Chapter 64: Chapter 58: Fate is Cruel
Mei, Mobius, and Ein were looking intensely at a screen as Metatron has finally sequenced a honkai beast's genes.
They found out that Kevin was compatible with Parvati, and the fruit of their labors will finally be harvested.
"I wonder, can he even survive this procedure? Mei." Mobius asked, not expecting an answer.
"He has greater chances now, Ein made it much safer by modifying the genes for normal humans and deactivating it. Making them be able to assimilate it better." She said with complete trust in the procedure.
"Well, let's see. I really don't wanna do this, but we certainly need more powerful soldiers. The suits and mechs just won't cut it." He added his thoughts.
The genes were finally ready for the procedure as they heard Metatron. "Creator, there is at least an 80% chance that the test subject Kevin would survive and assimilate the genes if it's inactive."
Mobius grinned and licked her lips. "Then, we should just get on with it. We're wasting time, he should combine with the genes as soon as possible!" She excitedly told them.
"Of course, Mei. Call Kevin, we've simulated it millions of times. And tested on animals as well, they had at least 90% survival rate. Lady luck is all that's left." He quickly concluded.
Mei nodded and called him. "This is all on you Kevin, grit your teeth. And persevere, we've done everything we could." She said to herself to calm herself down.
Kevin entered the lab and was already in a suit to enter the testing capsule. "Okay... Give it to me, I'll survive no worries. Mei." He said with conviction as he was ushered into the tank.
It filled with water and mechanical arms started to move. He looked at them for a short time and closed his eyes. "CM-001, Meta-morph surgery. Commence, inject the ICHOR (Intra-Chromosomal Honkai Gene Repeats.) We'll make a MANTIS today. (Massively Augmented Neo-tech Integrated Soldiers).
And as the procedure was about to begin. A siren blared on the whole base. "This is not a drill, the 7th honkai eruption has begun. I repeat, this is not a drill."
Ein frowned deeply and the others went wide eyed with shock. "But how!? Prometheus said that it would still be a couple of months more! And it hasn't failed yet." Mei shouted from the surreal phenomenon.
"Continue everything here, I'll intercept the herrscher. I have the 5th and 6th divine key as additional weapons, I can handle this. Trust me." He ran as he quickly prepared for sortie.
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Earlier, Australia. Sydney Grand Opera House.
"Himeko, this is the 1st time someone from my friends ever heard me live. We should tease Ein once we see him again." Eden chuckled, as she planned to give him a hard time.
Himeko giggled. "Yeah, now that I think about it. I am the 1st huh? Let's prank him, I want to see his face when we tell him this." She thought about his reaction.
"Sit tight okay? This would take quite some time. And don't fall asleep! I'll be watching you closely." Eden squinted her eyes at Himeko.
She put her hands up in surrender. "Geez, alright already. Go get them tiger, I'll be watching your performance okay?" She smiled as Eden went to the back stage to prepare.
Everyone is now snug in their seats and prepared for Eden's concert, as she appeared on the stage. "Hello everyone. Shall we begin? This song means a lot to me, as it's made by a special person."
The music started as it softly started. The melody of the piano caressed the audience. She sang the lyrics softly at first and after a minute, her voice resounded in the whole venue as she sang in a fictional language, but it elicited strong emotions in the audience.
"Thank you for listening to See You in the Next World." She slightly bowed as she prepared for the next songs and pieces.
(Listen to the song, it's honestly good.)
Himeko listened to the music intently as her head started to ache. *Do you know what that music means? It's sadness and a tearful goodbye. Like what almost happened to him just a few months ago.*
She heard it again. As her head throbbed and ached. Standing up, she slowly went outside the building.
*Why not make a new world? Why do we have to see him in the next one!? Do we deserve less!? No! We can make it! Shape it to our own desires! So burn it! Burn everything to the ground, leave nothing behind but our family! SET THIS WORLD ABLAZE!*
Himeko's tattoo started to glow a deep red as her surroundings started to combust. "You're right. These people don't deserve our effort! I will create a new world, where we could live in eternal peace!" With her as the center, the air was alight like a match. Burning everything it touches, as the 7th honkai eruption started.
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"Mei, location of the herrscher?" He was flying like a blur as he created shockwaves during his flight.
"Ein... It's." She went silent as she hesitated to say where the eruption happened.
"Don't play games with me Mei. Say it now, I need to take care of the threat, and line up our orbital strikes and particle cannons to the area now. Deploy the new mechs too, let Elysia lead with Hua." He quickly gave orders.
"Hah, the epicenter is in Sydney. And yes, that's where Eden and Himeko are right now." She bit her lips as she clenched her fists tightly.
His pupils dilated and his mind raced. He overloaded his body with honkai energy and raced to the location, as he smouldered from the speed he was going. Looking like a small red comet.
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While Eden was about to start the 3rd song. A big commotion happened outside. "Everyone, please calm down and exit through the appointed locations." She quickly gave instructions with her mic as she assessed the situation.
When she was about to exit as well, a bright light emitted and everything was razed to the ground in a grand display of flames and destruction.
Fortunately, the opera house was near the Sydney harbour as she was thrown off to the waters, saving her from certain doom.
She saw a woman with dark red hair. Spewing fire everywhere as the surroundings burned to ashes.
"Hime-ko?" She saw her silhouette and was shocked to her core. Thinking that she needs to evacuate, she immediately went to the other direction and swam with her life on the line.
"Ohh? Eden. My sister, in all but blood. Come here you." Himeko spotted her and made her float near her as the flames died down and the heat went unnoticeable.
"You're a part of my family Eden, I don't want to hurt you. Much, so sit quietly inside the opera and watch me make a world just for us!" She smiled widely and emitted a tsunami of flames all over the surroundings. (Pic here)
Eden flew back to the inside of the opera as she almost fainted. "Ein... Come and save her... Please." She started to lose consciousness from the throw, shaking her head a little bit too hard.
Himeko then laid waste to Australia as she bathed it in flames. Moth was closing in quickly with Elysia, Hua, and Vill on their mechs as the vanguard.
"Quickly! Eden and Himeko are right at the epicenter! Ein will get to them 1st, but we need to escort them out as soon as possible!" Everyone else agreed as they quickly move to the location.
From the flames, 2 honkai beasts started to emerge. One was a crimson flame that had glowing orange eyes, it looked like a fire elemental. Except it was huge, and spewed out hellfire everywhere.
The 2nd one was black, it had red and violet highlights that looked like veins as it glowed and pulsed, resembling a heart that beats. It had pitch black, thick horns that jutted outwards to the sky, like a crown that pierces the heavens.
It breathed out a heavy sigh as super heated steam came out and burned everything in front of it. Then it spread its wings, as black lightning with red outlines and torrents of fire bathed the city with absolute decimation. The beast's red eyes squinted and looked around. Like a predator that's searching for prey. (pic here)
It soared high up in the sky, and breathed flames so hot, it could rival its herrscher. And the city was like a bunch of tinder. Blazing brightly as it turned into ash.
"Elysia, there's 2 honkai beasts that have appeared. And the other one isn't good news, at all. It looks intelligent, and far more powerful than Mahesvara."
The squad frowned with grave faces as they remembered that crystal monster, and the new one is even stronger?
"Kill the emperor class, the other one is a vipralopa class like Mahesvara for now. We'll send reinforcements as soon as we can to delay the draconic honkai beast as much as possible." Mei looked at Kevin, as he screamed in pain from the procedure. It was almost done, just a few more minutes.
"Aren't they together? That's suicide!" Hua quickly rebutted as she remembered that honkai beasts worked together. Especially the ones born with a herrscher.
"No. The dragon flew high up and proceeded to lay waste on any city and human structure it sees. Asura is still in Sydney, as it is pretty slow, but destructive."
They nodded at the information and quickly went to Sydney. Hoping that they could save their 2 friends.
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Ein finally made it at the opera house as he frowned deeply at the state of it and entered quickly, as he sensed 2 living humans inside.
"Eden! Himeko! Are you guys here!? Come out, we have to evacuate, quickly!" Himeko appeared while carrying an unconscious Eden, but she was floating.
"Hi. Ein... Like what you see? Now... We can finally shape this world to one where we will live in peace!" Her glowing eyes grew brighter as her surroundings started to smoulder.
He shaked his head as he saw her. "No, no. no no no no no! Himeko! You know that it controls you!? Fight it with all your might!" He brandished the 5th divine key. Ready to freeze her flames if it comes down to it.
"Hehe~ So you are still with them huh? Well, we could change that with a bit of force. You and me? Just like old times?" She smiled widely, then she floated Eden near him.
He sent an sos signal as he distracted her for enough time so Vill-v could evacuate Eden from here.
"No. You're not Himeko! You're just the will of the herrscher core. Stop it right now! I'll have to break all of your limbs just to take you home! Our child is in danger right now! Please!" He tried to talk her out of it.
"Ahhh, you see. Our child is safe and sound... It's being nurtured by honkai energy right now. So they'll grow up big and strong. If you take out my core? Then we'll die together, simple right? Just join my cause Ein, this is for our future." She gave out disturbing news.
He gritted his teeth as he tried to make a plan to take her without harming them both. "You will go back with me. Whether you like it or not!" He sensed Hua coming as he quickly but safely floated Eden high up in the air and Hua took her as she flew away.
"Leave it to me Dr. Ein!" She saw her captain in fire, but she was unharmed. As she gasped and slowed down for a bit. Please Dr. Take her back with you. Hua evacuated Eden with an anxious and heavy heart.
"Ohh? So that was what you were aiming for. You're too clever." She clapped. "But, we can fight now with all our might can't we? Well, I can."
As she raised her hands and a torrent of blue flames torched his location. He immediately dodged and slashed with the 5th divine key. As the flames froze and a cold aura bathed the surroundings.
She frowned at the display. "Tch, do you think you could win with the 5th's powers? I am the 7th. I am much powerful!" She roared as the heat and cold clashed.
Massive temperature differences assaulted the city, as one side started to freeze and turned to a tundra. While the other burned like hell, scorching and melting everything.
"Hahaha! I admit. That powerful weapon is pretty nifty. But I'm not done yet." She concentrated as he saw the flames started to turn violet. And it was pushing the ice and cold mist back quickly.
He unleashed to cold aura of the blade and slowed down the molecular and atomic movement of the surroundings. Resulting in the flames dying down quickly.
She probably has molecular and atomic acceleration. The very opposite of the 5th, good thing she doesn't know much about it. Or this city would turn into a bomb. He shuddered, thinking of her superheating the continent into a sun.
"You can't beat me. Give up and come back Hime! This isn't you!" He quickly maneuvered and tried to knock her out by decking her hard enough in the face to shake her brain. As the neck chop doesn't work in real life. (Duh)
He gave an uppercut as she flew into the sky. Looking kind of limp based on his observations. He tried to freeze her and defrost her back at the base, but she quickly gained her wits and grinned.
"Hahaha! I guess you really don't hold back! Well, let's do it your way." She conjured a circular flame that glowed brightly over her head, as she compressed it to a meter and threw it at him.
"A cruel sun? You gotta be kidding me!" He dodged it and flew high up in the air as he made a shield of thick ice. The miniature sun hit the ground as it exploded like an atomic bomb. Super heated plasma and gasses expanded and made a huge shockwave that affected even Elysia's squad.
"Holy moly!" He tried to find Himeko and enter combat once again. "You can't hurt me herrscher! And I can knock you out, I'm sure of it!"
She smiled widely and conjured a superheated plasma blade on both of her hands. Looking like a divine sunderer as flames melted the ground, the sea around them started to boil and he started to sweat from the overwhelming temperature.
"Hmm, let's battle once again. It's still for my love, but now, we're at odds." She flew quickly to him as they traded blows.
He had a black and violet sword on his left, while a blue blade of ice on his right. Clashing with her plasma blades as every collision spewed out lightning, ice, and fire.
"Hahaha! How do I do? You've taught me well after all. Master~" She swiped at him and a torrent of flames threatened to consume him.
He froze it quickly and slashed quickly with the other sword, trying to shut down her brain's electrical activity to knock her out.
"Oops, if I know what's your goal. You'd never hit me there!" She dodged as her new herrscher gem infused body rivalled his speed. But lost massively in strength.
Shit, she's using the flames as a propellant! I taught her too well. He then calculated her path and went in for the money shot. He hit her temple with the pommel of both swords as her eyes rolled and went limp.
Now! He tried to freeze her again but the herrscher got full control. "Kekeke~ Ahhhh, Ein... The love of my life! Why oppose me!? When I do this for our family! Foolish Human!"
He frowned deeply. As the herrscher made tons of fireballs that orbited her around like small suns. "I'll just have to beat you up!" She made plasma blades again and charged at him."
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Elysia's squad with 4 mechs was fighting Asura. "Take this you bastard!" She unleashed beams from all her weapons as the beast staggered.
Vill then immediately went in and fired her twin beam magnums at its head and supposed chest. Eviscerating the beast, but it quickly started to regenerate as the others gave cover fire.
"Mei! We need tons of fire support here for this guy, it's like intangible, and quickly heals up!" Elysia quickly made a comm as she fired at it relentlessly.
A thick laser beam then hit it from space and it roared from the attack. "Now! Hit it with everything you got while it's distracted!" Vill shouted and charged up their weapons.
They unleased an aurora of energy as it blasted the honkai beast. A massive explosion rattled their mechs.
They waited patiently as the dust stared to settle. The honkai beast looked like an ember that is starting to die out. "Vill! Cut it up to pieces!" Elysia brandished her beam swords and flew to the beast.
Vill entered destruction mode as they hacked at it like a punching bag. Cutting it up to pieces as it started to heat up again and bloated.
Vill instantly noticed as her psycho frame anticipated an explosion. "Hide behind me!" She retreated and deployed a thick shield that powered up and conjured a bubble of energy that enveloped them.
As the beast exploded with all its remaining energy. The air ripped and a massive explosion engulfed at least a kilometer. Making a deep crater as its remains plopped down to the ground.
The city block looked like a volcano, as molten concrete and steel flowed at epicenter of the explosion.
Vill's mech went stiff and powered down completely. Losing its glow, but relatively fine. "Phew, that shield definitely saved us."
The other squad mates collected the corpse as Elysia and Vill looked at the center of the city. Bright flames, ice, and thunder rained down at the fight.
"So the herrscher controls flames? He'd win this for sure, he has the 5th and 6th key with him." Elysia confidently said.
"Hua, come in. Did you evacuate Himeko and Eden!?" Vill tried to contact Hua.
After a solid minute. "Yes, I evacuated one. It's miss Eden. Captain... Captain is fighting Dr. Ein right now."
Elysia was confused. But Vill immediately caught on. "Mei! Show us the fight right now! Or I'll storm Moth myself!"
They then viewed the battle as they saw Himeko throwing fire balls of destruction at Ein and she was trying to cut him up with her sword.
Everybody gasped as they kneeled on the ground.
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"We've been at this for an hour now! Surrender human! And let me shape this world to our liking!" She had a burst of speed like a rocket. As flames emitted from her soles and sped up right at him.
He blocked her quickly, but her sword suddenly exploded. Turning it into a sea of flames, burning him up as he dropped to the ground. Making a crater when he landed.
His molten flesh quickly healed up and in seconds it was brand new. "Tch, this will continue on forever!" He tried and tried to incapacitate her.
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Mei was biting her nails as she looked at their battle. "Ein won't kill her. And the other honkai beast is turning Australia into a waste land." She saw it control 5 elements. Fire, ice, water, lightning, and a weird black lightning with red edges.
It was like a harbinger of death, flying around and raining disaster on the continent at twice the speed of sound. Fires spread all around as wildfires burnt everything to the ground, the place was like a big bundle of fire starter.
Ein was fighting Himeko for hours now. And Mei was out of ideas to try and fight the honkai beast.
"Mei. Let me at that thing, I feel that I could delay it enough for Ein to fight it." Kevin then spoke. An icy and cold aura emanated from his body, his demeanor as cold as ice. His eyes glowing blue.
"Are you sure? That thing is no cakewalk." She looked at him, as she calculated if he could really do that.
"Yeah, I can do something now." Ice started to appear on his body and surroundings.
She nodded quickly. "Take the last mech, you could arrive at around 2 hours with it. Burn all the energy and delay it as much as you can." She didn't show the fight with Himeko as she bit her lip. Australia will burn to the ground first. As the honkai beast rained lightning like a flint and steel on the surroundings. Making tons of fire all around the continent, and enhancing it with honkai energy.
"6 hours have passed since the eruption. And a quarter of it is already being razed to the ground." They looked at the fire themed seraphs and catapults wreaking havoc in cities.
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"You leave me no choice... If I have to turn you into a popsicle. Then so be it!" The azure blade hummed as it released a cold mist that froze the surroundings.
"Turn everything to a frozen wasteland! 0th power! Cocytus!" Sydney turned instantly white. Like an ice age happened as the sea froze kilometers deep. And everything turned into a popsicle, as he learned that Elysia and the others aren't at the vicinity anymore.
The only thing that was nice and toasty was the herrscher as her fiery aura fought against the overwhelming frost that threatens to freeze her.
"Damn you human! Why can't you just side with me!" She seethed with rage as her flames turned invisible from the heat. It went hotter and hotter, slowly overwhelming the surroundings as she went critical.
Heating up to at least a million kelvin, she shone bright like a star on earth. "You can't freeze me human! You'll be on my side whether you like it or not!"
He was blinded from the intense light as he shielded his eyes and focused the 5th key to make a dead zone in front of him. Where the heat and cold cancelled each other out.
His senses overwhelmed by the intense heat, he swapped the 3rd for abyss flower as he healed himself up quickly as well.
But then, he felt and heard a squelch on the lance. As he opened his eyes. The overwhelming heat, now a warm breeze.
*Cough* He saw Himeko as she stabbed herself with abyss flower right on the middle of her chest. He was in shock as he froze.
She quickly separated herself from the lance and ripped the core from her chest as she threw it on the ground. She smiled tenderly with blood on her mouth. And then fell to the ground.
Gaining his wits, the world was like in slow motion. As he flew after her and carried her back to the ground. As his pupils dilated, his breath quick, and his heart pounded.
"Ein... Forgive me. I made the most selfish decision. I took... Away our child with me." She coughed up blood.
He immediately used abyss flower and his power from the 6th to recreate her heart and regenerate her damaged body.
But the residual honkai energy and true stigmata resisted his efforts. Making slow progress as he froze the area instead, to try and save her with all his might.
"No. No! no no no no no! Don't speak! Shut up!" He fumbled as he concentrated, making abyss flower heal her up as fast as he could.
She smiled tenderly and held his face, as she kissed his forehead. "I love you Ein. Please forgive me... It's the only way, and I could only gain control for a split second..." Her breath quickened as her face turned pale.
"No! You'll live! You have to live! Our child is on the line! We're having a family! We'll live on and see them grow up! How about the others!? You need to see all the children grow up! Including ours!!!" He shouted as her breathing started to slow down.
"Hahaha... That. Promise me that you'll give them cute kids. And me some cute children to spoil as well..." She wiped some soot on his face and smiled brightly. "Until I see you... In the next world."
She closed her eyes with a smile and went limp.
"NO! NO! No..." Abyss flower then started to heal up her body quickly as the stigmata and honkai energy left her body. She still emitted a strong warmth. Like a gentle flame.
He tried everything. CPR, electrical impulses to her brain and heart. Heal her whole body, anything. To try and make her breathe again.
But fate is cruel. And she has already passed.
His hands went limp as he stared at her face. Looking like she just went to a pleasant sleep.
He kneeled there with her in front of him for hours as his eyes lost their light. "Ein! Ein! Kevin is still fighting the Vipralopa class! He can't beat it! And he's losing! Badly!" Mei tried to communicate.
He carried her gently as he went to where Elysia, Vill, and Hua was.
"Ein! Did you incapacitate Himeko!" Elysia ran up to him and saw Himeko in his arms. But she gasped when she saw his eyes that were void of light.
Hua and Vill caught up and saw him hand Himeko to Elysia. He said nothing as he flew in top speed with all the divine keys out and ready.
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"Fuck! Mei! How much longer! I'm losing ground!" Kevin made a huge spear of ice and tossed it to the honkai beast. But it just bounced on its scales like some rubber toy.
"He's on the way... Thank you for your service. Kevin." She talked in a somber tone as he noticed it.
"Then why are you so damned gloomy." He dodged a breath of fire that came his way, freezing it as much as he could.
He looked at the draconic beast, but it suddenly fell down on the ground like a bullet. As it made a tremor upon impact on the ground.
Kevin saw Ein. His eyes glowed as he willed the white lance back to him. He stored it inside his inventory and equipped the 3rd in gauntlets and greaves form.
"Why isn't he killing it immediately? He has 3 divine keys." Kevin was confused. Then, he disappeared from his view and the beast flew away as it emitted shockwaves from its speed.
He saw Ein with his leg smoking. As he gasped from his speed and power.
Ein then unleashed violence on the beast. Kevin couldn't believe it, his grace and technique turned to overwhelming strength and violence.
The beast fought back and clipped him with its tail. Throwing him miles in to the air. He quickly stopped and went down like a comet, glowing red from the ignited air.
Kevin almost lost his footing from the impact as he saw a fight among beasts. Physical might that he still can't match with his honkai genes.
Ein then imbued lightning to his weapons as he threw a punch. Blinding Kevin from the thick lightning that blew a hole on the side of the dragon.
The dragon retaliated with a swipe imbued with the black and reddish lightning. Slicing him in half, as Kevin frowned from seeing him form himself like a damned zombie that regenerates.
The 2 sides clashed for an hour until the dragon succumbed from the wounds. He quickly stored it and flew away, leaving without a single word.
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Elysia and the others put Himeko on a stretcher as they stopped crying just minutes ago. "Hime-chan... Why did it have to be you?" Elysia put her hands on Himeko's as her puffy eyes teared up once again.
Ein then appeared and carried her again. And flew off, but more slowly this time.
After a few hours he finally arrived at HQ as he landed on his tree. With her on his arms, he walked slowly as he took out his grand piano and the seat.
He sat and leaned her on him like a lover that slept on her man's shoulder. "Hime, I haven't played something for you yet, have I?" He looked at her face and stroked her pale but still warm cheek.
"How about this one? I love this." He started to play Dearly Beloved as the melody played out and the quiet hill went alive with music. The moon shone on them as sakura blossoms fell from the tree.
He gritted his teeth as tears started to fall from his eyes. "Do you know what this piece means Hime? You hear the melody? It sound like a heart... That beats and never forgets the ones that the person cherishes. Forever living on their being." He started to cry as his vision turned blurry, but he continued to play.
He finished playing and talked again. "How about this one. I think it's a song that fits me well."
(Play regression by ayanga)
Too much of the past for one to memorize
Too many words remained for one to read through the lines
The ebb and flow of the crowd floods the world and paradise
Along the path of time
Every night brings a dream but the day, relentlessly keeps me awake
All the rest will be torn up whenever a choice is made
Every living soul in the fray striving for their own safe place
Life is too long to end at a grave
Just a drop of water suffices
Encompassed and swallowed through space by the universe
Back to the source
Gone are those years living for a reason
Here it comes the moment of the scene of lost and found
Personas played out on the stage
Will return to the self when there's a curtain call
Every night brings a dream but the day, relentlessly keeps me awake
All the rest will be torn up whenever a choice is made
Everyone has their own desire leading to the ultimate
Life is too long to end at a grave
Just a drop of water suffices
Still I wish to embrace the world with my thoughts
A eulogy
Time to leave where I have stood so long
Letting you go recover traces overlapped
He sobbed as he finished the song with a shaky voice. He carried her softly as he sat on the base of the tree, and leaned her on his chest as he hugged her tight on her waist and stroked her stomach. Waiting for the sunrise.
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Thanks for reading. Ciao as I have to heal up my heart.
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