Outside the trial, the world started to change.
The elves detected the magic of their brethren almost instantly on both sides. Those who lived in the dark lands with no hope of reaching the outside world beca shunned, and the elves sitting in their royal palace happily.
However, the dark elves didn't have the power of the high elves because their tree was locked away in the darkness.
anwhile, inside the world tree, the others started to awaken from their illusory dreams and nightmares. In those dreams, they faced their words nightmares from a difficult-to-accept future, past or mory from another world line.
This suffering beca extrely acute for those connected to the Demon King because they were shown stronger illusions.
Erika and Levia watched their alternate lives where they lived a sweet and romantic life with Ryuji at first in a world where he didn't evolve as a demon lord until just before their deaths or a great changing point.
Ciela saw one of her fates, as she evolved at the sa ti as Asmodeus awakened as a true demon lord allowing her to see glimpses of the burning forest.
"..." Because of the intense vision, Ciela's eyes dripped with tears as she sat silently against the world tree's trunk unable to forget the scene in her mory.
'Asmodeus died to save ... but, in the end, I still couldn't escape.'
The image of phisto, one of the ancient gods, killing her beloved and then stealing his body... then using it to take her life was sothing that the elven princess couldn't swallow easily.
What's worse...
Once the first life ended, it showed a horrible scene of her family suffering.
Her mother Ar Sarina and sister Ar Olina...
The fate that would have awaited them if she didn't leave for Grigor and beca slaves to the gods and then killed Asmodeus with her own two hands.
"I killed him..."
Ciela's body shook as she tried to recover, although her mind knew it was an illusion.
The feeling as she pulled back her bowstring and shot the arrow through his chest... three tis to ensure he couldn't recover made her heart sink.
As for the humans... they saw lives without their wives, never eting their original dungeon party or being a part of the knights who ganged up on Ryuji before he started growing and killing him in a dungeon rcilessly...
All the people who were lost in the illusions sat with pale faces, their strength drained and trying their best to recover.
"Arinea... you wouldn't abandon in battle right?" Erunda's face looked bewildered, likely seeing a horrible illusion in which the Empress and Arinea didn't take pity and have rcy on their forces and instead killed Erunda.
Arinea's face looked normal, but her hands couldn't stop shaking, and she didn't seem as confident as she usually did. Her gaze beca dull as she looked at Erunda with a fearful look... in her illusion, she beca a weak and useless elf who couldn't use magic and never broke free of her fate.
"..." Erika, Levia and Ciela all sat silently, their eyes looking ahead but seeing nothing.
While the group tried to recover, the inside of the tree started to flicker with bright light, and the passage and bridge that extended into the air started to lower... as two figures walked back across it.
"Asmodeus?!"
"Ah... darling!"
"Husband!"
The won who relied on him for ntal support instantly rushed towards him with their eyes filled with tears and pale, listless faces.
A short while before the group started to awaken, Asmodeus sat in a beautiful garden with the two fairies who fused into one existence, now serving him a sweet tea, while sitting beside him was Sariel... the succubus didn't seem to have been hurt and instead of an illusion she looked happy.
"I had a really pleasant dream, hehe~ I was Master's wife!"
"..." anwhile, Asmodeus and the strange existence said nothing but drank their tea in silence.
Asmodeus was trying to figure out who the woman was, and the fairy was doing her best to keep from breaking the silence with her usual cheery deanour.
"You are Aristella correct...?"
"Mmm... Aristellavia to be correct, Demon King. A pleasure to et you, and welco to my domain, big sister Serena allowed to contact you after much difficulty."
The goddess seed more taciturn than he expected with soone as energetic as Arista. Asmodeus thought she would take her personality most, but the atmosphere seed closer to Stella.
"We are very happy to have t you, and I would love to talk to you more, but we are currently in a bit of trouble."
The fairy looked troubled.
While she lifted her hand and pointed into the distance, a screen appeared with the party that Asmodeus left behind starting to wake up, so screaming, others crying but none looked in good condition.
"We didn't an for them to suffer so much... but Arista's illusions bring out what people fear most..."
"Isn't that a little dangerous...?"
Aristellavia looked down awkwardly.
"Maybe... but it was the only way to save everyone without putting you in danger."
"How so?"
"Well, the world tree was created to protect its inhabitants from outside interference, but it was the only thing that could prevent them from getting stranded in the dark world... if they didn't have your power, then they would never recover."
The goddess didn't seem spiteful and showed genuine regret. Most likely none of the others carried the protection that Asmodeus or Sariel had against Divine beings. The goddess was also the only one capable of helping him inside the world tree, and he could bypass this issue directly.
"Then... we should return imdiately."
Asmodeus said, and the goddess nodded, snapping her fingers and causing the world to fade to white.
"I cannot leave with you... but you must take this." Her lovely voice echoed before a seed suddenly floated into his palm causing Asmodeus to lift his brows.
"This is?"
"The seed of the world tree... not only will they allow you to grow one outside but will allow to connect to the world outside. I am... currently locked here, and the outside world will soon be in danger. Please, find a way to release as I will need to prepare to help the world tree grow."
Sohow Asmodeus didn't understand... he stopped for a mont while the portal in the back of the room continued growing larger.
"What about the tree that's here?"
'How can she help grow another world tree, what about the ones that the elves inhabit...' Asmodeus didn't want to do sothing that might doom Ciela's family...
"No No~ it's not that! This is the seed for the dark tree! For Arista... so she can step into the world like !"
Hearing this, Asmodeus thought to himself, while putting together various thoughts and hypotheses. 'Maybe it will allow them both to exist at once?'
Though he couldn't be certain, he finally relaxed... and started to move forward, Sariel holding onto his sleeve and looking behind him in anticipation of what awaited them.
"It's not far now... take care, Asmodeus, and make sure to take good care of my other half!" Sohow the last voice of Aristellavia sounded far too mature and reminded him of Serena when she helped him to get over his trauma and inner issues when they first t...
'After all they are both goddesses.'
The next mont, the pair were enveloped by bright light and covered their faces... they didn't have ti to talk to the goddess again before the scenery changed and they found themselves in the sa place, but with the group they parted with earlier all sitting with lifeless faces.
Asmodeus noticed their intense emotions and fears travelling through their emotional bond, causing his chest to ache, while he understood what they saw... because he already endured those visions in the past.
Your next journey awaits at empire
"Girls..."
As if reacting to his voice, the girls turned and noticed him walking down the dimly lit bridge towards them, with the steep fall, all of them calling out to them as they jumped into his arms.
"I'm back, sorry to make you wait so long."
The three won hugged him tight. They seed afraid of being separated again.
"I'll never let that happen... all the horrible things you saw, I will help you stop them. I promise" His soft, calm voice entered their ears and soothed their hearts.
The girls were the first to rush to him, and he kissed each girl. He didn't stop there as Asmodeus held them tightly, waiting for their fears and shaking to stop.
"Don't worry about , I'm fine... but what happened to you all? can you tell ?" He asked with a concerned expression, and the group, slowly calming down, began to explain.
Asmodeus listened calmly, his expression changing slightly as he heard the experiences that each person experienced, and even he was shocked by their stories.
Though he could understand roughly, he wanted to know from their own words... unable to stop himself from becoming affected.
He bit his lower lip and tightened his grip around Ciela, Levia and Erika... as if trying to stop them from fading away in his grasp.
"Master..." Sariel looked up to see Asmodeus's face and saw him biting his lip and looking pained.
He looked at everyone, not just the people he loved but Arinea, Erunda... even Baku and Paul looked devastated, while Simon seed to have recovered slightly, sharpening his swords.
"I think we should have sothing to eat..."
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