Spiderwebs and multiple yers of overhead walkways twisted and turned into the sky, shrouded in a yer of smog that made it feel like evening roag.

  What could have been described is a mild, occasional chemical it Entresol, once aced to it, was now a harsh burniion again. Each member of the gang squihrough the haze, their noses overwhelmed by a blend of industrial fumes and alchemical traces.

  Where the gang walked now was the tral hub, lined on both sides with stalls various exotic, far off, or stolen goods. Every so often, a dark-er revealed gangs or thugs dug business, unfriendly eyes peering out. Notably, one alley, renowned for its on stalls, caught Orion's attention while above them, alchemical stalls lihe walkways, releasing numerous chem trails that tributed to the already oppressive smog.

  The residents down here looked far rougher tharesol. Every-other person was augmented, scarred, or amputated with deformities of various kinds.

  The kids huddled close together, with Powder snug in the middle behind Vi. The boys attempted to keep up their fident demeanor, while Orion trailed at the rear, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.

  "Maybe we should go back," Powder whispered to Vi, her wide eyes darting nervously between the eerie and dangerous presences surrounding them.

  "It's alright, Powder." Vi said firmly. Orion gnced down at her ch fists, his own hidden inside his jacket, before his focus returo sing the crowd for potential threats. Several onlookers were already eyeing them, their ominous gnces betraying unfriendly i.

  "Those chumps from Westside said we couldn't do it," Mylo chimed in with ignorant bravado, raising his hands in exaggerated triumph. "Look at us now!" His decration earned a nervous noise from Cggor, who was clearly on edge. His tense figure betrayed his attempted show of bravery.

  "Quiet," Vi hissed. Her head whipped around to gre at the others, her voianding as she added, "Stick close and keep it tight. We just gotta make it to the Old Hungry, grab something, a baobody trash talk us if we pull this off."

  Her sharp blue eyes flicked back to Orion, a brief pause betraying her own nerves. Orion gritted his teeth, frustration welling up at the situation, but spoke in a steady, reassuring tone, "We got this."

  Vi smirked faintly, as if to say, "Yeah, I know" before her focus returo the path ahead. Orion wao rip his hair out.

  Powder nervously gnced back at Orion, short steps keeping her close behind Vi. She asked quietly, "Have you been down here before?"

  "Yes." Orion replied ftly, earning surprised gnces from the boys. From Vi, however, all he caught was a slight twitch of her head, uo see the expression she bore.

  Orion wao berate Vi- or maybe suplex her- but he reasoo himself, "If the gang made it as far as they did in Are, nothing terrible should happen on this trip."

  To the others, Orion appeared the most rexed, his hands tucked in his pocket and his gaze wandering idly. What they couldn't see were his fists, tightly ched beh the fabric of his jacket.

  Without realizing it, his demeannited a petitive edge in Cggor and Mylo. The two exged gnces, furrowed their brows, and nodded in unspoken agreement. They turheir focus back to the crowd with newfouermination, as if daring someoo pick a fight.

  "Agh- I almost prefer them nervous instead of hard-staring everyone." Orion groaned internally, spotting a stranger whose eyes locked onto the group and snarled from Cggor's side.

  After a rough half-hour, the crowded stalls faded into more open but foggy alleys lined with pipes. The se felt like something straight out of a horror movie, uo see farther than teers in any dire through the thick smog. Yet somehow, Vi led them with fidence, bringing the group unscathed ter clearing.

  Orion's gaze shifted upward, trag the t structure as it disappeared into the fog.

  "Why, oh why, does it ell the time right?" Orion thought with a wry chuckle as the Old Hungry loomed before them.

  From the tales he recalled in the boy's memories, it was an a haunted clocktower with monstrous creatures lurking inside, ready to devour overly curious kids. Iy, from the outside, covered in soot, grime, and oil slick, it merely looked old and ed. Exposed meical gears as to overhead walkways dotted the exterior above. Still, it was mostly the smog, he thought, that gave the foreboding aura.

  Visible from Piltover, the clocktower hadn't told the correct time in over a decade. Orion's gaze shifted back to the misfit crew that would soon add to the problem. He frowned, finding them staring bnkly back at him.

  "What?" he asked, realizing he'd chuckled out loud.

  "Ah, just not as haunting as the tales make it out to be." Orion said quickly, brushing off their stares. The gang exged looks before briefly looking back at the clocktower.

  Powder was the first to break the silence, muttering with an incredulous, "Huh?" Vi shook her head and sighed, muttering, "Whatever."

  As they approached the rusted, metallitryway, noticeably with no security, Vi spoke up.

  "Remember, keep it tight. Keep a for anything with an insignia, even if its just a rusted gear. I doubt we will find anything valuable."

  "Time for the fun to start," Orion muttered to himself.