Kaslana Oath

Chapter 3

Smoke billowed in the air. Fires spread with zeal as cities crumbled. Corpses laid upon the roads and sidewalks, some covered in debris or scorched from the aftermath and blood painted the entire world in its crimson gloss. He walked amongst the ruins, amongst the bodies, and amongst the destruction of the world. It was a hell on earth. No matter which way he looked, it was carnage and ravaged lands in every horizon. 

His legs carried him upon a path he could not see. He couldn't move in any way he wanted to, he was essentially a passenger in another's body at this rate. The only luxury he was awarded was the ability to turn his head and move his eyes. Four figures stood amongst the piles of broken brick and carcasses. 

Three were all too familiar, and the other was unknown but had a special bond with another. He could only watch in abject horror as the short nun rushed forward, the Divine Key of Binding shining with its spears and chains lashing out at the divine being, high in the sky above the mortals. 

She was the first to die. 

Lances speared her body and rays of light destroyed the relic. As he watched the light leave the girl's eyes, she laid there on the ground motionless as blood flowed like a river. He couldn't even move his arms to reach out to her, tears rolled down his cheeks as he watched his aunty die before him.

Theresa...

Next was the girl wielding an oversized scythe, one that seemed much too big for her to use efficiently. But her efforts were all in vain. She died with an arm piercing her torso, the divine's eyes glowed with a cold tone as she ripped the innards of the two-tone haired girl. Bronya screamed her name as the corpse fell with a dull thud. 

Seele...

Bronya clutched the HOMU doll tightly to her chest as Project Bunny manifested, shield and cannon loaded. She raised an arm and unleashed a veritable storm of missiles and concentrated Honkai lasers but the deity hadn't moved from her spot in the sky. An explosion ripped through the air and trembled the earth as the remaining humans turned their gaze upward. Golden eyes pierced the veil of the cloud as she descended within a blink. And erased every single atom of the human with a simple flick of her wrist. The HOMU doll landing within the arms of the raven-haired girl. 

Bronya...

Lightning arced and danced along Mei's body until her eyes flashed open with the symbol of the Herrscher of Thunder emerging within her iris'. The doll was dropped as a flash of light collided with the god, wings appeared upon her back as their battle began climbing upward and to the stars. And all he could do was stand there. Useless. 

It frustrated him to no end. He was utterly powerless. Weak. Feeble and afraid. 

Mei...

He collapsed down to his knees, looking over once more at the people he considered family and friends, dead. Picking up the discarded doll, he brushed the tattered fluff of the plush and gazed to the heavens. 

As light consumed the world. 

.....

Seafoam eyes snapped open with a start. Soleil felt the cold sweat that covered the entirety of his body as he slowly sat up, leaning against the headboard of the bed. He brought a hand up to wipe away at the grime as he discerned the trembling. It felt too real. The sensations were all too real. Faces of the people he loved, and the way they had all been brutally murdered. 

And the one that killed them all. 

He gripped the bedsheets tightly as his mind repeated the sequence like a loop. All he could remember were their lifeless eyes when their light was ripped out of them, and it had terrified him to no end that he wouldn't be able to stop anything like it from happening in the real world. He quickly threw the blanket over before rushing into the bathroom, keeling over the toilet seat as he heaved the insides of his digestive system out. 

The end of the world. The final Herrscher. GOD. 

Why did she look exactly like Kiana?

.....

"Sol. Hey, Sol. You've been out of it recently, are you alright? You're not looking too good from here." 

He quickly scanned around, the Valkyries each marching down to the arena one by one in order to battle against the simulations. Murata Himeko stood by his side, concern marring the redhead's face as she looked upon her previous student. He blinked a few time before looking back at the exams. 

"I'm alright. I guess I haven't exactly been able to get good sleep, might have something to do with the anxiety of not taking missions like I usually do." He lied through his teeth, keeping his eyes locked straight at the arena and not at the woman he was conversing with. 

Himeko knew better. He was always the student that would help others first and disregard himself entirely. All too familiar with his habits and methods, she decided that prying any further wouldn't yield much more until he let his guard down. And so, she merely nodded once before evaluating the students with a clipboard in hand. Theresa stood apart from them, yet caught the wind of the whispering as she kept her focus upon the simulation and its controls. Even Rita, who had been absent since they arrived together was peering over at the knight in concern. 

WARNING! WARNING! HOSTILE GENERATION SYSTEMS BREACHED! EMPEROR-CLASS BEAST CONFIRMED!

The S-Class Valkyries and Knight jerked to attention as the simulation created the likeness of a boar with enlarged tusks, white silicon skin and neon, pink underplating as it roared. Theresa was about to abort the systems until Soleil caught the nun's arm.

"Wait. It's Kiana's turn...let Mei and Bronya enter the arena and let them take care of this threat. If I'm right about my gut feeling, they'll be able to defeat it." His instincts had yet to lie to him. Soleil knew that the trio would be enough for the likes of Ganesha, but he still couldn't shake the intense urge to jump in there himself.

The nightmare had spooked him more than he thought. He couldn't help but recall the deaths that plagued his mind and the one to do so.

I have to let them grow stronger, for the trails ahead of them as Schicksal Valkyries. But at the same time, I need to be there for when they're at their most vulnerable.

I'll save them. I won't ever let their stories end like that.

.....

"So how'd you like them apples, bro! I told you that I'd become the strongest Valkyrie!"

Kiana's proclamation was muffled by the pizza that was still hanging off of her mouth, as she fist pumped the air. Mei, Bronya, Theresa, Himeko and Fu Hua had all gathered together in their dormitory for a celebration. To a successful year and their excelling grades. Soleil coughed as he stood up with his glass of soda, all six pairs of eyes on him. 

"I'd like to start off by saying how proud I am of each of you. Each of you have worked hard and diligently since you've arrived here, especially you three; Mei, Bronya and Kiana. Ever since that day when the Third Eruption hit Nagazora, I knew that you would all become wonderful Valkyries when I was assigned on that mission. Although, without naming anyone, some of us could stand to hit the books more." His eyes drifted to the his wayward sister. She grinned without a care in the world and peace signed. 

He sighed but the smile upon his face was ever so light. 

"But that's not what tonight is about. Cheers to a successful exam week and cheers to the bright future we'll create!" 

The party of seven threw their respective glasses high in the air with a resounding shout. Sounds of laughter and delight bounced along from the dorm and throughout the building as they celebrated with high spirits. 

Magenta eyes regarded the lit room as she peered within and spied on the occupants, each of them engaging in conversation and jokes as they recounted their own stories, especially when Soleil regaled his feats within the Immortal Blades. The woman smiled fondly as she watched the knight enjoy his time with his family, and yet, couldn't help but frown when the words of Otto Apocalypse rang in her head. 

Watch Subject-K423, as well as Soleil Kaslana.