The Hyperlinks – the one network that was so ingrained into the Nexus and entrenched into the infrastructure of every Atelier that the sabotage of Iscario effectively crippled their reach in a single day.

This was the equivalent of proving that the Gods of Elysia could bleed.

Galia’s mysterious presence amplified when it became her turn. She was aware that the Hyperlinks were one of, if not the largest issue to tackle. Every Beholder eagerly awaited Galia to speak like a pack of hungry dogs, each wanting a turn to speak their mind.

She revelled in the moment. Whether her stalling was on purpose to rile them up was not known. A hand was dragged through the feathers of her dark coat where she plucked a crystal.

It was beautiful. Green and purple whisks of clouds seemed to dance within like a storm. The crystal was a far more juvenile versions of the ones she had seen in the Middle Sanctums. These ones were used for weapons as they were unfit for teleportation. The size correlated with its range, maximum amount of Hyperlink connections, and most importantly – the area of its effect.

She presented it on the flat of her palm like a sacred relic before she began.

“90% of my Hyperlink networks have been destroyed. 70% of all Hyperwarp installations were uprooted. A century of cultivating the perfect crystals has been undone by someone I considered a student.” Galia’s eyes met with the Arbiter, communicating something before she resumed. “My fallen Star will not be the target of this Council. He will be our priority in the Amalgam’s Summit where we will discuss him and the Impuritas. The severance of our much beloved transportation network has shown how woefully reliant we are upon each other’s technology.”

Galia placed the crystal on the table, pushing it to the very edge as she kept one finger placed on top of it.

“Not inherently a bad thing. Hmhm. But I find it humorous that so many of you scrambled away after we fought our frustrated Amalgam. There was no fallback system. No thought put into the ‘what ifs’ or the worst-case scenario. Therefore, I have not come to address how this impacts Justica Arms. We are well off. We have considered this exact scenario. Instead, we will discuss how we will be restoring the Hyperlink Network. How we can improve on them, and, how we can prevent further sabotage moving forward.”

She spoke in a disparaging tone, mocking her peers as she knew that she held many leashes in the palm of her hands. The Hyperlinks were invaluable to them all. Were it not for her contribution, then Galia would have been an enemy to them from day one.

The truth is, she was always an enemy of them. But she had entrenched herself so deeply into their Ateliers that she functioned as the circulatory system that allowed for complex logistics to exist.

Frost wouldn’t even be surprised if there hadn’t been recent attempts on her life. Her technology was one with the Nexus, but her knowledge was far too valuable to lose. Once again, she had to wonder just how Galia rose into power as nothing more than a stray human from Earth.

“Because who is to say that they cannot access currently existing Hyperlinks? Your Branches may as well be compromised. My reasoning for bringing this up is to protect us, as well as to address the timeframe before we can see them in action. A resolution sits in my mind. But I want this to be a combined effort.”

Galia then brought her finger down to the base of the crystal as she aimed it at Frost.

“Amalgam. This crystal is for you. I am aware that your appetite is the source of your strength. Consider this a token of our partnership. I would offer a larger crystal, but they are quite important to our restoration efforts. That is where Time Reverberations will come in.”

With a single flick, the tiny crystal flung across the Council like a bullet, and Frost caught it with unflinching ease. She studied the object in question to verify it.

[Appraise Object].

 

< Your Appraise Object Level is too low >

 

< However, it pulsates with a familiar power. This is undoubtedly made from the Warped Stone >

 

< What will you do? >

 

The only damned thing I’ve been doing since I was thrown into this world.

“I was under the same impression. That was why I didn’t bother you when we visited your Workshop. I am glad I was wrong. I thank you, Galia.” Frost thanked.

And like a piece of candy, she plunged it into her maw and chewed on it. Its texture was like a piece of glass, and the flavour was surprisingly pleasant. It was lavender. It amused Galia and brought interest in the Beholders who had known the Hyperlink Crystals to be near indestructible even amongst themselves.

Suddenly, her veins were filled with an outrageous surge of heat. It felt like her body was on fire, but not in a terrible way. Rather, it was akin to being pumped full of adrenaline as her pupils contracted to the point where they were nearly invisible.

Something morphed within her chest. A sharp resonance originated from within as she heard a chime play music from within. Something grew. What she ate had somehow become a part of her. She couldn’t explain how or why other than that this was how she felt.

It subsided almost immediately, leaving her gasping for breath before she deeply inhaled, claiming control over her body as power coursed through her veins.

 

< I can confirm that what you ate was indeed what we believed it was… However, I think it’s more spectacular than just that! >

 

< Unique Ability Gained >

 

< ABILITY: Raw Fragment of the Warped Stone >

< EFFECT: You may teleport to any tethered Minor Hyperlink Site free of Mana and Nex. Major Hyperlink installations will expend all Mana and half of all accumulated Nex. Teleportation to the Central Relay will expend all Mana, Nex and temporarily drain all stamina >

 

< ADDITIONAL EFFECT: You may be tethered to as many Hyperlink Sites as you wish. Company of a combined mass of 1,000kg may join you so long as you are the one who initiates the travel >

 

< REQUIREMENTS: Teleportation to Minor Hyperlink and Major Hyperlink Sites do not require contact with a Hyperlink Site or Crystal. As the Amalgam, all security measures are bypassed. Teleportation directly into the Nexus may be done at any time and will bring everything in a 100-meter radius alongside you >

 

 

//// < ALERT > ////

< Teleportation to Minor Hyperlink Sites will occur 12 hours afterwards. 24 hours is required for Major Hyperlink Sites >

 

//// < CAUTION > ////

< Teleportation timer may be bypassed at the cost of Sanity, and at the increased risk of Instability. All Alter Frosts that you choose will be granted this power >

 

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

< You will be out of commission upon returning to the Nexus in this manner >

 

< Use in emergencies only >

 

< Otherwise, returning to the Nexus in the usual manner is entirely safe >

 

< This serves as a powerful escape method. What shall we call it? Nexusing? >

 

< Joking aside… Frost. She did not give you any normal Aspect of her technology! This is a part of the Warped Stone! >

 

… Galia… This was way more than I thought I was.

Frost’s shock did not go unnoticed, and Galia’s unchanging smile was all she needed to see to know that she was yet another Beholder she could regard highly like Carpalis. This was by far the last thing Frost expected. Although it was only a fragment of Galia’s tech, it gave Frost one of the greatest powers to date.

The ability to travel the world in the blink of an eye.

So long as the Hyperlinks were reinstated, of course.

“It will take 50 years if we can funnel enough Nex to feed my Crystals. Or, 5 years for a complete restoration with the power of Time Reverberation. It will be a monumental effort. 5 years is too generous. A decade seems more reasonable. Although it is but a blink of an eye to us, time is not entirely on our side. Our enemies grow stronger. Therefore, we must make compromises with the Hyperwarps.

Let us discuss where our primitive installations will be.”