Idle Mage: Humanity's Strongest Backer

Chapter 388 Trapped, Again

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Within the depths of the Celestial God's consciousness, a seed of confusion took root, sprouting tendrils of bewilderment. His eyes, which had witnessed the devastation unleashed upon humanity, fell upon Ashton, the supposed leader of the human race, and a sense of puzzlement crept into his divine thoughts.

How could this mortal, this Ashton, stand before him with such indifference? The Celestial God's divine perception had witnessed the fall of grand civilizations, the demise of countless lives, and the agony of loss etched upon the faces of those left behind. Yet, Ashton's countenance remained untouched by the weight of tragedy that befell his people.

A ripple of uncertainty stirred within the Celestial God's divine essence. Should not the grief and despair of such a cataclysmic event affect even the most resolute of leaders? The bond forged between Ashton and the fallen Grand Commanders was evident, their camaraderie was forged through trials and tribulations. And yet, as he gazed upon Ashton's unflinching facade, a sense of perplexity seeped into his divine awareness.

Had Ashton detached himself from the suffering of his kin, his heart rendered numb by the horrors of war? Or was there a hidden depth to his stoicism, an enigmatic resolve that eluded the Celestial God's comprehension? These questions swirled within his divine consciousness, casting a veil of uncertainty over the grand tapestry of his victory.

As the Celestial God contemplated the enigma of Ashton's composure, a flicker of curiosity ignited within him. Beneath his overwhelming power and unfathomable knowledge, he sought to unravel the enigma of this mortal who defied the weight of tragedy. What secrets lay hidden within the depths of Ashton's heart? What reasons could render him seemingly untouched by the pain that ravaged his people?

Though the Celestial God's gaze remained fixed upon the fallen battlefield and the remnants of humanity, a fragment of his consciousness delved into the labyrinthine depths of his thoughts. The celestial being resolved to seek answers, to understand the perplexing riddle of Ashton's detached demeanor amidst the ruins of their shared world.

"Your thoughts aren't wrong," Ashton's voice echoed within the recesses of the Celestial God's mind as if he could penetrate the divine barriers that separated their beings.

"Normally, in the face of such loss and devastation, I would be consumed by grief," Ashton continued, his tone laced with an eerie calmness.

"But only if it were real."

A disconcerting silence fell over the battlefield as the Celestial God's consciousness grappled with the implications of Ashton's words. The very fabric of reality seemed to fade into the background, eclipsed by the shock-induced stupor that gripped the celestial being.

And then, as if unveiling a long-kept secret, Ashton's voice resonated with a chilling certainty. "You see, from the very inception of this war, everything that has unfolded before you has been nothing but a long dream. A fabrication of your own consciousness, a tale spun by your mind's desires and fears."

The Celestial God, his divine presence trembling, struggled to comprehend the magnitude of Ashton's revelation. How could it be? The grand battles, the lives lost, the intricate threads of fate woven across the celestial tapestry—mere figments of a dream?

Ashton's words reverberated with an otherworldly clarity. "Your longing for challenge and conquest, your thirst for validation and control, birthed this illusory conflict. The ebb and flow of battle, the fall of our civilizations, were nothing more than fragments of your imagination."

The grand illusions shattered around the Celestial God, fragments of a fantastical realm dissolving into the ether. The weight of the realization bore down upon him, leaving him adrift in a sea of fragmented memories and unrealized ambitions.

"For all the power you possess, even you, the Celestial God, are not immune to the intricacies of the mind," Ashton's voice echoed, tinged with an ethereal presence. "Your desire to challenge fate itself, to eliminate a rather peaceful race just because of some random prophecy, brought you here...it brought you to me."

A solemn pause filled the void as Ashton's words lingered in the air. The Celestial God, his divine essence shaken to its core, confronted the realization that his grand conquest had been naught but an ephemeral mirage. In the face of this revelation, the foundations of his existence quivered, leaving him teetering on the precipice of understanding.

"And now, as the dream fades and reality reclaims its hold, the true test begins," Ashton's voice resonated with a blend of empathy and determination. "For within the realm of dreams, there lies the potential for growth, for redemption, and for the birth of a new dawn."

As the Celestial God grappled with the tumultuous whirlwind of emotions and revelations, a glimmer of uncertainty and possibility sparked within his divine being.

***

The Celestial God, consumed by a maelstrom of desperation and disbelief, waged an internal battle against the confines of his own creation. With each attempt to break free from the dream's grasp, he strained against the ethereal chains that held him captive.

He summoned the full force of his divine power, unleashing celestial torrents that tore through the fabric of the illusory realm. But no matter how ferocious his assault, the dream resisted, mending itself effortlessly, as if mocking his futile attempts.

In a fit of rage and desperation, the Celestial God turned his attention toward Ashton, his ethereal form pulsating with raw fury. He launched himself at his enigmatic captor, his divine essence converging into a devastating blow aimed at obliterating the source of his confinement.

But Ashton, shrouded in an impenetrable aura of tranquility, effortlessly sidestepped the Celestial God's assault. Each strike, each attempt to end the dream, was deftly evaded, leaving the celestial being grasping at nothing but air.

The realization struck the Celestial God with a resounding thud—the truth that his escape was not in his own hands, but in the hands of the one who had woven this intricate dream. Fear crept into his consciousness, intertwining with the tendrils of doubt that sprouted within him.

For the first time in his celestial existence, the Celestial God felt a profound vulnerability. He stood at the precipice of a revelation, confronted with the disconcerting notion that his omnipotence and omniscience were rendered impotent in the face of this enigmatic Dreamweaver.

As he observed Ashton's serene countenance, the Celestial God's fear intensified. What if this was not a dream at all? What if it was a prison, carefully crafted to confine him for eternity? The seed of doubt took root, its tendrils creeping through the vast expanse of his divine consciousness.

In the face of his failed attempts and the realization of his helplessness, the Celestial God recoiled, his divine aura flickering with uncertainty. He realized that his escape, his freedom from this illusion, was contingent upon Ashton's will alone.

A chill ran through the celestial being, as the magnitude of his predicament settled upon him. He had become the captive of his own creation, at the mercy of the dreamweaver who held the key to his release. The realization struck him like a thunderbolt, leaving him with a gnawing sense of trepidation and an unyielding desire to understand the motives and intentions of the one who had ensnared him in this intricate web of illusions.

Ashton's enigmatic smile widened as he witnessed the Celestial God's realization that escape was beyond his grasp. The ethereal surroundings of the dreamscape shifted and warped, transforming into a mirror image of reality itself. The once elusive dream now mirrored the ongoing war, an alternate dimension where they could observe the events unfolding in the real world.

With a calm and composed demeanor, Ashton turned his gaze towards the Celestial God, his eyes shimmering with an otherworldly glow. "Rest assured, I do not intend to imprison you here indefinitely," he spoke with a measured tone. "But for now, we shall remain observers, hidden from the reach of the world outside. We will bear witness to the culmination of the war, allowing fate to determine the victor."

The Celestial God's eyes widened with a mixture of astonishment and resignation. He understood the magnitude of the situation, the implications of being confined to this ethereal realm, cut off from any form of contact with the outside world. He was a mere spectator, condemned to witness the struggles of his celestial brethren and humanity without any means of intervening.

Ashton's words echoed in the silence, hanging heavy in the air. The Celestial God felt a swell of frustration and anger, but he knew that resistance was futile. His defeat, his entrapment in this dreamscape, had rendered him powerless.

A solemn understanding settled between them, as they both comprehended the gravity of their current circumstances. Ashton's intentions, though mysterious, carried an air of purpose and calculation. The fate of the war, the destiny of both celestial and human realms, would unfold before their eyes, untethered by their direct influence.

The Celestial God's heart filled with a mix of emotions—frustration, curiosity, and a glimmer of hope. He realized that despite his defeat and imprisonment, there was still a chance for redemption, a chance to regain his freedom. He reluctantly accepted his role as a captive spectator, resigned to the inevitable unfolding of events beyond his control.

"Now then, let's see how the war truly began..."