Chapter 21 – The First Strike
The morning light filtered through the window, casting a warm glow over the room. Steven yawned as he slowly awoke, stretching in bed next to Sera. She was still asleep, her hair a messy tangle of curls, her hand loosely resting on his chest. He smiled to himself — she had a way of being effortlessly adorable, even in her sleep.
A feeling of contentment washed over him. Things had been calm lately. Almost too calm.
"Is this what peace feels like?" he muttered under his breath, blinking at the ceiling.
Sera stirred next to him, groggily lifting her head. "What are you mumbling about?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep.
Steven grinned. "Just wondering if I've finally cracked the secret to a peaceful morning… or if I'm just overdue for something strange to happen. I mean, the universe doesn't do peace for long, right?"
Sera snorted softly, blinking as she rubbed her eyes. "You and your conspiracy theories. Honestly, Steven, you need to stop overthinking everything."
"Well, I was thinking I could finally take a break, you know?" he said, sitting up. "Maybe give my brain a rest. Or… my gear a rest. I'm still waiting for the day my web-slinger doesn't explode in my face."
Sera rolled her eyes but smiled, clearly amused. "You've made so many prototypes, I'm starting to think you're secretly trying to invent the next 'world's most dangerous paperweight.'"
"Hey, it's a process," he said with mock defensiveness. "Every explosion is just another step toward perfecting the design. Think of it as… controlled chaos."
"I'm pretty sure the only thing 'controlled' is your ability to turn everything into a small-scale disaster." She gave him a playful shove before rolling out of bed. "Come on, you're rambling again. Let's go for a jog or something before you start inventing a new kind of rocket-powered stapler."
They both laughed as they got dressed, and soon enough, they were jogging through the familiar streets of Piltover. The city had that timeless charm — the kind that made him feel like he could never tire of it. The gleaming towers, the majestic airships flying overhead, and the bustling marketplace. It was all a strange but welcoming mix of old-world aesthetics and cutting-edge technology.
As they jogged through the upper promenade, Steven couldn't help but notice how peaceful everything was. The sky was clear, the sun was just right, and the air smelled fresh with the scent of blooming flowers from the nearby gardens. It was… perfect. Too perfect.
"Everything feels so... normal today," Steven said, panting slightly as they ran. "I almost expect some sort of random portal to open up and dump a giant monster on us."
"Stop it," Sera laughed. "You're going to jinx us."
"Hey, I'm just saying, with my luck, that kind of thing could totally happen. One minute, we're jogging, and the next, we're fighting off a group of angry magical creatures from the Undercity."
"I think you watch too many bad action movies," Sera teased. "Just enjoy the run. You're overthinking again."
He couldn't argue with that. It did feel nice to just be out in the open, running without worrying about who might try to kill him or what mad invention might explode in his face next. For once, it felt like a normal day.
But even as they jogged along, a strange feeling tugged at Steven's gut. Not a bad feeling, exactly, but something… off. Like when you think you've forgotten something important, but you can't remember what it is. It was the kind of nagging feeling that he couldn't quite shake, no matter how much he tried to brush it off. It didn't make sense.
But there it was.
...
...
The feeling stayed with him as they reached the edge of Piltover's upper district, overlooking the lower sectors. The city was always so vibrant from this view, the contrast between the gleaming, pristine upper districts and the darker, more dangerous world of the Undercity beneath them. It was a stark reminder of how Piltover's wealth and progress came at the cost of its downtrodden citizens.
Steven leaned against the railing, catching his breath as he stared at the view. "You know," he said lightly, "I keep forgetting how much I've gotten used to all this. When I first got here, I thought I'd be dead within a week."
Sera laughed softly, placing her hand on his shoulder. "I'm glad I've been here to help you survive so far."
"You and your endless optimism," he teased, nudging her. "I'll take you out for dinner tonight, as a thank you. No explosions involved."
"I think I'd rather have a date with no explosions at all. It's been a while since I've had a peaceful night out."
"Yeah, I get it," he said, looking at her with a smile. "It's nice, huh? No crazy dangers, no inventions trying to kill me, no evil masterminds with evil plans…"
Just as the words left his mouth, a distant rumble shook the ground beneath them.
Steven froze, his heart skipping a beat. It was so faint, it almost felt like a trick of the wind.
Sera glanced around, confused. "What was that?"
"I… don't know," Steven replied, his mind racing. It was almost as if the ground itself was holding its breath. He didn't want to jump to conclusions, but that feeling in his gut was stronger now. "Maybe… maybe it's nothing."
But the tension lingered, a sense of unease creeping in.
They continued their jog back to the Academy, but the feeling didn't leave him. And then, as they were passing a familiar street corner, the sound of a distant explosion split the air.
Boom.
Steven's eyes widened. His heart pounded as he whipped around, staring in the direction of the sound.
"Sera, we need to—" He didn't finish the sentence. There was no time. Another explosion followed, closer this time, shaking the ground beneath them. People screamed in the distance. The faint smell of smoke hit his nostrils.
Something was wrong. This wasn't supposed to happen. Not now. Not like this.
The world was changing.