238. A Long Awaited Heart to Heart

238. A Long Awaited Heart to Heart

Frost didn’t speak a word to Ber or her sisters, only nodding with a candid smile. Or what looked like one. Her eyes spoke more than what Frost ever could. Never blinking, her eyes remained widened like the headlights of a train. There was much revolving around her mind, clouding it as she received the message from Jury regarding the false healers.

But her judgement remained firm. If Jury had passed their verdict as guilty, then Frost was the judge to decide their fate, and the executioner to bleed them of everything they knew. Coming back from saving Ber and waking up into yet another nightmare caused Frost to become eerily silent, and her gaze carried a hint of mania.

The Red Giant and the Bee Insectid Blood Moon were mummified with layers of steel string. Some had melted and infused with their flesh. Dirt and grit smeared into their open, corrading wounds as she dragged them aside, granting the triplets the privacy they desperately needed without uttering a single word.

But it was clear how she felt about all of this. How it ate at her mind. The nonsensical violence, and the blind fervor of the Scarlet Logic made Frost look towards the flames, her golden eyes brimming with its scarlet burn.

She could not wait to get her hands on those false healers, and she salivated at the thought of watching the City of Spades reduce to cinders.

In the meantime, Ber entered the limelight. Her naked form stood just meters away from a defeated Cer and Res, both tattered and beaten like stray dogs. Their wounds were healed by Frost, but their suits carried the proof of their abuse.

Res needed to look up to face Ber. An emotionally charged gaze trapped them as Res struggled to grasp at the words racing through her mind. What did she want to say? What did she want to hear? Awkwardness coiled around her heart, squeezing the confidence from her as she meekly stared at the new Ber in disbelief.

A part of her still hadn’t digested this reality. And if it was just a dream, then it was a cruel one. Flames brimmed in the backdrop. Nothing but air separated them. The awkwardness and her tears clasped at her throat, silencing her as she opened her mouth to speak.

Cer sifted through the ground, repositioning herself until she had a clean view of Res.

“How about instead of blaming yourself, just be happy that Ber’s still here.” She whispered. “We’ve seen stranger things. Ber coming back all grown up is the least of our worries. BER! WHAT ARE YOU DOING STANDING AROUND! GET – OVER HERE ALREADY!”

Ber’s eyes glistened. It was as if she was waiting for their approval. Like Res, after things had died down a bizarre awkwardness chained her down. But hearing Cer’s voice alleviated them, uprooted the hooks from her heart and before she knew it, she was running towards them.

“You don’t want to be forgiven. But I wanna forgive you. I have to, because even after all this time, there’s one thing that hasn’t changed. Res. I love you. Why... else would I have gone through all that if I didn’t care about you for a second?”

“Stop...”

“You’re my sister. We’re triplets... Maybe it’s just me. Maybe I’m just stupid because I still love Mom. But I can’t bring myself to hate you or her or anyone. I just want to move on.”

Res’s hands slowly wrapped around Ber’s back, struggling to latch on as she became an incoherent mess. Forgiveness was an unbearable pain for someone like Res. But it was a relinquishing one. Perhaps this was what she wanted all along. Forever blaming herself for all these years cemented her guilty chains as truth, so when Ber released her from them, the floodgates opened.

“There are things I still haven’t gotten over. But if there’s one storm that’s passed by, then it’s this. Serum G never let us talk like this, huh? It was always just tugging, hugging, and comforting each other with our presence. A heart to heart...” Ber began to tremble, her eyes sinking as they began to shimmer with moisture. “Was what we needed all along. If anything... I’m sorry. For making us take Serum G. Res. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Their shared tears washed away the bad blood coated along their exposed skin. The scene looked like a mother comforting her child. No one could have guessed that these two were in fact siblings. Cer, gazing at them from the side as she laid down to watch the smoldering skies, softly smiled and threw her forearm over her eyes.

“Isn’t that nice? Moving forward one step at a time. Parts of our old selves are coming back, but it feels like we’re also growing. Can’t see a single star or moon tonight. But I think I’ve seen something brighter than any of those combined... and it’s all thanks to Her.” Cer monologued, shielding her eyes from the metaphorical light above.

... or, more than that, Cer just wanted to hide her own tears.

A glistening bead dripped from her cheek.

She was not one to believe in miracles.

Frost’s presence was more of a blessing than the Blessing of the Nexus itself if it could chisel away at the likes of Serum G.