An endless, frozen wasteland, whipped by a wind that cut to the bone. This was Sirin's mind. Xia Qi stepped onto the hard-packed snow, looking out over the vast, empty white hills. Her face was calm, almost empty.
"Tsk…"
Up ahead, Sirin stood with her back turned. Feeling Xia Qi arrive, she turned around.
"Human…"
She looked just like Kiana now, but the way she held herself—that proud, sharp posture—and those glowing gold eyes put out a pressure you could almost feel.
"It's been a while, Sirin."
Looking at her, Xia Qi's expression hardened. She knew all about the pain in Sirin's past, but that didn't mean she could go easy on her.
A sad start didn't wipe away everything that came after. Some things still had to be answered for.
"The Crimson Sage…"
Sirin looked her over, eyes full of mockery and a sharp, watchful edge—but no fear, no begging.
"What, did you come to finish the job~?"
Her voice seemed to echo in the empty space, bouncing back softly.
"Of course not."
Xia Qi's reply was flat.
"Then get lost. You're not wanted here."
Sirin lifted her chin, looking down on Xia Qi with pure scorn, as if she weren't someone who could end her, but just a bug that didn't know its place.
Xia Qi knew Sirin understood she wouldn't be killed. Since Otto brought her back, Sirin knew she was a pawn in his game. Until he was done with her, she was safe.
She could wait, gather her strength, bide her time until she could come back and wipe the world clean.
"Is this all you can do? Throw a tantrum in your own head after losing to a human?"
Xia Qi watched her, her own face settling into something cool and neutral, though a hint of a smirk touched her lips.
"Hmph!"
Sirin's eyes flashed wider, anger breaking through the ice for a second.
"Last time was a fluke, human. If you don't have the guts to kill me now, get ready. Next time, I won't hold back. I'll wipe out every last one of you."
"There won't be a next time."
Xia Qi's voice was cold.
"Is that so? But your little puppet-master, Otto, seems pretty keen on letting me walk the earth again. And you—you're just another sad piece on his board~" Sirin's mockery was sharp and free, her eyes picking Xia Qi apart like she was something under a microscope.
"…"
On that, Xia Qi had nothing to say.
Then she spoke, her voice steady:
"I came to ask you something."
"Oh? And why would I tell you anything?"
Sirin watched her, amused. She was sure she'd hit a nerve—too bad it was Fu Hua's nerve, not Xia Qi's.
"Because you'll want to know this too."
"…"
Sirin went quiet.
The mask of arrogant disdain slipped, just for a moment. Her face darkened.
"I want to ask you," Xia Qi said, holding Sirin's gaze. "Do you… still want to see Cecilia?"
"?!"
Sirin's face froze. For a split second, Xia Qi saw it—the confusion, the shock, and a deep, buried flicker of something like desperate hope.
"Hmph!"
But in the next instant, Sirin iced over again, her presence swelling with a crushing, angry pressure.
Her voice dropped to something freezing.
"You think I'd want to see that woman? The liar? The one who killed me?"
"Yes."
Xia Qi nodded without hesitation.
Sirin didn't answer with words.
Instead, two Void Lances appeared and shot toward Xia Qi.
They fell apart into nothing before they even got close.
"That woman is dead! Even if she wasn't, if I saw her again, I'd kill her myself! And you—you who dare to mock me—I'll make you regret it."
Golden light burned in her eyes.
"Is that so."
Xia Qi looked at her coolly. "The way you are now, you're no threat to me."
That got to her. More Void Lances flew in a wild storm, each one batted aside with a flick of Xia Qi's hand. Then, she turned to leave.
But she stopped, throwing one last line over her shoulder.
"When Cecilia comes back, I'll make sure to tell her exactly what you said."
"DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE!"
Sirin's roar of fury chased her out of the mental space.
Xia Qi knew she'd stirred something up—Sirin was so worked up because part of her did want to see Cecilia again. That hidden hope was the real reason she'd let herself be brought back. She just couldn't, wouldn't, admit it.
Because she was a Herrscher. And Herrschers didn't long for the humans who beat them.
Xia Qi didn't look back. The gap between them was too wide, like fire and water—they'd never mix.
Once she was gone, Sirin's angry shouts kept echoing in her own mind.
A weird, anxious feeling twisted in her chest.
She gritted her teeth, yelling to push it down, refusing to even name it.
"Why would I care about her?! I don't! If I see her again, I'll kill her myself!!"
Even as she shouted it, a stubborn, traitorous thread of hope wound its way through the anger.
Would Cecilia… the Cecilia who died… really come back like "that human" said?
---
After leaving Sirin's mind, Xia Qi waited quietly in the real world until Kiana and Bronya finally wore themselves out arguing and fell asleep. Then, she slipped back into Kiana's dreams, this time as the Herrscher of Flamescion.
"Ha! I knew it! I knew it wasn't just a dream!"
Kiana stood in the familiar ruined city of her dreams, her face lit up with victory. But the excitement faded fast into wariness as she looked around.
"Looking for me?"
A rip in reality opened in front of her, and Xia Qi stepped out.
"Yes!"
Kiana's eyes locked onto her, burning with fierce need.
"Tell me—what did you mean before? When you said I had to protect Mei and the others? What's going to happen?!"
"It means you're not strong enough," Xia Qi stated, her voice empty of warmth. "The Honkai is here. If you stay like this, you'll lose them."
"No way!"
Kiana stuck her chin out, that familiar stubborn confidence flashing in her eyes. "I'm plenty strong! Nothing's taking Mei or the others from me! And you…" She paused, the question she'd been sitting on finally spilling out. "You… you're from the future, aren't you?"
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A/n: New content and Story posted on my patreon go check it out!
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