264. When Angels Cry
“Those things? No one knows where they ca from. But they have the power to create whatever you want. All 12 Bodies have miracles and technologies created by them, called the Pillars of the World. Arms are just much smaller versions. Things changed drastically in the city when a big chunk fell from the sky.” Elysia said as the Archivist flickered through pages to find this information but found nothing at all.
So instead, she jotted them down both on paper, and in mind.
Another was the aning of ‘Elysia’. And the na of this world.
“We’ve just called it the City or the world. It doesn’t have a na. I’m sure it was erased at so point to keep things ambiguous. Detaching people from loving your ho is one way to get them to ruin it… Elysia has no deeper aning to it. I’m just . Hmm… Kind of weak compared to the other Angels, but I’m at least close to you, so that’s all that matters! Even after 26 years since you found , I’ve always, always been grateful.”
She clutched her heart as they approached the Pillar of the World, their surroundings steadily decaying as ruins of an ancient past erged. At that mont, Elysia stopped in her tracks abruptly, her toes perfectly aligned as if pressed against an invisible barrier.
“Eh? Y-You’re not following? Is this part of the dream over?” The Archivist questioned, tugging Frost’s sleeves.
“Why can’t you co any closer?”
“There’s a certain 7 tailed Angel that’ll kill if I do. It’s a compromise I made with her. Angels don’t tend to talk with you because she’d rather we never crossed paths to begin with. Sothing about being a glutton, and probably eating sothing I shouldn’t.” She said jokingly, but therein also laid the truth.
“Angels. Demons. Faux Angels… no one’s allowed to set foot into here. Besides that Angel.”
“The Arbiter...” The Archivist uttered as Frost nodded in agreent before he approached Elysia.
They were of equal height, so it was sowhat surreal for him. But nevertheless, he asked Elysia his one final question.
“Are we lovers?” He asked casually, causing Jury’s eyes to lightening up like lanterns. It was clear that she was enthralled by the question, her hands trembling lightly, and her tail coiling around her leg with delight.
But it suddenly fizzled into solemn dejection.
“Not lovers. But close… I’m surprised you asked. Ha… hahaha… Urgh… I’m sorry. You just –” Elysia suddenly clutched onto her face, covering her eyes as Frost tried to reach out for her.
But his hand phased through her.
“Remind … of when you didn’t have to fight so hard. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, _____. Everyone. I should never have co here. I wish I could just turn back ti. Or just let things end the way they did. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry… I’m sorry.” She lanted, tears silently running down her wrists.
The image of Elysia Corrupted. She went through 7 distinct phases, each one becoming more and more distorted. Her hair beca unkempt, her golden eyes had lost their luster. Her tail had beco infested with black patches of fur, the tip festering like a wound infected by fungus, and her wings completely absent.
Her hair carried black streaks, like the reversal of how Frost grew white streaks after manifesting the One Thousand Eyed Bird. Frost attempted to embrace the awful image of Elysia. Even if it wasn’t tangible, he still wished to comfort this aberration of his mories.
“… I don’t know what ended up happening, but I’m sure you suffered more than anyone can imagine. Ely… Jury. One day, you’ll rember all of this. I hope you’ll be able to face it. At least then, you’ll have people by your side. Because here… I can tell that no one was for you.” Frost, upon wrapping his arms around the ghost, felt a certain ticking emit from her chest.
This was absolutely Jury.
And combined with the quote of the birds and the shell, this also ant that the voice he had been hearing with each subsequent State must have been hers. But was it an echo? A reverberation from the past or future, like Jury’s retrocausality? Or, was it from sothing else.
When the scenery changed, Elysia disappeared as they found themselves in a chute far larger than anything they had ever seen. A single catwalk made from creaky tal connected one side to the other with zero supporting structure.
It was one long, precarious walk.
Nothing existed either up or down. Darkness prevailed. But at the sa ti, Frost could not help but feel an eerie sense of familiarity as he mustered the courage to take the first step across the rickety bridge.
“If my mories are like a book, then this would be the next chapter, right?”
“M-Mhm.” The Archivist timidly followed, stiff and unable to peer down the chasm. “This place is under the Pillar of the World. Ruins?”
“Seems like it. Access is restricted here as well. No Angels allowed… That brings to wonder how exactly they keep it guarded in the first place. Sothing tells Elysia disobeyed her only rule.” Frost said as they stepped forth into this dark chapter of Frost’s mories. “… The Aberrations of Elysia. They might not be Aberrations of the world itself. But of Elysia –
– The past Jury.”
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