Arcane: Mage from Noxus

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"I?"

The young man was stopped by a tall figure clad in iron armor. He pointed at himself with a confused expression, though his guard remained up.

He recognized the armor. It was rumored to be discarded military gear from Noxus—so sturdy that no bullets could penetrate it.

These days, only Silco's henchmen wore it in Zaun.

Wait... Silco's gang now went by a new name. What was it again? Ah, yes—the Zaun Police Force.

Zaun. A city where gangsters wore badges. Was there anything more absurd?

"Yes, you!" the armored man bellowed with a grin.

"I'm Pete from the 2nd Zaun Police Force. I couldn't help but notice your solid build. Ever thought about joining us?"

"Recruiting random people off the street? Is that how your 'police force' works?" the young man retorted, eyeing him warily.

Pete ignored the jab and asked, "What's your name?"

The boy hesitated before replying, "Ekko."

It was his real name, but one he hadn't used in a long time...

"Well, Ekko, I'm Pete. And as of today, you're part of the 2nd team!"

Pete's wide grin was disarming as he clapped Ike's shoulder with surprising force.

Ekko inwardly scoffed. Gangsters running a police force? This city's gone mad.

Still, he humored Pete.

"The police force… shouldn't it be like Piltover's Enforcers? Y'know, strict standards, clean records? Instead, you're out here pulling strangers off the street. It feels... fake."

Pete's expression turned serious. He pounded his breastplate with pride.

"Do you know what this is?"

Ike tilted his head. "Noxian armor?"

Pete chuckled. "Guess again. Look at the emblem."

He pointed to a symbol etched into the armor.

Leaning in, Ekko recognized it—a syringe, crudely drawn but unmistakable. It was a symbol of Zaun, one he had known since childhood.

"That's Zaun's crest. I've got one carved into the tree outside my house," Ekko admitted.

The emblem always reminded him of his mission: to change Zaun for the better.

"Exactly! You're from Zaun; I'm from Zaun. And Zaunites never lie to each other!" Pete beamed, exuding an almost childlike sincerity.

Ekko stifled a laugh. Honest Zaunites? Since when? This isn't the Zaun I know.

"Alright, fine," Ekko relented, crossing his arms.

"I'll join. What's the process? Do I need to fill out paperwork or pay some kind of 'initiation fee'?"

"Paperwork?" Pete snorted.

"Nah, just a photo for the record. Oh, and you'll need to show your face for that."

Ike hesitated. His mask was a staple—protection against the toxic fumes of Zaun.

Few had ever seen his face. But he relented, removing it to reveal his youthful features.

Pete studied him for a moment before nodding approvingly.

"That's more like it. By the way, don't worry about the air. Viktor's purifier system keeps the area clear of harmful fumes. It even helps wean people off Shimmer."

"Shimmer…"

At the mention of the substance, Ekko's expression darkened.

He despised the alchemical poison Silco had spread throughout Zaun.

It promised strength and escape but at the cost of countless lives.

Some drank it out of desperation, but Ekko couldn't stomach the thought of such a cruel trade—food and water in exchange for slow destruction.

Zaun's environment was bleak. The land was barren, choked by pollution, and its waters tainted purple and undrinkable.

Distilled seawater was a luxury. For the poor, their only hope was Piltover's charity—or rain, a rarity in the smog-choked skies.

Maybe Viktor really is different…

Ekko clenched his fists. His gaze burned with quiet determination as he took a deep breath.

"What are we going to do? Are you always this busy?" Ekko asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Of course! Zaun needs all hands on deck these days. Speaking of which, my job is right here. Watch carefully—you'll be doing this in the future."

Pete sauntered over to a thin, trembling young man with lifeless eyes. Ekko followed, intrigued.

"Ahem! Stop right there!" Pete barked, fixing his gaze on the man.

"How long have you been on Shimmer?"

The young man froze, his entire body trembling.

"T-Two years..."

He nearly collapsed to the ground in fear but managed to stay upright.

"Get up! We Zaunites are made of sterner stuff!"

Pete declared, lifting the man to his feet with surprising ease. His voice was forceful yet carried an odd sincerity.

"Two years is a long time. Your physical fitness has probably gone downhill. Not much potential there," Pete added bluntly.

"Y-Yeah… I just want to live," the young man stammered, his voice trembling as tears welled up in his eyes.

Pete waved his hand dismissively.

"Relax, I'm not here to judge. I've got a job for you—comes with food and water. Interested?"

At those words, Ekko's eyes widened.

Food and water?

He glanced at his well-built arm, his biceps thicker than the young man's thighs. Why was this scrawny Shimmer addict being offered such a deal?

"R-Really? Of course, I'll do it! How much Shimmer will I get this time?" the young man asked, his eyes lighting up with desperate hope.

Ekko's face twisted in disgust. So that's it... He's doing it for more Shimmer.

"What Shimmer?!" Pete snapped, rolling his eyes.

"You think we're handing that out now? Only people with real potential get Shimmer injections, and even that's strictly regulated. Your job is just to work. Take it or leave it."

The young man quickly straightened up, determination replacing fear.

"I'll take it! I'll do whatever you want!"

"Good." Pete nodded approvingly.

"Show up at the police station tomorrow. There are tasks to choose from—river inspections, marking dangerous buildings, detecting hazards. Rewards are based on task completion. You can take your payment in food, water, or both."

"Tomorrow? Why not today?" the young man asked eagerly, clutching Pete's arm.

Pete chuckled. "Fine, fine. We've got a few tasks available today. Head to the station and get started."

Before Pete could finish listing the jobs, the young man had already bolted toward the police station, not sparing a glance behind him.

Pete watched him go, muttering a few words in Zaunite slang before turning to Ekko.

"See what I mean?"

Ekko crossed his arms, his tone thoughtful.

"So you're assigning jobs to Zaunites. The weaker ones get tasks handed out, while the stronger ones are recruited directly. Everyone trades their labor for food."

He paused, a twinge of bitterness creeping into his voice.

Zaun... This is new. Not too long ago, even the thought of trading labor for necessities like food and water would've been considered a luxury.

Zaun had always been a place where survival was a brutal game of the strong preying on the weak. Every coin earned was tainted, every deal a gamble.

And yet, in the eyes of that Shimmer addict, Ekko had glimpsed something he hadn't seen before: hope.

If Viktor truly represented that hope... If Silco truly wanted to improve Zaun...

Then, is my plan still necessary?

Ekko wondered, his resolve shaken for the first time in years.

"Pete," Ekko said suddenly, his voice firm, "take me to the police station. I want to do my part for Zaun."

Pete grinned. "Come on, then! I was about to take you there anyway. It's in the Lanes now, where that old shop used to be—Benso General Store. Ever heard of it?"

"Benso General Store..." Ekko repeated, his tone shifting. A flood of memories hit him.

"Yeah, it was a great place back in the day," Pete continued, oblivious to Ike's reaction.

"Mr. Viktor picked the site himself. Found some old inventions left behind by the shopkeeper's kid, too. Mr. Viktor said the kid could've gone far if they hadn't..."

Pete trailed off, his usual grin faltering for a moment. He shook his head and slapped his forehead.

"Anyway, it's the police station now. You'll see."

Ekko forced a smile, hiding the ache in his chest.

"Yeah... It was a good place."

He followed Pete through the bustling streets of Zaun toward the familiar yet transformed site of the Benso General Store.

Now, it bore a new name: Zaun Police Department.

As they entered, Ekko's heart felt heavy yet strangely light. He wasn't sure what Zaun's future held, but for the first time, hope didn't seem like a distant dream.

Perhaps, just perhaps, life in Zaun could change.