A luminescent meteor soared into the sky, and an aurora flared into life as a girl fell to her death.

She was a small, insignificant feature against the backdrop of the glowing green heavens. The people of the city below had eyes only for the breathtaking sight they did not know the origins of, but to the man who stood on the top of a building, following her descent, she was the only thing in the world who mattered.

He immediately boarded his airship hovering to the side of the building. He ran into the pilot's seat, activated its engines, and rose into the sky at maximum speed.

From the views of the cameras mounted below the airship, he saw a different girl staring at him, but there was no room in his mind to acknowledge her. He had to reach her. She was falling faster with each second. He feared he would not reach her in time, that he was once again too late, that he would lose her again.

He had watched her being taken by the power lying dormant within her before turning on all of her loved ones, slaughtering them as she laughed. He had watched her battle against her beloved teacher and that teacher sacrificing herself. He had watched because he could only watch, completely powerless to do anything to save her. Now, he was done just watching. He would not lose her again.

The engines were firing at maximum speed. The airship surged forward until it was directly beneath her trajectory. He had it hover in position before having it ascend in altitude at a steady rate. He activated the autopilot before climbing outside and stepping onto the top of the airship, looking up as she fell closer to him.

He was there for her. He would not let her fall. He would not let anything harm her again.

One falling, one rising, the two of them drew closer. They were close enough for him to see her silvery hair waving in the wind and close enough to see her motionless body.

His arms were outstretched. He waited for too many agonizing seconds, uncertain if he had calculated the airship's directional vectors correctly. Too far in any direction, she would fall past him and to the ground far below. Too fast or too slow, she would crash into him, injuring them both.

His worries were for naught. She was no longer falling; with the speed at which he ascended to her before the airship began descending with her, she seemed to be only gently floating as he safely caught her in his outstretched arms.

He carried her like a precious treasure who could shatter at the slightest touch. He almost did not believe what he had done. Her eyes were closed. Would they be golden when they opened again?

He did not know what to do. Months of anguish and fear had taken their toll on him, and here he was, embracing the cause of all of them.

No, he was wrong. She had saved herself from that influence. She had saved the entire city. She had saved him.

He stepped back into the Helios, holding her protectively in his arms.

—-

The first sensation Kiana Kaslana felt was something warm over her hand. It had been so long since she could feel another person's touch. It meant she was not alone.

Her eyelids were heavy and refused to open. A dull pain in her body ate away at her before she suppressed it, and finally, she opened her eyes. She was lying in a bed with warm covers. There was a figure sitting beside her, their hand over hers, who appeared to be asleep.

"...Mei?" she whispered, her voice so quiet she almost did not hear herself.

The figure stirred. Kiana's vision was still blurry, but she could see the figure's red hair, as red as...hers.

"...Himeko…?"

She scolded herself. Himeko was gone, slain by her own hands. The one with her now was not Himeko, but Kiana's anguish abated slightly all the same.

He had been asleep until then. Shifting slightly in his seat, he opened his eyes and turned to Kiana. He looked as haggard as she felt. "Kiana…"

She did not speak. She only stared at him with dual-coloured eyes. Her left eye was the same bright blue it had always been, but her right was that cruel, golden glow that belonged to the Herrscher her body was created for. He realized that her power was partially suppressed, not gone. One day, she could awaken again and restart the destruction anew. But he did not allow the thought to ruin the moment. The Herrscher did not matter to him. Only Kiana did.

"Kiana," he said again, moving his hand to her hair and gently running his hand through it. "Kiana, everything is going to be okay. You don't need to worry. You're safe."

Kiana shut her eyes. "Captain…" She was unwilling to address him by name, so his title would have to do. "It isn't safe for you to be here with me. All of the Honkai energy in the bomb I flew into the sky…I absorbed it into my body, and I don't know if I can keep it contained. You can't be here right now, it isn't safe for you…"

Her voice was faint and weak, but it sounded like a beautiful song to him. "I know, Kiana. The Helios's alarms sounded as soon as you got close, but I've already given you Honkai suppressants, and we're flying to Theresa, Mei, Bronya, and everyone else who've been waiting to see you again. You'll be treated there. Everything is going to be okay. Everything is okay because of you. You saved everyone in Arc City. You saved me."

Kiana listened to him, wanting his words to comfort her, but they failed to. Instead, they scared her. She was not ready to hear those names again.

"Captain…Johann…please, give me some time alone…"

"Of course, Kiana. I'll be here for you. Just press that button on the table if you need anything."

Johann Stern stood up and left the cabin. He could hear her sobs through the closed door.

—-

She was dreaming. Her dreams were one of the few escapes that remained to her. She dreamed of better, happier times, the time before the truth about her existence was revealed and a time when so many more were still living. She dreamed of how she was on the run in Arc City for months. She had uncovered a plot by a mysterious organization to irradiate the city with Honkai energy, which would have led to the extinction of the tens of millions of people living there. She had put an end to that plot by flying the bomb into the safety of the atmosphere where it could detonate with only one casualty: herself. When she was flying with the bomb, she fully expected herself to die, and she was content. With her death, she could save countless more. It would be a poor atonement for the millions of others she killed before, but she was a Kaslana. Kaslanas had and would always sacrifice themselves for the greater good of all.

After waking up in an unfamiliar room, she only felt confused. She was not dead, and because she was not dead, she did not know what to do. She thought she had served her purpose. What remained for her to do now?

She had many answers to that question. All but one of them would have to wait. She climbed out of bed and made her way to the cockpit of the airship. She noticed she was still wearing the White Comet battlesuit, torn and damaged but mostly intact. It was a relic from a better time.

She knocked on the door to the piloting area. It slid open. Her captain was sitting at the controls. He turned his seat around. "Kiana, it's good to see you again. We're almost at Theresa's location. You'll be able to see everyone again in less than an hour."

Kiana's eyes looked tired, resigned, and defeated. Most of all, they showed fear.

"Johann…turn this ship around. Change course. Please."

"Change course? Where?"

"St. Freya."

He was quiet. He chose his next words very carefully so he would not hurt her. "Kiana…St. Freya is gone."

"I know."

He did not how to respond to that, so he asked about something easier. "Kiana, how are you feeling right now?"

Kiana walked over to the seat beside his and fell into it, avoiding his gaze. "I can feel it in me."

"...The Honkai energy?"

She slowly nodded.

He tried to reassure her and make her feel safe. "Kiana, it's okay. Anti-Entropy has the technology that can treat you. We're just about to arrive."

"This isn't what I meant."

Kiana was clearly distressed, but he had no words to comfort her. He waited for her to continue. If Kiana had emotions she needed to release, he would listen.

"I asked you to fly to St. Freya because I have to see it. Please."

In Kiana's dual-coloured eyes, Johann saw what had come to define her: a strong, steadfast determination. Her family was famed for their unbreakable will and the drive to continue fighting for what was right. Her father had proven it years ago. Kiana had proven it with the bomb. But Johann was uncertain what her will was driving her toward now. She was not ready to reunite with those she loved. Instead, she was looking toward the past, a past now long gone.

Johann may not have known why Kiana wanted to see St. Freya, but he knew what he had promised Murata Himeko. He had promised her he would always protect Kiana.

"Of course, Kiana. I'll start flying us to St. Freya. It'll be a long flight, so get settled in." He turned back to the control panel of the Helios and changed the airship's direction. They flew toward what had once been their home.

—-

Neither of them said another word for most of the flight. Neither of them knew what to say. They wordlessly watched the clouds fly past them through the windshield of the Helios. At one point, Johann made an attempt to start another conversation with Kiana, but she did not seem to hear him.

When Kiana drifted off to sleep again, Johann covered her with a warm blanket. Her face was serene as she found a brief respite in her dreams. Her slow, gentle breathing showed none of her fear and anguish. He could almost believe they were normal again, like the time he had caught her asleep while on bridge duty aboard the Hyperion. Even then, he did not have the heart to reprimand her with more than a few extra hours of duty. He could not imagine reprimanding her at all now.

The urge to sleep dragged at him. He was exhausted, both physically and mentally, acutely aware that the world was hunting her down. Only the Helios's stealth technology allowed them to travel undetected, but each second away from Anti-Entropy placed them at more risk. There was no use worrying about it now. He had done all he could to ensure Kiana's safety. He double-checked the autopilot system before relaxing and closing his eyes.

His thoughts drifted aimlessly. All of it still felt like a dream to him. A nightmare. The moment Kiana went missing, the Herrscher of the Void's resurgence, Himeko's sacrifice, and the search for Kiana in Arc City, all of it felt surreal to him. Perhaps it was his mind's way of shielding itself from otherwise unbearable trauma. The one flicker of hope that glimmered through the oppressive darkness was when they received credible reports that Kiana was active in Arc City, one of humanity's refuges after the Herrscher's reign of destruction.

Raiden Mei had immediately set off in search for her. When they had lost contact with Mei, he decided to go himself against the advice of Theresa and the others. He was done sitting and waiting. He would do everything he could to find and rescue Kiana. Despite his determination, he did not truly expect to succeed. Arc City was vast, one of the largest cities in the world, and she was but one girl. What hope did he have when all others had failed? He repeated his worries over and over as he boarded the Helios and took flight.

He had only just arrived in Arc City when he, and the rest of the city, watched a violet streak of light ascend into the night sky. Now, he was taking her to a place that would only cause her even more pain. He had made a promise to protect her. He did not know if he was protecting her now, but he allowed himself to hope so. He fell asleep, dreaming of Himeko's lips pressed against his in a final farewell before she sacrificed everything for them.

—-

A beeping sound woke both of them, telling them that they had arrived. Johann quickly came to and checked their coordinates before looking outside the airship.

The Helios hovered motionlessly over the ruined remains of St. Freya Academy. Not a single structure stood intact or undamaged. The school's buildings, their gleaming white construction once so pristine, were strewn over the entire island as if a violent storm had ravaged it, but this was the work of no storm.

Their memories and their lives were made here, so seeing them destroyed was a unique form of pain for them. Kiana stared at what was left of St. Freya for what could have been an eternity. Her emotions churned inside her, threatening to destroy her, but the only signs of what she felt were the teardrops falling from her eyes and down her face. Then came the weeping.

Johann looked at her, as crushed as she was. He was already regretting taking her here. Seeing Kiana in this much pain was nearly more than he could bear. He slowly reached over and put his hand on her trembling shoulder. Kiana did not recoil or retract from his touch. She only continued to sob.

"Kiana…"

"This is all because of me…"

"No, Kiana…"

"This is all because I was so weak, so useless…I couldn't stop her, I couldn't do anything to save the people she hurt…"

He let her cry, but not for too long. "Kiana, look at me."

She did not look at him.

"Kiana, please. Just listen to what I have to say."

She was still trembling as she slowly turned to face him. Johann put his other hand on her other shoulder and looked deep into her anguished eyes. "Kiana Kaslana, none of this is your fault. None of it. You are you. You have always been who you think you are, and no one can ever take that away from you. What…what she did, they was her actions, not yours. Kiana, you're a hero. You saved so many people today. You saved me. You should be proud of yourself. I'm so proud of you."

As she listened, her tears slowly came to a stop. Her pain did not go away, but somehow, she felt a little bit better.

"Kiana Kaslana, thank you for everything you have done. You've always made me smile, even when you made me want to tear my hair out. You've always made me feel more alive. You've made all our lives so much brighter, and you deserve to be happy. Kiana, what you want to do now is up to you. Only you can make this decision for yourself, but whatever it is, I promise I will support you."

His words soothed her soul. His warm, amber eyes, almost like her teacher's, made her feel safe. No matter what, he would be there for her. She had only one thing to ask him.

"Can we go to Soukai City? I want to see it."

"Of course. I'll land the Helios in the lake around St. Freya's island. First, we'll need to exit."

"Okay."

"Let me go get some things first."

He went deeper into the airship to retrieve various important items. When he returned, he programmed some instructions into the control panel before leading her to an exit on the side of the airship as it landed on the surface of the water. A ramp extended beneath them, letting them step onto dry land. Then the airship automatically descended deeper into the lake as it moved farther away from them. It disappeared beneath the lake, fully concealed under the surface.

"I can always make it fly back to the surface with my phone," Johann said to her. Then they started walking.

They took the bridge that connected St. Freya's island to the mainland and Soukai City nearby. The night sky was full of stars, and the moon shined brightly. The lights of the city beckoned them closer. Soukai City was a familiar sight, and to their relief, it had escaped most of the damage inflicted on the rest of the world. The Herrscher of the Void had been distracted by the forces of Schicksal and Anti-Entropy after the destruction of St. Freya and had bigger, more important targets.

The city seemed no different from the last time they visited, which felt like a lifetime ago. They recognized the stores they used to frequent, the landmarks they used to photograph themselves beside, and everything else that made the city cherished in their memories. Even the people walking to and fro and driving their vehicles down the streets seemed to have no worries aside from their everyday concerns.

Kiana and Johann walked through Soukai City together, letting their memories wash over them. Kiana was not sure what to feel. It felt almost wrong to let herself feel so normal, so at ease. She wondered if she deserved to feel this way again. She heard his words to her again, and for the first time since she woke in the Helios, she relaxed.

They wandered for hours. Their memories seemed to come to life. They were almost happy.

They stopped in the main square of the city where a scale model sculpture of the Hyperion adorned the center. It was created in honour of the battleship that had once saved the city from an outbreak of Honkai. They both appreciated the sculptor's attention to detail and accuracy. It was a perfect likeness of the battleship it represented.

Kiana turned to him. Her face was serious. "Johann, I've decided what I want to do."

"That's wonderful to hear. Remember, I'll support your decision no matter what it is."

She took a deep breath before letting it out. "I'm going to stay in Soukai City."

He did not understand. "Kiana, why? You know you can't stay here. The Honkai energy you absorbed…"

She turned back to the Hyperion sculpture, but she was no longer looking solely at it. What she saw was the entirety of Soukai City, a place that had special meaning for her and a place where she felt like she belonged. "For so long, I was on the run. I was hunted. I was alone. I didn't do anything but fight because it was the only thing I could do. But…I can't take any of this any longer. I'm just...I'm just so tired of it all…here, at least I can try to have a normal life again. I have to at least try…"

Johann was sympathetic to what she said. Anyone in her situation would feel the same. He put his hand on her shoulder. "Kiana, I understand how you feel, and I wish for nothing more that you can live a normal life again. But please, you have to remember that your body isn't well. You need to get yourself cured from Honkai poisoning. Mei and everyone else are waiting for you to come home."

She recoiled slightly at the mention of that name. "I am home. And you don't need to worry about the Honkai poisoning. I can keep it under control for at least a few months. Besides, you brought some of those Honkai suppressants with you. They'll help."

"Kiana…are you absolutely sure about this? If you lose control, even for a moment..."

"I am." He knew she was not lying.

"What about Mei, Bronya, and Theresa? Don't you want to see them again?"

"I do. More than anything. But they waited months to see me again. They can wait a few months more."

Johann was lost. He had promised Himeko, and he had promised Kiana. Were his promises conflicting with each other? Could Kiana keep the Honkai energy within her contained? Was this truly the right path for her to heal?

He thought long and hard. Kiana knew better than anyone what she needed. It would be cruel to deny her this after so many things had already been denied to her. He told himself that he needed to have faith in Kiana. Everything he did from then to now was for her sake. She deserved to be happy, and he would do anything to make her happy. If doing this would make her happy, then he would support her every step of the way.

"Johann..."

Her eyes were soft and vulnerable. He lost himself in their depths that showed so much beyond her years.

"Yes, Kiana."

"I know this is selfish of me to ask, but please, can you stay with me? I can't be alone by myself again…"

For the first time in too long, he smiled. He reached into his pack and pulled out something very familiar. Kiana stared at the red plaid scarf and then at him.

"This…this is the scarf you gifted me for my birthday last year…I almost forgot about it…" she said quietly.

"I kept it safe for you this entire time. I hope this can help you remember the time when we were all happy because of you." Johann gently wrapped it around her neck. "It still looks perfect on you, Kiana."

The scarf was just as warm and soft as the day she first wore it. Kiana remembered that day nearly a year ago. She always would.

"Kiana, I will stay with you. You won't be alone again. I'll be here for you as long as you need me to. This is my promise to you."

Kiana reached up to the scarf and held it. "Thank you, captain."