CHAPTER 14:THE SUBTLE DIVIDE
Absolon sat quietly on a golden chair.
Above him stretched an endless sky of calm brilliance, soft and unmoving, as if the world itself had chosen silence for him alone.
The wind passed gently across the floating land.
Everything was still.
Everything was perfect.
Too perfect.
And yet—
Absolon did not feel peace.
He simply existed within it.
---
Footsteps approached.
Slow.
Familiar.
Warm.
"Brother… why are you alone here?"
Griffin's voice broke the silence like a soft wave.
"I was looking for you earlier, but I couldn't find you. Where have you been?"
Absolon did not answer immediately.
His eyes remained on the sky.
A long pause passed between them.
Then—
"I've reached World Master."
The words were calm.
Simple.
Yet they caused the air itself to subtly shift.
Griffin's eyes widened for a moment.
Then—
he smiled.
Brightly.
Warmly.
Without hesitation.
"Brother… that's amazing."
"I'm so happy for you."
"You broke through so fast… you're incredible."
There was no envy in his voice.
No hesitation.
Only sincerity.
Only joy.
Then he leaned slightly forward, almost excited like a child.
"Tell me your routine," Griffin said with a small laugh. "I'll try it too."
That moment—
something softened inside Absolon.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"…Thank you, brother."
Slowly—
he stood.
The golden chair behind him faded into light as if it had never existed.
Absolon turned away.
And began to walk.
Each step was calm.
Measured.
But strangely—
cold.
Not in emotion.
But in distance.
Like something invisible had widened between him and everything else.
---
"Brother…"
Absolon's voice came quietly.
"Our cultivation gap… is now immeasurable."
Griffin blinked.
Then smiled even brighter.
"Really? That's incredible!"
"I'm so proud of you!"
"I can't wait to hear your routine."
Absolon stopped walking.
Silence returned.
Even the wind paused slightly.
Then—
his voice changed.
Not louder.
Not stronger.
But heavier.
"…Amazing, isn't it?"
Griffin nodded quickly.
"Yes, brother. More than amazing."
A pause.
And then—
Absolon spoke again.
But this time…
something inside his tone fractured slightly.
"Yet…"
"You still treat me the same."
Griffin blinked.
Confused.
Absolon slowly turned his head.
His eyes were no longer fully calm.
"…Does my power not matter?"
A pause.
Then another line came—
softer.
Almost lost.
"…Or am I just not special… am I?"
Griffin froze.
For the first time—
his smile disappeared.
Shock came first.
Then confusion.
Then sadness.
"Brother… what are you talking about?"
His voice shook slightly.
"I don't understand…"
He stepped forward.
Then stopped.
Tears began forming in his eyes.
"Brother… please…"
"Ask for forgiveness… for what you just said…"
The atmosphere trembled.
Not violently.
But emotionally.
Like reality itself had become fragile.
---
Both of them slowly fell to their knees.
Absolon's eyes widened slightly.
As if he himself didn't expect it.
Tears fell.
Quietly.
"…I'm sorry…"
His voice broke.
"I… I was wrong…"
Griffin's tears fell faster.
"No… don't say that…"
"I don't want you to feel like that…"
"I'm your brother…"
"I will always be your brother…"
The world became silent.
No wind.
No sound.
Only two trembling existences kneeling in front of each other.
---
Then—
A presence descended.
The First Being appeared.
The world itself stopped.
Even time seemed to hesitate.
"Rise, My children."
His voice was gentle.
Infinite.
Warm enough to dissolve existence itself.
"You do not need to feel that way."
"I forgive you."
He stepped forward.
And gently wiped their tears away.
Not like a ruler.
But like a Father.
The moment His hands touched them—
their sorrow loosened.
Not erased.
But softened.
"Your value to Me is greater than My own."
"You are My happiness… My everything."
"You are not defined by power… nor distance."
Only silence followed.
Then both Absolon and Griffin broke down again—
but this time…
softer.
Relieved.
Like something inside them finally stopped breaking further.
The First Being placed His hands gently on their heads.
Warm light flowed through them.
Like restoration.
Like love made reality.
Then—
He vanished.
---
⟡ AFTER THE FIRST BEING LEFT ⟡
Silence remained.
Absolon and Griffin slowly stood.
Griffin wiped his face quickly and forced a soft laugh.
"Brother… haha… sorry about that."
"I guess we got emotional again."
He scratched his head lightly.
"Let's continue our cultivation, okay?"
"…Yeah."
Absolon replied.
Short.
Controlled.
Too controlled.
Griffin didn't notice.
Or maybe he chose not to.
"Great!" Griffin smiled again.
"I was worried for a second there."
"Come on, let's go."
They walked side by side.
Like before.
Like always.
But something—
was missing.
Something neither of them could name.
---
⟡ ABSOLON'S MIND ⟡
As they walked, Absolon's thoughts drifted.
"Why does it not disappear?"
"The apology… the forgiveness…"
"It should be gone."
"But why is it still here?"
He glanced at Griffin.
Griffin was smiling.
Talking casually.
Completely normal.
Completely unchanged.
"…Why am I the only one who feels it?"
His fingers tightened slightly.
Then loosened.
He forced his expression calm again.
But inside—
something remained unsettled.
---
⟡ ONE DAY LATER ⟡
Across countless universes…
A wave of presence spread.
Aatroxx.
World Master.
He descended from the sky slowly.
Beings gathered below him like oceans of light.
"CONGRATULATIONS, BROTHER AATROXX!"
"WELCOME!"
"WE ARE PROUD OF YOU!"
Aatroxx looked down.
For a moment—
he said nothing.
Then he smiled.
He landed softly.
"Thank you… my brothers… my sisters."
But deep within his eyes—
something flickered.
Not joy.
Not peace.
Something else.
Something beginning to awaken.
---
⟡ THE DAYS AFTER ⟡
Everything continued.
Griffin remained the same.
"Brother! Let's train!"
"Brother, look at this!"
"Brother, eat first!"
Always warm.
Always familiar.
Too familiar.
But Absolon…
was not the same.
He responded.
He nodded.
He followed.
But something inside him never fully returned.
---
"…Why does everything feel slightly far away?"
Griffin laughed beside him.
"You're spacing out again."
Absolon blinked.
"…No."
Too quick.
Too automatic.
---
Later, by the river—
Griffin talked.
Absolon listened.
But the words did not fully reach him anymore.
Not completely.
Not clearly.
---
"Why am I still here acting normal?"
"Nothing changed… so why did I?"
---
Griffin stood.
"Let's continue tomorrow, brother!"
He smiled.
And left.
---
Absolon remained alone.
"…He's still the same…"
"…So why am I not?"
The wind passed.
But it felt distant.
Not real.
---
⟡ FINAL SHIFT ⟡
Absolon collapsed slowly to his knees again.
"…Father…"
His voice trembled.
"…You gave everything."
Tears returned.
"…You value Your creation more than Yourself…"
His forehead touched the ground.
"…Then why do I feel this way?"
"…Why am I not whole?"
Again.
And again.
"…I don't understand…"
"…I don't understand…"
Then—
a memory surfaced.
---
Yhach's voice.
On the golden mountain.
Calm.
Heavy with truth.
"Your power is also your test."
"And when you become strong enough…"
"You will help Father."
---
Absolon froze.
"…My test…"
He slowly stood.
His breathing steadied.
"…So this feeling…"
"…is not punishment."
"…It is weight."
He looked toward the horizon.
Where everything once felt close…
now felt infinitely vast.
"…Then I will endure it."
"…even if I don't understand it yet."
---
Far above—
The First Being watched.
Silent.
Endless.
But for the first time…
existence itself felt slightly different.
As if something had begun to shift.
Very slightly.
Very deeply.