Surha wasnât sure what happened in the next moment. She only remembered that darkness fell from the sky and the ground trembled. However, she wasnât sure why she and everyone else had fallen to their knees. No, maybe it was wrong to say that she wasnât sure.
She knew. She knew that it was impossible to stop Jaehwan. She knew that this day would come.
âThis is the power of an Awakener at the [Proof] stepâŠâ
But knowing didnât mean she had to give up.
âYou are going to meet , arenât you?â
Surha barely got up from the ground as she spoke.
âANSWER ME!â
âYes.â
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,âYou donât know if Big Brother really exists or not. What you are trying to do might be pointless.â
âBig Brother exists. You know it.â
âEven if he exists!â
Surha stood still in place as she shouted angrily.
âBig Brother did not appear when Myad tried to create his new System. Big Brother did not appear when all the Lords were killed!â
âI know.â
âI know? Do you really know what Iâm talking about?! Donât you know what that means?â
ââŠâ
âIt means that even if Big Brother exists, he doesnât interfere with this world!â
There was a point to what Surha was saying. If Big Brother was interested in the matters of , what happened between Myad or Jaehwan wouldâve never been allowed. There was no God that would let their Vicegerent get killed. Big Brother ignored all that.
âWe have a new world now. is now stronger than the .â
Surha reasoned as she looked back at the members of the Council.
âThe 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 donât need to destroy Big Brother toâŠâ
Surha kept on going, she claimed that hope could be found, and that Jaehwanâs way wasnât the only way. There were still stories to unfold and paths to be found. AndâŠ
Surhaâs voice became quieter and quieter. Everyoneâs 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 couldnât stand there and be proud of what they said against the manâs justice.
And after a while, Jaehwan finally said, â[Cultivation] will still continue.â
It was a calm voice, but some shook as they heard it. Jaehwan continued, âPeople from the [Remote regions] will keep moving up the Tree of Imagery by going through the Tower of Nightmares. They will come to if they are lucky, but most will go to the . And those that die that will be locked up in .â
âThatâsâŠ!â
âWe canât stop that from happening.â
Did Jaehwan always speak so logically? Surha couldnât answer Jaehwanâs words.
âNo matter how strong the Council or become, it cannot be stopped. The cannot stop [Cultivation]. If [Cultivation] disappears, too will perish in the future.â
It was true. Even if 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.
âI can. I will stop it.â
Surha became angered at Jaehwanâs words.
âThatâs easy for you to say! YouâŠâ
But Surha couldnât 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 to destroy it?
Surha shook her head. Maybe that wasnât what she feared the most. What she truly feared wasâŠ
âSurha, let him go.â
It was Chunghuhâs voice.
âYou will have to go through me if you want to stop him.â
Chunghuh walked out from the Council and stood against them. Karlton also walked out.
âWe should let him go.â
They werenât 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 everyoneâŠ
âI know what you are thinking. But we must let him go,â Chunghuh said without looking back at Jaehwan.
âGo, Jaehwan. Do what you need to do. Kill Big Brother, destroy the System⊠whatever. Do what you want.â
ââŠâ
âIâm satisfied that Iâve come all the way here, I already owe you a lot. Because of you, Iâm here.â
Everyone all nodded at that. They had different thoughts and ideas, but they all agreed on one point.
âThank you, Jaehwan.â
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 Jaehwanâs world was closing its eye completely. As the âGodâ eye stopped looking down, Jaehwan reached up to the sky with his swords. Then, the sky of 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.
âHe didnât even say goodbye.â
âYeah.â
The council members and the others were now looking at Jaehwanâs 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, âDid we do the right thing?â
âI donât know.â
âI hoped Master would stop. I even thought he had given up since he spent a year here.â
âHaha, I hoped for that too,â Chunghuh answered with a laugh.
âWhat will happen if he defeats Big Brother and destroys the System? Will something change?â
âEverything might change, or maybe everything will stay the same.â
Runald also added, âOr the world really will fall this time.â
People laughed and Sirwen said, âI guess the joke will become real then. We really have become âFallbringersâ. I should tell the Nightmares to stop creating towers now.â
âHaha, it certainly will be if the fall really comes. Then Iâll say this beforehand â itâs been an honor knowing you all.â
âGood. How about we drink a toast to the coming of the fall?â
âThat is a good idea. Are you treating us?â
âCount me in!â
âNo kids are allowed, boy.â
ââŠIâm a child on the outside, but Iâm grown up!â
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.
âYes, Jaehwan. This is what you created.â
Chunghuh waved to the people as they called out to him. Chunghuh then looked at Surha, still slumped down on the ground, silent.
âStop crying and stand up, girl.â
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.