Chapter 4: Will of Fire

The Cardinal was man who could perhaps be called extraordinarily busy.

After all, he had a "flock" to tend to. Those poor souls displaced by the disasters caused by the Honkai, the ill afflicted by its "blessing" yet whose bodies had yet to adapt to it. The Followers of Finality demanded much time and attention, least of all when Schicksal was breathing down their necks just waiting for a chance.

But the man held little fear about the world's premier Anti-Honkai organization trying anything, yet. Oh did he know how vain that Oskar Apocalypse was. The lessons of fourteen years ago ensured he knew well how that man behaved. Something of a mutual understanding between foes as it were.

"Hmm… perhaps it is fate that something felt as if it were shifting on this day…" the Cardinal chuckled as he strolled through the deeper ends of the chapel halls, all decorated finely in rich purples and highlighted in white. "Something in the Honkai has changed."

"Cardinal!" The voice of another man entered his ears, the Cardinal smoothly shifting to look behind him. A robed follower of his hurriedly approached, the hooded man nodding his head as he caught up. "I hate to interrupt you sir, but we've received news."

"I have plenty of news from my flock. Tell me, what have you heard?"

"Nagazora has apparently gone silent," that certainly got the Cardinal's attention. "We have barely maintained communication with the Followers who were present in the city. They have reported a massive surge in Honkai energy centered on the Academy City."

"A surge large enough to almost knock out communications even in a city as advanced as Nagazora?" As he pondered it, a smile spread across the Cardinal's face. His eyes gleamed with zealous glee as he realized it, "Ahhh, I see! So, the Finality has sought to render its blessings unto us mortals once more! Hahaha, perhaps this is all ordained! Or maybe my old foe is up to his old tricks! Hahaha… ah, no matter."

"Cardinal?"

"Contact whom you can from our brothers and sisters in Nagazora," the Cardinal placed his hands on the Follower's shoulders. "Tell them we are being greeted by another of Finality's Chosen! Only such a being could induce an outbreak such as this."

"Yes sir! And… what else should I tell them?"

"Tell them… to render those souls who could not adapt to Finality's blessing to the next life. Offer those poor souls mercy and locate those who yet live to embrace it. We have much work to do, in order to greet the newest Herrscher, whomsoever it may be."

Soleil let out a hiss as Kiana applied some medical salve to his injured arm, the worst of the injuries he'd taken from their fight with 'Mei' still all too fresh, ensuring the salve stung like hell as Kiana applied it. Having retreated to one of the near barren classrooms of the old school building, there were at least enough chairs and desks, rickety as they were, to let Soleil sit as Kiana tended to his more severe injuries.

"Oh come on, I'm sure compared to her lightning this is nothing," Kiana snickered at Soleil's response, the boy grumbling as she started wrapping his arm. "So… what was that back there?"

"What was what?"

"Oh I dunno, maybe the fire powers?" Kiana puffed a cheek as Soleil looked away, finishing up the bandaging. "Sure I'm like super strong and stuff 'cause I'm a Kaslana, but most people can't make fire!"

"Haagh… no real point in hiding it."

Kiana raised a brow, her face reddening a bit as Soleil undid a couple of his shirt buttons and tugged at the collar. Kiana hid her face and turned away, but almost couldn't help but open her fingers. Embarrassment turned to surprise though, as she saw what Soleil revealed with this tugged collar.

"A Stigmata?!" Kiana dropped her hands, getting a closer look at the red emblem on Soleil's collarbone. "No wonder you're unaffected by the Honkai radiation even at an epicenter! But… wait, why would you have a natural one?"

"…?" Soleil just raised a brow, Kiana puffing out a cheek.

"Oh come on, you're from the North America Branch, you've gotta know!" Kiana held up a finger, taking on a teacher-like tone that hardly fit her. "Honkai Resistance is a rare trait in people, and it mostly manifests more strongly in women, and even then, it's rarely strong enough to provide full defense without further measures. It's incredibly rare for it to appear in a guy, much less strong enough to resist it when an Impact happens! The only other men I know who do are members of the Four Houses."

"… what if I said it was a True Stigmata?" Kiana flinched back at Soleil's statement. "Not artificial or even natural… the kind of Stigma that only appears on a potential Herrscher."

"Wait… is that why Mei was saying those things to you?" Kiana folded her arms as Soleil nodded. She puffed out a cheek as Soleil looked downcast. And then, she grabbed him by the cheek, yanking hard.

"Owowowowowow!" Soleil yelped as Kiana tugged. "Wha' wah' 'hat for?!"

"Do you think I'm going to suddenly change my mind because it turns out you're also a Herrscher candidate?" Kiana released Soleil, the boy rubbing his now sore right cheek. "Come on, I already decided to try and save one Herrscher. And besides, it isn't like you've turned. How long have you even known about it?"

"… long enough," Soleil clenched his right hand. Kiana opened her mouth, but even she was tactful enough to pick up Soleil wasn't keen to go further than that. "It's not like it always appears. It only shows up when I'm around dense Honkai energy. That's the only time I can use those fire abilities too."

"So, the Herrscher you're a candidate of is the Herrscher of Flames," Kiana put a hand to her chin as Soleil nodded. "Well, it's useful, so I don't see a reason to worry. You're clearly in control of it, so there's that."

"Silver lining, I suppose," Soleil buttoned his shirt back up, giving Kiana an unamused look when she looked displeased about it. "Anyway, we need some kind of plan. Mei's probably gathering up more Honkai energy back at the main building, and the longer we wait the bigger of a problem she'll be."

"Well, I'm starting to run low on ammo," Kiana reached to her waist band and drew her gun, "I've only got a couple more full magazines, so I don't want to be wasteful… and unfortunately I'm not toting around some bat with Schicksal tech. Seriously, where'd you get that?"

"Borrowed it, much like you borrowed one from the gym," Soleil gave Kiana a playful sneer, the silver-haired girl huffing a bit. "So then how good are you in hand-to-hand if you're running out of shots?"

"Pretty good, if I have to say," Kiana gave a proud chuckle. "I'm also pretty handy with a spear thanks to my mama! She's an S-Rank Valkyrie, if you must know."

"Also a… wait a second…" Soleil put a hand to his chin, closing his eyes for a moment. She's a Kaslana, meaning she has to be Siegfried's daughter. Dad mentioned they were old buddies from back during the 2nd Impact… he mentioned Siegfried also had a wife… but, an S-Rank Valkyrie? And someone who could… Soleil's eyes then snapped open as the realization hit him. "AHHHHH!"

"Eh?! Eh?! Why are you yelling?!"

"You're Cecilia Schariac's daughter?!" Soleil shot to his feet, his expression cracking as Kiana snickered. It was all the affirmation he needed. "Uuuggghhh… what the hell kind of situation have I gotten wrapped up in?

"The best kind?" Kiana's attempt at being smarmy earned her a flick on the forehead. "OW! That was mean!"

"Then don't be a smartass. Anyway, we got someone to save, right?" Soleil stood, rolling his right arm. "Back to the school building with us."

"Hehe, let's go show her who's boss!" Kiana hopped to her feet, holding out a fist to Soleil. "Don't lag behind me now that you know just how amazing I can be!"

"Hah, being someone's kid doesn't guarantee a thing," Soleil bumped Kiana's fist with his own. "So, let's see what you got, Little Miss Scion."

"So let's just establish this and get it out of the way: What we're about to do is completely idiotic and something I'm sure anyone above us will not let us hear the end of later, yeah?"

"Yeup. But there isn't anyone else around. We gotta do what needs to be done."

"Can't argue that much."

Soleil hummed as he cracked his knuckles, his and Kiana's eyes on the storm brewing over the building they were now approaching, a trail of dead zombies behind them marking their path from the old school building. As they took a moment to stop, Soleil pulled out his phone, clicking his tongue when the screen still didn't change.

"Still not getting any signal. Guess we'll be cut off until it clears up a bit once we get Mei back to her senses."

"Meaning information about the outbreak also isn't going to be getting out soon. And anyone who might know is planning how to act," Kiana said, checking the last bit of ammo she had for her pistol. "Sooo… what is our plan for this anyway?"

"I thought you were handling the plan," Soleil brought his bat to his shoulder, Kiana staring at him blankly for a moment. "… you didn't have a plan in the first place, for any of this, at all. Didn't you?"

"Well, it's not like you can suddenly expect a Herrscher to appear y'know?" Kiana snapped, Soleil putting a hand to his head. "It's not like you were prepared either Rei-senpai! Who could've guessed this would've happened?!"

"I at least a few escape routes in mind. So it doesn't count," Soleil muttered, looking to the side.

"It totally does! You have no ground to mock me for not having a solid plan!"

"I believe I do!" Soleil snapped, he and Kiana silent for a moment before both started laughing. "I guess we're both idiots huh?"

"Hey, winging it's been working for us so far. We just need to make sure she doesn't run off this time," Kiana flinched shrugged as another crack of thunder broke the air. "We shouldn't waste time."

"Yeah defi-GUGH!" As if out of some kind of spite, along with another crack of thunder, a piece of rubble came flying through the air and smacked Soleil clean on the side of the head, the boy hissing as he bent down and put a hand to where he'd been hit, "Chertovski bol'no!"

"You speak Russian?" Kiana murmured.

"First language, English is my second," Soleil growled as he stood up. His eyes widened as another crack of thunder came with a flash of lightning.

And this time, now before them was Mei, her wing restored and crackling even brighter than before.

"Well look who came to us! Thanks for not wasting our time," Kiana chuckled as she put a hand to her hip. Mei huffed.

"Hmph. It's my time that isn't being wasted. I merely came to squash two insects."

Mei raised her arm, loosing a blast of lightning at both the others. The two targets dodged, and Mei smirked as Soleil shot through the bolts with his bat ready to strike. Mei met it head on, meeting his swing with a slash of her hand, a blade of lightning meeting the barrel of the bat as it ignited with flames, the clash bursting through the air as the ground cracked beneath the two.

"It won't be that easy this time!"

"Wasn't expecting it to be!" Soleil carried the swing through, whirling around as flames coursed along his bat. And with the next swing, the collision caused an explosion as Mei's lightning sword collided again, the two jumping back as they were hit with the shock wave. "Though there's a lot more we can do than just fight! How about I tell you a story? A story about a classmate of mine!"

"You be quiet!" Mei let off a fanning wave of blasts at Soleil, the boy flipping out of the way and vaulting off his hand.

As Soleil retreated, a gesture from his head got Kiana to move forward. Kiana fired what shots she could spare as she skirted around the edge, directing Mei's attention to her, Soleil dashing forward and swinging again, Mei's wing blocking the strike as she turned back to him.

"She didn't have things easy. Her mom died when she was little, so it was just her and her father for years… heh, that's a feeling I can relate too. All she wanted was for her dad to spend time with her, but he was always busy with work."

"SHUT UP!" Mei yelled as she swiped her wing, Soleil rolling away from more blasts of lightning. Mei blocked again when Kiana shot at her, the white-haired girl chuckling.

"But for a while, it wasn't all bad!" Soleil continued to speak even as Mei let out a burst of energy all around her to try and drive him and Kiana away. "She at least thought she had friends at school, people she could talk to and be happy with!" Soleil ducked when Mei slashed with her wing, shooting up and sure to be right in her face. "But that all went crashing down!"

"I said, SHUT UP!" Mei swiped her arm, Soleil dodging just in time as a claw of lightning cam all too close to raking across his chest. When Mei went to blast him, the bolt was stopped as more bullets was zapped to dust by Mei's lightning aura, the Herrscher turning just in time to be met by Kiana's foot slamming into her sternum.

"Just die already you maggots!" Mei lashed back, Kiana smoothly rolling back and cartwheeling out of her range,

"Gonna have to try harder than that!" Soleil leaped back in, bat meeting lighting once more as he tried to push through Mei's guard. "So, she wondered and wondered, why did everyone turn on her? Why was the world suddenly so cruel?"

"DIE ALREADY!" Mei threw another blow at Soleil, lightning arcing across her arm. But, rather than a clean connection, even when it caused pain to arc up his arm, Soleil caught the first, the lightning clashing with the flames coursing from his palm. "Damn you!"

"Like I said, going to have to try harder!" Soleil grit his teeth, speaking through the jolts of pain. "I know what it feels like Mei, I've been there! But you can still come back from this! So shut up and listen to me! If you need someone to help you, then let me and Kiana be that for you!"

Soleil forced Mei's arm to the side, gripping his bat with both hands, blue flames rippling across it, forcing it past Mei's grip and blowing the Herrscher away in a wave of heat, sending her reeling back and into the wall of the building. Soleil panted as he wavered a bit, his left arm numb and crackling with electrical sparks. His Stigmata mark was glowing enough to be visible under his shirt, his eyes bearing a red glint of their own to them now.

"Do you think that managed to do it?" Kiana asked, Soleil shaking his head.

"I don't think so. The air still feels heavy," Soleil wiped his mouth of a bit of blood on his chin, and he was proven right as the smoke cleared. While she looked like she'd taken the damage, Mei hadn't lost the marks of being a Herrscher, and now just look supremely maddened. "Called it."

"Darn, what is it going to take to snap her out of it?" Kiana muttered, aiming her pistol. But, surprisingly, when Mei moved forward, she lurched. Her wing started to flicker out, and her eyes flashed back and forth between their natural color and the Herrscher's red.

"N-No! She can't be… she's trying to take control again?!" Mei then screamed as a pulse of energy shot from her body, Soleil catching Kiana as they flew back, planting his bat into the ground to bring them to a stop. "Dammit, dammit, dammit! Just stay quiet you useless girl! Don't you dare try and come out now!"

"She's actually fighting back!" Kiana said, putting a hand near her mouth. "Mei! You hear me right?! Keep fighting! If you can win back control, then you can…"

"SHUT UP!" Mei roared and fired a bolt of lightning at the two, Soleil and Kiana dodging it. Mei growled as she put a hand to her face, and with a flare of her wing, the Herrscher flew up, to the roof of the building.

And as she did, zombies began to shuffle out from the trees and the building.

"She must be trying to get closer to the storm!" Soleil said, he and Kiana already running for it as rain began to pour down. "If I'm right, the storm above us is concentrated Honkai Energy formed because of her Herrscher Core!"

"I get it! If she's closer to that storm, then she can get power faster!" Kiana turned, shooting at and kicking away zombies as they rushed into the building. "But that also has to mean the Herrscher's control is slipping if she feels a need to head there!"

"Which means there's a chance to break through!" Soleil gathered fire in his hand, forming a ball he lobbed at the incoming zombies as Kiana shouldered through the remains of the school's front door, dashing after her now that something was stalling the zombies for a bit. "I just need to get close. I think if I hit her again the way I did before, I can snap her out of it this time!"

"Will do!"

"Just know I'm here," the "other" spoke in Soleil's mind as he and Kiana ascended. "You might not be able to win as you are… but don't worry too much. Knowing you, you may pull through anyway… though who knows how?"

"Just shut up and watch me."

Soleil shouldered the door to the roof open. He and Kiana came barreling out into the middle of a harsh rainstorm, thunder cracking around them as they slowly moved across the roof. The darkened field of view from the rain made the glows from their weapons all the more prominent.

"She has to be up here," Kiana said, cautiously aiming around, Soleil's hand at his chest as he scanned the area himself. Not like there were many places Mei could be at the time anyway. And with a flash of lightning and crack of thunder, again the two were faced with Mei. The Herrscher seemed in control again, no wavering, and her wing was solid once more. "About time! You know how hard it was to fight through all those zombies?"

"Honestly, I should be thankful. This weak girl's fear of getting close to people made it all too easy to take control. Though you're certainly an issue, Flame Bearer," Mei said, her tone cold as electricity crackled around her. Then a grimace showed. "What are you even doing fighting alongside that maggot?! Ones such as us have a greater calling, and you'd choose to fight with humanity?"

"I think you're misunderstanding what's going on here," Soleil scoffed, shaking off his left hand as he removed it from his chest. "I ain't like you. Just because I've got the potential to be like you doesn't mean I will. But even this much power is fine by me… besides, I'd rather use it to fight for humanity anyway! And right now, I'll use it to save Mei from you! So, ready for round three?!"

"You're still going on about that?! Fine, let's see you prove it!"

Mei gathered lightning at her hands and let it loose, though rather than separate, Soleil blocked the blast and, with energy coursing across his bat, deflecting it to the side. Kiana dashed down the center, spinning as she leapt through the air, her kick landing clean and sending Mei back. Soleil let flames charge along his bat as he readied a swing, the flames firing out like a roaring wave.

Mei drew an arm out with lightning arcing across it like a blade, swatting aside the beam of flames, and then clashing the lightning sword with Soleil's bat as he threw it right at her, Kiana coming in and kicking the haft to drive it forward more, her foot sticking as the bat lurched up as Mei tried to redirect it, allowing Kiana to flip off and come down as she fired what was left in her magazine, the bullets flashing with energy as they collided with Mei's wing.

"Now!"

Kiana shouted as she landed, rushing forward with her own back, Mei's wing blocking the swing. Mei looked away as she saw why this had gone the way it had, as Soleil was rushing forward with flames gathered at his right hand. He tried to ram the hand at Mei, who pushed up with her arm and dodged, slashing at Soleil with her lightning blade, nailing the boy dead on and sending him flying to the side, though something seemed to move from him as she did, then driving the sword up and shattering Kiana's bat with a single swing.

"Not enough!" Mei turned and kicked Kiana away as the girl fell, knocking her right into Soleil. "If you think getting a touch on me will be that easy then you-AGGHH!"

Mei suddenly reeled as flames licked at her wing, the Herrscher's eyes wide, glaring as she looked and saw Soleil chuckling as he and Kiana stood up, also revealing he'd retrieved his bat even though he'd been sent flying.

"I think you missed it," Soleil said, rolling his left arm. "Getting hit by that lightning sword hurt like hell, but, at the same time I was able to brush that wing of yours!"

"As annoying as expected," Mei grumbled, adjusting her arm as her lightning sword brightened. "But I still have more endurance than either of you."

"You sure about that?" Kiana said, "Sure, we don't have your fancy Herrscher powers, but I'm far from tired! Losing that bat won't be a problem for me!"

"And I've still got a few good swings left in me," Soleil chuckled as he spun the bat, Mei scoffing at them both.

"We'll see how long all your bluster lasts!" Mei's swing of the lightning blade caused a wave of energy to fly out at the two, Soleil leaping over while Kiana wheeled around, a smirk on her face as her hand then tapped a white device on the side of her belt. A pulse shot out, and the space around them all suddenly became tinted in a dark violet tinge. Kiana moved forward normally, yet Soleil and Mei had slowed down to a near crawl.

"Only a few seconds! But it's all I need!" Kiana reloaded her gun as she got into range, a flick of its switch causing a purple glow to run across its barrel. Mei's tried to turn to her, however, all too slowly in the slowed timespace. "And go!"

Just as the bubble pulled back in, Kiana unloaded every shot she had into Mei's wing, the shots boring holes through the structure. As Mei went reeling back, Kiana spun around her attempt to retaliate, landing a round house kick and sending the Herrscher crashing down into the floor as she spun her whole body into the kick.

"What was that?!" Soleil yelped as he landed, Kiana chuckling as she reloaded, down to her last magazine.

"A new piece of kit for us Valkyries! A Time Fracture Device. It only lasts a few seconds, but it slows down time when it's used. Getting my hands on one was quite the rough time," Kiana said, spinning out of the way of another blast from Mei. "I'll tell you more later Rei-senpai, we gotta keep fighting!"

"No shit!" Soleil spun his bat up, blocking when Mei swung at him, their weapons locking together, Mei glaring into him as the weapons dragged against each other. "You definitely seem annoyed."

"I should've had you two finished long ago, yet I haven't. Of course I would be!" Mei growled, raking her sword up and breaking the lock. The exchange of blows that followed showed a disparity between the two, Mei's strikes the measured methods of Eastern swordplay while Soleil's told of Western styles with his own flair mixed in even if it was through the swings of a bat.

And elementally, the clash of flames and lightning sent waves through the air, Kiana unable to approach amid the whirl. Soleil's eyes were starting to gleam red during the flurry, and Mei looked almost excited to see it.

"Still not enough! You won't beat me as long as you hold those flames back, Herrscher!"

As Soleil broke free of the melee and moved to retreat and make distance, the edge of Mei's conjured weapon suddenly grew brighter, the energy blade becoming far more solidified. When the two weapons collided, rather than clash, instead, the barrel of Soleil's weapon was cut right into, the Herrscher's weapon following through and cutting it clean in two. Soleil stumbled from the sudden change in weight, the bat sparking with whatever remnants of power were leaving it as the top half clattered to the ground.

"Crap!" Soleil dodged as Mei swiped at him with her sword again, only for her wing to be what struck him next.

Soleil screamed as it came with a jolt of electricity through his body, being sent flying across the rooftop and slamming right into the entrance, slamming into the door so hard it blew right off the hinges and sent him crashing into the wall of the stairwell, through that and rolling to a stop across the other side of the rooftop.

"Rei-senpai!" Kiana rolled back as Mei then turned her attention to her, having to focus on herself. At least Soleil was out of the way. "Tch, this is getting annoying! Will you just snap out of it already?!"

"Oh, so you and I think the same?!" Mei's slash was dodged, and Kiana managed to get a kick in, the girl then slamming her gun across Mei's head, aiming for Mei's wing and plugging it with what few shots she could spare now. Mei roared as the wing was broken from the bullets, holes appearing in the construct. With a growl, Mei swung again and knocked Kiana away, though from the state of things, both girls looked exhausted now.

The duel went on amid the storm, yet as for the boy who'd been knocked away from it…

"Grgh… dammit… she's barely awakened and is that strong?" Soleil planted a hand to the ground, but trying to rise almost felt impossible. His body felt like lead, and he could probably be sure a bone or two was fractured if not possibly broken. "Dad always said a Herrscher wouldn't play around… but, dammit… come on! I'm not letting Kiana fight alone, so get up!"

"You know, I'm right here," Soleil growled as his "other" spoke. Managing to move his head, Soleil was greeted by the figure of this "other."

A perfect reflection of himself, the only difference being his ruby red eyes and black, red-toned hair. "Other" knelt, putting his chin to a hand as he looked down at Soleil.

"All you have to do is ask, and I'll help you out," "Other's" voice was almost teasing, just at the edge of mocking Soleil as he kept trying to force himself to stand. "Come on, you can barely move in this state. You won't beat her as you are. Sure, you can use some of that power, but it's not enough as is. You need more. So why not embrace it a bit?"

"And what, let you take over?!" Soleil spat the words out. "Like hell! You heard what I said to her too! If I am using this power, I'm using it to help humanity! I'm not on that side!"

"Hagh… all these years and you still don't know why I'm actually here. Heh, whatever. For the record, I couldn't take control if I wanted to. There're a couple annoying old men interfering with that in this head of yours."

"Shut up… so I can get back to the fight!" Soleil managed to find some leverage, forcing himself to his knees even if it made his arms shake.

"You're not getting it, dumbass. Look over there."

Soleil followed "Other's" gaze, his eyes widening to find that Kiana and Mei were frozen in place amid their fight.

"What the… why…?"

"You can see me because you're right on the edge. Thunder hit you pretty hard back there, so your mind slipped away a bit. But, I wasn't lying about what I said. I can't take control, but you also can't beat her without my… no, without our power," "Other" knelt again, smirking as Soleil growled. "You want to help them both, right? This power is yours after all… it's up to you how to use it, just like you said."

"Other" reached his right hand out, a dark red and black flame forming in his palm. Soleil stared at that flame, "Other" chuckling.

"If you end up duping me, there's gonna be hell to pay, y'know that?"

"Trust me, those two have been very clear about that. I'm just here to help. So, let's get it started, Herrscher of Flames."

"Tch, fine! I'll trust you for a bit!"

Soleil clasped his hand to "Other's", and the dark flame changed as it was pressed between their palms. Dark changed to light as the flame took on Soleil's blue colors, but the dark was mixed in there just enough as the flame grew and surrounded the two, light and dark blending together into a dome.

Kiana and Mei stopped as the air suddenly grew warmer. Even amid the rainfall from the storm, the heat washed across the roof, the girls' gazes turning towards the orb of flames that had suddenly appeared where Soleil had fallen.

"What the…?!" Kiana gasped, a worried flash crossing her face. "No, he can't be?!"

"Ahahaha, well now, what development is this?" Mei chuckled as the dome of flames expanded. "Will this fight be changing? Who's favor will it fall towards?"

"Sure as hell not yours!" Soleil's voice boomed, and the dome of flames blew away, blowing aside the rain surrounding Soleil as he was yet again standing. As his eyes opened, his right eye flashed, turning a bright, flaming red with a white pupil ringed by a spiked halo-shape amid the iris. Soleil raised his right hand, flexing it and finding those mixed flames forming around his arm. "Huh, bastard didn't dupe me after all. Hehe… hardly something I'd call a real Herrscher. But whatever, I'll take it!"

"So, you kept your will even after a partial awakening?" Mei raised her wing as Kiana tried to get an opening to kick her, being bat aside and sent retreating near Soleil. "Tch… though perhaps that's fortunate! I'd rather defeat you as you were than face someone else."

"Rei-senpai, is it really you?" Kiana looked ready to act as Soleil turned to her, and the nod he gave was a reassurance along with the gentler smile it came with.

"Don't worry, I won't get pulled in that easily. Guess you could say me and my Herrscher are in a weird situation," Soleil then looked at the remnants of his bat, his mouth cracking to a bemused grimace. "But not gonna be that useful with half a damn bat…"

"And I'm almost out of ammo…" Kiana sighed as she readied her gun again.

"What, you can't be that useless without weapons? Especially not you, Flames! How could you call yourself a Herrscher if that's a limitation?!" Mei swiped her electric sword at the two, sending a wave of lightning at them that split the rooftop.

Soleil responded in kind with a blast of flames even larger than what he'd used before, actually forcing Mei to dodge. As she did, parts of her wing began to falter away, the Herrscher growling as the flecks of energy vanished.

"Dammit, is it because of the damage I took earlier?! Hagh… no matter, once I finish you two, it'll be for nothing!" Mei charged up electricity, letting it loose as a massive blast tearing across the roof. Soleil met it head on, flames meeting lightning in a clash that almost blew away the storm surrounding the school building.

"Would be real if someone could pull a new weapon out of thin air!" Kiana raised an arm to shield herself from the whipping air and heat, Soleil letting out a hiss as he held the clash of elements.

"Well it isn't like we could contact anyone for a supply drop or anything!" As Soleil put a hand to his arm to steady his hold, he thought he heard something between the sounds of rainfall and thunder. A kind of howl, almost like an engine. "Something's above us!"

The clash of fire and lightning ceased as even Mei noticed it, something piercing through the storm clouds and crashing down onto the roof. A black and gray capsule, which quickly hissed as the latches on it's front door released.

"A supply pod?!" Soleil was baffled as the pod blinked, and as the pod's light blinked at increasing speed, right until it split into a projector, forming a holographic image. An image of a rather angry, young looking girl with red hair and glasses. Soleil was quick to flinch. "Tesla?!"

"Wait, that's one of the professors who works in the Anti-Entropy division?!" Kiana gasped. "Just who the heck are you Rei-senpai?!"

"Oi, stupid brat, you should be the one seeing this, right?!" Soleil flinched as the projection of Tesla spoke. He was almost glad to know this was likely a recording. "I don't know what kind of situation you're getting this pod in, but I know for a fact it's gotta be a mess! I don't care if this was supposed to be some chill exchange trip, you know better than to leave unprepared! A bat! All you took was a stupid bat I made for kicks! How dumb are you?!"

"I figured she'd be mad I stole it at all…" Soleil's eyes twitched, daring to think he was perhaps safe.

"Also, don't steal my stuff! You owe me whenever you get out of whatever mess you're in this time!"

"There it is…"

"But, you can't pay me back if you end up dead. So, be glad I decided to pack this pod with enough supplies to get you out of that city! Plus some extras in case you find some friends on the way!" Soleil mentally counted down for the "but." "But, next time, don't make us scramble because of an emergency! Message us before your comms cut out, idiot!"

"I can't tell if she dislikes you or likes you," Kiana muttered, Soleil putting a hand to his head.

"Tesla's just like that."

"Are you done?!" Mei swiped her sword through the air, stepping forward into a charge. "Because I'm tired of interruptions!"

"Let's hope Tesla packed in some good picks!" Soleil dashed for the supply pod as it's front shot open, reaching for the first thing he saw pop out of its storage hold.

"Too slow!" Mei swung as she came down on Soleil, the air busting with lightning and flames once more. Mei smirked, but it fell as the air cleared and she found the edge of her blade stopped, a red glow visible amid the dust and rain before it turned into a flame trailed slash that cast it aside.

In Soleil's right hand was a fresh new sword. A pitch-black longsword, highlighted by red along the center of its sleek, single edged blade, the base sparking with a thrumming core that sparked with flames at exhaust ports. Soleil's grip was on a hilt that wrapped over his hand, yet the entire weapon seemed as if it was hiding something. A quick flick of Soleil's wrist caused the blade to thrum, flames trailing it as he slashed at Mei, cutting right through her lightning sword and sending the Herrscher skidding away from the following wave of energy.

Before Mei could get in a proper response, she threw up a barrier as soon as the sound of gunshots cracked through the air, the barrier just holding as it was slammed by electrically charged shots. And as she tried to gather what, something else cam crashing into the barrier, a large hammer of energy swung by Kiana.

"W-What the?! What are those?!" Mei snarled as she skid back, Kiana twirling a pair of blue and silver handguns on her palms, the weapons sparking with blue lightning as the core and bladed underbarrel glowed a soft blue.

"Pantheon Series weapons!" Kiana chuckled as she aimed the gun in her right hand at Mei. "Just what we need to even the field with a Herrscher like you!"

"Looks like the heroes get their second wind," Soleil swiped his new sword along the ground, tearing a molten scar across the stonework as he lifted the blade to shoulder level. His right eye gleaming as red light started to trail from his iris. "How much you got left in ya, Herrscher of Thunder? Because we're raring to go now!"

"Tch… what will it take to kill the two of you?!" Mei roared as she reformed her sword, lunging at the two before her as thunder split the air again.

A final flash of lightning to signal the final act of their battle.