Piltover - Jayce's Lab

A few days later,

The lab was eerily quiet as Jayce stepped inside, his boots echoing softly against the polished floor. He paused, his eyes scanning the room, taking in the memories etched into every corner. The lab, once vibrant and bustling with potential, now felt heavy with the weight of past mistakes. His gaze fell to a large square in the center of the room, the place where he had once used the Hexcore in a desperate attempt to save Viktor. That decision, meant to heal, had instead led Viktor down a path Jayce wished he could undo.

He exhaled deeply, running a hand through his long, unkempt hair. The tension in his chest grew as his eyes lingered on the spot. The echoes of what could have been haunted him.

Suddenly, the sound of small footsteps broke the silence, followed by a familiar voice. "Jayce, is that you, my boy?"

Jayce's eyes widened in surprise, and he spun around. Standing in the doorway was Professor Heimerdinger, his tiny figure a stark contrast to the imposing stillness of the lab. "Professor? I thought you were... gone," Jayce stammered, his disbelief evident.

Heimerdinger walked toward him, his keen eyes observing Jayce closely. "Gone, you say?" he asked with a chuckle. "Not quite. But I must say, you look... different. Almost didn't recognize you with that unruly hair and scruffy beard. What has happened to you, Jayce?"

Jayce chuckled lightly, brushing his hair back awkwardly. "I could say the same about you, Professor. You look exactly the same."

Heimerdinger's smile faded slightly, replaced by a look of curiosity. "Where did you go, Jayce? After we entered the Arcane, did we become separated? I found myself with Ekko in a similar timeline, but I couldn't find you."

Jayce hesitated, his brow furrowing as the memories returned. "I saw... something else," he began slowly, his voice thick with emotion. "A different timeline. One where Hextech was no longer a beacon of progress. Viktor had turned it into something else entirely. Something dark."

Heimerdinger tilted his head, his expression growing serious. "A darker timeline, you say? Tell me more, Jayce. What did you see?"

Jayce sighed, his shoulders sagging under the weight of the memory. "I saw a version of Piltover that was lifeless. Cold. Viktor used Hextech not to help, but to control. To perfect humanity, or at least his twisted vision of it. The city became... something unrecognizable."

Heimerdinger nodded slowly, his ears twitching in thought. "A vision of perfection can easily become a vision of tyranny. And Viktor, brilliant as he was, always had a dangerous determination. It's no wonder that timeline was different."

Jayce hesitated, his brow furrowing as he glanced at the remnants of the Hexcore. "That's the thing, Professor," he began, his voice quieter but laden with emotion. "I saw Viktor in that timeline. Not the Viktor we knew, but... him. He was the one who saved me all those years ago and sent me back to undo his mistakes." Jayce's hands clenched slightly as he spoke, the memory vivid in his mind. "It was as if... he regretted everything. As if he'd finally realized the cost of what he'd done."

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Heimerdinger tilted his head, his expression contemplative. "Fascinating. Regret can be a powerful motivator, but it takes immense courage to act on it—especially when faced with the consequences of one's own actions."

Jayce nodded slowly. "Before he sent me back, he told me something I'll never forget. He said, 'There is no prize to perfection, but only an end to pursuit.'" Jayce chuckled lightly, though the sound carried a note of sadness. "It's ironic, isn't it? All that ambition, all that drive for progress, and in the end, he saw the truth. Perfection isn't the goal—it's the trap."

Heimerdinger's eyes narrowed slightly as he considered the words. "Wise, yet tragic. Viktor must have understood that too late. But it seems he wanted to ensure you wouldn't make the same mistake."

Jayce exhaled deeply, his hand brushing through his long hair as he tried to push past the weight of the memory. "Maybe. Or maybe he just wanted to give Piltover another chance." He turned to Heimerdinger, his gaze steady. "Either way, I owe it to him—to all of us—to make sure we get it right this time."

Heimerdinger placed a small, reassuring hand on Jayce's arm. "You've grown, my boy. That wisdom, hard-earned as it may be, will guide you. And perhaps... Viktor's final act was his way of ensuring that his mistakes wouldn't define the future."

Jayce nodded, a faint but resolute smile forming on his lips. "Yeah, let's hope so."

Jayce looked down for a moment, the weight of his thoughts pressing on him. Then, glancing back at Heimerdinger, he asked, "How did you and Ekko manage to get out? How did you return to this timeline?"

Heimerdinger's ears perked slightly as he nodded. "Ah, quite the story, my boy. Ekko, brilliant as ever, found a way to recreate Hextech... and even the Arcane itself. It wasn't easy, mind you, but he managed to navigate us back here. Though, of course," Heimerdinger added with a hint of somberness, "there were... hitches."

Jayce furrowed his brow, leaning forward slightly. "Hitches? What kind of hitches?"

Heimerdinger sighed, his small hands clasping together as he looked up at Jayce. "To return to our timeline, a sacrifice had to be made. Initially, it was supposed to be me who stayed behind, to stabilize the transition and ensure Ekko's safe return. I was ready to do it, Jayce," he said, his voice quiet but resolute.

Jayce's expression grew serious, his brow knitting further. "But you didn't take the sacrifice. Who did?"

Heimerdinger chuckled softly, though the humor didn't fully reach his eyes. "That doesn't matter now," he said, shaking his head gently. "All you need to know is that the boy who took my place... was a hero. Selfless, brave, and determined to see Ekko return safely. If he exists in this timeline, I'd like to thank him personally, though I doubt he even knows the full extent of what he did."

Jayce frowned, his mind racing. "He doesn't know?"

"Likely not," Heimerdinger replied, his voice carrying a mix of admiration and sadness. "Sacrifices often go unnoticed, Jayce. And sometimes, those who make them never realize the ripple effects of their actions. But rest assured, that boy gave Ekko and me the chance to come back—to help Piltover and Zaun rebuild."

Heimerdinger's eyes twinkled faintly as he added, "If he exists in this timeline—and I cannot say for certain—it would be nice to thank him. Though I suspect he may not even realize the significance of his sacrifice. That kind of selflessness is rare, Jayce."

Jayce exhaled deeply, his thoughts swirling as he tried to process the revelation. "I hope we find him someday," he said quietly, his gaze distant. "He deserves more than just our thanks."

Heimerdinger smiled gently, placing a reassuring hand on Jayce's arm. "Perhaps we will. But for now, let's focus on what lies ahead. There's much to be done, my boy."

Jayce nodded, though his thoughts lingered on the unknown hero, a sense of gratitude and curiosity lingering in his chest. He stood straighter, his resolve strengthening once again. "You're right. We owe it to him—and to everyone—to make things right."