The Eternal Blessing || Honkai: Star Rail Fanfiction

CHAPTER 1: The Anonymous

Word Count: 4,701

The red haired woman stared down at the letter residing in her gentle grasp. It was black, folded over with beautiful white writing. Stamped to the front was a purple wax seal of what looked to be a wilting rose. It was unopened, pristine, and curious... There was no tell-tale sign of where exactly the letter originated. The letter had appeared on one of the tables in the main cabin of the Astral express beside a black and purple rose. Other than its location, there wasn't a way to tell how it got there. " Himeko," an older man's voice, calm and collected, " What are you holding?" The girl looked up at the male, who pushed his glasses up with his middle finger. " A letter... It just appeared on the Express. I'm not completely sure where it came from. Are there any visitors we're unaware of?" she asked, grazing her hand over the wax seal. Welt shook his head, " No, someone would have seen them. Has it been opened?" Himeko tilted the letter ever so slightly, " The wax seal is still holding tight to the page. It hasn't been opened," The sound of the sliding door caught both the adults' attention, turning their heads in sync to see who was joining them. From the door they saw three very tired Trailblazers: Caelus, Dan Heng, and March. They were slow with their steps, still clearly trying to awaken from their beauty sleep. " Good morning," Himeko commented, a small giggle passing her lips, " Up late?" " March kept us up," Dan Heng replied, stepping down the stairs, followed by the other two. The woman smiled, returning her gaze to the unusual letter. The other three approached the red-head and peered over her shoulder. " What's this?" March asked, her blue-pink eyes gazing over the black paper. " We're not sure- well we know its a letter, but we don't know where it came from," Himeko answered, pushing her thumb beneath the wax fold. It made a soft click when it detached from the paper. " Well let's see what's inside," Caelus suggested, placing a hand gently onto the woman's shoulder as she unfolded the page to look at the writing. To whom this reaches,I have heard of your endeavors across planets and galaxies, of your successes in reuniting the people of those worlds. The trailblazers, I believe is the name I've come to know. I am no foe, but rather a friend or better, a client, who requests your help in saving my planet. We are known as Pimedus, a planet ruled by darkness. Since the death of our Aeon and the landing of a Stelleron, our planet has gone to hell. Creatures of darkness roam the planet, and while I love them equally, not all see it my way. The Timeless Sisters have foreseen the end of our world through what will be known as the Crimson War: A war fought between the living and undead of our society. I thought it would be eons before the war took place, but I was mistaken. Monarch, the current ruler of our world has set out her response to the call of the Hunter's Guild who desire her and the rest of her Night Creatures gone. Should you help, I will provide you with a guide, who you'll know when you meet. With her, you will encounter a number of people, including The Escape Artist, The Astronomer of The Rabbit, The Monkey, The Tiger, and a few unnamed specimens. I will provide what I can from afar, but for my safety and the world's safety, I cannot disclose anymore information. You will be greatly rewarded for your assistance. Below, I will provide the coordinates needed to find my planet, and I pray to Osmodius that help will come before we are destined to death. -Anonymous"Pimedus..." the artist put his index finger to his chin in thought, his gaze drifting off to the side. Everyone was quiet while he travelled through his thoughts. Then, it was as if his eyes lit up, his posture straightening as he came to a realization. " I remember this... Pimedus, the planet who's god went missing," he sighed, " The planet's residents believe that their god was murdered by other aeons for meddling in human affairs. Osmodius, also known as The Confidante. A minor aeon, rarely spoken of on any other planet," " You referred to the fact that their god went missing, as if the planet belonged to that god," March pointed out, gesturing her hand out before placing it back onto her waist. " Precisely. Pimedus was a planet directly gifted to this god. The residents were worshipers, of course, but unlike a planet like Jarilo-IV, the planet belonged to the god," Welt elaborated, " of course, there are a few other planets who worshipped the Aeon... but nothing like this," March frowned, " Killed simply for being part of their community? That seems harsh..." Dan heng shook his head, " Aeons are not to interact with their planets on the level Osmodius did. It often leads to disasters, and even wars as we're seeing now," Himeko leaned back against the table, her fingers gently tapping the edge, " And what Level was that, exactly?" Welt looked towards Dan heng, who nodded towards him to continue. " Osmodius had a mortal lover," Welt responded. Himeko, March, and Caelus' eyes widened. They were taken back by the information. A mortal lover? " How??" Caelus jumped in, crossing his arms over his chest. " Osmodius was known to walk the surface of their planet in a few different mortal-appearing forms, both male and female. It's not specified who exactly they were mingling with, but after the other Aeons discovered what they were doing, they took action," Yang slid himself into the booth, motioning for the other trailblazers to follow suit. Himeko slid in, followed by Dan heng, Caelus, and March. " Well... What does everyone think?" Caelus asked, giving a slight shrug. " I think we should do it. That planet may be destroyed if we don't help them... Hundreds of innocents dead because no one came to help," March stated, a hint of sorrow in her tone. " You'd be right. Without help, the world would be left to a war that ends all life on their planet," Dan Heng agreed, leaning forward onto the table. Caelus had his gaze locked on the table. Who was the mysterious messenger? How did it get onto the express? How did no one notice? Was there something darker happening here? A trick? He wasn't sure what to think, but clearly the planet existed, otherwise Welt wouldn't have gone on a tangent regarding it. He twiddled his thumbs; something was wrong here. What other aspects lie on this planet? A world of darkness? They must have gotten their name from somewhere... " Is it just me, or does it seem like there's more here we should know?" he finally spoke up, his eyes turning up though his head remained stationary. Welt thought about it for a moment, " Yes, there's only so much knowledge I hold regarding Pimedus. There was only the tale of their Aeon to go off of... The planet is so small, insignificant, that there are limited records of it. However, if what our anonymous messenger says is true, we risk leaving a planet to kill themselves. If something happens, we always have the express to fall back on,"The other 4 looked between each other in thought, then nodded along in understanding. " Alright, we should keep at least one person on the express to keep watch. Himeko, Dan Heng, Caelus, you're up. When we arrive at the planets location, we'll drop you in a spot of clear landing. Please, frequently report back to us," the older male turned to Pom Pom. " To Pimedus," ─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───The first few steps on the grass and gravel sent chills up the groups spines. The air was frigid, and the sky lived up to the world's name. It was dark, speckled in stars and a singular moon with a purple glint. It was eternally night, now and forever. The plants, however, continued to thrive regardless of the lack in light; perhaps an evolutionary trick to avoid the need for sunlight. There was something incredibly off, a thickness in the atmosphere that none of them could shake. It was disturbing... Ahead of them lay a thick wall of stone bricks, or at least a material with the appearance of stone. A drawbridge resided over a deep blue running river, where the bottom lay invisible. From the overhead of the wall, light, and hints of buildings atop hills were visible. On the farthest right side, a palace sat tall among the village people, likely where their ruler was... At the gate, two guards decked in black and red armor protected the entry, motionless. The group wandered forward, remaining cautious of the possible foes, as only so much was known about the people of this planet, and the laws they follow. Himeko took the lead, followed by Caelus on her right and Dan Heng on her left. As soon as their feet stepped on the drawbridge, the guards crossed their swords at the entrance, prohibiting their entrance. " Speak your purpose," the one on the right, presumably a female by her voice, stated firmly. " We came at the request of an anonymous messenger," Himeko explained, refraining from advancing. " No messages have left the kingdom in the last few months. State your purpose," the female spoke once more. Caelus looked between them nervously, " The person in question who sent us the message also stated there would be some people waiting for us," Still, the guards did not budge, " No messages have left the kingdom in the last few months. State your purpose, leave, or face imprisonment," They glanced between each other nervously for a moment, determining if they should leave or try to make reason with them. From behind the two guards, loud clanks of heavy armor became progressively more present. A black figure approached the drawbridge, illuminated by the light of the village behind them. Then, he stopped, his face just barely visible to the group in front of him. " Who are you?" the soldier's voice spoke smoothly, coated in authority. " We're the Trailblazers, we were requested here through a letter," Himeko explained, " We come from the Astral express" The Soldier quietly stepped forward, and the Guards raised their swords to let him through. He had black hair, resting almost messily by his right eye. His blue eyes danced between theirs' curiously before he responded. " Do you have evidence of this letter?" he questioned, his expression hard and intimidating. The Guards looked up at the figure in surprise, " But sir, what if it was forged? We have no record of any messages leaving recently!" " Quiet. You will speak when spoken to," he said harshly, to which the guards quickly shut up.Himeko reached swiftly into one of the pockets of her coat and removed the black letter, matched with the flower. She willingly handed them to the soldier, who seemed to be examining her. " You came prepared... Good," he stepped back towards the light and opened the paper. The air was filled with silence as he read. No one dared say a word for fear of damnation by the unnamed soldier. Before long, the male turned back to the group. " Do you intend to follow suit with the orders provided by this anonymous requester?" he asked. Himeko hesitated slightly, " We do. Our intentions here are not ill, we only want to help," He sighed, " This letter speaks against the Queen. By the law, any attempts to rebel will result in arrest. As the General of her Majesty's Army, I must request you surrender peacefully and follow me," He set his hand on the hilt of his blade, " The Astronomers are not present in the city, but should they make an appearance, they will be arrested just as you will be," Dan Heng had his hand lingering by his spear, fully prepared to draw it. However, Hemiko gently pulled Dan Heng's hand away from the spear. " We should go willingly, we shouldn't cause any trouble upon arrival,"Dan Heng hesitated for a second, reading into Hemiko before reluctantly dropping his hand back down to his side. The General nodded along approvingly. " Very good, you'll make a good case for yourself. Guards, procure their weapons and follow me into the city," he ordered, " Members of the Astral Express, I am General Altair of the Red-Rhyme Army. You will have the rights to a Trial by the Divine Court, where you will be tried for schemes against Monarch. Anything you say and do will be used against you. I advice you cooperate for the time being," he explained, but as he turned to enter the city, the sight of a young blonde caught his eyes. He was quiet, the two of them staring at each other for a long moment. The woman was dressed in a modest white dress, gold embroidery and jewelry decorating her person. On the side of her belt, a silver symbol laid visible to all. Caelus narrowed his eyes, trying to make out the symbol in better detail. As the lines began forming into shapes, a familiar icon became present: The IPC. " Are you going to speak or shall I?" she asked firmly, her face expressing nothing of her thoughts. Not so much as an eyebrow twitch... " What are you doing here, Persephone? We talked about this..." he muttered. " And I never agreed to that, did I? Besides, I'm not here for you. I'm here for them," her gaze turned from the man to the group behind him, and the two soldiers standing guard on the sides. " These are prisoners, my prisoners. What business do you have with them?" he asked, just as firmly as she spoke. " Those prisoners are rather important people, Altair. The Astral Express, followers of the Nameless. Do anything to them and I assure you no good will come of it," she politely set her hands behind her back. " So what? I'm just supposed to release them? I follow the Queen's orders, not yours," he scoffed, his hand resting over the sheath of his blade. The woman stared back unamused, " I'm not asking, I'm insisting. You've always been such a dog," " My statement still stands. They will be tried before the Divine court where the judges will decide their fate," She sighed, " Very well, lets not make this any more difficult than it already is," The woman walked past Altair, her bright yellow eyes peering between each of the members. With a deep breath, she finally spoke. " On behalf of the IPC, I welcome the Astral express to Pimedus. I understand that Akivili has once visited this world, but had not collected much information in its regard. On that note, It's understandable that you do not understand the customs of this world, nor the laws that surround it," she started, glancing between the trailblazers. " Persephone what are you doing?" Altair asked in a whisper. Only her eyes turned to look at the General, " I'm providing them with a welcome, unlike you who immediately planned to arrest them upon arrival. Where have your manners gone?" He rolled his eyes, turning away as she continued. " I do apologize for the lack of professionalism. You may address me as White Raven, I'm here as an acting Lawyer and bodyguard for Ms.Jade, who is currently in the city attempting to set up a meeting with the Queen," she bowed her head. " I am a Pimedus Native, or Pimodian. I am very familiar with the history of this world, as well as the laws that accompany it. If you have any questions, I'd be more than happy to answer them now before the General takes you down to the Courthouse," she stood quietly with her hands resting in front of her. " Why are the IPC on Pimedus?" Caelus asked, tossing a hand to the side in question. Her eyes trailed to the silver-haired male. She examined him, her eyes dancing about his person in a slow manner. She looked over the black and yellow, the way his gloves sat on his hands, and the color of his eyes which were quite similar to her own. " You must be Caelus. Jade told me much about you. The living stelleron, quite extraordinary," A very slight smile found her lips as she began to pace slowly back and forth in front of them. " The IPC have been communicating with Pimedus since the beginning of their Stelleron Crisis. The kingdom you are entering is the space which the IPC had cleared of corruption. The IPC is here to continue assisting Pimedus in their recovery. However, as a result of recent changes in Pimedus law, Monarch has put a strong halt to the partnership with the IPC, and we're here to fix that," she answered the trailblazer. " Enough talk, we must get moving before the trial begins," Altair jumped in. " Hold your horses there, puppy. These guests are new, they should at least understand what's happening," " They're being arrested, what more needs to be said?" Altair showed clear signs of annoyance..." Well for one, they should know *who* the Divine Court is, and what to expect," she replied. She brought her hand to her mouth as she cleared her throat, " Now then, from what I've heard you three are going to be tried for schemes against the Queen, yes? This I'm afraid is a terribly punishable offense here on Pimedus. Freedom to protest is rather...erm... limited. You will be faced before 4 nameless judges, who were once members of the Eclipse council, back when it still existed. From here, the case will proceed like it does on any other planet. However, as outsiders of this world you will not be provided with a jury of your peers," she explained, shutting her eyes. " You won't get very far without a lawyer, especially with your odds. As friends of the IPC, allow me to offer my expertise as a means to help your defense. In other words, I'd like to represent you as your lawyer," she suggested to the trailblazers. " I'm not sure how helpful a lawyer is going to be, Persephone-""White Raven." she corrected. " Alright White Raven. You don't even have time to procure a proper case for them. With or without your help they're likely to end up in the same place-" " Stop talking. You Yap a lot for someone who was just complaining about wasting time," she commented. " We'd like you to represent us," Himeko responded, " We'll... Take all the help we can get," "Very well then," her head turned to Altair, " As their lawyer, I hold the right to review their evidence," The General stared coldly at her for a long moment, but she never once faltered from her calm state. " The letter, general " she requested. Reluctantly, the young man passed the black paper to her. She nodded as a silent thank you, then pushed her thumb beneath the flaps to open it. She was quiet, reading over the letter. " I see... We will speak about this later," she closed the letter and slipped it beneath her arm. " Finally... procure their weapons. The trial begins shortly," the general stated firmly.The Guards were quick to collect their weapons, which they refrained from fighting against. Then, they too walked into the city gates. It was far different from the futuristic worlds they'd travelled to recently. Horses of different breeds rode carriages around the streets, their drivers in modest, linen attire. They stared down at the group with their bright red eyes, judging their appearance and whispering about their being. There was a discomfort, a wickedness to the dimly lit streets of the village. There was more to unravel in these grim surroundings, more to the dark atmosphere of this world. Caelus felt out of place amongst such an aloof atmosphere. Most worlds had at least been somewhat welcoming, but this... This was anything but welcoming. The group turned down a relatively empty street and towards a large, gothic structured building. It was decorated in colors of gold and grey, a clock of roman numerals chiming at the top. bars were in place of the windows, preventing anything from entering or leaving through them. Altair stood before the steps of the court, turning to the three trailblazers and IPC Lawyer. " Should you behave, you may be proven innocent," he lowered his eyes, " It is not necessarily my wish to arrest you, but outsiders are not trusted in the city. Once the case has started, you may plea and explain your position to the Diviners. They will determine how to approach your intentions. Please, follow me," White Raven leaned towards Caelus, her voice soft as rain, " He absolutely wishes to arrest you. Just stay quiet for now. I'll do the talking,"He turned to the stairs, " Guards, shackle our defendants. The Diviners will be awaiting our presence, along with our other Defendant," The room was cold as they entered the hall. It was barely lit by the fire light of the candles lining the walls. Dan Heng appeared relatively unconcerned, but the tenseness in his shoulders showed otherwise. Himeko was calm, collected, and relaxed, though she was internally on guard. Caelus looked between the two as they walked, but neither said a word or looked his way. Before them came an iron door, lined in golden and silver shapes which shined ever so slightly with the light of the chandelier over top. Altair pushed his hands against the door, the heavy metal groaning loudly as it opened to reveal a far more golden and brown court space. Sitting on the Balcony were four judges. Each wore a mask which covered most or all of their face, and black attire, making it hard to differentiate them. They were quiet as Altair entered the space followed by the trailblazers who were nudged in by the guards." Halt," the black male stated firmly, to which the general immediately stopped his movement. " Who do you bring before us, General Altair?" The short woman on the left stated, her cloak residing softly over her long black hair. " Miss Circes, I bring Outsiders who claim they want to stop the Crimson war, making it a rebellion against her Majesty" he replied, " I will allow you Diviners to take it from here," He began walking towards the door, where citizens piled in for the court case. The three sat quietly at one of the tables in the front, followed by the young woman currently lost in her thoughts. Was it common for court cases on this planet to collide? Multiple at once? It was certainly new for the trailblazers, but it seemed White Raven wasn't all that surprised by the ordeal...From behind a closed black door, a taller, pale man emerged in shackles similar to their own. He was quiet, seemingly emotionless. He didn't spare a single glance towards the group, simply followed the guard up to the podium facing away from the four Diviners where his eyes remained targeted at his wrists.The court continued to get settled, chatter occupying the space behind the trailblazers. Circes rummaged through a large set of files, flipping through with silent amazement at the crimes which this mysterious man had committed. " Quiet in the court!" The male at the center shouted. His face was covered completely, no signs of who or what was beneath. Quickly, the room quieted into silence, and the black male on the right spoke. " The following Diviners will be deciding the fate of the Defendant," he began naming the names, starting from the most far left female, " Circes,"The woman stood, her black hair falling gently over her shoulders as she bowed forward. " Dious," A quiet young man possessing a similar mask to the woman stood from beside her, bowing forward with a hand over his chest. "Myself, Augustine," the male in the center bowed in respect." And finally, Seshadri," the man with a darker complexion stood, but did not bow, simply nodding in response to his name. His eyes possessed a terrifying blue even the trailblazers could see from the table..." The man who stands before you is Magnus, an outsider to our world. Magnus has been charged on accounts of theft, resisted arrest, arson, assault, defying the queen, conspiring against the queen, and the list continues," He stated as he leaned forward on the balcony. " He has robbed a multitude of our stores from varying districts including potentially dangerous concoctions from Hallow's Edge. He has burned various monuments, which he states was done for 'fun' and for an 'audience'. He has injured various guards and high authority as a means of resisting arrest. He refused to comply with the Queen's order to leave Pimedus under the assistance of the IPC, and instead chose to decimate one of her statues," Augustine stopped for a moment, allowing for the information to settle into the crowd. " How do you plead?" The man stood quietly upon the podium, glancing between the people in the room as he hummed to himself. His black, shoulder length hair brushed just barely against his back, and his bangs slightly covered his right eye, giving him an ominous aura. His top-hat tilted down as he looked upon his wrists which were held securely in a pair of silver cuffs. He was terrifyingly calm, the same calm that Caelus recognized in someone he knew..."Magnus, how do you plead?""Guilty," he finally responded, clicking his tongue as he shifted his position, " Guilty on all charges,"He lifted his head, revealing one of his bright blue eyes. His gaze danced about the three sitting in the seats in front of him, all locked in similar shackles. A smile formed on his lips, and his eyes locked on Caelus who sat chained to the rest of his peers. " But I must point out one thing, my lovely judges~" he turned his gaze back towards the 4 judges who ruled over the Divine Court, then stared back at the audience with deviance behind his glare. " One very important thing you've all missed," Magnus lifted his wrists up to his chest so that everyone in the courtyard could see the silver cuffs latched tight to his hands; cuffs that may as well be cutting off his circulation. " And what would that be?" Circes exclaimed, her mask hiding the confused expression beneath.Magnus tilted his head to the side, his blue eyes locked on the trailblazer in the center. From his mouth, a small red key was pushed out to his lips, shoved over with his tongue. It dropped to the ground, clinging as it hit the equally metal floor. Then, he rocked his hands forward hard, and the cuffs popped off as if they'd never been locked at all. They too, fell to the floor with a clang. The court gasped unanimously, the air in the room immediately thickening with concern and shock. " I'm an escape artist~" he raised his hand, which held a small white ball of an unknown substance, and tossed it to the ground at full force. Smoke filled the room, causing everyone within the court to begin coughing. When the smoke finally dissipated, all that remained were Magnus' cuffs and the key to unlock them. The guards' eyes darted about the space, searching for the culprit who had so easily broken out of his restraints. The faceless judge stood quickly, slamming his hand on the balcony. " Don't let him get away!! Find him!!"