280. Revelations of the White Wing

No one noticed the disappearance of the Little Frost. They were captivated by the emergence of another Angel. If they didn’t know any better, they would have believed that she had descended from the light of the Advent.

The White Wing’s body radiated a holy light as feathers fell like snow from her wings. One was a wing of feathers, and the other was a mock wing made from all three of her tails. The triplets and Ignis failed to utter a word. All hair and fur stood on end. As Demi-humans they instinctually sensed an aura of danger from who was supposed to be one of the most benevolent beings in Elysia.

Their voices betrayed them. It clumped in their throats as their bodies begged them to remain silent. Instinct strangled them with its vice grip. But even so, they had seen enough to resist it, ready to act in Jury’s stead.

“… who… are you?” Jury knew this person. An overwhelming sense of familiarity obnoxiously suggested that they were close. One, because they were Angels. And two, because she vaguely knew this person’s face.

Still hovering upside down, the Angel’s lips curved into a deceptively friendly smile.

“They call me the White Wing. A mere Color in the eyes of this miserable world. Internally, I’m a carrier of messages of the highest decree. Now of my own volition. As with you.” Her voice was melodic. Harmonious. It was difficult to believe that such a voice could be so beautiful.

Seeing the confusion stir in Jury’s eyes, the White Wing bared her teeth in humor.

“I see. My name is unfamiliar even to the Moons present. And these rational Corrupted.” She did not spare the others a single glance, for she knew exactly who they were outside and within, as if also possessing Frost’s Blessing of the Amalgam. “But does Gabriella ring a bell?”

“Are you someone I’m supposed to know?” Jury wondered as the woman flipped herself around, taking a seat just at the base of Snap’s head.

She stroked the fur with ungloved hands, adoring its softness and compared it with hers, and then with Jury’s tail.

“Close! I see. This was you before you indulged in your gluttony. The innocent Elysia. The one too afraid to shed blood. Oh how you had fallen. That’s why, I’m pleased. Elated. Happy~ See my smile? Is it not genuine enough for you to think of me as a heartfelt friend?”

“I suppose not. Hmhm. But I cannot blame you for not knowing. None of us knew either before we touched base with an Advent. You. The Original. Two Elysias in one world is quite… problematic.”

Ignis, breaking from her frozen spell, extended a bladed bone from her left hand and pointed it at the Angel. Likewise, Ber thrusted a clawed digit, all the while her sisters generated electricity around their eyes and teeth.

But make no mistake, their foreheads were swamped with sweat.

“Don’t even think about it!” Ber was the first to break free from the White Wing’s voice-robbing constraints, roaring bravely in the face of insurmountable danger.

Their reactions were instinctual. To the point where it could be perceived as a flaw.

The White Wing had a delayed reaction, her smile becoming oddly tender as her eyes finally met theirs.

And in that moment, as the golden irises befell them, their ears became flushed with their hair.

“Bonds of blood are strong here. Literally, and metaphorically. Of covenants, and of the womb. Although, one could say we all come from the same womb, hypothetically speaking. Am I hard to follow?” She politely addressed them, her eyes squinting at Res and Cer only. “Captured your breaths, have I? There’s no need to be so alarmed. ‘Jury’… is a friend of mine.”

“Bullshit.” Ber barked.

“There’s so much bloodlust coming from you. Like a hell a Demi-human like us is going to buy that shit.” Cer growled like a wolf.

Res nodded, as did Ignis. They were convinced the White Wing was not as benevolent as she portrayed herself as. And thankfully, she did not answer them with violence. Rather, she pinched Jury’s cheeks, humming to herself in a playful, yet eloquent tone.

“Crude, but I adore it. Bonds, bonds, bonds… Funny. It’s almost poetic. The Blood of the Covenant fixates over such an ideal. And here, standing before it are the perfect specimens to obliterate it. Empowered…” She pointed one tail at Cer.

“Determined.”

Another at Res, as she glanced down at Jury for a split second.

“And Bonded.”

Then, she pointed her last tail at both Ignis and Ber.

“Not quite yet, at the very least. Millions of souls anguished over their blindness. Conflicts over things they could not begin to understand. They murdered friends and slept with enemies. Truly, no matter how many times you tried to fix it, it always ended miserably in one way or another.”

She spouted nonsense, but Jury listened, captivated by her words.

“While it would be fun to entertain you who have gained the trust of our beloved… ‘light’, would it not be wise to begin targeting that?” She then gazed upon the black Blood of the Covenant, her eyes shimmering as if the orb emitted a light akin to the Advent of Desire. “I could not harm a fly. Don’t look at me as if I can lend a hand. It is no Faux Angel, and therefore, it is not an affair of my own.”

“The hell are you talking about?” Cer barked. “You… tch. Is this Angel also listening in with Nav or something!?”

“I can’t read her. Nav still isn’t responding… and what makes you think we can just leave you with Jury!?” Ber cried.

“In that state too. Looks like a hawk swooped in for the kill –!” Cer was then abruptly interrupted by a shout from Jury.

“Stop! This… person… I know them!”

“You know them after all!?” Res cried in surprise.

“Vaguely! So vaguely! They’re... Ugh…” Jury winced, and the White Wing comforted her, although, there was a tinge of repulsiveness in her eyes. “… Gabriella… what are… these memories…?”

“Your old life. What you see is not up to me I’m afraid. That’s it~ Let the Advent do its thing. When an Angel first approaches an Advent, we tend to writhe a lot. Same as those that bear a technology from that Library. But not quite like we do.”

She hushed Jury, gazing at the others with a humble smile.

“What’s wrong? Feeling like letting a Corrupted run wild? You have some time before it comes close to the Advent. Even Corrupted will feel the compulsion of the Piece of the Fallen Star. I would not be surprised if several of your ‘nightmares’ have already interacted with it.”

“I don’t want to make the same mistake twice.” Res’ eyes crackled.

Suddenly, the falling feathers froze beside her as if time had stopped. She took out her pocket watch, satisfied to find that one of the arms spun uncontrollably before she slipped it away, uttering but one thing.

“Should I set an example?”

Jury’s heart ticked intensely.

“GO! GO! She’s… she’s – none of us can beat her! If she wanted to kill me then she would’ve done it already!” Jury cried. “… you… if you think of putting a hand on them…”

“Oh, did you think I was going to kill them? I’d rather not get on the wrong side of Frost. I’m here to establish relationships.” She devilishly chuckled. “I’m open minded. Humble. Benevolent. You see, I’m mostly here for you. Jury. Elysia? I wonder.”

“… Elysia… ugh.” Jury’s eyes began to darken. The White Wing cradled her weakening body in her arms, holding her head atop her lap.

“Hmhm~ Sleep. Remember it well. And when you awaken, I wonder what name you’ll go by. I will not see you as ‘Jury’ until I hear it for myself. This world is my home. And I wish to protect in my own way.”

These were the last words to reach Jury’s ears before all went black.

* * *

If there was one thing the White Wing was right about, it was the fact that they could not simply ignore the Blood of the Covenant. It released a shockwave that caused their bodies to grow hot, inspiring nothing but hatred and violence to surge.

< [Impassioned Rally] >

“Tch. That fucking stings!” Cer grumbled.

“At least it’s nothing like the Heart of Ours… Can we trust her?” Ignis wondered, wrapping multiple layers of tentacles around Jury as the White Wing too fell into a strange, meditative state.

She slept upright on her knees, her eyes sealed shut as she sat on Snap’s back comfortably without any of Ignis’ tethers. The fact that she too could match Snap’s speed convinced them of her strength.

“Doesn’t look like she’ll try anything funny. Ignis! Watch over her! You have the highest DEF.” Ber ordered. “Gotta take that thing down! That’s one of those chapter things, right!?”

“Jury said it was… Don’t get too close to that invisible barrier! And WHITE WING! I don’t get it. If you’re that strong, then why won’t you help!? Must be nice not having to worry!” Cer spited her with all her heart.

Hearing no response, Cer took her leave.

“… A Beholder’s mindset for sure.” Res grumbled, following suit.

“I guess it’s a disease in everyone strong –!” Ber was about to leave until she felt one of the White Wing’s tails touch hers.

And without opening her eyes, the White Wing recited:

“Wolfgirl. Ber. You’re interesting. As is the Catgirl lookalike.”

“What the hell are you spouting now?” Ber tugged her tail away, wiping the tip as if it had touched something filthy.

“A Blessed and a non-blessed became Corrupted. Not their thoughts or fragments of themselves, but themselves in every meaning of the word.”

“… Do you know something about it? The Corruption?” Ber was suddenly intrigued. After everything she had already heard, it was possible that this Angel knew something they all could only dream of understanding.

“I only know some certain quirks of it. You see, my specialty is dealing with Faux Angels.”

“Fake Angels?” Ignis questioned.

“Curious, aren’t you? They’re beings of untold destruction. Born from the blood of what you call the Advent of Wrath. Most of the time~ But, what do you think the Blessing of the Nexus is?”

Her question was rhetorical, but Ber and Ignis responded nonetheless.

“A false paradise. Get this over with so we can fight already!”

“An invitation to a better life?”

The White Wing stroked Jury’s hair affectionately, as if hoping for something.

“Salvation.” She solemnly uttered. “You didn’t know? People who become Blessed must undergo extreme amounts of trauma. It varies. A stolen candy can be significant enough to manifest a person’s most powerful emotional ire. The shape of their soul. Their Ego. The corruption of the self. I’m sure you two understand it well.”

Ber remained silent suddenly, as did Ignis. The White Wing turned to them suddenly, revealing her golden eyes for a short moment as if to analyze their souls.

“The Blessing of the Nexus. Listen well. Because it comes from the same shade of light of our beloved forbidden light. Therefore, it seeks to prevent the Corruption of the self. Without the Nexus…

… all those who would be Blessed would become Corrupted. But due to a certain old friend’s tampering, things will slowly begin to change. For better or worse depends on the answer she gives me when she awakens.”

The White Wing placed a hand over Jury’s eyes.

And for the first time, there was an air of sincerity surrounding the malevolent Angel.