Why was it so hard to replace an Absolute?
THE Civilizational Scale of Existence, or THE Level One Scale of Existence, held entities whose Ways held a level of differentiation.
Someone following the Civilization of Elemental, at THE Fundamental Depth more often than not, could also expand their existence to encompass the Way of Fire or the Way of Air. They could branch out, diversify, build subsidiary paths that complemented their main journey.
But ultimately, if and when they attained Absolute, it would be with their singular Civilization of Elemental.
If they were profound enough, they would have Fire or Air as Derivative Civilizations that remained at Fundamental Depth, while their main Elemental Civilization stayed at Absolute Depth.
They had to embody that Civilization absolutely in order to be an Absolute, after all.
The word itself implied totality.
Complete dedication to a single path.
