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

Chapter 33 Dead Calm

<Emlia's Room>

Kallen's emotions were in pandemonium, pure chaos raged within her soul wiping all three intents away temporarily. She acted on her own will, impervious to the influence of outside forces. In an instant, Kallen flashed beside Emelia their eyes met. Icy blue and pitched jet brown. Fear, it shivered and rushed all over Emelia's skin leaving standing hairs in its wake. Nothing had ever given her a feeling like this. No Honkai beast, no person, no organization.

'I'm dead.' She thought.

Their brief contact lasted for less than a nanosecond before Kallen acted. Sheer cold hands clasped Emelia's free hand. Kallen jerked it away from Otto's face. Her eyes gleamed with unheroic intent as Emelia's hand froze over, with a little more pressure it shattered. In one graceful and hateful motion, Kallen ragdolled Emelia into the air. A gruesome crack rang throughout the Inn as Kallen's devastating kick connected with Emelia. In the next moment, Emelia was sent through twelve walls into the inn's alleyway.

"Kallen?"

Everything happened too fast for Otto to see but he knew he had been saved. But his situation, his trauma was the last thing on his mind. He tried to hug Kallen, to make sure she was there but he couldn't move his legs and nearly tumbled off the bed. Kallen caught him.

"Kallen, I thought, how did you escape? Are you ok? Are you hurt?"

His shaky hands gently but quickly caressed her face, he was searching for signs of harm. Kallen wore an expression of guilt and she moved to embrace Otto. She gritted her teeth as tears flowed from her eyes.

"I'm fine Otto. It's you who we should be worrying about."

Otto's voice was raspy from thirst and Kallen could feel Otto's weakness through his beating heart. Otto was born with a weak body. While he no longer needed medicine, he did need to carefully maintain a strict routine to stay healthy. Kallen's temperature returned to normal as she stood in the embrace of her Great Inventor.

They should have saved their reunion for later, though Emelia was probably knocked out, her subordinates definitely called for help. It was only a matter of time before Valkyries surrounded them. But they didn't care. For four days they had gone through their own tribulations apart from each. Now that they were reunited they couldn't help but stretch the moment of their reunion for as long as they could.

"I'm sorry for not coming sooner."

"You still saved me. That's all I could ask for."

A few moments passed in silent warmth. It was Otto who reminded them of the situation.

"We should go."

Kallen nodded. But she didn't let go of Otto. She needed a bit more time. Warmth surged in both of their hearts, wishing for this moment to last forever.

"Ok, we can go now."

Kallen released Otto from her embrace with reluctance. Otto's thoughts and hers came back to reality. Forest green eyes shifted over the room that was in disarray. They narrowed on a certain mess of papers and the pistol he modified. A brief clash between morals and desires played in his head. Otto walked towards the desk, a step or two before his legs gave away under him. Kallen caught him once more.

"Can you walk?"

"I should be able to."

"Get on my back Otto."

"Alright."

A piggyback ride, the last time Kallen had given him once was when they were children.