"Watch out!"
Just as Theresa was about to thrust her spear, Raiden Ei's warning cut through the air.
"What?"
Theresa froze, a look of brief confusion crossing her face.
In the next heartbeat, she realized the brambles at her feet were writhing like a nest of vipers, lunging toward her shins. They were too close. Even though she'd spotted them, there was no way she could pull back in time.
What a little dummy.
Ei let out a silent, weary sigh. In a flash of violet lightning, she blurred across the space to Theresa's side. Her polearm swept out in a clean arc, severing the encroaching thorns in a single stroke.
"Has she already been completely consumed by the Honkai?!" Theresa cried out, her own spear swinging into a defensive rhythm.
"Help... me... save... me..."
Yuna's lips moved ever so slightly, the words a fractured plea for salvation. Yet, the surrounding thorns didn't slow their assault for a second. It was as if the Herrscher was weaponizing the girl's lingering humanity just to buy more time.
Sensing something was off, Ei scanned their surroundings. She noticed that wherever her blade had cleaved the vines, faint wisps of pale green mist were rising from the scorched, blackened ends.
Is this what the Herrscher is waiting for? Does she hope to choke us out with miasma?
A touch of scorn rose in Ei's heart. Lightning shall purge all filth.
Still, even with the purification, the lingering traces of the tainted air would likely hit Theresa with some side effects... something akin to a nasty bout of the flu.
"We can't let this drag on!" Theresa charged forward, desperation fueling her intent to drive her spear through Yuna's heart.
The girl was beyond saving.
Ei's expression hardened. She had harbored a flicker of hope that the girl could be rescued, but she could see now that Yuna's soul had already been ground into shards by the Honkai's corruption.
This girl wasn't like Kiana; she didn't possess the indomitable will required to suppress a Herrscher's consciousness. And there was no Class Monitor here to give everything to pull her back from the brink.
"I have felt your agony."
Ei vanished. Before Theresa could reach her target, Ei appeared directly in front of Yuna.
The surrounding brambles went into a frenzy, lashing out with a speed and violence they hadn't shown against Theresa. It was as if the Herrscher knew that Ei, and only Ei, possessed the power to truly end her.
"Rest in peace."
With a steady hand, Ei thrust her blade forward. Yuna's body went rigid.
Another life—a vibrant, living soul—withering away by her hand. Ei lowered her head, meeting Yuna's gaze. Seeing the twisted, manic light in those eyes, a pang of pity stirred within her.
"Cough... you... you think... this is the end...?" The Herrscher glared at Ei, her voice dripping with venomous spite. "My toxins... they were vaporized by your lightning... they've already filled this entire room!"
"What?!" Theresa's heart skipped a beat, her face pale with sudden helplessness.
She didn't know the exact nature of the poison, but she knew one thing for certain: a Herrscher's toxin was nothing short of a death sentence.
"My lightning purifies all evil," Ei said, her voice calm and detached. "Your poison is no exception to its strike."
"How...?"
The Herrscher's face contorted in shock just as the lightning surged through her, incinerating the last of her life force. But in those final moments, Ei saw a glimmer of clarity return to the girl's eyes.
It was a final flicker of humanity, a brief moment of lucidity before the end, much like the tragedies depicted in the old stories.
Ei watched in silence for a moment before her voice softened, turning gentle and soothing, though it still carried that sharp, regal edge she could never quite shed.
"It was only a nightmare... Wake up now, Yuna. Your mother is waiting for you to come to breakfast... she made your favorite miso soup..."
As the words fell, the confusion in the girl's eyes vanished. Her lips curled into a small, happy smile of anticipation. Then, her body crumbled, drifting away like ash in the wind.
Only then did Ei quietly lower her weapon.
"Ei?" Theresa walked over, looking at Ei's stoic, silent profile. She spoke softly, trying to offer comfort. "She... she won't blame you. Controlled by the Herrscher, she was nothing more than a puppet."
"I know," Ei replied, turning to meet Theresa's gaze, her expression unreadable. "I could feel it. Her will was already shattered, leaving behind nothing but fragments. The only thing I could do was give her a peaceful end."
"Yeah. I suppose that's for the best." Theresa nodded slowly.
But a moment later, her legs gave out. With a small gasp of confusion, she began to collapse, only for Ei to catch her instantly, pulling her into a firm embrace.
"What's happening? Is it the poison?!" Theresa's cheeks were flushing a deep crimson, and panic began to cloud her eyes.
"Do not worry."
Holding the small, dainty Theresa in her arms, Ei vanished, reappearing a second later on the roof of the school building.
"I have already purified the Herrscher's toxin. However, you inhaled some of the residual tainted air. You will likely experience symptoms... similar to a common mortal flu for a short while."
"The... the flu?" Theresa murmured the words, her mind drifting back to the days when Cecilia was still around to nurse her through illness. "But... this feels like way too much! I feel... like I can't move a muscle..." Her voice trailed off into a weak whisper.
"I will use my power to cleanse the impurities from your body," Ei told her earnestly. "Until you recover, I will protect you. But we..."
"What is it?" Theresa asked, her tone puzzled.
"We likely won't be able to return to St. Freya Academy immediately." Ei looked toward the horizon in the direction of the school, a hint of melancholy in her voice.
"I'm sorry... Ei..." Theresa said, her voice thick with guilt. She knew how badly Ei wanted to get back to Mei.
Look at that, she's even thanking me! Ei felt a surge of secret amusement.
Feeling the small, soft, and—thanks to the fever—very warm body of Theresa in her arms, she found herself rather enjoying the moment.
"It is fine. Your safety is far more important than returning to Moth—to Mei's side," Ei whispered, looking down at Theresa.
She held the girl in a bridal carry, her gaze so focused and sincere it was as if Theresa was the only thing that mattered in the entire world.
Theresa couldn't help but blush, feeling a wave of shy embarrassment wash over her.
Goodness... Theresa thought. I didn't realize the Mei from the other world was this stunning too. No wonder that idiot Kiana was so head-over-heels for her.
Meanwhile, Ei's mind was already wandering toward a different problem: How on earth was she going to find Yae Sakura?
--+--