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"Amazing. Perfect timing."
Seeing the metallic luster of mithril steel on Orianna's body, Ryan couldn't help but exclaim in awe.
Although the protective runes offered some relief, the process of merging flesh and metal was excruciating.
Orianna endured the pain with unwavering resolve, ensuring that every piece of material was perfectly aligned with her body.
The slightest misstep in timing would have meant certain and instant death.
The selection and precise quantification of each material had been almost entirely managed by the girl standing before him. Ryan had merely provided a list of his resources; she had done the rest.
Gradually, the whites of Orianna's eyes faded away, replaced by a radiant sky-blue glow. Her body, now encased in mithril steel, gleamed with a metallic sheen.
Gaps formed at the joints of her limbs, emphasizing the mechanization overtaking her.
Katarina and Seraphine held their breath as they watched Orianna in the center of the rune matrix. The air was thick with tension, and neither of them could look away, their eyes locked on the unfolding transformation.
As Orianna's human-like expression vanished, replaced by an unfeeling metallic visage, the magical blue light in Ryan's eyes intensified.
The entire room was bathed in dark blue, its hue overpowering everything except the faint, eerie green flame of the Lost Soul Lamp, which flickered stubbornly in defiance.
Ryan watched Orianna's gradual evolution, his fingers moving almost unconsciously as he traced patterns in the air. A clock-shaped rune crafted from light blue dots materialized before him.
Katarina's eyes widened as recognition dawned. It was the same rune she had seen in Orianna's workshop that day.
"Perfect timing," Ryan murmured, his voice low but reverent.
"A miracle is born."
As if responding to his words, a similar rune, darker in color, emerged from Ryan's body. Hovering in the air, the two runes—the phantom and the entity—merged, forming the true source rune.
The newly formed rune floated toward Orianna, eventually sinking into her chest and fusing with her Hextech heart. At that moment, the mechanization of her body reached its climax.
Memories flooded Orianna's mind like a vivid slideshow: her father, who had lovingly raised her; the bustling Workshop Street of Piltover where she had spent her childhood; her youthful dream of exploring the world; Ryan, who had appeared in her life when she was lost and searching for direction; and Seraphine, her childhood friend who, despite her outward reserve, possessed a fiery and compassionate heart.
The memories looped endlessly as intricate mechanisms replaced the flesh and blood of Orianna's brain.
Yet, even as the transformation progressed, her mind worked tirelessly to preserve those memories and emotions.
They were transferred to her new mechanical brain, inscribed into the very essence of her soul.
Hum!
A blinding beam of light erupted from Orianna's Hextech heart, piercing through the room and shooting into the sky.
If not for Ryan's carefully constructed rune matrix and the presence of Noxian soldiers stationed outside the embassy, the curious citizens of Piltover would have undoubtedly swarmed in to investigate.
When the light subsided, Orianna stood transformed. Her once fair skin was now covered in sleek, silver-white mithril steel.
Her hair and face gleamed with a metallic sheen, and a small aperture rested in the center of her back.
The quiet and frail girl she once was had been replaced by a living machine—precision and perfection embodied.
"Clockwork..." Ryan whispered, his voice filled with admiration.
Orianna's soft voice, now tinged with an ethereal, electronic timbre, responded.
"Clockwork."
"Sister Orianna?" Seraphine's voice trembled with uncertainty.
She stared at Orianna, panic rising in her chest.
The familiar song of Orianna's soul, which she had always heard, was now silent. It was as if the music had vanished altogether.
Ryan, however, remained calm. With a slight wave, he summoned a finely crafted clockwork mechanism designed by Mr. Colin and imbued it with mithril steel and rune reinforcements.
Slowly, the clockwork floated into the aperture on Orianna's back.
Click!
The mechanism locked into place and began to turn. As it did, the vivid glow returned to Orianna's eyes. Her movements, initially stiff, became fluid once more. She rose to her feet with a grace that was both human and mechanical, bowing slightly to Ryan.
"Ryan... Mr. Ryan. Thank you... for your help."
"Your body will take time to adjust," Ryan replied, his voice calm but tinged with care.
"Stay in the embassy for now. I'll help modify the device so that your Hextech heart feels like your own. Whether it becomes a weapon or a phylactery—that decision is yours to make." His tone faded into a quiet murmur.
"I think... I'll have an answer soon. Thank you, Mr. Ryan," Orianna responded, her ethereal electronic voice carrying a faint trace of emotion.
Hearing this, Seraphine let out a relieved sigh but blinked in confusion. She hesitated before asking,
"Sister Orianna, are you alright? But why... why can't I...?"
"Seraphine, you've been slacking on your rune studies," Ryan interjected, his tone suddenly sharper.
"Ah!" Seraphine's body stiffened, a chill running down her spine.
She immediately realized the reason for her unease.
Orianna had changed. She was now like Ryan—beyond the limits of ordinary humanity. Seraphine could no longer hear Orianna's soul singing.
It was either because Orianna had crossed the threshold of a Champion-level being or because Ryan's deep understanding of soul runes had been etched into Orianna during the ceremony.
Whatever the case, Seraphine, a mere novice, could no longer perceive Orianna's soul song.
"I even told myself I'd listen to Sister Orianna's passionate singing once her ceremony was complete..." she muttered to herself.
However, her expression wasn't one of disappointment. Instead, her bright eyes sparkled with genuine joy and blessings.
Orianna's ritual had been a perfect success, and that was enough to fill her heart with happiness.
"Focus on your studies, Seraphine," Ryan said, his tone softening.
"The more you learn about runes, the more songs you'll hear. Your talent is second only to one other mage I've ever encountered. If you want to hear the soul songs of everyone around you, it won't take long."
"Second?" Seraphine's attention latched onto the word.
"Then who's the most talented mage you've ever seen?"
Ryan paused, a flicker of nostalgia crossing his face.
"Talent? Hers is the kind of potential that requires no effort, only time. If no one had interfered, she could have destroyed Ionia with ease by the time she reached adulthood."
His voice carried a faint trace of longing.
"What?!" Seraphine exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief.
She had read enough to know that Ionia, a vast landmass far larger than Piltover and Zaun combined, was at least a hundred times the size of the Twin Cities.
The idea of someone with enough power to obliterate it effortlessly was unfathomable.
Could her own abilities ever compare to such a monster?
The thought stirred doubt in her heart. Ryan's words also hinted at a deeper connection between him and this mysterious figure.
Was it a rivalry? Friendship? Brotherhood? Family? Or... perhaps even love?
Seraphine shook her head, trying to dispel her curiosity.
She loved stories, but without the ability to hear Ryan's soul singing, her imagination ran wild, filling in the blanks.
"I'm going to study!" Seraphine declared suddenly, determination shining in her eyes.
"Don't stop me! I'll master the first rune today!"
With a dramatic flourish, her long pink hair swayed as she turned and dashed out of the room.
Ryan watched her leave, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Her presence added a spark of lightheartedness to his otherwise somber life.
His thoughts, however, drifted elsewhere—four years into the past, to a moment of defeat.
After being pursued by the Placidium forces, he and his commander had been driven to the remote island in Ionia.
There, in the mystical Dreaming Pool, he had encountered her.
A silver-haired girl, sealed by the Spirit of Ionia, with a blade in hand and a mysterious, otherworldly aura.
That day, he had released her from her confinement.
Darkness had swept across the island in an instant. Pursuers were consumed by the shadow, vanishing without a trace.
That girl—the most talented mage he had ever known—had changed everything.
For half a year after their escape, Ryan had stayed with her, exchanging knowledge and theories about magic.
The ring on his finger now was a product of her immense talent, crafted through sheer magical will.
He wondered if she had taken his advice to heart and immersed herself in the study of magic.
It saddened him to think that such unparalleled potential might be wasted in Ionia, where her natural dark magic would always be feared and suppressed.
"Ionia was too small for someone like her," Ryan murmured to himself.
"She belongs in Noxus, where her talents could flourish. There, she wouldn't face fear or rejection—only admiration and respect."
Shaking his head, Ryan pushed the thoughts aside, his eyes dimming as the magical glow dissipated.
The rune matrix surrounding the embassy unraveled into the ether, and the Noxian soldiers resumed their orderly patrols, leaving only a few on guard duty.
The embassy returned to its usual state, but the lingering aftershock of the magical ceremony left an indelible impression on the citizens of Piltover and Zaun.
The ripple of power would be remembered for years to come.