The atmosphere inside of the Nexus quickly changed. The chaos of the Blessed flooding back into the Nexus had died down where they now trickled in only ten Blessed a day. By now all Blessed in the Nex Megalopolis had returned to the Nexus.

The situation stabilized as the bustling streets were filled with vibrant life as Frost remembered it. But there were still people who grieved, waiting day by day at the Central Relay in hopes of seeing their loved ones again.

Stars of the Nexus emotionally assured them. There was no ‘Iscario’ to lead them astray, and Frost appointed Ber to personally watch over them like a guard dog at the very entrance of the Nexus.

If there was a Moon to fear, then it was her. The Exalted of the Nexus did not play a substantial role, but they were responsible for very minor things. For instance, some of the Exalted were responsible for training the Receptionists. In fact, there was a level 200 Exalted that was a Receptionist themselves and was believed to be among the first to have acquired the role.

This person, however, was not currently inside of the Nexus. They were known to take the last two months of the year off due to the Blooming. In all likelihood, they were somewhere in Atlas.

The Moons of the Nexus were busy on this fateful day, seeking for Aspiring Moons from across the lands of Elysia. In reality, it was only localized to the Nex Megalopolis due to the loss of the Hyperlink Relays.

What was special about today? Ber, the Claw of the Amalgam was the only one of the Three Heads of Security that were not present at the most esteemed gathering ever held within the Nexus. Those trusted by the Archetypes and personally invited by the Amalgam gathered in a Sub-Floor that was but a simple chamber, shaped like a hall with a dome-shaped ceiling.

Unlike the Arbiter’s Council which was lathered with gold and extravagance, this place was simple. The ceiling, though round, appeared boundless as the sight of a million stars hovered above them, spiraling around the center where an invisible force tethered them in orbit.

The walls were painted black and emitted a gentle glow. A halo of light emanated from the walls, ceiling, and floor of this round room. In the center sat a round table made from glass, allowing perfect transparency to the void-colored floor, and the lower parts of those that sat around it.

This place was none other than the Amalgam’s Summit. A planetarium best described it, but the bulges in the walls that rose along like pillars also made it appear like a bird cage.

Here sat all the Archetypes excluding the Director; Satania from Oboros Infinitas; Galia from Justica Arms; Jury from Time Reverberation; and finally, Cer and Res who stood by the doors like statues, dressed in their beautiful suits.

Nav and Ignis were urged not to attend. Allowing more people to know of Nav’s identity was too dangerous. Galia knew of Nav, but not her powers. Satania on the other hand had little idea on who she was, and Frost preferred to keep that way.

Where the Arbiter’s Council was a battlefield disguised as a formal annual gathering, the Amalgam’s Summit had a much more casual feel. Everyone present was on good terms in one way or another, and it was a place of free discussion rather than a ridged singular talking-head process.

Anna even served hot to tea to everyone, save for Galia who polite refused what she saw was ‘leaf water’, and indulged in a warm brew of coffee straight from her Dimensional Storage. It was even inside of a mug. Frost wondered just how items were kept in stasis within the Subcut Layer.

“Sitting here across from you is a hell I never considered.” Satania scoffed at the Arbiter, resting her head on a fist as she stared daggers at the benevolent Angel from across the table.

It was a bit of a stretch to say that they were on good terms.

 “On neutral grounds. On a Summit of only the best of the best. It must’ve been hell for whoever was unfortunate enough to pass decrees in your presence.” Satania added, causing Anna to shiver slightly as she poured the Demon her cup of tea. “Rest east, Archivist. We’re friends here in this life.”

Anna then blinked curiously. “Did we know each other?”

“No. We didn’t make it close to you. Nowhere near.” Satania didn’t elaborate. She was long over her past, but her wrath against the Arbiter hadn’t changed since the day she left that world.

The Arbiter wore a kind, passive face. But beyond it was the glimmer of a devil feigning ignorance. At least that was how Frost perceived it as the two went back and forth.

“I’ve only heard of good things about my past council.” Michaela comfortably leaned into her chair, overlapping her legs as she sealed her eyes shut. “It was paradise in a world of wretched magic and machines.”

“Haven’t you heard? A tyrant is will never hear bad things from their subjects. They all become yes-men.” Satania swirled the tea around.

“Is that so? They were bounded by sacramentum.” The Arbiter sipped from her tea, causing Satania to place hers down.

The mere thought of drinking the same liquid as Michaela disgusted her to no end. Her face contorted as she sharpened a nail along her ram-like horns, her left eye’s sclera becoming black, as the right remained in its serpent-like form.

Frost wanted to intervene, but she’d be lying if she said that she didn’t want this to continue for a little more. Learning the depth of their blood feud was a good way to gauge just how much contempt they had for one another.

But strangely enough, the Arbiter never spoke back to Satania.

“If oath was binding, then your lapdog never would have eaten the light.” Satania threw herself against the neck of the chair, staring up into the stars.

“A lapdog is loyal. My dear Elysia fell into the vice of her gluttony. It was her choice.”

“Then why is she hailed as an Angel? The lack of self-awareness almost makes me want to see what’s on the inside of your chest. But I’m respectful of the Amalgam’s wishes. Tch. What whispers do you tell yourself in there? Inside of that demented mind of yours?”

“Justice. What I seek is for the right thing to be done. Isn’t that why we are here? In this sacred kingdom?” The Arbiter smirked, speaking as if it was a given.

“No. The reason we’re here isn’t for something as delusional as your pride Your hymns are unaccompanied. Looking at you, I can’t help but believe that you’re still dreaming.”

“I like to wonder myself. If you’re curious, then maybe you can unearth something from my past when the time comes.” The Arbiter spoke calmly, bellowing Satania’s fury until Frost intervened by raising a hand.

It silenced them in an instant, and the Little Frost joined her as did the Big Frost who sandwiched her.

“Enough. I didn’t call you here to fight. Set your differences aside or risk being expulsion from ever setting foot here again. Angels and Demons are one the same as far as I’m concerned.” Frost announced as the Star Child drew a crown in the air. “The matter of your past is not the focus of this Summit. I’ve brought you all here to discuss amongst us, with the main focus being Iscario.”

Unearth, huh. No one in this world uses ‘Earth’ in their vocabulary. Did she learn that from Galia?

“The Arbiter states that she heard it from a long-lost friend.”

From me then.

Frost then cleared her throat and continued:

“The Summit doesn’t have a form or structure, so we may juggle topics. The Summit concludes when the main focus has been discussed. All decisions made here will trickle down to the Ateliers.”

“Beholder Jury will enforce them.” Magus added, hanging his top hat on a small bump on the top of his chair. “In a week Time Reverberation will be greenlighted to begin all operations. Greenlight meaning ready. I apologize for our otherworldly vocabulary! But as we’re no strangers to distant worlds.”

“Ironically, all of us aren’t exactly from Elysia.” Anna cautiously harped as she fiddled with what looked like a giant glass chopping board.

It was so large that it nearly dragged her off her seat, but she was luckily helped by the Big Frost who took it into her hands and placed it into the center of the table.

“More ironic that the people we can trust the most are also Otherworlders. We’re stretching the definition of it now. As long as it gets the message across.” Galia shrewdly spoke. “I’m impressed your Atelier is coming along well. Your Workshop was only opened recently.”

“What can I say? Time’s on my side.” Jury smiled, making a pun that Nav would be proud of.

Indeed. Jury’s Workshop had opened a few days prior. It was located on the same level as the Floor of Amalgamation. Interestingly enough, Workshops began was white, blank voids, kind of like a canvas. By expending Nex, the Beholder that owned it could imprint their will and physically shape the world.

This was expensive of course. Galia thankfully sponsored her, building her relationship with Jury. The white void was a contrast to the darkness of the Subcut when one opened their Dimensional Storage, as well as the Threshold.

The reason Frost pointed it out was because she noticed a pattern of duality in this world, although, things like good and evil were completely out of whack and may as well not exist.

In any case, Jury’s Workshop was instrumental in aiding in her development of her Atelier. Combined with the Isolation Spheres and it saw incredible progress in only a week. Frost was due for a visit soon to work on creating something to initiate the Replication Cycles. Repenters needed to be ready to be sent straight to work.

They were just waiting for this, and for Mimicry to be ready to handle itself.

“This is?” Satania asked as all eyes fell onto the glass plate.

Suddenly, a holographic image of the Nex Megalopolis appeared. Only various Sectors of the City of Hearts were mapped. This plate was a snapshot of the map found in the Floor of Civilization.

“What I’ve mapped out so far. Survivors of the Eyes are working with me in the Floor of Civilization to map them onto crystal plaques for personal use. It’ll be a while before I can record it all, but for now we have eyes on the major portions of the City of Hearts.”

“Good work. That’ll make tracking the White Rabbit down possible. That’s if it’s visible to us.” Frost praised her, causing Anna to smile happily. “The children of the Derma Layer are due for an excursion into H5.”

A small chuckle came from Satania all of a sudden.

“You weren’t joking when you said that our discussions are free to make.” Satania was amused by this. “The White Rabbit… I can’t say I’m familiar with the phenomenon. A filtered psychological presence is a telltale sign of the Fractured Nilhim.”

“It may also be Infecta Rot.” Galia added. “Or your favorite – the Broken Thorn.”

“Neither of the two fit the criteria. The former has no machine presence. The latter would come straight for my throat.” Satania assured them.

Infecta Rot were a machine Impuritas Group that infected objects, creating sapient constructs. Where other Impuritas Groups required biomass, they required land and objects to fuel their disgusting ambitions.

Anything that wasn’t living was a target of theirs.

Thankfully, they were quite limited with their approach, only able to function in the presence of a Heart or a high-ranking Infecta Rot member. Without these limitations, they would have already devoured a quarter of all Elysia.

As for the Broken Thorn…

“Stragglers. Survivors. They’re the strays who seek revenge against us. Not all those we punish die. I’m not even sure if they have a Heart to call their own. Not much else we know about them. By the time we’re done with them, all that’s left is their innards and bodily shavings. Like the thorns of a broken rose.” She said before returning to the topic of the White Rabbit. “Magician. How about you pull a bunny out of your hat?”

“I assure you; this is no trick of mine!” Magus laughed, applauding her joke which strangely, caused Satania to smirk. “A rabbit seen only by children is indeed a mystery. Rather than an Impuritas Group, a Corrupted fits the criteria better.”

They were all in agreement with this. What made the White Rabbit so scary was its reach. If people from the City of Hearts and the City of Diamonds experienced this phenomenon, then it was absolutely beyond that of Monsoon, and perhaps even Eternal Night.

This was why it was one of the topics discussed at the Summit.

Other facts were thrown around, such as the children mistaking Jury for the White Rabbit and vice versa. It only brought even more questions as the Arbiter’s eyes finally opened, revealing their golden luster before she raised a hand, as if asking for silence.

When it was granted, all seven of her tails coiled into one, tangled, fluffy mess as if to mimic Jury’s tail.

“Oh? But have you considered it to be an Aberration of Elysia?”