298. The Most Violent

Their very existence was like a luminous piece of a star, having taken the form of a human. Nav did not know what to call it, so it defaulted to her given their long hair for simplicity’s sake.

It was also due to how eerily similar it appeared to the little Frost, and Frost herself in general. If she didn’t know any better, then she would have believed this to be another Alter Frost.

“Are you an Alter Frost?” Nav immediately asked, and the child placed a finger on the bottom of their chin as if to ponder on whether they were or not.

“Piece.” The little Frost answered but garnered zero response.

The child didn’t appear to be able to hear. They were deaf, and its pondering was merely coincidental. Instead, it began to draw images of light with a finger above their head, all the while the little Frost communicated with her overhead emojis.

The sight was surreal. It was like two children having an imaginary standoff, as the little Frost threw angry depictions of herself in response to what appeared to be complex mathematical equations that not even Nav could decipher.

Because those equations were merely arranged in a manner that depicted images. Like a collage of multiple symbols. Realizing that their message wasn’t getting across, the Star Child began to draw scribbles in the air, mostly of circular objects.

They were planets, and she seemed to want to show them to Nav like she was a...

“Parent. Could you be the light I was tasked to watch over in our distant past?” Despite being ‘deaf’, the Child promptly answered Nav, like it was the only voice in the world it could hear.

It caused the little Frost to pout.

The Star Child drew multiple exclamation marks and nodded her head furiously, having some semblance of her memories about Nav. Compared to the other Archetypes, she was certain of the fact rather than confused by the overwhelming sense of familiarity.

However, the Star Child also shook her head to say ‘no’, drawing a picture of what looked like Nav but with long hair, and a feathered coat very reminiscent to Frost’s.

“I could have a trillion computational units, and I would not be able to decipher what you’re tying to tell me. Regardless, I imagine you’re the one who brought me here in the first place.”

The Star Child nodded, as the little Frost threw up a thumbs up emoji to confirm it. Nav struggled to decipher the Star Child’s images, but the little Frost made it digestible with her own.

She showed the picture of a star and a chibi Frost reaching for it, depicting the act of a wish.

“You invited me here to have my wish granted?”

The Star Child drew a ‘50/50’.

“And the other half is to block the wishes of others, I believe?”

The Star Child nodded again, fondling smiling at Nav as she reached to take her hands. The warmth of their tiny paws was ever so familiar to her. She recalled her memory of the light the Arbiter gifted to her, and she realized that this being was almost certainly that light.

Almost because she didn’t know if Frost was also it. Or maybe this Archetype was just a piece of Frost.

“A piece of Frost, acting as the Archetype that governs Desire and an Advent that’s no more than a fragment of its whole. How poetic. Is this place truly granting the wishes of many?”

15,000.

This was the number the Star Child drew as she began a messy, incomprehensible breakdown of what wishes were granted, why they were granted, how they granted – it reached a point where the overlapping light made it impossible to stare without damaging the eyes of the little Frost.

Nav could only marginally comprehend it. The way the Star Child conveyed their ideas made little sense to her, and the little Frost was severely limited with her vocabulary.

“Why do all the Alter Frosts, and even the young Jury suffer from aphasia or some form of asperges syndrome?” Nav grumbled to herself. “I suppose I can’t judge. My perceptions are also inaccurate and difficult to put into words. Experiencing and seeing is different from knowing. I’ve found that out mere moments ago, so I can understand your limitations.”

The Star Child only smiled, as did the little Frost. Neither thought too hard about it, but Nav couldn’t help but feel like those smiles were odd. Like they didn’t know why they were smiling for.

Nav didn’t know what else to say or do. The children continued their picturesque conversation, like they were old friends. The contents were unknown to her, but more than anything, it seemed like they were studying one another.

“… I wonder if the Demi-human triplets look like that when they bicker.” Nav had a sudden stray thought.

The urge in her chest was like an untouchable itch. A fuzzy, warm sensation when she thought of meeting the people she had come to know by their voices alone. Her eyes narrowed. Something stung her eye, but no matter how much it developed, no liquid ever fell down her cheeks.

She sincerely hoped from the bottom of her heart that she would be able to finally see them all, and the sights Frost had promised her ever since that day. Until then, she watched over the two, wondering what was left to do until she heard Frost’s voice shatter her comforting silence like a dreaded roar.

< “The concept of Civilization as we knew it was corrupted.” >

< “I discarded many to try to fix it…” >

The world began to rumble unexpectedly.

Frost’s woes resonated with the Advent, but most importantly –

“Nav –!? The Nexus – it’s – It’s shaking!” Through the Archivist’s voice she could panic ensure in the background. “The Floor of Civilization is… its doors are opening by itself. And my book is – the pages are flickering! U-um –!”

“Please return to the Floor of Civilization!” Nav exclaimed as she checked on Frost’s state. Even though she could no longer communicate with her, she could still gauge her stats.

But when she did, she realized that an additional name had appeared beneath Frost’s.

Frost
< Sinder >
LEVEL : ???     ORIGIN : ???

Nav could not unveil the rest of their stats.

Not yet.

< “Because I saw the greed with my own two eyes.” >

< “I knew that their hearts were never truly theirs.” >

< “How easily that bonds of blood were diluted like water…” >

< “The girl who tried to record everything was cast aside. The languages we build in our civilizations were extra steps towards yet another mountain of corpses. No one tried to hear another out.” >

The more Nav listened, the more she realized something.

She was listening to the woes of two Frosts. One of the past and one of the present.

* * *

The Nexus turned black as dusk settled in. The orange horizon seemed brighter than ever before as the silhouettes of buildings could be seen in the skies. People pointed up, seeing a reflection of a larger Nex Megalopolis in their skies, burning as ashes born from the dying stars began to fall onto the world.

Their skies were burning. No moon or star were left in their darkening skies. The Nexus’ transformation caused one last trumpet to roar as the world seemingly stood still to watch the phenomenon unfold in Brandar’s skies.

The black egg cracked.

A voice from within spoke as shells collapsed, revealing a heat unlike anything this world had ever endured.

< “Suffering from what? All this greed never stopped. Ateliers still to this day remain outcome oriented. Monsters tangle hearts of the unwilling. Everywhere I went showed me more of a world I wish I never knew.” >

< “From the King of Puritas – Grandis – to the Ateliers and Impuritas afar, there was only violence that quelled disastrous flames, only to fan even greater ones. The conflict never ended. We were alone in this conflict. I desperately wanted to save everyone.” >

The egg was broken until the halfway mark as a figure clad in black, military garbs could be seen. It was a man with red eyes. The black feathery feature’s of Frost’s coat of prejudice were fused with their apparel, dyed in blood red as flames flickered from their back like the wings of an Angel.

< “I still do. I still believe we can save everything. I saw a father die because the world turned a blind eye! Children turned into monsters because they were given a false dream! People who suffered unknowing because they could not tell their rights from wrong! >

< “But first… I must cleanse it. I must cleanse all impurities from this world. Where language faltered, violence will prevail. Otherwise, I ask you this – my tainted home.” >

The White Wing glanced back at Carpalis and asked her once more.

“Are you sure you want to stay?”

“If you fail, then who will remain to keep them until help arrives?” Carpalis only smiled, her Faustian Bargain releasing its grip along her waist.

“I hope I won’t have to prepare a eulogy after this.” The White Wing brandished her pale stake as the egg finally crumbled to ashes.

Hovering over the male Frost’s shoulders was a blue diamond, a red heart, and a black spade, each radiating an insurmountable power as a flaming crown formed on his head, bearing thorns that dug into his flesh.

< “If we are to call ourselves civilized, then why do we crown the most violent to lead us!? >

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

< APOCALYPSE >

< THE ARBITER’S TRUMPET HUMS ITS DIRGE >

Crowned
The Most Violent

< Civilizations will be set alight to become the warmth that its citizens were deprived of. Kings and Gods speak the one universal language, and so shall I. All must return to ashes >

AFFINITY : Amalgamation
LEVEL : 300     ORIGIN : Trauma     HP : 550,000,000     ATT : 90,000     MAG ATT : 90,000
ATT DEF : 0     MAG DEF : 0     MP : Infinitas     RESIST : 50,000     AGI : 130

The White Wing broke into a small smile as she heard the familiarly cold voice speak in her mind. It did not speak to her directly. Rather, she intercepted it.

< Archivist. This is… This is the 5th and final chapter in the tale of Civitas Cinder >

< If Frost can be brought into the Floor of Civilization, then… >

< … We will have our first Awakening! >

Then, before the two knew it, Frost, or what was left of her, was engulfed by an explosion of flames. His body wore it like another layer of clothing, the flames licking of his body like blades as he set his crimson gaze upon the duo.

“… Apocalypse in every meaning of the word. The ‘egg is a world’, hm. Carpalis. I hope you won’t come to regret your decision.” The White Wing uttered, the heat causing the moisture of her body to evaporate.

And with one thrust, she began the violent brawl with her proclaimed Faux Angel.