Chapter Text
Several days passed without any life changing incidents or incredibly powerful beings visiting her, and for that Raiden Mei was grateful. However that did not mean she could rest. While Kiana was as boisterous as ever, she had filled Mei’s days with training, training, and more training. The Moonbeams had been assigned another mission and had disappeared from the temple once more, no longer observing Mei’s progress. In fact, every day less and less battle capable priestesses seemed to inhabit the temple. However the High priestess insisted all she needed to worry about was mastering her powers. That was her mission. Even after just these few days, Mei could feel a constant- though faint- comforting hum of Honkai energy just under her skin. If she gave it a little focus she was able to hold a stronger stream of Honkai energy looping through her body and back into her gems, though that often left her distracted. With it, her mood after her dreams steadily improved, and she found herself eating and drinking less to the point some of the other priestesses had voiced their concerns for her health. Despite her apparent lack of care for herself, Mei felt better than ever. Usually there would be a ceremony celebrating the choosing of a gem bearer, however even as others worried for her health the High priestess instructed her to refrain from telling others of her gem, the Moonbeams now being the only other people that knew about it.
To tell the truth, Mei was grateful for the excuse to avoid all the attention that came with being chosen by a Herrscher, for it would be even worse than what she already had to deal with due to the people that had seen the Goddess whisk her away. The older woman had gained a great deal of her trust over the years, however that did not stop keeping such a secret from worrying her. The more days that passed the more there seemed to be an energy filling the air of the city. Her parents were constantly busy and told her little when they were able to get together, her father had said it would do her no good to worry over things beyond her control- of course this just made her worry increase even further. People rushed along the streets with an anxious fervor as if trying to complete their errands before it was too late. Every night she was haunted by those same dreams, the same deluge of intense emotion and a familiarity that ate away at her as she remained unable to find anything relating to the events that played out in her mind. Even when she hunted through the archives, her dreams remained a mystery, and keeping the details from Kiana weighed on her mind. The woman seemed to have become acutely attuned to every sign Mei was agonizing over something.
That night, Mei found sleep would not stay with her. Too many times she had awoken from strange dreams believing hours had passed, only for her clock to have barely marked another thirty minutes. And so she remained awake, reminiscing.
The day had been pleasantly tiring, Kiana running her and Bronya around a bit too eagerly to hide her obvious effort to keep Mei's troubles at bay. If anything, she displayed a curiously detailed knowledge of the backstreets and shortcuts through the city for someone who claimed to have only visited rarely. But regardless of that, Mei could not deny she was touched by such sweetness. Yes, Kiana was loud and brash and seemed to have only the barest filter. Yes, more than once she thought she heard the girl talking to herself in a one-sided conversation. But she'd had fun, and found this white-haired woman was worming her way into her heart faster than perhaps was wise.
Now here she was, having climbed several flights of stairs onto the flat roof of the temple’s housing and sat herself with her legs dangling over the edge. Lacking her uniform's protection from the elements, the chill air bit into her skin. Mei had never been a big fan of the cold. However, obtaining a gem from the Herrscher of Finality seemed to have made the embrace of cold a more comforting thing. Just like when the cold had embraced her on her way to pray to the Goddess several days ago it was… disconcerting. Had it really changed her so much in so short a time?
Regardless, cold or not, being closer to the moon had always made her more comfortable. The boundless expanse of the stars and the calm night seemed to touch some inner nostalgia that made her long for the night sky. On this night the moon shone brilliant and full, the yellow light of the sun reflected off its surface as a cool white that bathed the land in its ethereal glow. So far away, and yet it still hung in the sky like a silent guardian. It always managed to send a wistful flutter through her chest, the moon and its almost romantic dance around the planet they called home.
“Yeah, it's rather beautiful isn't it?”
Honkai stained hands rushed to clamp around her mouth and muffle the startled scream that escaped from the priestess, “Sorry! Sorry!” The Herrscher of Finality peered up at the woman apologetically, only removing her hand once she was sure Mei had calmed.
Mei sucked in a startled breath, “What are you- I mean you- I- My Lady?!”
“Yeah, it's me!” She said sweetly, tilting her head and fluttering her eyes at the woman, “I've come to check in on my favorite priestess!”
As Mei regained control of her breathing, she couldn't help the first thought that burst from her lips, “You didn't tell me the gems were going to hurt that much!” She cringed almost immediately and opened her mouth for an apology. She had just admonished a god!
Seeming to expect this, the Herrscher held up a hand to stop her, “Don't apologize. I… will admit I forgot your pain tolerance is much lower than mine,” the Herrscher winced, “Of all the things to forget, why can't it ever be the things I want to forget?”
Mei pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs and resting her chin upon them. The two sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes before Mei finally worked up the courage to break it, “My Lady… you said you wanted to check up on me.”
The Herrscher nodded, waiting for the girl to continue.
Mei took in a shuddering breath as she braced herself, “These last few weeks I have experienced blinding pain, incredible rejuvenation, something deep within the abyss of Honkai invading my mind, visions of another life accompanied by heart aching nostalgia and deja vu and this inescapable sense that something is missing that does not fade in the waking world, as well as the incredible feeling of belonging that comes with using the Honkai. It is… overwhelming,” Her voice shook slightly as she breathed the last word. Hesitantly, she pulled her eyes upwards to her Goddess.
The Herrscher nodded in understanding, “Yes, that is… partially my fault. Though my ever present companion made sure I got my head on straight,” She tapped a finger against her head and finished with a half hearted attempt to inject some laughter into her words.
“Yes, she… spoke to me,” Mei replied, “Have you always…?”
“Had the Herrscher of the Void inside me?” The Goddess grinned, “That’s a long story that few living are privy to. Lets just say she has been with me all my life. Though I didn’t always know she was there, and we used to get along even less than we do now,” The Moon Goddess shrugged, a wry smile on her face, “My relationship with Sirin’s full consciousness is… even more complicated. Usually violent. So I suppose I will count my blessings that the Void within me at least partially understands me now.”
“I… see.”
The Goddess laughed softly, a melodic tune that fluttered blasphemously in Mei's heart, “It’s okay. There is much about us humanity has forgotten. Both a result of our personal desires, and from the simple passage of time causing some things to be distorted or lost.”
Mei looked at her Goddess in confusion, “Personal desires? Why? You are our Goddess, we should pay our respects to all of you, not simply the best looking pieces.”
The Herrscher’s eyes shimmered with an unreadable emotion, “Mei, I-” She paused and shut her mouth for a moment, “Being a Herrscher isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, y’know?” She shrugged, “I didn’t choose this life, but it is a responsibility I have learned to shoulder gladly. I made a promise a… long time ago. And I intend to keep it.”
Mei met her gaze. This time she could truly take a moment to appreciate being this close to her Goddess. The Herrscher of Finality’s eyes had always been one of her more striking features. Brilliant pink stars within more human cerulean blue irises. What most depictions fail to mention, however, was the way rays of light danced in her irises, as if shining from the pink stars themselves and dancing like fireworks in the night sky. Eyes that held so much beauty, and yet when the Herrscher’s expression was taken in her entirety they beheld such sorrow.
“They must have been important to you, to have gotten such a promise from the Moon Goddess,” Mei said.
The Herrscher turned her gaze out to the lights of the city, her voice growing soft, “She was.”
Mei hesitated as she questioned, “May I ask who?”
Her Goddess’s gaze darted back to her and for just a moment Mei feared she had overstepped her bounds. A few seconds passed before the Herrscher took a deep breath, “She was my teacher. A brilliant flame that lit my path forward, and with the flame I inherited from her I lit the way for humanity’s future. It was because of her that I had the strength to become what I am today.”
“She sounds amazing.”
“She was,” The Herrscher of Finality smiled sadly.
Mei’s arms tightened around her legs, “I fear my worries must seem so small and simple compared to everything you’ve gone through.”
“Not at all!” The Herrscher reassured her, “Mei you’ve…” She hesitated again, mouth opening before shutting again like the Herrscher was struggling to decide what she should say, “I kinda turned your life upside down when I gave you these gems, it would be a failure on my part to minimize your struggles.”
The Herrscher watched as Mei fell into her thoughts. Content to wait, the two sat in silence. After a minute of contemplation, Mei raised her head, “My Lady… is it normal to see things in your dreams after acquiring a gem?”
The Herrscher raised an eyebrow, “Depends on what you mean by ‘things’.”
“Ever since you gifted me these gems I have been experiencing the same dreams over and over every time I sleep. They are too vivid and consistent to simply be my own mind, they're more like visions or… memories.”
The Goddess's gaze held steady and unchanging, even as the Herrscher turned towards her with renewed interest, “These… visions… what do you see?”
Mei’s voice shuddered as she took in a deep breath, “In my dreams I see a city half drowned. A great thunderstorm splits the sky as I clash with someone I feel in my heart that I love more than anything else in this world. I see that same city bathed in a golden sunrise, this same woman standing by my side on a shattered rooftop and I feel in my heart that we have fought for and lost so much just to experience this moment together. And I know that my love for her transcends the cosmos,” Mei's voice grew hoarse, the woman choking on her words as tears began to stream down her face unbidden. Something about speaking these words aloud seemed to bring all the emotions within them to well up in her chest all at once,
“I-I see… a battlefield. A city that I do not recognize besieged by forces beyond my understanding. I am clad in armor both strange and yet so familiar. I see a girl there. The same one from that battered roof. She is afraid, and hides it behind flirtatious words and a confident smile, but I know her too well. We are beset by a most frightening figure, clad in purple with blazing golden eyes. This girl jumps to my defence, only to be easily and soundly defeated. I watch on, knowing that if I attempt to free her from her assailant's grip I will certainly die. But my only thought is that I must try. Because in my heart I know she is my whole world,” Mei wipes at her tears, the priestess staring at her hand as though both confused and resigned to the wetness she finds there,
“I do not understand why these things feel like… like rewatching my own memories through a haze. Why the only thing I can hold onto is that I love this woman so much my heart does not stop aching for hours upon waking. Her white hair and cerulean eyes, a brash smile I would recognize anywhere. She looks just like the Kiana I see every day now in the waking world. But why… why does this girl look so much like you?”
The Herrscher’s eyes widened and she looked away like a child caught in a lie, “I… I can’t tell you.”
“ Why ?” Another tear slid down her cheek, “These dreams haunt me every night and leave me drained and listless once I awake. You are the only one who can tell me what is going on!” She reached out for her Goddess, stopping just short of touching her. Her desperate focus left her oblivious to the way a bolt of lightning danced across her body, “Why can you not tell me?!”
“There are things at work that require me to maintain a delicate balance,” The Herrscher began slowly, “Please believe me when I say I wish I could just tell you everything right here and now. But there are some things that I need to let you learn yourself. It is… better that way.”
“This is better?” Mei whispered
“It- Okay, I know that sounds kinda bad…”
“Really bad,” Mei corrected.
“Really bad! And I want to help, but I just… I can’t right now. I know that… that really hurts to hear. And I’m sorry.”
Mei took a moment to wipe the new tears from her face, nodding her head in quiet acceptance, “You have your own responsibilities, I understand,” Mei said quietly, “But you’re right, it does hurt.”
The Herrscher seemed to be expecting this, though her expression fell all the same. Her eyes darted around for a moment, an almost frantic thoughtful look passing over her face, “I cannot give you all the answers you seek, but I can point you in the right direction. You have two options for learning more about Herrschers and the Honkai. The first is to venture into the Honkai Wastes and find the ancient headquarters of Schicksal. A place where multiple Herrschers have left memories in this world that echo within the ruins, lost to time. Your new sensitivity to Honkai energy will lead you in the right direction. The other is to find the Celestial Phoenix and her hidden sanctuary of Mount Taixuan. As one chosen by me, your future is inextricably tied to us Herrschers. However, the answers you seek are only found in the past. Answers that can only be given by ruins and the souls scarred by their memory.” The Herrscher managed a small smile, “Kiana and Bronya are loyal companions. If you cannot bring yourself to trust me, trust them.”
Mei forced herself to bite back her words at the mention of her friends. Her questions would undoubtedly go unanswered. Instead she nodded, “My faith remains unshaken, My Lady, though my heart is pained. Kiana and Bronya have become… special to me. It is rare that I find myself growing close to other people like I have to them.”
The Moon Goddess’s smile grew wider, “Then I can rest assured that my priestess is in good hands.” The Herrscher looked her over one last time before her form collapsed in on itself into a swirling purple rimmed black portal and disappeared, leaving behind a whisper in a language that Mei could not understand, yet it sent shivers through her body all the same.
Ich liebe dich.
Mei did not sleep that night.
A purple flash lit up Kiana’s room and her feet gently touched down from the portal that had appeared from thin air. Just as quickly as it had formed, it disappeared, leaving the room as still as it had been before Kiana’s arrival.
“You were not entirely truthful to her.” An accusing voice echoed through her mind.
Kiana grit her teeth as she stared into the room’s full body mirror, “Look, I was telling the truth when I said there’s certain things I just can’t tell her right now, okay?” She blinked and her reflection now stared back at her with golden, crosshaired eyes.
“And yet you gave her just enough to cause her distress. What are you doing, Kiana?”
“I didn’t do it to stress her out! It’s not my fault that she asked me about one of the very specific things I can’t talk to her about!”
“Of course she’s suspecting something with the combination of her dreams and how you act around her, idiot! Yet you still hide our origin. YOUR origin. And then you have the gall to preach to her about trust. Trusting in you no less.”
“It’s not on purpose!” Kiana insisted, her voice raising at the accusation.
“You still hide things from me as well. I’m disappointed.”
Kiana threw her hands up in frustration, “You’re literally in my head and can read my thoughts, what are you on about?”
“Oh really?” her reflection scoffed and narrowed her eyes at her counterpart, “There are still parts of your mind you keep shrouded even from me,” She inspected her nails for a moment before sending Kiana a glare that made the woman visibly flinch, “If you are so innocent and trustworthy then tell me, where is the core of the Herrscher of Thunder?”
Mei stood in her room, uniform once again adorning her body as she stared into her mirror and allowed her eyes to dart between the electricity jumping along her limbs. She was sure this would get old eventually, but at the moment it was a novelty she couldn’t help but enjoy. The lightning crackling between her fingertips gave life to a child-like wonder within her. After last night it was a welcome break. But where was her exhaustion? Even as she toyed with her abilities as a distraction, she could not bring her mind from the rather pertinent question of why she did not feel that tired after staying up all night after an emotionally exhausting event. It was concerning to say the least. Kiana and Bronya had warned her about the inhuman aspects of accessing the powers of the Honkai, but actually experiencing the lack of hunger and the apparent lack of a need to sleep (or at least not sleep as much) was something else entirely.
A useful, yet terrifying tool. Just like everything else when it came to the Honkai.
“If you’re done playing around, your phone received a text.”
An annoyed voice- her thoughts in the back of her mind directed her to her pocket. Pulling out the device Mei saw that she did indeed have a message. One that instructed her to come to the High Priestess’s office with Kiana and Bronya. Though to her surprise, her friends were already waiting for her upon exiting her room.
“Oh, uh, h-hi Mei,” Kiana stammered. She awkwardly lowered her hand from where it had been pulled back to knock on the door.
“I assume you received the High Priestess’s message, too,” Bronya said.
“I did,” Mei confirmed, “I apologize if I kept you waiting long, I was… distracted.”
Kiana shook her head rapidly, “No, no, it’s okay! We were just… Uh, anyways, we should get going, huh?” Without waiting for an answer Kiana spun on her heels and began a speedy stride down the hall. Mei and Bronya watched on until Kiana froze and slowly turned back to her companions, “So… where is her office, anyways?”
Mei attempted to push down the anxiety fluttering in her chest as they approached their destination. Kiana had been acting strange all morning. She avoided Mei’s eyes and stumbled over her words like a guilty child trying to stay out of trouble. The priestess could not shake the deja vu that rolled over her in successive waves as each expression maintained that striking resemblance between Kiana and the Herrscher of Finality. However, such thoughts would have to wait. The door to the High Priestess’s office hissed open and the woman herself was already stood behind her desk and staring out of the window.
The High Priestess wasted no time, “Good, you three are here,” She turned before the door had even finished closing behind Kiana, “I have a mission for you, Mei-”
The priestess interrupted her superior, “If I may speak, Your Grace, I have something of great import to tell you,” The older woman looked taken aback for a moment before she nodded for the younger woman to continue, hands behind her back as she assumed a formal posture, “The Herrscher of Finality spoke to me last night.” The High Priestess’s eyes shot wide open as Mei continued, “She has requested I continue to expand my knowledge of the Honkai and hone my abilities, and has appointed me tasks with which to do so.”
The High Priestess spoke slowly, “She… and what was this guidance she graced you with?”
“She told me I must find the ancient capital that housed the Schicksal’s headquarters before the Great Eruption, where I might learn more about the Herrschers and the nature of the Honkai. The other is to locate the Celestial Phoenix and her mountain home of Mount Taixuan.”
The High Priestess looked shaken, the older woman holding her desk in a shaky grip as she fell heavily into her chair, eyes darting about as her thoughts raced, “The Phoenix…” She whispered. She sucked in a shaking breath before her exhausted eyes finally locked with Mei’s, “This is… well,” She visibly took a moment to pull herself together, “It is good to see that our Goddess’s renewed activity is beginning to involve communicating with her believers once more. These tasks she has given you may actually be aided by the mission I had in mind,” She steepled her fingers, her analytical gaze darting to Kiana for a moment, “I’m going to need you to escort Miss Kaslana back to Schicksal’s St. Freya academy.”
“Huh?” A look of genuine confusion lined Kiana’s face, “Wait, what? Why?”
The High Priestess chuckled, giving just enough time for Bronya to facepalm before continuing, “To answer for that ridiculously fake ID, of course.”
Kiana froze like a deer in the headlights before sheepishly rubbing the back of her head, “Ehe… So you saw that…”
Mei could only look on in disappointment, “Kiana… did you really?”
Kiana winced, “I may have?”
“St. Freya’s principal is the leader of Schicksal’s Far East branch and she was none too happy to find a Kaslana falsifying Valkyrie credentials,” She shot the white-haired girl a look of admonishment, “You have two choices, Kiana. Either Mei escorts you and Bronya back to Soukai city peacefully, or I tell the Valkyrie squad she sent to hunt you down exactly where you are. They are currently a few cities over on a wild goose chase, I can only assume due to Miss Zaychik’s handiwork considering there’s no other Kaslanas in this part of the world right now, but it will not take them long to fly to Arc if it was where they needed to be,” She raised a questioning eyebrow, “So which will it be, Miss Kaslana?”
Kiana grimaced, “Is there an option where I don’t have to go to St. Freya?”
“No.”
Kiana sighed, “Alright I think I’d much prefer a pretty priestess taking me back there than getting tackled and arrested by a Valkyrie squad.”
The High Priestess glanced at Mei, “Does she always talk about you like that?”
Mei shrugged, “Usually she’s much more charming about it.”
The High Priestess held her gaze with Mei’s awkward smile for a few more seconds than was necessary before sighing, “Just don’t make me regret sending you alone. And as for how this will help you, St. Freya is known to be much more open to aiding those that seek them out than the other branches of Schicksal. While you're there, request to access their databases. Schicksal no doubt has a much larger and wider range of information than we do, and your position as a priestess of Finality will give incredible weight to your mission. As one of the largest anti-honkai organizations Schicksal attempts to strike a balance between the Herrschers aligned with humanity, St. Freya will not turn you away. As for Kiana, you do not need to worry for her safety. I doubt the principal will actually harm her despite her transgressions. Your transport awaits.”
Mei bowed, “Yes, Your Grace. Thank you,” She eyed her friend. Kiana was in the middle of begging a rather unconcerned Bronya for help, “So are doing this the easy way or am I gonna have to handcuff you, Kiana?”
Kiana spun away from Bronya with a nervous laugh, “Woah, hey now, already jumping to the handcuffs? At least take me out on a proper date first!”
“I would offer to gag her but I don’t ever want to see Kiana idiotka like that. Plus she’d probably like it,” Bronya deadpanned.
“Hey! You little brat, you’re supposed to be on my side!”
“If being on your side means listening to you moan around a gag, I’d rather surrender the planet to the Honkai. Now can we leave? Or are you going to continue embarrassing yourself in front of the High Priestess?”
At that Kiana flinched and threw a glance back to the woman in question before jumping towards the door, “Yup! Leaving now! Bye!”
Bronya rolled her eyes and the two women followed their friend out of the room.
Once the door had closed and they had walked a good distance away from the office, Mei placed a hand on Kiana’s shoulder and brought the girl to a stop, “Kiana, are you sure about this?”
The awkward smile on her face shifted to something more resigned, “Yeah… I’ve been avoiding it but I always knew I’d need to go back to St. Freya one day.”
“Go back? So you have been there before despite your credentials being fake?”
“Yeah, I- it’s… a long story. But I’m familiar with St. Freya. The assholes banned me from the cafeteria!”
“Yes,” Bronya confirmed, “And it was well deserved,” She looked to Mei, “Never let a Kaslana in the kitchen.”
“I will… keep that in mind,” She replied, “Now, I would prefer to get this done before this Valkyrie squad hunting you catches up.”
Kiana winced, “Right. Well Bronya, looks like we’re going… well not home. To our not home-home!” She pointed forward and began marching towards the small landing pad at the rear of the temple grounds.
“Stupid Kiana.”
The small insect like being buzzed through open air. Its body the size of a fingernail, it was encased in a white chitinous shell with hints of pink underneath peeking through along its joints and the plates of the abdomen like veins. Its angular features and four wings gave it the appearance of a smaller cousin to the flying Honkai beast humanity had dubbed “Angels”. As a creature of the Honkai, it did not need rest and did not need to eat. Without pause it darted across the landscape with a single mindedness that was only halted to avoid encroaching wildlife.
Past the Honkai wastes and tucked within vicious mountains was a city built into the base of the mountain itself, hidden to all but those with the strength and will to make the journey through the irradiated wastes. The soft shimmer of an Honkai absorbing energy shield surrounded the settlement, a dome that arced from the mountain to blanket the buildings that creeped from the protection of stone. A small hole opened in the shield as the insect approached, as if the city expected this tiny visitor. It continued its journey without pause, buzzing over streets that were busy with people, though perhaps not quite as busy as one might expect for a city of this size. Stone was combined with modern technology, slowly fading into more and more modern construction the further into the mountain it travelled. Within the mountain, at the very pinnacle of the cavernous city, from the stone rose a magnificent palace of black stone and golden trim. While perhaps smaller than what the wider world would consider a palace fit for royalty, its architecture left no doubt of the regality of those within. The Honkai insect dove through an open window in the main structure and quickly darted through the halls and through small holes and tunnels set into the walls far above the ground. A perfect fit for the stone’s insectoid visitor. Within a dozen seconds it exited into the grand central chamber.
Within sat the self described “Queen of the Honkai” upon a throne of white stone lined with pink veins of Honkai energy and cushioned with rich purple and gold-trimmed cushions. At her side stood a woman with light blue hair and white-armored Honkai dragon wings sprouting from her back. Various mortal’s dressed in armor styled to look like the tough chitin of Honkai beasts stood at attention throughout the rest of the large audience chamber. Sirin raised her hand as the soft buzzing darted towards her through the elegant halls of a kingdom that had long ago succumbed to her power. She allowed the buzzing Honkai insect to land upon her finger. It buzzed in a strange pattern for a few moments before flying away and disappearing amongst the halls.
The Herrscher of the Void smiled, a cruel and cold thing, “I see. So you have returned from your ventures into the void beyond worlds. Was its Will too much for you, Kiana? For centuries now you have shunned me, relied on others to hold me back while you stumble after something that cannot be tamed,” Sirin sneered, “And now you and those miserable brats you call friends are finally all in the same place,” She settled back on her throne, eyes glowing bright until even a mortal would be able to feel how the air writhed with power, “I will make the pathetic sheep you protect watch as I rip your core out of your chest and take what has always belonged to me.”
“Achoo!” Kiana pressed the crook of her elbow against her face as she sneezed, “Heh, someone must be talking about me,” Her sniffle was drowned out by the hum of the transport’s engines. She glanced between her friends sitting next to her, the seats set against either wall of the ship, “Hey wait, did anyone pray to the Herrscher of Wind before we took off? That’s like, an important step right?”
“Pilots always offer prayers to the Wind before takeoff, Kiana. And even if they didn’t, I said my own,” Mei answered, “But more importantly, what can you tell me about St. Freya?”
“It’s a pretty big campus built around an old church on the outskirts of Soukai City. My au- er, Theresa Apocalypse started the place a few thousand years ago to train Valkyries for Schicksal.”
Mei raised a curious eyebrow. Another time Kiana had stopped herself from voicing her original thoughts. She had done so before, but Mei had always attributed it to Kiana’s mouth moving faster than her brain. However, after her conversation with the Herrsher of Finality she had spent the rest of the night pouring over her experience the last week. Agonizing over every experience, every recorded or remembered detail she could possibly think of. The result was a curious pattern in Kiana regularly beginning to say one thing- and usually giving off the impression she was rather knowledgeable- and then stopping and saying another that would give Mei only the basic information she needed. Whether it was simply Kiana wishing to keep her personal affairs private or… something else, remained to be seen. However- for now- she did not press the woman on the matter, “Yes, I know it is a well established institution utilized by Schicksal, but what might I expect there?”
“Lots of Valkyries for one,” Bronya helpfully added, “But more seriously, the grounds are organized with the student dorms around the outer edges and the classrooms clustered closer together closer in the center. Enough room for several hundred students as well as the school staff who are all seasoned Valkyries, think of a large university campus but with extra room for combat training. It is relatively laid back compared to most of Schicksal, but do not forget it is still basically a military training school. The old church at the back is used as a massive library with both physical and digital information. I even hear the local followers of the Herrscher of Rebirth send expeditions into the ruined sections of Soukai city to search for old databases or libraries to sell the information to St. Freya.”
Mei leaned forward, her interest piqued, “I knew there was another temple of Finality in Soukai, but I wasn’t aware they had created a place of worship for Rebirth as well.”
“Yes, partially due to St. Freya, Soukai city has several Herrscher temples within its borders. Finality, Rebirth and Death, Sentience, and Reason are the main ones. The Bronya is fairly certain there used to be a small one dedicated to the Herrscher of the Void back around when the school was founded, but that’s not exactly socially acceptable anymore,” Bronya said, counting off the temples on her fingers, “Due to this they also have a very strong defence force bolstered by the priesthoods of the temples, though they rarely attempt to take back the old ruins. Even if they eradicated the current population of Honkai beasts there, removing the Honkai energy irradiating the area would be a massively intensive undertaking and the radiation would be spawning new Honkai beasts and attempting to corrupt the workers all the while.”
“Right,” Mei nodded, “I’ve been on expeditions into such ruins myself. It is… not pleasant,” She shuddered, “It’s a coin flip on whether the emergency anti-honkai serums make you nauseous for hours and it’s practically guaranteed you’ll have to use them, since the only places that haven’t been damaged further by looters suffer intense Honkai radiation and protective clothing can only do so much. This is on top of the constant attacks by Honkai beasts and the possibility that one of your companions overestimated her Honkai resistance and starts to zombify with not enough serum to hold it at bay and keep the rest of us from the same fate. The very air feels alive with a malevolent energy displeased with your presence.”
“Yeah,” Kiana agreed quietly, “Trying to survive in lands claimed by the Honkai isn’t pretty, Bronya and I know that all too well,” The group fell into a heavy silence. Eventually Kiana sat back and groaned, “How long until we get there? I’m going to die of boredom!”
Bronya sighed, “Did Kiana idiotka not hear the pilots say it would take several hours?”
Kiana’s only response was to slump in her chair and release a drawn out groan.
Mei smiled, “We could always ask them to drop us off and spend a week hiking through the wilderness,” She offered.
“No thanks,” Kiana grumbled, “Fuck it, I’m taking a nap in this very uncomfortable chair !” She announced before shimmying into a vaguely more comfortable position and closing her eyes.
Mei and Bronya shared an amused look before they settled into their own comfortable silence, where they would wait out the remainder of their flight. The silence was only broken by the hum of the engine and the quiet giggles of Mei every so often when Bronya would lean over to show her something on her phone. A peaceful moment before duty would call once more, and another small moment with her friends Mei would cherish long into the future.
Bronya’s rather utilitarian description of St. Freya did not do the campus justice. Beautiful brick construction made up the dorms, while the classrooms looked more modern, and a rather simple fence marked its border against the lightly wooded city park outside. The landscape of the St. Freya campus had a large open-air circular arena in between the dorms and the classrooms situated in the east, and a large closed-in building in the west, no doubt another holographic training room with better Honkai shielding than the open arena. The church in the back looked less like the simple church Bronya and Kiana’s words had given her the impression of.
It was more like a magnificent cathedral, its size dwarfing any other building on the campus. It was built on a foundation painstakingly set in the middle of a small lake at the back of the school grounds, with a beautifully constructed white stone bridge leading across the water to its entrance, wide enough one could comfortably drive a truck right down the center.
Said lake was fed by a waterfall from a cliff that curved around the campus’s border from west to north, which was then routed through a small river that snaked through the middle of St. Freya and into the park outside.
On the east end St. Freya met the sea. On this border was a small harbor, however it lacked the boats one might expect. Instead, there was a massive flying battleship hovering at a height that would allow it to clear every building in St. Freya besides the cathedral should it fly over them. Everyone who had dealt with the Schicksal Far East Branch had at least heard of the Hyperion, but the technologically advanced battleship was still a sight to behold compared to the more common smaller airships. The landing pad was positioned to the west, built against the cliff-side in a small clearing behind what Bronya pointed out as the combined main administration building and medical center, with the principal’s office located in the upper floors, as well as one of the main warehouses connected to the landing pads itself. St. Freya’s own fleet of airships was apparently kept in a hidden hangar built into the cliff itself. Conveniently, this also meant Kiana had little chance of escape, as she would need to go through the admin building filled with experienced Valkyries.
The landing pad was large enough for about three transports, and Mei noted that theirs was not alone. A smaller vehicle was already there, looking more like a combat gunship than their more civilian oriented transport. On its sides was emblazoned the sweeping winged crest of Schicksal. Mei took in deep breaths as they descended from the landing pad, greatly appreciating the lack of the stale, dry taste from the life support systems inside the transport. Even the smell of oil and grease as the maintenance crew went to work checking the transport remained in a fly-ready state could not dampen her spirits.
A short flight of stairs took them down from the raised landing platform and soon enough their feet touched down on St. Freya's grounds. Four figures stood waiting for them a few meters from the entrance into the admin building.
Kiana groaned, “Oh great, they already have a welcome party waiting for us. Where the hell is the principal? I don't wanna deal with these girls.”
Bronya shrugged, “Looks like Kiana idiotka is beginning to understand the consequences of not letting the Bronya forge her ID for her.”
Kiana groaned again, “I thought I was good enough by now I should've been able to do it myself!”
Mei raised an eyebrow, “Do you do this often?”
“Uh,” Kiana smiled unconvincingly, “No?”
“Stupid Kiana,” Bronya deadpanned.
Kiana opened her mouth to retort but before she could get a word out the figures waiting for them stepped forward with purpose. As soon as Kiana got a good look at who appeared to be the captain of the Valkyrie squad waiting for them she sighed, “Oh no, you’ve gotta be kidding me…”
With those words Mei felt a small twist of anxiety in her gut. However before she could question her friend, they came to a stop finally within speaking distance of their welcoming party.
The woman in the front had white hair with streaks of blonde seemingly at random through her bangs and fading completely into blonde about halfway down the long locks falling down her back. Instead of a Valkyrie battlesuit all four women were in a more casual uniform consisting of a dress shirt with a tie, a skirt that fell down to just above their knees, and knee high boots.
“Welcome to St. Freya, Captain Raiden,” She saluted, “I must thank you and the High Priestess of Finality for your aid in apprehending this criminal,” She almost immediately directed a glare at the Kaslana.
In response Kiana- rather childishly- stuck her tongue out and made a displeased noise.
Deciding to ignore Kiana’s antics, Mei gave a small bow, “Thank you. I must apologize, I was not informed that we would be met by a Valkyrie squad, may I ask your name?”
“Of course,” The woman returned the bow, “We are St. Freya’s Valkyrie Squad Alpha, though some shorten that to just ‘Squad A’. I am squad captain, Camellia Ataegina Rossweisse Kaslana.”
Mei could sense Kiana shifting behind her, the woman grumbling softly to Bronya, “Give me a fucking break, why is it always Dudu’s that have a stick up their ass?”
The Valkyrie glared at Kiana again, though it seemed more out of a general displeasure than that she had heard the girl’s words, “We had been dispatched to search for this… rat leeching off of my family name, and rushed back once we had been informed that your temple had discovered her treachery yourselves and would be bringing her to us personally.”
“Hey!” Kiana exclaimed, “Okay now I’m offended! I might have forged that stupid ID but I’m a Kaslana through and through!”
“Then why have I never heard of or seen you before?” Camellia scoffed, “I bet we could get that dye out of your hair quick.”
Kiana took a step forward, fists balled at her side, “You wanna bet?! I’ll show you just how wrong you are when I knock your ass into the dirt!”
Mei quickly placed her hand on her friend’s shoulder, “Kiana.”
Camellia laughed in disbelief, “You’re already here to answer for identify fraud, and now you want to put assaulting a Valkyrie on the list too?”
“I would rather there be no assault in my school, thank you very much,” A new voice broke through the building tension like a guiding hand gently turning down a dial, “Camellia, please stand down and cease antagonising our guest.”
“Guest?” Camellia looked at Kiana in disbelief.
The Valkyries parted for the new presence, and Mei could finally see who this newcomer was. She was dressed in a rather elegant looking white dress with flowing sleeves that draped over her arms like the leaves of a weeping willow. A ghostly white branch-like design flowed throughout her entire outfit, from the collar that anchored her dress around her neck, to the anklets around her bare feet and the hair decoration on the left side of her head that gave the appearance of branches growing along her head. The white was accented with a light blue on the inner lining and a gem in the center of her collar that only enhanced the woman’s ethereal appearance. Her hair was jet black and also had that same ghostly blue coloring the underside of it, though Mei had never seen a dye job quite like it before. Goosebumps formed up Mei’s arms as she got closer, the Honkai energy within her seeming to react to the woman’s presence.
She simply smiled at the three friends before her eyes focused on the smaller of the trio, “Welcome back to St. Freya, Kiana, Bronya.”
Bronya floated forward and the girl stepped forward to meet her halfway. As the two enveloped each other in a tight hug, Mei finally realized why Bronya had seemed completely unconcerned over this whole ordeal.
For the first time since Mei had met her, the emotionless girl had a wide, genuine smile on her face, “It’s good to see you again, Seele.”
“Huh?!” Kiana’s mouth fell open in disbelief, “Seele?! You’re the principal of St. Freya?” She immediately shifted her attention and pointed an accusing finger at Bronya as she released her partner, “And you ! You knew Seele was here and you didn’t tell me?!”
“Seele asked me not to make a big deal about her appointment as Principal. By the time I decided it was a good time to tell you, it was starting to look like we would end up coming back here sooner or later anyways. So I decided it would be funnier to let you discover her here yourself. Maybe you would have known this sooner if you talked to Seele more.”
“You’re such an asshole. How long have you been principal, Seele?”
“Um…” Seele smiled sheepishly and scratched her cheek with a finger, “It’s been several months now…”
“Finality’s tits, months ?” Kiana groaned in exasperation. The next moment she flinched, the hand still on her shoulder suddenly tightening.
“Kiana,” Mei began coldly, “You want to say that again?”
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Please- gah!” The grip on her shoulder tightened even further for a moment before Mei allowed Kiana to twist out of her grip. Kiana stumbled a few steps away from Mei, just far enough for Seele to open her arms and offer a hug.
Wasting no time, Kiana scooped the woman into her arms and spun her around, “It’s good to see you again, Seele!”
Seele’s surprised yelp blended into her laugh as Kiana spun her, waiting until Kiana put her back on her feet to give Kiana a proper hug, “It feels like forever since we’ve all been in the same place!”
“Madame Vollerei, you know these people?” Camellia asked incredulously.
“Why yes,” Seele giggled, “Bronya is my girlfriend, after all. And Kiana is her best friend, I would be remiss not to have her acquaintance,” Her eyes turned to the priestess watching with a small smile on her face, “Miss Raiden is… the only stranger here,” She said it matter of factly, but just like Kiana, Mei could have sworn there was a strange hesitance in her voice.
“Unfortunately, Kiana, I am still going to have to have a talk with you. I still have responsibilities and we will have to find a suitable answer for this unfortunate situation with your Valkyrie ID,” Selee took Bronya’s hand and gestured for them to follow her with her other, “Camellia, you and your squad may stand down. Your mission is complete now that Kiana is in St. Freya. I will contact you personally if you are needed further, but for now, rest.”
Camellia frowned, “I-” She seemed to think better of her words, instead she nodded and with one last distrustful look towards Kiana she took her squad into the building ahead of them.
With that sorted, Seele started towards the door to the admin building, “Now, let us go to my office. I’ll also inform Amber that you’re here, Kiana, I’m sure she will want to say hello.”
The Kaslana gasped, “Amber’s here? Lets go!”
Mei followed along at what she considered a respectable distance, the sudden feeling of being an outsider looking in coming over her as she watched the group laugh and walk alongside each other. That strange tingling from the Honkai energy drawing her towards Seele remained an ever present curiosity. Bronya had mentioned her before, but… who was she, really?
The heavy oak doors to the Principal’s office groaned open with a flick of Seele’s wrist. The space inside was likewise an elegant wooden construction, with carpets covering a large portion of the hardwood floor. The walls were covered in bookshelves filled to the brim with books. A few shelves closer to the desk at the other end of the room had cleared sections that held what appeared to be various statues of fictional mecha and characters.
“Um, Those are…” Seele’s cheeks grew red as she saw Mei staring at her collection, “Bronya really likes mecha anime and she’s gotten me into them as well so…”
Mei smiled reassuringly, “No need to be embarrassed, Madame Vollerei, I understand. While I have never bought these kinds of statues myself, I can definitely see the appeal.”
Seele laughed softly, “You’re always so understanding, Mei.”
Mei’s brows pulled down in confusion, “What?” And at nearly the same time Seele (and the others) froze in place like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar.
“Did I come at a bad time?”
The group spun out of their shocked silence to the woman that had just entered. She had white hair just like Kiana’s, though while she had similar bangs to Kiana the rest was pulled into a single braid down her back. The upper half of her face was hidden by a golden visor and her limbs had telltale mechanical joints and grooves peeking from beneath her clothes that signaled cybernetic enhancements. Though how deep those enhancements went was impossible to tell at a glance.
Seizing the opportunity, Kiana shattered their awkward silence and jumped at her without hesitation, “Ambeeeerrrr!!!”
Amber started at the outburst, though she was only able to begin a step back before a blur of white hair crashed into her with an audible metal thunk, “K-Kiana! Don’t startle me like that!”
Kiana giggled and tightened her arms around the woman, “I’m sorry, but I haven’t seen you in so long! When Seele told me you were here too, I could hardly contain my excitement!”
Amber chuckled and began gently stroking Kiana’s hair, “It’s always nice to see you too, Kiana.”
Once again Mei was left feeling like an unwelcome observer. An intimate moment between what seemed to be Kiana and a beloved member of her family almost felt like something she shouldn’t be watching. She wasn’t close enough to Kiana. She wasn’t qualified to see such things. She turned her eyes away, unable to help how her ears picked up a faint whispering between Kiana and Amber. Her hand rested on the hilt of her katana, finger tapping against the hilt as these thoughts ran through her mind, the soft clink that resulted forming a comforting rhythm.
Her retreat into her thoughts ended quickly though, when the nearly inaudible whirr of Bronya’s prosthetics drew her attention to her side. Bronya smiled in that small way she usually did, “Amber is an important member of the Kaslana household,” Bronya explained, “She’s actually much older than she looks. She’s… a cyborg basically. The story behind that is a personal one, so I will leave any further information to be revealed at Amber’s discretion. Needless to say, she has become yet another person ensnared by the idiotka’s endearing stupidity.”
Mei let out a short, quiet laugh, “Kiana does seem to have a way of capturing one's heart, doesn’t she?”
The words hung in the air for a moment, Bronya and Seele giving Mei a soft, knowing look.
Mei looked between the two lovers, seeming a bit confused, “What? What’re those looks for?”
“Oh, nothing,” Seele smiled.
Mei’s brows pulled down further, the priestess gaining a frown, “By the way, what was that you sai-”
“Mei!” Mei’s question was cut off as Kiana latched onto her arm and pulled her away from Bronya and Seele, “Come here!”
Mei let out a sharp noise of surprise as she was practically dragged off her feet. Within the second she was face to face with Amber.
“This is my aunt Amber!”
“Well,” Amber seemed a bit flustered, though it was hard to tell with the visor over her face, “I’m not, technically, but…”
Mei bowed slightly in greeting, “Hello Amber, my name is Raiden Mei. It is a pleasure to meet one of Kiana’s family.”
Amber returned the bow, “And it’s wonderful to meet you, Miss Raiden. From the information your High Priestess provided Mistress Seele, Kiana seems to have become rather attached to you.”
Kiana flushed a bright red, “Y-yeah, I like the pretty, charming Priestess, big whoop! Now shush!”
“Amber,” Seele sighed, “I told you, you can just call me Seele!”
“I’m surprised you convinced her to stop working long enough to come say hi, honestly,” Kiana commented.
“I-” Amber sighed, “May… still be a bit of a workaholic, I will admit.”
“May?”
“But!” Her head twitched towards Kiana and Mei could almost feel the glare burning through her visor, “I have learned to better take breaks. Such comments are unfounded now, Miss Kiana.”
Kiana smiled good naturedly and gently prodded Amber’s side with her elbow, “Ayyy, looks like I’m finally rubbing off on you! You always do so much, Amber, I’m glad you’ve finally learned to take care of yourself better while I was away! You still have a terminal case of standing formally, though.”
Amber immediately untensed into a more relaxed posture, “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about, Kiana.”
Seele cleared her throat, “Amber, Kiana, if I could have your attention, please,” Seele had taken a seat on her desk, legs swinging as they failed to touch the floor. Once everyone had turned their attention back to her she cleared her throat, “Thank you. We still need to give Kiana proper punishment for her… unfortunate situation with her ID.”
“Awww come on…” Kiana whined, “Do we really have to?”
“You could always make her help with my paperwork,” Amber offered.
Kiana immediately fell to her knees and clasped her hands together, “Please, Seele! Have mercy on me! For the love of all that is holy give me anything but the absurd piles of paperwork Amber has!”
“Wow,” Bronya tilted her head, “You don’t want to help your aunt with her workload? Subject Kiana has no shame.”
“You know trying to do boring monotonous shit like that drives me insane!” Kiana whined.
“Well,” Seele shared a knowing look with Bronya before smiling down at the begging Kaslana, “I suppoosseee… the best way to atone should be by aiding our priestess of Finality here. They were the ones that discovered your… mistake. So as principal of St. Freya and the leader of Schicksal’s Far East Branch, I decree you will not leave Mei’s side.”
Mei’s face lit up with a pleased, yet confused expression as Seele crossed her legs and rested her hands on her knee with her own rather pleased smile.
“YESSS!” Kiana raised her fists in triumph.
Mei struggled to keep her lips from twitching upwards, well aware of what she was about to do, “Well, since you must aid me in my mission, I suppose the first thing we will be doing together is more research in the library.”
Kiana quickly slumped back down as her friends looked on with various degrees of amusement, her final words a resignation to her fate, “FUCK!”