Y/N, THE 14TH MEMBER OF THE FLAMECHASERS: An [Honkai Impact 3rd] Mini-Story

18. ELYSIAN REALM: THE FIFTH TRIAL

Zap!
Mei has made it through her first space.
Just then, Elysia pops up from nowhere to give her some small talk before Mei leaves to find Eden.

Elysia:  "Good luck, Mei."
Elysia:  "I'll always be here to help."

Mei:  "Thanks."
Mei: "..."
Mei: "You'll never get tired of this, popping from nowhere."

Elysia: "Of course, this is my space you're in. It's technically everyone's as well."
Elysia: "Even so, you'll have to start with my signets first."
Elysia: "So let's just say... I'm your first primary favorite whenever you start a trial."

Mei: "Don't make it sound weird than it already is."

Elysia: "Huhu, fine, fine."
Elysia:  "But you can't lose with my Signets, and even if you do, I'll be waiting for you in the lobby."

Mei picks up the signets from Elysia before making her way to the second floor.

...
...
...

[TIMESKIP TO THE TENTH SPACE]

Before Mei knew it, she breezed through her fifth trial at ease.
While at it, besides Elysia's signet in the beginning, she has been picking up other Flame-Chaser's signets she's been traveling to.
Deliverance.
Setsuna.
Vicissitude.
Decimation.
Elysia's Signet.
Deliverance.
Decimation.
Setsuna.
And now she's here on her tenth space, ready to visit Sakura once more for the third time.

Sakura:  "I can tell you're going to meet the next Flame-Chaser next."

Mei:  "Sakura."

Sakura:  "She is the most gentle out of all of us, be careful to treat her with care."

Mei:  "Of course, I'm not like Kalpas."

Sakura:  "Huhu, be on your guard before meeting her, your last space might be a bit challenging before making it to Eden."

Mei:  "I won't let my guard down, it has been working well in my favor... I just need to make sure it doesn't fall upon me."

Sakura:  "Here."

Mei:  "What's this?"

Sakura:  "These are a special type of signet. Whenever a visitor collected three signets from a specific Flame-Chaser, we gift either two of these special signets to them. And I can see you have three Setsuna signets from me. This special signet will help you before your last step."

Mei:  "Thank you, I'll gladly take one."

Sakura:  "I hope it all goes well for you, Mei-dono."

Mei nods and makes her way to the floating portals awaiting for Mei's presence.
Now it was the last time before her goal is finally reached.
As Mei reached to the one portal in range, it revealed themselves to her...
An Eye shaped signet.
Mei knew... she'll now have to embrace whatever boss comes at her.

...
...
...

A few seconds pass as she makes it to the final space.
Not even upon landing, the boss of the space appeared before her.
It was a MECH she has seen before.
Actually multiples of times she has been around in this world.
She's seen it through data, training, even back when she was enrolled in St. Freya.

...
...
...

No.
It was not the time to think of the past, Mei thought to herself.

She promised herself to not cloud herself of such happiness that was once hers and to those around her.
Happiness doesn't last long with honkai around.
It was all behind her, and should it stay as it is.
Until they completely reclaim their world from the honkai.
Then perhaps maybe...

...
...
...

Hephaestus.
This was her last enemy before she could move on to her next step.
With its long sword, while being in the middle of the battleground, it immediately slashed downwards, a blue transparent barrier protecting itself as its weapon made a clashing contact to the hard ground.

Mei was able to evade majority of its attacks, primarily being very aggressive as she took the defensive.
She knew to be careful when attacking this enemy since it can overheat and go berserk the more attacks it takes.
But she know it eventually cools down, but it will take a while before she can do anything.

As it clashed its mechanical sword onto the ground once more, also its barrier appearing around it...
Mei quickly summoned Kurikara to easily break its shield before dealing drastic damage to it.
It was now completely stunned, unable to move.
But Mei didn't care.
She kept pushing it back, pushing it back, and pushing it back.
In return, it kept getting pushed back, pushed back, and eventually was defeated.
With her personal power plus the power of the signets she's gather along the way, Hephaestus was taken out quickly and smoother than Mei thought it would take.

There was a portal awaiting for her.
It was a signet she's never seen before.
It contained the color of yellow, and a music note.
These combined together to create something of...
A coin?

Mei: "This must be the 'Eden' Elysia spoke to me about."

Without hesitation, she walks through.

It was time.
It was about time that Mei...
Will meet Eden.