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

Chapter 66 Distance

"I'm scared!" A child whined.

"Don't worry I'll protect you all."

Otto led a group of families away from the village that was being ravaged by Honkai beasts. Templar Class, Knight Class, and beasts were present. Something was drawing the beasts wherever Kallen and Otto went. These rural areas were supposed to be frequented by weaker classes of beasts or none at all.

In the dark cloudy night, Otto led the villagers to their emergency shelter. It was a cave on a small hill about a kilometer from the village. The entrance was hard to discern, it was covered with overgrown vines and tree roots but the interior was well kept. There were plenty of provisions and supplies to last for months. The space was large enough to roughly accommodate around three hundred people.

The villagers settled in and Otto got to work. He quickly checked and treated all the scared villagers. None had serious wounds, just minor scratches, and bruises for the most part. In the dimly lit cave, the inhabitants could only see his golden flowing hair. Their graceful protector had created another legend, unbeknownst to him.

"Xi Ping? Xi Ping?!"

The frantic cries of a desperate father caught Otto's attention. He treated the last patient and scuffled over to ask for the details from the one-armed man.

"He's seven. About this tall. With large hands." The frantic father said.

According to the father, the boy was only up to his knees. Otto heard all he needed to hear and headed back out into the fray. Kallen was still fighting in the village alongside several brave residents. Kallen put him in charge of the evacuation. It was his duty to make sure all of the weak villagers made it safely to the shelter.

"Stay put I'll bring him back."

Sprinting at his top speed, Otto quickly reached the village within a few minutes. The fight was dire. A few of the individuals that stayed behind to fight were terribly injured and Kallen was doing her best to protect them. Otto uncorked a canister and removed the injured from the battlefield under the cover of smoke. He was tempted to bring out his Mimicry but he knew he couldn't. Kallen had grown more unstable after her their clash with their pursuers. She clung to him more and made sure he was by her side at every moment. Otto couldn't deny that it was draining. He also knew he had missed the opportunity to tell her everything. If he did so she would shatter like glass and the world would witness the fall of its greatest star.

"Why are you here?"

Kallen registered the smoke that covered the field. She forced him to evacuate with the villagers and hid it under the guise that he would be their protection. It was frustrating to see him put himself in harm's way.

"A child got left behind. I need to find him."

Kallen wanted to berate Otto for having such intentions but the Knight Class beasts she was fighting charged at her. She concentrated and vaulted over its lance. Its head fell to the crippled ground. Kallen steadied her glaive that hummed with power. She was using her adaptability to draw out its strength. She never relied on a weapon so heavily in her life.

Kallen landed heavily on her feet and raised her head to see two more Knight Class beasts taking the place of the one she had just fell. Their attack was timed perfectly and she only block their charge. Otto tensed as he prepared another tool in his arsenal, a device that was similar to a primitive bola only more compact. It was designed with thin steel wires and he reserved its use for Honkai beasts only.

But Kallen didn't need his help. Otto couldn't see too clearly as the moon covered the clouds but Kallen held her ground. After the clash, the two Knight class beasts fell despite no injuries. Maybe Otto was seeing things but a thin dark haze seemed to emanate from her body.