(POV - 3RD)

"Himeko! Thank goodness you're here! You wouldn't believe all the mess we've went through!" March 7th exclaimed, bouncing over to the redhead while complaining.

"I can only imagine, she hasn't been much trouble for any of you, right?" Himeko replied with a smile, patting the pinkette on the head.

"Only the usual." Dan Heng answered stoically which was enough implication as the mature lady sighed in expectance.

"March, you'll need to be more careful, I've already lost count of how many times I said this to you." Himeko said as the archer pouted.

"Hey! Those jerks snuck up on me! Right, guys?!" March exclaimed again, ignoring Dan Heng's unimpressed look as she looked at the trio behind him.

"...Uhm... yes..?" Arlan responded unsurely.

"Nope." Stelle stated bluntly all the while (Y/N) quietly gazed at Himeko with an inscrutable expression on his face.

The moment his eyes laid sight on the woman, his vision swirled yet there was no tears to be shed for he knew not of the situation behind his missing memories, his mind raced with multiple images flickering by yet he remembers nothing still except for the present emotions.

Surprise, joy, nostalgia but most importantly; pain.

"Let it go, March. As long as you're not hurt... but speaking of which, who are these two lovely children?" Himeko asked, turning to (Y/N) and Stelle.

The latter was standing right in front of her fellow amnesiac with a seemingly protective aura surrounding her though (Y/N) couldn't help but picture a pair of animal ears and tail on Stelle.

"A pair of amnesiacs we've picked up on the way here." Dan Heng answered.

"Is that so? Well, I suppose introduction are due and I doubt March here had properly introduced me but I am Himeko; navigator for the Astral Express." She said carefully, noting Stelle's aura.

"...I'm Stelle, this is (Y/N)... don't touch him." Stelle stated as Himeko simply raised both of her hands up slightly in affirmation.

"Duly noted and now... are you alright, Arlan? Asta was quite worried about you." The redhead inquired to the Head of the Security.

"I'm fine, nothing a patch-up won't fix but I'll still need to report the whole situation back to the Lead Researcher." Arlan replied.

"Are you certain you'll be fine on your own?" (Y/N) asked as the said young man nodded, holding onto a makeshift crutch.

"Don't worry, we're quite near to the safe zone of this station and my colleagues can help me when I reach them." Arlan assured as he limped off.

"Arlan's stronger than he looks, if he says he'll be fine then there's no need to worry." Dan Heng said as he noticed (Y/N)'s concerns.

"If you say so..." The amnesiac muttered before a small commotion prompted them to turn to see the bubbly archer seemingly begging Himeko for something.

"They both got nowhere to go, and I doubt they'll be much help to the researchers onboard this space station so can we please take them??" March pleaded.

"Since when did we become stray animals?" Stelle questioned blinkingly.

"Apparently when they 'picked' us up..." (Y/N) interjected with a deadpan.

"Haha, look at you all getting along with each other this closely but let's not stay here and risk attracting the legion, come now. Asta was quite worried for all of you." Himeko stated.

"As for your question, March, I believe it depends on their own choices." She added.

The group then made their way towards the Master Control Zone where most of the higher authority figures stood in shelter with a young lady with bright pink hair donned in an elegant dress staring at the huge sphere covering the station with a layer of orange hexagonal lines.

"Projectile radar tracking, normal! Telemetry signal frequency unusually high! Maintain at normal levels! Our measurements predict that the legion is about to unleash over ten waves of continuous attacks! Everyone, brace yourselves!!" Asta announced.

"Asta! We're back!!" March 7th called out while both (Y/N) and Stelle gazed around the area with wonder at the technological advancements.

"Glad to hear you're safe, Arlan just told me about the situation at the storage zone and his injury, thank you all for your help." Asta said with a sincere smile.

"Even if you're complete strangers who've woke up in the wrong place and time, for you both to make the effort to help us, you have my gratitude." She added, looking at (Y/N) and Stelle.

"Sadly, in times of disaster, I realise more and more that the space station's researchers are its most valuable assets... alas, we were ill-prepared for such emergencies... we should have built up our securities and combat departments." She added quite dejectedly.

"What's the current situation on the space station?" Dan Heng inquired as the Lead Researcher answered back immediately.

"Everything is under control for now, thanks to you all. The damage to our security system was minor and the intruders only managed to alter a small amount of data so fixing it was nothing."

"However, the real problems lies with the researchers, they trust Madam Herta wholeheartedly and never thought that the space station could, let alone be breached by the legion... a broken spirit is far worse than a broken body." Asta added again.

"Then let's go speak with the researchers. Right now, this space station cannot afford any more unexpected turns and twists, especially from within. Have you tried contacting Herta?"

Himeko asked but only received a despondent sigh from Asta who replied back.

"I've sent multiple letters, all met with silence. You know her, Himeko, this entire space station is but a mere warehouse for followers and rare items. She doesn't really care about it."

"I knew it. No matter, I'll also send a letter to Herta and inform her that we've brought the rare items she seeks, at best that might garner her attention." Himeko responded.

Suddenly and abruptly, countless holographic screens appeared with warning signs on them as a titanic monstrous claw slammed onto the forcefield surrounding the space station which gradually ruptured its way through with violent tremors shaking the whole foundation.

The screen in front of Asta flickered on to revealed gigantic draconic creature attacking the forcefield around the space station which prompted the former to turn the Nameless.

"Take the Express and leave, now!" Asta ordered.

"I'll stay." The Lead Researcher stated firmly.

"But..!" March 7th began but only for Himeko to place her hand on the archer's shoulder with a shake of her head as she grabbed both (Y/N) and Stelle before running off.

"Let's go!" She said as March regained her composure, glancing at the place one more time before catching up with her team.

As they ran, (Y/N) felt the smallest tinge of regret and the impulse to return back to the station just to do whatever he could to help them, yet he knew he wasn't fit nor strong enough to do anything as of now except to retreat back to the so called Astral Express.

============================

From deep within one's soul and body, a foreign power started to awaken.

Resonating with a presence long gone and vanished, the faintest hue of gold glowed as a shattered chess piece started assembling itself back to its original form.

His regret, his pain, his desire, his urge to save the common folk from suffering remained just as strong as the day he had first awoken.

Just as a mountain erodes away, the world shall bring forth another no matter how long it takes, no matter how many hardships it faces, one mountain's falls will give rise to another.

Dominion or not, order shall be given.

============================

The group are now standing outside a door, having evacuated the area upon Asta's orders while getting rid of any stray Antimatter Legion troops, Himeko then stood in front of the group as the de facto leader for the small team.

"...We lost communications." She said as the comms blared out statics endlessly.

"Going back is out of the question especially with that Doomsday Beast attacking that area, and that's the Antimatter Legion's planet destroyer." Dan Heng answered.

"...How can one large but not planetary sized monster be a planet destroyer?" (Y/N) whispered.

"Maybe it's compensating for something?" Stelle responded.

"This space station is Herta's creation, as long as a Lord Ravager doesn't intervene then we should be able to manage but worst case scenario, we will have to leave this place before we're caught in the crossfire." Himeko stated seriously.

"B-but... how can we just leave like that..?" March questioned.

"The Doomsday Beast can rip off the shield like paper and Herta is not here, the station's defences are too weak to withstand against the Antimatter Legion." Dan Heng began.

"Furthermore, the Legion has the blessing of the Aeon of Destruction; Nanook and they all came prepared and everyone here is not." 

"Which is why have to leave immediately and take both Stelle and (Y/N) with us." Himeko announced as two said individuals looked puzzled.

"(Y/N) and Stelle? They're both that important?" Dan Heng questioned curiously.

"I would daresay Stelle is more important but... we'll also be taking (Y/N) here since she doesn't look like letting go of him." Himeko answered as the former latched tightly onto the latter.

"Mine." She hissed like a feral racoon..?

"My point stands but they can potentially be the ones to turn the tide whenever fortune forsakes us... though I hate to be wrong." The redhead added.

"...As you say so. Alright, then what should we do next?" Dan Heng questioned as Himeko gestured to a certain direction and then speaking.

"This is the Supply Zone where the station's maintenance crew works, there's a pathway leading up to the nearest railway platform, we'll head there and meet up with Welt."

Welt... the name was nothing but ordinary yet (Y/N) found himself holding his head once again as his vision flashed, just like when he saw the petite silver-haired intruder girl and then seeing Himeko and now with this individual named Welt.

...Just who is he? And what are these people's connection to him? Or are there any connections?

"(Y/N)??" Stelle said, shaking the said boy's arm in greater concern, seeing as this is the second time he seemingly have a "headache".

"Nothing you need to worry about... I'm fine, thanks..." (Y/N) responded softly.

At the front, Dan Heng hummed quietly as he noted how their new member had some sort of a discomfort at hearing the name of the senior member of the Astral Express, he wasn't blind to see the same reaction from when they met up with Himeko.

The silent trio's musings were cut off as March asked.

"Mr. Yang? He's here too? Didn't he stay on the Express?" 

"The Astral Express tracks our coordinates in real time... and with such huge chaos happening in the space station, there's no way Mr. Yang wouldn't have noticed." Dan Heng interjected.

"Mhm, I can almost guarantee that our esteemed Welt Yang is already on his way here." Himeko added with a hum.

"Right now, we might be able to handle things if it's just the Doomsday Beast, but if the Destruction's Emanator was to appear..." She trailed off ominously.

"Who or what is an Emanator in the first place?" (Y/N) suddenly asked with Stelle following suit.

"And what exactly is the 'Destruction'?" She inquired as Himeko only shook her head.

"I'll explain later, but now we need to hurry up and get out of here, quick."

The group then proceeded to arrive at their designated location with the scenery of outer space greeting them as they looked around for signs of the Astral Express only to find nothing, March ran ahead of the rest of the team before turning back to hurry them up.

"C'mon, slowpokes!" She shouted as (Y/N)'s senses went haywire causing him to shout.

"MARCH, GET BACK HERE!" 

"Huh?" The archer uttered out before a massive gust of wind suddenly pushed her forward, almost knocking forward as she turned around.

Only for them all to see the Doomsday Beast flying around them.

"The Doomsday Beast... it's really here-" Himeko began but the irate archer cut her off as she nocked her bow back in irritation.

"Hey! Get down here!!" March yelled.

The monster of the Antimatter Legion then roared in retaliation as it flew towards the group, landing in front of them as it smashed its titanic claws into the platform which kicked up a massive cloud of dust and wind before roaring at them.

"Prepare for battle!" Himeko declared heatedly as everyone readied themselves.

"Huh... it's smaller than I expected." (Y/N) remarked, poising his spear.

"That's what she said." Stelle added, hoisting her baseball bat and causing (Y/N) to look at her briefly and then shaking his head.

"DODGE!" Dan Heng's voice snapped both of them out of their thoughts as they all saw the Doomsday Beast slamming its claw down at them.

They all collectively dodged the attack before March unleashed a volley of crystal arrows which pelted onto the monster which prompted it to swing its other arm at the archer, Himeko immediately unleashed her drone whose razor-sharp saw slashed into the attacking arm.

The sudden pain and retaliation almost caught the Doomsday Beast off-guard but it only served to draw its attention to the redhead who sprinted forward, ducking under another arm swiped at her which allowed her to briefly cut her power saw/suitcase weapon at the core floating in front.

Just as the Doomsday Beast was preoccupied with Himeko's attack, Dan Heng lunged forward before successfully stabbing his spear into the monster's arm repetitively, dealing enough damage on one spot to cut through the beast's shell.

"That was great, Dan Heng! Now check out this awesome move!" March shouted as her bow condensed with an icy glow.

Dan Heng then leapt back as he avoided the free arm slamming down at where he stood, Himeko then retreated to allow March to jump up into the air before releasing a hail of ice and crystals in the shape of an animal, smashing onto the Doomsday Beast painfully.

(Y/N) and Stelle were not idle as they both took each individual arms, the former following his fellow spearman's example and impaled Vortex Vanquisher into the beast's claw in rapid succession while the latter reeled back both her arms to smash her bat full-force onto her target.

Both amnesiacs' attacks pushed the Doomsday Beast's claws apart which exposed the core floating in front of its chest and completely unguarded which Dan Heng instantly took the chance to chant out a verse as his spear seemingly thrummed with mystical power.

"Between life and death, is a thought but it is just a dream... to break!" Dan Heng declared, leaping into the air before piercing his spear through the monster's core.

The team's simultaneous assault on their adversary had caused the Doomsday Beast to suddenly break and then lean against the railway platform in a daze and pain, something which Himeko took the opportunity to have the rest retreat.

"What's she going to do? Rain fire from above?" Stelle asked, remembering how Himeko's attacks somehow had flames accompanying them.

"Uhh... about that..." March began, pointing Stelle to the said woman.

"Haha... perhaps you still don't understand..." The redhead chuckled, glancing back as she snapped her fingers.

"Humanity never conceals its desire to control the heavens.... and I'm no exception." She declared as a beam of pure laser descended upon the Doomsday Beast.

A gigantic explosion rocked the platform as Himeko's orbital laser blasted its target, tearing through its defences but unfortunately not killing it but the damage was still significant.

"...Not bad, were you a psychic?" (Y/N) asked, nudging Stelle who blinked dumbly.

The duo along with the rest suddenly dodged another smash from the giant claw which (Y/N) quickly charged forward, jumping up and then landing on the other claw swiping at him. 

Almost instinctively, Vortex Vanquisher vanished into motes of gold before a golden sword replaced itself into (Y/N)'s hand which he began slashing apart the arm as he ran up towards the Doomsday Beast's head and then landing a rather hard kick onto it.

The attack caused the monster to lean towards the side in slight pain before he swung its arm around to grab (Y/N) but the latter was already out of reach as he dismissed the golden sword which a bow composed of rock and amber took its place.

"Eh? Since when were you an archer?" March asked from the side, firing another round of arrows as she glanced at the glowing weapon.

"I... don't know..?" (Y/N) replied back earnestly before following March's movements, pulling back his bowstring as a golden arrow manifested instantly.

"Hey! Let's try tag-teaming it!" March exclaimed before releasing her shot as (Y/N) did the same, unleashing a hail of gold and blue onto the Doomsday Beast.

Both projectiles, ice and amber and crystal landed onto the target which caused it to roar in pain at the combined assault which Stelle took the chance and gripped her bat tightly, causing it to crack as a blue glow shone out from it.

"Wait, they both still firing onto the Doomsday Beast-" Dan Heng began as he saw Stelle moving forward but the latter only interrupted him.

"Rules are made to be broken."

The second (Y/N) and March stopped pelting arrows at their target is when Stelle rushed forward, avoiding several Quantum lasers shot from the monster before she lunged at the Doomsday Beast with silent yet almost palpable bloodlust.

"And you've outstayed your welcome here!" She declared, smashing her bat right into the Doomsday Beast's core with a force so hard that everyone almost felt it.

However, the pain only prompted the Antimatter beast to unleash another volley of lasers right onto the unexpecting Stelle which braced for the attack only for (Y/N) to charge forward as the bow disappeared like the rest of his weapons and for another to replace it.

Stelle who had her eyes shut then reopened them to see (Y/N) standing in front of her with a golden greatsword in his hands as he held himself against the lasers.

"NOW!" Himeko commanded as March ran to one side with Dan Heng running towards the core as the redhead ran towards the other side.

While the Doomsday Beast was attempting the annihilate (Y/N) and Stelle, Dan Heng shot forward and impaled his spear through the Antimatter Engine which forcibly stopped the hail of lasers due to the pain.

March then fired her arrow into the air, releasing another round of icicles only for this time to be in greater quantities as the storm of ice and crystals temporarily froze the beast's arm.

Himeko slashed her flaming saw at the other claw before blasting it with a storm of fire which caused the armour to finally crack and break, causing it to slump down as (Y/N) and Stelle retreated back yet the Doomsday Beast wasn't done with them.

It released another roar, this time several more intense than before which caused the whole group to grip their heads in slight pain as their ears rang from the sheer volume of the roar as its soundwave blew them back several steps.

The core in front of the Doomsday Beast started thrumming as they felt a swirl of energy converging around it before its massive wings spread apart as it took flight into space but what alarmed them the most is when they saw several beams of Quantum began charging up.

(Y/N) didn't know why or how but he felt his legs automatically run to the front of the group, ignoring their shouts and warnings as he felt something surging up from within his chest, it encompassed his limbs, his bones, his flesh and blood and every single fragments of his body.

Was it another bout of "instincts"? Or was it something completely different?

"Firm as a mountain..." (Y/N) began chanting as a golden hue rose out from his body just as the Doomsday Beast took aim.

"Stabilise the world and heaven..." He continued as he crossed his arms together with his fists clenched around motes of golden dust.

"My will is unshakable as the earth." (Y/N) declared as his opened his hands to reveal a golden light that shone just as bright as his eyes.

It did not matter because all he wants now, is to protect them all.

 "SOLIDIFY!" (Y/N) roared, spreading his arms apart as the Doomsday Beast matched his vigour as it fired all the Quantum beams right at them.

A golden ethereal shield instantaneously surrounded the whole group as the lasers collided with its surface yet the multiple assault only caused the erected shield to quickly crack and break down slowly as the rest watched on in shock at this feat.

============================

At the same time, a certain bespectacled man suddenly looked through the window of the train compartment his stood in, as he felt a very, very familiar presence and energy pulsing from the distance and in the space station where he is hurrying to.

Despite not hearing anything from the vacuum of space, he saw the briefest and faintest influx of golden motes of dust and light swirling around a section of the station.

The same section where he saw the Doomsday Beast attacking what is likely the civilians still trapped there or his fellow Nameless but he is leaning towards the latter.

He had not forgotten that sudden flow of energy, to say it was familiar would be an understatement as he had not felt its protective aura and soothing energy for years but still, he remembers that day where the golden shield was deployed for the last time.

"(Y/N)..?" Welt Yang murmured in both shock and surprise as his eyes widened which only spurred him to quickly exit the Astral Express and make his way towards the station.

============================

"He can do that?!" March exclaimed with surprise but both Himeko and Dan Heng's expressions were grim as they saw the golden shield cracking even faster.

"And he won't be able to hold it out for long, we need to help-" Himeko ordered but Stelle ignored her words as she ran right at (Y/N).

"Wait! We need a plan-" March shouted but Stelle still ignored her and the rest because right now, her only priority is getting to (Y/N).

"(Y/N)!!!" She shouted, seeing the shield finally break into golden fragments which allowed the streams of Quantum beams to shoot right at the said boy.

Stelle leapt at him, her hand mere inches away from pushing (Y/N) away from the blast yet it felt like an eternity as she saw the lasers shoot in her direction as well and within an instant.

Both of them are assaulted by pain wracking their entire bodies as the lasers tore into them, forcing them to fall back and lose their consciousness as their eyes dimmed.

Yet time seemingly slowed down for them all.

============================

"Wake up."

He heard a voice, an amalgamation of them, ethereal and seemingly speaking together to him as he drifted amidst the void with nothing but the distant specks of light.

"Your story does not end here, not when it is just starting."

He felt a spark, a flicker before a golden light filled up his vision and the stars afar seemingly shining even more brightly as he saw a crystal in the middle of his sight.

"See it to the end and remember."

The crystal began glowing and spreading apart into a shape, it became a mass of stone, a earthen body, a shoulder and finally a head of pure light with a halo of rock behind it, held within the being's hand was a mighty hammer.

"Regain what has been taken from you."

The voices said, not commandingly nor endearingly, it spoke almost as a matter of fact as he felt the gaze of the celestial entity seemingly make contact with his own unopened eyes.

"Wander across the sea of stars and discover the truth."

None of them said anything, for there was no words to be spoken, only actions to be taken as the cosmic being's head flashed and he felt something envelope his whole body.

"Just as you had wandered the world of mortals twice in your life."

His body seared yet there was no pain, he felt the heat blanket him almost protectively as the nexus of his entire being shift and integrate with another power unknown to him.

"You cannot fall, you will not fall, you must not fall just yet."

As quickly as it had appeared, the Amber Lord vanished into nothingness just as quick as he felt the dimension around him disappear into a sea of light.

"For they will be watching you."

Finally, his eyes reopened with a golden glow.

============================

(Y/N)'s dull eyes immediately shone brighter than before as he saw Stelle being forced back into consciousness as well but only appearing more unstable as an equally golden light emanated from her chest which only grew in size and intensity.

Suddenly, it shot out and violently erupted into an explosion which was aimed right at the unexpecting Doomsday Beast, killing it almost instantly as the light continued blinding their eyes which forced them all to shield themselves from the swirl of energies.

"GATHER! STABILISE!! SOLIDIFY!!!" (Y/N) shouted before he felt the foreign energy from earlier resonate with his will, forming a shield around Stelle's body.

 Its unseen properties then proceeded to seemingly quell the exploding light but to no avail did it work except to protect the platform and themselves from Stelle's outburst.

"STELLE!" (Y/N) yelled with growing agitation as March, Himeko and Dan Heng attempted to get closer but only ended up trying to not get blown away.

However, help would come in the sudden arrival of a tall brown-haired man wearing glasses and holding a cane which he then tapped the end of it onto Stelle's head, completely nullifying the explosion that caused the girl to fall unconscious once more.

"I had doubts in myself on whether I would be correct but to think we'd meet again?" The bespectacled man said as he looked at (Y/N) who looked back.

"That is certainly something I had never thought possible, especially after what we've all been through together." Welt Yang continued only to notice the wary look from (Y/N).

"Do you... not remember? (Y/N)?" The man asked only to see the tip of a familiar spear aimed right at his jugular.

"Who are you and how do you know my name?" (Y/N) demanded with growing hostility as shock marred the bespectacled man's face only for him to calm down quickly.

Before he could explain himself... the rest had come running at them right as the explosion ended and everything returned to calm.

"Mr. Yang! You're finally here!!" March shouted optimistically.

"And just in the nick of time, had you not supressed the Stellaron then everything would have gone for the worst." Himeko interjected.

"Is she alright?" Dan Heng asked, gesturing to the comatose Stelle who (Y/N) cradled gently while still giving Welt a guarded look.

"Don't worry, she's okay now but we should talk somewhere else... especially when I still need to explain the situation to you." Welt replied, glancing at (Y/N).

"Oh? I take it that you know or at least recognise (Y/N)?" Himeko questioned, earning a nod from the bespectacled man.

"He and I have some history together, along with many others I left back home."

"...Do you need some privacy alone?" Dan Heng asked.

"That would be for the best unless (Y/N) has something to say about it." Welt answered as the said boy narrowed his eyes before placing Stelle on a piggyback.

"Later... when she wakes up." (Y/N) said, walking off with a growing odd feeling within him.

It was more like a mixture of both being concerned for Stelle who he had become attached to for the short amount of time together as well as the strange sense of familiarity with this Welt individual, it wasn't a bad feeling, no...

It felt... almost nostalgic.

Meanwhile, as the rest of the Astral Express members followed closely with March having a discussion with Dan Heng on the chances of gaining new members for their crew as Himeko chimed in every once in a while, Welt only sighed internally.

"Amnesia, huh... I'd say retrograde type but still... Fu Hua and the rest won't be thrilled to hear this if I go back..." The former Herrscher of Reason thought dejectedly.

It seems as for now, their journey is just starting but now the Anti-Entropy Sovereign can at least be happy that he will be venturing through the universe with two people that he knows.

And knowing (Y/N), he won't be the type to refuse helping others.

...Also, when did he get a fashion make-over?

============================

I'm pretty sure I might spoil some part of my mainstream HI3 story but I'll try and keep it to the maximum minimum so now the prologue arc is pretty much over so Jarilo-VI is gonna be next so stayed tuned if you like, or not. 

MC is Preservation and Stelle is Destruction, which means I obviously won't be giving a new path for the MC in the next arc but when Xianzhou arc comes, you'll be surprised with what I've got in store for y'all.