Heartsteel: The Price of Fame (A League of Legends story)

Chapter 9: Strings Tightening

The city was alive with the sound of music. Everywhere Akali went, she heard Heartsteel's tracks blaring from car radios, cafes, and storefronts. Their music was infectious, and their message resonated with many. But for Akali, every note was a reminder of the trap Kayn was walking into.

One evening, as she was heading back to her apartment, she spotted a massive billboard showcasing Heartsteel's upcoming concert. Kayn, with his signature magenta-dyed hair and smoldering eyes, was front and center. The words "Presented by Silco Records" were emblazoned at the bottom.

Heartsteel's debut music video "Paranoia" began to play on a nearby TV. The opening shot was a close-up of Kayn, his magenta hair more vibrant than ever. It hardly looked like the Kayn she knew in her childhood. His fashion was flashier, his face gaunter, but it was the collar around his neck, with a leash dangling behind him that caught Akali off guard. The Kayn she knew would never wear something so submissive.

"So much for the rebel act, Kayn. Looks like Silco's got you on a short leash," Akali muttered.

The beat dropped and Kayn's voice filled the streets - a voice that seemed unfamiliar somehow – deeper, more edgy. "I got people in my past try bringing me down," rapped Kayn as he sauntered down a corridor in neon attire. "Say I'm losing my mind, I don't wanna be found."

Akali's eyes narrowed as she clued in to the lyrics. Was he talking about her?

"Grew up in the shadow but I know they watching me now," Kayn sang, looking right at her. His leash whipped in the wind as he posed for the camera.

Akali bristled. The audacity of him to call her out like this after everything they'd been through. And to do it in rap? That was her domain.

The chorus was even more direct. She could feel the sting of every word as Kayn's band mates further provoked him: "Every time you pop off, they hoping that you fall hard."

Akali clenched her fists, anger bubbling up. But then, a pang of guilt hit her. He wasn't wrong. Despite all the effort he put into his tracks, she had genuinely hoped he would fail. She thought she could spare him the torments of the industry by withholding her help and support. In the end, she only pushed him away, forcing him to seek help from industry vultures like Silco.

As the video continued, Kayn bandmates joined in again, their voices harmonizing in the chorus, amplifying the message. "Oooh, they love it when you lost boy, now the low life at the top floor, everybody hating ever since you got more, they praying for the death of a rockstar."

Akali sighed, pulling out her phone and sending another message to Kayn. "We need to talk."

His reply was a venomous bite: "Talk? Why? To get tips on becoming yesterday's news? Do they even let washed-up acts like you near the stage anymore?"

Akali's gaze fixed on the message, emotions raging inside her. Her once-close friend had transformed into a toxic stranger. With a surge of anger and heartache, she hurled her phone against the wall. The haunting echo of its shattering resonated through the silence, mirroring the fragments of her heart.