Trial and error was the name of the game. Ten weeks was more than enough time to perfect the Aspects she had in mind. And with the Dream Weaver by her side? This would be a piece of cake!

The whiteout chamber held nothing but a sole source of light coming from an instrument that sat in center of the room. The edges where the floor, walls and ceiling met blended to the point where it was impossible to gauge the size of the room. It was infinite as far as Frost was concerned.

But this was arbitrary to the task at hand. The White Light Apparatus emitted a low-pitched hum as the many intertwining rods vibrated. It took the appearance of a bonfire, reaching roughly her height and a meter in length.

“So it begins. You’ve used the White Light Apparatus before, haven’t you?” Weave tapped on the tip of one of her tentacles like how a doctor flicked a primed needle. “The vibration tells me that you’re getting attuned to it.”

“Sort of. I’ve barely used it at all.” Frost answered, watching as the woman’s tentacles flailing ceased as they took methodical, precise movements.

Weave walked around the instrument, her tentacles reaching for something beneath her dress.

“It’s responding nicely to you though! Must be because you’re an Archetype. The same thing happened to Jury too. But this is also a bad sign.”

“How come?”

“We need the frequency to go higher! The higher it is, the more attuned you are to the Apparatus. It’s not easy to explain or learn. You’re quite lucky that it does come to you naturally, but if you plan to get it done in a matter of weeks…”

She plucked a Genesis Stone from presumably a Dimensional Storage. The object was roughly the size of a first, and she slotted it where the pale rods intersected. It floated in place like metal suspended within an induction coil.

“… then we’re going to have to take a direct method. Did you know that my special power lets me help people weave their dreams into objects? Genesis Stones only or I would’ve made for an excellent Retrofitter or Artificer even!”

Then, one by one, her tentacles stabbed the Genesis Stone, latching onto it like intravenous lines. Her pinkish flesh turned pale where it met with the object, and her long hair began to display hypnotic colors like that of a cuttlefish.

The tentacles turned transparent as fluid was pumped onto the Genesis Stone. Cutting fluid of a CNC machine came to mind. Distracted, Frost didn’t notice a tentacle dangling in front of her face.

“This is for you. I’m going to connect it to the back of your neck. Or anywhere else you want.”

“I’d prefer an explanation first.” Frost urged.

“It’ll be used to get you attuned quickly with the White Light Apparatus. Genesis Stones are volatile as is, so getting your head into one quickly will keep it from going critical.”

Creating the Aspects of Technology was more of a mental game than it was physical. They were not created like how an artisan crafts his pouches from leather, or a blacksmith hammers iron on an anvil into a blade. The Gensis Stone was suspectable to powers of influence and suggestion whilst on the White Light Apparatus.

Normally, it would transform its surroundings. The mechanisms were not known, and as much as Frost tried to appraise everything her level was frustratingly low. Additionally, eating them was not an option.

The Rods that made up the White Light Apparatus were indestructible even to her maw. It was unknown if they were even made from the same material as the Genesis Stones. Touching them also induced a strange repulsion effect that occurred to everyone but Jury.

And inversely, was amplified against Frost. This was why she was unable to get any closer.

The rods to you are what garlic is to vampires. Perhaps it is a stake and you’re secretly a vampire. Or silver and you’re secretly the big bad werewolf.

Nav joked as the Genesis Stone began to rapidly twirl in place, the low-pitched rumble becoming louder with each passing second.

“I’m actually upset that I can’t get too close to it. The Nexus makes these, right? Or that’s what they say.”

I believe the Dream Weaver has the correct answer.

“A-Amalgam? Are you there?” Weaver dangled the tentacle, waving it around like a hypnotic ring as Frost snapped back to reality, asking a question as the sound reached ear-splitting levels.

“What happens when it goes critical –?”

*BOOM*

The Genesis Stone answered her question before she could even finish asking it. It imploded into itself, transforming into a steaming, nail-sized piece that Weave silently stowed away into her dress.

“It’s a good idea to stay focused. Ten weeks isn’t a lot of time. I’ve worked with Beholders for years before they could succeed!”

“Wait – Years!?” Frost’s heart jumped to her throat.

Fucking hell… Is one month going to be enough for me?

“She said you’re attuned with it. I doubt the Beholders were when they began.” Nav assured with her cold voice.

“Is that really surprising to you?” Weave was genuinely taken aback, her eyelids fluttering as she pondered on the reason behind Frost’s absurd reaction. “Elves take decades perfecting their craft, so this isn’t anything that is out of the ordinary. If anything, a few years is incredibly fast. Are you a genius that learns things the second you see them? Like Jury!? Of course you are! You’re the Amalgam!”

Her tone became celebratory, like a mother praising her child as Frost wryly smiled.

“No. I understand. A few years is hardly anything in comparison.” Here she thought that training for several years as a nurse was long enough.

To get ‘attuned’ with an instrument? A few years seemed insane, but the fact that one could create objects that affected countless lives did seem like a small sacrifice. Wrapping her mind around the sense of time these beings had was still a work in progress for her.

She couldn’t imagine herself living for hundreds of years, let alone a thousand.

“Oh? Don’t go saying that out loud.” Weave advised, retrieving another Genesis Stone. “You’ll be the target of everyone’s envy. Not me though. You can count on that. The worth of time is subjective to everyone. What matters the most is up here.”

She tapped her head.

“And here.”

Then her heart.

“I’ve been alive long enough to know what rubs people the wrong way. Usually it’s the things you can’t help that gets to them the most. Like appearance.” She hummed to herself, half-speaking to Frost as she slotted the Genesis Stone in. “Can I attach it this time? Are you ready?”

“Please. Wherever you’re comfortable with.”

“Ahaha. Usually that’s my line.” She laughed, latching her tentacles onto the Genesis Stone and then finally, onto the back of Frost’s nape.

She could feel something secrete onto her skin. It was a sticky, cool fluid that bubbled around the site. A calming sensation overcame her as she stared intently at the spinning Genesis Stone, her senses seemingly being robbed by the object.

“Close your eyes. We will shape this together. Your RESIST is too high for me to hold your hand, so you’re going to have to hold onto mine. Think of me as a tool. Think of the stone as your canvas.” Her sweet voice lulled Frost as multiple tentacles arose from the woman’s skirt, hovering by the Genesis Stones with sharpened edges ready to carve away at it.

There were no prompts for this. So long as one had the Technological Convergence Ability then this was an automatic procedure. She could feel her mind swirl within the Genesis Stone, her will directly altering the pitch and its rotation as the bladed tentacles tapped on it.

“Envision what you want. Chisel away the excess. Infuse your power into the Genesis Stone. It will take shape of what you will. But it will take time until it takes the shape of what you need.”

Nav’s voice was absent. Total mental silence enveloped her. The sensation reminded her of the time she was left stranded in that flooded city of blood. It terrified her. A sudden surge of anger also filled her as she recalled the madness that occurred during her absence.

And in that split second of lapsed focused –

*Crack*

“Frost. Your emotions are running rampant. The Nexus shook quite a bit.”

– The Genesis Stone shattered.

“Tch... I’m sorry. It’s harder than I thought it’d be. Last time I tried it wasn’t anything like this. But then again, I didn’t succeed either.” Frost snapped back to reality and was met with the unconcerned, emerald eyes of the Dream Weaver.

“I suggest using your emotions as a base to fulfil what you want. I can’t see it after all, but I can be guided along the way!”

“are you able to see what’s going on in my mind?”

“No. I can only venture a guess depending on what’s created. It’s more like…” She trailed off, unplugging Frost as she wove multiple tentacles into a squishy, stuffed bear. “… being tugged along. A stuffed bear can’t see or feel, but they can be immersed in the imagination of a child’s wonderland. I am that stuffed bear being brought along by you. It’s a terrible analogy. Beholders have tried to kill me over that, ahaha~”

“That’s awful.” Frost apologized, tapping the back of her neck. “Hey. Let’s go again.”

“Already!?” Weave exclaimed, talking a step back. “You were just exposed to an incredible amount of Corrupted baby juice!”

“You mean trauma?”

“Yes! That! What the Genesis Stone demands is an intense emotional drive! That’s what shapes it into an Aspect of Technology in accordance with the source itself!” She argued for Frost’s sake.

But Frost wasn’t the kind of person to back down. What she felt was hardly traumatic to begin with. The proof is that her emotional state hadn’t changed. Seeing Frost’s determination caused the woman to moan to herself, sighing afterwards with her head down.

“I’ve seen too many good people come and go because of this same process. Junior Beholders broke, and all the Beholders standing here nearly followed down that path on the first instance.” She was concerned for Frost.

“Did something happen to Jury?”

“It was mild. But small compared to the Beholders. Young Galia wept in despair. Knalzark screamed in the dark. Umbra tried to tear away the chains that bound her. Carpalis bargained for peace. Jury cried because she had failed to save someone she held dear. Never again, she said. Beholder Jury bit back with a promise. She’s quite strong. Whoever that person is must be special to her~”

Frost hid her blush, smiling in response to that.

“That person’s lucky to have her. Alright. Alright! ALRIGHT!” Frost hyped herself up, slapping both her cheeks much to Weave’s surprise.

The sound was loud enough to shatter glass, causing the woman to jolt as Frost urged her to resume.

“We can cut down the time by going back-to-back. If I feel anything then I’ll stop. If you see my hair get longer or turn blue – then do everything you can to get me out. As soon as you see my body change then it’s a sign of deterioration.”

Frost had other things to do. Her week-long endeavor was not going to solely be focused here. Mimicry, Ignis, the Black Doves, healers, her Moons, and Carpalis’ condition were all things she needed to monitor simultaneously. Thankfully, more than half became the responsibility of her Stars.

The week had only just begun, and Frost was fired up.

The number of repeated attempts was poised to break a new record. Regardless, none of it demotivated Frost. She had endured worse at the hands of the Corrupted.