Iode opened his eyes to a familiar environment.
He stood somber, his eyes cast downward. Though he'd just stood before the highest of beings, the "big shots" had denied his request. Only Nyx—one of the three celestials—had shown him a sliver of mercy, sparing him from Hades' wrath. Even so, she couldn't stop the curse that worsened his already chronic illness.
Still, despite the weight on his shoulders, Iode raised his head to face the towering figure cloaked in darkness. He frowned.
"Welcome back, mortal. You completed your mission splendidly. The trials for your transgression have been rectified," said Baran Valier, his voice echoing like thunder in a tomb.
"Good. Then return me home," Iode snapped. "You and I have no business with each other anymore. I've fulfilled your ridiculous task. There's nothing left that binds us. As a celestial, honor your word."
"Impervious fool," Valier replied. "Yes, I am a celestial—but I am also a devil. Do you know my title? I am the Celestial of Sabotage and Perpetuation. Not all my yes is a yes, and I never once said I would return you home."
"Tsk. What else would I expect from a devil who let the Original Five do as they pleased with their souls. None of what you say matters to me," Iode said coldly.
Valier's grin widened behind his veil of shadow.
"Let me ask you something, mortal: do you know the time variations between the celestial realms and the mortal world?"
"Hm?" Iode narrowed his eyes.
"If not, allow me to educate you. As you know, there are three realms: the Mortal Realm, and the two celestial ones—the Celestial Plane and the Underworld. Time flows differently in each. While there's a slight variation between the Celestial Plane and the Underworld, compared to the Mortal Realm, both move far slower. Five days in your world can pass as just an hour here."
"…What are you getting at?" Iode asked, clenching his fists.
"You've spent more than three days here."
'Three days? I couldn't even tell the difference between day and night… the sky was always red and ash-covered,' Iode thought grimly.
"In the mortal realm, even different worlds—some call them planets—have different timeflows. But we celestials use Earth's time as the standard to measure the difference between all realms."
"Stop with your riddles," Iode growled. "Say what you mean. I don't care about time measurements."
"Oh, but you will care," Valier said, amused. "Because you have outlived your generation. Heaters, the world you once called home… it is now the year 645 AI."
Iode's breath caught. His face hollowed. His skin turned pale.
"…Y-you're lying. Just like a devil would. There's no way that much time has passed. Back home, it was only 112 AI!"
Valier's tone turned almost mournful.
"Your children lived… birthed children… and died. Their children did the same. And their children. And their children. The cycle repeated, again and again."
"LIAR!!" Iode roared, veins bulging at his neck. "You're nothing but a pathetic liar! TAKE ME BACK! I HAVE KIDS WAITING FOR ME!!!"
A surge of draconic energy exploded from within. His eyes turned indigo. Wings erupted from his back. His skin hardened with scales. His teeth lengthened, sharp as blades.
[PARTIAL TRANSFORMATION: DRAGON MAN]
"What rabid dog do we have here?" came a voice—young, amused.
A red-haired young boy with emerald eyes stepped forward, a devilish grin on his face. A sweeping bang hung over his brow, the sides of his hair shaved short. Two horns curled in a perfect circle from either side of his head, and a small canine tooth peeked from the side of his smirk.
He bore an uncanny resemblance to the red-haired woman Iode had met in the dungeon.
Soon, she appeared too—Nivea, with long, wavy red hair and piercing emerald eyes. Side by side, the two looked unmistakably alike. Twins. But Iode didn't care.
"I've had enough of your mischievous schemes," Iode growled, his transformed body radiating fury. "You will take me home right here, right now… and there is nothing you're going to do to stop me."