"Elysia?!" Amidst Mei's astonished gaze, the girl holding a longbow slowly approached, stepping on fragments of rainbow-colored glass. Sunlight streamed through the chapel's shattered windows, draping her in a soft, silken veil.
"Mhm?" With a soft hum, Elysia playfully tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and winked at Mei.
Elysia wore a white outfit, cinched at the waist with fitted cuffs—clearly a specially designed garment. More importantly, the Fire Moth insignia on her chest indicated it was likely a combat suit from the Previous Era.
Come to think of it, Mei had never actually seen Elysia fight. Since entering the Elysian Realm, Elysia had always acted as a guide. However, judging by how a single arrow had just nullified Aponia's attack, her combat prowess was clearly not to be underestimated.
"Why are you here?"
"Worried about you, of course! Ever since you entered the Deep End, I've had this uneasy feeling. Knowing Aponia's personality, I just felt you two would definitely clash. Looks like I arrived just in time."
Elysia smiled, stepping past Mei to position herself directly in the path of any further conflict between the two. Aponia had already been preparing her next attack, but Elysia's intervention forced her to abandon it. She narrowed her eyes, her gaze towards Elysia turning dangerous.
"Elysia, do you know what you're doing?"
"Of course, I do. Mei is my friend, and you are my comrade. If you two fight, I'll be sad no matter who gets hurt." Elysia raised her hand, her fingers lightly touching the bowstring. "So, I can only stop you both."
Unfortunately, Elysia's explanation didn't fool Aponia. She remained silent, the holy light around her intensifying. Clearly, not even Elysia could sway her decision.
"You must have sensed it too. If she leaves here, not only you and I, but the entire Elysian Realm will be dragged into destruction by her."
The Elysian Realm destroyed? What exactly did she foresee that makes her so certain I'll bring disaster? Mei frowned as she listened silently. If Aponia had said this earlier, it might have been an excuse, but facing Elysia, there should be no need to lie.
Just as Mei was about to ask, Elysia, who was standing in front of her, made a subtle hand gesture. Mei paused, then continued listening quietly.
"So many years have passed, yet you're still the same, firmly believing in the future you foresee. But Aponia, you should also know... the future can be changed."
"..." Aponia hesitated, a complex emotion entering her voice. "The future can indeed be changed... but she is not you."
Looking at the familiar girl, Aponia's thoughts drifted. Tens of thousands of years ago, civilization gradually crumbled under the Honkai's onslaught. The threat of death loomed over everyone, causing the warriors' morale to plummet in the later stages.
Seeking hope for civilization, Aponia had exhausted her life's power to finally glimpse the threads of fate.
She desperately searched the tangled pathways for a glimmer of hope for survival. Yet, no matter how thoroughly she searched, human civilization seemed like a pre-written script, destined only for destruction.
Immense despair crushed her and destroyed the entire Previous Era. Horrified, she discovered that human civilization was like ornamental fish in a glass tank, their existence seemingly meant only for observation.
The world would inevitably turn to nothingness; hope for humanity was nonexistent. But just as everything headed towards ruin, she was stunned to find that those predetermined threads of fate had somehow been severed.
Civilization's destiny had been successfully rewritten, at the cost of a girl as beautiful as a flower.
"Elysia, you should understand, the you now is merely a projection saved in data." Suppressing the memories, Aponia's tone held a hint of pity. "You can't change anything."
Yes, Elysia had already returned to the Honkai. What remained was merely a projection. Aponia looked at Elysia, half-expecting to see sadness on her face. But there was none. Elysia's expression didn't falter at her words; instead, her smile grew even brighter.
"You're right, we are just virtual," she laughed. "But Mei is real. Since you know what I did, you should trust in my outcome."
Their conversation left Mei feeling confused, understanding only that they were talking about her. Pushing down her questions, Mei decided she would ask Elysia properly back in the lounge area.
"...You're too confident, Elysia. You cannot bear the consequences of failure. What faces destruction isn't just the Elysian Realm, but reality itself." Seeing Elysia wouldn't budge, Aponia felt an inexplicable surge of anger. "Civilization has waited 50,000 years. There are no second chances."
Her voice dropped, becoming low and intense. "Or... are you going to be a traitor again, just like fifty thousand years ago?"
Traitor? Mei caught the word sharply. At the same time, she noticed Elysia's body seemed to tremble slightly. Betrayal? Did Elysia betray the Thirteen Flame-Chasers before?
Her mind raced, but before she could sort through her thoughts, an intense wave of fatigue washed over her. The feeling was familiar; she had experienced it once before when the Obsidian Concord Signet activated.
But I definitely didn't activate it now... Realizing this, she belatedly looked down at her arm and saw the Obsidian Concord Signet emitting a faint glow.
When did...? Her expression froze. Mei had no memory of triggering the Signet. She looked ahead; Elysia had her back to her, completely unaware of the anomaly on Mei's arm.
"...Elysia." The fatigue grew overwhelming. She could only manage a soft call, hoping Elysia would catch her. But before Elysia could respond, Mei's consciousness plunged into darkness.
...
Waking up on an infirmary bed for the third time, Mei felt her journey through the Elysian Realm had been truly plagued by misfortune. But now wasn't the time for lamenting. What happened while she was unconscious? What was this about Elysia's betrayal? These were pressing questions demanding answers.
She got out of bed, grabbed her weapon, and headed straight for the Elysian Realm's main hall. Rather than guessing whether Griseo had seen Elysia or someone else, it was better to ask the person directly.
However, when she arrived at the main hall, she found only empty instruments. Not only was Elysia nowhere to be seen, but the other Flame-Chasers seemed to have vanished into thin air as well.
"They all left?" A strange heaviness settled in her chest. Mei felt like the only one left completely in the dark. She stood alone in the hall, her grip on her tachi tightening bit by bit.
Just then, her senses detected a fleeting presence. A figure flashed past, seemingly fleeing the moment they saw Mei. But Mei, having just woken up, was highly alert. The instant she spotted the figure, her body moved like swift lightning, blocking their path.
"Pardofelis? What are you doing here? And why did you run when you saw me?"