Chapter 84: Found Kachina
The sheer, crushing force of the impact surged down the length of the blade, rattling Lumine's bones. Yet, she did not yield a single inch. Her boots dug into the fractured earth, her slender frame acting as an unbreakable shield for the battered Kachina behind her.
A violent shockwave erupted from the point of collision, tearing the ground apart and sending jagged shrapnel of gravel whistling through the stagnant air.
Behind her, Kachina lay entirely motionless. Even with the faint, lingering warmth of the Wayob's partial revival trying to soothe the oppressive atmosphere, the young warrior had been pushed far past her breaking point. Days of relentless, suffocating pursuit by the Abyss had drained every last drop of her stamina and willpower. She had slipped into a deep, death-like unconsciousness, blissfully unaware of the jagged claws that had just threatened to tear her apart.
"Mualani! Guard Kachina!" Lumine barked, her voice tight with exertion. She kept her golden eyes locked dead ahead, refusing to break focus.
With a sharp twist of her wrist, Lumine redirected the momentum of her blade. A violent gale of Anemo energy exploded outward from the steel, forming a razor-sharp vortex that slammed into the remaining Rifthounds, throwing their massive, shadowy bodies backward into the dirt.
"Leave her to me!" Mualani shouted back. Moving with the fierce, protective instinct of a mother tiger, she closed the distance in a heartbeat. She dropped to her knees beside the unconscious girl, pulling Kachina close to her chest. Her weapon flared to life, casting a harsh, aquatic glow across the cavern walls as her eyes darted frantically through the shadows, searching for the next attack.
Wise did not waste a fraction of a second. He slammed his palms together, the sharp clap echoing over the snarls of the monsters. The crimson flames that usually danced around him shifted wildly. Instead of a roaring, untamed tide, the fire compressed inward, condensing until it burned a blinding, heart-stopping violet. The sheer heat radiating from his hands warped the very air around him.
Thrusting his palms forward, Wise unleashed the pent-up energy. Two concentrated, blinding beams of superheated plasma tore across the cavern like twin lasers. They cut a flawless, searing path through the darkness, striking a Rifthound Whelp right as it tried to flank Lumine and lunge at Mualani's exposed back.
The Whelp let out a jagged, metallic shriek. The violet beams punched clean through its abyssal flesh. In the blink of an eye, the wound carbonized, the surrounding tissue flaking away into dead, gray ash as the creature collapsed into nothingness.
The cavern descended into absolute chaos.
Lumine anchored herself at the vanguard, immovable as bedrock. Her sword became a blur of lethal light. She wove the elements together with terrifying fluidity. A sweeping gale of Anemo tossed the beasts into the air, followed instantly by the crushing weight of jagged Geo spikes erupting from the floor. When the hounds tried to recover, crackling arcs of Electro chained between them, paralyzing their limbs and burning away their shadowy forms. Again and again, she broke their relentless tide.
A few paces back, Wise operated with cold, mechanical precision. He had turned himself into a living artillery battery. His violet flames lashed out like the scythe of the reaper. There was no wasted movement, no wild spraying of fire. Every single pinpoint shot found its mark, either blowing a massive hole through a Rifthound Whelp or incinerating it entirely. His efficiency was terrifying to behold.
Amidst the deafening roar of combat, Lumine caught a glimpse of Kachina's pale, lifeless face in her peripheral vision. A sharp knot of anxiety twisted in her chest.
Gritting her teeth, Lumine swung the Prototype Rancour in a brutal upward arc, shattering the jaw of a lunging hound. Using the brief window of space, her free hand darted to her waist. She unclipped a small, smooth jade bottle and tossed it backward in a perfect arc. "Mualani! Catch! It is a Rejuvenation Pill! Give her one now!"
Mualani snatched the bottle out of the air. Her fingers fumbled for only a fraction of a second before popping the cork. A rich, medicinal fragrance instantly cut through the stench of burnt ozone and abyssal rot. She tipped an emerald-green pill into her palm, gently pinched Kachina's jaw open, and slipped the medicine inside. The pill dissolved into a warm liquid the moment it touched the young girl's tongue.
Her task done, Mualani shifted her grip on her weapon, her knuckles turning white. She pressed her back closer to Kachina, her eyes scanning the jagged shadows of the cave roof, refusing to let down her guard for even a second.
The final Rifthound let out a gurgling snarl as Lumine's blade severed its forelegs. Before it could hit the ground, a blinding white-hot ray from Wise pierced its skull. The beast dissolved into a cloud of foul, dark dust, scattering across the cavern floor. The deafening echoes of combat finally faded into a heavy, ringing silence.
The enclosed space choked on the acrid stench of ozone, scorched earth, and the rotting, sulfurous odor of the destroyed abyssal creatures.
Down in the dirt, cradled tightly against Mualani's chest, Kachina stirred. Her long, dust-caked eyelashes fluttered. A weak, pained groan slipped past her chapped lips.
Her small fingers twitched, curling inward as they scraped against Mualani's sleeve, desperately trying to find purchase on something real.
"Kachina? Kachina!" Mualani gasped, the heavy tension bleeding out of her shoulders in an instant. "Are you awake?" Her voice cracked, thick with unshed tears.
It took immense effort, but Kachina slowly forced her eyes open. The world above her was a smeared, blurry mess of colors and shadows.
As her vision gradually cleared, the first thing she saw was Mualani's face hovering above her, a messy portrait of absolute exhaustion, deep worry, and overwhelming joy.
Confusion clouded Kachina's dirt-streaked features. Then, her expression crumpled into deep sorrow, chased closely by a quiet, tragic relief. "Mua... Mualani?" she whispered, her voice raspy and frail. "Am I... did I sacrifice myself? Is this... the resting place of souls? It's... so good to see you again..."
Her mind, still clouded by the lingering chill of the Abyss, genuinely believed she had crossed over into the afterlife.
"You foolish girl!" Mualani choked out a laugh that sounded more like a sob. Tears finally spilled over her lower lashes, cutting clean tracks down her soot-stained cheeks.
"You're not dead! You're alive! Lumine is here! The Traveler! And Mr. Wise too! We came to take you home!"
"Save... me?" Kachina blinked, the fog in her brain slowly lifting. The dull, throbbing ache radiating through her bruised muscles suddenly registered. But more than the pain, she felt the solid, grounding warmth of Mualani's arms wrapped tightly around her. It was entirely too real to be a dream.
Her eyes snapped wide open. Panic flooded her chest. She planted her hands against the dirt, struggling wildly to push herself up. "The Abyss... the Wayob... we're in danger! Let me up, I can still fight!"
Her limbs shook violently, completely devoid of strength, yet the fierce instincts of a Natlan warrior and the crushing weight of her duty demanded she raise her weapon once more.
"Don't move!" Mualani gently but firmly pressed her back down against her lap. Her tone was soft, layered with a soothing tenderness. "The battle is over, Kachina. Just look."
Panting heavily, Kachina turned her head, following the direction of Mualani's gaze.
A few paces away, Lumine stood amidst the scorched earth. The blonde Traveler casually twirled the Prototype Rancour in her grip, flicking her wrist in a sharp, practiced motion to fling the dark, corrosive blood off the steel.
Beside her, Wise lowered his hands. The terrifying, space-warping violet flames extinguished into thin air, leaving only the faint smell of ozone. He turned toward them, the cold, calculating look in his eyes melting away into a warm, reassuring gaze.
The cavern was a devastated wasteland of shattered rock and scorched earth, but aside from their small group, nothing else moved in the shadows. There was not a single enemy left standing.
The rigid tension holding Kachina's spine together finally snapped. She slumped back into Mualani's embrace, letting out a long, shaky breath. A fragile, exhausted smile touched the corners of her lips—the smile of someone who had just crawled back from the edge of the abyss.
Deep within her wide, expressive eyes, the flickering embers of hope flared back to life.
The heavy armor of forced bravery she had worn for days shattered completely. She was just a young girl again, terrified and exhausted.
"You came... you really came..." she whimpered, her lower lip trembling as quiet sobs finally broke through her chest. "Thank you... thank you so much."
She buried her face into Mualani's shoulder, her words tumbling out in a rushed, tearful mess. "Those monsters... they were so terrifying. They kept tearing through the air, appearing from nowhere. I couldn't track them. There were so many times I thought I was too slow..."
She sniffled, wiping her dirt-streaked face with the back of her hand. "If it weren't for the Wayob lady... she helped hide my aura in the dark. If she hadn't done that, I never would have survived long enough for you to find me."
Mualani simply tightened her hold, resting her chin on top of Kachina's head. She rocked her gently, murmuring soft words of comfort. "It's okay. You're safe now. We're right here."
Wise stepped closer, his boots crunching softly against the gravel. "So," he began, his tone calm and practical, "shall we head back and regroup with the others now?"
Kachina shifted, looking up at him with pleading eyes. "I... I have one more request. Could we please go check on the Wayob's condition first?"
She gripped Mualani's sleeve tightly. "I can't just abandon her. She used her own power to protect me when I had nothing left."
Lumine sheathed her sword with a soft click. Mallko had already warned them earlier that whatever entity was down here was likely nothing more than a fragmented clone consciousness of the actual Wayob. It was a phantom. Yet, looking down at the fierce, unwavering loyalty burning in Kachina's tear-filled eyes, Lumine knew she could not say no.
"We will save whoever we can," Lumine agreed, offering the young warrior a reassuring nod. "But before we move out, Mualani, give her two more of those pills."
She crossed her arms, her gaze turning stern but fond. "You're in no condition to help anyone right now, Kachina. Focus on getting your strength back first."
Mualani quickly fed her the remaining medicine. The moment the pills dissolved, a rush of pure, concentrated vitality exploded within Kachina's chest. A gentle yet incredibly potent warmth surged through her veins, sinking deep into her aching bones and battered muscles.
The bone-deep chill of the Abyss that had settled in her marrow was violently flushed out. The heavy, suffocating numbness of total exhaustion melted away, replaced by a steady, thrumming pulse of renewed energy. For the first time in days, she could actually feel her fingers and toes without pain.
Satisfied with her recovery, Lumine did a final, sweeping check of the cavern's perimeter. Confirming that the shadows remained empty and no new abyssal portals were tearing open, she closed her eyes and tapped into her mental interface, accessing the Cross-Dimensional Chat Group.
[Genshin · Lumine]: "@everyone Kachina has been successfully rescued. We have secured the area and are temporarily safe."
[Genshin · Lumine]: "However, our rendezvous will have to be delayed. We just received the coordinates of a Wayob clone that has been corrupted by the Abyss. We are heading out to investigate its condition now."
[Honkai: Star Rail · Dan Heng]: "Proceed with your mission. This concerns the survival of an entire nation, so your priorities are entirely understood., we have your location pinpointed on our end. We are not far from your current position."
[Honkai: Star Rail · Stelle]: "Go, go! What's a little delay between friends? We Nameless never hesitate when there's a world that needs saving anyway."
Miles away, Stelle closed the chat interface. A sudden spark of inspiration lit up her golden eyes. Without a second thought, she reached into her inventory space and summoned her heavy, customized motorcycle with a loud, metallic clatter. If they needed to close the distance, raw horsepower was the answer.
Speed was of the essence. Besides, she, the great Galactic Baseballer Stelle, was absolutely itching to crash the party and force everyone to witness the sheer, unadulterated glory of her signature Fire Dance Whirlwind technique.
Luckily, their current route cut through a relatively flat expanse of the canyon. While the ground was slick with patches of corrosive black mud, the heavy-duty tires of the bike would easily chew through the muck without sacrificing too much velocity.
Standing nearby, Iansan watched in utter bewilderment as both Stelle and March 7th eagerly revved the engines of their massive, roaring machines. The small Natlan warrior crossed her arms, a wry smirk tugging at her lips. These outlanders were strange, but she had to admit, they felt remarkably similar to the people of Natlan. They were fiercely optimistic, aggressively active, and... they apparently shared the exact same chaotic need for speed as the Pyro Archon herself.
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