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889. Three Is A Triangle
🕑 Added 2024-12-23 05:29:30 +0000 UTCEnoch, the Artificer of Rupturing.
Little information existed regarding T-4 Artificers of ImpulseWorks. Minu Auditors excelled in their ability to extract information from the Atelier bases they visit. Their role wasn’t to solely ensure that the Ateliers were working according to standards and the Code of Conduct, but to gather information that may not be known to the Head.
One such Minu Auditor greeted Frost in the hallways leading to the where the War in Heaven took place, which was located on the same level as the Common Hub.
“Amalgam. M-A1 holds no recordings of the past lives of the T4 Artificers.”
They removed their cap and bowed with extravagance before Frost, they hand sweeping the tip of their boots before resting at their chest. The insignia of a clock was worn proudly on the backs of their grey-fur mantle, and worn beneath was a dark blue, two-piece suit.
Then, the Avian Minu Auditor pointed at the clock that dangled from her ear.
“No significant events detailing their history has taken place in M-A1. The Tempering process must have occurred in a different Site prior to their relocation to M-A1.”
“It’s fine. I wasn’t expecting to learn what we already know about ImpulseWorks.”
“If I may add?”
“Go ahead.”
“I’ve interviewed the T-4 Artificers individually but there were no standout qualities, aside from their Tempering. They were able to shed some light on their origins. Ifrit, the Artificer of Annihilation is a Demon from a mostly expired lineage. Kissaria, the Artificer of Restoration came from the artic seas to the far south. She has no relevant history or lineage. Samyaza, the Artificer of Altercation was once a Watcher operating an Eye of Caldera Industries but lost their position due to an undetermined incident with the White Wing.”
Enoch was conveniently left out. The Minu Auditor swallowed, preparing to deliver her words as she had left the most important for last.
“Enoch has no known history. It is as if she has always existed in M-A1.”
Enoch came from G-Z7. That’s already known. I was hoping there would be more to find on Enoch’s side. But in the end, it will be best to ask her directly.
The site where the War in Heaven took place was where she was scheduled to meet Enoch. It was the furthest place away from prying eyes. Plus, she wanted to see Zermilion’s restoration efforts. She walked beside the Minu Auditor deeper into the expansive hall. It grew to an awe-inspiring size that had once caused Frost to marvel in disbelief. Such sights were so common now that it did not spark that childish sense of wonder like it once had.
“Enoch lacks the hair coloration of the Last Progenitors. She’s quite a powerful Honored One. Dare I say, stronger than the only three known Honored Ones outside of the Nexus’ sphere of influence. That Enoch is an anomaly. If she were a Blessed, then I would have thought of her as a Corrupted.”
It was normal for Moons to jump to such conclusions. If a being was far too powerful and they could not perceive their stats, then it was highly likely that they were a Corrupted. Aspiring Moons mitigated this significantly.
“What do you think of Enoch?” Frost asked her a simple question just as she passed the last pair of Stars.
She greeted them with a firm nod as they lowered their heads with reverence.
“A waiting opportunity. The Tempered Workers of ImpulseWorks qualify as candidates to become a Moon. By our standards of entry, they’d immediately pass from the Aspiring Moon stage straight to a Moon. It is no different for the Tempered Aspirators, or Impulse Artificers as they call themselves. The Director of the Seci Response Force are keeping an eye on Enoch. Garmr thinks she can lend her talent to Time Reverberation.”
“Enoch is a creator of Atelier Items before she is a combatant. Then again, the two aren’t mutually exclusive.” Frost turned to look at the Atelier Items worn by the Minu Auditor, which were created using Jury’s technology. “I’ll keep what you said in mind.”
“Such benevolence… to listen to the words of a mere servant. But I suppose it has always been part of your plan.”
The Minu Auditor’s Avian earflaps wiggled like wings. She wore a delighted expression that was suppressed behind a sinister grin.
“Plan?”
“Your plan to… Ah, I see. My mistake. I nearly failed your test.”
“Hold on, are we misunderstanding something?”
“What is there to misunderstand than your plan to unite the world beneath the banner of the Nexus?”
Talks of the largest multi-national conference spread across the world like wildfire. But it was only the Moons who knew the true purpose of this conference. Punishment. None of the kingdoms invited were innocent as they were found on the letter requesting a Healer. Furthermore, many were pending further investigation.
“The Bellum Empire was the first, and Grandis became the Nexus’ in a single night. There isn’t a Moon who is not aware of the master plan.”
“… I see.”
Frost’s plan was no more than to question the kingdoms. Everything was a consequence of this, such as the probing, the plan to bring the Nexus into worldly affairs, a mass effort to protect the Blessed… None of this was her initial goal.
The Moons on the other hand saw it as a complex web that was fathomed by Frost in its entirety. After all, how else were they able to take over Grandis in a single day? Or reform the Nexus in mere months? They massively overestimated Frost’s intelligence.
But then again, these were all true.
Maybe it was just Frost underestimating her worth.
The Minu Auditor took her leave with another graceful bow. Once her footsteps disappeared, Frost ventured deeper until she could no longer see the ceiling without tilting her head. The ruined pillars that ran periodically for tens of kilometers in all directions were restored to their former glory.
The pale chamber was so spacious that her footsteps echoed like the claps of thunder. Her presence was announced the moment she set foot into what she thought of the most wonderous place within the Nexus. Far ahead was the pillar of light that served as the core of the Nexus.
“To think there’s still a second one just underneath the Nexus.” Frost muttered to herself, marveling at the light that painted every corner of the chamber. “How far down do we have to go to find it?”
“Further than any expedition into the Timeless Ruins anyone has ever gone.”
Enoch announced her presence as she walked out from behind a pillar. Her arms were held out, palms facing Frost as if to prove that she was unarmed. It was standard procedure for Enoch, since Beholders like Knalzark never allowed her to move past him without showing her hands.
“Aha~ And the descent into the Subcut Layer. Oboros Infinitas sent a few Condemned to find it. The only ones to come back were giddy Scarlet Healers. One time a Scarlet Healer returned inside of the cavity of a Condemned Moon. Now, between you and me – I don’t think people are supposed to have over 50 meters of intestine.”
Enoch was deeply elated to bask in the presence of Frost. She stretched her arms out further and inhaled like her next breath was her last. Suddenly, she slammed her chest to rid her lungs of air.
“Where are my manners!?” She exclaimed. “Enoch, the Artificer of Rupturing. Tempered Four Artificer of ImpulseWorks, at your service!”
“Relax, let’s not go through these theatrics.”
“Oh no, they’re not theatrics! This is my blood boiling in your presence! Ahaha… It’s been a long, long, long oh so long time since my blood trembled. Our bodies tell us when we’re in the presence of an Honored One higher in the hierarchy of blood purity.”
Enoch explained that Blood Purity was a hierarchical system that ranked Honored Ones based on to how close their blood composition was to the sole Sovereign of Blood. The highest Honored One was Uriel without question as she was the founder of the Honored Ones.
However, that did not make her the Sovereign of Blood, but merely the only held the highest blood purity. Uriel was born from a mixture of the blood of the Captured Star and the Amalgam.
Frost’s was entirely from the Captured Star, giving her 100% blood purity, hence her Ability being [The Absolute Sovereign of Blood], and her Profession as Sanguine Gensis.
One thing that stuck out to Frost was that Enoch was familiar with Uriel, at least by name. Given how Uriel was the Progenitor of all Honored Ones, she was curious if Enoch knew anything.
“Enoch. Before we begin, I have a few questions for you if you don’t mind. Your answers won’t change how I think of you. I’m relying on your expertise after all.”
Frost assured Enoch, though the face the woman wore made it seem like she was looking forward to being interrogated. Nothing could get through the impenetrable shell of a Tempered Artificer. Even the Disciples of Nilhim had trouble evoking fear into their hearts. To them, Workers of ImpulseWorks were considered worthy.
“Fire away. Blood does not lie. Honored Ones cannot refuse the orders of those of higher Blood Purity.” Enoch dragged a large, black coffin from behind the same pillar she was hiding behind.
Her eyes began to spiral like a bloody whirlpool. It was as if she was hypnotized by the simple act of locking her gaze with Frost’s.
It’s good that she’s obedient. Not a single strand of fear in those eyes. I’ve never seen anything like it.
“Tempered Aspirators equally lack desires as they do with fear.” Nav spoke.
A brief moment of silence entangled them. Enoch did not blink during this time. Finally, Frost drew a breath and spoke.
“You’re an anomaly compared to known Honored Ones. Why is that?”
The red color in her irises diffused into her sclera.
“I remember a star.” She uttered with great importance.
Suddenly, a 25-meter dome of blood engulfed them. Frost was not alarmed by it. It was not because she was confident that Enoch could not injure her. Furthermore, she would have sensed it as dangerous using her foresight.
Kissaria created a dome just like this. This must be Enoch’s Workshop.
Workbenches created by hardened, crystalized blood ran along the edges of the dome. A diamond shaped lantern hung from the ceiling like a uvula, illuminating the iron-smelling abode.
“That star brought me across an endless desert. I climbed the highest dunes and tumbled down the steepest hills. By day the sand scorched my feet. The sun roasted my back. My blood froze by night. I had nothing but the blistered skin on my back.”
A visual retelling was animated at the ceiling of her dome. The blood jumped, contracted and spilled to Enoch’s whims. Gravity did not affect her blood here.
“Until one day, I reached a red pool. Ahaha… The little iddy biddy Enoch was parched. The insides of my throat were so dry that I could feel it peeling with every swallow. How could I have resisted it? I drank from that pool. I scooped it into my hands like a chalice and drank to my heart’s content.”
Blood spilled from the ceiling and poured into her hands. She reenacted the scene, drinking from the blood with the same desperation as she did in the ancient past.
“Uriel is a name I know only because that name resonates with my blood. The Progenitor willed me into becoming an Honored One. I remember the shape of the star I followed.”
The spilling blood crystalized into a four-armed star. Frost wore a complicated expression at the realization of what it was.
“You drank from Uriel’s wings.” She correctly concluded, causing Enoch to confirm with a solemn smile.
“I found an oasis containing the Progenitor’s blood. It only worsened our thirst. I was not alone. That star attracted more moths than I could count.”
Enoch’s tone darkened one moment, and in the next, she joyously hummed:
“Suddenly, there was so much food~”
A desert and a star were mentioned again. Before Frost could ponder further, Magus interrupted through Nav’s prompts.
< The Expanse. Synonymous with the Land of Wanderers! Extraordinary stars shone in the sky for weary travelers. Blank and those travelers will disappear. Our friend Enoch must have travelled through the Expanse! There is a good possibility that she could be from the Old World too! >
But she’s talking about Uriel, not another Star. We have no way to confirm that.
