"You can think of it that way if you want."
Xia Qi didn't confirm or deny, just looked at Kiana with that same steady calm.
"That's not an answer! Just tell me straight!"
The dodge made Kiana snap. She shouted, her hands balling into tight fists.
"You want to know? Then beat me."
Xia Qi raised her own fists, settling into a simple, ready stance.
"The day you beat me, I'll tell you everything. Until then, hold onto that feeling—the one that scares you about what's coming—and keep fighting me, Kiana Kaslana."
"Just wait—I'll knock your teeth out!"
Kiana charged, a storm of anger and raw power.
Their usual sparring match started up again. And like always, Xia Qi didn't hold back, her moves getting sharper, her hits harder with every round.
In the dream ruins, the thuds of impact and Kiana's choked-off grunts of pain filled the air.
Another half hour later, Kiana slammed into a broken wall and slid down. She pushed herself up right away, wincing as she touched her sore side, then glared at Xia Qi, cheeks puffed out.
"Are you really me?"
"Yes."
Xia Qi didn't press the attack, letting her catch her breath.
"Then why are you hitting so hard?! If I get hurt, doesn't it hurt you too?!"
"…"
Xia Qi was quiet for a second, her eyes turning colder.
"Kiana. Look around."
"Huh?"
Kiana blinked, then really looked.
The scene was familiar by now—shattered buildings, burned-out wreckage, those giant mech bodies.
"These… are the people who died here. Civilians. Soldiers. Valkyries. Kids."
Xia Qi's voice was quiet as she stepped closer.
Kiana's eyes went wide.
"Wait… these aren't just… made up?"
"They're not real right now. But they're the last thing I remember of them."
In Xia Qi's mind, the memories came up—faces of people who'd fought, struggled, and died.
"Right by your left foot is Brynne Kaslana. Captain of Schicksal's European advance team. Our cousin."
Kiana's head snapped around, staring.
"Thirty meters behind you, next to that wrecked Titan… that's Kristina Schariac. Our aunt.
At the central command post, melted into the steel… that was the commander. His name was Fario Apocalypse. Theresa is your aunt, so he's… kind of family. He didn't like me much. But in the end… he made sure I got the only way out. Made me swear… to change everything.
I swore I would. But… the world I remember… it's gone now."
"…"
The color drained from Kiana's face. Her eyes moved over the ruins, over the black outlines, and something awful started to sink in.
"Kiana."
Xia Qi stood in front of her, voice flat.
She could become any Valkyrie. That meant she carried all their memories—the ones the game never showed, the names only mentioned in old reports.
This wasn't a game anymore.
"They all stayed here. They fought to save this city. And the city still fell. Millions of people died here. The ash in the air… every speck was someone.
And you, Kiana… have you ever really seen it?
What do you think the Honkai is? What do you think a life is?"
Under Xia Qi's stare, Kiana started to shake.
Behind Xia Qi, the fallen figures seemed to move. They looked like they had when they were alive.
Kiana saw them—boys and girls with silver hair and blue eyes like hers. Older relatives. Valkyries in broken armor, holding shattered swords. Normal soldiers with guns that could only make useless sparks against Honkai beasts.
And the civilians. Men, women, old people, kids. All looking right at her.
The kids stared with wide, curious eyes, holding their parents' hands, their clothes dirty.
They were all watching. Some looked worried. Some encouraging. Some didn't care. Some looked at her with pure scorn.
"This… is what real pain feels like, Kiana."
Xia Qi said it softly. Then, all the illusions vanished.
Kiana stood there alone, shaking hard, eyes wide.
"Let's stop here for today."
The dream started to break apart.
"The future is worse than you can imagine… Maybe I shouldn't have shown you this yet. Mei would be mad at me…"
"Wait—!"
Kiana jerked, desperate to ask what happened to Mei.
But she sat up with a gasp, and the weak light of dawn was already coming through the window. She stared at her own outstretched hand, then at the brightening sky outside.
"Mmm… Foolish Kiana, why are you awake?"
Bronya sat up in her own bed, rubbing her eyes sleepily before giving Kiana a flat, slightly confused look.
"Did you have a bad dream?"
"…"
Kiana slowly put her hand down, her face still pale.
"N-no."
Outside their door, the soft click of the bathroom door sounded. Light, familiar footsteps—Mei's—headed toward the kitchen. She was probably starting breakfast.
"Does Bronya need to get you excused from class?"
Bronya hopped out of bed, walked over to Kiana's bedside, stood on her toes, and pressed the back of her hand expressionlessly against Kiana's forehead.
"I'm fine."
Kiana shook her head, then gave Bronya her usual, brilliantly silly smile. "I'm not sick. I didn't know Bronya cared so much~ Besides… it's the first day. Can't skip that."
"…"
Bronya tilted her head. She looked out the window at the rising sun, then back at Kiana's bright, beaming face. After two full seconds of complete silence, her blank face settled into an expression of total certainty:
"Foolish Kiana is definitely sick. A bad fever. She's talking nonsense. Do not worry. Bronya will fix it."
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A/n: New content and Story posted on my patreon go check it out!
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