Return of the Shattered Constellation - Chapter 497: Star Fragments (7)

Twilight and dawn were similar, and yet different at the same time. They both dyed the sky red with sunlight. However, twilight brought night while dawn signaled the start of day. In a metaphorical sense, they could be viewed as the interaction between <Supreme Light> and <Dull Darkness>, or the cycle of Eros and Nyx. And that was what <Dull Darkness> was trying to tell Chang-Sun.

* * *

“Although you don’t remember… your Original committed a serious crime. You were supposed to tend the <Fire of Origin>, but you were tempted to take it for yourself. You’re already aware of this, aren’t you?” <Dull Darkness> asked.

Chang-Sun recalled the story he had heard from Perkwunos.

“At the time, your Divine Name was ‘Bringer of Light’, and you were also called ‘Morning Star’. You were a lighthouse keeper and part of Light.”

Chang-Sun felt mixed emotions at hearing his original Divine Name. It was ‘Bringer of Light’, not ‘Primordial Lightning Deity’… Perhaps the name ‘Bringer of Light’ suited him a lot better. Around sunrise, the Morning Star, Venus, shone the brightest in the sky. Due to that characteristic, the Morning Star was called the border of day and night, child of the sun and moon, and ruler of the <Stars>.

The Morning Star was symbolically associated with serpents too. As serpents freely traveled between the lands of the living and the dead, the Morning Star shone during day and night, including in the world of the dead.

“But Morning Star plummeted to the ground after losing his Light. So what should be done about that?” <Dull Darkness> continued.

Chang-Sun could not afford to answer aloud, because he was working through his third <Transcendence> and controlling his <Darkness> and <Supreme Sacred Light>. Nevertheless, his ears were wide open.

He was listening for the hidden truth that would decide his future endeavors. <Dull Darkness> also did not wait for Chang-Sun’s answer, because he could already tell what Chang-Sun would say just by looking at him.

―Then I’ll have to rise again and regain my light.

“Yes, you should. You must be well aware of what I mean by Light.”

―Knowledge.

“That’s right. It’s gnosis for you.” <Dull Darkness> nodded.

Light symbolized knowledge, which was used to defeat the darkness of ignorance. ‘Bringer of Light’ had been unable to resist his desire to have more knowledge and had gone after the <Fire of Origin>, leading to his plummeting.

Perhaps it was only natural for him to acquire more Light and wish to be the <Sun> as <Morning Star>. It was just that the Light he had pursued was so bright that it burned him up too.

“Your <Mark> was your <Punishment> for your crime, but… in some way, it’s also the process of absorbing the <Fire of Origin> you ate.”

At that moment, Chang-Sun flinched upon hearing the unexpected remark, because he had thought that the soul of ‘Bringer of Light’, his past self, had burst into fragments after failing to absorb all of the <Fire of Origin>.

“You did, but a <Fire Spark> was left in your soul fragment, becoming ‘Primordial Lightning Deity’. After going through samsara 666 times, your <Fire Spark> grew bigger.”

Chang-Sun finally understood what <Dull Darkness> was getting at. If he viewed his <Punishment> as the process of absorption, then it was no longer an ordinary trial or tribulation. It was an adventure, and a challenge to acquire something greater. The inherent nature of knowledge was to become more painful as one learned more about it. However, struggle was necessary to achieve freedom. That was what Chang-Sun’s 666 trials had been about.

―But many people failed, didn’t they?

“You’re right. The problem is that more of you failed than succeeded. This is where Machina and I had a difference of opinions.”

[<Deus Ex Machina> silently watches the <Saha World>!]

Creak, creak―!

Gears within the machine eyes on the ceiling quietly rotated.

―Are you talking about <Twilight> and <Dawn>?

“Yes.” <Dull Darkness> nodded. “Machina believed that you guys would continue to fail. Even if you overcame your <Mark>, you’d be a <Star> who was just too worn out. That was what would make you <Twilight>.”

When the tired and cold <Morning Star> rose, day became night, which meant <Twilight> would arrive and turn everything dark; it represented <Extinction>.

“Machina is in charge of many Worldlines. In fact, new Worldlines are being created as we speak. Some of them will undoubtedly be ruined someday, and there must also be Worldlines that are built wrong from the beginning. As an Administrator, those kinds of Worldlines should be deleted.”

―Does he think of me as his pruning shears?

“You’re closer to a bug or a virus. From the beginning, <Stars> have been viruses in this universe anyway.”

It looked as if, since <Stars> grew stronger by eating Worldlines, <Deus Ex Machina> had believed that Chang-Sun would do what Bel-Marduk and Nemea had done.

“And he figured that you’d either eat or kill other <Stars>, so you’d automatically become an antivirus.”

―Machina thinks of me as his program to manage this universe.

“It sounds too cold, but it’s not too far off.” Bitterness filled the eyes of <Dull Darkness>.

Creaaaak―!

After sensing the golden machine eyes spinning again, Chang-Sun focused on his conversation with <Dull Darkness>.

―Then what do you want for me?

“<Dawn>. I believe that you’ll overcome your <Punishment> and become more than <Morning Star>,” <Dull Darkness> replied.

When the <Morning Star> burned brightly, day arrived and filled everything with light; it represented the creation of life.

“That’s also the reason why I rewound the Wheel—no, put you in the Rollback loop to give you more chances. I thought you’d be able to overcome it somehow.”

―…A <Morning Star> made that way would be the brightest <Star>.

“That’s correct.”

―Then <Morning Star> would be the true ruler of the <Stars>.

“And…the <Stars> are no longer seen when <Dawn> rises.”

Chang-Sun stayed silent for a moment after all his questions were answered. <Deus Ex Machina> had planned to turn Chang-Sun into an Antivirus, the Administrator who would eat up other <Stars> and delete ruined Worldlines. On the other hand, <Dull Darkness> intended to make Chang-Sun the king of the <Stars>.

Such a king would be a ruler who would have all the <Stars> under his command, able to stop them from illuminating the sky in either day or night. It did not matter if it was <Twilight> or <Dawn>. Chang-Sun had to choose one after overcoming his <Punishment>. No, it was not even his choice. No matter how things turned out, he only had two kinds of futures ahead of him. Thus, he found what was going on unpleasant and had to say…

―I was just a tool for the two of you, wasn’t I?

* * *

Paaah!

Chang-Sun got all his <Darkness> and <Supreme Sacred Light> under his control, opening his eyes, which shone in both blue and red. He asked, “Then what is Ubbo-Sathla supposed to be in all this?”

Father.

In her remaining identity. Ubbo-Sathla watched <Dull Darkness> through Chang-Sun’s eyes.

“The <Punishment> she’s going through isn’t any different from yours. She had to rise above it and find her own answer to obtain freedom,” <Dull Darkness> said; he saw Ubbo-Sathla in Chang-Sun too. “Fortunately, it looks as if she found her answer. ”

Ubbo-Sathla nodded because she had come to a very simple conclusion.

Not. Fight. Should. Work. Together. From. Start. It. My. Fault.

Ubbo-Sathla had struggled very hard to break free from her <Punishment>, which only tormented her more and more, so she had vented anger everywhere, overwhelmed by madness.

That was her mistake. Had she changed her mind and reconciled—no, at least tried to have a calm conversation with one of the many Lee Chang-Suns, her <Punishment> would not have lasted this long.

Despite the fact that the Mother Terra Celestial had given birth to countless lives, those lives always tried to forget about her, so she resented them for it. After being separated from the Mother Terra Celestial, Ubbo-Sathla had always carried the resentment within her instead of forgetting about it, blazing with hatred.

Ubbo-Sathla had tried to restore the Mother Terra Celestial at all costs, and run into many Lee Chang-Suns every time. In the end, she had given up on everything and talked with Chang-Sun; only after that could she be free from her <Punishment>. Thanks to meeting <Dull Darkness>, she could let go of her last lingering feelings too.

Thank. And. Sorry.

Ubbo-Sathla meant what she said as she apologized to Chang-Sun for everything she had put him through. Chang-Sun shook his head, saying it was okay. With faint laughter, Ubbo-Sathla quietly disappeared into Chang-Sun’s divine power, annihilating herself.

<Dull Darkness> clasped his hands behind his back, his eyes looking plaintive for some reason. He said, “Let me just say that you’re wrong about us thinking you’re a tool. If that were true, then we wouldn’t have shown up here to explain everything and try to persuade you. Besides… We aren’t that evil, to treat our baby sister’s lover like that.”

[<Deus Ex Machina> agrees with his brother for the first time.]

[<Deus Ex Machina> adds that he would not have handed over his relic if it were true.]

Chang-Sun stayed silent, finding the twins calling themselves ‘not evil’ strange. How Baal and Metatron had spoken ill of the twins’ temper crossed his mind. If Baal and Metatron were here, they would have probably wondered where the twins had sold off their conscience, and Chang-Sun thought the same.

“…Why aren’t you saying anything?” <Dull Darkness> narrowed his eyes, noticing what was going on in Chang-Sun’s mind.

[<Deus Ex Machina> doubts you!]

The golden machine eyes were narrowed. While he was unsure what to say, Chang-Sun eventually concluded that the twins were telling the truth. Regardless of everything, <Deus Ex Machina> had actually given Chang-Sun his relic, and <Dull Darkness> had also helped Chang-Sun in his own ways.

However, it did not mean that Chang-Sun understood them completely. Letting another person, or destiny, control his life had never been to his liking.

Freedom. He wanted to break free from this fucking reality. The only reason he had been pursuing gnosis and power was to break free from all his shackles.

[<Deus Ex Machina> watches you.]

[<Dull Darkness> watches you.]

The two Emperors had shown Chang-Sun the paths of becoming <Twilight> and <Dawn>, but Chang-Sun did not feel the necessity to choose between them. Although the two Emperors couldt say that they were going to look after him from now on, Chang-Sun just wanted to break free from everything. The moment he was about to speak from his heart…

[All connections to the Celestial ‘Abyss-Chasing Great Devil’ have been terminated!]

…an unexpected message appeared before them.