Jhin hummed to the chorus and violins that played in the back of his mind while Sona’s Song of Celerity guided him to the top lane with haste. He looked at her as she turned to face him, her black and green face mask replaced with another one as her pigtails bled red. She turned away, playing her song once more as the Fire Dragon wailed from the other side of the map.
‘Your music lacks the cruelty of a masterpiece.’ He criticised once they reached the ruins of the other team’s first tower. Sona didn’t reply, as she headed into the nearby jungle to place vision wards. Down the lane he could see Gangplank and Sejuani fighting Shen and Orianna. A smirk adorned his hidden lips, ‘Your final scene begins.’
Whisper locked together with its other half, eager to eat the magically comprised bullets that sat on his shoulder. The music in his head only got louder as his eyes followed the movement the battle as Nami’s Tidal Wave pushed Sejuani away from Orianna enough to avoid being hit with her Permafrost.
Her ball tailed Shen as he taunted into Gangplank and Sejuani, followed by Orianna’s Shockwave and the two painfully collided together, disoriented. Gangplank bit into his blood orange and smirked as it dribbled down his chin. ‘Broadside!’ His voice rang clear and the cannonballs rained down on them. He threw the orange to the side and tossed up another barrel when he spotted the incoming Draven. ‘Three in a row!’ He roared as he shot the barrels.
Jhin felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as his eyes locked onto Orianna. ‘One.’ The number rolled off his tongue as he took the shot, a shiver travelled up his spine as the starlight trapped in her body dimmed and the lotus bloomed in her chest. His euphoria soon faded as he looked at the other member still in his shooting range. ‘Shen.’ He mused as he watched him make the motions for his Stand United Technique. ‘Your father's death denied me a performance. You will be his stand-in.’ Sejuani charged at him, breaking his concentration before invoking Winter’s Wrath upon him.
He fought his urge to shoot Shen at that moment and his restraint was rewarded. Nami stepped into his line of sight, capturing Sejuani in her Aqua Prison, and using her Ebb and Flow to heal some the damage he’d received. ‘Quit flopping around, Shen! Gangplank and Draven took each other out just now!’ She hissed desperately as they turned to run back to base. Jhin’s eyes dilated as the second shot hit true and the familiar lotus bloomed from the center of her back in a swirling sea of red.
‘Two.’
He was poised perfectly, ready to take his third shot at Shen when Sona flashed over the wall, taking him by surprise. His finger twitched and the bullet veered, missing Shen entirely. Before he could even demand an explanation, Sona played her Aria of Perseverance and the sudden sound of Draven’s Whirling Death axes invaded his ears loud and clear. They hit her once, ripping through her defences and stopping inches before himself before they started spinning in reverse and returning back to Sona.
Without thinking he activated his heal, as she slid out of the way of the returning blade, a third of her life force remaining. She looked at him and nodded and in the back of his mind he was sure he heard her say, ‘Here we go.’ her voice, despite being soft, was aggressive. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up once more. There was only a couple seconds before he would have to give up Whisper’s true form which made him grip on tighter.
Sona cast her Aria once more as Jhin exhaled, Whisper disconnecting itself as he stood to his feet. They pressed on towards Sejuani and Shen, who blinked out of sight. That didn’t stop the blonde as she swung her ice bola, encasing him in a Glacial Prison.
While his eyes were on them a metallic blur jumped out at him and Sona, wild laughter filling the air. Kha’Zix. Jhin’s arm had already lifted Whisper to take the shot while his support stunned him in place with a Crescendo by the time his feet touched the ground. Her Diminuendo muting a portion of the damage that he managed to deal with his Void Spikes. ‘Clever creatures.’ He growled out as Jhin took his shot.
Sona began moving on, using the last of her mana to play her Song of Celerity and Jhin followed after, but stopped to turn to face Kha’Zix. ‘Your life had no value before me.’ He explained before shooting again, rupturing the metal plating in his back, allowing another lotus to spring free. ‘Three.’ He declared in a hushed tone as they bound the rest of the distance.
Shen broke free from the Glacial Prison, teeth clenched to stop them from chattering. He called his Twilight Blade, slowing Sejuani down and buying him some more time to escape. Or so he thought. The sound of rockfall boomed in the air and his last road to safety was blocked. Taliyah hopped off onto the other side of the wall, ‘Not all who wander are lost.’ She spoke in a dignified manner as he came closer to the wall.
His eyes narrowed, his displeased scowl hidden by his mask. ‘There is no dispute with you.’ He responded as he stepped right up the the Weaver’s Wall. With the last of his energy he dashed over the wall, catching her in it, forcing her under his taunt. ‘Tread carefully, girl.’ He whispered as he continued past her.
Taliyah almost scoffed when she came to her senses and she shook her head. ‘Tread carefully? I think it is you that should tread lightly.’ She responded as the earth beneath his feet ruptured, sending him back onto the other side of the wall, the rock mines exploding as he hit them. When Shen got back to his feet he felt himself rooted into place. ‘Never dismiss what’s beneath your feet.’ She adds as Jhin and Sona arrived.
Jhin slowed to a stop right before Shen and aimed the gun right at his chest. ‘Breathe in the atmosphere…!’ The shot rang loud over silence and the lotus bloomed bigger and brighter than Jhin had seen ever before. He laughed manically, ‘How lovely!’