Honkai Impact 3rd: Don't Die For Me Book 2 Purgatory

Chapter 3 Truth

Another week passed after Otto's return but there was no improvement in his condition. Vera's mood improved noticeably but Otto's pitch black bags under his eyes left her feeling like empty space. No matter what she did she couldn't hold a candle to Kallen. Otto never discussed what happened to her and whenever Vera asked Otto would start to break down. He thought about the moment constantly and the bed he had brought down to his lab stayed neatly folded and undisturbed.

"Can you tell me what happened to Kallen?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Glory replied in a neutral tone. Her absence had left a lot of paperwork to be sorted. She didn't stay in the Apocalypse family residence much. Even in enemy territory, she had many manners to attend to.

Vera laid a tea set on the refreshment table beside Glory's desk. Her practiced hand concocted a simple citrus tea for Glory to drink. It had the scent of oranges and the refreshing zest flavor. A pleasing drink to get neutral acquaintances to talk.

"She can't be dead."

"He's convinced she is. Though we didn't find a body." Glory sighed. A starred at Vera's welted hands that had crafted her such a soothing beverage. "You still haven't regained what you lost?"

"How do you know about my ax?"

"I didn't. But you're obviously thinking about recovering it. I can't help you sort out your brother but if it's a fight I can help you win back what you want."

"But I'm much weaker than the weakest Valkyrie."

"Pure strength isn't all that matters in battle. If you're weak you have to choose your fights carefully. Running straight at a problem is rarely the solution. Leveling the playing field and fighting dirty are all valid tactics in combat. Leveraging any advantage you have and capitalizing on weaknesses should be your priority. You have prep time so use it well."

The final sentence left Vera speechless. Its implications were obvious and so plain to see. Why hadn't she thought of it sooner? Perhaps it was because the fighting style that Otto made her learn was embedded in chivalry and fairness. But in a true life or death clash, all honor evaporated. Only the truly strong can afford to handicap themselves with honor.

"Thank you."

Vera left with a bow, leaving Glory to scratch away at the reports she needed to catch up on. Germany, her country was being stifled of trade. Though they were self-sufficient, the many puppet nations still blocked access to many bordering resources. Old treaties and arrangements were brought up raising the tensions among the sovereign states. The Apocalypse family had planned this for generations and the most politically apt of their line was reaping the benefits.

Louis Schariac, her husband expressed his worry for his citizens. Honkai beast attacks were becoming more and more common. A few of his citizens were starting to fall into poverty. To remedy this he asked Glory with much difficulty to collude with the Kaslana house. Kallen Kaslana played a part in murdering their daughter. There was no way the families could ever be on good terms but she had to try.

'It's starting.' Glory thought. She read a report on the ambassador that the Overseer had planned to send into Germany to keep stable control. Will Apocalypse was dead and so were many other members of the cursed house. The culling of fragile seeds initiated by the Overseer of each generation had begun. No, it was reaching its end. Only three had the chance of succeeding the current Overseer.

France was in chaos, the Burrus family was no more. The wrath of the head of the Apocalypse family was truly one to behold. Who knew how heartless one had to be to kill their own children for sake of power.

In the basement of the mansion, one of the said children was toiling away at the ghastly interesting specimen they had before them. Otto had separated Eleanor's spider abdomen from the rest of her body. Her two human legs drifted unattached to the Honkai shell. The surgery resulted in massive amounts of blood loss that Otto diverted into eight human-size test tubes.