'Welcome to the Door of Splendor, challenger!' The Ruin's Ausra's voice echoed in Dorian's head as he touched the large door and teleported once more, into one of the magical trials that Yukeli had set up.

'Yes! It worked!' Dorian thought gleefully, returning to his Wrath Vampire form. He looked down at his clothes approvingly. They hadn't ripped apart. Buying the set was probably one of his best purchases yet.

He'd managed to escape from the Holy Prince using his backup plan.

If he couldn't bluff or fight his way out, he could always just run away using his abilities as an Anomaly. In the moment before he had been attacked by that final strike, Dorian had realized that his enemy was simply too powerful to face head-on, at least right now. The ability to revive himself after dying was too strong and even without that, the Holy Prince was a deadly foe.

–

Dorian – Soul Status

Soul Stage: Lord Class (Pseudo-King)

Health: Perfect

Energy: 17,218/112,221

–

'Geez. That was far too close.' He thought as he checked his status, shaking his head.

He'd only managed to take the Prince out so many times due to catching him by surprise and constantly keeping up the pressure. With his energy stores running low, Dorian opted to flee rather than continue combat.

So, just before the lance had pierced through him, Dorian had transformed into his Red Salamander form and immediately Condensed it again, becoming a baby lizard.

This caused the lance to miss him entirely.

He'd then taken advantage of Isaac's shock to sprint over to the Door of Splendor and lay a tiny claw on it, activating the challenge.

'That will only work on him once, though.' Dorian thought, rubbing his chin. He wouldn't be able to use that plan against the same person twice.

He shook the thoughts from his head as he looked around, taking in where he'd been dropped off.

He had been teleported into a new room. Similar to the courtyard, it was a room that was sparsely decorated, with plain grey stone walls, a grey stone floor, and a grey stone ceiling. Everything seemed drab.

Except for the one entrance and exit to the room. An identical, though much smaller, copy of the door that had been set in that courtyard. The Door of Splendor.

"Huh." He muttered, looking at it. As he spoke aloud, the Ruin's Ausra responded,

'This trial is a test of your willpower, challenger! Open this Door of Splendor and find past it your destined reward!' Her advice was a little more helpful than the Ausra in his head usually was.

"Alright…" He shrugged and then tapped on his Spatial Ring.

WHOOSH

A bound sheath of paper appeared in his hands. Yukeli's journal.

Dorian opened it up and began to look through it, skimming over everything until he, eventually, found something about the challenge he was currently facing.

'Today, we finished construction of the first challenge in the Ascension Ruins, as we have decided to call them!'

'A challenge that we have named the 'Door of Splendor!''

'This is one of our biggest forays into experimenting with Fate. Ausra and I wanted to create something that could cause Fate to willingly manipulate itself. As we stand now, neither Ausra nor I possess the power to change Fate, and we must rely upon external factors.'

'The challenge is a simple one. It tests the willpower of the challenger. It taps into the forces of Fate itself, projecting a vision of a possible future that the challenger would fear.'

'Everything it shows is a real possibility that could occur. The future shown is just one of many, and there is no guarantee that future will come true, for the forces of Fate are abstruse. Even I cannot truly judge the merits of what the Door shows.'

'As long as the challenger can view whatever future is thrust their way without collapsing, and anyone that hopes to take in the forte of knowledge or treasure that I have left behind must have at least that strength of will, they will be rewarded by whatever it is they most desire in the Ascension Ruins.'

'The construction of this challenge took months and was incredibly expensive, but I think, today, we've finally reached a point where I am pleased! This is one of the biggest challenges, and one of the most key ones!'

Dorian put the journal down, his eyes shining.

If he passed this, he would be rewarded with whatever it was he most desired?

Didn't that mean he was just a step away from saving Will? All he wanted was a vast supply of treasure and if his reward for completing this challenge was what he wanted…

"How do I start the challenge, Ausra #2? Or, I guess you are the original Ausra, huh?" Dorian asked, getting slightly off track. The journal hadn't contained any other specifics on the makeup of the trial.

Ausra #2 did not reply. Dorian frowned, but then realized she must not be a genie like his Ausra was. The voice was probably prerecorded and couldn't answer questions.

"I probably go up to the door." Dorian shrugged as he came to that conclusion.

He didn't hesitate as he stepped forward, walking right up to it. He paused right in front of the resplendent door, looking at it with bated breath.

He rested his right hand on it.

And instantly felt the world around him shiver.

Abruptly, with no fanfare at all, Dorian found himself standing atop a grassy hill alone. The dying light of the sun lit up the evening sky, giving the dead trees that stood, bent and broken near Dorian, an eerie appearance.

"Huh…" Dorian muttered, looking at his hands. They were human. His body had transformed into that of a human body for some reason.

'No.' He thought, shaking his head. He raised his hands up toward the sun.

His hands were translucent. He had become a sort of spirit or insubstantial form of some sort. Dorian still saw his soul as human, as he figured that was what this was.

"Hahaha!" A child's laughter drew Dorian's attention towards the bottom of the hill.

At the base of the hill, Dorian could see what looked like an old, mostly destroyed village. At the outskirts of it, Dorian could make out a harried looking woman dragging along a trio of children, two boys and one girl. A fourth child, a young boy with a head of brown hair and cheerful eyes, had run ahead, carelessly laughing as he held up a shiny rock. All of them wore ragtag clothes, drab and colorless, and couldn't have been older than 5 or 6 years of age.

"No! Bori! Quiet! Not now!" The woman called out, her body blurring as she rushed forward and grabbed him. She looked around furiously, her hands trembling.

WHOOSH

Eeeeeeeeee

Faintly, in the background, Dorian heard an ominous breeze echo forth. An odd, keening noise accompanied it, one that caused him to shudder.

As he heard it, Dorian realized something. He recognized the woman.

It was Helena.

All of the children appeared to be half-Vampire, half-Human. But, not a regular breed of Human, Dorian noted. The children seemed to have a magic glow about them, as if they were special in some way Dorian couldn't quite tell by sight.

"Quiet Bori, children! Here now, quickly." Her voice was quiet, yet carried all the way up the hill to Dorian. Helena rushed towards one of the run-down buildings, carrying all four children at once.

'Helena! Helena, it's me!' Dorian tried to call out, to no effect. He found that he couldn't call out, his voice unable to make a noise at all. He watched as she moved passively, unable to understand what was going on.

However, as she heard the odd, keening noises, a look of despair covered her face, one that was quickly quashed. She set the three boys and one girl down, quickly pushing them inside the house.

"Mommy has to go out, Bori, Hella, Lawrence, Micheal." Helena began, giving them all a warm smile. Her hands trembled behind her back as she spoke, hidden from the children.

"Again mom? I'm sorry!" Bori's face was fear-stricken, emotions that a child should never have to feel appearing on it. The other children huddled together, clutching at each other for support, their small arms holding each other steady.

"It's okay. I'll be back in a few hours, my babies. And if I don't, you all know what to do, right?" Helena said, giving them all warm smiles.

"Yes, mom! We'll keep going towards the Last Haven." The children whispered quietly. They all immediately turned around and ran inside the house, hiding themselves.

"Yes, children…" Helena whispered, her voice strained, so full of pain that Dorian felt as if he was about to be sick, desperate to help her.

"Perhaps that man… can protect you… I am not enough anymore…" She closed her eyes quietly for a brief moment. A single tear fell down her face.

BOOM

An explosion rang out, shaking the air. Dorian turned to look for it, seeing nothing that could have caused it.

Helena, however, blasted off away from the door, looking up at the sky. Her body started to shake, but her eyes were like steel, fierce and unbending. Dorian could sense a great courage in her, valor indescribable.

'Helena!' He tried to yell out again, clutching at his hair. She ignored him, continuing to run till she was several hundred meters away from the house the children were hiding in.

THUD

Helena came to a stop as a resounding thud echoed, drawing both Dorian and Helena's attention.

She was at the northern entrance of the rundown city proper, the City Square. Vines and overgrown grass covered the stone floor, giving the place an ancient, ruined appearance.

In the middle of this courtyard stood a being the likes of which Dorian had never seen.

It was a fairly Demonic looking humanoid, covered in black and grey scales. It was large, standing roughly 3 and a half meters tall. Its body was thick and extremely muscular, giving off a rippling sensation of strength. Light green energy seemed to flow within the body of the creature, faintly visible within the scales. Two large, curved horns lay atop its head, glowing with green energy.

On its back were a set of folded black wings, the ever-present pale green energy visible within them, while a long, thick tail rolled off the creature's formidable lower back.

The being wore no clothes, the black scales that covered almost every inch of its body providing it with ample protection. Its face was grey, a mostly humanoid face with a strong jaw, a regular nose, and two eyes that glowed with pale green light.

(Image – https://i.imgur.com/7fByDfy.jpg )(Doesn't Open In App)

'Run, Helena! Don't fight it!' Dorian yelled with all his might as he tried to get Helena to flee, looking on in horror as she confronted the being. The entire creature gave off such a sense of power that Dorian knew that he himself would be flattened by it in an instant.

The very air itself seemed to twist around the creature, as if trying to escape it, yet unable.

"I finally caught up to you in person, my dearest Vampire." The Demonic being spoke, its voice surprisingly rich and smooth, belying its fearsome appearance. Dorian shivered as he heard it, however. It felt strangely familiar.

Helena's body seemed to rock as she looked at the mighty creature. She took a deep breath.

A beautiful, white Halo appeared, floating above her head. The air around her seemed to flow quicker as she stood alone, staring at the being as if it were the greatest enemy she had ever faced.

"Even you, too, will stand against me, Helena?" The Demonic being sounded disappointed, shaking its great head.

"After all we went through together, you would give that up?" The creature sighed.

"What did you do?" Helena spoke aloud, her eyes cool as she looked at the being.

The black-scaled creature sighed again.

"You understand nothing, Helena. I have truly understood that which He, Yukeli, sought. Perfection… it cannot be found in reality. The only way to find perfection is to reshape reality itself. This path… it only became obvious after truly living again, while bearing his memories and experiences." The being's voice was filled with passion as it spoke, a sense of grandeur and mystery spreading.

"What. Did. You. Do." She spat aloud, her arms shaking slightly.

"I did what I said I would do. I did the right thing." His voice was calm as he replied,

"I Severed every World Bridge that connected the 30,000 Worlds to the Source World. The Severing only lasted a short 30 seconds. After all, I do not want to destroy the 30,000 Worlds. Far from it. I am here to save them."

'Source World? Severed?' Dorian didn't understand, but had a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"No… No…" Helena shook her head, tears billowing from her eyes. Her mouth fell open in horror, a sense of grand, huge loss filling her.

"Yes, Helena. It had to be done."

"The Spatial Storms that the Severing unleashed cannot destroy a World. They can only end all, or most, life on it. Even if a World does get obliterated, by the Laws of the Universe it will reform over tens of thousands of years, as long as the Source World is still connected." The being said, nodding its head.

"I have given new life to the 30,000 Worlds. Life that, under my guiding hand, will have a chance to achieve perfection.

"Not life cast aside as worthless by the many.

"Not life that is ridiculed and tortured, brutally killed by those stronger

"Not life where the weak starve while the mighty are gluttons.

"A life of equality and fairness. Where all beings live together in harmony. No senseless slaughter, no pointless chaos. Peace and happiness shall reign supreme."

"You… you are a monster." Helena spat out, the air around her shivering as she put her hands up, facing down the creature.

"Yes… I am a monster. But I did what needed to be done. You have seen the violence, the hatred, of this reality. The evil that people spread." The being sighed, nodding its head sadly.

"Trillions of innocents have died at your hands and you have the gall to look sad? How dare you. How DARE you!" Helena's eyes took on a fierce, fiery glow. Her voice was full of equal parts hatred and horror,

"To think that I once loved you." She spat out pure venom.

"I love you still, my dearest." The being said back, looking at Helena quietly.

Helena shut her eyes for a brief moment, another tear sliding down her face.

"Goodbye, Dorian." Helena opened her eyes. No love or sadness appeared in her eyes anymore. Only pure, violent anger and determination.

Dorian, of the future, sighed.

"Goodbye, Helena."

WHOOSH

BOOM

Dorian's vision went white.

A second later, he reappeared in the room with the Door of Splendor.

Standing alone, his entire body trembling as he recovered from what he had just seen. A vision of a possible future.

'STAND OR FALL, THE CHOICE IS YOURS!' As Dorian was shaking, his heart cast into a million directions, a powerful, authoritative voice appeared in his mind, full of strength. The younger voice of Yukeli.

The trial judged Dorian's emotional state and his ability to handle himself.

Emotions threatened to swarm over Dorian as the vision settled in him. He clenched his fists, however, refusing to back down, keeping one thought strong in his mind.

'It is just a possibility. Not certain reality. Just a possibility.' He said, over and over, forcing back the incredible sense of pain, horror, and fear he felt trying to swarm over him. The fact that it had been him, killing trillions, even killing Helena, forcing children to hide in terror…

How had that happened?

A few seconds passed as he was locked in an intense, internal battle, forcing his body to stop trembling.

A few more seconds passed by in silence.

WHOOSH

Dorian's body seemed to flutter and disappear.

He had successfully passed the First Trial of the Ascension Ruins.

.

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