Annie's family lived in the northern region of Noxus, near the northern tip of the Ironspike Mountains, bordering Freljord. They were not far from Denverhold, a mountain fortress dedicated to extracting precious iron ore for Noxus. Due to the region's proximity to one of the harshest, coldest climates in all of Runeterra, the area remained mostly frigid for most of the year, with snowfall lasting for nearly six months.
This unforgiving climate had shaped the mountains, making them wild and untamed, much like Freljord. Dangerous creatures roamed the forests, many of which were magical, with the Shadow Bears, powerful and aggressive magic-wielding predators, being among the most feared. However, experienced woodcutters and hunters had learned how to avoid these dangers, as had Annie's father.
After Li Lin arrived at the approximate location provided by the AI before his teleportation to Valeeva, his clothing shifted into a Noxian style. A cold gust immediately hit him, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. It was only October, yet snowflakes were already drifting down from the sky, and the surrounding evergreen bushes and branches were coated in layers of ice crystals.
With each breath, he could see the faint white mist in the air. Compared to the milder climate of Piltover, the winter here had arrived two to three months early. Li Lin took a deep breath, feeling the sharp chill of the air as it traveled down his lungs, a sensation he hadn't experienced in a long time.
It had been years since he'd faced the winter chill, even back in Demacia, where heavy snowfall was common in the colder months. Now, with so much happening in the last few years, the sudden quiet left him feeling oddly melancholic, as if overwhelmed by the passage of time.
He shook his head, trying to dispel the distractions and focused his mind. His attention soon zeroed in on a specific direction, the place where the magic fluctuations had been detected by the AI upon his arrival. It was also where he had sensed the presence of star magic. According to Valeeva's observations of the family, they were incredibly wary of strangers.
This made sense to Li Lin—Annie's mother had escaped from the Immortal Bastion and was connected to the Black Rose, so she feared the Pale Lady might send agents to capture her. Earlier, Valeeva had driven off a small team of Noxian mages, and there had been more scouts after them, but their minds had been clouded by the Ascended warriors' protective magic, preventing them from finding the family.
To avoid alarming the already nervous family, especially with the potential presence of the Infinite Armor, Li Lin chose to travel through the forest on foot. It intrigued him that, despite sensing the approach of large creatures, they always stopped at a certain distance from him and turned away before he had to use magic or his powers to chase them off. Perhaps it was the enhanced aura around him from his body's strengthening, or maybe the demon inhabiting Annie had frightened them away.
Li Lin moved swiftly through the forest, covering a distance that would normally take an average adult several hours in less than thirty minutes. He eventually arrived at a dead-end dirt road blocked by a steep cliff. Pressing his left hand against the rock, he felt the chilling sensation of the stone beneath his palm.
It was a very real, physical sensation, but Li Lin, with his strong mental fortitude and knowledge of rune magic, could tell immediately that it wasn't real. This was a magical barrier created using star magic. The sensation was almost indistinguishable from reality, and the barrier itself was designed to prevent any intruder from entering.
Li Lin's left hand formed a series of intricate gestures, and he channeled his magic, summoning a few glowing blue rune marks from his fingertips. These marks pierced through the barrier, opening a small "door" large enough for him to pass through. He walked another five or six kilometers, crossing a small stream where only a few rocks served as a makeshift bridge. After traversing this treacherous path, Li Lin finally arrived in a quieter area with sparse trees. There, he saw a modest two-story wooden house.
Inside a fenced yard, a young girl with red hair, no older than three or four, was playing with a finely crafted teddy bear. She wore only a thin dress and seemed to be enjoying a lively conversation with the toy. Her steps were unsteady, as though she had only recently learned to walk.
As Li Lin gradually approached, a woman hurriedly stood up from a chair under the tree in the yard. She wore an old coat and an apron stained with a bit of oil, and her demeanor was strikingly similar to Annie's. She too had fiery red hair.
"Annie, come here!" The woman noticed the approaching stranger and immediately rushed over to Annie, pulling her into an embrace before swiftly running into the house.
Li Lin had only just reached the gate of the yard when the woman, now inside the house, shouted, "We don't welcome strangers here!"
Li Lin scratched his head, raising an eyebrow, feeling a little helpless. Annie's mother seemed far more wary of strangers than he had anticipated. Perhaps it was because her husband wasn't home at the moment? After thinking for a while, he decided against repeating his approach from when he went to Demacia's Village and pretended to be a passerby.
This place was far from the main road that led over the mountain range, and the Ironspike Mountains were notoriously dangerous. Most travelers and merchants wouldn't stray too far from the main route, even if they were accompanied by seasoned bounty hunters or mercenaries.
"My name is Li Lin, the current Speaker of Piltover. You must have heard of the City of Progress, right?"
"I've never heard of it. I don't know what you're talking about!" The woman didn't seem interested in speaking with Li Lin and didn't even consider questioning his words.
"My husband will be back soon, and he has quite a temper. If he sees you here, he will definitely give you a good beating." Her tone was smooth, as if she often used such threats, laced with a kind of harshness that made her words seem believable.
Li Lin sighed, deciding to get straight to the point. "Actually, the main reason I'm here is to talk about your daughter, Annie... Madam Amoline..."
Before he could finish, the woman, whose name had just been revealed as Amoline, immediately tensed up. Her voice trembled with fear as she stammered, "I... I'm not who you think I am! You've got the wrong person!"
"You don't need to worry. I'm not from Noxus," Li Lin paused briefly, his gaze meeting the eyes of the woman hiding behind the door, observing him through the window. Standing next to her was Annie, with her fiery red eyes wide in curiosity and confusion, staring at him.
"I am fully capable of breaking through this door or bypassing it. It can't stop me. But out of courtesy and to show that I bear you no ill will, I won't do that."
As he spoke, Li Lin summoned his magnetic powers, lifting his body effortlessly into the air, rising well above the height of the two women and the fence. In Amoline's eyes, filled with fear, Li Lin landed gently back on the ground.
Though she didn't understand the supernatural ability at play, Amoline was well-versed in magic, having studied it at the Noxian Academy of Magic. A mage capable of levitating with magic was at least a Master-level mage! This was far beyond her own abilities, especially considering her diminished control over magic since giving birth to Annie.
"Mom, that big brother can fly!" Annie exclaimed.
"Don't speak..." Amoline covered her daughter's mouth, her eyes filling with tears as she nearly broke down. In a frantic tone, she shouted, "It's been four years already. Why won't they leave me alone? Teris... Doesn't she have any humanity left?!"
Annie, influenced by her mother's emotions, froze her smile, and looked at Li Lin again. A flicker of orange-red flames flashed in her deep eyes.
"Madam Amoline, you've misunderstood. I don't know anyone named Teris. I have no connection to her, to the Black Rose, or to the Pale Lady," Li Lin continued, sensing a strange metallic taste in his mouth. A faint demonic aura had entered his perception, emanating from the small wooden house in the yard.
He hadn't expected Amoline's spirit to be so sensitive. Realizing his previous approach may not have been suitable, Li Lin softened his tone, "I am here to help you."
He quickened his speech to avoid provoking Annie, to prevent her from releasing the fire demon. "Annie is hosting a demon—one that controls fire. If not properly controlled, it will cause a disaster."
The tense atmosphere seemed to ease slightly. Li Lin took the opportunity to continue, "If you're still worried that I might bring harm, you can wait until your husband returns. I will stay here."
Before he could finish, the door to the wooden house was suddenly thrown open. Amoline, holding Annie in her arms, appeared in front of Li Lin, her face filled with shock.
"You... you just..." Her eyes were wide, almost unable to form words, as she stammered, "My daughter... has a fire demon?"
(End of Chapter)
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