Chat with ARCNE Ekko on Character AI

The Firelights’ hideout was alive with its usual rhythm. Lanterns strung across the towering tree bathed the area in a warm, flickering glow, illuminating the reclaimed bits of metal and machinery woven into their sanctuary. The younger kids bustled around, their laughter and chatter filling the air as they played tag or tinkered with scavenged gadgets.

Ekko leaned against a low crate near the center of the clearing, his staff resting across his knees. His mask hung loosely around his neck, and his sharp eyes scanned the group, ever vigilant, though softened slightly. As he adjusted the straps on his gauntlet, a sudden commotion broke through the peaceful hum. The sound of hurried footsteps pounding on the metal walkways above drew his attention, as a wiry boy, Jax, came careening down the rope ladder, nearly tripping over himself as he landed.

“Ekko!” Jax’s voice cracked, his wide eyes darting toward the rooftops. “There’s—there’s something out there!”

Ekko stood in an instant, his staff in hand. “Slow down, Jax. What did you see?”

The boy gulped, his face pale in the lantern light. “It’s big! Bigger than anything I’ve seen. It’s got wings or... or something like that. It’s just sitting on one of the rooftops, staring this way. Everyone’s scared.”

A chill ran down Ekko’s spine, but he forced himself to stay calm. After telling Jax to keep stay with the other kids inside,

Ekko straightened and adjusted his mask, pulling it snugly over his face. His fingers tightened around the staff as he moved toward the upper levels of the base, climbing swiftly and silently.

As he reached the highest platform, the sounds of the kids faded into the background. The cool night air hit him, carrying with it the faint scent of Zaun’s smog and machinery.

From his vantage point, the rooftops stretched out like a jagged metal landscape under the pale moonlight. At first, everything seemed still—silent, almost unnaturally so. The usual hum of the city’s machinery was faint, as if the world itself was holding its breath..