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874. Of Oaths and Promises
874. Of Oaths and Promises
“Ahh!? Snap!”
Ilya exclaimed, awed by the giant spider whose camera shuddered with surprise.
“Hello~! How are you~!”
“Bzzt!”
“Amazing… It feels like I can understand you! Are you… looking for something to eat? Or are you here to ask for something?”
It was painfully obvious that Ilya didn’t know how to interact with anyone. A week had passed, but this was the second time she was back in the Floor of Amalgamation. This time, her stay was permanent, but she didn’t know what to think about it.
She had been living in the Floor of Judgement with her mother before they decided to move completely into the home of the Amalgam. There were so many more people compared to when she first arrived. Few of them were around her age too, but she didn’t know how to approach them.
Or if she even was allowed.
She kept close to Michaela as pieces of her past loneliness played in Snap’s recording. Ilya had no way to know what common sense was, or if people would even want her to be around them considering she was the daughter of the Arbiter.
However, just as those thoughts ate away at her –
“Pwah!? Ouch – I’m sorry miss!”
“Eh?”
– A girl whose eyes were permanently sealed shut looked up at her with a smile that reminded Ilya of flowers.
“It’s ok. You must not have been able to see me.”
“I can’t. I just got excited when I heard the ‘bzzt’. I wanted to play with Snap!”
Ilya quickly understood that this girl was blind. Even if she wasn’t, there was no reason for her to be upset. She was in fact happy that someone was even talking to her. Although, hearing that she came for Snap did make her quite sad again.
Suddenly, the girl reached for Ilya’s hands.
“Ah! Are you new here? I’ve never heard your voice before!”
Ilya looked up at her mother for help, but Michaela simply smiled and nodded affectionately as if to say: “Don’t miss this chance.”
“I am!” Ilya exclaimed awkwardly. “I just arrived today! I’m um… I-I’m Ilya!”
“Stella! That’s me! I might not be the most reliable person but let me be your guide~ U-Um, if that’s ok with you.”
Stella’s aspiration as a ‘guide’ never disappeared. It was a profession once rife with suffering. Even today being a guide was difficult due to her condition. However, Stella never gave up. The Floor of Amalgamation was a place where she could easily navigate through thanks to her enhanced sense of smell.
The flowers and the flow of the winds would direct her like a compass. And if not –
“I thought I lost you!” Another voice said. It belonged to the golden-eyed Aster. “A-AH! T-The Arbit –!”
Michaela lifted a finger to hush the girl.
“R-Right… Stella, you strayed too far. Oh? Hello, you must be Ilya!”
Aster immediately noticed her and greeted the shy princess with a tender smile.
“I’m Aster. I’m… sort of the caretaker of a bunch of kids here. Like Stella. You just moved here, didn’t you?”
“J-Just now!”
“If you don’t mind, would you like to come with us? Ah… As long as we have permission from the Arbiter.”
“Do as you wish. But as a precedent – please do not feel like you require my permission. I only wish for the best for my daughter. I hope you understand.” Michaela spoke softly to not startle them with her indomitable presence.
“Hear that, Ilya? You’re allowed to come. Let’s go!” Stella tugged on Ilya’s hands, dragging her away.
Ilya glanced back at her mother one last time before breaking into a cathartic smile.
Snap zoomed in at Michaela, then, she moved to Aster.
“Stella… is still clumsy as ever. I can’t believe she wants to attend the Academy of Magic. I’m scared of what they’ll do to a child like her.”
Aster was as much of a mother to Stella as Michaela was to Ilya, and for that reason, Michaela was able to connect with her.
“It’s natural to worry. But fear not, young Aster. The Head will back her in secret.”
“Really? I thought the Nexus doesn’t have its hands in the Academy of Magic.”
“There will be a reason to once Stella is there. The Amalgam is protective of her people. It will be necessary to exert stronger control over worldly matters.”
Aster was surprised at how easy it was to talk to the Arbiter, but there was still a psychological barrier that prevented her from being too intimate. Either way, Michaela and Aster watched as Ilya and Stella ran through the flower fields, leaving their worries behind.
Micheala cherished every moment. Everything she had done led to the perfection of not just her dream, but her true desires. Not as the Arbiter of the past, but as Micheala of the present.
Aster felt the same way. Her eyes devoured the world for the sake of the people who could no longer see its beauty. There wasn’t anything else Aster wanted in this world other than for Stella to prosper. Her own desires were simple. Just being able to live in paradise was enough for her.
Her eyes, which had the ability to see the ‘Lights’ of potential Advents and Main Sequence Corrupted, were an additional bonus.
* * *
Revy was seen amongst a group of Black Wings. Sana was also present. A small verbal argument broke out as they fought over the custody of Revy.
The young demi-human cat girl had made a small name for herself. Her unique ability to send a simultaneous strike backwards with any attack was prime potential. She was a legendary Moon in the making. This paired with Serum S promised that she’d reach similar heights as the Three Heads of Security.
In a sense, the Black Wings were investing in her mostly as affiliates. There was not much else to gain from Revy’s success other than acclaim and bragging rights. Black Wings could only rise on two things – merit and the color of their hair.
Sana had the darkest hair of them all, so she had the highest authority of all the Black Wings present. It was unclear why they were fighting over Revy, but it settled down after she shook hands with Revy.
“The Black Wings operate solely on their own. But it will be a waste to let you turn into a normal Moon. Black Wings are strong. However, we are not strong enough to take down a Moon. Think of it as becoming our own version of the Head of Security.”
As one of the 7 highest ranking Black Wings, she had the authority to make such a decision. Not only that, but it had been unanimously agreed on ahead of time.
“Are you really ok with someone like me?” Revy sheepishly said.
She was not used to the spotlight. Revy was an unwanted slave, which was why almost ended up as a seedbed for the Anids.
Sana did not care about this. She had seen how Revy had fought in the face of certain death. But more than that, Revy was a friend of Sana. It would be a shame to let Revy’s potential go to waste.
“Our decision is final.” Sana shrugged before grinning at her. “You have Hora Therapeutics, the Minu Auditors, and the Seci Response Force. Or, you have us. The Black Wings.”
The answer was obvious.
“I’ll take it!”
* * *
Snap went around recording the Archetypes, garnering their reactions to the wedding. Magus was elated to see hope in its purest form in the Nexus, and commented about Cer with:
“The tale of a wolf who could. The signs of an Awakening were always present. Cer had the will to carry on her belief. Snap my friend, one does not simply walk the tightrope over the chasm of the shadow towards the land of light.”
Snap tilted its head, causing the camera to shift as well.
“Listen close and hear me oh gallant Snap – the act of the crossing itself is the Awakening rather than the destination. Corruption, Corrupted Persona – are they not shortcuts to bring one to the other end or to prevent oneself from falling into the pit?”
Snap tilted its head the other way.
“Very well. I shall see to it that Cer visits my Floor.”
* * *
The Star Child had no comment, neither did the Little Frost who tended to stick by her side. The Medium Frost was happily sleeping on a bed of flowers. One of the Mothers of the Asclepien were here today, and she tenderly brushed the hair of the girl as she sat beside her.
The Medium Frost had been visiting the Mothers and the Perched secretly for some time now. For what reason? No one knew for certain, but the Healers there clearly loved pampering her.
The Hired Arm stood on guard beside the Taleor. They were like Frosts from two different eras of war. Healers would occasionally stand by them or feed them food like they were tourist attractions.
Snap captured the shocking moments of when the Healers finally heard them speak as well.
* * *
“Marriage is s-surprisingly lewd.” Anna covered her mouth with a book. “Geez. How embarrassing. D-Don’t look at me, Snap! Don’t zoom in! It’s not like I’m imagining what it would be like to k-k… ki… kiss.”
Snap didn’t show the past struggles of Anna. Instead, what was shown were vivid recollections of Anna and Sinder. The most predominant of them all revolved around Sinder hovering a little too close to Anna, as if on the verge of stealing her lips.
*Snap*
A polaroid fell from above. It slipped into Anna’s book.
“Huh… Eh!? This… Ah… This is from that time… I remember this.”
That picture was of Anna and Sinder’s ‘date’. She lowered the book and wrapped herself snugly in Sinder’s mantle, reminiscing of her life with that man who took on the world by himself.
She lamented that she never had the chance to tell him how much she loved him. But it was all in the past.
Nothing could change that.
* * *
*Bzzt*
*Static*
*Bzzt*
The camera footage suddenly changed to colossal door.
The static feed made it impossible to decipher what it was, but the existence of the pale walls made it immediately clear to Snap that it belonged in the Nexus. The doors groaned but did not move.
Something, no – someone was waiting behind it.
*Bzzt*
*Static*
*Bzzt*
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