Himeko kept her gaze trained on her. She knew who this was. Even in St. Freyja, everyone knew their name. She glanced at Kiana. She figured Kiana would have a much deeper relationship with this girl.
Everyone from HQ referred to her as a monster and Kriemhilde's only possible replacement. A Valkyrie that was on par with Ana Schariac, the Holy Saint.
Edelweiss Kaslana.
She was the youngest candidate to become Paladin to date. Younger than the famed Siegfried Kaslana, who was a veteran in the Second Honkai War and Kiana's father. Himeko had the pleasure of seeing her from afar once before Kiana and Cecilia joined St. Freyja Academy. A frigid air always followed the girl.
She gripped the Proto Pulse Cleaver, tightly prepared to fight her way out of this.
Edelweiss took notice of her action. Her blue eyes gazed at her dismissively before returning her gaze to Kiana.
Kiana stiffened and maintained her aim. "Six years wasn't long enough for me. I could go another 10 without seeing your face," she spat.
Edelweiss smiled at her reaction. It was clear that this entire situation was nothing short of amusing to her. "Unfortunate. I've been waiting six years for us to meet again. Trying to get to you after I heard you joined St. Freyja alongside… the Herrscher," she ground out of her mouth, "was damn near impossible because of Headmaster Theresa."
Edelweiss took a step toward them.
Kiana narrowed her eyes and her finger tightened around the trigger.
"Now, we can finish that fight six years ago. I never forgot the humiliation of that day. The day you rebelled against the family that you asked for help." Edelweiss's seemingly nonchalant tone gave way to one of pure hostility. "I cannot allow traitors to humanity to roam around. Now, go back to your cells while I'm still playing nice."
Honkai energy surged from Edelweiss.
Kiana's eyes widened. The energy clashed with her own, causing her Stigmata to act up. A flicker of blue flame appeared in Kiana's left eye.
Stigmata… Resonance? Did she…?
Kiana quickly composed herself. "Himeko. Be careful. Edelweiss has a 10th Divine Key. It can control ice from the looks of it," she said, watching the ice slowly creep toward them. The frigid cold it generated was on par if not greater than the one produced by her ice.
"You like it?" she ran a finger across the odachi's blade. "This little child is called Tyrfing. She's going to drink your blood for the first time, Kiana."
"No need to tell me twice!" Himeko said, gripping the Proto Pulse Cleaver tightly.
"So that's how it's going to be? I'm just going to let you know." Edelweiss spread her legs apart and dropped into a quickdraw stance. Her eyes began to glint in the dull light of the labs. A shroud of blue honkai energy wafted off her body. "Things will be different this time, Kiana."
Kiana and Himeko readied themselves as Edelweiss charged toward them.
She would never admit it. Never in her lifetime. Neither in this one or the last. But to her, there were humans who she privately admitted would be able to overpower her given the opportunity. That white-haired man with the flaming sword. The woman who threw a flaming sword at her, requiring the entity she called God to save her. And now…
The Herrscher of the Void's body phased away, leaving nothing behind as a blood-tinged gold spear pierced the ground where she stood. She glared at the smaller woman, who was amassing an incredible amount of Honkai Energy.
"Humanity will not fall here, Void Queen. Even if I die, I will stop you here and now!" Theresa raised her hand into the air, forming several translucent crosses of pure energy.
The Herrscher's eyes narrowed. Several portals opened behind her.
Theresa threw her hand forward, launching the massive crosses at her.
The Herrscher scoffed before firing several lances to meet them midway.
Bronya erected an energy shield around her and Mei using Project Bunny.
The battle that unfolded before them was nothing short of incredible. They knew that Theresa was powerful but never to this extent. Flashes of light peppered the battlefield as the lances and crosses collided in a brilliant, explosive fashion. Gusts of wind washed over them as the two titans with seemingly inexhaustible weaponry continued their bullet hell barrage against each other.
"Submit. This girl cannot hear you because she has never existed. It has always been just me…" The Herrscher of the Void flicked her wrist. The pillars around the square rattled violently before shattering into large pieces of rubble. She threw her arm forward, launching the rubble at Theresa.
"Damn it!" Theresa jumped back and sliced some of the rubble with her spear.
She landed with a flip and looked up to see a large piece of concrete the size of a building hurtling toward her.
"Judah!"
Judah glowed brightly and fired several golden spears at the concrete rubble. The rubble violently exploded, and dust and bits of debris were sent everywhere, obscuring everyone's vision.
The Herrscher of the Void narrowed her eyes, having lost track of Theresa.
However, Theresa had never lost sight of her.
"Cecilia! I know you can hear me! Fight her!" Theresa yells, throwing a cross at her. It curves, deviating from its usual path.
The Herrscher notices it too late and barely dodges it. A cut appears on her cheek. Anger bubbled up within her.
Theresa took advantage of the momentary lapse. She shifted her heel and dashed forward, vanishing in a burst of speed.
She seemingly materialized in front of the Herrscher and landed a decisive blow to her midsection.
The Herrscher's eyes widened. She had completely underestimated the strength this diminutive woman held. The force reverberates through her body with the force of a cannon and sends her flying into a pillar. She coughed violently as she got to her feet. The pain was still fresh and present and only served to anger her even more. "How dare you…!?" she growled.
"You insignificant human insect!" the Herrscher of the Void rose into the air. Honkai energy gathered into her palms.
The energy compressed into a ball in her hands. She launched the violet orb at Theresa. The orb traveled at incredible speeds, ripping through the fabric of space as it did so.
Theresa clenched her jaw and summoned Judah before her. The cross glowed brightly before firing several golden chains that snaked towards the imaginary mass of volatile space hurtling toward her.
The chains wrapped around the orb, attempting to stop it. However, the orb ripped through them easily, annihilating anything it seemingly came into contact with.
However, Theresa was far from done. She closed her hand, causing the chains to divert their paths and encircled the orb, containing it. The binding properties of Judah, slowly drained and nullified the Honkai energy of the imaginary mass until it dissipated.
"Is that all you got?" Theresa taunted, brandishing her two spears.
The Herrscher of the Void hovered silently, slightly impressed that she had stopped that attack.
"I have to admit, I never expected such a small body to pack such a punch." The Herrscher of the Void glowered at Theresa, who had a cocky infuriating smirk on her face. Her small size and appearance only served to annoy her even more.
"What's wrong, Ceci? Can't even keep up with your aunt?" Theresa taunted as she twirled her spears.
The Herrscher of the Void and Theresa zipped around the battlefield, appearing as flashes of sparks to Bronya and Mei. A streak of violet light was followed by that of gold.
The Herrscher of the Void appeared in the sky, compressing air into her hand. She lobbed it at Theresa.
Theresa's eyes widened as she twisted her body out of the way, causing the ball of air to violently impact the ground. The invisible force created a large crater where it landed.
She kept her eyes trained. She knew fighting against the Herrscher of the Void was almost guaranteed suicide. However, she needed to buy time. For Kiana. For anyone to come and help.
"..."
The Herrscher of the Void raised her hand, summoning several lances from the portals behind her.
"We'll see who can keep up with who, worm." The Herrscher of the Void fired the lances from her portals.
Theresa darted forward, moving in a zigzagging motion. She expertly avoided all the spears, using her superior combat skill to cross the gap between her and the Herrscher of the Void.
However, the Herrscher had one final trick. She held her hand out, palm facing the floor. A wave of violet energy engulfed the floor.
"What is she-!?" Mei gasped as the floor suddenly tilted. Space rearranged itself and the floor slowly began to change positions from horizontal to vertical.
Theresa's eyes widened and she moved into a slide, sliding toward the Herrscher at fast speeds. As soon as she got close, Theresa jumped and raised her arms into the air. One of Judah's spears was raised above her head, ready to skewer the Herrscher.
The Herrscher's eyes grew wide for a few seconds before a malicious smirk appeared on her face.
As Theresa's spear grew nearer and nearer, her eyes suddenly turned blue.
Theresa's spear halts mere centimeters from her eyes. She stared back with a conflicted look on her face. Her eyes were blue. Those eyes were clearly Cecilia's. Her arms trembled as she struggled as to whether or not she should impale Cecilia.
"A- Auntie…?"
Theresa's eyes widened when she heard her voice. Hope shimmered in Theresa's eyes. Was it really her? She lowered the spear slightly. "C- Ceci…?"
"Auntie, I… got you, Baby Doll~!"
"Ah-!" Theresa's eyes widened as a dizzying sense of zero gravity slammed into her. When she regained her senses, Theresa noticed she was frozen in place in the air. The world had returned to normal and the Herrscher stood before her with a smile that was filled with malice.
An invisible force wrapped around her arms and neck, suspending her where she floated.
"Tch…!" Theresa thrashed against her bindings, trying to break free.
"Principal Theresa!" Mei gripped her sword and made to run forward when she was held back by Bronya.
"Bronya-! Let me go!" Mei struggled against her grip, however, Bronya and Project Bunny's combined hold was too strong for her to break.
"I never thought you'd fall for something as simple as that," the Herrscher said, hovering in front of Theresa. "Your eyes, they betray love, care, and plenty of regret."
"You…" Theresa struggled.
The Herrscher of the Void wrapped her fingers around Theresa's throat, breaking the invisible bindings. She held the smaller woman in the air, glaring into her eyes.
"I remember seeing those eyes before I fell asleep. That woman…" the Herrscher said softly as she recalled memories of a white haired woman. Memories that she deemed hers yet her mind deemed them to be foreign data. She ignored this and continued. "She extended her hand and fantasized about helping me. In the end, she was nothing more than a fool."
Her eyes darkened as she continued speaking.
"That woman was a joke. An arrogant being who thought they could save everyone. She was powerless to save anything let alone me. Truly a self-righteous idiot who fantasized about saving me and believed in fairy tales filled with redemption and salvation," the Herrscher said. "You… You've hardly changed at all."
Theresa's eyes widened as her memories of the Second Eruption came back in full force. She grit her teeth and glared at the Herrscher. "I know… but… let me make things clear for you." Theresa let out a pained mocking smirk. "That's how I catch my prey…" Her left hand glowed slightly.
"!?" The Herrscher of the Void's eyes widened as several chains wrapped around her arms and body. She looked back disdainfully at Theresa, whose grin never faded.
"Got you now, Baby Doll~!" Theresa said mockingly.
"These chains again, don't you ever give up?" the Herrscher asked, feeling her Honkai energy being stripped away by its properties.
"This time… it's different!" At Bronya's command, Project Bunny unveiled its newest upgrade. Bronya closed her eyes and began remembering what the doctor had told her about the weapon.
"You?" Doctor Einstein said, raising an eyebrow as she saw Bronya entering the Bridge.
"I'm here to inform you that I'm heading out," Bronya said.
Einstein's eyes grew wide. "You… You know that's suicide, right?" She couldn't believe the words that were coming out of this young girl's mouth.
"The Bronya knows… but, the Bronya will not allow her friends to fight alone. She will fight with them whether the Doctor approves of it or not," Bronya bit back.
Einstein frowned. She ran a hand through her hair. "First Kiana, now you. Fine, it seems that you've made up your mind about this so allow me to give you a piece of advice."
Bronya tilted her head questioningly.
"Do not falter even for a second. That girl down there. She may be wearing Cecilia's face but that is not her. Don't hold back because she won't be," Einstein advised.
Bronya nodded.
"Oh and here. Just attach this to Project Bunny on your way over. You're going to need it." Einstein handed Bronya an iridescent orb with golden wing like designs decorating the surface.
"What is this…?" Bronya asks.
"It's a Divine Key. A weapon just like Shamash. Just remember. Like Shamash, this operates in powers. Right now, your body cannot withstand its ultimate form but… with enough honkai energy, you should be able to access its first power."
Bronya's eyes widened. "Thank you. The Bronya appreciates your-"
"Just bring it back when you're done," Einstein interrupted.
A faint red glow appears at the center of Bronya's eye as she aimed the Divine Key at the Herrscher. "Star of Eden. First Power. All powers set to max!"
The Herrscher of the Void's eyes narrowed as powerful gravity waves slammed into her from all directions. The sheer pressure was beginning to build, driving the Honkai chains deeper into her flesh. Her powers were slowly being drained and suppressed. She turned to Theresa, who had a cocky grin on her face.
"You can't escape…" Theresa rasped.
"..." The Herrscher looked at the chains with some contempt in her eyes before turning to Theresa.
"The Oath of Judah has caught you. There is now way you can escape. I'll never let go even if it costs me my life!" she declared.
The Herrscher of the Void remained silent. Her powers were slowly draining. She needed to get out of this. However, she decided to humor Theresa a little more. "Oh really~?" she asked.
"Wha-!?" Theresa's eyes widened in horror as the golden chains binding the Herrscher's body snapped. She grinned and raised Theresa higher into the air. Her powers began to return to her rapidly.
"Did you really think such ancient toys can work on someone like me?" the Herrscher asked mockingly as she easily stood against the gravity waves produced by Bronya.
"No… way…" Mei whispered in horror.
The Third Herrscher growled inside Mei's subconscious, feeling their chances of victory, however slim it may have been, slowly slipping away.
The Herrscher grinned as she tightened her grip around Theresa's throat. The smaller woman thrashed against her hold, using her strength to try and break her grip. However, whatever the Herrscher did, Theresa had failed to do so. Perhaps it was from her injuries or her increasingly current lack of oxygen.
The Herrscher's lips upturned into a cruel smile. "Do you feel smart? Is victory within sight? Are you hopeful yet?" she sneered. "Exciting dramas tend to have the most heart-wrenching climaxes. And I love watching those."
She relished in Theresa's struggling and defiant gaze. "The will to survive… hope for a better future… having the strength and courage to protect all those you hold dear…" Her eyes glowed with untold malice. "They are nothing but pathetic toys before me!"
"C- Ceci…" she choked out.
"Your existence is worth nothing," the Herrscher said. "Ufufufu… ahahahaha!" she cackled maniacally.
"Headmaster!"
Mei and Bronya charged in to save her.
The Herrscher turned her head and swiped her arm. A cascade of honkai energy barreled its way through the plaza, pulverizing everything in its path.
Mei jumped into the air, lightning coating her body. She coated her sword in lighting and launched several arcs of cutting lightning.
Bronya aimed the Star of Eden at the Herrscher to fire another shot.
The Herrscher, amused by their efforts, held her hand out. The two attacks were frozen mid-flight. She closed her fist and a black sphere began to engulf them, swallowing their attacks hole.
"You…"
"Mmm?" The Herrscher turned back to Theresa only to see Theresa's boots slammed into her chest. She stumbled back, dropping Theresa in the process.
"Khhh…!" the Herrscher of the Void coughed, feeling the hard strike to her sternum.
"Haaah!" Theresa furiously pursued her, delivering fast and brutal attacks.
The Herrscher of the Void momentarily caught herself before being put back on the offensive. She raises her and blocks Theresa's blow. A shockwave ensued that covered the whole plaza.
Theresa's eyes widened when there was a solid, hexagonal barrier made of light between Theresa's fist and the Herrscher.
"Do you want to get this body back and save her?" the Herrscher asked.
She flicked her wrist, repelling Theresa with an unseen force.
Mei and Bronya charged in to try and stop her. However, the Herrscher raised her hand, morphing her lances into clawed limbs. The elastic limbs stretched and shot toward Mei and Bronya.
Mei's lightning coated body blinked, narrowly avoiding the arm.
However, Bronya was not so lucky. The white arm slammed into her barrier at the last minute, sending her back. Bronya slammed into the ground, pushing against the Herrscher of the Void's elastic limb. Its claws began to crack through Bronya's barrier.
Theresa landed on the ground and charged back in.
"You are, right?" The Herrscher's body teleported out of the way of an attack from Mei. "I get it. She is a loved one, no? A member of your happy little family?"
She continued to taunt them as they attacked her.
"Did you make sweet little memories together? Promises that you wanted to fulfill together?"
Her eyes glowed and the two were blasted back by a concussive force.
"If that's the truth, then I shall kill you all one by one with her hands and her body." The Herrscher rose slowly into the air, relishing in her power as she regained control of the fight. "Everyone who loves her and tries to save her… I'll give them a brutal death." She declared.
The Herrscher dove toward Theresa, appearing in front of her in a burst of speed. Her hand shot forward and caught Theresa by the throat. "I shall shatter whatever sweet nothings you promised to one another. Transform all your memories and dreams into a hellscape of despair and pain."
"And then… I'll have her witness your mangled, mutilated bodies and watch as her will breaks before I snuff her out completely," the Herrscher said as she tightened her grip.
"Principal!" Mei launched forward. "Haaah!"
[Exceed Mode Activated]
"Haaah!" Mei's katana was coated in lightning. Her energy wings returned and she tried to slice the Herrscher's arm off.
However, a virtually impenetrable barrier appeared around the Herrscher, causing her lightning infused blade to bounce off uselessly.
"W- Wha…?" she said in shock.
"Friends, hope, dreams, future, and…"
Kiana's image flashed within the Herrscher's mind and her eyes flickered back to blue for an instant. "Family…" the word came out last yet Theresa heard something mixed in the contempt. "She deserves none of these. She is unworthy of it all. I'll make sure I tear it down so she can never acquire them."
"Kiana will… stop you…" Theresa rasped.
The Herrscher went silent before a laugh escaped her lips. "Ahahaha! Kiana? She won't. Because… Auntie~!" she said mockingly.
"This girl… This body… Little Ceci~! I'm Big Sis's only weakness~!" The Herrscher said, imitating Cecilia's way of speech.
CLANG!
Sparks appeared in different areas around the interior of the Heliopolis Lab Complex. Even in time fracture, Himeko was barely able to catch a glimpse of them moving. The two were moving faster than bullets ever could. As the time fracture wore off, Himeko stumbled when she felt the complex tremble violently.
"Damn it, Kiana! At least let me have a shot!" Himeko said, powering up the Proto Pulse Cleaver. Scarlet Fusion's reactors hissed as blue energy gathered around her.
Kiana and Edelweiss reappeared in mid air.
Edelweiss swung her odachi only to strike Kiana's ice blade. Kiana aimed the pistol in her other hand at Edelweiss's midsection.
She fired.
Edelweiss parried Kiana's blade and flipped out of the way. Her eyes widened when she felt Kiana's presence vanish. A shadow appeared out of the corner of her eye. She turned only to have Kiana's boot plant itself in her cheek.
Edelweiss plummeted toward Himeko, who had the Proto Pulse Cleaver held up like a bat. She swung her blade at Edelweiss.
The younger Kaslana reacted, twisting her body and performing a circle slash.
The sound of metal shattering echoed through the lab. Edelweiss's Divine Key had sliced straight through Himeko's greatsword.
"Himeko-!?" Kiana kicked off the wall and darted toward Edelweiss.
The other Kaslana turned on her feet, kicking Himeko across the hallway before slicing the air in front of her.
Kiana's eyes widened. She twisted her body, narrowly avoiding the frozen blade wave from Edelweiss. She rolled on the floor before taking off toward Edelweiss once more. She fired a few bullets at Edelweiss, emptying the magazine completely at her.
Edelweiss's eyes glinted. She held her blade before slicing the bullets.
"!?" Edelweiss's eyes widened when she saw Kiana thrust her hand at her.
A blast of frosty mist sprayed all over her face, temporarily blinding her. "Kggh! Ahhh!" Edelweiss screamed as the burning ice crystallized all over skin. She grit her teeth and closed her eyes, turning her head frantically to find Kiana. "You-!" The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She swung Tyrfing.
Kiana created a blade of ice and parried the swing. The force caused both of them to slide back.
Edelweiss growled and rubbed her eyes, wiping off the frost crystals. She glared fiercely at Kiana. "That was dirty…"
"Not as dirty as this," Kiana grinned.
"Huh. What are you-!?" Edelweiss gasped as she felt something slam into her back. She looked over her shoulder and saw Himeko wrapping her arms around before performing a suplex on her.
The ground shook slightly from Himeko's physical strength and the force of the slam.
"Get… off!" A wave of frost was expelled from Edelweiss.
Himeko's eyes widened as she soon found herself flying through the air. She flipped and landed safely next to Kiana.
Edelweiss slowly got up. Her eyes were surrounded by a blue flame. There were the telltale signs of a honkai cascade yet Edelweiss retained her sanity. Kiana's eyes narrowed as she tightened her grip on Tyrfing.
"Himeko. Get ready. Go find cover."
"What?" Himeko asked.
"Go." Violet-blue flames began to gather around Kiana. As soon as it did, a myriad of whispers began to invade her mind. However, she fought to suppress it. Chimera. Her body instinctively told her what it meant. Ever since that damn woman in the Stigmata Space awakened it, Kiana knew yet didn't know what it was. The only thing she knew was that she could control Ice, but her body told her she could do so much more.
Honkai energy soaked her body as her arms turned black. She threw her empty pistols to the floor and dropped into a fighting stance. As if responding to her will and current need, the carapace on her hands morphed and stretched until they formed bony, exoskeletal claws.
Just like…
"Garmr…" Kiana whispered.
The Honkai Wolf Beast from her dream.
"Just like Aunt Kriemhilde." Edelweiss glared at Kiana. She clenched her teeth before shifting on her heel. She sheathed Tyrfing in its scabbard. "Tyrfing… First Power. Nifelheim Null." She declared.
A wave of icy wind washed over the two.
Himeko shielded her face and watched in awe as frost began to form across the floor. Even her armor, Scarlet Fusion, was beginning to freeze over.
Kiana remained unperturbed by the move. She widened her stance into a lunging position. She raised one clawed hand above her head and kept the other one low.
Edelweiss narrowed her eyes before flickering from her spot.
Kiana dug her heel down and shot forward.
A blur of blue hurtled toward a streak of blue.
The two flashes of light shot past each other.
In an instant following their clash, the ground between them shattered, torn by the ferocity of their attacks.
Kiana straightened herself and swung her claws, spraying blood on the floor. Blood trickled down her cheek, dripping down her chin.
Edelweiss's eyes widened. She coughed and blood flowed out of her mouth. She looked down and saw a large slash mark across her chest. It was severe but she would live. Edelweiss fell to one knee, using Tyrfing as support.
Her eyes were wide in fury and humiliation. "Again… Not again… I won't… I won't let you do this to me again!" Edelweiss roared.
Kiana turned around and readied her next attack. Ice formed around her black, bony claws.
"Khhh! KIANA!" Edelweiss roared as she shot forward.
Before the attack could reach Kiana, a blast of lightning shattered the roof and slammed down between them. Edelweiss felt a sharp pain shoot through her. A tree root had erupted from the ground and slammed into her.
Edelweiss flew across the air and hit the ground, rolling violently and dropping Tyrfing in the process. She coughed violently. The severity of the wound Kiana had dealt, coupled with the surprise attack.
Kiana kept her stance guarded. Himeko circled around and stood next to Kiana.
"Kiana."
Kriemhilde stood in the middle of the small scorched crater and pulled Balmung out of it.
"Kriemhilde," Kiana said, feeling grateful to see her for once.
"You… traitor…" Edelweiss hissed as she tried to sit up. However, a silver lance stopped near her throat. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw the person behind it. "Ana…?"
Ana looked down at Edelweiss coldly. "As Valkyries, this is not how we treat our prisoners, Edelweiss. You would do best to remember that."
"Tch! You want me to show mercy to a traitor of humanity like her! You're a Schariac! You should understand as well as I do the horrors of a Herrscher! Did your aunt not die to one!? The very same that's rampaging around this compound!" Edelweiss snarled.
Ana's eyes hardened at her words. "Aunt Cecilia did die to the Herrscher of the Void. That is why I continue to fight. To prevent needless deaths like hers. Unlike yourself who fights for your own selfish pride."
Edelweiss growled and grit her teeth. The wound she suffered would prevent her from fighting now. She lowered her head and complied.
Ana sighed and stabbed the Abyss Flower into the ground. She turned around to face Kiana and Himeko. Kriemhilde stood before them protectively. While she was supposedly equal to Edelweiss, Kiana could sense an edge to her that she hadn't felt in Edelweiss.
This woman. She was too calm.
Ana reached into her breast pocket and threw something at Kiana.
Kiana reflexively caught it.
"A keycard?"
It was a black keycard.
"That's my access card. It has the highest level of permission underneath the Overseer. I'd tell you to use Kriemhilde's card but hers was deactivated by Lord Otto. That card will get you to the North Security Tower where Doctor Tesla is held without issue. In addition, it'll let you access the depths of Helheim Labs where your Divine Key is being stored," Ana explained.
Kiana clenched the keycard before looking up at her. "Why are you helping us?" Kiana asked.
"I don't agree with the Overseer's insane plan to control a Herrscher. Unfortunately, I cannot interfere because of my duties to Schicksal. However, rather than doing so directly, I can indirectly change the outcome of this tragedy through you. Don't mistake this as my offering an olive branch. You three are still enemies of Schicksal and if the time comes when I have to hunt you down, I will do so. However, for now, our interests align," Ana said.
Kiana gazed at her suspiciously before sighing. "Thank you," she said. The black tint to her arms faded along with the carapace on her skin.
Ana nodded.
"Come on. What are we waiting for?" Kiana said.
Himeko and Kriemhilde nodded before following her toward the North Tower.
"Mei-!" Bronya tried to shield Mei but was knocked aside by an invisible spatial force. She flew across the battlefield and slammed into a pillar before sliding down.
"Bronya- Khhh!" Mei choked as the Herrscher of the Void wrapped her hand around Mei's throat. She lifted her into the air.
"M- Mei…" Theresa groaned.
"Damn it! Raiden Mei! Fight her!" The Third Herrscher urged from within her.
Mei glared at the Herrscher before grabbing the Herrscher's wrist. Thunder rumbled across the sky before slamming down on the both of them. The entire area was lit up as an explosion rocked the very foundations around them.
As the dust cleared, Mei coughed. The Herrscher of the Void hovered above her with an amused smile on her face.
"Do not resist, my dear Mei. It will all be over soon." She extended her hand.
Mei tried to jump back but was frozen in place by an invisible force. She struggled and launched bolts of electricity at the Herrscher of the Void.
However, the Void Queen redirected her attacks with a few portals.
"My dearest Mei… you are my other half. The burning passion of my soul," the Herrscher of the Void said, mixing Cecilia's voice in with hers. "Wait no longer. Come and join your strength with me."
Mei screamed as she felt an agonizing pain. It was like her being was about to be torn from her body. A violet light enveloped Mei before a translucent apparition began to separate from Mei's body.
"N- No!" Mei screamed.
"She's… absorbing the Gem of Conquest!" Bronya said.
The Herrscher of the Void grinned sadistically as the apparition condensed into a jagged violet gem. "Ahhh…" An ecstatic feeling rocked her body. The core began to disperse into violet light and settled within her flesh.
"Fufufu… kyahahaha!" The Herrscher of the Void cackled evilly.
Thunder clapped across the sky. Whether it was in lamentation or in celebration, the onlookers would never know.
"The sound of thunderclaps. Such music to my ears…," the Herrscher of the Void said. She turned to her soon-to-be victims with a sadistic smile on her face. "Now come. Offer yourself to your God. We hereby declare Judgement Day!"
Theresa and Bronya prepared themselves for their oncoming deaths. Yet, even in spite of that, the two would fight until the end.
The Herrscher of the Void summoned several portals, intent on skewering them with an endless barrage.
However, her sense of danger alerted her to an oncoming hostile presence. She turned quickly, erecting a violet barrier around herself. An orange orb of Honkai energy ground against it before dispersing.
"Another… annoying gnat!" She growled.
A streak of light slammed into the ground between the Herrscher of the Void and Theresa and Bronya.
"...!? This signal. It's…"
"It's who?" Theresa squinted her eyes, trying to see through the dust.
The dust faded to reveal Fu hua, dressed in dark armor.
"Class Rep Fu Hua?" Bronya whispered.