God Ash: Remnants of the fallen.-Chapter 785: Salvation.

What was the truth of the trial?

He had thought about it for a while now, and had come up with nothing substantial.

The Trial of Heaven had began with the journey to reach the main trial site. Those that encountered these on the way were either brutally killed, or they killed others brutally.

In reality, there was no need for the bloodshed to go to such lengths.

However, it was difficult to stop a gushing river.

Eventually, they had arrived at the destination, the place where the true trials began.

They were to take four tests, each representing a pillar of the Trial.

The first was the Trial of Slaughter.

The Second was the Trial of Avarice.

The Third was the Trial of Deception.

And the final was the Trial of Arrogance.

What did these trials signify in the desire to ascend into the next Tier?

What did they represent?

In the first place, why was it held here, in a place that was meant to allow creatures ascend into the heavens?

Wouldn’t it have been easier to let them all duke it out until only the strongest survived, and the weaker ones perished? That should have been more than enough.

But for some reason, it wasn’t.

The Trial of Slaughter showed why.

It was a trial that made them all lose their sense of self in the beginning. Their memories were taken away, and they were thrust into a macabre battlefield of chaos.

There, a lot of killing had been done.

If they had not found a way to curb their lust for slaughter, chances are they would have failed the first Trial.

The second trial, the Trial of Avarice was a bit more complicated. There was no need to shed blood in this trial.

Rather, those who participated in the trial were their own biggest enemy.

Those who were not up to par in their ability to control themselves died, solely by overestimating their capabilities.

In the end, that trial had come to an end as well.

And now, they were in the final trial.

The Trial of Deception.

Who was being deceived?

Was that the question to ask? Of course not.

The real question was; If this is a trial of deceit and lies, then how would he find the truth?

A stinging pain at the back of his head quickly brought Cain back to reality.

He gently opened his eyes...

Clouds...

A sea of clouds stretching infinitely in all directions, as far as his eyes could see, which for some reason, was many times what it usually was.

The world was fairly silent, if he was to ignore the hushed whispers and murmurs coming from right beside him.

He sat up.

"You’re awake."

Someone called out to him.

He turned.

Her eyes were like gems, their radiance even more pronounced by the light coming from all around them.

There was no warmth in them. They were like rare cut stones.

But that made them even more alluring, so much so, they could draw a man’s soul in and trap it forever.

"Cain, are you alright?"

Cain could help but think to himself,

’How many times have I heard that lately?’

He shook his head,

"I don’t think I am."

They were currently on the floating platform that held the four statues of the stone judges.

Right now, on the vast platform that might as well have been a small continent, they were the only living beings there, as far as his eyes could see.

Cain looked around, his face unreadable.

Susan sighed, "When the trial ended, we found ourselves here alone."

"The last thing I remember was the fog swallowing me. And then, the trial ended." Roselle added with a sigh.

Cain nodded, then asked,

"How long has it been since then?"

"A few hours, give or take." Evangeline said coldly.

Cain let out a sigh,

"I see..."

He finally knew the truth.

The truth on the nature of this trial.

He has been wrong all along.

The Trial had not started with the Trial of the Four Stone Judges, neither had it began as they began their journey to this place.

It did not begin when they entered the Dark Tower, no...

It began before all of that.

The very moment he opened his eyes.

He let out a mirthful chuckle, Read latest chapters at novelbuddy

"I see."

He turned around. There, standing above them, was Viden, the Arbitrator.

"I believe I recognize that look. Realization? Anger? Confusion?"

Cain glared at the owl,

"This whole thing is a farce. Has been since the beginning."

Viden chuckled,

"Your eyes have been opened then."

The Arbitrator leaned over, the wells of darkness that were his eyes swirling,

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"Did you see him?" He said, his voice a whisper.

Cain fell silent, his face turning pale.

"What is he talking about?" Evangeline said to him, her brows furrowed.

Cain sighed tiredly.

’Should I tell them?’

He didn’t know if that was a good idea or not.

He turned to look at Viden.

Before that, he had a few questions to ask.

"What is the purpose of this trial?"

Viden chuckled,

"Why, this trial is to test if you are worthy enough to ascend into the heavens, is it not?"

Cain sneered, "Cut the bullshit out. I can see through your lies."

"Cain, what are you talking about? That shouldn’t be possible." Susan said, her expression slowly turning sour.

Cain shook his head, his gaze pinned to the Arbitrator’s huge frame,

"Answer me, you freaking bird!"

Viden let out another chuckle,

"I cannot tell lies, human. All that I say, is as it is. However, you are right to doubt me, as ascending into the heavens cannot be this easy."

Evangeline frowned and walked up to Viden. Her gaze turned dark,

"So what you are trying to say is you aren’t telling us the whole truth."

Viden shook his head,

"What I am saying is your situation is complex. A bit too complex for you to understand. But he should have an idea of this already. Isn’t that right, Cain?"

Evangeline turned to Cain, the scowl on her face marring her beautiful features,

"What the hell is he talking about?"

Cain went silent. He looked around. There gazes were confused and unsettling, with undertones of slight anger.

He sighed. That was only to be expected.

"They don’t exist. Or at least, they don’t exist now."

Evangeline furrowed her brows in confusion.

He explained with a dark expression,

"Asteron, Avalon, Thern, Grimm, Cello, every creature we killed, every creature that tried to kill us... They do not exist in this time, in this place."

The third trial made him see the truth.

It was indeed complicated. It was not that they did not exist at all. They were not illusions conjured by the tower.

No, they had existed, at a certain time, and had probably come into the tower to take the trials.

However, they didn’t exist now.

What did exist were the remnant echoes of the past.

The memories of them the trial had recorded...

Viden’s head tilted,

"As expected. Your eyes are indeed open, human. However, you still cannot understand it all."

Susan let out a shaky sigh,

"That should not be possible. There’s no way. Perhaps they all died within the trial?"

Cain shook his head,

"No, they don’t exist. They most likely have all died a long time ago."

Viden nodded, "That is the case. However, some of them, the ones who completed the trials in the past might still be alive. Perhaps fate might take you to them in the future."

Cain sighed tiredly.

Evangeline shook her head,

"It still doesn’t make any sense. None of what you are saying does."

Viden chuckled,

"Do not be disheartened. The trials are not over yet."

They were all confused.

The lives they had taken were not real. The conversations, the interactions...

Everything had been a lie.

A calculated deceit.

For what?

By who?

All in the name of testing them.

Jenny let out a sigh,

"So all of this, was for nothing?"

Viden shook his head,

"Each of the trials have meaning. It is up to you to interpret them as you see fit. Remember, the trials are not over."

The realization had come as a shock. They were all stunned.

Cain sighed.

He doubted what he had seen.

The Trials from the beginning were meant only for them. But he could feel it. The screams of rage, the screeches of despair, the warm gushing blood.

They had to be real.

He frowned.

Viden looked down at him,

"Trust what you see, doubt your interpretation. Your eyes, the eyes you have been given, they do not lie."

Cain was silent.

What he had witnessed with his eyes had scarred him. His brain had also been pumped with a lot of information because of that.

Reality unfolded before these eyes.

Those eyes did not belong to him.

Cain shook as he slowly opened his status screen;

***

{Your skill, {Eyes of Clairvoyance} has been destroyed}.

{Congratulations to Host... You have acquired the Internal active skill, Beholder’s Eye}.