Those suppressed emotions pierced the hearts of the audience.
Honkai: Star Rail, beyond its gut-wrenching moments, also has these heartwarming parts!
After watching, everyone felt a warmth spreading through them. And on screen, as the truth surfaced, some answers naturally became clear.
"I'm not sure whether the gaze of Fuli has anything to do with this matter, but according to the Titan, you are living in the form of a memory right now, just like those objects of the past in the miracles of Oronyx."
Dan Heng and Stelle exchanged glances. He sighed: "Perhaps Mem is the anchor rope that ties you to the present. I had assumed they couldn't stray too far from you, but the truth... might be the exact opposite."
"For a while, I also thought that the Stellaron was your life support system, but it seems like... this hypothesis has been disproven."
From Dan Heng's words, the audience received both good and bad news.
The bad news is that Stelle is very special, special in that her existence in Amphoreus is in the form of a memory.
And perhaps for that very reason, Mem was drawn to her. However, unlike what everyone had previously speculated, the more likely possibility is that Mem has been sustaining Stelle's state.
After all, every miracle Stelle can perform requires Mem's assistance.
And this peculiar state of Stelle's has not caused any disturbance to the Stellaron.
This proves that Stelle's life does not depend on the Stellaron, she exists independently within the real world.
All the speculations built upon the Stellaron can be thoroughly overturned from this point.
"Forget it, let's look on the bright side. I'm still alive and kicking." Stelle shook her head.
She didn't plan to think too much about it. She had virtually no concept of death.
After the initial panic, she was now completely at ease.
"It's not time for us to despair yet. There must be a way to save you."
"Oronyx mentioned "finding your stolen future" and "cheating death." Considering Mydei's indestructible body, it seems to suggest that there is some kind of miraculous power in Amphoreus that can even reverse death..."
"The key seems to lie with the Hand of Shadow, whose whereabouts are unknown." Dan Heng said gravely.
Stelle nodded.
...
Okhema.
This great city still shone under the radiance of Kephale.
The citizens of the holy city were unaware of the concerns weighing on the great figures above them.
All they knew was that a demigod of Time had been born, and that the Flame chasing journey and the Genesis had advanced one step further.
People spread the news with joy and celebration.
They had no doubt that Okhema would continue its thousand-year glory, and that even before the end of days, it would still usher them into a magnificent era filled with gold and wine.
But unlike the optimism of the common people, all of the Chrysos Heirs had fallen into a state of low spirits.
In the Garden of Life, a trace of self-reproach and gloom surfaced on Castorice's strikingly beautiful face.
She knelt on the grass, head bowed, not daring to look at Stelle before her.
Finding Thanatos would naturally require cooperation and progress together.
"Back at the Grove, I was puzzled as to why you were not affected by my curse. I thought that it might have been the special ability of a traveler from beyond the sky. Never did I expect that this would be the true reason..."
"I'm sorry. I should have noticed that something was amiss earlier..."
Castorice lowered her head in guilt.
This girl who had always been gentle, considerate, and a companion to death, her kindness was as precious as a treasure, making one's heart ache for her.
But truthfully, none of this had anything to do with Castorice.
It was Nikador who deserved to bear the blame.
Even if Castorice had known earlier that Stelle had already died, it wouldn't have changed any of the facts.
The audience, too, was momentarily speechless.
After all, who could have known that the reason Stelle could touch Castorice was so plain and simple: someone who has died once cannot die a second time.
"It's alright, Cas. This matter really has nothing to do with you." Stelle gently shook her head and offered a tender reassurance.
As she said this, she glanced at the pale, slender hand gripping her arm and smiled.
"Oh, oh!" Only then did Castorice belatedly pull her hand back.
"If my abrupt behavior just now offended you, I hope that you can forgive me."
"I'm just thinking... If your soul has really left your body, as a mortician, I might be able to trace where it has gone to." Castorice explained.
Mem, standing behind Stelle, blinked eagerly and asked: "Cas, did you find anything?"
Now that Stelle had become a Demigod, Mem had completely shed its predicament of only being understood by Stelle.
Now, everyone could understand what Mem was saying!
"My apologies, not as of yet... Perhaps I have overestimated my capabilities."
Castorice said despondently, but she steeled herself and put forward an idea: "But... Stelle, would you be willing to let me try again? This time, I'll increase the area of contact slightly. Perhaps the result might be different this time..."
"I have never touched the living in this way before. If my actions are in any way disrespectful, I hope that you can forgive me..."
With that, at Stelle's consent, Castorice once again placed her palm against Stelle's cheek.
For some reason, Castorice's hand trembled slightly. Her body was tense and her expression unusually nervous.
And on screen, an exquisitely beautiful scene unfolded.
In the garden of the Marmoreal Palace, two young girls knelt facing each other on the ground.
One delicate, timid, and nervous. The other bright-eyed, curiously studying the face before her.
One of them cradled the other's cheeks in both hands, gazing at her intently.
...
: Omygosh...
: Going this far, are we?
: So beautiful...
: Wait, they're doing THIS at a time like this?!
: Yes yes yes, I'm totally shipping this!!
: Selling so hard, huh! Then I'm digging in!
: Squeal!! I just want to see cute girls being affectionate!
: Castorice is so nervous, oh my, in this scene, Stelle looks genuinely dominant!
: You people are unbelievable! This is pure, innocent friendship!!!
...
The comments were overwhelmed by the beauty of this scene, hearts nearly melting.
Girls being tender with each other, it's one of Honkai: Star Rail's indispensable offerings.
First came the iconic scene between Acheron and Black Swan in Penacony, and now a new girl duo has emerged.
Though the timing right now is a little unusual. No matter how fervently the shippers celebrate, though, Castorice was genuinely trying her best to help Stelle find her lost soul.
A moment later, she withdrew her hand.
"I... seem to have caught a glimpse of something. Your soul is currently roaming someplace and cannot find a way to escape..."
"But perhaps... it might not be a bad thing. If your soul is still wandering around, it means that we still have time... We have a chance to find it before the fingers of Thanatos sweep everything away."
But that was all. The connection broke off there. Castorice's probing was obscured by a veil of mist.
She couldn't tell whether the mist was Thanatos's doing. The Titan of Death had been missing for a long time, and no one could fathom his intentions.
"With my strength... I'm not able to trace it. Clues... Just a few more. I need more guidance..." Castorice said dejectedly.
Stelle simply smiled and said breezily: "Thank you, Cas. This information is already very useful."
"Mm..." Encouraged, Castorice regained her confidence and spoke up: "Stelle, now that the probing is over, shall we go together to report back to Lady Aglaea?"
"She has also been very worried about your wellbeing."
And so, the two left together, making their way to the depths of the Marmoreal Palace, where Aglaea and Phainon had already been waiting for some time.
When they saw Stelle walk in, Aglaea first asked about Castorice's findings, and the furrow in her brow eased.
As long as there was a lead, it meant not everything was beyond saving.
Stelle wouldn't end up as the fastest-dying demigod in history after all.
"If anyone in this world knows the whereabouts of Death, it would be her."
Aglaea pondered for a moment, then made her decision: "I'll try and get her to return to Okhema but do be prepared for a less-than-ideal outcome. Please understand that throughout the history of Amphoreus, no one has ever managed to escape the clutches of Death. At the end of time, Thanatos silently awaits all.
"Lady Cipher!" Castorice's eyes lit up.
"Who is that?" Stelle had never heard the name before and asked in puzzlement.
"Another demigod." Phainon spoke up: "With her on the case, your future is all but guaranteed, partner."
Aglaea also smiled: "Yes, there's no need to worry too much. But before that, just..." She stopped mid-sentence and suddenly froze.
Her eyes flickered.
"What's wrong, Aglaea?" Phainon noticed something was off and frowned.
Aglaea didn't respond, she seemed momentarily lost in a daze.
A moment later, her eyes regained their focus and she let out a sigh,
"Omens always come in pairs. A tiny air current will eventually brew into a storm that tears the sky apart."
"It's Anaxagoras. He has initiated contact with the Council of Elders."
A flicker of gravity passed through Phainon's eyes, but it quickly gave way to a certain kind of trust: "So it's come to this after all..."
"But... as I said before, I still refuse to believe that Master Anaxagoras would become our enemy."
"Whatever he's doing, he must have his reasons."
Aglaea neither agreed nor disagreed, her tone carrying a deep exhaustion: " I earnestly hope that your assessment of him is accurate, Phainon."
"Otherwise, the efforts of my teacher and I over the past millennium... might be reduced to dust because of that "Great Performer""
With Stelle's situation still unresolved, an even greater trouble had already come surging in.
The audience instinctively felt that a storm was brewing.
...
: The pacing at the start is way too fast.
: I thought they'd resolve Stelle's situation first.
: Classic, blessings never come in pairs, but troubles do. But what exactly is Anaxagoras's deal with the Council of Elders anyway?
: That bunch of elders have been nothing but a drag on Okhema and Aglaea!
: Ugh, Aglaea's voice sounds so exhausted.
: The Council of Elders isn't going to drag its feet on Stelle's matter too, is it.
: That Caenis b*tch is definitely going to stir up trouble. God, I'm already fuming.
: I feel like Phainon's faith is about to be shattered. I never had high hopes for Anaxagoras from the start.
: Same, he's rebellious, doesn't fit into society's mold, so naturally he wouldn't care about conventional moral values… So if he's throwing in with the Council of Elders, I'm actually not surprised.
: As expected, even within the Chrysos Heir, it's not a unified front.
: The Council of Elders had no transcendent power before, but if Anaxagoras joins them, that changes everything.
: And Anaxagoras has plenty of motive, after all, like Stelle, he's more or less in a state of living death. Seeking survival at a time like this and aligning with the Council of Elders is honestly the most understandable reason.
: This guy's alchemy can split his own soul without a second thought, he's ruthless.
: Within the Chrysos Heir, Aglaea and Anaxagoras are clearly not on the same side, the two are just fundamentally different people.
...
The comments rolled past.
Having learned of this news, the audience was filled with hostility and distrust toward Anaxa.
But these feelings were entirely understandable. Aside from the abilities and personality he demonstrated upon his first appearance, Anaxagoras had received very little further characterization.
And what's more, his portrayal in the second episode wasn't exactly flattering either.
The first impression everyone had of him was of an arrogant, capable man who placed himself above all else and answered only to his own judgment.
On top of that, he rejected theocratic authority and was conducting all manner of taboo experiments.
Someone like that fit the profile of a traitor and a troublemaker all too perfectly.
And now, at the very moment Stelle faced such a dire predicament, Anaxagoras had to pull something like this.
Whatever goodwill the audience had toward him could be said to have plummeted to rock bottom.
It was as though MiHoYo had already anticipated the audience's feelings.
Whatever they dreaded, the very next moment would deliver exactly that.
The scene shifted.
Anaxagoras's face appeared on screen.
He stood in a night sky swathed in stars, surrounded by a boundless wasteland stretching in every direction.
Countless cloaked figures, densely packed, stood motionless across the wasteland like an army of silent sentinels.
That ever-present sneer remained on Anaxagoras's face as always. The audience could tell at a glance that this was clearly not the real world.
Sure enough, the next moment, Anaxagoras let out a scornful laugh.
"Hehe... I'm back here again."
"I remember this dream. This realm is covered in a silk-like fog, and the land is barren and harsh. The crowd of travelers leaves tracks everywhere."
He looked around, entirely unbothered by the eerie shadows, and walked straight up to one of them, asking: "Hey! Excuse me, what is this place? Where in Amphoreus are we?"
The shadow only murmured. But from within that murmuring, Anaxagoras caught a crucial piece of information.
"Hand of... Shadow..."
That was none other than the Titan connected to Stelle, and to Anaxagoras himself.