Outside the third dimension, in the fourth, where the purpose of the trials was known to beings possessing far greater souls. To these beings inhabiting diverse worlds, a different system notification appeared before them.
Their blood-red ethereal screens displayed an alternative notification.
System Notification:
Spatial distortion detected. Time and fate have rewound. A divine-ranked item has been used.
Warning! The Ascension Trials will temporarily pause. The planet designated as Earth will travel back through the river of time, returning the Ascension Trials to a previous stage.
Warning! The divine item's energy is rewinding the flow of time to an unknown focal destination.
Time since Ascension Trial: 30Years, 11 Days, 10 Hours, 24 Minutes, 46 Seconds → 29 Years, 10 Days, 10 Hours, 19 Minutes, 30 Seconds → 28 Years, 4 Days, 10 Hours, 7 Minutes, 58 Seconds
As the notification unfolded, time continued its relentless rewind.
However, while time rewound for the mortals of Earth, the pitiful humans caught in the throes of the Ascension Trials, it flowed unabated for other, far mightier beings.
On a planet uncannily reminiscent of the one recently beset by the Earthlings' battles, deep beneath the surface, meandering the caverns and layers of hell, the demon world unfurled in all its unrelenting harshness and desolation.
A harsh, unforgiving landscape stretched out, devoid of life and teeming with jagged, obsidian formations. Windswept plains of jagged stone extended as far as the eye could see, marred only by the occasional burst of crimson-hued geysers that erupted with malevolent intent.
Within this chaotic landscape, snaking its way underground and moving between the layers of hell, a large dark brown worm-like creature effortlessly moved through the thick rock. Its jaws and green acid made quick work of the thick earth before it, and its angled armour-plated body moved all the loose earth from in front to around its body and behind it.
Inside this 2m tall and 15m long creature, within a fleshy space far larger than the creature's outward appearance, another worm-like creature lay ensconced in immobility. This demon worm, no, not a worm, but a parasite, was not endowed with great size or power compared to its other demonic kind; instead, its form was more compact and bulging, almost squishy in appearance.
Its grotesque form, bereft of eyes, was draped in a sinister tapestry of smaller, subservient parasites that covered its body like a living shroud.
These diminutive parasites served as loyal drones, executing their master's inscrutable commands. The main parasite's body was also painted with faintly red glowing markings, almost like tribal tattoos, which pulsed with the movement of the drones.
From the creature's perspective, it engaged with a multitude of screens, far too many for any ordinary being to fathom, yet it handled them all with seamless efficiency. That was because, unlike ordinary creatures, this creature's mind was fragmented. Fragmented yet also unified, allowing it to adeptly manage the numerous tasks it undertook with seamless ease.
On one of these screens, the creature observed the battle that had transpired in a replica of its own world. It witnessed humanity's futile struggle to defy fate through one of its pieces, the 'Bishop Piece' Damian, also titled 'Blood lord'. Damian was unaware that through the 'Parasitic piece', his master could also see the world through his eyes.
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This being, connected through its grotesque brood, bore witness to all the major happenings of the human world. After all, it was both the hive mind and the mastermind behind the demonic organisation known as 'The Confluence.'
On a blood-red screen, the parasite observed an interaction that sparked an unusual emotion. The man it had identified as one of its prime targets, one that needed to be eliminated first, was once again alive and active. The creature was… Glad? Excitement was perhaps a more fitting term.
Humanity had played a pivotal role in its ascent to power.
A calculated gamble had propelled it through the ranks of demons, allowing it to be at its current rank.
Yet, the power it currently possessed was not sufficient. It yearned for more, an insatiable thirst to ascend to the level of the Supremes or perhaps even surpass them.
But alas, its own progression would stop here, along with the humans it had watched for so long.
The Supremes had issued orders to halt humanity's progress, as they had done with countless others on their path of ascension, culminating in their eventual eradication. Duty-bound, the parasite had no choice but to obey their command lest their anger turn on it instead.
Yet, within the depths of its being, it experienced a peculiar sense of unease—an emotion so human-like, an oddity in the demon's world, where such sentiments were considered obsolete and scorned. It contemplated the hypocrisy of the supreme beings, or princes as they called themselves, as they, too, were led by their sins.
As the human interacted with the egg-shaped object, a new screen materialised, alerting the creature to a change in the unfolding events. Initially confused, it quickly deduced that this shift was related to the enigmatic object.
The demonic creature's physical form was not its most potent asset, which was why it lurked in the darkest corners of hell's underground world, well beyond the reach of inquisitive gazes. Nevertheless, its intellect shone with unparalleled brilliance.
For it bore the name Malgrith and was titled 'The Hive,' a title befitting the mastermind behind 'The Confluence.'
As the Ascended being, known as Malgrith, saw the system notification, its fragmented minds, each having been working on separate tasks, now worked together to understand what had happened.
Malgrith scrutinised the object it assumed was at the root of this perplexing disturbance. Only a rare few things possessed the potency to influence the system to this extent, and given its widespread impact, Malgrith surmised that it must be of the 'Divine' rank, something the system notification only further proved.
Simultaneously, the implications of the system notification unravelled within Malgrith's thoughts.
The Ascension Trials were being rewound.
The third dimension was regressing along with its inhabitants. Yet, the object's influence did not extend to the fourth dimension, where Malgrith and the countless other beings dwelled.
"Could this be fate? Perhaps an opportunity!" Malgrith mused aloud.
Its hoarse, deep voice caused its monstrous form to shudder, transmitting its vibrations through the cavern and eliciting a synchronised response from its smaller broods—the obedient drones.
The timeline was rewinding, and with it, the Ascension Trials. Malgrith's power, however, remained unaltered. The prospect of seizing greater power left it elated, causing its monstrous form to writhe and pulse with anticipation.
Yet, amidst its jubilation, the myriad minds within Malgrith contemplated how to exploit this situation fully. While harnessing the humans once more to accumulate even greater power was the obvious decision, it was reaching a point of diminishing returns. A precipice its current form could not surmount.
Even with this newfound opportunity, further growth appeared challenging.
Malgrith's thoughts veered towards the Supremes that ruled this world, beings of unparalleled might who had transcended long before the Ascension Trials were conceived. Regardless of its efforts, bridging the chasm to their level, acquiring their power, or even emulating their skills seemed like an insurmountable task.
Yet, the relentless desire for power persisted within Malgrith, an intrinsic yearning that drove its demonic nature.
"The Ascension Trials... perhaps it's time for a different approach?"
Closing the system notification with a decisive gesture, Malgrith engaged with the myriad screens before it. It assessed its current resources and took stock of the items nestled within its inventory whilst meticulously planning its future course of action.
For when the time had stopped rewinding, and the trial reconvened, it would make its move.