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

Chapter 34 Priorities

<Catacombs>

Kallen made her way through the long meandering tunnels of Vienna's catacombs. The countless lives that couldn't be saved rested here. Stacked upon each other, numbered. It was beyond unsettling and Kallen was brought back to a time when she felt helpless and weak. Where the justice in her heart was useless because she herself couldn't save the suffering sick. She remembered returning to Koleston after a month of subduing Honkai beasts. How many had she subdued? Forty? Sixty? No, she couldn't remember the amount she slewed but she remembered witnessing the suffering the Black Death had wrought. She remembered returning to her safe haven, Otto's library, the couch, where she rested her head against Otto's lap and laid out her grievances. They were both thirteen at the time.

<Memory Start, Otto's Library>

"I'm so useless Otto."

Otto continued to stroke her head without saying a word. He deemed it best to let Kallen take her time.

"Isn't fate too cruel? I trained my entire life to protect the people But when humanity's greatest peril strikes I'm powerless to save a single one of them. My father would find a way. I know it. I'm such a failure, I can't save everyone."

Otto didn't say anything again but he gently wiped away her tears and listened to her woes.

"Otto, can you save them? You're my great inventor, surely you can save them."

Kallen didn't notice Otto's shift in demeanor when she asked her selfish request. His trembling hands, his wavering eyes, and his own trauma and peril.

"I'm working on it Kallen, I....I'm making a cure."

Kallen found comfort in those words, she believed that Otto could accomplish anything. He was her great inventor, a hero in her heart, perfect, and strong. She involuntarily coughed, it was dry, sick.

"Kallen?!"

"I'm ok Otto, just a bit unwell."

Otto quickly checked her temperature with the back of his hand. Kallen's forehead was hotter than normal, she had a fever. The strain of the situation had gotten to her. Otto heaved a sigh of relief and quickly attended to her needs.

"Sleep well. I, .. I.. I'll make the cure soon. Soon!"

Kallen's eyes were already shut when Otto made his promise. He sounded so troubled, so worried.

<Memory End>

In the present Kallen continued to walk the endless tunnels, she was tempted to wake Otto up but he already expressed his desire to not witness his failure.

'He's had enough trauma for one night.' Kallen thought.

Soon the tunnels were clear of skeletons. They were deep in the older parts of the tunnels. It was strange, to say the least. From Kallen's understanding, the catacombs were built to house the bodies. Was this hidden history? The walls hummed with familiar power and Otto awoke on Kallen's back. A brief flash of golden light reverberated through the tunnels and slight trembling could be heard, the tunnels shifted and parted.

"Where are we? It's so dark."

Kallen lit a torch they had prepared beforehand. Though Kallen's own eyes could barely see through the darkness, she could hone her sense of sound to navigate the tunnels.

"Otto go back to sleep. I think we'll be out soon."

"You're lost?"

"I.. I am but you didn't give me directions."

Otto blinked a bit and took in his surroundings. This low-powered hum felt just like the bridge hums. Otto's thoughts were still murky but after some pondering, Otto spoke with Kallen. Kallen noticed Otto took longer than usual to answer her.