Honkai Star Rail: The Archiver

[...They.. crossed over..]

[Crossed over already.]

***

In the vast and empty parts of space, rocks and clouds of cosmic dust swirled around while some of its parts shimmered in deep hues of blue and silver.

Stars of radiant glow shined brightly and the place stood still as if nothing of conscious life had passed through its area.

This sentiment however was broken when a long vehicle that took the form of a train, steadily drove through this very empty space as it tried to go to its next location.

"How long until we reach our next stop?" 

In one of the cabins of the train, a young girl with short light pink hair and matching pink bluish eyes asked the person beside her as she adjusted some parts of the camera she had in her hands.

A couple of seconds began to go by and the girl began to puff up one part of her face when she noticed that the person beside her didn't bother to answer her question.

"This was the third time you've asked this during the past hour."

"I thought this would be a good way to break the silence...."

"Even if it didn't work the first two times?"

"....."

The girl curled her lips and pouted as she didn't have anything to say to the person's words and continued to scan through the album that was in front of her.

The person who was beside her let out a sigh as he turned the page of the book he was reading and began to think on how long this silence would ensue until the next instance where it would break once again.

He was a young man who had black hair and blue eyes wearing a black turtleneck alongside a white and green colored coat.

"According to Himeko it should take us a few more days until we reach the next stop."

The man didn't take his eyes off the book but began to reply back to the girl who suddenly beamed since it looked like she would be able to talk with someone instead of sitting in silence the entire time.

"Do you think there's any places where we could shop over there?"

"Probably, since we have some business with some of the sellers on that planet."

"Ehh~ It's for Madam Herta right?"

"Correct."

"..I wonder if we're going to be quick to leave once we get the item.."

The girl hummed as she looked out the window and had a faint bit of hope that they could stay at the place for a bit so she could take in what kind of scenery that planet would have.

"You guys can roam around the area while Welt and I get the item that was requested of us since it doesn't need too many people to meet them. We can also stay for a while longer if you so want."

The girl heard a kind voice speak out to her and she turned around to see a woman with long bright red hair and golden eyes looking at her gently.

"Himeko!"

"Sorry for intruding on your conversation with Dan Heng."

"Don't worry we actually just started so be free to join us!"

"In that case excuse me for joining in."

Himeko had a small smile as she brought a small trolley that had multiple cups and a large pot that gave off a strong scent of coffee.

"March would you like some?"

"I-I'm good haha."

March rubbed the back of her head awkwardly as she politely declined Himeko's offer. Himeko didn't think too much of March's rejection and hummed to herself as she prepared a cup of coffee for herself.

As Himeko prepared her coffee, March began to lead the conversation between the three with Himeko actively participating while Dan Heng adding a few words himself.

"Oh yeah! There was food that….Hmm?"

As March was about to tell something to the other two, she saw a bright glimmer in the corner of her eyes causing her to turn her head to look outside the window.

"Did something catch your eye?" Himeko asked in a confused tone as she saw how March suddenly stopped in the middle of her sentence.

"I thought I saw something bright outside…"

March squinted her eyes as she scanned the area beyond the window before finally seeing a uniform piece of ice slowly flying through the space outside.

"Ah, is that a comet! It looks so pretty~."

Seeing a trail of sparkly diamond-like mist following the large chunk of ice, March quickly grabbed her camera in excitement as the comet looked too good not to snap a picture.

"You have pretty sharp eyes." Himeko said as she also admired the comet that slowly floated through the space outside.

Seeing that she got some decided picture, March reviewed the images she had on her camera and smiled contently seeing that she got some nice quality ones.

However as she began zooming in to see its details, she began to notice something out of place as it contained some unnatural shades of black at the core of the base.

"Do you mind if I take your binoculars?"

"Hmm? Sure, feel free to do so."

Himeko gave the binoculars that were placed beside her and watched how March used them to look at the comet closer. Dan Heng also took his eyes off his book as he noticed March suddenly acting odd.

"There's someone in that comet!?"

"Someones..?"

"In the comet..?"

Dan Heng and Himeko felt shocked when they heard her yelling out and looked at how she pointed towards the comet that was floating by.

"Let me see."

Himeko suddenly wore a serious expression as she took the binoculars that were handed to her by March and as she had stated, there was a person inside the comet.

She looked at March who had a face that wanted to do something for the person that was in the ice and after thinking for a bit she nodded her head as she noticed someone walking their way.

"Welt do you mind helping us? It seems like we've encountered something interesting."

"Mr. Yang!"

A tall man with matching brown eyes and brown hair that had a white streak on it looked at the three who were now staring outside the window of the parlor car after seeing that they were in a familiar situation as before.

"Tell the conductor to stop the express and I'll try to pull the comet to one of the open rooms."

Welt said as he raised the walking stick he had in his hands and a flash of blackish red energy began to envelope his arms as he attempted to pull the block of ice towards the express.

"I-I'll be right back!"

"I'll clear the room that is at the edge of one of the carts so it would be easier for you." 

"Thank you."

March suddenly got up as she quickly went to find the conductor while Dan Heng also rushed to clear one of the rooms where they could place the object Welt was pulling.

"Feels like deja vu doesn't it?"

"It definitely does."

Welt agreed with Himeko's words as he slowly guided his stick to pull the block of ice towards the room Dan Heng was preparing.

***

"Once you have gotten a closer look, there really was a person in the ice…" Himeko quietly spoke as she looked at the person who was trapped in the block of ice.

The ice that encased the man was translucent and had smooth edges as if to show off its radiant hues similar to a diamond gemstone.

The man inside had deep purple hair and his facial structure was pretty handsome by conventional standards. The build that was hidden underneath his clothes was fairly thin but there were some traces of muscle in certain places.

"It also looks like he sustained an injury on his shoulder. It looks like a bullet wound."

Welt saw the man's shoulder and noted that the fabric in that area had been punctured with an injury that was recognizable to him.

"How should we break him out..?"

March looked at Welt with a bit of an anxious expression and after looking at the object for a while he started to approach it since he wanted to look at it from a closer angle.

'It didn't melt right away compared to how March did when we found her..'

Welt thoughts began to run as he continued to analyze the ice that encased the youth in front of him.

However as Welt got closer, the temperature around the room began to drop rapidly and prickly shards of ice that took the form of mist started to fill the room's space.

Welt saw that this mist was even more abundant at the core zone where the man was trapped and noticed how with each step, the mist got more colder and sharper.

"It's like a defensive mechanism.."

"Interesting."

Dan Heng's foggy breath flowed out as he stated his observations and Himeko who was beside him continued to stare intently at the ice.

'Defensive mechanism…'

Welt who was inching closer to the ice, overheard Dan Heng's observations and stopped his steps for a few seconds.

'Is this ice sentient?' Wanting to test out his theory he began to lower his guard as if to show that he was not a threat, a couple of seconds passed and the mist began to decrease in intensity bit by bit.

Seeing the change that was occurring, Welt stood still before walking and repeated these actions until he was at an arm's length away.

He placed his hand on the surface and he felt its smooth exterior. The temperature of the ice was cold but it was not at the point of being a threat like it was a few moments prior.

'It's also absorbing the heat in my hands at a rapid pace.'

Welt also noted how he felt the heat leave his body quite quickly during the moments he placed his hand on the ice.

"Can you guys get some items that can provide a strong source of heat? I feel if we give this ice or crystal a bunch of heat it will eventually crack."

"I'm on it!"

"I'll help her find some stuff too."

March 7th who was actively ready to help with his request, quickly bolted out the room while Dan Heng also followed right behind her.

Himeko also began to leave the room stating that she would find some tools too.

After a couple of minutes had passed, the two came back with various devices in their arms like blow torches and propane torches while Himeko carried a large suitcase that seemed to contain a large tool.

"...What's in the suitcase..?"

"Oh this? It's a prototype lazer that I scrapped a few days ago."

Welt and the other two felt a bit of cold sweat drip down their backs seeing the large contraption appear from Himeko's suitcase.

With the tools in their hands, they began to heat the block of ice and after a few minutes they were able to see no change in the ice structure.

"Are you sure this will work Mr. Yang?"

"Maybe but I think it may take a while since this ice or crystal I could say, is a pretty powerful thermal conductor from my observations."

Welt answered March's doubtful tone but after adding more heat to the ice for a couple of more minutes, a change started to finally occur.

The ice began to shake causing the three of them to move away.

After its tremors started to slow down, the ice shattered into diamond like fragments leaving behind the man who was encased inside.

"Is there a pulse?"

"There is one."

"That's a relief."

Welt nodded as he took his fingers away from the man's pulse point. 

All his attention was placed on the man that was on the floor as he noticed some movements begin to appear.

The man slowly opened his dark green eyes and his blurry vision began to clear up.

'What the… am I tripping... or do I see Welt right in front of me…?'