532. A Flower’s Farewell and The Essence of an Awakening

532. A Flower’s Farewell and The Essence of an Awakening

Frost should have known it from the start. The reason why they skirted around the reason of bringing Frost along seemed so obvious now. The Blooming Week was a time for mourning and there was only one person in the world who the triplets cared enough to visit.

The Blue Dahlia slept at the base of the twisted oak tree. Pink flowers blossomed on each branch as petals cascaded over the humble, lonely island where only the most honored souls were buried.

Not a single headstone was to be found. Instead, eternally lasting flower wreaths with the nameplate of the individuals name were placed atop their graves. The triplets stood at the one buried directly beneath the tree, where the name ‘Blue Dahlia’ was carved out.

Frost joined the triplets as they paid their respects to their long-passed mother, beginning with Cer who placed the purple lisianthus down beside her flower wreath. Red roses and several bouquets were already present.

“Galia came to you first, huh.” Cer spoke both fondly and awkwardly, as if a stranger to her own mother. “I still don’t get what happened between you. But I’m thankful that you at least had a good friend, even if she’s just a snake in human skin.”

She brushed away the broken thorns of the rose left behind by none other than Raoul with a small, longing smile.

“Thank you for at least... giving birth to me. I don’t believe in an afterlife or any of that crap. But if you’re somehow looking down at us then or through Res, then I hope you’re at least smiling now.”

Cer brushed the petals of the lisianthus before reaching up to grab Frost’s sleeve.

“This is Frost. She’s the reason why we’re doing better now. It took thirty years, but we finally have a place where we can replace our old home. Can you believe it? A troublemaker like me works for the same person that rules over that.” She referenced the Nexus with only her words, tugging lightly on Frost’s sleeve again.

Frost knew exactly what the they wanted, and so, she took a deep breath and solemnly spoke from the bottom of her heart.

“I wish I could have met you. I wish I could have told you how wonderful these three are. I thought how ridiculous they were when we first met. But along the way we shared hardships and struggled despite not seeing eye to eye at first. They eventually became irreplaceable to me.” Frost brought a hand to each of their heads, causing them to mellow as their sadness was replaced with everlasting warmth. “They’re in good hands now. Rest well, Blue Dalhia. Leave these three to me.”

“Guess we’re officially adopted now.” Cer wanted to laugh but she refrained. “We usually just come here to bring flowers. But today is different.”

“Very different.” Ber finally spoke, placing down a bundle of blue dahlias freshly plucked from the neighboring islands. “Because we brought ‘mom’ here too. I can call you that, right Frost? Only sometimes is ok.”

“As long as you don’t overdo it.” Frost smiled as Ber stared down at her mother’s grave, not a single emotion showing on her face.

“... I went through hell because of you.” She began. It was clear that deep down emotions bubbled within the cauldron of her heart. “I Corrupted and found myself as something I wish I never was. You cast me away into the lake like a dog. I still don’t remember a time when you looked at me.”

Her emotions were on the brink of eruption. It all bellowed out through her throat as her fists curled into balls of fury. But she never allowed herself to lash out. Instead, Ber adamantly maintained an unchanging expression as she intrepidly uttered:Alll latest novels at novelhall.com

“But even so... what matters the most is that I’m here now. What happened then will never leave me. It’ll always be a part of me. But I can confidently say that I’ve grown as a result. I can’t say thank you because you did nothing for me. But like Cer, I still have to thank you for bringing me into this world. I’m sure that if your disease didn’t eat at you then things could have changed. That’s the tragedy of it all. So I will never bring myself to blame you.”

Frost remembered the indifferent Ber from months ago. It felt like it had been years since they first met. Ber at the time never really spoke her mind or claimed a direction. She mostly went along with Cer’s antics and was just there in the background.

But over time Ber grew up to become such an exceptional wolf that knew exactly who and what she was, as well as what she wanted. It brought Frost to tears as she listened to them say their goodbyes.

And finally, it was Res’ turn to offer her bundle of red roses.

She placed them in the center of the flower wreath, and then, she plucked a folded handkerchief from a pocket. Within was a beautiful blue shard – a piece of her Atelier Lenses that held the consciousness of the Blue Dahlia.

It was not an item Frost could analyze either, and it was not known if it was because it was far out of her league or...

... because it wasn’t an item at all.

“I thought you were buried here thirty years ago.” Res softly started with a hushed murmur, her voice slowly picking up as she found the confidence to stand straight. “But this this whole time you were still shielding my eyes. For thirty years you have still been with me.”

< That light you have absorbed is indescribable >

< It is not a soul thankfully >

Thank goodness for that. So what is it? A pure form of Nex or something?

< Unknown I’m afraid >

< But if I had to venture a guess – then all my calculations point towards an... >

Nav paused as if in disbelief.

What Nav? What do you think it means?

< ... An Awakening? >

She was not certain of it herself. But as if to confirm her suspicions –

< Magus formally invites you into the Floor of Hope >

– Magus finally opened his doors for them.

Frost stared at the Atelier Lens in stupor.

The light had finally faded away. Something had triggered within the mind of the Blue Dahlia in her final moments. And like a fleeting candle, she burned the brightest before her lights were snuffed out.

If she was still alive, then she would have been the first to take a step towards an Awakening – a process that was still difficult to fathom.

But it was neither a process of despair like the Corruption nor something hideous like the attachment of the Impuritas to their Hearts from what she could tell.

If anything, it was hope in its purest form.