Asmodeus world suddenly went dark then it went back to light, his transparent eyes were now reflecting a stormy, crimson world. He immediately felt the air thrum with rage—it was alive, suffocating, like the heartbeat of an unrelenting predator. Around him stretched a barren wasteland of cracked earth, glowing faintly with veins of molten lava. The sky above roiled with blood-red clouds, flashing with violent streaks of lightning.
Wrath.
The very air vibrated with anger, a palpable force that clawed at his mind. He clenched his fists, trying to suppress the growing sense of fury rising within him. His blood boiled in his veins, his heart pounded louder, and his teeth clenched involuntarily.
"Well, well," Dreamer's mocking voice pierced through the suffocating tension. "Wrath suits you, doesn't it, little demon? I've seen that anger simmering beneath your calm exterior. Let's see what happens when it takes over."
Asmodeus growled under his breath, unwilling to give the disembodied voice the satisfaction of a response.
---
The ground trembled, and from the cracks in the earth, figures began to rise. At first, they were vague shapes, but as they solidified, Asmodeus felt a chill. They weren't just random enemies—they were familiar faces.
There was the woman who betrayed him in his previous life, her smile dripping with false sweetness. There was the warrior who struck him down, his face twisted with arrogance. And then there were countless others—figures who had wronged, hurt, or insulted him over the centuries.
Asmodeus inhaled sharply, his hands shaking as rage threatened to consume him.
"Do you feel it?" Dreamer whispered. "The anger bubbling inside? Let it out, Asmodeus. This is your trial, after all. Prove you're strong enough to destroy them."
The figures stepped closer, their mocking laughter and venomous words filling the air.
"You're weak."
"You couldn't even save yourself."
"A demon pretending to be pure? Pathetic."
Asmodeus roared, the sound erupting from him like a shockwave. Without thinking, he launched himself at the nearest figure, his claws extending. He struck with relentless ferocity, tearing into the specter with enough force to shatter stone. But as soon as he destroyed one, another rose in its place, then another.
---
Before long, he was surrounded, his body drenched in sweat and blood—his own, or theirs, he couldn't tell. His movements became erratic, his strikes less precise. He wasn't fighting to win anymore; he was fighting to vent his rage, to silence the taunts, to drown the overwhelming fire inside him.
But the figures only multiplied. Each strike he delivered only fed their numbers, each death only fueling his frustration.
"Why won't they stop?" he snarled, his voice raw.
"Because," Dreamer said with a chuckle, "wrath is insatiable. The more you fight it, the stronger it becomes. You can't win this battle by giving in. Or perhaps you're too weak to figure that out?"
Asmodeus froze mid-swing, his claws poised to tear through another sneering face. Dreamer's words cut through the haze of anger clouding his mind. He took a step back, his breathing ragged.
---
He closed his eyes, forcing himself to focus. The rage didn't subside; if anything, it grew louder, roaring like a storm inside him. But he didn't fight it this time. Instead, he acknowledged it, letting the anger wash over him without resistance.
"Yes," he whispered to himself, his voice trembling. "I'm angry. I've always been angry. But anger doesn't control me. I control it."
The specters paused, their jeers faltering. Asmodeus opened his eyes, a cold clarity replacing the burning fury. The figures began to dissolve, their shapes unraveling like smoke in the wind.
"You're learning," Dreamer's voice sounded almost approving. "But let's see how far you can take it."
---
The ground beneath him shook violently, and a massive figure erupted from the earth. It was a monstrous version of himself, towering and grotesque, its body pulsating with raw energy. Its transparent eyes glowed with an unholy light, and its lips twisted into a cruel smile.
"I am your wrath," the creature growled, its voice a thunderous echo. "And you cannot destroy me."
Asmodeus stared at the creature, his expression unreadable. "I don't need to destroy you," he said calmly. "I only need to accept you."
The creature roared, lunging at him with a speed that belied its size. Asmodeus stood his ground, closing his eyes as the massive claws descended. But instead of striking him, the claws stopped inches from his face, trembling as if held back by an unseen force.
The creature let out a guttural scream, its form cracking and splintering. Asmodeus opened his eyes, meeting its gaze with unwavering resolve.
"You're a part of me," he said quietly. "But you're not all of me."
With those words, the creature shattered into a million shards of light, each fragment dissolving into the air. The wasteland around him began to crumble, the oppressive heat giving way to a cool, refreshing breeze.
---
Dreamer's voice returned, tinged with amusement. "Well, well. That was... unexpected. I thought you'd tear yourself apart before figuring it out. But I suppose even demons have their moments of clarity."
Asmodeus smirked, brushing the dust from his clothes. "You're going to have to try harder than that."
"Oh, don't worry," Dreamer said with a chuckle. "The next trial will make this one look like a walk in the park. Enjoy your victory while it lasts, little demon."
Asmodeus stepped toward the next portal, his transparent eyes glowing faintly. He felt lighter, as if a weight had been lifted from his soul. But he knew better than to grow complacent.
The trials weren't over yet.