Free Web NovelThe Denizens of the Amalgam were classified as a Sin since they hailed from the Sin of Treachery. Each Sin had their unique methods of gestating and how they influenced the living.
The technical term for transforming into a Sin was an ascension, which led one to become a Faux Angel as they were called in the Old World. To fail to ascend into an Angel was what initially brought upon the Sins, although, these used to be highly specific to the Stars.
Specifically, to Michaela and her Angels.
For example, the Pale Star Arbiter’s ascensions resulted in the Markers. Currently, Michaela’s transformations now created Virtues rather than Sins. To begin with, they didn’t have much information about Virtues, aside from their first appearance in Grandis.
However, with Frost’s [Twenty-Three Trillion Neurons] and the newly gained [From A Place Rather Left Unsaid], she had some information about the Virtues.
Virtues fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
< Denizens, the minions, or otherwise creations of Stars. They akin to the Denizens of a Corrupted that exists either in their Corrupted Zone or beyond. Virtues are purely comprised of P-Factor and contain the primordial material of their Stars. There are exceptions to this, however, which can give rise to Virtues that contain a spark of Light that affixes it to an Affinity >
< Despite their names, Virtues, outside of their Light-touched exceptions, are not indicative of humanity’s virtues. Despite this, Stars that have been contaminated with the Collective Unconsciousness post-humanity may produce Denizens with an Affinity >
< Perhaps one day your Denizens will become Virtues. I would say that your scouts are close. They require Light to produce, don’t they? >
They are still explicitly called Denizens. I can only assume that they’re Sins until proven otherwise.
< [From A Place Rather Left Unsaid] gives valuable insights at no cost. It must come from the same place your twenty-three trillion additional neurons are >
[From A Place Rather Left Unsaid] was a Passive Skill from the Appraiser Profession. It functioned as a way to access information she could not possibly know. One would argue that it was redundant seeing that [Twenty-Three Trillion Neurons] performed the same function.
However, these neurons are simply that. Neurons. They were no more than messengers connected to a realm she could not begin to fathom, whereas [From A Place Rather Left Unsaid] was an extension of this realm.
To put it simply, [From A Place Rather Left Unsaid] was a DLC expansion pack for [Twenty-Three Trillion Neurons] (base game). Its effect made this comparison even more accurate.
(E) PASSIVE: From A Place Rather Left Unsaid
< Gain access to spheres of knowledge from a place that is better left unsaid. Knowledge here differs from the breadth of the Collective Unconsciousness and the Eternal Library >
Frost nor Nav could tell where this knowledge was derived from. However, there were three types of knowledge banks Frost had come to understand.
The first came from shared knowledge. This was from the lost Collections of CogitO where Skills such as [Appraise Object] consolidated information across all Blessed, and even non-Blessed. The majority of Nav’s knowledge was derived from the Collections.
The second was from the Eternal Library. Information was sparse due to the incomplete nature of the Eternal Library. However, information here could be learned, studied, and built upon.
Then, there was the Collective Unconsciousness where esoteric knowledge could be learned.
She suspected that this was where her additional neurons resided.
* * *
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Frost pondered for a short time as Cognita devoured the minds of the Redfiends. Their memories merged into hers as she peeled specific neurons like strands of cheese from their brains and wove them into her own.
This occurred within an Isolation Sphere. Scaring the villagers was the last thing Frost wanted. They were already unsettled by Frost’s overwhelming might that had culled the Redfiends in the blink of an eye.
The villagers gathered in the village center, scrounging whatever belongings they could as they prepared to leave their homes behind. Retribution would come for them. The death of the Redfiends would not go unanswered by the Larin Empire, as they were the children of its nobles.
They had no choice but to flee.
But flee where?
The Larin Empire was compromised by the Clot.
Leaving the village also meant they needed to survive through the First Night. Even they survived through the First Night, bandits, monsters, and skirmishes between foreign legionaries at the Larin Empire’s borders meant certain death.
With this in mind, the answer was to remain along the outskirts of the Larin Empire and hope to join with another village that was not afflicted by the Clot, let alone razed by the Redfiends. Then they would have to deal with whether that village was open to taking them in, which was unlikely considering that meant splitting their precious blood rations with them.
Frost stroked her chin as she thought about how to approach this.
Food shouldn’t be an issue. I can supply them with as much of my blood as they need. It won’t corrode them as long as I don’t intend for it. Then there’s the issue of where they’ll go. If I leave them as they are, then they won’t last more than three days. The village isn’t safe either, and I can’t escort them to an allied Kingdom. Even then, the nearest ally is the Chlam Empire, and it would take weeks to reach them at their pace.
The best course of action was to forget they existed and leave them to fend for themselves. But Frost was not heartless. In the first place, her actions had caused the Redfiends to arrive much earlier than they expected, which led to their predicament.
What sort of leader would Frost be to not take responsibility?
Heavy is the crown, huh.
“You’re the one making it heavier than it has to be.”
I’ve been doing this for as long as I’ve been in Elysia anyway, so it’s not getting any heavier.
“Are you sure that mindset won’t bog you down? There are countless villages just like this.”
I don’t intend to personally help them. This village, however, can use an escort.
The space in front of Frost rippled as she reached through the boundary of the Isolation Sphere. Her arm disappeared, as though sinking into the surface of an invisible lake. Then, she dragged an untouched Redfiend from their collar and left them to lie by her feet.
Besides, the best fix will be to remove Mary from power.
“What about the power vacuum that will follow?”
We install our own power. Give territories to our allies. There are plenty of ways to guarantee the safety of its citizens. Once it’s clear that it is under the control of the Head, then it’s unlikely that it will be attacked by its neighbors… Is what I think. It’s best that we leave it to Galia to figure it out.
“Indeed. This is not our forte.”
Not at all. I’m getting a headache just thinking about the Kingdoms relying on the Larin Empire sending envoys to us. I cannot be bothered negotiating trade deals.
“I could create a status screen to gamify it. Wasn’t there a famous 4X game like that on Earth?”
On second thought… Nah. No thanks. I’d get too sucked into it.
Bone snapped like twigs beneath her. The pressure she unintentionally released crushed the Redfiend until their ribcage shattered. Not a single sound was made by the Redfiend. Autonomous responses to pain, their breathing, how fast their heart was beating: all of it was controlled by Frost.
Let’s make good use of the Redfiends. I did tell Galia that I’d be using my Denizens as the bulk of my spearhead operation. It’s a shame that my designated Nest is so far away in the Nexus. But the Larin Empire’s Capital can work well as forward Nest.
She held out a hand to the air as a derelict crown appeared above her head. It hovered several inches off her head and emitted an aberrant dark glow. The crown did not possess jewels or embellishments. Designation was its sole purpose, rather than to serve as a status symbol.
Blood slithered like tendrils from her coat. It formed a bloody ball of yarn that pulsed organically. It smoothened into a perfect sphere, and the tendrils meshed to create a transparent lattice. The silhouette of a dark creature resided within the red and black orb.
It was shaped like a bony bird with multiple legs, also resembling a spider. But Frost as a healthcare professional knew what it was. Residing within the orb were an arrangement of coronary arteries and the SA node of the human heart.
Brood Embryo
< It contains the blueprints required to create a Denizen of Amalgamation. It acquires the genetic information of the host and slowly replaces them over time, creating a humanoid Denizen with the characteristics of its host. Creates a Mimic of Treachery. Indistinguishable from its host’s species unless directed >
//////// < WARNING > ////////
< Reproduction of the Mimics of Treachery follows brood parasitism behavior. May only replace existing fetuses >
Frost dropped the Brood Embryo onto the Redfiend, and it burrowed through their back. Limbs snapped, and their body violently thrashed for exactly ten seconds before they succumbed to the parasite.
The coronary arteries and the SA node have been hijacked. The heart cannot function without oxygenated blood or its pacemaker. This makes the host rely on the parasite.
“Amalgam…” The Redfiend gargled, their voice revenant as boils pushed through their clothes. “This gift of yours… You have chosen me… I accept it… With all my heart…”
This was trapped steam formed by the rapid metabolism occurring within their body. The parasite altered their innards as required but left it mostly untouched. If Frost had granted the Brood Embryo to an unconscious target, then they would not even know they were infected.
The Ability responsible for this was [In Vivo], which allowed her to gestate highly specific Denizens using a living host. There were two forms of this. The first was a Dreg of Treachery that would inherit the personality of the host as they used their body as an incubator.
The second was the Brood Embryo, another Dreg that specifically maintained the body’s form and function, whilst also significantly increasing its strength, agility, and healing factor.
However, this process also depleted a person of their Light, locking them out of Corruption.
If Vampires could elevate humanoids by anointing them with their blood, then Frost as the Progenitor had her own method, and that was through implanting the Brood Embryo.
Speaking of which, she had left several samples with Ignis to see if they could be further enhanced. As long as they were gestated by Frost, then they were under her command, so there was no risk of an outbreak.
Besides, it only worked against targets with less than 80 RESIST.
