Purpose
Being a Schicksal Valkyrie was a hard job. Durandal, the strongest, most powerful S-tier Valkyrie, and the heir of the Abyss Flower, was one to know that. However, ever since the escape from finality, there had not been many times where Durandal had been needed.
She was the best, but she was not required for such small affairs concerning honkai. This fact hurt Durandal. Although she understood, she felt without purpose. She would and had dedicated her life to her duty, but what was she without a duty? Who was she?
It hurt even more knowing Kiana—one who she considered family—was gone.
She’d gone through it, keeping a strong face for humanity and Mei. Oh how much worse Raiden Mei had taken it…it took three days for her to finally regain some sense of sanity. But even after that, she’d refused to eat or sleep, just stayed curled up on the couch of Rita and Durandal’s manor all day and night, despite the guest room they’d prepared for her.
“The bed is too comfortable,” She’d stated. “It reminds me too much of her.”
It was the comfort that the white haired girl had brought Mei that was too unbearable to forget. Though it was hard to live without her, Mei had learned how to. After a month or two’s worth of time, she’d finally decided that being depressed all day was not what Kiana would have wanted. She would have wanted her to smile and laugh, even if she was no longer there.
So, for every remaining night of the year since Kiana had left, Mei had slept in the guest bed. Before getting under the sheets, she would always stare out the window at the black, murky sky in search of the most noticeable source of light.
Her light that would shine brightly for her:
The moon.
It proved hard for her on new moons when it didn’t appear in the night sky, breaking her routine, but she stayed strong. Instead, she would still gaze into the empty abyss, murmuring,
“Very funny Kiana, you win this time.”
The poor Kiana had always lost at games of hide and seek, especially to the prodigy of games, Bronya. This time around, once a month, she would prove victorious.
Nevertheless, Durandal and Rita had always been there to support and aid her through the pain and agony. It had been thanks to Kiana Kaslana, the Herrscher of Finality, that humanity lived to tell another tale. To stand once again in the fight against honkai.
That single sacrifice was worth billions.
That was the exact reason why Durandal hid her feelings of uselessness, because she knew that the reason being was her sister’s sacrifice for them. It was her sacrifice of isolating herself that required no more of the world’s most powerful Valkyrie.
Those feelings were easily hidden with a mask, but there was one who clearly saw through it. That one being Rita Rossweise. Rita was the one Durandal trusted most. She was her adjutant, afterall.
Rita comforted Durandal, always kindly reminding her of her many feats and achievements. She also told her countless times that it was not a bad thing, it simply meant that there were no more large crises. It meant a step forward for humanity.
“But—that means they don’t need me anymore. Rita, that means I have no more purpose, I might as well no longer be a Valkyrie! Everything I worked for…it doesn’t mean anything anymore.”
“Oh, Durandal darling, of course we still need you. Have you forgotten the legacy you carry?”
“No, it’s just–”
“Shhh, don’t you know? Everytime I go on a mission nowadays, fellow valkyries and even strangers I have never met ask me where you are, for everyone knows we accompany each other everywhere. Durandal, the world would be so dull without you, we probably would all be dead if you weren’t here. You are still needed, no matter how oblivious you are to that fact. I see it good that you are finally receiving the time you need to focus on yourself rather than the world. There was bound to be a point where your body, despite it being able to handle such extremities, would give in to the days without rest. I know you always feel the need to get stronger, but you must rest now. Kiana has given you the chance to rest until the next battle.”
“I understand now, Rita.”
That night, she made sure to kick the sheets and drool as she slept soundly.