The workshop was a mess of scattered blueprints, broken glass, and abandoned tools. Jayce sat hunched over his workbench, the hum of Hextech crystals filling the silence.

Once, that sound had meant hope. Now it felt like a burden.

His gaze drifted to the empty chair across from him. Viktor's chair. They had built dreams here together. Now only ghosts remained. The Arcane had taken its toll. Every creak of the floorboards made him tense. Every shadow felt alive.

His hand hovered over another unfinished design. Was he fixing anything anymore, or simply trying to atone?

A sudden knock at the door made him jump. No one should be here this late. For a moment, he stared at the entrance, heart pounding.

Then he forced himself to speak.

"...Come in."