Star Rail: The Aeon Hunters

"I warned you this would happen," Welt said, arms folded as he gazed at the woman sitting on a wheelchair before him. "In fact, it's a miracle you're still alive,"

"Hey, you only live once," Serval said with a grin. "Life's too short to wallow in regret," she coughed a little, her entire body has never felt so weak, yet a heavy burden has been lifted from her heart. "Don't worry, I'll get better,"

Welt sighed and turned to Natasha standing beside him. "Don't let her do anything reckless for the next few months. We've cleansed the Honkai energy from her system, but it still damages her internal organs,"

Natasha nodded. "No worries, Mr. Yang, I'll be sure to keep an eye on her, right Dunn?"

The last Silvermane Guard nodded from the corner of the clinic. He's one of Natasha's assistant now, acting as both a bouncer and her personal bodyguard. "I know Serval, she's a feisty one even on that wheelchair," he said. "I'll keep one eye open even at sleep, knowing her,"

Serval gave Dunn a middle finger. "I love to see you try big guy."

[LINE BREAK]

Bronya sat down with Seele, staring at a strange soup-like food in front of her. "These are… Rock Crabs?"

"Ipf tafe beffer…" Seele quickly swallowed. "… than it looks,"

"Don't speak with your mouth full, Seele," Bronya sighed and scooped up some of the broth. She took a quick little sip, eyes widening in surprise. "Oh my…" she whispered.

"Ha! Told ya!" Seele grinned victoriously.

"Thank you, Seele," Bronya said with a smile. "You're right, it tastes real good,"

Bronya took another sip of the food. It wasn't really the best thing she has eaten before, but food taste twice as much with a company. Especially if that company is a good friend of hers.

If anyone were to ask her two days ago what she think about Seele, she would think her as some random underground thug who happens to have special ability. However, now, after the layers upon layers of deceptions have brought down before her eyes, Seele isn't just some mindless thug she met underground.

Seele is the one thing that will always be true in her life…

"Belobog to princess, hello???"

Bronya blinked. "Ah, sorry, I got caught up in something there," she looked at her food and took another sip of the soup.

"Chillax princess, Svarog got it all under control," Seele looked at her empty bowl and gave Bronya a cheeky grin. "Ah, since you're the one who insist in paying," she raised her hand. "Oi, another one, with extra crab!"

Bronya chuckled softly at that. "You can have all the second and third as you want Seele,"

After Seele finished her third bowl, she's finally satisfied. They were about to continue on with their little adventure when a robotic voice called out to them.

"Seele of the Wildfire," a robot resembling stoplight skittered towards them. "Madam Herta is requesting your presence in the temporary research facility, please follow me to the Neverwinter Workshop,"

Seele groaned. "Ah, fuck, I forgot about this," she turned to Bronya. "Sorry, but I got to cut this short, I accidentally sold my soul to the doll a few days back, she needs me around every Wednesday,"

Bronya nodded. "It's alright Seele, be safe… I will also have to return to my duties,"

[LINE BREAK]

"Ah… this is…" Clara looked at her hands. Instead of the usual human hands, it is composed of joints, like dolls. Then she looked at the white-haired girl lying in bed next to her, it's unmistakably her real body. "It feels strange, but… Normal,"

Yes, normal, her body moves as easily, it's even lighter than before. Her joints, arms, fingers, everything felt very smooth. She can still feel the cold beneath her bare feet, she can see Madam Herta standing proudly before her, and she can hear the sound of robots coming from outside her house.

"Well of course, I designed it after all," Herta replied proudly. "So now… You don't have to worry about danger anymore!" she turned to Svarog standing beside her. "What do you think Svarog???"

"The usage of proxy body mitigates all physical threat on Clara," Svarog replied. "Calculating: The current method is sufficient for Clara's protection on her adventure. She may leave to the stars if she so wish."

Clara looked down on her body. "I… Can I take this body for a walk first, Madam Herta?"

Herta nodded. "Of course! Go ahead! Some of your friends, who was it again? The rats? They're waiting for you outside,"

"It's… the moles… Madam Herta," Clara corrected her, before walking out of the mansion. Just five minutes in that body and she already forgotten that she's using a puppet. She wonder how Hook would react to it, would she and the moles be afraid of her?

"Clara!" Pitch Dark Hook the Great jumped from the top of Milis (a grizzly type robot) and ran up to her. "Finally! Hook have been looking for you!" she took Clara's hand and start dragging her when the little girl froze in her tracks. "Wait…"

Clara winced. "Ah, please don't be afraid… Madam Herta gave me a puppet body for me to use during my adventure, so…"

Hook however simply gazed at Clara's hand with wide eyes, looking at the joints in her fingers. Slowly, sparkles formed on her face as she gazed at Clara with a huge grin on her face. "THIS IS THE COOLEST THING EVER!!!" Hook glanced back at the children playing with Milis. "Moles! Attention!!!"

Clara watched as horde of children came rushing towards her. They all gazed at her with wide eyes as Hook showed off her puppet joints. "I present to you! Clara the Robot Princess of the Frozen Wasteland!!! The newest member of the Moles!!!"

That was not a reaction Clara was expecting. She took a step back at all the gasps and awe the children are giving her. "Uweeh? Umm… Uhh…" she looked down, her hyper-realistic face reddens from all the attention. "I'm… not a robot princess, but I'm glad to be part of you guys?"

"Big Sis Clara have joined the Moles!"

"Robot princess is part of us!"

"Nothing can stop us!"

"We shall crush the evil witch!!!"

The children cheered enthusiastically. The newly minted princess found herself being dragged along by Hook and the children, for mischief and adventures alike.

[LINE BREAK]

Stella crouched down in front of a fire pit, tending the amber with Dan Heng holding a skewered slug beside her. Lynx and Pela sat down side by side, huddled in a thick blanket as they gazed upon the stars. March is somewhere in the shadow, taking sneaky pictures left and right.

It was Stella's idea. As they started adventure in camp, it'll be appropriate ending it with another one to. They shared stories, made fire, prep up tents, and even sang some silly songs. A fitting end to the tale of the winter wonderland.

"Mr. Dan Heng," Lynx spoke suddenly.

Dan Heng looked up, the skewered slug half burnt in his hand. "Yes Lynx?"

Lynx took a deep breath. "Will you let me join you on your adventure?"

The man handed the skewered slug to Stella and turned to Lynx. "You wish to be part of the Trailseekers?"

Lynx took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes,"

Dan Heng folded her arms. "In terms of danger, this world is one of the least dangerous one we've witnessed so far," he told her. "We cannot always protect you from the horrors hidden in the galaxy,"

Lynx looked down. "I know, but I can learn and I can survive," her expression harden, becoming resolute. "I have conquered the snow plains all by my own, with your help I know I can conquer the galaxy," she took a deep breath. "So please, let me join you,"

March appeared behind Dan Heng and put an arm around his shoulder. "Don't be so cold Dan Heng, the more the merrier, am I right?"

Dan Heng sighed and turned to look at the Hyperion somewhere in the distance. "The decision is not up for me, you will have to ask Mr. Yang," he took out his phone and called for him.

After a few minutes, Welt Yang walks in on them with Madam Herta. "Lynx Landau," Welt said with a flair. "Why do you wish to explore the galaxy with us?" he asked her. "Is it simply to escape from this world?"

Lynx shook her head. "No, I am not escaping anything, there's simply… Nothing else for me here, at least not in a few hundred years," she looked around her. "The snow plains have become rather dull and I wish to traverse through something else than snow, like jungles and forests,"

Welt closed his eyes. "What do you say Madam Herta?"

"The kid got guts, just like her sister," the puppet walked closer towards Lynx. "And you know what? We learned a lot from our little test run with your sister… We can grant you something that is… a little less lethal, to give you an edge in the cosmos, what do you say?"

The girl smiled and nodded. "I'm all yours Madam Herta,"

Herta turned to Welt. "Well, looks like little Clara has another friend accompanying her on this adventure," she told him.

Lynx's eyes widened. "Claras's here too?"

"Not physically…" Madam Herta replied. "In any case, welcome to the team Lynx, I hope you hate the Aeons as much as we do,"

"Wait what?"

Welt blinked. "Right, we should've probably start there,"

"Nonsense, nonsense," Herta said. "Don't think too much about it, now go have your dramatic goodbye with glasses over there, I'll see you in the Hyperion. Ta ta~"

The puppet returned back to the ship, dragging Welt along with her.