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"At my usual four I could have run at full power for an hour, if I add on Sirin's four then that cuts down to half an hour, and now with your set…. I can only make fifteen minutes." Void mused as she looked at her unconscious accomplice.
The Herrscher of Flamescion had been bound with her cubes, held captive on the moon, with her powers taken by the victor of the previous fight. She had yet to regain consciousness but that was fine with her captor. The Herrscher of the Void was also recovering her strength while she pondered her next move.
She sincerely hoped Flamescion woke up soon. It was Taco Tuesday today and Void was going to be very unhappy if she had to miss spending time with her family on account of a random Herrscher showing up. They'd understand of course, but that didn't mean she wanted to miss out.
As it stood there were really only a few ways this could go when Flamescion work up. Either she explained herself or Shamash. If she was a threat Void would put her hundred feet under, but if not maybe she'd help her out, probably go and ask Paimon to look into it if the little gremlin wasn't busy stuffing her face.
"Who are you calling gremlin?" A stern voice commented.
Void on instinct drew Shamash and fired at the intruder. An enormous fireball lit up the area as the round was launched. However, the projectile didn't move more than two feet. It remained suspended in the air, glowing just the same before it started to move… backward. The fireball returned to Shamash's barrel before dissipating as Void removed her finger from the trigger.
The Herrscher blinked as she dismissed her weapon. A scowl formed on her face as she turned to face the newcomer, a woman, wearing an elegant and regal-looking white dress. If one looked closely there was a red star-like pattern could be seen on the inside of the gown. The woman's golden eyes met Void's own as she smirked at the Herrscher. In a flash of light, the woman transformed, leaving only a smug little fairy in her place.
"Well," Paimon questioned as she put her little hands on her hips.
"Just because you startled me, that doesn't mean what I said wasn't true." Void answered. Paimon stared at the Herrscher blankly. In a flash of light, the fairy was gone, with the woman replacing her once more. Void stared at them dead in the eyes. "Gremlin." The Herrscher smirked.
There was a brief pause between the two and then the lady in white started to chuckle as her form faded into the giggling Paimon. "You're getting bolder and bolder, Herrscher." Paimon giggled. "You weren't even shaking that time." She noted.
"You aren't that petty, even if you do act a little childish at times. You would've known regardless." Void explained. "But that's beside the point, can you explain our guest here?" She questioned as she gestured to the girl behind. "I found her roaming the moon. Do you have any idea who she is and where she came from?"
"You mean HoF. Yeah, I know her and her aus. She's from a timeline that is drastically different from yours." Paimon explained. "Usually if Flamescion exists it means the Herrscher of the Void is either evil, sealed, or dead, sometimes a mix. As for where and when she comes from…beats me." Paimon admitted.
"You don't know." Void repeated. "How do you not know? I thought you were some omnipotent deity."
"I am. I'm currently talking to you while keeping an eye on over a thousand other universes. I just can't tell who this one is because there are literally millions of realities where Flamescion exists. Some of them are very similar with only the most minor of details changed, while others are entire worlds apart. For example, some worlds are separated on the single fact that Kiana might have been lovers with Mei while others have them platonically as friends. Likewise, on the opposite end, you have worlds radically different. Worlds where the Honkai doesn't exist, and you and Kiana basically grow up as twins, with Kiana as a cop and you as a mafia boss, while Mei is the leader of a rival mafia who vacations as a coffee shop owner."
"Okay." Void deadpanned. "So you don't know because there are too many and you need to check which is the missing Kiana. Correct?" Void questioned.
"Yes."
"Why didn't you lead with that?"
"You didn't ask." Paimon deadpanned. The little fae heard a loud crack as Void's palm hit her face. It was very amusing.
"Paimon, is there a timeline where you aren't a little troll?" Void gritted her teeth.
Paimon seemed to ponder the question for a moment before responding. "Yes….but it's not this one. Hehe."
Void sighed. It was pointless getting into a fight with Paimon over every little detail. She turned back to the other Herrscher that had accompanied them. "So, what's the story of the Flamescion Herrschers?" Void questioned. "I'm aware that the Void Herrscher mantle is always meant to be the powers K423 in many AUs so where does Flamescion fit into this? Is she like, a special branch or something?"
"I think it's better if you asked herself. This is a matter between sisters after all." Paimon told her. "Welp I'm off, I've got a ton of timelines to search now to find Ms. Spicy Tuna's home," Paimon noted.
"Just like that. You aren't going to explain to her that she's in another timeline." Void commented.
"I have to check to find out how she got here and prevent any others from dropping in. The last thing I want is for you to have to deal with…" Paimon paused as if realizing something. Void looked at her curiously.
"Deal with what?" Void questioned.
"Nothing important," Paimon answered. "Just your typical multiverse shenanigans. Evil look-alikes and potential future kids." Paimon smiled cheekily.
"Now that's a joke. I sincerely doubt I become the maternal type." Void questioned.
"Eh, you never know. Cecilia was a practical soldier from birth and look how she ended up. Mother of five before she even turned thirty, with two of them as late teens/young adults." Paimon noted.
"When you say it like that it sounds so wrong." Void lamented.
"The alternative isn't better, but I digress. Toodles." Paimon said before vanishing in a burst of stars.
"Who the hell says Toodles anymore?" Void questioned before turning back to Flamescion. The Herrscher was still out cold even with the Gem of Serenity healing her. How troublesome.
"Welp if she isn't going to wake up on her own." Void grinned. She snapped her fingers as flame sparked on the tips of her nails.
When Kiana awoke, it was to the familiar scent of hot ramen. The food smelled delicious pulling her back to her reality. When was the last time she had eaten anyway? Perhaps she could ask whoever made it, for a bite. Surely, they wouldn't mind, she thought. Sure, they might not be as good as Mei's cooking, but it was still better than her own.
Mei….
She missed Mei.
But now was not the time for that, Kiana thought as she started to open her eyes….and then immediately saw that she was on fire.
"Gahhh." Kiana jumped up as she tried to pat the flames on her outfit. She was so astonished by the flames she didn't notice the portal open above her head, what she did notice though was the twenty gallons of seawater that soon dropped on her head.
The Kaslana girl coughed up water as she tried to get her bearings. Wait something was touching her. She jumped up screaming as an octopus fell on the floor before sinking into a Void portal. Wait a portal.
A familiar laughter rang through the room as Kiana saw she wasn't alone. Floating before her, laughing at her expense was none other than Herrscher self, Sirin, the Herrscher of the Void. Kiana tried to summon her sword. Nothing came.
"Looking for this." The Herrscher of the Void smirked as she held up the blade. "The victor gets the spoils." She teased. "But I digress, here." The Herrscher of the Void drew the blade back to Kaslana girl. Kiana caught it and immediately noticed the missing gems.
"Yeah…it's a bad idea to keep the objects that power you exposed on the outside." Void commented. "I always hold my secrets to my heart. Less chance of it being used against me."
"What do you want Sirin?" Kiana growled as she stared at the Herrscher.
"At least you're civil now." The hypocrite answered. "Tell me who you are and why you're here and be honest. If you lie, then things will only get worse for you, simple as that." The Herrscher explained.
"Is this some kind of joke?" Kiana questioned. "You know who I am, you know that better than anyone, or did you forget after I beat you back in the Theatre of Domination."
"Okay so first off, this is not a joke, I don't know who you are simply because this is our first time talking." The Herrscher explained. "This may sound crazy, but you are neither in your own world nor your own time now. This isn't the year 2017, we're actually close to 2000 and I'm not Sirin, not the one you know at least." The Herrscher explained.
"The year 2000….then that means." Kiana started piecing together some pieces of the puzzle.
"Yes…it's a few months or so after the Second Eruption." The Herrscher noted. "Now talk." She demanded.
"Hang on. How are you here then? How are we here then if we aren't supposed to exist?" Kiana questioned before jumping back. "Is this another one of your illusions?" She questioned.
"Yeah, I should have seen that one coming." The Herrscher grumbled. "But I won't answer until you explain who you are to me." She insisted. She wasn't going to open her mouth any more than she ought to.
"I am…Kiana Kaslana, the Herrscher of Flamescion and K series clone K 423." Kiana explained. "I used to be an aspiring S-rank Valkyrie but now I'm merely a Herrscher who seeks to defend humanity, from any threats, Honkai or otherwise. I'm a knight that protects those who can't protect themselves." Kiana told her other self.
"And what of the Herrscher of the Void in your world?" The Herrscher questioned.
"No. I explained who I was, now you." Flamescion demanded.
The Herrscher sighed. "Fine. I am Void Kaslana, daughter of Siegfied Kaslana, current wielder of the Shamash, Herrscher of the Void, and strongest of the K series clones, K-423." Void answered.
"Daughter of Siegfied," Kiana muttered. That was new, she pondered. The Herrscher of the Void was sentimental for only Bella and even then, she had her moments. Now Kiana was facing a version of HoV that not only cared for their father but would declare him first and foremost before her title. If there wasn't a doubt she was in an alternate world, there was definitely one now.
"That doesn't explain how you're here as well in 2000." Kiana pointed out.
"I was getting to that." Void grumbled. "I'm also a certified time traveler who carries out the will of the Pamonial Principles. You could even argue that as the strongest, I am the Sustainer of the Paimonial Principles."
"Okay." Kiana deadpanned. She had no idea what that meant beyond time travel with certain benefits. Void seemed to hear her thoughts. "What are the Paimonial Principles?"
"Right now, that doesn't matter. You just showed up randomly in my home world so talk. Why are you here and what are your intentions," Void questioned as she eyed Kiana. "And what happened to the Herrscher of the Void from your world?"
"I don't know how I got here, and my memories are a little fuzzy. I remember Otto and the Imaginary tree or was it an imaginary space, but not much else. As for my intentions if you're going to destroy this world then I'll stop you. I'll beat you just like I did my Herrscher of the Void." Kiana told the other Herrscher.
"Save your breath. I have no intentions of destroying Earth." Void answered. So this was basically a heroic Kiana, one still committed to the Kaslana Oath and such. How troublesome. Still, her words did make Void curious.
"When you said you beat your HoV, what did you mean by that? Was she like a separate entity, or wasn't she just a different persona living inside you?"
"Oh well. She was another personality then." Kiana explained. "She actually looked a lot like you and often referred to herself as Sirin. We dueled in my mind before, so I just assumed you were her. Hehehe my bad." Kiana chuckled nervously.
"And you…destroyed her?" Void questioned. Was that the main difference between them? Kiana killed Sirin, took full control of the body, and became a new Herrscher.
"I didn't actually destroy her. We fought, she lost, and then she well…she left." Kiana admitted.
"She just left?"
"Yeah," Kiana whispered. "We realized that it was impossible to co-exist." She admitted as she looked at this 'new' Herrscher of the Void. "We had one final battle. The winner takes all and the loser goes away. It was surprising." Kiana muttered as she recalled the other Sirin. "She was rather gracious in accepting her defeat."
The Herrscher she fought had not made any attempts to fight back. There was no struggle, no desire to keep fighting even if she was defeated. She had just resigned herself. She claimed Kiana had proven herself stronger and she'd respect that strength. It had been as simple as that.
In a strange way, Kiana had felt sad seeing the Herrscher fade away. It wasn't because she sympathized with her, her actions were beyond forgivable. Yet Kiana wished in some part of her heart, that HoV could have been redeemed and that she could have been freed from the hurt. As she glanced at Void, the Herrscher she had just meant, she wondered if in another time, HoV did get redemption.
"What about you?" Kiana questioned. "You don't seem as violent as mine had been, yet you seem to be the dominant one. You're a hell of a lot stronger though. So, did you kill you're Kiana?" She questioned. What was the outcome where the Herrscher of the Void reigned?
"In a manner of speaking, my Kiana side is dead." Void answered. She could see a strange expression on Flamescion's face. She wasn't as angry or enraged as she expected, not even fearful, just sorrowful and accepting. "That being said, my Sirin side…is also dead." She added. As expected, this earned a puzzled look from Flamescion.
"Wait…what do you mean Sirin and Kiana are dead. Who or what are you then?" Kiana wondered.
"You said it yourself. Co-existence was impossible for our two halves. Either one of them would kill the other…or they'd draw." Void explained. "In your world, you were victorious and merely overcame your other side, however in mine things were different." Void went on to explain her origins to Flamescion. The separation of the psyche and the eventual merging.
"When each side was allowed to grow, they were no longer the same halves as they once were. They were more contradicted than before so when they tried to reunite…they couldn't. The two of them died and a third was born, me, the one who was able to rectify their differences and make the compromises that couldn't be made."
"That's a lot to take in." Kiana sighed as she leaned back on the wall. "So you no longer wish to destroy the world." She realized.
"Nor do I wish to save it." Void added. "I serve only myself and my loved ones." Void told her. "I live for me and for those I love. That is my oath."
"Well…I suppose it's better than nothing I guess." Flamescion joked. "After that battle, I'm kind of glad you're more neutral. I was not ready for a repeat of that scream." She admitted.
"You'd be obliterated if I did it now." Void noted.
"As if, I would still stand my ground." Flamescion countered with a cocky smile.
Void gave her a deadpan stare. The Herrscher of the Void lifted a hand, and twelve gems surrounded her. "I fired with four last time, want me to try twelve." She admitted.
"No...I'm good." Flamescion admitted before she noticed something. "Hey wait a minute…why do you have another set of gems?" Flamescion questioned.
"Now that's….a really long story." Void answered. "I'll tell you it on the way home." Void told her as she turned to walk out.
"Home?" Flamescion questioned.
"Of course. I can't just leave you here." Void told her. Besides if she abandoned her alternate self then either Thunder or Cecilia would kill her.
"How long?"
"About 98 000 words and 23 chapters."
"What?"
"It's really long."