Chapter 4: The Breeze of Your World

Curiosity was one of the biggest drives of mankind. It led countless individuals and civilizations to either glory or doom in this infinite cosmos. Curiosity fueled man's desire to reach the stars even with the unknowns standing in his way, eclipsing even the ultimate fear towards uncertainty.

What was it up that steep hill that seemingly never reveal itself? Was there treasure or trap? Was that fruit hanging in the low branch edible? If so was it tasteful or bitter as the biting cold itself? What was it that lay beyond the ultimate boundary of a black hole?

Curiosity killed the cat sometimes, but only at times where it didn't sate the primal desire in its nature. To chase after a... fulfilment, was the way of life. Humans existed solely to fill their needs and desires, nevermind what grand purposes the arrogant tried to make many believe.

It was a hubris. To believe we were meant for something greater than ourselves. It led us to certain doom and dark abyss.

March practically dragged her out of her room despite her protest and Stelle gave up rather quickly once she past the protection of her chamber. Resigning to fate was her to-go formula when dealing with the eccentric girl so despite her weak attempts to protest she knew it was a fruitless endeavor in the end.

But that curiosity... That desire to know that had killed many was unmistakably growing in her chest like a living, malignant super-cell. Fed by the excitement and words of the pinkette, it steadily ate away her resolve to stay firm and preferably asleep in her room. If March's words were enough to cause a genetic disorder that lay dormant in everyone's blood and flesh to become active, then she might have some sort of superpower none of them knew of.

Stelle yawned and rubbed her eyes off the remnants of her sleep, wobbling more than walking a humble step behind March who still had enough energy to obliterate a neutron star from the way she skipped on her steps. Sleep was a great thing, actually, and it was becoming one of her favourite things to do. The ability to simply turn off your cognitive function for certain amount of time was God's greatest invention, if someone were to ask Stelle.

If only she could enjoy it more but alas. Fifteen minutes were hardly enough and she honestly couldn't wait to catch more of her sleep that so suddenly escaped her. She just had her coup de foudre and now she had her fait accompli. Talk about ruthless.

Oh, well...

"Over there, look" March whispered to her ear, her breath tickling ashen hair. Stelle tried her best, she really did, but between the sleepiness and the distance between her and March's subject of curiosity there really was not much she could discern except a bundle of white.

She blinked owlishly.

"That's Bronya and Welt" Stelle almost deadpanned, giving her dead fish stare to March who looked back as if she was an idiot.

"Duh. I asked you to come out so we can listen to what they are saying! It's super interesting"

"Eavesdropping is borderline illegal" Stelle did deadpan this time, already half turning to leave so she could finally sleep. She was tired, her hair was still damp from a shower she took not twenty or so minutes ago and she forgot to put on her boots. The floor was cold and she hated it.

She understood why people told her she looked like a wet dog now because she felt freaking miserable.

"It's okay, here on the Express we don't do secrets!"

Well, that's concerning. She would rather keep a thing or two to herself. Himeko should've told her of this policy before she agreed to board.

"Besides, they didn't seem to mind before. Maybe we could actually join them"

Now that was less concerning and more intriguing, ignoring the implication that March had attempted to eavesdrop Welt and Bronya before. To be entirely honest, Stelle was curious to know what the two mentor-pupil might be talking about and a chance to know Bronya and Welt more was a chance worth dipping her toes over. Welt was a fascinating person by default, he exhibited both resolve and compassion in the extreme. Not to mention she really wanted to ask about his cane because it couldn't be a normal cane, right?

Stelle bit her lower lip hard and contemplated.

Oh, cosmic squirrel on a bike. We might not have the chance later.

Turning back to face March so quickly she startled the pinkette, Stelle digged into her shorts pocket and fished out a rubber band to tie her hair with. She did it so quickly she probably set a new record for ponytail making in the galaxy.

She tidied her black tank top next, smoothing the wrinkles by pushing it down further to make herself as presentable and decent as she could in her sleep wear. She was dressed for comfort with her skirt, coat and shirt absent. Instead, a pair of black shorts and a matching black tank top covered her body. She wanted to sleep, dammit.

"Let's go" Stelle announced flatly, moving ahead the pinkette. March blinked her surprise before she shrugged and followed her, a smile on her face.

Welt was listening to something Bronya said and from his position he could see the two girls approaching. When the man didn't shift or send Bronya a silent gesture to warn her, Stelle figured March was right when she said they might be able to join and listen.

Bronya somehow could feel them approaching and Stelle suspected it had something to do with her ability to detect the Stellaron inside her. The white haired woman was dressed in some sort of dress with one shoulder draped with a cape that resembled bird's wing instead of her blue and white armor. She looked elegant to the boot and beautiful to the bone in that set up.

"I figured as much" Bronya continued whatever it was she said to Welt after giving both girls an acknowledging nod. They were sitting behind one of many coffee tables in the Parlor Car, the one with a chessboard near the sofas. Said chessboard was currently open with its contents set. Bronya accentuated her words by moving a knight. "The Sea of Quanta is a better option"

Welt hummed, pushing his glasses to the bridge of his nose. He wasn't so much as thinking as he was musing when he replied. "The Quantum Beacons?" He asked, moving his own piece. Stelle and March sat down on the empty chairs across the ones Welt and Bronya occupied.

"They have enough bandwidths to at least allow us message back and they're in positions where we can reach from here"

Tap

"We will need Kiana's power"

Tap.

"As soon as she wakes up"

Tap.

"I suggest you wait until we arrive at Jarilo-VI" Welt moved another piece, taking her bishop from Bronya's disposal. "The hyperspace is a fragile little bubble the Express created, if we initiate another spatial anomaly it might cause some unprecedented interferences to the hyperdrive"

"I see" Tap "I thought as much and was actually going to consult you"

"Better be safe. She's running on fume as is"

Tap.

Both March and Stelle watched with clear fascination as both players went silent. Bronya steadily pushed her attack and cornered Welt to defeat. His verdict was announced with a rather emotionless tone, though.

"Check" Bronya said flatly, folding her hands over her lap and sat back. Welt studied his pieces for a second before he chuckled.

"I yield" He announced yet for someone who had just been defeated he sounded rather proud. They shared a look and Stelle could see Bronya's aloof gaze softened considerably as she stared at Welt, a small smile on her lips Welt returned.

It was a level of communication only family members could share. Welt looked at Bronya the way a father would look at his beloved daughter and Bronya looked at Welt the way a daughter would to her most respected father. There was pride in their gazes, each delivered to the other.

"You did well" Welt praised and Bronya shrugged nonchalantly in reply.

"I have a good teacher"

Stelle suddenly felt out of place and a quick glance towards March revealed the pinkette was in pretty much the same condition as she was. It almost like they were intruding even though they got permission to watch from one of them, well sort of anyway.

The same line of thought must have crossed March's mind because the girl bounced back rather quickly. She grinned and clapped slowly, drawing two pairs of eyes. "That was awesome!" She uttered excitedly. "You're probably the only one onboard who can defeat Mister Welt on game of Chess!"

"Himeko can't?" Stelle asked, a bit surprised. However, now she thought about it, it shouldn't be a surprise to begin with. Welt was your big brain neighbor stereotype, besides being a doting grandpa.

"Himeko is not really into Chess" March explained, watching Bronya storing the chess pieces back into its board. "Dan Heng is usually the one to have a game with Mister Welt"

"Dan Heng can't?" Stelle asked again but this time amusement painted her tone.

March snorted. "It's a slaughter"

Welt who had been watching them in silence shook his head fondly, bringing his mug of coffee to his lips and taking a measured sip from it. "What can I do for you, March? Stelle? You girls should catch some sleep"

"I was" Stelle lamented with a heavy sigh, slumping down on her chair while shooting March a meaningful look. "Before I got dragged off my bed, that is"

Welt peered through his glasses to stare inquisitively at March who had the decency to look bashful under his scrutinizing gaze.

"I'm curious" March admitted, eyeing Bronya who blinked impassively in return. "About you both, I mean. But especially Bronya here. Do you, um, have stories you can share?"

Bronya's eyebrow rose, a knowing smile blooming on her lips. "Ask away, then"

Admittedly, she was ready to be rejected so when Bronya agreed without as much as a condition it took March by surprise she needed a few seconds to rearrange her thoughts back.

Clearing her throat, she straightened on her chair. "How did you two meet?"

Bronya shifted on her seat so she was more comfortable, adapting a stance of a teacher that was about to give a lecture with her legs folded over another and fingers crossed. She smiled softly and hummed in thought, glancing to Welt who had a small smile himself.

"It was a long story, nor was the situation favorable" She began. "Do you want to add your tidbits or should I do all?"

Welt pondered the offer for a moment before he shrugged. "Just a little" He said, turning slightly to face the two girls. "I was a leader of a human resistance organization named Anti-Entropy back in my world. During one of our experiments, I got trapped in the Sea of Quanta"

"Trapped is not really the correct term" Bronya chimed in. "He chose to stay behind to hold back a strong enemy from entering the real world so our scientists can escape"

"Strong enemy? Welt can't defeat it?" Stelle asked curiously, tilting her head.

"It was not it. It was a he. But we couldn't have known the impact he would bring us" Bronya explained bitterly. "His name was Kevin Kaslana but that's a story for another time"

March and Stelle shared a glance before the former shrugged. "Okay. So Welt got trapped in the... Sea?"

"The Sea of Quanta" Bronya supplied gently. "How much do you know of the Order of the Universe?" When both girls shared another bewildered look, Bronya had her answer. "Right"

"The universe is consisted of two reality space" Welt explained, unconsciously mirroring Bronya's stance. "The Imaginary Space and the Sea of Quanta"

"The Imaginary Space is what you would call real space, it's like the light of all things"

"While the Sea of Quanta is the shadow of said things"

"But of course, this example is not entirely correct. Our meager understanding cannot fully grasp the idea so we come up with a pseudo-terminology"

"The Imaginary Tree"

"The Imaginary Tree is not really a tree but rather a prime example of the Order of the Universe. Each leaf is a world or a star system, each branch a galaxy and so on. The Sea of Quanta in this is what you would consider as the 'ground' under the Tree. When a world dies, it withers and falls to the ground where the Sea of Quanta is in this analogy"

Ignoring the fascinating way Bronya and Welt talked after each other, like a completely well tuned mind in two bodies, Stelle asked. "How can a world die? Do you mean destroyed?"

Her confusion was only emphasized when Bronya shook her head. "When Honkai win"

"Honkai?" March and Stelle chorused. The word felt odd on their inexperienced tongues yet it sent an inexplicable shiver down their spines. It struck something primal, a sense of danger where their self-preservation instinct resided, and sent a fight or flight response to the rest of the body.

Welt didn't follow Bronya's statement like he did before, instead Bronya continued with a nod. "Honkai is a force of nature. It brings destruction to whatever it touches. We don't know what it actually is even today but there's some theories about it"

"Is it like the Aeon Nanook? And what are these theories?" March asked curiously.

Bronya glanced at Welt, the man got the memo and followed where she left. "There's one glaring difference between Honkai and the Aeon Nanook" He started with a level tone, taking his cane to his left hand and driving the shaft down to the floor. Its blunt end hit the surface with a thud and glowed slightly. "The Aeons are human's aspirations manifested, they have Paths that generally are a part of human's desires. It's possible to kill an Aeon and one of the ways is if that Aeon lose followers, or if a broader Path assimilate their Path. Aeons are not immortal, but Honkai is"

"One of the theories is that Honkai is a... Police, of the Universe itself. Its job is to test a civilization whether it's ready or not to face a foe far greater than itself. Honkai has no mercy; it kills, it plunders and it destroys yet it never annihilates"

Stelle immediately asked once Bronya finished. "But then how can a world die in the hand of Honkai?"

"When all is lost. When a world loses hope, it dies and falls into the Bubble Universe in the Sea of Quanta before it eventually dissolves into nothingness. Such is the Order of the Universe; what exists must go"

"This is a lot to digest" March muttered and Stelle was inclined to agree. Bronya chuckled and shook her head.

"We're getting sidetracked. We'll talk about Honkai more later. As for how Welt and I met..."

"Right, the Sea of Quanta?"

"Yes. There was a girl whom I love dearly who also got trapped in the Sea. I lost her a few years prior after she sacrificed herself for me" The fond smile on Bronya's face was the most genuine expression from her they had seen so far. For the first time, her pair of silver orbs seemed to grow distant as she recalled what was probably a pleasantly terrible memory, no matter how contradicting it sounded. "When the opportunity rose, I throw myself back to the Sea of Quanta in hope of bringing her back the second time. That was when I met Welt"

"That was kind of romantic" March blurted out and Stelle proceeded to elbow her on the side for ruining the moment. "Oof, sorry"

Bronya gave them an amused look. "Long story short, that's how I became the Herrscher of Reason"

"Did you... Get her out?" Stelle queried hesitantly, trying to tread the topic carefully but when Bronya's smile grew larger she knew her answer.

"Yes, along with Welt but I suppose it's quite obvious" She said with a nod towards Welt.

"What's her name?" March piped in excitedly, sensing the shift in the atmosphere.

"Seele" Bronya said, another small smile adorning her face. "Seele Vollerei"

It was nobody's secret that Kiana was a very curious girl who would easily get distracted by the slightest oddity in the white noise of a background scene. Contrary to what many thought of her, she was a very perceptive person that would notice anything easily unnoticeable to normal person. Mei had the fortune to be on the receiving end of Kiana's sharp sense back in Chiba Academy, how she would approach a girl who hid her pain with fake smiles and terrible I'm fine's to the rare few who asked.

Kiana saw through her veil of lies like a hawk watching a snake hiding in the bush, careful examinations and decision makings before striking a conversation were her weapons to pierce through her wall. She saw a lot and Mei suspected it had something to do with Kiana's wanderer phase. One did not survive the harsh wilderness and dangerous suburbs without learning to sleep with an eye open.

That was Kiana. A warrior by blood and knight by heart because despite the uglies she witnessed, she still found beauty in the flawed sapphire. One did not see the world without knowing its beauty, even if that beauty sprouted amidst the ugly.

So Mei was not feeling annoyed or weary when she had to grab Kiana's hand for the tenth or so time to pull her from her stupor. In fact, she was not feeling anything much aside from fondness as she squeezed said hand and received a squeeze in return.

The trip to the Parlor Car shouldn't have taken more than two minutes but it had been over fifteen since they left their assigned quarters. The reason being Kiana who would stop every time she saw a decoration or picture frame on the hallway, especially one with Himeko in it.

This one she was looking at was the one with a young Himeko in it. The redhead in the picture was holding some sort of tool in one hand while her other one rested on her cocked hip, grease and oil covering her cheeks and arms and the majority of her shirt yet the blinding smile on her face was unmatched as she stared at the camera.

A pang of hurt throbbed in Mei's chest. Their teacher also had a thing for machinery, being a graduate of an Engineering school and all that, and Kiana must be thinking the same thing judging from the way she stared unblinking at the picture. Mei didn't want her to dwell on it so after gently tugging on the hand in her grip, she whispered to Kiana's ear.

"Let's go"

Kiana nodded almost distractedly and Mei draped an arm across her shoulders, guiding her beside her to continue their walk. She shielded and dragged her from the pictures lining the wall as best as she could but Kiana's eyes would drift to them from time to time.

They passed a room where the smell of coffee was particularly strong. Both of them knew whose it belong instantly and the twitch in Kiana's hand was noticeable. She must be itching to talk with Himeko again.

But she fought the urge, tearing her gaze from it and setting it straight ahead, pushing one foot after the other until they reached the door. Mei pushed it open and the next one in the carriage separator, still pulling Kiana gently until they stepped into the Parlor Car.

Her trained amethyst eyes scanned the new area, noting every single decoration in various positions silently. Mei could feel Thunder's curiosity mingling with hers all the time.

"Woah, what are you?" Kiana squealed and the five occupants inside looked at her. Bronya, Welt, March and Stelle were all seated close together near a pair of semicircular sofas with Kiana's subject of attention being a... Mei wasn't sure what it was.

"Pom-Pom is Pom-Pom!" It said loudly, as if to exclaim its authority to Kiana who approached it curiously. "Pom-Pom is the Conductor of the Express!"

"You look so cute and squeezable. Can I touch you?"

The little conductor narrowed its big eyes at Kiana, scowling.

"No"

Kiana blinked, once and then twice. "Oh... Okay" She drawled gingerly as she stopped. Looking a little flustered from the blunt rejection, she instead turned towards the rest of the occupants and waved as if nothing had happened. "Hey, guys"

Bronya snorted dismissively while Welt nodded. March and Stelle, meanwhile, could only stare at her strange antic. Mei chuckled and joined them with Kiana close behind her.

"Mister Welt" She greeted, sitting down on the sofa while Kiana dragged an empty chair to position it near them. Pom-Pom intercepted Kiana and gave her a strict scolding to put it back after she was done using it in the background. Still a little baffled by the small fluff ball of a Conductor, she could only nodded dumbly. "It's been a while"

"Indeed" Welt agreed with a smile. "Bronya has just finished explaining the current situation back home. It seems Schicksal is managing well for the time being"

"The fight is turning to our favor at the moment. Bianka has just returned from her expedition to the Bubble Universe and started assuming her position back in the front line, similar to Rita. Two S rank Valkyries should be enough to fill in our absence"

"Things are doing well with Shenzhou and Grandmaster Hua?"

"They are. Senti and Hua are helping as best as they can. We got to talk to Hua before we departed to the Moon and she said the Far East branch is actually managing better"

"That's good to hear"

Just then Kiana finally succeeded in freeing herself from Pom-Pom's undivided attention, though she couldn't help but to shiver when she felt the Conductor's glare following her all the way until she sat down. "God, what's wrong with that dude..." She muttered to herself before she sighed, a grin growing on her face. "Mister Welt! How're you doing?"

"I'm fine, Kiana" Welt replied gently. "I see you're as happy as ever"

"You kidding? I'm here with my family. I couldn't be happier. Except, of course, if it was just me and Mei that is"

Bronya crossed her arms and scoffed, meeting Kiana's playful gaze with a fake glare of her own. "If I wasn't here, you and your stupidity would've landed you in an entirely worse situation. Personally, I wouldn't care if you're to spend your day trying to chase after the Express once it left you floating about in space but that's a fate I don't want Mei to experience. So, you have me to thank"

"Thank you, Bronya" Mei said sincerely but Bronya waved her off.

"It's nothing"

Welt watched them interact with a fond smile. "How's your father doing, Kiana?"

"Oh! Papa is doing alright. He's old but you know how he is" Kiana chirped happily, turning towards the two girls who silently watch them. "I'm Kiana, by the way. What's your name?"

March and Stelle blinked, staring at Kiana's extended hand blankly. At least until Stelle recovered enough of her brain function to catch up.

"I'm Stelle" She introduced herself while grabbing said hand into a handshake. A part of her was ready for the inevitable question Mei and Bronya asked regarding her special condition but it never came. Instead, Kiana simply nodded and smiled before she turned to March.

The pinkette stared at the hand for too long Stelle was obliged to remind her of basic social courtesy by elbowing her on the side for the second time that day. March drew in a deep breath and grabbed the hand a little too quick.

"I'm March. March 7th"

Again, they waited for the question from Kiana but the white haired woman never delivered them. She either didn't realize or simply didn't care, but judging from the reactions of her two friends before the former was very unlikely.

"You're married to Mei, right?" March began inquisitively, taking a glimpse at the silver rings around Kiana and Mei's fingers. "Does that mean your full name is Kiana Raiden?"

Kiana stared at March's face for precisely three seconds before a massive grin broke on her face. "I like her" she declared with her thumb towards March, glancing at Mei all the while who chuckled in response. March was absolutely flabbergasted by Kiana's response she was at loss for words. "But nah. We keep our surnames because, well, none of our fathers is willing to give up the other"

"Kiana is a member of the Kaslana family" Mei promptly explained. "It's not really in their tradition to give up their surname in marriage, as usual of the Three Houses"

"Three Houses?"

"The Three Houses" Welt chimed in to answer Stelle. "They are the foundations of Schicksal; Schariac, Kaslana and Apocalypse. The Schariac Family is what you consider as the Holy Maid while the Kaslana Family is the Knight in this dynamic, each having their own roles to fulfill"

"What about the Apocalypse?"

"They're the leader of Schicksal. Many Apocalypses were tactical geniuses with unprecedented approaches to various problems. The current Overseer is Theresa Apocalypse"

"Kiana herself is special" Mei said proudly, smiling an equally proud smile. "Her mother was a Schariac while her father is a Kaslana"

"Was?" March asked with a frown to Kiana who hummed affirmatively.

"My mom died in her service as a Schicksal's Valkyrie. She was the strongest S rank Valkyrie of her generation" The white haired woman elaborated solemnly, putting a hand to her chest and mentally patting a certain girl in her head comfortingly. "During the Second Eruption three decades ago, a girl named Sirin ascended and became the Second Herrscher after she witnessed her friends getting experimented on by Schicksal"

"Wait, what? I thought Schicksal is the good guy?" March interrupted, tone a mixture of confusion and horror. Kiana chuckled bitterly at that.

"The previous Schicksal's Overseer was... A very lucrative man towards his sole goal. He was willing to sacrifice the world for his selfish desire. It's changed now, for the better"

"We were Schicksal's trainee Valkyries when we were still teenagers" Mei's nostalgic voice added to Kiana's explanation. "We dreamt of fighting for the good of the world but it turned out our ultimate superior was a wolf in sheep's clothing. He kidnapped Kiana and used her to wake the defeated Second Herrscher"

"So Herrschers are evil...?" Stelle tentatively asked, glancing between Welt and the three women.

"Herrschers are the envoys of Honkai" Welt answered plainly. "It's in our nature to be destructive. However, some that managed to retain their humanity could choose to fight against Honkai itself. So is the case you see right now"

Mei nodded. "The Second Herrscher actually retained her humanity but she chose to serve Honkai because she blamed all humans for her and her friends' sufferings"

"I mean, it's hard to really blame her because what she went through" March muttered dejectedly to herself but they heard her nonetheless. "Although, it's still wrong to try and destroy an entire race because of it"

Kiana who had been quietly listening spoke up again. "My mother thought so too. Sirin was just a child. When everyone tried to stop her through every means necessary, my mother reached out to her in their last moment together so she could understand how it feel to be loved. My mother sowed the seed of my future without knowing it"

"What do you mean?"

Kiana looked up towards Stelle and shrugged, a lazy smile on her face. "I'm actually a clone of the original Kiana. My sister, Bianka her name, is the real Kiana. I was created from her gene and Sirin's for the sole goal of becoming a vessel for the Second Herrscher"

Eyes opened so wide they're almost popping off their sockets, March stammered. "Y-you mean you're not a real person?" Stelle gasped and elbowed March for the third time that day, glaring at the pinkette who just caught up to what she said. "Oh, um... I'm sorry, I don't mean it that way" March dipped her head apologetically, shame flooding her system. "Sorry"

But Kiana simply laughed, catching both girls off guard. "I know what you meant, hell I was thinking the same thing too" She chuckled softly, giving March a reassuring look that pretty much said it was fine. "But, hey, not everyone can brag they're born from a pod. That was pretty cool in itself"

"Idiot" Bronya muttered yet the fond smile on her face was anything but a match to her word. "Lady Cecilia sacrificed herself after she used her blood to cure a state-wide Honkai infection. It was due to her action I can be here. In a way, her action that day affected not just her close ones but also strangers around the planet"

"The sum is always greater than its parts" Mei added. "The combined efforts of our parents created a future for us"

"Even your parents were involved?" Stelle asked and Mei nodded. "Huh, it sounds too much for a coincidence..."

"Mei's father was a close supporter to Anti-Entropy. He is a genius in his line of work" Welt explained. "It was around that time Siegfried and Ryoma met"

"Right, you went to the Moon with Papa to confront Sirin..."

Welt hummed almost absently. "That certainly brings back memories"

"Kind of funny, don't you think?" Kiana chuckled dryly. "Sirin went to the Moon to acquire help from above to destroy mankind. Now I lived on the Moon so I can give people on Earth a chance to live normally"

"Sirin and you are different" Mei said gently, putting her hand on top of Kiana's in a comforting manner. "But I'm sure she wouldn't have done what she did if she was just a bit more fortunate. Fate was cruel to her, yet it wasn't so cruel to us to not give a second chance. You are her second chance, Kiana. A second chance for humanity"

Kiana hummed and patted Mei's hand. "I know"

"Anything else you would want to know?" Bronya began anew after a long pause, directing her gaze to Stelle and March expectantly but March particularly. The pinkette stared back and pondered before she shrugged offhandedly.

"I have another question" Stelle announced. Her expression was tight with all the seriousness as her golden eyes skipped over the four Herrschers before they stopped at the only man there. "What is the deal with your cane?"

Welt raised a surprised eyebrow, slightly bemused. He brought the aforementioned cane up and held it level. "This? It's the Star of Eden"

Stelle's face went blank as she blinked owlishly.

"The what?"

"It's a Divine Key" Bronya cut in before Welt could answer. "Made of a dead Herrscher Core"

"Made of what?"

This time it was Mei's turn to speak before Bronya. "Our world is divided by 2 era's; the Current Era and the Previous Era. The Previous Era is an era before our era. Fifty thousand years ago there was high-tech humans living on our planet already but they lost the war with Honkai and those who survived retreated from the world and civilizations. Unlike the Current Era, the Previous Era's Herrschers were all evil because they couldn't retain their humanity so all the humans had to fight with their own power, this is where the Divine Keys come in validation"

"The heroes of that time, they were called the Flame-Chasers. There was thirteen of them with each possessing power beyond normal human. One of them was Vill-V, a weapon and engineering genius. She was one of the people who designed and created the Divine Keys"

"Their technology far exceeded ours" Welt uttered matter-of-factly, fixing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "They actually managed to create a Divine Key that is similar to the Express"

"No way..." March said breathlessly, appearing shocked. "The Express is created by an Aeon. Are you saying there's human who can create something like it?!"

"Similar but not the same" Welt elaborated. "The Second Divine Key, the Key of Infinity, is a locomotive engine that is capable of travelling the Sea of Quanta. It's a spaceship like the Express and theoretically can do what the Express can do, just a little better since it can travel the Bubble Universe too. However, due to the dangerous nature of the Sea, it's rarely used and its performance is doubtful at most. It's also prone to malfunction but it's mostly because we have little knowledge how it works, compared to other Divine Keys" He emphasized his words by twirling his cane between his fingers before handing it to Bronya. "For example..."

Bronya nodded and began to morph the cane back to its original shape. Much to the girls' fascination, it turned from an elongated stick to one compact ball that crackled with energy over Bronya's open palm. "This is the original shape of the Star of Eden, the 9th Divine Key. It was made of the Previous Era Herrscher of Star who had control over gravity. Although, it's not entirely uncommon for the weapon to shape-shift"

To accentuate her point, Bronya tapped into her Truth power and began to modify the orb with Anti-Entropy's cannon design. It was an indigenous design she came up with during their final battle on the Moon by combining the Domain of Revelation with the Star of Eden. With a Divine Key as its power source, the cannon was significantly stronger than its predecessor.

She undid the modifications after a moment and the weapon returned to its original form, the tidbits encasing it disappeared to thin air. "Many Divine Keys have secondary forms" Bronya finished as she handed the weapon back to Welt. Just like before, it shifted to its cane form in his hand.

"That was cool"

Kiana smirked. "If you think that's cool then you should—"

Bronya moved faster than they could blink, jumping forward to grab Kiana's outstretched hand. The Kaslana blinked inquisitively to Bronya who stared at her impassively, unimpressed. "Don't use your Void power when we're on FTL"

Kiana trusted Bronya more than she would like to admit so when she saw all the seriousness in her gaze she wordlessly obliged with a little nod, folding her hands back down over her thighs. "Okay, guess I'll show you girls later"

"You girls should rest" Welt began, referring to Stelle and March with his stare. "It's getting late and I have a feeling we'll be busy tomorrow"

"Fine by me" Stelle stood up and stretched with a grunt, grabbing March by the hand and dragging her along. "Let's go, March"

"What, why? I want to hear more stories!"

"I'm sure we have time later. This is payback for dragging me out of the bed earlier"

"What?! No! Mister Welt, help me!"

"What makes you think he'll help you? He's the one who came with the suggestion"

"Nooooooooo...! I don't wanna!"

Both girls disappeared. Kiana who watched them couldn't help but giggle. "Sure nice to be young"

"You are young" Bronya deadpanned, receiving a grunt from Kiana. Even though her expression was unchanging, her words were laced with concern when she spoke next. "How are you doing, Kiana?"

Kiana glanced at Bronya, instantly knowing this was Bronya being genuine. Sighing, Kiana slumped down to her chair tiredly. "Mostly alright. Still trying to unpack my thoughts on this" She paused as she closed her eyes to silently ponder her predicament. "You've met her, right?"

A grimace pulled on Bronya's lips and she slowly nodded even though Kiana couldn't see her. "Yes"

"... how are you managing?"

"Better"

Kiana cracked an eye open to look at Bronya, searching for any lie. When she found none, she frowned. "I see..."

"I'm more worried about you" Bronya confessed, gesturing at Mei with her head. "Mei and I, that is. We thought you would be distressed by this ordeal"

Kiana smiled a grateful smile. She knew she could always rely on her family to care for her. She had learned long ago that her path shouldn't be lonely, that she should share her burden with those around her. As much as it hurt her, it also hurt her friends to see her smile a fake smile as she tried to comfort them with false assurances. She had made a vow to not hide her pain from her family and they took care of their own that way. "I was shocked, maybe a little bit sad too. But..." She bit her lower lip and drew a shaking breath in. "She's not her. I know as much"

"She's gone" Welt began somberly, his grip tightening around his cane. "She was the one and only. I hope you understand that. No matter what we do, we can't save what has already gone"

"But the present is a different matter, right Mister Welt?" Kiana implored and Welt nodded. "The person you said you need to protect in your message is Himeko, right?"

"Was that deliberate?" Mei asked. "You didn't mention her name"

"Because in the grand scheme of things, it's not important. My desire to protect her is a completely selfish goal of mine. However, I won't deny that I was worried how you three would react to the information should I mention her name"

They knew of his past and his relation with their Himeko. If anything, this whole ordeal probably affected him more than any of them. Unlike them, Welt knew Himeko for decades and his guilt for her was big and heavy to carry alone. He had nobody to share the burden and pain except himself.

Kiana understood this, so did Mei and Bronya. They were the closest Welt could share his circumstance with yet it still didn't compare. The three of them had their closure but Welt never had that luxury because that self-imposed vow he made to himself after the misfortunes and lies he had to inflict upon the Muratas. It's a necessary evil as many would say, a necessity at its worst. The path to the future was paved with detriments.

They understood, they really did. One thing they also understood was their late teacher so Kiana was confident when she spoke on her behalf. After all, she was her kindling so it was her duty to share the warmth and brightness Himeko sparked for her.

"It's okay, Mister Welt" Kiana began with a smile. Bronya and Mei nodded along, solemnly looking at Welt. There was no pity in their eyes, just plain and naked understanding for Welt to see. "We know what we must do. She taught us everything we needed to understand. You don't need to worry about us"

Kiana didn't say it. It was obvious to begin with. The single unsaid point that they would protect this Himeko the way he would because they knew their teacher and just like Welt they too had a special connection with her. They had seen the side Welt didn't see in his years with Himeko the same way they didn't know the side of Himeko Welt had seen. But it was not important. It was what make their connections special. Each had their own reasons but they shared one common goal.

"She taught you well..." Welt said softly, giving the three women a kind stare that was borderline nostalgic. "All of you"

"In a way we have you to thank" Mei said, smiling also. "You're one of her reasons to become a Valkyrie"

"Even if it's due to a rather unfortunate incident" Kiana breathed out. "But she had no regrets. I can tell as much. I believe she was proud of the path she chose until the very end"

"She was proud of you" Welt stated quietly to Kiana but the Kaslana shook her head.

"She was proud of us. All of us"

A lull. The Express' engine hummed and the floor vibrated slightly. Stars moved and disappeared behind the thick windows as columns after columns of cosmic dust were kicked by the train. A nebula came into sight and they entered it, plunging the spaceship into an endless mixture of colorful clouds.

Throughout this all Welt was silent as he thought of what Kiana said. Ten years ago the subject of Himeko would bring endless pain to the girl but now whenever she spoke of the redhead she always had a slight smile on her face. What goes around, comes around.

Kiana was proud of her teacher. She might not realize it but it was all she told the world. No more despair, only gratitude.

The chair's legs scraped against the floor as Kiana stood up. She hummed to herself, dragging it back to its original position under Pom-Pom's watchful eyes. "I still feel sleepy so I'm going to hit the sack" She announced to the group before her eyes found Mei. Bronya couldn't help but to wrinkle her face when Kiana gave Mei her puppy eyes. "Coming?"

Mei hummed sweetly, standing up from the sofa. She gave Welt a parting wave. "Good night, Mister Welt"

Welt nodded but didn't answer verbally. Bronya waited until Mei and Kiana disappeared before she stood up with a sigh.

She made her way back to the passenger carriage, stopping right beside Welt. Putting a hand on his shoulder, Bronya gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Take a rest"

Welt patted the hand on his shoulder affectionately, nodding. After a second the warmth left as Bronya continued on her way, leaving him alone in his reverie.

Welt returned to his quarters precisely an hour later when everyone was fast asleep, the dull echoes of his cane filling the deafening silence of the carriage like a lonely howl of a lone wolf.

TBC

Writing is basically going "Random bullshit go" in the most orderly fashion.

On the side note, while I won't say this is a filler chapter it's definitely "less" important to the whole plot. Basically I was thinking "They need to talk, like super soon but holy crap when tf? Can I make that moment a reality with the whole Belobog arc in the horizon?" so you've got this chapter.

Anyway, regarding Himeko's sword. I actually don't plan for the gang to see it because there's no point behind it. Besides, I believe it's nothing but a simple Easter egg Mihoyo put to fuck with veteran Honkai players lol. If you see the conclusion of HOD arc with Kiana and friends saying their goodbyes to Himeko, the parts in the space station are not lost because in the CG they're actually there. The sword is still broken and has missing parts, just not linear with the ones in Herta Space Station.

Thanks for the reviews, guys, I appreciate it. See y'all soon!