Arcane: Bond Beyond Death (R18)-Chapter 40: Episode 39: Rage

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Bael's tone was calm but absolute. "Jinx, she stays. We need her, and that's final."

Of course, Jinx threw a tantrum as you'd expect.

Bael sighed, keeping his voice level. "We all have pasts, Jinx. We've all been through hell. But we're here now. We need to move forward."

Jinx gave a slow, sarcastic clap, her smile stretching wider. "Oh, wow. So wise. So noble. My man, always trying to fix broken things." She leaned in, voice sultry as she dragged a finger along Bael's jawline. "But you know, babe... some things are better left shattered."

She turned her gaze to Vi, and in an instant, the teasing turned venomous. "So let's get one thing straight, princess. You stay because I allow it. And if you ever, ever disturb me and my man while we're..." she let out a soft, twisted giggle, licking her lips, "...busy, I won't just shoot you."

Her grin widened, eyes flickering with dangerous delight. "I'll fucking ruin you."

Vi's breath hitched, and she forced herself to hold Jinx's gaze. But Jinx could smell the hesitation, the doubt, and it only made her smirk harder.

She turned back to Bael, her hands sliding possessively over his chest, her body pressing against him. "You're mine. Every. Last. Inch." She bit her lip, deliberately loud enough for Vi to hear. "She doesn't get to take even a fraction of you. You're my man. You beling to me, and now one else."

Then, she threw a glance over her shoulder at Vi, her voice dropping into a whisper so laced with lust and madness it barely sounded human anymore. "Step out of line, sister dearest... and I'll make sure you regret it for the rest of your miserable, lonely life."

She giggled again, turning her attention fully back to Bael, tugging him closer as if Vi had already ceased to exist. "Now come here, my man. Let's remind everyone exactly who you belong to."

She kissed him-deep, possessive, claiming him like she had something to prove. And Vi? She could only watch.

"...That's enough Jinx, I think everyone in this world now gets it. Now we have to properly welcome Vi and introduce her to everything we do, and our objectives."

Jinx let out a dramatic sigh, rolling her eyes as she finally released Bael, though her fingers lingered on his chest for just a second longer.

"Fiiiine," she huffed, flopping back with an exaggerated pout. "But don't expect me to play nice. She's on her own."

"Alright, Vi," Bael said, his tone shifting back to something more serious. "If you're staying, you need to understand how things work here. What we do. What we're fighting for."

Vi exhaled, straightening up. "I want to prove myself. Just tell me what needs to be done."

Jinx's grin returned, sharp as a blade. "Chaos. War. Fun."

Bael smirked slightly but kept his voice steady. "Control."

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Vi's jaw tightened. "And Silco?"

Jinx's expression darkened instantly, but Bael answered first. "He's in the way. He still thinks he owns this city, but he's just another piece in the game."

Vi frowned. "So what's the plan?"

Jinx giggled, kicking her feet playfully. "Guess you'll just have to stick around and find out, sister dearest."

Bael crossed his arms. "We'll start with something simple. A mission. You in?"

Vi clenched her fists, her mind already made up. "I'm in."

Jinx hmph'd, but there was a glimmer of something in her eyes—maybe excitement, maybe something darker.

Either way, there was no turning back now.

Bael nodded, satisfied with Vi's answer. "Alright then. We start tonight."

Jinx stretched her arms over her head with an exaggerated yawn. "Ugh, tonight? Boooooring. I wanted to spend the day with my man." She shot a look at Bael, grinning devilishly. "Guess I'll have to settle for some good ol' mayhem instead."

Vi ignored her sister's antics and focused on Bael. "What's the job?"

Bael walked over to the workbench, grabbing a rolled-up map and laying it out. The dim lighting of the lair cast long shadows over the parchment.

"Supply convoy. Piltover's sending a shipment through the outskirts tonight. Heavily guarded, but not untouchable."

Jinx perked up, eyes gleaming. "Oooooh, now that sounds fun."

Vi furrowed her brow. "What's in the shipment?"

Bael smirked. "Hextech. Military-grade. Silco's been eyeing it, but if we get to it first, we control who gets it-and who doesn't."

Vi's jaw tightened at the mention of Hextech. She had seen firsthand what Piltover's weapons could do, and the idea of them falling into the wrong hands-no matter whose-was unsettling..

"And what's the plan?" she asked.

Jinx twirled a wrench in her hand. "Oh, I dunno, Vi. Maybe we ask the enforcers nicely and they just give us the goodies?" She cackled. "Or maybe I blow their heads off one by one and watch their stupid little blue helmets roll across the street."

Bael ignored Jinx's theatrics and pointed to the map. "We hit them at the checkpoint here, just before they reach the Piltover gate. It's the last stop before they move into high-security zones."

Vi studied the map, nodding. "Ambush?"

Bael nodded. "Fast and brutal."

Jinx giggled again, leaning against Bael's shoulder. "Mmmm, my man knows exactly how I like it."

Vi rolled her eyes but let it slide. "Fine. I'll help."

Jinx's smile twisted into something smug. "Aww, look at you! Already playing nice with the big bad criminals."

Vi shot her a glare. "I said I'd help. Don't push it."

Bael stepped between them before things could escalate. "Alright, enough. Get ready. We move at sundown."

Jinx licked her lips, practically buzzing with excitement. "Oooooh, Vi, you're gonna love what we do at night."

Vi wasn't so sure about that. But for now, she was in.

...

In Piltover's grand plaza, the sun gleamed off polished marble and gold-trimmed banners bearing the crest of progress. The air was tense—thick with unease. Citizens gathered in clusters, murmuring among themselves, their eyes shifting nervously toward the raised stage. At its center stood Mel Medarda, draped in regal attire, her usual elegance overshadowed by a subtle rigidity in her posture.

Behind her, dozens of elite enforcers stood at attention, rifles gleaming under the light. Their presence wasn't ceremonial—it was a warning.

Mel's voice echoed through the square, smooth yet brittle, every word laced with the weight of recent tragedy. "People of Piltover... our city stands on the brink. Safety is no longer a given. Our prosperity has made us a target for those who would see it destroyed."

Her gaze hardened, the facade of the untouchable Medarda heir cracking slightly—something cold, almost fearful, lingering beneath.

She gripped the podium tighter. "But know this: we will not be brought to our knees by terrorists and criminals."

Mel's eyes scanned them all, but her mind saw only two faces—Bael's twisted smile amidst the smoke, and Jinx's unhinged laughter as her bombs painted the streets red.

She swallowed the fear. Replaced it with resolve. "Piltover will respond. Stronger than ever. And those who dare threaten our peace... will be met with force."

The crowd applauded, but the claps were hesitant—thinly veiling the city's collective anxiety.

Mel stepped back, letting her mask of confidence hold a moment longer before retreating to the shadows of the council chambers. Her heart raced beneath the surface.

She knew this wasn't over.

Not with them still out there.

The crowd was stirred, tension boiling over as Mel's voice grew harsher, her words sharper, dripping with hate.

"I WANT THEIR HEADS ON PIKES—"

Suddenly, a hand gripped her arm firmly.

"Councilor Medarda!"

Salo stepped beside her, his voice low but urgent. "What are you doing?! This... this isn't you!" He looked around nervously at the crowd, some now whispering, others staring wide-eyed.

Mel's eyes were wild, pupils dilated, breaths ragged. She shook his hand off. "Get off me, Salo—do you have ANY idea what they did?"

"I know, but this—" Salo's voice cracked. "You're losing control! This isn't how we—"

"They almost killed me!" Mel snapped, voice trembling with rage. "They turned the Man of Progress into a VEGETABLE! Do you understand what that means?!"

Heimerdinger stood frozen near the back of the stage, his fur bristling, eyes wide with disbelief.

"Councilor Medarda... this language... this approach... it is unbecoming of a leader of Piltover..." he murmured, his voice barely audible over the growing murmurs of the crowd.

But Mel wasn't listening. Her hand trembled as she pointed out over the people.

"They humiliated us! Brought our city to its knees! Left him—the greatest mind Piltover ever had—dribbling like a child!" Her voice cracked, seething with pain. "If we don't crush them—if we don't make them BLEED—this city will FALL!"

Salo tightened his grip on her arm, now actively pulling her back. "Mel—STOP! You're making a scene!"

"Let go of me!" she hissed through gritted teeth, but Salo didn't release her.

The crowd was no longer just murmuring—they were shifting, uncertain, some visibly disturbed by their councilor's raw fury.

Heimerdinger shook his head, visibly distressed. "Anger clouds judgment, Councilor. This... this is not the way... I think it has to do with your mother..."

Mel's eyes burned with rage.

Caitlyn stood among the crowd, her eyes locked onto Mel, heart racing.

Beside her, her mother, Councilor Kiramman, exhaled sharply through her nose. Without hesitation, she stepped forward, her elegant figure cutting through the tension as she ascended the stage.

She reached Mel and placed a hand on her arm—firm, yet diplomatic.

"Councilor Medarda, this is not the time... nor the place," Kiramman whispered, her voice calm but commanding. "Piltover demands strength, yes, but measured strength. We cannot lead through panic."

Mel's chest rose and fell rapidly, her eyes flicking toward Kiramman's stern gaze. For a brief moment, clarity seemed to return—but it was fleeting. Her lips quivered.

"They ruined us... They ruined him... You didn't see what I saw... What they did to Jayce... He's... he's gone..."

Kiramman tightened her grip, lowering her voice further, though the tension between them was obvious.

"We will respond. But with unity, not chaos. Compose yourself."

Salo, still clutching Mel's other arm, glanced at Kiramman, silently grateful for her intervention. The crowd was still watching, hanging on every strained movement.

Caitlyn bit her lip, eyes darting between her mother and Mel. She knew this situation was far from over. This... this was the beginning of something far worse.

The news of Stillwater Prison's collapse only fueled the fire as now the two were free once again after being held for so long. This meant the only way they could end their threat, permanently, was by ending them.

During that time, the airship settlements were arriving, these were manipulated and bribed by Silco to transport shimmer, but this time, the trio was here to hijack the operation...