Chapter 64: 65. The Fate of a Candle

He was growing stronger as he became weaker. It was here where Ignis finally began to take damage. It was only a single HP per second, but nonetheless, Frost feared for the worst the next time he used Fuel Are Memories.

She needed to act now and fast. Therefore, with her HP replenished and her mana primed to layer down as much healing as possible – she pushed on straight towards Calfasio with the intention of being caught by the tip of his lance again.

If she could just remove Ignis from him then perhaps it would all be ok. That everything would be fine. She had to believe in this as she cemented herself on the charcoaled graveled where the Abominations writhed to the agony of the flames, alongside the blobs that perished to the heat.

Death suffocated them more than the smoke. Frost, grounding her teeth, allowed him to make his advances.

 

< [Flame of a Fleeting Ember] >

 

< [Final Onrush] >

 

She caught onto the weapon and allowed herself to be dragged across the flaming mud, her feet leaving a heavy trail behind as they crashed through multiple walls and structures, laying waste to everything in their path. He did not stop after five, eight or a dozen.

No. He took Frost all the way out to the cliff face that overlooked the entire city, impaling her straight into its bedrock before freeing her with a grand ball of flames. The wall glowed a vibrant orange, almost at the verge of melting as Frost applied [Prolonged Stasis] to prevent her HP from dropping to 0. Rock, debris, and the trees high above fell. The leaves instantly caught alight as they crashed by, sliding into the city, and causing further havoc.

Frost swiftly bit into the hand of Calfasio, feeling her mouth singe before she snatched the lance and bailed.

“NNNNNNGH!? AGH! GO… GO! MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE!” The pain caused her to stumble.

Her limbs hardly reacted to her commands as if strings were pulling against her. She nearly released it from her clutches, but then instead embraced the weapon into her arms and pushed onwards, her mind nearly broken at this point.

 

< Will of the Amalgam Has Reached the Third State >

< There are no defeated Woe of the Fallen Stars Corrupted to draw skills from >

 

< CONDITION: Insatiable Hunger. Your woes will be heard by those with the Blessing of the Amalgam >

 

< [Flame of a Fleeting Ember] >

 

< [Final Onrush] >

 

< “I am fire. My dearest ignites my passion to thrive in this dark world. I must become a flame for… them.”

< “Our unchanging reality always dampened your sleeves… And you always wiped them away from my cheeks.” >

 

“JUUUUURY!” Frost cried, having seen her awaken from her long rest through her Judge’s Aids before she was suddenly swept away by Calfsio. Her mind was in such disarray that he easily dragged her along the ground again, throwing her straight back into the center of the city.

Despite not having Ignis by his side, he still burnt with an unquenchable flame. Frost realized the futility in saving him. He was a candle already lit, and the only way to snuff out those flames was to either Realize him or allow him to die.

She skidded along the granite, her coat miraculously still intact. But underneath the damage permeated right through. Her body was in tatters, seared, singed, and battered like a beaten stray dog.

And yet she never let go of Ignis. Holding her did not reduce her HP thankfully. She wavered as she tried to brandish it as a weapon, holding it out towards Calfasio as he cleansed his memories of Ignis once more.

 

< [Fuel Are Memories] >

 

Calfasio

ATT : 6,000     MAG ATT : 6,000

 

< “I must burn ever brightly to protect someone close to me!” >

< “I didn’t know how much I hurt you when I asked where mama was.” >

 

Calfasio | HP: 192,000

Ignis | HP: 191,000

 

“C… C… Calfasio… Stop… You’re hurting Ignis!” Frost managed to speak, her voice in a groan as she watched everything they loved burn to the ground. Slowly, she felt like the pain was easing out. Granted, she wouldn’t wish it on her worst enemy, but she needed to endure.

If she could at least save Ignis… then… then…

Frost’s tears could not even form. The heat evaporated them, leaving only streaks along her smoldering cheeks. She dropped to her knees, scrooping up the flaming flesh into her mouth just to replenish her mana.

When she stood again Calfasio had already lost a substantial amount of HP. And so did Ignis.

 

< “There was always a flame by my side, burning ever brightly. On both my darkest days and my brightest nights. Then the flame that was born took away my beloved.”

< “Mama was always asleep. I knew it was always my fault that she was asleep.” >

 

Calfasio | HP: 165,200

Ignis | HP: 164,200

 

Ignis would die before him. The only reason Frost was able to remain alive was thanks to Prolonged Stasis. She munched on whatever she could like a scavenger, clumsily avoiding Calfasio’s pursuit. Her AGI was the only thing that saved her in this predicament, but before long – Calfasio managed to cleanly swipe her back with his melting wax wing, sending her flying due to his immense ATT stat.

The blood she coughed out also instantly bubbled and dried out, almost as quickly as it appeared.

“… wouldn’t it be easier… to just… end it now?” Frost groaned, moving up to her feet with Ignis still clutched in her arms.

Calfasio’s fate was sealed.

“… I want to believe… that there’s hope… I can’t… give up on them…”

“Even if it means dying? Reaching 0 HP? Not even I know what occurs. Though I said it was unlikely you would perish, I cannot help but to be… Ah. Is this what you would call being afraid?”

 

Calfasio | HP: 120,000

Ignis | HP: 119,000

 

Frost’s mana was running thin. And despite all this, the Plagued Heart was still thriving with well over a million and a half HP. It laughed in the face of their strength. It was a putrid stain in this world that caused these people to despair.

What for did she herself need to suffer as well? She didn’t know. Her heart told her that she had to. Her head was much the same. As was her body. Yet why was it all futile? Why was the Realization Criteria hidden?

Why did people need to die to reach salvation?

“I can still move… I’m not going to die here. There’s food right there in front of me. Look at it… that disgusting mass. Yeah… stay there and let me… eat you.” Frost murmured to herself, pressing forward. She could now wield Ignis in only one hand, dragging it along as Calfasio attempted to intercept them.

However –

A beam of electricity suddenly struck him from seemingly nowhere. It threw him only meters back. But this was more than enough for her to devour as much of the Plagued Heart to replenish her HP, as well as partially Ignis’.

And then, a muffled yell cried out:

“OI! 11^th Branch! Isn’t that you!? Heh. So we weren’t the only ones sent on this rescue mission, huh!?” She recognized this voice. “Or is that the 1^st Branch?”

It was one the first few voices she heard since arriving her.

Leaving through one of the gaping wounds of this abominable mass, devouring the Abominations and finally using Ignis like a blade – she saw not one, not two – but three of them.

“A Plagued Heart. Hungry. Scarlet Logic are sloppy as always…” Ber uttered.

“Right on the border of Grandis. The timing of the ban couldn’t be worse. Also, who the hell are you mistaking for the 11^th Apostle? That’s someone else. And isn’t that a Corrupted!?” Res pointed out at Calfasio.

Cer, Ber and Res arrived at the scene with faces what tried to decipher what exactly went wrong here. But before they could utter a word, Frost yelled at them as she saw the world turn red:

“GET OUT OF HERE! YOU’RE WITHIN RANGE OF HIS ATTACK!”

 

< [Fuel Are Memories] >

 

Calfasio

ATT : 7,000     MAG ATT : 7,000

 

< [A Candle’s Last Flame] >

 

< “I must burn brightly to protect… who?” >

< “I always played outside beside the tree. I called out to the tree because mama was always sleeping underneath it! I’m sorry I burnt it! I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” >

 

Fire. Fire everywhere. Frost was lucky enough to take refuge within a place with so much food to replenish her mana. But the heat was more than enough to completely wipe her HP in mere moments. It reached a point where she had to replace Prolonged Statis with Greater Healing despite its lesser efficacy.

But this didn’t matter.

 

Calfasio | HP: 75,000

Ignis | HP: 80,000

 

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The range of his flames was at least 60 meters. Anything within likely perished instantly. She did not know how a Moon would hold up to this kind of power. The chance to read their status went over her head. There were more important things now than reading numbers… aside from hers, Ignis’ and Calfasio’s.

Nearly every polaroid she carried fizzled away. His memories of Ignis were almost absent, replaced with nothing but rage as she clutched onto the blade, unable to do anything but eat and replenish her HP.

“I’m sorry Calfasio… I did what I could.” Frost gave her silent condolences as she picked herself up, now having more than enough mana and HP to confront him directly as she endured the flames. She caught alight this time, the innumerable stacks of Burn finally becoming the ‘On Fire’ condition.

But this was only momentarily. As she cleansed herself the flames suddenly stopped as the world turned blue, and then – black.

 

< “With bruses on my knees, and my ribs crushed into pieces, I fall and take my last breaths.” >

< “I didn’t realize that my happiness was one of the fingers that strangled you until you couldn’t breathe.” >

 

The city skies turned dark, and the world around them was plunged into lightless void.

This was his Corrupted territory. A place much like the Black Forest. However, Calfasio, despite continuing to melt and burn with a blue flame; he strangely did not damage anyone anymore.

Yet his HP still continued to drop.

 

Calfasio | HP: 50,000

 

“Calfasio… CALFASIO! You… no. You can’t hear me. No…” Frost watched the man melt, slumping down to his knees as if in defeat. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.” Her voice croaked.

The cracks glowed with an ethereal light. She felt like she was looking at his soul rather than a blue flame. The man looked at her with burning iris, and then, they fell onto the weapon cradled in her arms.

 

< “We are all candles. Destined to forgo all in the passage of time. The heat only remembered by those close enough to experience it. Could I have changed more if I were stronger? There is nothing left to hold onto…” >

 

< [Remember] >

 

Our Happiest Moments landed on his shoulder, dropping the polaroid as a last attempt to save him. He grasped onto it, feeling a familiar warmth before the spider landed atop Frost’s head.

 

Calfasio | HP: 20,000

 

< [Actually Wait!] >

 

< [I Do!] >

 

Frost’s eyes brimmed with moisture as the lance in her possession lost its heat as well, becoming lukewarm as she could only watch this unfold, lamenting that she did not know their Realization Criteria.

She made her way towards him, reaching out to heal him. To prolong the inevitable. But her mana was limited, and in this darkened void there was nothing here to devour… except for them.

 

< “I have a regret!” >

< “I have one regret papa.” >

 

Calfasio | HP: 15,000

 

< “That day before I left you!” >

< “That day before you left me…” >

 

Calfasio | HP: 10,000

 

< “You’re my everything.” >

< “You bit your lip, turned your back and said nothing before your thoughts began to speak…” >

 

< [Who?] >

 

< [Remember] >

 

< [Who?] >

 

< [Remember] >

< [Remember] >

< [Remember] >

 

Calfasio | HP: 5,000

 

< “I wish I could have told you this before I left.” >

< “I’m here… I’m right here papa. I’m glad… I at least got to hear this from you.” >

 

Frost heard Ignis’ voice. Not the Corrupted murmurs, but her real voice. The weapon throbbed with a familiar warmth as she felt something dampen her fingers.

 

< Realization Criteria Reached >

< Do you wish to grant Scorched Girl your Blessing? >

< No | Confirm | Do it Frost >

 

Frost collapsed to her knees and nodded. She nodded repeatedly, whispering “Yes” as she brought the weapon close to her neck, holding it close like the child it truly was.

 

< Scorched Girl has successfully been Blessed >

 

“Calfasio. I promise… I’ll look after her. I promise… I won’t let her suffer. And I’m sorry that I couldn’t save you. Ignis… please don’t hate me. I’m sorry.” She wept into the blade, feeling it slowly return to the form it first took before it became a weapon.

The blob with the cat-like ears, and the tail. She held this little slime close. And despite its appearance, it was warmer than anyone else in the world. It quivered in her chest, weeping invisible tears as Calfasio spoke his last few words.

 

< “I’m not ashamed to go this way. But I just wanted to choose my fate.” >

 

< [Because] >

 

< [A Candle Can Only Do So Much] >

 

The cracks then shone with a golden light before he crumbled into thousands of these tiny particles. They moved towards her, entering her body.

She had devoured Calfasio as the Iron Candle.

 

Calfasio | HP: 0

 

Then, she heard his voice. Not the Iron Candle’s, but Calfasio’s himself.

 

< “And… thank you. Thank you. Thank you.” >

 

< [Thank You] >

 

< The Iron Candle has been Subjugated >

 

< The Third State Has Manifested as Despair >

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