In the mortal realm, Dik and Sen Ruyon moved like whispers between worlds. They hid within the folds of night, beneath the canopy of ancient trees, where no god's sight could reach. Sen Ruyon had woven a barrier of such profound strength that not even the keenest senses of the Almighty could breach it. Their presence was a shadow without form, a secret unspoken.
Far above them, in the citadel of Heaven, Dijun and Dikun searched relentlessly. They scoured every realm, every hidden path, calling his name into winds and storms, yet Dik remained nowhere to be found. Frustration and dread gnawed at their hearts.
"Where could he have gone?" Dijun murmured, her voice tight with unease.
"He wouldn't vanish without reason," Dikun said, his tone hardened with resolve. His crimson eyes burned with determination. "No matter where he is, I will find him."
But even they did not know that Dik was deep within the mortal realm, far from the reach of Heaven's power.
Dik sat alone under the pale glow of moonlight, silent, his thoughts heavy. He touched the pendant that once hid his true form, now absent. His mind was a storm of regrets.
"I have escaped Heaven… but at what cost?" he thought, his voice barely a whisper. "Dikun must be worried… Emperor will punish him… and I have brought all this upon him. What have I done?"
His chest tightened with guilt, and for the first time, the defiance in his heart wavered. The freedom he sought now felt like a chain, and the price of his choice weighed heavier than the realms themselves.
Beside him, Sen Ruyon's gaze lingered, unwavering and possessive. His hand brushed against Dik's shoulder.
"Do not regret this, Dik," Sen Ruyon whispered, his voice thick with resolve and something more — something dangerously intimate. "Whatever comes, you are mine. And I will not let them take you away."
Dik shivered, caught between the warmth of that promise and the shadow of his own.
The Return and judgement
The air between them was heavy as Dik and Sen Ruyon stepped through the gates of Heaven Realm. The skies seemed darker than usual, as if even the heavens themselves were holding their breath. Dik's footsteps were slow, weighted by regret. Sen Ruyon walked beside him, silent yet possessive, his crimson eyes fixed on the path ahead.
"Dik… why do you wish to return?" Sen Ruyon's voice was low, edged with something between curiosity and pain.
"I don't want to stay here anymore," Dik murmured, his voice heavy. "Sen Ruyon, take me back to Heaven… I cannot remain away."
Sen Ruyon's lips curled slightly, a possessive smirk forming. "Why? Do you think the Heaven Emperor will forgive you so easily?"
Dik's gaze fell. "Perhaps not… but I cannot put Dikun in danger because of me. The Emperor always punishes him for even the smallest mistake. I… I will bear the consequences, not him."
Sen Ruyon's expression softened just for a moment before hardening again. Without another word, he clasped Dik's hand, and together they entered the great gates of Heaven Realm.
But as they approached the throne hall, Dikun stepped forward, his face stern yet calculating. Without hesitation, he said, "My Emperor… Sen Ruyon kidnapped Dik. He should bear the punishment for this act."
Gasps echoed through the hall. Dik's eyes widened in shock, and he stepped forward. His voice rang with determination, tinged with pain. "No… Sen Ruyon did not force me. I left of my own will. Punish me… but do not punish him for my choice."
Silence fell. Heaven's Emperor fixed his gaze upon Dik, his face a mask of disbelief and authority. "Shut up. Dik… what have you become now? You never disobeyed my order before. How could you run away from your marriage? Since you have committed this act, you must be punished."
He turned toward Dijun, his voice deep and commanding. "Dijun… what should we do with Dik?"
The hall was still, the weight of those words pressing down like a thousand stones. Every eye in the court was fixed upon Dik — the son of secrets, the bearer of a forbidden bloodline, now standing accused before all of Heaven.
Dik's breath faltered, but in his chest, a fire burned. He did not speak. He only waited, knowing the verdict would decide not just his fate, but the fate of all who loved him.
The throne hall was filled with a suffocating stillness. Even the air seemed to hold its breath as Heaven's Emperor turned his gaze toward Dijun. All eyes followed her, awaiting her words for Dijun, the eldest of the three almighty siblings, was known not just for her unmatched strength, but for her iron will.
Dijun stepped forward, her robes flowing like liquid flame. Her voice echoed through the hall, steady and cold.
"Your Majesty," she began, her tone both deliberate and piercing, "since Dik was born, he has been wrapped in love and care. He has never truly felt the seven mortal feelings —sadness, betrayal, grief, happiness, aging, pain, and hunger. Because of this, he has become spoiled, reckless… a brat who believes he can act without consequence."
A hush settled over the room. Even Dikun, standing beside her, stiffened at her words.
"I propose we send him to reincarnate as a mortal," Dijun continued, her voice rising with conviction, "for twenty days. One day in Heaven equals one year in the mortal realm. That means Dik will live twenty mortal years twenty years of life without his privileges, without his power."
Her gaze sharpened, locking onto Dik. "He will suffer for the things he takes for granted first, his beauty, second, his strength, third, the closeness of those he loves. He must understand what it means to be stripped of all that makes him who he is."
From the side, the Queen of Phoenix Realm stepped forward, her voice trembling with emotion yet sharp with objection. "Dijun… are you out of your mind? Why should Dik suffer like this? The seven feelings are a punishment for the truly guilty. Yes, Dik has made a mistake, but this is far too cruel. You would condemn him to agony for your own bitterness?"
Dijun's lips curled into a bitter smile, her eyes darkening. "You are a great mother, indeed. But do you remember, in this very same hall, when I myself was given the same punishment? I stood alone. No one rose to defend me, not even you."
The hall fell silent. Dijun's voice grew sharper, her tone heavy with centuries of buried resentment. "Dik… this is why I hate you. You always have someone to protect you. You always have someone to care for you. But I had no one. I suffered alone, without mercy. This is why I insist you will suffer too. You will understand the price of privilege. You will understand pain."
Dikun's face darkened. Even Heaven's Emperor leaned forward, the weight of Dijun's words pressing down on them all. Dik stood motionless, his expression unreadable, though his chest rose with slow, steady breaths.
For the first time in the great hall, silence was not a sign of peace — it was the silence of a verdict yet to be sealed.
Heaven's Emperor slowly rose from his seat, his expression unreadable. His eyes swept across the gathered gods, lingering last on Dik, who stood still, his hands clenched at his sides.
Finally, his voice rang out, deep and heavy like a tolling bell. "Dijun speaks with conviction… but this is not merely her decision to make. Heaven is not yours alone." His gaze turned toward Dik, sharp and commanding. "Dik… you have disobeyed my order. You have defied your duty and chosen your own path. For this, you must be punished."
A murmur spread through the hall, but the Emperor raised his hand, silencing them.
"I decree," he continued, "that Dik shall be stripped of his divine form and sent to the mortal realm. He will live twenty mortal years without the protection of his powers, without his beauty, without his strength. He will endure the seven mortal feelings — sadness, betrayal, grief, happiness, aging, pain, and hunger. Only then may he return to Heaven."
Sen Ruyon's eyes narrowed. He stepped forward, his voice low but fierce. "Your Majesty… this is cruelty. You cannot do this to him."
The Emperor's gaze hardened. "He has chosen his own fate, but he must learn the cost of his choices."