Chapter Text
Jayce watched the battle from afar. Despite being a fighter, he wasn't too comfortable with the gore of war. He realized that immediately — he kept flashing between the day of the missile attack, the memorial attack, and his own attack on the shimmer factory. He felt very much out of his element.
His earlier endeavors to the battlefield were done out of anger, bitterness, some sick explanation on why they were morally right to do so. He always felt immense guilt when he got back to his empty lab. That's why he stopped helping out. But now he’s here, again, back in the role of a “defender” or something equally ridiculous. A deadly hammer powered by hextech could hardly be considered defensive.
The Noxian army, which often ended all conflict with relative ease, was preoccupied. Caitlyn bitterly mentioned something about Ambessa’s highly important private meeting with her soldiers. This left Piltovan enforcers to deal with the fight alone. Shimmer, chemtech and hextech glowed in their characteristic neon purples, greens, and blues, all intertwining with each other, making it hard to decipher who was winning and who was losing. Jayce assumed that he’d notice if the Topsiders needed a hand. As of now, everything just looked like a hot mess.
A silvery-chromic glare focused his attention on a group of people fighting against a troop of enforcers. They seemed to be winning, no doubt helped by the magically healed scars. Jayce wasn’t sure how that worked, and he didn’t exactly want to find out. His heart dropped a second later, when he noticed a tall, cloaked figure making their way through the shiny group.
Jayce hasn’t seen eye-to-eye with Viktor since the moment he left the laboratory mere minutes after waking up. Having some time to contemplate it, Jayce came to the conclusion that this was likely due to the fact that he didn’t honor his wishes of destroying the hexcore and went on to create hextech weapons. He only realized that he left the blueprints out after Viktor already left, which further added to the growing regret.
It was still strange, though. Normally, Viktor would get angry, offended, perhaps he’d be in disbelief. He’d be furious at his shortsightedness, he’d be disappointed and betrayed. Jayce shattered their dream, he realized that now. He wished Viktor would have awoken sooner. He wished Viktor had yelled at him.
Viktor’s true reaction, however, was very muffled. His odd coldness and indifference — both before fully realizing how he’s alive and after seeing the blueprints — made Jayce fear that the man he knew is gone. Something went wrong during the revival or his brain was changed through the transformation. This pained Jayce to no end, but also gave him some small relief. At least now, when they’ll fight, he can stop associating this current hex-Viktor with his old friend.
Jayce was aware of Viktor’s actions because he pestered Mel about it. During Jayce’s time away due to the effects of wild runes, Mel had also disappeared, although it was for some separate, untold reason. He respected her silence; Jayce also didn’t tell people much about why he was away.
Regardless, both of them were back in Piltover now, changed, and yet still caring about each other. While Jayce poured himself into his inventions and studies of wild runes, Mel spent her time divided between Council duties and some secretive personal affairs. They rarely met, and their relationship has mostly evolved into a strong friendship. One evening when they did get to spend some time together, Jayce asked her to keep him updated about Viktor’s actions in the Undercity. He was tired of learning the news through a newspaper or from irksome civilians asking him about the nature of their relationship and fallout.
In a way, this was self-induced torture. No one wants to hear about the terrible acts committed by someone once considered a soulmate. Mel didn’t even want to tell him at first for those reasons; she didn’t want to plague his mind. On the other hand, he’d find out anyway, and if he learned about his actions as quickly as the council, he could prepare — both mentally and physically.
Unethical medical procedures. Surgeries without consent. Forming a cult. The Glorious Evolution . Taking advantage of people’s weaknesses to complete his own goals. Fighting against Topside with the use of magic. He deeply injured many enforcers, probably killed a few of them too — it was difficult to pinpoint precisely who is to blame for which casualty.
With each report it was a little easier to distance himself from the Viktor he used to know. Jayce simply had to accept that those times are over. If he tried hard enough he could convince himself that those are two different people entirely. Visually, Viktor looked nothing like his past self. This helped.
Jayce picked up his Mercury Hammer and started making his way down, towards the bridge. His harsh, bearded face, strong posture and firm expression gave him a powerful look of fearlessness. Blue light emanating from the handle only added to the confidence. Deep inside Jayce was worried, maybe even afraid, but he swallowed the feelings down. Now wasn’t a time for sentiments or affection .
Enforcers and Zaunites alike were running around, shots and gasps and grunts covered every inch of the bridge. He walked over it until he was nearly in the Undercity territory. There was a little more space there, good for fighting with such an imprecise tool as a giant hammer. Equally effective and less likely to hurt innocent bystanders.
Viktor was surrounded by his followers, speaking decisively to them. Jayce couldn’t quite catch what they argued about, but soon after, most of the group dissipated, down deeper into the Promenade level. Jayce observed him, his grip tightening on the hammer. Viktor’s emotionless eyes focused on him. He didn’t look surprised. Perhaps he had noticed him before. Jayce steadied his breath.
“Viktor,” he started.
“Jayce.” A voice devoid of feelings. More so, than after he regained consciousness in the lab.
“What happened to you?” he blurted out before he stopped himself. He quickly addressed another issue that was on his mind. “You used to be so against violence. What changed?”
“Topside declared martial law,” muttered Viktor, leaning on what used to be a crutch. It looked much more like a staff now.
“Oh, and that’s enough for you to go attacking people with magic? On top of all the other things?!” Jayce could feel his face twisting with something between anger and disappointment. “You aren’t God, Viktor, you should know that. Just because you crossed some line no one has before doesn’t mean you can stop basic ethics!”
“We have different ideas of ethics, then.” Viktor’s eyes gleamed with the same silvery-chromatic color as his followers’ scars. Jayce, thankfully, was too far away from to see anything other than an occasional spark in the sun’s glare. He didn’t think he could bear his sad, disassociated gaze. “I do not tend to create weapons for the oppressors of the underprivileged.”
Jayce’s lips tightened into a thin line. Viktor had really said the quiet part out loud, but his monotone and accusatory tone made him want to defend his choice. A choice he deeply regretted. He stopped himself in time.
“I do not wish to fight you, Jayce.”
He gave Viktor a glance of disbelief and doubt.
“I don’t have a choice.” There is always a choice .
“Lay down your weapon and you will walk away unharmed. You can hurt some innocent person with that… Why cause senseless suffering?” Viktor said softly. His rhetorical question was spoken with that painfully dulled voice.
“It’s too late now, Viktor,” stated Jayce with determination. He kept telling himself that this is not the same person anymore. Just an empty husk of whatever affection used to hold them together.
Jayce raised the Mercury Hammer and opened it up. He felt pierced by his opponent’s icy eyes, as a glow of growing energy covered them both in blue. He felt his pulse quickening, like before any fight, except now it felt like his veins were screaming in protest. He aimed the hammer directly at Viktor.
“Jayce.”
Blinding blue light erupted from the hammer’s end, a bright ball of deadly energy soaring towards his… friend. Partner. Enemy? Jayce bit his lips. They stood close enough to each other, he had no chance of missing. It took all of Jayce’s willpower not to shut his eyes.
A normal person wouldn’t be able to avoid the blow, but Viktor was definitely not within the definition of “normal.” His shimmer and hexcore transformed body sharpened his reflexes — or was it magic? — allowing him to swerve and escape the explosion. The ground behind them shook as it absorbed the energy.
Jayce almost wanted both to sigh with relief and to get away from the angered imitation of God. Some irrational part of his brain started to ponder how unusual it was to see Viktor run. It was surreal to watch a person who spent his entire life with a cane or a crutch suddenly move with such agility and ease.
While distracted by his unhelpful brain, Viktor did some short, but precise movements; a second later a purple beam of light flew from either Viktor or his staff, Jayce didn’t fully register which one. He threw himself to the ground, relying mostly on instincts. He heard a buzzing noise barely missing him. So this was it.
He sprang up again, hoisting up the Mercury Hammer with him. He ran closer, swinging the hammer at Viktor, who moved away at the last second. Viktor’s staff cut the air swiftly, following the shapes of some runes. Jayce managed to avoid most of the magical injuries by either narrowly missing them or blocking them with the hammer. He did get hit a few times; however, it must have been some of milder spells since, though painful, he was able to get up and continue fighting.
His job was more difficult with Viktor’s hexcore-infused body. A few times he got surprisingly close, energy or force of the hammer missing him by a fraction of an inch. One time his cloth — Jayce’s heart twisted in pain when he realized that it was his blanket — got stuck under the hammer’s hit and tore in half. The loud ripping noise was so unexpected that Jayce froze for a second too long.
He didn’t feel pain, not at first; he lost control over his body as it fell limply to the ground. Then he felt unpleasant vibrations spreading throughout him, until the mild ache grew into pure agony. Jayce wasn’t sure if he regained control, since for sure he could not move. A moment later a glowing mix of flesh and metal landed above him. Before Jayce had the time to react in any way, he felt that oxygen was cut off from him. Metallic hand choked him with such a force that Jayce wasn’t sure if he’ll last more than half a minute.
Struggling, he opened his eyes that he closed sometime between falling to the ground and getting choked. He transfixed his vision on the man above him. Viktor’s face was covered in sweat, a sign of some humanity still within him. He could’ve sworn he saw a tear drop down his cheek, but it just as well could’ve been a bead of sweat. His eyes, though, were no longer the lifeless blank chromatic mirrors; not entirely, anyways. They were well mixed with his characteristic deep amber. Despite slow asphyxiation, Jayce couldn’t tear his gaze away.
Viktor was still so very beautiful.
The hand disappeared from his throat. Jayce instinctively took a shaky breath and immediately fell into a coughing fit. What happened? He rose up on his elbows, but before he had the chance to completely straighten up, he caught a glimmer of silver. Viktor held up a sharp blade, taken from an unmoving Zaunite lying nearby.
It looked big and heavy, but with his new body Viktor picked it up with ease. Jayce’s thoughts raced between confusion and terror. Is this how he wanted to finish him off? In such a crude, human way? That didn’t fit Viktor, but perhaps he changed. Changed beyond the point of return—
Viktor and Jayce screamed at the same time. Viktor’s voice was filled with determination and fury, Jayce felt pure horror. A loud clank of metal on metal, followed by an unpleasant screech completed the macabre symphony. One of the purple-silverish arms fell to the ground along with the bloody blade. Viktor’s eyes no longer contained a mere mix of amber, now they glowed with fiery gold.
“What the fuck?!” Words escaped Jayce before he realized he said them aloud. “Viktor, what the fuck?! ”
“I was planning to do that in… controlled conditions,” gasped Viktor, breathing deeply. “But the situation has changed.”
He twisted his face in immense pain and fell to his knees. Nonetheless, Jayce could tell that he was pondering something. He hoped he had a plan to go from there, because Jayce’s mind was still only screaming.
“Please take me to my lab, Jayce. Everything is ready there,” Viktor spoke after some considerable hesitation.
“What—why—Vik, I… okay,” he stammered in reply. “I’m just so confused…”
“I’ll explain if I don’t bleed out.”
“I didn’t even know you still had blood,” Jayce murmured, still dumbstruck. “What if it gets infected?”
“I’m afraid that this is the least of my problems right now.”
Jayce nodded mindlessly and without further ado, picked him up. He was lighter than he expected; the metal must be special. Jayce gave one glance towards the Mercury Hammer and Viktor’s staff, and decided to leave them behind. At the very worst, someone from the Undercity will steal them. If Viktor survives, he could probably easily retrieve them back.
Jayce hasn’t fully processed what just happened, but he knew one thing: Viktor can’t die. He started making his way towards the depths of Zaun, mind blank. He moved as quickly as he could, but since Zaun was built vertically, it was quite a challenge. Viktor hissed in pain every once in a while, occasionally providing directions.
“What… happened?” Jayce finally regained the ability to use his voice. Viktor blinked in resignation.
“It’s the hexcore,” he replied quietly. “It affects me in some ways, it’s complex and hard to decipher at times. It mutes my emotions and weaknesses. It gives me visions. It… has its own agenda for me. I am just its vessel.”
“My God,” whispered Jayce.
The information hasn’t been groundbreaking, as he was suspecting something of the sort after the hours of analysis of their last encounter. It was different, however, when Viktor himself admitted to his observations. The note of fear in his voice resonated with Jayce. Viktor was always limited by his physicality, and now, he also lost control over parts of his mind.
“But you’re back?” Jayce asked with childish hope.
“For now,” sighed Viktor. “Getting rid of parts of the hexcore helps me clear my head. But it doesn’t like that. It… punishes me.”
Jayce strengthened his hold on his ex-partner, feeling every ounce of emotion behind each syllable. After months of being apart and an even longer period of apathy, it felt good to get some type of expressiveness. Although mental torment wasn’t exactly something Jayce envisioned.
“The hexcore… it’s aware?”
“Yes, and it really doesn’t like you,” Viktor smiled weakly.
Jayce gave a shaky laugh but it got stuck in his throat as he threw a quick glance at Viktor. His skin was drained of all its color even before the fight began; now it was bordering on light gray. Jayce quickened his pace. According to the directions, they were on the right level, now they had to get into the correct alley.
“Sometimes my body goes against my will altogether,” Viktor went on. “That’s what happened there today. I didn’t…”
“Hey, V, don’t waste your energy,” Jayce said gently. “You’re hurt and I need you conscious.”
Viktor ignored his comment.
“You need to operate on me,” he continued. “I began the process myself, much to the hexcore’s dismay. There are notes in my lab on how to complete it. I just can’t do it alone, the hexcore won’t let me,” he said bitterly. “I really shouldn’t trust you but… I trusted you once. Perhaps I might need to do that again.”
