Chapter 2: The Morning After

Izanagi woke to the quiet hum of electronics, jostled awake by the gentle turbulence of the transport ship. His eyes opened slowly as a small yawn escaped his mouth, a quiet noise as the young man sat up in his chair. He gradually looked around as his blurry vision began to clear.

"Good morning, Itsuki-sama." He turned to see that he had been sitting beside Rita, who was now looking at him with her usual pleasant smile.

"Mm… Mornin'..." He responded, his voice quiet as he rubbed his eyes clear of gunk.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Mm… I guess…?"

"I see. Was my shoulder comfortable? It would be unfortunate if you did not get enough rest before our meeting with the Overseer."

"Mm… wait, what?" Just like that, Izanagi's lethargy vanished, the young man shooting up in his seat as his cheeks turned crimson red.

"Oh. Is something the matter?" Rita asked, her tone carrying a jocular sound to it.

"I… your shoulder? And wait, the Overseer!? When was this decided, while I was sleeping!?"

"Well, after we departed from Arc City, you were rightfully exhausted. You fell asleep almost instantly, and used my shoulder as a pillow. I felt no reason to move you." She raised a thoughtful finger to her lips. "And as you may remember, I report directly to Overseer Otto. As with anything, it is simply my duty to report what has happened directly to him."

With that revelation, Nagi craved death.

If he could recede inside of himself, he would… and he tried, slowly curling up into a ball as he hid face behind his knees. All the while, the faint song of agony could be heard coming from the young man. Rita watched Izanagi's self-destruction with no small amount of amusement, a playful smirk upon her face.

"My, I did not realize you were that shy about meeting Otto-sama." She teased with a sly wink, and just a hint of sarcasm in her otherwise sultry voice.

"As if that's what I'm shy about!" He exclaimed, his words muffled behind his knees. I'm more terrified than anything…

"Fufu, is that so~?" He could not help but groan as the maid's laughter filled his ears. "Now then… Teasing aside, how are you feeling, Itsuki-sama?"

"...Tired, still." He lifted his head, his brows furrowed as he looked down at the floor. "...Rita. Er… is it alright if I call you Rita?"

"Of course."

"...Have you… ever watched someone die in your arms?"

Her eyes widened as Nagi lifted his head. She looked back at him for a long moment, searching his expression for something he could not know. After some time, she released a gentle sigh, and placed a delicate hand upon his shoulder. "...More times than I would like to admit."

"Were they people you knew?"

"Some were."

"How… How do you manage it? This… this feeling."

"That… is something even I struggle to answer at times." Rita closed her eyes as she contemplated her next words. Izanagi waited patiently for her answer. "...For those close to you, to remember them fondly and live well in their name, without regret; to quote someone I once cherished, to protect all that is beautiful in the world." As she said this, he couldn't help but notice a certain sadness hidden within her eyes. "For those that were not, do not blame yourself for their death; in this line of work, we cannot hold ourselves responsible for every death. And you, especially, Izanagi… do not hold yourself responsible for Bohr-sama's death."

"...Mm. Understood." His voice did not reflect his words, however.

"I never said it was easy, Itsuki-sama."

"...Mm." He sighed, shaking his head. "No, you're right. I… I'll manage." Rita nodded.

"That is all we can do. However, if you wish to discuss your feelings in the future, I am here to listen. It is no trouble." He nodded gratefully, before standing to his feet. He glanced around the interior of the aircraft; it looked like a first class jet, only with more room to move around. Comfortable seats, carpets, drinks, and more; he couldn't help but feel like a millionaire in his own fancy jet.

Ask me a year ago if I'd fly in something like this and I'd laugh in your face… He thought with a meek smile. "Um… to change topics to something a bit lighter… Yesterday, you mentioned you looked at my file?"

"Of course. It is only proper to learn as much as I can about those under my care."

"Do you have that file? I'm kinda curious about what it says…" And more accurately, how much they got wrong. That thought, however, he kept to himself. She it considered a moment.

"Officially, I am not allowed to show you your file." The maid smiled. "But… Unofficially, I see no reason not to." He felt that there was some kind of ulterior motive to her agreement, but… what was the worst that could happen?

"Then… can I see?"

"Very well. Just a moment." Rita stood to her feet and left the cabin, leaving him on his own. With nothing stopping him, he took that time to explore a bit more as his curiosity got the better of him. He began to fidget around the room, interacting with the various devices and gadgets that didn't seem too risky to mess with.

It's nice not being left alone with a bunch of random people for once. Nagi thought, a blissful expression on his face as he found himself playing with a cup holder that automatically opened and closed with a wave of his hand. It wasn't long until she returned, as he very inconspicuously hopped away from the cup holder, whistling away as Rita returned to her seat.

"...Just so you are aware, Itsuki-sama, there are more entertaining facilities in this craft than a simple cup holder."

"Geh—! Ahaha… It was just kinda neat…"

"Is that so?" Nagi's cheeks flushed as Rita shot him an impish smile, but she said no more of the topic. "In any case, here is your file." She produced a well kept folder to Izanagi, who gently took it from her. He eagerly opened it up, pulling out the contents as his eyes quickly began to scan the documents.

"Alright! Let's see… name, Izanagi Itsuki, gender, male, Blah blah blah… Er, hang on… would you call my hair silver or white?"

"Silver. Are you aware of the Kaslana family?"

"Uhh… Don't think so?"

"Then to summarize, they are one of three major houses within Schicksal, alongside House Schariac and House Apocalypse. Their trademark appearance is white hair and blue eyes."

"Huh. Well, I could probably pass as a Kaslana, in that case… Anyways, age 15, height, 139 cm… Painfully accurate…"

"You are rather short. If not for your file, I would have thought you were a child prodigy."

"Thaaanks…"

"You are welcome~" Nagi pouted as Rita shot him another playful wink. With a sigh, he shook his head and turned back to the file.

"Light build… they really went into detail on my appearance, huh? Wouldn't a picture have been better?" He shrugged and continued reading. "Oh, here's the part. Let's see… 'Moderate combat experience…' Yeah, moderate is pushing it. 'A self-proclaimed wizard—' Oh come on, did they have to add self-proclaimed?"

"In fairness, Itsuki-sama, even I am still hesitant to refer to you as a 'wizard.'" Nagi puffed his cheeks up, glaring at her.

"Then what would you call me?"

"A psychic with a unique affinity for energy based attacks."

"Bleh…" He shook his head and returned to his reading. "...wizard capable of manipulating an unknown energy, utilized for physical enhancement, and energy-based projectiles of varying levels of power, alongside incredible levels of regeneration.' …Wait, is that all they put?"

"Is there information missing?"

"Mm, quite a bit. Regarding Magic, anyways. Not really paying attention to, uh. Whatever you guys have on my personal life… I'd rather not be creeped out by how much you know."

"Fufu, whatever could you mean~?" The smile Rita gave him sent a shiver down his spine. He decided to avoid that topic as he scanned down the rest of the file. But in the process, despite his best efforts to avoid it… one particular name caught his eye.

Luneth.

He tensed up at the six letter name, his lips curling into a frown. This didn't go unnoticed, however, as Rita leaned forward, curious. "Is something the matter, Itsuki-sama?"

"Oh, uh… N-Nothing. Er… nothing worth talking about. Just…" He looked back at the file. "...bad memories." I'm… surprised they know about him… He thought, but shook his head.

"Very well." However, before Izanagi could continue reading through the file, she suddenly placed her hand on the page. "However, we will have to cut this short. We've almost arrived at Schicksal HQ."

"Eh? But…"

"Itsuki-sama." Though it was a smile on her face, it was not friendliness that Nagi felt from Rita's eyes. He swallowed nervously, and complied without resistance. Just like that, her malice faded away as she gave a small sigh. "Good. Now, grab your bag, and be ready to depart, it will not be long before we land."

"Y-Yes, ma'am."

Note to self. Never get on her bad side. Ever.

He was dumbstruck. No, dumbstruck was not nearly powerful enough a word. Awed? In pure disbelief? Amazed? No word felt strong enough for what he felt at that moment. When he heard the name Schicksal HQ, he expected a standard… well, a 'standard' base, like something you would find in a military movie or something similar. And what he saw was like a movie, alright…

A sci-fi movie. For what Schicksal HQ really was, was a massive, floating fortress, flying amongst the clouds above the vast ocean beneath. Hundreds of platforms connected via steel platforms, each with multiple structures from temples to workshops atop it all. It was more like a city than a simple HQ, a city you'd find only in the wildest imaginations, yet here it was before him in the metaphorical flesh. Nagi didn't know whether to describe it as powerful or beautiful… and so he decided the best answer was simply, both.

"Impressed, Itsuki-sama?" Rita pulled him from his stupor, as she had a tendency to do. He turned to her with a bashful smile, scratching the back of his head with an awkward laugh.

"Well, uh… impressed doesn't feel like a strong enough word…"

"Incredulous?"

"Closer, yeah."

"Fufu. Do not worry; most newcomers need time to let it sink in."

"No kidding…" He stole another wide-eyed glance out at the vast fortress. "So… Where are we going? This place is, uh. Kinda huge."

"The Overseer's office, of course." Rita replied, before gesturing to a large building not unlike what he would call a "science fiction church."

"Sheesh… Fancy."

"If you have not yet noticed, Itsuki-sama, most everything under Schicksal can be described as…" she smirked. "Fancy." The young man replied with an awkward laugh. The two then continued their way towards the Overseer's office, stopping along the way on occasion as he gaped and goggled at the various marvelous structures and machines present at Schicksal HQ. There was hardly a moment where Nagi wasn't left shocked and awed, much to Rita's amusement, and his own later embarrassment.

In due time, they arrived at their destination.

Ok… time to meet the big boss… Nagi thought with a nervous smile, his hands trembling as he tried to hold his head up straight. With a title like 'Overseer', and a last name like 'Apocalypse', he simply couldn't help but imagine some final boss-esque creature awaiting the two of them. Perhaps an intimidating old man with muscles as big as Izanagi himself, or an ice cold nobleman who could tear his mind apart with little more than a well placed word. …N-No big deal, Nagi. You only have to meet him once and then never again. Don't worry. Please stop worrying. …No, no, I'm terrified. Great.

Whether or not Rita took notice of his internal conflict, she did not say, confidently leading the way as she always did. He lagged behind, following after her as his trembling grew worse with each passing moment. Together, they strode through the front doors of the Overseer's Office.

He hadn't considered what to expect inside; his mind had been too preoccupied with what the Overseer himself would look like. However, stepping inside, the first thing he noticed was the giant, holographic screen on the other side of the room, the sole source of light in the wide space that was the Overseer's office. On it were dozens of different screens, reports, camera feeds, and more. So much information was being presented and reported at once that if he tried to comprehend it all, he was sure his mind would explode. His attention could only remain on the screen for so long, however, before his gaze fell down to those standing just beneath it.

There were two individuals, a man sitting down and a woman stood beside him. The woman was the one he took note of first. She wore a futuristic, orange mask which covered the upper half of her face, and a black dress which left her legs exposed, and finally, a long cape to top it all off. But what caught his attention most was her long, braided hair, which fell all the way down to her lower back. More importantly, he took note of the color… white.

Kaslana… he noted, remembering his earlier conversation with Rita. He did not dwell for long on the white-haired woman, however, as his eyes slowly shifted to the man in the chair. He himself had a fair appearance—or at least, from what he could tell—with long, golden hair, his body muscular but far from brawny. He wore fine clothing reminiscent of that of a medieval nobleman with a modern twist, clothes which looked more expensive than Izanagi's entire wardrobe. The young man gulped. Icey nobleman it is… He thought with a wistful smile.

"Otto-sama. Rita has arrived with a guest." The supposed Kaslana spoke to Otto, her voice as emotionless as a machine. He glanced at Rita. Based on her lack of reaction, it was seemingly normal for the Kaslana, and so the young man thought nothing more of it.

"Hmm? Ah, Rita. You've arrived." The Overseer named Otto replied. Unlike the assistant's, his voice was flowing with emotion, as eloquent as one would expect from his appearance, with an oddly… captivating tone to it. With as much dignity as one would expect from a nobleman—if not more—he stood to his feet, and turned to Rita and Nagi with a light flourish. "And not alone, it seems." The Overseer set his eyes on Nagi, who jumped as if he had just been targeted by some kind of attack.

His green eyes were filled with a sharp yet hidden cunning. It was a dangerous look; Izanagi instantly could tell this was a very dangerous man. Despite that, however, his overall appearance was that of a young, handsome man, far younger than he expected; at most in his early thirties, if not late twenties. But… in truth, handsome was not a strong enough word to describe his face. If he had been a man or a woman, he was certain the one named Otto would have been the most beautiful in the room. "Izanagi Itsuki, I take it?"

It took a great deal of willpower for him to not collapse into a stuttering mess. "Y-Yes, sir!"

"It is good to finally meet you, Itsuki-kun." Otto smiled wide as he regarded Izanagi. "I've been most interested in your abilities since I first heard about them."

"O-Oh, uh, um… I-I'm glad?" He gave a weak thumbs up, trembling from head to toe. With all his willpower dedicated to keeping his stuttering to a minimum, it seemed he had forgotten to keep any to stop his trembling.

"Before that, however… Amber, would you give us some time alone?"

"Of course, Otto-sama." The now named Amber bowed her head and stepped away as Otto turned back to them.

"Now then… as curious as I am to learn the full extent of your capabilities, Izanagi-kun—I hope you don't mind me speaking so casually?—That will have to come at another time."

"O-Oh. Y-Yes, sir. And, uh… it's fine, sir."

He nodded first at Nagi, then at Rita, who gave a small curtsy in response. "Now then… how was your mission, Rita?"

"My apologies, Otto-sama, but I was unable to accomplish the mission as per your initial expectations."

"Oh? How rare for you, Rita." Otto glanced at Nagi for just a moment, as if debating the young man's responsibility for Rita's supposed failure. "Was it perhaps something to do with Itsuki-san here?"

Eh!? His already pale face paled even further; it took no small amount of effort to prevent a squeak from escaping his sealed lips. However, she shook her head.

"No, Otto-sama; on the contrary, Itsuki-sama performed splendidly despite his lack of experience. He accurately located the target and cornered them, even going so far as to alert me in the process. Had he not acted as he did, the mission would have had its duration extended by more than a small margin."

"I see. Wonderfully done then, Itsuki-san." Otto nodded respectfully at the young man, a friendly smile upon his face. And just like that, Izanagi's anxiety melted away like butter, replaced with a fuzzy, warm feeling inside his chest.

"O-Oh, um… T-Thank you, sir!" He replied, his voice almost cracking in the process. The Overseer nodded, before turning back to Rita and motioning for her to continue.

"However, despite Itsuki-sama's actions, it seems our mission was doomed to fail from the start. Karen Bohr—the rogue Valkyrie—was afflicted with Honkai corruption from her Stigmata, and was zombified. Itsuki-sama was temporarily wounded before we terminated her."

"And that would be the reason for her desertion." Otto finished. "I see. How unfortunate. Was there any other damage?"

"No. Itsuki-sama cornered her in an alley away from the general population."

"Huh?" Izanagi turned to Rita, confused. She looked back at him, equally confused. "N-No… I mean, kind of, but… Karen did that on her own. She…" He faltered for a moment, but steeled his nerves. "She isolated herself intentionally."

"I see. I had not known this." Rita replied, before turning back to Otto. "As he says. Nonetheless, the mission to capture Karen Bohr ended in unfortunate failure. My deepest apologies, Overseer." She bowed low, her eyes closed as Otto raised a thoughtful hand to his chin.

"Raise your head, Rita." Otto spoke, and so she did. "It isn't a failure, my dear maid. It is unfortunate, but in the end, Bohr was dealt with before she could cause any further harm. Of course, we will have to be more careful about this in the future."

"Of course, Otto-sama."

"Well, then. Now… As for our second topic." Otto turned to Izanagi once more. "Rita. How was our young protege?"

…Oh shit. He turned to Rita, a fearful look in his eyes as he awaited her evaluation. She responded with a short glance of her own, taking a few moments to consider her words before turning back to Otto.

"...Itsuki-sama struggles in social situations, and more so when in unfamiliar territory. Multiple times during the operation, he froze up when I had left him alone while dealing with informants. Additionally, he was wounded by Karen Bohr in his pursuit; were it not for his… unique abilities, his life would have ended then and there." She crossed her arms as his gaze fell low. "However, as I said before, despite his glaring weakness in this regard, it was also during one of these times that he located our target, who had evaded my own sight, pursued, and engaged her, all of his own accord." He perked up a bit at that. "Additionally, it was he who struck the final blow against the zombified Karen, who even in death, struggled tenaciously against me. Without him, the conflict likely would have been moved out into a more populated area."

"I see." Otto replied, nodding thoughtfully. "Then, what is your final evaluation?"

"I believe he is not ready for open combat. He is inexperienced, and although he demonstrated good initiative when pursuing the target, he did, as previously mentioned, receive an otherwise lethal wound." Nagi felt like a knife was stabbed through his heart, and twisted after. It was the response he had expected… but that didn't make it any better.

"Very well. Yet… I know that tone, Rita." Otto smirked, which she answered with a smirk of her own. "What do you suggest instead?"

"For him to join the Immortal Blades."

…What. All but flabbergasted, he had to do a double take as Otto leaned forward with a smile. "Eh!? But— Eh!?"

"If you would allow me to continue, Itsuki-sama…"

"Ah, uh… s-sorry…"

"Despite his lack of discipline, and his mistakes, I believe Itsuki-sama has potential to be an incredibly capable asset to our organization. As such, I wish to take him into the Immortal Blades temporarily, to have him train beneath Durandal-sama and I."

"Hoh? This is quite the request, Rita." Otto leaned back in his seat, his expression clearly amused. "Very well. As you wish; I admit, I too, am curious to see how he grows. It's not often someone garners your interest like this, Rita. Might I ask why?"

Rita smiled. "Well… In truth, I find his reactions… endearing. I will admit, it has somewhat biased my decision."

Otto broke out into loud laughter as Nagi felt his soul leave his body. "As you wish! Very well, Izanagi-kun. From this day forth, consider yourself a member of the Immortal Blades until your training is complete. I look forward to your growth; please don't disappoint. Oh, and of course… we will have to meet again some time alone. Your abilities are… new to me."

"I will ensure he will not, Overseer." Rita spoke before Nagi could. "You have my word; by the time I am finished with Izanagi, he will be a warrior worthy of the name Schicksal."

"So… did you, uh… mean what you said back there?"

"Of course. Did you think I was lying to boost your confidence?"

"Um…" Nagi bashfully averted his eyes, a wry smile on his face. "M-Maybe a bit…"

"I meant every word, good and bad. I do believe you have potential, Izanagi. Now… it is up to you whether it is as a warrior, or as a meat shield." She giggled at his fearful look. "I kid. But I do mean what I say; you have potential, Itsuki-sama, and I very much plan to utilize it." Her smile faded as she gave him a serious look. "However… I cannot train you if you are not willing, Itsuki-sama. So… are you?"

"..." He looked at her for a long few moments, in silence. She said nothing more. And finally… his response was a smile. It was shaky, unconfident, timid. Far from what one could normally call a confident answer. "...Of course."

Rita responded with a smile of her own. "There's the look I liked~"

"Wha—!?"

"Fufu. Now then, let us get moving. We'll be setting off in due time; our transportation has already been prepared, Itsuki-sama."

"Eh? But… I wanted to explore…"

"Itsuki-sama."

"...Y-Yes, ma'am…" And so the two set off once more, Izanagi following behind Rita begrudgingly. "So… the Immortal Blades? It sounded fancy, thus my reaction, but… I don't actually know what they are."

"Ah, my apologies. I forget you would not know. The Immortal Blades are Durandal-sama's unit of elite Valkyries, a special forces unit typically utilized in covert ops missions."

"Huh? So… Why do you want me for a fancy unit like that? Oh! Also… you've mentioned Durandal a few times, but… I haven't met her, yet."

"You will in time. But to summarize, she is Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie. I do not say this lightly; to put it into perspective for you, if she and I were to fight, I would lose a thousand times before I won a single time."

"O-Oh. That… Oh." Nagi's face went blank.

"Indeed." Rita smiled. "As for why I decided upon our unit… you will not be a direct member. Instead, you, alongside a few others, shall be working directly with Durandal and I. Specifically, individuals spotted by myself who we believe to have high potential… such as yourself."

"Oh… How many others, then? And… wouldn't it be better for someone else to train us?"

"To a degree. While Durandal and I are off on our missions, you three will be remaining at Saint Freya's School for Valkyries, where you will study with the Far Eastern Branch. When we are present, you will be working directly under us. And, once you have reached far enough in your training—or on special occasions—you will participate in missions with us directly."

"Far East? Um… but I—"

"Will have to move, yes. Do not worry, we shall cover expenses… however, the choice is yours."

"...Gimme some time. I'll get back to you on that."

"Of course, Itsuki-sama."

"So… three? Who are the other two, then?"

"Ah, my apologies. Both are A-Rank Valkyries, one a member of the Schariac family, the other a promising recruit from New Zealand."

"Their names are Ana Schariac, and Wendy."