Honkai Impact 3rd: Don't Die For Me/ Book 3 Paradise

Chapter 98 Paradise

<Koleston Church Square>

Overlooking the denouement of the masked clown, the sun shone ever so sinfully. Pollen drifted in the wind currents, causing few who knelt on cracked foundations of crags to disrupt silent prayers. Melded like a monument at the square's center stood the crow's black blade of the lost Clown. It was imperfect, with knicks, chips, and the telltale signs of inevitable weathering against heartfelt care but the sun's rays turned night steel into gold. A child no older than ten stood a hand's breadth from the hilt, white lilies in hand. They knew, of the thousands of people who visited Verse daily they knew. Cursed with knowledge, an accomplice in the clown's crime. They were one of two in the field of afterlife flowers left by the grateful, left by the blind.

A spark of red amongst the crowd drew the gaze of the sky. In her wake heads bowed even lower hushed wisp of whispers quieted for even she was saved by Verse. Kallen's eyes fell on the greatsword was too burdensome for an ordinary man to wield. The hearth's fire scorched lines in the steel that only she could see. Resolve of filled with the flames of Judgment that razed the square nearly a decade ago.

"Fancy seeing you here."

The crowd parted from the sword, the child left too. A playwright of renown and truth stood before the Holy Maiden. Their conversation was not for their ears.

"You lied to me."

Frost exuded from Kallen's breath but it did not linger. Shakespeare couldn't meet Kallen's eyes. Bright and brilliant were her distinguishing characteristics. The playwright never seemed so ordinary. The two women wore the same expression.

"Otto made you promise."

Shakespeare looked around, eyes in panic but no one could hear them. The risk and his sacrifice, she was his chief accomplice. Relief nearly cleansed her expression but Kallen spoke.

"It's alright if they can hear it."

"Miss," Shakespeare gulped looking at Kallen's eyes for the first time. They weren't stormy but dark, like clouds hanging over a cemetery.

"I admired you. You stood up to proclaim the truth against Schicksal. Your plays showed me that the order I served cared nothing for the people. But those very same people spat you. The last play I saved you from, you tried to tell the truth but I didn't listen. They never listen as you said people would scorn the truth."

"Those weren't my words."

"You might as well have tacked your sentiment in a decree across Europe."

"Miss Kaslana."

"I'm not here to see you today."

Kallen walked past Otto's curtain and the space that was normally occupied gallows. She retraced his steps. The guard on the right kicked his ribs here. A roof tile hit his head a few steps before. Her heart bled but she moved. A step over the stairs, a step by the brace of the doors. She nudged it forcefully pushing, reopening the doors she let shut on his kneeling body. If only it was there for her to come back to.

"I'm not fine, Otto."

Her voice was warm, echoing through the church aisle and pews. There was an older gentleman in the pews. He alone witnessed her confession. He knew what her presence entailed and he sat too orderly as if he was a man accepting his condemnation to death.

"Mr. Baker."

Kallen sat beside the baker not much taller than her. A good friend of her father, supposedly but looking back they were only friends because little Kallen adored his food. The Baker took long toutes from his pipe, a rare luxury he had saved for this moment. His erratic cough, consequences of having indulged in nearly a decade, claimed his composure.