“What happened during my trip in the astral planes.” Devinn’s voice was heard.

For the past months, Alwyn was using his black fire to heal the sick and give youth to the old. He was even bringing the dead back to life.

Before that, with the help of Randall, he had been busy setting up teleportation portals in certain strategic points of the island.

Soon after he finished setting the teleportation portals, pilgrims flooded from all the parts of the island.

Fortunately, Randall had long prepared the necessary needs for their stay.

“Look into my memories. You’ll be surprised.” Alwyn answered.

It took a few seconds for Devinn to catch up.

“Alright. I will see what I can do to lower the output of mana from the summoning objects, but we have a problem on our hands. I have good news and bad news.” Devinn mysteriously said.

Alwyn said: “ What is it that you found?”

“Our way out of here. That is the good news. The bad news is that it’s not going to be cheap. It’ll cost us.” Devinn gloomily said.

Alwyn thought for a bit but then forced himself to say:“ Explain then.”

“The power that the Astral Gods wield is nothing but a joke. A byproduct of the real power they could wield. The power of faith doesn’t exist it is just fuel just like mana. The power of this world is not faith power but sacrificial magic. The humans sacrifice their faith for nothing more than an ideal. Fear works the same way. It creates a kind of resentment sent back to the perpetrator in the form of demonization.” He then added: ”There is a high possibility that the power of acquiring faith and the power of feasting on fear is the representation of the two beings who created this ever-expanding universe and countless astral planes. They are the real source of the power of faith and fear just like we became the very source of mana when we became Cosmic gods.”

Alwyn was curing another believer when he mentally sent:“Then why are they not in Randall’s memories that we copied when we got here. If they are that important to this world, why are they still unknown? And how did you come to such a conclusion so soon?”

“I was wondering why no one seemed to be a true immortal in this world. I also made a few visits to several Astral gods and saw how they lived. They are all trying to bypass the power of faith in them to achieve true immortality. They do not want to be completely dependant on the faith their believers give them. They understand that just being an Astral God is not enough since they still risk death no matter how long they live. As for the creator of this world, they or he may have left this world just like we arrived here. By using sacrificial magic. Everything comes back to the blood sacrifice spell found in ruins by Randall. I analyzed the spell and even went to the ruins it was found in. That is where I learned of an ancient magic that was practiced in another epoch that everybody seems to have forgotten. The sacrificial magic.”

Alwyn was interested: “It does what exactly? All we have to do is kill a few people in a blood sacrifice and we can go back?”

“No. Or yes. Sacrificial magic needs an undying faith to work. The more you believe in something and sacrifice an equivalent price the more it is likely to happen. Randall went to the extent of sacrificing himself to achieve such a result. It clearly worked. It is like being granted a wish that you paid for handsomely. That is why when those Astral gods lose the faith of believers, they simply die in a reasonable way: they had no business in living so long with stolen faith.”

“What will it take for us to go back?” Alwyn’s last question. He really wanted to know the price he had to pay to leave if leaving was a must.

“We have many assets we could trade for a lift back home or anywhere suitable for elementals to live. We can sacrifice our nigh endless mana that we acquired during all those fusions, but it would leave us defenseless. We can sacrifice the cloak we made out of the breach but I would not recommend it. You can sacrifice the Netherwyrm bloodline that was put through all those fusions as well and you would lose your physical strength, the dragon transformation and the nether fire and those three can also be sacrificed individually. We can sacrifice our third eye, the representation of Aragil’s evolved power. And lastly, the prisoner cosmic gods we still have in the ring but since they have no real value to us, they can only be sacrificed for some things under the level of an interdimensional portal.” Devinn said.

Alwyn contemplated for a moment and said: “You forgot the time element. Wait …it brought us here…which means…”

“Yes. Randall sacrificed it at the same time he brought us here. It is called a reverse sacrifice. He really did not have enough fire power to bring us here by cutting a few throats. He just threw a beacon and the time element answered and since the time element is you, and since you thought of a peaceful life that you never had at the moment, I suspect that it paid the price on its own to bring us here. You and Randall just needed each other’s help. A reverse sacrifice can only occur when the two parties are in a mutual agreement whether direct or indirect. You are no longer a time traveler if that's what you're wondering.” Devinn completed.

“Better that way.” Alwyn was inwardly relieved. He asked:” How do you explain the lack of alternate realities in this universe that keeps expanding? How do you explain the astral planes?”

“Simple. The being or the two beings created a universe and an astral plane. Infinite realities appeared and they sacrificed them all as well as themselves in each reality to create one single material plane that kept expanding. It probably happened that way.” Devinn answered before he asked: ” What do you choose to sacrifice? There are enough prisoners to sacrifice and ask for many things as well as bringing us both to become the source of power of faith in this world. But to go back home, we have to lose something that we cannot afford to lose. It will be all the other options I mentioned.”

“Let's become the source power first and then find a way to help Randall for good before we leave.” Alwyn said.

“Okay, but you have to swear an oath on something. It will determine what kind of true Astral God you will become for this world or the faith or fear you will represent.” Devinn said. He added: ”I will choose to become a True astral demon. In the meantime, I will try to teach you how to use the third eye’s power, I see that you tried it on a smaller scale when you fought with Runa… Hum?...Well, how about we ask Randall if we can use that pyramid of his for the sacrificial ceremony?”

“You read my mind. But first, let me take care of these believers of mine.” Alwyn said.

Three months later.

Alwyn had hardly slept during the three months. Pilgrims from the mainland had started to come and he had to deal with all of them.

“You know that I could be of more help if you just decide to think of yourself for a minute and do the sacrificial ceremony.” Devinn said.

The plan to separate had been devised and just needed the sacrificial ceremony.

Devinn could only enjoy his freedom after the ceremony and he could even help with all that was happening. He had long given tips to Alwyn on how to properly use the third eye.

He was too bored in his useless position and was growing more impatient every day.

Alwyn could handle Devinn's ramblings anymore: “Alright, I am teleporting Randall over here.” Alwyn said as Randall appeared in a disheveled state. Alwyn said to him: “I am sorry but we have a need for your pyramid and followers.”

“Sir, Alwyn. Everything here belongs to you, there is no need to ask such questions.” Randall said. He was more outgoing and more respectful than before.

“Good. I will set up a teleportation portal next to the pyramid. Make sure to pass the word around that we are about to partake in an important sacrificial ceremony. Do not worry about the sacrifices.” Alwyn said.

“Yes, sir.” Said Randall.

Two days later.

On top of the pyramid, Randall was witnessing the same scene he saw the day he presided his own sacrificial ceremony. The spectating crowd was now many times bigger than that time.

Today, he was only an assistant.

He anticipated the arrival of the new god, the demon Devinn. The fact that a demon was so well welcomed was because they all knew he was the counterpart of Alwyn who had accepted to be demonized in the place of his host.

There was also the news that a new era was about to start with the introduction of a long-lost art, sacrificial magic and a new art bestowed upon summoners chosen by the God Alwyn, elemental summoning magic.

The twin Gods, Alwyn and Devinn, were about to use sacrificial magic to enter the source realms of faith and fear. The true representation of an astral God and an astral demon. True immortality.

The twin Gods were only following their conjectures on the journey to that new path. No one knew if that would work.

If the truth about sacrificial magic was real, the amount and the quality of sacrifices was of utmost importance.

Randall was only afraid that they would try and leave this world but he tried to have faith in them.

The first sacrifice was a Dragon wolf from the Onera clan of the Myriad races. He was decapitated and translucent blood flowed unceasingly.

It was the first time for the faith world inhabitants seeing such a creature. They had heard Alwyn’s story but it was still an eye opener for them.

Other dragon variants of the Myriad races followed.

Their mana, bodies, blood, and soul all disappeared in the first circle diagram. And each one of their faces had become a small drawing around the circle.

Alwyn was standing in the middle of that circle as a triangle appeared around him.

The first ceremony was to allow Devinn to become a true astral demon.

The second ceremony would be to allow Alwyn to become a true astral God.

The subsequent ceremonies were to ask for whatever they wished for with the remaining sacrifices.

As the diagram was completed, Devinn’s thundering voice was heard: “ I swear to bathe in the fear of every evildoer that will cross my path. I have the all-seeing eye and no truth shall be hidden from me. They shall forever fear my wrath and repent in my domain. Henceforth, I shall be known as the true Demon of Justice.”

A blinding light was released by the diagram before Alwyn’s soul felt something separating from him.

A horned tailed violet humanoid appeared in front of Alwyn.

Devinn had succeeded.

He had the same three-eyed face as Alwyn with the slight difference of two little protruding horns.

The violet body was not something new, but the claws and the two-meter-long tail, he almost looked like a draconian.

“I am now the source of fear. It works. This is just the base form and I cannot change it. I should start experimenting with this new power and see its limits. If I start punishing some evildoers I will see myself transforming into a hideous form. I just hope that I will also be seen as a good thing and acquire faith as well. It will balance my transformation into a complete demon.” Devinn said. He added: “I figured that my new job should be closer to yours. I will punish those who bar our way and you can keep playing the benevolent God without problems.”

Alwyn nodded.

It was his turn. The ceremony was restarted.

He already had an idea of what kind of God he wanted to become: “I was born without freedom. I gained the power to fight for my freedom. I see that with the way the world works, only the strongest have a choice in living a life they choose for themselves. I will help free the world of all ills as I can cure anything. I will help give freedom by bestowing strength to those who need it as my summoners will summon my power to smite their enemies if they believe in me. I will help free this world of its limits and break them to create more space for the true freedom I see. I will share my vision of freedom. The freedom I gained. Henceforth, I shall be revered as the God of freedom.”

The same blinding light again.

Just like Devinn was imbued with the source power of fear, Alwyn was imbued with the source power of faith.

There was no apparent difference on the outside, but he felt that the power of faith he wielded was endless.

“We still have more sacrifices. What do you want to ask for?” Alwyn asked.

“I am pissed off that we know close to nothing about the element of time. Faith power. Where mana came from and how it creates elementals and where magic comes from.” Devinn said.

“Don’t tell me that you want to wish for a book that explains it all.” Alwyn said as he showed a doubtful face.

“Hehe… Exactly.” An amused Devinn said.