19. Remembrance (2)

As I took a step back, the gravity of the situation weighed heavily upon me. Shin, my flesh and blood, had become consumed by anger and resentment. Our shared history and bond as brothers seemed distant and fragile in the face of his rage.

"Shin, please," I repeated, my voice now steadier but laced with a tinge of sadness. "I don't want to fight you. We've always had each other's backs, through thick and thin. Remember all the times we laughed together, all the memories we've built? We can't let this moment define our relationship."

But Shin's eyes remained cold and distant, his silence a testament to the inner turmoil he was grappling with. I knew that mere words might not be enough to break through the walls he had erected around himself. Nevertheless, I had to try, to exhaust every possible avenue before it was too late.

I saw a flicker of hesitation in Shin's eyes, a glimpse of the brother I once knew. His grip on the sword loosened ever so slightly, a sign that perhaps there was still hope for reconciliation. But before I could seize the opportunity to bridge the divide between us, a surge of anger swept through Shin once more.

"You don't understand!" he shouted, his voice laced with bitterness. I took a step back, startled by the intensity of Shin's outburst. His words reverberated through the air, filled with pent-up frustration and anguish. It was clear that his pain ran deep, cutting through any semblance of rationality or reason.

"I never wanted it to come to this," he admitted, his voice laced with vulnerability. "The resentment, the pain, it's been eating away at me for so long. We always had enough time to spend together. You shouldn't have taken this path."

Shin's words hit me like a punch to the gut, leaving me momentarily speechless. The weight of his pain and resentment bore down upon me, and I realized the magnitude of the impact my choices had made on his life. Guilt washed over me, mingling with a sense of profound sadness.

"I'm sorry, Shin," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "I never meant to hurt you. I thought I was doing what was necessary for my journey, ever since you disappeared, there was no one for me. I had to live and I have to take every chance I have."

Shin's eyes narrowed, his brows furrowing with anger and hurt. The mention of his disappearance seemed to strike a nerve, deepening the wounds that had been festering for the past two years. My attempt at an apology had only further exacerbated the tension between us.

"You think your journey is more important than mine?" Shin retorted, his voice laced with bitterness. "You moved on, leaving me behind without a second thought. Two years I was gone, and you didn't even bother to look for me, to try and understand what I was going through."

His words cut through me like a knife, and the guilt I felt intensified. I had allowed my ambitions and desires to overshadow the pain Shin had experienced during his absence. It was indeed true about what he said but what could I have done? The old man looked for him far and wide and way more efficient in searching than I was. It was obvious that I had to give up such a thing.

Shin's eyes welled up with tears, his pain transforming into a mix of anguish and desperation. "You don't understand," he choked out, his voice trembling. "I didn't choose to disappear. Life forced me into a dark place, and I struggled to find my way back. The loneliness, the despair... it nearly consumed me."

Shin lashed out at me with his sword. Reacting swiftly, I raised my spear to block Shin's sudden attack. The clash of metal echoed through the air as our weapons collided, the force behind his strike pushing me back a step. His anger and pain had manifested into a desperate surge of aggression, aimed directly at me.

During our intense clash, a Spatia message suddenly materialized before my eyes, interrupting the fierce battle between Shin and me. The unexpected intrusion caused both of us to pause, our weapons frozen mid-strike. Curiosity mingled with caution as I read the message that appeared before me.

++

Contact with an Unauthorized Person

Danger Level: Extremely High

Starting Evacuation of Transcendent

++

The Spatia message sent a jolt of alarm through me as I read its contents. The realization that the message referred to Shin as the "Unauthorized Person" filled me with a mix of concern and confusion. Why would Shin be labeled as dangerous and in need of evacuation? What had transpired during his absence that I was unaware of?

I quickly glanced at Shin, who remained oblivious to the message, his focus still fixated on our confrontation. I knew I had to act swiftly to ensure his safety, even if it meant interrupting our battle once again.

The intensity of our battle persisted as we clashed with unrestrained force. Each strike, parry, and dodge was fueled by our complex emotions and the deep-seated pain that had plagued our relationship. The intensity of our battle persisted as we clashed with unrestrained force.

Each strike, parry, and dodge was fueled by our complex emotions and the deep-seated pain that had plagued our relationship. However, during our heated exchange, reality fractured around us, and the familiar surroundings shattered like shards of glass.

The sweat-soaked brows and clenched jaws revealed the strain we both endured, the physical exertion heightened by the emotional turmoil that had plagued our bond for far too long. The expressions on our faces mirrored the complex web of conflicting emotions—anger, regret, longing, and a desperate yearning for understanding.

As our swords clashed and sparks flew, the weight of our shared history weighed heavily upon us. The wounds inflicted during our journey to this point were not only physical but also carried the scars of past disagreements and missed opportunities for reconciliation. With every exchange, I hoped to find a way to break through the barriers that had formed between us, bridge the divide, and restore the deep connection we once shared.

But during our intense engagement, reality shattered around us. The world as we knew it fragmented into countless shards, swirling in a whirlwind of colors and shapes. The familiar surroundings that had served as the backdrop to our battle dissolved, leaving us suspended in a disorienting void.

Shin's voice, filled with a mix of frustration and determination, murmured something indiscernible. In that chaotic moment, Shin, driven by a force beyond my comprehension, launched his sword toward me. The blade spun through the air, slicing through the ethereal nothingness.

In that disorienting descent through the void, as Shin's sword hurtled toward me, time seemed to slow down. The sharp gleam of the blade cut through the chaotic swirls of colors and shapes, drawing nearer with frightening speed. With a surge of panic, I instinctively attempted to dodge the incoming weapon, but my movements felt sluggish and uncoordinated.

My vision blurred, and the world around me seemed to fade into a haze. Darkness encroached on my senses, threatening to engulf me. As the weight of my injuries pressed heavily upon me, I struggled to stay conscious, determined to push past the searing pain and find a way to survive.

As pain coursed through my body and darkness threatened to claim me, Shin's expression remained unchanged, his features etched with a mixture of shock and guilt. Confusion mingled with my anguish as I tried to comprehend what had driven him to this extreme act of violence.

In the depths of my pain, I couldn't help but question what I had done to deserve such a fate. Memories of our shared past flashed before my eyes, moments of laughter and camaraderie have interwoven with the trials that had strained our bond. How had we reached this point, where the very essence of our brotherhood had been shattered by anger and resentment?

As the darkness threatened to consume me, I clung to a flicker of hope, praying that there was a chance for salvation, that someone would come to our aid. Together, Shin and I were bound by a painful past and a desire for redemption, and in that moment of despair, we faced an uncertain future, both united and divided by the events that had unfolded.

Whether this harrowing experience would ultimately tear us further apart or serve as a catalyst for healing and understanding remained to be seen. As I clung to life, my thoughts raced with a mix of fear and determination, desperately hoping that the next turn of events would offer a path to redemption and reconciliation.

Amidst the searing pain and the encroaching darkness, a single thought crystallized in my mind—I refused to let this tragic chapter define the entirety of our relationship. The memories of our shared laughter, love, and support whispered to me, reminding me of the unbreakable bond we once cherished. It was a bond that could withstand the harshest of storms and emerge stronger if only we could find a way to mend what had been shattered.