Yae looked up at the sky, noting the warm hues of the setting sun painting the horizon. "Kallen," she said with a calm tone, "I think we should postpone our walk for today and continue tomorrow."
Kallen, who was still quietly grumbling about Yae's earlier attempt to prank her, glanced up and nodded. "Hmm? Alright."
---
Inside the Grand Narakumi Shrine…
Kallen sat alone on the tatami floor of her room, the remnants of her dinner with Yae now tidied away. The room was tranquil, the soft rustling of leaves outside the only sound breaking the silence.
Her hair was still damp from the bath she'd taken earlier. Picking up a towel, she began to dry it off, humming a gentle melody that seemed to drift through the air like a lullaby.
Suddenly, a knock came at the door.
Knock, knock.
"Come in," Kallen called without stopping her motion.
The sliding door opened with a soft swish, and Yae stepped into the room, her presence as poised as ever.
"Kallen, how was the bath earlier?" Yae asked with a knowing smile.
Kallen paused her motions, narrowing her eyes slightly at the fox-eared miko. "It was great, but it would've been better if a certain someone hadn't tried to join me…" she said, her voice edged with suspicion as she shot a pointed glare at Yae.
Yae's expression remained light, a glimmer of amusement in her eyes. "Oh my, I wonder who you could mean," she replied innocently, though her playful tone betrayed her.
Kallen let out a sigh, dropping the towel onto her lap. "You're incorrigible."
Closing the door behind her.
Yae chuckled, stepping further into the room, her hands clasped behind her back. "You wound me, Kallen. I was merely trying to provide you with company. Isn't that what friends do?"
Kallen rolled her eyes, setting the towel aside. "Friends don't ambush each other in the bath, Yae."
Yae smile, lowering herself gracefully to sit on the tatami across from Kallen. "Ambush is such a harsh word. I prefer to call it an opportunity for bonding."
Kallen huffed, crossing her arms. "You're impossible."
"Yet you're still here, humoring me," Yae teased, resting her chin on her hand. "You must admit, Kallen, deep down, you're starting to enjoy my company."
Kallen raised an eyebrow, trying to suppress the slight smile threatening to form on her lips. "I don't know if I'd go that far."
Yae's ears twitched with delight as she leaned forward slightly. "Oh? I can sense you warming up to me, little by little."
Kallen shook her head with a small laugh. "You're relentless, you know that?"
"Relentlessness is a virtue," Yae said with a sly grin. "Now, about tomorrow. I have something special planned for our little excursion. Be ready at dawn."
Kallen tilted her head, suspicious. "Special? Should I be worried?"
Yae's eyes gleamed mischievously. "Oh, not at all. You'll love it. Trust me."
Kallen narrowed her eyes but didn't press further. "Fine. But no more tricks, alright?"
Yae placed a hand over her heart dramatically. "You have my word...for now."
Kallen let out a resigned sigh as Yae rose to her feet. "Goodnight, Kallen. Sweet dreams," Yae said, her voice lilting playfully as she slid the door closed behind her.
Kallen shook her head with a faint smile.
Kallen turned off the light in the room, letting the soft glow of the moonlight stream through the window. She moved to the corner, unfolding the futon and smoothing it out before carefully placing two pillows at the head.
With a quiet sigh, Kallen lay down on the futon, pulling the blanket over herself. For a moment, she simply stared at the window, watching the gentle sway of tree branches outside. The cool night breeze brushed past, carrying with it the faint sound of distant crickets.
"Goodnight," she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible. Closing her eyes, she allowed the quiet of the room to lull her into rest.
The soft glow of the moonlight filtered through the window, casting gentle shadows across the room. The night outside was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves carried by the breeze.
Kallen lay still on the futon, her breathing gradually slowing as she tried to drift off.
-------------------
Kallen stood still in the blurry dream, unable to move or speak.
The laughter of Fu Hua echoed in her mind, sharp and bitter. The words of Otto, calm yet filled with cold resolve, reverberated in her ears.
"Even so, will you still resist me?"
Kallen felt an unsettling chill, as though she were standing at the edge of something dangerous. The tension between Otto and Fu Hua was palpable, like a storm waiting to burst. She could feel her heart race with each word that passed between them. Fu Hua's response was a sharp, furious outburst:
"You disgust me, Otto Apokalis!"
The sky darkened, the air heavy with foreboding. The storm outside mirrored the chaos within, as if the world itself was reacting to the bitter confrontation unfolding before her eyes. The lightning flashed and thunder roared, casting shadows over Otto's face, making him appear almost otherworldly in the nightmare's twisted vision.
Kallen's mind swirled with confusion and dread. What did this dream have to do with her? Why did she feel like this confrontation held a deeper meaning that reached into her very soul? Her body ached with the need to understand, but the more she tried to grasp it, the more it slipped away.
The storm raged, and Kallen's eyes widened as she felt a sudden sense of helplessness—trapped in the storm of words, emotions, and darkness.
Its radiant light piercing through the oppressive storm. The golden glow, condensed in Otto's hand, took the form of a gun—Mimicry: Judgment of Shamash.
Slowly, deliberately, Otto raised the weapon, pointing the muzzle at Fu Hua's forehead.
The world held its breath as Otto's emerald eyes flickered with unspoken emotions. In that long, drawn-out moment, memories of five hundred years—filled with triumphs, betrayals, and unspeakable losses—flashed before him, dissipating like fragile dream bubbles, vanishing into the void.
He broke the silence, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Master Jingwei... I did not lie."
The words hung in the air, raw and haunting, before being swallowed by the deafening roar of the gunshot.
Bang!
The sound of the shot shattered the dream, resonating across the dreamscape. Yet, as the bullet traveled its path, time itself seemed to halt. The vibrant colors of the scene drained away, leaving behind a muted grayness. The storm ceased its raging, the world stood still, and everything faded into pitch blackness.
When Kallen opened her eyes, she found herself standing in an empty void, her breathing shallow. Before her stood a figure—a reflection of herself. Yet, the face of this other "Kallen" was blurry, shrouded in an obscurity she couldn't pierce. The silence pressed against her, suffocating and unrelenting.
Kallen hesitated, her voice trembling as she finally spoke. "Who... are you?"
Then slowly, the figure pointed directly at Kallen, its blurred outline growing sharper.
"It's all your fault," it said, its voice hollow yet accusatory.
Kallen froze, her chest tightening at the words, but before she could respond, more figures appeared around her, emerging from the darkness. Each one mirrored her form, their faces obscured, their hands all pointing at her.
"It's all your fault."
"It's all your fault."
"It's all your fault."
The words repeated in an endless, oppressive chant, each repetition stabbing deeper into Kallen's mind.
"What do you mean by 'my fault'?" Kallen shouted, her voice shaking with frustration and confusion. "I didn't do anything!"
But the shadowy figures ignored her, continuing their relentless accusations.
"It's all your fault."
"It's all your fault."
Kallen clenched her fists, her breathing uneven as she desperately tried to deny their claims. Yet, despite her protests, an unbearable heaviness began to settle on her chest, weighing her down.
Then, from the void, a small version of herself appeared, its form childlike yet hauntingly familiar. This smaller Kallen stood before her, its expression devoid of warmth.
"If you hadn't met him... none of this would have happened," it said, its voice soft but cutting like a blade.
Kallen staggered back, her eyes wide in disbelief. "No... that's not true..." she whispered, her voice barely audible as the words clawed at her soul.
Kallen stumbled back, her breath hitching as the words struck her like a physical blow. The figures loomed closer, their voices blending into a haunting chorus.
"It's all your fault."
"It's all your fault."
The accusations echoed endlessly, pounding in her ears, suffocating her with their repetition.
"What do you mean?! What did I do?!" Kallen shouted, her voice raw with desperation. "I didn't do anything wrong!"
But the beings did not stop, their voices relentless. Kallen clutched her chest, where a heavy, aching weight had begun to grow, suffocating her resolve.
"If you hadn't met him... none of this would have happened."
Kallen froze, her eyes widening in shock. Her hands trembled as she stared at the small figure.
"What... What are you talking about?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
The small Kallen looked at her with piercing clarity, her expression unreadable. "You changed everything. Your choices led to this. The pain, the suffering... it all began with you."
Kallen's legs buckled as the weight on her chest grew unbearable, the whispers from the surrounding figures growing louder and louder, drowning out her thoughts.
"It's all your fault."
"It's all your fault."
She fell to her knees, clutching her head as if to block out the noise, but it was no use. The guilt, the confusion, and the ache in her heart all swirled together, threatening to drown her in despair.
"I didn't mean for any of this..." Kallen murmured, tears drop down her face. "I just wanted to help... I just wanted to make things better..."
The small Kallen tilted her head, her voice calm but cutting. "But the road to ruin is often paved with good intentions."
Kallen woke up with a jolt, her body drenched in cold sweat. Her breath came in ragged gasps as the remnants of the dream clung to her mind like shadows.
"What was that…?" she whispered, her voice trembling as she ran a hand through her damp hair.
The room was silent except for the faint chirping of crickets outside. She turned her gaze toward the window, the moonlight illuminating the tranquil night. Despite the peace outside, Kallen couldn't shake the unease stirring within her.
She sat up slowly, reaching for the towel beside her futon to wipe the sweat from her forehead. Her hands trembled slightly as she dabbed her face, her mind replaying the haunting words of the dream.
"It's all your fault…"
Shaking her head to banish the thought, Kallen sat in silence for a few moments, trying to steady her breathing. The cool night air seeping through the window helped calm her, bit by bit.
After a while, she laid back down on the futon, pulling the blanket over herself.
"Just a nightmare," she muttered to herself, though the heaviness in her chest lingered.
With her eyes closed, she forced her mind to drift elsewhere, seeking the solace of sleep once again.
Kallen tossed and turned throughout the night, her sleep plagued by relentless nightmares. Every time she closed her eyes, the dream returned, dragging her into the abyss of Otto's memories.
Each dream revealed a different scene, each one more painful than the last. She saw Otto, unwavering in his resolve, making choices that led countless others to their demise—all for her.
A city burned under the Otto's decisions. Innocent lives were lost as pawns in his grand design. Every moment seared into Kallen's mind like a scar, each echoing the weight of his sacrifices.
"No… stop…" Kallen whispered in her sleep, her voice trembling with guilt and anguish.
She jolted awake once more, her body drenched in sweat, her heart pounding. The silence of the room was deafening, offering no comfort. The moon was still high in the sky, mocking her inability to find peace.
"No matter what I do… it keeps coming back," she muttered to herself, burying her face in her hands.
Kallen hesitated, but exhaustion forced her to try sleeping again. Yet, every time her eyes closed, the nightmare resumed.
She saw Otto standing before her, holding the Void Archives His face bore the calm yet tortured expression of someone who had sacrificed everything. Behind him was a trail of ruin—countless lives trampled underfoot in his obsessive pursuit to bring her back.
"You're the reason for this," the figures in her dream whispered again and again.
Each time she woke up, the night grew darker, and the weight on her heart heavier. By the time dawn began to break, Kallen had stopped trying to sleep. She sat on the futon, staring blankly out the window, her eyes bloodshot and tired.
She clutched her chest, the guilt gnawing away at her.
"Is this… my fault?" she murmured, her voice barely audible.
The sunrise brought no warmth to her. All she could feel was the heavy burden of Otto's sins and the unshakable realization that, somehow, she was the one who bore it.
(A/n: it all mihoyo fault QAQ
By the way something good happen to me last weekend.... well i got drag by my friend to go to anime cosplay event or what it name T-T but..... something caught my eyes... I found otto cosplayer!!!!!!!! I want to take pictures with him..... but I'm bad at talking with people irl no literally bad T-T)