Nexus Awakened (An Isekai LitRPG Gender Bender Story)

81. He Who Governs the Awakening Criteria

Frost had seen countless abnormalities throughout her journey thus far. From the fantastical races of Elysia, the horror that were the Corrupted, and the monsters that were the Impuritas.

None however were quite like this. The talking, sapient card-headed man easily dethroned every single surreal oddity of this world. The man generously sat across from her with eyes that flickered through various suits of cards at every 5 second interval.

They both sat at a green, fabric-coated poker table with a single deck of cards situated in the center. Beneath them was a transparent floor that revealed the entirety of the Carpal Tower.

Each floor thereafter was also transparent and revealed every single space underneath as though they were omnipotent beings.

The beautiful lights of the floating fairies and the boundless carpeted floors made it appear like they sat atop the cosmos itself. As Archetypes, Frost could not help but to believe that they truly were Gods overwatching a miniature universe.

And despite being within the presence of yet another Archetype, there was not a strand of tension in the air. The Magician gushed with a welcoming aura as he carefully placed his cane aside and politely removed his hat upon taking his seat.

“You knew right away that I was the Amalgam. Likewise, I have no doubt that your name is the Magician. No. Magician? The Archetype of Hope is exactly who you are.” Frost elatedly spoke with an astoundingly refined voice as if she were an empress from a distant land; one who knew this Magician before he could even reveal it to her.

Her attire, her eyes, and the demeanor she assumed left a mysterious impression on the Magician. She needed to present herself as nothing less. While she didn't inherently distrust another Archetype, much less one of Hope itself, Frost still did not want to take any chances to appear ‘weak’ before them.

… even if all this person could do was smile. Or at least she believed so. The man’s head was a giant card and there was only so much he could express.

“Splendid! Our introductions are but elementary, my Amalgam friend~! I’m pleased our minor introductions are already out of the way! How does poker sound for our icebreaker?”

“Perfect. It’s been a long while since I’ve had the chance to play a game. Should I call you the Archetype of Hope, or the Magician? Which do you prefer?” Frost spoke as the deck of cards in the center of the table began to shuffle at an increasingly rapid speed.

She could have sworn she saw smoke emit from them before the cards rained back down into a single pile at the furthest end of the table. The lights of the world around them seemed to dim as if they were placed beneath a spotlight, casted before a stage for countless to witness.

“Magus! The great Magus! Magus the great! Magus great the! Great Magus the!” He said, his voice becoming pronounced with each rearranged phrase as Frost’s blankly blinked, confused by his spectacle. “But Magus is just fine. I must apologize. I’m still a little shaken by our cursed friend the Director. It turns out Purpose and Hope are about as grating as Hope and Despair. And your name, my friend?”

“Frost. Please call me Frost.” She hummed, catching two cards which were gracefully slid over to her with a magical force.

“Frost is an interesting name~ It does not properly reflect your title as the Amalgam, although I’m sure it has a greater meaning beneath it all! Our world is filled with meaning of the purest form, because we are characterized by such things whether we like it not.” He said as he also caught his own pair of slid cards.

“Doves and the like come to mind. Archetypes are the greatest offenders of it. I’ve become too much of a glutton as a result. And you? A gambler?”

“That I am! Hope is characterized against the upheaval of one’s odds. The golden strand unaffected by the mechanisms of fate! Or the cheating of fate itself to your favor!”

He proudly announced, almost lifting himself out of his seat.

“For yourself? The Amalgamation is characterized by the conglomeration of things! As so I personally believe. Hence the Nexus.” The man seemed to hint at something, instantly prompting Frost to clear her throat as she moved on to the next question.

“That’s why all of our floors exist within the Nexus. Ahem. Magus. It might be contrived to ask this, but were you waiting for me?”

The purpose of this question was to see whether the Archetypes were in fact similar to the Arbiter, who also wished to see her in person. The Director was also much the same.

“But indeed! You see, upon my Awakening I was prompted to do but one thing to seek the aid of my Amalgam friend! And here you are, finally prepared to bout with me in this bizarre game of chance~!”

This pleasantly surprised her. And it was, quite frankly, what she needed to hear the most from him. Her feathers thankfully rustled, and with this information in the cusps of her palms, it put the mystery of the Arbiter’s invitation to rest.

The Archetype of Judgement must have wanted my help for something if he’s not wrong. It makes a little more sense now. But then again…

“The question becomes ‘why’. For what reason do they require you help?”

Yeah. That becomes the final question. But it’s strange. Archetypes are supposed to be strong, just like the Arbiter but I was also as weak as Magus when I began.

“One closed mystery marks the opening of another. It is also strange… Frost. The Magician… says they adore your poker face.”

She was caught off guard by this as the two were armed with their pair of cards. Magus was also able to somehow hear Nav’s voice, although this wasn’t the first time an Archetype was able to communicate with Nav directly.

That being said, Frost erected her posture and stared deeply into the man’s flickering eyes. They simultaneously leaned over the table as Frost asked the single most important question thus far.

“You needed my help, much like the Arbiter when they invited me to their floor. I am keenly aware of what the Arbiter requested of me. So therefore, Magus, I must ask you – what exactly do you need my help for?”

Frost intentionally lied here to drill her knowledge of this matter into him. That way he would at least have to reconsider any potential chicanery, not that she had any reason to believe he carried ill intents.

It was merely a layer of defense she had grown resulting from her afflictions with Iscario.

The man’s eyes flickered until the symbol of an angel appeared on the left eye, and a trumpet on the right – revealing the equivalent of the Judgement card in the tarot deck which symbolized Awakening.

“Awakening. I, the magnificent Archetype of Hope, oversee the Awakening criteria of the Archetypes, and people themselves. Yours included of course!” He revealed, peering at his cards before he leaned back onto the chair with interlocked fingers, seemingly relishing Frost’s indescribable face.

“… Awake…ening…” Frost spoke in an exasperated voice as the room further dampened, leaving them in a strange limelight as Magus’ nodded once. “… I see. You saw right through me, huh?”

He had already known that Frost was lying. It felt as though he intentionally revealed this answer in a way to garner as much of a reaction from Frost, leaving him to warmly chuckle.

“Precisely. Awakening.” He whispered, acknowledging Frost’s surprise with a small laugh. “You are rather on edge. On edge, but somewhat pleased to meet another familiar… familiar face? I wonder~ Know that I feel at ease seeing your face. I was hoping you’d at least feel the same.”

There was an air of uncertain familiarity about Frost. It was not the first time someone had told her that she reminded them of someone. Iscario was the first and it raised all sorts of biological alarms as a result, but upon feeling her feathers rustle, she managed to calm herself down in this game of poker…

Awakening…

What it meant or implied was unknown, but to hear that this person governed this phenomenon instantly caused her shoulders to droop as her eyes quivered in tune with her thumping heart.

She then softly smiled.

“Sorry. I didn’t want to take any chances. For all I knew ‘Hope’ could have been some twisted form of it just like the Wandering Healer’s and their salvation.” Frost sincerely apologized, although she remained unashamed. “Aha. Kind of fitting in a game of poker. You know, you’re not the first to tell me I look familiar.”

“That may be a part of your inherent charm as the Amalgam! But be at ease. You are certainly not the man I struggle to remember. Though it is odd, isn’t it?”

“It is. The Arbiter was also missing their memories. Just like us.” Frost said as three face-down cards moved to the center of the table. At the same time, various stacks of gold coins began to pile up within the surrounding darkness. Little by little, these stacks slowly rose to tremendous heights, piercing through what was supposed to be a ceiling above.

“Not only us! The Director lamented his life story to me, the pompous fellow. The same with the Starchild. The Archetypes of Purpose and Desire respectively, I must add.”

The Starchild as the Archetype of Desire?

“It may also be related to that Advent that can grant wishes. The Piece of the Fallen Star.”

Then that confirms it actually exists and isn’t some kind of false rumor.

“It’s safe to believe that all of us are missing memories then.” Frost concluded, finally taking a look at her cards which revealed… “Death and the High Priestess?” She inadvertently spoke aloud, revealing her cards to her opponent.

“Death meaning rebirth, and the High Priestess meaning one’s inner voice. Our friend Nav does strike me as familiar as well. Far more than yourself! But you Interpret it how you wish~!” He stated as these beautiful cards glistened like stars in this strange, darkened world of gold.

“I thought this was supposed to be a normal game of poker. My fault for assuming anything’s normal in this world… wait, and you recognize Nav in what way!?”

“Its manner of speech! That monotone, defeated and depressed manner of vocalization! I faintly recall this gloominess amongst the clouded memories of mine!” He laughed, clapping once for Nav to hear.

“Frost. I believe I am experiencing what you would call ‘anger’.”

< CONDITION: Bite him. Please bite him >

Frost nearly burst out laughing as Magus slammed at the desk, cackling in a hysteric fit. He managed to also see Nav’s prompt appear which was interesting.

… and this reaction convinced her that they perhaps did know each other in the far past. Maybe not Frost herself, but Nav likely did. It brought into question who or what Nav exactly was. Perhaps Nav was just like them, someone with memories too muddled to understand.

There was much more to this mystery than she thought, but in the end, she pushed the thought aside and finally broke out of her cold façade.

They were strangers playing a bizarre game of poker, and yet they felt close. Unexplainably close, and she could not help but to imagine that this phenomenon may also extend to the other Archetypes.

Frost was the outlier, however.

These people were entirely new to her. None of them felt even remotely familiar.

And besides –

“Magus. You’re not from Earth, are you?”

“That I am not. I am unfamiliar with such a place.”

“… I see. Forget I said anything.”

– Frost was from Earth.

If the other Archetypes were close like this, then it may be safe to assume that they all originated from this world. Or perhaps one different from Earth and Elysia altogether.

That being said –

Magus further explained that he had awakened one day in the middle of cash pile in D5. His presence, to Frost’s surprise, triggered a Paradise Lost alarm.

This was exactly how Beholder Carpalis found him.

The alarm was unfamiliar to all since the maximum most were aware of was Eternal Night, with few recognizing the meaning of the Woe of the Fallen Star aside from the Blessed. It was pandemonium for a short while as the Blessed wreaked havoc as they dispersed like roaches as he described.

That was until Beholder Carpalis personally attended to the scene. While it was largely unclear how she figured out he was an Archetype, it did not change the fact that he was essentially rescued by this Beholder.

“We are beings of an unknown origin. With memories so clouded that we at times feel like we are still asleep. I have personally spoken to the Director, that bumbling fool, and the Starchild. We all are missing major components of our memories. But hear me out! I fully believe that our floor’s Awakening will restore these memories of ours!” Magus theorized as Frost keenly listened.

The man then added:

“But I do recall fragments of my past. I was a prodigy entertainer! A one-man circus that brought endless joy to all! Perhaps that was my most benevolent characteristic that made me become an Archetype! One of Hope no less~!”

“So what the hell does that say about me?” Frost laughed.

“The fact that we yearn for your help says many words about you!”

“… You think so? And don’t flatter me like that all of a sudden. I guess it partially makes sense with my past profession.” She was happy that Magus interpreted in such a hopeful light. “Awakening… but didn’t we all Awaken at one point? To become an Archetype?”

“That we did.” He said as the first card in the center of the table, revealing a reversed Emperor card.

The stacks of coins vibrated and instantly saw a few topple over, hailing gold for a short moment.

“But our floors have not Awakened. Put it this way! We’ve Awakened to assume our roles as the Archetype! But our powers are miniscule. I’ve heard the stories of the Arbiter’s strength. The Director and the Starchild were pitiful like myself. Power is gained by working towards our floor’s Awakening. I believe, because we were all 0 out of 5 of the criteria completed. And I must say that unsurprisingly, yours is different. You have an unknown number I’m afraid~”

“The way I grew stronger was by devouring things. Corrupted mostly.” Frost revealed. “0 out of 5 doesn’t make much sense. The only other similar thing was… wait, no, there is something. Grandis has 5 known Corrupted in total. All related to damned birds. Could all 5 of them contribute to a floor’s Awakening? They all had the Affinity for Judgement.”

Frost concluded her theory, leaving Magus to place a hand beneath his… chin as he fell into deep thought.

But, suddenly, before anyone could take another breath –

“Chapters! The Archivist calls them chapters in one’s inherent book!” Nav spoke as the Archivist tossed her coin into the pile, revealing much needed insight. “The Price of Paradise has 2 out of 5 chapters completed. This tale belongs to the Floor of Judgement! But in truth, only 1 chapter has been archived. Because you’re still holding onto them Frost!”

“… meaning the Arbiter must have… what? Eaten a Corrupted to gain their power? Dragged it to the Floor of Judgement to have it archived?” Frost tried to make sense of this, realizing that the Corrupted possessed a major influence in their strength and contribution to their floor’s Awakening.

“Yes! It means that the Floor of Judgement contains this Corrupted already.” Nav revealed, speaking in the place of the Archivist right before it dropped perhaps the largest bombshell on Frost. “The Icon of Judgement. The one the world reveres as the Dozen Winged Bird.”

It was then that the next two cards revealed themselves. One being the Tower, and the other as Judgement. The coins then fell like flaming hailstones as if the heavens themselves had fallen.

“… the Tower meaning an upheaval. Quite a literal interpretation if you will! As for Judgement – in this context it may mean an impending reckoning. You do know there is a brilliant saying I’ve heard from my old friend!” Magus exclaimed, revelling in the storm of flaming hail and was about to speak until suddenly –

– Another voice spoke. It was gloomy, tired voice rife with melancholy.

“Let justice be done through the heavens fall.” It came from right behind Frost, instantly causing her to throw herself around with her fangs bared.

She did not even detect this woman with her Eyes of Judgement. It was only until she had spoken that Frost was able to sense her presence at all. And not only that – it was impossible to even pull up the stats of this person.

“Oh… I’m sorry for interrupting. I thought you needed… a hand… haha… get it?”

It was a pale-skinned woman with fuzzy horns in the shape of a fennec’s ear. Her hair was a strange blend of gold and grey which reached down to her hips, transforming into a giant, golden, metallic hand that clutched at her waist.

Along each finger were various gemstone rings that sparkled, as if relaying information to her. She adorned a beautiful black dress and wore a pair of black, near soulless eyes as she awkwardly chuckled at her own joke.

Why was this so funny to her?

It was because she pointed at her missing right arm as she said this.

“Madam Carpalis! I thought you wouldn’t interrupt us with those hilarious jokes of yours!”

“I… don’t mind… my head’s empty… after all. Aha… haha.” She said, using her only hand to point at various suits of cards tattooed right underneath her eyes as she stared at Frost, trying to smile to the best of her abilities.

It came across as threatening. Creepy, and instilled unprecedented terror into Frost.

“… hello. Nice to meet you… Frost…? Aha. Please don’t give me the cold shoulder. Haha… hehe… I’m sorry. I’m not very good at ice breaking. Not that I want to break you.”

“See Frost, isn’t she just HILARIOUS!?” Magus gave the Beholder a standing ovation as Frost had to wonder how on Earth this person was the Beholder of Hope itself.

No, more than that, she could not begin to wrap her mind around what was happening at the moment. Between Magus' applause and Beholder Carpalis' elated face as she slowly rocked herself from left to right, Frost eventually managed to view the status of this Beholder.

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