"Should we go after her?" Virgo asked concern etched on her face.
I sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and worry. "Yes. If she has no powers, then she is going to get scooped up by any of the demons here in the Underworld. Considering that is all there is down here, I am surprised she has made it this far," I groaned, and Virgo sighed.
"I really wish she would let your past grievances go. What is it that even caused her to hate you so much?" Virgo asked, and I shook my head. The reason wasn't even my fault.
"Cestia tried to get me to have sex with her. At the time, I didn't get why she would try to betray Aries, but now that I know about how close we were once on Prime, it makes sense," I explained, and Virgo's eyebrows raised.
"So this is why Aries hates you so much?" She asked, and I nodded, but she continued. "Then I am confused. You didn't actually sleep with her, right?"
"No."
"Then why is Aries mad at you?"
"Because Cestia told her I tried to," I said, but then pointed to the door. "Look, we can talk about this later, but finding Cestia comes first."
[Galio's Astral Island]
Meanwhile, in the Mortal Realm, Lexi paid a visit to Tallia to share her concerns about the possibility of Kadeon breaking free.
"What are you doing here?" Tallia asked, surprised to see Lamia, considering that she was supposed to be with Galio right now.
"I think I was starting to get in the way, and it was also getting too intense for me. Galio seems to just be able to get stronger whenever he needs to, but that last battle proved that I am too weak to keep on going with him. I am sorry," Lexi explained, but Tallia shook her head.
"No, that is fine, and you are probably right," She said and then looked at her mother. "You know, rather than playing in the garden, you think that we should be doing something else?"
"You mean like getting stronger in case something bad happens, and we are forced to defend ourselves against your father?" Nemoria asked plainly, making Tallia roll her eyes. "Then yes, I do think that is a fine plan," She said and then turned to the Winds of Change. "You girls probably could use some training as well."
"I could have told you that," Fate grumbled but then cried out when Karma flicked her ear.
"Enough of your attitude. Galio is down fighting for us all right now to bring everything back to the way it was!" Karma growled. "The least that you could do was put in an effort to be friendlier!"
Fate put her hands up in defense. "Fine! But this is something we should have been doing already! We should have everyone getting ready!" She snapped back, and Nemoria nodded.
"That is a good idea, and we already have something that is being put into place," The ex-Goddess of Darkness said and then turned to her daughter. "You have a festival to pick the person that takes your place, right? Then we should make everyone that can participate. This way, we don't only train the strong, but everyone that can do anything."
Tallia considered her mother's suggestion, her eyes lighting up with determination. "You're right. We should involve as many people as possible. We'll turn it into a massive training event, and everyone can learn and grow stronger together."
With the decision made, Lexi, Tallia, Nemoria, and the Winds of Change set to work preparing for the upcoming festival and training event. They reached out to other goddesses and inhabitants of the Mortal Realm, encouraging them to join in and strengthen their abilities.
As word spread, excitement and anticipation grew among the people. It was clear that they understood the importance of standing united and being prepared for whatever challenges lay ahead.
[Demon Market Layer: Diabon Alley]
Back in the Underworld, Galio and Virgo tracked Cestia down to a dangerous part of the Demon Market Layer known as Diabon Alley. This area was controlled by Erisa, a cunning and ruthless demon who had a reputation for torturing and killing anyone who crossed her path.
As they made their way through the dark and twisted alleyways, they knew that they had to be careful not to draw any unwanted attention. Cestia was in grave danger, and they had to find her before Erisa did any harm to her.
Clenching my fists, a feeling mixed with anger and concern washed over me. "We need to find her as quickly as possible. She's stubborn and proud, but she's also vulnerable right now."
Virgo nodded, her eyes filled with worry. "I know. Let's split up and search for her. We can cover more ground that way."
I hesitated for a moment, not wanting to leave Virgo alone in this dangerous area, but I knew she was right. "Alright. Be careful, and if you find her, let me know immediately."
With that, we split up, each taking a different path through the twisting alleyways of Diabon Alley. The air was thick with tension, and the shadows seemed to be closing in on me as I searched for any sign of Cestia.
As I turned a corner, I heard a faint cry. My heart jumped, and I quickly followed the sound to its source. There, I found Cestia, her hands bound and a terrified expression on her face. Erisa stood over her, a wicked grin on her face.
"Well, well, well. Look what we have here," Erisa purred, her eyes darting toward me. "A little demon coming to take my prize, hmmm?"
I had forgotten that I put Bellazibub's amulet back on, and I have the form of a female demon. While I didn't know much about Erisa, I had killed her once before because she was a bit too demon for my taste. The problem was that she was between Cestia and me, and I knew she could kill her if she wanted.
Normally, this would just get her sent back to Yaggisdral, but she was no longer linked to Kadeon, who was still ruling the place. If she died here in the Underworld, she might just stop existing because she isn't linked to either of us.
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