After about an hour, Luxanna left House Laurent, lost in thought.
She had always been gifted and intelligent—memorizing her lines had never been difficult.
But one thing unsettled her: she had never seen Fiora in any magic texts.
Relying solely on what Aunt Tiana had told her, she had to deduce Fiora's intentions on her own.
It reminded her of her aunt Tiana and her mother, Augatha.
Every time, it felt like they could see right through her.
Now that she thought about it… Maybe they really could.
The sun blazed high overhead, yet Luxanna shivered and quickened her pace.
The world… wasn't as simple as she once believed.
She wasn't suited for the light. On the contrary, she understood the darker things all too easily.
Ugh…
Luxanna sighed softly, shook her head, and made her way toward the Crownguard estate.
As she walked through the streets of High Silvermere, she could sense the growing rift among the Demacians.
People avoided eye contact, whispering only to their most trusted companions in shadowed corners.
She had never imagined such a scene could exist in Demacia's heart.
Ever since the fall of the Winged Protector, the atmosphere had shifted.
The prophecy from Va'Zaun had begun circulating quietly throughout the kingdom. No one dared speak of it openly, but suspicion bloomed in everyone's hearts.
If even the gods wielded magic, were the nobles and kings secretly advocating it too?
Worse still… the Demacians had noticed a chilling truth: there were 'no known' mages among the nobility.
And on the rare occasion a noble was discovered to have magic, they were quickly claimed to have been "stripped" and turned into mage-seekers.
But aside from those within the Order itself, no one truly knew if that was the case.
Luxanna shook her head with a sigh as she passed a tavern, catching faint whispers from inside.
Trust collapses… in the blink of an eye.
If it continued, suspicion alone could tear Demacia apart from the inside.
When she arrived home, Lady Augatha was no longer in the main hall. But someone else was.
"Brother? You're back!"
Luxanna's face lit up as she spotted the tall figure seated by the window.
She ran forward and threw herself into Garen's arms.
His muscular frame wasn't the most comfortable to hug, but she didn't mind—she found comfort in his strength.
Especially now, seeing him safe and sound.
For as long as she could remember, no one had treated her with more warmth than Garen.
"It's good to see your smile again," Garen murmured, brushing a hand through her golden hair, though his voice carried a note of worry.
After a long silence, Luxanna pulled away and asked quietly:
"Aunt Tiana told me… You faced something dangerous at the border."
"It was nothing serious. We handled it." Garen thumped his chest, that familiar confidence flashing across his face.
But the act didn't last long before Luxanna gently broke through it:
"But… everyone in High Silvermere is talking about the defeat of the Winged Protector. Some even say there are magic users in our family."
Garen could see the uncertainty in her eyes. He felt a sharp sting in his chest—he hadn't been able to protect her from this.
He placed his hands on her shoulders, speaking firmly:
"There are no mages in our family. This chaos won't last. Luxanna, stay home for now. You'll see—it will all go back to normal soon."
He didn't want her caught up in the storm.
Tiana had already spoken to him about it—about her concerns, and about his future in Demacian politics.
To his aunt and mother, this seemed like the perfect moment for Garen to step into the heart of Demacian power.
But deep down… he didn't want it.
He preferred leading on the battlefield—being a general, not a politician buried in Xiongdu, watching his prime waste away behind closed doors.
But then Tiana said something he couldn't ignore.
If he didn't step forward… Luxanna would.
But Luxanna was just a child!
Seeing his kind, soft-spoken sister again, something in Garen's heart gave way.
All his hesitation vanished in an instant.
He had made up his mind.
He would accept Tiana's request and lead the Dauntless Vanguard at the forefront of this crisis.
He would be the shield—he would stand in that place, bearing the weight to protect his family.
They sat together, chatting as they always did, but both were lost in their thoughts.
Luxanna had her own worries. She didn't want her brother to see through her—didn't want to change how he saw her.
She had always known Garen hated deceit and saw it as cunning and corrupt.
But for the sake of the Crownguard name… for the secret she carried… someone had to step forward.
And if that someone had to exist, why couldn't it be her?
The moment she accepted this, the guilt she had felt for deceiving Fiora earlier began to ease.
She would do everything she could to avoid hurting others—but if she was to bear the weight of darkness, she would walk that path with resolve.
"Brother…"
Luxanna's voice was quieter, more serious than before. Garen looked at her instinctively, already bracing to act.
"What is it? Did someone give you trouble? Say the word and I'll break every bone in their—"
"Brother!" Luxanna cut him off with a small laugh.
"No one's bullying me. Remember when Jarvan III called me short? You beat him black and blue."
Her lips curved into a nostalgic smile.
"Hmph. That guy deserved it. Who did he think he was, anyway?"
Garen clenched his fist at the memory. He hadn't forgotten Jarvan's past interest in Luxanna—nor the awkward conversations that followed.
After a few 'friendly' discussions, Jarvan had promised Garen he'd dropped the idea.
"Alright, Lux. Don't worry about anything. I'm fine, and the Crownguards are fine."
He looked her in the eyes—those brilliant sapphire eyes that reminded him of the best parts of their family.
He was sure Aunt Tiana and Lux had come to the same conclusion.
They said it themselves: Garen, Luxanna will if you don't do it.
But he couldn't let that happen. He didn't want Luxanna to become calculating, to carry the burden of deception.
It was the elder brother's job to shield his sister from all the storms in the world.
"I know you've got things bottled up," he said softly.
"You've always been like this—you hide things in your heart, but never on your face."
He gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't overthink it. Just be yourself."
He would carry the world on his shoulders if it meant Luxanna could shine.
No matter what it cost—if he had to learn magic or break his own code—he would do it.
For her.
"Be the best you can be…"
Luxanna's expression grew complicated. She hadn't expected Garen to see through her so easily.
She repeated the words to herself, then took a deep breath and nodded with new determination.
"I understand, brother."
At that moment, back in her room, the pages of her magical tome stirred on their own.
A line of words shimmered into view, as if written by unseen hands:
["If you wish to understand the light, you must first embrace the deepest darkness. Whether it's magic, justice, or truth—this has always been the way."]