1165. Mimicry, Cognita and Altera
Later, the trio gathered their belongings and prepared for their departure. Frost had sent various envoys ahead of time to arrange the Coronation Ceremony. Once she stepped out of the column of smoke, she was greeted by three faces that were identical to hers.
“My Apparition. Are the Beholders gathered?”
The Apparition – Mimicry – nodded. It wore a desolate version of Frost’s apparel. Dripping from the tips of her hair was black ooze that resembled liquid-blood metal. This being was none other than the Mimicry born from [Summon Apparition: Mimicry].
As for the other two?
“My apologies, Master.” A blue haired variant with golden highlights and a bob-cut bowed with a hand crossed over her chest.
She wore an elegant dress, no doubt crafted by the finest hands money could buy. It was frilly and resembled the same dress Nav wore. She had a dark blue tie, and an eyepatch covering her right golden eye. As for the left, it was an azure shade of color, and it carried the symbol of a cross.
Held in both hands was a great sword which she used like a walking stick.
She then continued: “These two cannot speak as I can. While we can interact across great distances thanks to neural link, it would be rude for us to avoid speaking face to face on such matters.”
This was the being born from [Summon Servant: Cognita].
(O) Summon Servant: Cognita
< Summon forth a Cognition of Amalgamation. It will carry your appearance accordingly to its own excellent Will. Thoughts and relevant memories of those it devours will be sent directly to you. You may remotely replenish Sanity through it. Its existence may cross over into distant lands. Only one Cognition of Amalgamation may exist >
< COST: 1,000,000 MP. Requires blood of the Progenitor (Amalgam) and 10 Light >
Indeed, her name was Cognita, who carried similar powers to Mimicry, only that she chose to present herself in more human manner. Her mannerisms and body expressions were highly robotic. If Frost didn’t know any better, she would believe she was a living machine.
As for the final one…
Frost let out a silent growl.
“I appreciate the gesture. As for you, Altera… May I ask why you’ve chosen to assume that form?”
The air froze for an instant. Frost’s fury was directed to this being, which was born from [Summon Phantasia: Altera] – another new Active Skill from her Devourer Profession. The form it took was a white-haired woman in white robes. It had Frost’s face of course, but the white rods it carried belonged to a figure that caused her blood to flash boil.
The Iscario-Frost apparition wore a delighted face before snapping her fingers. Motes of white light danced along her body before she assumed the form of a Witch from the Hammer of Witches, a Syndicate group otherwise known as the Malleus Maleficarum.
She wore a red pointy hat and had teardrop tattoos beneath her eyes. She gave Frost a sultry wink and an air-kiss, which only added to Frost’s annoyance.
Jury on the other hand…
“Psst. Frost. You should get an outfit like that.”
“Haaaah.” Jury managed to defuse her.
(O) Summon Phantasia: Altera
< Summon forth a Phantom of Amalgamation. It will carry your appearance accordingly to its own primitive Will. Targets that have crossed your path may have their forms assumed by the Phantom. You may remotely gain Levels according to the Skills it uses. Only one Phantom of Amalgamation may exist >
< COST: 3,000,000 MP. Requires blood of the Progenitor (Amalgam) and 5 Light per transformation >
They were not Alter Frost’s or Aspects of Amalgamation since they were born directly from her Skills. Nor were they very powerful. They were capped at level 150 each, aside from Altera, whose level depended on the target she was mimicking.
“Master, the preparations are set. Shall we escort you home?” Altera quietly asked, almost whispering.
“It’s fine. We’ll take it from here. Thank you for your hard work.”
“Mm.”
“Yes, Cognita? Do you have something you wish to say?”
“Will you be dismissing us?”
“Do you want to be dismissed?”
“If possible, I would like to remain. As for these two, they lack the mental capacity to comprehend their existence. As such, there is no need to worry about their sense of self-awareness. They exist as mere projections of your Will. My perpetual existence is beneficial to us, Master. I cannot die a normal death. Death will only return me to my Master.”
“Very well.”
Frost dismissed the two with the wave of her hand. They’d have their uses later.
“Cognita, please keep watch over here. Unless you also wish to enjoy the ceremony?”
“I must refuse. Trivial wants are unnecessary. Enjoyment is not food for the mind.”
“I see. Then, excuse us.”
“Yes Master.” Cognita’s stomach churned strangely. It sounded like a dissonant cry. This was because internally, Cognita’s innards were made from a mixture of Frost’s flesh and blood, as well as various ‘living’ pieces.
Indeed, if anything, she was like a humanoid Anid. What sloshed within were countless organs and body fluids from a myriad of beings, blended into a single living slurry. Of course, Frost’s blood served as the base.
Her mannerisms were just like Nav’s after all. But Cognita outright refused to budge when it came to experiencing the joys of human life, whereas Nav readily tried to learn them. Frost could not change her mind. Besides, Cognita existed as a construct of a Skill. She was not a living being in the strictest sense.
“Hm… I should stop bowing so suddenly. The quarter of a brain I’ve taken as my own is slushing around. Master, I look forward to being deployed into Emvita. Your memories of the Scarlet Logic hive elude me.”
“The time isn’t far from now. Best you begin preperaing.”
Cognita’s face lit up for the first time. Held in her azure eyes was a feral reverence.
“I will eagerly prepare for my departure, Master. For the good of our collective.
Cognita wasn’t the sanest person aligned to the Nexus. In a vacuum one would assume the Nexus were the bad guys based on the people they were aligned with. But one look at the Impuritas would quickly dispel that thought. In a sense, the Nexus was the lesser evil of the two, although, the Nexus was not the one attempting to convert people into living walls, gears or books.
Once they passed Cognita and left through the double doors, and then entered a long hallway, Frost let out a long sigh.
“This is such a handful. At least they’re mentally tethered to me. Now then, are you ready Joy?”
“Gam!”
“Oooh, it’ll be your first time visiting the Nexus, huh!” Jury squealed. “Whatever you’re imagining might not even be a hundredth of what the Nexus is like!”
“Juwy!”
“Aaaahhhh! They’re totally gonna love you to bits! Let’s go, Joy! Let’s head home!”
“Home!”
Joy walked between the two, one hand held by Frost, and the other by Jury.
Finally, she would heading to the place her parents called ‘home’.