Being a Valkyrie is not easy [HI3rd FF/ selfinsert]

33. A second Chance

~Narrator POV~

While the Herrschers were on the moon dealing with Hare and Kevin, someone on Earth made their way to the Elysian Realm to escape Project Stigma. ,,Well, seriously... Kevin is crazy," the woman muttered. On the way to the Elysian Realm, the woman found the necklace that Yuki had left behind. She knew the necklace. ,,So you were really here...'' smiled the woman with distant memories. She picked up the necklace and continued her way. 

What she didn't expect, however, was to encounter the flame chasers. At least the ones who were in the lobby. ,,Oh my... I didn't think we'd get another visitor so soon," smiled the pink-haired elf. ,,Uhh..." was the perplexed answer the woman gave. ,,Come and sit down," said the pink-haired girl, pulling her along. Due to the sudden movement, the necklace she had found fell out of her pocket. ,,Isn't that Yuki-san's necklace?" asked the Eden. ,,You know her?" the woman asked in surprise. She only knew the rumors that she was at World Serpent, but not that she was allowed to enter the Elysian Realm. Eden and Elysia smiled. ,,Of course we know her. How could we forget her?" replied the singer. ,,Are her and Mei still here?" asked Elysia excitedly. ,,No, unfortunately they are not. But I should introduce myself first. My name is Catania.'' ,,Wahh what a pretty name.'' enthused Elysia. ,,You are Elysia, aren't you?" Catania asked knowing. ,,That's right. How do you know that?'' ,,Kevin mentioned you once," Catania answered with a bitter expression. ,,Are you okay, Catania-san?" asked Eden, noticing the dark expression on her face. ,,More or less. Outside, it's like... madness.'' 

,,What happened outside?" asked Sakura, who had now joined them. ,,Project Stigma. Kevin started it," Catania answered uncertainly. Sakura, Eden and Elysia didn't know what to say. ,,We'd better get the others to join us," said Sakura. Eden and Elysia nodded. 

Except for Kevin and Hua, all the flame chasers had shown up in the lobby. ,,Where are Kevin and Hua?" asked Elysia. ,,I don't know, I couldn't find them," Su replied. Catania didn't seem surprised. 'So you're already capable Yuki...' she thought. ,,I doubt they are still here," Catania started. ,,What do you mean?" asked Vill-V. Catania pulled Yuki's necklace out of her pocket. ,,Her. Yuki probably had something to do with it,'' she replied. ,,Where did you get that?!" asked a certain temperamental flame chaser. ,,It was in the tunnel that led here. I guess Yuki left it here as a reminder. She was like that before," Catanina replied, unimpressed by Kalpas outburst. ,,How do you know?" Sakura asked suspiciously. Her hand already on the handle of her katana. ,,Please keep calm. I'm only here because I want to hide from Project Stigma.''  

,,Tell us, how do you know Yuki-san?" asked Eden. ,,Well... I'm the Valkyrie who rescued Yuki from her orphanage back then.'' The flame chasers looked at the relaxed woman speechlessly. ,,If you're a Valkyrie, why are you at World Serpent?" asked Pardofelis. ,,Well... I don't know how much Yuki knows or has told you, but to keep it short, the overseer of Schicksal ordered me to leave so I wouldn't trigger Yuki's memories too soon. When I heard the rumors that she was here at World Serpent, I almost couldn't believe it. The overseer of Schicksal never let Yuki out of his sight in my time at Schicksal. That he let her run around freely in the world still sounds like a joke.'' ,,Do you happen to know where Mei and Yuki are now?" asked Elyisia. ,,On the moon," Catania replied, arms crossed. ,,Why?" asked Vill-V. ,,It's because of Project Stigma. I was Kevin's right-hand for a while, and I helped. From what I know, Project Stigma seals things it can't destroy immediately on the moon or in the Sea of Quanta. So Yuki and Mei could be in one of those places. And if they are on the moon, that would be even worse,'' Catania explained, before continuing hesitantly.

,,If they should be on the moon, they could have already met Kevin by the time we speak and are fighting.'' ,,What?" Kalpas snapped angrily. Sakura was quick and held him back. ,,But what about Kevin and Hua?" asked Aponia. ,,That's a little hard to explain. Our overseer, Otto Apocalypse, knew what was going on in Yuki's orphanage. He wanted me to monitor it for some time, since he knew that I had brought Yuki and another girl there, but I didn't know that the situation would end as sadly as it did. Anyway, Otto knew that Yuki was not a normal Herrscher. So he did his own experiments, not as painful as in the orphanage but still did some. From what I know, you created the divine keys in your era. When Yuki was a child, she came into contact with one, but to this day it has not been shown that she copied the ability. But I see that this has happened. Since Kevin and Hua are not here, it proves that Yuki only brought you 11 flame chasers back to life.'' ,,What?" gasped the flame chasers. 

,,I know it's hard to understand, but I'm not lying. I see that, except for the lights, not a single machine seems to be running here, and from what I've heard, you are, or rather were, simulations. Your data is projected by projectors as simulations,'' the ex-Valkyrie explained. ,,She's right,'' hissed Mobius, stepping out of the shadows. But she did not look like how Yuki and Mei knew her. She looked like a normal woman. 

,,Mobius... How?" asked Elysia in amazement. ,,Don't ask me. It happened when the two lab rats had left the realm and we defeated the Herrscher of Corruption.'' Catania smiled. ,,I think that's Kasane's work.'' ,,You know about Kasane's existence?" asked Su. ,,Why shouldn't I? When Yuki was very small almost a baby, she was always by her side.'' replied Catania confused. ,,Kasane was the Herrscher personality in Yuki,'' Eden explained. Catania's look became even more confused. ,,That can't be. When I brought them to the orphanage, Kasane was carrying Yuki in her arms when I rescued them from the forest where they were. How the two got there is still a mystery to me. Especially since there was a meteorite impact in the area." Catania disagreed. ,,Since we don't have an answer to that, what divine key did Yuki come in contact with?" asked Su. ,,I'm not sure. Otto had several, but I think it was the Abyss Flower. As I mentioned before, I had to leave Schicksal, but I think it was half a year after I saved Yuki," Catania answered, thoughtfully. ,,Is there anything we can do to help Mei and Yuki?" asked Sakura. ,,I don't know. If we leave this place that somehow withstands project stigma, we will be caught by it. We can probably just wait and see now.''

,,But back to why Mobius looks different. From what I know, some of you have had striking features because you were MANTIS, as Kevin had at least vaguely described it. Except for Elysia, I don't see anything like that on you.'' Surprised, the Flame Chasers looked at each other. Catania was right, Kosma no longer had horns, Sakura and Pardofelis no longer had their animal ears. ,,But what does Kasane have to do with it?" asked Vill-V. ,,I dare say that Yuki brought you back and Kasane made it possible for you to lead a normal life. Kasane had always spoiled Yuki when they were little. It's just too bad that Project Stigma is now in motion,'' Catania sighed. Because Catania had leaned back, she didn't see the grateful yet concerned expressions on the Flame Chasers' faces. ,,Are Mei and Yuki the only ones on the moon?" asked Elysia after some time. ,,No. I may not be an official Valkyrie anymore, but I still kept an eye on what was going on at Schicksal. Besides Yuki and Raiden Mei, there are Kiana Kaslana, Herrscher of the Void, and Bronya Zaychik, Herrscher of Reason. At least that's the last information I have. To sum up, in the worst case, there would be 4 Herrscher fighting against Kevin.'' 

,,And as much as I believe in the girls, they probably won't succeed against Kevin...''