Herrscher of Dominance in Honkai, starting with the abduction of Kiana

Mount Taixu was a landscape of sheer cliffs, yet resilient pines clung to the rocks, their roots finding purchase in the seemingly impossible.

Sometimes, Ren envied those trees. They had roots, a place to belong.

He didn't.

"A solitary journey, until the last ounce of strength is spent, then sinking beneath the waves—that is the fate of a drifting branch," he murmured, his gaze drifting from a distant tree back to the girl beside him.

The melancholic thought vanished like snow in summer as he looked at Kiana.

She showed no signs of waking. Fu Hua's fragmented memories were vast, even for the Edge of Taixuan to process.

"Kiana."

He smiled, watching her sleep. Even with his own fate sealed, her presence brought him peace.

When he first arrived, he'd suppressed his emotions. For a Herrscher, feelings were a dangerous liability. The Will of the Honkai would have noticed, leading to his expulsion.

But now, knowing the Will's true nature, he allowed his carefully hidden feelings to surface, like a dissolving sugar coating, a sweet poison spreading through him.

And knowing his time was limited, he no longer saw the point of caution. He wanted to spend his remaining time with her.

The evening air grew cold. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, one drifting down to land on Kiana's head.

Ren reached out, removing the leaf, his gaze drawn to her ahoge.

He hesitated for a moment, then gave in to the impulse.

He gently twirled the unruly strand of hair between his fingers, watching it spring back into shape. A smile touched his lips, like a child discovering a new toy.

Though their bond had deepened over their journey, such intimate gestures were rare.

"...Ren, what are you doing?"

Kiana's voice startled him.

Flustered, he quickly smoothed her ahoge, holding up the leaf. "Just removing this leaf."

"Takes you a whole minute to remove a leaf?"

"Uh..."

Caught red-handed, Ren felt his ears burn. He was about to confess when he met Kiana's eyes.

A playful glint sparkled in her blue eyes, the amusement of a successful prank.

He realized she'd been awake the whole time, silently allowing him to play with her hair.

Ren chuckled, surprised by his own flustered reaction. He found the sensation strangely exhilarating.

He continued playing with her hair, shaping her ahoge into a cute curve, then undoing her high ponytail, gently brushing her long silver hair.

High in the mountains, under the clear moonlight, a boy tenderly brushed a girl's hair.

Their elongated shadows stretched across the ground.

"There."

After half an hour, Ren looked at the perfectly groomed silver hair in his hands, satisfied.

"Mmm..."

Kiana, having enjoyed the impromptu hair care session, blushed slightly. Ren had brushed her hair before, on Coral Island, but then, it had been a comforting gesture before battle. Now, it felt different.

She remembered Himeko-sensei talking about her dating experiences, saying a girl should never let a stranger touch her hair. It was an intimate act, reserved for someone she liked, someone she trusted.

Normally, Kiana wouldn't overthink it. She was comfortable with Ren. But in this quiet, intimate setting, hidden feelings sprouted like seeds in spring, a pleasant warmth spreading through her.

Thankfully, the "torment" didn't last long. She sighed in relief when he was done.

But a strange sense of loss followed.

...

"Time flies."

Looking at the moon, Kiana sighed. They'd arrived at Mount Taixu at midday. After accessing two of Fu Hua's memory feathers, night had already fallen.

They sat at the edge of the platform, eating the snacks they'd bought earlier.

Under the moonlight, they chatted idly.

"Memories are complex, especially for someone like your Class-Monitor, a MANTIS soldier from 50,000 years ago. Think of it this way: the more time it takes, the deeper your understanding of her, the greater the chance of awakening her."

"You're right." Kiana sighed, looking at the feather containing Fu Hua's consciousness.

"Class-Monitor has lived such a difficult life. Experiencing her memories, I finally understand the weight she carries. As a MANTIS soldier, she couldn't stop the Previous Era's collapse. As the sole survivor of Project Ember, she couldn't save her friends. As Shenzhou's guardian, she could only watch over this land alone. I finally understand why she's so aloof."

Kiana's sadness tugged at Ren's heart. He squeezed her hand gently. "Don't worry. It's all in the past, for both of you. If you don't want her to suffer anymore, share her burden when she wakes up."

"Yeah, you're right. I'm stronger than her now. If she tries to leave again, I'll drag her back."

Kiana's spirit returned quickly. But as she spoke of Fu Hua, her gaze shifted to Ren.

"And you, mister always-running-off-alone, I hope I don't have to drag you back too."

She playfully shook her fist at him.