Note:
[] = Past dialogue.
Bold text = Herrscher/Honkai talking.
Chapter 3: First awakening
"What are you doing!? DODGE!" The EGO finally talks again as Sakuya's body instinctively sidesteps to the right. She grunts as the flying lance slightly grazed her cheek.
"Why are you staring blankly in the middle of the fight!? Do you want to die that badly!?" Sakuya could feel the EGO's anger in her head. 'Just who is this EGO?' the girl wondered.
"Did it just save me?" Sakuya is left dumbfounded as another void lance was shot in her direction. Sakuya was ready to dodge it, but the void lance suddenly changed its trajectory mid air with Leon suddenly appearing in front of her from thin air.
The boy appeared instantaneously too. 'Did he just teleport?' Sakuya is flabbergasted with what she just saw
"Are you okay?" His question snapped her out of her trance. Sakuya noticed that Leon looked a little nauseous somehow.
"Ye…Yeah, I'm fine."
"Tsk these insects just keep on coming. Quit squirming and die by my hand!" The void Herrscher grumbled. A vein popped on her forehead as she materialized more void lances.
A wave of void lances came crashing down towards them.
BOOM-
The two were about to dodge when an explosion appeared in front of where they stood. There Siegfried lands in front of the duo. Most of the void lances were deflected by Siegfried's cleaver of shamash downward slash explosion.
'The Cleaver of shamash!' Sakuya was surprised to see that the greatsword mode was being used. A mode that consists of combining 2 parts (pistol) of the Judgement of shamash together.
"Are you okay?" Siegfried looks back at the kids.
"We're fine dad." Siegfried breathed out a sigh of relief. The man focuses all of his attention back to the Herrscher in front of him.
He looks hesitant. Siegfried didn't want to kill Sirin if he could. He wants to give her a 2nd chance in a better life, Something that his late wife Cecilia wishes.
"Sirin! You're still there, aren't you? I'll get you out, I promise." Siegfried grits his teeth. Yet his efforts to communicate with his daughter only infuriates the Herrscher further.
"Foolish vermin. I remember you from that time. You dare take off one of my arms!? You'll pay dearly for that!" The Herrscher raised her arms as multiple void portals appeared behind her back. The portal's yellow hue lit up the whole open field that they were standing on.
The Herrscher was so focused on Siegfried that she didn't notice Leon already carried Kiana to safety. Though from everyone's point of view it would seem as if Leon was disappearing and reappearing out of thin air while carrying Kiana with him.
Siegfried smiled a little knowing that his Kiana is safer now. Leon seems to be more nauseous afterwards, perhaps it was the price of him using his stigmata's abilities.
"Leon! Keep Kiana safe! And Sakuya you run away from here. This isn't a fight that you two could take." Siegfried took a defensive stance. He rotates his greatsword and makes it so that its side is facing the Herrscher, forming a small shield that would block the incoming attack.
Sakuya grits her teeth. She knew her father was right. But she just couldn't stand there, either Siegfried or sirin would be gravely injured or possibly die if it continued.
"I could lend you my assistance again, but your body would start to break down if you overexert yourself here or use that power for too long. Our assimilation progress isn't that high yet." The EGO Spoke.
'Assimilation? What does that mean?'
"That's not the type of question that can be answered in this dire situation. Yes I could also hear what you're thinking if I wanted to." Sakuya flinched when she heard a response. Although she's quite relieved that she can communicate like this. At least she doesn't have to look like a crazy person whenever she wants to talk with the EGO.
'Just what are you exactly?' Sakuya is still suspicious of it. Even if it is helpful at the start, it might've just been a show of good will to hide its ulterior motives.
"Definitely not a Herrscher. Even if some humans call me by that title. I'm your ally if you die here I'd be dead as well. If you're wondering if I could control your body then you're a fool for thinking that I could do something like that."
'But the moves I did earlier-'
"That's your body moving on its own meaning you were the one that subconsciously did it. No matter what I do I can't influence how your body acts. For how your body moves like that. Let's just say It's because your stigmata remembers." Sakuya was dumbfounded at the prospect that it was her doing all along. She knew for a fact that she never learned any martial arts before Siegfried taught her and yet somehow the way she moves felt natural to her, Way too natural.
She wanted to ask again but her survival is at stake here. No, it's not just hers but her new family as well. Whether she liked it or not, she has to save those questions for later.
"Sakuya, why are you still here!? Move! I can't guarantee that I could protect you!" Siegfried is starting to get anxious. Sakuya could see it in his eyes. He's worried, worried for her overall safety and those eyes. They looked genuine as well.
That statement from him made her smile a little as she found her answer on what she needed to do.
They accepted her when she had nothing to offer. They gave her a 2nd chance in experiencing a happier life instead of abandoning her. Siegfried never once mistreated her and this time she shouldn't be the one that keeps receiving those kindnesses.
Images of their happy moments flashed in her mind. Sakuya smiled, she had nothing to lose here if she decided to act but she could potentially lose everything if she doesn't. So her decision is simple.
'Sorry dad but I'll be fighting as well. Yes I'm ready EGO.'
"Alright just remember you have limited time before your body starts feeling the after effects." The EGO replied. The portals that the Herrscher created began to light up. Even if they're fighting a Herrscher. Siegfried could feel that she is weaker than his previous encounter with the Herrscher just by looking at how long it took to charge up that attack.
Each portal began to shoot out energy beams in a rapid succession, laying waste to the area in front of the Herrscher. It left a giant dust cloud as the void portals closed one by one.
'That took more of my stamina than I anticipated. Tsk this pathetic human is still clinging on.' The Herrscher grits her teeth. She looks a bit worn down after that attack. 'Even if that worm survives the other one wo-. ' The Herrscher's hands tremble. Cold sweat started to ran down her spine. The air around her felt heavier making it harder for her to breathe. She could even hear the sound of her heartbeat thumping louder and faster.
What she's feeling is an emotion that the Herrscher like her is not so familiar with. Fear, a raw and untapped fear for her own survival.
'What's with this pressure!? Who dares to draw this amount of bloodlust to the queen. It can't be that worm. Did he transform again?' Though her question was soon answered as a figure shot out from the dust cloud. The Herrscher managed to block the attack by materializing a void lance to protect herself.
Crrrack-
Cracks were already forming on her materialized void lance from that one attack.
'This vermin!? Where did she get a scythe!? And how's she suddenly this strong!' The Herrscher thought as the two of them stared at each other. She noticed Sakuya's eyes weren't as they used to be. Her sclera became black and her irises turned red.
That intense aura she got earlier was all coming from her. The Herrscher could feel the effects to a greater extent as the two clashed.
"Sirin wake. UP!" By putting more strength into her scythe. Sakuya managed to break her already weakened void lance.
"!" And using that momentum, Sakuya used her chance to tackle the Herrscher from mid air. The two of them started plummeting down towards the ground as Sakuya forcefully dragged Herrscher down from the invisible platform she was standing on. Their descent resulted in creation of a decently sized crater on where the two landed.
"Sakuya are you-" As the dust cloud settles Siegfried saw the change that occurred to his adoptive daughter. She is pinning the Herrscher to ground by tying one of the Herrscher's arm to her back.
"I'm pinning her down! Dad! Help me wake her up." Sakuya coughs. Fresh blood started to drip from one of her nostrils as her grip weakened. "Sir…Sirin is definitely in there somewhere I'm sure of it!" Sakuya is already experiencing the toll of her sudden power up.
"Our assimilation progress is too low for you to continue to use this form. It won't kill you but you might be hospitalized for months if you keep this up." The EGO warns, though Sakuya decided to ignore that as it isn't that important for now. Siegfried ran towards the girl.
Sakuya could feel her strength leaving her, due to that the Herrscher managed to free herself from Sakuya's grasp. Void kicks the girl away as Siegfried catches her. The herscher managed to slip into a void portal while the two were distracted and appeared in the field again some distance away from the two Kaslanas.
"Your burst of strength is diminishing. I'll do what I can, knock her out as soon as you can before your body collapse" EGO continued. Sakuya felt its presence disappear from her head just now though she could still use that power and the connection to EGO is still there. The girl wonders what it really can do. While EGO gave good advice, It can't really leave her head can it?
'Don't tell me it wants to assimilate into my consciousness' Sakuya really hopes that doesn't happen. It's best if the two of them are kept as separate entities.
Void tries to catch her own breath. She felt very humiliated by that small encounter. She became more furious than ever before. How can a mere human like Sakuya pin down a Herrscher that god has chosen themselves? Void simply can't let that humiliation slide.
"I'll catch her attention, Sakuya. I'm more durable than you so don't worry about me getting injured. Let's bring her back together." Siegfried took a deep breath. Many of his worries have not disappeared completely after seeing his daughter's current condition. But he's relieved to see this courageous side of his adoptive daughter.
Sakuya nodded and smiled. This fight made her feel more alive than ever. The feeling of adrenaline rushing through your veins, the stiffening of your muscles, and most importantly the thumping of your heart.
The girl had never felt anything like this before. It's not a bad sensation, it felt exhilarating. Those new feelings completely drowns out her fears. Her red irises stared deeply into the Herrscher's eyes, challenging her authority.
'Yeah. We can do this. Sirin! Just hold on a bit longer.' Sakuya held onto her newly materialized scythe. Her smile faded as she took a deep breath clearing out any anxiety that was left inside her mind.
"!?" Siegfried was baffled to see the materialization process happen in front of his eyes. His daughter really just made a standard Schicksal grade weapon out of thin air. He recognized the lingering blue binary code like particle effect when she created her weapon.
'I hope I'm not seeing things. But at least she has a weapon now.' Siegfried shakes that thought of asking what she just did for now. He could always ask the sovereign, Welt Yang for answers at a later date. If they happen to meet, that is.
"Tsk, you vermin are always so persistent!" Void clicks her tongue as she summons a huge wave of void lances behind her.
The battle soon reignites as a barrage of void lances befall upon the two Kaslanas.
While a battle were raging on the outside, Inside Sirin was struggling
It is dark and empty there. With only her and a bit of light coming underneath where she curled up on. There a reflection of a purple haired girl stared back at her. She sat down in a similar position as hers.
Sirin stared blankly at her reflection.
Sirin saw the purple haired girl's past, She saw SIRIN's past. The girl wondered why Kiana suggested her name to be the same as that girl. Is it a cruel mockery? Or a reminder?
A reminder of the once innocent girl who experienced the ugly truth of this cruel world. SIRIN wanted to believe in her mother's last words that the world was truly beautiful.
But she couldn't, SIRIN watched as her hometown got ravaged by the Honkai and the humans instead of helping her and her friends took them away instead.
[LET HER GO! LET SIRIN GO!] The purple haired girl remembers that her friend who was younger than her at the time was trying to save her. Unfortunately the little girl couldn't do much against the grown adults holding them hostage. The little girl still struggled despite having fully grown men pinning her down.
Though what intrigued Sirin is that, The girl who tried to save her past self was none other than Sakuya herself. She looks to be a 9 year old at that point in time. Sirin couldn't make any sense on why Sakuya didn't age. That event was around 10 years ago and yet the girl still looks like a 10 year old girl now.
Sirin wonders if Sakuya has gotten a far worse treatment than what her past self received in Babylon. The tower where SIRIN suffered many inhumane experiments for the past 3 years of her life. SIRIN was told by the scientist who experimented on her, that this was all necessary.
A necessary step for humanity's survival.
[Bella! Bella! Hey!] The purple haired girl shakes the cold body of her childhood friend and cellmate.
[Si…Sirin…It's cold.] Bella whimpers. Her cold hands weren't trembling anymore. Her blue eyes that used to be full of light have now faded.
[Here, a blanket.] Sirin wrapped the two of them in 2 layers of blanket. She had hoped that her body heat would be transferred to her friend. [Please don't leave me… I don't want to be alone… Please Mom, Aphora, Agata, and Galina have already left us.]
Tears burst out as SIRIN hugs her dying friend tightly. [Don't leave me too!] SIRIN was scared. Scared of being left alone in this unwelcoming place.
[…] Bella fell silent. With her last breath the dying girl apologizes that she couldn't accompany her any longer. Her hand that once held SIRIN's went limp as the girl passed away in her friend's arms.
That night was the night where the girl lamented the death of her last remaining friends. SIRIN at that time didn't know that Sakuya was still alive. Her last bit of hope shatters as despair starts to consume the girl.
The girl cried as hard as she could. SIRIN cried and cried until her throat felt sore.
[God… Sirin did nothing wrong. Mom said that you would protect Sirin if Sirin becomes a good girl. God please… If you hear this please… Save me] The girl whimpers alone in her cold and empty cell.
That night SIRIN couldn't get a single ounce of sleep. Her tears have all been dried out. She wished that everyone would still be here with her. She hated this loneliness. She hated this place. She hated each and every scientist here. She loathed every single moment.
Why does she have to suffer like this? Why didn't those bad guys get the same treatment as her? SIRIN didn't know the answer. All she wished at that point was for them to experience the pain and the despair that she felt.
A weird firefly-like bug then approached the girl. SIRIN didn't give it any attention until she heard voices in her head. [G…God? Is that you?]
[Do you wish for power?] It spoke once again. [Come and follow.] The door to her cell mysteriously opened as the girl followed the weird bug around. She didn't know where it was taking her, but the girl no longer cares and blindly follows wherever the bug goes.
After crawling through a long ventilation shaft. SIRIN looked in awe at the honkai reactor in front of her. [There are people here. What do you wish to do with them?]
[… Kill them.] And so the firefly flew onto SIRIN's palm. She could feel the honkai energy resonating with her.
In her palm emerged a white black and orange colored lance. SIRIN Threw the lance at the scientist. Despite her weak throw the lance moved faster than a speeding bullet and pierced through both of the scientist's skulls.
[Now that the reactor's energy is all yours, absorb it.] The little girl didn't bat an eye to the dead scientist on the ground. She passed by them as if they weren't there in the first place.
She did what God(?) Told her to do. Randomly pressing the buttons on the control panel that were nearby.
Eventually SIRIN accomplished her goal as Honkai energy started being released out from the reactor, radiating the whole room. SIRIN stood still absorbed all of that raw Honkai energy as a Stigmata began to take its shape on the girl's back.
Alarms started going off as soon as the Honkai energy was being released. [Bella, Aphora, Agata, and Galina. Wait for me. I'm going to avenge all of you.] SIRIN looks up at the glowing reactor with a small smile on her face.
[Kid! Get out of here!] A Valkyrie entered the room in a rush as soon as she heard the alarms. […] Sirin simply stared back at the young Valkyrie with a blank expression on her face. She has barely any energy to think of a reply.
A Honkai eruption occurred moments later. Though before it exploded the Valkyrie rushed in and tucked SIRIN in her arms. The Valkyrie thought it was the reactor that was going to explode and at that time SIRIN felt the warmth of another person ever since she was dragged here.
Though that moment was cut short as an explosion soon took place killing everyone that was unfortunate enough to be nearby except for SIRIN. […What a foolish human. If only you arrived sooner. Maybe you would've lived.] SIRIN closed her eyes. It was the only and last time SIRIN mourned a stranger.
With revenge as her ultimate goal. SIRIN let go of whatever humanity that she had. At that moment, The Second Herrscher: SIRIN, The Herrscher of the Void, was born.
The newly born Herrscher ravaged the cold Siberian landscape. Sirin saw the destruction that her past self has created.
The 2nd Honkai war truly brought Humanity to its knees. As SIRIN alongside her pseudo Herrschers lay waste to the land they invaded leaving almost no survivors.
There she also saw how Siegfried and her late mother Cecilia fought the Herrscher. Because of her Siegfried almost lost himself during his active honkai reaction transformation. Which turned him to a killing machine with a single objective engraved on its mind, Kill the Honkai.
Sirin also saw the life she could have gotten if only she was adopted much sooner. Though unfortunately it was just an illusion. Even so Cecilia didn't give up.
Even though the Valkyrie didn't truly understand what SIRIN had gotten through. Cecilia kept trying to calm the Herrscher down.
In the end she did succeed but the two met their end in a fiery explosion caused by nukes being dropped on the land they fought on. If Sirin could turn back time. She would've tried to open a portal and push her to safety.
But she didn't. Instead Cecilia died because of her. She was the cause of her sister Kiana to be motherless.
"Dad…Kiana. I'm sorry… You could've avenged Cecilia, why did you let me live?" Sirin herself started to sob.
"I'm just a monster… An abomination that took Kiana's face. Your kindness, why did you give me something that I didn't deserve?"
"In the end I become yet another monster aren't i? I wish I could've just passed on, wouldn't it be better for everyone?"
Splash splash-
Something was walking closer towards the girl. Sirin didn't respond. She hoped that it was the grim reaper that is walking here to take her soul.
"Do you truly think everyone would be happy? Foolish human you aren't SIRIN. She already died."
That took her by surprise. "But… I'm still a monster aren't i?" Nonetheless she was slightly disappointed that it wasn't the reaper she was hoping for.
"Then in this life did you choose to become one?"
"This life?" Sirin took a glance at the figure. She is wearing a blue priestess outfit. The dark nature of this space makes it hard for her to see the priestess's face. Though she can see some parts of her light purple hair sticking out from under her white veil.
"SIRIN has nothing to do with you. She is just the past and you only carried her Herrscher core and her memories."
That part is true. Sirin couldn't refute her claims on that.
"Your family is trying their hardest to bring you back and yet here you're wallowing in your own tears after seeing memories of a dead human."
"They are!? Why!?" Sirin couldn't believe what the priestess was saying.
"You can see it for yourself. You are the one that willingly traps yourself in here. If you want to know why. Why don't you ask them yourself."
"But I'm a Herrscher! An evil being whose sole purpose is destruction."
"A Herrscher is only a title for special humans. But they're nothing but a mere slave chained by the Honkai most basic instincts. The instincts that crave destruction. Worse of all you pathetic humans let those darkness grow. Herrscher personas are nothing more than your own darkness."
"…" Sirin was speechless. The priestess's explanation does make a whole lot of sense if she looks at SIRIN's experience. Though it bothers her a bit on how she knows this much.
She decided to forget about that and see through her own eyes the battle that is happening outside.
"Oh… Now you see how hard they're trying to get you back." Sirin felt a smile forming on the figure's face despite not being able to see it clearly.
"…" While she couldn't control her body she could still see and hear the battle outside. Siegfried and Sakuya are winning right now and are actually pushing the Herrscher back. But that might change as time goes on.
"Sirin! Dad knows you're in there somewhere. I'm sorry if my training was too harsh for you so if you hear this then I'm sorry. But I would like to give you a proper apology when the time is right! So please fight it!" Sirin rubbed her tears off her cheek.
She wasn't angry at him. Even if the training was hard, it was also surprisingly fun. Sirin remembered how she likes Siegfried's headpats and the soothing warmth that emanates from that simple gesture.
The energetic and fun Kiana who always drags her around to play. Her adoptive elder sister Sakuya who sometimes plays games with her even though she's pretty awkward with everyone most of the time. Leon who is usually silent but somehow interesting. Sirin remembers the pranks she likes to pull on him and the cute expressions that he makes afterwards.
And Natalia who is always worried. Even though she is a scientist. She isn't like the other scientist that experimented on SIRIN and her cooking is the best.
Sirin smiled a little knowing that her family did in fact love her. "Thanks for reminding me… Now there's something I need to do." Sirin clenched her fist. The priestess hums slightly, satisfied in hearing the girl's answer.
"Go." With that Sirin nods. The girl turned around and ran. Her loathing now changed target instead of herself, She now loathes her Herrscher persona more than anything else.
Splash splash splash-
Sirin ran for quite a long distance before she finally saw another person. It was a dark figure of herself standing alone in the darkness angrily grumbling to herself.
"Herrscher!" Sirin ran as fast as she could. A dark figure of herself turned around surprised to see that her pathetic human self was running towards her.
"How did yo-" Though before she could finish. Sirin punched her straight on her face. The Herrscher stumbled back only to receive a right jab to her cheek.
"You! Because of you they're burdened by the task of subduing you!" The girl throws a left jab.
"Because of you Sakuya is overexerting herself!" Sirin punched Herrscher on her stomach.
"Because of you Kiana became injured an unconscious!" As the Herrscher bend down on her stomach the girl raised her knee to the Herrscher's chin.
"And this!" Sirin grabs the Herrscher's head "This is for mom!" Sirin slammed the Herrscher's face to her knee once again.
The Herrscher persona fell flat on her back. "Because of you she died on the battlefield! Rather than live as a regular mother for Kiana!" Even while she's down Sirin kept kicking her unconscious body before she eventually started to sink down under the water they were previously standing on.
"That felt good." Sirin relaxes a bit. "Hey! I did it!" Sirin turned around but saw nothing but emptiness. The place has become empty again with her being the only one there.
Just as how she mysteriously appeared the priestess disappeared without much of a trace. 'Who is she?' Sirin wonders. Surely that wasn't her own imagination right? She didn't remember meeting someone like her before.
"Whatever…" Sirin shrugged and the girl continued to wait. She couldn't see what was happening outside nor could she hear anything. Presumably Sakuya and her dad must've knocked her out.
"Hopefully they're okay. Sirin from now on I'll try to live a better life than you. Isn't a 2nd chance the thing you always wanted?"
Sirin didn't notice it but her reflection of the purple haired girl changed a little. The purple haired girl grew a sad smile on her face before eventually the reflection faded into nothingness.
Slowly Sirin's eyelids opened. Instead of laying on the cold snow like what Sirin had expected, She instead felt a warm and soft bed underneath her. Even if they left her there Sirin would've wholly accepted her fate but it seems that didn't happen.
Though a question lingers on her mind. 'How long was I unconscious for?' Sirin wanted to get out of her bed first to see, but her body was still too tired to move. Everytime she tried to move a muscle, it aches all over the place and so she had no choice but to stay on her bed until she fully recovered.
"Hnngh." Kiana rubbed her eyes. The girl was sleeping on a chair beside her all this time waiting for her sister to wake up. "You! You're awake!" Kiana's eyes lit up.
Her drowsiness is now gone as soon as Kiana saw that her sister was awake. The little girl smiled brightly, Sirin couldn't help but to smile from that infectious energy of hers.
"How long was I asleep?" Sirin asked.
"Uhm." Kiana looked around the room for a clock. "It's about 2 hours I think. Dad is downstairs if you're looking for him." Sirin nods. She looked around for a bit searching for someone else.
"How's nee san?" Sirin decided to ask anyway in the end. She wanted to get that feeling off her chest first.
"Oh Saku-Nee is still asleep in a different room. Natalia said she needs time to heal, since her insides were a mess. Dad said it's because she was using some sort of power up when she fought against you."
"Ah… So…Sorry about that then." Sirin frowned at the thought that her older sister had to go to such lengths to knock her out.
"But you didn't do anything wrong. It's your Herrscher persona is it not?" Kiana tilts her head. She doesn't understand why her sister is suddenly apologizing.
"Well It still caused trouble for everyone and they're a part of me too. When she took over my body and chained me down in my own subconscious, I saw Sirin's memories from my Herrscher core. Memories about her past and the truth about who I really am. I'm just a clone meant to house her Herrscher core. A clone of you."
"I know that…I wanted to keep it a secret though, so you wouldn't go depressed. Dad knows it too, that you're just a clone of me." Kiana straightened up her sitting position.
"It's a bit weird at first but I don't really mind that and I could always treat you like my own sister. So overall there's no downsides for me."
The kaslana puffed her chest. "No need to feel down about it, okay? Sirin will always be a different person than I am even if we have the same genetics." Kiana lips turned into a wide grin and she pats her twin's head. Truly this girl can be hopelessly positive in many situations.
"You… Honestly Kiana." Sirin chuckles. The girl felt lucky to have met someone like her.
"Thanks… But please tell dad about that too."
"Yeah yeah… Hey since you have the previous Herrscher's memories could you tell me on how mom fight?"
"Wha? Why? Why are you interested in that?" Sirin raised her eyebrow. Her sister is truly a weird one. Sirin never thought that Kiana would ask about that out of all things.
"Because I'm curious. If I'm going to be mom's successor then I would need to know how strong she is and how she fights! I want to be able to be as strong as her one day." Kiana's eyes sparkled with excitement. It goes to show how much she actually admired her mother.
Sirin sighs. "Alright. Since you asked for it." And so the girl began to talk about how great of a Valkyrie their mother was and surprisingly Kiana stayed awake for the whole duration as she wholeheartedly listened to the story that Sirin had prepared.
Honestly i was tempted to novelized the entire 2nd eruption manga from Sirin's POV only. But i decided against that since i didn't plan to change anything from the events that happened in the 2nd eruption. If you want to see the 2nd eruption manga you can search it on the Honkai impact website.
I'm thinking about asking someone for help. Especially for beta reading my story. While google docs would help me fix any typos or grammar issues it doesn't help much after that.
Anyway thanks for reading.
