Chapter Text
Her footsteps echoed through the alleyway as she ran. The sky was grey, unnatural storm clouds flashing with lightning illuminating her path through the alleyways in short, blinding bursts. Ducking and weaving through these hidden pathways, she fled. A charge filled the air, a crackling and vicious electrical current that made the hairs on her arms stand on end. She had to get away. She had to reach the end of this EMP dead zone so she could warn the city. They had to know that she was here.
A short zap of electricity seemed to dart behind her somewhere beneath the claps of thunder. She spun, but there was nothing. Her heart pounded in her chest like a cannon, pushing her legs to take another step despite how the muscles burned. Her eyes darted from shadow to shadow as she fled. A primal terror in the back of her mind urged her onwards. No time to rest. No time to hide. Her mind told her she was being hunted. A shadow seemed to move in the corner of her eye, only to still when her wide eyes darted to bring it fully into view.
The clattering of debris and garbage behind her shot a tingling shock of horror down her spine. Her lips moved in silence as she prayed desperately to the Lady of Rebirth for the strength to move faster. She was so close. The lights of the city were within reach, beyond the dead zone and screaming crowds, she could release her desperate warning. But then the sounds all faded away. Cut off. The only sensation left nothing but blinding pain.
Her voice escaped her throat unbidden, vocal chords screaming themselves hoarse as white hot electricity thrummed through her veins. By the time she had regained clarity of thought she was on the ground, footsteps approaching from behind. The Honkai battery of her battlesuit whined and strained, just the effort of pushing herself up almost too much for either her body or the Honkai-powered suit. But rise she did. Just enough to turn and behold the terrifying figure of white and black approaching her with all the confidence of a predator that knew its prey could no longer escape. Her hands- already damaged from combat- rubbed themselves raw and bleeding from how hard they scrabbled and slid and desperately pushed her weak and pained body back, no longer able to think of anything but the desperate primal need to escape from this woman, no, this thing before her.
“You were fast, Valkyrie,” Her voice was that of a young woman, smooth and casual, even as her limbs crackled with lightning and the draconic wings of pure energy on her back spread wide, “But not nearly fast enough.”
Electricity sparked along the girl’s fingers and the Valkyrie was overcome with one last burst of blinding hot pain as the power of the storm burned her to ash.
Mei had to admit, being so resistant to Honkai infection thanks to her gems had its benefits. However, one of those benefits was certainly not being the one chosen for cleaning duties due to being the only non-Herrscher able to safely dip into the Honkai thick waters of the nearby river. Though, of course, there was no way any of them were going to ask their literal Goddesses to wash the dishes and attempt to work the grime out of their uniforms, even if they weren’t currently suffering as they were. Just the thought gave Mei the urge to pray for forgiveness. At the very least they had extras within their cargo in the case that Mei failed in her laundry duties. Such duties to her companions were long completed however. The sun had dripped below the horizon nearly six hours ago.
The night was chilly and only kept at bay by the special material of her uniform, though she considered taking her jacket off and letting the comforting chill wash over her. Perhaps it would distract her mind from the thoughts that had been racing through it whenever they got a chance to slow down.
Not least of these was the question of why she was standing in front of the Herrscher of Fire’s memorial in the middle of the night.
Why she was awake in the first place was easy to answer. Her dreams were forever haunted by visions from her gems, and she had once again woken up from the distinctly unpleasant memory of Schicksal tearing Sirin open to get at her Herrscher core. If this was to continue she needed to find a way to block out that particular memory. She didn’t know how many more times she could handle reliving such intense suffering. Mei sighed softly, watching the soft puff of misty breath that billowed from her lips into the cold air. Once again she found herself wondering if she could ever blame Sirin for her unceasing hatred if these were the memories she had been living with for three-thousand years.
“You bore the brunt of all that anger so many years ago, didn’t you?” Mei muttered to herself. She wasn’t sure why she’d spoken aloud. Something... compelled her. Like she was showing respect to an old friend by simply talking with her. The shattered sword didn’t reply, of course, “Could you see it too, Lady of Fire? That broken, shattered girl lashing out? The feeling of justified vengeance burning in her eyes?”
The silence of the night continued, broken only by the distant grumblings and strange vocalisations of Honkai beasts. There was a curious moment where Mei thought the Honkai energy around the sword reacted to her words, but it was so quick and so subtle it was just as likely to be a trick of her exhausted mind.
“Standing here, seeing the care Kiana, Bronya, and the rest of your companions put into honouring your memory... It makes me wish I had the chance to see you in all your glory. To meet the woman that left such an imprint upon my Goddess’s heart.” She allowed her eyes to pull up and wander along the distant shadowy mass that was the edge of the crater in the distance, “I can only assume this place is the result of your fight against Sirin. What a sight it must have been... Beautiful yet horrifying.” Just like when she had first approached hours before, a sudden rush of emotion overcame her, its origin unknown, and Mei found herself kneeling down nearly touching the stone slab as she fought against the watering of her eyes. This time she was certain she felt the Honkai energy swirling around the sword seem to reach out and caress her senses ever so gently, “I-” Mei’s voice fell thick with emotion as she failed to prevent the hot tears slowly trailing down her cheek, “I do not know why this place feels so familiar to me. Why your name struck some chord within me when Kiana first uttered it in Arc city. Why I am over come with this deep sorrow that eats at my heart when I look at this broken sword. Why the touch of it’s Honkai energy feels like the embrace of an old friend. So many strange things have happened since I got these gems. The dreams, the way my Lady looks at me, the way the Herrscher of Rebirth seemed to already know me... More and more I find myself feeling like there are things I should remember somewhere within my mind and yet every time I find myself grasping at a gaping nothingness. But my instincts tell me something should be there. I’m certain. But how do I begin to uncover what is missing when I don’t know what I’ve lost?” The tears came harder now, rushing down her face to drip off her chin and silently bring her sorrow to the soft earth below, “What is it I’m missing? I dearly wish Kiana would simply tell me so this aching nothingness would be filled by something. Anything. But if my Goddess so wishes for me to lead a path of discovery, I will not fail her. I- I will make Kiana proud.” She lapsed into silence before the tears could hoarsen her voice any further.
She did not know how long she stayed there, kneeling in front of the last remnants of a woman, a Goddess, who gave everything to protect the world. But she did not leave until her tears ceased to water the roots of this final memory.
All was dark. Not simply an absence of light, but an all consuming blankness of being. Bronya had traversed many planes of existence, experienced the myriad of possibilities sinking into the Sea of Quanta, seen the branches of the Imaginary Tree, yet this infinite void gripped her heart with thick tendrils of fear unlike anything in this universe. It was here. Somewhere. It’s gaze a wave of malice burning under her skin like biting fire ants, an unceasing hatred hot enough to outshine a star, tendrils like searching fingers reaching and grasping and picking at the leaves of the Imaginary Tree. One by one these leaves would wink out in a flash, a scream of horror and wicked laughter, these darkened empty tendrils tossing the remains aside like so much trash. It was disgusted, yet the way it discarded them seemed almost like... disappointment.
As if waiting for her, the darkness parted like fog retreating before the morning sun. She pushed herself onwards. Relief so intense it nearly brought tears to her eyes welled up within her as she beheld that ponytail of white hair. Yet from her core there was a strange resonance. Murky and distorted, Honkai energy snapping this way and that like someone desperately banging on thick glass, helpless to do anything but watch as they struggled. She could feel it’s gaze upon them again, the malice strangely expectant, it’s hatred gaining a sadistic spin, it’s desire to corrupt and destroy and consume tittering gleefully through the void like a great eye curving as it laughed.
The girl with white hair turned.
Bronya’s breath left her, horror stealing her gasping exhale like a fist had punched straight through her chest. Eyes shining with stars coloured the terrible pink of the Honkai revealed themselves, a hollow cerulean encompassing this terrifying incomprehensible power.
But where Bronya had at first felt relief and happiness, she now saw only her own horrible, torturous end in every world that ever had been, was, or would be.
The Herrscher of Truth snapped awake with a stifled gasp. The terror faded back to the recesses of her mind, her heart beating rapidly, breaths coming quickly, laying there and thanking the stars that it was naught but a memory now. Yet this fact of memory is also what made it so terrifying. Not a figment of her imagination, not a dream conjured by the strangeness of her mind at rest. It was a nightmare of experience. A horror all too real and one she would rather forget. And yet it was her duty to remember. To keep the knowledge of its existence within her mind, to know that one day she would face it again. It was her duty now, as a Herrscher and a protector of humanity.
Though that didn’t make living with it any easier.
Bronya lifted herself carefully. Hisses of pain were bit back as the ethereal wounds along her body pulsed with pain that would leave a regular mortal catatonic. Nevertheless she slid from her sleeping bag gracefully, allowing her prosthetics to aid her in getting to her feet and carefully making her way out of the tent. It wouldn’t do to wake Camellia with her personal troubles, after all. Of all of them, Kiana’s four priestesses and this stubborn Valkyrie needed their rest most. Such high levels of Honkai energy takes its toll on the mortal body, regardless of the blessings of a Herrscher or Valkyrie-level natural resistance. Good rest was needed. Bronya herself didn’t technically need the sleep, but it was certainly better than staying up all night through the pain. It seems the Will of Honkai was stealing even that small comfort from her.
The night air within the crater was chill, but not too cold. Warmth generated by the incredible amounts of Honkai energy within her kept a surprising amount of the mountainous cold at bay. The night was still, the only sounds coming from Honkai beasts instead of any natural wildlife. The small firefly-like Honkai creatures maintained a peaceful, relaxing air with their soft lights. The still windless crater was only broken by a movement of white further from the camp. They had set up under the cover of nearby trees a few dozen metres away the memorial and further towards the river. This position made it perfectly clear that Mei was walking back up from Himeko’s memorial, and even at this distance the distraught expression plastered all over her face was evident. Her calloused, worn hands came up and wiped at her face several times, drying or wiping something off.
A single memory flashed through her mind. It was old. Older than even some Herrschers. One she had not had cross her mind in centuries. The memory of hands spreading body wash across her back, arms crossed over her body as such vulnerability left her feeling much too exposed and uncomfortable. The gentle touch of those same hands drying off her hair and brushing it out with the utmost care. A hand that hesitated on the bare skin of her back, the woman having noticed the myriad of scars that painted the story of her childhood as a soldier and assassin.
“Oh, Bronya... what horrors have you endured?” She remembered her whispering, feather-light and restrained as if speaking the words too loudly would trigger some terrible curse. Almost too quiet to hear.
While that girl had been ignorant to the details all those many years ago, Bronya was not. What horrors was Mei experiencing thanks to the gems? There were too many options for Bronya to pick from. Her feet moved without thinking. Her shoes swished through the grass in a quiet, steady beat as she trailed after the troubled priestess. It was a simple matter to follow Mei along the edge of these small woods, stark white as her clothing was. She walked for several minutes, her steps slow and plodding, until she found a small hill stretching down towards the bank of the large river that snaked through the centre of the crater and sat at its crest. Bronya hesitated in the treeline. Was this even the right time for her to accompany Mei? She wasn’t exactly in the best mental state either. But at the same time... well... she had to admit she simply missed Mei. But was it right of her to act on these feelings? When the woman in front of her didn’t fully understand why she and Kiana felt the way they did? She had thought she’d made peace with this plan they were enacting, but the memory dredged up by her dreams had rattled her to the very core.
Enough! Bronya shook her head and lightly slapped at her cheeks. She was being ridiculous! Kiana was supposed to be the anxious and emotional one. She needed to remain logical. Despite these inner thoughts as she finally approached Mei, the Herrscher of Truth still hesitated for just a moment beside Mei before taking a spot on the grass next to her. The river was still a good walk away, and in the distance a human figure had waded into the Honkai infused waters and appeared to be bathing, though details or even who it was remained a mystery. For a mortal at least. For Bronya, it was easy to confirm an individual’s unique signature within the reach of her Honkai energy. There was only one other person that would be risking such irradiated waters anyways.
“Trouble sleeping?” Came her dull tones.
Mei glanced at her for a moment from the corner of her eye but kept her head facing forwards towards the river, “Yeah.”
“Bad dreams?”
Mei pursed her lips, “Dreams... yeah you could say that.”
Bitten back hisses and grunts escaped her lips as Bronya’s aching and pained body protested her movement to sit down, “Yeah...” she grunted, “Of the three options for memories you have, all three of them have their share of terrible ones.”
“I saw Sirin again,” Mei pulled her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs as her voice wavered, “Being tortured in a lab by Schicksal’s scientists.”
“Sirin endured more than any girl should,” Bronya replied softly, “I know much about it, but only Kiana and Bella truly understand the horrors of her life.”
The two lapsed into silence. The night remained still, the Milky Way above them bright, beautiful, and so much fuller this far away from the light pollution of humanity’s cities. It was much easier to appreciate when they weren’t exhausted from escaping a ravenous Honkai beast horde. The feeling that perhaps she should say something more gnawed at her heart, yet for all her intellect Bronya wasn’t quite sure what there was to say. Words of comfort that might work on Kiana seemed like empty platitudes when she thought of offering them to the priestess next to her. Especially when they were from Herrscher to mortal.
“I saw you come up from Himeko’s memorial,” She said instead.
“Yeah, I was...” Mei shook her head slowly, “I don’t know. Venting I guess. I feel a strange nostalgia there. A sadness but also like... by speaking to the sword I am honouring an old friend. I-” Mei hesitated again, “There are many things troubling me this past week. But at the moment, remembering Sirin, I... I recalled a moment within the illusion that seemed right at the time but now seems strange to me, but it seems so small compared to the pile it has added to.”
Bronya eyed the girl curiously, “I’m willing to listen if you want to talk about it.”
Mei laughed softly, a short and sweet sound, “It sounds like such a silly think to get worked up about, but... Before fully stepping over the edge of becoming a Herrscher, Sirin asked me... why I seemed so determined to protect her. I told her that I’d always liked to fancy myself like a big sister, and had selfishly taken it upon myself to become this guardian for her when I found her in that lab. At the time it felt right. But thinking back on it... I don’t know where the thought came from. I’ve never really thought about myself like that before, though I suppose it might be nice. But was it truly me? Some kind of desire leaking through the gems? Or... something else...” Mei hesitated, lapsing into another silence even as she turned to Bronya as if preparing to say more. Several minutes passed before Mei spoke again, “Does she dislike me?”
Bronya blinked in surprise, “What?”
Mei turned away, “S-sorry. Nothing. Forget it.”
Bronya’s lips pulled up into an ever so slight smirk, “Kiana idiotka is many things, but subtle is not one of them. What brought this on?”
Mei sighed and allowed her left hand to drop to the soft grass between them. Her fingers twitched, picking lightly at the pink infused green, “I... I’m not sure how to say it. We get along well. She is bright, and kind, airheaded yet attentive, and surprisingly emotionally intelligent. Yet every time I feel like we’re finally growing closer she pulls away. Twice now our relationship has almost become... closer. Yet every time she pulls away. Acts almost like she thinks she’s... tricking me or betraying me somehow.”
“Yeah, that sounds like Kiana.” Bronya pursed her lips, “She is... well, she’s a complicated girl beneath that idiotic exterior.” The Herrscher leaned back on her hands and lolled her head to the side to meet Mei’s gaze with a humorous twinkle in her shining grey eyes, “Kiana adores you, she’s just fucking stupid and gets in her head about it sometimes,” She continued, her lips ever so slightly curving upwards. A moment later her expression dropped back into her usual flat seriousness, “Like you said, Kiana has become incredibly mature over the last few thousand years. But for all our power, Herrschers still suffer from the stagnation of immortality. For all her growth, some things about Kiana Kaslana haven’t changed in all these years, for better or for worse.” She chuckled, “I’m sure she and Seele could say the same thing about me. I... can’t give you the answers you seek, Mei. For that you’ll have to ask her yourself. Both because I gave my word, and because it would be better for both of you to have this discussion one-on-one.”
“I know...” Mei sighed, “I’m sorry, Bronya, you’re right. I’m just...” Her voice wavered, “I’m afraid.”
“These things are never easy. Gods know- quite literally- I still struggle with having these serious discussions with Seele. And I don’t think it has anything to do with my disability,” She smiled wryly. Her gaze finally pulled away from Mei and back to the distant figure in the river. The woman stood as a darkened silhouette against the cool moonlight reflecting off the gently rippling water. Bronya gestured towards her with her chin, “Kiana’s down there, by the way. If you feel like catching her tonight.”
It took a moment, but Mei eventually stood and began her hesitant journey towards the river with a nod of thanks. A small smile remained on Bronya’s lips as she watched her friend’s gait gradually regain the graceful confidence that always settled so naturally over the priestess. After a few minutes, Bronya stood as well. She took a few steps back towards camp, casting but one last look to the white-clad figure in the distance.
Bronya laughed quietly to herself and shook her head, “Still such a worrier when it comes to Kiana. I suppose I should be grateful that, despite this unfortunate situation you put Kiana and I in, that part of you still hasn’t changed.”
The memories still played in her minds eye. That terrifying presence so horribly separated from everything else that makes up the living universe. The jerky movements of the figure that had hovered before them in that void, a picture of pitiful resistance against something so much greater than any of them imagined. The resulting struggle that would never be remembered or immortalised in song and art by their followers, for it was too horrible to ever speak of, too destructive, too heartbreaking. Forever a silent burden.
“I hope this plan of yours works, Mei,” She pleaded to the dark, “I hope this works.”
“-bathe me in the clairvoyant light of the moon. Guide my thoughts, my words, that I might bare my heart true-” Mei’s steps remained heavy with trepidation even as her voice caressed the soft grass with murmured prayer. Each metre closer to Kiana mired in anxiety and insecurity. Was this the right time? Should she even be here, interrupting her Goddess like this? Was she being too hasty in her emotional state? The mere thought of approaching the Herrscher of Finality like this had her heart roaring in her ears, yet Bronya’s words pushed her inexorably forward. If she didn’t do this now, well... she might falter again. And that would be a disservice to both herself and Kiana.
She was so close, her Goddess’s form clear where she stood with the slow surface of the river reaching up to her ribs. Mei’s steps slowed as she approached the gentle lapping of the water’s edge. Kiana didn’t seem to have noticed her yet, the Herrscher leaning down to dip her head under the water for a moment. Her form was rather elegant. The pale light of the moon danced gently along the water’s surface, only disturbed by the currents beneath preventing complete stillness and the ripples caused by Kiana’s body. It lined the Goddess’s silhouette with its soft embrace. It took only a moment for the Goddess before her to lift her head from the water, Honkai stained hands shedding streams of water like the leaves of a weeping willow as they raised to flip her soaked hair over her shoulder in an arc of cold droplets. Immediately, irresistibly, inevitably, Mei’s eyes were pulled to the droplets trailing down the woman’s neck, shining in the moonlight as they were. Like shining pearls they rolled down her bared neck and caressed her collar in a fleeting moment of ethereal beauty as the Herrscher turned her shining eyes to her supplicant.
The smile that bloomed on her face soon after was nearly as bright as the full moon itself, ghostly, otherworldly, the kind of beauty that stilled her thoughts and dried her throat. Despite the wounds still glowing and gaping across her body she looked so... at peace. Content. Her lips curved upwards in that delightfully earnest way of hers, the lines around her eyes no longer from stress but infused with the joy of such a smile. Just like that morning in St. Freya, the silver moonlight lit up the fringes of her hair like a halo. If Mei hadn’t known before, undoubtedly the sight before her would have convinced her this woman truly was a Goddess.
As her eyes lingered on the still form of her Priestess, her smile tilted into something more... vulnerable. Embarrassed even. A bashful shift of her weight under the water as stained hands still wet with what was surely the dew of the gods themselves slid across the front of her chest. The movement, of course, drew the Priestess’s eye. For just a moment her vision was filled with the soft curves of her skin, the way her breasts pressed and conformed against her forearm as she attempted to retain some of her dignity. The deep valley between was like an image of pure temptation that swept Mei into it’s grasp for a single, fleeting moment before an angelic note finally wrested the priestess back to her senses.
“Mei?” Kiana’s smile stuttered awkwardly as she- not for the first time it seemed- called out to her priestess.
The realisation of just where her gaze was lingering hit the woman like a charging Honkai beast and her cheeks quickly blossomed crimson the same moment she snapped her eyes to Kiana’s face, “Kiana! I-I’m sorry, I was- uh-” Mei brought a fist to her mouth as she cleared her throat, an ingrained, polite gesture, “I uh... c-can we talk?”
“Oh, um, of course!” Kiana seemed to ponder something for a moment before an almost devious grin flit across her lips. Before Mei could question her sudden change of expression, the Herrscher dropped her arm and took her first step towards the riverbank. Mei was struck frozen, eyes wide and an even more intense burning in her cheeks, helpless to tear her gaze away. She wanted to say Kiana was just walking, but there was a purposeful, almost sensual sway to her hips as her body lifted further from the water. The river fell away, revealing more and more of the athletic, toned body of the Kaslana, inching lower and lower until it revealed that patch of skin below her belly button, a dangerous, blasphemous sight that made Mei’s heart jump into her throat. The priestess was certain the Herrscher of Death would be sending her to eternal damnation for the thoughts that ran through her head at such a view. Propriety finally overrode her frozen awe and she tore her gaze away before any more was revealed to her.
“M-My Lady!” Mei held her arm before her as if this would somehow contribute to blocking the sight from her vision even though she had already turned her head away, “This is-!”
Kiana giggled playfully, her voice suddenly much too close and bringing with it a fluttering jumping in the priestess’s heart. A small flash of light overtook her peripheral vision, followed by Kiana tapping her raised arm, “Mei, you can look again. I promise I’m dressed now.”
Slowly, Mei dared to allow Kiana back into her sight. She was indeed back in her Herrscher regalia, though that had not changed the knowing grin that still lit up her face, “My Lady, that was... highly inappropriate.”
Kiana tilted her head, “More inappropriate than you walking up on me while I was bathing?”
“I-” Mei’s eyes darted away bashfully.
“I could sense you with Bronya, having a little midnight chat?”
“Yes, that’s-” Mei took a moment to steady herself with a deep breath, “I decided I needed to talk with you about something tonight before I lose the courage.”
Kiana nodded, her expression shifting to a more earnest concern, “Of course, Mei.” She extended her hand towards the hill to the treeline, “Shall we go somewhere more private?”
Mei nodded her assent. The walk back to the treeline was slow. She found her eyes continuously drifting to Kiana’s exposed back as she followed the Herrscher. But instead of the embarrassing thoughts of minutes before, her mind was consumed with hesitance and anxiety as she ran through the rapidly approaching conversation in her head. The paranoia that she was somehow going to ruin her relationship with Kiana was ever present, whether that was actually realistic or not, and it ate away at her heart in these few minutes.
Her concern must have shown on her face, for once Kiana had selected a tree just behind the outer treeline to lean against she turned and graced Mei with an encouraging smile, “I don’t wanna waste your time. Come on, Mei, tell me what’s on your mind.” It only took a moment for Mei to take her place in front of Kiana, steel herself, and turn her face towards the Herrscher. Within that fleeting moment where their eyes met, Kiana’s gaze darted across Mei’s face and took in every minute detail faster than Mei could speak, “Your eyes are red. Mei, have you been crying?” Kiana’s question was punctuated by her lips falling open ever so slightly in her concern, and Mei once again found herself banishing inappropriate, irrelevant thoughts. What was wrong with her?
“Yes I... I relived Sirin being tortured by Schicksal. Again,” Mei sighed, voice heavy with exhaustion.
“I see,” Kiana said softly, “I apologise for not being able to do more for you. The memories from the gems come from a deeper, more intimate place than normal dreams, so there is little I can do to affect them like I could a simple dream.”
“It’s okay,” Mei assured, “I’ll manage. But that’s not what I wanted to talk about.” Her eyes darted between the ground and Kiana, that creeping anxiety fluttering in her heart making it difficult to hold the Herrscher’s otherworldly gaze. Kiana’s gaze was soft, a small, encouraging smile returning to her face. That almost made it worse, “We need to talk about... whatever it is that’s going on between us.”
Kiana’s smile faltered, “A-Ah, right! Of- Of course!”
“I-” Mei sighed heavily as she parsed her thoughts, “Even before I knew you were my Goddess you pulled away both times we began getting... closer. And I know you must have your reasons, but it hurts. It feels blasphemous for me to say this, but I... I cherished you as simply Kiana Kaslana. Those intimate moments we shared are dear to my heart, and that is why this distance you push and pull between us is so painful, even if I don’t show it. Is there something about me you find... distasteful?”
“What? No! No,” The words burst from the Herrscher with a burning desperation, “Mei you are the kindest, most determined, skilled, and- and amazing girl I’ve ever met! I would never use a word like ‘distasteful’ to describe you!”
“Then why?” Mei’s head shook gently in confusion, finally gathering the strength to look her Goddess in the eyes, “Why do you... why do you play with my heart?”
“I...” Kiana pulled back at this. Lip caught between her teeth, the Moon Goddess of all people appeared deeply... ashamed, “I’m sorry, Mei,” She began slowly, haltingly, a careful cadence to her words, “I do truly want to be closer with you, I meant every word I said about you. I told you on the airship there were things about me I couldn’t tell you yet in regards to me being the Moon Goddess, but... but what makes me hesitate now is that... there are things I know about what is going on, why I wanted you to go on these missions, and I...” She trailed off, conflicting emotions warring across her face.
“It has to do with what you said about needing me to discover some things myself, doesn’t it?”
Kiana nodded sombrely, “Yeah.”
“And why you had such a visceral reaction in St. Freya and muttered something about betraying my trust?”
Kiana winced, “Also yeah.”
“And yet you almost allowed it in the airship and even came and sat on my lap.”
“I- w-well,” Kiana stammered, once again turning her face away in shame, “T-that was, uh...”
“So if you obviously want this as much as I do, why can you not trust me?”
“It’s not about trust!” Kiana insisted, pushing herself off the tree so she could better use her arms for emphasis, “I get that you trust me, and I trust you! But it’s-”
“-An issue regarding the things you know that I don’t.” Mei interrupted, arms crossing and her voice now gaining the harshness of irritation, “You keep saying that like it absolves you of the fact that your indecision affects me just as much as it affects you!” Fear of using such a tone with her Goddess shivered in her heart, yet that same heart burned with an indignation that would not allow her to relent.
“I’m sorry! I know I’m being shitty but it’s not that simple!” Kiana protested.
Mei’s eyes momentarily flashed pink in the pale light filtering through the trees, “Do you think I’m a child?” She demanded, “Do you think I cannot judge the weight of this knowledge and come to a conclusion I can live with on my own?!” She took a step closer, forcing the Moon Goddess to take her own step back to maintain distance from the glaring priestess.
“What? No! Mei, I swear it’s not because I think less of you!” Both their voices were steadily rising in volume now.
“You are my Goddess! I trust you! I believe in you! You taught me to have faith in humanity before we even met! I worship you and strive to embody everything you represent to humanity!”
“M-Mei, I just- I don’t want to-”
A pale arm shot out and latched onto Kiana’s opposite shoulder, a foot stepping further forwards. Kiana was slammed into the tree behind her with Mei’s forearm across her collarbone in a show of forceful forthrightness that seemed to surprise the priestess who enacted it just as much as the Herrscher she’d interrupted. However, Mei didn’t seem eager to change their position any time soon despite the confusion in her eyes, “-But if you insist that I treat you as simply Kiana Kaslana, then this cannot continue!” She finished decisively. Her surprise at how easily she had forced the Herrscher of Finality into an unfavourable position was only matched by one other thing. This close it was impossible not to notice- not for the first time- that her Goddess was nearly half a head shorter than her. Her anxious and shameful darting of her eyes, the way she was almost cowering ever so slightly in the face of her priestess, pinned against a tree as she was. Mei nearly faltered in her determination. How fast would she be released from duty if the High Priestess saw how she was treating their Goddess? How would she ever be able to pray to this woman with a clear conscience again? Kiana gazed up at her with a hesitant, all too vulnerable look in her eyes. It almost made Mei sick to think that she had caused such an emotion to appear on her Goddess’s face, yet at the same time there was still that part of her that would not allow her to relent. Violet eyes darted to the pale, oh so vulnerable expanse of her neck. If she shifted her arm upwards even a little she would begin to press against her Goddess’s throat, and that was a dangerous thought indeed. One noted merely in passing before it flitted away like so much mist as her mind raced.
“You’re right, Mei...” Kiana finally conceded, “I asked that you treat me as a friend. Like any other human. Yet I’m treating you as anything but. And it’s not fair to you.” Her voice lowered to a whisper as she finished, “I’m sorry...”
“Kiana.” Drawing on some hidden reserve of bold courage welling up within her, Mei brought her free hand to Kiana’s chin, resting it between the knuckle of her forefinger and pressing the pad of her thumb under her lips, and pulled it upwards until Kiana met her eyes, “I believe I made my feelings clear back on the airship. The only question now is; Can you trust in me? To have thought this through? That I would rather brave the trials of this world together with the woman that greeted me that day in Arc city, than shy away in fear of what is to come? And... do you feel the same?”
A nervous smile stuttered across her Goddess’s face in time with the growing blush infecting her cheeks, “That’s four questions, actually.” Her voice wavered with an anxious shyness that matched her struggling smile.
Mei tilted an eyebrow, unamused.
“I-” Kiana stopped herself just long enough to suck in a deep breath to steady herself, “Y-yes. Mei. I do. I feel the same.” Something unspoken still hung in the air between them, hidden behind the Herrscher’s nervous smile, her anxious paranoia of failure, of hurting her, still simmering behind those shining eyes.
Of course these things would still trouble her, even if she allowed herself to embrace the truth of her feelings. But that was for later, and Mei quickly batted aside these things attempting to sully what little space remained between them. In that moment, there was only one singular thought in Mei’s mind. The instant those words reached her ears, the hesitation fled her body. The anxiety still simmered in that nervous tingling down her spine and the thump of her heart, sure. But in this time, in what must be an infinitesimally small moment for the being before her, Raiden Mei had but one goal that she felt with a fleeting unison of heart and mind.
She would finish what she’d begun back on the airship. Back in St. Freya.
And so within a second of the words slipping from Kiana’s lips, those same lips were met with the crushing force of all the emotion Raiden Mei could muster for this Goddess, this woman who had captured her affection so utterly.
The knowledge that she’d never kissed anyone before, that she was now initiating with a Herrscher of all people, briefly clouded her thoughts. Darting behind closed eyes. Should she be freaking out? This was her Goddess! What if she wasn’t good enough? This, of course, was followed with the knowledge that she shouldn’t even be pinning her Goddess to a tree and kissing her in the first place. Yet when Kiana was so eagerly wrapping her arms around her waist and pressing their bodies together, did the decorum that had been drilled into her for years and years really matter? By the Gods, what was she doing? What if having to bend down so far to kiss her became awkward and uncomfortable? Yet Kiana’s lips were so irresistibly soft as she separated only enough to kiss again and again, the hand holding Kiana’s chin sliding along her jaw to cup her cheek as their bodies finally melted together in a moment of bliss. The small noises escaping from Kiana’s throat could only be described as sinful.
The need for air burning in her chest was the only thing that could make her pull away.
Yet the sight before her almost made her glad she did. Kiana’s chest heaved with each shaky breath, eyes peering up at her past her burning cheeks and swelling lips still connected to her lover’s by a flimsy string of saliva for but a passing second. The woman before her did not look like a Goddess in this moment, only a flustered girl on the verge of begging for more.
Yet it was also in this moment that her sudden surge of boldness seemed to flee her body. Mei’s cheeks burned red like they were trying to outshine even the moon, and her eyes widened as she beheld the mess she had made of her Goddess. Her arm was snatched away from where it pinned Kiana to the tree and she took a step back while a nervous laugh bubbled from her throat.
“I can’t believe I just did that,” She said softly.
Kiana returned her amazed disbelief with a bashful smile of her own, “W-well, if you need to be sure, we could always do it again.”
Watching Kiana shyly fix her hair at her own suggestion, it was all Mei could to just to rapidly nod her agreement with the ethereal beauty before her. Something in the way this incomprehensibly powerful being had melted under her lit aflame a desire she hadn’t even known she’d had. And so it was with purpose that she returned a step closer to the woman, this time pressing into her with her own body and propping herself up with her forearm against the tree. Like this, Kiana was completely trapped against her and- judging by the widening of her eyes and quickening of her breath- the Herrscher was all too aware of this.
Mei swallowed thickly before leaning her head forwards. Lips only just brushing against the shell of the woman’s ear, she allowed her thoughts to fly from her lips unimpeded, her desire spilling out in the slight husky rasp that wound its way into her voice, “My Lady... My Goddess,” She paused to drink in the sharp inhale from the woman before her, “I’m afraid if we do that again I won’t be able to stop kissing you.”
Honkai stained hands reached up and latched onto the button flap of her jacket and the chord securing her cape, “Then don’t stop until I order you to, my Priestess,” Kiana smiled as she tilted her head up once more.
Mei quickly found that she didn’t much mind needing to bend down to reach her Goddess’s lips.
For once, Mei’s eyes were fluttering open from a peaceful, untroubled sleep. Even in her groggy state it didn’t take her long to piece together what might be the reason why. Muscled arms still held tightly around her, four legs tangled in the cramped confines of the single sleeping bag, and a comfortable warmth lulling her back into a state of drowsiness from where Kiana had cradled Mei’s head under her chin. Her now wrinkled dress shirt held valiantly to her modesty with a single button still keeping it secured around her chest, the undergarments that were the only thing still fulfilling a similar role below allowing her to bask in the feeling of Kiana’s skin against her own. Though, truthfully, the strange glowing wounds across her body held a strange texture that she still wasn’t quite sure what to make of. At the very least Kiana had assured her that her touch wouldn’t aggravate them. The temptation to simply let her eyes fall back closed and melt into the feeling of their half clothed bodies tangling together was nearly irresistible. Unfortunately the sounds of the others moving about their small camp pulled at the priestess’s sense of duty and she gently shimmied herself free of Kiana’s tight embrace with a small grumble.
The movement caused the Herrscher’s own eyes to flutter open and the girl to yawn deeply, “Is it morning already?” She attempted to say around her yawn.
“Unfortunately yes,” Mei replied drowsily, “Though I don’t think I’ve slept that well in a very long time.”
Kiana pulled back just enough to ensure Mei could see her smug smile, “Yeah same, cuddling a cute, blushing girl will do that for you.”
“You’re one to talk after how flustered you were last night,” Mei shot back, booping the Herrscher’s nose with the pad of her finger.
“Wow, already gotten comfortable enough to sass me, My Priestess?”
“I’ll have plenty of time to lose my composure about making out with my Goddess in a few hours, but someone made certain I am very comfortable at the moment,” Mei grinned before snuggling back into Kiana’s embrace, “Thank you, Kiana,” She continued softly, “I meant what I’ve said. I know you’re worried, but whatever it is you wish for me to discover, whatever it is that involves you, I would much rather work through it together at your side. Perhaps it is foolish of me to feel so intensely so soon, but it is the truth.”
Kiana gently rubbed circles into Mei’s back, humming her agreement as she buried her face into Mei’s hair, “Heh, I’m one lucky Goddess. Feel free to kiss some sense into me if I’m being an ass like last night.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Mei hummed teasingly. As if confirming her determination to back up her words, she leaned her head up and planted a small kiss against her Goddess’s jaw, “But for now we really should get up. It sounds like the others are already packing up for the day.”
Kiana groaned, “Ugh, fiinneee... I guess we should get going before the Will of Honkai starts trying to tear me apart again.”
Kiana said it so casually, yet it could not keep away the frown that formed on Mei’s face, “Is there a danger it could succeed?”
“Pssh, nah,” Kiana shook her head, “Or at least, it shouldn’t be able to do much more than severely hurt Bronya and I if we don’t focus most of our power on combating it, maybe wrest control of the Honkai beasts from us once we leave this crater. If it does actually exert more power over this planet than it already does, then I’d have to pay the other Seele a visit and have some serious words with a certain pink elf.” Kiana rolled her eyes, visibly displeased at the thought.
Mei pulled herself from the sleeping bag and began properly buttoning up her dress shirt (she had very quickly discarded nearly everything else in order to feel Kiana’s closeness to her). Mei was halfway up when she realised she’d missed something, “Dammit, my bra.” She heaved a heavy sigh and began unbuttoning her hard work.
“Woah,” Kiana grinned, “Already giving me a show?”
Mei’s cheeks immediately bloomed bright red, “Kiana! Turn around!” She hissed.
“We were literally just sleeping together! Also, you saw mine!” Kiana protested
Mei’s narrowed her eyes in a very pointed glare, “Kiana. Lower your voice and turn around.”
Still pouting, the Herrscher turned in place and crossed her arms like a petulant child. She didn’t have much else to do, getting dressed for her was as simple as snapping and the tail of her dress and shoes manifested back onto her body, the tightly clinging one piece that made up the body of her clothing having remained on while she slept. All she could do was listen to the rustling of Mei’s clothing and the clink of metal as she slid on her pants and buckled her belt. One by one buttons snapped together until Mei finally announced Kiana could turn around. Now free of the command of her favourite priestess, Kiana watched as Mei laced up her boots.
Mei looked up as she finished, a nervous smile darting across her face when she locked eyes with the Herrscher, “What?”
It was then that Kiana realised she’d been staring with a small smile of her own for who knows how many minutes, “O-Oh um, nothing, I was just... watching you I guess?” She giggled nervously and scratched at the back of her head, “You’re just- er... very pretty...” Kiana trailed off.
Mei’s smile quickly shifted into something sweeter, the priestess leaning across the short distance and pressing a quick kiss to the Herrscher’s cheek, “Charmer,” Mei said. She grabbed her uniform jacket and quickly threw it on, leaving it unbuttoned for now as she unzipped the tent entrance and stepped outside with Kiana close behind.
True to Mei’s deduction, the others were already packing up anything they didn’t need while Sophia threw together a simple breakfast mostly made up of their supply of fresh food. It wouldn’t do to let it go bad, after all. They had plenty of canned and preserved food for later.
“Well look who’s finally awake!” Isabella smiled. When Kiana exited the tent just a few seconds later, the priestess immediately stiffened and her voice lost its playfulness as she bowed, “My Lady! I hope you slept well.”
“Pfft,” Sophia snorted from her spot by the fire, “You’re about as unsubtle as a brick, Isabella.”
“Hey!” The woman protested, “I just-”
Kiana chuckled and held up a placating hand, “It’s okay, it’s okay! And please, just Kiana is fine. I slept well, thank you, Isabella.”
It took a moment for Mei’s eyes to adjust to the sunlight spilling into the crater, however once she did it was difficult to ignore the way Sophia was staring at her, “Er, is something wrong, Sophia?”
The grin that lit up Sophia’s face sent a distinct sense of danger shivering down her spine, “Nope! Nothing’s wrong, my dear Mei!” She brought a hand up and rubbed a finger against her own neck as if pointing something out, “You might wanna cover up that hickey, though.”
Two things happened then: Mei and Kiana’s eyes darted to each other before the two women quickly turned away with incredibly unsubtle flustered expressions while Mei’s hand quickly snapped up to hide the skin exposed by her unbuttoned jacket, and every eye in the camp immediately snapped to the two women with shocked looks and gleeful, teasing smiles appearing in equal measure.
Amidst the exclamations and knowing teases, Bronya stood back and observed, a nostalgic smile on her face as she watched a flustered Mei desperately trying to hide the sign of Kiana’s affection, while the woman in question fought through her own embarrassment to pull Mei close and press a wet kiss to her priestess’s cheek. This of course, only deepened Mei’s stuttering embarrassment, the teasing giggles, and the astonished looks on Isabella, Camellia, and Cecilia’s faces that this was actually happening. But to Bronya, this scene of the two lovebirds was positively nostalgic. A familiar sight that she had gone far too long without, despite the hard time she usually gave Kiana about it. It was... nice. To see what- to the Herrscher of Truth at least- was a welcome, small return to normal.
Valerie’s fists tightened to the point her fingernails threatened to break skin as she observed the ongoing defence from the intelligence centre nestled safely within the temple grounds. The area was abuzz with the chaos of the unexpected attack, the various screens lit up with what cameras they could access close to the northern edge of the city. The room was large, Valerie standing on a raised platform in the centre where she could observe the windows of information thrown up onto the massive screen that took up most of the back wall. It also allowed her to look out over the dozens of terminals operated by more of her priestesses spread out below her. Those with authority sat behind her at their own terminals, managing their subordinates, sending orders, and attempting to manage the massive flow of information pouring in from all over the mega city around them. Most cameras in the north had been disabled by a massive EMP blast, and what little information they were getting out of that area was only painting a worse and worse situation.
The priestess that had first warned them of the incoming assault had needed emergency medical treatment after she collapsed from exhaustion and the severe electrical burns covering her body. Though not before gasping that a Valkyrie should have taken the same message to the city’s anti-Honkai militia. It was a simple matter for Valerie to contact their commander and confirm that no such messenger had arrived and they were scrambling just as badly to put together a response force. Every fighting body that Finality had at its disposal in Arc city had rushed from the temple to evacuate civilians to safer areas and fight off Honkai beasts that had strayed too far forward from the main force. Already the death count was rising as they moved into the area effected by the abnormally powerful EMP, whether from fires caused by electrical circuits overloading, surprised motorists crashing, or the wave of Honkai beasts that flooded into the city with the disabling of the larger perimeter defence guns. Several squads of priestesses had begun running into retreating militia, their Honkai-powered Schicksal firearms lethal but not nearly enough against the sheer number of Honkai beasts.
With a defence as scattered and haphazard as this, it was only a matter of time before the Honkai beasts broke through further into the city despite the additional aid of the Herrscher blessed priestesses. A fact Valerie knew all too well. Yet her forces were small. Finality’s priestesses were not meant to act as front line soldiers, and this showed as the women of the Moon began to lose ground. As they began to fall while attempting to hold for reinforcements from deeper in the city. The remnants of the perimeter garrison fought valiantly to aid them, but it just simply wasn’t enough. Blown apart by Catapults, skewered by Knights and Templars, swarmed by dozens upon dozens of Archangels. Comms relaying their screams, desperate pleas for aid, reports of lost positions, and the silence of those that were unable to resist this tidal wave of destruction. A horrific sight that Valerie had not experienced since Schicksal’s pyrrhic victory against the Void Queen on the slopes of the Babylon Crater. More militia were beginning to arrive, but would they be enough?
“Your Grace!” One of the women behind called out to her, “We have an incoming transmission from ME Corp!”
Valerie appeared distinctly displeased but gestured for the woman to continue regardless, “Put it through,” She growled. The square shape of a video call window bloomed to life on the massive monitoring screen before her, “Ryoma, I don’t have time for your bullshit-” Valerie cut herself off as the face that appeared before her was distinctly not the aged face of Ryoma Raiden, “Ah, Mifumi, my apologies.”
“Apology accepted, Valerie,” Mifumi replied wryly, “Let me get to the point,” She tapped a few commands out of view and in a corner of the frame flickered to life the visage of the city militia commander, “Schicksal informed us of a massive spike of Honkai energy just outside Arc city and of a loss of contact with the Valkyries stationed with the perimeter garrison. We are on the way with reinforcements.”
The commander’s face scrunched up in distaste, her voice snappy and gruff, “Tell Schicksal they better send something able to deal with Emperor-Class Honkai beasts at minimum or they can shove it up their ass. Something hit the entire northern perimeter with a massive EMP that fried everything from toasters to the defence guns- which Schicksal told me could withstand large EMP pulses by the way- and both my soldiers and Valerie’s priestesses are being overrun.”
“Mifumi,” Valerie calmly inserted herself before the militia commander could continue, “There is a lightning storm forming outside Arc city’s northern perimeter as we speak, and one of my priestesses suffered severe electrical burns delivering a warning after the EMP. The one leading this attack has to be Benares.”
The commander grit her teeth, “The Void Queen’s pet dragon?”
Mifumi smiled, “Then it’s a good thing I’m bringing along one of Schicksal’s premiere beast hunters. Valkyrie squad Snow Lotus as well as another special guest shall be with you in the next fifteen minutes.”
Valerie’s brow shot up in surprise as these words graced her ears, “Snow Lotus? Schicksal has deployed Ana Schariac? And who is this ‘special guest’?”
“Now that would be telling,” Mifumi winked, “Commander, I won’t keep you any longer. Expect more reinforcements within the next few hours, we are the vanguard and will help stem the tide until the Hyperion arrives.”
That finally got a small chuckle out of the irate woman, “Well, we certainly can’t die before we get to see squad Snow Lotus and the Hyperion in action, now can we? Tell them not to leave us hanging for too long or there might not be much of a city left to save.” With that her window winked out.
“Valerie,” Mifumi began, “Be careful. We do not know if Benares’s goal in this attack is simply destruction on behalf of its mistress or something else. Be on guard.”
“Come now, Lady Raiden, you know me,” The high priestess replied dryly.
Mifumi gave her a knowing look, “Yes, that’s why I’m warning you.” And with that she too ended the call.
Valerie fell into a moment of contemplation, even as her eyes returned to scanning every bit of information returned to the screen. One of Schicksal’s best squads at tackling Emperor-class Honkai threats, the Battleship Hyperion, and a figure who qualifies as more special than both to the point the usually straightforward Mifumi Raiden was playing coy? Perhaps they could win this after all.
Fifteen minutes was much too long while her priestesses were fighting and dying, but it was just long enough for the high priestess of Finality to rush to the nearby landing pad that had been cleared for the incoming Schicksal transport. She had faith in her girls to organise the defence while she was away. She needed to greet Mifumi and see just who they would be fighting alongside. There was also the small matter that if Benares wanted to take out city leadership, she was a prime target herself. So where better to go but to the warriors arriving specifically to combat the Honkai dragon?
She now stood at a safe distance and watched as the large transport descended to the landing pad with a roar as it slowed from its rapid descent and pivoted its rear landing ramp towards the high priestess, settling onto its landing struts with a hiss. She approached to the whine of hydraulics and the wind of the engines as the rear ramp lowered and met the metal plating of the pad with a cold thunk. From the shadows within first stepped Mifumi, a smile blossoming on her face when she spied Valerie approaching. Closely behind came the armoured and heavily armed Valkyries of squad Snow Lotus. At the head of the other three women was their leader.
She was clad in a black dress that reached to her knees underneath white armour that hugged the curve of her body along her sides and up across her chest. Once it reached her waist it became a thick fabric that continued to fall along her sides to accent the black of the dress skirt. The torso was sleeveless besides decorative straps that fell over her right shoulder and arced across her upper bicep. Her hands were clad in dark blue gloves that reached halfway up her forearms. Sky blue belt straps crossed diagonally over her stomach, under the white armour, but over the black dress, looping around her body and held in place by another two that were threaded into the right side of the white fabric armour. On her back these straps held in place a rifle that seemed much too large for the woman to wield, yet it did not impede her motion as she walked down the landing ramp. The front of the straps held two sheathed daggers to the front of her hips. A scarf of similar sky blue colouring was wrapped around her shoulders and kept in place with a pin designed in the image of the plant after which Snow Lotus took its name. From each ear hung dangling earrings like icicles. Her hair was a very light brown and left loose to fall to her lower back, with a single streak of white running through the right side of bangs cropped closely around her face. The Valkyrie’s look was finished with a minimalistic butterfly hair clip on the left side of her bangs and a black beret atop her head decorated with two pins of white four-pointed stars.
This was Schicksal’s legendary Emperor hunter. Ana Schariac.
Valerie bowed as the newcomers approached, “I give you greetings from the servants of the Moon, Mifumi Raiden, Valkyrie Squad Snow Lotus,” She gave each another shallow bow as she named them.
“Come now, Valerie,” Mifumi smiled, “Surely we’ve known each other long enough for you to dispense with the formalities at a time such as this.”
Ana and her squad returned the shallow bow, “Thank you, Your Grace,” Ana replied. Her voice was soft, almost reserved. Like one might expect from a shy college girl. Yet her eyes were sharp, a cold magenta already darting around the cityscape behind the Valerie in search of any possible threat. Her squadmates were similarly dressed in variations of Ana’s black, white, and blue colour scheme, though to someone unfamiliar with the capabilities of Schicksal’s battlesuits these girls would appear much more practically armoured than Ana herself.
Valerie’s gaze slid over the women before her and up to the darkened interior, “And where is this special guest you got me so curious about, Mifumi?”
As if summoned by her voice, a thump and a clatter came from inside the transport. It sounded like... someone had fallen? There was the sound of scrambling against the floor of the ship before a head of black hair and deep blue eyes peeked from the shadows.
“Sorry! I was, uh-” The girl squeaked as she nearly dropped the phone in her hand in her flustered state. Quickly stuffing the device into her pocket she rushed down the ramp and towards the group waiting for her, bare feet slapping against the cold metal. She came to an abrupt stop next to Mifumi and smiled up at the high priestess serenely, her previous flustered nature having disappeared in an instant, “Greetings, Your Grace! I’m Seele Vollerei, Principal of St. Freya and leader of Schicksal’s Far East Branch.”
Valerie hid the widening of her eyes with another short bow, “Ah! Principal! I know your name but I had yet to have a face to put to it. I am honoured to finally meet you.” Straightening back up Valerie nodded to Mifumi, “Now, we should prepare. Our defences are crumbling and it won’t be long until the Honkai beasts breach further into the city.” She eyed the diminutive principal curiously, “Will you be fighting as well, Madame Vollerei?”
“My abilities are better in a more supporting role, though I can hold my own if necessary. She, however, will be taking the fight directly to the Honkai.” Seele gestured to the empty space next to her with a smile on her face.
“She?”
All eyes were drawn to the floor as Seele’s shadow seemed to pulse and writhe, viscous blackness dripping upwards from where it shaded the ground like the reverse of tar dripping down a wall. Up and up it rose until it reached chest height next to Seele. There it began to swirl and coalesce, all except Ana taking a step back as the unmistakable hum of Honkai energy drilled its bassy notes into their senses. Tighter and tighter the shadows curled until from this coiled ball extended legs, arms, a head, and then the coil itself became a body. A woman seemingly created from shadow itself. Her long black hair and red undertones stood in contrast to the blues that decorated Seele, her eyes a murderous crimson, like a knife twisting in the gut of all who looked upon them. Yet in the shape of her face and the twist of her lips, one could see that she appeared to look almost exactly like Seele. She extended her hand to the side and from the shadows coalesced a brutal scythe, it’s black handle twisted, it’s blade bearing a crimson gradient to its black metal that gleamed wickedly in the light, and a singular eye where handle met blade gazed back as if the weapon was death itself. Her black dress ended at mid-thigh and left a glimpse of pale skin before the armour covering the rest of her legs. Gauntlets like the claws of a demon adorned her hands and the dark sash around her waist left tails of fabric trailing behind her that also bore that same dreadful red eye as her scythe. The woman’s mere presence seemed to dim the light of the sun, as if life itself cowered before her. A deep dread settling into the bones of the women present even as Seele’s beaming smile remained on her face. The air felt heavy, a pressing on their minds not painful, but a creeping uneasiness that made the women before her shift uncomfortably. Yet through it all, Ana watched on unperturbed, even as the realisation came to Valerie and she and the other Valkyries dropped to one knee.
“Coming back to this realm better be worth my time.” Her voice came, echoing like the screams of the dead cowered just behind the harsh tones spilling from her lips. The woman’s eyes darted to the sky, Benares’s distant lightning storm apparent over the peaks of the buildings around them. And she smiled. A cruel, wicked thing, “Just don’t get in my way.” The woman’s smile managed to gain an even crueller edge as she gazed upon the distant promise of battle, “I owe that dragon a little payback. Bella won’t know what hit her.”