SHATTERED BALANCE
The Light That Faltered
The Luminous Realm was buzzing like a disturbed beehive. Ha Eun had vanished. Song, the Prince of Darkness, had dared to abduct her directly from the territory of Light. Nothing of this kind had ever happened in the history of creation.
Chan Min stood among the guards, taut as a string. His face—usually calm and pleasant—was contorted with fury and despair. For the first time, he felt something inside him spiraling out of control.
"Father," his voice trembled. "We must go to war. Immediately!"
Ro Woon slowly turned to his son. He was the embodiment of Order: calm, majestic, rational. But even his eyes blazed with a restrained, steely anger.
"Are you suggesting we destroy the balance of the worlds?" he asked softly. "Are you suggesting we break the first law of creation?"
"She is my wife!" the words burst from Chan Min's lips. "I won't let her be taken!"
"And that is precisely why you must not make decisions when all your energy is raging within you. Our task as Gods is to act wisely, without harming the worlds."
He stepped closer, placing a hand on his son's shoulder. The energy of Order, heavy and soothing, attempted to flow into Chan Min's raging chaos.
"A war between Light and Darkness will destroy us all. We will do everything correctly. Peacefully. Wei is a rational ruler. He will return her as soon as he realizes his son has made a fatal mistake."
But Chan Min saw only one thing: somewhere out there, in the depths of Darkness, Ha Eun was with the one whose energy vibrated with hers. He saw their kiss, saw Ha Eun's reaction to Song. She had never glowed like that near him. And this was burning him from the inside.
No Eul stood slightly to the side. Her face was pale with malice and jealousy. She had fallen in love with Song at first sight. Too intensely. He was supposed to be her fiancé. She desired it. And he... He turned away from her for someone who wasn't even a goddess. No Eul didn't understand why her father loved this adopted daughter so much. Why Chan Min was so delicate with her. Why even Song... even he... Why everyone chose Ha Eun.
"I knew it..." No Eul whispered. "She always takes what belongs to me."
Ro Woon turned to his daughter, his voice soft yet firm:
"No one has taken anything from you, No Eul. Your destiny, like Chan Min's, lies in saving Order. And we will set everything back in its place."
But she knew it was a lie. Ha Eun was always the sun around which everyone revolved, even in defiance of the Rules.
A Dialogue of Order and Darkness
After speaking with his son and daughter, Ro Woon entered the main hall of the Luminous Realm. In the center of the hall, guarded by several Light Wardens, stood Lord Wei, the God-Father of the Realm of Darkness. His face was distorted with indignation.
"How dare you, Ro Woon?!" his voice rang out sharply. "I am a guest, yet you hold me like a criminal!"
"It is a necessity, Wei. Your son has committed not just a transgression, but an act of open rebellion. He has challenged the entire structure of creation, breaking an oath and abducting an energy from another Realm's territory."
"You are exaggerating," Wei dismissed. "He is young and stubborn. But isn't that the point? Darkness must unite with Light. His act is the call of his true nature. Song belongs to the energies of Darkness. Ha Eun—to Light. Perhaps we should simply bless them and allow the Balance to be restored in a new way? What difference does it make which of the sisters he marries? The meaning of the union of energies will not change."
Ro Woon paused, his eyes, usually filled with calm light, narrowed.
"No. I cannot allow it."
He could not reveal the true secret to Wei: an unparalleled power is hidden within Ha Eun. No one, not even she herself, knows the full might of this energy. To surrender dominion over it to the energies of Darkness would be to create an unpredictable, absolutely uncontrollable force. For Ro Woon, this would mean the loss of his age-old stability, a threat to his Order, which he had built since the beginning of time.
"This is not how to proceed, Wei. If a God has given an oath, he must fulfill it. Chan Min swore to marry Ha Eun. Song swore to marry No Eul. I do not desire open war, but I will not tolerate Chaos violating the foundations."
Ro Woon inclined his head, and in his voice sounded an authoritative request:
"Wei, you are his father. Intervene. Reason with your son. Return Ha Eun to the Luminous Realm as quickly as possible, before the conflict escalates to the point of no return. Otherwise... I cannot guarantee peace."
Wei looked at him, and unconcealed doubt was visible in his eyes. He knew: Ro Woon was hiding something, something more important than mere "Order." But the threat of war was real.
"Very well, Ro Woon. I will try."
Wei Begins His Game
Wei left the dazzling Realm of Light and stepped onto his native territory. The Realm of Darkness was profound and majestic, bathed in a soft, moonlight glow that emanated from silver-black rocks and shimmering, starry waters. It was a beauty born of secrets and tranquility.
A group of servants, their figures woven from shadows, advanced to meet Lord Wei. Their bows were respectful and deep.
"Has Song appeared?" Wei asked.
"No, Lord," they replied in unison, their voices like the rustling of wind. "Prince Song has not yet returned to his chambers."
Wei nodded, and his concern deepened. He passed through the gates leading to his private chambers. No sooner had he entered the Hall of Sorrow than his wife, Goddess Maya, Song's Mother and the Mistress of the Energy of Oblivion, emerged to meet him. Maya was beautiful. But now, her gaze showed clear alarm.
"Wei," she whispered. "I was informed... Song abducted some girl and disappeared."
Maya was nervous. Although Song was the embodiment of the Energy of Passion, and impulsivity was characteristic of him, he had never done anything like this. He had not shown such a burning desire for any goddess who was worthy of him by lineage. And here, he steals an energy that has not even become a goddess, violating the unspoken laws.
"What is wrong with him? I understand passion, but this... this is recklessness that is uncharacteristic of him. Who is this girl? What is her unique trait that has captivated Song's heart?"
Wei sat down on a chair. He knew that passion was their son's energy, but there was something else behind this. Something that had palpably frightened Ro Woon, the Lord of Order.
"You are right, my love. She is indeed special. But I am not worried about his passion, Maya, but Ro Woon's fear," Wei said thoughtfully. "I have never seen him so perturbed. He is clearly afraid of Ha Eun joining with our Dark energy. He fears the loss of his Order. But why? What about this girl frightens him so much?"
Wei shook his head. He had no intention of scolding his son. Before making any decisions, he had to find out why Ro Woon was so eager to retrieve Ha Eun, who was not even his own daughter.
"Song must bring her here. I need to find out what incredible power is hidden in Ha Eun, and why the Light is so desperately trying to keep her away from our Darkness."