in on itself, leaving just the two of them, suspended in time. Her perfume—a sharp, seductive scent like a drug that clouded his mind.
"Skittish," she murmured, the sound light, almost tender. "Cute. But it won't save you."
He wanted to step back. To run. But his body betrayed him, his legs stiff, locked in place.
"I saw you die." His voice cracked before he could stop it. The words were torn from him. "Six months from now. On a stage. On fire. "
There was a moment of stillness, a heartbeat that stretched far too long. His pulse hammered against his ribcage, his breath shallow. The room seemed to hold its collective breath, waiting.
And then, she laughed. It wasn't cruel. Not entirely. There was something darker beneath it. A quiet, knowing amusement that stirred something deep in him. Her eyes gleamed, and her lips parted, revealing the faintest hint of something sharp.
"Interesting," she said, her voice a velvet caress. "Very interesting."
She tilted her head, her gaze lingering for just a moment longer. Then, like smoke dissipating into the night, she turned and stepped away from him, her form blending into the crowd. The dancers seemed to part for her, drawn to her like moths to a flame. The sway of her hips almost hypnotizing.
"Come back tomorrow night," she called over her shoulder, her voice a sultry, sweet melody that held a promise of something broken, something inevitable. "Or don't. But fate's funny like that."
"wait-" he tried to call out, to no avail.
And just like that, she was gone. Vanishing into the crowd like she'd never existed.
[Critical Presence Detected: Evelynn]
[Relationship Bond: 0% - Intrigued]
The silence was suffocating. Her words hung in the air, thick with something like expectation. The rest of the world resumed, but he stood frozen, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
[Quest Complete: First Contact]
Reward: Relationship Tracker Unlocked. +1 Charisma. Evelynn Bond: ACTIVE.]
He exhaled slowly, as though he could shake the weight of it off. His legs moved before his mind caught up, carrying him out of the trance, out of the dream. He didn't have time for this. He couldn't. So he left the club, wandering down the dark and humid sidewalk.
'It's a miracle I've stayed sane since arriving here'
A blinking sign [Innonia Inn] entered his field of vision.
'For now,I should get some sleep. Thankfully I woke up with some cash, hopefully enough for a night's stay'
"Hi welcome to The Innonia Inn. I'm Karma. how may I help you?"
'Wait is that KARMA?'
"Um, sir?" she asked, clearly confused.
Shaking off his surprise "uh yes. I'm looking to stay a night here. Do you guys have any rooms available?"
"We do have one available, it's by the street though. Is that fine?"
"Yeah, sounds good. Wait do you happen to know anyone named Irelia?"
she crossed her arms"And what if I do?"
"Just a friend of a friend"
"Cool... Anyways back to your room. That'll be 100 RP"
As he hands her the cash, he can't help but feel how much more awkward he made the situation.
"If you need room service or help with , just use the phone to call the front desk and we'll send someone over"
After taking the elevator to the 5th floor, he finally found his room. Pleasantly surprised to find a charming and quaint room that matched the Ionian aesthetics of the Lobby.
'I'm gonna have to focus on what I'm here to do. Get stronger, and save KDA. While it is exciting to see the girls I've always dreamed of, I can't keep being weird about it' With that in mind, he slowly drifted off to sleep.
What he failed to notice was the glowing pair of eyes that stalked his sleeping form.
[Critical Presence Detected: ...]
Author's note: If you enjoyed reading kindly vote or leave a review ♫꒰･‿･๑꒱