257. The Heart of the City

257. The Heart of the City

The descent was eerily silent. The violent flutter of their apparel made no sound. Neither did the flames. Darkness had taken a physical form, absorbing all light in this endless well.

*Badump*

*Badump*

There was a crimson glow far below. If it were not for the rushing wind, they would not be able to tell which way was up or down. Not a single word was shared as they braced themselves for the inevitable encounter. Even though there was nothing to be wary of given their individual strength, never mind their combined might, Frost expected the worst.

Above there were only a handful of bodies in spite of how frequently people fought along those platforms.

This pit could therefore only mean one thing.

It was a chute to toss the deceased. And her suspicions were conformed as the scent of rotting flesh assaulted her entire being, appearing like a red mist. The pungent smell rocked her to the core as her eyes reflected the crimson light beneath. Soon, the golden luster of her irises dulled as the walls began to widen.

The end was near. The light beyond was nothing but pure red. After their momentary blindness they found themselves in the skies of a subterranean ocean. A deep crimson sea stretched infinitely for all Frost knew. They held their breath, greeted by the hellish dreamscape that had no right to exist, and yet it did. A world beneath a world was allowed to exist. To fester and hide within ancient sediment.

To Frost, this world was like the stomach of a beast.

“Those are all bodies...” Ignis was beyond shocked.

The islands that littered the oceans were in fact the amalgamation of thousands... no, hundreds of thousands of bodies, clumped together as they sailed into the distance. Some were still alive, whilst others were long gone but could not decompose due to the Nascent Fluids.

“They got one hell of a dumping ground. This isn’t the Derma Layer yet by the way.” Cer noted as they continued to descend, the False Heart leading them. “Killing them and stealing their souls weren’t enough, so they go and defile their bodies after death.”

“You’re wrong.” Carpalis solemnly uttered. “It is not postmortem. Those here are as alive as those outside. I did not expect to be greeted with this sight. It’s disappointing, no matter how many times I must see this.”

“Have you seen this before?” Jury asked as Carpalis began to increase in size, becoming a giant in the blink of an eye as her legs plunged first into the ocean, reaching the deep sediment of bone and flesh underneath.

It reached up to her waist, and she gently caught everyone with her lonely hand.

“Eleph and Zeiyea. The forefront of the conflict between Humans and Demons. A war of righteousness. Of who to blame for the emergence of the Corrupted... beings that have always existed. The seas in the south are no different to this. Beaches here will see seaweed wash ashore. There, you will find the innards of disemboweled victims, tangled on the memories of a broken sandcastle.”

The world resonated with Carpalis who had seen the worst the world has to offer numerous times during her extensive lifespan. Her voice, however monotone and emotionless it was, carried the weight of insurmountable emotions.

Frost’s flames became hotter as Carpalis walked towards the very place the icebergs of people conglomerated, all the while the others did what they could to end their misery. These people, according to Carpalis, had only a fraction of the original soul, and therefore could only hold a minute aspect of themselves.

Mouths began to move. Hands reached towards an invisible sun. Eyes stared up, twinkling at nonexistent stars.

“Did we have to fight? I can’t take it anymore. Which one is the real me?”

“Pressures. Burdens. What is there to strive for other than our orders?”

“The city sealed us away. We were brought from all over the world into a place worse than our homes.”

“Hello! Fighting again I see... Does it always have to end this way?”

“The bird had one thousand eyes. The bird had one thousand eyes. The bird had one thousand eyes –”

They mostly repeated the finale phrases of their life, or the things that mattered the most to them. Names. Family. Wants. Needs. Desires. Aspirations. Despair. Hopes. Dreams –

Frost became lightheaded. The beating of her False Heart had almost all but subsided in favor of the one ahead.

“What do you believe the soul is?” Carpalis asked no one in particular, saddened as the triplets gave them their final goodbyes.

“Us.” Jury answered.

Carpalis shook her head to say ‘no’.

“The soul is the identity. As much as our bodies and our egos are. Together, along with components you may or may not believe in, create ‘us’. But without the soul, I do not believe we can truly be alive. It may not make sense to you, but it does because I can see it.” She answered, instilling the importance of the soul.

Frost did not know if such a thing existed on Earth. She didn’t know what she believed in, but the medical side of her tended to disagree. Still, that did not change the reality of this world.

“... it sounds like it’s one component of the whole.” Frost answered, drawing in labored breaths.

“Beholder Descartes would agree. He preaches this to his Big Five. The soul has a shape, but it is so easily molded by the whims of the world. Factors internally and externally. I am bringing this up because your soul, Frost, is indecipherable now.” Carpalis stated. “I have never seen one of such... impotence. Is this the result of those flames?”

“Likely.” Frost answered briefly as they spotted a certain being in the distance. “... Hey. Isn’t that the Bride?”

< This city was built with our blood. Our veins. Our nerves. Our hearts. A million collective lungs breathe life into this incomplete us. When millions are damned who can blame them when their screams morph into violence? We must be fed in this city of eat or be eaten. We will become united as one collective self to ease this pain > ORIGIN : ImpuritasHP : 125,000,000 ATT DEF : 50,000MAG DEF : 50,000 LEVEL : 1ORIGIN : ImpuritasATT : 1,000MAG ATT : 0ATT DEF : 0MAG DEF : 0RESIST : 1,000AGI : 20

“... Galia gave up? She – She gave up just like that!? CARPALIS! WHAT WAS SHE THINKING!? WHAT SENSE DOES IT MAKE TO KEEP THESE THINGS ALIVE!?”

“I... do not know. But I recall that it was a swift retreat.” Carpalis spoke, her hand beginning to tremble to Frost’s growing heat. “... it’s permeating through my defenses... I am against needless bloodshed. But that thing is something I am more than willing to remove if it means to make amends for my wrongs.”

In that instant, Carpalis’ Faustian Bargain extended as she marched forward. If she grew any more it would make fighting all the more difficult.

“That sounds like something she’d do.” Cer was annoyed to admit this. “Wanna take this thing down up close, or do you need more Nex Jury!?”

“Handing over the Nex right now!” Res exclaimed.

“Got it!” Ber added.

“Carpalis! Is this kind of enemy strong to you!?” Jury had to ask as the triplets huddled around her, replenishing her Nex.

“Hardly... it is a hidden nuisance. Woe of the Fallen Stars are no more difficult than an Eternal Night... Ouch. Ouch. Ouch... Frost. I do not want to drop you.” Carpalis hummed. “But I don’t think you can help it. Oh well... I will endure.”

“The cleansing flame that erased the city of old. A prophecy unfolding. Destiny manifesting. It is laughable that you believe your flames will cleanse the filth that you depict us as.”

“BUT THE DEATHS YOU CAUSE ISN’T UNFORGIVABLE!? YOU ALL THREW ME INTO THIS GAUNTLET AGAINST MY WILL TO BEGIN WITH! IF IT REALLY IS A PROPHECY, THEN IT’S A SELF FULFILLING ONE!” Frost’s flames brimmed once again, causing the others to rush to the edges of Carpalis’ palms in complaint, unable to bear them any longer.

“Calm the hell down Frost!” Cer barked. “You’re going to get us caught in that!”

“Please Frost – Please just – Just stay levelheaded!” Jury begged.

“... Papa...” Ignis trembled, reliving the moments that transpired in Divas Pass.

All manner of voices tried to reach her including Nav’s, but they all fell onto deaf ears as her eyes rapidly became bloodshot.

“It was no act of malevolence. It was of necessity. You, Amalgam, are the enemy of all life. While you call us the impurities you fail to understand the filth that is your existence, and that celestial rock that forever tainted this world.”

The ceiling began to shake. Something was happening on the surface. But Frost could not care any less. She wanted nothing more than to destroy that thing as Carpalis’ eyes began to visibly twitch in response to her rising heat.

The others had to abandon the palm, plunging into the sea. Jury tried to reach in to help, but her hands singed as a result. Still, she never stopped trying until the flames completely overran Carpalis’ hand.

“You have no idea what you are. What you have done. What you are doing now. Do you feel those tremors? Hundreds of Seeds have been sewn and are sprouting monsters across your precious city. Your Nex has been their sustenance.”

Frost was at her breaking point.

She just needed one last push now.

And the Queen gladly did so.

“Don’t you understand that you have already discarded many in your futile efforts to cleanse us. Amalgam. That Piece of the Fallen Star will be ours. You will be wished out of existence!”

//////// < WARNING > ////////

< The Will of the Amalgam Has Reached the Fifth State >

“And we will build this world into a paradise in our image!”