Demon continent Alsace in the year 237 in the 7 month of Yasum on the 28 days after the shattering of the empire.

He could hardly ignore the fact that his body was female now, especially if he was sitting in a lake washing himself, as he was doing now. In the last few years, his body had gone through some growth spurts, he had been taller than Sappho or most of the other demons in the camp, and other aspects of his body had become more prominent as well. When he compared his current body to memories from a few years ago, the changes were even more noticeable. He could only hope that he did not grow much more in all aspects, as he saw no chance in the wilderness of the demon continent of how to get new clothes.

He let himself think about the last few days, starting with the fight against the Hangistkata and their retreat, after which the cats had let themselves be watched by him. Still, it had taken him a few days to find the first clues about how their aura worked and how it activated them. Also, he had not been able to find out yet, how this aura absorbs the sounds of the environment and the colors.

Nevertheless, he had managed to double his core in this short time and he was about to ascend the level, which is why he was actually in the water right now, since it could be a very sweaty thing and he didn't soak his clothes, which he had just washed, since the opportunity had arisen. Now he was just waiting for a feeling to set in, one of inner calm and serenity.

The feeling of confinement had grown stronger over the last few days and had reminded him of the years before his level ascension to level ten. Somehow he had missed the feeling, but all those years in which he had not ascended, he had only now realized.

So he sat cross-legged in the shallow water of the small lake and meditated, waiting for his core to get the last layers and he could ascend one level.

It had taken him twenty years in his first life to ascend to level one and another ten to reach level two. This time it had taken him almost twenty years to get to level two. He had started this life with a level one core, but he had made little progress so far. Only since he stopped toward the center of the continent and the Arcane Energy, which was called savagery, was found in masses around him could he properly accumulate.

Then came the old familiar feeling of climbing the steps and with it a fear, a fear of death. That he could be murdered again, like the last time. He had to fight against this fear and to calm himself down with the fact that this time he had set up some barriers and that Lerna was watching over him and had gotten the Hangistkata to watch over him. He also reminded himself that he might be able to survive another murder, just not with the same benefits he had experienced from his level up to level ten.

Keeping his fear in check, he channeled the arcane energy released within him to accelerate his level advancement and to gain the most benefit from it.

So while he was fighting the fear within him, he could feel his muscles being improved, possible flaws within his body being repaired, the dirt within his body being pushed outward from them. His meridians were filled with energy, swelling to make room for the amount of arcane energy flowing through them, and more and more energy was added to fill these ever-expanding meridians. Unnoticed by him, his meridians could be seen through his skin and glowed in a dark purple color and it seemed as if flames were dancing on his skin in that very color. Which made the water around him boil until he finally disappeared behind a wall of mist.

With a jolt, the connection between his horns and his meridian system was swollen and enlarged. Unnoticed by him at the moment, his horns grew in length and other smaller horns emerged, framing his head like a crown. Between his two main horns, a blood-red crown manifested itself, which seemed to be on fire as his body.

With this new connection to his horns, this seemed to draw even more Arcane Energy from the environment and act as the drain in a tub. Only the Arcane Energy wasn't being funneled into the sewer like water, it was being funneled into him and he had his hands full directing it and directing it to his core. More and more Arcane Energy flooded his system and he had to fight against the floods to be able to direct them through his body and to condense them into layers around his core.

The fire, which had had a certain translucency, had lost it and was now clearly visible in a brilliant bright purple. The dirt, which had accumulated in his body, fell to the ground in burning lumps and ignited it. There was nothing left of the lake's water but mist, which was boiling, so Lerna and the Hangistkata pack had to retreat.

They could see and feel how the world around them was losing Arcane Energy, how it seemed to disappear into a hole. More and more Arcane Energy was being pulled along by the maelstrom, only to be swallowed up and support the rise of Cali.

It had long since passed level two and was well on its way to level three, and there was still no end in sight. In the meantime, he was in a kind of trance, in which he controlled the Arcane Energy as he did when he created his body. From the outside world he got only little with only that no danger prevailed, he could consciously perceive everything else was like behind a mirror and had something unrealistic in itself.

Until late at night, his level ascent continued and it was always new Arcane Energy absorbed by him and his body was in a constant battle with itself and tried to surpass itself. So he went through several body renewals in a few hours, which normally should take place only once per level ascent.

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During the night the Arcane Energy became less and his body calmed down and went through the renewal less often than during the day. When the moon was already high above the trees, he collapsed into the dry bed of the lake. Breathing heavily, he came to rest and fell asleep, his last thought stage two and three. Then he was asleep, too.

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Abraxas sat behind his desk in his mansion in the capital, now that he didn't have to travel around for alliances he could stay here again. On a whim, he looked out his windows, which gave him a magnificent view over the capital. He looked across the capital westward toward the center of the continent. To a place, he had once called home, before he and the Demons had lost everything.

Now that they were once again under the guidance of the gods, it might be possible for them to bring these former lands back under their control. The red flickering of a star caught his attention. For a few moments, he gazed at this new star, not knowing what he was looking at until it tore him from his chair and he ran out onto the balcony. There he looked up at the starry sky above the capital, three red stars. Which were supposed to show the people where their rulers were and that they were always watching over them.

But now a fifth star had appeared in the sky, far inland from the continent, where no demon walked and had done so for hundreds of years.

He activated a rune on his desk and waited, still watching the red star in the distance. A few minutes later, one of his most loyal servants came into his study. "Yes sir, you called for me?"

He was still thinking about what to say and if he could even discuss this with his servants. He finally decided that he had to risk it and inform the royal family about it. Before doing so, however. "Yes take this letter away and do it tonight." He quickly grabbed some stationery and pen and scribbled some quick instructions on it before putting it in an envelope and sealing it. "It's a black letter understood." He looked at his servant who had been working for him for many years, he nodded curtly and took the letter and disappeared out the door with it. He was closely followed by Abraxas himself. Another servant, whom he had summoned, he instructed to make the carriage ready and that his daughter should be awakened, already the servant hurried away to carry out his instructions.

After only a few minutes he had arrived at the entrance of his villa and his daughter and her wife arrived only a few minutes after him. "What is it, father? Why did you let us wake up?" Sappho asked him with a reddened face, he couldn't understand what Sia was mumbling but he could guess what they had been doing until just now. "It's about Cali and we need to inform the royal family." Big question marks appeared on the faces of the two. "Cali? And what do you have to tell the royal family about Cali?" Asked now Sia with a questioning tone. He just pointed west, it took a bit for the two of them to see what he meant and have the same reaction as he did. Their eyes wandered from the red star in the west to the three red stars above them.

""She reached level three?"" They both asked somewhat incredulously at the same time. "It seems so and she has somehow been recognized as the daughter of the Queen and King. Something I'm sure you're both thinking might have to tell the royal family, as well as that we've lost their heir to the throne. Now come on, we're going to the palace right now." He got into the still-braking carriage, followed by the two women, already giving the signal to drive off without him or them having sat down. The crack of the reins could be heard as the driver spurred the horses. The carriage literally flew out of the entrance to his property and had trouble making the turn into which the driver immediately forced the carriage only moments later. Despite magic and runes, the ride was uncomfortable, even though it was only a distance of three kilometers.

The carriage came to a halt with some difficulty at the gates of the palace, and as soon as they stopped, the occupants of the carriage jumped out and made their way up the steps and through the large gates of the palace. On the stairs, a servant of the palace had already met him, whom Abraxas immediately instructed to wake up the king and queen. Nodding, the servant hurried to wake him up and beckoned another servant to come and take the three guests to the waiting room.

None of the three, however, waited for him, but they already made their way towards the waiting room, which the servant had trouble keeping up with them.

In the waiting room, they didn't have to wait long before one of the side doors opened and the two rulers came in. "What is so important that you chase us out of bed, chancellor?" Justinian asked as he sat down on a sofa across from them. "If I might ask for privacy." The two rulers only nodded and gave orders to their servants accordingly in a few moments there were only five of them left him room. "Well?" Theodore asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's about your firstborn -" The Kings raised a hand to interrupt him. "What about Minerva?" He looked her in the eye. "No your firstborn Clia, who had lived with the Cirkati as Cali." A sound of realization rang out from both of them. "And what of her, I thought she had been adopted by your daughter?" Justinian asked, looking at the two women next to Abraxas. "We did and I consider her my own daughter, but she has reached level three and has received her Sovereign Star." Silence reigned in the room. "What!" Both asked, aghast. "So, where is she now? I hope you didn't marry my daughter off to some random peasant."

"No, we have not, and I had informed you of my plans to marry her off to an ally, as you may recall, your highnesses." He paused, in which he looked them both in the eye to show that he would not be talked to like that and he would not tolerate any disrespect to him or his family. "Before we could do this, however, she ran away." "Ran away? May I ask what level she had there?" Justinian asked with a coldness in his voice.

"She was level one. -" That's as far as Sia got before the latter interrupted her. "Stage one and you guys couldn't stop her or recapture her until now. Right?" All three nodded, the two rulers sighed. "Anyway, we let what has passed pass. So what do you want to do? I realize she is your daughter Sappho and Sia, but she is also the firstborn of the New Ruling House and now widely visible to all of royal blood." A small pause from the royals before she continued. "So what do we do now? We don't know her and if I'm honest, she could be a danger to Minerva or all of us if she were to fall into the hands of the Loyalists or anyone else. That's why I have to ask Chancellor, do you have a plan."

"Yes, I have assured my highness since that I will take care of the problem."