The Nation of Zaun (Arcane Fan fic)

Chapter 3

Ever since Silco saw the beast I refused to leave the house. Not even to go feed unless it was a life-or-death situation but then I would also just take a small dose of blood and come back home not enough to satisfy my hunger but I didn't care. I was weak every single day both mentally and physically. I lost any and all will to live but that's what I deserve. I lost the only friend I'll probably ever have. Before I knew it 10 years had passed by and it felt like this would be my life. I was walking in the streets trying to find my next victim. Since I don't feed as much, my powers are also a lot weaker. After finding no one in the streets, I walked by the river when I saw two men in the water arguing and one punched the other before grabbing his neck and trying to drown him. "what are you doing?!" I asked him and I see a knife slicing his arm before he let go and ran towards the bridge where there was a war starting. I jumped into the river and grabbed the stranger's arm before he drowned. I got him out of the water in the nick of time and I got him breathing a little while later. I sat there and looked at the man I just saved 'it doesn't change the fact that you're a monster' I heard a voice in my head speak and I nodded "I know." I said as the stranger jolted up and looked around frantically as I stood up and was about to walk until the stranger spoke "Crimson?" He asked and I turned around "no I'm sorry you must have me confused with someone else" I said as I continued to walk until he grabbed my arm "I know who you are so you can stop pretending Crimson" he said and I looked at his hand on my wrist. He let go almost instantly "well, I don't know who you are so please leave me alone" I said running back to my house. As soon as I got there, I collapsed on the floor after not drinking blood for days. When I woke up a few hours later I was lying on my couch and felt a little dizzy "good to see you're finally awake" a voice said from behind me, making me jump. "Sorry I didn't mean to startle you." He said and I sighed "what are you doing here?" I asked him and he sighed "I'm guessing you still have no idea who I am then." He said and I scoffed "no and I aim to keep it that way for your safety." I said as I stood up not realizing how weak I was. I fell to the floor "stop trying to act tough and let me take care of you!" he said and I flinched at the sudden harsh tone. He seemed to notice and walked to the other couch sitting on it "it's me, Silco." He said and I froze before gathering up the remaining strength I had and running to my room slamming the door before he could enter. Again, not realizing how much strength I had left I passed out yet again just as I saw Silco running into the room. When I woke up again, I was in my bed but something wasn't right. I was feeling better like not on the verge of passing out. I looked around the room to see sunlight and I realized I forgot to close the curtains "shit!" I said hiding under the covers. When I heard them close, I looked up and saw Silco standing near the window "I see you're looking better at least now that I gave you some of my blood and not the amount that you take these days." He said and I glared at him "you did WHAT?" I ask him getting out of bed "your welcome." He says and I leave the room with him walking behind me "Stop following me. I don't want to hurt you" I said and he sighed "what no thank you for saving your life?" He asked and I glared at him. "It's your fault I'm like this in the first place" I said crossing my arms and he stared at me surprised "what do you mean?" He asked and I took a deep breath feeling the tears already form in my eyes "I mean, ever since you saw me that day I refused to eat properly because as it turns out you were right, I am a monster." I said as a stray tear fell from my eye and his face changed to guilt and he took my hand "I'm sorry I said that to you as it turns out there's a monster inside all of us" he said looking down and I sighed as I got a good look at him while he wasn't looking at me. He had medium length hair that was messy and his eye was bleeding. "What happened?" I ask him motioning to his eye. "A difference of opinion happened" he said and I looked at him questioningly "go on" I said and he looked at me "Vander and I argued about what we should do about the undercity. I said we should be independent from Piltover completely while he said we should give it time." He said and I scoffed "yeah because time heals all wounds." I said and he looked at the floor "how can I ever make it up to you for what I've said?" He asked and I thought about it for a while "accept me for who and what I am." I said and he looks at me "you have a deal" he said and extended his hand out to me but I hugged him instead and he was surprised "This is the part where you hug back" I said as a tear slipped from my eyes and he hugged back almost instantly. He pulled away first "I have to go to a friend of mine and get help with this. I will see you soon." He said motioning to his eye and kissing my forehead. Leaving after that to who knows where. A few hours later he returns with a box in hand "you're finally back" I said standing up from the couch I was sitting on. "Yes, I brought you a few things" he said and I walked to him. He gave me the box. I opened it to see a baby Raven in it "Aww, aren't you just the cutest." I said as I held the raven close "so that you always have company when I'm not here." He said and I put the raven back in the box and gave Silco a hug "thanks." I said and he hugged back "now I need your help with something..." he said clearing his throat and gave me a nervous look "of course what is it?" I ask him and he shows me a device that sort of looked like a syringe. "I need you to inject this into my eye." He says looking at the ground. "Are you sure you want me to do it?" I asked him and he nod his head as I take his hand guiding him to the couch. He sat down and I stood behind him and without warning I pressed the button and he groaned in pain. "I'm sorry." I said as I quickly got the raven back out the box and held it close. "It's quite all right." He said and I looked at the Raven "are you hungry little fella?" I asked the raven and it gave a slight chirp. "I'll take that as a yes." I said getting up with Silco following behind me. "You know I have been thinking, since I need people to actually think I'm dead I need a place to work on my new experiment." He said as we make our way to the kitchen where I put the raven down in the box and got out the seeds Silco brought throwing some in the box for the bird to eat. As the bird ate, we watched "so, about this new experiment you've been working on?" I asked him and he smirked "I'm calling it Shimmer. It turns you into something I can't even begin to explain. Once I have enough of it, I'm planning to flood the streets with it" he said and I nodded my head in understanding. "Sounds interesting and dangerous." I said and he looked at me with determination "I'm going to make them all pay" he said slamming his fist on the table and the bird jumped "watch your fists around my baby!" I said taking the bird in my arms as he rolled his eyes "now as for your working situation how about the old cannery next to the docks?" I ask him and his face lit up "I haven't thought about that. You're a genius" he said hugging me and he was about to leave before. I stopped him "first let me fix your hair" I said and he gave a slight nod as we left to go to the kitchen. I got out the scissors and cut his hair neatly. When I was done, he left and I looked at the bird "I should probably give you a name." I said and thought for a while "I've got it, how about Nyx?" I ask and the bird chirps lightly. "Nyx it is then."