~•~•~•~•~Ch. 6~•~•~•~

Arias POV

I listened to the sound of the academy bell ring four times signaling the change of the hour, but not just that. It also signaled for the end of the day and because of that, the sound of excited teens started to fill my mind and ears. The rush of multiple voices and even more so just a multitude of conversations and thoughts made me close my eyes to try and focus.

I tried to focus on a sound something significant, and I froze as I heard something so familiar. The sound of mechanical gears and machinery filled my ears, and I closed my eyes almost ignoring the soft hum and whispers that accompanied the all too familiar machinery.

My body moved as if following the song of a siren, however, the song was the beautiful sounds of machinery and inventing. The siren was the familiar head of brown hair and golden eyes and the faint smell of cinnamon and oil. I froze however once I had found the source of the sound my heart dropped.

There on the ground was Jayce working on a small copper wired machine but in the center was a soft blue glow. I watched the blue glow mesmerized as the sound of humming and faint garbled whispering filled my ears.

I watched Jayce noticing he was lost in his invention which brought a smile to my face so I gently brought my foot to his knee and gave it a gentle kick. I watched as Jayce looked up quickly alarm in his eyes in which he moved the invention beside him. I smiled as I looked at him and said "Hey what you got there Showboat?"

Jayce continued to stare at me for a moment longer before he sighed and got up stuffing the thing in his pocket. He went to move past me which made me furrow my brows as he said "Forget about it, Melodie." I scoffed as I went after him and said "What the fuck is your problem Talis? If you won't tell me what that is I will tell Hei-" I was cut off as I felt a hand over my mouth.

I looked up raising a brow as I was met with Jayce holding a hand over my mouth eyes wide scared and his face red. Jayce looked at me and said slowly "I'll tell you, but you can't tell anyone understood?" As he said that I nodded in which he moved his hand making me roll my eyes.

I sighed as I muttered, "I wouldn't tell anyone I'm not a snitch, and I'm not trying to get in the way of inventors with their inventions." Jayce nodded as he looked at me and started heading out of the academy still me just following him behind. As we walked, I looked at him and said gently "So are you going to tell me what it is?"

Jayce sighed as he looked around and pulled me into one of the alleys of Piltover, once there he looked around before looking at me. He sighed running a hand through his hair and whispered "It's... magic Aria" as he said that word my body froze. I looked at him my green eyes widening as I whispered under my breath "did you just say magic Talis."

Jayce rolled his eyes at the use of his last name as he pulled the small machine out of his pocket once again. He held it out and said, "I don't know exactly what it will do but I'm studying the crystal, it's a type of magic I came across." As he spoke however my eyes stayed glued to the little machine that he held in his hand the blue glow of the crystal shining.

As I stared at the object, I heard the faint humming again along with the garbled whispers that I didn't understand. I leaned in slowly however the machine was snatched away as Jayce put it in his pocket and he looked at me and said, "It's a bit dangerous still." I looked at him and nodded slowly as I said, "I won't tell anyone I promise."

He nodded as he looked at me and said, "Yeah because it will be trouble if it gets out to some bad people Piltovian or Zaunite." I frowned as he said that however I nodded and said, "well then since I know your secret can I help with it?" As I said that Jayce laughed a bit as if it was a joke which made me look at him with a glare.

He stopped as he noticed my face and flushed a bit as he looked away and muttered "Why are you mad? I mean how are you going to help you're a music kid aren't you?" I stared at him as I rolled my eyes and said, "My dad does mechanical work on instruments, plus I know my way around experiments I should be able to keep up."

Jayce stared at me for a while before nodding as he said "Ok that sounds good bu-" as he spoke my mind started to wander getting fuzzy with another memory.

I looked around my dad's new workshop that my dad had since we had moved to Piltover, my dad currently sat left of me. He was at a desk working on a small generator that had wires attached to it, the wires traveled towards me. I followed the wires as they made their way up attaching themselves to the wire cage my dad had placed on my head earlier. I winced as I saw my dad flip a switch which caused a current to race to the wire cage I was wearing and zap my left temple.

My dad looked up at me as he said gently "how do you feel after that? Aria" as he spoke it was also mixed with a constant ringing in my ear. As he spoke, I looked at him and whispered "I-I hear ringing" as I said that I saw his eyes widen as if happy. I opened my mouth however he went to flipping a few more switches, I felt the electricity course through my head, and I felt my eyes start to tear up.

Once it was done my vision was blurred but I could make out my dad moving over towards me as he wiped his hand on my cheek. He hummed as he said gently "I know it hurts Aria, but you're a Zaunite you will come over the pain ok?" As he said that I nodded slowly and I managed to make out his smile as my vision became slightly clearer.

He wiped my cheeks again as he said "Now don't cry anymore ok sweetie, it will make it hurt more due to the currents. So just stay strong a little longer to see if it works, we need to make sure that this works to help Seraphine ok?" As he said that I nodded and whispered ever so gently "of course dad, I'll help with Seraphine" with that he moved and my vision started to blur.

"-ria,"

"Aria" I felt hands on my shoulder and with that, I looked up at Jayce who was looking down at me worry in his eyes. I felt something fall on my cheek and I reached up feeling water, I was crying I wiped at my eyes quickly. Jayce looked at me and frowned as he said gently "are you ok Aria?" as he said that I nodded just looking away.

I cleared my throat and whispered "I'll see you later Jay-" I cut myself off in surprise when I felt arms around me and I saw Jayce hugging me. He pulled away after a moment clearing his throat awkwardly and looking away. I stared at him and noticed the red on his ears and neck and I just brought my hand to my mouth giggling gently.

Jayce looked down at me and smiled as he said gently "I uh... don't know what made you cry but uh if you do end up wanting to help me out. You know where I live or at least you can just find the Talis workshop." I smiled and nodded and looked at him and said "Thanks Jayce ill keep that in mind ok" with that I turned and headed out of the alley giving a small wave.

As I left Jayce behind I heard the soft humming and whispers before they faded as I headed towards my small house at the edge of Piltover. As I walked I felt myself be pulled into an alley I saw a pair of glowing blue eyes and I said gently "Dad?" but as I said it I felt a force hit the right of my head and black cloud my vision soon after.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Currently, at the Melodie household Allegra sat at the kitchen table her head in her hands. Her green eyes were wide as the words her husband just said played through her mind. "I can't believe you" She muttered out in disbelief as she rubbed her hands down her face once again letting out a shaky breath. She then looked at him with her green eyes however they had a fire within them, anger.

"Allegra you have got to underst-" Brio started but was quickly cut off "Understand what! That you're going to test something dangerous on our daughter!" Allegra shouted as she stared at Brio with tears in her eyes. Brio stared at his wife as he frowned and held his hand out whispering "Allegra it's to see if we can help Seraphine."

"But what about Aria Brio! She is our daughter too and you just want to do something that could ruin her life!" Allegra said as she looked at her husband the fire still in her eyes. Brio sighed as he stood up and went to Allegra and whispered "She is strong, plus we need to try and give Seraphine the best life Allegra." Brio took a moment before he sighed and whispered "Seraphine inherited the gift as well Allegra, if doing these tests can find a way to help her, I think it's for the best."

Allegra's look softened as she shook her head at her husband and said softly "No I thought Seraphine didn't show signs of having the ability, you told me that she didn't Brio." Brio looked at his wife sadly as he shook his head and said gently "She hasn't told me the entirety of it, but it does seem that she did inherit some type of the gift to an extent." At this moment Allegra's eyes were darting around as if she would find some sort of lie or truth, after a moment she looked down solemnly.

"Will she be fine Brio?" Allegra whispered as she looked at Brio a look in her eyes as if hopeful or wishing that maybe something bad wouldn't happen. Brio stared at Allegra and then looked away anywhere but her as he muttered "Yeah Allegra I think she will be fine." Allegra stared at her husband before nodding slowly however her eyes were dark and dull now. She slumped as she just stared down, she knew the truth or perhaps she worried about the possible truth.