A.N. Special thanks to all those who reviewed so far. I am grateful for your support and I hope I can continue to entertain you.
Himeko was anxious. Kiana had no doubt gone after Theresea, and while she would have followed to keep her out of trouble, someone needed to stay and keep an eye on Bronya and Mei. She knew they had trusted staff, but Himeko didn't feel alright leaving them alone after what happened. She just hoped whatever Teri went to get would be helpful.
Her thoughts were cut off when she saw a black and gold portal open above her. Himeko's first thought was to draw a weapon, even if she didn't have any. She was both relieved and confused when a familiar white-haired girl fell out. "Ouch." Teri groaned. As she started to look around.
When her eyes saw Himeko, Teri immediately shot up. "Himeko." She called. "Himeko…Mei is." Her voice started to break.
"What happened to Mei?" Himeko asked worriedly. The girl hadn't moved at all. Did Teri find out something?
"She's…she's a Herrscher." Teri stuttered. She could remember the cold and calculating look of the Herrscher. The electrical aura that surrounded her permeated the air. Worst of all was that Teri could still remember the echoing voice.
"Yes, I know she's a Herrscher," Himeko told her. Did she suffer a concussion?
"No, she's…the Herrscher of Thunder is free." Teri stuttered.
"What?" Himeko looked at her in confusion. "What are you talking about? Mei's right here." She told Teri. "She's been sleeping right here with Bronya this whole time."
"Huh," Teri looked up to where Himeko was pointing. Sure, enough both Mei and Bronya were still in the ward, completely untouched. "But that's impossible, I saw her in the dataspace," Teri muttered. Mei, no, the Herrscher of Thunder had been right there to stop Fu and Durandal from taking. She was there and so was…Sirin.
"Himeko," Teri whispered. "Have you heard anything about any new Herrscher sightings?" She inquired. Even if the Herrscher of Thunder had been a trick of her mind, the Herrscher of the Void had clearly been present though. She had transported Theresea away from the battle.
Himeko frowned as she checked the comms. There hadn't been any notifications or sighting of any new Herrschers. The Honkai levels in the area around had been rather low as well. "Not that I'm seeing any." She told Teri. Himeko was starting to feel worried now.
"Teri…where's Kiana?" Himeko asked worriedly.
"I…we were attacked by Fu and Durandal." Teri stammered. "And then Kiana…the powers of the Void awakened." Teri choked. It was just like that incident a few years ago, when the Herrscher of the Void first reawakened.
"Where is she now?" Himeko asked as she held up Teri.
"I don't know," Teri said weakly. "She warped me here before engaging with Durandal."
"She warped you?" Himeko repeated. Himeko had mixed feelings about that. Did it mean Kiana had some semblance of control of herself now? If she did, why didn't she come to them?
"We have to find her Himeko," Teri said. "We have to find her before Grandpa does or worse."
"No need." A voice spoke behind them. Teri and Himeko both froze. It sounded like Mei. However, a side glance at the room beside them showed Mei still in the ward, fast asleep. With that in mind, the two turned slowly towards the voice preparing for the unexpected.
Before them, stood a woman, who looked exactly like Raiden Mei, with only a few minor differences. The woman had red horns protruding from her forehead making her look almost like a demon, with glowing reddish-purple eyes. There was no debate, that before them stood the Herrscher of Thunder. However, instead of her usual malicious gaze, she now wore a soft look, similar to her human self. Within her arms, being carried bridal style was none other than…
"Kiana," Teri nearly screamed as she rushed towards her niece against all rational thought. Himeko was about to stop her when she saw the Herrscher kneel to her level, to let Teri see her niece. "Himeko, quick call a Doctor," Teri ordered as observed Kiana. The young girl was sweating profusely, she had a high fever and was thrashing around in Thunder's arms.
Himeko did as she was told, choosing to ignore the very obvious Herrscher in the room, for the sake of her student. When she called a doctor she chose to omit details about who brought her.
Upon returning they found that the Herrscher had left Kiana in a bed next to the others, with Teri overlooking her. Himeko looked at Teri in confusion wondering where the Herrscher had gone. Teri merely shifted her eyes to the nearby air vent.
A few long minutes later, the doctor concluded his examination. Kiana was fine, her injuries were minor, and he had given her medication to deal with her fever. However, he wanted them to stay for further observations. The duo thanked him for his efforts before he dismissed himself.
Once he was gone, electricity surged out of the vent as the Herrscher rematerialized before them. "Thought he'd never leave." Thunder said as she stretched her body out. The vent had been far more cramped than she thought but it was a necessary evil. She had to make sure Kiana was taken care of after all and her presence might have complicated things.
"Who are you?" Himeko demanded. Her blade was drawn and pointing at the Herrscher while Teri stood protectively in front of the girls.
"Nice to you two, sensei." Thunder mused, the echo in her voice had completely disappeared, leaving her sounding exactly like Raiden Mei. It unnerved them.
"I repeat. WHO ARE YOU?" Himeko growled.
"The Herrscher of Thunder, Raiden Mei." The Herrscher introduced as if it were the simplest thing in the world.
"Liar. Mei is right there." Teri called out.
"Yes, she is Raiden Mei and I'm also Raiden Mei." The Herrscher stated. The two didn't look convinced in the slightest. "Would it help if I told you I'm a time traveler?" She added. Surely, that would make this easier.
"There you are." Void thought as she found her ever-faithful servant. Bella had been frozen, under several layers of ice in the final battlefield of the Second Eruption. Yet even though she was completely encased in ice, Void could feel the consciousness of the dragon. It was faint but there, resting, waiting to be summoned.
"Master?" A voice whispered into the Herrscher's mind. Bella's sentience had degraded without her core, but she still had her most basic impulses and thoughts left, loyalty and love for the Herrscher of the Void. Bella Benares had held on even as her mind broke down.
"I am here." Void told her.
"How may I serve you?" Bella asked without hesitation. Void could feel the power building. As much as she wanted Bella to be free, this was not the time nor the place.
"Stay here." Void ordered. "Do not free yourself unless I say so." She commanded. It pained her to issue such a request, but it was needed. Bella was loyal, she'd follow Kiana to the ends of the earth, but Kiana had no memory of the dragon.
Void would leave Benares here, let her rest. Let her be spared from the pain of not being recognized by the one she loved the most. Staying here would also keep her safe from the human forces that may also hunt her down. It would give more time. Once Kiana was ready, she'd teacher to call Bella.
"Are you sure?" Bella questioned.
"Are you questioning your Queen?" Void told her. Bella was silent. She seemed to contemplate something as Void felt the consciousness in the dragon stir even more.
"It feels…like you aren't," Bella spoke softly.
"Bella." Void sighed. Of course, she'd pick things up. "It's dangerous for you right now."
"My safety matters not when you're concerned my queen."
"If you don't care about yourself Bella, then care about me. I do not wish for my most loyal and most needed servant to be put at risk and hurt. Who are you to deny my wishes?" Void growled. Faithful as she was, Bella's loyalty could be grating sometimes, she'd ironically fit right at home with the Kaslana's with that attitude.
"Stay here Bella"
"But,"
"I SAID STAY!" Void growled. "I WILL NOT SAY IT AGAIN!"
"As you wish." Bella submitted.
Void sighed, that defeat in Bella's voice made her heartache. Perhaps it was a sign she had grown soft. No, she had always been softer with Bella. The Herrscher of the Void despite her bloodlust always cared for the dragon regardless of her incarnation. Whether as Sirin, Kiana, or Void, she loved her dragon dearly and would punish any who dared to harm her servant.
"I'll be back for you. I promise." Empty words. Void wouldn't stay with Bella, that would be the job of this timeline's Herrscher of the Void. Still, perhaps it will give Bella the solace she needs to wait for Kiana or Sirin to call. The Herrscher teleported back to the surface as she left the dragon slumbering beneath the ice.
"So let me get this straight. You're a time traveler from several months maybe years in the future." Himeko repeated. The Herrscher of Thunder, or rather just Thunder. as she had been called more frequently, nodded as she explained her situation. Or rather she explained what was needed for them to understand the situation.
For reasons Thunder didn't disclose, she had left her timeline to go on a journey through space and time. When questioned about the Honkai in her world, she responded it was left in capable hands. However, what was more haunting was when they asked about themselves. Thunder grew quiet and just chose to move on to other topics. It didn't take a genius to know what it must have meant for them, so they both decided to drop it.
"So does that mean the other girl I saw, the one who called me Aunt Teri, is that Kiana?" Teri questioned. She recalled the haunting golden gaze, but the act of calling her Aunt made Teri optimistic. Perhaps Kiana had tamed the power within herself. Thunder merely shook her head, a frown forming on her face.
"Kiana's dead." She whispered softly. The Herrscher of the Void that accompanied her wasn't Kiana Kaslana, the girl who saved her. "The girl you saw, was Void, the third persona of K423, born from merging and destroying the personas, Kiana and Sirin." Thunder explained.
"Merging?" Teri noted.
"Yes," Thunder explained. "The Herrscher and human persona of K-423, Sirin and Kiana merged. However, given their opposing natures and goals, this was too much for K-423 to handle mentally, and thus a third persona, Void was created to stabilize the body at the expense of destroying the other two." She told them bitterly.
"But regardless, she's still Kiana, right?" Teri noted. It shouldn't matter what the persona was, still Kiana at the end of the day right? Loveable, sometimes rude, sometimes lazy but good-hearted Kiana.
"You should drop those delusions now, otherwise you'll only be disappointed later." A voice echoed around them. A portal opened near the door, and from inside emerged the Herrscher of the Void. "I'm not the girl who'd sacrifice herself for random strangers." Void informed. "I'm not someone who's willing to forgive so easily. I'm neither the girl who dreamed of being a Valk nor the girl you killed in Siberia. I am me, and nobody else, I am Void. Simple as that."
Himeko stared at the Herrscher in surprise. She had been expecting it but seeing it herself was still freaky. Void had Kiana's face, she had her hair, and she practically had almost everything. Almost. The one thing she lacked was soft blue eyes of Kiana. A girl who despite being a pain at times, was always so bubbly and cheerful. Instead, Himeko saw a pair of golden eyes that despite glowing with power, was far duller.
"Is it really you girl?" Himeko whispered when the Herrscher turned away from her.
Almost immediately several lances appeared in the room, surrounding Himeko, much to everyone's surprise. While Himeko couldn't see it, Thunder and Teri did. Void's eyes had widened in shock.
Thunder grimaced at the development. Leave it to Queenie to try to mess things Himeko had been Kiana's Sensei, she had also been the first one who nearly killed Sirin in her current incarnation. Whether Void's opinion of Himeko was one of friend or foe, Thunder didn't know. She just hoped with all her might that whatever happened next wouldn't end with Himeko's bloodshed.