Fallen Lightbringers' Return

Suddenly, his mother's voice turned somber. "But even in this universe, I could not be a good mother to you." She faced the ground. "Though this world was created by me, I could only leave it to its own devices as I went fighting off The Shadows. It was never my intention for things to end up like this." She paused. "But when I had returned to this universe, you were already dead."

Lee Dojin let his mother talk without interruption.

She held her face, her back hunched. "Suicide. That was the reason. I could not believe it. My Lee Dojin, who was so strong in the other world would take his own life like that. It wasn't acceptable to me." The God turned quiet. She had a sad smile. "But then, why did I not understand? You were only human, and me, I was selfish to wish for love I didn't deserve."

Lee Dojin stood up. He walked to his mother and leaned against the table. His mouth opened. "I see."

She continued talking. "I doubt I was ever meant to be a mother. Still, the times you've given me, though only short, are one of the most treasured moments within my lonely life." She swallowed. "It's funny. When I waited for you, I had so many things I wanted to tell you. But now, the words have dried out."

The two of them faced each other with their backs. A single bird started twittering, as a first sign of the morning. No matter what things you went through, the next day would always come, with the sun rising from the east. It was no different this time.

Lee Dojin spoke. "You have done your best. I forgive you."

"That is awfully nice of you to say," Xh'Endrada jested. "But empty words mean nothing within the devastating truth."

"I don't believe that." He laughed without any worries. "Though it may be hard for you Gods to understand, in the end, it is quite simple. If you put your pride and divinity aside, you'd see, sometimes, it is enough if you have tried your best."

His mother shook her head. "That indeed is hard to understand."

"I cannot fault that." The boy laughed. "But that's why I love humanity."

His mother smiled. The depressing mood lifted a little. She resumed talking. "Lee Dojin, you have to understand. This universe you reside in is special. It is neither an alpha, beta or gamma universe. No god knows the ending of this world. Maybe it will fall off, with nothing to achieve, or maybe it will bring the end of the unstoppable Mirage—it is impossible to tell. But I believe in you." She laughed. "I have faith in your decision, as I too have come to understand humanity more."

The moonlit winter night shone upon them. Gradually it turned brighter. Yet, the night was still too overwhelming. Lee Dojin, In the back of his mind, knew, as the sun was about the rise, The Mirage would come, calling upon the apocalypse, destroying the peaceful life of humanity. But he remained glued to his mother, and the words she spoke.

For Lee Dojin, kinship was an unfamiliar experience. He was born an orphan, with parents he never met—that was no secret. Throughout his life, he had come to meet many people, some, he'd dare call his kin. But he never understood, what was it like being connected by blood?

'Family' to him, was a word he found hard to utter. Not because he never had someone worth trusting (it was the contrary, he had many comrades, who placed him closer than their pedigree), but because he never found himself worthy of calling someone 'family'. Because, how could he use a definition he had never felt before?

"As you know, if nothing is done, this world will end just like your old universe. The Mirage, if it wanted to, could probably destroy this world in a few seconds. After swallowing my divinity, it was now capable of jumping between the twelve Alpha Universes. Frankly speaking, it is impossibly strong." She continued rambling. Truthfully, Lee Dojin had never seen her so honest and raw before. He understood many things his mother had never voiced out in the past, and many things, she won't ever again. As such, he had to listen. "The Gods of this universe stand no chance. They are different from the universe you came from. Except for one, they do not even know the existence of parallel universes."

He let her speak, as this was not a topic he could interfere with.

"But within the hopeless reality, there lies a chance." She smiled. "Ever since I lived with you, I too have started believing in humanity. They are flawed, broken, selfish, greedy, and ignorant. Yet, they try. They try because they know of failure. Innumerable failures, riddled in regret, and they can cry for it. Gods, they are never wrong, and that is their doom. Only those able to rise from their tears can survive." Her eyes glistened as she looked up. "The ones to beat The Mirage will not be the Gods. It will be humanity. I know that well. That is my light. And that is why I can place my faith upon you."

"I understand, mother." Lee Dojin clenched his fist, veins appearing on his arm. "I understand well."

"The Mirage will always be the same. It grants the weak, power to fight the strong, and pits them against each other," his mother continued speaking. For some reason, it seemed like she was in a hurry. "Though in the end, it destroys them both, taking the power back, and swallowing new ones, becoming even stronger. Still, it gives us a chance. If you turn strong fast enough, not even the system can overwhelm you. Funnily enough, the weapon to destroy The Mirage always lied within itself."

"I shall remember that." He nodded solemnly.

"You've been burdened, my son. Forgive me, your foolish parent, for being unable to help you." A tear appeared on Xh'Endradas face, it slid down her face, like mellow dew down a pale leaf in the morning. "Even though you carry everything on your shoulder, I am helpless. I cannot grant you any power, any ability, any consolation. All I have are empty words."

Lee Dojin turned around. He hugged his mother. "You have done enough." He grabbed her tight. "You can rest now."

Tears continued welling up, dripping down his mother's face. Still, she looked serene. "I will soon disappear," she said. Lee Dojin's eyes opened wide. "As soon as The Mirage appears, I will no longer be part of this world."

"Wait, what are you saying," Lee Dojin asked, confused. He looked at his mother. "What do you mean? What?"

"Do not fret," she said, touching his face. "Have you forgotten? I am already dead. The me right now is only an empty shell, waiting to decay. My time has long been over."

"Are you joking?" Lee Dojin continued to ask. "Tell me you are joking."

The God smiled. Out of the blue. cracks appeared upon her face, and within space. Lee Dojin realized it was just like the day he had arrived in this universe. He understood what that meant. She really was going to disappear.

"I have lived a lonely life, for eons, drifting in outer space, alone, with no one to recognize me, watching over a cold machine." She faced Lee Dojin. Her expression appeared sad, yet relieved. "But I do not regret it. Every God dreams of leaving a legacy, for as long as people remember them, they have not truly died. The Mirage understands that too. For a God to die, all traces of it has to be gone, which is why it destroys the world so thoroughly." Her already pale face turned as white as a sheet. Cracks continued forming, small ones creating bigger ones. "For me, Lee Dojin is my only legacy. You will remember me. Thus, I am not scared of the darkness."

Lee Dojin lifted his mother up, tightly holding on to her. He realized that she was incredibly cold. "Do not talk anymore, please," he muttered with a pained expression. The space around her twisted, and he could do nothing to stop it.

"I have even made a friend, thanks to you." Her voice has turned smaller. "The woman has helped me raise you at the time I did not understand anything of you humans. If there was one thing I am sad about, it is that I cannot see her anymore." She coughed. "Though she was rarely there, I consider her a parent to you too."

".. ." Lee Dojin could not say anything anymore. He looked his mother in the eye. The light was diminishing rapidly. He had seen this occurrence many times before. The will to live had faded, and the person had started to embrace death. This was the end.

"There's one last thing," she said. "At one point, The Mirage will come to steal your Affinity again. I will never accept that. This power was mine, to begin with. This time, I will hold on to it strongly." She lifted her shaking hand. "Come close, please."

Lee Dojin, with a hardened expression, followed her order. He was close enough to feel her breath. She then placed her lips on his forehead, and at once, a blue light enveloped him. His mouth slackened. For a second, he felt weightless. As if riding on a cloud. "What did you.. ."

His mother only smiled. Lee Dojin could not finish his sentence. Instead, he placed his hand above the god's face and closed her eyelids.

—Xh'Endrada, the Concubine of All Things Parallel has perished.

A long silence hung above Lee Dojin until he started mumbling.

"You are my only mother." His lips quivered. "The other woman, I will never accept as my parent. But still, you two, I am grateful for." He closed his eyes and breathed in. "For you were my family."

He opened his eyes again. They were filled with darkness. He placed his mother on the floor and walked to the window. The first rays of light shone upon him. His nails dug into the flesh of his fist, causing him to bleed.

No matter what things you went through, the next day would always come, with the sun rising from the east. It was no different this time.

"The Mirage, no matter what, I will kill you."

—Volume 1 End.