662. Traces of Tasty Electric Shocks

662. Traces of Tasty Electric Shocks

A week had passed since they arrived in Grandis. Jury was present too, but she was stationed in Central Grandis alongside Galia and a sizeable force of Atelier personnel.

Trailing at least by one day behind Frost and Cer were the Exalted and the Tear Retrievers. As for the Iron Stars and the Black Moons; Moses returned to the Ark just south of Paradise. The chains that anchored it into Grandis remained. There were mountains smaller than an individual link.

Twisted shadows of these chains consumed most of southern Grandis as if to lock it up. Frost did not gain much insight into what the Ark was aside from being a mobile prison. The Iron Stars and the Black Moons were so dangerous that they were locked away in a world that desperately lacked Stars of the Nexus.

The reason for this was one of their powers:

“The ability to send entire cities into Subderma Layer. It was their method of removing impurities from the face of the world. From what we know, it has contributed heavily to the massive population that exists beneath the Epiderma Layer.”

Nav answered.

“It is different from Spatial Distortions. Remember, the Subderma can physically be accessed without the need to warp space. Think of it as a deep-sea trench. Those who sleep at the bottom will inevitably burst as they rise. Those who fall will cave in as they descend. It is nearly impossible to escape without, as Lailah claims, indomitable P-Factor Augmentation. Incandescent Ranked Souls wouldn't have much trouble.”

Another piece of the Nexus’s damned past. Make Sure Umbra does not use them for this purpose. We will need to keep a leash on them. Luckily, they seemed willing to cooperate. Eager, more like... They appeared suddenly like they smelt blood in the water.

The Iron Stars and the Black Moons was a major topic Cer, Nav and Frost had been focusing on for the past few days. Aside from their existence, Cer had zero knowledge of them. But it did not surprise them that they were instrumental in the past wars and the dark ages of Elysia’s history.

Not for the good reasons, however. Iron Stars were what happened if an Eclipse were tasked with assassinating a civilization rather than an individual. It would be no exaggeration to say that they were currently the strongest assets of the Nexus outside of the Beholders and the Archetypes.

But with that power came unpredictability. Their powers would come to be known soon enough, as with the Black Moons who were no more than Moons that embrace the Chained Theocracy’s defeatist and fatalistic philosophies.

“Black Moons have gotta be one of the rarest Moons. Right up there next to Blue Moons. You know how we’re named after different phases of the moon? A black moon is a moon that doesn’t exist.” Cer brought up.

“Makes sense considering they were also locked away.”

“Who has the better stats?”

“I haven’t seen one yet. But if they’re anything like the Iron Stars, then they’ll be stronger for sure. Probably not as much as Ber and Res. They’re on an entirely different level. Rest assured, Cer. It won’t change anything that’s already established. The Stars might belong to the Nexus’ on the virtue of them being Stars, but the Black Moons are loyal to Umbra.” Frost informed. “Unless we can integrate them.”

“I don’t know how to feel about Moons that are secretly stronger than us. What would even be their use case? Send them on suicide missions like the Vermillion Moons?”

“Depends on what they’re trained to do. Lailah and Nav don’t have an answer yet, other than they’re paired with an Iron Star. Besides, they’re the least of my worries right now. We’ll have a few of them fighting with us when the time comes.”

“Yeah, and let’s see how strong they actually are.” Cer pouted.

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They eventually reached a place far from Paradise where the landscape began to flatten out. Large hills coalesced behind a pale fortress in the great distance. The structures here were not ruined like those before.

An impenetrable wall of emerald trees lined the bases of the mountain range. Birds that were like miniature dragons soared above those clouded peaks, diving in and out like fish in a brine pool.

Isca’s Fort was one of three major fortresses that defended Infernis. Towering walls with battlements ran from the foot of the mountains to the distant ruins of Paradise. It was untouched to their surprise. Ashes fell from the skies. They originated from various piles of forever smoldering fire crystals.

They were no doubt used to burn corpses. It was a rather unspectacular location. Nothing within the castle-like fort was anything of particular interest. Information was not usually stored in strategic locations.

Weapons on the other hand were plentiful. Racks of halberds, swords, spears, and shields lined every dark room. The quality was quite good from what Frost could tell as she plucked the head of a halberd, then, with a resounding shatter – crushed it in her bare hands.

Behind the fort were mountains of charred metal armor. With no traces of bone and with the Interrogating Clock showing nothing of significant value, it was unclear what exactly had transpired in this place.

A field of haybales sat beside it, which were used to feed the horses of an enormous stable. Not a single horse was to be found, aside from frayed leads and bone fragments.

“The Salivating Spark, huh.”

“Whatever they want to call it. To think a Corrupted ended up forming because of my rampage. Annoying, but it’s got my blood charged in a good way. Maybe I can grab myself a unique ability while I’m at it. You’ll be there too, so it’s not like I’m at any risk.”

Cer shrugged as Frost picked up an armor piece, bringing it close to her face.

“Do you always go into missions recklessly like that?”

“Duh. What do I look like a coward?”

“I can’t believe you’re one of the oldest Moons.”

“Well, what can I say?”

“... Haaah.”

Maybe bringing the single braincelled wolf along was a bad idea.

Frost’s attention moved back to the metal. She brushed off the excess soot with [Cleanse], revealing severe warping and discoloration. Another strange thing was that the ‘soot’ contained powdered metal too.

Just as she was about to put it aside, her eyes caught something peculiar.

“Cer. Did you notice this?”

“Notice what? You got the better eyes, so you gotta point it out to me.”

Frost’s fingers revealed a Lichtenburg figure in the metal.

“Did you shock them when you touched them?”

“No. I only lashed out at the fort. Oh... Oh shit. This is kind of troubling now.”

They exchanged stares before looking back down at the Lichtenberg figure. Quickly, the two sifted through various scattered armor pieces.

They all revealed the exact same markings.

“The culprit didn’t just use normal fire.” Cer’s bared her teeth eagerly all of a sudden. “They electrocuted them. The bodies would’ve burned immediately. No, skip that. They would’ve vaporized on the spot.”

Cer demonstrated by taking a metal sheet and, in the next instant, a bright flash of blue light disintegrated it. A cloud of black and grey vapor was all that was left behind. Nothing, not even a shaving of metal, remained in her hands.

The scent of chlorine returned as it usually did during extreme electrical discharges, as ozone was formed as a result.

What Frost witnessed was an arc flash, the ultimate nightmare of electrical mishaps. The fact that the triplets could withstand it, never mind control it, never properly registered in her mind until now.

“Fucking hell. Cer. That Corrupted of yours is on a rampage of its own.”

“Seems like it. This isn’t that much different from the scenes I’ve caused, so I had a feeling this had to be my fault. Somehow. In some way. Anyway, it’s going to be a Monsoon Corrupted since it couldn’t erase their armor. At worst it’ll be an Eternal Night.”

Cer nudged Frost’s shoulder.

“Let’s go hunt the old me!”