[ Viktor had expected something terrible, given everything about Jayce's state, but--
The strange, destroyed world he had seen in brief flashes in their very first contact is now fully realized around them. It is recognizably the undercity and Piltover, the destroyed hexgate standing in the very distance, but very little remains. Husks of buildings crumpled into themselves, or elongated bizarrely, stretched out into the organic swirls of metal he is now so very familiar with. And there, everywhere, haunting every corner, those shells of people with five glowing fingerprints on what remains of their faces.
Jayce takes him through his memories, and even as blunted as Viktor's emotions are, he finds it difficult to watch. At first, Jayce is confused and terrified, and that quickly turns to agony -- the crack of his leg bones and the thud of his body hitting the ravine floor has Viktor reaching out like he could do something, like he could change the past. But all he can do is watch as Jayce does anything and everything he can to survive, scratching desperate equations into a rock face, tearing his hammer apart to build a brace for himself. As they watch, Viktor takes Jayce's hand in that cosmic arcane space, squeezing tight.
Finally, the Jayce of memories manages to climb out of that hole, step by painful step clawing himself to Piltover and the ruined hexgate. Every step of the way, he's dogged by those husks--
Until there is sunlight and greenery, and a frozen figure that can only be Jayce clutching onto a mutated hammer, and-- ]
I did this.
[ The assumption comes in a hollow tone; the horror Viktor can no longer feel is nonetheless reflected keenly on his astral self. Something shudders deep inside, a quiet fracturing of something foundational. ]
That is what you are trying to tell me; that this is the end stage of my plans, and this is what I turn people into.
[ Still, there is disbelief in his voice, a plea: deny it, tell me otherwise, tell me I'm not responsible for this. ]
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The strange, destroyed world he had seen in brief flashes in their very first contact is now fully realized around them. It is recognizably the undercity and Piltover, the destroyed hexgate standing in the very distance, but very little remains. Husks of buildings crumpled into themselves, or elongated bizarrely, stretched out into the organic swirls of metal he is now so very familiar with. And there, everywhere, haunting every corner, those shells of people with five glowing fingerprints on what remains of their faces.
Jayce takes him through his memories, and even as blunted as Viktor's emotions are, he finds it difficult to watch. At first, Jayce is confused and terrified, and that quickly turns to agony -- the crack of his leg bones and the thud of his body hitting the ravine floor has Viktor reaching out like he could do something, like he could change the past. But all he can do is watch as Jayce does anything and everything he can to survive, scratching desperate equations into a rock face, tearing his hammer apart to build a brace for himself. As they watch, Viktor takes Jayce's hand in that cosmic arcane space, squeezing tight.
Finally, the Jayce of memories manages to climb out of that hole, step by painful step clawing himself to Piltover and the ruined hexgate. Every step of the way, he's dogged by those husks--
Until there is sunlight and greenery, and a frozen figure that can only be Jayce clutching onto a mutated hammer, and-- ]
I did this.
[ The assumption comes in a hollow tone; the horror Viktor can no longer feel is nonetheless reflected keenly on his astral self. Something shudders deep inside, a quiet fracturing of something foundational. ]
That is what you are trying to tell me; that this is the end stage of my plans, and this is what I turn people into.
[ Still, there is disbelief in his voice, a plea: deny it, tell me otherwise, tell me I'm not responsible for this. ]