99. The Derma Layer

99. The Derma Layer

Drip.

A single droplet of a blue liquid dribbled from Frost’s chin.

It stained the dry, coarse stone beneath her feet as she swiftly tried to regain her bearing in this deep subterranean place.

Nothing but jagged walls surrounded her. They were lathered with a strange coat of red, with golden and silver veins, rich in minerals. A cavernous pocket best described this bizarre location that only the Blessed knew as the Derma layer.

Drip.

Another drip fell from elsewhere. Not a single breeze swept through, and dusty minerals puffed into the air with every fine movement. Just merely breathing was enough to awaken the sleeping layer of dirt.

The cavern itself was approximately tens of meters in height, and around a few hundred in every cardinal direction. It was massive and saw plateaus and other natural rock formations rise like blades.

But those were not stalactites. And neither did stalagmites exist, indicating that this cavern was effectively isolated from the Epiderma layer above. Either that, or this was a freshly carved cavern, although it was unlikely judging by the layer of undisturbed dirt here.

Though these meandering thoughts were only present to distract her from the rage that continued to gnaw at her chest like a stubborn flame.

“DAMMIT!” Frost pulverized the wall behind her. A sunken crater formed as dust bled through its cracks. She could not believe that she had allowed the Bloody Herring to escape her grasp. “How... Just what kind of skill did it have!? My foresight – my coat! It’s like it was leading me astray!”

Her voice echoed like a demonic throe. The crackling of the loose rock continued to play as dust spilled over her shoulders like a grey waterfall. Her form slowly began to return to normal now that there were no longer any threats in sight.

Frost resisted the urge to destroy this innocent wall, her balled fist trembling as if restrained with invisible chains. Her inability to snap up that Bloody Herring grinded at her heart to no end.

It was weak. Terribly weak. A single hit would have sufficed and yet she was unable to land her most powerful skills.

Her fist eventually fell to her side as she stepped away from the gushing dust, blasting her feathers clean as her hair finally returned to its short, messy form. Her eyes illuminated this darkened place, which was only lit up by the strange, red glow of an unknown material.

If it weren’t for her eyesight, then she would have never realized that this place was a cavern. But she had groveled in darker places. This kind of limited light was nothing to her...

And nothing to Jury either.

Frost let loose of a quivering sigh unlike herself when Jury came to mind. Her frustration instantly shifted to concern as she immediately consulted Nav regarding Jury and the others.

“Jury and Ignis are alive. Snap is rapidly returning to the City of Diamonds to seek information. Possibly help.” Nav swiftly answered as Frost clutched at her heart in relief.

“Snap managed to escape?” Frost whispered, now venturing into the foreboding darkness, approaching the edge of her plateau.

Drip.ething else was dripping here, and it was not water judging from the lack of speleothems. The cavern was sterile in a way. Cleansed, and left to rot to the ebbs of time in complete isolation.

“I ordered Snap on your behalf. I assumed it was what you would have wanted.”

I see. Thank you. And... I’m sorry I couldn’t hear you.

“Your apologies mean nothing to an enigmatic existence like myself.”

Enigmatic or not doesn’t mean I shouldn’t treat you like a person. I hope you’ll understand some day... Hey, what about the triplets?

“Ber is currently with Ignis. And unfortunately, it is only her who has been sighted.”

Cer and Res are down here as well, right?

“Indeed. Likely a thousand more.”

This can’t get any worse, huh. But I’m surprised. I was expecting to get swarmed by Impuritas monsters the second we arrived. But nothing’s happened. This place... it’s lost.

Frost, teetering on the edge of this place, took in the sight of the cavern once more, spotting the source of the dripping sound with mournful eyes.

It was the wreckage of the express train.

Drip.

Blood dripped from the shattered windows of the train, which had found itself turned onto its side. The entire nose of the train was crushed like a tin can. The stench of death was ever prevalent, and she could not help but to feel unnerved by such a tragedy.

It’s awful. Nav. We’re in a cavern, somewhere deep underground. And I’m looking at the same train... I don’t think anyone’s alive in there.

Frost’s feathers rustled normally this time. Her words resounded deep with her coat, and it answered clearly. What she spoke of was undoubtably the truth, unlike the ambiguous words of the Bloody Herring.

It seemed to calm her down. Slightly, but enough that she was able to think rationally now. The woman’s breaths were ragged, croaky and she gargled on blood. Her hands drooped weakly to her sides, surrendering to Frost entirely.

She did not try to escape. Rather, she was confused by Frost’s actions. Because Frost, the Black Dove, was supposedly an ally. Therefore, this could be seen as an act of betrayal from her perspective.

Also, she didn’t even know what she did to anger Frost.

The fear she saw in this woman’s eyes shock her. Frost’s ugliness was drawn into the limelight. Being so close to these existence that caused nothing but calamities and suffering morally blinded her.

Ironically, Frost had administered her own dose of prejudice upon this person, who in the end, may not even be related to this entire ordeal.

“Have you realized that she may not even be an enemy?”

Yeah. I have. I’m sorry Nav. I’m on edge. Seeing Jury’s tail tripped me up. But I’m still wary.

And so, her grip weakened as she began casting various healing magic. With one hand, she held onto one of the metallic skewers and asked in a more reasonable voice:

“Carpalis knows you?”

“That... that she does. Yes. I mean yes. She does. I am the Golden Thumb Captain. L.S... short for Laughing Stock. Ahahaha. O-Ouch.” The woman recoiled as Frost slowly dragged the skewer out.

“Sorry... I’m sorry. Hold still. It shouldn’t hurt anymore. Fuck... Hey. Tell me, just what the hell are you? You’re an Impuritas. Just like that Bloody Herring. And you sounded like you knew them. Traitor?”

“... Impuritas? Me? What... A-Ahhhh! AAAAAAA! Ahahaha! Oh... ooooh. Oh dearest me. Oh benevolent laughing Carpalis...”

“I’m sorry. But there's no other way those things are coming out.” Frost’s Painkiller Passive soon kicked in, and she continued to free the woman from these thorns.

In the meantime, she continued to interrogate her.

“You didn’t answer my question. Lie, and I’ll kill you. Whatever skills or anomaly is keeping you alive will do little inside my stomach.”

“I... I don’t understand the name Impuritas. It’s unfamiliar to me. Ahaha. Believe me! I’ve only been called a Laughing Stock! H-Hence my name!”

“Then ‘what’ are you?” Frost glared. “You’re not normal as far as I’m concerned.”

“A-A person, no? Y-you mean my abnormal transformation!?”

“Transformation?” Frost was taken aback by this, freeing the woman from the final rod which rung as she threw it aside. “Transformation? Hey... L.S. Stand up. Turn your back to me. Your legs are fixed.”

“Aha? Are we friends now, miss healer Black Dove?” She said with a more hopeful voice, her body now in pristine shape aside from her apparel.

“It depends on what you can tell me. Bend down.” Frost dragged a strand of string from her fingers, watching the woman fall to her knees.

“O-oh?” For some reason, L.S made a rather... strange sound as if expecting something peculiar. She sounded disappointed when her neck was wrapped with a fine, metallic string.

Frost wanted something that would act as a leash. The same stringed hand clasped onto L.S forearm with an unbreakable grip. She did not want a repeat of an escaping Impuritas again, and even though she was undoubtedly faster and stronger, she was not going to take any chances with this one.

“Tell me more and I’ll think about keeping you alive. What do you mean by transformation?” Frost inquired, staring up into the woman’s golden eyes as she softly giggled.

“Like... hmm. Like an obsession. No. Characteristic! You see, I was a stock hoarder that became a laughing stock! Then, one day, I became this! The Laughing Stock! With the powers to laugh, and the marvelous power to haul goods! These red rods are my armaments!” She slapped her face with each mistake she made.

Frost could not tell if this woman was either crazy or had somehow warmed up to her. She also had to wonder just how much trust they put into Carpalis’ judgement. It somehow defused Frost's edge in a way.

“An obsession or characteristic that transforms a person into an Impuritas? And what about the monsters? The Hungry? The Pages? You’re telling me they have... wait. Characteristic. Like the hunger and rage of the Crimson Hunger...” Frost immediately fell into deep thought as she tried to discern just what these things exactly were.

But in the end, there was still little she knew. And it did not help that this Impuritas herself didn’t know what she was either, save that she transformed into one, whether through obsession or a certain characteristic.

It was almost like a contrast to the Corrupted, who were mostly created using emotions and beliefs.

“Do you believe that I, one of Carpalis’ benevolent Captains, are anything remotely similar to those monstrosities? Granted... granted that Mr. Fisher has seemingly turned into one of them. You know, an Animal.” L.S stated. “Betrayer of Carpalis’ generosity. Oh! And you’re an Anid!?”

“No. I’m the Amalgam. Whether you understand what it means or not doesn’t matter as long as we ‘get along’. Just come with me and keep talking... and are you hurt anywhere else?” Frost deeply sighed, pushing her ahead as she took Jury’s tail with her. “... Jury really did try to save you, huh.”

“She’s a beautiful woman, isn’t she? Truly an Angel in disguise –!”

“I said to keep moving.”