The Arcane Trilogy: Sins of the Past - Book 2

Chapter 13: The Hunt Begins

As night descended upon Piltover, Vi and Caitlyn's hunt began.

The majority of Piltover fell asleep as the sun set and the cold chill of the night latched onto the city streets, with only the enforcers and Noxian warriors that formed the city's defence staying awake to complete their duties. This allowed for the pair to move around the city with little resistance or questioning, and even if they were confronted by someone for whatever reason, Caitlyn's family name would allow an easy escape from any probing questions. However, Vi did twist Caitlyn's arm ever so slightly using the same tactic Caitlyn was prepared to use. The atlas gauntlets Vi had been using since the raid on one of Silco's shimmer plants were either too worn down or broken via Sevika's blade and also out of reach. Vi was certain that she would need a new pair for the trials and tribulations that were bound to confront them on their search for Jinx. Caitlyn was initially hesitant for Vi to 'borrow' another pair of gloves from Jayce, but Vi was eventually able to, without too much resistance, convince Caitlyn the merits of her 'borrowing' from Jayce. Unbeknownst to Vi, her arguments were not all that necessary in swaying the young Kiramman, as Caitlyn's latest conversation with Jayce had complicated her feelings for her childhood friend.

The pair crept through the many districts of Piltover, descending closer and closer towards the bridge that had cast so much pain and suffering, both in the distant and near past, onto the people of Piltover and Zaun. As they approached, the pair noticed the efforts being done to erect a sturdier and more formidable series of blockades. Four rows of heavy-duty barriers and platforms were slowly rising across the bridge, with an almost snake like chain of carts and wagons leading to the bridge; all of which were transporting sheets of heavy and thick metal sheets of various shapes and sizes, large rocks, metal meshing, weapon placements and many wooden boxes, which Caitlyn assumed contained a wide array of munitions and weapons. Luckily for the pair, Caitlyn and Vi were able to make a fortunate observation as they contemplated the best way to advance towards their first destination. There was never a large number of enforcers or Noxian warriors actually guarding the bridge at any one time, due to the majority of them assisting the builders in transporting the materials they needed to the bridge and physically assembling the several lines of defence. As well as that, all of the sources of light that the enforcers and warriors were utilising were all focused on the bridge to allow all of them to see what they were doing.

All of that meant that Vi and Caitlyn were easily able to time their approach to allow them to sneak around the supply chains that lead towards the bridge, and then quickly slide down the side of the bridge. From there, the pair quietly crept down towards the river, until they found a small rowboat along the water side that they could use to quietly wade across the divide. After several minutes of the boat gently rocking the pair along the quiet, and almost tranquil, moonlit waters that split the two cities, Caitlyn and Vi were able to climb up onto the side of the bridge that fed out onto the streets of Southside, with Vi evidently more adept at scaling the metallic structure when compared to Caitlyn. Eventually, Caitlyn also reached the opening that sat underneath the bridge that fed them into the dark passageway, which would lead the pair to the Firelight's base. As Caitlyn's first hand grasped the edge of the cold metal ledge, Vi took hold of Caitlyn's other hand, hoisting the young Kiramman up and into the walkway. After a brief nod of thanks, the pair began a long and quiet walk into the darkness. All Vi's mind could do was pray that Ekko was somehow still alive after he urged them to leave him behind. If he died on the bridge, their task would become considerably more difficult, and even more so, Vi wasn't sure if she could cope with losing someone else from her childhood as a result of her sister's acts.

Soon enough, the tunnel they had been following began to slowly thin out as their destination drew ever closer. The large spherical and metallic barrier stood before the pair, keeping them shrouded in the darkness, with the only source of light coming from the torches the pair possessed. Vines and branches snaked through the tiny gaps that encased the entranceway, confirming to the pair that they were definitely in the correct place. Vi approached the circular barrier and firmly knocked on its surface, causing a series of resounding metallic clangs to reverberate back down the tunnels. Considering the context of how Vi and Caitlyn came to learn of the secret tunnel's existence, announcing the presence to the Firelights inside was deemed the best approach.