128. Spending Some Time With Jury

Glistening lights.

A green aurora-sky that fluttered over the city lights. The structures of the city were like the mounds of a termite nest, rising over the layered walls. Music played through their chutes in the form of melodic woes.

It was disturbingly beautiful.

There were 7 distinct layers that made up the City of Vocals. They stacked upon one another like a giant wedding cake, with the base spanning kilometers from one end to the other. It was by far the largest portion of the entire structure, encompassing countless mounds.

6 of the layers were walled off, whilst the last comprised of a dome-like structure and the towering spire.

The city was hardly an urban complex. Depending on how one viewed it, it was either primitive or highly sophisticated since it followed the structural philosophies of a termite colony. Everything was compact and organized. Even from this distance Frost seldom saw any wasted space.

Only one main road looped around each layer from what Stella told her, which was further confirmed by Ayel and the other denizens of the Derma layer.

There was also only one entrance; a single, unprotected gate with a vast empty cavern that stretched to the foot of the Triple Paw Complex. The number of Instruments was unknown, but Stella revealed that the Instruments were people just like herself, but Ayel remarked that it was half true.

An Instrument does not simply play itself, after all.

“People as Instruments. Monsters that play them. An opera singer. Painters that hate them. A lying fish and one big red heart.” Frost spoke in the company of only herself as she devoured every detail from the insect-like architecture of the city to even the fluctuations in the light.

Nothing went past her. Her focus was so immense that she failed to detect the gentle patters approach her from behind. Neither could her one thousand invisible eyes detect this presence. It was an odd zen-like state.

It was similar to when she first manifested the First State, except it felt like a wave of calmness was constantly washing over her.

This calmness was deceiving, however.

“Your heart is beating faster. Are you afraid?” Nav inquired.

“Yeah. I am. I’m afraid. Not so much for myself but for everyone we’re trying to protect. Both here, and in there.” Frost rested against the balcony railing, her eyes slowly moving from the city down to her palms. “And… Well, I’d be lying if I said that I also wasn’t scared of dying.”

Regardless of what Frost was or had become; her instincts to survive were still as potent as the day she first arrived. Death was naturally one of the greatest fears of the living.

And even now she still believed that to be the case, even though she understood there were fates far worse than it. More so for a near unkillable being like herself.

She thought back to the Black Forest for a moment as a pair of hands slowly slid over her neck. She was pulled into the embrace of a lovable figure as she mustered the courage to solidify her resolve.

She managed to take down an Eternal Night Corrupted at her weakest moment in life.

No matter the Corrupted they faced, and no matter the insurmountable odds stacked against them… Frost would always remain sanguine to the best of her abilities. For her sake, and for everyone else.

This battle would be no different.

She only hoped that blood wouldn’t spill along every step of the way.

“You’re awake now. You’re not hurt, are you?” Frost’s tone mellowed as she gently clasped onto Jury’s hands, wrapping them closer around her neck as she relaxed onto her lover’s chest. “Nothing huh. Hey, anything special happen in the Library?”

“It was long. But I learnt I learned a lot!” Jury exclaimed with her usual enthusiastic self.

This side of Jury wasn’t often seen by a lot of people much to Frost’s surprise, even though it was her normal personality. Jury was a woman of a few words to begin with, but her words often stuck with her the most, like they possessed some sort of gravitational pull.

Well, it was one way to describe her love for Jury.

“How much did you learn this time? Don’t tell me you’re already figuring out how space and time works, or something crazy like that.” Frost jokingly said. “Are you here to pick me up?”

“Mhm. The others are ready now. They’re just waiting for you.” Jury softly spoke as Frost glanced up into her golden eyes and grinned. “Ignis the wolves and the Scarlet Healer are all going to be coming with us. No one wants to split up after what happened.”

“We’d be begging to lose if we split up now. None of us are strong enough individually to fight the Heart of Ours alone. Maybe its Corrupted minions, but we’ll have to see the extent of what we’re dealing with. Haaah. Figuring out things the hard way, as usual.” Frost complained, glancing down at the bustling street where barricades, traps and clearings were made in preparation for a counter offensive.

Broker had witnessed the strength of the jumping hearts firsthand, and he noted that they were significantly weaker the further they were from the epicenter. From the distance gauged between here and the city; he believed that their distance would allow them to manage them just fine on their own.

His squadron 10 years ago was a lot closer than they currently were, and they numbered in only the dozens.

With a hundred and potentially thousands more willing to help; it should not be an issue.

The only problem was the nature of the disease itself.

Thus, a thorough screening test was to be conducted on those willing to fight, to see if their resolve could at least resist the effects of the Heart of Ours. The noncombatants were sent to the furthest recesses of the Triple Paw Complex to prevent contaminating their backlines with the disease.

Frost was worried about Jury and Res since they were heavily affected by it. But Nav stated that they had overcome it.

It seemed like proximity played a major factor in the strength of the effect.

She made a troubled face as a result. With zero RESIST; Frost couldn’t help but envision the worst.

“Can we talk for a bit Frost? It’s been a while since we were able to speak like this. Please? Just until we reach the others?” Jury sensed Frost’s unsettled heart through the vibrations of their embrace.

She had a knack at reading her emotions. Ever since the very start.

Jury wanted to let her know that she wasn’t alone in this endeavor. While Frost already knew that, she was also aware that there was a chance where no one else would be able to fight alongside her.

Such was the threat they were up against. Not that she didn’t mind of course. She’d rather they all stayed safe more than anything.

But in that respect, Jury would also prefer if she was the one in the front lines. Such was her character. The weak little Jury from a long time ago who willingly risked her life for her against the One Thousand Eyed Bird would do it again if she had the chance.

All because she offered her a single hand.

“Yeah. Of course we can talk. Don’t think this will be the last time we’ll get this chance.” Frost said, staring up at her lover’s glistening eyes before they began to stroll through the golden estate hand in hand. “And thanks. It feels weird always being comforted by you. Not that I hate it~”

“I read that hugging is a good way of showing affection. Hand holding is what they do on what they call ‘dates’ in your world, hmm?”

“Not all the time. You know what, I don’t think I’ve unironically ever seen a couple hold hands before.” Frost said, remembering some tidbits of her past. “Weird that I can remember things like that, but not my own name… Jury.”

“Mhm?”

“Are you asking because you’ve been reading that book? The Prophecy one?”

Frost found it strange that Jury would randomly bring up something relating to her past, especially something she had never brought up before. She had to wonder if Jury knew something after reading the books of the Library, or maybe even something within that blazing book of hers.

“You could tell? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be nosy.” Jury’s flapped ears apologetically drooped.

… I wanna touch them. Was the first thing that immediately came to Frost’s mind.

“The Archivist wanted me to ask you for her. She’s shy, but she’s a nice person. Lonely and always brewing a second cup of tea for a missing friend.” Jury fondly spoke of the girl like they were close friends. “She finds it really hard talking to you directly.”

“Even though she’s supposed to somehow know me. I’m not that scary, am I?” Frost wondered jokingly, knowing that the Archivist could overhear them.

“Frost. Have you seen yourself lately?” Jury sighed, causing Frost to reflect on herself a little, understand well about what she meant. “I sometimes feel sorry for L.S. Unless Nav’s been making it sound worse than it really is.”

“I cannot see, so I can only interpret things subjectively.” Nav stated. “But that doesn’t change you’ve become quite violent as of late.”

I know…

The topic of the Archivist was interesting. But what intrigued Frost the most as they passed through several corridors and ducked underneath lacerated passages was the handholding question.

According to Jury, it was a direct reference to her ‘Book’.

Because although Frost adamantly claimed that handholding of all things was seldom used in her world to her memory, the book said otherwise. It was abundant. Even the head patting, which Frost could never remember seeing ever occur on Earth was extensively used even in military culture.

Even the skies were different. Where she remembered an abundant universe, the book spoke of a dying one.

Was she misremembering things? Could be. But she wondered if there was an even greater meaning. Since, after all…

“The book is about a world lost.” Jury uttered, pulling Frost ever so slightly closer as they finally left the estate submerged themselves in the light of the towering spire. “A giant city set alight in a world without stars. A place of struggle, greed, desires, war, and a history unlearnt.”

Her somber voice caused Frost’s eyes to glisten as she gazed upon the false star.

Something about that story sounded familiar to her, but she could not put a finger on why this was. It annoyed her that this sensation arrived only moments before they’d be sent out to fight for their lives, so the time she had to swirl this around in her mind was limited.

She slashed her forearm and began to create the healing Unlying Tablets, laying them along the main streets. With the Big Frost acting as their only healer; it’d be hard to keep a thousand people alive if worse came to worse.

And speaking of the Big Frost, she briefly arrived before Jury and saluted them both before disappearing with the children in tow. But not without flashing a love heart prompt at Jury.

… Yeah. She’s definitely a reflection of me.

“Could my memories be from that world?” Frost spoke her spontaneous thoughts aloud. “But it’s kind of hard to imagine. I know I’m from Earth. Are you sure it’s not the Archivist’s world that’s being referred to?”

“It’s strange for me as well the more I think about it.” Jury clutched at her heart with her free hand, worrying Frost as she gently smiled at her. “I’m fine. Sorry for worrying you. Hmm… Can I tell you something? Frost… I saw something strange when I fell asleep.”

Jury joined her in the lonely stargazing session, both their eyes sparkling like jewels as they passed by many familiar faces. Frost was too engrossed by Jury’s words to even hear them as curiosity took rein.

Silence surrounded them now. Before long, they traversed a long bridge which hung over a small gorge. Then, Jury finally spoke.

“I saw a black sky with no stars. Just like the Black Forest. But at the same time… I could have sworn I remembered the Black Forest as a white forest, teeming with dark skinned ‘Angels’ like me. I remembered crying in that dream. But the pain in my heart disappeared when you held my sleeping body.”

The initial description sounded exactly like what Frost saw when she first ‘Awakened’ into the Amalgam. This was confirmed when Jury mentioned that she saw streaks of light converge into a singular place in the sky.

“Your ‘book’… Everyone calls it a book, but it reads like a diary. The tense is weird and all over the place. If someone knew about it, then it’s easy to see why they’d think it was prophesizing about a future catastrophe. I believe it’s about the past. A sad, distant past. Half of the book reads like that.” Jury revealed as they passed through a series of burning buildings.

Somehow, the flames of her blazing page had reached all the way here.

Frost found it difficult to make sense out of any of this The way Jury spoke was like she was also somehow involved. As if sensing Frost’s suspicion; Jury then uttered something equally as alarming as it was comforting.

Their hands tightly clasped together, forming an unbreakable bond.

“The book was written in a masculine tone. And I felt like I knew some of the things written in there, but everything becomes fuzzy when I try to recall it. If there’s anything I know; then it’s a sky of darkness, and a miracle forest of white trees… And somehow… maybe even you. Frost… Does it… Will you hate me if I told you that maybe… just maybe, I might have known you as well. Just like the Archetypes?”

“… No. Never. I’d never hate you Jury. But… Really. It’s a lot to take in. I can’t understand it no matter how hard I try. But–”

Frost suddenly pulled Jury down to her level and, for the first time, took the initiative to peck her cheek with a kiss.

“– I’m here right now. And you’re here with me. Maybe it’s an ignorant way of seeing things, but even if we were somehow enemies in a past that I can’t remember for the life of me, then that won’t ever change the feelings I have for you right now.” Frost assured with all her heart, causing Jury to melt as her eyes beautifully swelled.

“… Mm. Thank you. Thank you…” Jury embraced her once more as they came to an abrupt stop at the mouth of an iron gate. Her cuddle was suffocating, but she could tell just how much this moment meant to her.

Time apparently ran differently in the Eternal Library. She never went into the specifics of how long, but it always felt like Jury deeply longed for her whenever she awoke from that place.

It would also explain how she accumulated such a vast wealth of knowledge in a short amount of time. In reality however, it was not so short, but rather a long, unknown amount of time that Jury was unwilling to reveal, perhaps out of fear of gravely worrying Frost.

Whatever it was, Jury once again made it clear there was nothing more that she cherished than her time with Frost.

“Just a little more. The Archivist says I’m really close to realizing my technology now. Then… We’ll have a better chance of coming out unscathed. Because I can’t imagine a future without you, or anyone else.” Jury whispered lovingly, drawing her even closer as they heard the voices of the others call out to them.

But amongst these voices Frost managed to hear something within Jury’s chest.

It was not a heartbeat.

What she instead heard was the methodical ticking of an analogue clock.