Honkai Impact: The Serpent's Tale

Chapter 11: What She Wants

Upon exiting the tunnel, he was greeted by a field with many flowers on the ground as standing in the center were the two people in question.

Owl, and the Herrscher of Ice, Ana Schariac.

"Owl!" He shouted.

The boy turned around and was shocked.

"Alex? How'd you manage to find us?" He asked.

The Herrscher would also turn around, seemingly ready to attack Alex as Owl stepped in front of her.

"Wait Ana stop! He's on our side." Shouted Owl as the Herrscher would calm down.

The boy breathed a sigh of relief as he turned back towards Alex.

"Thank god you're here. Getting past that Valkyrie defense force was rough. I need a huge favor from you." He said.

"What is it?" Asked Alex.

Owl would then walk forward and stand before Alex as he held both of his hands and bowed, uttering a request that Alex found unbelievable.

"Please Alex. For my sake, take Ana away from here and help her tame her powers."

Alex almost wanted to believe that Owl was playing some kind if poorly timed joke with what he heard.

"W-What? Wait hold on what're you saying?" He asked.

"Look at me kid. I'm falling apart even more and more as the hours go by. My body can't handle the cold much longer. This is as far as I can go for Ana." Said Owl as he looked back at her. "Mei Raiden would end up catching her if she continued with me by her side. I'm slowing her down. Please Alex. Take her away from here. I'll try and hold off Mei for as long as I can. It's the last thing I can do."

Alex heard the pleading tone in Owl's voice as he was pratically begging for his help.

The boy was conflicted as just couldn't leave Owl here to die.

Hell he refused to even consider that a plausible option.

"Owl. I understand but I'm not gonna leave you here to die. We're all gonna get out of here toget-."

Before Alex could finish speaking, the Herrscher spoke however shockingly it wasn't the usual mumbling grunts.

"Chen...............Tianwu......."

It spoke normally, and in Ana's voice.

The two boys were shocked at this as Owl quickly turned back around and approached her.

"A.....Ana....?" He said, still in disbelief.

"Chen......Tianwu...." She said again, much more coherently this time.

"A-Ana......Ana....you're finally back! This.....this is wonderful! You did it! You really did it!" Exclaimed Owl, pratically overjoyed at this as even Alex was surprised at this sudden outcome.

"Thank you.....for staying by my side......" Said Ana, giving a small smile as she spoke in a soft tone.

"T-That doesn't matter right now. Ana you.....you've finally defeated the Honkai within you....we can finally head back and show everyone that you're human again. There's no need to run anymore. Let's go! I'll bring you to the World Serpent."

Despite this clearly being a triumphant moment for Owl, Alex couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something else going on that Owl wasn't yet aware of.

Ana would simply shake her head no at Owl's proposal.

"No.....you've done enough already..." She said.