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369. The Amalgam, And Her Eye, Fang and Claw

An affiliation with an Archetype was a powerful political tool. It granted an Atelier certain powers and elevation in the eyes of others, much like Justica Arms and her System-recognized partnership with the Arbiter. It validated which Atelier were on the side of the Nexus, as well as gave them a permanent seat amongst the Beholders.

If the Beholders were countries, then those affiliated with an Archetype were the equivalent of superpowers. Galia smugly observed the members of the Counc...

G-Z7: 10. The Site Healer!

Several more members trickled in as Day 0 progressed. All standard checkups and inspections were ticked off from Papilia’s checklist. The memory of a Navigator was their biggest asset, and there was seldom one that couldn’t memorize the entirety of the Overseer Manual and the Corrupted Codex.

Papilia on the other hand relied heavily on physical media, mostly as a way to validate the information in her mind. It was to relieve her of any doubts she held. It also served as a backup in ...

368. Time Reverberation

“Special guests.” The Arbiter expressed with a subtle smile. “This will be the first time our new members will be joining us.”

Her eyes fell upon the gathering beyond, everyone demanding the attention of all. But there was one who dominated the rest, for he possessed a giant card for a head. He stared intently with non-existent eyes at the Arbiter, awed to have finally seen another oddly familiar face; and the person the Beholders revered.

He stabbed the floor with his dia...

367. Gathering At The Arbiter's Council

On the 23rd of the 9th month on the 350th year following the day the First Advent arrived in their world an exalted event was hosted within the heights of the Nexus.

The sun rose like any ordinary day, the warm, pink hue cascading across the world as its light slowly crept along the pale Nexus. Brandar’s nights no longer knew of the infestations ever since the disappearance of the bright object.

Stories became rumors. Rumors spread faster than the wildfires that devastated count...

MA: 9. Underground Bugs!? Are They Tasty?

It was a bug. A six-legged freak of nature that clamped its mandibles in the direction of Hatchling Red. Its tiny, beady black eyes stared at her with every intention to tear her apart, and she instinctively raised her arms in preparation for the next bloodiest brawl.

And not only was it a putrid bug, but it was made of rocks. The impenetrable, indigestible material that injured her knuckles. Indeed, Hatchling Red not only possessed a vendetta against wolves, but also rocks after her la...

366. Onset of the Arbiter's Council

Just like that, their moment of respite suddenly neared the end. All good things could never continue forever. Even stars would one day die out. But what mattered the most was that the Floor of Amalgamation was a place they could always return to.

When high tides weathered them down; when the journeys devolved into nonsensical fighting; and when the world reared its horrendous side for the nth time; this place would always stand as the last bastion of purity.

A sanctuary to ease t...

365. Another Intimate Moment

Frost’s heart fluttered restlessly against her chest. It felt like it wanted to escape, beating audibly as she walked down one of the warm corridors of their home. Jury accompanied her, her head bobbing with the same enthusiasm she always had, but never tended to show all the time.

The floorboards groaned, and Frost repeatedly glanced at the newly installed windows, fidgeting with her hair as one half of her grew restless, and another self-conscious of the fact that tonight would be a...

G-Z7: 9. The Core Team

M-WI “Core Team”, Clearance Level 3.

This was the name of the team of 5 newly appointed Workers of G-Z7.

The ‘M’ was a designation that rated the team’s likelihood to combat and interact with the Corrupted; ‘W’ made it clear that they were Workers, and the ‘I’ was their rank amongst the other teams of the Site.

‘M’ was always considered the weakest.

Letters from an alphabet unfamiliar to the residents of their world were used. It was specifically ...

364. A Breath of Fresh Air

The night was young. Cicadas chirped as the sun of the Floor of Amalgamation finally fell behind the distant ocean. Animals both near and far huddled close for warmth. Foxes lazed around the perimeter of the newly constructed estate, as slimes gathered around, bouncing against the walls where Ignis was certainly hiding behind.

Slimes were weird creatures. Biology be damned once again, and Ignis always seemed to be the one who they adored the most whether it was the violent red ones, or ...

MA: 8. A Suspicious-Looking Rock

Hatchling Red was blessed with serendipity. It was only by chance that she realized she possessed a material capable of masking all sound from her mortal enemies, for they believed her to be one of them.

Like a wolf in sheep’s clothing! Wait, does that work when you’re with wolves to begin with? How about like a hunter in wolf’s clothing! Better.

And so, she got to work.

Hiding near the entrance of the tunnel from whence she came, she carefully began cutting a...

363. The White Light Apparatus

Soon, they arrived at the Central Relay-like area, the Arbiter’s tails wagging as if excited. It was jarring to see beings of calibers echelons above her in terms of raw strength act so human-like.

She wasn’t fooled though. The Arbiter was a being beyond the mind of human, and Galia was no longer one. It was weird for her to admit it, but she felt out of place. However, she steeled her resolve and stood shoulder to shoulder with these beings, wearing impassioned eyes.

“Calde...

362. A Justica Small Arm?

The Main Branch was the culmination of Galia’s efforts in the last century, where historical esoteric devices and artifacts resided as a testament of her inhuman lifespan. Her youthful appearance carried the blend of maturity found in the wise and elderly.

How long had she been living in Elysia for? Her time spent on Earth? The Nexus became accessible to all Blessed exactly 50 years ago thanks to the Warped Stone. But what happened before it?

Jury didn’t wish to act on her rav...

G-Z7: 8. Workers and Employees Arrive!

< Day 0 >

Day 0 marked when new faces would finally arrive at a Site. Where optimism was at its highest, and when seeds of friendship were sowed into the hearts of fellow co-workers. Peak morality, as higher ups would call it in their usual monotone, begrudging voices.

If one thought Aisyle was bad, then they hadn’t seen what the overworked Overseers of the other Sites were like, never mind the deep sea Aquatid creatures who per...

??-??-??-0-0 "The Voice From Beyond The Void"

Imgur Link: https://imgur.com/a/r5o5che

Let me know if you prefer the Codex chapters as images or the old style!

361. Welcome to the Justica Arms Main Branch

The clapping of leather soles filled a dark void. Several figures traversed the darkness without a source of light, for they could see all within the foreboding blackness. Not even the subtle glow of their golden eyes was able to cut through the dark.

It was clear that the floor was made from smooth stone. Marble was the likely material, but it was difficult to tell. Entities wandered alongside them, frolicking in the dark plains as shadows of a torrential downpour began to appear in th...

MA: 7. Look At All Those Wolves!

Fighting the wolves head on was not an option at her current level. Fighting just one was risky enough. So, she hugged the towering stalactites, moving from one to another as though the wolves could see her. The glowworms high above illuminated the cavern like a moon, banishing all shadows as she mentally mapped out the area.

But this wasn’t enough. At around halfway into the cavern she realized that she could not progress any further with the number of wolves that patrolled the area....

360. A Deal With Mimicry

How does one deal with something like this in the first place?

Somehow, when Frost went to touch Mimicry’s cheek, she felt a strange warmth akin to the other Alter Frosts. The tugging sensation was violent at this distance, and Mimicry pushed its body forward, yearning to meld with Frost’s.

“… when you do something bad, you apologise. Is there nothing else you know? Do you gain anything from eating those people? Was it just to reach me? I don’t understand it either. But ...

359. I Dreamed to Be Like You

Its eyes bled with boundless joy.

Parts of its flesh peeled away from it like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, revealing thick strands of flesh that held it like the branches of a tree. Bones could be seen within bearing little resemblance of proper anatomy. It was an amalgamation of pulsating meat, with countless teeth, horns and claws that lined its inner walls.

A hot, foul breath hissed from its body as thick saliva dripped from it countless jaws.

Yet in spite of all this, ...

G-Z7: 7. An Ominous Piece of Advice

M-Id-01-00

“Essence of Light”

“To not be mistaken for an apple.”

Risk Classification

Green Trickle

Affinity: Undetermined

Attribute: Identity (Suspected)

Origin: Ni...

358. An Alternate Frost

It never occurred to her that Mimicry of all things would have requested for her appearance. A bewildered Frost wracked her mind as she tried to understand its reasoning. They followed the wide corridors, traversed wooden catwalks, and descended numerous steep stairs until they reached a place where the light of the sun could no longer reach.

Wooden walls turned to stone bricks. The basement of the Guild was a dungeon illuminated by faint, red crystals that served as permanent torches. ...

MA: 6. Level Up and Learning More!

The size increase wasn’t anything major, but it was still a tangible difference all things considered. Her hands were slightly larger, her height just a tad bit higher, and her physical strength seemed to increase as well.

LEVEL : 2

Hatchling Red

HP : 370 ATT : 30 AGI : 26

ATT DEF : 32 MAG DEF : 15

They were reflected upon...

357. Assurance to Heal Carpalis

Archetype became a word of universal dread amongst the Exalted ever since the Arbiter’s slaughter 15 years ago. A total of 45 Exalted were eliminated in the blink of an eye, their bodies simultaneously collapsing like puppets who had their strings severed.

15 belonged to the Nexus itself. They were unassociated with the Ateliers and served for the benefit of the Nexus. The other 30, however, belonged to the Golden Index. Evergreen, Secur-80 – the Underboss of the Golden Middle – a...