Chapter Text
Kiana’s head dropped back and she stared at the ceiling in exasperation. After a moment she righted her gaze and rubbed two knuckles into her temple. “Leave it to me, Auntie.” She turned towards the door, but before she could step towards it, the soft touch of calloused fingers against her wrist brought her to a halt. Pink-starred eyes snapped to meet weary violet.
“Be safe, love.” Mei’s eyes shimmered with worry, but beneath that was a confidence in her wife that was unmatched by any other being on Earth.
Kiana grinned, “Come on babe, I’m literally the Queen of Honkai now, I’ve just gotta flex on these mortals a little.” The woman bent her arm and flexed her bicep. Smile faltering a little, she continued. “This is my mess to clean up. I was meant to cleanse the Earth of Honkai, but my selfishness caused another outbreak.” The pink stars in her eyes flared to life with power. “Not that I’d ever regret saving my Mei.” Her grin returned. “Senti, keep an eye on her for me? Please?”
Senti straightened up, arms crossed as she flashed her usual confident grin. “Nothing’ll get past the great Herrscher of Sentience!”
Kiana’s attention shifted as her senses lit up with a tightly controlled maelstrom of power steadily approaching the room. She remained fixated on the door until it swung open and Durandal re-entered the room, hair sticking out at odd angles and tangled, her armor and lance splattered with the remnants of Honkai beasts. Kiana looked her sister over with a raised eyebrow. “So I heard there’s a few Honkai beasts outside.”
“A few less now.” Was Durandal's casual reply as she strode over and carefully set down a pitcher of water next to Mei with a thunk. “I did get a glass, but it… was unfortunately shattered on my way back.” Her eyes shifted away apologetically.
“Here, I'll help!” Kiana darted over.
“Kiana.” Theresa's stern tone halted the purple hand reaching out for the pitcher. Theresa's voice softened almost immediately. “I don't mind you fussing over Mei but…” she jammed a thumb towards the door over her shoulder. “Can we go deal with the Honkai beasts first? Please?”
“Shit, right!” Kiana hissed through clenched teeth. “Uh…” She shifted towards the door and then back towards Mei, hands held out in a placating gesture and she turned back and forth frantically. “Um- stay put Mei! I'll be back in a jiffy! Hua watch her please!!” Before anyone could respond, the frantic Kiana collapsed into that familiar void portal and disappeared.
Bianka sighed, the corners of her lips twitching upwards. “I suppose I should head back out and make sure she doesn't do anything ridiculous.”
Theresa nodded to Bronya and the three moved towards the door. “Fu Hua, Senti, keep an eye on Mei, with the lovebirds back we need to go with Durandal to aid the Valkyries.” She grinned. “Though I'm sure we won't be needed much once Kiana gets to work.”
They exited the room as Senti groaned, “Why does everyone decide I should get the babysitting job?!” Though her only answer was the soft click as the door shut.
Senti bristled as Hua shot her an unamused look over her glasses from where she had moved to help Mei sit up to drink. Though a moment later she tilted her head in a gesture towards the departing trio. “I know you're getting stir crazy. Go help them, I can handle Mei.”
A bloodthirsty grin bloomed across the former Herrscher's face. “Finally! It's been too long since I've had a fight!”
Mei winced as the woman kicked the door open with a frightening bang and took off down the corridor after the others, her sword already in her hands. She chuckled as much as her weakened body would let her. “She hasn't changed much, has she?”
A small smile flitted across Fu Hua's lips. “I wouldn't say changed, but instead that she's come into her own since we had the pleasure of meeting her. But when it comes to battle… heh. Yes, she is very much the same Senti as ever.”
Mei gratefully took a sip of water with Hua's assistance. The phoenix watched as Mei hesitated for a moment. Her eyes unfocused and her head tilted as if tracking a sound. “Hey Hua?”
“Yes?”
“I haven't heard any explosions yet, what on Earth could Kiana be doing?”
Carol yelped as the Honkai beast's lance whizzed by her head, just barely deflected off her giant mechanical gauntlet. The second gauntlet's thrusters quickly ignited and followed her fist forward. The rocket powered fist slammed into the manifestation of destruction like a truck, cracking its shield and sending it sliding back several meters. Instead of pursuing, the girl took the moment to frantically cast her gaze about for other enemies. None were coming after her specifically, but… there was a lot .
Honkai levels had risen so rapidly Theresa had been forced to mobilize the entire school to constantly thin the swarm over a wide area around the hospital, using formerly anti-entropy mechs at intervals to give the Valkyries time to rest. Collateral damage wasn't too bad just yet all things considered. But if the ambient Honkai energy levels kept rising, they soon wouldn't be able to prevent the Honkai beasts from getting past them and into the rest of St. Freya and- eventually- the city beyond. Today the Overseer had ordered everyone to make an aggressive push towards the hospital. It was slow, grueling work, but they had eventually managed to make a tight perimeter around the building with Durandal’s help. But now the woman was inside the hospital and nowhere to be seen and the Valkyries were gradually beginning to lose the struggle against the constant swarm of enemies.
Eve landed next to her with a grunt. A sweep of her sword blasted a wave of fire towards the Templar-class beast that had been hounding Carole, enveloping it in searing heat and halting its advance for a time. “Where did squad leader Bronya and the Overseer go?! They said they'd be back soon!” The duo separated as a swarm of Archangels dived towards them.
A valkyrie close to Eve shouted back. “They fought through to the hospital with Durandal! I haven't seen anybody come out yet!”
Carol groaned, smashing another archangel into pieces beneath her gauntlets. “I hope they get back soon! I can't keep this up much longer…”
“Yeah, well-” Eve began before a shout cut her off.
"Parvati!"
Every Valkyrie in the area immediately snapped their gaze towards the looming hospital building. Tremors shook the ground as Honkai energy radiated out from a spot on the ground in front of the entrance. Even the attacking Honkai seemed to pause in awe. From the purple circle of energy, a massive form flew out of the ground, its body curled into a tight ball and spinning rapidly as it descended. At the last moment it uncurled itself and landed on all four of its elephant-like legs. The massive tusks of the Parvati glinted dangerously with pink veins of pure Honkai energy.
Eve sighed. “Oh fuck me.”
The beast with its newly splintered shield took a lumbering step back towards Carole, not willing to at least let her focus on the much more dangerous threat that had literally just crawled out of the ground. She readied her gauntlets, dropping into a wider stance as Eve brought her sword up into a ready position. Even as the fighting continued to rage on around them, their bodies tensed like coils wound and compressed by pure anticipation. Carole’s thighs tensed, ready to leap into action. The roar of the Parvati nearly made her stumble, and shook even the honkai beasts before her as its front legs cracked the stone road as it too dropped into a charging position.
“Carole,” Eve pushed her words through clenched teeth. “We go for the ones around the Parvati first, got it?”
Carole nodded, shaking a bead of sweat loose, her eye twitching slightly as it trailed down the side of her face. Her slightly narrowed eyes gave her a look of concentration alien on the usually boisterous and carefree girl’s face. “Style on them on three?”
Eve’s lips curled upwards slightly. “One…” She lowered the point of her sword towards the approaching Honkai beasts.
“Two…” Carole’s back foot braced against the ground as she bent her knees.
The Parvati spun into a whirling ball of death and charged.
“THR-”
Before the swordswoman could finish shouting the last number, a white and purple comet fell from the sky and erased the Parvati from existence. In the chaos of the rubble and dust launched into the air by the strike, the Honkai beasts nearest the new crater barely had time to react before a lance and several golden spears pierced them with pinpoint accuracy.
Mei looked up as a deep rumble shook the walls of the hospital.
“Oh, there it is.” She smiled.
Fu Hua merely chuckled softly.
“The Overseer and Durandal are back!”
A cheer sounded from the exhausted Valkyries and they rallied at the sight of the new reinforcements. It took only a few more seconds of fighting before a boot slammed the hospital's front doors off its hinges. The closest Valkyrie flinched in surprise as a flash of red disintegrated the flock of Angels swarming her. The grey-haired woman now stalking down the steps immediately attracted the ire of the nearby Honkai beasts. A crazed smile stretched across her face and a snap of her wrist separated her sword blade into a wickedly sharp whip. The segmented blades clacked against the stone steps dangerously as the woman stepped off the final stair.
The woman's smile somehow grew even wider as one swing of her whip-sword cut through shields and chitinous honkai armor like butter. Those nearby stared on incredulously as the woman became a whirlwind of blades cutting through anything that came at her with a natural ease that left those watching stunned even as they fended off their own foes. In the carnage a maniacal laugh pierced through the storm. “LONG LIVE THE HERRSCHER OF SENTIENCE!”
The Valkyries must have been beginning to wonder if exhaustion was finally making them hallucinate when the smoldering crater that used to be a Parvati lit up with a soft pink glow and the Goddess of Earth walked over the rim. Kiana took one look at the Honkai Beasts that had turned to stare at her as if in surprise and sighed. It took only a moment for The Cocoon to feed her all the info she needed about the battlefield around her. From the horde of Honkai Beasts still attacking, to the exhausted Valkyries just barely managing to hold them back. The four of them could easily mop up the remainder, but… perhaps expediting the process would be best to avoid any additional casualties.
Kiana rolled her shoulders and took a moment to interlace her fingers and stretch her arms above her head. “Alright, I think Senti's had enough fun for today.” The Herrscher flung her arm out before her like a commander signaling her army to charge. Only instead she then clenched her fist and her brows furrowed in concentration as the pink stars in her eyes glowed with power. The fighting slowly ground to a halt as every remaining Honkai beast in the area froze before- one by one- their glowing veins of Honkai energy lost their luster and every beast began to crumble and disintegrate, faint wisps of pink energy flowing to the lone white figure standing in the middle of the battlefield. Kiana's gaze was fixed on the horizon, her attention on the rapidly swirling Honkai energy she was reabsorbing into her body. Bit by bit, the hazy cloud of Honkai Radiation that had built up around her disappeared, and with it, the last of any threat to St. Freya.
Kiana’s eyes blinked open, the deep glow fading from her eyes. A quick glance around her and a sweep of her senses told her all she needed to know. It was only after she confirmed that there were no more active Honkai Beasts in the area did she notice all the eyes trained in her direction. A tentative purple hand waved back slowly. “Um. Hi?” Kiana’s eyes darted around the astonished, awestruck, and relieved faces of the women surrounding her. Footsteps and the brush of blonde hair in the corner of her vision gave her an excuse to finally tear her eyes away. “Uh, Sis?” She whispered loudly. “A little help here?!”
Durandal merely raised an eyebrow at the girl, seemingly taking no small bit of amusement from her predicament. Luckily for the Herrscher, Theresa began barking out orders and the Valkyries were beginning to break away to take care of the wounded or simply collapsed on the spot for a bit of rest. Well, except for one figure among them.
“Hey!” Senti marched up, irritation creasing her face. As she stopped in front of the white-haired girl she angrily flicked her wrist, reattaching her whip blade before stabbing it into the ground. “What’s the big idea, Kiana?! Do you know how long it’s been since I was able to just cut loose like that!” The woman seemed just about to stomp her feet in frustration. “And you just!” She made a sweeping motion with her hands, wiggling her fingers to mimic something flowing through the air. “Whoosh! Honkai beasts gone! What the fuck! Fuck you!”
Kiana put her hands up in a placating gesture and Bianka watched on in amusement as Kiana smiled apologetically and nervously pushed her hands towards Senti repeatedly as if to keep the woman away. “Hey, I had to! Everyone else was exhausted and getting swarmed!”
“Whatever.” Senti turned with a huff, the familiar pouting tone of the former Herrscher getting a quiet chuckle out of Kiana. Though she immediately cringed in regret when Senti shot a positively murderous look over her shoulder. “That’s it, if you’re gonna take away my fun, you owe me another duel! I’m gonna beat your ass!”
Kiana beamed. “Sure! It’s always fun having a friendly fight with you!” Suddenly seemingly unbothered by the rather angry divine key before her. A firm hand landing on her shoulder stole her attention away from the pouting Senti.
“Kiana,” Durandal said. Once her sister had turned to her she motioned behind herself with her head. “Overseer Theresa is calling for you.” There was a flash of purple and the next moment there was a shrill yelp from behind as Kiana immediately portaled to Theresa’s side. Durandal shook her head fondly and moved off to help her Valkyries.
“Kiana!” Theresa screeched. “Don’t do that! You’ll give me a heart attack!”
Kiana rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. “Sorry, Auntie! Bianka said you were calling for me?”
Theresa sighed. “Yes, are you able to… heal the wounded? Like, the ones that won’t make it to the medical ward? Or even…” Theresa bit her lip. “No, forget that last part, just healing will do.
Kiana's expression quickly shifted to one of curiosity. “What, Auntie? Tell me what you were thinking!”
Theresa hesitated. “I… It's probably too much to ask but I was thinking… we took several casualties in the fighting today and with how powerful you are now…” Theresa shook her head. “It's just wishful thinking I’m sure, but the thought crossed my mind that… maybe you could do what the Herrscher of Death could not.”
Kiana's eyes widened. “You mean bringing people back to life?!”
“I know I know! It's ridiculous. That's why I told you to forget it!”
Deep in her mind the Cocoon trilled a deep warning. It of course already knew what she was thinking. And the only thing Kiana could feel from it now was an urgent refusal.
Kiana frowned. “The Cocoon doesn't seem to like the idea one bit, but I don't know why… It had the same reaction when I thought about-” Kiana swallowed against a suddenly dry throat. “When I thought about trying to find Himeko.” Theresa deflated, grimacing slightly at the mention of her old friend, though Kiana barely noticed as her eyes scanned the makeshift medical centre. She had been irradiating the hospital, so the Valkyries had had to deal with using tents and the ground. Various grunts and noises of pain grated against her ears, though that was in stark contrast to the stilled and unmoving bodies occupying some of the space.
Theresa watched as Kiana’s gaze hardened, her face bled of every emotion except a determined furrow to her brow.
“I'm going to try, Auntie. Don’t take anyone away from here.” Without another word she walked off. Her senses had allowed her to pick a woman to start with. A silent Valkyrie with a bloody hole torn in her side from a Templar’s lance lay motionless on the ground. A sobbing squadmate knelt at her side, holding a cooling hand and desperately begging the woman to wake up. Two others, likely the deceased Valkyrie’s other squadmates, stood around them with solemn expressions and silent tears. Focused as they were, they did not notice the pair of increasingly glowing eyes locked onto them.
Heavy sobs wracked her body. Ragged breaths rubbed her throat raw and tears stung her eyes. A deep sorrow burrowed its way into her heart. The scrapes along her legs and slashes to her arms were nothing compared to this unseen pain that seemed to eat away at her very being. “Please, Anika…” another sob tore itself from her throat. “Wake up, please…”
“That’s enough…” The voice was soft, but firm. Through her tears, it took the girl a moment to even register her squad lead was speaking to her. “She’s gone, Hera.”
It became increasingly difficult to get words through the growing lump in her throat. Instead, Hera brought the cooling hand of her companion to her forehead and rocked back and forth. Ragged, shuddering breaths broke up her gradually quieting sobs as a creeping exhaustion began to seep into her being. Nothing else seemed to matter anymore. Everything else around her was just background noise. Fading to a jumbled blur of noise and movement. She closed her eyes. All that mattered was the feeling of the hand pressed against her forehead. The only thing left keeping her grounded to the earth.
“Hey,” Her squad lead? She kept her eyes closed, not having enough energy left to care about what was happening beyond vaguely registering the voices close to her. “What the hell do you want? Who are you?”
There didn’t seem to be a response and the sound of her squad lead’s boot dragging along the ground as she shifted into a more aggressive stance grated against her ears. Her two companions seemed to squabble over something she couldn’t quite make out, but her lead didn’t do anything else. A set of footsteps she didn’t recognize came to a stop right next to her. The rustling of clothes came next, and Hera got the distinct sense of someone kneeling down right next to her. The presence felt… warm.
“Hey.” A soft voice radiated out from the warmth that had knelt beside her. “You’re Hera, right?”
“Huh?” A slow bewilderment overtook the girl’s features. She didn’t recognize this voice. “How do you…” Her head slowly pulled up. Away from the cold hand. Her eyes fluttered open. The woman before her was alien to her. A head of white hair like the Overseer, but deeper blue eyes with strange pink stars in place of her irises. The most confusing thing was that this strange woman seemed to be clad in a tattered wedding dress. Or at least, that’s what one would think if it wasn’t for the strange amethyst energy flowing across the inner face of the dress, the flowers decorating her body, the strange wings hovering at her side, even her hands. “Who are you?” She croaked. “… What are you?”
The girl exhaled a small chuckle, a wry smile on her face. “I’m Kiana. I’m a human, like you, doing my best to help.” She reached down and gently brushed her palm against their fallen companion’s brow.
“Help with what?” Their leader grit her teeth. “She’s fucking dead!”
The three Valkyries collectively sucked in a breath as this strange woman’s eyes suddenly flared with an inner light.