1042. Confession

1042. Confession

Anid Nests.

Over a thousand Anid Nests existed in Elysia. The majority naturally infested the forests of the Anid Region, which was known for the Anointed and the Celestial variants of the Anids.

The Anointed Anids were those who possessed more than 10 limbs, and the Celestial Anids were those with over a thousand. Nests outside of the Anid Region rarely possessed a Centianid (One Hundred Legged), let alone a Millinid (One Thousand Legged).

The latter were only found in 88 Anid Nests, 36 of which were controlled by Act X. The remaining 46 followed Strings of their own or were controlled by the Strings another Living Loom.

Typically, an Anid Nest could not be created without the influence of an Annointed Anid. The great trees that grew in their Nests were originally smaller pines, or whatever was native to the land. These trees needed to be injected with a special concoction made from body fluids and half-digested remains.

This would begin the transformation process of the tree into a suitable redwood, ironwood or steelwood. The gigantification also worked on cognizant organisms and functioned similarly to Overheal.

Octanids for example possessed this fluid which was why people were able to remain alive for decades despite being reduced to a liquid slurry. This concoction was also the reason why Anids could grow to such a large size.

The topic of the Anid Nest broke the silence between Frost and her companions as they blazed through the forest. The person to bring it up was Acedia who was not aware of the signs of an Anid Nest.

“When trees suddenly become thicker, and the fog rolls in heavily, then you’re in the outskirts of an Anid Nest.” Raoul spoke from behind a speeding Acedia, her strides causing Raoul to bounce.

Raoul was strapped to Acedia’s back with loops of steel thread. Frost on the other hand found herself carried in Acedia’s arms like a bride. After a drag of smoke, Raoul continued:

“By then you’re already deep enough to be taken by an Anid. This place reeks of an Anid Nest, but there hasn’t been a single Anid in sight.”

“Which I’m assuming is a good thing?”

Frost’s reply caused Raouls’ brows to furrow. Her expressions seemed to say: “This is supposed to be the Head? The same person who Corrupts people, and brings them back from Corruption?”

The only reason she didn’t say anything was because she remembered the first time she met Frost. That person, who had to ask Iscario and the Receptionists for help, was still asking questions.

“Debatable. Just means we’ll encounter them later…” Raoul trailed off.

“Yes?” Frost had caught the way her mouth moved, yet no words were formed.

Though they were separated apart by Acedia, Frost could still see her thanks to her many invisible eyes.

“My sisters. They helped you on that day. What did they tell you?”

“Quite a bit… Well… Actually, no. Not a lot, now that I think about it.” Frost giggled to herself, surprising Raoul. “They taught me about the ODSE system and a few basics shortly before Orth and Thras came to take care of them.”

“Who?”

“Cer and Ber. They were always making trouble for Res… You didn’t…?”

Didn’t know?

Frost stopped herself from finishing these words. She already knew the answer, and Raoul’s sudden silence confirmed this was the case. While Raoul was aware of the triplets being the Jesters of the Nexus, she did not know it was primarily because of Cer and Ber. She had assumed it was all three.

“They were talking?”

“You didn’t know? Weren’t you also in the Nexus?”

“I just didn’t care to look.

Raoul didn’t take the twins to be the talkative type. Especially not after they became Wandering Healers. Hearing that they had spoken to the triplets surprised her further. But then again, it wasn’t for anything more than protocols. Had the triplets been following Receptionist standards, then the twins would never have spoken to them.

Cer’s antics were a way to attract people. She must’ve wanted them to react. Probably to smile too, if possible. They were close friends, huh.

A long silence created a rift between them. Minutes passed, and chasms were leaped over by a galloping Acedia. They were getting closer to where Frost had picked up movement from earlier through a forward Judge’s Pride.

The trees steadily became sparser. Visibility increased from a handful of meters to twenty.

Frost deliberated whether it was time to ask him a question she had been holding back since she first heard of Raoul’s betrayal.

“Raoul. About back then. When I first arrived in the Nexus. Did you know Iscario was after me?”

Raoul made a face of utter resignation. Deep down, she could feel as though this was the one question Raoul had been dreading to hear from Frost. Raoul sharply inhaled and fiddled with the black cigarette.

“I did.”

She said, her voice neither carrying regret nor guilt. It was said as a matter of factly, like a stone etched with his epitaph.

“I see.”

Frost’s reply by contrast was less damning.

It wasn’t new information. She had already known Raoul knew. But hearing it from her directly caused her to realize that nothing she could have done differently would have saved her from the Black Forest.

The lack of resentment surprised Raoul.

So, she continued confessing.

“The plan was to lure you out of the Nexus. We didn’t know who you were. Our only clue was white hair. Iscario managed to pick you out. Said you looked like his late sister. At the time, I wasn’t aware he had already found you. I only found out when the Nexus became cut off from the rest of the world. I delayed the Nexus’ response with false leads using the destruction of the Relay Sites across Elysia. Galia took the brunt of the flack. But Galia and Marionette were prepared.”

“Prepared enough to send an immediate response force. But not enough to hold the Nexus down.” Neither did Frost complain. What was done was done, though she would be lying if she said she still wasn’t furious. “I guess fate, or whatever you believe in, wanted me in the Black Forest one way or another.”

“It wasn’t personal. You were an obstacle. There was nothing more to it. It took me a long time to realize you were the Amalgam. We a similar goal. But I wasn’t his ally. I was with the Broken Thorn. They have a different goal from the Brightest Star, and the Queen of the Night. Amalgam.”

“Frost. Just Frost. I get what you want to ask. I think I’ve made that answer clear. I have no interest in retribution. At least not against you. Iscario on the other hand… Haha.” Frost chuckled lightly.

What other hand?

“I was involved.” Raoul further confessed.

“Yeah, and we already won against you. I have nothing to gain from making you twice as miserable. Besides, I doubt I can make your life worse when you’ve resigned yourself to death.”

“I can think of a thousand ways you can.”

“And what will that achieve? I’m not a saint either, by the way. If you were anyone else, I’d have your body filled with my blood and turn you into my slave. Like that Fallen Beholder we’ve sent to Galia for safekeeping, or the Witches of White Midnight. Or break your mind with a Disciple of Nilhim carrying my deepest fear. I can keep your head on my hip after Corrupting you or helping you crystalize an Ego. But what would be the point, other than misplacing my anger?

L.S and Broker came to mind, particularly the former one. Frost had regretted how she had treated L.S by simply being an Impuritas. Granted, she didn’t know any better at the time, but even to this day she had an insurmountable amount of distrust towards the Impuritas.

Raoul was different. He was an enemy.

But he had already been punished. It would be like Frost using Terrent as an outlet or going after Mai’s throat because of her past. If that was the case, then the Beholders would equally be viable targets.

So would the triplets. They were not innocent either.

No. It was because Frost believed that people could change, even if it was a naive belief of hers.

Besides, Frost knew the best out of everyone how the spark of anger could quickly become a sweeping wildfire, consuming everything in its sight. She did not wish to ever repeat what happened to the Nex Megalopolis ever again, and she had so far managed to repel the urges of the Wrath Main Sequence Corrupted from consuming her.

She had done everything in her power to minimize the casualties in war in Grandis. She hoped to do the same in Emvita.

Truth be told, her wrath was the least of her concerns compared to other facets of herself.

“When you say you had a similar goal.” Frost restarted the conversation, right as Acedia was about to speak.

Acedia kept her mouth shut out of respect and followed a Judge’s Pride which beckoned her to follow. They had found evidence of someone nearby but did not approach out because of Frost’s explicit order to preserve their life.

“You mean to keep the people you love alive? I’ve heard it before, but I want confirmation. Yours was about preservation. But Iscario had an obsession with Ilya. I hope you weren’t the same.”

“He wanted to cage his late sister. I wanted to preserve the people around me. I despise change. But the world changes regardless of what we want. Corruption would have been preferable. I know what Corruption does. Ideally, one can crystalize their Ego or remain self-aware.”

“And that is their version of a ‘Star’?”

“Corrupted, whether good or bad, will become Stars in a world devoid of them, when there is nothing left in this world to look forward to. I dedicated my life, uncaring for what became of me, just to give them a chance in this world.”

“But it never came across to you that you were their world? Cer only thought about you. She showed me the old you. But what about Ber? Res? What were you to them before you became a Star?”

Raoul did not answer this. Frost was only aware of Raoul and Cer’s relationship, but not the other two. Res and Ber still talked fondly about Raoul until after his betrayal came to light.

The Wise Black Wolf looked down at herself, her chest, then, into her palms and sighed.

“It’s best that they don’t remember, and that they only know me only for my sins.”