Chapter 2: The Arrival of the Daesin

​The fight reached its climax in one final exchange. The Sangjeon, gathering his last reserves of strength, focused all his Sigeum into a point of pure light that cut through the darkness. In return, the Geumok, in a final snarl of defiance, unleashed a wave of corruption that gnawed at the very air. The two attacks neutralized each other in an unnatural silence, absorbing all surrounding noise, before an implosion projected both combatants to the ground. The Geumok struggled to his feet, and, seeing the Sangjeon agonizing, took flight. He fled toward where Minjun was, and, at that precise moment, their eyes met. Minjun stared at him with an icy gaze, almost inhuman, sharp and dry like death.

​Moments later, the Daesin arrived at the edge of the devastated village. His robes were torn, a gash bled on his forehead, and his breathing was heavy. He, too, had fought a battle elsewhere against other members of the Guhon Clan, and though victorious, he arrived too late, weakened.

​“By all the spirits…” he murmured, his expert gaze sweeping over the extent of the damage. His heart sank as he spotted the Sangjeon, sprawled nearby.

​He rushed over, kneeling in the stained snow. The warrior, dying, painfully opened his eyes. Seeing the Daesin, a faint smile appeared on his bloody lips.

​“Daesin... you’re alive...” he breathed.

​“Hush, save your strength,” the leader ordered in a hoarse voice, placing a hand on the Sangjeon’s chest.

​“The... The fight... The fight... isn’t over...” the Sangjeon struggled to say, his trembling hand rising to grasp the Daesin’s arm. His glassy eyes shone with a final urgency. “There... Look there.”

​“Who are you talking about? It’s only you left here,” the Daesin asked.

​The Sangjeon, gathering his last breath, turned his head with difficulty and pointed a wavering finger toward a pile of debris. “Their resonance... Different... You... must...”

​The light left his eyes. His hand fell away.

​The Daesin remained still for a moment, the weight of loss and responsibility crushing him. Then, he slowly rose, following the direction indicated by the warrior’s last gesture. He then perceived what had alerted the Sangjeon: a faint but abnormal spiritual vibration, not one, but two nascent Sigeum signatures, intermingled with the battle's residue.

​He first found Heukryong, unconscious, a trickle of dried blood on his temple. Placing his fingers on the boy’s forehead, the Daesin felt a cold, deep, almost ravenous resonance.

​Then, he discovered Minjun, curled up near the bodies of his parents. Silent tears streamed down his cheeks. Examining him, the Daesin felt a swirling heat, a chaotic Sigeum torn between an abyssal grief and a burning rage.

​The Daesin straightened, his face marked by fatigue and wounds, but his eyes widened, stunned by a staggering realization. Two spontaneous awakenings, of rare intensity, in the very heart of such a destructive event... This was no coincidence.

​His expression became one of absolute determination. He knew that something immense had just transpired here.

​Other Watchers who had fought near the Daesin arrived, their eyes full of tears upon seeing the Sangjeon’s body.

​“Carry him... and take this one too,” the Daesin ordered, indicating Minjun.

​One of the Watchers thought, perplexed: Why is he asking us to bring these boys...?

​Without a word, they obeyed. The Daesin hoisted the young Heukryong onto his own back and started walking, his wounds and fatigue weighing heavily upon him.

​They moved away from the destroyed village, leaving chaos and death behind them. The icy wind carried the scent of ash and blood, and the oppressive silence contrasted with the violence that had just unfolded.

​Far from the world they knew, far from everything, Minjun and Heukryong were now heading toward the beginning of their true story.

​[Reader/Author Note for Engagement]

​"Their resonance... Different..." These last words change everything. In your opinion, is this difference a key to defeating the Guhon... or an even greater threat to the Watchers? 🔮

​I'm curious about your theory! Comment below, and if the mystery thickens, help the story spread by sharing it.