Frost could not see what Stella was seeing, but she could sense what they were saying.

< “It’s so good to see you again!” >

< “See! Stars eventually come together! Didn’t you know? A star’s life begins at another’s death! It’s the star cycle!” >

< “Don’t cry Stella! We’re all bound to miss Frost like a galaxy!” >

They were not alive. Far from it. Nor were they calling from beyond the grave. Frost was not so cruel as to puppet their corpses in a vile attempt to make Stella smile. The fact that Stella could see them was another sign that brought her ability to sense her surroundings into question.

Because Frost was not able to see these figures, even with her Eyes of Judgement and with Asterism equipped. Nor could she read their future with [Foresight].

This was also not the first time they had heard voices from beyond the grave.

It was a common occurrence with Asterism and the Iron Candle when they were fully manifested. Meaning, when they resonated with an Affinity to exert their Corrupted Zone.

This phenomenon was ill-understood for the sole reason that so few could perfectly resonate with a Corrupted. The reason Frost was able to was because she could alter what Affinity she could manifest as the Amalgam.

Or, basically, one could simply leave it to Frost being the Amalgam, and no one would have any problems with this explanation.

“She has perfect compatibility with Asterism.” Ignis pondered. “Matching it that well instantly activates hidden conditions.”

“It does, from what I gather. Like when I first manifested Wrath with your father.”

“Mn. He spoke. He didn’t remember me at the time. But after equipping him, and because of my compatibility, I was able to experience the Echo every once and a while.”

Echo. The phenomenon was described as a projection of the Ego that still existed within a Corrupted. It wasn’t the person themselves, since they were only the fragment of the Ego that remained. Memories would be altered. At worst, forgotten.

But it did not change that a piece still existed. The soul was gone, but the echo of the Ego remained.

Few could hear this Echo.

And Frost fondly remembered the first time she heard it.

It was when Ignis and Calfasio made their final exchange before one extinguished, and the other became Realized. The fact that Stella was able to physically sense it made Frost wonder if it was a function of the eyes Ignis had created for her.

However, this was Stella’s natural gift.

“CogitO is interested in Stella as a prospect.”

“What for?”

“Her ability to sense the world is rare for a human. Mn. No cat ears to detect sounds out of the normal frequencies. No whiskers to sense vibrations. No enhanced or augmented sensory organs… Until now. Frost. I believe she may be able to sense Nex.”

“As in, visualize it?”

“There must be a reason why Stella was kept alive for so long in the Derma Layer. I thought it was strange that they left her organs intact. As it may turn out, Stella was the most valuable of them all.”

Ignis’ suspicion had Frost also pondering on Stella’s situation. If she truly was valuable, then why had the Impuritas not made their move? Then again, Frost had sabotaged them enough to the point where their priorities must have moved away from Stella.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Furthermore, did they know Stella was still alive?

“I’ll allocate more resources to protecting Stella. I could also send a Moon dedicated to blending in with the student body to keep a close eye on her.”

“Mn. In the meantime… I have much to learn from Descartes 3.”

“Is she teaching you now?”

“She’s my second teacher. I’m interested in the psychological side of biology. Senses and the mind aren’t as attuned to each other as I once thought.”

Ignis’ heart lied in the academics. She had reached new heights with her powers and still looked to reach higher peaks.

She patted her head, and Ignis purred. Afterwards, she cleared her throat and gently moved Frost’s hand away.

“Enough headpats for now.”

“Feeling shy? It’s fine~”

“Not that. Too much will make them less special. And…”

Ignis brought both hands to the center of her head. Her ears flattened, then wiggled in alternating fashion as if an invisible hand were stroking her head.

“… I can tell papa wants to have a turn. Mn. Echoes. They’re real to me. Because even without memories, papa still knows where to put his hands.”

Like Stella, Ignis’ compatibility with her Corrupted Persona meant that she could interact with the Echo. The very core Ego that gave birth to the Corrupted Persona, rather than the Ego of the Corrupted itself.

The person was never erased entirely.

But Calfasio suffered more than the children who made up Asterism.

Because fuel were memories for Calfasio.

“An Echo of the Ego.” Frost mused as she observed the children with a fond expression. “… Am I doing alright, Calfasio?”

She knew he couldn’t hear him. Calfasio could only interact with Ignis in this state. But she imagined that he approved of her approach to raising Ignis. Her drifted from the children to the distant glow beyond the hills that marked the place her Moons and Healers called home.

“We won’t lose anyone ever again. Mark my words.”

She made a vow in the presence of the stars as she plucked a flower and inhaled its scent. The sweet nectar hidden within smelt of copper. Its petals disintegrated into black dust as she brought a hand to her head…

… and pulled a string of dark fluid from the peaks of a black, incomplete crown. It overlapped with her golden halo, appearing like a tiara.

Qliphoth

< Impurities in their ultimate form. This Qliphoth leaks from the broken crown of the Sovereign Star >

She wrapped the string around the stem of the flower and watched as petals of darkness replaced the previous petals. They absorbed all light and appeared as tears in space. Black, misty cilia curled around the edges of the petals.

“[Failed Ascension]. An Annihilation Skill. The power to create Sins by Corroding a living being with Qliphoth. The failure to elevate into a higher being.”

The corroded flower slipped from her fingers and was absorbed by the bed of Origin Flowers beneath.

< ANNIHILATION SKILL: (O) Failed Ascension >

< The limitation of one’s vessel is its failure to actualize each aspect of the extreme >

< EFFECT: Forcefully Corrode a target through a failed Ascension. The target will transform into a Sin of Amalgamation (Treachery) >

< COST: 5 Qliphoth >

//////// < EXISTENTIAL WARNING > ////////

< The Sins of Treachery do not have a unified form outside of the Sins with a stabilized form (eg. Dregs of Treachery). Its effect is not limited to living organisms >

The fragrance of death surrounded Frost. The halo she wore carried the colors of Qliphtoh and Light. She plucked one more strand of darkness from the broken crown. It curled into a dark marble resembling a singularity.

The bead of darkness was a catalyst for her second Annihilation Skill.

< ANNIHILATION SKILL: (S) Original Sin >

< Reserved for those who have first committed the most grave of offenses against the Sovereign >

< EFFECT: You command all Treachery-related Sins. Elevate a target into a cognizant Sin capable of commanding lesser Sins. Target’s race changes to Demon. If the target is an Angel, condemn them by transforming them into a Demon >

After reading what her Annihilation Skills were capable of...

…she found herself salivating unconsciously.

“Let my enemies know no mercy. All that stands in my way in Emvita will know my wrath. Nav. Prepare our allies to receive our Moons. We will strike swiftly.”

“Shall I send the targets Aster has marked?”

“Please do. And if you could please prepare a copy for every member attending the Amalgam’s Summit. It will be our last stopgap before we engage in total war.”

“I’ll let Zermillion know to prepare the blood canisters for you, as well as a canister to send you to the Larin Empire.”

Indeed. The first target, regardless of whether there was a pillar of light marked there by Aster, was the Larin Empire.

She wished for nothing more than to wipe it off the face of Elysia.

* * *

< A visitor has arrived in the Nexus >

< The Floor of Attachment is now accessible >

< The Archetype of Attachment has entered the Nexus >