"She's a display piece now."
Duke caught the red-and-white sphere that had successfully captured Rek'Sai. It felt heavy in his palm, solid and dense like a block of lead—no one would have guessed that inside this unassuming ball was a monstrous creature from the Void.
"That's it? Just like that?"
Sivir stared suspiciously at the Poké Ball in Duke's hand. Even now, she found it hard to believe—something that terrifying and savage had been subdued so easily.
"No way..."
"This, my lady, is science!"
Duke tossed the Poké Ball lightly in his hand, pride flashing in his eyes. This was his latest experiment using Pym particles.
In fact, back when he first began synthesizing them, he'd already been pondering how to extend their field of application.
In the Ant-Man series, Hank Pym had used the same particles to develop all sorts of technology—shrinking cars, houses, even skyscrapers into portable sizes.
Duke had done his own research along similar lines. He even had a portable laboratory stored in his inventory now.
The concept of the Poké Ball came to him after capturing Jhin—the "Virtuoso." If he could shrink a person and store them inside a containment unit... why not design something specifically for capturing living beings?
So, using some "inspiration" from a certain idiotic womanizer's diary, Duke created a red-and-white ball capable of capturing biological entities.
In its default state, it was only palm-sized. But once the button in the center was pressed and it was thrown, it automatically scanned the target's biological structure as its mechanisms activated.
The ball expanded as it opened, growing to twice the size of the target to ensure containment. Inside were force field generators, lifeform suppression modules, and biological sedation systems—once something was pulled inside, it would be instantly neutralized.
Of course, that only worked if the target was caught off guard.
Rek'Sai had been restrained by anti-gravity anchors; otherwise, Duke wouldn't have dared throw the ball at her in the first place. If she'd still been thrashing freely, she would've dodged it with ease.
Still, it was a surprisingly faithful recreation of the original inspiration.
"So, what are you planning to do with her?"
Kai'Sa approached, eyeing the Poké Ball in Duke's hand.
"Take her back, study her," Duke said without hesitation. "Once I'm done, she'll make a fine display piece."
"Alright." Kai'Sa nodded. "If you need extra materials, I can help you."
"We'll see about that later."
Duke gave her shoulder a pat, which made her Void-adapted armor ripple with energy, the faint purple glow lingering for several seconds.
"Now then, it's time we head out."
He glanced over the canyon floor, shaking his head. The entire underground had been hollowed out by Rek'Sai's burrowing.
"Kai'Sa, what will you do next?"
Kai'Sa looked down at the desolate terrain, her voice calm but firm. "Someone has to stay behind to fight the Void—to warn others of its presence. If not, it'll spread."
"Stay behind?" Sivir snorted. "And what exactly can one person do? No one can handle this alone, girl. Facing creatures like that by yourself—it's suicide."
"Even so, someone has to stand guard."
Kai'Sa's gaze hardened, her expression unwavering. Ever since witnessing the horrors of the Void, she'd vowed to fight it to the bitter end.
Duke stroked his chin. It wasn't surprising that she wanted to stay—she'd been living as a Void-hunter for years now.
If Jax knew what she was thinking, he'd probably be proud.
Still, persuading her to leave wasn't impossible.
"Kai'Sa, maybe you should think about it a little more."
He tucked the Poké Ball away for now—there'd be plenty of time to study it later.
"There's nothing to think about," Kai'Sa said, shaking her head. Her tone was resolute.
"What about your father?"
That single question froze her in place. She turned sharply toward him, her eyes burning. "What did you say?"
Duke could feel the faint tremor in her voice. Years ago, when the Void eruption swallowed her village whole, her father—Kassadin—had been away from home.
He'd been a guide by trade, helping those who could afford it to find whatever they sought.
When the disaster struck, Kai'Sa had been just ten years old, living alone with her mother while her father was out on one of his expeditions.
Then came the Void's rampage. Her home vanished beneath the sands.
By the time Kassadin learned what had happened, it was too late to save anyone.
Since then, Kai'Sa had lived trapped between two worlds—half in the Void, half in reality—surviving by instinct alone. She'd rarely allowed herself to think about the family she'd lost. Her armor, her hunger, and her fear had left her little room for nostalgia.
"You... you know my father?"
Kai'Sa grabbed Duke's hands, her voice trembling.
"I know a lot of things most people don't," Duke replied casually. "Little Sparrow can vouch for that."
All eyes turned to Taliyah. Meeting Kai'Sa's gaze, she nodded. "It's true. Mr. Duke knows things no ordinary person should—about people, events... even me."
Sivir crossed her arms. "So, you're a prophet now?"
Duke smirked. "Not quite. Let's just say I'm well-informed."
Sivir squinted at him. "Then that means... you already knew about me too, didn't you?"
Bingo. That explained why Duke had insisted on keeping her around—he already knew what fate awaited her.
"Then you must also know about that Noxian woman," Sivir said sharply, her tone hardening. "Cassiopeia."
"I do," Duke replied. "But this isn't the time for that discussion."
He gestured for her to calm down. "Right now, we're talking about Kai'Sa."
He looked back at the girl. "Your father's real name was Kass-Sa-Ah-Deen... though most just called him Kassadin, right?"
At the sound of that name, Kai'Sa's entire body shook. "Yes! That's him! You—you know where he is?"
Duke nodded slowly. "After your village was swallowed, the survivors who escaped claimed they met your father at an oasis in the desert. When he learned what happened, he rushed home—but found nothing left but sand and rubble. He thought you'd died."
"For a while, he lost all purpose. But eventually... he found a new one. He's alive, Kai'Sa. Very much alive."
"My father... he's still alive..."
Kai'Sa's eyes shimmered as she stepped back, her hands trembling.
"So now," Duke said softly, "will you stay here to hunt the Void... or come with me to find your father?"
"I'll find him!" she said without hesitation.
But her expression faltered as she glanced at her Void armor. "But like this... how could I ever walk among humans again?"
"Don't worry. I can take care of that."
Her condition wasn't exactly subtle, but disguise wasn't beyond him.
"In that case," she said firmly, "I'll go with you."
She looked once more at the devastated canyon below. Though she wanted to stay and fulfill her duty, her longing for her father burned stronger.
"Welcome aboard," Duke said with a grin. "Next stop—north, to Veikora. We'll look for news of your father there."
"Alright!"
Kai'Sa nodded hard.
Sivir, however, wasn't done. "Now that you've finished your heartwarming family talk—how about that Noxian woman?"
"Cassiopeia?"
"That's right."
Her tone dripped with venom. Duke shrugged. "She was struck by a temple mechanism. Most likely, she's halfway to becoming a snake by now."
"I've got a good idea where she is—but you still owe me a favor, remember? Finish your end first, and I'll give you the details."
"Hmph. You'd better keep your word."
Sivir's temper cooled, for now.
Duke turned to Taliyah. "Little Sparrow, I bet you miss home too."
"Yes, Mr. Duke," she said softly.
"I'll help you find your family along the way. So don't worry."
"Thank you, Mr. Duke."
"No need for thanks."
With everything settled, Duke tapped Edith's frame, signaling their departure. But before they could take off—
Rumble!
The canyon floor cracked open, rock splintering like brittle wafers as a violent surge burst from below.
A torrent of Void creatures—countless as a flood—spilled upward, flooding the canyon.
Duke and the others rushed to the edge, and Sivir gasped. Below, the ground writhed with endless movement—small creatures the size of rats, massive ones as large as buses, a teeming ocean of Void life.
"Is this... a monster convention?" Sivir muttered, shivering.
Duke glanced at the Poké Ball in his hand and immediately understood.
Rek'Sai's final roar had been a call—to summon her kin.
"Well," Duke sighed, scratching his chin, "looks like we're not going anywhere for now."
"With that many down there, leaving them unchecked would trigger another Void outbreak."
End of chapter....
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