As the war continued, Alexander continued to show himself at the most critical moments.
He appeared on Beast Emperor Star to save the Judgement Order once again, used his power over Existence to heal Tian Yang and the Golden Dragon Emperor's Divinities, and much more.
He couldn't just concern himself with the Judgement Order.
He saved Fallen Star Holy Land, and saved Atticus and Aishia in the same event.
He went to the center of the Divine Realm and aided in the defense of Luxurion, taking care of most of the major threats that caused it to fall.
He saved the Judgement Order three more times, and while none of their main players were in trouble, he did manage to save a large number of their lower-level members.
In the process, he found out something interesting.
There was a man named "Beast" among them. He always wore a mask, and while he gained the trust of his teammates over time, he was still someone none of them knew the identity of.
But when Alexander saved him, it was a situation where that mask was torn off.
What lay underneath it was a mutilated and almost disgusting face that had endured countless tortures and horrors.
Yet, it was still a face Damien recognized, a face from the deepest recesses of his mind.
It was Ethan, the first friend he made on Apeiron.
After reading his memories, he saw just how tragic Ethan's life was after Damien left. His thirst for power led him to leave Apeiron behind and seek greater horizons, and while he was growing properly for almost a decade, he ran into great misfortune and was kidnapped by an evil sect.
There, he endured treatment worse than a slave, treatment that could only be compared to how the Nox handled Hassan for far too many years before the sect was eradicated by an enemy force.
When he escaped from that circumstance, he was forced to travel the universe alone, slowly regaining his humanity as the war got fiercer.
And when the Judgement Order was created as a Sanctuary for members of the younger generation, he joined without hesitation, feeling even more at home when he saw those familiar faces among them.
It was a tragic story, but luckily, he had found his way home.
It would only get better from here, especially now that Damien knew his identity.
Naturally, Damien healed the scars and wounds on Ethan's face before sending him to safety, and as he awaited the day they'd meet again face to face, he returned to his duties.
He participated in the subjugation of the artificial Nox force Blood Asura Holy Land created and the eradication of the Holy Land itself which followed, freed Qing Tan and Huo Fang from their imprisonment and led them to Yong An, and continued helping the universe continue on the right path.
Even Tephit's death was prevented, and he and Bai Yuxuan were returned to the Sanctuary to heal.
However, Damien wasn't a god. He couldn't save everyone.
Lucifer still died.
Just as Luciel sacrificed himself to protect him all those years back on the labyrinth, Lucifer stood in front of him this time and took the attack that would have killed him.
He lost his life for the sake of someone he considered far better than him, and while Damien wanted to change that fate, he found that even Alexander's interference couldn't do anything about it.
It was the same with Priscilla Adelaire.
According to the truths learned during her last moments, she and Rose were indeed of the same bloodline, and the Demon Sealing Pantheon was always meant to be passed onto the blood successor.
It was just assumed that there were no blood successors left in this world.
For the sake of the continuation of the pantheon and the event fate deemed monumental for Rose's growth, Alexander's interference was banned.
Quite literally as well.
As if to prevent his interference in any way, shape, or form, fate forced the events of the artificial Nox extermination to occur at the same time as that event, and he couldn't take his attention away from that raid, since it was far more integral in the grand scheme of things.
Pontius still died, and while nobody else was paying attention to them, another person died in the war.
His name was Thaddeus Church.
He was the Plague Lord's son, but he was different from his father. After traveling the universe with Aaliyah for over a decade, he found himself feeling things he didn't even know existed.
He loved that woman, an impossible love between enemies that couldn't be allowed to exist.
And fate seemed to oppose them as well.
They were constantly targeted by the Nox due to Thaddeus' betrayal, and during one of those attacks, he was forced to sacrifice himself for the sake of the woman he loved.
It was a tragic story, a story of a love that could never be realized. It was a story that was mirrored in countless relationships all across the universe, and while it went unnoticed by most, it would always be remembered by the only person who mattered.
War was not a good thing.
It was an obvious fact, but it had to be mentioned. In a place where honor and achievements were praised and war was seen as a place to gain these things quickly, it often went unnoticed how much suffering was hidden behind the rose-tinted goggles warriors viewed the concept through.
The common people went through hell, and on an individual scale, suffering was far more prevalent than honor.
One could talk about lives saved or righteousness, but it could never outweigh the tragedy.
Damien also knew that.
It was the burden he bore.
And he didn't shy away from it.
Even though nobody else saw Thaddeus' death, he did.
He led Aaliyah to the Judgement Order so she could hopefully find warmth to keep her sane.
He watched the common people's suffering from his place beyond reality, he watched the warriors who struggled and survived with all their strength to protect their families behind them, and he watched all the sights nobody else would ever see, so those who suffered would at least be remembered by one person.
Just as he told the Ancient Sovereign in days past, this was the duty of an observer.
To record their stories, so no matter how insignificant their existences seemed, they would never truly fade.
He didn't interfere too much using Alexander. He showed himself where he was necessary, but he didn't try to change things that shouldn't be changed.
Therefore, as the universal war was guided to the most realistic conclusion, he was left with only three things left to do.
The first of which being a meeting with an old friend.
He went to the Abyss for that purpose. He followed the guidance of his main body who could see all of reality from an outside perspective and reached a place no man had ever been able to reach without an invitation.
There, he met that man.
He didn't even have to explain himself.
The second Alexander appeared in the vicinity, he was greeted by the one he came to see.
Yong An stood there with a wide smile on his face and proclaimed as if he'd been waiting for this moment…
"I knew you didn't die."
