[ truce it is, yes — this is interesting enough that viktor will risk this girl's volatile moods for it, and leaning onto his crutch, he moves closer and takes the space next to her.

and yes, of course he was thinking it's got to do with this place, the only variable in the equation that has been changed... though as she goes on with her explanation, he has to take a moment for it all to sink in. and while the way she decides to paint the picture of this place is certainly a unique one, he thinks he understands — to a degree, at least. he suspects he will have to ask someone else for a more complete explanation... but for now, this will do. ]

Perhaps, [ he says after a moment of silence, ] It is incompatible with this particular reality. After all, Hextech is reliant on the Arcane, on the runes... if those don't exist in the same form here, then — [ he shrugs one shoulder; it'd make sense that the gemstone wouldn't work the same way, either.

and yes, he said this particular reality. because, with a hum, ]

Reality is always both objective and subjective. If a coma patient lives an entire lifetime in the time they spend in a coma and emerge from it changed, eh, was it truly not real, even if it happened inside their head? The mages, too... the Arcane speaks through them, no? So there is a part of reality the rest of us never see, and yet it's no less real for that. Even if this is, how did you put it? A kid's pretend show? Even if this is one... does it obey a set of rules? Is it like a dream where anything can happen, or are there parameters that it follows? [ the questions are not really meant for her to answer, more spoken aloud as he stares up. maybe he should be more concerned about this whole thing, but instead he finds he's just intrigued. ]

Not fully real... yes, I understand.