Chapter 28: The Weight of Loss
The cold wind of the night air cut through the streets of Piltover, carrying with it the scent of metal and fire. Steven stood alone on the balcony of their hideout, his gaze fixed on the flickering lights of the city below. It was as if the world kept turning, indifferent to his grief, to the life he had lost. Sera was gone, and the hole in his chest felt as though it would never be filled.
His hands tightened around the railing, knuckles turning white. The sound of distant explosions, the remnants of the battle in Zaun, felt like a cruel reminder of the cost of his actions, of the price he had paid for revenge.
He hadn't been able to save her.
A part of him wondered if this was the cost of his obsession with power. Every decision, every move, seemed to lead to more loss. Yet, through the grief, there was an undeniable burning desire, a hunger for something—anything—to bring her back, to make things right.
But nothing could.
A soft knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. Caitlyn entered, her expression unreadable, her presence a small comfort. She didn't say anything at first, simply walking over to Steven's side and standing next to him. They both stared out at the city in silence. There was nothing more to say. They both knew the depth of what had happened.
"You don't have to do this alone," Caitlyn finally spoke, her voice softer than usual, vulnerable even.
Steven didn't respond immediately. He couldn't. What could he say? How could he explain the storm raging inside him? The grief, the anger, the guilt—it was all consuming. He had lost someone dear to him, and nothing in the world felt real anymore. Everything felt hollow.
He reached into his jacket pocket, fingers brushing against something unexpected. The Gacha system. A faint, buzzing hum under his skin.
He clenched his jaw, pushing the feeling away. He wasn't ready for it. Not now. The thought of using it, of gaining more power—more tools to help him fix what was broken—felt like a hollow gesture. What could it possibly offer him that he didn't already have?
Caitlyn looked over at him, a quiet concern in her eyes. She was worried about him, no doubt. He could see it in her posture, in the way her eyes flickered to the interface briefly, before quickly looking away. She didn't understand what was happening inside him. The Gacha system was a silent companion, one he wasn't ready to share with anyone. Not yet.
He exhaled sharply and closed his eyes, trying to steady himself.
"I can't do this, Caitlyn," he finally muttered, the words raw, vulnerable. "I can't keep losing people. I can't keep fighting for something, only for it to be taken away."
Caitlyn remained silent for a moment, then stepped closer, her voice steady. "You don't have to do this alone. We'll figure this out. Together."
Her words felt like an anchor in a sea of chaos, but it wasn't enough to break through the wall of anger and grief that had built up around him. It wasn't that he didn't want to trust her, but something held him back. The Gacha system. The strange pull it had on him. The power it promised. He couldn't explain it. He couldn't explain any of it.
"I'm tired of fighting," Steven whispered, his gaze unfocused. "I thought I was doing the right thing, but now it feels like everything is falling apart. And all I can do is… keep fighting. For what? For who?"
Caitlyn's voice softened. "For yourself. For the people who care about you."
Steven didn't know how to respond to that. He just stared at the city below, feeling smaller than ever.
He wanted to scream. To rage. To throw everything away. But he couldn't. He wouldn't. Not yet.
After a long silence, Caitlyn spoke again, her tone softer but more insistent. "You're not alone in this. You might feel like you are, but you're not. And when you're ready, you don't have to fight by yourself."
Steven nodded slowly, but his heart felt heavy. The emptiness in his chest was growing, consuming him with each passing moment.
Suddenly, without warning, the Gacha system flickered to life within his mind, the familiar interface flashing before his eyes.
[GACHA SYSTEM ACTIVATED]User recognized: Steven LiamCondition: CriticalInitializing Emergency Override…Activating Randomized Pull…
Steven's heart skipped a beat, the system's interface coming to life in the back of his mind. His breath caught in his throat. But there was no time to process it now. Not while Caitlyn was standing right there. He couldn't let her see.
The system buzzed, and the familiar screen popped up, displaying:
[ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED]"Avenge a Loved One"Reward: Tier C Pull
Steven didn't react. He couldn't. Not now. His thoughts were still too clouded with grief. With guilt.
He stared at the interface for a moment, before dismissing it completely. He wasn't ready to pull. Not yet.
The weight of Sera's death still clung to him like a second skin. Her voice, her laughter, her fire—it all felt so far away now. A dream he could never return to.
But the Gacha system… it had granted him power. And as much as he resented it, a part of him knew it would be the thing that would help him survive. Help him continue. But for now, he would let it rest. He would let the grief consume him, just a little longer.
Tomorrow, he would figure it out.
But tonight, he would grieve. He would allow himself to feel the weight of it all, to remember the woman who had been by his side. Sera.
And, in that moment, that would have to be enough.