Chapter Summaries

Lux asked Bai Ye whether Demacia’s Anti-Magic Decree should be changed, and he explained that lifting it without addressing the long history of persecution could trigger civil war and endanger commoners. The chapter left Lux newly resolute about the risk, while Garen mistook her serious expression for a sign that Bai Ye had upset her.

• Garen insisted he was protecting Lux as he and Jarvan IV secretly followed her and Bai Ye.
• Lux asked Bai Ye whether Demacia’s Anti-Magic Decree was good or bad, and he said it offered safety but enforced a hypocritical double standard.
• Bai Ye warned that abruptly releasing the mages could not erase past hatred and might lead to civil war.
• Bai Ye asked whether Demacia was prepared to bleed, explaining that commoners could suffer most if the mages sought revenge.
• Lux realized Demacia might not be prepared and resolved not to let its commoners become targets, while Garen assumed Bai Ye had upset her.

Lux reconsidered whether to visit the imprisoned mages after Bai Ye explained how deep the conflict between them and Demacia ran, and decided not to go. She trusted Bai Ye as a friend and adviser, while Garen grew increasingly anxious about their relationship and hurried home to question Lux.

• Jarvan IV tried to reassure Garen, but his words made Garen think Lux and Bai Ye were already a couple.
• Lux asked Bai Ye whether she should visit the mages in prison, then admitted she wanted him to give her an excuse to change her mind.
• Bai Ye urged Lux to follow her own judgment, and Lux decided that visiting the prisoners would only provoke them.
• Lux asked to seek Bai Ye's advice again, and he agreed to remain in Demacia; he then worried that his influence might change what happened to Sylas.
• Jarvan IV and Garen watched Lux and Bai Ye spend the day together, and Garen left early to question Lux when she returned.
• Lux went straight to Garen after getting home and said she had something to discuss with him.

Lux told Garen she wanted to travel around Valoran with Bai Ye, and Garen reluctantly agreed after insisting that Bai Ye meet him first. Lux also changed her mind about visiting the imprisoned mages, explaining that Bai Ye had helped her see the visit could provoke them.

• Lux told Garen she planned to leave Demacia and travel around Valoran with Bai Ye.
• Garen objected out of concern for Lux’s safety, then agreed on the condition that Bai Ye meet him first.
• Lux said she enjoyed being around Bai Ye, leaving Garen jealous and awkwardly trying to change how he interacted with her.
• Lux told Garen she no longer planned to visit the prison because meeting the mages now would only provoke them.
• Lux admitted Bai Ye had persuaded her that the prison visit would be pointless.

Lux told Garen that Bai Ye had persuaded her to abandon her plan to visit the imprisoned mages, and they agreed on conditions for her future travels. Meanwhile, Garen discussed the mage issue with Jarvan IV, and Katarina sought help to find an opportunity to assassinate Jarvan III.

• Lux explained Bai Ye's reasoning to Garen and apologized for the trouble her earlier request had caused.
• Garen agreed to let Lux travel with Bai Ye if Bai Ye met him, Lux promised to return within two years, and she stayed out of politics; Lux accepted the conditions.
• Garen told Jarvan IV that Bai Ye had a sharp political mind and suggested that raising the mage issue might be too soon.
• After failing for days to find a chance to approach Jarvan III, Katarina decided to seek help from her contact.

Katarina met her contact, who proposed freeing imprisoned mages to plunge Demacia into chaos and create an opportunity to assassinate Jarvan III. After Katarina agreed, the contact revealed herself as LeBlanc, who planned to carry out the mage plot herself because Bai Ye had abandoned his mission to pursue Lux.

• Katarina met her contact and learned that assassinating Jarvan III alone was impossible.
• The contact proposed freeing imprisoned mages to cause chaos in Demacia and improve Katarina's chances of killing Jarvan III.
• Katarina agreed to follow the plan while the contact's people infiltrated the prison.
• After Katarina left, the contact revealed herself as LeBlanc and decided to create chaos herself.
• LeBlanc reflected that Bai Ye had neglected his mission to pursue Lux, leaving Katarina without her intended partner.

LeBlanc infiltrated Demacia’s prison disguised as Lux to free its imprisoned mages and provoke unrest. After Sylas saw through her disguise, she offered to release him and the others so they could turn Demacia upside down.

• LeBlanc learned that Lux had not warned Garen or the guards and decided to enter the prison in Lux’s guise.
• LeBlanc passed the guards and reached the prison level where the mages were held.
• LeBlanc provoked Sylas by taunting him about Demacia’s unequal treatment of noble and commoner mages.
• Sylas recognized that LeBlanc was not Lux, and LeBlanc dropped her disguise.
• Sylas deduced that LeBlanc wanted to use him against Demacia, and she offered to free the mages if they caused chaos.

LeBlanc gave Sylas enough magic to break free of his Nullstone restraints, and he freed the imprisoned mages and led them in a revolt against Demacia. As chaos spread and the mages marched toward the king, Garen learned that prison guards had seen Lux at the prison and urgently asked where she was.

• LeBlanc supplied Sylas with magic, allowing him to shatter most of the Nullstone and escape his chains.
• After LeBlanc vanished, Sylas freed the mages imprisoned on his floor and urged them to avenge their suffering rather than flee quietly.
• The mages agreed to break out and target the king and Demacian nobles, and Sylas led them through the prison's defenses.
• The escaped mages attacked the guards, spreading chaos throughout Demacia as the Order of Knights and the army mobilized.
• Garen's subordinate reported that survivors had seen Lux at the prison before the revolt, and Garen demanded to know where she was.

Garen's forces searched for Lux while Demacia locked down the capital after the mages escaped. Lux and Bai Ye proved that an impostor had released the mages, and Bai Ye suspected LeBlanc; they went to meet Garen as the crisis continued.

• Garen ordered his knights to search for Lux and respond to the mages as Demacia's capital went into lockdown.
• Guards found Lux and Bai Ye, and the captain explained that someone claiming to be Lux had entered the prison before the mages broke free.
• Lux and Bai Ye explained that they had been together all day, proving that the prison visitor was an impostor.
• Bai Ye suspected LeBlanc had disguised herself as Lux, while the captain escorted Lux and Bai Ye to Garen.
• Garen learned Lux was innocent and realized his own delay in reporting her earlier warning had helped lead to the crisis.

Garen and Bai Ye realized the escaped mages were likely being used to target Jarvan III, so Garen rushed to protect the king while Lux and Bai Ye went to awaken the Nullstone creature that could restrain mages. They found a field of white stones, which Bai Ye suspected was part of Galio.

• Garen admitted his negligence had contributed to the prison escape and suspected Bai Ye because few people knew Lux would stay away.
• Bai Ye reasoned that the mage uprising was a distraction for an assassination attempt on Jarvan III, and Garen hurried to the palace with his knights.
• Garen asked Lux and Bai Ye to find the Nullstone creature and awaken it with immense magical power.
• Lux accepted responsibility and hurried with Bai Ye to the place Garen had described.
• Lux found only white stones, and Bai Ye suggested they were part of the buried Galio.

Lux awakened Galio, who flew with her and Bai Ye toward Demacia's capital, while Garen protected Jarvan III from an assassination attempt. Katarina failed to kill Jarvan III and escaped, leaving Garen to keep the king guarded.

• Lux channeled magic into Nullstone and awakened Galio, who agreed to help Demacia and carried her and Bai Ye toward the capital.
• Garen told Jarvan III that an impostor had freed the mages and that the king might be their true target, then kept his knights guarding him.
• Katarina infiltrated the palace and filled it with smoke, hoping to reach Jarvan III while the guards were blinded.
• Katarina killed a knight and used Shunpo to approach Jarvan III, but Garen sensed her movement and blocked her dagger with his greatsword.
• Katarina retreated, and Garen ordered his knights not to pursue so they could continue protecting Jarvan III.

Jarvan III reflected on Demacia’s persecution of mages as Galio arrived to confront Sylas and the rebels. Katarina’s failed attempt on Jarvan III ended LeBlanc’s use for her, while Katarina began to suspect her supposed contact was not who she claimed to be.

• Jarvan III questioned whether Demacia’s ban on mages had been wrong, and Garen defended the king’s attempt at reconciliation while warning that the rebels could not be trusted.
• Galio arrived after Lux awakened the Nullstone, and Sylas realized its presence was suppressing the mages’ magic.
• Sylas persuaded the mages to stay and fight despite Galio’s arrival, while LeBlanc watched and expected them to lose.
• LeBlanc questioned Katarina about her failed assassination; Katarina blamed Garen and his knightly order for protecting Jarvan III.
• LeBlanc ordered Katarina to return, revealing she planned to have her killed rather than let her become an asset to Swain.
• Katarina left and wondered whether LeBlanc was truly the contact Swain had arranged for her.

Sylas withdrew the rebel mages after Galio proved immune to their magic, and Jarvan III ordered Lux to let them go in the hope of reconciling Demacia. With the crisis over, Lux decided to leave with Bai Ye the next day, while Garen privately warned Bai Ye not to take advantage of her innocence.

• LeBlanc abandoned Sylas and the retreating mages, while Sylas called off their attack on Galio and led them away.
• Lux hesitated over whether to stop the mages, but Jarvan III ordered her to let them go so Demacia could attempt reconciliation.
• Lux told Galio to stand down, and Galio asked her to bring him another portion of her magic before he flew away.
• Jarvan III thanked Bai Ye for helping Demacia, and Lux told Garen she planned to leave with Bai Ye the next day.
• Garen asked Bai Ye to watch out for Lux's innocence, then left Bai Ye wondering whether Garen thought he needed guarding against too.

Bai Ye and Lux prepared to leave Demacia, while Garen overcame his worries and entrusted Bai Ye with looking after his sister. After drawing Steel Heart, Bai Ye spotted its charge on Garen and planned to spar with him before departing.

• Garen warned Bai Ye not to take advantage of Lux, then realized he had overreacted and supported her dream of seeing the world.
• Lux chose to leave Demacia with Bai Ye the next day, and Bai Ye agreed.
• Garen brought Bai Ye home and gave him an exhaustive list of Lux's preferences and things to watch out for.
• Bai Ye used his draw opportunity and obtained Steel Heart, equipment that granted vitality and charged when champions were nearby.
• The next morning, Bai Ye spotted a Steel Heart charge on Garen and asked him to spar.

Bai Ye used brief sparring matches with Garen, Jarvan IV, and Lux to stack Steel Heart, gaining extra vitality with each punch. Lux offered to help him test his strength again, leaving Bai Ye eager to keep stacking Steel Heart with her.

• Bai Ye asked Garen to spar, punched him once to trigger Steel Heart, and stopped as soon as Garen wanted to continue.
• Bai Ye challenged Jarvan IV and likewise ended their match after landing one punch, convincing Garen that he had not been singled out.
• Bai Ye asked Lux to spar, and she agreed to shield herself while he landed one punch and gained another Steel Heart stack.
• Lux offered to help Bai Ye test his strength again in the future, and he was delighted by her offer.

Bai Ye and Lux left Demacia’s capital to travel together, and Bai Ye decided to attend Sona’s concert before they continued their journey. They found Sona performing in a nearby town, where she reunited with Bai Ye and met Lux.

• Lux left the capital with Bai Ye, while Garen and Jarvan IV watched her depart and returned to the city.
• Lux asked where they would travel, and Bai Ye chose to explore Demacia and attend Sona’s concert.
• Bai Ye encouraged Lux to enjoy the journey, and she agreed to attend the concert despite never having gone to one before.
• Bai Ye asked Lux to test her strength, triggering another Steel Heart stack.
• Bai Ye and Lux reached the town where Sona was performing and found her backstage.
• Sona recognized Bai Ye, and he introduced her to Lux.

After Sona’s concert, she brought Bai Ye and Lux to her residence to check on an injured woman she had rescued. Bai Ye recognized the unconscious woman as Katarina and realized his failure to meet her as her contact had helped leave her vulnerable to further attacks.

• Lux enjoyed Sona’s concert, while Bai Ye admitted he was not very interested in music and tested his strength by punching Lux to stack Steel Heart.
• Sona caught up with Bai Ye and Lux, and she and Lux joked that trouble always seemed to find him wherever he went.
• At Sona’s temporary residence, Bai Ye sensed the injured woman and recognized her as Katarina, the assassin who had failed to kill Jarvan III.
• Bai Ye realized that he had been Katarina’s contact but had forgotten to meet her, and suspected his absence had contributed to her being targeted and badly wounded.
• Sona went to treat the sleeping Katarina, explaining that her magic had helped keep the severely injured woman alive.

Bai Ye, Lux, and Sona treated Katarina’s injuries, and she slowly accepted their help despite suspecting they were Demacian pursuers. While recovering, Katarina bonded with Lux and discovered that Sona’s concert eased her pain, leaving her unsettled by how much her cold assassin’s demeanor had begun to soften.

• Katarina woke and grabbed Sona as a hostage, but released her after Bai Ye pointed out that her injuries made resistance futile.
• Katarina thanked Sona for saving her, and Sona and Bai Ye invited her to stay until she recovered.
• Bai Ye and Lux decided to remain so Lux could attend Sona’s concerts, and Sona asked Katarina to come along.
• The next day, Lux helped the bandaged Katarina attend Sona’s concert, where Katarina found the music soothing and enjoyed Lux’s company.
• Bai Ye noticed Katarina and Lux growing closer, while Katarina worried that her assassin’s nature was fading.

Bai Ye chose to take Lux to Shurima first, only to find Swain waiting for him and asking him to take Katarina along while Noxus remained unsafe for her. Swain planned to protect Katarina from LeBlanc until he had the situation under control.

• Lux questioned Katarina about her past assassination missions, but Katarina avoided discussing them and admitted only that she had carried out missions as ordered.
• Sona explained that her new music incorporated magic inspired by healing Katarina, making listeners feel relaxed without healing injuries.
• Bai Ye decided to travel to Shurima before Piltover, and Lux agreed to let him choose their route.
• Swain visited Bai Ye and said he did not blame him for stopping the assassination mission because the outcome had been acceptable to him.
• Swain asked Bai Ye to take Katarina traveling around Runeterra until he could control the situation in Noxus and safely bring her back.

Swain explained to Katarina that the Black Rose had arranged the attacks against her and told her to stay away from Noxus until he stabilized the situation. He arranged for her to travel through Shurima with Bai Ye and Lux, while Bai Ye considered how to bring Katarina along.

• Swain left Bai Ye to decide whether to take Katarina to Shurima and reminded him of their agreement.
• Swain told Katarina that another faction, the Black Rose, had pursued her and that he had arranged only the assassination attempt in Demacia.
• Swain told Katarina not to return to Noxus until he had stabilized the situation and could protect her.
• Swain instructed Katarina to travel around Shurima with Bai Ye and Lux, and she agreed despite her uncertainty.
• Bai Ye accepted Swain's arrangement but wondered how he could persuade Katarina to trust him.

Swain warned Katarina that LeBlanc would keep targeting her, and Katarina asked to join Bai Ye and Lux on their journey to Shurima. The chapter also showed the chat group discussing their plans and ended with Bai Ye preparing to leave with his companions, including Xuehua and his disciples.

• Swain told Katarina to avoid Noxus and warned that LeBlanc would continue trying to assassinate her, then advised her to stay with Bai Ye and Lux.
• Katarina asked Bai Ye and Lux to travel with them, and Bai Ye agreed while Lux welcomed her.
• Bai Ye told the chat group that he, Lux, and Katarina were going to Shurima, where they might encounter Cassiopeia and Xerath.
• Zombie Byakuya told the group he had come down from the mountain to investigate Dragon Veins and help Mama Di at Uncle Jiu's request.
• Xuehua asked Bai Ye when they would leave, and Bai Ye checked whether she needed to return to Miaojiang before she explained that her Grandma likely knew she had run away.