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

Chapter 46 Selfish Failure

<Camps>

"Hahaahahahahahhahahahahhaahaa!"

Kallen's icy and maniacal laughter echoed throughout the hellish terrain. It reverberated through the ground and air. Its screeching depravity commanded the hairs of all who heard it to stand up. The purple haze of sin wafted from her body. Around her blood flowed from the bodies of the soldiers and Valkyries that desperately tried to stop her from rampaging. She was indiscriminate, merciless she walked slowly towards her prey. The holographic horns on her head started to solidify as the black box that hung in the sac by her side fed on her hatred, her loss.

"Bang!Bang!Bang!"

Glory retreated on brittle twigs, her mind jelly numb from the birth of the devil before her. Though she couldn't antagonize Kallen. The expression that Kallen wore, Glory saw it staring back at her in the mirror from time to time. Glory spoke careful shaky words between each empty chamber.

"Calm your mind Holy Maid."

"Bang! Bang!"

"There's still hope."

"Bang!"

"He may be alive."

"Bang!"

Having only one working arm didn't limit Kallen's ability to fight. At the very least no one could stop her. But she was displaying her weakness. To put Kallen down Glory dragged the possibility of Otto's survival through Kallen's mind. It sickened her, Glory was disgusted with herself, how many times had she hoped that the letter was a lie. How many times had she hoped that her daughter survived? It wasn't until she saw it for herself that she truly came face to face with reality. Her daughter died chasing the love of a devil, who only used her to further his own devious unknown goals.

Kallen's pace slowed even further as her mind clasped onto hope and denial. She wanted Otto to be alive, she wanted to be free from the empty hole in her chest. Torn out by a sudden blasted eruption. The storm around her died as she recollected her cherished memories. A bit of sanity leaked in and for a moment Kallen's transformation receded. Her horns grew faint as the storm around her died. But this recollection of memories all led to the end of the line. He died. Her Great Inventor, her miracle worker died alone on the deepest floors of hell. Alone.

"No, he's dead."

"Bang!"

Kallen dodged the bullet with no effort. She was drifting through the grounds of hell, a trance-like waltz.

"We should have just......"

Glory fired off a few more rounds. Kallen was calm once more but Glory felt a tremendous pressure emanating from her stance. Kallen's breathing was steady, tired but impassive. Glory's instincts screamed for her to jump back. A temperature drop so sudden cut the small capillaries on the surviving Valkyries. Kallen discarded the hero within her and her body glowed dangerously. Energy condensed around her threatening to explode.

By her waist, the Origin of Sin hissed desperately. It had amplified Kallen's emotions far beyond her breaking point. The perfect body it wished to inhabit was going to self-destruct. All its scheming was for naught.

The Valkyries ran clear of the explosion radius. From distance, they watched as Kallen glowed brighter. So bright they couldn't see the figure that emerged from beneath and walked towards her tired and exhausted. But her despair commanded the figure to brave the cold, the brave the danger. At the apex of her brilliance, the figure embraced her from behind.

"I'm alright, Kallen. I'm right here so don't cry anymore."

His arms were numb, he was freezing, and his consciousness was fading. There was so much weighing on his mind. Yet it came second to Kallen's suffering. He transferred his warmth and love into Kallen's body. The box hissed venomously as its influence dwindled but it was also relieved by Otto's intervention. A strange feeling it could not help but question.