Darkness. That was all the young man could see. He could hear nothing, smell nothing, taste nothing. He could feel nothing but pain. It was like he had been hit by a train, and these were his last conscious thoughts and feelings before he inevitably passed on to the other side. But even worse than the physical pain was the horrid scorching sensation that spread across his entire nervous system, a sensation akin to being burned alive at a stake. It was the kind of horrific pain that Shido wished not even on the worst people on earth.

…

…

…

Burning?

With what strength he had left, Shido forced his eyes open. The first thing he saw was his hand, alight with a blue flame. And yet, it did not burn. Or rather, everywhere the flames touched was restored to a pristine state. A familiar sensation, Shido realized, one that he thought he would never feel again, painful as it may be. His eyes widened at the realization.

Camael.

Shido looked down to see that it was more than just his hand that was set aflame. The flames were slower than they once were… yet, at the same time, the flames slowly grew in speed, burning faster and faster as they burned away his wounds. The next thing he took notice of was his strained breathing, alongside an equally awful pain in his chest. He turned his eyes downwards to see a long, sharp piece of wood impaled through his windpipe. Well… that would explain it. Tentatively, he grabbed onto the wood and pulled, yanking out the branch in a quick but painful movement. It hurt like hell for the few moments it took Camael to patch it back up, but in time, Shido found himself breathing steady once more.

With that, the young man gladly filled his lungs with cold, fresh air, just happy to be alive at that point. With a groan, Shido tried to recall what had happened. He and Ana had found the Honkai beast. Ana called it an Emperor, whatever that meant. Then, they tried to sneak away when Shido screwed up and stepped on a branch, alerting it to their presence. After that, he remembered running up until he heard the crack of lightning, before waking up here.

It wasn't hard to guess that that encounter had gone about as terribly as it could have. But at the moment, that wasn't what preoccupied his mind.

How… is this possible…? Shido thought, his eyes hypnotized by the dazzling flames. Mio is gone… I shouldn't… but… this doesn't— Shido's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a distant boom… This isn't the time. He forced himself to his feet, his body more or less back in shape. That boom could only mean one thing: Ana was fighting the Honkai beast.

He didn't know how much time had passed since he was knocked out. He had even less of an idea of how he had the Spirit's powers back. But right now…

Right now, it meant that he was no longer a burden. But first, he had to make sure of one thing. He reached out his hand into the empty air as if taking hold of something that wasn't there. He closed his eyes and pictured the familiar weapon in his mind. It had been so long… but it felt like it was only yesterday when he last called upon that blade. At that moment, he felt his whole body begin to resonate as he shouted out with all of his might:

"Sandalphon!"

He felt the comforting feeling of its hilt form in his hand. He smiled the brightest smile he had in a long time as he opened his eyes to see the beautiful broadsword within his grip, like seeing an old friend for the first time in years.

It worked… It worked! Hell yeah! Though his body was still in pain, he hardly paid it any mind as he gave the blade a few swings. Its weight was almost comforting as the boy laughed aloud with pure excitement. His feeling of exhilaration did not last long as the distant sound of lightning boomed once more in the distance. His grip on the blade's hilt tightened. Now was not the time for mirth. Sandalphon and Camael were back under his command. Do I have all of them back? Guess there's only one way to find out.

He needed to move quickly. What better angel for speed than Raphael? Like Sandalphon before it, Shido pictured the Angel in mind and called upon its power. The familiar feeling of the wind surged around his body, leaving him feeling lighter than a feather. He kicked off the ground in an explosion of snow and dirt, letting the Angel's winds carry him forward faster than any normal human could run. Faster and faster he raced in the direction of the boom, desperately hoping that he could make it in time.

He arrived at the battlefield just in time. There in the clearing stood Ana Schariac, beaten and bloodied as she wielded what was left of her rifle in her hands. On the other end of the clearing stood a monstrous beast almost three times her size, the air around it crackling with static electricity as it prepared to charge her. The massive behemoth roared so loud that Shido thought his eardrums might burst from the noise alone before it charged forward at Ana in a terrifying display of might.

Without thinking, Shido's hands moved for him, swinging Sandalphon down with every fiber of strength in his body. A huge wave of energy surged forth from the glowing broadsword, ripping through the air with tremendous force in the beast's direction. Just as the creature was about to barrel through Ana, Shido's attack hit, exploding in a powerful wave of force. The beast was thrown to the ground, careening through the snow while Ana herself was knocked to the ground, caught off guard by the explosion.

He wasted no time dashing forward to Ana's side with another burst of speed. The girl stared up at him in shock as he grabbed her shoulder, his eyes filled with concern as he met her gaze with his own.

"Ana, are you ok!?" Shido exclaimed, keeping a cautious eye on the minotaur as he assessed Ana's condition. Though it had taken a direct hit from Sandalphon, the monster was already standing to its feet. Shido's grip on the blade tightened even further, his knuckles going white.

"S-Shido…?" Ana muttered, her voice hoarse. "I thought… you…"

"I'll explain later! For now, you need to get out of here!"

"…W-What…?"

"On your feet! I'll keep that thing busy. Go get Elise, or hell, Durandal!"

"But you—"

"I'll be fine, Ana!" Shido promised, placing a hand on her cheek and looking her in the eyes. A moment later, he smiled. "Trust me. Before, I needed you to protect me. Before, I was just a handicap for you. But right now…" Shido lifted Sandalphon. "Right now, I can fight too. I don't know if I can win, but I do know that I can buy you time to get away if nothing else. Go, Ana. I promise I won't die. So please…"

Ana stared at him silently, her lips quivering as she was on the verge of tears. But just as she was about to speak, a mighty roar shook the earth as the minotaur finished standing. The sky howled beside it, an orchestra of thunder and lightning illuminating the sky as the minotaur turned its fierce gaze upon Shido and Ana. Shido shot to his feet, his own eyes shining with a look just as fierce.

"Ana… go!" Shido commanded, imbuing his voice with the power of Gabriel. The Valkyrie's eyes glazed over, and she stood to her feet as the pain wracking her body dulled. Without a word, she started limping, slowly breaking off into a jog in the opposite direction. I'll have to apologize later… Shido thought as he turned to face the minotaur. "You know, a sneak attack is a pretty dirty move," he called out to the monster as it fell to all fours, preparing to charge yet again. "I'd say I'm sorry, but I haven't paid you back in full for earlier!"

The minotaur bellowed its furious response as it stormed forward, electricity wreathing its body as it aimed its wicked horns straight at Shido. For a moment, Shido faltered at the sight of the massive goliath before him. He steeled his nerves a moment later and shouted back, once more unleashing the power of Gabriel to strengthen himself while he swung Sandalphon with all of his might. Another wave of energy launched forward, meeting the minotaur halfway in another great explosion that forced the beast to stumble once more. But this time, it was ready for the hit. It recovered quickly and tore through the cloud of smoke and heat, dead set on Shido as the young man's eyes widened in shock.

He just barely managed to dodge the charge as the minotaur followed up with a wild punch. Shido lifted Sandalphon's blade as fast as he could to deflect the strike. Despite this, the power behind the minotaur's fist sent Shido flying through the air, pain shooting through his body. He just managed to land on his feet, but the minotaur was far from finished. Its attacks were relentless… and yet, it was not fear Shido felt as the real battle began.

He deflected the first strike with his blade, then the beast threw a second. Shido deflected that with a cry from Gabriel, but the beast followed up with a kick. Gritting his teeth, Shido stomped the ground hard to create a wall of ice that froze the minotaur's leg in place, before following up with another slash from Sandalphon that cut through the minotaur's barrier like air. The blade gouged out a chunk of the minotaur's silicon hide… but Shido didn't come out unscathed as a current of electricity ran through the glowing blade. He cried out in pain while the minotaur stumbled back from his attack, breaking its leg free from the block of ice with a grunt.

Shido felt an intense tingling surging through his body as he backstepped. Although Camael's flames were already working on repairing the damage dealt by the jolt, the young man could feel his body twitching and spasming in short but unpredictable bursts. Strangely enough, the minotaur didn't pursue him despite this.

Shido watched cautiously as the minotaur grasped at the damaged part of its body, almost as if it was in shock at the fact that it received damage. That moment of inspection did not last long, however, as the minotaur unleashed its rage with another mighty bellow now directed at the sky above. It was doing something, and Shido was not keen on finding out what, as the electricity around its horns sparked and crackled with growing intensity.

"Metatron!" Shido exclaimed, eight feathers forming behind him, their tips glowing with a bright white light aimed directly at the minotaur. Though he wasn't used to commanding Origami's Angel, Shido brought it forth nonetheless as he commanded it to fire its salvo upon the minotaur without hesitation. But it did not falter no matter how much damage the Angel dealt.

Lightning crashed down upon the bull in a constant flow of electricity, its hulking form overloading with sheer power from the endless current. Shido looked away to shield his eyes from the blinding flash of light. When he looked back, it felt like the minotaur had grown even bigger than before, its horns elongating and glowing with a wicked light. In the sky, lightning flashed and crackled, striking far too close for Shido's comfort as the sky grew darker. The minotaur turned from the sky back to Shido. The sheer pressure the beast exuded at that point nearly made him wretch on the spot. At that moment, Shido understood.

The real fight began now, and the beast was angry. Shido bared his blade, challenging the monster before him. This time, there was no roar as the minotaur accepted his challenge.

When Ana finally regained her senses, she found herself running in a part of the forest she was unfamiliar with. She slid to a halt, her eyes wide with confusion as she scanned the area. She had just been with Shido a few moments ago. How… where was she!? She was still holding her shattered rifle in her hands, the bayonet blade still sharp and ready.

"Shido…" Ana muttered. "Shido!" It all came flooding back in a moment. She had been about to refuse his command to flee when her senses had dulled. She had started running before she had even realized it. "Damn it… damn it!" She screamed, collapsing to her knees.

She told herself she'd never run again, and yet here she had fled, abandoning Shido to his fate. Tears flowed from her eyes like a river, as Ana slammed her fist against the ground. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!" It was the same. Nothing had changed since Manilla. Down to her core, she was a coward, a mark forever branded upon her soul. No matter how she tried, it seemed she could never change. A deserter to the very end.

No matter how much it hurt, she always abandoned the people she cared for. Snow Lotus Squad, Tianwu, and now… Now even Shido, who she already had thought dead. It was an endless cycle. She was sick of it, sick of herself, sick of everything.

For a moment, everything was silent. For a moment, the depressive thoughts hanging over Ana's head ceased. The last words Shido had told her rung in the back of her mind. What… am I doing…? She looked at her hands, the gloves covering them burnt and torn to shreds. Is this really… the best I can do? The sound of thunder garnered her attention, lightning flashing in the sky above. Ana stared up for a long, silent moment as if enraptured by the dark clouds.

She clenched her fists tightly, nearly drawing blood. If there was even a chance that Shido was able to hold out against the Emperor-class, then she couldn't waste time moping here. But, at the same time… She looked around as she stood to her feet. Her comms device had been long fried after her battle with the Emperor-class. She had no way of finding Elise, Durandal, or any other Valkyries in her current situation. A thought occurred to her, and she reached down to her side. Maybe, just maybe…

It wasn't broken. One of the few pieces of equipment that she had left that hadn't been completely trashed by the minotaur's assault. It was nothing fancy, a mere flare gun. It had seemed so unimportant at the time she had grabbed it from her equipment locker. Her eyes set alight with a grim determination as she loaded the first flare into the launcher.

The burning beacon of light shot up through the gaps of the forest's canopy, a symbol of Ana's determination amongst the dark clouds that could be seen for miles. And then, a second, a third and a fourth as Ana shot up every single flare she had left in a desperate attempt to call for aid. With the fifth flare fired, she was out of ammunition. Now, she could only wait for help to arrive.

…

…

She turned away from the flares, their light burning up the sky even amidst the thunder and wind. She had noticed something. Her footsteps were still clearly visible in the snow, leading back the way she had come. She looked back up at the flares, and back to the tracks. Without hesitation, Ana began running back in the direction she had come.

Shido… don't you dare die!

It was taking more than everything Shido had to endure the monster's ferocious assault, the beast reserving a seemingly endless supply of stamina as it threw out attack after attack. He was working Raphael overtime just to be able to keep up with the minotaur's mind-boggling speed, and even then, the beast was relentless. Shido understood how he had been taken by surprise earlier. The minotaur was capable of quite literally teleporting in a bolt of lightning, far surpassing whatever speed he could manage with Raphael whenever it warped. Every attack was now imbued with electric might, arcs of static energy constantly surging wherever the minotaur went. Lightning crashed down from the sky like rain, decimating everything in the surrounding area.

But that wasn't to say Shido's situation was completely hopeless. As sturdy as the electric barrier surrounding the beast was, Sandalphon and Metatron were capable of piercing it with ease. However, the beast was as durable as it was stubborn, taking every hit he could throw out like a walking tank. Both he and the minotaur had taken heavy damage throughout their battle, each of them beaten and worn down as their conflict drew on. They were equal in terms of strength, thanks to the Spirit Power flowing through Shido's veins… but even so, things were not looking good.

The minotaur had taken a far worse beating than Shido had, its body covered in smoking holes and deep gouges from Metatron and Sandalphon respectively. Meanwhile, Shido had only taken a few hits in return, when Raphael's speed had just not been enough to avoid the minotaur's attacks. Yet, he could still feel pain in all the places he had been hit even despite Gabriel working overtime to suppress the pain. His spasms from the tingling charge in his body were growing worse. He wasn't sure how much more electricity his body could take.

Strangely, this level of damage wouldn't have been an issue in the past. It was as if his body was still readjusting to the Angels at his command. However, Shido had no time to dwell on such thoughts as the minotaur warped forward once more. To say the beast's stubbornness was frustrating was an understatement.

He needed a way to keep it down for good. But what?

His thoughts turned Michael. Without a doubt, it was one of his strongest Angels. But as he dodged a strike and deflected another, Shido wasn't sure if he'd get the opportunity to unleash the weapon, the same as Camael. Gabriel was unable to subdue the minotaur, Shido had already tested that. Raphael could blow it away, but that also clearly did little more than stall the monstrosity, as it always came back swinging. Zafkiel had too many drawbacks, Zadkiel wasn't strong enough, and Haniel and Rasiel weren't responding to his call. And finally, his inexperience with Metatron meant that the Angel in question could only do so much.

In other words, his only choice was Sandalphon. It was almost fitting, Shido couldn't help but think. The faithful blade that had served him for so long was his last hope. But still, he needed time which he did not have. If only he could—

The minotaur warped once more, disappearing. Shido spun around, expecting to see the beast behind him like it had done multiple times before. But it wasn't there. Immediately, Shido started scanning the area, desperately searching everywhere he could to try and find it. But no matter how hard he looked, he found no trace of the monster. It was as if it had vanished off the face of the earth entirely, gone as quickly as it had come. For a moment, Shido panicked. Did it decide to give up on him and chase after Ana?

His instincts told him otherwise. He kept up his guard, holding Sandalphon defensively as his eyes darted back and forth in search of any sign of the minotaur. He felt naked standing alone in the clearing, struggling to control his nerves as he awaited his opponent's next move. He could feel the minotaur's overbearing presence close by, its hateful glare watching his every movement. He hated that feeling.

Every second that passed only served to strengthen the feeling. Where was it!? How does something that big hide so well!? How could—

Shido heard the faint, familiar sound of electricity crackling. Shido raised Sandalphon just in time to see a massive surge of electricity shooting forth from a huge distance away, barely blocking the massive current with the Angel. It did little to protect him as the current surged through the blade and into Shido, frying his nerves on the spot as he cried out in pure agony. Paralyzed, there was nothing Shido could do as the minotaur warped out from its hiding place with a sure placed haymaker, a sickening crunch resounding as the blow sent Shido flying.

He bounced across the ground a few times before coming to a stop further down the clearing, hacking up blood as he felt his broken ribs puncture his lungs. The power behind that attack had been so great that Shido had nearly lost consciousness then and there. Even still, he barely managed to cling onto what threads remained of cognizance.

But the Honkai beast had no intention of making it easy for him. It warped forward once more, closing the distance Shido had flown in less than a second as it threw another static-powered punch. He was slammed into the ground by the strength of the blow, coughing out another mouthful of blood. The beast towered over him, death in its eyes as it started throwing punch after punch, continuously slamming Shido into the ground as if it intended to beat the regeneration out of him. As much pain as he was in, Shido did what he could to defend against the blows, dampening the pain across his body with Gabriel and using a layer of ice with Zadkiel to absorb the blows, but his meager defense could only do so much as the minotaur wailed on him.

In time, the minotaur pulled away, its fists dripping with Shido's blood as the young man lay there broken on the ground. A hot blast of steam blasted out from the beast's neck as it turned upwards towards the sky. It was like the beast was frustrated at Shido's continuous survival. Shido's vision was tinted red as he looked up at the minotaur from below, his head throbbing with a monstrous headache.

Without warning, a huge bolt of lightning struck the beast. Again and again, the minotaur was struck with lightning bolts of equal power, their electric charge surging and flowing through the beast's hulking form. Shido could feel the air around him beginning to burn from the sheer electrical energy that began to resonate within the minotaur's hide, the smell of ozone growing stronger and stronger in the air around them. Fear snaked into Shido's heart as he had a chilling realization.

He was about to die.

Desperately, Shido tried to force his broken body to move. Camael was healing him as fast as it could, realigning his broken bones and repairing his torn flesh, but it still wasn't fast enough. His arms trembled as he tried to push himself to his feet, only to collapse as a terrible pain shot through his still fractured limbs. The minotaur stood tall and uncaring, its lifeless eyes not even bothering to look down at the broken young man. His heart began to pound loudly in his chest, growing louder with every second. His distressed panting only grew more haggard, terror's cruel grip tightening with every moment that passed. Tears began to roll down Shido's face as the electric hum of the minotaur's horns grew louder with every second.

Get up… get up, dammit! Shido shouted at himself, his teeth grinding against each other as he exerted everything he had to try and move. Get up! Get up… please! Memories of Kotori flashed through his mind, his cute little sister smiling with her characteristic lollipop sticking from her mouth. His parents, who gave him their love and affection in abundance when he was abandoned at birth. Then, of Tohka, her eyes hopeful and a bright smile on her face. Origami, and her quiet smile. Kaguya, Yuzuru. Yoshino and Yoshinon. Nia and Mukuro, Natsumi and Miku. And finally, Kurumi. If he couldn't stand here… if he died here…

Do you want to live?

It was hardly more than a murmur in the back of his mind. It was like time slowed down to a halt at that very moment as it continued speaking.

Shido Itsuka… do you wish to live?

A soft whisper graced his ears. A pleasant hum that was strangely familiar, as hazy as his memory was. Shido recognized that voice, he realized.

It was the voice of—

He saw the flash of the blade first and foremost, the bayonet's flash pulling Shido back to reality as it struck the minotaur. With its barrier deactivated to charge up its attack, the minotaur was defenseless as Ana's weapon sank deep into the beast's silicon hide. Shido's eyes widened in realization as his gaze met Ana's own. They held each other's eyes for only a moment, and yet it felt like an eternity.

Ana smiled at Shido. He didn't even have time to cry out.

All the energy built up with the minotaur was forcefully discharged in response to Ana's attack. Her scream chilled Shido to the bone as an immense current of electricity surged into her body and through the surrounding area. The bull bellowed its own furious cry, drowning out the sound of Ana's screams as it tore her off its shoulder. Shido's eyes widened in horror at the sickening crunch that filled his ears as the minotaur slammed Ana into the ground with all of its might. Like tossing away a broken toy, the minotaur turned and hurled Ana's now limp body further down the clearing, her body hitting the ground hard and tumbling through the snow.

For a moment, Shido felt his body stricken with horror. Another moment…

…And horror turned to a burning hot rage, his entire body blazing with the emotion hotter than even the flames of Camael itself.

The minotaur stumbled and grasped at the bayonet still sticking out of the side of its neck. Once more, victory had been stolen out from its prideful grasp. Once more, these humans had denied it its prize. The minotaur set its eyes on Ana. That one had returned. It would not let her return again. The minotaur stepped forward with a heavy step, with Shido all but forgotten.

Thus the beast was unprepared for Sandalphon to strike it from behind, leaving a massive slash on the beast's back a few inches deep. Before it could even react, Shido was in front of it, faster than ever before. His mind overcome with wrath and fury, Shido's hands shot forward and took hold of the minotaur's wicked horns. Electricity surged through his body, but the young man didn't even notice as he raised his knee with all his Spirit Power enhanced might.

The clearing was filled with a sound akin to a gunshot as the minotaur's horns were torn from its head.

The beast was thrown back from the force of Shido's attack, stumbling back as it grasped at its head. Electricity exploded forth from the jagged stumps of its horns as the bull cried out, not in fury, but in pain. It tore both into the area surrounding the monstrosity alongside the beast itself as it floundered about, barely able to stay standing as it bellowed out in distress. However, not a single one of these destructive arcs ever neared Shido as the young man glared at the minotaur with a hateful glare. For a moment, the beast tried to match his gaze with its own. The two stood opposite for that singular moment, the world around them unmoving as their wills clashed.

But a moment was just that. The minotaur could no longer match Shido's rage as another surge of electricity tore through its shoulder. Shido didn't say a word as he called forth Sandalphon once more. Before he had even realized it, the blade had grown in length to a size that all but dwarfed Shido in size. It seemed the blade had responded on its own to his desire. All of Shido's hatred and rage swelled to a climax as he roared the blade's new name:

"Halvanhelev!"

He brought the blade down with every fiber of his strength upon the minotaur. The minotaur bellowed back in a challenge, but its cry was pitiful and drowned out by Shido's own. Halvanhelev split through the minotaur's shoulder like a hot knife through butter, sinking through the silicon hide all the way down to the monster's waist. Energy surged through the massive blade, unleashing it all into a massive explosion that shook the entire forest with its might. The explosion's crest rose high into the sky, a blast so bright and so powerful that it was visible from even Babylon II.

By the time its light had finally faded, Shido was the only one left standing, panting heavily. Alone he stood, gazing down at the fallen Honkai beast, the light in its eyes dim, its horns still crackling with leftover electricity. Shido did not spend even a moment to savor his victory, however. There were more important matters to attend to. Shido turned towards Ana, her body still in the spot where the minotaur had thrown her. The young man didn't waste a moment before he sprinted forward, crossing the distance in less than a second.

Shido's face paled at the sight of her. Her right arm was broken, the white bone underneath sticking out from her flesh. Her face was covered with blood, some dry, some flowing, her hair matted down with the crimson fluid. Her breathing was haggard and strained, hardly able to keep a consistent pattern. Worst of all, her body was covered in electrical burns from head to toe, emitting a wretched smell that nearly made Shido vomit on the spot. He steeled his gut as his mind went into overdrive.

He called upon the power of Gabriel first, to dull her pain as much as he could, his gentle voice flowing over her body with the Angel's song. Next, he needed Haniel. But… Natsumi's Angel hadn't responded to him earlier. Whether it was because his body was still growing readjusted or because of something worse, he didn't know. But right now, he needed its power now if there was to be any hope for Ana's survival. He shut his eyes tight and called upon the power of the broom, desperately hoping it would answer his call.

A familiar staff appeared in his hand. Relief flooded through his body, but he had little time to relish in the feeling as he put the Angel to work. The wound's covering Ana's body disappeared from sight. However, it was only a superficial solution. The transformation would not last forever, nor did it account for internal damage. The girl needed medical attention, and fast at that.

Just as Shido tried to pick the girl up from the ground, however, he was struck with a sense of exhaustion. His adrenaline rush was wearing off, and the wear and tear from the battle finally began to hit him. He frantically tried to force his eyes to stay open, his teeth loudly grinding against each other from how tightly he clenched his teeth.

No… no! Don't… don't you dare pass out now…! He told himself. He tried once more to lift Ana off the ground, fighting the exhaustion as he stood to his feet. Just as Shido took the first step, a group of figures emerged from a distance away, too far for Shido to identify them from where he was. But as he took another step towards them, he was hit with a feeling of vertigo. His vision turned black as he collapsed to the ground, unable to stay conscious for even a moment longer.

"Shido! Ana!" Elise called out, sliding to a stop beside the collapsed pair. She didn't waste a moment as she checked first Ana's pulse, then Shido's, before turning to one of the Valkyries on standby. "Get them stabilized! Shido's fine, focus on Ana first! You, alert Babylon II that we have injured in need of emergency treatment. "

"Yes, ma'am!" A Valkyrie with a red cross on her uniform moved to Ana's side and quickly got to work.

"You four: set a—" Elise stopped mid-sentence as her eyes fell upon the fallen body of the minotaur, grey smoke rising from its charred corpse. "What the hell? Is that a damn Emperor-class!?" She shook her head. That was a matter for later. Right now, Shido and Ana needed their full attention. "Let's get these two back home as fast as we can. Are there any other squads nearby? Inform them about whatever the hell that is." Another Valkyrie pulled up her comms device as Elise commanded.

The sky rumbled. Elise paused, her instincts warning her of danger. She turned to face the fallen Honkai beast, her hand slowly reaching for the hilt of the hammer on her back. Her eyes widened as the beast began to move even despite its state. As it stood to its feet, Elise had to admit. If the thing didn't look like swiss cheese, even she'd be intimidated by its size and presence.

But as of that moment, the beast was only a shadow of its former self. Half of its body was limp and unresponsive, the Valkyrie captain noticed, thanks to the massive wound in its shoulder. Its arm was holding on by a thread, and its right leg was simply being dragged behind as it slowly began to approach them. As it grew closer, Elise took note of the broken horns jutting off the sides of its head.

Ana sure did a number on this thing. Elise thought, impressed. Must have been a helluva fight. Elise grinned as she readied her hammer. She was equally impressed by the beast's tenacity. Looking at it, it was more like a zombie at that point, and yet here it was ready to throw hands. She had to wonder just how much fight the beast had left in it.

Elise didn't need to say a word as her fellow Valkyries readied their own weapons. They all watched the beast as it limped towards them step by step, the light in its eyes flickering like a malfunctioning machine. At the rate it was moving, Elise wasn't even sure if the creature would make it to them before keeling over. She was almost disappointed: she'd have liked to fight the beast in its prime, but alas.

"Seems you roughed up the kids here, big fella." Elise called out to the minotaur. At that moment, she noticed something. The Honkai beast wasn't looking at her, nor was it interested in her Valkyries. Strangely, it seemed the beast had a strange focus on Shido. Intrigued, she raised an eyebrow as the beast drew ever closer. "Got an issue with little Shido here? Sorry, but I ain't giving up a cook like him any time soon… But if you still wanna play, we're more than happy to oblige—!"

Elise didn't get to finish as the minotaur disappeared. Or rather, it was better to say that the minotaur was swallowed up by an intense explosion that nearly sent the Valkyries present flying. A moment later, she landed on the ground with a thud, her beautiful blonde hair flowing as her blue eyes were filled with anger.

Durandal. And Elise had to say, she hadn't seen the blonde this pissed in quite some time. She didn't say a word as they waited for the smoke to fade. When the smoke finally did fade, Elise was certain that the minotaur wouldn't be standing ever again. A massive hole had been left in its chest, while the beast itself had been thrown dozens of yards away, left in the center of a massive crater. Durandal turned to Elise, her eyes filled with concern for Ana and Shido.

"What's their condition?" Durandal asked with a tense voice. Elise glanced at the medic, still kneeling over Shido and Ana.

"Bad." The medic replied. "Shido's not in life-threatening condition, but Ana needs emergency care immediately."

"Is she safe to move?" Durandal asked.

"… Yeah. But it'll be some time before transport arrives—" The medic's eyes widened as Durandal lifted both Ana and Shido onto her shoulders before taking off into the sky without another word. In but a moment, all that could be seen of the Valkyrie was a faint blue trail speeding off in the direction of Babylon II.

"…Been a while since I've seen her that pissed." Elise commented after a moment.

"…God, she's so cool." Spoke the medic, earning a hearty chuckle from the captain.

"Right!?" Spoke another of the Valkyries.

"I'm jealous…" Spoke a third.

"…R-Really…?" Spoke the Valkyrie on the comms device.

"Cut the chatter." Elise cut them off with a playful tone. She set her eyes upon the corpse of the minotaur, her expression a mix between intrigue and disappointment. "Well, would you look at that? Its body hasn't vanished, yet. Alright, girls. We're gonna take it back to Babylon."

"What!? W-What if it's still alive!?"

"Guess we'll find out, won't we? Besides, even if it is, do you think it could put up a fight in that state? Now quit complaining and let's get to work."

As the Valkyries got to work under Elise's watchful eye, they failed to one small, particular detail.

A ray of light pierced the dark storm clouds above. Then another. And a third after that.

For the first time in months, the storm had been silenced.