NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 197: Teacher
Despite living in the Nest for several days, and hearing the children speak often of the teacher who had saved them, Kiana knew little about her beyond the fact that she was a young woman.
She was curious. What kind of person could rescue so many children, protect them from the Honkai in this ruined city?
"Can you tell me about your teacher?"
Sora's eyes lit up at the mention of her teacher. She eagerly recounted their story.
"Three years ago, during the Honkai Eruption, the city was destroyed. They said the government sent soldiers to rescue everyone, but for various reasons, we were left behind. The city was filled with monsters, and there was no one else."
"I lost my memory in the chaos. I just hid, waiting to die." Sora's voice dropped, but she quickly brightened. "Then, Teacher saved us. She rescued me from the claws of a huge Honkai beast!" Sora tried to spread her arms to demonstrate the beast's size, but winced, her injured hand throbbing.
"Ow!"
Kiana knelt beside her, gently massaging the injured hand.
"Thank you," Sora murmured, her eyes filled with gratitude. Then, noticing the marks on Kiana's arm, she gasped. "What happened to your arm?"
Kiana looked down, startled. She hadn't even noticed the Honkai corrosion spreading across her skin. She no longer felt pain, so she hadn't registered the injuries.
"It's nothing. It doesn't hurt." She pulled down her sleeve, concealing the marks.
Sora didn't look convinced. She reached out with her good hand and gently rubbed Kiana's wrist, careful not to touch the wounds.
Kiana's heart ached at the girl's earnest concern. She took a deep breath, forcing a smile. "Thank you, Sora. I feel much better."
"Mm-hmm." Sora beamed, continuing her story. "Back then, we were always getting hurt like this. We'd take care of each other's injuries. Then, Teacher built this shelter for us. She called it the Nest. So, we all stayed here, like little birds."
"Teacher is very busy. She only visits every few months, bringing us food and supplies, sometimes even strange gifts. When she's gone, we go scavenging in the city."
"Scavenging? Isn't that dangerous?"
"Teacher marked a safe zone for us. As long as we stay within its boundaries, we're fine. And she never sets quotas. It doesn't matter how much we bring back."
"There's only one rule: We have to survive. We have to help each other, and we have to keep fighting to live."
Sora's sincere smile spoke volumes about the teacher's importance to them. But Kiana was puzzled. If this teacher could come and go freely, why not take the children with her?
Sensing her confusion, Sora explained. "Teacher is very busy. She had a hard childhood, lost everything."
"But she worked hard, climbed her way up, dealt with all sorts of people. It took her over ten years, but she finally saved enough money."
"She used most of her savings to buy a private island in a faraway country. She was going to build a big house there, far away from the fighting, where she could finally live in peace."
"She was going to take us there, and all the other people she rescued, so we could all live together. The house was almost finished. We were so happy for her. She worked so hard, and she finally deserved some happiness."
"But then… tragedy struck."
Sora's voice dropped, her expression darkening. Kiana felt a knot of dread in her stomach.
"Five months ago, there was a huge Honkai Eruption. Teacher was here, protecting us. She fought Honkai beasts for hours. When it was finally over, we got terrible news. Teacher's island… it sank in the eruption."
Five months ago… Kiana's lips tightened. She knew who had caused that eruption. Guilt gnawed at her, her breath catching in her throat.
The awakening of the Herrscher of the Void had shattered countless dreams, destroyed countless lives.
Even though she had been lost to the Herrscher's influence, even though Otto was ultimately responsible for the awakening, Kiana couldn't ignore the consequences. It was a sin she couldn't escape.
"I remember how Teacher looked. She didn't say anything, just paced back and forth, running, rolling on the ground… then she just started crying, facing the ocean, crying until she had no more tears, her voice hoarse. Then, she stood up."
"She looked at the sunset and made a vow… no matter the cost, humanity will defeat the Honkai!"
Kiana could vividly imagine the teacher's despair, the crushing weight of her loss.
And she, Kiana, was the cause. She wanted to comfort Sora, but the words wouldn't come.
"Everyone here… we're all victims of the Honkai. We stay together, help each other survive." Delta, having approached unnoticed, had been listening for some time.
Sora, having finished her story, composed herself. "Delta."
Though likely not much older than the children, after her experience, Rozaliya carried herself with a quiet strength. The children all called her "big sister."
"What about you, Delta? Are you the same?" Kiana asked.
Delta tossed her pink hair, a single blue streak falling across her face, and hopped onto the railing.
She looked at them. "I'm a little different. My sister and I grew up in an orphanage. I was the most mischievous kid there."
"I can't imagine that," Sora said.
"Then, things happened. My sister and I almost died in that big Honkai Eruption. But we were lucky. A woman named Jackal experimented on us. She injected us with Honkai beast genes. We became… half-Honkai." Delta focused, a red and a blue horn sprouting from her head. "See this blue one? That was supposed to be my sister's."
That eruption again… Kiana remained silent.
"Your sister…" Sora prompted.
"I almost died once. My sister… she sacrificed herself, made a deal with someone called… the Obsidian Concord. They transferred the Honkai beast genes to me so I could live."
Another tragedy. A heavy silence fell over them.
"But it's okay. Before they sent me here, they told me my sister is still alive. I don't know if it's true, but… I can feel it. She's out there. One day, I'll go back for her."
"We're twins, you know? We were going to be idols, a twin-sister duo. We can't be a duo without each other." After a sigh, Delta's voice regained its strength. She looked at Kiana, holding out her hand. "So, don't give up. You'll find the person you're looking for."
"I will," Kiana replied, her hand meeting Delta's in the setting sun.