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64.42% Honkai Star Rail - Isekai'd With A Stellaron Within / Chapter 67: Boundless Dream

Chapter 67: Boundless Dream

*hehe, keeping up with the chapters (took me longer to write cuz my lazy aah's brain wasn't working)

Here we are tho. Enjoy, and I'll once again shamelessly plug my Discord server here :)) (cuz if you like the fanfic and want to enter random discussions during the day, this is the spot) https://discord.com/invite/8RcQy2aQ36 (copy n paste into google)

Welp, take care. Peace out and Deus Vult.*

Mark's steps were heavy, sluggish as he struggled with himself. Brief were the moments where his body listened to him in full. It felt off, more than any moment before. His mind argued with itself, the shadows eerily long as he stepped. At some point he could have sworn that a white glowing sphere floated among them, but he couldn't check, for it was long gone as his vision twitched its way. 

He went back to his room, retreating like a defeated general who'd lost his army and his honor. He had no will to argue, and his words refused to come out either way. 

"Why do you keep struggling?" whispered the shadows, crawling all around as he entered the room. Gone were the ambient lights, welcome instead were the hungry, bottomless pits of his mental hell. 

"Because I have to," he muttered weakly, his breath close to choking upon itself. It was his own selfish desire, a duty chosen with the mere childish thoughts of an easy adventure he could fix like some novel hero, facing no difficulties—at least not having himself as his biggest foe. 

"You know it, yet you deny it yourself. The futility in your struggle is there. It's all meaningless... you saved a life or two after nearly losing yours and pointing your weapons at your supposed 'friends'... need I remind you they don't trust you? That they thought you a Stellaron Hunter on the first occasion?" 

The whispers grew louder, more intense, pressing down on him. He struggled to drag his feet across the floor in a pitiful attempt at stepping. His mind was about to divide, to simply break apart and leave him in a state of pure chaos. With a few muttered prayers, he held it together, clinging to the only constant in his life. 

"Stop resisting, Mark... you know how much you want to give up, to simply accept that all you're doing is for nothing. Nothing has meaning in this life of yours." 

Mark's breath grew heavy as his lungs refused to push against the weight on his chest. The shadows were pressing on it, forcing him to simply embrace them, to just accept their offering of silence and lack of problems. He could rest, accept that it was all worthless. What use in trying to change the fate of everyone? Was he even a part of it all? His doubts surfaced, coming out clearer than day. Would Himeko even care if he was gone? 

His eyes were wet, drowning in unshed emotions that condensed as tears. It had been some time since his last outburst, yet it felt like an eternity. The dam was near breaking, but he held on. His jaw was clenched as he spoke, growling through his teeth. 

"Get out of my head, you monster... you're not part of me, you're nothing but a mix of those already insane wills from the Stellarons and my own damned fears and worries. Get out, you piece of shit..." 

Laughter, heavy, thick with mockery, rang out in his ears like thousands of weapons firing off on the battlefield at once. The shadows enveloped him further, clouding his vision until he saw nothing around. 

"You call me a monster, a piece of shit, but you fail to realize something..." 

Out of the darkness walked a figure, eerily familiar, twisted as it was. Somehow, it kept resemblance to a human, despite the thousands of tongues and tentacles that meddled together to build up the body. Its arms were no better, covered in eyes and mouths that morphed into teeth and empty sockets, a constant change in its flesh. The face, however, was a cruel imitation of his own. 

"...I'm you, whether you like it or not. You and I are one and the same... I'm the side you refuse, but the side that is still within you, no matter if you like it or not..." 

Mark's eyes were fixed on it, not wavering nor seeking to look away—he felt that, should he avert his gaze, the creature would leap at him and go feral. His heart beat loudly in his chest, striking more and more with each passing second. 

"Don't act like I'm not a part of you... like I'm a stranger... you know it deep inside your heart..." 

It stepped closer, unbothered by Mark's pitiful attempts at crawling away. 

"...you're worthless... you think she'd care for you? She thinks you're nothing but a young fool looking to pleasure himself... do you think that's the type of man she'd want? You know that the answer is no... so why even bother?" 

Mark's eyes shook in their sockets, the pain in his head growing stronger as the thing got closer. His knuckles went white as he clenched his fist, bringing it to his chest. Warmth, unexpected, but it was present, a forgotten memory that snapped him out of the moment, painful as it was to recall that scene—her lifeless body falling, no one to at least retrieve the remains. What's left is just a fragmented blade that somehow made its way to him. 

"The answer... when did I even care about her answer? When did I even lose sight of the definition for what I'm doing? I'm here to see them alive, living no matter what happens, with a big smile on their faces... it doesn't matter if I myself happen to lose it..." 

Mark stood up, staring straight at the creature. The shadows seemed to shy away, lingering around without touching him. The flicker of white among the mess was quick, going before it could be spotted. 

"You cling to a stupid ideal, and you know it... you know it deep down that you WANT something in return... you're no saint..." 

Mark stepped closer to it, his teeth grinding together. 

"I'm no saint, I know... I'm just a selfish prick who wishes to reach a specific ending, but I couldn't care less... fuck off before I smash your slimy skull in, freak..." 

The creature shook its head, grinning with an eerie, double-tongued smile. 

"I see... Don't worry, you'll soon wake up to see the consequences of your actions..." 

The room returned to normal the second he blinked, but his heart was still thumping loudly, trying to break his ribs from within. The memories were vivid, sunk into his retinas. Split mind, weakened body, ravaged heart—he was close to accepting the thing's offer, yet he kept going. 

"God, just... just a bit more..." he muttered, struggling to walk across the room. His body fell into the weird liquid, limp, barely moving as his eyes closed themselves, the pain lessening for a moment as he was forced into the Dreamscape. 

Inside, his eyes opened to a familiar scene. He wasn't in the hotel room, but rather outside in the lobby, and suddenly the memories of the scene pierced his skull like a bullet, bringing about a wave of pain with a million voices that shouted in unison: "You're meaningless!" 

To the side, he caught sight of Stelle, Acheron, and Black Swan, all of whom were walking towards Firefly. Stelle ran ahead, and a dark, foggy cloud formed in the air. The creature he had pummeled once dared to appear again. His Stellarons fired up at once, ready to set his body into motion. His vision went out, as if someone turned off his eyes. 

"Useless!" 

The voices raged in his mind, but he didn't falter. It was all or nothing, a simple gamble. He had the direction in mind, so he left the rest to whatever senses worked. Sight was off the table, while hearing couldn't help since the voices kept him busy. Thus, he forced himself to adapt to the situation as much as he could and do the only rational thing—rational by his own standard. His legs coiled like springs, sending him forward at full power in a straight line. He saw nothing, heard nothing, but the feeling of the air on his skin was there. 

The creature appeared out of nothing, floating with rage in its veins, aiming for Firefly. From behind, unseen, came Mark the cannonball, appearing in the scene without a sense of direction and just a predetermined trajectory from a split-second glance before his sight was taken. Black Swan and Acheron watched with wide eyes, while Stelle tried to figure out what was happening. Firefly turned around, staring at the piercing tip of the memory zone meme's wing. 

In came Mark like a wrecking ball, fists pointed forward, about to hit the creature. Firefly's gaze fell on his blank eyes, no light in them, like something was covering them. He slipped right by as the thing dodged, moving swiftly through the air in an arch. It was expecting him, used to his tricks and fierce attitude. Instead of focusing on him, it chose to go for the weaker prey, letting Mark fly off the railing, falling off a few floors. 

The death meme turned around, its purple eyes staring at Firefly, while Stelle could only watch, not fast enough to act. It twirled around, piercing Firefly through the chest with a loud crunch. It lifted her in the air, throwing her lifeless body at Stelle, who tried to catch it, helplessly wishing to help. It dissolved into droplets, falling on the ground with a soft splashing sound. 

"What... just happened?" asked Stelle, her body shaking. She stared at the weird droplets, then looked to where Mark had fallen off from. Loud was the sound of him crashing, followed by a multitude of curses that came in the weirdest of manners, one more vulgar than the other. 

"Stelle, calm down... deep breaths..." said Acheron, who stepped to her side, hoping to calm down the worried girl. Black Swan stepped in, using her abilities as a Memokeeper to somehow soothe Stelle down. She stopped shaking, but her mind was still in a bit of disarray. 

"That... that was way too sudden," whispered Stelle, her voice shaking. While the three of them were trying to understand the situation and calm one another down, a large pillar of ice emerged from the background, with Mark's angry frame standing atop. He was shaking too, seething with a turmoil of emotions. His vision came back to him, followed by endless laughter that pierced his eardrums. The word 'useless' echoed in his mind over and over. Firefly, he... he failed. She had died in the same manner, and he was powerless to try and stop it from happening. His sight had been stolen, his hearing rendered useless. What he could have used to fight was rendered... useless... just like him. 

"Where is that creature?!" howled Mark, twisting his head around as his veins simply inflated from his boiling anger. He had to focus on that emotion, lest he'd break down into a mess of pure agony. 

"Mark, calm down," said Black Swan, turning to look at him with a serious gaze. She wasn't playing this time like she'd usually do. Mark's teeth were clenched together, pressing down like he was clinging on to dear life. 

He stepped closer, trying to calm down. Stelle was shaken by the events, her body still trembling slowly. Mark glanced at Acheron, who was staring at his eyes with a curious expression. He said nothing of it, taking a deep breath to try and calm himself down. 

"I'm sorry, Stelle... I missed... I... I'm sorry, I..." 

She shook her head, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder to try and ground him. 

"Mark, it's fine... don't beat yourself up over it... you can't do everything alone, no matter how much you struggle. I know you have your own issues, and the earlier situation sure didn't help with it. I'm sorry I didn't speak up for you. After all," her voice drifted off as she glanced at Acheron and the missing Black Swan, who had gone to check up on Himeko and March. "...the ones you shared a dance with are present at the scene. We should have trusted you, but... it does sound bad, especially with how Black Swan put it." 

He nodded, understanding the feeling. 

"It's fine, and... thank you..." 

Acheron smiled softly at the scene, her arms crossed over her chest. Mark took another deep breath, staring at the spot where Firefly had died. Black Swan came back in the meantime, carrying a Memory Bubble. 

"Stelle, Himeko has something to tell you... good news and bad news." 

She handed over the Memory Bubble, and Mark watched as Stelle pressed it to her forehead. For him it was all known information, even if the tug of war going on in his mind raged on, forcing bits and pieces to work together in a futile effort at keeping his sanity consistent. 

"I think we should move on to a safer place or something and try to head out, right?" said Mark, his voice a bit softer than before, hints of fatigue seeping into it. 

"Sorry, but could you give me a few minutes before we depart? I still have some unfinished business," said Acheron, her gaze betraying a faint hint of emotion, raw and crushing. 

They all watched her step closer to the spot where Firefly had died. She hunched down as if gathering something with her hands, and rose again. 

"May death be the end of your boundless dream... Guiding you back... to the waking world..." 

Her voice was soft, almost sad as she gazed up, taking a moment to process her own words. The words spoken, 'the end of your boundless dream', crushed Mark, driving one more wedge in his mind. It was too much, the information scattered about. The way he saw his mind in those moments was like a planet close to splitting in half, held together by a few wobbly bridges that came crashing down as more information came in—information that he found familiar and foreign at the same time. 

"Boundless dream..." he muttered, forcing back the vertigo, choosing to focus on it for a bit. Dream... it sounded so close yet so distant, unlike the dream he was in at the moment. 

"Let's go," said Acheron, snapping him out of it. He nodded, turning to follow the rest of the group, keeping the idea of a boundless dream close to him. 


Chapter 68: Frozen Hell

*yippee, I'm not dead yet. Also, I gotta announce something: I have this thing going on on Discord where I sent some character sheets for people to complete. Whoever does so will appear in the fanfic at some point (cuz I have my own plans in mind for some things) so yeah, if you wish to see yourself (or a character of your making) appear in the story in a form or another, join the server and find the pinned files in the talking-for-everyone channel. Have fun :))

https://discord.com/invite/8RcQy2aQ36

For now tho, enjoy the chapter. Peace out and Deus Vult.*

As they prepared for departure, Stelle took a moment to turn back and check the spot one last time. She found down what was left of Firefly's phone, half of it faded. On she found the picture the three of them had taken. Mark looked at her with sorry eyes. He wasn't capable of saving Firefly, and it was slowly killing him. It was his only goal, the only reason as to why he strove so hard to become stronger, but what was it all worth if he couldn't save a girl from a creature he could probably tear apart with his bare hands? 

The sight of Stelle's usually bright eyes showing no spark was pitiful, breaking his heart apart. She tried to pick up the phone, only for it to fade in her hands, like a lingering memory she'd have to let go of. 

"Firefly... and yet the more I think about her, the more my head stings..." 

Black Swan and Acheron watched in silence, waiting for them to start walking as well. It was sudden, but they had to keep moving forward to chase whatever was left of it. Their steps were heavy, and Mark could feel the shadows gnaw at him, trying to trip him to hold his legs as he walked. It was all a constant effort aimed at breaking him down further and further, when his emotional state was already in shambles. It's in those moments that something as simple as tripping can break you fully. 

He wasn't allowed to break. 

Little had passed since they went on to try and escape the hotel, and weird things were already happening. 

"What's going on? Why is it getting hot in the memoria?" asked Black Swan, her voice a bit worried. 

"You noticed it too," answered Acheron, her voice devoid of life. "Like something is burning..." 

Mark gathered his wits, trying to remain strong in front of everything. The shadows were all crawling up his back, but he kept pushing past them, trying his hardest to force the two parts of his mind together in the usual harmony they belonged to. 

"These are all... charred remains?" whispered Black Swan, pretty shocked at the scene. The room they had entered reeked of smoke and something Mark couldn't identify, but it wasn't pleasant. Perhaps that's what burned memoria smelled like. 

"They're still smoldering. The culprit can't have gotten far," said Acheron, her eyes scanning around the scene. 

"We can slow down, then," sighed out Black Swan. Stelle still seemed a little out of it, but she kept herself together. They had a mission to continue, so time to mourn was more of a privilege than anything. Mark stepped ahead, checking out the wounds on the monsters. 

"Deep cuts, precise, also narrow. Whatever weapon it was, that thing cooked its insides," he muttered, walking to check out another body. The bird-like monster was steaming, whatever insides it had had turned into hot gas. Trying to lean close would burn up a little, and Mark wasn't willing to take chances, as much as both heat and cold began posing no issue to a certain level. 

"We should hurry up," said Mark, his tone cold and tired, his eyes half-lidded by that point. He was hyperaware to a great extent, but his mind was slowly placing a heavy toll on his body. 

"Mark is right," said Black Swan, sounding uncharacteristically serious. "We have to hurry to that Memory Zone where Miss Firefly's presence was imprinted. Considering what this person can do..." 

She focused a little, using her abilities to manipulate the Dreamscape. 

"I'll try to create a stable shortcut for you." 

The halls morphed and changed shape. Mark stepped in without fear, too numb to specific things. Acheron stared at his back for a moment, then glanced at Stelle with a soft hint of a smile. 

"Let's go," she said, trying to support Stelle in her own way, with soft understanding offered subtly. 

They left to another room, and only Black Swan had any clue about navigating the corridors. 

"Look. Upon leaving the lobby, the structure has become chaotic. Phase through that corridor, and be careful—do not alert the meme." 

Mark scoffed, almost close to causing a ruckus just to lure it out and finish what he had started, but he held back. For now, his mind was focused on the single culprit his memories held for the scene they had just seen—SAM. 

Quick movements led them to a grandiose room with a circular table and more chairs than one would need, even for a feast. Above hung a beautiful chandelier, its conical shape mixed with the beauty and focus on details, turning it into a man-made flower of sorts. 

"This is truly... a magnificent sight," mused Acheron, looking around with light movements. "It's this room, then?" 

Black Swan hummed softly, standing by the group. 

"Yes. More precisely, it's right below." 

That's all Mark needed to hear. She was about to suggest using the chandelier to break through the floor, but Mark simply walked to the middle of the room, fist clenched as energy flowed into it. With a swift, powerful movement, he broke the floor like it were a piece of thin ice. Cracks spread out, giving way to glowing blue spheres, a weird type of bubble that he didn't bother much with. 

"Or we could just do this," chuckled Black Swan, enjoying the pure display of no brains full brawl. 

Mark jumped into the hole, but the others took a bit to come as Black Swan wished to soften the fall, gathering the Dream Bubbles together to form a cushion. 

"This is amazing," said Acheron, standing up slowly. Mark glanced around, noticing a few more creatures gathered around, the usual Dreamjolt Troupe. He was too pissed to waste time with them, so he just crushed them outright to the wall with a large ice pillar, making it dissipate after the job was done. 

"It seems like you're good for all, right? I have a good eye for men, it seems," whispered Black Swan, hovering close to him. He simply shot her a sidelong glare, the lifeless look in his eyes corroding his usually friendly nature. 

"Cut the crap," he scoffed, not in the mood at all. 

She smiled, shaking her head slightly. 

"Playing hard to get. That's not nice, but sure, I can enjoy the chase just as much." 

She stepped away, focusing on the large pile of TVs to the side of the room. She motioned for Stelle to follow, and Mark was left with Acheron as Black Swan gathered the memoria to reproduce Firefly's imprint left in the room. 

"I guess that Memokeeper has taken quite a liking to you," she said flatly. Mark sighed, shaking his head slightly. 

"The trouble I got into thanks to her... she should be glad I didn't strangle her... and for some reason I think she'd like it," he scoffed, not joking at all. Acheron found herself smiling slightly, glancing up at him. Whatever bond they shared, it felt stronger than before. 

"You still owe me that dance," she said, and Mark was a bit surprised that she remembered. 

"Oh, so you didn't forget about it? That means something, then. You clearly want to dance with me, huh? What for?" 

His voice was pretty cold and distant, as if trying to keep himself out of harm's way. She simply placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, speaking softly. 

"Sometimes you have to be there to find what you seek." 

Enigmatic answer, but easy to decipher. He'd find out during the dance. 

"I guess we'll meet randomly once we're out of this dream, right? I have a feeling you'll find your way to me somehow." 

She nodded, her touch lingering for a few more seconds, a tiny anchor that held him together. Sometimes, he felt conflicted about his own feelings, about his own heart. Was it wrong to simply take what he's given? Should he keep striving for a future he wants and might never come? What if, instead, he'd simply allow the present to take its course, taking the hand he's offered and going with it? 

"That's a question for another day... my mind can't take too much thinking now." 

They kept walking, with Stelle leading the way as she followed the images of Firefly, listening to their words. It all led to a specific room, which proved to be a dead end. 

"Based on these fragmented pieces of information, it seems Firefly's companion betrayed her halfway and trapped her alone in this room, disappearing without a trace... But why?" asked Acheron, trying to understand what had transpired. 

Mark simply allowed the others to think and piece together whatever information they had gathered. He chose to just watch, slowing down his mental separation. It was a weird way to describe it, even to himself, but it's what made sense. His mind was split in two parts, one that tried to cling to the present and one that seemed to hold the future back. 

"She mentioned the transaction involves the Watchmaker, and that often means stepping on many people's toes," answered Black Swan, her hand resting meditatively on her chin. "They might have had their eyes on the legacy or wanted to silence another who knew too much. Or, there could be a deeper secret tucked away in this Memory Zone, and to hook that elusive prize... one needs the right bait." 

"Do you mean... Firefly?" asked Acheron, surprised at the possibility. 

"This is just the worst-case scenario. But think about it: if the mastermind behind all this is nearby, why would he let us look around freely? Unless... there is something else he cares more about and needs—or, should I say, is verifying." 

Mark nodded absentmindedly, focusing more on keeping his wits about should the situation call for it. They exited through a side corridor, walking down the path, following along the rest of Firefly's afterimages. She had walked along winding halls, taking turns that she had no clue of. In the end, her path had led to the hotel lobby, yet she's also found death in there. 

The group walked out, and they all noticed the imposing figure that had been waiting for them. 

"It seems like someone has been awaiting us. Ready to step into the spotlight now?" asked Black Swan. 

Mark stepped forward, hands in his pockets, his coat rustling softly with each step. The sound of his boots thudding against the floor was harder than usual, like his steps were weighed down by something that forced him to stomp. SAM turned around to face the group, scanning them quickly. It threw aside the charred body of a dream creature. 

"Leave now and nobody gets hurt, or else..." SAM's fire began burning hotter, spreading around as he moved his arms out, waiting. "All of you will die here." 

Mark scoffed, stepping a bit closer. 

"Big words, Stellaron Hunter SAM... big words indeed," he chuckled, his tired gaze staring down the armor-clad warrior. It was a strong suit of armor, further enhanced with gadgets and smart systems that were nothing but works of fiction in Mark's world. 

His fire began burning hotter, engulfing the ground in a sea of blazing flames. 

"I will... set the seas ablaze!" 

Mark scoffed, ice spreading out on the ground, clashing against the fire, leaving behind large steam clouds. 

"And I shall freeze your burning hell over..." he spat back, decreasing the temperature with more ice, covering his body in it like a crude suit of armor. SAM's speed was intense, blitzing towards them at high speeds. Mark powered his body, their fists clashing head-on in a sea of sparks, steam, and thundering sounds. He was at a bit of a disadvantage thanks to only having one arm covered, but he was about to make the most of it. It was time for some actual combat that was life or death. 

"Not bad," said SAM, preparing another strike, only for Acheron's sword to meet it instead, pushing him back. 

"He's mine," said Mark, glancing over to Acheron, who had a tiny smile on. 

"You sure don't seem like you can handle him, not in your current state... and you know it." 

Her gaze pierced his very soul, focusing on the things deep within. He sighed and nodded, accepting defeat. 

"Fine, but just this once." 

She nodded, and the two of them dashed at him. Mark glanced over his shoulder, and just as expected, Stelle was no longer there, and neither was Black Swan. 

"Damned IPC..." he muttered, sending ice spikes after his foe, building them from the ground up. SAM's suit of armor didn't even struggle against them, passing through just like Black Swan navigating the Dreamscape. 

"This is going to take a bit." 


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