“Beholder Marionette, and the woven Act X. Weaver of the Strings. Producer of the Scripts.” The pale-haired woman spoke in an uncanny, monotone voice. It was as hollow as her dead eyes.

She never blinked, and her body moved crookedly as though she were hoisted by invisible strings. Frost did not see the strings with her [String Theory] Ability. It was humorous. For a Beholder named after puppet, she didn’t seem to be seized by a higher order.

Her name could be interpreted in two ways. As the one who turns others into marionettes or was a marionette herself. Frost refused to arrive at a conclusion until she heard more from this Beholder.

Act X was another Atelier that greatly intrigued her because of their ability to predict the future; and disgusted her due to the nature of the Scripts. From what she understood, the commandments were a means to fuel their ability to read the future.

Beholder Marionette’s hidden hands crackled beneath her thick coat before she continued.

“The loom that weaves meaning into threads. Purpose into the acolytes of the Scripts. Our Act X is tied to the sacred machine that governs every act, every word, and every intention – whether they had, have, or will become. We are the thread spinners of cloth. Interpreters of fate. Couriers of vital predictions. Protectors of meaning.”

Her eyes, although a bright gold like that of an Angel, possessed a void darker than any Frost had ever seen. It ate at her, gnawing constantly at her mind as she steeled herself, her eyes brightening as if to illuminate that dark, spiraling well.

They were like a black hole, her irises the golden accretion disk, devouring all to fill the hollow husk of this enigmatic Beholder. Unlike the others who had a semblance of self, Beholder Marionette was the first Beholder where Frost had no idea what to even call her.

“We are tasked with maintaining control over the Fate Mechanism. In the hands of the ill and purpose-driven, it will be disastrous. We neither feed on flesh like the Gears, nor torment the minds to harness Nex. We simply require the fulfillment of the Script’s commandments. Nothing more, nothing less.”

The mention of the Fate Mechanism was yet another source of confusion for the Moons. Stars seemed to be far more involved than Frost was led to believe, as many did not react. As denizens devoted strictly to the Nexus, it made sense that they at least would have known of this Advent.

The Fate Mechanism was an ominous name that instantly conveyed a glimmer of its power. Seeking to quell their confusion, as well as further her standing with the Moons, Frost asked Beholder Marionette to elaborate now that her introduction had concluded.

It was time to separate the needles of truth from the haystack of lies.

“The Fourth Advent, but of course. The Advent of Purpose.” Her lips very lightly curved into portentous smile, devoid of any intention or emotion. “Our Fourth Advent. I can hear it ring. You ask ‘How can there be a fourth when there is no established third?’.”

She read the minds of the Moons prior to arriving to the Council; each word and every emotion, and perhaps this entire Council predicted ahead of time. Suddenly, a hand stuck out from the center of her robes like a hand bursting forth from a coffin. Her metal fingers dragged a small, glistening blue string into the air where it was caught by an invisible hook.

The end of this string could not be found, for it disappeared into the very air above her, as if linked to a Dimensional Storage. Frost was curious. So curious in fact that she pondered on whether or not the strings were attached to the Subcut Layer.

“Do you wish to put it to the test?” The Beholder asked and Frost immediately understood what she wanted her to do. “I will hold it. Do as you please.”

“You are aware of what I possess. I was under the impression that I couldn’t be tracked by that Advent.” Frost said, focusing on the end of that string as she invoked one of her abilities.

The Oblivion Lock.

< ABILITY: Oblivion Lock >

(Aspect of Technology | Chained Theocracy)

< EFFECT: Expend Nex to create an Oblivion Lock. It will prevent most interactions with the Subcut Layer depending on the amount of Nex used >

< Cost: 5,000 NEX per second >

The power devoured from one of the Chained Theocracy’s Aspects of Technology.

Currently, Frost’s Nex sat at around a few hundred thousand. She only needed to use this briefly to test if that was connected to the Subcut Layer. She doubted it however, as she had seen non-Blessed attached to those strings.

Also…

‘Most interactions.’

Perhaps this Beholder’s was different?

“It’s a minor Aspect after all. It will be worthwhile absorbing more technologies. All Ateliers are here. The feast brought itself to you.” Nav commented.

That’s one way to put it. Yeah. I’m going to make the most out of their time here. I’ll take any scraps that I get my hands on… Nav. Can these Beholders hear you? Carpalis could so long as I was near her.

The woman only stared with hollow eyes, as if she could hear their mental conversation.

“Not anymore. In this form, that ability is now lost. I must be near them, intend to speak with them, or be somehow linked with their mind.” Nav assured.

Suddenly, Beholder Marionette spoke:

“Amalgam. You speak the truth. The Advent of Purpose excludes you from its power. But…” She uttered as Frost exerted a sudden force that immediately locked out those within the Council. “… your presence within it is like a void. While it cannot be read, we can determine certain details in its surroundings. As the Director has explained to me.”

In that moment, Nav gave the order to Ber to attempt to use her Dimensional Storage and to her surprise, she could not access it anymore. Ber’s hand pressed against an invisible wall, incapable of reaching into the Subcut Layer, much to the amusement of Beholder Umbra.

Frost however, could see something, as could the Arbiter and Jury.

What Ber reached towards was a wall of black chains, where a giant, black padlock pulsated with a glowing, repulsive aura. Frost’s eyes returned to the air above Beholder Marionette, seeing the strand still held high above.

“No need for caution. This… is how I am fed my lines. Straight from the source. It rings, clanks, twists, churns, and sings in a symphony of cranking steel. The raw message of the Fate Mechanism.”

“You interpret those sounds into the Scripts? Into those commandments that tell people to commit gruesome acts just so they can live?” Frost’s tone suddenly shifted as she judged the Beholder.

“What it demands is absolute. Without our Actors, we give up control over the Fate Mechanism to those that substitute them for Gears. No matter how cruel, or how unmerciful the commandments of the Scripts are, it does not change that we are the lesser evil. Because we at least respect the origin of our Actors.”

“The Sect of Gears would never have existed if it weren’t for your Atelier.” Frost countered, knowing well that the sole reason the Impuritas exist was because of the Ateliers.

This, however, unexpectedly caused Beholder Marionette’s smile to shrink, and for the first time, Frost felt something resonating deep within those eyes.

It was an unbelievable yearning for something that was lost.

“Quite the contrary. If it were not for the Sect of Gears, then Act X would never have existed… your ‘truths’ are clouded.

Tell me, did a certain red herring lead you to such a belief?”