The Valkyrie from the Future

As the strong wind whipped past Livia, the touch of the leather saddle met her white silk stockings beneath her armor, and the gloom that had weighed upon her heart was instantly swept away. The stigma of her illegitimacy felt like an invisible manacle, trapping her in the chasm between two worlds. She loathed that cold ‘home,’ detested the hypocritical noble society, despised the myriad constraints of the capital, and most of all, scorned the shallow gazes that coveted only her beauty. It was only on the battlefield that she truly was Livia. It was only in battle that she found clarity.

She fought not for some abstract ideal of justice, but out of a profound hatred for all evil, for this world steeped in wickedness. She yearned to save Marianne, to save all who suffered, to save this world teetering on the brink of ruin. For this, she had to fight!

The lone star of the dark night hung high, yet still pointed the way. The stars whispered in her ear, singing her a triumphant anthem. She hummed softly along with the stars, an ancient melody, her voice as clear as a lark’s:

“Hey, hey, hey, falcon! ♫ Fly over mountains, forests, fields, and valleys ♫…”

“Calling, calling, calling bells ♫…”

“My lark of the prairie ♫…”

Her song and her white, lightning-like figure drew the attention of the pirates; some even stared in dazed admiration. Yet, when this beautiful ‘lark’ gracefully leaped from her galloping steed, performing a deadly waltz in the air, landing precisely beside the heavily guarded pirate leader, all fascination instantly turned to terror!

With a wet thud, a chilling gleam flashed! The burly, battle-hardened berserker leader’s head flew high, an expression of disbelief frozen on his face.

“That’s a Mark User!” A shriek of horror erupted from the pirate ranks!

Chaos spread like wildfire! Some pirates attempted to seize hostages, but Livia, surrounded by swirling starlight, gently enveloped the terrified girls bound to wooden planks with an unseen force, pushing them towards safety. Simultaneously, she gestured towards her father behind her.

“Fire arrows!” Friedrich, seeing this, gave the command without hesitation, his voice sharp.

The air hummed! From the kingdom army’s position, archers and trebuchets, already poised, unleashed their fury simultaneously. Dense volleys of arrows rained down like a deadly storm, and heavy stone projectiles whistled as they crashed into the pirate lines. The lightly armored pirates, leaderless and disorganized, were instantly riddled with arrows, their screams rising in a cacophony of pain. Experienced heavy-armored veterans hastily raised their round shields, attempting to form a defensive wall, but even their shield formation wavered under the relentless, concentrated ranged fire.

Livia’s Star power acted as the most formidable shield, steadfastly protecting the villagers pushed away from the battlefield.

“For the Kingdom! Charge!” the kingdom army’s lancer commander roared!

The first wave of heavy cavalry, a torrent of steel, swept forward with thunderous momentum, crashing violently into the chaotic pirate lines! Their sharp lances easily pierced through leather armor and flesh, and the heavy warhorses trampled anyone in their path into the mud. The axes hastily thrown by the pirates were inexplicably deflected by Livia’s controlled Star power the moment they approached the cavalry!

With a thunderous crash, the first charge directly cleaved through the pirate formation! Before the remaining pirates could regroup their pikemen, the devastating impact of the second and third waves of heavy cavalry followed in quick succession! Wherever iron hooves passed, men and horses tumbled, and blood and gore splattered. The ferocity and cunning that the pirates relied upon for survival proved as fragile as paper before the disciplined charge of the kingdom army’s regular cavalry.

Faced with such a one-sided slaughter, the pirates’ morale utterly collapsed!

“Run!”

“Monsters! That woman is a monster!”

The pirates abandoned their armor and weapons, wailing and scrambling towards the sea. But how could two legs outrun four? Livia, like a white harbinger of death, weaved through the fleeing soldiers. Each flash of her starlight-infused sword brought forth a spray of blood. Those who surrendered and begged for mercy were coldly decapitated by the pursuing kingdom infantry. The Border Count’s order was simple: leave no one alive!

The desperate remnants of the pirates retreated to their last line of defense—behind a few makeshift low walls. They suddenly pushed out hidden heavy crossbows! Simultaneously, pre-dug horse traps were revealed, and several cavalrymen who had charged too fast plunged into them, horses and all!

“Careful!” Livia cried out, and Star power instantly enveloped the fallen cavalrymen, cushioning their impact. The cavalrymen scrambled out, looking at their beloved horses impaled on sharp wooden stakes at the bottom of the pits, casting grateful glances at Livia, shaken by their narrow escape.

Livia had no time to respond. Her figure was like lightning, the refined steel longsword her father had gifted her transforming into a curtain of light, precisely cleaving the heavy crossbow bolts aimed at her! The next instant, she had already surged into the crossbow battery! Her sword light swirled, shredding the pirates operating the crossbows along with their cumbersome machinery!

With a sharp crack, the overburdened longsword finally shattered. Livia paid it no mind; her left hand closed into a phantom grip, and brilliant starlight gathered and stretched in her palm, coalescing into a translucent ‘Sword of Wind’ that flowed with starlight. She no longer sought to kill but used it as a blunt weapon, accurately striking the helmets of the stubbornly resisting pirates, knocking them unconscious one by one.

At that moment, on the horizon, a massive ‘sun’ burning with orange-red flames finally broke free from the ocean mist, casting golden rays across the entire Gray Mist Cape. The magnificent sight caused even the blood-soaked Livia to pause slightly.

‘How beautiful…’ she murmured softly. Before the words had fully left her lips, she delivered a backward punch without looking, sending a pirate feigning death to ambush her flying through the air, crashing heavily onto a reef, where he lay motionless.

By the time Border Count Friedrich rode his horse to his daughter’s side, the battle had already concluded. Livia von Stern stood quietly on the corpse-strewn tidal flat. A few strands of her platinum-blonde hair were matted to her cheek with blood, and her delicate face was stained with crimson flecks. There was no triumphant exhilaration or post-slaughter exhaustion on her face, only an icy, tranquil calm. The golden light of dawn fell upon her, bathing her bloodied white armor in a sacred yet eerie glow, an awe-inspiring blend of beauty and cruelty, as if she were a Valkyrie stepping out of myth.

Friedrich looked at his daughter, unharmed yet appearing as if she had been pulled from a pool of blood, and was momentarily speechless.

“Father,” Livia spoke first, her voice still cool and clear, “I broke the sword you gave me again.”

“It’s fine! It’s just a sword!” Friedrich quickly waved his hand, feeling both pained and helpless. “I’ll find you the best blacksmith! The last one boasted his swords were indestructible, but it seems his craftsmanship isn’t up to par! I’ll go settle accounts with him later!” He paused, looking at his daughter’s serene face, and couldn’t help but ask, “Livia, today… you’ll earn a good deal of bounty. But what exactly is so good about that scoundrel from the Laval family? Wouldn’t it be better if Father found you a more suitable fiancé? His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is still unmarried; after this victory, when we return to court, I’ll go petition His Majesty…”

“I want him, Allen de Laval,” Livia interrupted her father, her tone firm and resolute.

“Eh?! Why?” Friedrich nearly leaped from his horse. Could his daughter truly be smitten with that little rascal? His parental guidance had utterly failed!

“He… is very special to me.”

Livia subtly turned her head, avoiding her father’s searching gaze, a flicker of indescribable complexity in the depths of her blue eyes. This subtle movement, however, struck Friedrich as a sign of his daughter’s shyness! He instantly became so flustered his voice changed pitch, grabbing Livia’s shoulders. “Livia! You… you’ve met that Allen de Laval?! Do you really like him?”

Livia merely turned her head in silence, saying nothing. This unspoken ‘assent’ struck Friedrich like a lightning bolt, and despair instantly overwhelmed him. A scene even flashed through his mind—Allen de Laval riding a donkey, arriving at his doorstep, and asking him flippantly, ‘Hey, old man, is my beloved horse safe parked downstairs at your place?’ Friedrich’s vision swam.

“Father,” Livia suddenly spoke, her voice tinged with a cold edge, “He’s here.”

“Who?” Friedrich hadn’t even reacted when Livia abruptly pushed him aside! Simultaneously, his waist-mounted saber was drawn by his daughter with lightning speed!

Clang! The piercing clang of metal was jarring! Livia, holding her father’s saber, steadily parried a dagger wrapped in ominous black mist that had abruptly lunged out of thin air! A figure shrouded entirely in a voluminous black robe appeared like a specter where Friedrich had just been standing.

“‘A pity, so close,'” a hoarse voice emerged from beneath the black robe, carrying a hint of regret.

“…You lured the pirates here?” Livia asked, holding her saber in a standoff, her voice as cold as if stating a fact.

The black-robed figure seemed to pause, then, surprisingly, began to converse with interest. “‘This village has some ‘experimental subjects’ I need. I told them to hold out longer, but these useless fools have wasted my precious research time again.'”

“You’re from the Scarlet Spiral Cult?” Livia frowned. “You’ve suffered significant losses recently; how dare you still show yourselves?”

“‘Oh?'” The black-robed figure’s tone held a hint of amusement. “‘My beautiful lady, you seem to know quite a lot? We haven’t had any losses recently.'”

“‘Those scoundrels who died in the capital, weren’t they your people?'” Livia countered.

“‘…Hmph!'” The black-robed figure’s voice suddenly turned grim. “‘It was all that incompetent fool’s fault! He recruited a woman he shouldn’t have…'”

Livia’s eyes narrowed. “He recruited whom?”

“‘A noble’s maidservant,'” the black-robed figure stared into Livia’s eyes, their voice growing obsessive. “‘Your sapphire-like eyes… truly beautiful… I truly wish to pluck them out and keep them as my most treasured collection…'”

“…What kind of person can become an ‘Abyssal Walker’ in your cult?” Livia continued to press, seemingly ignoring the threat.

The black-robed figure fell silent for a moment, their tone shifting to one of surprise and suspicion. “‘How do you know about ‘Abyssal Walkers’?'”

“I fought him,” Livia stated calmly.

“‘Hahahahahahaha!'” The black-robed figure suddenly burst into maniacal laughter. “‘Impossible! Absolutely impossible! ‘Abyssal Walkers’ are the true liberators who break the chains of the evil creator! They are the saviors of humanity, walking on the edge of madness and reason! You? You think you can defeat him?!'”

“I didn’t defeat him,” Livia’s voice was utterly unruffled. “He killed your ‘Star Listener,’ then vanished.”

A scene etched deep in her memory flashed through her mind—in the raging inferno that seemed to consume the entire capital, the black-haired youth stood at the center of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, grinning at her:

‘You’re too late, Livia.’

“‘You even know about the ‘Star Listener’s’ existence?!'” The black-robed figure’s laughter abruptly ceased. After a moment of silence, their voice became incredibly solemn, even tinged with fear. “‘Livia von Stern… your Star mark should have guided you towards Our Lord! Why do you stand against us?'”

“Because you are all madmen who seek to destroy humanity,” Livia’s answer was concise and powerful.

“‘Ignorance! You are all blinded by this false world!'” The black-robed figure grew agitated. “‘The apocalypse is nigh! Only Our Lord can save humanity!'”

“‘Apocalypse…'”

Livia repeated the word, starlight swirling in her blue eyes. She looked at the black-robed figure, and a faint, yet bone-chilling curve suddenly appeared on her lips: “‘Don’t you find it strange that I’ve been talking to you for so long?'”

The black-robed figure’s body stiffened abruptly! Their mark ability… it wasn’t working?! “‘Wait! Your mark… it can resist mental erosion?!'” They cried out in disbelief, their voice filled with incredulity.

Just then, Livia struck like lightning! Swish! Swish! Two flashes of cold light! The black-robed figure’s arms were severed at the shoulders! Immediately followed by two more flashes of cold light! Their legs separated at the knees! With a wet thud, the longsword in Livia’s hand precisely pierced the rapidly beating heart beneath the black robe!

“‘Thank you for the information,'” Livia’s voice was like ice. “‘Do you truly believe your hypnotic mark would work on me? Others have tried that trick before. Does your cult really have no new ideas?'” She flicked her wrist, and the longsword shredded the deformed heart. Even after being reduced to a torso, stripped of its heart, the black-robed figure did not immediately perish! The black-robed figure mumbled in disbelief, “‘But the hypnotic mark is a mark I just developed? How could you possibly…'”

Before they could finish, their body beneath the black robe writhed as if boiling, and countless slimy, dark-purple tentacles with suckers burst forth from their clothing, wildly flailing and coiling towards Livia! “Puff! Puff! Puff! Puff!” Livia’s sword light transformed into a silver storm, precisely severing all the attacking tentacles! Mucus and shredded flesh splattered everywhere!

“‘Did I arrive too early?'” Livia mused, analyzing intently as she swung her sword. “‘Most of your organs have been replaced by twisted flesh. Besides the hypnotic mark, you must have also transplanted multiple false marks. I’m guessing you have death evasion, aura concealment, and… personality transfer?'”

Livia recited the black-robed figure’s abilities as if she had fought them more than once. “‘You… how do you know my abilities?!'” All their trump cards exposed, the black-robed figure shrieked in terror, their voice distorted by fear.

“‘Of course, I know you,'” Livia finally allowed herself a faint smile, a smile that appeared exceptionally eerie on her blood-stained face. “‘The Blood Priest codenamed ‘Puppeteer.’ I’ve been looking for you for a long time. If you had truly finished developing your hypnotic mark, you would have stirred up quite a storm in the capital.'”

“‘Unfortunately, my mark can block mental corruption, so your personality transfer is ineffective against me. Today, you will die here,'” Livia calmly pronounced the black-robed figure’s death sentence.

“‘Who exactly are you?!'” The black-robed figure screamed in despair. “‘In the script arranged by Our Lord, there shouldn’t be an existence like you!'”

Livia stopped her sword, looking down at the writhing remains on the ground. In her blue eyes, starlight sparkled, as if reflecting the endless river of time and space. “I am Livia von Stern,” she stated clearly, word by word. “However, I am from the future.”

“‘Heh heh… from the future?'” With their end approaching, the black-robed figure abandoned their struggle, their shattered body emitting a hoarse, grotesque laugh. “‘That future… humanity… was it saved?'”

Livia hesitated for a moment, then slowly shook her head.

“‘Hahahahaha! I knew it! Our Lord is right! It is our true savior of humanity…'” The black-robed figure’s maniacal laughter abruptly ceased, and they fell completely silent.

Livia used the tip of her sword to prod open the tattered black robe; beneath it, only a rapidly decaying, foul-smelling, viscous substance remained. She lowered her sword and drew a sheaf of wheat symbol across her chest, the prayer gesture of a lay member of the Church.

“‘Even for an irredeemable wretch like you, please rest in peace. Don’t ‘resurrect’ like someone else and continue to plague humanity.'”

Livia raised her head, looking towards the direction of the capital Lucien. Her blood-stained golden hair fluttered in the morning breeze, and her gaze held a hint of wistfulness.

“‘Mm-hmm, don’t worry, I won’t let my guard down,'” Livia murmured softly to the stars, her gentle tone carrying a firm resolve to save everything. “‘This time, I will save humanity.'”

“‘From that… true demon.'”