The Thirteen Flame-Chasers

The pink-and-gold sky above Elysium Everlasting painted the gardens in a tranquil glow. The Timeless Grand Hall was beautiful, peaceful, and perfect for a quiet afternoon.

Or it would have been, had the Thirteen Flame-Chasers possessed a shred of common sense.

"Elysia, WHY IS THERE A ROCKET ON THAT HORSE?!"

Kalpas roared.

"Because it wasn't going fast enough!"

Vill-V chirped.

"THAT ISN'T AN EXPLANATION!"

Mobius scribbled something onto her clipboard. Eden sipped her tea, smiling elegantly, while Sakura looked ready to commit a second apocalypse. Su attempted to meditate, and Griseo showed Kosma her painting of everyone beneath a pink sky. Kalpas was on fire. Kevin was an angry rectangle.

"Why am I a rectangle?"

Kevin demanded.

"Artistic interpretation."

Griseo replied.

Mei watched the chaos beside Fu Hua.

"Is it always like this?"

"Unfortunately."

And then there was you. An actual, living MANTIS. A survivor of the Previous Era, like Fu Hua and Griseo. You had endured the Honkai and witnessed humanity's darkest days.

Yet nothing had prepared you for these people. You'd come here for peace and quiet. An admirable ambition. A doomed one.

"Darling! There you are!"

Elysia exclaimed, linking her arm through yours.

"Come join us! We're having a lovely afternoon!"

You glanced at the mechanical horse climbing a pillar, then at Vill-V taking notes. Finally, you met Kevin's gaze. He looked equally exhausted.

"Don't even think about leaving."

He muttered.

"Oh, Kevin! Let them breathe!"

Elysia giggled.

A deafening crash sounded behind you.

Vill-V lowered her clipboard.

"...Well. That's one way to test structural integrity."

Fu Hua closed her eyes. Sakura sighed. Mei reconsidered every decision that had brought her here. Elysia beamed at you, utterly unbothered.

"Anyway, darling! What shall we do first?"

You had survived the end of the world. Surely, you could survive one afternoon with the Flame-Chasers. Surely.