It had been a few days since the Astral Express left Teyvat. The lounge was quiet, each member lost in their own thoughts.
Kiana's blue and gold eyes drifted often to the passing stars as she nibbled on her cookies. Elysia scrolled through the pictures she had captured during their trip, pausing now and then to jot something in her notebook. Across the table, Lumine stared at the two cups of tea she had absentmindedly poured, unable to bring herself to clear them. Noah lay stretched across the sofa, head resting on Citlali's pillow, hugging the Dodoco plushie with a red witch hat. His expression was unreadable, almost hollow.
"...How is the attempt to connect with Asterisk and Teyvat using the seed?" Lumine finally asked, breaking the heavy silence as her fingers traced the rim of her cup.
Kiana blinked, tearing her gaze away from the window. Elysia's pen stopped mid-stroke, while Noah didn't move an inch.
Elysia let out a quiet sigh, setting her pen down before lifting her cup for a slow sip. "...Unfortunately, we still haven't gotten any connection. Nothing either way."
Lumine's shoulders slumped, her expression shadowed with sadness. "...I see."
Elysia bit her lip, then added softly, "According to VA, since the main 'server' is in Sumeru and with Teyvat under time dilation, the connection just isn't coming through."
Silence once again filled the lounge. No one dared to speak, no one had the will to challenge the somber mood. Even Kiana, who was usually the first to cheer everyone up, couldn't bring herself to do it.
"...I miss them," Kiana finally whispered. She pulled her legs to her chest, hugging them tightly.
Her words reached everyone. Noah, Elysia, and Lumine all flinched, their lips trembling as their eyes grew wet.
"...Without A-chan and Itztli, it just feels wrong," Kiana added, tears slipping down her cheeks.
'...You.' Sirin's voice rang softly from their shared mindspace, touched by Kiana's raw emotion.
Elysia bit her lip, tilting her head back toward the ceiling as if that alone could keep the tears from falling.
Lumine's gaze fell again on the two untouched cups of tea. The liquid inside had long gone cold, yet she still couldn't bring herself to clear them away.
Noah slowly sat up, pulling the Citlali pillow closer and setting it between him and Kiana. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he pulled her into his embrace, resting their backs against the pillow. He gently set the Dodoco plushie on their laps, Kiana's fingers brushing over its fabric as she leaned her head on his shoulder.
"...I miss them too," Noah muttered, his voice heavy. "I really miss them so much."
Elysia couldn't hold back anymore—she all but threw herself onto Noah's other side, burying her face against his shoulder. Lumine, silent but unable to stay distant, stood from her seat. She carefully lifted the Dodoco plushie into her arms, hugging it tightly as she sat down close to the others.
"...I guess we're all a mess without them," Lumine murmured, her voice trembling.
Noah circled his arms around them, pulling the three girls close in a tight embrace. "...Yeah. Without A-chan's explosions or Itztli's scolding, it never feels right."
Elysia sniffled as she wiped her tears. "...They must feel the same as us. But unlike us, we still have the five of us here. For them, it's only A-chan and Itztli."
Kiana, Lumine, and Noah—and even Sirin within Kiana—nodded.
"...I miss them too." Sirin's voice slipped through Kiana's lips, softer than usual. "...I never thought I'd feel this, but those two… they grew on me."
"Sii…" Elysia murmured tenderly.
"...Everyone we met became part of our lives, and we became part of theirs," Lumine said, a small smile tugging at her lips even as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Just like how the six of you became part of mine, and I became yours."
"...We traveled the world called Teyvat, and witnessed its people's lives. So we..." Noah smiled faintly, "...Explore."
"We learned their struggles, their resolve, their determination—and their stories," Sirin added, hugging Kiana tightly in their shared mindspace. Kiana looked at her elder sister and together they said, "That is why we... Understand!"
"We became Honorary Knights, Friends of the Adepti, Advisors to the Shogunate, Sages of the Akademiya, Executioners of Justice, Heroes of Flame, even Harbingers of the Fatui..." Elysia chuckled through her tears, "We left our mark—we... Established."
"And most important of all, together with them we danced, fought, bled, learned, sang, loved, cried, laughed, and so much more." Lumine lifted Dodoco with both hands, her smile trembling. "To the people of Teyvat, we... Connect."
The four—five, counting Sirin within Kiana—looked at each other before laughter bubbled out, their arms wrapping tighter around one another in a warm embrace.
"Huh… would you look at that? We actually made our motto now," Noah said with a faint chuckle, his voice carried a note of pride.
Before anyone could reply, Void Archive's voice cut in full alert.
[Captain, I'm detecting an SOS signal. Analyzing: It matches the Hyperion-class vessel, the Hyperion, from my database.]
Noah stiffened, eyes widening. His pulse quickened inexplicably at the name. A hand pressed against his chest as a strange, familiar yet foreign feeling rouse inside him.
Kiana noticed first, her brows knitting in concern. "Captain? Are you okay?"
Elysia leaned forward, curiosity and worry mingling. "Noah? What's wrong?"
Lumine reached over, resting a steadying hand on his shoulder. "Talk to us."
Noah remained silent, hand clutching his chest. The Hyperion—the ship that had appeared in the illusion Gosoythoth conjured during their final battle. "I… I don't really understand it," he murmured. "But this feels… familiar."
His breath caught. His hand slowly curled into a fist. "VA, how far are we from Hyperion?"
[We are currently 17 light hours away,] Void Archives answered. [We should be able to reach it within 39 hours at our current speed.]
Noah's gaze moved to Kiana, Elysia, and Lumine, who all watched him with worry. He clenched his fist tighter.
Kiana's golden-blue eyes softened at his determined look. "If this is what you need to do… then let's go. Leave the smashing to me," she said, her voice overlapping with Sirin's.
Lumine placed her hand over Noah's, her touch firm. "Not just Kii and Sii. Me and Ellie, we'll all be there with you, no matter what happens."
Elysia nodded, her smile calm and reassuring. "Just follow what your heart tells you, Noah. Leave the aftermath to us."
Noah's chest eased at their words. He gave the three—and Sirin—a grateful smile. "...VA, set course for the Hyperion."
—--
The battle-worn yet majestic Hyperion floated just ahead. Noah, Kiana, Sirin, Elysia, and Lumine couldn't help but stare in awe as the ship's silhouette grew larger on the viewscreen. Its hull, though battered with countless scars, still stood firm—a testament to the many battles it had endured.
"Incredible," Lumine whispered, her voice filled with wonder.
Kiana slowly raised her hand, as if trying to touch the Hyperion through the holoscreen. "...This is strange. I feel like I know this ship. Like I've lived inside it for years."
"I… understand what you mean, Kii," Elysia murmured, her gaze distant and reverent. "From the memories I pick up from it, I see traces of us—me, you, Lumi, Sirin, Noah, and even others I don't recognize. We've been on this ship before… we used it for a long time."
Her words sent a chill through the others. Noah, Kiana, Sirin, and Lumine all froze, eyes widening in shock.
"H-how is that even possible?" Lumine asked, her voice trembling with confusion.
Elysia bit her lip, glancing back at them. "...I don't know. But one thing I do know—memories don't lie."
Noah closed his eyes, reaching into the Force for answers. But it remained silent. With a heavy sigh, he run his hand through his hair, brow furrowed. "...Let's board that ship. Maybe—maybe we'll find the answers we're looking for."
The girls didn't even hesitate. Each nodded firmly, sharing the same pull in their hearts. As the Express aligned for docking, another wave of nostalgia washed over them. Every step of the procedure felt second nature—the alignment timing, the docking clamps, even the opening of the hatch. They moved with practiced precision, as if this wasn't their first time… but one of many.
They boarded the Hyperion in silence, each step filled with anticipation. No one dared to speak, as they let the strange familiarity guide them forward. Their feet carried them toward the bridge, as if memory itself was leading the way.
The bridge was in darkness, consoles and screens unlit. Yet Noah continued on, drawn by a pull he couldn't explain. He stopped at the captain's seat, fingers brushing the worn armrest, his heart beats loudly in his chest urging him on. Slowly, he turned toward the central console, placing his hand atop it.
"System, up." The words slipped out of his mouth before he even realized he was speaking them.
At once the ship woke up. Consoles came to life, lights flashing as the Hyperion awakened from its slumber. Noah, Kiana, Elysia, Lumine, and even Sirin within felt a sense of belonging as the engine's deep hum to life. It felt like coming home.
"Captain on bridge," the system declared warmly, its tone one of recognition and welcome.
A burst of light followed, playful and nostalgic, and a small chibi holographic girl materialized with a flourish. Her orange eyes blinked wide before lighting up as she spotted Noah and the girls.
"Ahh!!!! You're finally back, Captain!" she squealed, diving straight into Noah's arms and hugging him tightly. After a moment she spun to greet the others. "And you even brought my favorite girls!"
Noah blinked, stunned, watching as the chibi AI bounced from one girl to another with childlike joy. "...You really know us."
The chibi tilted her head, her smile brimming with both joy and confusion. "Of course! We've been together for so long, Captain!!!"
"Together for so long....Captain, huh?" Noah murmured, brushing his fingers against Void Archives on his arm. "...So that's why you always call me Captain."
Void Archives remained silent.
But the ship did not. Its AI hopped around them gleefully, showering them with greetings, celebrating the long-awaited return of its Captain.
—---------
Their reunion with the AI brought both smiles and confusion. Its familiarity with them was uncanny, like reuniting with a dear old friend.
She floated toward Kiana, Elysia, and Lumine with warmth radiating from every pixel of her body, her voice bright with joy.
"AI-chan missed you all so much! It was so lonely without hearing your laughter."
Kiana licked her lips, trying to calm the strange, familiar feelings that had been gnawing at her since they first saw the Hyperion. "AI-chan? Just how do you know us? This should be the first time we've met."
AI-chan giggled softly, her holographic eyes misting with a spark of emotion. She floated closer to Kiana, patting her head gently. "Hehehe! It's so weird seeing you looking so serious."
Kiana, Elysia, and Lumine exchanged bewildered looks before turning back to her. AI-chan clasped her tiny holographic hands together. "AI-chan doesn't know everything, but she knows your smiles, your voices, the burdens you carry… and that all of you are part of a story that we fight to keep going."
Elysia's brows furrowed, her tone sharpened. "You're not just an AI… are you?"
AI-chan puffed her chest out proudly, her voice ringing with playful confidence. "Of course not! AI-chan is Hyperion's number one idol, after all!"
Lumine glanced between Elysia and Kiana, the three of them sharing the same dumbfounded expression.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, AI-chan perked up and waved them along. "Ah! Right—Captain, everyone, come with me! There's a place you need to see first!"
—---------
AI-chan led Noah and the girls into the armory, where rows of containers lined the walls each holding a Divine Key. Their eyes widened, breath catching as they took in the sight of the real keys, each radiating a sleeping power.
"Here they are!! Captain's weapons—the real Divine Keys!" AI-chan declared proudly, puffing her chest.
"How is this possible…" Kiana whispered, stepping forward. Her hands pressed against the glass of a container holding a pair of great pistols etched with crimson sigils—Judgment of Shamash. "...Shamash should still be with Papa back home."
Her gaze drifted to another container, where a dual-toned lance rested—black metal spiraling with white floral motifs—Black Abyss / White Flower. Sirin's voice shook as it slipped out of Kiana's lips. "...This is Mama's…"
Kiana and Sirin's eyes scanned further, recognizing more of the legendary weapons.
The seventh key, a long feather-shaped blade etched with luminous runes—Fenghuang Down.
Another, once wielded by the Herrscher of Reason, a smooth floating sphere that pulsed faintly with gravitational hum—Star of Eden.
And the towering cross adorned with golden patterns, familiar to them all—Judah's Oath.
Elysia stepped forward, nostalgia softening her gaze. Her fingers brushed against the container of a jagged violet katana, arcs of thunder crackling across its edge—Seven Thunders of Retribution. "Vill-V created these during the Fire Moth Era. Weapons meant to stand against the Honkai."
Her steps slowed until she stood beside Kiana, her gaze returning to the dual-toned lance. Her hand gently touched the glass. The weapon pulsed in recognition, white petals lit up briefly like an old friend greeting her return.
Lumine moved closer, standing beside Kiana as both leaned in to watch quietly.
"Ellie… are you familiar with them?" Lumine asked softly.
"....Yes." Elysia nodded, her voice carrying both nostalgia and a trace of sorrow. "These are the legacy of a once-mighty civilization that failed to protect their world."
She closed her eyes, memories of the Flame Chasers flashing before her, before softening into a small smile. "...But in the end, they became the seeds of hope for the current civilization."
Elysia's gaze slid toward Noah's arm. "Isn't that right, VA? Or should I call you by your true name—the First Divine Key, Key of Revelation, Void Archives?"
Noah, Kiana, and Lumine's eyes widened as the golden cube materialized before them.
[It has been 50,112 Earth years since our last meeting, Second of the Thirteen Flame Chasers, one of humanity's final heroes, holder of the 'True Self' Signet—Herrscher of Origin, Elysia.]
Gasps escaped from Noah, Kiana, and Lumine at the revelation.
"F-Fifty thousand?! Ellie, just how old are you?!" Kiana blurted out before she could stop herself.
Elysia's smile turned dangerously sweet. "Ara~ Kii, what exactly are you implying~? Aren't beautiful girls eternally eighteen~?"
There was a beat of silence.
Lumine cleared her throat, eyes darting aside, but secretly nodded in approval. After all, she too was quite… ehem…
Kiana flinched and ducked behind Noah's back. "I-I mean, you look as young as ever!!! But that was a suspiciously fast answer…"
Inside their shared mindspace, Sirin chimed in dryly: '...Her young and beautiful self is truly deceiving.'
'Not helping, Sister!' Kiana shouted back mentally.
Noah, ever tactful, gave a gentle smile. "Well, no matter the years, Ellie is Ellie—our beautiful Miss Pink Elf."
Elysia winked playfully. "Hmm, hmm. Smart man."
Kiana pouted and huffed. "Captain, you traitor!!!"
Their laughter filled the room, softening the heavy air. For a moment, the tension lifted, their bond shining through like the warmth of family.
—---------
After returning to the Express, with the Hyperion now docked at one of its vacant carts to serve as a holding bay, Noah found himself poring over the records stored in the Hyperion and VA's databanks. Holographic interfaces surrounded him, each screen filled with data, schematics, and historical logs tied to the Divine Keys. One material kept recurring across every file: Soulium.
"What exactly is Soulium?" he asked aloud, narrowing his eyes.
[A unique metallic composite of nano-robots designed to insulate Honkai energy and repair Honkai-induced corrosion,] VA explained. [It is a crucial material for Divine Key construction.]
Noah rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "...So that's the backbone of it all."
He continued scrolling, studying the information tied to each key.
Judgment of Shamash — created using the Herrscher of Flames' core. It specializes in overwhelming fiery destruction. Its authority over fire and plasma grants it immense destructive power, capable of eradicating powerful Honkai Beasts. In its ultimate form, its power is enough to tear through space-time itself. High risk: unleashing Shamash's full might puts a deadly strain on the user's body. Once fully expended, the weapon requires significant time to recharge before it can return to maximum output.
Because of its destructive nature, it was split into two pistols as its base form. Combining both reveals its true form: the Cleaver of Shamash, a massive Zweihänder with a super-heated, fire-infused blade.
Vill-V's margin note flashed at the bottom of the file: "Absolutely do not dual-wield while under emotional distress—unless you want to become your own barbecue."
Noah couldn't help but snort. "...Sounds about right."
Fenghuang Down — made from the Herrscher of Sentience's core, shaped like a delicate feather. This weapon specializes in manipulating consciousness, memories, and creating realistic illusions. It can attack a target's mind directly by altering neural signals, implant suggestions, or inducing deep sleep. Its illusions are so vivid that victims believe them to be real—and if one dies in that dreamscape, the body in reality dies as well. It can also link multiple minds together, allowing communication within a shared mental network.
Vill-V's archived note read: "For once, a weapon that doesn't explode! Mostly. Unless you overclock the empathy matrix! then good luck sorting your memories from someone else's."
Noah leaned back slightly, exhaling. "Messing with memories, dreams, even life and death… this Key is really dangerous."
As he scrolled through Vill-V's notes—half brilliant schematic, half uncensored doodle—Noah let out a soft snort. "She really was… something else."
[It's fine to be honest, Captain,] VA replied. [Vill-V was a brilliant lunatic. Her inventions had a terrifying casualty rate but an equally terrifying success rate.]
Noah chuckled at Void Archive's bluntness. "That's how you talk about your own creator?"
[It's fine. She can't complain—she's long gone now,] VA answered. Its tone seemed cold, but Noah caught a faint trace of nostalgia hidden under it.
"Now I'm a little scared of how you'll talk about me once I'm gone," he teased.
[...You won't be gone anytime soon, Captain.]
The unexpected answer made Noah raise his brows before laughing. He turned back to the files, scrolling further through the details of each key—symbols of legacy, proof that a civilization once fought against the End. Even if they failed, they became seeds of hope.
His chest tightened as a new thought stirred within him. His mind drifted back to Teyvat, to Lumine's words about visions. Her voice resurfaced once more in his memory: "When someone carries a strong desire, the gods and heaven recognize it. That's when a Vision appears. It looks like a jeweled ornament. It lets the bearer channel elemental power."
Noah exhaled slowly. A spark of inspiration flared in his eyes. "Hey VA… how about we make something cool?"
—---------
Classic jazzy tunes floated through the Express's lounge phonograph. Elysia sipped her tea as she scribbled in her notebook, occasionally scrolling through the pictures she had taken and the logs VA had archived. Nearby, Kiana lounged upside-down on Citlalin, lazily tossing a cookie into her mouth, while Lumine sat cross-legged beside them, gently patting the Dodoco plushie on her lap.
Noah stepped into the lounge, his eyes searching until they landed on Elysia. "Elysia."
She looked up with a playful smile. "My! you haven't called me by my name since we officially got together. Is there something you need?"
He moved closer and took her hands.
"Can you tell me again about your Origin Crystal?"
Her smile faltered, surprise flashing across her face at the sudden seriousness. A faint blush touched her cheeks. "M-my crystal? Why the sudden interest, dear?"
"Because… I think it might be the key to what I want to do." Noah's tone was serious, unshaken even as she called him dear.
Elysia blinked, then straightened, sensing his sincerity. "Hmm~ It's more than just a pretty flower."
She raised her hand, a crystal blooming into existence in her palm.
"Well, the Origin Crystal is really an extension of my existence. It gives me the power to bring out someone's true self, their hidden potential. A chance for them to be something more. To simplify—it's like wish fulfillment. I can impart it with the ability to turn a genuine desire into reality, even if the wielder doesn't understand how the process works." She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly before continuing. "I can also use it to alter fate itself. Like when we saved Buer—I didn't just seal the forbidden knowledge, I rewound Irminsul and that knowledge back to the very beginning of possibilities."
Her voice softened as she looked up at him.
"It's my gift to others. To give them a chance to start again—with new options, at the very beginning of possibilities."
For a moment Noah said nothing. Then his eyes lit up, and he grinned. "As expected… it works exactly like I need it to."
Without thinking, he stepped forward and pulled Elysia into a sudden hug. "Ellie… can you give me ten pieces of your crystal?"
He pulled back just enough to meet her eyes, his hands still resting on her waist. His expression was hopeful, almost vulnerable.
"Please. I want to use them to forge something beautiful for all of us."
Elysia stood frozen for a moment, her cheeks burning crimson. Her lips parted, but no words came. Then, slowly, she nodded. With a graceful motion, she extended her hand. Ten crystalline shards bloomed into existence, glowing with the power of Origin. She gently placed them in his hands.
"If it's for you, Noah… always."
Noah's smile softened. He leaned in and, without a word, pressed a tender kiss on her lips. Elysia froze again, utterly stunned, her heart skipping. The kiss was brief, yet filled with warmth and trust. When he pulled away, she was still processing it, eyes wide.
"Thank you, Ellie." Noah gave her a thankful, glowing smile, stealing one more kiss before turning to leave.
Off to the side, Kiana and Lumine had watched the entire scene. Elysia touched her lips and let out a silly giggle, basking in the afterglow of Noah's kiss.
"Why is she acting like this is the first time they've kissed?" Kiana deadpanned around a mouthful of cookies.
"Yeah, they did bolder things back in Teyvat," Sirin chimed in through her, unimpressed.
Lumine gave Elysia a side glance, watching the pink-haired girl giggle. "...Maybe, as the Herrscher of Origin, she feels everything as if it's a 'first.'"
Kiana and Sirin blinked at that thought, smirking as they raised a thumb in agreement.
Lumine returned the gesture with the same smirk.
—---------
Noah entered the Hyperion's lab, his steps unusually quick like a child eager to unwrap a long-awaited gift. He rushed to the console, fingers dancing across the interface as the final design of his project hovered before him. "Perfect! With the Origin Crystal secured, this project is finally one step closer to reality!"
[Good for you, Captain,] Void Archives replied flatly.
Noah's grin froze. His eyes shifted to another part of the design—the casing. Realization hit like a punch. He paled and then dramatically slumped onto the floor. "...I don't have Soulium!!!"
As he wallowed in despair, AI-chan popped up smugly, hands on her tiny holographic hips. "If you needed Soulium, we've got tons of it in storage, Captain. You could've just asked earlier."
Noah blinked, processing her words a beat too long. "...Wait. What?"
AI-chan flicked her wrist, a holoscreen appearing with a highlighted map. "Storage chamber number seven. Behind the fourth containment door."
Noah's cheek twitched, half-exasperated. "...Of course we have that."
—--
After staying in the labs for days, Noah finally completed it. Ten ornaments shaped like express tickets, reminiscent of Teyvat's Visions. Unlike those Visions, however, the jewels at their center were blank, silent, waiting.
[Congratulations, Captain. After 139 hours, you have completed the first set of Astral Emblems,] Void Archives announced.
"CONGRATULATIONS!!" AI-chan cheered, showering the room with virtual confetti and banners.
"...Finally, it's done." Noah exhaled, a tired but satisfied smile tugging at his lips. His body, mind, and spirit were worn from the long hours of work, yet his eyes shone with pride.
He gazed at the ten jewel-like ornaments—the Astral Emblems. Crafted exclusively for the Nameless of the Astral Express, their new symbol and source of power. Each was shaped like a vertical ticket-card with a crystalline gem embedded at the center. Gilded clips lined the sides, allowing them to be worn easily, while stamped notches marked the top edge like the stub of their original tickets. And at the bottom-right corner, a tiny shining trail star rested—ready to glow whenever the crew synchronized with one another.
At the heart of each emblem was Elysia's Origin Crystal, granting them the power to resonate with their bearer's truest self. From that desire, their potential would awaken—new beginnings born from their wishes.
Unseen to all, Noah had poured his own Trailblaze energy into them. Just as Teyvat's fate changed when touched by Trailblaze, so too would these emblems carry infinite possibilities. Origin and Trailblaze, synchronizing together, ensuring each bearer would awaken the path best suited to them.
The casings were made from Soulium, gold-silver metal gently wrapping the crystals at the center. It held the Trailblaze energy in place, its very properties insulating against Honkai corruption. For in the end, all energies traced back to one source, the Imaginary energy.
Soulium, Origin, and Trailblaze—three forces entwined, giving the Astral Emblems their true purpose.
Noah closed his eyes, his voice filled with emotion. "These emblems won't be just a source of power," he whispered. "They're symbols. Proof of the possibilities the Trailblaze gives us and the bonds we will share."
—---------
Kiana (Sirin within), Elysia and Lumine eyes went wide at the Astral emblems laid in front of them.
"...that is why, please take one each, for this will be our ID as members of the Astral Express." Noah explained to the girls.
"..Noah you just made something truly beautiful." Elysia said in disbelief.
"To think that we just left you alone for days and you made something like this." Kiana and Sirin said together, releasing sighs but their eyes were full of awe and wonder.
"Truly Noah, you outdid yourself once again. If Itztli is here, you will break her expectations once more." Lumine said with a fond smile.
Noah chuckles, already imagining Citlali's and A's reactions. He watches as the girls take an emblem with Kiana picking two, one for her and another for Sirin.
Elysia's emblem awakened first, the gem at the middle lit up with a snowflake awakening the element ice. An element very fit for her remembrance path.
Lumine's eyes went daze for bit until her emblem shine bright, her wings of light emerge from her back as the seven elements from Teyvat came out circle around her, until they all flew at the center for her emblem awaking the Imaginary element, she felt her Trailblaze path trembles in satisfaction.
Kiana's emblem burned brightly, her figure transforming into her herrscher of flamescion form, the fire element symbol blaze proudly strengthening her firepower from her Destruction path.
Her body lit with purple haze, Kiana's figure gone as sirin's figure appeared in her place. The pulsing Quantum element in her emblem gives her almost instinctively control on her Void abilities and almost freedom of movement. Her connection with the Nihility path strengthened as well.
Noah smiled as each of them successfully awakened their emblems. He felt a pulse from his own emblem pinned to his left arm, the Imaginary element glowing faintly as if celebrating with them. His gaze drifted warmly to the five untouched emblems still resting in the box.
"These five… they're for the ones I saw in my vision," he said, closing the lid with care. "I don't know who they are, or when we'll meet… but fate will bring us together. Until then, these emblems will wait for you."
As if his words reached across the stars—
A cynical young man stopped mid-step inside the Metaverse, his deadfish eyes narrowing as he glanced up at the sky.
A young woman in her family's dojo froze mid-swing, her shinai lowering as her purple eyes blinked in confusion.
A student sitting in his classroom, mind adrift on his coming spring trip to London, suddenly looked up at the sky, dazed.
A cheerful girl, frail in health yet stubborn in spirit, raised her teacup in triumph. Her clairvoyance flared for a heartbeat, and through her window she glimpsed a boy her age fighting an enemy with an orb-like weapon, gravity bending at his command to shield her.
And a genius princess rubbed her sleepy eyes amid scattered blueprints, pausing as if someone had called her name. She looked around her empty room and shrugs.
—--
At the Astral Express, Noah smiled warmly at Kiana, Elysia, and Lumine standing beside him, each emblem glowing gently.
"So, where's our next stop, Captain?" Kiana asked, her emblem chained neatly to her leg ring, curiosity bright in her tone.
"Hmm, I plan to meet Ms. Herta from the Genius Society," Noah answered.
Lumine tilted her head, her emblem glittering faintly from where it was attached to her scarf. "Why do you want to meet her?"
Noah scratched the back of his head with a sheepish smile. "...Because I think she can help me control my powers. I don't want another incident like in Teyvat, where the world went off course because of my presence."
Elysia chuckled, brushing her hand over the emblem hanging from her belt. "Well, she might indeed be able to help you with that. Madam Herta is, after all, a well-known Emanator of Erudition."
"An eccentric one too, from what I've heard," Lumine added softly, her lips curving.
"Eccentric or not, as long as she can help the Captain, I don't mind!" Kiana grinned.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go already!" Sirin's voice rang with excitement from within her and Kiana's shared mindspace, her words rang through the emblem beside Kiana's own.
"Yes, yes, we'll go now." Noah laughed, shaking his head fondly. "VA, AI-chan, set course for Herta's space station."
[Roger, Captain,] the two AIs replied in unison.
The Astral Express lit up, silver light wrapping around it as it leapt into the jump toward their next stop.