Chapter Text
Stelle stood frozen on top the snow covered lands of Everwinter Hill, brandishing a newly acquired flaming lance. She didn’t dare move, feeling like she’d fall over if she even attempted it. The sound of crying echoed in her head - Bronya’s sobbing, with the only proof of existence that was her mother being the melted snow on the ground far ahead of them, housing nothing anymore. Seele was by her side, but everyone remained frozen in place, too astounded by the events that just took place.
The Trailblazer’s eyes widened slightly. She finally felt herself breathe again, and moved her hand to feel her chest. Her heartbeat thumped heavily under her fingertips, so loudly against her chest that she feared her heart would pop out.
She recalled the pain coursing through her chest and back, the flaming lance in her hand formerly an icicle impaled within her. She remembered feeling her heartbeat cease, remembered thinking how funny it was that there was no state of ‘shock’ for her that numbed the pain. She was saddened that she’d leave her friends behind who she only knew for about a month or so.
But here Stelle stood, having defeated Cocolia, having cheated death through the piercing sight of Qlipoth, who had noticed her. Formerly Destruction, now Preservation.
Her heart raced and her heavy breathing turned to panting. Though she stood in the snow with an outfit not equipped for such weather, she was sweating bullets. She’d have thought of hypothermia had she been in the right mind. It was like her breath was being stolen from her, like she was at the cusp of drowning but somehow managed to get her head out of the water for one more gasp of air that continued her survival. She didn’t even notice when the lance slipped from her own burned hand, falling onto the snowbed.
The corners of her vision dimmed and her gaze was shaky, staring at the nothing ahead of her that used to be a someone. That someone who was claimed by a Stellaron, one quite like the anomaly within her that spoke to her, showed her dreams that shook her awake at night; never let her have a moment's rest.
The sound of crying continued to echo in her head along with the whistling of the wind and her own panting. The two figures rushing towards her went unnoticed.
You shouldn’t be standing here.
You shouldn’t have survived.
You shouldn’t be here.
You should’ve died.
You should’ve died.
You should’ve died-
The voices of her friends went unnoticed. The pinkette reached out towards her, then stopped, hesitant and unsure of what to do before drawing her hand back. She spoke some words that went unprocessed, and the taller raven-haired man beside her seemingly replied to her.
Then there was a sudden pressure on Stelle’s right cheek, a touch so gentle that brought much needed comfort, but with muffled words she couldn’t quite pick up. Then another pressure on her other cheek and a weight that slumped against her from her side.
“...-elle… Stelle.” The Trailblazer drew in a sharp, shaky breath, finally properly seeing the man ahead of her with his hands cupping her face. Beside her, hugging her tightly was March 7th, her face hidden against the taller girl's shoulder.
“I-I-... Dan Heng-...” She tried to speak, but was out of breath. The jade-eyed man shook his head, his thumbs swiping under her reddened eyes, wiping away the tears she didn’t realize she was shedding. She noticed the solemn expression on his face before he too pulled her into an embrace, guiding her head to lean against his shoulder. March’s hand rubbed at her back, comforting her.
“You’re fine… you’re safe. There’s nothing to worry about anymore…” Dan Heng whispered into her ear, with a voice so gentle she immediately felt all the tension leave her body. She took a deep breath as she felt his fingers run through her ashen hair, inhaling his homely scent that helped calm her nerves.
Regaining a small modicum of strength once her breathing returned to normal, she finally managed to pull her arms up slowly, wrapping them around her companions who she’d come to cherish, even in the short time she’d known them. They were her only family, after all.
Safe… you’re safe. She repeated his words in her head, her golden eyes fluttering shut.