//////// < WARNING > ////////
< THE ARBITER’S TRUMPET HUMS ITS DIRGE >
Blue Dahlia | Blue Chorus
AFFINITY : Attachment
Blue Dahlia | Blue Chorus
AFFINITY : Attachment
While these were the stats of the Effeuiller La Dahlia and her claws respectfully, the reason why Frost was hit by an expected wave of wrath was because of the appearance of her one and only nemesis.
“Iscario…” Frost hissed; her eyes agape. “What bullshit are you spouting? Qliphoth Field? That thing was you?”
She couldn’t believe it. The one person, the one thing, and the one Fallen Star that ruined her life appeared before her eyes, wearing the same cruel smirk that saw her off.
He was adorned in the same pale, holy robe as she remembered.
Nothing had changed at all.
“Don’t be so shocked. It’s not like it’s my own power. Qliphoth is… a disgusting thing, but we’re all made up of impurities in the first place. Imperfection can give birth to beautiful things.”
His long pale-hair… his sealed eyes full of arrogance… and that pale rod in his hand that had impaled her brought back unwanted memories. But those memories were fuel, and it allowed her to break through her momentary shock as she stared at Iscario with an equal air of authority.
“The fuck are you talking about. Ah… right. Like that moth your sister gave to you?” Frost said, her eyes searching for an opening.
Her foresight should have shown her the correct path to take. But to her dismay, any attack she made would be blocked by Iscario. She was still holding her De Jure, and it seemed like the only way was to use a bullet to open Iscario up.
She salivated at the thought of gutting him where he stood, but she didn’t allow her hatred to take over her. Not yet.
“You’ve seen it then. But I’d rather you don’t speak of her name with that filthy mouth. Your face is too much the same. Ahhh. You should have just stayed there. Maybe, through the pain and suffering, you could’ve bloomed into something beautiful. But you’re tainted. You’ve failed to bloom like a moth still stuck inside of their cocoon.”
“Aren’t you half human? If anything, you’re just as filthy as me. Wanting to become Corrupted? Do you know how much I wanted to laugh when I first heard that? You’re insane, Iscario. You know, if you weren’t this crazy, then I might’ve pitied you.”
“Aha. That black hair suits your crudeness. It’s a complement, believe me. From what I’m aware of, you’re the only Captured Star that lacks white hair. Of course, it means you’re an impurity. Uriel, Lilith, the forlorn father of the other Fallen Star… they all wouldn’t shut up about you being so dangerous. Yet, it was their choice to keep you confined in the Black Forest.”
“And despite that, you wanted to kill me then and there just because I looked like Ilya –!?”
It happened all at once. Iscario threw himself forward without any consideration for what Frost had prepared. Similarly, Frost took a step forward and clashed her dark De Jure against Iscario’s pale rod...
“Get her name out of your mouth…!”
… but that Rod, now that Frost had a better look, was in fact a blade.
The Price of Paradise
< Waiting for the day that our penance pays off >
ORIGIN: Icon of Judgement
“She was with you… all this time?”
Frost saw the blemishes on the blade. The unwashed blood, and the stains that ran down it like they were the tears on the cheek of a child. An ever so faint voice cried out from the blade as it vibrated against her De Jure.
It wept. The sobbing voice of a child caused Frost’s eyes to burn with a rush of hatred as she pushed against Iscario. Her blood wasn’t even given a chance to boil. It flash steamed in an instant, and she exchanged a wrathful gaze with Iscario as they locked their weapons head on.
“THAT’S YOUR SISTER!”
“Aren’t you far too concerned about my own flesh and blood than your own!?”
“I have more of a right to worry about Ilya than a fucking maniac like you!”
“How can a stain like you dare to call out the name of the only pure thing in this rotten world!?”
The aftermath of the clash sent them both back tens of meters away. Everything within a 20-meter radius was bent out of shape by the sheer impact. The crater that was left behind was scorched as a visible heatwave surrounded Frost’s body like an aura.
Similarly, a dark yet bright aura surrounded Iscario like a shield.
“Do you truly believe that you deserve her because you think you’re the future her!? Nonsense! You are nothing, Amalgam! You were a tool meant to bring her back to me!”
He swung the Price of Paradise and held it into the air, creating a column of light that extended from the hilt of the blade. Intricate symbols were written along all sides of the column.
At the same time, the (Un)Attentive Claws hovered behind him like wings. Then, and to Frost’s surprise, the barrels of a dozen Justica Arms appeared from the thin air just above Iscario.
| Justica Arms – Execution |
< EFFECT: Summon a firing squad of Justica Arms. Stolen Atelier technology >
“But you no longer have a use. We can become perfect from the impurities that plague us with one wish! With you gone, we can assume as many wishes as necessary. And with my dearest Ilya, we can gain the very same Light that all other Light emanates from!”
Iscario’s power was not just his own. Finally, the secrets of the stolen Atelier tech made itself known.
They were Iscario’s weapons.
“I thought you were crazy… But you’re just batshit insane! If my life was meant to fulfil your wishes, then I’ll do everything in my power so that it never comes true!”
Her hatred was controlled. Never did she expect to be so emotionally in control in the face of the one person that destroyed what could have been a normal life.
And as a result, she gained yet another unique message.
< The Second State has manifested as Judgement >
< Borrowing the Unique Skills of the One Thousand Eyed Bird >
< UNIQUE | PASSIVE: Hysteria >
< We accused one another for the sin of one >
< EFFECT: On death, the Judge’s Aid are reborn as miniature reflections of yourself. They carry your Will as their armaments to enact your rightful judgement >
< UNIQUE | ACTIVE: Judgement >
< Was it worth eating what was forbidden by the King? >
< EFFECT: Enact Judgement. One single target may take up to 300,000 damage. Unavoidable and may only be used once >
< You are Tempered to the Second State >
< Unique Ability Gained >
< ABILITY: Tempered (Second State) >
< EFFECT: Emotional stability over the Second State. You are not immune from Instability, however. Nex generated from the Second State and lower may be internalized into usable Light >
< The Brightest Star >
< Soul Rank: Incandescent | Affiliation: Impuritas >
Her long-awaited revenge had finally arrived to her on a silver platter.