///During that m///

  North of Piltover y the Frosttip Mountain, smaller in size before the Great Barrier mountain range just beyond. Vastly uncharted and uhis natural barrier separated Piltover from the great powers of Noxus, which cimed dominance over the Great Barrier.

  Every year, honorary students from minor colleges and the Piltover Academy attend a retreat at the Frosttip Mountain. Jayd Caitlyn had just returned from the hiking expedition, having split off before first light to arrive home early.

  Jayce babbled on about an important breakthrough he was about to make, and Caitlyn was eager to freshen up for training with Orion and Greyson. She had a skip iep after esg from Jayce's ramblings about his "soon-to-be-reized achievements."

  Caitlyn shifted her bag as she turhe er, her steps slowing to a halt. Worry enveloped her expression and she started sprinting. The Kiramman manor had multiple Enforcers standing outside with Greyson at the ter, all looking grim.

  One of the Enforcers clearly said something as Greyson's tilted her head before turning to face Caitlyn.

  "Caitlyn..." Sheriff Greyson started fly.

  "What is going on," Caitlyn cut ione sharp with urgency.

  Greyson paused, her mouth hanging slightly with hesitaell me!" Caitlyn demaaking a step closer.

  "Your home was robbed st night," Greyson stated slowly with remorse.

  Caitlyn froze, her eyes widening in disbelief, "Robbed?" she repeated, her voice trembling, but Greyson pressed on.

  "Your mother and father are missing too. The servants were found tied up ie room,"

  Caitlyn staggered back, her chest heaving and tears beginning to form.

  Greyson grimaced but tinued. "The criminals hid their faces, but traces of Chemtech were found. We reasonably assume they inated from the Uy."

  Just beyond the gates, Caitlyn could see the servants f each other. Some were bruised and injured; others were g. Her fists ched, and she asked with an uone of anger and accusation, "So why aren't you there then?"

  Greyso her gaze and replied sympathetically but firmly. "Procedures must be followed. Enforcers are log down the Uy as we speak. After we finalize testimonies here, we'll anize seard rescue parties."

  "That'll take too long!" Caitlyn shouted in ed, her voice crag with emotion. "Search parties should already be out!"

  "The Uy is dangerous, Caitlyn" Greyson sighed, replying sympathetically. "Sending unprepared and ill-informed Enforcers into the Uy's depths is only asking for trouble."

  Their versation was interrupted as an Enforcer sprinted up, breathless. "Sheriff!" He saluted sharply while breathing heavily. "We've received a tip-off from the bridge. Two topsiders were spotted being smuggled into the Cultivar, located iresol district!"

  Caitlyn's eyes widened with hope, but Greyson frowned. "From whom?"

  "An Uy resident. He's being questioned but... well, he's difficult to uand," the Enforcer reported, his tone brisk as he tio catch his breath. "He cims to have drank all night and saw two individuals in fancy clothing, sacks over their heads, being carried by heavyset individuals into the Cultivar."

  "Awfully ve," Greyson tio frown, skepticism written all over her face. "But it is the only lead we have."

  "Let me e. I help!" Caitlyn stepped forward, her voice trembling with emotion.

  Greyson shook her head immediately, but Caitlyn pressed on. "They're my parents! You've seerain- I'm a good shot!"

  "I 't risk that," Greyson replied, eyes soft but her tone remaining resolute. "You may be the st survivor of the Kirammans. As the Sheriff, I won't risk your safety- no matter how good a shot you are."

  "What was the point of all that training then?" Caitlyn cried, her voice broken as tears streamed down her face. "Why gh all the effort if I 't save my family? If my parents died like this, do you holy think I would care for the cil?!"

  Upon the Caitlyn's st words, Greyson stiffened. Her face torted into a deep frown and Caitlyn caught the shift. Caitlyn paused, tears still on her cheeks as she felt a realization.

  "That's what you care about, isn't it?" Caitlyn choked out, her voice trembling with accusation.

  Greyson responded quickly by taking a step forward, her toinged with agitation upon the accusation. "It's very much the opposite. Cassandra is one of the few in Piltover who truly supported the Uy- who kept hostilities from spiraling out of trol."

  "You've put me in a difficult spot, Caitlyn," Greyson fessed, her voice weary and gaze softening again. "Without a Kiramman, the fragile peace we've fought for will crumble."

  After a moment of hesitation, she finishes firmly, meeting Caitlyn's gaze. "I will go down there personally. You may apany me, but you will not participate."

  ---------------------------

  ///Meanwhile///

  Orion was unaware of the events transpiring, having just woken and headed toward the Cultivar after receiving a message from C. The streets were a little less busy with the early m hustle, he noticed, but didn't give it much further thought. Every city has it's down days, after all, and it wasn't that surprising for the Uy.

  The Cultivar was just like t Mei's Menagerie and the Factorywood location he had visited, but it was solely a botanical garden. Many Uy residents would visit it to breath fresh air- the rarest and most desirable kind.

  Eerily, however, just like the rest of the Uy today, there were no crowds or wandering people.

  Walking closer, he saw the same twe men from Factorywood guarding the entrahey o him, opening the door for his entry. Orio uneasy; they seemed tense; something about their demeanor seemed tense, almost as if they were anticipating something. Adjusting his jacket after passing them, he shifted his gun and st Chemfsh.

  'That's the first time I've seen them like that. Something's happening.' Orion thought, his nerves beginning to fre.

  Just like Factorywood, the air and nature' pleasant aroma deceptively masked the dangerous aura of the Uy- as well as the se before him.

  Scattered across the botanical garden, including two more by the entrance, were over a dozen gangsters and thugs. These weren't like the kind found in alleys; they were more professional with augmentations powered by Chemtech, Chemtech ons, and an undeniable battle-hardened grit.

  Orion paused as their gazes nded upon him, the room in a tense silence. His jaw tightened as he wondered if he could make it out alive if anything broke out.

  Cp. Cp. Cp.

  "Wele, Orion."

  Orion fully expected Silake an appearaer such a theatrical introdu, but his breath hitched in surprise upnizing C's serpent-like voistead. His gaze shifted further back, beyond the thugs, to see C standing behind two individuals tied to chairs with sacks over their heads.

  Their clothes were dirtied and smudged, but Orion could make out the distinct separations of royal blue and gold. Orion's stomach sank as realizatio in.

  C wore a sly smirk, her eyes dang with dangerous ing as her fingers pyed with the cloth of one of the sacks.

  "It's time for our little seed to make its decision." she said smoothly, her words dripping with venom.