Chapter 25: Professor and His Pupil

Heimerdinger stood in the doorway of Tarren's dorm room, his keen eyes scanning the disarray before him. The door had been left open, as if the boy didn't care to close it wherever he was. The room was a chaotic blend of invention and neglect—scraps of metal and torn components littered the floor.

He stepped cautiously into the room, his small stature dwarfed by the towering clutter around him. The yordle's gaze fell on an object resting on the workbench in the center of the room. There it was: the testing machine, its intricate runes, and at its core, the glowing blue crystal.

Heimerdinger approached it with a sense of foreboding. Though he had never seen this specific device, he knew enough to recognize the arcane energy it radiated. The crystal's glow pulsed faintly, as though alive, exuding an aura that sent a shiver through his fur.

"Magic," he muttered under his breath, his frown deepening.

Before he could examine it further, a voice emerged from the shadows.

"Looks harmless, doesn't it, professor?" Tarren's voice was calm but weary. "Hard to believe it could explode with the force of a bomb if handled carelessly."

Heimerdinger turned sharply. Tarren stood near the doorway, his hair tousled, dark circles under his eyes. His posture was relaxed, but his exhaustion was evident in every movement.

"Tarren," Heimerdinger said. "This device… the arcane is far more dangerous than you can imagine. Tampering with it is a path to catastrophe."

"That may be true," Tarren replied. "But potential is still potential, professor."

The boy moved toward the workbench, brushing aside a stray wire as he reached for a button on the machine. With a quiet click, the device hummed to life. The crystal's glow intensified, its light casting intricate patterns on the walls. Runes etched into the machine's frame began to activate, creating a stabilizing field that caused the crystal to hover, suspended in the air.

All around the room, objects began to rise—bolts, tools, and bits of metal floating gently as if caught in an invisible current. The faint, otherworldly blue energy filled the room, giving the moment an almost serene quality.

Heimerdinger took a step back, his wide eyes darting between the floating objects and the crystal. He struggled to find words. Should he marvel at the ingenuity, or despair at the implications?

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Tarren said, quiet. "This crystal can generate energy far beyond what any electricity generator could ever achieve. And that's just the beginning. The potential applications are limitless—it's magic, after all. This could usher in a new era of technology."

"You've… actually done it," Heimerdinger murmured, still transfixed by the scene.

"It's far from perfect," Tarren admitted. "The crystal itself is still unstable, and I'm barely scratching the surface of its potential. But this… this is a start."

Heimerdinger stepped closer, his gaze shifting from the crystal to Tarren. "Have you been sleeping, boy?"

Tarren let out a dry chuckle. "After everything that's happened? Not really."

"Then you must rest," Heimerdinger said firmly. "But, Tarren, listen to me. You must abandon this research. Just because you've done it doesn't mean it should be done."

Tarren sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping. "Why are you so wary of magic, professor? You, of all people—a yordle who's lived through so much."

Heimerdinger's expression darkened. "That is precisely why. How old are you now, Tarren?"

"Sixteen," Tarren replied, after a moment's thought.

"I am three hundred and seven," Heimerdinger said, his voice heavy with the weight of memory. "I've seen what magic can do to a society. This city—Piltover—is built upon the ruins of civilizations that fell to their own greed and recklessness with the arcane. I've witnessed entire societies crumble under its unpredictable power."

"Do you hate magic, then?" Tarren asked, his voice softer now. "Or mages?"

"I wouldn't say I hate them," Heimerdinger replied after a pause. "In some ways, mages remind me of scientists—curious, eager to understand the unknown. But the arcane is not like science. It is a force of nature, wild and untamable. Science can barely comprehend it, let alone control it."

Tarren was silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the floating crystal. "To me, professor, magic is just science we haven't figured out yet."

Heimerdinger couldn't help but smile faintly. "A unique outlook, to be sure."

Tarren sat down heavily, his exhaustion catching up to him. "So, what now, professor? Are you going to turn me in for unauthorized experimentation? For working with magic?"

Heimerdinger sighed, his ears drooping slightly. "I am about to lose one pupil, Tarren. I cannot bear to lose another so bright as yourself."

Tarren gave a weak smile. "Then help me, professor. Don't let it come to that. Jayce… he's the one who discovered this. I only continued what he started."

Heimerdinger's eyes widened, his gaze shifting back to the humming crystal. The realization settled heavily on him, and his small hands clenched into fists.

For a long moment, neither spoke. The hum of the machine filled the room, a steady reminder of the power they both now stood in the shadow of. Finally, Heimerdinger let out a soft sigh.