1156. Technology of The Head
Haste Dial
< Aspect of Technology | The Head | Geschwind Nocturna >
< Will we ever see each other again? >
< EFFECT: Increase AGI by 50. At full power, gain 1,000 AGI for 10 seconds at the cost of the Haste Dial and 50% of total remaining HP >
Axis Accelerator
< Aspect of Technology | The Head | Time Reverberation | Geschwind Nocturna >
< Accelerate deterministic processes >
< EFFECT: Accelerate organic and inorganic processes within an Isolation Sphere up to 2x. Stacks with an Isolation Sphere’s time dilation >
Both Aspects of Technology were created the instant Frost returned to the Whitelight Apparatus. Wrath was a terrifying motivator. She created them on her very first try out of spite alone.
The former tech was to be given to all Nexus personnel. Atelier personnel were excluded, since they were not as loyal to the Nexus as their Beholders were. Besides, Frost would rather limit these techs to personnel she directly controlled, just in case.
Historically, speed was the Stat that made the largest difference. It did not matter how high one’s attack was if they could not hit their target. While [Precognition] balanced this out, it still had its limitations.
That said, Frost hunkered down for the next few days. She had wasted precious hours from the small interaction she had with the Fallen Beholder. Good news eventually arrived to her on the forty-seventh day as she finished another batch of Aspects of Technology, alongside the Sanguine variants of the Modules.
The Sanguine Modules provided little additional benefits to the Sanguine Doves, such as enhanced control over blood, higher HP pools, etc. They were essentially reskinned versions of the Modules, with the prominent fracture being the red veins.
Following this, she developed more Aspects of Technology
Fate Perceiver
< Aspect of Technology | The Head | Act X | CogitO >
< The better question to ask is what isn’t entangled >
< EFFECT: Grants the ability to perceive the Strings >
Sum Zero
< Aspect of Technology | The Head | Caldera Industries >
< Equilibrium at last >
< EFFECT: Lock down the user’s Quants of Gravity to 9.8. Resists the influence of gravitational anomalies. Can be used to enforce normalized gravity in a given area >
The Fate Perceiver was no more than a single strand of golden silk that had to be woven into the cloth of the wearer. It utilized Frost’s [Stringed Theory] Ability. As for Sum Zero, this was a spherical ball that needed to be affixed to seven locations around the body.
Four in the extremities, and another three along the spine. This ensured equal gravitational stabilization. Gravity could pull from any direction, especially within Caldera Industries’ forges. Thus, having multiple along the body ensured that – at the very least – someone’s arm wouldn’t be torn off if they happened to be in the wrong place.
It also protected the Minu Auditors, who would have to be exposed to irregular Quants of Gravity in Caldera Industries’ territories.
Moving on, she also created the [Soul Canister], which would allow the Moons and her allies to capture Souls.
Soul Canister
< Aspect of Technology | The Head | Scarlet Logic | Golden Index | CogitO >
< Accelerate deterministic processes >
< EFFECT: When a target’s HP reaches 0, transfer their Soul to the Soul Canister >
It was a lantern with a dark light in the center. It bent the bars that contained it like a singularity, and it hummed with a low-pitched vibration. Her inspiration came from the Lantern CogitO used to capture terrors.
Resurrection Sign
< Aspect of Technology | The Head | Time Reverberation >
< Touched by an Angel >
< EFFECT: HP cannot be reduced to 0. Negates instant-kill Conditions. May only be activated once per 24 hours (UT). Destroyed upon use >
The Resurrection sign varied in appearance. The first batch she made came in the form of an amulet. Further testing yielded rings, earrings, and other forms of accessories. But there was one constant among them. This was the symbol of the Nexus, which were eleven rings that were arranged like a tree.
Or a ladder in Joy’s eyes. Frost curated a few as a gift for the others, including new hairclips for the triplets, and a necklace for Ignis.
By day fifty, she created an Aspect of Technology born from Inflow Direct’s tech.
Amalgam’s Fury
< Aspect of Technology | The Head | Inflow Direct >
< Blood runs deep >
< EFFECT: Expend Nex to use select Skills belonging to the Head. Use sparingly. May temporarily adopt a Passive Skill of the Head >
The Blessed could naturally hold Nex.
It was mostly used to purchase goods within the Nexus. Outside of this it had no other use than to sit in their inventory. But now, Moons and Stars could use certain Skills, like [Inferno], [Liquid Fire], or Skills from her [Ultra Violence] Profession.
Skills that also rarely found use – such as those from the [Counter Offensive] Profession – could become exceptional boons to the Moons.
Moving on–
Dimensional Loop
< Aspect of Technology | The Head | Chained Theocracy | Act X >
< Do not listen to the whispers in this dimension >
< EFFECT: Connect two places in space. Can be expanded. It may be used as a means of travel. Bypasses the dangers of the Thresholds at the risk of exposure to other dimensions/worlds >
At first glance, the Oblivion Gates of the Chained Theocracy were redundant since one could use the Hyperlink Relays. However, that was only for the Blessed. Additionally, they were notoriously expensive and slow to create.
The Dimensional Loop allowed all forms of life to traverse through its doors, at the risk of being exposed to the Subcut Layer. Although this was not the only risk, there were other dimensions that had not been explored, as well as Layers of Elysia.
One of which was Guf – the Chamber of Souls – which was essentially a death sentence, since it had nearly destroyed Michaela when she reached into save Ilya.
As a result, she needed to consult with Caldera Industries to create suitable vessels for these dimensions. Nav proposed a dimensional transit system to connect with the Expanse once they were able to traverse the seas, as well as within the Layers of Elysia.
It was a promising proposition, and would no doubt become a reality once they had a foothold in those distant regions. They were resilient, and strangely resembled the Unlying Tablets, only that they were black and flaked with golden light. Wrapping the black monoliths were dark chains that emanated a faint golden glow.
As for why it also included Act X, Frost wasn’t entirely sure herself. She didn’t intend it to happen, but at some point, during the process of creating the Dimensional Loop, it inherited her Strings.
Thus, it also caried her Will to some degree, and released imperceptible vibrations.
Enoch likened it to a Looking Glass.
And since Frost was already working with the Chained Theocracy’s tech, she created another Aspect of Technology based on it just five days later (day sixty).
Dimensional Stasis
< Aspect of Technology | The Head | Chained Theocracy | Midas Company | CogitO | Time Reverberation >
< The lock without a key >
< EFFECT: Restrict dimensional interactions. Lock down a target’s chosen Skill, Passive Skill and Ability. Only three Dimensional Stasis may be active on a single target >
This device was required to be surgically implanted in the subdermal layer of the skin.
Frost could not gain Abilities from products she personally created, so she had to feed this through her left forearm. Funnily enough, it could be healed like it was a part of her. The reason for this was because it was considered a part of her, even though her Soul had not been altered.
That said, this was one of Frost’s most prized Aspects of Technology. Of course, it required a tremendous amount of Nex to maintain the Dimensional Stasis, but it was a small price to pay to lock out annoying abilities.
Frost planned to limit its use to keep it a secret from the Impuritas. Additionally, its immense cost made it impractical for the Moons to freely use. But it was a triumph card no less, and she created a dozen to hand out to those she trusted the most.
Then, on the sixty third day, she worked on Oboros Infinitas’ tech.
Nex Injector
< Aspect of Technology | The Head | Oboros Infinitas >
< A liquid for every burden >
< EFFECT: Able to implant Specific Nex into an acceptable medium >
Frost made this solely for Anna. That way, they wouldn’t have to constantly retrieve Corrupted from ImpulseWorks’ Sites. They could simply send over their Specific Nex, and Anna could inject them into the Books for Archiving purposes, allowing the Eternal Library to create Pages, and even completed Books of a Corrupted.
That way, they also wouldn’t be eating into ImpulseWorks’ Nex generation, since they’d have all their Corrupted at their Sites.
Cognition Bullets
< Aspect of Technology | The Head | Justica Arms | CogitO >
< Goodnight! >
< EFFECT: Bullets designed to alter the target’s mental state, for better or worse. Can be loaded with an assortment of mental Conditions >
Recall Crystal
< Aspect of Technology | The Head | Justica Arms | Time Reverberation >
< When your legs become heavy, and when your hands can no longer rise, think of home, and may your spirt guide you back >
< EFFECT: In dire circumstances, the Recall Crystal teleports the user to the place they call home. May only be used when in the same plane as their established home. Enter a temporary temporal Stasis until HP stabilizes. Destroyed upon use >
The Recall Crystal was Frost’s other masterpiece. It combined the effects of the [Raw Fragment of the Warped Stone] and Jury’s [Angelic Kiss]. It froze a person’s time until they received medical attention from the Healers, who would immediately receive them once they were recalled to the Nexus.
While it had not been tested yet, it was another layer of protection for her precious Moons, Healers and Stars. The first two people she presented the Recall Crystal to were Jury and Joy respectively.
She gently latched the black, golden brooch along Joy’s neck, and then did the same for Jury. Jury’s one sat right next to her Diamond Brooch, which she giddily tapped – the same way Frost did to her wedding ring the first night she received it.
“Mm! It’s pretty… Frost. Can you bite on this today?”
“Again?” Despite her protest, she opened her mouth and allowed Jury to fit another slab of stone between her maw.
“Aaaand, done!” Jury hummed as she took the mold and pranced aside.
Frost could only stare at her back with suspicion. That eventually turned into warmth as she wondered what Jury was working on for these past few weeks. Whatever it was, it must’ve been important enough for her to constantly ask for her input.
Just a day ago Jury kept asking her if she was bothered by food particles getting stuck between her teeth, or if she would be – hypothetically speaking – be bothered if her teeth was somehow closer to her tongue than it was now.
Frost didn’t know the implications since she was so focused on her own task.
But she couldn’t wait to find out.
That being said, Frost was almost finished with the Aspects of Technology. The last piece was the [Resonating Bell].
Indeed, this was the Gift responsible for [Amplification].
“De Jure Sanguinis and my Skills… they’re a bit limiting, aren’t they? The more I can use, the more flexibility I’ll have in a fight. I had to rely solely on my maw against Iscario.”
“Gam?”
“Sorry, just pondering, is all. Hmm… Joy, quick question–
–How strong do you think a weapon infused with Aspects of Technology and [Amplification] can be? Do you wanna test them out for me?”
“Malgam!” Joy furiously nodded her head, her eyes sparkling like stars.