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

Chapter 21 Chance

<Streets of Basel>

The afternoon clouds drifted over the small city of Basel. Shades of shadow encompassed many parts of the city. Kallen was walking underneath one such shadow. The road she walked on was unique, uniformly circle cobblestone made up its surface. Weathered from the elements, each cobblestone tile showed its own shade of gray and red. Her eyes tracked her feet as she fitted them on each circular tile.

'It's colder here than in Koleston.' She thought.

If she turned a blind eye to the injustice within the church she would still be in Koleston. Enjoying the warm weather, visiting a dessert shop with Otto, or watching a play. A false life she didn't want to return to was left behind when she took Otto. He promised her another life just now, a life together. She would be lying if she said the confession didn't tempt her. But Otto knew of the atrocities of the church and even participated in them. Yes, he had risked his life for her and abandoned everything to keep her safe but that didn't erase anything he did.

'I want to trust you Otto, but you're hiding things from me again. I don't want to have my world shatter a second time.' She thought.

A small, uneven stone appeared in her vision and she absentmindedly punted it along the road. It rolled and skipped, ultimately stopping in front of a crowd of citizens who listened warily to a priest who stood on a preacher's crate.

"Faithful believers, the Almighty God has spoken through the ears of the highpriest once more. Sin is running rampant within our world and even the Holy Maiden has been coerced by the devil. Honkai beasts ravage the lands, feeding off the sin of humanity. It's time to commune, come to the church to pay off your sins. For a mere eightpence the poorest of yeh faithful believers can stave off the wave of sin."

The price was outrageous, the poorest of them were making only one pence a day. Even before the hard times, they could, at best make three a day. Discontent shifted through the people within the crowd but only one spoke up. A thin frail boy, nearly sticks and bones, orphan by the look of him.

"But good priest sir, I can only make half a pence a day. Surely-"

He stopped talking as he felt unspeakable pressure seize him. From the priest's unempathetic gaze the boy knew he had spoken against the church. Soon he would be labeled a heretic and whipped in front of everyone. But he was starving, his little sister was starving. He could not afford to pay the indulgence and his hunger guided his words.

"Faithful believers always find a way. Do you not want to be washed of sin? Protected by god from the wraith of Honkai? Don't let hunger speak for you boy, God is testing you at this moment. Say what is right."

Was this mercy? The boy looked up to the priest's eyes and saw a flash of sympathy, a way out. He had no choice but to take it.

"Sorry sir, I don't know what came over me. I'll pay."

"As you should, we all have to do our part."

No one stood up for the boy. To manipulate the common folk, Schicksal played on their fears and vulnerabilities. It was fear that prevented them from rebelling, it was a need for protection that kept them complacent. The priest finished his short session and headed off. His stand was left behind, he would come out on another day to demand money.

As the crowd dispersed a clean kind hand reached out to take the poor boy's brittle hand. Fear seized the boy, it fogged into his mind and caused him to swerve away.

"Don't be scared."

The voice was kind, angelic, and soothing. He turned to see beautiful blue eyes and a gentle smile brighten his world. Generosity, a scarce resource, was splurged into his hand as the saint showered a handful of coins into his hand. Pounds, shillings, not a single coin was a pence. He could feed and treat his sister, afford them an easier life.