I SAID I WAS ALREADY PUBLISHING THIS SOON A FEW DAYS AGO. NO MORE DELAYS FROM ME!
Smh. First people talked shit about chapter 25 even though they haven't tried it for themselves and then we were given Herrscher of Flamescion (isn't it Salvation?) Kiana. What a great day.
i cried playing it, and the animation brought tears to my eyes. shh.
Did I predict Flamescion in Flames of Loneliness, like I did for whatever happened in The Storm? Maybe. THE ANSWER IS NO OKAY, I DONT WORK AT MIHOYO. I KNOW THIS IS THE SECOND TIME FOR SUCH COINCIDENCE, BUT STOOOOOP-
While I wish I were, that will never be true.
Also I'm back to my education now. This means lesser time on my hands and more piles of work to be done.
chapter had been delayed because i was bizarrely getting sick for no reason. thanks for that, world.
torn between crying n laughing rn
Disclaimer: I do not own Honkai Impact 3rd. Be it characters, or the main story.
This being my first time writing something out of my usual Genres, so let me know what you think.
Another Chance:
Obsessed Poet
Warnings:
- Go and fuck yourself, Otto Apocalypse Vol. 2
- Kiana is outright and justified pissed.
- Someone has clearly died here. You might not like who it is that did.
- The author is not sorry for things that are about to happen next in future chapters.
Somewhere high up in the clouds, a much larger battleship that overshadowed the Hyperion slowly inches closer, hovering up and down until both were able to cruise at a relatively same level and speed.
This leaves the two sides of different factions to meet each other on their respective bridges.
"So you guys finally arrived. I didn't think you Schicksal Valkyries to take so long for just an arrival, but I guess it's kinda expected.."
While Himeko was obviously twitching at the off-handed comment made by the other red haired woman before her, Theresa simply shrugs it off and bows apologetically.
"Sorry about that.. I didn't want to put the injured onboard Hyperion at risk with turbulence by speeding up too fast."
At that genuine comment instead of a childish remark that one would expect from the Principal of St. Freya, Dr. Tesla nearly widened her eyes at the extreme change in demeanor that she has not seen ever since the Second Eruption.
In turn, instead of saying anything else snarky, understanding fills her gaze. With a sigh, she simply nods at the smaller silver haired woman before turning her back on her them and reaches for a door. "I'll get some medical supplies and help."
Whether was it because she felt slightly guilty for saying such a comment, or that it was her seriously moving to get some assistance, no one would ever know.
"..Was Anti-Entropy this soft?" There came the comment from Himeko once again, a single eyebrow raised at the immediate change of attitude.
Her question leaves her with a bark of laughter upon hearing the muffled sound of something that seemed to have sounded along the lines of, "Oh shut it!" beyond that door.
Mei stands there by the side, her katana sheathed by the waist, in a mental state of trying to comprehend whether this was truly the Anti-Entropy they once clashed with as she watches the sight behold.
That confusion was put aside for later as she sees Dr. Einstein stepping forward, having taken it as her cue to start with her floating mech helper in tow, Eins.
She gets down to business immediately. With a nod, she begins. "I'm sure you know who we are, and the same goes, so if I may start.."
A large hologram takes form in the air, a double-sided screen for both ends of the two ships to see properly without any confusion. It contained many things that one couldn't even consider by themselves should they tried to infiltrate Schicksal HQ; the layout of the place, each and respective division of those who resided in it, various paths provided in suggestion for both escape and breaking in, with the dangers and risks that come along with every sector.
This clearly was an extremely well done, coherent and processed plan that may have taken more than a few days to even create. And they were just simply giving this all to them without anything in return?
Seriously? It sounded too good to be true.
"We have tried to update our information and sources to the best of our ability in its relevance, but this was the best we can get with the help of Kiana."
There was no need to even say such a thing, to be honest. Simply with one glance, one can already tell they were clearly much more prepared than the group of Valkyries for this operation.
Though the last sentence sticks out like a sore thumb, which piqued the curiosity of a few, but Theresa would be the one who would ultimately ask the question. "Kiana helped you guys?"
When Einstein confirms such with a nod, the confusion simply just grew. A Valkyrie with no supposed knowledge of the entire structure of Schicksal HQ, had supplied Anti-Entropy with the information?
No, this was Kiana they were talking about, and now even the mysterious that surrounded her grew even further- what they had thought to only be kept in the darker had broadened even more into a vast array of topics it could've made someone feel giddy that a person like her, who absolutely sucked at grades would be capable of such a thing..
..As ridiculous as it sounds for her to say it; unless she was threatened with her Homu Manga like that one time, would then Kiana's academics would astonishingly soar so high into the skies, even Himeko had needed to check her papers multiple times until she forgot the time of day, and sometimes she'd even go to the extent of thinking she was too drunk to see the numbers on the Kaslana's paper properly.
It was that shocking to all the faculty in St. Freya.
But when such a feat was brought up to the Kaslana, Kiana would just shrug it all off and disapprovingly tell her and the redhead to never ever do that again, knowing they would try to pull something like this one more time in an attempt to bear witness to her grades increasing like a miracle from Heaven before walking off.
Truly, a mystery in more ways than one. And now she owed Kiana a super-duper terific vacation. There goes the funding and budget for more than a few years for St. Freya.
Speaking of Mystery..
One or two had sent some glances towards the rooms inside of Hyperion, where a certain navy haired woman and Homu-loving person were currently resting, but that thought wasn't the same for another person, who instead had realized something else.
"..So you were the ones behind it?" The current red haired woman that was present drops the question like an anchor. For what it was, there was no need to elaborate- for everyone had more than just an idea in mind on what she had meant.
Why help us, then? Because Kiana had helped them once? Or was it truly something else?
They suspected there was an ulterior motive- which, in their defense, is normal, having told about the bad of Anti-Entropy in their lives as Valkyries. If there was any offense or frustration in their weariness, however, no such traces of it was shown.
What was shown, however, was Dr. Tesla interrupting the tense atmosphere between the two sides as she appears back to where they stood, a few floating, small mech assistants carrying supplies of medical boxes, bottles and gauzes.
With an exasperated sigh at the sight she was currently seeing right in front of her eyes, she waves the flying mechs off, letting them move to their supposed destination to drop off those items they were carrying.
"There's nothing much to it, really." The red haired professor starts offhandedly, interrupting and quieting down the fuss when they awaited for her to continue on what she had meant, having caught their attention.
"She just reminds us very much of our Lord Sovereign, and damn us if we say we're better than Schicksal but refuse to rescue her after all the help she gave us."
The last sentence she would say following this, however, resonated a mutual understanding within everyone, all knowing the meaning of what those words are. Her eyes slowly trailing the clouds that waved by.
Of blue skies, and white clouds. Of blue eyes, and silver hair.
She sighs, and lets those words spill out of her mouth.
"..And damned if we don't save the person Siegfried acknowledges and sees as his own daughter, even if she isn't actually that child."
Clearly the food was that delicious for her to even be spacing out at the moment.
The silver haired woman only makes acknowledging hums and grunts of sounds as she once again spears a piece of meat from one of the several plates on the table laid out for her.
"Hm."
Though Kiana has to admit, while Rita can be quite the terrifying individual from all the times they had worked together, the food she makes certainly has a special flair to it that differentiates it from Mei's. That doesn't mean she still finds Mei's cooking to be the best, though.
Speaking of food, there's a deeper appreciation Kiana has for it that is now more noticeable for herself the longer time flies by. Disappointingly, those reasons are unknown to her for such behaviour.
Maybe, it's just the atmosphere, knowing she is literally seated in Schicksal HQ doing this, that makes her think of such.
And even so, somehow, for the past few days- Schicksal (or Kiana guesses, Durandal asking Rita at her expense,) was quite hospitable enough for the dangerous individual such as her, a damn Herrscher; to even be eating a nice lunch of steak and several other side dishes that have long disappeared into the Void that is her-
"-Are you even listening..?"
Upon a long pause after the comment stands out in her mind, the cutlery immediately clicks against the glass plate, making a sharp noise. She places the now empty plate aside, along with the multiple others that soon eventually will form a tall mountain pile of flat white circles.
Kiana leans back against the backrest of her chair, letting out a satisfied sigh.
This time, she answers the question without interruption. In thoughts of course, it wouldn't do well for them should someone be eavesdropping somewhere.
"What about portals? Disappearing out and escaping unharmed from that if it does happen. Could hide in some random country after getting out of Schicksal."
Taking the immediate reply in stride, Sirin does not budge nor comment at the actions she decides to take..
"..We've done it before, but do you think they would react normally if they thought you were dead?"
Kiana grabs a nearby cup of ice cream, thoughts all gone into the wind. Rita was probably a perfectionist of Chocolate or something, seeing as the Kaslana herself has forgotten how many she had already downed in these past days- they were just delicious.
And honestly, eating a wide assortment of desserts while being trapped here for god knows how long- until she and Sirin is able to finalise on a proper plan after ironing out all the dangers and possibilities- can be quite the nice change to keep her possible hunger-sanity afloat in these trying times.
If only Mei was here..
"There you go thinking about food again when we're supposed to figure out how the hell can we get out of here!"
Kiana closes her eyes as she places the empty dessert spoon on the side of the cup, where it now rests on the plate it was brought with.
"I wouldn't be surprised if they're trying to distract me with food.
"It's clearly working!"
This exchange was a daily occurrence for both her and Sirin that Kiana deep down was grateful she hasn't abandoned her in frustration and refused to speak to her for a long time. A small smile finds its way to her face at that thought.
Sometimes, company is wished for in times of loneliness, after all.
That was her train of thought before the door suddenly opens.
"..."
The small smile on her face immediately turns itself down into a crease of a frown when she sees whoever it was that interrupted her moment of peace.
Somehow, the aftertaste of the chocolate that lingered in her mouth was not as pleasant as it had once been.
All the talk Sirin was trying to make in attempt to catch Kiana's attention also merely stopped cold. The both of them are more than aware who it is that stands before them.
There was no need for pleasantries.
Her eyes trace on each and every move of his like a hawk, but all Otto Apocalypse has done was simply stand by the entrance of her supposed prison cell.
The empty plates all long pushed aside to the other corner of the table.
Kiana asks, cold and sharply to the point, once her fingers left the cold glassware. "What do you want?"
She knew he would come, looking for her. That was why she wanted nothing to do with this man before her.
"Nothing important," He states as if it were a breath of fresh air. "It just came to my attention that you're apparently capable of using your own powers as a Herrscher,"
Green eyes meet her gaze, as he lets the syllables of the last word roll. "Fully."
The room becomes still. Chilling, hallowing silence permeates each and every corner of the place.
Kiana raises an eyebrow at the notion of what he implies.
Nothing important, he says.
Information was guaranteed scarce, she made sure that Schicksal wouldn't be able to hold onto any leads.
She props up an arm on the table, her head leaning against the fist. "..And what of it?"
"Not much, but," A smile forms on his face. Kiana finds it sickening. "That isn't the reason why I am here today."
A Valkyrie enters alongside his words as soon as they hover in the air.
"I'd like to make a deal with you. An offer, even. I'm sure it will benefit the both of us."
A suitcase was placed in front of her. The sound of it coming into contact with the table deliberately placed in front of her, along with the clicking of glass plates, were more than audible for her to deem it real.
Eyes that cautiously stared at the man shifted to the container before her on the table. "..And that is?"
"I need you to bring back someone from the dead."
Somewhere, she feels the edge of her mouth twitching, jaw slightly locking up.
He asks her- no, it was hidden as a demand- to bring a single person back to life after all he had done? Does he even deserve such a way out to his goal after all the pain and suffering he has brought to this world?
There was no way in hell she would accept such a thing from him when he was clearly insane from that five-hundred year obsession-
It was when Kiana froze.
Something suddenly stirs from within. It was deep down, where an instinct in her body called forth and draws her further towards the sealed contents.
This slowly made a pit in Kiana's stomach at the very thought, all traces of words from earlier disappearing into nothing. Multiple possibilities instead came to the mind; some unexpected, and others to the point of extreme.
He raises his hand, visible glee glinting in his eyes. He gestures at the one by his side to open it. "Well then, how about this gift for a start?"
Click.
...
Her mind simply stops thinking at the sight, a hammering pressure taking its place, numbing her senses- even the feeling of her own fingers curling and uncurling simply felt cold.
..There it was. There it shined before her, hovering and glinting in the light, reflecting its colourful lustre in her own eyes.
She hears herself speak, even when she deliberately does not tell herself to open her mouth and ask, the feeling hoarse on her throat. "..Where is she?"
The Gem of Desire was showcased directly in front of her, as if she were staring at an object framed up and placed on a pedestal.
..Where is she? ..Where is Wendy?
The reply, he only nonchalantly answers with silence.
Mocking silence.
It can't be.
The entire world loses all of its colour, the room now reducing to a dark, empty void around her surroundings.
It can't be, it can't be, it can't be.
Kiana immediately stands up from her chair, her own body feeling something akin to lifelessness as she stayed like that for a few long seconds. Her arms slightly trembled at the amount of force her body was pushing down on the table beneath her.
Without even realizing, she had approached the Overseer. Kiana didn't even wish to bother to see what kind of expression Otto had- because knowing him, it would infuriate her even more than ever.
Then the thoughts sink in, and the dagger in her mind presses further into her head. It cuts off the very string that held her surging emotions together.
Suppressing the rage that she feels like it could even boil over in an instant, she grabs the man's shirt, fistfuls of as much as she could grasp. Dimly, Kiana somehow felt that it was quite likely that her composure was still floating on the surface, as the action didn't even rip a hole off from that damned man's shirt.
She could feel it, however, on the brink of doing so. Kiana feels each and every breath she takes in and exhales out, trembling violently.
Her blue eyes meet green, like an enraged roaring dragon looking at an overconfident fool.
"Otto Apocalypse.. Do you actually realize.. What you have done?"
Kiana couldn't hold herself back from using such a threatening voice that the entire room would've frozen into ice. Even against such overwhelming rage that rolled off her, Otto merely just looks at her with his signature empty, mocking smile.
He smiles.
Gradually, she becomes increasingly aware of the fact several Valkyries had their laser-aimed guns pointed right at her, the rumbling and humming of their weaponry apparent. Some of their sights seared into her back, waiting and watching for a single twitch of a muscle to turn towards that direction before firing at her- fingers twitching tensely as Kiana imagines each and every one of theirs hovering above their triggers.
Otto did not seem to even blink from the stunt. He does not even shrink away from her anger, and it was as if he was telling the Valkyries there was needless for them to even bother doing such a thing.
He still dared to have the capacity to even do that in front of her, already fully knowing what he has done.
The Valkyries had their sights on her. While she was more than willing to let her own body sustain multiple, more than enough searing holes in her body to just simply murder the one she had briefly in her grasp- she knew that would put her in a vulnerable situation.
And she had promised Fu Hua that she wouldn't cause needless slaughter to those people, something, that she cannot break.
In frustration, she instead nearly punches the Overseer, hard with her fist that long-lost its colour and became bone-white. It hits the wall, directly beside his face.
CRAAA-CK!
"Don't fuck with me!"
Kiana does all she can to not shout, but it was a futile attempt, as her voice was seething, and it probably had contained as much anger as the world could possibly hold.
Her hair shadows the expression on her face, but it was long obvious on what it was that etched on her features.
"Just how much are you willing to ruin it all until you're satisfied?" She asks, feeling each and every word crash against the room like never ending waves.
He does not answer her.
"Just how badly will you ruin everything until you're satisfied? Do you really want to get back just a single life that much!? Why can't you understand that that is exactly why the world is driving closer to its inevitable destruction?!"
He does not answer her.
It is even worse when the people around them are unaware of the situation they had put themselves into, and followed his orders blindly.
Kiana does all she can to even push down the urge to impale the man with several of her lances, to shove his hole-filled body to the ground before stomping and crushing it into pieces right then. In simple, light words; it was not such an easy feat to do.
She places a hand over her face, covering those eyes that bled with pools of anger, trying to sustain whatever calmness and reasoning she had for this conversation to even continue.
Kiana could both feel and hear her own teeth grinding against each other, harshly.
The words grit out against her canines.
"..Do you want them all to die that much? Those people who, more than anybody else, had been trying so hard for so long for your blinded ideals?"
The feeling of staying here any longer in his presence made it so painfully tempting to willingly kill this man.
Wendy was a Valkyrie. A Schicksal Valkyrie. She thought her sacrifice for the Gem of Desire would be a step further for them to defeat the Honkai.
Even now, morbidly, she could understand why she hated humanity so much back then in fucking Siberia; she had killed millions out of spite- but one didn't even have to know that was also originally caused by him, for her circumstances to be driven that far to become a Herrscher in the first place.
Just who, for what reason, and for whose sake, does he think freely causing this war is for? This man had ruined all of that she has already tried to save. All that groundwork for three years was for none other than ensuring there would be no casualties from the Battle while he would be in the assumption that she herself would still be in his control.. He fucking ruined that all by himself.
He clearly wanted to annoy her, irritate her to the breaking point and provoke whatever patience she had left for this stupidity; that he thinks much so is his wiseness, brought him.
And it worked.
It irked her so much, her face couldn't even hold the rage back that was on her face, of creased eyebrows and of blue eyes that screamed at him.
The purpose she had accepted and decided for taking on the Battle herself was to just reduce the number of Valkyries and people who would fight; involving themselves against the so called, "War against the Herrscher", while simultaneously securing herself the Gems away from both Schicksal's and possibly World Serpent's grasp.
However, despite that, the plan just simply got thrown into the dumpster fire. It had taken a rough turn and went to a different road. All because Otto had needlessly decided to intervene in everything. Kiana doesn't know the driving motivation behind his sudden extreme obsession, but time travelling was quite the bullshit that happened, and so she doesn't think much on it.
Truth be told, she is going against whatever he had planned for her in Schicksal and various other things, so it wouldn't be strange for the Overseer himself to do the same. The problem is, not only does he know- or somehow has got a good idea of whatever she is doing, but he has begun to intervene against her own actions.
He most likely understands fully what she was trying to do. And that was why he was ruining it for her.
..There's no bother in trying to dwell much on it when the situation shoved in front of her face had already, clearly, made her pissed.
The grip on the Overseer tightens. Even though Wendy had been aware of her actions- both resolved to die yet wished to live, this man had just simply spat on it all. As if Kiana could forgive that. She couldn't.
"Do you love it when your people die that much..? Even though you know just for whose sake it is that they're all killing each other..?"
This was a fucked up situation, but it was expected of him to do such a thing- even if it was one of the worst case scenarios.
..That was why she had tried to convince Himeko to not give Wendy over to the Schicksal doctors.
With a heavy sigh, Kiana drops her hands to her sides, including the violent grip on his shirt left a very visible mark on the fabric.
Her mind was long made up. She's sure even the Herrscher that stood beside her- no, the other side of her was more than willing to follow through with such a decision.
In short, curt words, they were both feeling enraged- anger was even an understatement to how they felt against this.
She stretches out a hand, opening her palm towards him. A lance; her lance, the construct of white and black forms in her hand, like a subtle shift of a glitched tear in space that brought forth its existence.
The next three simple words she would speak as an answer to Otto Apocalypse would wipe the smile off his face. Immediately.
The weapon was raised up and pointed towards his face, for his eyes to meet both the sharp end of its edge and of her blue-eyed glare.
If one would strain their ears, there was a mix of two voices combined in those simple words; three, but with a meaning of one.
She roars. "Otto Apocalypse.. This is war!"
Kiana lunges towards the blonde haired man, with the lance more than prepared to sink into his body and tear through him- to only find that he takes a step aside; revealing a Valkyrie that replaced his position of her momentum's target.
An Immortal Blade Valkyrie.
And she had promised Fu Hua that she wouldn't cause needless slaughter to those people, something, that she cannot break.
Suppressing a growl of frustration, she stops herself with a void platform underneath her feet, flipping herself back a distance away from the one that took his place.
Just as she did, a bullet grazes right in front of her blue eyes, and that prompts Kiana to turn herself around. The view was not pleasant, for the silver haired woman to find herself surrounded by another one of them.
And another.
And another. Until it felt like the multitude of Otto's soldiers that came to stand before her seemed to be like the entirety of Schicksal HQ's might.
Slightly lowering her lance in a mild state of confusion and comprehension, she does not notice the golden chain that snaked its way around her leg, searing binds closing its hold around her limb before it wrenches her, sending her body into a fold as it roughly pulls her from behind.
The agony at her leg and her held-back yell of pain that muffled into snarls were only part of the problem in her trying to understand what had even happened, were all in her mind as her vision immediately drops to the ground.
Craning her head to see who was responsible- even somewhere briefly, there hadn't been a need to- the chains all led a visible point of view to her corner of sights; the gold links curling around the hand of that cowardly man.
Part of her battlesuit had been caught, where it slightly burns around the area where the chains sank their teeth into her flesh. It left a patch, showing bare skin.
Kiana's line of vision kept her from being able to see the full extent of the injury she may have possibly sustained, but when she spots the chain having become visibly coated with crimson that began dripping slowly and steadily onto the ground from both the sound and sight, it was more than enough for her to evaluate the wound that she bore.
And could've been even worse, was that Otto immediately after steps into that line of vision, and he dared to walk towards her, leaning close to her fallen body as he gives her another look.
Noticing that, as her mind focuses on the surroundings more this time as she averts her eyes away from his- she realizes the world has turned black.
Black, as in the darkest of the nights. There was nothing around; the lack of her room, even the bed and empty plates, were gone. Only the both of them remained.
An illusion? The alarm in Kiana's heart that first waned, now started to ignite like a flame.
Kiana already fell for the trap without even realizing for nearly the past few days.
She should've seen it coming- no, she already knew it was coming, the possibility of it hiding out somewhere slinking in the shadows where she waited for it to bite at her.. But the alarm that flows through her was for a different reason.
Was she just careless despite all those trainings she had held with Fu Hua.. Or had she simply just became too relaxed in the world she had now lived in?
Sirin was right if it were the case- and if so; at all costs, she must get out of here before it's too late.
Kiana pushes her lapse of concentration down, clarity taking its return now to fill her senses with an immediate indignation of fulfilling whatever it is that she has to now do upon realizing such a thing.
From the ground, as her leg was the only sole thing that held her back- she struggles to tear out her arm from its paralysed, stunned state that her body was currently in, due to the aftershock of being forcefully slammed into the ground, hard. With her fingers, she does a small downward motion, and she sees the void portal taking form in the space.
Good, now she just had to-
-A golden feather appears in the far corner of her peripherals, glowing brightly in her sky blue eyes.
Oh no, you don't! Kiana screamed in her mind, the first instinct in her body was to keep the void portal be, her hands leaving its presence..
..And then she immediately grabs for the feather, clenching the plume tightly in her grip, refusing to let go of it. The feather slightly crushes in her grasp.
With another instinct that fired in her, like a natural order that came to mind- the next thing she did without thinking was to infuse the energy she had created for the portal into her palm. And with an extreme yell, she releases it all into the Mimicry of Fenghuang Down, blue eyes proceeding to glow brightly with crossed irises as she does so.
The feather in her hand, releases rays of light- of blinding white lines, as if it leaked from multiple cracks, unwilling to be held back and contained within its seal- it blazes a brilliant blue before burning into flames of the very same colour.
A brief flash of white takes over the world- that seemed to span for more than mere seconds.
The crosses in her eyes fades away, leaving the azure to be without its companion of power. Once more, a normal shade of sky blue stares back at the darkness.
Somewhere behind her, her ears ring with a vivid, clear sound of a man instantly screaming. Frustration, pain and anguish are all evident in his voice.
"RAAARGH!"
The chains that held her leg simply dissipated; fading away like dust, leaving Kiana to turn around to look at the sudden change in commotion, questions in mind in comprehension for what she had done had gone too, like the wind.
He stays like that, frozen like a statue, back bent over with his head still remaining in his hands, legs stoned and unmoving as if he had them locked in place, but he suddenly speaks to no one but the space.
"..Immortal Blades, subdue the Herrscher of the Void. Incapacitate her with any means possible."
A low whisper he makes, but Kiana hears it as clearly as day; which was what brought back the frigid horror that now wraps around her heart.
A voice, no matter how hard one would try to hide it- it was clearly on the brink of nothing other than obsession.
And this obsession was aimed at none other than herself. Something, that in her life of memories that she can recollect from the broken fragments of her mind, have sworn to never witnessing such to this extent ever once.
"I won't regret any of my actions, not when I am this close.. this close.. I refuse to let those answers go."
The world around her immediately dissipates on his order. That was strange, Kiana briefly thinks. A mimicry of Fenghuang Down wasn't able to be capable of such a power; more so even under his hand.
It may have been, truth be told. Those Valkyries had all seemed to appear out of nowhere, as if they all had waited for her to make such a verbal cue before they took it as the sign to announce their presences.
Until another thought came to mind, as the walls; of several numbers and codes, slowly crumbling into nothing but glowing cubes, revealed the all-familiar eerie glow of blue that faded from the halls, or the dark corners of the sector she resided in.
The glow of the vast armada of weapons the people before her wielded, lighted the place like a bright flame in the black night.
The sector she resided in.
The realization sinks in. She knew this place. She recognized it. The true name and reason for such recognition long seared into her mind, that saying the name of such a place on a whim would bring back those memories.
Helheim Labs. She was back in fucking Helheim Labs.
Otto threw her in a simulation. A bloody simulation of a room. They had all waited for her, for this to happen. They waited for the Kaslana to bare her fangs, and it would be when they step in, prepared to take her head- or capture her.
This is war. She had spoken, for all to hear. And it is all they will ensure they will see, to her either suppressed or dead.
With nothing else, the first thing her mind tells her is to run, but Kiana was sick and tired of running in her entire life. Even if it were such the painful case, Kiana knew- at the same time, she had to at least just hold on until her friends and family came, because she could not abandon them in danger to simply hide somewhere in the world.
That would be unforgivable of her. She refuses to turn her backs on them and leave them to her enemies ever again.
The Kaslana lets her fallen lance fly into her grasp once more, and she forcefully paves a way for her to do so. With her mind made up, she tkes a giant leap, landing straight for one of the hallways that lined with the least number of Valkyries, now beginning her escape.
Knock. Knock.
"Fu Hua? Are you in there?"
There was the muffled, inaudible but decipherable sound of someone beyond that door, as the footsteps get louder.
The door opens, revealing the navy haired woman to look and see who it was that came to see her this time. The person was welcomed, yet unexpected to see.
"Mei?" She asks, as she steps aside to leave her room and close the door. "Is something the matter?"
The raven haired woman before her seemed to hesitate at her question. Maybe she came here on a whim, to ask a question in her thoughts, maybe it was something else, or maybe- a part of her mind inevitably thinks- she was just thinking about-
"..Will Kiana be alright?" The question came out uncertain, and small.
Fu Hua does not know why the raven haired woman decides to ask her, of all people, such a question, but she feels inclined to answer it earnestly.
With a palm placed at her own heart, the navy haired woman says softly after a pause, certainty filling her voice. "I'm sure she is fine."
There was no doubt she would have when it came to the silver haired woman, as her life as witnessed for herself on what capabilities were able to be unleashed when it came to numerous obstacles that strayed their paths. Therefore, Fu Hua does not hesitate when saying such a thing-
She pauses, her eyes shifting to the glass panes that lined the windows of the Hyperion. A large dark shadow that blotted the clouds flashes past her vision, before slinking away and light replaces its trail.
She freezes, a question in mind, before two, and then multiple. She searches for it once more, but to no avail.
Then it comes by again, and this time she has a faint idea on what it could possibly be.
Fu Hua turns, blue eyes meeting violet. "Mei, I'm sorry if this is a little sudden, I need you for something, quickly."
If it were the case, if it was truly the case, this would help them immensely, in more ways than one for the upcoming conflict that would take place.
Mei only mouths a small, "Huh?" before being held by the hand, Fu Hua hastily dragging her alongside her brisk walk towards the bridge. Too immersed she was in on the goal set before her, she does not see the raven haired woman's face lighting up a mild tinge of pink at the action.
Only when the elevator does reach to its highest levels, where the grounds were simply open on the large ship, it seemed that their ragtag group had already beaten them to it, long-standing there as they watch the shadow grow bigger and bigger, casting the clouds darker.
So they all had noticed it too. And for what it would be, the answer was right in front of their eyes as a few seconds passed into the time:
A great white dragon comes into view, once soaring far and high above the clouds; met the gaze of the multiple smaller blots of dots that stared at the one who announced its presence. Despite the apprehension of those who were on their respective ships, it does not move to attack, only eyeing its gaze on those who stood there- the beating of its wings a continuous rhythm in the sky.
Its shadow casts a large cloud on their faces, it was so large it was even blotting out the brilliant sun that roared to its fullest.
"A Judgement-class Honkai Beast.."
It had seemed to be waiting there, passively. The dragon merely stays flapping in the air as its blue eyes roamed the surroundings, searching for something..
Or possibly, for someone.
The deadly searing beams of Honkai energy soar over each other, seeking to fly across and score a hit either Kiana's shoulders or her legs.
The silver haired woman had nothing else but a moment to even move away from it, and it was for her to drop back down to a crouch before springing back up, using whatever she could to even fly between them. Flipping, rolling, sliding- just anything that would've avoided those hits were more than enough.
She clearly screwed up back there, in more ways than one.
This was because of the fine detail, while obvious; had never stuck out to her like a thumb, until it suddenly came to memory once again as she uttered those words to Otto Apocalypse. Too blinded in her rage, she had forgotten that she had just deliberately dug her own grave and plan by doing three things.
One. Threatening Otto. Two. Raising her weapon at him. And three; outright declaring War on him in front of all the Valkyries that were present.
And that brought her back to the present- where she was now on a dashing chase, in a badly-thrown together attempt to escape from all of Schicksal that was simply out for her blood.
And also, Sirin screaming directions in her head. This was surely, an excellent, if not, one of the best plans she has ever created in mind.
It wasn't the case.
It was like trying to take on an entire army by yourself in their home base- on maximum alert; this was simply just asking for a free one-way train ticket, sending you to your own death.
Kiana brings nothing but a blank to mind should she ask herself while stuck in this situation, if Schicksal had ever mass-produced Honkai infused bullets. Were they a hidden gift from the shadows of the underground world, a brand-new idea formed from a breakthrough- or simply just made due from observations made with her own battles in those Valkyrie Examinations?
They do not land its mark on her body, but she felt them; the blazing heat that kissed and singed her skin as she lets those who cling too close to her meet the end of her lance. Deflecting nearly everything she could with her arms, the plated military-grade walls of the hallway were inevitably scored and burned with red-hot lines that scattered each and every side as she ran.
As the sounds of firing get louder, so do her own footsteps as she gives herself no choice, but to find a way out of Schicksal HQ in this never-ending labyrinth.
Reaching another brand-new sector of the HQ, Kiana reaches an arm out to the railing of the elevated platform she found herself in, and with whatever strength she could muster in that one moment; to vault herself over and down.
The metallic floor slams a continuous echo as it reverberates underneath her feet. It was all just a game to that Overseer, this pointless chase of his, when she knew he could simply just do more than this to stop her.
She stood up and began her escape once more, but immediately noticed the large shape coming at her side, the sickle-like shadowing swinging towards her direction, prepared to catch and reap her head off. She took a quick leap back, and it was just barely enough to have the scythe miss her neck, the coldness immediately permeating the air like a wave of frost.
With nothing else she could do, with both S-rank and Immortal Blade at her neck and back, Kiana slowly raises an arm, watching as the Valkyries that tightly surrounded her doing the same; weapons in tow- barrels humming, and scythe shining.
She closes her eyes. The air around her trembles when she does. But instead of pointing it at them, her fingers move to touch each other, pressing tightly against one another.
If she cannot find a path to escape.. Then she will make her own.
Kiana snaps her fingers, and the world shakes. The trepidation caused by none other than the bubbling energy of Void that coalesced in her hand.
When they fired their guns, and the warriors lunged- the carpet of smoke clouds over them like a storm in the horizon.
Only when a strong gust of wind cuts through the fog, action belonging to none other than a great blue and white lance- there left no trace of any marks, nor any sign of the Kaslana.
The only sole thing that remained was them, and the large gaping hole in the ceiling that tore- no, melted through multiple layers of thick metal; plating that was enough to withstand a Honkai Eruption, leaving red-hot searing edges in its wake. Sparks had trailed down to the ground, before simply fading into nothing but lifeless embers.
The paint that coated it burned to nothing but a sizzling black, areas that avoided the mainstay of the damage simply crumpled and shed like dried flakes. The wiring, piping and whatever materials that was concealed within those indestructible, staunch walls simply became torn and misshapen into ends that were way beyond recognition.
Whatever force that had caused this, was made by none other than the Herrscher that they were certain that was in their grasp.
Benares had allowed them to follow her trail on its search to her Queen.
Himeko was not entirely sure how it happened, but at this point she doesn't feel like asking about any more details lest she wants to grab a drink instead due to trying to wrap her around some things that she doesn't even understand herself.
And good god, she's a very academically bright person, mind you.
"We're expecting to reach Schicksal HQ in about an hour's time. Benares has already helped us cut down that time by nearly 30% from blasting a way through their security for us."
And they had also been at a slow pace due to the injured onboard, Fu Hua and Bronya. The assistance from Anti-Entropy has also done an immense boon for them, allowing them now to travel at full speeds.
It had been already a few days, they aren't going to let Kiana wait for longer.
It was when Fu Hua suddenly cuts herself short, a moment to pause in shock before instantly dropping, her back locking itself as her shoulders shake; hands immediately moving to cover her mouth and clutch at her own shirt as harsh, ragged coughs echo throughout the hallway.
"Fu Hua! What's wrong?!"
The navy haired woman brings up her palm to her eyes, and Himeko widens her eyes upon seeing a rough splatter there- stained with her own blood. A cloudy haze fills that blue gaze, and she nearly falls to the side, it was prevented by the red haired woman grabbing her arms in time, firmly.
Somewhere within, she doubts her student in her arms was fully recovered, and that worries her more than she wanted to.
"Hey, sugar.. Are you alright?"
The navy haired woman only nods after the words sink in for mere, split seconds. It was too quick and curt for Himeko to even accept and judge that Fu Hua had even considered her question of concern.
The navy haired woman instantly turned to the one that came up to her, concern written all over her face, Fu Hua's blue eyes of urgency and worry. Himeko meets that gaze perfectly well, her face set into a determined frown.
"It's okay.. Just, quickly, get to Schicksal HQ."
She guides her to a bench, and instead sets her there. With her hands leaving her shoulders, Himeko turned away. "Rest a bit, I'll get some water for you."
Fu Hua nods to her back, albeit slowly, as her attention was taken far away to something else instead.
It was because to no one else but her own, Hua sees a feather in the far corner of her vision burning slightly, the tips of the upper corner having faded away as her coughing subsided. Her eyes had originally widened at such a prospect, and the numbness in her body was pushed away for that moment.
A thin line sets on her face, she didn't like the thought and idea of what she has seen.
Kiana may have possibly put herself into danger at some point while they were separated, and already started to use her abilities as a Herrscher.
Which meant Schicksal now knew.
Otto now knew that she could use them, or maybe already had a long time ago, or even..
The thought bothers her like a stinging thorn, she could not risk losing Kiana now. The regrets came back to mind again, and even something hot threatened to spill from her eyes, but she pushed it down. Fu Hua cannot falter now, not when the events that would unfold soon was coming towards them, and they would have to face it head on.
She pushes it all down.
She won't let it happen ever again.
In apology for the long delay, I'll have you know next chapter is almost done and will be published once polished, yeah. I was writing two chapters because I wanted to lol
Deadlines for work can eat shit. I have meme edits to make on HoyoLab. (seriously, check them out under Appu's Wife lmao)
May all the Beauty be Blessed.
Thanks for reading.