CH 159

“We are destined to be born and die with this world.”

Elohim, who led me to the sofa opposite Elahah, sat on the diagonal sofa and opened his mouth.

“As much as I have lived for a long time, neither Elahah nor I have any regrets in life, but the end of the world is another matter.”

“You mean the world is dying?”

“Right. Very fast.”

As Elohim waved his hand once in the air, the empty teacup filled with light green tea itself.

“The reason is that you, Se-hyun-ah, are also involved.”

Biting my lip, I lowered my head.

“I came into Han Yi-gyeol’s body… that the world became strange? So did the gate change too?”

“About half the answer is correct.”

Elohim, who kindly pushed the teacup in front of me, drank the tea.

“The balance was a little off when you came. That’s why the speed towards the end of the world has become a little bit faster. But that’s all. Even if it wasn’t for you, the world was going to die anyway.”

“…is that true?”

“Yeah. So you don’t have to feel guilty about gate anomalies anymore, kid. The gate must have changed anyway.”

I felt something heavy on my shoulder disappeared. I exhaled slowly, rising from the depths.

“The real reason the world has become like this is something else.”

At those words, Elahah, who had been lying still until now, slowly opened his eyes.

“The name of the cause is ‘Kali’ (칼리). She was once our beloved family, but now…”

Elohim, who couldn’t finish his words and closed his lips, looked at me after a moment of silence and smiled.

“I think it will be a long story. If you’re tired, should we continue after waking up?”

“No. I’m fine.”

I took a sip of tea as I watched Elahah get up.

“Please tell me.”

“If you say so.”

Elohim and Elahah’s eyes met for a brief moment. Elohim put down the teacup he was holding and started explaining.

“I and Elahah were born and awakened at the same time.”

* * *

Elohim and Elahah were born and awakened at the same time. They instinctively realized that each other was as precious as their lives, and later called it ‘family’.

The two lived a very long time. Many people met them, parted, and died. Wars were constantly taking place and leaders were constantly changing.

People killed or loved each other. Watching it from close or far away, Elohim and Elahah were gripped by a fundamental question.

What is eternal life? How much is it really worth? A famous monarch dreamed of eternal life and devoted his whole life to searching for immortality, on the contrary, Elohim and Elahah thought that it was more meaningful to have an end.

“Human beings are beautiful.”

A ballerina who had been dancing all her life until her legs were broken, a painter who was blind and didn’t let go of the painting. And Elohim, who had seen so many people risking their lives to save their loved ones, murmured.

“I’m jealous.”

Elahah opened his eyes that had been closed. The book floating in front of him was filled with the last page.

“Yeah. I’m jealous.”

They had just watched a man’s life come to an end. He was an outstanding general who led to victory in naval battles caused by foreign invasions.

It was said that when any story ended, nothing but emptiness remained, but the void grew bigger and bigger.

No one understood them. Only they knew their pain. So it was more painful.

…we were lonely.

The more they looked at humans, the more their emotions changed. Beyond envy, they became jealous and envious, and eventually harboured dangerous thoughts.

Meanwhile, Elohim witnessed Elahah slashing the head with his sword. From then on, the two gave up watching. (그러던 와중에 엘로힘은 엘라하가 검으로 제 목을 긋는 것을 목격했다)

Elohim and Elahah spoke very little, neither eating nor drinking, and only slept.

So a long time passed again.

The two opened their eyes when they sensed a flow of unpleasant energy from a certain moment. It was a very odd and strange energy.

Elohim and Elahah were jealous of people, but that didn’t mean they wanted the world to be destroyed. So they moved to handle the dangers with their heavy bodies.

A coastal city in Israel. In the corner of an old stone house piled with garbage, they found an unidentified existence breathing rough air.

“Uh uh… uh…”

Fear was evident in the eyes staring at the approaching Elohim and Elahah. Elohim hid Elahah behind his back and opened his mouth at the vicious energy that flowed out.

“Where are you from?”

The skin visible under the shadows was black and cracked like coal. The existence opened its mouth at Elohim’s question.

“Don’t come too close!”

Thick fangs were visible between the lips. The voice was cracked and heavy as if an animal was growling and howling.

From the aura they felt to the appearance, everything wasn’t normal. Elohim stood still and looked at his opponent slowly.

The wrists were wrapped in thick chains, the ankles and neck were shackled, and a circle in the form of a laurel wreath rested upon the forehead.

Finally, lowering his gaze at the ring on the ring finger, Elohim realized that those objects were the source of the violent power he had felt before.

With Elohim’s power, he could set it free from restraint. However, he wasn’t sure if it would be okay to release something he didn’t know what it was to the world.

“……”

Should he kill it? He didn’t like killing, but he could have cut off the head as long as he could prevent an accident that would happen as a result. Elohim pondered as he raised his hand.

“…uh, hu, heuk…”

Elohim’s mind, which weighed the uncertain stability and the life of a living creature, gradually leaned toward killing. Perhaps it felt it, his opponent began to sob as it crouched down, hugging its shoulder.

“…El.”

Elahah, who had been watching from behind him, grabbed his arm. He knew without having to say it. After looking at Elahah for a moment, Elohim sighed and waved his hand.

Clang!

The sharp force of Elohim cut the shackles that were attached to the neck. Then, as he cut off the chains around the wrists, including the ankles, his opponent’s appearance began to change.

The black substance that covered the skin gradually fell off. The size of the fangs protruding from between the lips decreased, and the body gradually became smaller.

Elohim approached the opponent who was looking down at the lightened wrist with a blank expression. Elohim slowly reached out his hand and pulled the circle of a laurel wreath from the forehead, so as not to get scared and make a fuss.

Squeak—

When the pure white Elohim touched the circlet, the circlet trembled and started to burn black. He then took the ring off the finger. The ring trembled and screamed even more intensely than the circlet, and the jewel in the centre was shattered and turned to ashes in an instant.

Being freed from all restraints, it slowly but surely returned to its original form. It was a small girl with golden wavy hair that fell down to her thighs and bright wine-coloured eyes.

“Ah…”

The girl looked down at her body that had returned to normal, then raised her head and looked at Elohim. Elohim and Elahah, who noticed the energy of the girl who had been overshadowed by her dark power, also couldn’t hide their surprising feelings.

“El. Similar to us…”

“Yeah.”

Elohim asked the girl as Elahah patted the shoulder in bewilderment as if to soothe her. (엘로힘이 당황한 엘라하의 어깨를 달래듯 쓸어 만지며 소녀에게 물었다)

“Where are you from?”

“…I don’t know.”

“Your name is?”

Even with simple questions, the girl couldn’t easily answer and faltered. She blinked her eyes several times and was confused for a while, then opened her mouth.

“Kali.”

* * *

Elohim and Elahah returned to the haven with Kali, and the three lived together for a long time after that.

Kali, who quickly regained stability by their side, gradually recalled her forgotten memories of her. Kali, who knew only her name at first, finally remembered where she lived after a year.

“I’m from the same place as here, but a different place.”

In answering the questions she had heard from her first meeting with Elohim a year and a half ago, Kali lowered her long eyelashes.

“I was born with the world and I protected the world. But in the end…”

She couldn’t finish her words and bit her lip. Elohim, who had been looking at her with a sad face, asked in a quiet voice.

“…do you remember why it happened?”

“No. Not yet. But it will come to mind soon.”

As if she didn’t want to burden Elohim and Elahah, Kali gave them a light smile as she struggled. Elahah, who approached her, comforted Kali, without a word.

Some troubles drove Kali out of her own world and flew her into here, but Elohim and Elahah thought it was fortunate to have met her.

Their space, which had been only silence, was filled with laughter and vigour after Kali arrived. Kali was innocent and cheerful, yet very wise. She loved and cherished all living things around her, just like the two of them.

“El. Are there any other books similar to this one?”

“What is it?”

Kali called Elohim and Elahah the same as ‘El’. Elahah hated the nickname but gave her permission.

“Um, I was talking about a Jewish man who got caught up in World War II. I want to read more about World War II.”

“Last time, you were only looking for World War I.”

Elahah smiled slightly and retrieved the book from the bookshelf. Elohim said, bringing them hot tea.

“It seems that Kali is interested in war.”

“No.”

Kali, who answered him reflexively, tilted her head with a puzzled look.

“No, right? Is it..?”

“It’s not strange. We can have our own preference.”

“Preference…”

Kali, who had been contemplating something while sweeping the cover of the book, gave a strange look.

“That’s right. War is fun. I think it’s the stage where human emotions are maximized the most. Joy, sadness, despair…”

Kali, who muttered to herself, smiled brightly.

“Still, I like the happy ending the most. War is just an intermediate step towards a happy ending.”

“……”

Elohim felt a strange sensation for a brief moment. But soon, he brushed off those unknown feelings.

He thought it was some kind of anxiety. No one could understand them as much as Kali, and neither did she.

It was the most useless thing to doubt their family. Elohim looked at Elahah and Kali who were having a conversation with each other with bright faces while trying to ignore the feeling of discomfort.

So many seasons passed and came. Kali lived with Elohim and Elahah, while still hadn’t fully recovered her memories of her previous world.

It was one day in December when the year was coming to the end. Elahah approached Elohim preparing the meal.

“What about Kali?”

“In the library.”

Elohim immediately noticed that Elahah had something to do with her. As soon as he looked at him with the heart to speak comfortably, he slowly opened his mouth.

“I heard something from Kali and it looks good to us too.”

“Hmm. What is it?”

“The oath to be a family.”

“We’re already a family.”

“But Kali is a little different.”

Making an oath by mixing each other’s blood. Then they could become a real family. When I died, you died, so when they died, so did Kali.

…when Kali died, they die, too.

Elahah asked Elohim to join him, but he actually seemed to have made up his mind. Elohim smiled bitterly at the sight of Elahah who liked Kali more than expected.

Should they do it. How would this choice now affect the future?

Elohim didn’t answer right away but stared at Elahah. When Elohim, who he thought would be willing to say ‘yes’ just like himself, looked troubled, Elahah began to panic.

“…you don’t like it?”

“It’s not that I don’t like it.”

Even Elohim couldn’t understand why he wasn’t willing to allow it. Kali was just like them. She loved living things and liked happy endings.

“Okay.”

There was a bit of discomfort feeling somewhere, but he just couldn’t disappoint the expectations of the loved ones with just one indescribable emotion.

“Let’s do it.”

* * *

After hearing Elohim’s reply from Elahah, Kali was very happy and suggested that she swear an oath immediately.

They each slightly cut off the tips of their fingers. The blood they spilled began to mix in the air. The blood with the power of the oath immediately seeped into the back of Kali’s right hand and was engraved as a tattoo.

The end of the oath was a tattoo, which one of the participants had to carry. Kali decided to have it engraved on her body. It was Kali’s decision not to burden Elohim and Elahah.

In this way, their lives intertwined and they became a true family. Seeing Elahah and Kali smiling happily, Elohim also smiled pleasantly.

A month after that.

Kali left their side.