834. From A Moon To A Star

834. From A Moon To A Star

“Absolution…”

Cer couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

Was this right? Absolution? Her mother of all people knew how to use this power? Then again, there were always strange rumors around her regarding her powers. She just didn’t think it would be something so significant.

The Blue Dahlia was delighted by Cer’s shocked yet intrigued expression. She knew right away she had made the right decision to hand this down to her.

“There are two components to it. The first is an extreme emotional trigger that allows you to generate a vast amount of Nex. Tohu. The formlessness of raw Nex.”

The Blue Dahlia closed her eyes momentarily. Cer didn’t have to imagine just what kind of memories she was drawing Nex from.

Then, her eyes opened to reveal a small fragment of gold amongst her blue eyes.

“The second is the formation of Nex. The augmenting process. It’s like using your emotions to drive you forward. Let it be the blade to break down impenetrable walls. This is Tikkun. The structuring of formless Nex.”

Her entire left hand was enchanted with light as a piece of a halo appeared on her head.

“… is it really that simple?”

“Far from it. It’s unCERemoniously difficult to get right. But once taught by someone who understands it… then that person will know it by heart. Cer… Our time is over. I enjoyed it while it lasted. There isn’t a single day across all those years that I spent with you that I have forgotten. I… have so many more regrets. But that’s for another time. I exist solely because of the Genesis Stone… when the times comes, I’ll share the rest of my thoughts with you. For now… It would be wrong of me to let that person fight on their own.”

She embraced Cer with all her heart, and Cer threw her hands behind her mother’s back. Slowly, her hands phased through her body as her mother began to disappear.

“But I’ll also be by your side. Always… Until then, I love you. And…

… thank you for loving this cruel mother back.”

Millions of petals of dazzling blue Asteraceae burst into the air like fireworks. Cer tried to hold onto her mother’s fleeting particles. Replacing them were the countless petals that danced around her as she was left alone to gaze up at the enormous moon.

“… Mom. I love you too. I’ve always loved you… I’ve finally… finally…”

She reached out towards the moon.

The same moon she had always been chasing.

“… reached you, my moon.”

A ball of light flared in the palm of her hand.

* * *

The scenery faded away as she soon found herself standing before Raoul again. The light didn’t disappear from her hand. And above her head was a tiny fragment of a halo. The electrical cackles that came from her mouth were enchanted with a soft, golden glow.

“As expected, mother chose you… But why was it that I was reprimanded… for wanting to preserve our own existence?”

“Because mom went down the same path. She wouldn’t want to see her own son make the same mistakes she made!”

“… There can be no mistakes here. Only nuisances.”

Raoul could not comprehend this. The shadows that tainted his arm began to spread across his body as Cer watched on, her body currently wracked by the sheer mental burden of even holding a small fraction of the Light.

It’s heavy. It’s like my mind’s about to explode. But it’s also calming in a way. Like this feels just right. Absolution… I didn’t know how awesome mom was. No wonder she had so many enemies.

“Yes. Nuisances. Things that can’t be accounted for. The reason why things have gone astray…”

A sudden burst of energy prevented Cer from approaching him. He was speaking to someone other than Cer.

“Elysia!?”

“… I was born a mutt but bred as a killer. I learned that the only way forward was to take matters into my own hands. But I… had allowed my own enemies to control again. Again and again, as they did with my mother.”

Cer wasn’t certain it was Elysia anymore. If it was Elysia, then Raoul would have likely given into his despair and his total resignation. But instead, his core, egoistical belief that he would be able to save them in his own right was reinforced by another voice.

“Don’t tell me… Frost!?”

“O’ Featherless Dove… so this is the miracle you have bestowed upon me. My own wings to fly across my sea of turmoil…”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Three scarves of black thorns hung loosely along Raoul’s neck. They waved to an invisible wind like giant flags. At each end there were a pair of colored gemstones. The first was crimson, matching the eyes of Cer and Raoul. The next was bright blue, like the eyes of a Healer and their mother.

And the third was green like that of Ara’s eyes.

“… But I will never trust the likes of you! I, alone, am the only one who can settle this! Delegations led to further misery. I am no Wise Black Wolf. But I am the only wolf who can do what they have failed!”

His hand that was already infected with the Curse of the Descent grew into a giant claw. It was larger than his own body, and it rested just in front of him with each finger pointed upwards. They were as large as the blade of a claymore, and each were powered by an electrical charge.

Blue and red veins appeared across his suit, forming an intricate pattern that resembled that of a dahlia and a rose.

“I am the leader of our pack, Cer!” He roared at the top of his lungs. “I am the only one who can shelter you all from the rain!”

“Tch. A half-Corrupted Persona or something? Fine then, Raoul. Let me show you what the Light does to a roach like you!”

“Your dream as a Moon must end here!”

Cer wanted to laugh. A Moon would probably not be able to describe who or what she was now. She had already accomplished her dream of reaching the moon.

It was now her turn to catch a Star.

And speaking of Stars, a radiant light appeared above again just as Cer and Raoul clashed.

It seemed like Frost was also utilizing the Light to her advantage.