Honkai Impact 3rd: Don't Die For Me/ Book 1: Promise

Chapter 25 Together

<Frontlines>

The front lines rang out with screams and cries of exhaustion and cruelty. Loud metallic clanking could be heard. It was rhythmic, some steady, some offbeat but everyone had their own pace. There was something eerie to their echo. It was consistent, never-ending almost as if the soldiers in the front were fighting an eternal war.

Glory Schariac arrived at the front of the war effort on her gallant steed. From the reports she received, she assumed that the Ming Empire was slowly pushing back the forces of Schicksal but that was all just a ploy. Nikolas Apocalypse, the mad Overseer was using the army of Schicksal to scavenge the wastes of war and bleed the lands dry of resources for his own personal gain.

It was no wonder that nearly four months after the war ended the army essentially remained unmoving. The knights of Schicksal bore over the infantry and other low-rank grunts, they were slaves, the lot of them. The people once called this land home were among those slaves. Mines, quarries, and many other operations ran smoothly under the watchful eye of the Valkyries of Schicksal. Bodies were strung up within the camps for all to see, those that felt the urge to resist were strictly quelled. It was a hell on earth and so disgustingly putrid. This was what power could afford the leader of Schicksal. But how could the army condone this?

As if acknowledging Glory's shock the third-ranked Valkyries spoke.

"News slips through every now and then but who dares to cross the church?"

"You're fine with this?"

"I was raised to serve the church and only the church."

Glory spat on the third. The third remained unfazed.

"Please let's keep our civility. After all, your daughter's corpse is in Schicksal's hands and your son is steedless in that little city you left him behind in."

Glory gritted her teeth, her nails dug into her skin, drawing blood, as a rage-filled fist slammed into a tree nearby shattering it. But the rest of her children were safe, they had to be. Hostages, war, everything was soon to be in order for the Overseer.

"Once we retrieve the Holy Maiden and the son we'll release him."

Glory stormed off. The ground sank and shifted under her feet. She had to write to her husband quickly. But it wasn't like all was lost. Her children weren't so incompetent to allow themselves to be used as hostages.

<Fienre Family Estate>

"I was hoping Lady Fienre could arrange a private meeting between myself and Sir Kaslana."

Adrienne wore a scowling expression and her mood was soured. A few days prior, Lady Burrus arranged a meeting with Adrienne and specifically Adrienne. The most powerful house in France, this was an opportunity for Adrienne to make a new ally and raise the status of her own family. Adrienne accepted and prepared a business face, she understood the basics and was confident some of the interest of the Fienre house could be met in the meeting. But, how was she to know that the Lady Camila of the Burrus family wasn't to do business but to set up a meeting in private with Fred? The audacity, Lady Camila was clearly looking down on Adrienne and her family. . It wouldn't take much digging to find out that Fred had been frequently visiting the Fienre family. She was clearly disregarding Adrienne's relationship with Fred

"I'm afraid even I can't set up a private meeting with Sir Kaslana."

A false smile filled with venom was plastered on Adrienne's face. Camila couldn't help but feel a bit unnerved but in the end Andrienne was just from the lowly Fienre family, a count family, the Burrus family was a Duke's family with royalties.