Revenants - Arcane LOL x Male Reader

Chapter 9

The undercity hasn't changed all these years. Though granted some parts look better than others, that just means the secrets that help build it are all the nastier - I hate it here. Though it is home, right? You hate it because you knew a time where it was better than this.

Stuck living in this cess-pit. 

I pull my hood over as I pull the mask fixed from my belt, running my fingers over the skull-like exterior. Made of metal, it looks more like a mask meant for someone trying to mimic a ghost but the design just got lost as I was forging it.

We all wear something of our own design, whether you touched a hammer... whether you felt the flames of a forge. Our initiation is with those first few steps, the weak-willed don't belong here, they have a better chance among the Firelights. Not to attack their person, they have done more for the people than my people ever will.

I reach my stop, knocking on the door as it slides open revealing a brute of a man.

"In with you, dead man."

I step through, around a few people sitting either waiting for their appointment with the man behind the creation of this arm. I wave hello to the receptionist, then gesturing for me to step on through.

Then reaching the final door, I say, "Xani, sorry for keeping you waiting."

An older looking man, gray hairs scattered around his scalp, turns in his seat as he lifts arms like a hug, "(Y/N). Or I hope that is you, I can't tell with that mask but the way you are hiding that arm behind your back-"

"It is me, Xani."

He nods, then pats on the operating table, "Then I am glad to see you are still alive," I step forward, pulling down both my hood and mask, setting it on the table beside the table. Then pulling off my coat I keep my gaze forward.

"Still getting used to it?" he asks out of concern.

Finally sitting down, "If I was I wouldn't bother you with basic maintenance," I then glance towards him, then down at where metal turns to skin on my arm, a crude job but it does what it needs to do.

Putting on his glasses, he starts to work, "I am sorry. I wish I could give you something... more suited for your use but I don't have the materials. Unless I could refer-"

"I only trust you," I state, "Anyone else would ask questions."

He nods, then with a sigh, "I miss the boy that would sometimes barge in here to watch me work. Where you learned to tinker in the first place - you always had something to smile about, a joke here and there."

Then with a chuckle, "The guards always scared you, then again what didn't scare you back then. Now... a man with scars on his mind," his smile fully fades into a stern expression, "Not much different from the thugs taking lives left and right, yet fighting for those that can't. Not the protectors we asked for but that a lot of people needed."

"That boy is dead now," he sighs.

I finally speak, "You sound like you were speaking to Cal."

"A lot of people worry about you, these are people that knew you from back then," then resting his hand on my shoulder as he continues with the maintenance, "Not a single resemblance, you even forgot why you kept on living."

I stop him, "It was never about living, it was about staying safe. I didn't and that cost me my arm, it cost me my life," I then glance at him, "The people you are referring to... they were musicians that realized that even they needed to fight against the topside."

"You aren't fighting for anything boy," he sighs as he rubs his eyes out.

"Revenge-"

"Revenge changed you-"

"No..." I then look at my arm, feeling the movements as they are smoother, "It takes one thing for a person to change, Rud made it clear back then. I thought I had a family until they all died... until he took my arm from me!" clenching my fist I push myself off of the table.

"Nobody calls you by your name because of it."

I nod, feeling tears well in my eyes, "Deadman, that's it right? I am the one that lives in pain, just a step away from the afterlife but alive enough to kill the fuckers that did this."

"It is never too late to let go."

"If I did that... then I would lose myself. I would be insane, without this... I don't know what else there would have been," I then drop a bag of coins on one of the counters near the door, "For helping my people."

"Think nothing of it, you helped me and will always help you."

"Can you make me a new arm?" I ask before I leave.

"One condition," I glance over my shoulder as he lifts him from his chair, stepping towards me digs his hand in his pocket, "Here," he grabs my hand dropping two round objects in my palms.

"I thought I told you to toss these..."

"I could never bring myself to do it," he sighs, "It reminds me of a time, a time before innocence had been lost," he then clenches my fist with both of his hands, "Come back to us soon, I miss you."

I look at the two heirlooms, "I miss him too," then dig them in my pocket as head to leave. 

He clears his throat as he hands me my jacket and mask. I mouth the word 'thanks' before leaving. 

"Also... we need materials to work with, if you can get something for me to make it then I will do it for you. Free of charge."

I shut the door behind me. A hand stops me, the receptionist then gestures for me to follow him to an alleyway. Keeping my wits about me he then pulls out a pack of cigarettes offering one to me.

"Smoke?"

I shake my head, "Why'd you pull me here?"

"A group of idiots is messing with Xani. Would you teach them a lesson for me? I will pay-"

"I'm not a courtyard errand boy."

He nods, then brings his hands together, "H-hey listen I know. B-but I have no one and I mean no one else to ask. Xani has done a lot for you and never asks for anything, what happened to take care of the people you cared about? Did that disappear with Van-"

I grab him by his neck, shoving him against the wall, "Pardon?" 

He squirms under my hold, gripping my hand as the other protects his face, "I-I didn't mean to... I... they-"

Then letting go of him, he cough for air on the ground. Then finally lifting him to his feet, he rests his back against the wall.

"Where?" I ask.

"On the 24th. Steel cap street. Six of them."

"I'll deal with them," I say with a sigh, leaving him alone as I leave.

"Thank you!" he calls after me, I then turn my gaze towards the surface.

I have some business in Piltover first.