Honkai Impact 3rd - The Interference

Chapter 66 - God Incarnate: A Tragic Reckoning

The soft crackling of the fire filled the air, the atmosphere was tense and it seemed unreal. It felt strange, not like real life. She couldn't quite open her eyes, but she could hear everything around her. Something was wrong.

Wake up,

Wake up,

Wake up.

Why won't you wake up?

The fire crackles louder, the air is hot and the atmosphere becomes more tense. Something or rather, someone is here.

Wake up.

As the girl slowly opened her eyes, the surrounding darkness seemed to stretch infinitely in every direction. She felt like a tiny ant in the midst of an endless void, with no way of knowing whether she was alone or if something sinister was lurking in the shadows nearby. Her heart beating faster, she struggled to speak, but as she tried, it was as if her lips were glued together, rendering her voiceless. The feeling of helplessness and confusion grew with each passing moment, leaving her trapped in a nightmare from which she feared she might never wake.

"..."

She tries to move her hand, but the cold metal of the chain keeps it rooted to the wall. Looking up, she realizes the chain extends up into the darkness of the ceiling. A frown appears on her face and she lets out a defeated sigh, realizing that her imprisonment was much more serious than she initially thought.

Feeling completely trapped and without hope, the girl decided to look around her surroundings once more to get a better sense of where she might be. However, she soon realized that her surroundings felt entirely unearthly, as if she had been transported to a place that no living thing should ever be. The only sounds she could hear were the occasional wailing of the wind, but even that seemed surreal to her, making her question whether she was truly in a different world entirely.

The girl's powers felt as if they had been restrained, and she was unable to control them in any way. Her body felt numb and powerless, her strength utterly sapped by an unseen force. "Great..." she said weakly, feeling a heavy sense of despair wash over her.

"I must say, I didn't expect you to wake up this early, but what can I say?" A voice caught her off guard as she quickly turned towards its source. "You are the bearer of The Herrscher Of Thunder core, after all."

Noah, with his usual crow mask, stood not too far from Raiden Mei, engrossed in his work at a table. It was a miracle how Mei hadn't noticed him, even after thoroughly scanning her surroundings just a moment ago.

"Noah," Mei's expression turns grave as she confronts her adversaries. Attempting to break free, she's harshly reminded of her chained restraint and the frustrating limitation on her powers. In a cold tone, she questions Noah, "What is your goal?"

Noah responds with calm indifference, "Such a predictable query, could you be any less original?" His nonchalant remark only deepens Mei's irritation.

Haunted by memories of Noah's actions, Mei can't forget the suffering inflicted upon someone dear to her. In a stern warning, she declares, "Leave Wan be."

"Even in desperate times, your thoughts linger on him. It's quite impressive how much affection people have for that boy," Noah remarked in a hushed tone, a hint of sarcasm woven into his voice. "But if I were in your shoes, I'd be more concerned about self-preservation."

"I have no fear for myself, and you don't intimidate me," Mei declared defiantly. "Considering the actions you've taken against Wan and the words you've spoken to him, I could care less about myself now."