The topic of the Site Cores and Elysia was the perfect introduction for the Chained Theocracy. But Frost first needed a moment to gather her thoughts. When she thought of the Aberrations of Elyisa, her mind went back to that worm-like man she had spoken to within the Site Core.

Was that a fragment of Elysia herself? A memory? Who or what did it represent?

Frost hid her anguish well as she struggled to make sense of this. The fact that Enoch knew who Elysia was meant that the Beholders did too.

And in extension: the source of the Corruption, if she could take the word of the Arbiter as the truth. Every Angel carried out a vendetta against Elysia, so biases were absolutely in play. Frost didn’t take the Arbiter as someone entirely infallible. She had seen a small smidgen of her personality beneath that indomitable aura.

Like her – like everyone else – the Arbiter carried aspirations of her own.

“The ticking. The Elysia’s presence is always accompanied by a beautiful, somber ticking.” Beholder Umbra began, her many strapped chains rattling in tune with her voice. “I am Beholder Umbra. Amongst the eldest of all Beholders. Old enough to have forgotten my own name.

The Chained Theocracy are servants of inevitability, hence why my chains do not restrict, but instead serve as the lock and key of our plane of existence. Did you know that we exist in a well of sorts. One where souls from other distant planes trickle into our world. It’s even more troublesome when things from the past desperately claw from the hell of the Subcut to enter the future. But alas, we cannot interact with such a thing. Only of things from this world of ours.”

“Your technology is what keeps the Site Core’s stable, I recall.” Frost spoke, humoring the Beholder.

“A limitation to control its expansion. We create the straight jackets to keep it stable. But Site Cores are not the only things we have touched. Hyperlinks. The Gates. The Dimensional Storage. My chains serve as the ultimate protection, and the ultimate weapon. However, that has changed as of recent: a tale that shall be told when the opportune time arises. What you must know is that we simply serve as locksmiths. We’re hardly the kind that will retaliate.”

Her voice was calm, almost tired even. She spoke lethargically, like none of this mattered to her.

“What can you tell me about Elysia.” Frost suddenly inquired. “I find it odd that even though you’re aware of the source of the Corruption, you have chosen to feign ignorance and pretend that you all have known nothing about it. How long has it been now? How can we be sure that Elysia is the source of the Corruption?”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

This caused the Arbiter to faintly smile.

“The ticking is the proof we have.” Beholder Umbra uttered. “Furthermore… many of us have heard those whispers. They’re real and have attempted to ensnare us in its web.”

“Bullshit. I didn’t hear any ticking, or anyone speak!” Ber barked. “Don’t listen to a word they say! At best they don’t even know themselves and are just keen to follow even more lies!”

“As much as I didn’t want to interrupt this session – I have to agree with Ber.” Res apologized. “The White Wing carried a lot of vitriol whenever she spoke about Elysia. If they’re as old as we think they are, then this lie could have perpetuated by Angels like her to get people that know to go against Elysia.”

Res had brilliant points, and Frost couldn’t have said it better herself. She didn’t feel compelled to defend Elysia at all, but she couldn’t stand to further perpetuate this belief until she had solid evidence. Ber proved the opposite and introduced an unseen phenomenon that created a shell made from the Genesis Stones.

“However.” Frost’s voice cut through the commotion like a blade. “That does not mean she doesn’t play a role in it. I’m aware that healers also hear the ticking when they’re close to mentally breaking. I have heard it too, but never did I think that it was what spurred me into Corruption. The fact of the matter is, is that we do not know, and we’re following the echoes of an ancient grudge. So long as I am the Head of the Nexus, I will not allow another retelling of the past to occur.”

Her False Juries – the one thousand glowing eyes – glowed ever brighter as they resonated with her rising emotions. Her voice was seemingly carried by them, amplifying it as she wished to make herself clear.

“That includes you as well, Arbiter. I’m not so blind as to see that Elysia does taint in some capacity, but I wish to understand the situation better. I’d rather the Angels keep their affairs outside of ours. The truth is what I seek, and those of you who agree will hear what I have learned of the Corrupted.”

“I thank you, Amalgam.” Beholder Knalzark unexpectedly spoke. “This ‘Elysia’ was never a major priority of ours to begin with, but it was a phenomenon that did exist and could largely be ignored because it was uncontrollable. A force of nature if you will. I apologize for intervening.”

“You offered insight. Do not apologize.” Frost dismissed, pleasing the proud man. “From what I gather, no one knows what Elysia does or why she does it. The Aberrations of Elysia seem to aid and test the Sites rather than actively seek to destroy it like the Trepidations. But there are uncertainties. Therefore, Elysia will be strictly handled by myself, the Archetypes, and Time Reverberation.”

Somehow, they had skipped several sections of the Council’s stages and arrived at a resolution. Unanimous or not did not change that this problem was for Frost and the Archetypes to deal with. Jury too, as well as Time Reverberation as Nav warned that using her Passive Time Seer could cause Aberrations of Elysia to intervene.

Perhaps through this they could better understand the nature of the Aberrations.

In the end, Beholder Umbra’s introduction ended, and now began Justica Arms.