Y/N, THE 14TH MEMBER OF THE FLAMECHASERS: An [Honkai Impact 3rd] Mini-Story

14.1. ELYSIAN REALM: THE ENGULFING FLAMES

The raging fire was consuming everything around its place.

There stood an individual, an imitating male.
Where the initial scorching flames were coming from.
She saw those exact flames when she was in reality.
Those red, yellow, mixed with orange recognizable flames.
Not only that, from her distance to the man, even though they were a bit far apart...
The heat was unbearable.

???: "Heeh?"
???: "A Herrscher?"

His voice was chilling even though it was burning flames out here.
That chilling feeling fell down her spine, yet she stood tall and brave as she introduced herself to the male.

Mei: "Hi, I'm Raiden Mei."

???: "Your name isn't important, Herrscher."
???: "And I'm not in the habit of remembering dead people's names."

In that moment, honkai enemies spawned around her.

Mei: "!"

He then came forward in between and launched his assault at the lightning Herrscher.
Mei was able to parry him along with the honkai monsters that went seconds before him to attack her.

Mei: 'Shoot, this isn't good...'

???: "Haha... Hahahahahaha!" He laughs maniacally.

In an instant, the burning fire got more furious.
There were several fire vortexes that came to life almost simultaneously, swirling within their one place.
With the burning fire around her, honkai enemies, plus the fire vortexes, and the mysterious Flame MANTIS coming at her...
With everything set in motion simultaneously against her, it was hard for Mei to move around all at once.
She had to be careful and be precise on where she needed to go.
She knew if she made even one wrong move, then it's over for her.

???: "Yes... Go on, Herrscher!" He raises his voice.

Mei: "..."
Mei: 'Just who is this guy...'

???: "This isn't enough!"
???: "This battle will not end as long as you're still breathing!"

It kept going, and going, and going.
Before Mei could deal with the Mysterious MANTIS, she quickly dealt with the honkai after her first before swinging her sword at him.
Eventually, he held her sword back and sent her in a far distance, from how they were before the battle started.
She successfully planted on the ground on her own two feet, which left two burned marks as she was landing through that whole facade.

???: "..."
???: "That's it, Herrscher?"
???: "Show me what you really got, let me know you're qualified to be slaughtered by me!"

Mei: "!"
Mei was able to dodge whatever 'that' was in time, but was also in a pinch because honkai monsters were also cornering her as well.
Just as she was about to move, that 'thing' appeared before her once more.
His ferocious and furious fire tornadoes.

???: "That's right, Herrscher, just like what you've done elsewhere—turn this paradise of strife... into a real hell!"

Just then, his fire tornadoes started coming towards Mei and the enemies indiscriminately.

Mei: "Guh...!"
Mei: 'I have to save my strength, this guy is tough...'

As she kept evading, she was also dealing with the wandering enemies at the same time.
She had to keep rotating from attacking to evading every single time the fire vortexes came through and cut her path.
The more enemies defeated, the more came through, like a repeated cycle.

???: "What's holding you back, Herrscher?"
???: "Unleash your true power and conquer this battlefield with your power!"

Mei: 'These honkai beasts aren't acting normal... but they're coming for me regardless.'

???: "So what now, Herrscher?"
???: "This is an endless battlefield, the path to Decimation!"
???: "No need to fuss over righteousness, just vent out your inner anger, leave everything, kill everything, and burn everything to the ground!!!"

...
...
...

...
...
...

Eventually, the honkai monsters stopped spawning, and his fire vortexes stopped.
The scorching fire was still around, burning more and more.
The more she stayed in that space, the worse the conditions got.
Mei found herself at a bit of a dead end, but she wasn't just going to give up.
She came this far and there's no way she'll just turn back.

Mei: "Enough of your tricks, come and get me."

???: "Get you? Hahaha..."
???: "If I wished to do so, do you really think you could stand here talking to me?"

Mei: "..."

???: "The name is Kalpas. I'm a MANTIS and the bearer of the Signets of Decimation."
Kalpas: "I forgot my rank.
Kalpas: "It's not important."

Mei: "Herrscher of Thunder, Raiden Mei."

Kalpas: "Ha, a Herrscher... when did the Honkai start to excavate civilizations it laid to waste?"

Mei: "I'm not like any Herrscher you know."

Kalpas: "But you're still a Herescher regardless."

Mei: "..."

Kalpas: "A Herrscher coveting the power of man... Laughable."

Mei: "I'm not here for power."

Kalpas: "Then why are you here?"
Kalpas: "And what does it have to do with me?"
Kalpas: "You pass my trial and I'll give you a chance."
Kalpas: "Simple as that."

Mei: "Then that trick you pulled before... was it a trial?"

Kalpas: "Hahaha, Herrscher, are you trying to irritate me?"

Mei: "..."

Kalpas: "I hate anything complicated."
Kalpas: "The purest trial is the most effective."
Kalpas: "You lose, you die. It can't be simpler.
Kalpas: "...Herrscher, do you know how many lives have fallen here?"

Mei: "I know I'm not joining them."

Kalpas: "Is that so?"
Kalpas: "Then, try you best to stay alive in the Elysian Realm, Herrscher. We'll meet again."

...
...
...

Kalpas: "Next time, show me your true wrath and maybe I'll be interested in testing your strength myself."