Rita waited patiently at the hangar bay. In the distance, she saw several flashes of light, followed by an overwhelming blast of heat created by a large orange sphere resembling the Sun. Rita unconsciously bit the inside of her cheek. Orders from the Overseer had been called to every able-bodied Valkyrie currently at HQ.
Theresa Apocalypse had defected from Schicksal, taking with her, Kiana Kaslana and Kriemhilde Kaslana.
It was a definite blow to Schicksal. Not only was Kriemhilde the strongest of the current S-Ranks, Kiana was a promising Valkyrie that could have become an S-Rank Valkyrie herself. She could have even possibly replaced Kriemhilde as the Paladin.
In light of this event, the Kaslana House had offered one of their own to inherit the position once occupied by the mighty Valkyrie of Schicksal.
Her train of thought was interrupted when a black transport ship began docking in the hangar bay. She and two members of the Immortal Blades stood in wait as the ship finalized its docking procedures.
Once it did, the hatch opened, lowering the gate. The hissing of steam, followed by a small amount of mist being expelled, heralded the arrival of their newest S-Rank.
Frankly, Rita was not the biggest fan of the current move made by the Overseer. She and Ana would be more than sufficient to command the Immortal Blades to handle the invaders, and now the rapidly approaching Honkai incursion that she had, moments ago, been informed of.
However, orders were orders and as a Maid, her job was to follow them to the letter. Not question them. Yet, Rita couldn't help but feel slightly irked by this sudden decision. She decided to push down her feelings when the figure in question began to get off the ship.
Do all Kaslanas look the same or is it the white hair and blue eyes that make them all look… similar? Rita thought.
Her white hair, which was decorated by a black and gold ribbon, cascaded down to her waist. It glinted when the lights of the hangar bounced off them. She looked at all of them with appraising yet slightly nervous blue eyes. The winds made her white and black, high collar coat billow. The girl, having noticed her clothes had been wrinkled by the gales, adjusted them, straightening the black suit she wore underneath. There was a faint burn scar that could be seen just underneath her collar.
Rita's red eyes flitted over to the sheathed odachi she had strapped to her waist. It gave off a similar tingling feeling as Kriemhilde's sword, yet this one made a crippling chill creep through her veins.
"Lady Edelweiss. I hope your flight was not too stressful considering the Himmel Defensive Line is being breached as we speak," Rita greeted, performing a curtsy for the newest S-Rank.
"It was no trouble, Rita. Thank you for welcoming me to HQ. It's rather unfortunate. Aunt Kriemhilde was… an inspiration to all the children back in our clan. While it is worrying, it's an honor that Lord Overseer chose me to take her position as Paladin," Edelweiss said, bowing slightly in return.
Rita's smile twitched. She straightened herself and smiled politely. This girl was polite. At least, Rita could give her that. She could also tell that she was also surprised by the sudden promotion.
"Let's get moving, Lady Edelweiss. I'll brief you on our current situation," Rita said, gesturing for her to follow.
Edelweiss nodded and followed after her, escorted by two other Valkyries.
"As you are aware, Lady Theresa has decided to rebel against Schicksal. Your aunt and cousin have decided to join her in this regard. All of St. Freyja Academy has been deemed persona-non-grata by Schicksal's high command," Rita said.
Edelweiss nodded. "Kiana too, huh?" she narrowed her eyes, subconsciously touching the burn scar on her neck. Her whole body tingled, feeling a slightly painful warmth course through her.
Rita glanced at her momentarily before continuing.
"We need to keep them from breaching the main base. All reports point to them wanting one thing," Rita said.
"One… thing?" she asked.
Rita glanced at the central tower. "Results of the project Lord Otto is working on. The power to harness the power of a Herrscher."
Edelweiss said nothing. She had been briefed on what she was here for. To replace Kriemhilde. If she was to be Kriemhilde's replacement, then she would be privy to the darkness that hid from the light Schicksal emitted.
"I'll be frank with you, Lady Edelweiss. The girl in there is your cousin. Cecilia Kaslana, I take it that you remember that name."
Edelweiss nodded. She remembered that name all too well.
"I don't need you to explain anymore. If that girl is the key to stopping the Honkai, then I'll follow what you want to do. Orders… are orders. Schicksal is the only organization with enough capacity to stop the Honkai. In the end, no matter how ugly the process, the world only cares about the results," Edelweiss said.
Rita's eyes widened slightly at her words. A small smile graced her lips before nodding.
"Besides…"
Rita took a step back when a sudden burst of pressure radiated from Edelweiss's body. A thin coating of frost began to spread across the floor and the sheathed odachi at her hip rattled violently.
"Kiana is coming, right. I can't wait to see her again." Her hands balled into a tight fist. Edelweiss's smile grew wider in anticipation. "I haven't seen her in over 6 years after all."
Their push forward had become unimpeded. Kriemhilde's aerial dog fighting combined with the reinforcements provided by Anti-Entropy made quick work of the Himmel Defensive Line's remaining armaments. With the shield shattered, there was virtually nothing standing in their way. Nothing except for the mechs and valkyries possessed by Schicksal.
Kiana stood at the front of the deck with her arms crossed as they approached the base.
"We're almost there."
She heard the heavy metallic footsteps of a mecha behind her. Kiana turned around and saw a modified Titan model standing before her. The chassis of the mech opened with a hiss, revealing the pilot inside.
A short, petite woman with messy blue hair dressed in a white collar shirt with a blue vest and a navy-blue coat. She sipped a cup filled with soda while looking at Kiana with a slightly bored expression on her face.
"It's been a while, Kiana."
The woman disembarked from the mecha and landed on the ground with a stumble.
"It has been, Doctor Einstein," Kiana said.
"You've gotten… bigger," Einstein commented, noticing her now greater height. Her gaze moved down slightly, settling on two certain areas of Kiana's body.
Kiana's face flushed, and she turned away. "You're still the same. You're as short as Aunt Theresa."
"Ahahaha! That… I am. Still, this raid reminds me of the old days," Einstein said. She closed her eyes, reminiscing about something Kiana couldn't quite place her finger on.
"Thank you… for coming here. Especially when I asked. I know I haven't taken any assignments from you guys in a while," Kiana said.
Einstein waved her off, almost scoffing at her sentence. "Think nothing of it, kid. Tesla and I will be more than happy to help you out, especially if it's a matter regarding your sister. After all, you've long since paid your debt to us by doing all those missions."
Kiana nodded.
She felt grateful. They had no obligation to show up yet they did. Kiana owed them more than she let on. After all, while Einstein and the Sovereign were less present, they were still there for the two. There was only one person in the entire organization who had taken time out of her personal schedule to look after them, even if she would never admit it.
"Where is… Doctor Tesla?" Kiana asked.
"Lobster? She's commanding another squadron. We've also diverted a repair team to St. Freyja. It should be on its way here by now. So you'll see her when you get off. God knows that woman wants to see her two kids after you two left for St. Freyja with the Third Herrscher," Einstein remarked.
Kiana laughed nervously.
[Kiana. Doctor. We're approaching Air Terminal 3. Prepare to disembark.]
Theresa's voice cut into their conversation, stopping it prematurely.
The two exchanged glances before nodding. Einstein walked back into her mech and climbed into it. Before the hatch could close completely, Einstein smiled at Kiana, uttering a few more words that would linger in her ears.
"It's my first time fighting alongside you, Kiana. But… fighting with you makes me remember… just how fierce your father was during the Second Eruption."
Kiana's eyes widened slightly and she froze for a few seconds. She clenched her jaw and a single tear streaked down her cheek. Pulling Shamash from its holsters, Kiana faced the rapidly approaching terminal and prepared herself.
A string of explosions echoed throughout the terminal. Bullets zipped through the air and the sound of Honkai-powered weapons charging was heard. A legion of mechs plowed through the enemy barricades.
"Fall back! Fall back!" a Valkyrie yelled. As she issued the order, a missile flew through the air above her, striking one of the walls of the terminal.
Valkyries and Schicksal mechs fired upon the ever-advancing enemy, losing inch after inch with each passing second.
Kiana and Himeko watched the ensuing carnage from within the Helios's docking bay. The ship had docked near the terminal, unleashing a swarm of mechs led by Einstein and Kriemhilde. Mei stood behind the two, gripping her katana with anticipation.
[Madam Theresa. Kiana. We've surrounded and taken the airport. You can disembark and begin the assault at any time.] Einstein said.
[Good. You heard her. I'm staying on the Helios. I've gotten an update on the Hyperion. They repaired the ship to make her air-worthy. She'll be here in approximately 30 minutes.] Theresa added.
"About time."
Kiana turned around and saw a short, petite red-haired woman with twin tails stepping forward. She had a white button-up shirt with a red tie and a black dress with suspenders. Around her right arm was a red gauntlet. Her red eyes briefly made contact with Kiana's.
"All squads to battle stations. Focus your assault on Air Terminal 3. Kiana, you and Himeko lead Squad 1. I'll take Squad 2 and follow while providing cover fire. Understood?" Tesla barked.
Kiana nodded.
Himeko hefted Schiffschneider onto her shoulder. A cocky grin spread across her face. "You hear that, Kiana."
"All I heard was assault." Kiana ran ahead, summoning Shamash to her hand. She jumped off the ramp, landing with a roll in front of the terminal. The way through was clear. She heard the stampede of the Squad 1 Mechs and Himeko following after her.
Bullet fire answered her charge in an instant. Even if Einstein had begun the occupation of the airport, resistance was to be expected.
She weaved and dodged every bullet. One stray came particularly close to her face. However, her reflexes were faster than the bullet's speed. She swiftly raised Shamash, deflecting the bullet.
Flames surged around the blade and Kiana swung it, unleashing a swathe of white-hot flames.
"Fall back!" she heard them cry before the wave of fire plowed into their barricade. An explosion sent debris and heat in her direction. The cries of Valkyries filled her ears as she heard them hit the ground.
[All units. Kiana has broken through the barricade. Squads 1 and 2, focus your attention and converge upon the Port Hub. Tesla will hack into it and disable the defense system. My mechs and I will provide cover fire.] Einstein said.
"You better get on it, Mophead. We got Valks and bogeys coming at us on all sides," Tesla replied.
Himeko slashed apart a mech. She moved her head back, narrowly avoiding the spearpoint of a Valkyrie.
"Mei!"
Mei appeared in a burst of speed, landing on the spear's body. The young valkyrie was surprised by her sudden appearance and was unable to react as Mei drove her knee into her face, knocking her unconscious.
Mei jumped into the air, using the spear as a jumping point, and landed gracefully. "Major, we're facing heavy resistance"
"Not for long… at the rate Kiana is going," Himeko said, knocking aside another valkyrie.
"M- Major…"
"What is it, Mei?" Himeko asked as they pressed forward.
"I… I don't… I don't want to kill another person," Mei said.
"It's… I understand. But unfortunately, Mei, we're at war. Right now, we're trying to mitigate the casualties but… if you need to defend yourself, then do so," Himeko said.
Mei gripped her katana tightly and nodded.
A wave of heat washed over them and they looked in the distance. A massive plume of smoke the size of a five-story building rose into the air.
"Kiana," Himeko said.
The Valkyries of Schicksal didn't know what to make of their current situation. The flames kept growing more powerful as it drew closer. Waves of flame and spears of ice skewered their mechs and severely injured multiple valkyries at once.
And at the center of this cyclone of destruction, Kiana stood, walking slowly toward her destination. Her white hair glowed amidst the glow of the crimson flames. The sheer force of the scorching winds caused her black coat to billow. Around her, the ground was stained with scorch marks and littered with the broken parts of mechs and the bloodied bodies of valkyries.
In the eyes of her enemies, she had become a reaper of ice and fire, enacting a unilateral massacre towards her opponents.
To her allies, she had begun living up to the epithet she had made for her all those years ago.
The White Death.
Behind her, a legion of mechs, along with Himeko and Mei, followed her. Her cold eyes sent shivers down the spines of the valkyries before her.
This overwhelming pressure. The pressure she exuded was too similar to the S-Rank Paladin, Kriemhilde Kaslana.
"Activate the defensive core now!" one of the valkyries yelled.
"Y- Yes!" another one stuttered.
She pulled out a tablet and pressed a few buttons.
A hole in the ground opened up and a large rotating blue orb rose from the hole. The orb was about the size of a car and pulsed erratically.
"Mmm?" Kiana stopped in her tracks, raising an eyebrow at the newfound foe.
All of a sudden, the orb stopped rotating and began to glow pink. Several mechs began to crawl out of various hatches in the ground.
"You really think this is going to stop me?" Kiana scoffed. She held Shamash in a reverse grip and slashed the foes in front of her.
The flames of the legendary blade consumed the mechs in an instant and tore through the sphere, instantly destroying it.
Their push forward became easier.
"All of you just keep getting in my way," Kiana growled. She kicked off her position, lunging at the nearest Valkyrie.
The girl yelped in fear, stumbling back as the rest of her teammates retreated. The orange glowing sword of Shamash swung in an arc, about to slice into her. However, her destined end never came. Instead, the sound of metal clashing together rang in her ears.
The girl stood wide-eyed at the sight.
Kriemhilde stood in front of her, holding back the flaming blade.
"Go."
"What are you… Why are you letting them go!?" Kiana yelled.
Kriemhilde pushed Shamash off and glared at her niece. "Kiana, we came here to rescue your sister. We're not here to massacre valkyries."
"Tch! I'll stop massacring them the moment they get out of my way!" Kiana growled.
"Kiana, these girls are defending their home. At least resort to non-lethal methods when you're fighting them," Kriemhilde said. "They're not mechs. They're people."
"..." Kiana said nothing in return and walked past her aunt, ignoring the concerned look of Himeko and Mei as they caught up to the two.
"I… I've never seen Kiana like this," Mei said, feeling a little afraid of her friend's older sister.
Himeko's worried look never faded as she gazed at her friend's retreating back.
Kriemhilde closed her eyes and sighed. "We need to keep moving. At least, we can take the air terminal and the security port before Kiana goes on a killing spree. Come on. Let's-"
Their words were interrupted as a high-speed white blur slammed into the ground before them.
Kiana jumped back, landing closer to her friends. She narrowed her eyes, attempting to see through the dust.
The sound of heavy metal footsteps caught their attention. As the dust cleared, they caught sight of what had now stood before them. It was a sheen white mech, standing at least 3 meters in height. It had two long blades in its hand that crackled with honkai energy. Small bursts of steam were expelled from its rear.
"A tactical mech? Strange, it looks nothing like our Titans," Einstein commented, slowly raising her mech's weapon.
"And here I thought Anti-Entropy had the patents on all the humanoid mechs," Himeko said, getting ready to fight.
"That's not a bad idea. I'll think about it after we're finished here. But for now, focus on the task at hand. I'd watch out. That thing has a beacon that's currently transmitting its location. Initial scans show that it has a kinetic shield wrapped around its chassis. We'll need extreme physical trauma," Einstein said.
"Reinforcements, huh? And a shield? Fine by me," Kiana said, widening her stance slightly.
"Don't go fighting it alone. That thing is called Asleikr Mystelainn. Its combat data is based on the Aesir Baldur units," Kriemhilde said.
Kiana nodded. She lunged forward, swinging her blade rapidly.
What she did not expect was for the mech to parry most of her swings. Her eyes widened in surprise. However, she reacted quickly, twisting her body around the sweeping edge of its blade.
Kiana knocked it back with the flat of Shamash's blade before jumping back and gaining a short amount of distance. Her eyes narrowed slightly.
It's… fighting like a person. It's not just using Baldur's combat data that's for sure, she thought.
The mech reared its arm back. The propulsors on its rear ignited and it charged forward at blinding speeds. Before it could even reach halfway, its charge was stopped when Himeko swung Schiffschneider's entire weight into it.
The mech was knocked to the side, flying straight into one of the buildings. It slammed into its thick walls with a loud thud, sending spider-web cracks climbing up half the structure.
"It's not that tough," Himeko commented.
"I guess not but watch out. For someone slow like you, I think it can outmaneuver you," Kiana said.
Himeko nodded. "That being said, its shields fold like paper. Is this thing really the same as the Baldur model?"
"It fights like Baldur but it's weaker. We just need to get past its shields to bring it down," Kiana commented.
The Mystelainn flew out of the crater and landed in front of them. The pulsating red button on the halo formation behind it flickered rapidly.
"Mmm? Do you hear that?" Mei asked.
As soon as Mei asked the question, several more mechs appeared from seemingly nowhere. White mechs that were similar to the Mystelainn that stood before them flew from behind the control tower. Their weapons began to charge and unleashed a hail of fire onto them.
"Get back!" Kiana yelled.
However, not everyone was able to fall back. Several of Anti-Entropy's Titans were shot down in the ensuing chaos.
The Mystelainn took advantage of the opportunity, lunging forward at Kiana with its blades drawn to slice her in half.
However, Kiana anticipated this. She stopped running, sliding to a stop. Shamash was held in her hands with a white knuckle grip.
As the Mystelainn's blades came arcing down, Kiana dodged by lunging forward straight into its personal bubble.
She swung Shamash in a sweeping arc while lunging past it.
The two combatants halted their movements. Kiana straightened herself, swinging Shamash with a flourish as the Mystelainn behind her fell apart.
She straightened herself and wiped some soot off her face. Kiana raised two fingers and pressed it against her battlesuit's comms device.
"Enemy down but we're still surrounded on all sides. Auntie! What the heck? Is the Hyperion really not fixed yet?" Kiana yelled.
[Hey, brat. I said half an hour. It should be here at around-]
Kiana's attention was ripped away from the comms when a series of artillery fire rained down from the sky.
The block would have been completely obliterated were it not for the precise nature at which the attacks hit. The enemy mechs were shredded in an instant, pierced through by the shots with incredible ease.
Kiana looked up and over her shoulder. Beyond the clouds that had gathered in the distance, she spotted it. The massive white battleship loomed over the Schicksal Headquarters, accompanied by several Anti-Entropy battleships.
"You've finally arrived… Hyperion," Himeko said. She pressed a finger to her ear.
[Targets have been eliminated. Kiana, Himeko, you two are clear for movement forward. Hyperion and the Anti-Entropy ships will be here to provide air support.] Einstein said.
"Copy. We're entering the control tower now," Kiana said.
"Well? You heard the girl! Break this door down and turn Otto's toys into scrap!" Tesla barked, throwing her hand forward.
The legion of mechs around her responded in kind, charging forward and towards the security tower's undefended steel doors.
Otto sat in his chair, watching the ensuing chaos unfold through a screen. Behind him, Ceci lay sleeping, suspended in animation within fluid. Scientists monitored her status, taking note of different values such as her biophysical markers and the amount of Honkai energy her body was generating.
[Lord Otto.]
"What is it, Amber?" Otto asked, seeing a smaller holographic screen appear on the right side of the terminal.
[Lady Theresa and Anti-Entropy have breached the Security Tower of Airport 3. Our valkyrie forces are sustaining heavy casualties.]
"Eh? That's unlike Theresa to resort to casual murder. Unless…" Otto turned back to the screen. His smile grew wider when he saw her. Fire surged around her body as she sliced into both mecha and valkyrie with reckless abandon. Yet, even amidst her berserk flaming rampage, Otto knew that each move was calculated to maim, but never to kill. The only deaths they had so far must have been from valkyries stupid enough to get back up and try to sucker punch her.
"Oh? It looks the White Death has stopped playing house and is coming here to get her sister back," Otto said, rubbing his chin in contemplation. "Where are Ana, Rita, and Edelweiss?"
[Master Rita and Master Edelweiss are handling a Honkai breakthrough in another sector. Master Ana is preoccupied with her own outbreak in the northern sector. Our units have picked up the presence of several Templar Class Honkai Beasts. Would you like me to redirect them to Airport 3?] Amber asked.
"No. Edelweiss can handle the situation on her own. And Ana is where she needs to be. Besides, I don't need Maria breathing down the back of my neck for putting her daughter in danger. Tell Rita to come back. I need her for an assignment I'm about to give," Otto said.
[And who is this assignment directed to, Lord Overseer?] Otto asked.
"A certain Phoenix. She'll be back soon. Just send a special transmission to Rita to reroute and rendezvous with her. It's time we make things a little shaky for Theresa," Otto said, eyeing the monitor.
He narrowed his eyes when he saw a flash of ice impale a mech.
"I can't just let her walk into Schicksal, especially after she steamrolled through our defenses. No, we'll send those two to calm her down a little," Otto said.
Amber was silent for a few seconds before nodding in confirmation. [Orders received. Do you have any further orders, Lord Overseer?]
"Yes, tell our Valkyries in Airport 3 to fall back to the second defensive line and reroute some of the reinforcements to Helheim Labs," Otto said, swiping the screen.
A map of Schicksal was now displayed on the main screen rather than satellite footage of the battle.
Otto got up from his chair. "After all, we can't have them ruining our little project before it's all over."
He stared at the vat that contained Cecilia.
Unbeknownst to Otto or the team, who had been too focused on monitoring her vital signs, neither of them noticed when Cecilia's fingers began to twitch.
Yes, we have witnessed the return of Edelweiss Kaslana, Kiana and Cecilia's cousin. You all remember her right? From the chapter where Kiana was making her way to the center of Stigmata Space. She's going to play a role in this final arc for this fic and in the future sequel (still planning). She's going to fill the role of Durandal from canon, though she's much more different from our canon Dudu. For those of you who keep getting confused for some reason about Dudu's whereabouts, you've been seeing her the entire story.
Speaking of which, Kiana's battlesuit. I never really gave an image for it and I feel like I never did a good job at selling it so I'll make it easier to picture. Kiana's battlesuit is a mixture of Valkyrie Gloria and Siegfried's outfit. Anyway, see you in the next chapter!