Empress of Thunder - 1

Schicksal was an organization with a quite literal global reach. A group that had long existed since the medieval days of mankind, Schicksal was the vanguard and wall that defended mankind from the threat that was the Honkai. It was the innovations made in this effort that had driven the organization to rise from a mere structure of the old theocracy to a globe spanning organization with ties to everything from military to government through its Branches.

And in the Far East Branch of Japan, there was a school it oversaw.

St. Freya International Academy. Founded after the Second Impact 14 years, this educational institute was both the main headquarters for Schicksal's Far East Branch and a place for educating those who would become Valkyries in order to combat the threat of the Honkai. Many of its student body were those who had been children during that disastrous event so long ago, others the family of those effected by it, and more still the children of Schicksal affiliation from across the world.

Due to a certain quirk when it came to Honkai adaptability, it meant the grand majority of Schicksal's student body, and thus Valkyries at large, were women. Men who could resist the corrosive effects of Honkai were the rare few in the world, enough so that St. Freya, for as wide of a student body it had, currently only held one male student among its roster.

Surprisingly to no one, said boy was the son of Schicksal's Overseer; a one Octavian Apocalypse. Who, currently, was holed up in the library of the academy, scanning his way through an all too tall stack of books on various subjects. Be it fantasy novels of biographical texts, seemingly anything was in the teenager's stack of material.

Octavian was someone who took after his father in many ways looks wise. The same bright blonde hair and steely green eyes, yet his features were gentler in look, his eyes lacking the hardened look his father was known for. He kept his hair quite long, styled asymmetrically and kept tied halfway down to keep it in check. And currently, the jacket of his St. Freya uniform sat at the back of his chair, the rest of the modified attire kept it simple, the kind of buttoned shirt and slacks expected of a student his age.

Next to Octavian, a tablet computer was propped up on another book. It was a curious device, its shell a bright golden color, the back marked in the wing emblem of Schicksal in stark black to contrast. The screen currently sat dark, yet occasionally flickered with a green light.

"Hmm… the Berlin Impact reports are always a mess to read through…" Octavian sighed as he shut the current book he was skimming. "Though not like accessing anything higher wouldn't be difficult."

"Of course it wouldn't it," a voice came from the tablet, the lilting tone of a man speaking in an all too playful candor. "Though I'm sure Oskar wouldn't be fond of you digging through high authorization records under his nose… if he ever found out you get up to that."

"And who's idea was it to give me access to those records to begin with?" Octavian got an amused chuckle in reply. He took the next book off his stack, letting it fall open to a random page. "Hmm… theory on Artificial Stigmata implantation… this is Professor Einstein's work. Let's see… research in order to reduce the strain on Stigmata implantation… ways to reduce the burden it induces on the body."

"Anti-Entropy has always made their goal minimizing the risk to human life combatting the Honkai entails," said the voice from the tablet. "From even as far back as the First Impact."

"I am aware. The incident that almost caused the North American Branch to separate from Schicksal, with my great-grandfather kept from getting out of hand by allowing them unfettered research into their robotics and preventative methods," Octavian shut the book, his slim finger tapping on the other. "Research like this would be a benefit to someone like Major Murata… were she not so stubborn."

"I've come to think a measure of madness is just common among those under Cecilia after so long. Perhaps it's needed, in order to face whatever the Honkai throws at us."

"You'd know all about that, wouldn't you?" Octavian tilted his head towards the tablet, getting a chuckle in reply. "Anything from Kiana as of late? She should've checked in a while ago."

"It seems info coming in and out of Nagazora has gotten sparse… or rather, almost as if it's been cut off. Normally scheduled automated programs are running, but anything else? Not a beep."

"Then it looks like your prediction was spot on. All we can do now is wish Kiana luck," Octavian stood and plucked the tablet up, also grabbing his jacket on the way out.

"Well, if what I predicted is going as planned, she's already run into someone who'll be very helpful in handling the newest Herrscher. Let the Kaslana girl work her magic. Who knows, she may even end up messing with whatever Oskar is planning."

"Heh… you're so self-assured about all of this."

"Of course I am. I am a genius inventor after all. A mere predictive model based on trends is nothing."

"Sure, just a predictive model… I'll keep buying that one for now. Otto."

Octavian got an amused chuckle in reply. For now, they could only rely on Kiana to handle things. Knowing what they did, they felt there was little to be worried for. [After all,] thought Octavian, [what better Valkyrie to trust than the daughter of the Heroes of the 2nd Impact?]