SWNOVELXO Chapter 4: Two and a Half Days
Camille Ferros One of the Four Sisters of the Top Lane in LoL's Rift, renowned for her high mobility, high damage, and dual capability to tank and deal massive damage. Setting aside her in-game performance, her design and lore make her arguably the most compelling champion in the Twin Cities storyline.
The Ferros family, to which Camille belongs, is effectively the uncrowned ruler of Piltover and Zaun, with Camille serving as its sharpest blade. To her, the Twin Cities are akin to a vast machine. Her duty is to maintain and repair this machine, ensuring that minor issues don't escalate into catastrophic failures.
Her immense power stems from the Hextech Crystal Core transplanted into her body, which replaces her heart. This core not only supplies her with energy but also grants her unparalleled strength and longevity. In the original lore, Camille is over 80 years old yet maintains the vitality and appearance of a 26-year-old woman, brimming with youth and vigor.
Her Hextech Core crystal is vastly different from the Hexstones in Arcane. Rather than being merely crystals, they resemble the heart of an ancient race—the Brackern, to which Skarner belongs. However, when Riot reworked Skarner, they altered his lore, effectively chewing it up and spitting out a completely new version.
If the rumors Tamara mentioned are true, and Camille indeed exists in this timeline, is there even a need for the story to unfold further? Nope! This is precisely why Riot didn't include Camille in Arcane. Her family is only briefly mentioned in the first season.
Why? Because her power level would completely derail the story:
-Jinx's attack on Progress Day? Hextech Ultimatum, problem solved!
-Silco building a Shimmer factory and creating Shimmer soldiers? Hextech Ultimatum, problem solved!
-The Trifarian wolfmother threatening Piltover? Hextech Ultimatum, problem solved!
If Camille were around, Vander and Silco would never have been able to ignite "The Day of Ashes." And let's not even think about the subsequent developments.
Thus, Camille was excluded from the Arcane storyline. Besides the reasons above, the most crucial factor is lore conflict. Camille's power source, the Brackern crystals, is a natural magical resource, while in Arcane, the Hexstones are artificially developed, largely driven by the Ferros family. This directly contradicts the portrayal of Jayce as the creator of Hexstones in Arcane. To avoid this conflict and prevent an overpowered narrative, Camille was simply "banned" from Arcane, with only her family name getting a mention.
But now, after hearing about Camille from Tamara and meeting a Ferros family gardener, could Camille truly exist in this timeline? If she does, why is she showing up now? It didn't make sense—none of it did.
Carrying his questions, Link had dinner with Tamara at a small restaurant, then politely declined her invitation to celebrate at a bar. Instead, he returned directly to the student dormitory near the Sun Gate. Back in his room, Link took out the business card, repeatedly rubbing it between his fingers. From the moment he saw the term "Clockwork Technology," he had a nagging feeling that this Arcane world wasn't quite right. Now, with Camille's sudden emergence, the situation felt even more convoluted.
But—
Flicking the business card onto his desk, Link slumped into his chair. These matters were far beyond the grasp of a mere apprentice engineer. For now, he had to focus on the immediate tasks at hand. Lady Norleen's payment had been generous—ten gold seas. Even after Tamara's cut, he still had eight gold seas and fifty silver rounds. In addition, he had received some books as supplementary gifts.
In Piltover's gold standard economy, gold seas were the most valuable currency, followed by silver rounds and copper coins. His rent was only 85 silver rounds per month—a stark contrast to the tens or even hundreds of gold seas required for homes in wealthier districts. Even with this income, the amount was far from sufficient to realize the Clockwork Enhancements on his blueprint. No investor would fund mere theoretical designs; he'd need a prototype to secure investment.
"Sigh—"
After crunching the numbers, Link realized his funds wouldn't even cover the material costs, let alone allow for trial and error. Even though he was begging for resources in a parallel universe, he needed credibility. The enigmatic benefactor who gifted him his talent demanded that he change the Twin Cities and alter everyone's destiny. He had to act on that promise. But how could he save the Twin Cities?
Link crossed his arms, pondering the original Arcane storyline. The key turning points that escalated the conflict and determined the course of the story included:
-The councilors' memorial attack.
-Piltover's crackdown on Zaun.
-Caitlyn's appointment as enforcer.
-Jinx's riot at Stillwater Prison.
To alter the narrative, he'd have to address these pivotal events. The closest one was the attack at the councilors' memorial. This event marked the Trifarian wolfmother Ambessa's greatest opportunity to intervene in Piltover's affairs. Before this, under Mel's tight watch, Ambessa could only covet Piltover from a distance. But after the attack, her timely "rescue" enabled her to sink her claws into Piltover. Furthermore, the attack was a self-orchestrated plot by Ambessa.
So, if Link could prevent this incident, he could divert the storyline towards an entirely new future. How much time did he have?
He calculated: The councilors' funeral—held at least two to three days after their deaths—would include a day or two of vigil and mourning. On the day of burial, invitations for the memorial would be sent out. Assuming the memorial was held the day after the invitations were issued, Link had, at best, two and a half days to prepare and prevent the attack.
Two and a half days—enough to plan, prepare, and execute everything. It wasn't rushed; it was a sprint. Even extending the timeline to four days wouldn't provide much relief. But he couldn't rely on the full four days. Any mishap could render all his efforts futile. Thus, he had to plan for the worst-case scenario and complete everything in the shortest time possible.
The original blueprints he inherited gave him some ideas. Although the designs were meant to assist disabled individuals, an upgraded version could serve as a prototype for Hextech-powered exoskeletons. His prior education constantly reminded him that power was essential—he needed strength to fulfill his promises. However, the next problem loomed: even with an upgraded design, where would he get the money for materials?
Creating a prototype required not just materials but also allowances for trial and error, as well as testing costs. During this period, Link would need to prepare for unforeseen events. Two and a half days weren't enough to accomplish all this. Unless he suddenly gained superpowers—or a third arm. But if he had that kind of ability, he wouldn't be sitting here agonizing. He'd be out sinking Ambessa's fleet and letting Darius swing his axe—"Victory or death!"
"Ugh!"
Link ruffled his messy black hair, his frustration evident.
Ding! You have a new email. Please check your inbox.
The translucent notification that flowed across his vision made Link's spirits rise. Out of the ten letters he sent, someone had replied?
Ding! You have a new email. Please check your inbox.
Link froze—two responses at once?