In everyone's vision, the originally surging storm gradually turned into pure white ribbons amidst constant blowing. Then the storm filling the sky constantly gathered and swirled in front of the statue. In just a moment, it became a pale storm cocoon.
Accompanied by the diffusion of the storm, a pure white, tall, ethereal woman draped in white gauze appeared in people's vision. However, compared to ordinary people, this woman was completely different from ordinary people in both temperament and feeling.
Standing alone from the world, she was like a legendary elf who didn't eat mortal food. Those pale cyan eyes were like sky-blue amber, clear and translucent.
Almost the moment they saw this woman, that ancient name emerged in people's minds—Jan'ahrem. The origin of 'Guardian' in ancient Shuriman. And in today's Zaun, she was called 'Janna'.
"Janna truly exists?!" Zeri beside couldn't help but exclaim softly.
Having heard her mother tell legends about Janna since childhood, this didn't mean Zeri really believed Janna would truly exist in this world. After all, legends were just legends, like those bedtime stories, often forgotten as soon as one opened their eyes. Even if believing firmly before disappearing, with age, Zeri already knew how despairing the gap between childhood fantasies and the real world was.
And now, you tell Zeri this bedtime story is actually all true?
Who could accept this. Already defaulted it as a deceitful fairy tale, but now it turned out to be something that really happened. This stimulation to one's own cognition and worldview wasn't just a little bit.
Scanning everyone, looking at Zeri, Jinx, Silco, and the others, a trace of surprise also appeared in Janna's eyes, seemingly not expecting Faen to bring so many people. But Janna didn't feel rejected because of this, because for Janna, these people weren't strangers.
Janna was born in the wind—as the oldest seaport city in Runeterra, ancient Zaun's sailors and merchants would silently pray for good weather suitable for sailing. Its essence was somewhat similar to what Faen pursued, both yearning for beauty and happiness.
Precisely because of this, no matter how Zaun changed, as long as people still longed for happiness, Janna would never disappear. At most, her ability would weaken due to lack of faith, and she wouldn't die or be disabled like those unlucky primitive demigods in Freljord.
Wind of Change was the name Faen gave to the organization, but in fact, it was also the authority Janna herself mastered—wind was originally constantly changing.
Under these circumstances, whether it was Zeri, Jinx, Silco, Vander, or anyone else. As long as they were children of Zaun and were striving for Zaun's revival, Janna would feel their existence through the reflection in the spirit realm.
If it were in the past, the current Janna might take this opportunity to have a good chat with these children of Zaun. But now it was different. Faen was here, and Janna knew she had more important things to do...
"Nice to meet you, Demon of Joy."
Demon?
Hearing Janna's address to Faen, Silco and others on the side were also slightly stunned.
Although they already knew Faen's power originated from the blessing of the Demon of Joy, Ashlesh, to be honest, before getting confirmation from someone with enough weight, they were still skeptical. At least, among the people present, probably only Zeri, who harbored a pure heart and pure love, believed Faen's words deeply. Others, even Soona, and even the current Seraphine, harbored doubts about Faen's power originating from a demon.
Especially Seraphine—she didn't feel any so-called malice on Faen, how could he be a demon?
But now, Janna's words undoubtedly confirmed that uncertain part of their thoughts.
Meeting everyone's gaze, sensing the emotional fluctuations in everyone's hearts, a trace of helplessness appeared on Faen's face: "Hello to you too, Demon of Change~"
"Demon? Hmm... it's the first time someone addressed me like this." Janna didn't feel angry at Faen's words, but said gently: "But I can understand why you say that."
Looking at the peaceful Janna, Faen nodded, then explained to everyone behind him:
"You guys, don't be blinded by simple names. Demons are essentially spirit realm lives; they will obey their own nature. Spirit realm lives born from fear will constantly create fear, and spirit realm lives born from joy will constantly create joy. Based on this, fundamentally speaking, terms like demon and spirit used by people have no effect on spirit realm lives. Calling them so is just because their ways of doing things are different."
"Just like a person, you have to see what they did and said to know if they are a good person or a bad person."
Saying this, Faen shrugged: "Of course, actually I still like the title demon very much. After all, Joy Spirit or something sounds really too sissy."
Hearing this, everyone looked at each other, then nodded understandingly.
After a moment of silence, Silco on the side coughed lightly and said: "So... why did we come to meet Janna?"
"To have someone feel the changes between the two cities when I'm not around."
Exchanging a glance with Janna beside him, Faen said:
"Janna was born from ancient Zaun people's yearning for a beautiful life, overlapping with me in the concept she represents itself. It's just that compared to the pure joy I represent, Janna, born in the constantly changing wind, represents more the determination and action made for beauty, which is the so-called change. Based on this, whether it's Vander or you Silco, as well as Zeri, Jinx, or anyone else who wants to make Zaun prosperous and strong, your ideas coincide with what Janna represents."
"Your determination hoping Zaun gets better enhanced Janna's power, and Janna will also use this power to make Zaun constantly better. This is a virtuous cycle, and also the reason why I let you know Janna's existence."
Hearing Faen's words, everyone on the side looked at each other. After observing silently for a moment, Janna also looked at Faen gently, then said: "So, you want them to become my God-Chosen first?"
"God-Chosen... sort of, but can't be sure now."
Hearing this, Faen fell into brief thought, then shook his head: "Your power is weakened too severely now, without enough ability to create God-Chosen and kin in large quantities. But now the bottom of Zaun has been incorporated into my control; how much power can you draw from this?"
"About one-fifth." After a moment of silence, Janna opened her eyes again and said: "Changes in the bottom of Zaun arose because of you. Although because I was born in Zaun, I have a closer connection with the spirit realm of this land. But Ashlesh's quality in the spirit realm is far beyond what I can confront; this one-fifth is already the limit I can touch myself."
Hearing this, Faen nodded understandingly.
How many emotions people have, there will be how many kinds of spirit realms. Even saying, some of these spirit realms are not just simple emotions, but lost historical fragments of Runeterra itself.
Janna was born in Zaun, so she could get corresponding strengthening through the trends of thought born on this land. If a conflict really broke out, Janna located in Zaun would have the home field advantage. But this was only for ordinary spirit realm lives—Ashlesh was born from the first joy of Runeterra. What he represented was the joyful emotion of the entire Runeterra.
Under these circumstances, no matter which city-state or which spirit realm in Runeterra. As long as joy appeared, it would directly enhance Ashlesh's own power. Under these circumstances, Janna's so-called home field advantage was useless in front of Ashlesh's status.
Actually, this is also the norm among spirit realm lives—many so-called demons will cultivate a large number of kin. These kin have a relationship similar to Faen and Ashlesh. They are blessed by the great demon, then get a leap in life level from a single material realm life, thereby being able to perceive the spirit realm. There are also some pure spirit realm lives, like someone's thought or something. Then noticed by the great demon, getting blessed, possessing independent self and consciousness.
The only mission of these cultivated kin is to create more emotions for the great demon master.
For example, Nocturne, the Eternal Nightmare, is essentially a spirit realm assassin construct created by black magic and shadow magic from the Rune War era. Only because the mass panic of the Rune War era gave it consciousness, it began to feed on fear, becoming a fear demon.
And under its command, although not appearing in League of Legends, a large number of nightmare creatures appeared in the card game Legends of Runeterra. Those nightmare creatures mainly survive by absorbing people's energy and attacking people's dreams. And the emotions generated by nightmares are mostly used to pay taxes—handed over to the first demon of Runeterra, also the oldest primal demon, none other than Fiddlesticks representing fear. A small part is absorbed by Nocturne itself, and the remaining residue is the reward for those little demon drudges.
But creating kin also requires consumption, and the current Janna... is too weak.