Author's notes. This is not an actual chapter it is a one-shot. I have serious writer's block and couldn't figure out for the life of me what to write for chapter 18 but strangely I could write this thing. So please be advised of this in advance. Any way enjoy.

"Are you Zhongli?" A figure asked.

The gentleman turned towards the figure, his tea still in hand. He had been on his lunch break when they interrupted. They obviously didn't want him for anything work-related if they were looking for him here. His boss despite her eccentricities was still the go-to individual for funerals.

Glancing over at the figure who could tell immediately this was for another type of work. The girl, no, the Herrscher before him was filled to the brim with turbulent Honkai energy. He grimaced internally, any Honkai-related jobs were always her doing. Still, if a Herrscher was here and not trying to kill humanity then that must have meant something.

"I am," He answered politely. "What can I do for you Miss-"

"Void."

"-Miss Void."

"Are you familiar with a scientist by the name of Mobius?"

"Did she send you here?" He questioned as he examined the girl behind his polite exterior. Mobius was the last person he expected to befriend a Herrscher, let alone point them towards him and a city full of people.

"She said you could help me with this." The girl raised up her arm and rolled back her sleeves a little. Zhongli found himself surprised by the red veins that glowed along the girl's arm. It was the first sign of Honkai corruption in an individual.

Zhongli frowned. How could a Herrscher get Honkai Corruption? It was an absurd thought. However, as absurd as it may be, he did know how to treat it in a sense. Unreliable as his methods were, they did offer a solution to a problem science struggled to solve for millennia.

He glanced once more at the Herrscher. Nothing in her display had shown any signs of hostility or malice. There was also the fact that he was being recommended to her by Mobius, a move that the scientist would only consider if she had no alternatives or didn't desire the loss of the Herrscher.

"Let us talk elsewhere, somewhere free from… disturbances," Zhongli told her as he texted his boss a message requesting the afternoon off with a vague explanation as to why. Luckily, he didn't need to wait long for a response.

It didn't take long before the two of them made it to a small house just on the outskirts of the city. Zhongli opened the door and gestured for the Herrscher to follow him inside.

"I'm terribly sorry for the mess. I don't usually have company over." Zhongli admitted. Void glanced at the home noticing how tidy and organized it was. If this was a mess, she wondered what it would be like if it had been cleaned. "Would you like something to drink while we discuss your situation?" He offered.

"No thanks,"

"Very well." Zhongli poured himself a drink before joining the Herrscher at the table. He would give her credit, she kept a stone face expression most of the way. "Tell me, how did a young lady like yourself become a Herrscher?"

Herrschers were the Honkai's heralds. They were former humans who had absorbed too much Honkai and become something else entirely. Beings of mass destruction who sought to carry out the Honkai's will and exterminate mankind.

They were contradicting statements, as the First Herrscher sided with humans and fought against the Honkai. However, the Second Herrscher was a different story.

"It's a complicated story," She admitted.

"I've been told I'm a good listener," Zhongli answered. "I can't help you deal with the corruption if you don't tell me."

The Herrscher let out a sigh, her shoulders slumping. She clearly wasn't expecting to talk more. She must have figured it would be a simple in and out job. Of course, life is never that simple.

"I must say you have my sympathies for what it's worth." He apologized. She had given him a small peek at her past. Though he knew there were small liberties to the truth she revealed, he would let her be. There were obviously some things better left unsaid.

"If that's the case then you should fix this stupid corruption." She growled. She was restraining herself. No doubt dredging her past had put her in a foul mood. If her other actions even had a sliver of truth, then he would consider himself lucky that she didn't skew him right away.

"Unfortunately fixing your corruption isn't as simple as you think Miss Void. The process is significantly more complicated than anything Mobius or those scientists would have hoped to encounter." He informed her. "I have no machine or medicine that can undo this damage."

"Then what can you do for me?" The Herrscher grumbled. He could hear a low echoing in her voice, her anger still being suppressed.

Throughout human history, the Honkai has always been a threat. However, as time went on, humanity progressed and relied on science and technology to aid in combating the threat. He would not dismiss these tools; they had helped save many lives. Still, there was always more that could be done for an individual on a more…spiritual level.

"I can guide you," Zhongli answered. "To better understand yourself and the turbulent energy that is eating away at you. That is if you will let me." He stretched out his hand.

"To say you can help me control my power, that's a rather bold claim Mr. Zhongli." The Herrscher looked at him skeptically. She didn't have alternatives though. The more she fought the more the Honkai within would poison her. "What do I have to do?"

"First we make a contract," Zhongli informed.

"Oh right, Mobius did warn me about this. You were obsessed with contracts and deals. She said if you ever became a Herrscher, your title would be the Ruler of Contracts or something along those lines."

"To think she'd value me enough to bestow upon me a nickname. It certainly is more dignified than a lab rat." He mused. "Be that as it may, I do often favor making contracts either for myself or for others. It promotes a level of fairness among those involved, whether they be friends or strangers." He smiled as he took another sip of his drink.

"That being said…" His expression became stern as he stood up. While he may not have as much power as the Herrscher, he still was able to maintain an aura of intimidation around him. His taller stature allows him to tower over the Herrscher. "I am not the one who has much to lose in this negotiation. If you do not like my terms, then I would suggest you leave gracefully."

The Herrscher glared at him, hiding her own fears behind a scowl and an expression of determination. "Name them," She had to force a smirk on her face. There was hardly anything she doubted he could demand short of a miracle, but she still needed to make sure she wasn't showing him any weakness to exploit.

Zhongli smiled at her before walking over to an old family photo. Void tried to glance at it, but his body blocked her view.

" Young Herrscher...I understand your rage at this world. You have been wronged by many and your anger is just." Zhongli trailed off. Humanity was not always as great as it portrayed itself. There were the ugly sides as well. Those who would lie, cheat and seek to harm others just because they could.

"I am sensing a but…"

"Do tell, is the target of your anger only those who have wronged you? Or do you look at people who are innocent and merely seek to destroy them because they were fortunate to be spared your fate?" Zhongli questioned.

The Second Eruption was not some disaster to be taken lightly. It was an event that cost millions of innocents their lives. Yet he understood what could push an individual to such lengths. He understood just how easy it was to let yourself be lost in the temptations of revenge where nothing else mattered but your own feelings.

Void didn't say anything, so Zhongli kept talking.

"Let bygones be bygones, hunt those who have truly wronged you, leave those who never did alone. Perhaps if you understand this then you can start healing, both in mind and in the body."

"And what if I can't heal? What then?"

"You can, you just need a little guidance child. That's all anyone needs at times. Take this to heart. This is all I ask." He told. "Those are my terms to you."

"Wait what?" The Herrscher was surprised. That was it. That's what he wanted from her.

"What were you expecting? I have no delusion of grandiose Miss Void. Despite your nature as a Herrscher and your actions. There is still a potential within you to do what's right. I merely wish to know that you will attempt to do so."

"What you do with your power is up to you. So long as you don't use it to abuse and harm innocents then I have no issues with how you choose to live, believe it or not." Zhongli informed.

Would it really have been that simple? No speeches about her having responsibilities to help others, no pushing her towards fighting for some cause that she didn't solely believe in. It was just her own choice to make. So long as she didn't abuse it, he'd help. It sounded too good to be true honestly but maybe for once, it could be.

"Alright Zhongli, you have a deal. Just make sure you keep your promise to me." She smiled as she stretched out her hand.

"You will find Ms. Void, that my promises are solid stone." He told her as they shook hands.

The next day Zhongli took Void to a mountain near the city. The scenery around them was beautiful. Despite being so close to the city, the mountain base had been relatively untouched by civilization.

The forest flourished around them, with the various fauna and fauna thriving. However, while Void was still somewhat awestruck by the environment, Zhongli's focus was on something else entirely. He was observing a nearby stream that flowed through various water pools.

"It is time." He called Void over to the stream.

"In order to undo the Honkai Corruption within your body, you must open your chakras," Zhongli explained.

"What are chakras?" Void questioned.

"Look at this stream." Zhongli motioned. "Water flows through the stream, collecting in the various pools before flowing out. Similarly, energy also flows within your body, collecting in the various chakras before flowing out."

"So, chakras are pools of Honkai energy within a person's body." Void rationalized.

"While it is true, they are pools of energy within your body, they are not exclusively Honkai. There are many types of energy in this world and the Honkai is but one of them." Zhongli explained.

"Before you ask; whether the energy flowing within you is Honkai or not, it is irrelevant. Our primary concern right now is not the energy but the pathway. If these pathways were left as is, the energy would flow. Unfortunately, life can become messy, and these pathways can become blocked."

"What happens when they are blocked?" Void inquired. She could call it a hunch, but she had a feeling her chakras had been blocked. Zhongli didn't answer merely pointing to a blocked pool. Unlike the others, the water did not flow in this pool. It merely remained still, the water itself had become murky as opposed to the clear water flowing in other parts of the stream.

"When the energy is blocked, it will remain where it is. Then it will start to stagnate and the energy within becomes just like the pool." Zhongli answered.

"However, if the blockage is removed." He reached into the pool and pulled a clump of algae that had been blocking the flow. "The energy will flow properly, and it will cleanse the stream." It would cleanse her body of the corruption within it.

Within a cave Zhongli and Void with their legs crossed in a meditation stance.

"There are seven chakras. Each of them governs a particular aspect of your being. As such each one also has a special block that needs to be overcome. To do so you will be forced to explore the parts of your being you may not feel comfortable with."

"Even then you should be warned there is no permanent way to clear these blockages as they are an inevitability of life. You will always need to reflect to make sure no more blockages form."

"Are you ready?"

Void nodded.

"The first is the Geo chakra. It deals with your desire to survive, and it is blocked by what you fear. What are you most afraid of?" He questioned.

Void closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. What were her fears? Visions of many of them began to surface. She was afraid of being back at the lab. She was afraid of watching those around her die. She was afraid of her father in his beast form. She was afraid of the fire of Shamash.

"Let your fears become clear."

Her breathing became more erratic as she felt her heart begin to raise. The visions were becoming more real by the second. "No, stay back." She began to cry. She was beginning to feel helpless as she saw it all play out. She was too weak to fight off everyone and she was powerless to save those around her and herself.

"Void, listen to me. What you see isn't real." Zhongli's voice called to her. "You are concerned for your survival, but you must let go of it."

"Let it go," Void thought as she tried to focus. All of her visions culminated before her into a mass of shadows each one resembling an enemy she faced. She had to let it go. It didn't control her. She controlled it. She had survived before; she could survive again. She would survive again. "I will survive." She screamed and the mass of shadows shatter into a million fragments.

Her eyes snapped open to find Zhongli smiling at her like a proud teacher. "Very good, you have opened the geo chakra."

Two then made their way beneath a waterfall by the mountain where they once again resumed their positions.

"Next, we shall open the Hydro Chakra. Hydro deals with pleasure and it is blocked by guilt. Look at all the guilt that burdens your soul. What do you blame yourself for?"

Void closed her eyes once more as she put her guilt before her. What did she blame herself for? She thought long and hard about it. Both her mother and Cecilia were dead, as did all her friends in Babylon as well. Bella died protecting her. Sirin/Void didn't die.

"I lived when they didn't." She confessed to herself. Cecilia could have lived if she didn't risk herself trying to comfort Sirin. With both parents alive, Kiana might have still been with her parents. Her existence robbed not just Cecilia but many families. She shouldn't have been alive, if she wasn't alive then the Honkai wouldn't have been able to manipulate her.

"I let myself be deceived." She continued.

"Herrscher. You must accept the reality that these things happened but do not let it cloud your mind. Life is precious and if we make mistakes then so be it, what is important is that you learn from these mistakes." Zhongli whispered. "You need to let go of your past. You need to forgive yourself."

"Forgive me?" Void thought. Cecilia was once again before her. They were back in the icy tundra. Cecilia had come back for her. She wanted to be a mother to her. A mother always wants their child to be happy. That's how Sirin's own mother had been. "I will live life to the fullest. I won't let your sacrifice go in vain." Void opened her eyes once more.

"Congratulations, you're Hydro chakra is now opened."

Void found herself on the side of the mountain alongside Zhongli. The sun rising in the distance was a beautiful sight if she was being honest. It made her feel warm inside after being soaked in the waterfall.

"Now it is time to open the Pyro Chakra. This one can be a little tricky so be patient. It deals with power, specifically willpower and it is blocked by shame. Tell young Herrscher, what are the things that you are ashamed of? What are the biggest disappointments you have in yourself?"

"My shame," Void repeated as she closed her eyes. Was she ashamed of anything? Her disappointments were obvious though. She hated herself for being weak, for being too gullible. She loathed being unable to do anything while the world around her crumbled.

No matter how strong she got, it was never enough. She couldn't save the people she cared for. She had also allowed herself to be blinded by her rage. She had become the same kind of monster as those she had sworn to destroy.

The face of the village was still engraved in her mind. A community that had taken her in and cared for her. A community that once they learned of her actions became wary and terrified of her. She wanted to hate them for it, but she couldn't. They had every right to fear her, and she was ashamed of the fact.

"I'm a monster." Void whispered. The images of the young girl she had befriended not long ago, shaking in fear as Void tried to get closer. It was not unlike the kids back in Babylon fearful of the approaching scientists.

"Your past does not determine your future. If you wish to let yourself succumb to the past, if you let what others tell you to break your spirit, then you will be swallowed by the darkness. In these dark times, hope is something you give yourself, that is the meaning of true strength. This is power."

A hope that only she could give herself. A chance at a life where she would no longer need to fight, where she could be at peace. "I am the Herrscher of the Void and I control my own destiny. I will end my story under my own terms."

She could feel the Gem of Haste resonate with her spirit. The power surged within her body once more. Within her mind's eye, Void saw a brief glimpse at a familiar red-haired woman looking at her with a smile before she burst into flames. Void opened her eyes in shock.

"Himeko," She whispered.

"Your will burns brightly. Your pyro chakra is open." Zhongli informed.

The two kept ascending higher up the mountain. Once they reached midday way they found themselves under a small forest on the mountainside.

"The next chakra is Dendro. It is one many people suffer blockages from. It deals with love and is blocked by grief. Herrscher lay your grief before you." Zhongli instructed.

Void closed her eyes once more, taking a deep breath, she laid it all before. The memories came of her life as Sirin as in the village. Living peacefully with her mother and her friends. Cecilia also appeared alongside them. Even Albedo was there. Void smiled at the sight of everyone she knew before a sandstorm emerged swallowing it all up.

"You have felt great loss young Herrscher, but while the people you knew have long since passed, the love between them and you still exists within your heart. If you remember them, they will be with you forever." Zhongli smiled. "And as long as you keep your heart open, you will find that there is new love waiting for you,"

The sandstorm parted from her once more revealing an entirely new world around her. Before her eyes were her father, Aunt Teri, Bella, and Bronya. People who she cared for and who cared for her. Void felt tears beginning to trickle down her side.

She opened her eyes to find Zhongli before her, with a handkerchief in hand. "Here you go. You have opened the Dendro chakra." He told her. "How do you feel?"

"My body feels lighter. As if a great weight has been lifted off my shoulders."

"You are halfway there; the energy is now flowing properly. Look at your hand." Void rolled back her sleeves and noticed the veins had started to recede. The Honkai wasn't corrupting her now.

"It's working." Void realized.

"The next three chakras are far more difficult than the first four. Opening them will is a challenge not many can do. It is already impressive that you opened the first four, even Mobius couldn't get past the Dendro chakra."

"Mobius tried opening her chakras?"

"She did but the blockages were too much for her. Her own guilt and grief weighed her down."

"I guess even someone as old as Mobius can have blocks."

"Trauma is something that can be difficult to deal with even if you overcome it, it will still linger. Perhaps she did overcome at one point, but they were blocked as soon as she was no longer focusing."

As the two kept ascending higher up the mountain, Void found herself beginning to feel a little colder. Subconsciously she tapped into the Gem of Haste and began to warm herself.

"The next chakra is Cryo. It deals with Truth and is blocked by lies. The lies we tell ourselves."

What lie did Void tell herself? She began searching for her memories.

"Kiana come back to us." Mei pleaded.

"Sirin, how may I be of service?" Bella asked.

"I'm not that person anymore." Void told them. "I am not."

Kiana's friends kept trying to reach out to her. They wanted to bring her back. Couldn't they see Kiana was gone? Even Bella was just as blind, she thought the clone in front of her was Sirin as well. How could she be Sirin, because she had her memories, or was it because of the core?

"You can not lie about your own nature. It is a truth that you will always know deep down. You must accept that but that doesn't mean it will rule you. Acceptance does not mean submission."

"I am Void." Void muttered. She was both Sirin and Kiana, but she was also herself. She was Void, the adopted sister of Kiana, the successor of Sirin. "I am all of me."

"Very good," Zhongli told her. "You have opened the Cryo chakra."

The penultimate stop for their journey was near the mountain top. The two sat on the cliffside with the clouds just below them. A storm was brewing right below them. It was an interesting sight sitting above the lightning. It reminded her of Thunder for some reason.

"Is the next Chakra Electro?" Void questioned.

"You're learning. If you open all seven perhaps you can consider teaching others."

"I don't think I'd have the patience to this with another." Void confessed.

"Perhaps but you never know." He told her. "But that is for discussing later. Now you shall unlock the Electro Chakra. This one deals with insight, and it is blocked by illusions."

"Insight and Illusion?" Void wondered.

"The greatest illusion in this world is the illusion of separation. Things you may think are separate and different are all one and the same."

"Like the nations and countries of the world." Void recalled. They may act as separate individuals but when they are all pushed into a corner, they will act as one. She had witnessed humanity unite against the Honkai before, they can easily do it again.

"That's right. We are all one people, but we live as if divided." Zhongli told her.

"We?"

"Child, do you think that because you are Herrscher, it changes the fact that you were once human as well?" Zhongli questioned. "We may have lived differently, we may look different, but at our core, we are all people." He informed.

"We are all people." Void repeated. She was a person just like any other, like Cecilia and even Otto. They were people just like her. They were all people with the only difference being what they experienced and the choices they made. Cecilia chose to be kind to those around her, Otto chose to be selfish. Void also had her own choices to make, as did Mei. "We are all one and the same with only our choices and are circumstances to differentiate us."

"That's right. Even the energy we wield despite behaving differently is the same." He told her as held his arm forward. The dust around them began to gather before forming a cube in front of him. Void did the same extending out her own arm. forming her own cube out of Honkai energy.

"The Electro Chakra is opened."

Eat your heart out Thunder.

The duo was finally at the mountain's peak. The only thing higher than them was the night sky. Void could feel the air around them. It was light and empty in a sense.

"The final Chakra to be opened and the most difficult of the Seven, Anemo. It is the chakra associated with thought, enlightenment, and the flow of pure energy around us and it is blocked by our earthly attachments. To open this chakra, you must detach yourself from that which anchors you to this world."

"I must detach the what from the what anchor." Void repeated. She did not understand one thing about the blockage.

"Your earthly attachments are what you must let go of. These are things that you might obsess over. They can be as simple as an object, or they can even be a person. They may even be an abstract concept such as greed that hinder you from growing."

Void thought hard about what he said. She didn't have anything of significant value like that. There also weren't many people left for her to value. A concept she obsessed with; she might have an idea what that may be.

"How can I let it go?" Void questioned She had figured out what it was. Her desire for justice against those who wronged her, against Otto and the Will of Honkai. "How can I just forget about everything they did to me?" She asked Zhongli.

"Letting go does not mean you forget," Zhongli answered. "Letting go simply means, you don't let it control or influence you anymore." He told her. "You can still have your desires but do not let them rule your choices. Do not let them consume your soul."

"Let go of your earthly tether. Enter the void. Empty, and become wind." Zhongli told her. "I am not asking that you forget your revenge. I said before that whether you acted on it or not, that was your choice. I want you to look within yourself and let go of the obsession, don't let it drive you to self-destruct."

Zhongli sighed. This was the hardest part.

Void looked at him once more her face unreadable. He was expecting her to leave. Instead, she closed her eyes once more as she took in a deep breath. "Don't let it control me." She whispered as she began to focus.

Her desire for revenge against humanity had been played upon before by the Honkai. What had started as simply killing the scientists that wronged her had escalated into her attempting mass genocide against all of humanity. She had started with good intentions, but it was easily warped into more malicious ones.

When her Herrscher side had reawakened, it had acted on revenge once more, never seeing anything beyond revenge against her father. The Herrscher persona hadn't let go of revenge and it almost cost her Siegfied. Her revenge against humanity had also made it difficult for her to now interact normally with people. They had every reason to view her as a ticking time bomb now.

If she wanted to truly live a peaceful life. A life beyond just the Honkai and fighting, she would need to let it go. "Don't let it control you." She repeated.

"Let go of your earthly tether. Enter the void. Empty, and become wind." She repeated once more. She wouldn't fight them because for revenge. She would fight them to ensure no one else suffers. She would fight for true justice.

Void exhaled as she opened her eyes once more. She hadn't even realized she had been holding a breath. Zhongli was eyeing her curiously as if to assess her condition. Did it work?

"Your Anemo chakra is open. You have now opened all of them." Zhongli mused. "Impressive."

"You sound like you expected me to. I thought this was one of those situations where only a handful could do it."

"It is often easier for some of those who have suffered great loss to open all seven, but at the same time, it may also be harder as well. It's a 50 50 really. Thought when I saw you make it to the fourth Chakra, I knew it was a guarantee."

"It's strange, my body feels different, yet I barely did anything." She noted as she opened and closed her palms. "It's like when I first awakened as Herrscher. I could feel the pain of the Honkai fade away, what once was hurting now felt refreshing."

"That's energy circulating properly now. All the stagnant energy is leaving your body and is being replaced consistently now. Unless you plan on storing far larger amounts of Honkai in your body, you shouldn't worry about corruption ever again."

"So, what now?" Void asked.

"Now you may do as you wish. Leave and return to Mobius or stay and have a drink and a chat with an old man. It is your choice. There is nothing else really to do now."

"A drink and a chat sound nice. Do you have any recommendations?" Void questioned.

"Have you ever heard of Osmanthus wine?" Zhongli questioned.

I didn't want to reduce Morax to just memes and jokes, especially after the recent quest. So I decided to do this. This whole chapter is also inspired by good ole ATLA lol. I just changed a few names for some Chakras to be even more blatant references. Hehe.