syringe

453. Gathering Storm

Descartes gave a single nod and moved to her seat, monitoring the heads that sat here with the eyes of an owl. She took her seat and was immediately given a warm cup of tea by the kind Archivist. Having no reason to refuse her, Descartes nodded again in thanks.

But she never touched, let alone spared the cup of tea any thought thereafter.

“Apologies for my late arrival. There was some confusion when we found the Arbiter’s Council to be empty. Moreover, the Beholders were vocal...

452. Followup Amalgam's Summit

< 1st of the 10th, 351 PA >

< The Amalgam’s Summit is now in effect >

The final month of the year had finally arrived, and for the first time since arriving in this world, she heard the names of the ten months.

“Galia also had trouble adapting to our yearly cycles.” Satania spoke fondly of the distant past, the clinking of porcelain cups filling the air of the Amalgam�...

451. Candidate Moons to Aspiring Moons!

“To Time Reverberation!” Cer’s voice ruptured the air, inciting a cheer from many.

She stood atop a rickety, wooden chair, which had been stolen from one of the tables. Surrounding her was a sea of Black Wings, raising their arms as they parroted:

“TO TIME REVERBERATION!” It was mostly the Black Wings, who shared the same reverence as Cer like they were a cult chanting the name of their Goddess.

“To Beholder Jury and our Amalgam!”

“TO BEHODLER JURY AND ...

450. Graduation Party

Enthusiastic commotion broke out at the break of dawn. Every floor of Time Reverberation’s Head Quarters brimmed with a delightful ambience. The convivial atmosphere had only grown over the last few days, for today was a special day for them all.

Moon stumbled around. Those that weren’t hauling boxes and trays of goodies found themselves wandering the floors, confused by the event. They were aware that today was the graduation of the Candidate Moons, and the beginning of Time Reverb...

449. Time Reverberation Complete!

Three weeks until the deadline remained. In the real world only seven days had passed. Isolation Spheres were being widely distributed to the Ateliers, kept only behind closed doors to prevent theft from the Impuritas.

The Black Wings were also shaping up to be monsters, and among Jury’s newest Aspects were upgrades to the Talons and equipment dedicated to the Candidate Moons, Aspiring Moons, and the Black Wings.

They oversaw the consolidation of Time Reverberation and the Head ...

448. Bathhouse!

Men in Elysia very rarely fell into doctor roles. Many believed that it went against the grain of nature, because it was only women who could become healers. A male doctor was seen as a stigma; a thorn on a perfect rose.

Hearing this made Frost reminisce of the time when she began as a male nurse. She wasn’t spared from the discrimination there because that stigma also did exist on Earth. As always, the bad apples tended to make the whole batch seem rotten because there wasn’t a rea...

447. More Aspects and A Bath!

Innovation struck Frost. An epiphany was reached when she realized that she was not limited to her stolen Scarlet Logic Abilities. Other Abilities derived from technologies could be infused into the Genesis Stones.

She experimented in the following days, creating items such as a monocle able to see the strings of those attached to the Fate Mechanism. The object was tiny and tinted blue and was based off her String Theory Ability. ‘String Viewer’ was the name it was given.

This...

446. Blood Reservoir, The Requiem, and the Replication Anchors

Shattered remains of failed Aspects of Technology littered the chamber. The once pale room became a bloody bathtub. Gossypium blossomed here as a meadow of them sprouted taught on black rods.

They bled, oozing crimson fluids. They were not gossypium flowers, but merely the countless failed attempts of creating a functional Soul Anchor. Coincidence would have it that they appeared as such, becoming a symbol of Frost’s unwavering dedication.

The Soul Anchor Scarlet Logic used was ...

00-00 "The White Rabbit"

Link to Imgur: https://imgur.com/a/8ZcfXjN

445. Nascent Fluids and Nearing the End

Frost spent day in and day out of attempting to create her Aspect of Technology based on Scarlet Logic’s tech. The grueling hours didn’t even faze her. The only breaks she took was when Weave took hers, allowing Frost to make quick visits to H10 with Mimicry, Ignis and Carpalis.

Sleep became a thing of the past again, and every waking minute was spent productively. During the nights when Weave slept in the Reception of the Head, Frost would watch over the Moon Candidates from the wi...

444. The Apparatus Hums

Trial and error was the name of the game. Ten weeks was more than enough time to perfect the Aspects she had in mind. And with the Dream Weaver by her side? This would be a piece of cake!

The whiteout chamber held nothing but a sole source of light coming from an instrument that sat in center of the room. The edges where the floor, walls and ceiling met blended to the point where it was impossible to gauge the size of the room. It was infinite as far as Frost was concerned.

But th...

443. Time Reverberation HQ, and the Dream Weaver

A fortress shaped like a layered wedding cake rose to the heights of the pale Isolation Sphere. The base was so large that Divas Pass could easily fit inside. The layers gradually became smaller and tighter the higher it went.

A total of four layers were built solely by Jury’s imagination. The Workshop spaces were magical but required tremendous amounts of Nex to create material from nothing. Although, the truth was that what existed here and what was built by imagination could not be...

442. Eclipses, Moons and the Moon Candidates

Frost strode through the halls of the Nexus, the clopping of her boots filled with intent. She was on the same level as the Floor of Amalgamation, but her destination was not that gated paradise.

Rather, it was of another door at the end of a brilliant chamber. Luxurious pillars of black and white rose to hold the ceiling as Frost merely gazed at the sealed, colossal doors, rousing a response. The doors were pale with the markings of black and white feathers and were so large that they ...

441. The Vow To Destroy Iscario

Frost’s hand slithered onto the table.

“There is nothing I want more than to destroy everything he’s built.” The Nexus momentarily shook as she gruelingly spoke, her thirst for vengeance being made clear. “I came into this world knowing nothing. He was the first person I met, and the last person before I knew death’s embrace. I was blamed as the reason why his world fell apart. For the loss of his sister, his kingdom… everything.”

Frost’s agonizing tone ...

440. The Nexus' Code of Conduct

The Arbiter’s words could be translated as: “Infernis is out of our reach.” However, her words failed to match the telling gaze she gave Frost. Michaela and the others silently panned their sights onto Frost as a small glimmer of a smile flashed on her face.

“Not for much longer. We can carve a rabbit hole into the Derma Layer and take the fight straight to them.” They all knew that with Frost’s ability to carve a gateway between the Epiderma and the Derma they could wreck h...

439. What Are the Aberrations of Elysia?

The Arbiter must have known something they didn’t to make such a bold suggestion that the White Rabbit was an Aberration of Elysia. She was the only one well versed with them. The moment those words left her lips the room succumbed to an immediate silence.

“Elysia is no longer a sole entity. Her mind had fractured into several major pieces, all stemming from the one true Elysia. Hence – Aberrations of Elysia.” The Arbiter calmly revealed, bringing a tail to tap Jury’s leg from...

438. The Amalgam's Summit

The atmosphere inside of the Nexus quickly changed. The chaos of the Blessed flooding back into the Nexus had died down where they now trickled in only ten Blessed a day. By now all Blessed in the Nex Megalopolis had returned to the Nexus.

The situation stabilized as the bustling streets were filled with vibrant life as Frost remembered it. But there were still people who grieved, waiting day by day at the Central Relay in hopes of seeing their loved ones again.

Stars of the Nexus...

437. Red Roses

A week had passed since Frost’s visit to the Golden Index. A Talon was given to Sana and Aster was formally invited to join them on the Floor of Amalgamation if she so wished. Stella was allowed to come along, but the two refused for the moment.

The was so much more Aster wanted to see of the world, and lost time to make up with Stella in their home that nurtured them. Revy was also given the opportunity to ascend, but like them, she also wanted to stick around until at least she beli...

436. What Are You, Frost?

The night had gotten cold. Turbulent winds stirred the city skies as thick clouds surrounded the Nexus. Repenters were already being deployed to make their wrongs into rights. Soon, Frost would have to anchor their souls and begin her own version of the Replication Cycles.

Infinite Burdens.

She was alone up there atop Carpal Tower, drowning in the light of a million stars as she lost herself in deep thought. Moments like these were plentiful now that she had time for hers...

435. Revy, the First Aspiring Moon

Frost, Sana, and Revy climbed the stars of the empty tower, eventually reaching the final floor. Once there, the world shifted as they were sent to the rooftops. Howling wings blew across the city, tangling their hairs as they were greeted by the sight of countless stars.

When the wind died down, and when the sound of only their heartbeats could be heard in this vacant place, Frost finally asked her the question.

“Revy. What do you aspire to become?”

“U-Um… Sorry?”...

434. Sana, the Fractured Dove

Sana’s outward appearance was different to the other Black Wings. Where they openly showed hostility, her demeanor remained kind like an ordinary healer. But within laid a bottomless resentment towards the world that her.

Frost felt like she was looking at a mirror of herself. A short statured healer that could heal at her own discretion, and equally deliver violence as well. An invisible wall tempered by her naivety as a healer was erected around her. The bright light that once fille...

433. Another Black Haired Healer

Frost worked like a self-appointed diplomat, establishing relations and trade wherever she walked.

Secur-80 became tightly lipped, as if speaking to someone in his head. One of the powers they had was the ability communicate with Carpalis over extended distances because of how much of their soul they had sacrificed for her, as well as the rings that made death impossible.

Unfortunately, they were the only ones within the Golden Index with this impressive ability.

“Her most...

432. Catching Up With The Girls

As empty as Carpal Tower seemed, there was no end to the commotion that exploded the moment Frost made her appearance. Patters quickly turned into sprints as a flurry of outstretched arms embraced her.

“Frost! Jury!” The Dog-woman, Kin, was the first to greet her, followed by the Bee Insectid named Bizzo.

“I thought we wouldn’t see you again!” She cried, holding onto Frost’s hands with all four of hers.

“You’ve gotten bigger!” The Wolfwoman, Gnite, greeted ...

431. What's Wrong With Sana's Cooking?

“Hehehe…” Wicked laughter stirred a certain black-carpeted lobby, where gambling tables were left completely unoccupied, and where servers holding trays of drinks stood to the side with terror in their eyes.

The one who spoke was a blonde-haired Fox-woman. She occupied one side of the central gambling table. Murderous intent oozed from the woman as she held an open fan to her face, concealing her mouth as a server shakily placed a drink beside her.

The condensation made it a...

430. Reflection Within The Darkness

Frost had grown used to the attention by now. It was no longer rare to see people fail to recognize exactly who she was. People flocked to her the moment they spotted her golden eyes, paired with the same short-cut hair that dangled just barely above her shoulders.

Golden eyes were almost unheard of, after all.

People of the Derma Layer recognized her as she passed through a district where the air smelt of coffee, and where casually dressed civilians roamed. Compared to D-Q, D-J h...

429. Hints of the Fractured Nilhim, and the Repenters

The man wore a badge that celebrated his bravery within the Derma Layer, and on his shoulders, one could find the golden embodiment of a symbol that showcased his position within the Golden Index. There were three levels between a City Defender and the highest-ranking Soldier.

Associates were depicted by no symbols. City Defenders had five fingers. Soldiers had anywhere between four or three depending on their strength. Three were the strongest, much like the one standing before them. 2023-10-07 21:07:19 +0000 UTC View Post

428. City Defenders

Another mundane night befell the City Defenders. They stood guard like statues, donning their imposing and offensive symbol of a middle finger on their backs. It was worn with pride, and it was faced purposely towards the outskirt Sectors as they stood above the high walls defending the inner Sectors.

Though their weapons were ununiformed, and their builds varied so widely that no two City Defender was the same, they were highly disciplined individuals, motivated by the warmth of their ...

427. Train Trip Back To The City of Diamonds

The legend of the White Rabbit did not exist amongst adults, and neither are most children aware of such a story. It didn’t exist at all. Parents dismissed it as figments of their children’s imaginations.

Two reactions occurred whenever Frost asked a child about the White Rabbit.

The first is that they would ask her what it was, and the second would result in a knowing grin. The White Rabbit seemed to only manifest before a certain demographic of children, one that had increas...

426. Alice Reunites With The White Rabbit!

They didn’t plan to stay any longer than a few hours at best. Frost just wanted to make sure that Hellen and her daughter were still ok. Thankfully, the vibrant blue eyes of the blonde-haired child never faded away. Neither did her mother’s.

Frost had enough stories to tell into the following week, but she kept it simple since she didn’t want to overstay their welcome. Not that Hellen would mind.

She warmly welcomed them into her humble abode, offering crackers in the shapes...

425. Declaration of the Severers

Dusk fell upon the world as the sun fell behind the distant walls. The smeared, whisks of clouds turned a vibrant orange as they walked down vacant streets, watching families hurry away towards home whilst couples began their dates.

The melody played by the musicians shifted from brisk, excited tones to drawn out, romantic notes, fitting the change in atmosphere. Lampposts powered by Light Crystals, which were yellow crystals that naturally illuminated when exposed to the dark.

It...