Under the blazing sun, two figures appeared and disappeared among the clouds above Piltover.
A figure wearing a simple gray dress that reached to the ankles had a small horn on its head, and a pair of golden eyes were gazing at the sea below, watching the land that had "abruptly" appeared on the sea surface.
Accompanying her was a figure clad in armor, the pieces of which gleamed in the sunlight. However, the figure was somewhat ethereal, standing in the air like a spirit. Golden hair was coiled behind her head, and she carried a heavy shield and a longsword on her back. The shield was a cross-shaped shield, and the sword was a knight's longsword.
"Soraka, now I understand why you've always helped these mortals." Cecilia stood beside Soraka. She was currently in spirit form, without a physical body, but for Cecilia, who possessed Deity power and whose constellation was still lit up in the heavens, appearing in Runeterra in spirit form was not a troublesome matter.
Her situation was different from Soraka's. Although both of them appeared in Runeterra, Soraka forcibly crossed the boundary, allowing the power of the boundary to burn her physical body, enduring the pain as she roamed Runeterra.
Cecilia wouldn't experience this. Unlike Soraka, she wouldn't constantly endure the burning pain. To be honest, Cecilia had no idea how Soraka managed to bear it.
Because the burning pain was not physical pain, but the pain of the soul being scorched, like a thousand ants gnawing at the heart, an itchy and painful sensation that Cecilia knew she could not bear.
Otherwise, over the many years in Runeterra, there wouldn't have been only one Soraka among the Targonians realm. Although the Targonians are arrogant, Soraka is not an isolated case within their Mount Targon.
Among the Targonians, there are also Celestials who have a positive view of humanity and have developed feelings for them, as well as Celestials with selfish motives. So why don't they descend to the mortal realm?
It's just that they can't endure this kind of pain. Not to mention the weaker Celestials, who wouldn't just endure the pain; they would be burned to death if they went to the lower realms.
"If only they could think like you," Soraka said softly. She suddenly reached out and ran her fingertips across the New Life Community land on the sea. Even she was shocked by it, because this was not land created by the power of the wind goddess Janna, but real land created by humankind itself.
"Cecilia, look, the people of Zaunite and Piltover have conquered nature with gears and Chemtech." Soraka's eyes sparkled, her tone heavy with emotion and praise, starlight shimmering on her horn as if echoing the burning of her soul within her.
"When I first arrived in Runeterra, I was no different from them. I looked at this world with arrogance, thinking of myself as a savior who had descended to earth to save humanity, and blindly believed that mankind needed my help and power."
But as time went by, the longer I spent in Runeterra, the more ashamed I became of my past thoughts. You know, Cecilia, humans have never needed to believe in any Deity; they can become gods themselves. Therefore, so-called divinity..."
Cecilia listened quietly to Soraka's words. When Soraka paused, Cecilia looked at her curiously, only to see her smiling at her, a divine aura appearing on her fair and beautiful face, as she whispered:
"It shouldn't be a high wall, but a bridge."
Cecilia didn't understand at first, but then she grasped Soraka's meaning.
She was telling Cecilia that interacting with humans is not about making them look up to you, but about connecting with them and building bridges and resonance.
"Alright, let's go back," Soraka said, turning her gaze away.
Cecilia chuckled and said, "Heh, aren't you going to keep watching? The witch came here with a purpose, and she doesn't even hide it. She wants to gather all the forces to fight against the Frost Watchers."
"You're so fond of them, aren't you going to help with this?"
Soraka shook her head, looked up at the starry sky, and said, "They don't need my help."
There was one thing Soraka didn't tell Cecilia: if she really needed help, Li Ke would come to her.
She definitely won't refuse when the time comes.
At the western port of Piltover, a group of leaders from various countries and officials from Twin Cities disembarked in Piltover Screaming Engine and arrived on the sandy land.
Leading the way in the center was Li Ke, with Jarvan III beside him and Irelia on the other side.
Silco and Swain walked together, while Lissandra did not choose to follow the crowd. Come to think of it, given Lissandra's aloof nature, the fact that she was even here was already a favor to Li Ke.
Looking back over the past eight thousand years, Lissandra appeared very rarely. But since she met Li Ke, she has appeared more times than Lissandra has appeared in the past eight thousand years combined!
"I've had this question since I first saw it on the Hex Airship, Li Ke, how did you guys manage to do that?"
Jarvan III stopped, bent down, and grabbed a handful of sand. The sand wasn't damp as he had imagined; it felt dry and clean. However, according to a white-haired young man named Ekko, this area would be paved with asphalt in the future, since sand is inconvenient to walk on.
The New Zaun is not Shurima, and besides, Zaunite simply cannot adapt to Shurima. Haven't you seen the complaints from the people from Twin Cities who are being sent to work in Shurima?
After walking a few steps, your boots will be full of sand and stuff, making it really inconvenient to move around, okay?
"Technology, magic, and a little bit of unity among people," Li Ke replied after thinking for a moment.
Jarvan III was taken aback for a moment, then nodded. He looked to both sides; the land area was much higher than the sea level, and there was no end in sight on either side.
Upon arriving at their destination, a beautiful bluebird had been waiting for some time. Seeing Li Ke, Janna approached and asked, "Shall we begin?"
"Will there be any accidents?" Li Ke asked, looking at Janna.
The bluebird shook its head, its beak slightly parted, and its ethereal voice carried a hint of pride as it spoke, "Don't worry, with Taliyah's help, and the burrows dug by those Void Beasts, the soil beneath Zaun is very loose now. I can do it easily."
"Alright, let's get ready to begin." Li Ke nodded.
Behind Jarvan III, Garen, following closely behind the old emperor, looked at Janna, who was suspended in the sky, and his gaze gradually became complicated. Just a year ago, he had received anti-magic education and was extremely troubled by his sister Lux's possession of magic. But now, a year later, he appeared in the magical city of Twin Cities.
Not to mention the magical creature flying right in front of him. The aura emanating from Janna made Garen feel breathless. He even wondered if he could use the Petricite to trap the bluebird in front of him.
Having known about the Twin Cities for some time, Garen knew that the bluebird before him was the Deity of the Twin Cities. He stared blankly at Janna until Tianna poked him in the back with the hilt of her Garen, which brought him back to his senses.
"Don't space out." His aunt's voice rang in his ears, and Garen shook his head, snapping back to reality.
I took a step forward, and another laughing voice rang in my ears.
"What, Big Windmill, is this your first time seeing Deity?"
The voice was very pleasant, and the laughter in its tone was an added bonus. Garen didn't even need to turn around to know who the voice belonged to.
"Don't talk to me."
"Hey, it's one thing if you won't let me talk to you on the battlefield, but why can't I talk to you in Twin Cities too?"
Katarina followed closely behind Garen with her hands behind her back. The sea breeze tousled her red hair, which clung alluringly to her cheeks. She smiled as she looked at the back of Garen's head.
"Mind your place. There's nothing between us to talk about," Garen said in a gruff voice.
Katarina was even more amused by this, finding Garen's "rigid" attitude quite interesting.
"Let me guess, given the level of conservatism among you Demacia, and considering you're the visible face of the Crownguard's younger generation, you must still be a virgin."
Before Katarina could finish speaking, she suddenly staggered forward and fell, and just as she reached out to brace herself, she crashed into someone's chest.
The cold armor pressed against her face, and a strong, not-too-unpleasant smell filled her nostrils, causing Katarina to instinctively pull her hands back and quietly let this guy hug her.
"What's going on?!"
Panic-filled voices rose from the rear of the group. Garen, with one arm around Caitlyn, had already drawn his heavy greatsword with the other, his eyes scanning the surroundings with eagle-like vigilance.
But the next moment, the voice of Li Ke, the Lord of Zaun, rang out.
"Everyone, don't be nervous."
"Look over there." In mid-air, Li Ke pointed to Zaun's location.
Garen looked in the direction Li Ke pointed and saw a tall, shadowy figure appear in the Rift ahead, a woman in a long white dress waving a staff in her hand.
The earth trembled violently, Piltover, located above Zaun, naturally felt the intense tremors. Large chunks of rock broke off from the rock walls, but were then blown away by the breeze towards the sea.
At this moment, in the Piltover Dance Hall, which serves as a bridge connecting Zaun and Piltover, Sheriff Marcus is shouting loudly with a serious expression, "Quickly, activate the bridge and disconnect it from the Dance Hall!"
"Stop standing there like idiots! If the mechanical propulsion is too slow, then you guys go and help push it manually! Goddess Janna is already moving Zaun, disconnect the connection now!"
Under Marcus's command, a group of law enforcement officers, all wearing Hextech Miner gauntlets and riding Hextech Flying Boards, flew towards the bridge that was slowly starting to rise and disconnect from Zaun. They used the Hextech Miner gauntlets at full power to accelerate the bridge's disintegration.
And so, everyone on land and at sea witnessed this scene—
At the very top of Zaun, in the Dance Hall, where it meets Piltover, the roof slowly rises. Piltover has always looked down upon Zaun, but now Zaun is rising!
First came the Dance Hall, then the Mid-level Plaza, and finally, the Zaun the Sump, which was originally at eye level with everyone, slowly rose into the air!
Garen stared wide-eyed as the massive city rose into the air, and then at the woman in the sky, her hair flying wildly, her staff gleaming brightly in the sunlight.
"It's rising! It's rising!"
"Zaun has really risen!"
From the crowd, Representative Marna, who was accompanying Zaun, exclaimed in surprise.
Li Ke landed on the ground, standing beside Jarvan III. Turning his head, he saw Jarvan III also staring wide-eyed at the flying Zaun.
In Runeterra, people always say there are gods, and this is true everywhere. But Jarvan III, who has lived half his life, has never seen a true god. Even Janna, the wind Deity announced by the Twin Cities, is just a powerful magical creature in Jarvan III's eyes.
But now, Jarvan III has changed his mind.
Because this is a miracle!
Is there anything more convincing about the existence of Deity than witnessing miracles firsthand?
No!
Now, world leaders have seen the true power that belongs to the Deity!
"Everyone, let's keep going. In a little while, Zaun will land in that place." Li Ke looked at the shocked and stunned crowd, a slight smile playing on his lips as he spoke.
Yes, that's the expression we should have!
Li Ke and Twin Cities did make compromises, adding a seat system to the Federation and relinquishing the hegemony that originally belonged solely to Twin Cities. However, this does not mean that Twin Cities are truly afraid of you.
Having Janna do this now is tantamount to Twin Cities flexing their muscles to the outside world.
Li Ke's voice roused the crowd, and as they turned to look at Li Ke and the Twin Cities representatives, their expressions gradually became complicated.
As everyone knows, so-called legends are stories passed down from person to person. Each storyteller has a different perspective on the story, so the exaggeration component is extremely high.
Jarvan III had thought so before. He admitted that Demacia was no match for the Twin Cities, since if the Twin Cities could cut off Demacia's trade routes, it would be enough to cause internal strife in Demacia.
It's hard to go from luxury to frugality. After experiencing the technology of the Twin Cities, the nobles of Demacia would definitely not agree to return to their former lives.
But he never expected that the Deity Janna of Zaun could do something like this!
Look at this, Zaun's area is about half the size of Great City of Demacia. Since this wind Deity can lift Zaun into the air, can't he also lift half of Great City of Demacia?
The moment He lets go, countless people will be pulverized along with the city!
Clearly, Jarvan III was unaware that Janna was capable of such a feat; there was more to the story. It's not that Janna couldn't do something as simple as uprooting mountains and cleaving seas, but lifting Zaun safely without harming its inhabitants or damaging Zaun structures would have been impossible without the help of Taliyah and Rek'Sai.
Zaun flew over everyone and appeared in the distance in the blink of an eye.
The white-haired wind goddess put away her staff, turned her back to the crowd, her long dress fluttering, revealing a pair of shapely, fair feet.
With both hands pressing down, Janna gradually lowered Zaun into the pre-planned area.
Rebuild a Zaun?
No way!
That was the New Zaun plan from version 1.0.
The 2.0 version of the New Zaun plan involves airlifting Zaun directly here!
The next moment, Zaun landed.
Amidst the swirling dust, a vibrant, verdant city, resembling a glass city, appeared between the two continents.
Thus, in the year 991 of the Twin Cities calendar, at the end of January, a new Zaun was established.