... [It was too cruel to both of them, and Viktor knew it. But cruelty and unfairness as facts of life came naturally to Zaunites; one scratched and clawed all their lives for the meager ground that Piltovans could simply step across.]

[Slowly, carefully, he picked himself up and stepped over to Aqua, settling himself gingerly on the floor and stretching out his bad leg.]

The Academy isn't difficult to find. Go there and say I sent you with a message; if he is not in the laboratory, Jayce will most likely come running at the mention anyway. Particularly given how long we have all been missing.

[He'd be miserable, but--well, Viktor was sure he would get over it. Piltover's golden boy had his whole life ahead of him, and after a while the details of Viktor's life would fade into the background of time.]

If the worst should happen to me--lie to him. Say it was painless and immediate. Better that than let him know the alternative, whatever that could be.

[His hands were shaking with a mixture of anguish and frustration; the frustration for his own miserable uselessness, and the anguish of knowing the best scenario still ended with him dead before long.]

I do not...want to hurt him. Or you. But you must understand that ideals and desires are only a foundation--while beautiful things may be built upon them, sometimes the construction itself has flaws.

[Sighing, he held out a hand for the container.]

...Science is trial and error. Oftentimes the result we get is not the one we desire. If I am to do this, that is something you need to understand.