Lights in a Starless Sky - A Honkai Impact 3rd Fanfiction

Act 39: Phoenix

4:53PM: Training Room, Shicksal HQ

Even though the facility was full of Valkyries, it still felt empty for Durandal. She leaned against the wall with Abyss Flower by her side, staring emptily into the crowd of Valkyries that Rita was overseeing; the sound of clashing metal and heavy grunts was drowned out by the blonde Valkyrie's inner thoughts. Ever since Perceval's return from his exile, she had never been away from the Knight for more than a few hours at least. And after Hua's attack on Shicksal, she had been away from the Knight for a little over a week. It wasn't as bad, but she could still feel an anxiety eating away at her conscious thought; it made her start to think irrationally. Durandal heard her phone buzzing on the bench beside her, causing her head to jolt upwards and look to the caller ID; at which she smiled at and immediately answered. "Perceval?" 

"Hey Bianka. Sorry I missed your first call, I was sucked into my meditation." 

Chuckling, Durandal exited the loud training room and walked out into the dead silent lobby; leaning against the wall by the entrance to the dorm rooms. "It's quite alright, I just wanted to make sure everything is going okay on your end." 

Perceval sighed with relief, leaning against the floor to ceiling windows of the Selene as he looked out to the blue mountains that peaked through the sea of clouds ahead of him; the Taixuan Mountains only a short distance away. "Luckily, I didn't get an earful from Theresa. I should be at the Taixuan Mountains in about an hour, so I can fit in a little more meditation training after this chat. How are the Immortal Blades running?" 

Smiling proudly, the Valkyrie ran several fingers through some strands of her velvety hair; her heart still pounding in her chest because even though Perceval was so far away, his voice was so close. "Tahlia is filling in as Assault Leader, she's actually a really sweet girl. I assume she was told by the Overseer to taunt you into losing control." 

With a sigh, Perceval leaned his head back and looked up to the cold steel ceiling; tapping his foot against the floor as he looked towards the speaker on his phone. "Well that's a relief... I was expecting a real pompous girl, glad I can leave that thought aside. Oh and I should let you know, I'm starting to get under control. You know, with the whole Herrscher of Wrath. I've actually been talking with Angra Mainyu, seems she's in Charlemagne's position too."

"That's great, Perceval! But... Will you have it under control before you reach the Taixuan Mountains...?"

Perceval hopped off the wall and walked forward to the front of the bridge, looking out as the sun bled into the clouds: painting the horizon in a collage of blues and pinks. After a moment of silence, Perceval's voice rung through the phone. "I have to." 

"...Ich liebe dich, Bianka." 

"... Ich liebe dich auch, Perceval." 

The call ended and Durandal drew the phone away from her ear, sliding her phone into her pocket as she stood in stony silence for a while. Even with Perceval's reassurance, her heart continued to clench tightly in her chest; placing a hand over the cold armour of her Bright Knight: Excelsis armour. Durandal took a steady deep breath, attempting to steady her worried state: causing her heart-rate to return to normal and her breathing to become strong and stable. "He'll be alright... I'm sure of it." 

With a heavy heart, Durandal returned to the training room. 

5:15PM: Taixuan Mountains

"We'll keep the Selene in orbit, but we have to take it out from the mountains. We can't risk an attack with the Honkai Welt level in the area." 

"Roger that. I'll let you know once things have died down, Einstein."