(I can't say I'm angry about this update since I finished all in one night and there's still the second half, but I do wish there was more of the story quests)

(Eh. Whatever. I'm satisfied ✨)

"Bye Mom, I'll be back soon!"

"It'll be some time, but I'll be home soon."

"Don't worry, I'll come home!"

"I'm off, don't miss me too much!"

"I'll be back before you even realize I was gone."

Again, and again, M/n watched her children leave the safety of their home to walk right into danger. It was for a good cause, protecting the Luofu and its people, but the woman couldn't help but want to hold them close so they could never get hurt.

Again and again, both returned home just as they promised. Sometimes injured, other times unharmed, but they always came back like they'd promised.

Over and over, until one of them didn't come back.

Losing her son shook m/n to her very core, and she begged y/n to just quit, to give up her job as a Cloud Knight and take on a safer job instead.

Y/n tried, her mother knew that she had, but she always ended up back in danger somehow. A message she volunteered to deliver, a need for an extra Cloud Knight instructor... a group of missing Cloud Knights.

She promised she'd come back, and she always did.
M/n was glad that she always did, even though this most recent time was a lot longer than anticipated.

But, once again, y/n was leaving.

Her and the other Astral Express Crew all had time to rest up and get themselves together and were preparing to go aid the Master Diviner and her troops per the General's request.

Love. That was love m/n's daughter felt for the Nameless. She could see it in the way she looked at them, the way she kept fighting even with unimaginable suffering weighing down on her with every second. Y/n loved her companions dearly, just as much as she loved the Luofu, her comrades, her close friends, and her family.

That love was stubborn, unyielding. M/n knew that her chances of convincing her daughter not to leave again were slim, but she had a gut feeling. A horrible, horrible gut feeling that something was terribly wrong.

As y/n and the others were preparing to leave, all of them having taken some more take to rest after her and Caelus finished their task for Qingzu, m/n grabbed her daughter's hand.

The woman paused, looking back at her mother with curious eyes and a small, "Hm? What is it?"

Centuries... so many had gone by, yet her look of puzzlement remained the same. The same confused look she would receive whenever she took a few extra seconds to just hold her, or when she'd scold y/n over respecting people older than her regardless of if they were a long life species or not.

Her child... she'd endured enough suffering, hadn't she? She shouldn't have to go through anymore.

No more... please, just no more!

"Don't go." M/n whispered, "Not again."

Y/n's look of confusion faded, softening into a somewhat sad one as she turned to face the older woman and hold her hand, "I have to. I'm still on train guard duty, you know? Dan Heng is counting on me, all of my friends are."

"I know, I know." M/n murmured as she looked down at her daughter's hand. They were once soft, delicate and fragile, very different from the gentle yet strong and battle scarred hands she saw now.

She remembered when those hands were barely big enough to hold her fingers, but still persisted. Those e/c eyes that had seen so much pain, once bright and full of innocence. "I just... don't have a good feeling about this. Just this once, please, don't go."

Y/n glanced back at March 7th, Welt, and Caelus.
The pink haired young woman had read the mood and was holding Caelus back, a hand clasped over his mouth to keep him from telling y/n to hurry tf up.

A warm smile settled on her face. A good smile, a happy smile, a loving smile. It made m/n's heart sink. She'd seen that smile so many times before.

That smile would be there hours before she disappeared along with one of her friends for days on end. Running away from responsibility, she called it.

That smile was present whenever her and her brother would sneak out late at night to watch starskiffs and eat their favorite snacks together. M/n often heard them sitting on the roof, giggling as they tried to keep their voices down in hopes of not disturbing her rest.

That smile. Oh, that lovely smile.

"I know you're worried about me, but I'll be fine. I promise you." y/n assured the older woman as she turned her head back to her. Confident, she seemed so confident.

Taking her first steps, fussing at her brother in barely coherent words when he tried to help her walk on her little toddler legs, beaming with pride when she fed herself. So small yet bigger than the universe itself to the woman who'd birthed her.

Small... so small, in her arms, staring up at her with curious eyes. Small... precious, y/n.

"Why's she staring?"

"That's what babies do, they stare."

The woman held the baby carefully, smiling with a look of adoration as her son peered at his baby sister with curious eyes which matched her own.

"She's so tiny."

"You were tiny like her, once."

The little boy reached out and poked the baby's cheek, earning a small grumble from the tiny creature as she gave him a side eye.

"Oh, I don't think she liked that." the little boy murmured before giving the baby a smooch on the forehead, causing the infant to scrunch up her face, "M'sorry, y/n. Please forgive me."

The baby babbled, almost irritably, wiggling around a little as she grabbed her brother by his nose.

"Haha, she's strong too! Guess you don't need me to protect you, eh? You'll grab your enemies by the nose and it'll be over for them!"

The little boy glanced at his mother, little y/n turning her head to look as well as the boy grinned.

"Now you've got two of us to protect you, Mama!"

"I'll be fine, Mom." y/n hummed, drawing the older woman back to reality, "I'll return, I promise."

M/n inhaled deeply, then exhaled.

Countless times she had to let her daughter go.
You'd think it'd get easier, but... it never did.

"Keep your promise, y/n. Or you'll be in a whole lot of trouble." M/n whispered, offering her daughter a smile, "Got that?"

"Mm!" y/n nodded, "You have my word! Yun?"

The boy peeked out from around the corner, "?"

"Make sure Mom relaxes while I'm gone, alright?" y/n instructed and the boy nodded eagerly in response.

"I will! You and your friends stay safe!" Yun chimed.

He scampered to m/n's side and waved excitedly as y/n rejoined the others and they began headed back to the Artisanship Commission to make the trip to the Alchemy Commission.

Again... y/n was walking away down an uncertain path yet again. M/n wanted to call out to her, beg for her to just come back and stay where it's safe...

She let out a small sigh, her youngest looking up at her with a look of puzzlement at the sound.

"Hm. She'll be fine. She has very lovely people looking after her, there's not a doubt in my mind that she'll be back safe and sound." M/n murmured before glancing down at Yun, "How about we grab a snack? Something we can enjoy while we wait for y/n and her friends to return?"

"A snack?" Yun echoed before his e/c eyes lit up with excitement, his tail swishing from side to side, "I'd like that a whole lot!"

M/n chuckled, patting him on his head between his ears, "I figured. Come on, let's go find something tasty."

The group met back up with Tingyun and made their way to the Alchemy Commission through the entrance in the Artisanship Commission. While Tingyun, Welt, and March took up the lead, y/n hung back with Caelus.

She was still somewhat jumbled up inside, not quite there. Mimi was the one thing keeping her tethered to reality. Oh, and Caelus as well.

"About Dan Shu..." he murmured, "Are you...?"

"I feel torn up inside, to be honest. I don't have many clear memories of her and our time together, but my heart still aches." y/n mumbled, "I'm angry with her, I feel betrayed, but deep down I feel hurt for her."

Caelus regarded y/n for a long moment before nudging her, "There's still a chance that we might get to talk to her again, y/n. If we do get that chance, how about you two talk it out? You know, chat."

"That doesn't sound very realistic or safe."

"Don't you worry. A concussion would do the trick!"

Y/n snickered, the noise bringing a smile to Caelus' face as he gave her cheek a little affectionate poke.

The Alchemy Commission was... oddly familiar.
The sea, the trees, the pathway. All familiar.
Although, these corpses weren't there before.

The pathway below the stairs the group stood on was littered with Cloud Knights, mara-struck, and strange creatures. Few Cloud Knights, but just one dead Cloud Knight was too many in y/n's book.

"...looks like the battle here was intense..." March murmured with a worried look as she scanned the area, shuffling closer to y/n.

"The Master Diviner must have already launched the campaign." Tingyun said as she turned to face the group.

"She probably figured it was the right time." Caelus suggested with a pensive look, "Ah... I don't know who was victorious here to be honest."

"Remember, time is of the essence. The most important task for the Luofu is suppressing the Stellaron." Welt spoke up, drawing the attention of the others, "General Jing Yuan tasked the Master Diviner with commanding the Cloud Knights, he would have known she would act on the results of her divination."

"Thank goodness we weren't sent with the knights... fighting is totally different from adventurous. All these people..." March's voice trailed off as she looked away, "I—It's... tough to bear."

"I'm afraid this is nothing, benefactor." Tingyun murmured as she crossed her arms. Her voice faded, becoming drowned out by distant noise that was quiet yet so overwhelmingly loud at the same time.

Y/n couldn't tear her gaze away from the bodies littered on the ground before them. Dead... oh, they were all dead, weren't they?

Burning... she was burning up again.

Not here, not now!

Breathe, she had to breathe, breathe!

"We should get going." Welt announced, snapping y/n back to reality, "It'd probably be best if we looked around and tried to find some clues regarding the whereabouts of the Cloud Knights."

"I agree." March 7th confirmed before glancing at y/n, "You stick close, alright? You look about ready to collapse!"

"I'm... but I'm fine..." y/n whispered.

"Even if you're fine, you clearly aren't able to fight right now. Just take it easy and leave it to us." March 7th reassured her before giving her a stern look, "And I mean it! Take. It. Easy."

Y/n bit her lip and nodded.
"Okay..."

They all continued further into the Commission, looking around. Everything they came across was dead, with the exception of a few strange creatures and Sanctus Medicus members.

Some six phased ice, a couple of miniature black holes, and some well placed bat strikes to the back of the head dealt with the adversaries quickly enough.

"Hey, look, there's some people still alive up ahead!" March gasped as they continued in their way, "There's still survivors!"

She ran on ahead, Caelus and y/n immediately running after her. There, they found two people. A woman dressed like a healer, and a Cloud Knight who seemed to be in a lot of pain.

"Hm? You're not the knights..." the woman commented as she turned to face the approaching group, "What is your business here? It's dangerous."

"We're reinforcements sent by the General." Welt replied, his eyes carefully moving from the suspicious woman and to the Cloud Knight in agony, "Where's everyone else?"

"Tsk, sending short-life species as reinforcements. Hehe, Jing Yuan is truly running out of options." the woman sneered and y/n's eyes narrowed, her hand twitching. This lady was bad news...

Before the woman could continue speaking, the Cloud Knight managed to raise his head and shout, "Run! She's... a Disciple of Sanctus Medicus!"

"Silence." the woman hissed with an cruel smile, "If my healing worked, you'll become one of us... and then it won't just be me they'll be running from."

Once again, the world kept its sound.
It was silent as the Cloud Knight transformed, as the small group was immediately thrown into battle.

This wasn't anything new.

Fighting. Killing to survive.

Anyone else, of course.
But another Cloud Knight?

It hurt like hell.

.

Humming. Soft, gentle humming.

Y/n could sleep peacefully, curled up by her brother's side as the man carefully traced the callouses on her palms.

Peace. Peace she hoped that would never end.

"Tuning the world out, huh? I often do that as well. It's... soothing, in an odd way. Isn't it, sister?"

Y/n only shrugged, and her brother chuckled.

"Tuning out chaos is good, but you still need to remain aware. Watch, listen. The enemy is sometimes closer than you think."

"Erm, y/n? I think she's dead."

Y/n blinked blearily, giving the mess on the ground a blank look as she held the back of the disciple's clothing in a tight grip.

Huh. So she was dead.

Y/n let go of the disciple, dusting off her heads as she checked over the other monstrosities to make sure they weren't going to get back up. All dead... all that was left was the Cloud Knight who'd become mara-stricken.

"H-Hold on, we'll get help!" March tried to reassure the Cloud Knight. He was just barely holding himself back... it really was bad, huh?

"Don't waste your time... they've— they've converted me. I don't have much time left..." he rasped, "Go... the Master Diviner's troops are ahead."

He didn't speak, still alive, but silent.

Welt was the one to break the silence.
"Let's go."

When they reached the safe zone, they were told that the Cloud Knights were ordered not to advance any further.

The Master Diviner wasn't there, so everyone split up to learn what they could from the Cloud Knights in the area. Y/n, however, took off to go find a spot to clear her mind.

She wasn't having much success.

Y/n had taken a seat on a stone bench, crossing her legs and resting her head on her hands as she squinted out at the sea and the big 🍑 furnace thing giving off smoke.

Her head was pounding, aching, hurting. She couldn't see, the pain being s but too much, but all her other senses were through the roof. Something to focus on... what her brother had said.

'The enemy is sometimes closer then you think... just thinking about that makes me tired.' she thought warily before shaking her head with an irritable look, 'Troublesome. Not only do we have to deal with these curly freaks, but now we've got the enemy right up our 🍑es?'

No, no, this was fine.

This was perfectly fine.

"What do you mean I can't go with you?

Y/n looked like a kicked puppy as she stood with her companions who were preparing to go down and deactivate that furnace thing which was emitting smoke.

"The Aureate Elixir Furnace has been infused with medicine that can induce mara. You won't be able to go any closer without the risk of you becoming stricken with mara." Welt pointed out.

"Give me your scarf then, I'll cover up!" y/n retorted, "I want to stay with you all! I promise I won't be a hindrance, just let me stay with you to make sure you're safe!"

Welt looked thoughtful while Caelus was internally fuming over how y/n so blatantly demanded that Welt give her his scarf. He understood that she wanted to stay with them, but she was seriously taking advantage of the current situation.

"Fine." 'No!' "But the moment you feel even the slightest bit of discomfort, you tell me. Alright?"

"Yes sir!" y/n chimed with determined eyes.

Caelus silently cried as Welt wrapped his scarf around y/n's head to make sure she couldn't inhale the smoke.

Y/n immediately ran off, ready to go clear the way, but March 7th was hot on her heels, "Careful, y/n, you can't go alone this time!"

They took a lift down to the level of the furnace so they could shut off the crucibles, but weren't expecting Tingyun to be joining them.

"Miss Tingyun, you should head back up." Caelus told her with a look of concern as March 7th froze a disciple's feet to the ground while y/n punched them in the face, "You're too close to the crucibles, it's not safe for you."

"Don't worry about me. I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine. The General commanded me to stay with you all, I dare not go against military orders." Tingyun replied with a smile as y/n threw another disciple into the water, cheering when March shot an arrow at them to freeze them on the spot.

"Your life is more important than orders, Miss Tingyun." Welt assured her, "Go back. We'll explain to the General."

"Hehe, there's really no need! I've spent my years traveling the universe! Not to mention, I'm younger and stronger than I look." Tingyun chuckled, "Even you benefactors have probably lived longer than me."

'What happened to you not being a fighter?' Caelus wondered before he glanced ahead. Y/n was watching Tingyun, a rather peculiar look on her face. Had she sensed something was wrong as well.

Whatever she was thinking, she didn't voice it.

One by one, they put more and more disciples out of commission and turned off each crucible. As they neared the furnace, they took a quick detour when Caelus decided it'd be a good idea to deactivate the crucible right next to y/n.

She immediately broke out into a fit of coughing and March was the first to move, grabbing her and dragging her away from the source of the smoke with an angry, "Caelus, what are you doing?! Deactivate it, quickly!"

"Sorry! Sorry!" Caelus apologize hastily as he did as he was told, "Are you alright, y/n? Feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I feel fine!" she chirped with a smile, giving the scarf a happy little rub, "Thanks to Mr. Yang's scarf!"

"You're really happy about having his scarf, huh?" March mumbled before grinning, "Ah, whatever! We managed to clear the smoke!"

Y/n glanced up ahead at the furnace, and her smile fell. That... thing up there. Amongst the other disciples, that was Dan Shu, right?

She looked different, but felt the same.
Y/n could tell Caelus had noticed.

They met each other's gazes and he smiled, lifting his bat and giving it a little tap, "Concussion~♡"

"Pfft—!" y/n snickered, "Alright, concussion it is."

They group approached, Dan Shu keeping her back to them as the ascended the steps. She knew they were there, though. Maybe she'd known from the start.

"So you succeeded in dousing the elixir cauldrons... unimportant. The inevitable is already upon us."

She turned to face the group as Fu Xuan and some Cloud Knights arrived, the Diviner stepping forward to join Tingyun and the Astral Express squad, "Dan Shu... it's you."

"I have met you before in my capacity as chief alchemist, Master Diviner... you don't seem surprised." the cult leader hummed.

"Indeed. The General and I have known that the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus would likely be hiding in the Alchemy Commission." Fu Xuan replied, trying to ignore Caelus who was