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1015. The Ruins Beneath The Surface
🕑 Added 2025-06-04 09:04:05 +0000 UTC//////// < WARNING > ////////
< Leaving H9 | 2 minutes >
The Leviathan rattled. The unsettling murmurs of mechanical organs pulsed through the soft bedding. It stirred Frost awake from her short thirty-minute slumber.
Her eyes were still tear-streaked, and she wiped them off as she looked into a small mirror at the bedside. Sleeping beside her on the king-sized bed was an exhausted Joy, who used three covers to wrap herself into a cocoon.
“Ugh… Two minutes till we’re in H10?” Frost’s voice was muffled by the sound of the engine revving.
Lazy eyes studied the room. It was a black-metal chamber with barely enough space to fit five people. The bed itself took a comically large space and gave the illusion that they were stuffed inside of a closet.
This was the only room available to guests. More accurately, this used to be a storage closet, but it had been retrofitted to become her temporary room.
A hand wandered onto Joy’s head. She brushed away strands of hair that got caught in her mouth, and the girl giggled as her cheeks were squished.
“Mal… Gah…”
“Aren’t you just the cutest thing in the world~ Hnnngh… Good sleep. No nightmares either. [Dreaming Sheep]’s becoming my favorite Ability.” She clasped her chest lightly. “It’s lighter already. Whew.”
< What did you dream about? >
“I don’t remember, but I’m happy.”
< A pleasant dream. Would you tell me how it makes you feel in detail? >
Nav wished to understand Frost’s emotions. The faintest sensations she could feel, and that small spark of humanity in the form of emotions in her chest were things she truly wished to comprehend.
Frost didn’t spare a second later and began to recite precisely how it felt. In the meantime, she moved to the obsidian door and pried it. It scraped against the metallic floor, revealing a long corridor that led into the void.
A red carpet rolled over the exquisite floorboards. The wood used for the Leviathan’s interior was peerless and came from the same iron-hardened trees of the Bellum Empire. She was still dressed in the same robes from last night.
She scooped Joy into her arms and wandered through the Leviathan. [Non-Euclidian Interpretation] revealed paths obscured by Spatial Distortions. The winding maze was coupled with exposed pipework and ten-meter-high gears.
Eventually, she found one of the few portholes where one could view the outside world. To her surprise, she could only see darkness and her own reflection in the window.
“It’s not night yet. Are we underground? I thought the railways were above ground, unless we’re using the Oblivion Gates?”
Suddenly, a figure approached Frost. The grey-haired Icara maintained a constant distance as she held up a sign stating:
“The ruined pathways.”
“Ruins, huh? As in the Timeless Ruins?”
The train violently shook. Screeching metal and thumps reverberated through inches of steel. The high ceiling was dented suddenly, as though struck by a giant hammer.
“GAM!?”
Joy jumped from Frost’s arms, but she was held securely to stop her from falling.
“Easy Joy! I got you! You’re with me!”
“Gam...!?”
A prompt flashed before her eyes.
< Entering HA | Timeless Ruins for The First Time >
< Welcome to HA | A 02 – 52 >
Her question was answered.
A barren world of rotting buildings unraveled through the porthole. They were inside of a deep gorge, where the exposed light of the Epiderma Layer was blocked out by five-story gothic-inspired buildings.
They didn’t look like anything from Earth, let alone the Old World. A temporary relief, but Frost was still shocked to find that this was tucked away beneath the Nex Megalopolis. She could only find vegetating overhanding at the rims of the gorge. The sun shone past it, and to her surprise, she could see Associations and Adventurers exploring through this place.
Not only that, but there were other locomotives, and not all of them were Gravity-powered.
“Parallel beam tracks. Coal-powered trains?”
“Combustion propelled. Two of those models use biofuel and spinal fluid. Have you never seen ‘A’ before?”
“Never. This is my first time seeing it. I know ‘2’ represents the Derma Layer, and ‘1’ probably the Subcut. But ‘Ace’ – I wasn’t so sure. Is it supposed to be this shallow?”
Icara hastily scribbled down another note.
“Take your time. You’ve seen that I’m very lenient.” Frost thought she was afraid, but in truth, Icara felt reverence towards her.
Hence why her hand scribbled like a scribe high in inspiration.
“Everything in between. Subderma majorly included. HA represents the days of old. Tracks that laid the groundwork long before the Nex Megalopolis. Streets and highways of ancient civilizations.”
“Meaning they date back to the Dark Ages, huh.”
Icara shook her head.
“Longer and recent. A 02 – 52 are the remains of Rosemile. Population 10,000. Eliminated and buried six months ago. The last thing they saw was a flaming hailstone.”
“… I see.” Frost swallowed the lump in her throat.
Nav filled in the remaining gaps. The first designated number or letter referred to one of 14 danger levels, separate from the Arbiter’s Trumpets as these concerned themselves about the location itself rather than an entity or its Corrupted Zone.
Ace being the weakest and a safe zone where trade and exploration could be conducted by even children.
And King being zones of significant danger, be it due to Corrupted, monsters, Impuritas, or the location itself being precarious and nigh impossible to navigate.
Like the Timeless Ruins, this network existed across all Layers of Elysia. This was because it was considered part of the Timeless Ruins. Anything that was lost to time, buried and built over anew, joined the Timeless Ruins.
The second designator – 02 – was one of 52 possible ‘Zones’. 01 to 04 were everything beneath Brandar. 02 specifically was for the City of Hearts.
The final designator – 52 – was simply a location or landmark.
Together, these coordinates mapped major known portions of the Timeless Ruins across Elysia. Of course, there were branches and caverns largely unknown to the world, especially those found much deeper in the recesses of Elysia.
Most of the knowledge pertaining to the existence of these coordinates was owed to the Black Moons, who mapped them like ancient constellations.
The little nodes of the map that Icara had scribbled was considered a trophy to the Chained Theocracy, like how a hunter would hang the skulls of big game on their walls.
< There are Old World locations included in the Timeless Ruins >
< This map is not the be all and end all >
< After all, the real expedition that matters to us is what lays beyond Deep Time >
Indeed. It was no more than a guide. But Frost found it interesting how it was themed after a deck of cards. The Civilization Affinity revolved around this theme too. Given what the Timeless Ruins are, she deemed it fitting.
*
The train barreled through the unsanctioned pathway. Since the gravity rails could not be used, the train had to use a different method of propulsion.
Biomass; specifically the CSF of refrigerated bodies and Refined Liquid Nex. Regular Liquid Nex could be used, but this created Qliphoth as a byproduct. As a result, Oboros Infinitas banned the use of Unrefined Liquid Nex when one was at a certain elevation or Layer.
Furthermore, using large quantities of Unrefined Liquid Nex would guarantee a visit from one of their assassins, a Blue Moon, or in extreme cases – they would request a Seci Response Moon to ‘cleanse’ the Division.
Frost knew why it was banned. With enough Qliphoth, especially in the form of Sins, it could manifest into a living Sin.
But more than that, there was also the possibility of inadvertently creating a Corrupted.
“This doesn’t count as the Subderma. But it feels completely detached from the world. Why do people choose to live here?”
“Promises of riches. Explorers. People who want to uncover deadly secrets. Or like an old friend who’s still trying to find their little sister after she was swept away into the Atelier sewers.” Horus yawned as light breeched the window behind Acedia. “Finally, H10’s almost here. That was the easy part~”
“Easy part?” Jury asked as she spooned Joy a bowl of caramel pudding. “Your train has a big hole in its hull. Did it scare you?”
“Juwy.”
“My poor baby~”
The tender display of love caused Acedia to burn her gaze into Frost. Meanwhile, Horus threw head back over the couch, unable to tell whether the sunlight glaring through the window was brighter than the scene unfolding in front of her.
“Nothing Icara can’t fix. Just needs a set of hands, or a mechanic who knows what they’re doing~ Might need an Otherworlder soon.” Horus wasn’t too bothered by the damage, as though the Leviathan had taken worse in the past. “If Morgause was still here then we’d be patched up a minute ago. Amalgam. You know any Otherworlders?”
“Not much, no.” Frost lied, but she didn’t want to reveal whether Galia was one or not even if it was public knowledge.
“Just wondering. We’ll be getting an Otherworlder soon. Our good Director has to take a boat all the way to the Demon continent to collect her. Codename Azazel. Nickname ‘The Scapegoat’. Affinity, Lament. Sin, Gluttony. Amazing how far Act X can predict.”
“But first, we collect our Skoll, our Juliet.”
Acedia had not broken her stare from Frost.
“Headpats. Take them.” Frost leaned against her desk and patted her head, instantly causing Acedia’s mouth to split as five tongues uncurled down to her lap.
“Delicious, Mother. Your digits stimulate nerve endings I’ve yet to create.”
“I’m not beating the mother bird allegations. Ever.” Frost smirked. “What happens to Skoll once he’s on board? And do you think he’ll agree?”
“Oboros Infinitas has their ways. Hell, I would’ve rather remained dead after I came back to life if I didn’t like the sound of my contract.” Horus blew a puff of smoke.
It took the form of her eye – The Eye of Horus before fading away to nothing.
“That reminds me. Were you revived from death?”
“I don’t know myself. I found myself floating in the middle of an ocean. Wrapped in a cocoon. Life was given to me. Nothing more, nothing less. I merely drift with the flow. Smoke follows the wind, as do my sails.”
Sloth was Horus’ Sin.
Ironic, given that Sloth matched the Attribute of Meaning.
Which in turn came from the Affinity of Purpose.
“Such is life.” Horus paid little attention to the gazes on her. “Breed or be bred. My ideal kind of life~”
Frost thought long and hard about Oboros Infinitas’ goal with the Acedia Special Division. Was it really about finding G-Z7? This was their stated goal, but she knew there was much more to it.
Specific individuals were chosen to join Acedia.
Icara, a woman who couldn’t speak or express her emotions well represented Lust, Aspiration and Desire.
Usari, a clone who enjoyed violence was given the mark of Pride, Righteousness and Judgement.
Hayte, a machine of Infecta Rot who knew the truths of mortality wore the banner of Wrath and Vigor.
Acedia, a mimic striving for humanity for a reason she did not understand, embraced Acedia, Nihilism and Despair.
And finally, Raoul; a broken wolf who betrayed countless, granted the branding of Treachery, yet also Identity and Amalgamation.
The Leviathan came to a complete and sudden stop. Jury yelled as the pudding smushed against Joy’s stomach. Luckily, she had another twenty tucked away in case she wanted a ‘light’ snack.
The purple light of the crystal tower appeared behind Acedia. Outside, they could already see two lines of Peace Flock ready to welcome them, for they knew who was aboard.
Under normal circumstances, they would be flagged down by a Justicer.
Since they had been moving too quickly due to the damage in the hull, it wouldn’t have been surprising if bullets had already begun hailing through their train.
A Moon and a Wandering Healer could be seen standing in the open.
It was Res, and the Healer in question was none other than Orth and Thras.
“Sis came to watch Raoul get sentenced. Heh. Thought she didn’t care.” Cer murmured. “… Surprised Ber didn’t tag along. Looks like a big ceremony. Figures. It’s been a while since the last bigwig was taken off their pedestal.”
She spoke with indifference.
They prepared themselves, and Frost dressed accordingly as the Amalgam. The Repenters were to remain inside, and all information regarding Frost was sealed away in the most effective way possible.
Crush
“My apologizes, rabbit. I’ve made it as painless as possible.”
A gaping hole replaced Usari’s face. Hayte brought the same bloody hand to his own, and without warning, his finger extended to drill into eleven distinct parts of his body before he too joined Usari in a heap of blood.
Icara moved in to collect their bodies into a four-wheeled bin.
They were due to be recycled.
Frost took a step out into the open, her Sanguine apparel evoking absolute awe upon those who witnessed her form. High-ranking Association members stationed in H10 witnessed the first outside appearance of the Head herself, and they prostrated.
Whether this was out of fear or reverence was unknown to them.
But they were compelled to kneel when Res offered Frost a certain Corrupted Object.
Those who carried vampiric blood prostrated. If they went any lower, then their heads would have split open.
Such was Frost’s presence, and it was greatly amplified using the Adorned Tale.
Adorned Tale
< You are what you wear >
AFFINITY: Wrath ORIGIN : Object TYPE : Apparel
DEF : 5x (Apparel) MAG DEF : 5x (Apparel) RESIST : 5x (Apparel)
< EFFECT: Increases the stats of one of the wearer’s apparels by 5x. All statuses, legends, tales, thoughts, reverence and prejudices of said apparel will also be increased by 5x >
The trumpets rung; seven in total.
It called for absolute silence to commemorate the Head’s grace.
