Hello fellow readers of fanfiction, I welcome you all old and new alike in the rewrite of my original story "The unknown herrscher". Since there's not much to be said that hasn't been mentioned there, we move on to the chapter. I hope you'll enjoy reading these stories just as much as I enjoy writing them because otherwise it would be a shame.

Disclaimer: I don't own Honkai Impact, it's characters nor its story.

Format:

narration: Chapter 1

Speech: "Chapter 1"

P.o.v. ?

The birds chirped outside of my view as I laid in darkness.

People often say that you should not fear shadows however no one ever really knows how difficult that is until they are wrapped up neck deep in a completely black space where no light seems to reach.

I have to thank the gods that I at least have sound, although, how can birds live in a never ending abyss?

Is it even an abyss or just an illusion conjured by my mind?

?: "Hey…"

I can hear a voice coming from outside this world. Did the gods come for my soul?

I don't think I have committed any serious crimes, have I?

Surely…

?: "Wake up, Link"

Wait, what?

A pair of blazing red eyes opens. Some trees stand within my gaze.

In the second I take to realize I lie on the floor my course of action is decided.

I sit up abruptly from the grassy floor, scaring away the cursed birds that had confused me for a weirdly shaped rock or something.

My short white hair flutters softly from the motion.

I half expect to see a golden haired elf princess in a white dress at my side but there is no one.

God knows I have played too much Botw if I even have dreams about it in my unconscious mind.

Still, what am I even doing in a park? Did they kidnap me during the night? If so, why? To bring me to a park?

The sun shining overhead reminds me that my train of thought is inherently wrong. If the sun is to be believed it is almost lunch.

It should almost be twenty four hours since I disappeared. Surely my phone will be full of missed calls from both my family and friends.

Except that isn't the case.

In fact, there's nothing there, not even my older messages. It feels almost as if they were never there in the first place.

As if I was never there in the first place. But that's impossible, right? I mean, I am standing right here.

To avoid panicking I start looking at the park I have woken up in to see if I can recognize anything, even the slightest detail that might confirm my location.

Despite my efforts, however, there is no sign of recollection and I find myself leaving the place in a rush, as if it had bit me.

I do not pay attention to the way I take. I just wished to get as far away as I can from that park.

Soon, buildings and people rush past me as I speed towards nowhere.

Unknown men: "Hey!"

I have no destination in mind nor an objective. Only a desire to flee from here fills my being.

Woman: "Watch where you are going!"

The voices of those that I push aside are lost in a cacophony of sounds.

Time too, loses meaning in my endless run until my carelessness comes to me head on, quite literally, as I run straight into someone.

Girl 1: "Ow.."

One of her friends instantly run to her side.

Girl 2: "Are you alright?"

The other launches towards me.

Girl 3: "Hey! Watch where you are going!"

Upon seeing my state of being the first one stops her in her tracks.

At some point I began crying, unable to truly lie to myself.

Girl 1: "No, it's alright Kana-chan. Are you alright?"

The girl's appearance was unmistakable but I had no intention to confirm it.

Me: "I'm sorry!"

After uttering a rushed apology I continued to run away while making sure to not look at her in the face.

Girl 1: "Ah, wait!"

Although she asks me to, I do not.

I refuse to acknowledge the truth. I know it may seem childish, but I cannot accept it.

How? How did this happen? How long have I been running for? I don't even know what it is that I want to ask.

The city slowly gives way to a more desolate land. Much like earlier I do not give it much attention. Still, I won't deny that the silence is appreciated.

Gradually my steps come to a stop. I was never someone who was particularly athletic therefore it should not come as a surprise that I had long since pushed past my limit.

A hollow laugh escapes past my tired lips.

It seems no matter how long I may run from the truth I can never truly escape…

Especially if the truth stares at me straight in the face.

A torn up monument stands before me.

The incision reads as follows.

'In memory of Kallen Kaslana, a hero of us all'

Upon visual confirmation my legs tremble and I fall to my knees.

Shortly after tired footsteps come from behind me.

Only when I feel two arms wrap around my fallen form do I bother to look up towards the girl.

Raven hair frames a delicate face. A ponytail falls on her back and she wears a high school uniform.

Purple eyes gaze towards me in worry.

I know who she is. It is because I know that I do not bother to get up.

Instead I continue to cry.

After all, sad as it may be to know, there is nothing I can do.

Even so, while she is the reason for my tears, it is because she is here that I feel somewhat better.

It is this bout of confidence that allows me to accept the truth.

The girl before me is no simple schoolgirl. She is Mei Raiden, a valkyrie and the third herrscher.

Mei: "Shh...it's alright, it's alright"

All at once, my exhaustion catches up to me and I slowly fall limp in her embrace.

Even so, I know instinctively that when I do wake up I won't be alone. I take comfort in that fact.

It takes far shorter than I would have thought given my apparent tiredness.

The first thing I notice when I open my eyes is that I am within the city again.

The second is that I am lying on something soft, far softer than the earth below, at least.

Also, the two girls from earlier, Mei's 'friends', are nearby. This, of course, means that…

As I had suspected, when I look up my crimson eyes meet Mei's violet ones.

Mei: "Ah, you are awake"

A minute nod in response.

me: "Yes. Thank you for earlier"

Mei shakes her head softly.

Mei: "Don't mention it. You looked really hurt so I wanted to help. It's what everyone would have done"

That point of view is too naive for this cruel world.

I dare say the people who would have helped me without ulterior motives can be counted on one hand.

Alexander: "Whatever the case may be, I have yet to introduce myself, have I? My name is Alexander Rose"

Both my first name and my family name were invented at this moment. The reason is simple. I do not exist in this world. To distance myself from my previous life I chose a completely different name.

Mei proceeded to bow lightly shortly after I sat up.

Mei: "It is a pleasure to meet you, Rose-san. My name is Mei Raiden"

I respond in kind.

Alexander: "I also am happy to meet you, Raiden-san. Also, please, call me Alexander from now on. Being called by my surname feels uncomfortable"

Mei thought for a second before nodding.

Mei: "Very well, Alexander-san. Then I ask that you'll do the same"

I nod.

Alexander: "If that is what you wish I won't trouble you, Mei-san"

Mei smiles lightly.

Mei: "Thank you, Alexander-san"

Mei's expression becomes troubled.

Mei: "Alexander-san, if it is not too much to ask, what happened earlier?"

My own expression comes to match Mei's.

Alexander: "You see, I have lived with my family for my entire life however due to certain occurrences they are…not here anymore. I lost my house and the only things I have with me are those you see on my person"

Mei gasps in shock.

Mei: "That's terrible!"

I nod sadly.

It is, but there's nothing I can do.

Suddenly Mei hits her palm and her face lights up.

Mei: "Alexander-san, I am sure my father will be willing to lend you enough money to buy a flat if we ask him together"

My face tenses slightly.

Alexander: "Are you sure? I don't wish to trouble you"

Mei nods.

Mei: "Yes, I wish to help you"

That's how I ended up here, staring at quite the dangerous man in hopes to convince him of my truthfulness.

Raiden Ryoma looks exactly like I remember him. In other words, he doesn't look friendly at all.

The fact that he has been staring at me in complete silence doesn't help.

Finally, he speaks.

Ryoma: "And what do you intend to do with Mei?"

I quickly shake my head.

Alexander: "Nothing. I don't intend to use her at all. I wouldn't have even asked if she hadn't offered to help me"

He glances towards his daughter.

Ryoma: "It was your idea then, Mei?"

She looks at him resolutely.

Mei: "Yes, father!"

He closes his eyes for a second, seemingly in thought.

Ryoma: "Very well, I accept."

While I want to cheer in happyness I keep it in. I can tell he isn't finished just yet.

Ryoma: "However.."

I suspected it wouldn't be so easy. Ryoma looks at me intently.

Ryoma: "Once you have found a suitable house I expect you to continue your education in Chiba Academy. There you will be able to return this favour to her directly"

I silently release the breath I had been holding and bow in gratitude.

Alexander: "Thank you, sir"

Then I turned towards Mei.

Alexander: "Thank you, Mei-san"

She smiles at me.

Mei: "Ah, don't worry about it, Alexander-san"

That's how I ended up looking at the streets of Nagazora once more.

This time however, despite knowing how cruel this world is, how cold it truly is, I don't cry. I cannot help but smile because, as a certain major once said…

We can always make the world into the one that we desire. Although I am too weak to change anything at the moment, I won't ever give up.

Now that my path began, I just need to continue to shape it with my very own hands until the descent of god, as a certain megalomaniac would say.

I just hope no one will interfere too soon.

As many of the readers that came here from my original story should be able to tell, many things changed in this new story. First, there were many details that were mentioned in the prologue that were never mentioned again so this time I removed them directly. Second, the original story started from one/two weeks after the resurrection/isekai situation, thus wasting many opportunities for character development and world building. This time it starts from the actual beginning. I suppose the fact that she is an herrscher would be a plot twist if it wasn't for the fact that it is literally written in the title. Those thoughts aside, see you in the next chapter!