Remnant of Void & Flame (Honkai Impact 3rd/RWBY)

Volume I - Chapter II

"No offense Professor," A student spoke up, her brow furrowed in confusion. "but I don't see how that could possibly be enjoyable."

"Oh but you're missing the point, my dear!" Peter exclaimed, barely containing his excitement. "It's not about the destination but rather the journey! The thrill is like nothing else I've ever experienced!"

She turned her attention to Amber as the young woman began telling a story, her voice filled with mirth and amusement. She couldn't help but smile at the scene before her; despite everything that was happening, they were still managing to enjoy themselves and have fun.

"So there I was, surrounded by a dozen Ursa with nothing but my trusty knife to defend myself." Amber began, her eyes shining with excitement. "I knew that I didn't stand a chance against them, but I also knew that I had to try something."

"What did you do?" One of the students asked eagerly, hanging on every word.

"Well," Amber continued, her voice taking on a mischievous tone. "I did the only thing I could think of! I ran towards the nearest Ursa and jumped onto its back."

There was a collective gasp from the students as they imagined the scene in their heads. Celestia herself couldn't help but smile at their reaction; she had to admit, it was quite an amusing story.

"I know, it sounds crazy." Amber admitted with a sheepish grin. "But I figured that if I could ju-"

It was moments like this that made her proud to be a part of Beacon Academy. Even in the darkest of times, they always managed to find some semblance of happiness.

Unfortunately, their moment of levity quickly came to an end; their laughter died down as they heard the sound of someone crying in the distance. It was a heart-wrenching sound that tore at her very soul. She didn't have to see it to understand what it means.

'Another one died then...'

She closed her eyes and tried to drown out the voice. A futile effort, but one that she tried nonetheless. It was just another reminder of how fragile life truly was. She knew all too well the pain of losing someone dear to her, and she would do anything to spare her students from that same fate.

"We're going to die, aren't we professor?" A voice ripped her from her thoughts, and she slowly opened her eyes to see one of her students looking at her. The young man's eyes were calm yet filled with resignation, and she could see the unshed tears glittering in their blue depths. "We're all going to die here."

She could feel her heart breaking at the raw emotion in the young man's voice. She wanted to tell him that everything was going to be alright, that they were going to make it through this. But she knew better than anyone that those words would be nothing but a lie. And to lie to them now would be the cruelest thing she could do.

"I don't know." She replied honestly, unable to bring herself to offer false hope. "But I promise you that I will do everything in my power to make sure that everyone here makes it out alive."

It was a feeble promise, and she knew it. But it was all she could offer them in this dark hour. All she could do now was hope that it would be enough to see them through the night.

-----

She had always been proud of her ability to stay calm in every situation. She knew how important it was to remain composed, especially in combat. But right now, the pressure seemed unbearable, and she felt herself teetering dangerously close to losing her composure. With everything happening at once, it was hard to believe that things weren't already worse than they appeared.

"-ve bullhead had been sent to pick you up. Gather your team and make your way to the landing pad. You are to lead the attack and close the breach with your semblance." The voice on the other end was as calm as ever, but she could hear the undertones of urgency. "15 Atlesian Gunships have been loaded with ordinance and are standing by for launch. They will act as your escort and provide you with cover fire as you make your approach."