All the blood froze in your veins.

It felt like a bolt of lightning just had struck you right to your chest.

With your eyes wide open, you remained frozen in shock as bright light suddenly flooded your vision.

Pained by the sudden brightness, you turned your head away and squeezed your eyes shut.

Your head screamed to run but your legs were glued to the floor.

Something held you in place, like invisible hands that forced you to stay even though this was a perfect moment for escape.

Warmth stroked your cheeks. But it wasn't the normal kind of warmth. It felt different. Almost unnatural, yet like the most natural thing this planet had to offer.

Small orbs of heat bursted into a thousand pieces as they touched your skin.

It felt like magic.

A shivering breath escaped your lips.

"Well, well, well.", Heimerdinger's voice sounded again.

It was obvious that he was amused.

Small steps filled the room.

Frightened, you tore your eyes wide open again, only to be surprised by a room, lit with candles.

A table sat right in the middle. Left and right waited two chairs to be used.

"W-what?", you took a step back, baffled. "Why... It was empty a minute ago."

A soft chuckle escaped the small creature in front of you.

"Magic is something mesmerising, isn't it?", he asked and crossed his little arms behind his back. "It can reveal what wants to be hidden and hides what should not be revealed."

His eyes examined you from top to bottom before returning to your face.

One of his thick eyebrows rose, he asked a silent question, expecting you to answer to the crimes you had committed.

Sucking in a sharp breath, you straightened your back to meet him with confidence. But deep down inside there was this feeling of deep, furious distress.

It felt like your insides were about to turn to the outside out of panic.

"Master Heimerdinger.", you gifted him a polite smile. "Forgive me for invading your home."

His head tilted to the side. He was interested.

"Oho? I didn't assume a criminal could have a polite tongue. Tell me, child, why apologise if you can't give me a reason?"

"I don't want to be rude, but a creature as well off as you wouldn't understand."

"So it's money."

A bitter smile appeared on your face. A huff of amusement escaped your lips.

"That is what a creature like you would think.", you snarled and took a step back. "But the issue runs far deeper."

Heimerdinger noticed you moving.

He followed, took two steps instead of one, and gifted you an expression that was more than just angered.

He seemed to be disappointed in you.

Somehow, it made you feel ashamed.

It was as if Viktor's father looked at you again. He had always been a very honest man, who believed in hard work and the truth.

Heimerdinger reminded you a lot of him.

Maybe, just maybe, he would understand if you'd tell him what this stupidity was really about.

Maybe he'd let you get away with a slap on the wrist.

Your legs froze.

And even though your heart beat uncontrollably inside your chest, you took a deep breath and started to speak with a strong, calm voice.

"Master Heimerdinger, sir...", you had to take a break to organise your thoughts. "Have you ever been to the Undercity?"

Surprise appeared on his furry face.

"Why would you ask me that?", he asked.

The bitterness on your face turned into sadness.

Of course you weren't surprised. You hadn't expected anything else.

People from Piltover always judged the ones who came from the Undercity. They always saw the criminal but not the reasons why crime was the only option for these poor fools.

Heimerdinger was just like them.

A disappointment to you.

"Because you wouldn't understand if you haven't seen it with your own eyes before.", you said and stepped back until your back hit the wall.

The feeling of defeat washed over you.

With weight pulling down your heart, you let your head hang low and slid down the wall to sit on the floor.

The urge to sob crawled up your throat.

Both confused and invested in your human emotions, Heimerdinger stepped closer.

Something else appeared inside his eyes.

Regret.

Compassion.

Either way, his attitude changed.

Instead of being angry with you for breaking into his home, he approached and placed one of his tiny hands on your knee. It was a bit awkward, yet a nice gesture to show support.

"Well, well, young one.", he said and tried to make you cheer up. "I might have never been to the Undercity, but you could tell me about it if that's so important to you."

Feeling desperate and crushed, you shook your head.
It felt wrong to cry to a creature that was partly responsible for all the terrible things the Undercity had become.

And yet it felt like this was the only way to get this pressure off your chest.

"Stories are different.", you whispered, eyes watery. "This... The place I call home can't be described."

Heimerdinger's ears twitched.

"Is it bad?", he asked, as if he was asking about a child he had send into this world and was now worried about.

"It's terrible... It... is like a disease."

"Sometimes life is hard."

You pulled a face.

"It's unfair even. But mostly to the wrong people."

Now it was Heimerdinger who had to pull a face.

"That is rich coming from a thieve."

You huffed.

"I'm not talking about myself, sir.", you wiped your face with both hands to get rid of the exhaustion that burned underneath your skin. "Some people are unlucky to be brown in Zaun. And no matter how much they work, how intelligent they are, the Undercity will keep on taking from them. And take, and take. Until they have nothing to give anymore but their own life. And then the Undercity will take that too..."

In that moment you weren't strong enough to keep in a cough.

A thin threat of blood managed to slip out from between your lips.

You wiped it away with the back of your hand.

Heimerdinger watched, his forehead made wrinkly by thoughts.

"If it isn't you...", he mumbled, scratching his chin. "I would like to meet that person you're talking about."