Otto Apocalypse had a dream, a dream so wonderful he knew from the start it had to be one.
He dreamed he was lying alone under the shade of a large tree, idly, freely.
But this peace didn't last long. A mischievous child's voice suddenly rang in his ear, restarting the time that had almost frozen just moments before:
"Uncle Otto! Uncle Otto!"
"Sigh..."
Otto spat out the leaf he held in his mouth and sat up with a sigh of resignation.
"What's wrong, Marseille? Why are you in such a rush?"
"Huff—huff—huff—"
His young nephew gasped for breath. Just as he was about to speak, he abruptly forgot what he wanted to say. He stood frozen for a few seconds, then stammered, "Uncle Otto, the airplane you made for me last time broke. Can you help me fix it?"
"Hm? Of course."
"Then... Uncle Otto, maybe you could just teach me how to make one?"
"Eh? You like this sort of thing too?"
Otto watched Marseille hesitate for a moment before nodding firmly. A pleased smile instantly spread across Otto's face.
But this smile didn't last long before the corners of his mouth started twitching wildly—
"You two!!!"
Marseille reacted much more strongly than Otto. The young nephew trembled at the sound, spun around, and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Otto, watching Risa hurry towards them.
Risa Schariac rapped them both on the head before gently stroking their foreheads. Only then did she sigh and shake her head:
"Marseille, I asked you to fetch Otto for the church. How did you end up...? And Otto, don't tell me you forgot... it's your own wedding today?"
"Wedding?"
Otto mulled over the word, making absolutely sure he'd heard correctly.
"Wow! I can't believe someone actually forgot their own wedding!" Risa planted her hands on her hips, shaking her head, her expression turning teasing: "Or could it be that the thought of marrying Kallen has our little Otto so head-over-heels excited that his memory's all jumbled?"
"Risa, you... act normal, please..." Otto wasn't accustomed to Risa—who had rarely been kind to him growing up—suddenly being so effusive.
But the next moment, Risa dropped all pretense. Her eyebrows shot up as she grabbed Otto's ear:
"You idiot! Kallen's been waiting for two hours already! Do you even want to get married?! If you do, hurry up and come with me!"
"Ow, ow, ow... Let go, Risa!"
Despite knowing clearly it was a dream, Otto couldn't stop the corners of his lips from curling up. Not just because of the impending wedding, but also because—
"If only Risa could really be this gentle, if only Marseille could really be so innocent... how wonderful it would be."
...
The great doors of the church swung slowly open.
Colorful stained glass filtered the harsh daylight, letting only the softest rays spill onto the immaculate floor tiles. Yet, there was no fear of the church being too dim. Even at noon, when the sun blazed brightest, the white candles within never flickered out—they were sacred flames descended from heaven, impartially burning away the sins of all humankind.
Otto proceeded step by careful step, his pace so slow one might suspect the floor tiles were too slick for haste.
No, it was just that he himself didn't want to walk too fast. He knew Kallen was waiting for him at the end of this path, but he was more afraid—afraid that if he walked too quickly, the dream would also disappear faster.
Along the way, he saw Francis, who should have died in the Judgment of Shamash Fire, chuckling as he stroked the stubble on his chin, looking quite pleased with his son-in-law.
He saw William's right hand completely intact. Seeing Otto pass by, he turned and said something to a group of brothers and sisters. Their laughter was a bit noisy, but held no malice.
He glanced back; Marseille had vanished again. Risa winked and nudged her chin forward, urging him to hurry, not to keep Kallen waiting.
Only then did he realize he had reached the end of the aisle.
Turning his head again, he saw his father, Nikolas, holding a cross aloft in one hand, the other resting on the Bible, smiling as he silently murmured blessings.
And there stood Kallen before him. Not in her black-and-white Valkyrie uniform, but draped in a snow-white wedding gown, her hand extended towards him—
"You're finally here, my great inventor."
Their eyes met. Otto smiled and took her hand.
But in the next instant, everything warped. The warm, soft light turned scorching and dim. The smile on Kallen's face froze, replaced by utter disbelief. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, staining the pristine white gown, blossoming like delicate crimson flowers.
Otto was caught completely off guard. He opened his mouth to scream, but only a guttural, beast-like roar escaped his throat.
He looked down to see his body transformed, no different from that of a Honkai Beast. His right arm, now a vicious blade, had pierced clean through Kallen's abdomen.
"Otto..."
Kallen raised a hand, as if to touch his face. This terrified him, making him recoil instinctively, wrenching the blade-arm from her abdomen.
"O...tto..."
Kallen stumbled forward one step, then collapsed heavily at his feet.
Otto stared around blankly. Raging flames consumed everything, staining the dark night sky a sickening crimson. Cries for help echoed endlessly. And where the church—the site of his wedding to Kallen—had stood, a tall, ominous gallows now loomed.
"This... Did I do all this?"
Otto opened his mouth, but only monstrous whimpers emerged. He clutched his head in agony, the blades on his hands tearing long gashes across his face.
"No... wrong! This is a dream... Just a dream!"
The sharp pain cleared his head slightly. He desperately sought a way to escape the dream, but it was utterly futile.
"Void Archives! Void Archives!"
The dream was far too lucid, his mind too awake. He knew instantly whose handiwork this was.
Yet, no matter how frantically he screamed in his mind, the Void Archives offered no response.
He remained stranded in this desolate dreamscape. An unknown amount of time passed. He watched, powerless, as the flames consumed everything in sight, eventually even igniting the blackened earth itself. Only the towering gallows remained untouched.
Another unknown period passed. The colors around him began to fade gradually, everything becoming like a sketch, composed only of basic lines. But the flames still burned, and the gallows still stood tall.
Until Otto's consciousness began to blur, until he himself couldn't distinguish dream from reality, until he seemed about to fall into an eternal sleep within this dream...
"Otto! Otto! Wake up!"
"Ngh!"
In an instant, all the lines vanished, leaving only pure darkness. Then, gentle light filtered in through narrow slits—
Only then did Otto realize he had opened his eyes.
"Ugh... Kallen?"
He sat up on the cot, his head heavy and dull from the long sleep. A gentle shake sent a sloshing sensation through his skull.
But he ignored it, forcing himself through the pounding headache to scan the tent. She wasn't there.
"No... wait, I clearly heard her voice just now..."
Dreams were strange phenomena. Some seemingly bizarre ones were deeply connected to reality, perhaps even prophetic. Could an insignificant dream perfectly mirror a future, near or far?
Otto knew the Void Archives had influenced the nightmare, but he couldn't gamble that such a future was impossible. Nor could he guess at the dream's true meaning. He just needed to see Kallen, now, to confirm she was unharmed. Immediately!
He tugged at his shirt collar and swung his legs off the cot, only to clutch his head again as sharp pain shot through it.
He was so frantic he completely missed the scent of irises filling the tent.
Fortunately, Kallen didn't keep him waiting. The tent flap soon lifted, and she entered carrying a small wooden basin.
"Oh? You're awake already." She chuckled softly. Having seen Otto stirring earlier, she had stepped out to fetch water, a basin, and a towel.
However, her movements were perhaps a bit too... 'Kaslana.' The basin was filled to the brim, and her gestures were rather broad. With a few clattering sounds, at least half the water splashed onto her Valkyrie uniform.
Otto couldn't help but steal a quick glance, though he couldn't really see anything.
The Valkyrie uniform was primarily black. Furthermore, to prevent tearing in combat and offer some 'minuscule' protection, it was made from a unique fabric—the source known only to the Apocalypse family, or more accurately, only to his father, Archbishop Nikolas.
Water didn't soak it; instead, as Otto observed, it beaded up and rolled right off the battlesuit.
Despite seeing nothing, he felt a pang of guilt and averted his gaze. But then, he took the wooden basin from Kallen's hands, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touching his lips as he grumbled:
"You're a Valkyrie. You should leave chores like this to others."
Kallen playfully stuck out her tongue and didn't resist, instead handing Otto the towel and various toiletries.
"Can't be helped. It's not like you have any attendants here, right?"
Otto didn't reply at once. He took his time washing up, splashing water on his face, using the moment to subtly compose himself. Only then did he slowly ask, feigning ignorance:
"Don't you have combat duty today?"
"Nope—"
Kallen perched on a small stool, smoothed her bangs, and fanned herself lightly with her hand as she replied casually:
"Uncle Luka gave me two days off. Said that since my fian— well, since you finally made it to the front lines, I should spend some time with you. As for combat... it's summer, unbearably hot. Even the Ming aren't eager to fight right now. There are just some simple patrols, which Eleanor and the others can handle perfectly fine."
"Is that so..."
Otto discreetly checked his backpack, shielding the action with his body. It felt empty inside.
"Hey! Otto! How about I take you somewhere to meet someone?"
"Hm? Who?"
Kallen winked mischievously, her next words startling him:
"My daughter!"
...
"Honestly, Kallen, could you please finish your sentences next time..." Mounted on his horse, Otto smoothed the damp hair plastered to his forehead. He tugged at his collar, twisting to look. A faint yellowish mark, likely from sweat or heat, annoyed him slightly.
He was sweating profusely, not just from the oppressive heat, but because Kallen's earlier declaration had kept him on edge the entire ride. It wasn't until they were nearly at their destination that she finally explained what she meant by 'daughter'.
"What, did I actually scare you?" Kallen offered an apologetic smile. She'd only meant it as a joke, not realizing Otto would react so strongly...
"Perhaps I underestimated... how much he cares..." The thought made Kallen quickly purse her lips and turn away.
"I wasn't wrong, though! So what? An adopted daughter isn't a real daughter? The Schariacs are always adopting orphans, you know!"
"That's the Schariacs. Their family situation is... unique," Otto retorted instinctively. Seeing Kallen glare, he lowered his voice, "You're... you're still so young... Why adopt an orphan already?"
Seeing Otto quiet down, Kallen seemed to realize her actions might have been thoughtless—
She was Otto's fiancée, after all. Any child she adopted would effectively be his adopted daughter too. She really should have discussed it with him before making such a decision.
But Kaslanas will be Kaslanas. When she first met the girl, she'd acted on impulse. By the time she thought of writing to Otto about it, the devastating news arrived—the annihilation of those three thousand soldiers.
So, ultimately, she really hadn't thought through the consequences.
However, just as she debated apologizing, she realized the rear logistics camp was already near.
As the main supply base for over a hundred thousand soldiers on the front lines, it naturally wasn't situated right next to the main headquarters camp, but rather about five kilometers behind it. This distance wasn't far; infantry could march it in half a day, let alone the two of them riding horses.
After thinking for a moment, Kallen ultimately chose to remain silent.
"Captain Kallen... Er, and... Young Master Otto!" The guard captain at the checkpoint saluted. "Are you here to see Vera? This morning, she was playing near grain pile number three with the other children adopted by the Schariacs. You should probably ask Miss Kodra where she is now."
"Alright, thanks!" Kallen waved breezily. As she prepared to dismount, her horse suddenly bucked violently. Being a seasoned Valkyrie, her instincts kicked in instantly. Pushing off with both hands, she prepared to launch herself clear.
But before she could finish the move, Otto lunged from his own horse, wrapping his arms tightly around her as they tumbled onto the nearby grass.
This sudden, intimate embrace completely stunned Kallen, her mind freezing until the frantic neighing of the horses and the soldiers' shouts snapped her back to reality.
The two horses they'd ridden bolted into the logistics camp, hooves flying, scattering piles of grain everywhere.
The camp's own pack animals grew restless and agitated. Several seemed ready to bolt just like the newcomers, but most were kept in check by the soldiers' sharp commands.
"What's going on?" Kallen sniffed the air tentatively. She sensed an intangible... 'presence'.
A presence she knew all too well. It was...
The result of a large accumulation of Honkai Energy!
"Kallen, look!" Otto gripped her shoulders, gently turning her to face the direction they had come from.
Sometime while they weren't looking, thick, black clouds had gathered ominously on the horizon.