𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐓𝐀, 𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘦

ꜱɪx

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DΣᄂƬΛ

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THE FLUORESCENCE BURNED DELTA'S EYES, THE HARSH LIGHTING A STARK CONTRAST TO THE OMINOUS GLOWING VINES THAT SEEMED TO INFECT THE PLACE. The room looked like a laboratory, equipment scattered haphazardly and magenta residue staining the tables. There was scratches marking the walls that looked like they had come from a wild animal and the chair across from Delta had the same slices through the fabric. The most prevalent detail of the room Delta was being held captive in was the enormous window that separated the occupants from the infected waters of the Lanes. Delta could see glowing eyes blinking at her from behind the glass, figures that moved beneath the pollution and stirred the depths. It looked like they were mocking her, watching as the leather strapping her down bit into her porcelain skin and drew blood. They beckoned for her- the polluted.

The cut on her face had dampened her eyesight and now the edges of her vision were rotting with black. It stung and Delta had no doubt that the black veins had spread further from the last time she had seen them. She didn't know how long she had been stuck here- hours or days, one couldn't tell when strapped to a chair. Her stomach rumbled in hunger and he throat stung from lack of water (as if the water in the Lanes was any good). Delta had run out of tears and now the ceiling was the most interesting thing she could see.

The thought of never seeing her family again, never seeing her again, fell heavy on Delta's heart. She longed for the warm embrace that their presence had on her, just to sit down and reminisce with all of them one last time. But she was gone. Delta had been swept away to Gods knows where and now she doubted she would ever see any of them again. It was a tough pill to swallow, that of loneliness. She would miss Vander's grin, the subtle move of the hands as he snuck her a pastry and waved her off with a smile and a wink. She would miss Mylo and his never-ending flirting, the way his hands worked deftly to ensure that Delta and him could spill their thoughts in secrecy. She would miss Claggor's birthday surprises, the soft smiles as he handed her yet another cuff to decorate her hair with. She would miss Powder's laughter, the way she could light up a room and set Delta into a fit of giggles so easily.

And Gods would she miss Vi. The way the edges of her lips would turn up in a smile when the two wrecked havoc or the small subtle glances that Vi would make when the two of them were alone together. And the nights, oh the nights. Warm embraces and soft kisses enveloped the two and just for a moment it felt like they were in their own little world, just Delta and Vi. Two sides of the same coin.

Delta was drawn out of her daydreaming by the sound of the door opening, a nervous sweat building on the back of her neck. She tilted her head to the right and all the color drained from her face, her hands shaking in fear. Walking towards her was a scientist but that's not what instilled the deep dread soaking into her bones, instead it was the man that followed.

Silco. His eyes stared daggers into her and the edges of his mouth upturned into a cold smile. He hovered over her and analyzed her before speaking up. "My child, I see you've been brought here safely." His eyes flickered with amusement. "My condolences by the way." Delta glared before speaking, her voice shaking with anxiety. "If safely you mean brought here against my will then sure, I made it safely." She paused. "And condolences for what?" Delta didn't know if she wanted the answer.

Silco feigned a look of shock before letting out a cruel laugh. "Why haven't you heard? Vander and his kids were found dead, every last one."

Delta chocked on her saliva and the world around her came crashing down. The tears that had dried up now fell in waves down her cheeks and her fingernails scratched into the metal beneath her. Sobs racked her body and Silco only stood there and watched, watched as his newest experiment was already in the process of bending to his every will. He only had to break her enough to manipulate her and then she would be his greatest weapon yet. The greatest threat Piltover would ever see.

And that, my friends, made Silco very happy.

Delta was screaming in despair and so with a quick signal towards his scientist a needle almost as thick as her pinky was jabbed into the side of her neck, urging her to scream louder. The pain was unbearable but soon it all faded into numbness. She tried to blink but her eyelids wouldn't move, and when she went to wiggle her fingers they wouldn't budge. Her eyes were plastered open and her ears sounded like they were underwater but it was enough senses to see and hear Silco's plan for her. What he would do to her. How he would torture her.

"She's sedated, sir. What's next?" Silco stood for a moment to admire his work before waving his hat nonchalantly. "The cut on her face, it's infected just the same as mine had been all those years ago. Manipulate it. Inject it with shimmer and see the reaction and if I'm correct soon she'll be one of us. The same as me." Silco approached her body before running a hand through her uneven hair. Delta would've flinched but she was sedated so instead the tears only ran faster. He leaned down to whisper in her ear. "We're so alike, my dear. And soon you'll see that- I'll make sure of it."

The scientist was back with another dose of what Silco referred to as Shimmer. It was magenta and eerily glowing and Delta knew she was about to be in a world of pain. He leaned down before bringing the needle to the cut gracing her face, positioning it before pressing down and injecting the shimmering liquid into the wound. And then all Delta could feel was agony.

Her screams echoed throughout the room and her back arched off the bed, the only thing holding her in place being the leather cuffs that drew blood. The black cut glowed purple and the veins reaching her eyes glowed the same eerie color, crawling to her irises and causing Delta's screams to get louder. Silco sat on a table and watched her writhe in pain, eyes raking her figure calculatingly. His hands folded beneath his chin and soon his eyes lit up in recognition. The cut was now back to black and the veins had now receded back into the cut. The only sign it had ever been infected was the raw edges that looked burned into her skin. Silco smirked.

"It was successful and soon she'll thank me. For now let's leave her to recover, put someone on guard duty." He paused. "I'll call Sevika for that." The scientist followed Silco out and left Delta to cry in silence. That was until a familiar whistle echoed throughout the large room.

The sedation was wearing off enough for Delta to move her head to the left and she almost cried at what she saw- Ekko perching in the shadows. Her rescuer.

He worked at the leather straps and soon Delta was free, her legs wobbling as Ekko helped her up. "Delta, are you okay?" She coughed, blood coming out. "Do I look ok?." She sighed, rubbing her face. "But thanks to you I eventually might be. How did you find me?" Ekko shrugged, the two making their way to the left side wall. "I'm small and people like to talk in the Lanes." He ushered her upwards. "Here we have to use the vent, Sevika is guarding the door." Delta nodded before the pair ambled their way through the vents, finally arriving at the end and dropping out into a pile of garbage.

"Is it true?" Ekko's eyes welled with tears before he silently nodded. Delta sniffled before nodding in confirmation. "Then let's not make their deaths in vain. Silco is going down and me and you, little man? We're gonna be the ones to do it."

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END OF PART ONE