Star Rail: The Aeon Hunters

"Guess it runs in the family"

Seele's words haunted Bronya as Natasha led her into the clinic. She wasn't offended or even hate Seele for saying it. It just… hurts to feel someone pointing it out so brazenly. It made her think, just how many times in her life has she acted so cold, callous, soulless…

"Lady Bronya,"

Bronya blinked and found Pela standing in front of her. "Pela?"

"Welcome back Lady Bronya," Pela said. "Is there something you need?"

Bronya looked at Pela, her trusted assistant. She thought of the way she treated her, taking her mother's words for granted and treated her worse than criminal. She wondered if Pela stick around her out of her own sense of duty.

"Pela," Bronya walked around the clinic, finding some people lying in bed. She can bet hundreds more will end up like this soon, after the war. The war that her own mother waged against her own people. "How… is the situation?"

Pela nodded. "All citizens of belobog have been evacuated from the city," she began her report. "About 80% have been properly integrated into the underground. The other 20% are still on their way to the Robot Settlement and Rivet Town,"

"Any… conflicts or resistance?"

Pela nodded. "There are complaints on the conditions of the temporary shelter, but nothing the Wildfire can't handle,"

As the two walked around the clinic, they finally found some familiar faces lying unconscious. Serval Landau and Lynx Landau, there's also Dunn sitting on chair near the two.

"Lady Bronya!" Dunn stood up and gave her a salute. "It's Dunn, Captain of the Silvermane Guard, Reporting for Duty!"

Bronya took a sharp breath. It's perhaps the last time a Silvermane Guard would ever salute in her presence. "At ease…" she said. "Tell me about what happened,"

Dunn nodded and began retelling his story. "The Late Guardian summoned all Silvermane Guards to meet up in the mountain behind the restricted zone. This is unfortunately a coordinated trap made by a fragmentum creature to destroy the Silvermane Guards once and for all," his voice began to waver. "I was fortunate that due to a bridge malfunction, me and my men cannot answer the call."

"I see…" Bronya curled her hand into fist. "Late Guardian… Dunn, when do you think, the Supreme Guardian began to act… out place?"

There was a long silence before Dunn answered. "It was… Soon after she sealed access to the underground," he replied. "Her decision to seal access to the underground, coupled by her decision to fire head researcher Serval was strange and out of place to me,"

Bronya nodded. "Thank you, how is Serval and Lynx's condition?"

Natasha stepped forward. "Physically, both are unarmed, only minor scrape and bruise," she looked at both of them, particularly towards Lynx. "Mentally, they might suffer from trauma after what happened," she turned to Bronya. "That woman Serval in particular, she was hysterical when she woke up, I had Dunn to calm her down."

Bronya have heard about Serval and Cocolia's history, she was once her mother's best friend. "I see…" she took a deep breath. "What about Lynx, is she alright?"

"Lynx is alright, though she was overwhelmed by what happened," Natasha replied. "Pela has been taking care of her since she arrived,"

"Are there… any other Silvermane Guards left?"

"There are two left excluding Dunn," Natasha replied. "They're helping the wildfire with the evacuation as we speak. As for Dunn, I have him stand by and help guard the clinic,"

Bronya nodded. She asked all these questions, simply out of habit. Whenever something happened, that's what she does. She asks questions and tell people what to do. But now… With a situation like this, in this unfamiliar world and a situation straight out of a nightmare…

"Is there something I can help?" Bronya asked.

Natasha shook her head. "Not yet, but we will need you to deliver a speech to all citizens regarding what happened."

"Deliver Speeches huh?" a small smile graced her face. "Yes, that's what I do, I deliver speech,"

Yes, a speech, that's what she can do, deliver speech. She should prepare what she needs to say to her people, to ease her worries, to make it better…

"Mmh…" Serval began to twitch, her eyelids slowly open, revealing a pair of bloodshot eyes. She sat down on the bed and looked around. "What…" she froze and quickly closed her eyes. "Right… that happened…" the girl tried to stand up, but Natasha stopped her.

"I'm okay," Serval said.

"If you're okay, sit down," Natasha replied as she brought her a cup of drink. "Drink this,"

Serval grabbed the cup with trembling hand and took a sip. She sighed and look up. "How's Lynx?" she turned to the girl lying unconscious beside her.

"She's fine," Natasha replied. "How about you?"

"No, not fine," Serval turned to Dunn. "Thanks for the help back there, big guy,"

Dunn nodded. "Think not of it,"

Serval then noticed Bronya standing near her. The cup slipped out of her hand and on to the floor. "Bronya," she stood up and walked up to her.

Dunn and Natasha tried to stop her, but Bronya motioned them to stand down. "I'm sorry for what happened," Bronya tried to say.

There was a loud bang as Serval pushed her to the wall and grabbed the front of her clothes. "Listen," Serval's expression was a mask of indifference hovering above what can be called the fury of hell itself. "I'm going to kill your mother," her calm tone dripping with bloodlust. "I swear by the blood of Landau, Cocolia will die by my hand,"

Bronya closed her eyes. "I understand,"

"And you're not going to stop me, no matter what," Serval said.

"I…" Bronya opened her eyes. "I want one last chance to speak to her, can you grant me that?"

Serval paused and took a shaky breath. "Yes… You can…" she looked down, her mask began to crack. "I also… have something to ask her…"

After a few seconds, Serval let go of Bronya. She sighed and stretched her arms. "Sorry, about that, are you okay?"

"It's alright,"

The clinic door opened and Stella walked in. "Hi, we've finished securing the Orphanage, we're looking for the supply list for the orphanage?"

Even those who doesn't know her could tell that Stella is an outsider. Her calm and cheerful smile isn't something that any Belobog Citizen can conjure up.

Natasha nodded. "Thank you for your help Stella," she walked to a desk and took out a piece of paper. "These are the things we need," she handed Stella the list. "Who are you going with if I may ask?"

"Mr. Svarog said I'm going with Seele,"

Natasha narrowed her eyes. "Do you recognize those medicine?"

Stella took one look at the list and shook her head.

"Alright, we need someone else to help you then," she sighed a little. "And I swear, this time, there's really no one else…" she took out her phone and start calling someone.

As if on cue, the door slammed open, revealing Sampo in all his sketchy glory. "Did anyone call for Koski!?"

Stella blinked and waved her hand. "Sampo, my old pal!"

"Stella!" he said with a smile, then he froze. "Wait, you mean it?"

The two was about to leave the clinic and when Serval rushed towards them. "Wait!!" she exclaimed. "Stella, where are you going?"

"To the Hyperion, Belobog Hospital, and… Qlipoth Fort looking for weapons and supplies," Stella explained.

Serval's eyes widened. "The Hyperion…" of course, she would need an edge to fight toe to toe against Cocolia. "I'm coming with you,"

Stella smiled. "Sure! The more the merrier,"