Chapter 3: A Legacy of Hate and Love
In the deepest layer of Schicksal's Helheim labs, the sounds of metal falling apart could be heard as a red-haired woman charged forward with a flaming greatsword clad in the Vermillion Knight Eclipse battlesuit of Schicksal. Her movements were swift as she weaved and cleaved through the crowds of mechs with her newfound power deriving from the armour. The power was none other than the Gem of Haste, the source of the Herrscher's powers. With the power she now held, she was a pseudo-Herrscher with flames that can stand up against the Herrscher of the void.
"Himeko, I've lost contact with Einstein and the Hyperion, we need to get out of here." a short red-haired twin-tailed girl said as she walked over to Himeko.
"Understood, Dr. Tesla, let us make haste," Himeko replied with an affirmative nod as she turned to lead Tesla out of the lab.
"I'm afraid this is all I can help you with." A white-haired girl said as she walked over to them as she gave Himeko a palm fist salute and bowed respectfully.
"Thanks, Fu Hua. you've been a big help. This battlesuit will be needed for the gruesome fight ahead." Himeko replied humbly with a kind tone as she smiled at the girl.
It was not too long ago when Fu Hua suddenly appeared in this new form where Himeko and Tesla were being held captive after their losses against Fu Hua and Rita outside the Helheim Labs. It was surprising, to say the least, to see her student with this new look.
"Also, I love that look of yours. Godspeed girl." Himeko added with a teasing grin as she turned away and headed out the door.
"Let's hurry Dr Tesla, we have to go and help the others." She said as she ran forward without hesitation.
The twin-tailed red-haired girl glanced over at Fu Hua for a moment and gave a respectful bow as well as she left and followed after Himeko, at the same time, Fu Hua's physical body started to fade into nothingness as her powers waned.
(Southern Outer Passageway of Helheim's Honkai Energy System Labs)
Aboard the Hyperion...
Bronya Zaychik stood aside the blue-haired scientist, Lieserl Albert Einstein aboard the Hyperion's bridge, overseeing the commands due to the absence of Theresa Apocalypse, Hyperion's Captain, at this moment, they were trying to regroup Frederica Nikola Tesla and Murata Himeko before fleeing the Schicksal headquarters as they are no longer capable of fighting the Herrscher of the Void.
"About 4km from Dr. Tesla's signal broadcast, no anomalies detected in the vicinity," Bronya reported to Einstein, she was injured but not as severe so she could still take part and help the Hyperion flee from the battle.
"Roger that, reduce cruising speed and begin a descent, Initiate the search for Dr. Tesla, Major Murata Himeko and the others." Dr. Einstein ordered. She remained calm and composed despite the dangers all of them were in. There was no time for respite or to be anxious. Someone had to give the instructions otherwise everything would fall into chaos.
"All squads, Full alert, the Herrscher may attack us at any time through the Imaginary space," Einstein warned as she looked over the medical report of the injured personnel. Causality numbered in the hundreds from Valkyries to AE personnel, not to mention, over 47 Mech units were all wiped out. They were AE"s backbone fighting force, It may take years for their organization to recover from this.
No matter... standing up against the Herrschrer and the Honkai is why Anti-Entropy was formed. For all their fallen friends sixty years ago in New York and their promise to protect the world, they had to take all the risks if they could protect humanity.
"Doctor... how are our causalities?" Bronya asked as silence overtook them, she tried to stay out of the topic but couldn't help but be concerned for her friends.
"Not good, Madam Theresa has suffered severe injuries, she has been tended to, but will not wake up anytime soon... Miss Mei received grave heart injuries from having the Gem of Conquest forcibly extracted from her by the Herrscher. She will have to undertake cardiac surgery to survive." Einstein explained with a solemn and bitter tone.
"We have no choice but to retreat after we recover Miss Himeko and Dr. Tesla," Einstein continued to explain but was immediately cut off by a roaring blare from the sirens of the Hyperion, indicating incoming hostiles.
"The radar has picked up a large swarm of Honkai beasts attacking the battleship!" Bronya said with a tinge of anxiousness.
"Everyone, to your battle stations!" Einstein ordered hurriedly as the crew of Hyperion moved to the turret defence systems and other gadgets to repel the Honkai.
"The Bronya will intercept the hostiles," Bronya said and immediately moved out onto the outer deck without any hesitation as she watched the encroaching horde of Seraphs, Zombies and Chariots Honkai beasts.
The Hyperion would fight valiantly against the swarms of Honkai, a hail of bullets and powerful armour-piercing shots of the turrets fired at the Honkai swarm and whittled them down, but even after two minutes of intense fire, the swarm of Honkai did not seem to lessen as when one was killed, another one would immediately take its place.
Bronya did her best to hold back the beasts on the outer deck, she was putting herself in a lot of danger being in between the Hyperion and the Honkai beasts. However, Bronya didn't care. Her injured friends were recovering inside the battleship. She would rather be out here fighting than having to fight where they are.
When suddenly, a thunderous ring of metal filled Bronya's ears as a loud tremor knocked her off balance as the Hyperion crashed onto the southern rim of Schicksal's headquarters.
"What... happened... did the Hyperion... crash?" Bronya uttered weakly as she tried to open her eyes, she opened them groggily and slowly as she saw the incoming horde of Honkai with a Templar beast at the front.
It jumped into the air and she watched as it aimed its lance at her, preparing to skewer her in the next moment as Bronya struggled to muster the strength to dodge the attack.
"Leave my students alone!" A voice roared out from the sky as a wave of flames shot down towards the horde, the Templar was immediately sent crashing into the ground flames burst outward from the crash site, turning everything around it into a fierce, burning fire.
Bronya squinted her eyes as her vision started to clear up and she saw the back of a red-haired woman wielding a flaming greatsword, standing between her and the Honkai beasts.
"Major Himeko..." Bronya muttered weakly as she slowly got to her feet.
"Excellent work, Bronya. Return to the Hyperion, leave this to me!" Himeko ordered as she charged forward at the horde of Honkai.
(Schicksal HQ, Medical Facility)
A beautiful young woman with short light brown hair and violet eyes could be seen walking out of Schicksal's medical facility. She held a scythe by her side and was dressed in the battlesuit Argent Knight: Artemis. It was none other than Rita Rossweisse, one of Schicksal's three S Rank Valkyrie. She had just finished bringing the injured Fu Hua to the medical facility for recovery as she lightly jogged down the corridor of the headquarters.
"Miss Amber, I've assigned Master Fu Hua to the medical personnel. Are there any new orders from the Overseer?" Rita asked as a holographic screen appeared before her.
"Please go and help the other Valkyries in their defence against the Honkai beasts, the Overseer is currently absent and has asked me to tell you as such," Amber explained.
"The Overseer is absent?" Rita asked with a quiet tone as she pondered. What could he be doing at such a moment like this? Was there a reason to be secretive towards her and potentially Durandal?
"Where is Master Durandal?" Rita asked with a slight sense of concern.
"Master Durandal has been asked to go take care of Honkai eruptions elsewhere and had just left urgently. Master Rita is the only S Rank Valkyrie still at the headquarters. The rests are the Immortal Blades and other Valkyries stationed here." Amber explained.
"What does our casualty look like?" Rita asked.
"No one has been killed in action, there are many who have sustained severe injuries, but they have been stabilized, It is all thanks to Master Rita and Master Durandal that we have been able to reduce our losses. I forward you my gratitude for keeping our sisters alive." Amber said respectfully in an appreciative tone.
"I understand... I will head out to the frontline and oversee it from there." Rita then replied as she continued out of the headquarters and headed towards the southern rim of the headquarters.
"This is very unlike the Grand Overseer. He had sent us both away in the most crucial moment of the experiment to protect other Schicksal interests... and now Bianka has been sent elsewhere entirely... It's like he doesn't even need us here..." Rita thought to herself as she ran across the field.
"Does he have something else up his sleeve?... Or is it just because he cares about our losses...? Grand Overseer... just what are you hiding from us?"
For years, Rita has obeyed Otto Apocalypse's orders without a single question. His knowledge and wisdom were essential to helping both her and Durandal. For Durandal to keep her hands clean, Rita would be the one to dip hers in the filth and do whatever Otto Apocalypse requested of them. Both for her mission to that faraway world and as a Valkyrie. It was also because she had to keep the chains of command in the militaristic-driven organization that is Schicksal.
But without Schicksal, the world would perish under the Honkai. So she never protested so long as whatever the Overseer did would not affect the people she cared about, she was a selfish hypocrite but if she could keep her world that way, then she will do what is needed.
His orders ranged from horrifyingly cruel to ingeniously clever. From battlefield tactics to behind-the-scenes deception and manipulation. He was a scary opponent to go up against. But the Overseer never took unnecessary risks, he was never a wasteful person and used every resource to its fullest potential even if it included the lives of others.
For the first time, there was no clear benefit from taking on these risks, and here she was, sent to protect someone else instead of serving his schemes. Something doesn't feel right.
"Tell me, Overseer... Did you ever truly care about any of us?" Rita questioned as she arrived at the southern rim, the sound of tremors, metal clashing and explosions could be heard below as Rita looked over and saw the red-haired woman wielding a flaming greatsword, fighting against the white-haired girl, corrupted by Honkai.
(Below, Hyperion)
The Herrscher of the Void looked visibly distressed, baffled and anxious as she was pushed back by the red-haired warrior. It was unbelievable, she was supposed to be the pinnacle of Honkai, the greatest manifestation. But here she was, being cornered by a mere Valkyrie.
"Curses! You damn vermin! What are you? How is it that a mere human can make me bleed?!" the Herrscher yelled in fury as she sent a barrage of subspace lances toward the red-haired warrior.
"Heh... vermin and pests, vermin and pests. I have a name you know..." The woman replied with a mocking chuckle.
"It's Murata Himeko! Remember that well!" She yelled and charged at the Herrscher, her flames slashed away the subspace lance and destroyed them. A feat that is considered normally impossible. No human flame could ever accomplish such a thing.
'That... That armour! It's powered by a gem! My gem! Damn, you!" The Herrscher cried in anger as she realized the source of the power, the power of the Gem of Haste that the humans dared rob from her, and now is using against her.
The Herrscher prepared for a brutal retaliation when a sudden light filled her sight and blinded her, causing her to cover her vision in reflex.
A powerful beam of light shot out from one of the Hyperion cannons and made direct contact with the Herrscher, she stared at it with a dazed look until in the next moment, the Herrscher cried out in pain.
"AaaaaaAAAHHHH!" The Herrscher let out a blood-curdling scream of agony as the large reservoir of Honkai energy in her body started to leak out from every crack of her body before converting into light and heat.
"What is this... my body..." The Herrscher said in pain as she felt her body start to break apart as a powerful Photonic current continued to bombard the Herrscher.
Nancy Thomas Alva Edison, a scientist in the 20th century initiated this project for civilian use.
It was the world's greatest Honkai energy converter and Anti-Entropy's ultimate weapon, after fifty years of development and research, the weapon made its name known today as the Herrscher-killer. The Selene.
Immediately, the Herrscher retreated into the Void after sustaining grievous injuries from just one shot of the Selene. She glared at the Hyperion crew with a bitter and resentful expression as she backed away into the void portal.
"The Herrscher has retreated into the Void, she has suffered massive damage but managed to escape," Tesla reported in a calm voice, hiding away her frustration.
"We have few options left... Evacuate all personnel to the battleship." Einstein ordered with a solemn tone.
(Fifteen Minutes later, Hyperion)
Outside of the medical bay of the Hyperion, Himeko sat against the wall with an exhausted look as her shoulder slumped, she held a bottle in her hand with her flaming greatsword leaning next to her. Injuries were visible throughout her body from all the fighting she looked at her hand weakly as she looked at the blood she coughed into it.
Hyperion personnel rushed the injured to the medical bay, from soldiers to medics and staff. There were many she recognized and many she had never seen before, none of them paid attention to her.
Her final hour was arriving soon, this weak-false body forcibly given a Stigmata limited her lifespan. She was already told that she would have no more than a year left months ago. This fight accelerated that... No matter, if she had to give up just six months for however many years the girls would continue to live, she would do so without any regrets.
Well, there was one...
"I'd kill for a can of beer right now..." Himeko chuckled solemnly as the Hyperion's sirens started to blare again, announcing hostiles. The red-haired woman slowly got up from the floor and walked towards the direction of the bridge.
"We don't have anything else. Shoot it." Einstein said as she watched the radar which alerted them of a Judgement Class Honkai beast that would soon arrive.
"Is she here?" Himeko asked as she walked into the bridge.
"No, but it's her little pet," Einstein replied as she turned to Himeko, Einstein saw the injured state Himeko was in and looked at her with concern, but she knew that they had no one else that could be capable of combat at this current moment.
"No need to look so gloom, I'll beat it up nice and easy, alright?" Himeko then said reassuringly as she lifted the blue vial she was holding.
"I'll bring the girl home," Himeko said with determination.
"...You might want to make use of this then, so you don't end up breaking it," Einstein said as she took out a gadget from her pocket and gently took the vial from Himekos' hand before inserting the vial into the gadget.
"You won't get the chance to kiss the girl and feed the serum through her mouth, just stab her with that thing and it'll inject it into her," Einstein explained.
"I see, thanks a bunch," Himeko said with lighthearted laughter as she waved to the scientist and left towards the elevator.
Einstein looked at her back which was growing smaller in the distance with a sense of sorrow as she turned her gaze to the ground. "Godspeed." She muttered weakly as the red-haired warrior left for the elevator to confront the Honkai Beast.
The Hyperion was completely unaware of the pair of green eyes that were watching them meticulously from afar.
"I'll open up a path once the time comes." A childish voice spoke to him.
"You seem distracted." Void Archives said in his mind.
"The both of you, shut up. My mind can't deal with both of your bullshits." Otto scolded the two of them with an annoyed expression.
"Both? there's only me here." Void Archives replied.
Otto paused for a moment as confusion flashed across his eyes.
"So... you can't hear this other kid in my head?" Otto asked.
"You might be going insane." Void Archives mocked jokingly with a cackle.
"I can't talk to you all the time, my influence over the world's causality is limited."The other voice replied.
"So who the hell are you?" Otto asked with a confused tone.
"Can't tell you, I'm way more restricted than you are... but let's leave it that I am someone who came along with you to this world." The child replied.
"How come Void Archives can't interact with you?" Otto asked.
"Because it isn't Otto Apocalypse." The child simply retorted.
"That doesn't make any sense." Otto retorted with a skeptical tone.
"It will in the future... just remember, I am your ally no matter what situation you find yourself in." The childish voice reassured and became silent afterwards.
Otto was brought back to reality after the short talk as he watched the dragon-like Honkai Beast be sent reeling by the red-haired warrior. At this point, he was still doubting his decision.
"So you're going to play hero now? how funny, or is it some kind of elaborate scheme?" Void Archives questioned.
"Just speak when I need you, the other time, just shut up." Otto snapped as he forcibly silenced the First Divine Key.
He then detected a spike of Honkai energy and saw that the red-haired warrior disappeared... with a slight bit of hesitation, after thinking it all over again to make sure this would not be a mistake. He stepped forward.
"Do what you were going to do." He said to no one but the sky before him.
In the next moment, a portal to the void opened up and Otto walked through. He was immediately greeted by an infinite void space where the colour of dark purple stretched in every direction. The only ground he could walk on was floating smooth rocks that had an alien texture and feel to them like lunar rocks.
Otto walked carefully and cautiously towards the edge of the platform as he saw the only thing living in this desolate space devoid of anything let alone life. The red-haired warrior clashed with the Herrscher, flames ablaze, greatsword swung and clashed against the subspace lances.
Otto had no intention to reveal himself... Unless it got to the point where Murata Himeko would lose without being able to make Kiana Kaslana retake her body, he would let history play out the same way... only with a slight tweak.
"You have the card ready?" Otto asked as he stretched his arms and prepared for the miracle hour.
"Right, I have the miracle ready." The child replied.
Otto nodded in affirmation and crossed his arms, waiting for the fight to play out when suddenly. The sound of footsteps approached from behind him.
"There shouldn't be anyone else here?" Otto questioned as he turned around in the direction where the noise derived from. He was met with the sight of an approaching black humanoid, shrouded in a black fog, there was a prominent red marking engraved throughout its figure and a glowing pair of red eyes that glared at him.
"Trying to play hero?" The voice mocked in a cold and condescending tone as it walked towards him.
"What...?" Otto asked as he examined the figure, he noticed an ominous and powerful aura emanated from it, the aura of a destroyer, of a foul beast.
The entity stood before him with a glare.
"You think you're some kind of messiah?" The voice asked with a tone of mockery.
"Void Archives!" Otto yelled as the Cleaver of Shamash materialized into his arms and he blocked the incoming strike of the strange entity.
Otto pushed back the strike as he could feel the creature try to punch through Shamash, it took a lot of his strength just to block the attack sent at him, but before he could make another move, the creature grabbed his arm and threw him to the ground sending him rolling across the floor of the Void space.
"Tell me Otto Apocalypse, what makes you different from back then?" The entity asked.
"Heh... you have no idea what I even am." Otto chuckled as he slowly got up from the floor and glared back at the figure as the Abyss Flower materialized into his hand. He had no idea what this thing was, but it was so bold, arrogant and confident as if it know him more than anyone else.
The entity halted before him as silence overtook them for a brief moment.
"No. I know everything there is to know about you. You and that disgusting obsession of yours." the entity retorted as it dashed towards Otto and threw a roundhouse kick toward his head.
Otto managed to barely block the strike with his arms as he felt the force of the entity's strike crush through his metallic hand and, its strength was undeniable, it was a Judgement class or a pseudo-Herrscher.
"More criticism? I do not need your approval. I need no one's approval." Otto retorted as he pushed the entity back. He had pursued this journey for five centuries, in both lives. He never heeded anyone's criticism nor needed anyone's pity or care. He did it because it was what he wanted to do.
The creature kicked at Otto's calf, making him lose his balance
"So then why are you trying to help this one? You know it won't benefit you in any way." The entity asked with a tone dripping with skepticism as it launched a fist toward his face.
Otto dodges the fist by an inch. Gritting his teeth, Otto retaliates with a strike of his fist toward the entity's head.
"I have the power to spare," Otto replied as the entity caught his fist with its palm and held it in place.
The creature then looked over towards Otto slowly with a look mixed with slight disbelief and hatred.
"Are you trying to play nice now? why didn't you do that sixteen years ago? or maybe sixty years ago in New York?" The entity asked as it inched its face closer to Otto and glared at him in his eyes.
"I did not have any other choice-" Otto tried to answer but was immediately cut off.
"No, you had a choice, even now you still have a choice, yet you will still deny everything to pursue that one thin, narrow path that only goes one way forward." The entity snapped angrily as it punched Otto in the abdomen, making him choke before sending him reeling away with a fist to the face.
Otto struggled to stand up after the brutal hit from the entity, supporting his weak leg, he weakly stood up after a few moments of struggling.
"Just what are you fighting for, Otto Apocalypse?" The entity asked as it planted a seed of doubt in the man's heart. He was still adamant about his idea, but its words slowly infected him as he began to see from a new perspective.
Otto stood upright weakly as he stared down the black figure with one eye.
"Do I need to spell it out for your little brain to comprehend? My motive has always been one and only. If I could live another hundred of million lives, I'd die the exact same way in each and every one of them." Otto retorted with determination and fury as he held his guard up and prepared for a fight.
"Yet what you do now, contradicts that very oath." The entity replied as it rushed towards Otto and kicked him across the temple.
Otto weakly punched his fist against the cold ground of the void space and lifted his face to look at the entity before him.
"I just thought it could be better... I wanted it to be just... a bit better" He spoke with hesitation in his tone as he wasn't entirely comfortable with being the hero... after all, he had a sense of dignity to protect. To hurt these people and then turn back and care for them would damage both his and their dignity as human beings.
"You will one day regret this choice... They will stop you, and that is when you will realize that you should have hated them since long ago." The entity warned as it kneeled to his level.
"Heh... no one can stop me... not even myself." Otto snickered with a mocking and scornful smirk, he had this conversation sixty years ago against the hallucination of Kallen when he was on death's door against Anti-Entropy.
"I truly doubt that." The entity replied solemnly as it stood up and looked down at him from above.
"Otto Apocalypse, my destined nemesis. As long as you continue to believe in the Holy Maid, I will forever oppose you." The entity declared its intentions with a tone filled with resentment and hatred.
"You.. know Kallen?" Otto asked with a curious tone, he wondered what kind of being this is to have so much hatred for Kallen.
"I hate her, with all my being." The entity replied.
Otto took a moment to process what the creature just replied to as he began to chuckle insanely like Fu Hua earlier. Never once did he think he could oppose something again this much.
"I did not think someone else could play the villain better than me... I will kill you." Otto snarled with anger and contempt for the existence before him as he slowly stood up, the Cleaver of Shamash manifested into his arms once again.
"Then we will see... the next time we meet, I will face you with my true form... and bury you and all you love into the abyss... after that... I will kill Kallen Kaslana." The entity then returned his threat with an equal amount of hostility as its form started to crack and fade away like sand.
Otto froze for a brief moment as his face scowled in confusion, Shamash dissipated as he slowly limped back towards the edge of the platform.
"The hell was that?" Otto thought to himself
"You're in some deep shit." Void Archives replied.
"Kid, are you still there?" Otto questioned as he held his head in one hand and looked over the platform. The battle between the Herrscher and Murata Himeko seemed to have come to an end as well. Thankfully, it looked like they weren't disturbed and the events played out the same way they did in the past.
Otto walked over the edge and hopped down onto the main stage after the curtains had been dropped, he slowly walked over to the figure of the dying red-haired woman and kneeled beside her.
"No miracles for her now, I have nothing." Void Archives replied.
"But it seems you have something." It added.
Otto nodded and placed his right hand on the back of the red-haired woman's head and closed his eyes.
"I got it, I got it." The childish voice spoke as the engraving on the back of his palm glowed up in a golden light colour, the streaks of the Honkai infection on the red-haired woman slowly receded into her body as the cold, blue skin of her dying body slowly regained its warmth and turned back into a pink hue.
Otto sighed in relief and exasperation, as well as exhaustion and shock at what he had just done, He knows there was going to be a big mess to cover up. Of which he had mostly already accounted for. Was it worth it? was his only question.
He didn't gain anything from this, perhaps even more losses...
"Well... I suppose sometimes I dote on her too much..." Otto chuckled as he gave up on the useless conflicting emotions in his heart and picked up the red-haired woman before throwing her into a Void portal.
"She should feel better in this world..." Otto then added as he turned away from the figure falling behind him, unaware that the red-haired woman caught a blurry glimpse of his back as she briefly woke up before returning to the land of unconsciousness as she fell through the void and back into reality.
In the infinite library, the figure of a child could be seen sitting on a couch reading a fairly large book with a smile plastered on his face. He seemed satisfied and content. "Mhm... this is for the better... right? My dearest friend?" he asked with a kind and warm tone as he looked over to his desk where portraits of Kallen, Otto, Sushang, Fu Hua, and various other people were present.
"Hmm... but Second-born, he's so cold... I wonder if there's a way to talk to him..." The kid then pondered with a troubled look as he leaned back against the couch with an exasperated sigh and rocked his head around playfully.
A/N: And another one done, again half of the chapter was mostly copied and pasted material from the game, but I finally was able to explore the new characters and influences surrounding the world.
It seems things will become complicated from now on.
You may have also noticed the trend of the child always appearing at the end of the chapter. It feels repetitive that I keep using him to set up hooks, but he is there for a reason other than just being a reviewer of the chapter.
He will make frequent cameos and will one day finally appear properly in the story, but for now, he will keep bothering everyone at the end of the chapter with mysterious talk and vague descriptions. Of course, this won't happen in every chapter, but mostly in these earlier chapters where I have to set up stuff for the future plot.
ps: I can kinda see why my friend said my transition between sentences is poor. The entire interaction between the entity and Otto felt rushed, I might rewrite it at a later date.
ps 2: fixed some stuff, should be more coherent now, I'm learning
