The next day, Max and Alice left without delay. Their destination was the Lower Domain, specifically the Elven Kingdom. Max carried Alice in his arms as they traveled through the sky, cutting across the vast lands of the Middle Domain. They flew swiftly, yet the scenes unfolding beneath them were impossible to ignore.
Everywhere they looked, war raged.
Cities smoldered with smoke that reached high into the clouds. Entire regions were torn apart by battles between humans, demons, and ascendants. They saw shattered fortresses, burning forests, frozen plains cracked open by chaotic energy, and once-peaceful villages now reduced to ruins. Screams, explosions, and the overwhelming scent of destruction filled the air like a storm spreading endlessly across the continent.
There was no corner untouched. There was no mont of rest. The war had not stopped for even a heartbeat.
Max watched silently as groups of human cultivators fought desperately against demonic hordes. So fell. So survived only to fall monts later. Others continued fighting with bloodied bodies, driven purely by the instinct to survive. Battles erupted continuously in every direction they looked.
And for the first ti in a long ti, Max found his thoughts drifting into a dark place.
"Is any of this worth it?" he wondered, his eyes lingering on a group of soldiers being overwheld.
If the world was destined to be devoured by Mimi… If everything they fought to save would be erased… If no hope existed beyond delaying the inevitable…
Then what were they fighting for?
Would these people still struggle so fiercely if they knew the end was already sealed? Would they still choose righteousness and bravery if they realized they had no chance of survival?
Would anyone?
The questions spiraled through Max's mind, deepening the heaviness he felt. He watched a mother shielding her child as demons closed in around them. He watched soldiers trying to hold a line with broken weapons. He watched cultivators with torn robes and drained energy launch attacks even as their strength faded.
It was grim. It was heartbreaking. And it made Max wonder whether he had the right to let them fight when he already knew the truth that waited for their world.
But he pushed the thoughts aside.
He refused to let despair cloud his mind again. He had only just regained so peace. He could not allow himself to fall back into that dark pit. Not now. Not when so much rested on him.
He exhaled slowly and forced his focus forward.
Alice, sensing his shift in mood, placed her hand gently on his chest. She didn't say anything, but the quiet comfort of her touch was enough to ground him.
Before long, the chaos of the Middle Domain faded behind them, replaced by the calr landscapes of the Lower Domain. Tall trees spread like erald seas across the land, and ancient forests whispered with an energy untouched by war.
Finally, Max and Alice descended, arriving at the gates of the Elven Kingdom.
They had co here for Lenavira.
Her body had recovered completely inside Max's Dinsion of Spirit. The curse that once tornted her had been erased from the root by the Lotus of Clear Serenity. Not even a trace remained. Her skin glowed with vitality, her aura was stable, and her life force was no longer flickering like a dying candle.
Yet despite all of that… she still had not opened her eyes.
Max sensed that her soul was trapped in a deep slumber, held down by remnants of darkness that even the lotus could not touch. He felt certain that only one place existed that could awaken her—the Divine Pond of the elves, the sacred water where elves resisted their dark selves and stabilized their souls. It was the only sanctuary he could think of that might bring Lenavira back.
That was why he ca here.
The mont Max and Alice stepped into the Elven Kingdom, the atmosphere shifted. The lush erald trees, the clean air, the ancient runes shimring in the leaves—everything seed calr than the war-torn Middle Domain. And the elves recognized him instantly.
"Max has returned!"
"Max, how have you been?"
"It is good to see you again!"
Dozens of elves ran toward him with bright smiles. So were young, so elderly, others in the pri of their strength. They circled around him with warmth and gratitude. They rembered how he revived the ancient forest, how he restored the heart of their land. To them, he was a benefactor, soone they respected deeply.
So invited him to their hos. Others offered him fruit and wine. A few simply bowed, tears of gratitude in their eyes. Alice watched this with a soft smile, seeing how naturally Max fit into the lively crowd.
It was a wholeso mont—one that contrasted sharply with the chaos beyond their borders.
Before long, two powerful auras descended from the royal palace. The crowd parted respectfully as the king and queen of the Elven Kingdom landed before Max.
Elarion and Ava. Both wore expressions filled with guilt and sorrow.
"We are sorry, Max," Elarion said, lowering his head. "We could not protect the Valora Continent."
Max shook his head imdiately. "You do not need to apologize. It was a surprise attack by the demons. No one expected it."
He paused and added, "Besides, I am not here because of that."
With a gentle motion, he brought out Lenavira's body from his spatial ring. Her form was untouched by corruption, looking almost like she was peacefully asleep.
Ava's face changed the instant she saw her daughter. The queen rushed forward and carefully lifted Lenavira into her arms. Elarion's expression tightened as he examined her from every angle.
"What happened to her?" Ava asked, her voice trembling with worry.
Max did not hide anything. He explained the curse, the events of the Middle Domain, the nulls, the curse, the Lotus of Clear Serenity, the complete removal of the corruption, and her current state of slumber. He spoke calmly but truthfully, leaving nothing vague.
When he finished, Elarion and Ava were stunned. They took a mont to process everything. Shocked—because of how much she had suffered. Relieved—because the curse was completely gone. Grateful—because Max had saved her life.
Ava held Lenavira closer, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. Elarion rested a hand on his wife's shoulder, trying to steady her.
Max looked at them and said quietly, "I don't know why she is still asleep. Her body is fine, her soul is stable, but sothing is keeping her from waking up."
His words hung in the quiet forest breeze.
He had brought Lenavira back. Now he hoped the elves could help her return to the world.
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