Honkai Impact: Road To Nagazora

Chapter 21: A White Star

"Mei............" Said Alex.

"None of those were your fault Mei." Said Tesla.

Mei simply had a soft smile as she looked up.

"I appreciate the encouragement you two, but I can't go on like this. Not anymore. I can't keep lying to myself. Kiana's presence helped me forget about the painful past, loneliness, and confusion. When she was gone, I had realized that nothing changed at all. I............I haven't changed at all. My inability to change led to our separation. It's led to what we're dealing with today. She's always protected me, but I've failed to do the same back. I hate myself. I can't go on like this. I need to accept the fact that I lack the power to protect her. Accepting this won't mean I'll give up. It'll make me see things more clearly. I have to make sacrifices to bring her more. I'll face anything. I don't care if I'm walking directly into a trap or set up against a deadly enemy because I know this is the only way I can protect Kiana."

After spilling her heart, Alex had already been convinced as he stood up and held a fist out towards her.

"Go and show Raven you aren't just a girl. Show her who Mei Raiden really is." He said with a confident smile.

Mei had a shocked face and nearly broke into tears but quickly regained her composure and returned it back as she nodded.

"We agreed on not falling back didn't we? You, Kiana, and Bronya have all taken that next step forward. Now it's my turn. I won't fail. I can't fail." She said with a smile.

Mei would then leave the Helios and made her way over to where Raven was which would leave Alex and Tesla on their own.

"Call me when she gets back. I'll go check on the children." Said Alex, nearly about to leave until she stopped him.

"Hold it. I've been meaning to have some alone time with you so I can inform you on something important." She said.

"Hm? What's up?"

"Have a seat first." She said as Alex would sit down.

"Answer me honestly okay? How long have you had your sword?"

"Huh? Weird question to ask but uh, just before I started working as a merc. Raven had found it on one of her many expeditions. She had no clue what it could do but handed it to me since I found its design cool."

"Okay. Do you know what it can do?"

"Well, as of now I know it can emit fire. I can release it as a fireball or use it to envelop a small flame at the tip of the sword itself and attack in a circular motion for a flame slash. Back when I was in the Siberia Simulation, seeming Siegfried in action with the Judgment of Shamash gave me the idea to channel the flames and envelop the whole blade itself. While I can do that, I can't really increase the potency and heat all that much. My arms give out quick."

As Alex said that Tesla remained silent for a while, seemingly thinking to herself before speaking.

"You really know absolutely nothing huh?" She said.

"H-Huh!? What do you mean by that!?"

"Alex. There's something I negated to mention until now. Back when we first arrived and my scanner had picked up Mei's Honkai Energy, it wasn't the only one that was at our exact location."

"Someone else was there emitting energy?"

"Not someone but rather, something. That energy reading came from you. More exactly, it came from your sword."

Alex was shocked to hear this as he grabbed his sword and held it in his hands.

"This, gives off Honkai Energy? Then, why haven't I once been infected by it? I've had this thing for over a year now." He said.