Nexus Awakened (An Isekai LitRPG Gender Bender Story)

627. The Piece of Paradise

Genesis Stones functioned through uncertain principles. Emotions in the form of Nex governed reality within its sphere of influence. Infinite possibilities were drawn not from Stars or the places elsewhere, such of that as the Beyond or as Dark Memoria described it – a primordial soup of unconsciousness.

Both the Source and the Genesis Stones possessed such remarkable power but using them often resulted in the person in question being consumed in the process, leaving behind ruins of what was, and an idealistic reality they had chosen.

“Not always. Emotions are unreliable measures. They twist and bend, and the piece drawn out to the Genesis Stone may not be the one that we truly believe in. It all depends on the past, drawn out into the temporal now.”

It reminded Frost of how the Corrupted Persona were born from the vilest piece of a person, and never their complete whole. Fears, tribulations, misery, despair, lost hope, and missing dreams were the strongest sources of Nex.

But what of a better version of themselves, Frost thought.

The Princess’ body slept atop the flat side of the Genesis Stone; her body slowly being swallowed like a bug trapped in golden honey.

Frost spent this time learning about Dark Memoria and the Voice. The Princess was in a state where only she could decide her fate. Nothing of her would be left behind, but in doing so, a piece of her could be brought back into the present according to rules of the Genesis Stones.

It incurred irreversible change to the one it resonated the strongest with. The fact that it can alter reality raised major concerns with Frost who could not help but wonder if the Nexus itself was capable of similar feats.

No. It was possible.

She had witnessed how it rained flaming brimstones across the world in response to her Corruption. How it immediately created a Corrupted Zone of immense proportions that still stood to this day as what was called the City of Spires.

But in order to create such changes, one needed to undergo immense emotional turmoil; such as a Corruption.

In the case with the Princess, it was out of love.

It was not something that could be turned on or off. It required such immense emotions that it was only when she reached the Fifth State, or perhaps beyond it was when it properly resonated with her.

She asked a series of questions to both the Voice and Dark Memoria. The first question was:

“What are the Aberrations of Elysia?”

“A piece of the whole, similar to Aspects of Amalgamation, but exist as Cognitive Gods.”

Gods of Cognition

< Beings that have immeasurable influence on the hearts, mind, and soul of the cognizant. Their Will exists in the unconsciousness of all >

Dark Memoria never allowed herself to approach Frost. She always stood a number of meters away, as if she would be unable to help herself to Frost like Elysia. Instead, she held out her thorny spear and pointed it at Frost, swinging it over both her shoulders like a king knighting a soldier.

“The Will of Elysia lives on. It is new One Sin brought forth after she clamped down on the apple. Since then, her Will has always existed in the hearts of all. A decaying, black smudge falsely parading as a savior.”

< The Voice From Beyond the Void is Elysia, but not directly her so to speak >

< It is more accurately a reverberation… No, an echo of her Will >

“What an annoying thing you have latched onto you. To think even you have passed over when Lailah has already been reborn.”

< Silence >

They quarreled like old enemies. Dark Memoria was able to see the same prompt as Frost.

“You two knew each other in the past?”

“Unfortunately. I recall all iterations of me through all cycles. I imagine this one does as well.”

< Regretfully >

It was only one word.

But that single word carried unimaginable pain. The fact that two were able to converse was a miracle in itself. No doubt because Frost was present as an unlikely mediator.

Perhaps the two had no reason to fight beyond a quarrel now since Frost was alive and well.

“So it’s more so Elysia’s Will itself that’s causing people to Corrupt. Anything that echoes in people’s subconscious is defined as God of Cognition, huh.” Frost returned to topic at hand to alleviate the tension. “Wouldn’t that mean the Blessing of the Nexus is kind of like that? Same with the Archivist even, since she was able to make contact with my Blessing.”

“The definition is loose. Anna is certainly no Cognitive God. She’s more so… like a Star now, in a way. Or a charter of Stars, handing gifts to elevate those into Beholders.”

Dark Memoria spoke about Anna in an intimate tone, though there was a slight tinge of vitriol on the tip of her tongue.

“Then what about the System? Isn’t that closer to Cognitive God?”

Finally, Frost learned the truth of the Blessing of the Nexus.

< Similar, but without the influence that Elysia or you have. If I were like you both, then I could achieve so much more. But that time is behind me now. I only offer my knowledge and cognitive prompts to those the Nexus resonates the strongest with >

< My very own Will is what you call the Blessing of the Nexus >

< It used to be a cognitive link for the Angels >

Imposed Wills of Elysia and the Voice was what consolidated the phenomenon of self-Corruption and the System. The latter could occur even without Elysia. But the fact that it could occur was undisputedly due to Elysia’s sin of devouring the apple.

The rest of what the Voice said didn’t occur to Frost just yet. She was far too busy wracking her mind around this. The information was welcomed with open arms, but it came at the cost of bogging her down.

Then, with shocked eyes, she turned from the Princess to Dark Memoria.

“Wait. Hold on –! Why am I bundled in with the Gods of Cognition?” Frost blurted out.

Sure, she was able to Corrupt and bring people back from Corruption, but it was not like her Will was propagated into the hearts of countless. As such, she could definitely see why she could be called that.

But even so, how can it be compared to what Elysia was capable of?

Frost didn’t know.

Neither did the two have an apt explanation.

However, there was only one thing that stood out to her.

“The Will of the Amalgam.”

* * *

Before Frost knew it, hours had passed in the Rewound. Her watch from Time Reverberation – the Dial – recorded that only several minutes elapsed in the Epiderma.

She had learned much from the two, but there were still uncertainties like Dark Memoria’s allegiance and her intentions.

There was also much that she kept away from Frost.

However, neither did she intend to ever stop Frost again.

The time to break the Rewound dawned upon them. A giant, white mainspring sat just above them. Time would accelerate and return to normal as soon as it unwound.

Only strands of the Princess’ hair stuck out from the serene gold within the pale, egg-shaped object. Soon, it consolidated after a brief flash of light. Frost quickly moved in to catch what she foresaw as sword.

Her hands clasped onto something blunt and hollow. It was warm to the touch, and it brimmed with the faint, gentle whispers of a longing child. What was held in her hands was a pale scabbard. A single golden slice of apple sat in the center of it like an eye, pulsating as if functioning as its heart.

< EFFECT: When combined with the Price of Paradise… >