Hello! How are you all? Here with TWO new chapters to continue where we left off. Although, to be honest, it's a chapter I split into two parts so it wouldn't be overwhelming for all of you.
An apology to all of you who are following this little story of mine, and welcome to those who have shown an initial interest.
The only explanation I have for my long absence is that my life has been chaos, followed by difficult decisions and some depression...
Anyway, thank you for your support and continued interest in this personal project.
Enjoy!
It was a fascinating scene to see the Remnant and the Herrscher collide in the air. One resembled a creature from the old stories of mythical and powerful beings that took animal shapes, representing a concept or essence of the world; the other was a grotesque and terrible creature, a figure from the deepest abyss of madness that the human mind could conjure.
A scene that Theresa would have looked closely at if it weren't for seeing Adam fall to his knees and hands and vomit a disgusting mixture of bile and blood on the earth.
"Adam-kun!" Mei shouted, trying to help him. For a second Theresa feared that the scream would attract the beasts' attention, but they were more focused on tearing their flesh into pieces.
The hearts of both the director and student shook as they saw how Adam gave a weak moan and fell to the side of the puddle of reddish vomit. Theresa's mind didn't need anything else to know what she had to do.
"Mei! Grab Adam and take him away from here," Theresa ordered. She raised her hand and Judah moved. A long chain emerged from the Divine Key and moved to the headmistress's hand. Theresa barely pulled the chain and Judah moved, pressing against her back. Despite the size, Theresa barely felt the weight of the weapon.
"Principal Theresa?!"
She ignored Mei and turned to look at Sakura. The miko had stood in front of her young student, standing guard with one hand gripping her katana as Mei tried to help the only male in the group.
Theresa noticed how Sakura had looked away from the bloody confrontation and how she was looking intensely at her, or to be exact, at Judah.
"Yae Sakura, I know we haven't met for a long time, but I have a big favor to ask of you."
"Master Theresa?" Theresa's words took the miko by surprise.
"I ask you to protect my two students while I end all this."
The eyes of the miko widened at Theresa's words.
"Please take them to a safe place. Only then I will be able to face those two beasts without worry."
Theresa flinched as the Herrscher and the monster howled in pain. She turned to see them.
"Disgusting abomination! "Why don't you die?!"
"ĐłɆ! ₥₳Đ ĐØ₲!"
The demonic fox had multiple deep cuts along their furry body. Even though their wounds were beginning to close - and slowly - it was clear that they had suffered great damage. For its part, the monster had a large burn that covered almost half of its grotesque body. Like the Herrscher, the terrible wound began to regenerate. Skin and muscle began to bubble like hot plastic and regain their previous shape.
Around them, the few houses and buildings left standing turned into ruins. Some places had been burned or were pierced by long white thorns.
"This really is a monster fight," Theresa thought, grimacing.
She didn't like the idea of joining such a thing at all, but Theresa had a duty as a Valkyrie and a more important one as a teacher; to get her two students out alive. As long as Sakura protected them all -
"I'm sorry, but I refuse, Master Theresa."
Theresa's head turned towards Sakura with surprise and annoyance on her face.
"What?"
Theresa listened but didn't understand Sakura's words. The annoyance was greater than the surprise, showing up on her face and letting out the question in an icy tone. Something Mei had never seen before, scaring her a bit.
"I'm sorry. But I must be the one who finishes off the Demon, Master Theresa," Sakura said in a neutral tone. "It is my duty as the village's miko to put an end to the Demon once and for all."
Theresa didn't know exactly what the relationship was between the Herrscher and Sakura. The term bizarre arose in her mind; and considering how Sakura had been an unwitting participant in the rite the Herrscher had organized, Theresa bet her collection of gold edition Homu cards that there was something very personal between the Herrscher and the miko.
Still, Theresa didn't care about this. There were lives involved. She wouldn't let Sakura's grudges put Mei and Adam at risk. Theresa took a deep breath to calm herself. She couldn't bash the miko.
"Sakura, please don't do this. My students need help. If the Herr- the Demon decides to attack them now, there will be no way they can defend themselves."
"Then you take care of your students, Mater Theresa," Sakura responded in a neutral tone. "I don't want to be disrespectful or ungrateful, but you must understand that I must eliminate the demon that caused all this. It is my duty."
Theresa did not explode in indignation through sheer force of will.
"Why don't you understand?! The Herrscher will kill us all! This is no time for stupid pride games!" Theresa gritted her teeth in frustration.
Sakura's words had reminded Theresa of the attitudes of high-ranking members within Schicksal toward critical missions and decision-making. This had been one of the factors why she had distanced herself from the organization.
"Sakura, please, I implore you. Don't do this. With this weapon, I will be able to confront the Demon and finish it off. I promise it won't escape, but I need to be sure that nothing bad will happen to my students."
Theresa's words had been spoken with such emotion that Sakura faltered. Under other circumstances, she would have agreed to Theresa's request without any problem, but she and the Demon had a personal story between the two of them. A story that had to come to an end today no matter what.
She opened her mouth to refute her again, but someone beat Sakura to it.
"Let her accompany you, Director Theresa."
"Mei?! What are you saying?!"
"You need all the help to finish off the Herrscher and that monster," Mei responded.
While they were arguing, Mei had placed Adam in a more comfortable position where there was no risk of him choking if he vomited again.
"Adam-kun is unconscious and I- I won't be of help to you, director." Mei felt acid in her throat as she said this. "But Yae-san can. It's for the better that she helps you instead of just taking care of us, Director Theresa."
"Mei- I don't-"
"₳₳₳₳ⱧⱧⱧⱧⱧⱧⱧ"
Theresa's words were cut off by a scream coming from the Remnant. The three women turned to look and were horrified to see the grotesque monster roar in pain. One of its wings had been burned and torn off.
"Not so fierce now?" The Herrscher scoffed.
Despite the mockery, the Herrscher didn't come out unharmed either. They were bleeding profusely from their left side and its front paw on the same side was barely hanging on by a strand of muscle and skin.
The previous scene made things clear for the girls. There was no time to waste. They had to act.
"Sakura. Please take them to a safe place and return as soon as you can."
The miko nodded and carefully picked up the young black-haired man.
"Raiden-san, can you run?" The aforementioned nodded. "Good. I need you to follow my steps. I know a place where both of you will be safe until this great crisis passes."
"I understand, Yae-san," Mei replied.
"I will return as soon as possible, Master Theresa."
Theresa nodded.
"Thank you, Sakura."
Like Theresa, she nodded back.
The principal turned to look at her young student. Mei looked tired and terrified, but there was also steel in her eyes.
"Be very careful, Director Theresa."
In response, she smiled at her.
"I will, Mei."
Her student smiled too, albeit weakly.
"Are you prepared, Raiden-san?"
Mei took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. "I am ready."
Without another word, Sakura began running in the direction of the forest, and Mei followed close behind.
"If anyone hears me, please take care of them."
Having said this prayer, Theresa launched herself into the fight.
"Not so fierce now?" The Herrscher scoffed.
Covering their body in flames and letting the grotesque creature into their personal space had been a dangerous gamble, but it paid off.
The Herrscher was annoyed at being forced to make such a dangerous move, but the creature refused to stop, even when it had tried to approach the damned humans.
In any case, they had managed to seriously injure the monster and now they just needed to kill it and then continue with the damn insects. The Herrscher began to gather energy on their brutalized paw to heal. As soon as it was completely recovered -but weakened- one of the pests attacked them. Or rather, something was tossed at them.
Despite their tired state, the Herrscher immediately sidestepped, recognizing the object that had released the human insect.
A spear. One of those damned spears that had hurt them back in the past.
"So you decide to join us?"
"I will stop you here and now, Herrscher!"
The fox laughed although it sounded more like a dry growl.
"You? If I remember correctly, a moment ago you were just a meat doll hanging from the other disgusting thing's arms."
Theresa did not let herself be swayed by the insult. In response, she grabbed two of Judah's spears and took an aggressive stance towards the fox. It grimaced.
"How brave. Let's see if you continue being that way when I crush your bones-!"
At the last second, the Herrscher was thrown aside from the monster's lunge.
"Fuck you. Dirty dog," the Remnant his
sed. The torn wing bubbled and recovered at an astonishing speed.
Theresa saw this out of the corner of her eye, amazed that the monster knew such an insult. Her amazement grew as the monster slowly approached her. She tensed, waiting for it to attack her.
"Family. Where?"
The monster's concern for Theresa's student was obvious. She put aside her surprise and responded. "He- Adam is safe." She would have said more, but she didn't want to give information to Herrscher so that it could hunt Adam and Mei down.
Fortunately, the monster was satisfied with this.
"Not trusting you. But family do it," the monster growled. "Help. I will help you. To protect family matters more."
Theresa blinked, surprised at the monster's words. She was about to say something, but quickly jumped to the side, avoiding an orb of fire that burned the floor where she previously stood.
"What a surprise, Kaslana," the Herrscher growled in a mixture of laughter and disgust. "That someone from your class teams up with a monster. Haha! I wonder what those rats from Schicksal would say."
Without another word, the Herrscher launched multiple orbs of fire at Theresa. She dodged them with some difficulty. Having been resting for so long and whatever had been affecting her since she appeared in the Stigmata, had affected her body condition.
When Theresa dodged the last orb, she saw how the Herrscher had closed the distance and tried to take a bite of her. Before she reacted, the Remnant intercepted the Herrscher and attacked using its tendrils and thorns.
The Herrscher growled and jumped back. The Remnant followed close behind. Like the fox, it tried to take a bite of their flesh with its fierce teeth. The fox roared and struck with their tails to drive the monster away. As the Remnant was pushed back, Theresa seized the moment and threw a pair of spears in the Herrscher's direction. The spear struck and clung to one of their sides and one of their tails.
"Damn you!" The Herrscher roared, beginning to feel the effect of the spears.
The fox tried to pounce on Theresa, but again the Remnant intervened. It used its tendrils to support the fox's weight, twisted its own wings, and brought them down. The Herrscher howled as the sharp sides of the grotesque wings made a deep gash across their chest. Had it not been for the fact that they had jumped back at the last second, the Herrscher would have been gutted off instantly.
"How dare you-?!"
The Herrscher was interrupted as more golden spears and white thorns assailed in their direction. In response, they roared, creating a dome of flames that protected them and diverted the weapons off course.
Theresa fell to one knee and breathed heavily. A thin layer of cold sweat covered her complexion. She looked at her hands and was surprised to see how they were shaking. She squeezed them and the ligaments tensed weakly.
"What? Why is this happening now?!"
With effort, Theresa got back on her feet. A few seconds later her body was back in shape. She tested her hands again, and they responded satisfactorily. The spontaneous change in her body and sudden recovery did not reassure Theresa at all. Years of combat had taught her the limits of her body and reactions. This sudden change had taken her by surprise.
"Prepare to die!"
Theresa looked up and saw how the Herrscher's body was covered in fire, roaring in rage at them and racing in their direction. The remnant also roared, raising its twisted wings menacingly and galloping to catch up.
The two monsters met in the air, creating a shock wave and kicking up dirt in the vicinity. The Remnant roared in pain as it was burned by the Herrscher's terrible flames, but it did not stop it from trying to catch a bite of the Herrscher with its deformed snout and try to cut them with its wings.
They continued to struggle for a brief moment until the flames were too much for the Remnant. The pain did not allow it to evade one of the fox's tails in time. It trashed with great force against the ground. Without wasting a second, the Herrscher was on top of the Remnant.
Using the tips of their tails, claws, and powerful jaw; the Herrscher began to destroy the Remnant with extreme prejudice. The monster screamed in pain but did not remain motionless. Using its own claws, tendrils, and wings; the Remnant struggled to free itself, doing as much damage as it could.
Both creatures were so focused on combat that neither paid attention to the little director, who looked disturbed at the hatred with which both destroyed each other.
"What- What is this?!"
As a veteran Valkyrie, Theresa had seen and experienced terrible and ruthless situations throughout her career. Death, agony, and brutality had been an essential part, in small doses, but still, elements that were not easily forgotten and that made her appreciate all the good that she had in her life.
Theresa had seen how Honkai Beasts smashed and destroyed the bodies of the brave Valkyries who had faced them and fallen in battle. The deaths had been ugly - there was no doubt about that - but what differentiated those deaths was how they happened; the beasts only finished the Valkyries off and continued seeking to kill more of their sisters until the beasts were exterminated by other enraged Valkyries, avenging their fallen sisters.
It could be said that the deaths were done with a clinical feeling - if Honkai beasts could even feel emotions.
But this? This was a spectacle of blood and savagery. Theresa could see the contempt and hatred that both ruthless creatures felt for each other. This wasn't just about killing each other, no, it was about causing as much agony as possible to each other.
"₣ł₦ł₴Ⱨ ł₮!" The Remnant shouted, making Theresa react as she felt its many eyes on her. Suppressing the urge to slap herself for letting herself get caught up in the brutal moment, she pulled out more of Judah's spears and prepared herself to hurl them at the fox's body.
"Oh no! You won't!"
The Herrscher tried to get away from the Remnant, but it wouldn't let go. The tendrils wrapped around their long body, and immobilized the fox, just as the wings sank into their flesh and locked the Herrscher on top of the Remnant.
"Scum!" The Herrscher shouted before the Remnant's grotesque tongue and mouth latched around the fox's neck.
Unfortunately, Theresa felt how her body began to weaken again. Not wanting to waste the opportunity, she threw the spears in the fox's direction. These found their mark, making the Herrscher roar in pain. Even though her attack had hit its target, Theresa did not stop there. She continued to take more spears from Judah and hurled them at the Herrscher, desperate to end the fight before her body collapsed.
"Damn you! AH!"
The Valkyrie ignored the screams of rage and pain and continued with her task, creating a storm of spears that sometimes she missed and hit the other beast, but the properties of Judah and the resolve of the monster kept the Herrscher locked in their horrible execution.
Theresa didn't know at what moment she fell on her legs, panting desperately. She looked at her hands and her eyes widened as she saw extremely red veins covering her hands. She picked up the sleeves of her dress and her blood ran cold as she saw how the strange biological phenomenon climbed up her extremities and continued to the rest of her body.
"Wha-What is this? Honkai Corruption?!"
She was so focused that she didn't notice the presence behind her. As soon as she felt a gentle pressure on her shoulder, Theresa reacted -as quickly as she could- by pulling out a spear from Judah, rolled on the ground for a second, and fluidly stood up, ready to face the enemy.
"Master Theresa?"
Theresa lowered her spear when she realized it was Sakura.
"Sakura!" Theresa's cheeks flushed in embarrassment at her own reaction.
"I am not offended, Master Theresa," the miko ignored what happened and instead something caught her attention over Theresa's shoulder.
The little Valkyrie was relieved that she hadn't slighted her ally. Remembering what she had witnessed before Sakura interrupted her, Theresa subtly checked her arms and, to her relief and surprise, saw that there were no traces of the strange red veins on her body. Only her white, smooth skin, free of any marks.
"Am I hallucinating?" She thought a little worried.
"Master Theresa? Did you…?"
Sakura's disconcerting tone made her turn around and focus on what made Sakura sound odd.
Like the miko, Theresa's eyes widened as she saw the result of her desperate battle against the Herrscher.
It was pure destruction. The earth was scorched and split. The few trees around had been reduced to ashes. The field of destruction and ruin was covered everywhere with golden spears stuck in the ground as if they were vigorous golden flowers, a twisted image in this field of destruction. Now that she wasn't fighting for her life, Theresa could smell the disgusting smell of burning, rotting flesh, as well as a strange mixture of charcoal and… rotting flowers.
"The Demon…"
The Herrscher, or what was left of them, was a mess.
Countless spears of Judah stabbed into the forms of the demonic fox and the nightmare beast. None of them moved or looked like they were alive. An immense puddle of vital liquid gushed out from where the spears had been buried, which grew beneath the remains of the long creatures, being evidence of the damage they had suffered.
The Herrscher and the Remnant were dead.
Theresa rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands. Upon finishing and seeing that what lay before her eyes was real, Theresa's mouth hung open, in disbelief at the scene before her eyes.
"Is it-?"
The director raised her eyes to Sakura, who was opening and closing her mouth, searching for the right words to say something. As Sakura did this, without realizing it, tears began to form and gather at the corners of her eyes.
"-he is dead. The demon is finally dead." Sakura's voice was barely a whisper and if it weren't for Theresa being next to her, it would have been lost in the wind.
"The village. The Demon. They have both disappeared…"
Sakura's words couldn't be more accurate. What remained around the two of them were ruins. Several houses and other buildings had been destroyed and incinerated as collateral damage in the bloody fight between the Herrscher and the monster. Everywhere you looked, the village had been razed to the ground. Little, if anything, remained of the village. Theresa grimaced as she realized that Yae's village - twisted as it was - was finished.
Theresa looked in the miko's direction, preparing to see a desperate look that would demand justice or release anger at what had happened to her hometown.
"Haha…" Sakura's sword slipped through her hands and fell to the ground. "Hahaha…" Sakura's body followed it, falling onto her legs.
"Hahahaha…!" What started as a giggle turned into a lengthy laugh. "Hahahaha!" Sakura's body was shaking from how hard she was laughing. The miko laughed and laughed. The only sound that could be heard in the destroyed village was Sakura's laughter. A laugh that soon got out of control.
"Hahahahaha!"
Theresa didn't say anything. She looked bewildered as the miko laughed out loud, non-stopping, in the middle of her destroyed village. Out of context, Sakura's laugh seemed like that of a deranged person. A person who could not take it anymore and whose mind had collapsed from the terrible stress or agony that tormented them.
After what seemed like a small eternity, Sakura's laughter finally stopped. She took deep breaths trying to catch her breath.
"Sakura…?" Theresa asked nervously.
The miko turned to look at her and Theresa couldn't help but be startled slightly at the new expression on Sakura's face. The miko was smiling at Theresa with her bright, watery cyan eyes. Sakura's smile was something Theresa had rarely seen on Valkyries after they would survive a long and terrible battle or operation.
The smile was neither one of joy nor sadness; It was broken, scary, and dark, but underneath it all, it was impossible not to see what Sakura really felt.
Freedom.
"Everything. Finally, this nightmare is over," Sakura said exhausted. "It's over…" She fixed her gaze on the remains of the Herrscher. "I-I-" She couldn't seem to say the words she had longed to say for many years.
A simple phrase. A simple phrase that she once wanted to say with little Rin. A phrase that she had not dared to entertain again after Rin was taken from her, as well as out of respect for her sister. A phrase that she sought to say from the depths of her heart.
"I-I am finally... I am finally free..."
Theresa licked her dry lips. She didn't know how to act around Sakura after her emotional episode.
"How can I tell her that everything will be okay after her entire village was destroyed?"
From what Theresa had seen happen to Sakura with the council of the village elders and the desperation to perform the sacrificial ritual on her, the Valkyrie was almost certain that Sakura's stay in the village had been a nightmare. And for many years, given the miko's reaction to the entire destroyed village.
"God… I don't want to think about the villagers…."
Particles of data, or memories; although their… attitude towards her and the others, Theresa did not believe the villagers had to die.
"At least we won't have to bury the bodies…" A dark part of her mind murmured before Theresa shook her head to avoid hearing any more of this.
Now came the most complicated part.
Leave the Stigma. Leave the Stigma and…leave Sakura here. Leaving her alone in the middle of the ruined town. Her home.
"Sakura-" Theresa desperately searched her head for what to say. "Sakura, I-"
"YOU WILL NOT GET RID OF ME SO EASILY!"
Sakura and Theresa staggered back as they felt an incredible pressure fall on their shoulders. The ground shook abruptly, causing both women to fall on their legs and rear. Stunned, the Valkyrie and Miko raised their bodies and looked in horror as the origin of the strange phenomenon came from the remains of the Herrscher. And not only that, a large cloud of black miasma began to grow around the corpse.
"I AM A GOD! I AM ABOVE ALL OF YOU!"
The cloud grew violently and began to cover everything around it in a flash.
"Sakura!" Theresa screamed, trying to grab the miko and run; but the miko was too overwhelmed to respond. Before they could process it, Sakura and Theresa were devoured by the miasma cloud.
"NO! MY STUDENTS!"
The last thing Theresa saw before the darkness swallowed her was a hive of red and purple eyes looking in her direction.
"Wow, Raiden-san, your grades continue to impress us!"
"Raiden-senpai! How come you are so strong and quick?! I barely saw your bokken!"
"You are an example to follow, Miss Raiden. Your colleagues should follow your example."
"Despite your innate talent with the sword, you are not an arrogant person, Raiden-sama."
"I promise to train and become so strong like you, Raiden-senpai."
Mei was biting her lips and trying to keep old memories from haunting her. She tried to focus on the noises around her and see through the branches and bushes of the hiding place Sakura had taken them to.
After Theresa's request, Sakura had guided Mei - and carried Adam - towards the forest. Mei guessed that they traveled about three hundred meters to reach the hiding place that Sakura had in mind. The hideout was a small cave, wide enough for Adam to lie down inside and still with plenty of room for Mei to stretch her legs.
"Wait here. I will return to your Master to aid her," Sakura said, placing some branches with large foliage over the entrance of the small hideout. Despite the rudimentary nature of the shelter, it would be difficult for anyone to find them. It would certainly be very helpful if the Herrscher or one of the villagers tried to look for them.
Mei clenched her hands tightly, remembering the crazy and obsessive attitude of the villagers who wanted to sacrifice them to their gods. Mei had never felt such disgust towards other human beings. Well, not like that time in Nagazora, but this time she was sure that the disgust she felt toward the fanatical villagers came from her without the interference of the Herrscher inside her.
Mei trembled as she recalled how the villagers' hands held her tightly. They had treated her as if she were an object of important value. Something worth slaughtering like an animal to the slaughterhouse and taking delight in torturing her friend.
Mei was brought out of her thoughts when she heard Adam groan. For a moment she thought he would get up when she saw his body trembling, but the spasm passed and he continued lying on the ground.
"Adam-kun…" She couldn't help but grimace as she also remembered how he had screamed in fury when he saw how Theresa and she were forcibly pulled to be sacrificed. Mei was sure that the image of Adam being stabbed repeatedly would stay in her mind for the rest of her life.
Watching Adam struggle against the villagers and being tortured by them made her feel the same fury that she had felt that night in Nagazora when Kiana had taken the hit from the gigantic Honkai beast to protect the two of them.
"What good is all that talent if you can't protect the people close to you?"
Mei tried to ignore the treacherous thought that echoed in her mind, but she could not deny that she was right.
How long had she been training at St. Freya to become a Valkyrie? Months. Her months of learning, and her talent and practice with the sword; had made her one of the best students.
"And yet, you couldn't defend yourself against some simple villagers."
Mei gritted her teeth. It was true. Valkyrie or not, she must have thought of another way to free herself, to help Theresa and Adam, and to stop being a burden.
Damn it! She had training and was a damn Herrscher! Why couldn't she stop being a nuisance?
"Ah… Shit. What the hell happened?"
Mei stopped berating herself as soon as she heard that Adam had regained consciousness.
"Adam-kun!" She couldn't help but exclaim in relief. She approached on all fours. Adam tried to get up, but Mei gently pushed him down. Adam struggled for a moment but gave up after a few seconds. His body was exhausted and sore.
"Mei… What- What the hell happened? Where are we?" Adam asked disoriented, looking around with his head lying on the ground.
Mei licked her dry lips and told him what had happened after he had fainted.
"Fuck!" Adam cursed, regretting it as he felt his head throb.
Despite his condition and the headache, Adam couldn't help but think about where he went wrong or how he should have handled the situation better. Should he have taken the Herrscher's head when he had the chance? Should he have dropped the stealth and tracked down the root problem before anything else?
Adam was so immersed in his thoughts that he barely heard Mei.
"-so sorry, Adam-kun."
Adam stopped pondering in frustration and looked in Mei's direction. She was sitting against the cave wall. She hugged her knees and looked in the direction of the entrance.
"Mei?"
"I'm so sorry, Adam-kun," Mei apologized again. "I-I shouldn't have come here. I've been nothing but a burden this whole time." She clenched her fists in frustration. "I should have listened."
Adam said nothing to her words. He could have said comforting words or recriminated against her. And to be honest, a small part of him wanted to do it. The situation with Theresa's condition was already complicated in itself and the fact that Mei was involved, the situation had become a cluster of problems in itself, a shit bomb waiting to explode.
Many things could have been different if everything had been handled secretly, as originally planned.
"You're right," Adam broke the awkward silence. "You shouldn't have come."
Mei lowered her head, her grip on her legs tightening.
If she shouldn't have come, then...
"Just like I should have told you to not come here from the start," he said, exhaling deeply.
Mei raised her head and looked at Adam in surprise.
"I put you in danger the moment I said you could come here."
Adam slowly shifted his body until he was leaning against the wall of the small cave.
"Adam-"
"Doctor Margot had told me how dangerous it could be to dive into an erratic Stigma. There could be trouble at any moment, and God only knows what shit happens in places like this," Adam paused. "Well, we already saw it firsthand."
A Herrscher and a monstrosity inhabiting the body of a girl - who is a Valkyrie with decades of experience. It seemed like the theme of a story by a very drugged writer.
"You decided to come here. Maybe because you felt like you owed it to Theresa. It could be out of affection. Maybe for love. Stupid decision, but you did it for the right reasons."
Adam growled. "And, who must have stopped you in the end must have been the doctor. She knew what kinds of dangers could arise, encouraging you to come here. You, a Valkyrie who just started her career."
Doctor Margot had suggested that having support on the dive was advisable, but how supportive would it be to send a fledgling Valkyrie on a Stigma dive? An extremely sensitive operation, something she wouldn't be ready to deal with. And not only that, Mei was the host of the Third Herrscher. Many things could have gone wrong from the beginning.
"If we come out of this alive, I'm going to have a serious talk with the doctor," Adam thought. He was not blameless, but the one who had encouraged Mei in the end was Margot.
"But-But I decided to come! I wanted to help Director Theresa and you, Adam-kun!" Mei raised her voice. "I know it wasn't the best decision. I just-" Mei lowered her head. "I just wanted to help you all. You have helped me a lot since we escaped from Nagazora. Director Theresa, Himeko-sensei, Bronya-chan, Kiana-chan, and you. You guys haven't treated me any different since you knew what- what I have inside of me."
Adam didn't expect to hear such words from Mei. Nor how much it meant to her that none of the people closest to her would treat her differently.
"Not everyone is as detached as you," his mind echoed faintly, and Adam didn't know if he was thinking it unconsciously or if he was hallucinating.
An awkward silence filled the cave. Mei continued with her head down, not daring to look at him. Adam moaned weakly as his entire being throbbed in pain. He was grateful that it didn't hurt as much as it would when he overdid it with his Gift, but it was still a drag dealing with his sore body.
"Fuck… When we get out of this shit alive, we're going to have a serious talk about not taking unnecessary risks," Adam growled. For some reason, he felt like Siegfried was calling him a hypocrite somewhere in the world.
Mei looked up, not understanding his words.
"I thought Kiana was the most impulsive. I think the phrase about being careful with the quiet and the shy is true," he commented playfully. It took a moment for Mei to understand his words.
"Adam-kun!" Mei complained, flustered by his words.
He tried not to laugh, his ribs hurt, but it became difficult as he watched Mei frown and how her red cheeks pouted.
Adam was about to laugh, but a terrible cold sensation suddenly covered his body. He tensed, straightening his posture on the dirty stone wall. Mei instantly noticed his change, tensing up just like him.
"Adam-kun? What is happening?"
Before he could respond, a powerful roar echoed outside the cave. As soon as Mei turned towards the entrance, a gigantic cloud of black miasma devoured everything in its path.
"What is this?!"
Adam, who had turned to look in the same direction as Mei, without responding, jumped in her direction and, concentrating with everything he had, covered their bodies with tendrils, and hardened them as much as he could.
Adam felt as if a powerful wave hit his shield and then, a terrible sensation of falling.
Mei screamed and as Adam could, he approached her and hugged her, concentrating on softening the tendrils around the two of them so that the counterforce of the fall wouldn't kill them when they collided. If they ever touched the ground.
For a moment Adam thought how would transmit the feeling of crashing into the ground at high speed in his real body.
"̶A̸l̵t̸h̸o̶u̸g̴h̸ ̸I̴ ̷w̴a̵l̷k̷ ̴i̵n̸ ̵t̴h̷e̵ ̷d̵a̴r̶k̴e̵s̶t̶ ̸v̸a̵l̵l̵e̷y̵,̶ ̵I̵ ̸w̴i̷l̵l̴ ̸f̶e̴a̶r̴ ̸n̵o̷ ̷e̵v̸i̴l̷,̵ ̷b̶e̴c̸a̶u̶s̸e̶ ̴Y̸o̷u̵ ̵a̸r̶e̷ ̴w̵i̵t̴h̸ ̸m̵e̵.̶.̴.̷"̵
Before Adam, could process the words that echoed around them, they stopped falling, coming to a complete stop on… something.
Adam kept the shield. He didn't know what awaited them the moment he put it down. Mei didn't comment anything despite being in his arms. The tense look on his face and the context pushed any comments about how inappropriate the hug was to the back of her mind.
Keeping the shield active, Adam awaited any aggression that came from outside. After a few minutes, Adam slowly undid the shield. Despite his exhaustion, he prepared to move at any sign of danger.
What Adam and Mei didn't expect was to end up in the middle of a green meadow. They looked to their sides, hoping it was a trick by the Herrscher, but there was nothing around them save for the sun high in the sky, trees, and some insects flying around.
"This… This is new," Adam commented disturbed, releasing Mei. She nodded.
"I think… I think we are in the forest, near the village," Mei commented. She didn't think to ask why the sudden change of scenery. As they had previously told her and from their own experience, the space of a Stigma did not respect the logic of reality as they understood it.
With difficulty, Adam tried to stand up. Mei immediately helped him, leaning part of his weight on her. She barely showed any difficulty in it.
Deciding that it would be best to move, they both walked from the clearing where they appeared. They trekked carefully among the trees and bushes. There was no one in sight, but after what happened with the villagers, neither of them wanted to deal with any of them.
The pair were about to rest for a moment behind a bush until the scene suddenly changed.
One second ago, Adam and Mei were behind a bush, the next, the duo were in the backyard of the shrine. Fearing the worst, Mei tensed and Adam was a moment away from whipping out his claws to defend themselves.
"Onee-chan! Look!"
They both turned and saw something unexpected.
Coming out of the back doors of the sanctuary was a young girl with shoulder-length pink hair and bangs covering her forehead. She had cyan eyes and a mole under her right eye.
She was running, or rather trotting with difficulty towards one of the trees behind the shrine.
"Look! There are many butterflies!"
The girl looked up, and true to her words, there was a group of butterflies fluttering between the branches of the tree.
"Rin! How many times do I have to tell you not to run out like that? You can get hurt."
A new person exclaimed exasperatedly, walking out of the sanctuary in the girl's direction. She and the girl had a great resemblance, although she was older and walked without difficulty.
Mei and Adam watched in surprise as a younger Sakura - wearing the same miko outfit, adjusted for her younger form - approached the girl and pinched her cheeks.
"Onee-chan!" The girl tried to fight back, but her arms were shorter and she couldn't get out of Sakura's grip.
"This is your punishment for being too reckless, Rin," young Sakura admonished.
"Aww!"
Surprised by the scene, the two St. Freya students could only watch as the girls argued with each other. The little girl -Rin- continued to complain and the young Sakura continued scolding her, although, from her tone, there was no anger in it. Only concern and affection.
"What… What the hell is all this?" Adam thought strangely at the scene. And he wasn't the only one.
"Did the girl call Sakura, big sister?" Mei watched as the miko, after scolding her sister, hugged her and said something in her ear that made Rin laugh.
Sakura looked up from her sister and turned to look in the direction of the two of them. They tensed. Although Sakura had not shown any aggression towards them since they met initially outside the village, there was no guarantee that this was a trick from the Herrscher.
"Look, Rin," Sakura waved her hand in her direction. For a moment Adam thought she meant them. A buzzing sound a few steps behind made him turn around to look. Mei did the same.
It was a pair of dragonflies.
"Wow! I haven't seen one of those in a long time!" Rin shouted happily, completely ignoring the presence of Adam and Mei in the place.
"Can't they see us?" Adam wondered as he watched the sisters talk to each other.
"Yae-san looks so peaceful," Mei noticed. The miko smiled warmly at her sister Rin every time she exclaimed something. It was strange for Mei to see Sakura with a relaxed and warm expression on her face. A clear contrast to her neutral, if not indifferent, expression that she had always worn since they arrived in the village.
The two sisters continued chatting animatedly for a moment until Rin began to cough.
"You're getting cold, Rin," Sakura touched Rin's forehead, frowning. "We better go back inside."
"No! I feel better, onee-chan. Really!" Rin complained, but raising her voice had been counterproductive. Rin's cough grew louder, making her small body shake.
"No. You better lie down." Without waiting any longer, Sakura took Rin into her arms and carried her. "I will make your tea. Just the way you like it." Without even turning to look, Sakura walked back to the shrine with her sister. Their figures disappeared behind doors, leaving Mei and Adam alone.
"That was weird," Adam commented. Having regained a little more strength, he stood on his own. "Thank you, Mei."
She responded with a smile before looking in the direction where the sisters had disappeared. "Was it my imagination, or could none of them see us, Adam-kun?"
"The last one, Mei. It is a fact that we are still in the Stigma, but I don't think we are where we started." He looked around. Some little birds were singing and the breeze that ran through the place was pleasant.
"This seems to be more of a memory. Surely from Sakura."
Mei noticed that the environment felt more… lighter and more alive.
The place seemed to be the ideal space to rest and enjoy the wild air. A place to forget about problems and regain energy.
There was a strong feeling of a tug on their bodies, and the world changed again.
The place was the same where Mei and Adam were, but the difference was that the plants looked more grown, and the air felt dry. Although the sun was still shining beautifully in the sky.
"What just happened?"
Before Mei's question could be answered, a shout was heard coming from within the Sanctuary. Carefully, the pair approached to investigate.
"Don't contradict me! You know better than anyone that this ritual is necessary to save the village!"
The door leading out was not fully closed, so it was easy to see what was going on inside.
Adam and Mei tensed when they saw that it was the village chief, the same lunatic who had almost sacrificed Theresa on that stone altar.
And in front of that crazy man was a young Sakura. A little older than how they had seen her a few moments ago. The pink-haired girl was cowering in fear. She barely kept her eyes on the village chief. A few steps away from her was a broken ceramic plate, accompanied by some onigiri scattered on the wooden floor.
"B-But father…" Sakura protested weakly. She trembled when he growled.
"Our village is suffering terribly, Sakura. And yet, you plan to be so selfish, protecting your sister and discarding your duties as the future miko of this village?!"
The young Sakura didn't say anything. She lowered her head without making another sound.
The village chief gave another short snort and turned on his heel to leave.
Or so it must have been if Sakura hadn't said the following.
"But Rin is my sister…" She said in a low voice, but the village chief managed to hear her.
With an angry expression on his face, the chief turned to Sakura, closed the distance with two strides, and slapped the young teenager hard, making her fall to the ground with a scream.
If it weren't for the abnormal situation they were in, Mei and Adam would have attacked the village chief at that moment. However, they had not moved from the spot because Adam held Mei's arm tightly and he reminded himself not to jump into unknown danger.
"And you are the future miko of this village! Your love for your sister is below the well-being of others! Understand!"
The village chief walked away from Sakura, heading further into the shrine. The sound of a door slamming was heard from inside the place.
Sakura, who was still on the ground, trembled with her head lowered. Even though there was no sound, the tears falling from her chin made it obvious that she was crying.
"Son of a bitch…!" Adam exhaled sharply through his nose.
Mei kept her gaze steady on the sobbing Sakura. He didn't express it, but she shared the same feeling with Adam.
Before they could do anything else, the scene changed again, but this time they were not in the sanctuary.
Both travelers were in the main courtyard of the village. The two had seen the place in the distance when they had been guided by Sakura to the shrine. The place was full of people. Their appearance was pitiful, looking more like bones with skin than actual people. Many of them sang in joy or shouted gratitude to the rainy sky. The visitors to the Stigma couldn't help but feel a pit in their stomachs upon seeing this.
"No. They couldn't…" Mei muttered in disbelief, having a slight idea of what was happening.
And, despite the villagers' songs and shouts of joy, it was so clear for the two of them to hear anguished cries.
From among the sea of people, in the center of the patio, stood a stone altar. On it, there were three people. The first was obvious. It was Sakura, who was crying and screaming heartbreakingly towards the rainy sky on her knees. The second figure was Rin, who was lying near her older sister. The girl had a calm look on her sleeping face as the rain fell on her. The third figure was the village chief, who raised his hands to the sky and shouted something about the benevolence of the gods.
The hole in Mei and Adam's stomach turned into icy anger as they saw that Rin's chest was soaked with blood, due to a katana embedded in her. Sakura howled in anguish while the village chief continued his praise to the gods. While Sakura's hands were bloody, the St. Freya duo noticed that the boss's hands were soaked in blood.
"Fucking piece of shit!" Adam growled, revealing his claws for a second.
"Unforgivable…!" Mei's voice was low, but small violet sparks manifested for a second over her body.
Before any of them could do anything else, the scene changed once again. Both of them no longer appeared again somewhere in Yae Village. They were now in a land of pure darkness. Wherever they looked, there was only more darkness around them.
And then-
"Do your duty! You are the village miko!"
"Oh, please, concede your great benevolence!"
"Behave, or do you want to be sacrificed?"
"I'm afraid, Miko-sama…"
They were memories. Adam and Mei saw Sakura's memories in their heads at high speed. They could barely understand what was happening in front of their eyes.
"The rain will return soon. We just need one more sacrifice, Miko-sama."
"Chisa has agreed to be this year's sacrifice, Miko-sama."
"No! Not them! I offer myself! Please leave my children!"
The horror, disgust, resignation, and indifference they felt was palpable. That Sakura had felt. They saw more and more memories of sacrifices that had been carried out in Yae Village. All for the sake of salvation, seeking the mercy of cruel gods.
"Bwahg!" Mei vomited the contents of her stomach. Adam soon followed. The emotional burden was overwhelming. But it didn't stop.
"Mother! I was selected to save the village. Yuki-neechan will be saved!"
"Visitors? Here? The gods have sent us a gift."
"I'll give you whatever you want! Just-Just let us go, please…"
"Salvation is near."
"N-No!" Mei screamed as she held her head and fell to her knees on the floor. She felt like her being was slowly being suffocated by the terrible memories of Sakura. It was becoming increasingly difficult to breathe. There was so much noise in her head that it was difficult to think!
"Fucking hell! Everyone there is absolute trash," Adam panted, lying on the floor while clutching his head tightly.
Everything was heavy. The air was thick and darkness began to cloud all his senses.
Both panted desperately, but it was getting harder to breathe.
"It's okay, onee-chan. I don't blame you for this."
"Also..."
"Just… Just promise me you will become a great miko, Sakura-nee."
"Rin... I-
"I love you."
The darkness swallowed them and then-
F̶͙̊ǘ̴͜c̷̛̣k̶̪͒ ̷̪̐y̴̯̔ǒ̶̮u̴͎͐!̵̣͐ ̶͖̋Ś̴̖c̸̤̕r̷̯̀e̷͖͋w̷̫̓ ̶̘͂ÿ̶̥́o̷̲͝u̵̦̔!̸͔̏ ̵̳͂M̸̨̈́y̶̜̚ ̴̥͑b̶̠͝ő̸͚d̵̯̈́y̵̓͜ ̷̢͑ï̷̝s̸̭̍ ̷̱̽m̵̘̊i̷̼̓n̶̝͌è̶̞!̴̱̊ ̵͔̽M̴͓̈́ỵ̶́ ̷̥̀s̷̭̓ỏ̷̞u̸̖͠l̸̦̃ ̴̡̈́í̶̤s̵̘̎ ̶̡̌m̷͚̈́i̸̟̚n̷̪̄e̴̼͐!̶̬͛ ̷̭̈́Y̴̰̏o̸̝͊ụ̷̒ ̷̙̿ŵ̸͚ĭ̴͕l̶͓̎l̶̒ͅ ̸̠̅t̴̟̐ǎ̵͔k̴͚̓e̴̼̊ ̴̬̀n̸̨̐ȯ̷͕ṱ̸̏h̸̖͋i̸͉̔n̶̗̍g̶̲͐ ̸̢̐m̴͈̓ô̴̡r̴̛͔e̵̤̔ ̶̛̤f̷͖͊r̸͇͆ȯ̵͙m̴̡̅ ̶̡̂m̴̙̒e̷̢͂!̶͚̔"̷̜̚
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An out-of-this-world roar filled the darkness, and it backed away.
Breathing became easier. The memories stopped abruptly and the terrible feeling of oppression disappeared.
Both visitors gasped desperately, their bodies drenched in sweat. Neither of them said anything for a long moment, enjoying the silence and how their minds were no longer on the brink of collapse.
After what was a long moment, Adam was the first to speak. "Mei, are you okay?"
The black-haired woman took a moment to answer. "Yes." A few seconds passed before she changed her response. "N-No. I'm not fine, Adam-kun." Mei wiped a vomit stain from her chin using the back of her hand.
"Next time, if we have to do a diving like this, again, would you help me tell the next doctor on duty to go to hell?" He stood up slowly. "I'm not doing this shit again if I can help it."
Mei was slow to respond, more busy putting her thoughts in order and not throwing up again. "It would be my pleasure, Adam-kun."
He gave a dry laugh and helped her to her feet.
"ⱧɆⱠ₱. ₦ł₲Ⱨ₮₥₳ⱤɆ₴ ₳₦Đ ₥Ɇ₥ØⱤłɆ₴ ₩Ø₦'₮ ₳₮₮₳₵₭ ₣ɄⱤ₮ⱧɆⱤ."
Adam stood before Mei as the Remnant appeared from the darkness in its horrendous glory. A strange kind of red mist covered its monstrous body. The creature looked attentively and lovingly at Adam, ignoring Mei.
"You… Were you the one who helped us?" He asked with some doubt.
The Remnant nodded its long worm head. "₳₣₣łⱤ₥₳₮łVɆ. ₦ł₲Ⱨ₮₥₳ⱤɆ₴ ĐØ₦'₮ ⱧɄⱤ₮ ₣₳₥łⱠɎ ₳₦Ɏ₥ØⱤɆ." The creature tilted its head to the side. "Đł₴₲Ʉ₴₮ł₦₲ ĐØ₲-₣ØӾ, ₵ⱧɆ₳₮ł₦₲. ₱Øł₴Ø₦ØɄ₴ ₥Ɇ₥ØⱤłɆ₴. ₭łⱠⱠ ₮ⱧɆ ₴ØɄⱠ." The monster growled, making Mei wince at the unpleasant sound.
"What- What do you mean by poisonous memories?" Adam asked with a cough.
The creature hissed. "₥Ɇ₥ØⱤłɆ₴. VɆ₦Ø₥ ₮Ø ₭łⱠⱠ ₮ⱧɆ ₴ØɄⱠ. ĐØ₦'₮ ฿ɆⱠØ₦₲ ₣ⱤØ₥ Đł₴₲Ʉ₴₮ł₦₲ ĐØ₲. ₱ł₦₭ ₦Ʉ₦ ฿Ɇ ØⱤł₲ł₦. ₥Ɇ₥ØⱤłɆ₴ Ø₣ ฿ł₮₮ɆⱤ ₳₦Đ ₳₵łĐ ₮₳₴₮Ɇ." Its eyes flickered to Mei for a second. "VɆⱤɎ Ɇ₣₣Ɇ₵₮łVɆ."
"Had the Herrscher used Sakura's memories to trap us? Witty and sick. The fucker really knows how to use
its cards."
The Remnant turned its head sharply to the side. "₣ØӾ-₣ØØĐ ₦Ɇ₳Ɽ฿Ɏ. ł₮ ฿Ɇ ₳₮₮₳₵₭ł₦₲ Đ₩₳Ɽ₣ ₦Ʉ₦ ₳₦Đ Ø₮ⱧɆⱤ ₱ł₦₭ ₦Ʉ₦. ₮ⱧɆɎ ₳ⱤɆ ₵ØⱤ₦ɆⱤɆĐ ฿Ɏ ł₮."
Were Theresa and Sakura cornered by the Herrscher?! Shit.
"Do you know where they are?" Adam asked. The Remnant nodded. "Will you help kill the Herrsh- the disgusting fox?" To Adam's pleasant surprise, the Remnant nodded vigorously.
"ⱧɆⱠ₱. ₱ⱤØ₮Ɇ₵₮. ₥₳ɄⱠ ₣ØӾ. ₲łVɆ ₮Ɽł฿Ʉ₮Ɇ ₮Ø ₣₳₥łⱠɎ. ɎØɄ ₳Ⱡ₩₳Ɏ₴ Ⱨ₳VɆ ₮Øshare as a family." For a moment the voice of the Remnant was that of a woman. It was brief, but the change was notable.
Adam shook his head. There would be time to consider the strange attitude of the Remnant. He turned to Mei, who still looked disturbed by what they had seen of Sakura's memories.
"Mei, I know it's too soon, but we have to put an end to this. Are you ready?"
Adam wasn't sure if it was best to leave her here. Dragging her into a new confrontation seemed cruel, considering they were almost crushed using Sakura's memories just moments ago. He knew that Mei was no stranger to bad and terrible experiences and that the girl was not weak of character, but what the Herrscher had used against them had been an effective tactic of psychological torment.
"Y-Yes, I'm ready Adam-kun," Mei nodded seriously, swallowing hard. She clenched her hands -trying to make them stop trembling, preparing for what was coming. "How can I help?"
"₣₳₥łⱠɎ. ł₦₴₮ⱤɄ₵₮łØ₦₴. ⱤɆ₳ĐɎ ₮Ø ĐɆ₴₮ⱤØɎ ĐØ₲." The Remnant wagged its tail, eager to await Adam's orders.
Well, the unfortunate Herrscher had been playing very dirty all this time.
It was time to return the favor.
Theresa was breathing laboriously. Her entire body was trembling and drenched in sweat. Next to her, lying on the dark floor, was Sakura, knocked out.
"A nuisance until the end," growled the fox. They brought down a pair of their tails on Theresa and Sakura, but a golden dome of light protected them. The dome of light came from Judah - who was a few steps behind her - and from the spear Theresa held in a fierce grip. The fox's blows shook the inside of the dome, but Theresa did not weaken her grip.
"You didn't think it would be that simple, did you?"
She gritted her teeth when the fox hit again – harder – on the dome. Whatever was affecting her body, was making it increasingly difficult for her to maintain the protective barrier.
The red veins that she had previously thought as a figment of her imagination had returned, and this time they didn't go away. Theresa watched anxiously as the red veins slowly spread, millimeter by millimeter over her skin.
After being swallowed by the strange cloud of miasma that the Herrscher had released, Theresa had feared for a second that this had marked her end. Good fortune had smiled upon her, or rather Judah, the Divine Key had reacted to the danger in which its bearer found herself. To the Herrscher's fury, Judah had unfurled a series of chains that became a protective cocoon that encased Theresa and Sakura, protecting them from the Honkai ruler's attack.
"Stop being a coward and face me! Damn Kaslana!"
Theresa muffled a curse as the Herrscher tried to crush them between their two front paws. They growled and cursed at her again and again, cursing her lineage and the pests that they were.
"You only make things more complicated for yourself. I would have given you a quick and merciful death, but it seems that you like to suffer! The fox charged up its flaming breath and released it onto Judah's golden dome. It was hot, but Judah's properties nullified any damage it could cause to the Valkyrie and miko.
And so, for a long, long time, the Herrscher tried to break through Judah's protection, without any success. But this does not mean that the Herrscher was not making any progress.
Theresa tried not to let it show on her face, but exhaustion was beginning to overcome her. Every moment she maintained the unbreakable barrier, a part of her shook, screamed, and wailed for a respite from the terrible siege her body was subjected to. She forced back said desire. Her mind was concentrated on what would happen if the Herrscher triumphed, on the moments she could no longer enjoy being the headmistress of St. Freya. She envisioned the faces of each one of her students. The good memories she had about her friends and family.
"Kiana. Cecilia. Himeko. Siegfried."
With a second wind, Theresa tightened her grip on her spear and concentrated on not giving in to the pressure. Seeing such conviction in her eyes, the Herrscher redoubled its efforts to crush her.
"Forget the screams. I needed to take over her body before those damned abominations got in the way again," the Herrscher reflected. They had expected resistance from the Kaslana and the miko. The fox never imagined that a strange element like the existence of the disgusting entities in their future body would cause them so many problems.
"Monsters protecting useless humans… Bah! It seems like a bad joke," growled the fox. "It doesn't matter. The Kaslana is strong, but she is still human." It had detected another existence in Theresa. Weak and suppressed, but the Herrscher wouldn't try to find out.
"At least for now," they thought, carrying a new flaming ball in their snout; bigger and more powerful than the previous one.
The fire covered the protective dome again for the umpteenth time. Like the previous times, Theresa didn't voice any complaints. Maintaining the defense, waiting for the Herrshcer to get tired or fed up, so she could move. But like Theresa, the fox wasn't going to give up so soon, much less when victory was so close!
SWIP!
The Herrscher barely had time to interrupt their own attack and jerked their head to the side. They growled as a pair of white thorns stabbed into their neck.
"YOU!" The Herrscher bellowed angrily. The thorns had aimed at their eyes!
SWIP!
Again, another pair of thorns came in their direction. The Herrscher stepped back and threw a flame ball towards the source of the wicked thorns.
The flame traveled at high speed, illuminating a path in the darkness. The Herrscher noticed something moving not far from the flame, but their attention was interrupted by another shower of thorns.
The flame ball crashed on the floor of the place. The flames pushed back the darkness and revealed the wretch who had interrupted them.
"You should be dead!" The Herrshcer roared.
"Ɇ₳₮ ₴Ⱨł₮ ₳₦Đ ĐłɆ!" The Remnant responded, throwing another pair of thorns in their direction.
Impatient and fed up with not achieving victory, the Herrscher roared again and launched themselves against the abomination that had thwarted them so much.
"The Kaslana is not going anywhere. She's strained, and the other brats must be drowning in Sakura's memories." Feeling confident in their close victory, the Herrscher focused entirely on finishing off the Remnant as quickly as they could.
The bastard owed them a rematch, and by the Honkai itself, they were going to enjoy it so much!
The Herrscher was so focused on finishing off the Remnant that they didn't see the large humanoid figure covered entirely in black armor.
"Your plan worked, Adam-kun," Mei murmured in surprise.
Retracting his armor, he growled weakly. Four tendrils sprouted from his back and lightened the fall, making it as quiet as possible so the Herrscher wouldn't hear them.
"The good thing is that the fox didn't notice the other details of the armor." Adam was referring to the reddish color that his armor showed, luckily the light from the fox's flaming ball made the detail go unnoticed, in addition to the fact that their concentration was on the Remnant.
The plan itself was simple. The Remnant had to throw them at the same time that the Herrscher threw one of their flame balls. The launch had to be synchronized, not to mention that they had to not be discovered by the Herrscher. Luckily Adam's armor blended into the darkness around them.
Furthermore, Adam had instructed his unexpected ally to attack the Herrscher in the eyes, joints - both of its legs and tails, - neck and nose. Adam didn't understand why the Herrscher had taken the form of a mythical animal, but at least his decision gave him an advantage in how to deal with the Honkai entity.
As the Herrscher and the Remnant battled, the St. Freya duo stealthily approached Theresa.
"Director? Principal Theresa?" Mei called for her in a low voice. She approached the golden dome that had protected the Valkyrie. Mei was about to touch it but retracted her hand at the last second.
"The dome is made of a Key Divine. This specializes in canceling energy. All types," Adam explained quietly. "Wise choice not to touch it." He looked back, seeing that the two creatures were ignoring them.
Resting on her knees, Theresa, who was trying to catch her breath, widened her eyes. A smile emerged when he saw that her two students were fine.
"Guys!" Theresa exhaled heavily. She watched over their shoulders as the two beasts fought to the death. "How- No, how are you?! Are you alright?!" Despite her own exhausted state, the principal still kept the well-being of her students at the forefront of her mind.
Adam and Mei quickly signaled her to lower her voice. Theresa obeyed. For the first time in a long time, she relaxed her grip on the spear. Then Judah's dome silently disintegrated into specks of golden dust.
"We don't have much time. The creature follows my orders. This will give them enough time for you both to retreat," Adam reported. He noted Theresa's red veins but didn't comment about them.
Despite her fatigue, Theresa did not miss his words.
"Adam…why do you say you both?" She questioned slowly.
He just smiled in response. He looked into Mei's eyes and said, "You know what you have to do. Wish me luck."
For her part, Mei made a complicated expression on her face before reluctantly nodding. "Be careful, Adam-kun."
Without saying another word, his figure was once again covered by his black demonic armor, and he began to stealthily run in the direction of the two long beasts in combat.
"No… Mei? Why is Adam rushing to there?" Theresa asked, raising her voice a bit. She moved her eyes to where Adam had gone, but she could no longer see his figure, it had camouflaged itself with the immense darkness that surrounded them.
Mei did not answer her question.
She walked over and helped Theresa to her feet. Once she saw that Theresa could stand on her own, she let go and went to pick up the unconscious miko, but Theresa stopped her.
"Mei? What is happening? Why isn't Adam coming with us?" Theresa asked her, holding her by the arms.
Mei pursed her lips and looked away from her principal's worried gaze, remembering the argument she had with Adam when he told her what he planned to do.
"It doesn't matter what happens. You must get as far away from the battle as you can, Mei."
"No… Adam… Are you planning to face the Herrscher alone?!"
"I will have support, Mei, but I need you, Director Theresa, and Sakura to be away from us when this happens."
Of course, Mei had refused, but Adam not only pointed out to her that she lacked the means to confront the Herrscher. He also pointed out an important detail.
Adam looked quickly at the nightmare creature. "This monster can stand up to the bastard Herrscher. If the two of us work together, we will end the problem as soon as possible. But…" He frowned. "But it's going to be dangerous, Mei."
"Then let me help-"
"For you and the others to stay close, Mei," he cut her off with a serious tone.
Mei didn't understand what he meant. Did he consider her a hindrance-?
"Principal Theresa is my insurance, Mei," Adam hardened his gaze. "I'm sure I'm going to lose control, and when that happens, Theresa will know how to subjugate me before I could harm any of you by mistake."
Mei was going to protest again, but she understood that they were in a desperate situation, not to mention that she didn't want to be more of a burden to Adam.
This was one of those times she hated being powerless to help her friends. All Mei could do was nod reluctantly and hold back that frustrated feeling in her chest.
Before ending the discussion and concentrating on calling out his bizarre power, Adam said to her in a self-deprecating voice:
"Believe me. The last thing you want is to be near me when I unleash my Gift."
"Mei?!" Theresa called her more insistently.
Right. She had to hurry. Adam had trusted her and she wasn't going to let him down.
"We have to move quickly, director." Mei broke out of her grasp and picked up Sakura. Mei didn't know if it was her status as a Valkyrie or the Stigma, but lifting and carrying Sakura wasn't difficult.
With the miko secured in her arms, Mei turned and was about to follow the next part of Adam's plan, but Theresa stopped her, placing a firm hand on her bicep.
"Wait, what about Adam?" This time Theresa's voice was sharp and firm. Mei was no longer speaking to the headmistress of St. Freya but to the A-rank Valkyrie, Theresa Apocalypse.
"Director, I…" Mei hesitated for a second. She had to admit that this aspect of Theresa was indeed intimidating.
Behind them, the Herrscher's roars and two inhuman screams were heard, sending a chill down Mei's spine.
"We have to get as far away from here as we can. Adam-kun told me that he was about to- to give free rein to
his powers."
"WHAT?! WHY DID YOU NOT SAY THIS BEFORE?!" Theresa shouted. She was about to turn and go in his direction.
"Adam-kun told me that you would contain him, but he needed to take down the Herrscher first!"
"Mei you don't understand. Adam is dangerously unstable if he lets his power rein free!"
"I KNOW! THAT'S WHY HE ASKED ME TO GET AWAY AS FAST AS POSSIBLE, DAMN IT!" Mei shouted irritated and stressed.
Theresa jerked back. She had never seen the black-haired girl like this, even when Kiana raided the refrigerator or stole pieces of the food Mei prepared before serving.
Another series of inhuman roars were heard. It was the signal that they had to move, and Theresa hated to admit it, but she was in no state to fight. The Herrscher's relentless assault and whatever ailed her body had worn out her resistance. She needed a moment to collect herself to rejoin the fight.
"Alright, Mei. We will do what you say." Theresa didn't like it at all.
"Adam… Be careful," Theresa sent a prayer his way. She sincerely hoped that he wouldn't lose control and that she wouldn't have to take extreme measures to restrain him like Hestia had told her some time ago.
The young Valkyrie sighed in relief and quickly apologized for exploding on her like that. Theresa told her not to worry about it. She took the Divine Key with some difficulty and turned one last time in the direction of the roars before running in the opposite direction.
"Please… I hope all of this ends well," Theresa whispered.
The battle's conclusion comes in the next chapter.
I hope you enjoyed it.