lirvothethird

  We had finally arrived back at Piltover. The sun peeked behind the Hexgates, casting golden rays around Piltover.

  Customs? No such thing.

  We sneaked in like how we snuck out. Just walking in with the crowd in our slightly battered explorers gear. A few clinks were heard every single step we took as the coins and relics in our bags jingled. We simply skipped the customs as that's for outsiders, not that I

  First stop. Ezreal's pce.

  Entering with the hidden key Ezreal pced, we entered. It was always dusty, but this time it was different. It was spotless. Everything was neatly arranged and polished. Like someone has been here while he was gone.

  The only ones that could've been here were: A. His uncle the professor B. His parents C. One of his admirersD. Girl 1E. Girl 2

  It doesn't matter much. After a quick shower and borrowing clothes, we moved towards the university.

  "We enter here."

  "There's a wall."

  "Exactly."

  A sigh left me as I stepped forwards but I was stopped.

  "Just need a hole for me to see through. Then I can go shift through."

  Is that how it works? I thought it just made him get dragged around really fast.

  I stuck my arm through, pushing a hand sized hole to the other side. Stepping away to the side, I walked through. Various pipes and lines decorated the tunnel, as I could only make out the shapes using the sunlight through the hole.

  A yellow circle emitting sparkles fshed as Ezreal dropped out, swinging his arms to bance.

  "Haha! I knew it would work!"

  He pumped his fist as I looked in disbelief. For all I know, he could've become a sptter on the wall. After plugging the hole, we started to navigate the dark tunnel in the university. Ezreal led, with a hand against the wall as we walked with only a hint of light sometimes peeking through the top.

  "We turn right after the third intersection. Which one are we at now?"

  "Second one."

  After turning to the point I forgot the path we took, we stopped in front of a wall. He deftly flipped a tch on a small trapdoor. Pushing aside some stale crackers, we climbed out of the cabinet.

  A cozy, neat, and simply furnished room with papers spread out on a desk beheld us. Ezreal plopped down on one of the couches. It seems that he comes here often.

  I perched on one of the stools on the side.

  "A few more minutes and the lecture'll be done."

  He opened some drawers, pulling out a package and opening it.

  "Ha. Unc always keeps a stash of good pastry here. Mmmh. Wanb some?"

  "Thanks."

  I nibbled on a wafer. A eggy and crispy milky taste filled my mouth. This is the type of pastry designed to make your mouth dry.

  Grabbing a table on the side and moving it to the center of the break room, we started to y out the relics and trinkets we had gathered.

  Golden goblets, pendants, rings, headbands, and various other household items. All gilded with gold and encrusted with jewels. All that was left in the bag was a pile of sand.

  But even that was packaged inside what was previously a cookie jar, as sifting through it could get some gold flecks. And st but not least, pressings of a few texts and some things that seemed magical in nature.

  A few minutes passed as a set of footsteps finally appeared. The only door in the room tentatively opened as a bespectacled man entered. Ezreal waved gleefully before gesturing at our spoils.

  "First pick for you Unc! Only one though."

  The 'Unc' slowly took off his gsses and pulled a small cloth out to wipe the lenses. A sigh left his mouth as he spoke.

  "You're old enough now. And responsible for your own decisions. But couldn't you have at least told us about you leaving? We wouldn't have stopped you. Heck. I could've even sponsored you."

  He let out another big sigh before dealing a finishing blow.

  "I spoke to the Explorers Guild to not allow your membership."

  "Noooo!!!"

  Ezreal colpsed, holding his hair. But just as fast as he fell, he rose up again. With a glint of determination in his eyes, he confidently decred.

  "Hmph. It doesn't matter if you make them reject me. I will make them beg for me to join! C'mon Aerth, let's go dig up the Oshra Va'Zaun my uncle's so fond of."

  I started ticking my fingers off for reasons why we shouldn't right now.

  "First. I haven't told everyone that I'm back. Second. I want to have a break after being in the desert for so long. Our mp oil has run out, food is gone, rope frayed, and our clothes shredded."

  "Your clothes are- nevermind."

  The room silenced. Ezreal's uncle offered something to break the silence.

  "My next lecture is in an hour. I'll take you guys out to eat. My treat."

  As he swung a coat over his shoulders, he called out behind.

  "No need to bundle them up, I'll help you examine it ter."

  With that, we started to walk through the halls of the university. Young and old, tall and short. All types of people loitered, rushed to their next lecture, or left the premises.

  While following behind I asked several questions on my mind to Ezreal.

  "What's a lecture?"

  "It's css for university students. What? You don't know what css is? Css is learning in a group. The reason why they call it lectures here is cause they think they're free willed."

  Someone that gives lectures should be a lecturer then. After a bit, we exited a rge brass double door and found ourselves back under direct sunlight. I blinked rapidly to adjust my eyes.

  The rge Hexgates weren't in sight, but you know what was? That's right. A statue of a furry short guy. With goggles and a wrench in hand. Is this the spirit of the university?

  Thoughts pgued me as we walked in silence back onto the main street. Both of them seemed to know where they were going, me, I just tagged along, an extra in their dispute.

  Explorers Guild. I think we were quite like explorers. We went and found a ruin, collected evidence and relics, and then we donated some of our discoveries.

  The streets were retively empty, as lunch hasn't been served yet. However, more patrols were seen. What happened during the time we weren't here? I decided to be direct.

  "Why is there so much enforcers?"

  He paused mid step before continuing.

  "If I didn't know you guys left Piltover, I would've suspected Ezreal. But nooooo. Zaunites came up somewhere and started to draw over the walls with paint. Independence? Even with our help it's still going to take a decade or two for them just to get up and walking."

  He turned around and pushed up his round gsses.

  "Instead, what we should be doing is moving all of the residences up here, and pcing the loud smitheries, hextech workshops down there."

  "What bout the Zaun Gray? To make those craftsmen go down there you should at least it possible to breathe."

  "And that's the problem. Tossing it in the ocean kills the fish, letting it loose kills the pnts."

  I interjected.

  "I keep hearing about how dangerous it is."

  "Yeah?"

  "Then how about selling it as a weapon? We get rid of the Gray and the buyer gets a weapon. Win win right? Too bad only Noxus is going to buy it... What. What's wrong? What're you looking at me like that for?"

  They started to briskly walk away.

  "Hey! What is it about my suggestion?"