「Artemis」 VI Arcane

.;*☆Prologue -☆*:。

"I love you both so much" Her mother's last words rang through Ezra's mind, as she stares ahead at the undercity, afraid of the future. The murky green light of the forgotten city below the dazzling lights of Piltover seem to mock her of her failures.
"I know you'll turn into such brave souls. My sweet Ezra and Ekko, please keep the Goddess close to your hearts, She's the only thing our people have left." Her mother had spoken in their mother tongue, placing her long bejewelled hands on both of her children's cheeks before leaving to fight for the only thing she had left, her two children.

Her mother had never returned.

Clutching onto her necklace Ezra takes a deep breath at the memory before shouting a last reminder over to Ekko to hurry up, bending down to let the little boy onto her back and draping her cloak over him, concealing the young boy from the hungry eyes of the lanes.

Walking out from underneath the shadows comforts, Ezra's appearance is quickly noticed by those clinging to the walls of the narrow passages of the lanes. Watching from beneath her cloak as eyebrows furrow together at the white hair unable to conceal shining through from underneath her cloak along with the markings escaping through her bandaged hands.

Word had already spread about the odd looking orphan now roaming the street. People could tell she was different, unwanted which made her dangerous to be associated with.
The siblings had left everything behind, in search of their mother, yet each time hope arouse it was immediately snuffed out. Their last remaining lead being an old friend of their mother's.

Arriving outside of the dimly lit shop that seemed as though it was about to collapse, Ezra takes one last glance attempting to see through to the glow emanating from inside. Hitching the small boy further up on her back she takes a last deep breath before entering the shop.

The faint ring of a bell announcing her presence, Ezra takes a curious look around the empty hoard of metallic equipment. Looming around at the empty shop unsurely, she hurriedly takes a step back at the reveal of a large man behind the counter. Briefly closing her eyes from the fright the heavy weight of her brother upon her back reminds her of the urgency of finding their mother, filling her with the bravery to walk closer.

"Hello." Ezra is the first to speak, peaking up at the intimidating man. "I, Looking for mother... Macari." Ezra struggles to communicate in the new language, her words not being able to convey their urgency.  The man only looks at her shadowed form, her familiar thick accent leaving him completely speechless.

"By the heavens... My child, are you the Ezra she spoke so fondly of?" His eyes widen at the sight of the miracle he had thought had been lost, yet only one of the two children seemed present.

"Yes, where is she." Ezra remains focused, as the man lightly winces, not wanting to break the news to such a young girl. " Where is your brother? Why have you not come to me sooner..."

"He is not here-" Ezra tries to conceal the young boys whereabouts, not trusting the man to not scare the naive boy. He had been too young to remember any hardships Ezra had shielded him from. Yet at this exact moment, the cloaks heavy dust had become too much for him, resulting in a loud sneeze.

The large man's attention now brought to the suspicious lump underneath her cloak. Letting out a sigh Ezra bends down letting him off of her shoulder, bringing him in from of her as she hold onto him.

"I thought the both of you had died! This whole time.... Where have you been? " The man walks around from behind the counter to now look at the both of them, his approach stopping when he notices the girl flinch backwards.

"No need to be scared, I'm Benzo." He bends down, his eyes inspecting he both of them for any injuries. Benzo hadn't realised how young she was, how much had now been placed upon her frail shoulders. He presumed Ezra would be much older by how much her mother praised her maturity, the girl here looked as though she had barely reached eight years old.

"We're fine." She responds firmly, taking a step back. Ekko goes to clutch her hand, rubbing his eye sleepily with the other, seeking comfort in his older sister.

"Please, our mother?" she asks looking up at him hopefully, tightly clutching Ekko, fearing what Benzo's response will be. She had been endlessly praying for her return, but had not been met with any indication of her arrival.

"I'm so sorry Ezra, she won't be coming home, something happened- that night on the bridge... she didn't make it." He says while bending down to reach eye level of Macari's young children. Noticing with a mournful smile how Ezra shared her mother's striking beauty.

"No, no. Ekko- needs her... can't-, " Streams of tears flow down her eyes as she takes in gasps of air between her wobbling lips, silently sobbing as Ekko looks up at his now only remaining family member, the last maiden of Artemis.

"I promised your mother I'd take care of the both of you, until your ready." Benzo reassures the lost girl, hoping to be able to release as much stress off the young girl's already traumatic childhood.

The older man revealing a matching necklace her mother had worn, earning a shocked gasp from Ezra, who immediately tears it away from his grip, holding the precious piece firmly in her grasp.

Trying to retain her composure in front of the strange man she can only nod in appreciation, harshly gripping onto her mothers necklace, Ekko wrapped tightly around her shuddering waist.