Shattered remains of failed Aspects of Technology littered the chamber. The once pale room became a bloody bathtub. Gossypium blossomed here as a meadow of them sprouted on black rods.

They bled, oozing crimson fluids. They were not gossypium flowers, but merely the countless failed attempts of creating a functional Soul Anchor. Coincidence would have it that they appeared as such, becoming a symbol of Frost’s unwavering dedication.

The Soul Anchor Scarlet Logic used was a bleeding stone. Frost however had a different image in mind. Rebirth was the theme of the Replication Cycle, which would then feed the Lament Cycle. What she envisioned was the White Stargazer Lily – A flower representing purity and rebirth.

This successful flower sat in the palm of her hand. It was a white flower with petals shaped like the arms of a star. Frost was surprised by how soft it was to the touch. A flower like this was destined to be torn away by the elements, and yet it was all that would determine the life of countless people.

One flower wasn’t going to be enough. Multiple, or one large flower was needed from what Weave whispered into her ear. Its tenderness meant that it needed to be guarded behind closed doors.

Frost cut her palm open and fed the inner whorls of the flower, its petals twitching like a parched tongue lapping at the droplets of water. Faint, red veins appeared along the petals as it absorbed the blood. The overflow of blood pooled in the center where it became a thick syrup, spilling out with the consistency of paint.

The Soul Anchor did not require Nex to function. What it required was only Frost’s blood.

“Your blood is the basis of reconstitution. This paired with the Nascent Fluids will work well. You may have to make a new one however.” Weave suggested.

Frost nodded, watching the flower warp as it folded into itself before the petals began breaking off. The blood vessels within burst as blood turned the petals completely red before they turned a necrotic-black.

“Yeah. This is already wilting.”

Frost’s raw blood was too much for the Soul Anchor to handle. It needed to be processed into Nascent Fluids beforehand. As a result, the bleeding stone was named the Blood Reservoir.

The actual blood produced by the Blood Reservoir was called the ‘Blood of the Amalgam’, ‘Amalgam’s Blood’, ‘Her Mercy’ or even ‘Forbidden Nectar’. The variations depended on who one asked. Vampires like Vampyria – a Star of the Nexus – preferred the latter name.

To her, it was blood with a quality so high that no reasonable vampire would even dare to lap it up. It was worthy of smearing along a canvas and retaining as a family heirloom.

Imagine the worth of the raw blood of the Amalgam.

Frost didn’t succeed in creating the withered flower in her hand, because she planned to combine both Nascent Fluids and Soul Anchor into one central installation. This installation would be given the name of ‘The Requiem’ when complete.

External Soul Anchors were to be standalone and require her blood to fuel. It would serve as a currency to keep Repenters in line and incentivize success over failure if they truly valued their lives. As soon as they ran out of blood…

… then their current life was all they had left.

These external Soul Anchors were to be called ‘Replication Anchors’. Replication was not to occur with The Requiem, but beyond the heights of the Nexus. Their iron trains and the field would be their only option. This meant that the Replication Anchors needed to also be mobile, or at least small enough to install.

Perhaps it could serve as temporary camps for the Repenters. Either way, it was none of her concern.

She despised them enough as is.

“We still have plenty of time before the deadline. I might even call the meeting to take place earlier at this rate.” Frost crushed the flower. “Just two more Aspects. We’re so close now. How is Jury’s tech doing?”

“Good news! She’s also on the cusp of completion. Because of yours truly! Keep your eyes peeled out the windows. You might see something special in the coming days!” Weave happily reported. “Stars have also been giving me some really good news about the happenings outside. Caldera Industries has their people hauling around their seismic instruments everywhere in the City of Diamonds.”

“Not in H5?” Frost peered up at her inquisitively, cleansing her body away with magic.

“They’re not that fast.” Weave placed her tentacles on her wide hips sassily, much more comfortable now in Frost’s presence.

Well, she always was. But somehow, she felt like a good friend now.

Weave continued:

“Reminder that Caldera Industries doesn’t have a big presence here at all. The City of Clubs hates their guts as well ever since the rumors of them kidnapping healers went around. Their Branch in Atlas just keeps the Nexus afloat, so they have to send someone to collect people from Dwarhelven.”

She fanned her face in Frost’s direction to waft her scent towards her. If she wasn’t as helpful as she was creepy, then she would have gotten the Cer treatment. Frost wasn’t oblivious to people’s obsessions and infatuation with her. So long as no boundaries were crossed, then they got to keep their head on their shoulders.

“How did they usually do it? CogitO’s tech?” Frost wondered, slotting a Gensis Stone taken from her Dimensional Storage.

“The Eyes! They can send color codes or even better – A beam of concentrated light from the sun to communicate! Think of giant mirrors! Or a giant lighthouse before the seas became too dangerous for ships to traverse.” Weave’s tentacles tapped on the Genesis Stone playfully, adding:

“Of course CogitO had a hand in it too, but at that range you’re not going to beat something like light! Psst. Between you and me – Umbra used to tell me that nothing is faster than light in the universe! Is that really true? Cause I’ve been believing that for a long time now.”

She confirmed it with a nod, right before Nav interrupted.

“'Nothing’ is faster than light. It is true but also false. A double statement hiding in plain sight.”

What do you mean?

“The lack of light is faster than light itself. Specifically, the lack of information. So, saying ‘nothing’ is faster than light is a paradoxical statement. It is correct and incorrect depending on the interpretation.”

Nav. Are you setting me up for an elaborate pun?

“No puns here. Only trivia. But it reminds me of a certain misunderstood Amalgam. The Impuritas see you as one thing. We see you as another. Oh. And it’s my way of saying hello. I thought a philosophical, intellectually charaged question would be a good way to get your attention.”

Uhuh… Are you lonely? Didn’t I just see you the other day?

“Am I not allowed to talk to you?”

Alright, alright. I give up. What’s up, Nav?” Frost sighed, taking a short break to speak with her android friend. It hadn’t been that long at all since they met, so she had to wonder if Nav wanted something.

Suddenly, she could hear a snicker in the back of her mind. It was a cold, sinister, artificial cackle that caused goosebumps to rise along her arms.

“Nothing but the clouds.”

Nav responded, causing the Genesis Stone to immediately shatter.