...
The sun was now fully down. The world had shifted from what once was a bright white and pale scenery, to a dim and dark shadow.
But the people got through it. No, they were used to it. They learned to take a piece of light with them, by leaving obsidian crystals outside in the morning to absord the light, and then keeping the crystals in glass hand-held lanterns during the night. With this, the crystals would release the light naturally, and the people would have light.
People don't really know why this is. They don't remember who showed them this method. They do, however, know that it made sense. That, it was the law of nature for there to be a balance of things. This method of capturing and releasing light, just happened to be one that the people utilised.
Chiyol tool full advantage of this. While the town's people only had 2 or 3 obsidian crystals in each household, Chiyol's home, which was located near the outskirts of the town, shined brightly all throughout the night, with crystals being placed all over area.
The cliff side, where Somnis was located, is where these crystals were orginally found. There were lots of them scattered all throughout the shore, along with some buried within the edges of the cliff.
However, since it was a relatively dangerous place to go to, and it wasn't easy to find the stones, the towns people only took a few, just enough – to ensure they could climb back up the cliff safely.
Most of the time, Somnis would lay lonely, with no visitors other than occassional wild animals. Until one day, a young boy travelled a bit too far from home, and ventured down a path most wouldn't dare to go in their lifetime.
And since then, the boy would visit the area every week, leaving with a handful of crystals eachtime. He never missed a week, and if Somnis could talk, Chiyol would be mentioned as its most frequent and loyal visitor.
He had placed the stones all around the outside if the house, so light could be captured effortlessly everyday. For the inside, stones were placed near windows and mirrors, to capture the light that entered unnoticed into the house. Chiyol was rather proud of this, and when it was time to sleep, chiyol covered the stones with a cloth.
But this time, on this particular night, Chiyol couldn't sleep. The stone was covered at every edge, the window was blocked by a blanket, (not that it needed the blanket, there is no light coming from the window anyway) but chiyol simply laid in the darkness, staring at it – almost embracing it.
His mind just wouldn't stop racing, wouldn't stop running with his thoughts. But it was going too fast for chiyol to see any of those thoughts. It was too blurry. Too unsure. Until eventually, he couldn't take it anymore.
I need to calm down.
Chiyol grabbed one of the smaller moon stones and slowly walked out of his room, being careful not to step on the creaky wooden planks.
He needed some fresh air.
As he made his way to the front of the house, chiyol treaded carefully past his grandfathers bedroom, and then his sisters. He made his way through the stillness of the dark, until he noticed that his sisters room door wasn't fully closed.
His footsteps paused. For a moment, he hesitated, he was so close to the front door, but something told him to go back. Just this once, just for a bit.
Chiyol slowly padded to the door, and very gently closed it with the slightest amount of force he could, to ensure it didnt make a sound.
*click*
He forgot about that. He forgot to turn the handle when closing the door. Oh no.
Chigol stood staring at the door, listening to see if his sister had woken up. Nothing.
He clutched his chest and sighed in relief. Just then, as he was making his way back to the front door, he heard a door open, and soft, barely half-awake voice pitch out to him.
"Chiyol?" The girl rubbed her eyes. "What..are you doing? Are you going somewhere?" The girl yawned before briefly pausing to think, "Can i come?" She whispered.
Chiyol turned to face her. "Ofcourse Yin, but not today." He whispered back. His eyes gleaming and his smile soft.
He cared for his sister dearly, but it was too late at night, and it wasn't safe to bring her along.
While still half asleep, chiyol took this chance to bring his little sister back to bed and rest.
He walked up to her, bending slightly and craddled his hands under her arms. Lifting her up, and carrying her back to her room, as she laid her head to rest on his shoulder.
He stopped at the foot of the bed, and delicately placed her on the matteress, adjusting the pillow and covering her with the blanket.
She held out her arm and grabbed him by the hand. "Are you going?" She whimpered.
He smiled, "Ofcourse not. You still need me."
He took a chair from the corner and placed it at the side of the bed. Rubbing her cheeks and patting her head. "Go to sleep, Yina"
"Tell me a story" the little girl demanded, despite using all her might to keep her eyes open, she refused to fall asleep immediatly.
She knew he would go, she just wanted him to stay a little longer. Just a bit.
Chiyol chuckled, but he didn't refuse. "Alright. Shall i? Close your eyes, then." He whispered.
The little girl clutched the blanket to her chin and closed her eyes, trying not to smile in triumph.
Chiyol paused and thought for a moment, before speaking. He decided to tell her about a dream he had when he was her age.
"There was once...this kingdom, ruled by a very angry king. All he wanted was control and immortality, he wanted it so much, he ignored the balance of the world he lived in. He destroyed the forests, burned the animals, and allowed his people to live in poverty. All while waging war against other kingdoms."
Chiyol peeked to see if his sister had fallen asleep, his sister prevailed, but just barely. This wouldn't take long. Chiyol continued.
"As his tyranny grew, the more he corrupted the world, until finally, he had achieved immortality and absolute control, for a very heavy price. He lived for many, many, centuries; spreading his kingdom's influence through the whole world."
"Till one day, he looked back at all of his doing, and decided that this wasn't what he wanted. He saw the price of all the deeds he had done to achieve such a title, and he didn't want it. Not anymore."
Yina stuck out her tongue and squinted her eyes. "Well, what did he think would happen?" She scoffed.
"Hush, Yina...the story has not ended." Chiyol firmed. "Not every story travels in a straight line. Sometimes...it takes a detour when we least expect it." Chiyol continued.
"But by now, the king couldn't do anything. His kingdom was in shambles, and there was no undoing what had been the done. And the worst part? He would live long enough to see the ruin he had brought upon his people, and the others he had hurt. He would live, to see his kingdom fall. There wss no escaping such a fate."
"However, just as he had given up all hope, and ascended to the darkness within his mind, he had gotten news that he had a child. Born a few years ago to someone he had a passing with. The king didn't meet many people, so this was a suprise."
"For the split moment, the king found something real to protect. An actual reason to live on. To do good. But it was already too late. The dieties and gods that had watched over the world, had now left, leaving the world to fend for itself against the raging darkness, that is the void."
Yina had her eyes closed now, but chiyol knew, he had to finish the story. He wanted to tell her the end, even if she didnt hear it.
He continued, "The devour of worlds, they called it. That was the void. An endless, dark pit, that was ssid to be the base of all things, the beginning and the end. The void was coming. It always came to devour worlds that no longer were of use. When the world no longer had an external observer to ensure it continued existence, it was practically as good as forgotten.'
If no one, not one, were to watch a world, then did that world really exist?
Chiyol had noticed this pattern in all his dreams. Where the worlds, stories, people, ended in complete darkness. Being swallowed by a bottomless pit. But he had always thought it was just how dreams ended. Until now. Now, it seemed intentional. Too frequent to simply be a passing thought.
"...this world had long been abandoned by the external beings that watched over it, and now, it was being 'cleaned up'. The king, knowing this, rushed to find his child. Even if he couldnt save them, he wanted to atleast hold them. Atleast until the very end. He didnt want to end it all alone. Not like this."
"As the world started to be covered by darkness deeper than night, the king searched frantically, until he found his child. They had been sent to an orphanage in the countryside shortly after birth, and was now a child living a simple life."
"The king paused in his tracks. The child had his eyes and hair colour, but they didnt have his smile. This childs smile was so...carefree, so innocent. They were so bright. The king stared in awe. Keeping his distance, and watching from afar. Until, he decided in that moment, that if he could turn back time, he would. Just to protect them. To give them a better life to live in."
"The king went back to his kingdom. He decided not to show himself to the child in the final days. Perhaps, that was the highest form of care he could offer the child. In the following final days of the world, the king sat quietly on his throne, indifferent, emotionless, and still. Almost as if he was a statue, and remained that way, until the end of his worlds time."
Chiyol gulped a little before looking to see if his sister had truely fallen alseep. And she had. He gazed in the darkness, before finally muttering the words, "....the end." Chiyol patted her head, whispering that he would be back soon, and when he was, they would make cherry ice cream together.
He paused for a bit, before standing up and walking out the room. Being careful not to make a sound when closing the door this time.
"Goodnight, Yina" He smiled. Then made his way to the front door, and left the house.
...
[Somnis]
When Chiyol reached Somnis, it was dark.
He squinted his eyes, looking around for any source of light. Until he saw it. The glowing, iridescent waves of somnis, and the small fragments of moon stones shining at the side of the cliff.
It was breathtaking. Chiyol sat on the sand while holding the small moonstone to his chest and clutched it tightly, staring at the waves. He was mesmerisied. The phenomenon was like none other. The scene of dark ripples of water, clashing against the sand and the rocks, and giving this white moon-like glow. It was like glitter scattering in the water.
Chiyol could have stared at this the entire night, until he saw something in the corner of his eye. In the shallow parts of the water, not too far from the shore, were glowing orbs. Just like the stories that he had heard, they were visible under clear water, and produced an ethereal shine.
He moved with hesitation. He wanted to get closer, to see it clearer, but he had heard the tales. He didn't want to upset it. He didn't want it to disappear.
So he kept his distance.
For a good while, all he did was revere in its beauty. However, his thoughts couldn't stay lost in fascination for long, as he started to see one of the orbs start to move.
It was for a split second, and he thought he was going insane. Until, the orb that moved started to lift itself up from the water, laying gently above the ripples and the waves, hovering.
Chiyol immediatly stood up.
And almost in response to seeing chiyol stand up, the orb moved in a swift motion, gliding above the water towards Chiyol.
Frightened, Chiyol tried to escape backwards, but fell on his back. The orb, upon sensing this, slowed down until it eventually reached at the tip of chiyols feet. It stayed, suspended in the air. Almost waiting.
He stared at the orb, amazed.
What....
The orb moved closer. Almost instictively, chiyol held up his two plalms together, inviting the orb to rest.
The orb took the offer, and landed on his palms. Chiyol watched as the orb slowly lowered itself, until it touched him. It felt like a ball of fluff. Light, soft, with a touch of fuzziness.
Chiyol felt slightly tickled as it landed, letting out a slight giggle.
The orb, upon hearing this, beamed brighter, until he saw that it was starting to disperse into its surroundings. Chiyol watched as the orb shined brightly, and then fade in his palms. leaving behind only small fragments of light, that acted like specks of dust, moving with the wind.
And then, it was gone. Not a trace to identify if the orb had even existed, or if chiyol had completely lost his mind and it truely never did.
As the orb lost its glow, so did the other orbs in the water, until they all has faded out together.
...maybe, it's time to call it a day.
Chiyol stood up, dusting the sand off his pants. Just as he was about to climb back up the cliff, he paused. He felt a tingle in the back of his neck.
This is...
Chiyol turned around and flipped his head up at the sky. Nothing.
He looked around the blank sky for a good while, thinking that he had truely lost it.
Whats gotten into me?
I have never felt so on edge before...
He was about to turn back, until he saw a small white dot, gleaming in the sky.
His eyes widened. The sky had never decorated itself in such a way before. It was always a blank canvas, beautifully empty. Not once, had it ever thought to paint on itself, to ruin such a clean slate.
Chiyol watched as the small spark in the sky, begin to expand in multiple lines, giving the illusion that the sky itself had a crack. Until, the sky actually cracked.