The World after the Fall

Surha wasn’t sure what happened in the next moment. She only remembered that darkness fell from the sky and the ground trembled. However, she wasn’t sure why she and everyone else had fallen to their knees. No, maybe it was wrong to say that she wasn’t sure.

She knew. She knew that it was impossible to stop Jaehwan. She knew that this day would come.

‘This is the power of an Awakener at the [Proof] step…’

But knowing didn’t mean she had to give up.

“You are going to meet <Big Brother>, aren’t you?”

Surha barely got up from the ground as she spoke.

“ANSWER ME!”

“Yes.”

Jaehwan replied for the first time. It was his declaration that he would leave and go to the end of the Tree of Imagery. Some people turned grim at the declaration while others seemed disappointed. People who had come all the way here all trusted and followed Jaehwan.

Jaehwan waved his hand and deactivated his unique world as it was pressing down too hard on the people. As the air became normal again, Surha panted,”You don’t know if Big Brother really exists or not. What you are trying to do might be pointless.”

“Big Brother exists. You know it.”

“Even if he exists!”

Surha stood still in place as she shouted angrily.

“Big Brother did not appear when Myad tried to create his new System. Big Brother did not appear when all the Lords were killed!”

“I know.”

“I know? Do you really know what I’m talking about?! Don’t you know what that means?”

“…”

“It means that even if Big Brother exists, he doesn’t interfere with this world!”

There was a point to what Surha was saying. If Big Brother was interested in the matters of <Depth>, what happened between Myad or Jaehwan would’ve never been allowed. There was no God that would let their Vicegerent get killed. Big Brother ignored all that.

“We have a new world now. <Depth> is now stronger than the <Great Lands>.”

Surha reasoned as she looked back at the members of the Council.

“The <Depth> does not oppress anyone now! We do not compete for the strength of the Gods! Do you know what it means? We can start a new world here! We can start living in peace and harmony! We don’t need to destroy Big Brother to…”

Surha kept on going, she claimed that hope could be found, and that Jaehwan’s way wasn’t the only way. There were still stories to unfold and paths to be found. And…

Surha’s voice became quieter and quieter. Everyone’s eyes turned to Surha in sadness. Everyone, including Surha, knew that there was no point to all of this. Whatever they said was not enough. They couldn’t stand there and be proud of what they said against the man’s justice.

And after a while, Jaehwan finally said, “[Cultivation] will still continue.”

It was a calm voice, but some shook as they heard it. Jaehwan continued, “People from the [Remote regions] will keep moving up the Tree of Imagery by going through the Tower of Nightmares. They will come to <Depth> if they are lucky, but most will go to the <Great Lands>. And those that die that will be locked up in <Chaos>.”

“That’s…!”

“We can’t stop that from happening.”

Did Jaehwan always speak so logically? Surha couldn’t answer Jaehwan’s words.

“No matter how strong the Council or <Depth> become, it cannot be stopped. The <Depth> cannot stop [Cultivation]. If [Cultivation] disappears, <Depth> too will perish in the future.”

It was true. Even if <Depth> became powerful and the Council implemented the right policies, they could not solve the core problem. Surha knew this. But she also knew that there were things that had to happen.

“I can. I will stop it.”

Surha became angered at Jaehwan’s words.

“That’s easy for you to say! You…”

But Surha couldn’t continue.

-You are trying to destroy the world! You want to destroy everything, every part of this world without exception!

She knew that her action, expression, and all other possible languages had been read by Jaehwan, enough to understand what she wanted to say.

She was ashamed of her fear, but she had to. Her life and the lives of all other beings were at stake depending on her actions here. Considering that Big Brother really existed and Jaehwan was off to meet Big Brother, that would be fine. But what if Jaehwan tried to fight Big Brother? And what if Big Brother became angered, killed Jaehwan, and came down to <Depth> to destroy it?

Surha shook her head. Maybe that wasn’t what she feared the most. What she truly feared was…

“Surha, let him go.”

It was Chunghuh’s voice.

“You will have to go through me if you want to stop him.”

Chunghuh walked out from the Council and stood against them. Karlton also walked out.

“We should let him go.”

They weren’t the only ones. Runald, Yoonhwan, and even Sirwen, who was beside Jaehwan, came out to block the path to him. Surha felt herself lose the will to fight.

Why? Why was everyone…

“I know what you are thinking. But we must let him go,” Chunghuh said without looking back at Jaehwan.

“Go, Jaehwan. Do what you need to do. Kill Big Brother, destroy the System… whatever. Do what you want.”

“…”

“I’m satisfied that I’ve come all the way here, I already owe you a lot. Because of you, I’m here.”

Everyone all nodded at that. They had different thoughts and ideas, but they all agreed on one point.

“Thank you, Jaehwan.”

Everyone around became silent. Jaehwan was silent too. Some closed their eyes, and some bit on their lips. They all felt the depth of the silence that had fallen.

The sky became completely dark. The giant eye in Jaehwan’s world was closing its eye completely. As the ‘God’ eye stopped looking down, Jaehwan reached up to the sky with his swords. Then, the sky of <Depth> cracked open. It was like a giant mouth, with ominous energy coming from within.

Step by step. Footsteps were heard walking up the stairs created by world power. The people who had their backs turned to Jaehwan did not look around, but they heard it. The sound was getting further away. And after a while, they looked back and up to the sky.

“He didn’t even say goodbye.”

“Yeah.”

The council members and the others were now looking at Jaehwan’s back, walking into a giant mouth in the sky. Maybe it would be their last time seeing him. Some were teary, and Yoonhwan was one of them. He had been running all this time, following that back.

The mouth began to close and Jaehwan disappeared.

The eye opened back up again as the sky began to brighten. Soon, the sky became normal again as if nothing had happened. Karlton asked, “Did we do the right thing?”

“I don’t know.”

“I hoped Master would stop. I even thought he had given up since he spent a year here.”

“Haha, I hoped for that too,” Chunghuh answered with a laugh.

“What will happen if he defeats Big Brother and destroys the System? Will something change?”

“Everything might change, or maybe everything will stay the same.”

Runald also added, “Or the world really will fall this time.”

People laughed and Sirwen said, “I guess the joke will become real then. We really have become ‘Fallbringers’. I should tell the Nightmares to stop creating towers now.”

“Haha, it certainly will be if the fall really comes. Then I’ll say this beforehand — it’s been an honor knowing you all.”

“Good. How about we drink a toast to the coming of the fall?”

“That is a good idea. Are you treating us?”

“Count me in!”

“No kids are allowed, boy.”

“…I’m a child on the outside, but I’m grown up!”

People laughed as they began to walk away. Chunghuh looked at the people helping each other walk back to where they come from as he thought. They were weak, but also very strong.

‘Yes, Jaehwan. This is what you created.’

Chunghuh waved to the people as they called out to him. Chunghuh then looked at Surha, still slumped down on the ground, silent.

“Stop crying and stand up, girl.”

Chunghuh pulled her up from the ground and brushed the dirt off of her. Surha cleaned herself up with a reddened face as Chunghuh patted her on her back. The clear sky was above them now. Chunghuh spoke with a smile.

“It is a good day to fall.”