Alex didn't know what had happened or even where he was right now.

All he could last remember was seeing Siegfried charge and heat up his blade, shouting out an attack before a white blinding light obscured everyone's vision.

Everything since then had been a blur to Alex.

Slowly his vision began to come back as he looked around to check the surroundings as he saw the same sky and ground that he was accustomed to for the previous couple of hours.

'Looks like I'm still in Siberia.' Thought Alex.

He looked to his right and saw the unconscious Siegfried laying there next to him, with multiple deep burns on his body in what Alex assumed was in the aftermath of his attack.

With how bad they looked, Alex didn't even know if he was gonna be able to get back into battle let alone even be remotely healthy enough to move.

As he kept thinking to himself, he heard the sound of snow crunching getting closer and stop right above him as Alex looked up and saw an adult woman crouch down in front of him.

She had white long hair and blue eyes as she wore a horn-like hairpin on her head along with a yellow and black cape, yellow, black and white clothes, a black armband, black gloves, a yellow belt, black shorts, and black and yellow thigh high boots.

"Looks like you've finally awaken. How're you feeling young boy?" Asked the woman.

"I'm, feeling alright I guess." Said Alex as he finally sat up, getting off the snow as the girl smiled.

"I'm glad to hear that. I was worried when I arrived on the scene. I hope my crazy husband didn't cause you too much trouble back there." Said the girl as Alex shook his head no.

"No he didn't. If anything he made sure I was backed away so I wouldn't be caught close to the attack, though those burns look gnarly." Said Alex as the girl nodded.

"Yeah. That's the consequence of using Shamash at full power." Said the girl as she walked over and kneeled down by the unconscious Siegfried.

"Um, who exactly are you ma'am?" Asked Alex as the girl giggled a bit.

"My apologies for not introducing myself. I'm Cecilia Schariac. I also happen to be this male snowflake's wife." Said the girl revealing her name to be Cecilia.

'So this is that Cecilia that Kiana and Theresa were talking about earlier. Christ she looks identical to Kiana. Almost as if the two were twins or long lost sisters. No way she's her mother right?' Thought Alex as Cecilia called his attention.

"You went quiet there for a while. Something on your mind?" Asked Cecilia.

"Yeah but it's nothing important." Said Alex. "More importantly, is he gonna be okay?"

"Well, under normal circumstances no. These burns would kill any normal person. Fortunately though, us Valkyries aren't really 100% normal." Said Cecilia as Alex nodded.

"Yeah. I know that from first hand experience." Said Alex.

"Hey, hand me Siegfried's communications device. It's right next to you. It somehow survived the inferno so I wanna hear what Theresa is doing at the moment." Said Cecilia.

Alex looked around for a bit and sure enough he spotted the device as he grabbed it and placed it down between the two as he turned it on.

Initially they were greeted by static and then a few minutes of dead silence until a voice came through.

"Come on hurry! If we don't make it in time then Siegfried and that friend of yours could get seriously injured!" Said the voice of an impatient Theresa as another voice came through, this one belonging to Kiana.

"I-I never knew that you cared about my dad so much Theresa." Said Kiana.

After that, Alex saw Cecilia's hand reach down and flip a switch, as a red light went on meaning that now they would be able to communicate back.

"I also didn't know that you cared about my man so much as well Theresa." Said Cecilia with a light giggle.

What followed was a shocked gasped by Theresa in response to hearing Cecilia's voice.

"W-Wait Cecilia? Does that mean you've already arrived in Siberia?" Asked Theresa.

"Yeah. I got here right on time to save his rear end from more trouble. I also ended up saving a young boy who happened to be with him." Said Cecilia.

"Wait a young boy!? H-His name's Alex! Is he okay!?" Asked a worried Kiana as Alex chuckled a bit.

"Yeah I'm fine Kiana. Don't worry I'm here. I'm just a bit exhausted from what happened recently." Said Alex.

"I-Is Siegfried...still alive?" Asked Theresa.

"He is. Unfortunately half of his body has been burnt to a crisp." Said Cecilia. "I'll try to heal him. You two get going to Babylon Tower. Me and Alex will catch up with you two shortly."

"Curing the burns caused by Shamash..." Theresa trailed off before once again giving a shocked gasp.

"Y-You're gonna use the Abyss Flower aren't you!? D-Don't you know what that's gonna do to your body!?" Said a now angry Theresa.

Cecilia merely gave out a small giggle to Theresa's question.

"There's no need to worry Theresa. I have this under control. Now then, you and your partner hurry to the tower. We'll be there very soon." Said Cecilia as she turned off the device entirely after saying that.

Cecilia held a hand out and suddenly she had summoned a large white lance with purple accents here and there.

Alex assumed that was the aforementioned Abyss Flower that Theresa mentioned.

"I'm assuming that's the Abyss Flower right? Why did Theresa get upset about you using it?" Asked Alex.

Cecilia kept quiet for a bit before giving a sigh in response until she replied back.

"Whenever I use any of the Abyss Flower's abilities, the cost is my life slowly but surely getting cut shorter and shorter, and with how severe Siegfried's burns are, healing these with the lance is definitely gonna take a decent chunk of my life expectancy away." Said Cecilia.

"I-I see." Said Alex as he kept quiet afterwards, not really knowing what to say.

Out of all consequences he could've thought off, he definitely didn't expect it to be cutting bits of a person's life away, but with how seriously upset Theresa sounded, he should've expected a serious consequence from this action.

Alex then saw Cecilia place a hand on the lance itself and her other on Siegfried's body.

Both hands began to glow a bright, white color as in amazement, Alex saw all of Siegfried's injuries and most importantly his heavily severe burns began to go away and heal with ease.

Eventually, the healing was done as Siegfried now looked as if he had just passed out from exhaustion.

The glowing then stopped as Cecilia began to cough a bit in response.

Alex immediately rushed towards her side to help her somewhat but she waved him off as she stopped coughing and got up herself.

"D-Don't worry about me Alex I'm fine. To be honest that didn't take up as much as I thought." Said Cecilia as Alex nodded, deciding to take her word for it.

Cecilia picked up the device and turned it on once more and flipped the switch as she spoke.

"Good news Theresa. My husband will be able to live another day." She said.

It took a moment before a response came through.

"Good job mo-I-I mean Cecilia! Never thought that Shamash's burns could be cured so easily." Said Kiana as Alex chuckled a bit at her blunder, nearly calling Cecilia mom.

"That isn't good news. Only sacred relics like the Abyss Flower can cure Shamash's burns and the cost of doing so is the depletion of vital forces." Sternly said Theresa as Cecilia sighed.

"Stop worrying so much Theresa. Look, I'm still perfectly fine right now and ready to go as well as Alex." Said Cecilia.

What followed in response was clearly audible groan of frustration from Theresa.

"Now's not the time to joke around Cecilia! Firstly, you're still in no condition to be back on the battlefield after giving childbirth! And now after healing Siegfried!? I know damn well that you're down to less than half of your strength! Do you really think you'll be able to contribute to the 2nd Herrscher's defeat in your current condition!?" Asked Theresa.

It took moment for Cecilia to reply until she eventually did.

"Well, all the more why I'm going to need your help Theresa." She said.

"Just stop! Cecilia, you're putting your health in serious jeopardy when you don't need to! Right now, I don't care if Grampa Otto sent you here as an order! You need to go back home!" Shouted Theresa in response.

'Yikes. Never thought I'd ever hear Theresa this angry.' Thought Alex to himself.

"Theresa, the lives of the many outweigh the life of an individual. You know that I can't go back. We need to ensure that the 2nd Herrscher is taken down here before she can kill even more people. That's our job as Valkyries. Defending humanity is our sacred duty. Now, please just get to the tower. We'll see you there."

With that, the device was turned off as Alex just kept quiet, not really knowing what to say after the tension boiled over.

"A-Are you gonna be okay Ms. Cecilia?" Asked Alex.

Cecilia simply looked at him and gave him a reassuring smile and nodded.

"Don't worry. I expected this type of attitude from Theresa. I'll be fine. Now come on. Let's drop off Siegfried at a nearby base and then make our way to the tower." Said Cecilia.

Again, Alex took her word for it and nodded as after the worked together in lifting up Siegfried, they both walked away, beginning their journey to the base, and then Babylon Tower.

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Chapter 29: Complete