40 - The Storm and the Tears

Night had fallen over the ocean, and the village was calm, illuminated only by the soft glow of the bioluminescent lucky crabs wandering among the algae. The currents were gentle, and the sound of the waves mixed with the distant echoes of whales calling to each other.

Lilay yawned, her fins moving slightly as she nestled into a pile of soft algae. Nexha, on the other hand, stretched, feeling the cool night current against his skin. Between them, Krahs watched everything with a calm and amused expression.

"Alright, kids," he began, crossing his arms. "Tonight, I’ll tell you a story before you sleep."

Lilay flapped her fins, excited.

"I like the stories about the stars!"

"Not again! Ever since you told him that one, that's all he asks for," Nexha grumbled. "Dad, please, tell a different one."

Krahs laughed and ruffled Nexha's hair playfully.

"Alright then. I'll tell a different story."

Nexha smiled, relieved.

"Finally. Every time someone talks about stars, I feel like my head is going to explode."

Krahs chuckled again, his eyes glinting with a touch of mischief.

"Then how about the story of the Endless Storm?"

The two exchanged curious glances.

"What’s that?" Lilay asked, tilting her head so much in curiosity that she accidentally leaned against Nexha’s shoulder.

"There was a time when the entire ocean surface was plagued by a constant storm. It was almost impossible to leave the water," Krahs said.

Nexha frowned.

"What do you mean 'endless'? It doesn’t rain that much on the surface."

Krahs smirked.

"It never truly ended, Nexha… it only weakened."

The shark got more comfortable, his fins slicing through the water gently as he began the tale.

"This happened long ago... shortly after the Star Descendant was born."

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"You said you wouldn’t talk about them!" Nexha huffed, crossing his arms.

Krahs raised his fins in a placating gesture.

"Relax, kiddo. I'm just setting the timeline. After this, I promise not to mention them."

Nexha still looked skeptical but nodded and nudged Lilay away, who had leaned on him again.

Lilay yawned and, this time, rested her head on her own bed of algae.

"The sky, once so beautiful, darkened in those days. No one knew why, but soon countless storms began appearing across the sea… until they merged into one monstrous cloud that never stopped raining," Krahs explained, his voice taking on a darker tone. "Lightning fell without pause, lighting up the water as if it were daytime. There were so many that the fish buried themselves deep to hide. The bigger creatures suffered even more…"

He paused, casting a meaningful glance at Nexha.

"The giant beings that needed to surface to breathe were the ones who perished the most. The currents were chaotic, the waves brutal. Many barely managed to rise for air, and those who did were thrown against the rocks, unable to survive."

Nexha's eyes widened.

"They... drowned?"

"Yes. And even today, the depths guard their bones," Krahs nodded. "The wreckage never resurfaced. Only the whales survived, but they lost almost everything. Their cries echoed for a long time after that."

Lilay curled up slightly.

"So... if that storm never ended... is it still out there?"

Krahs smiled, but there was something enigmatic in his expression.

"Always." His voice was almost playful. "It weakened, but it still roams the sea. They say that if you enter the eye of the storm, you can hear someone crying."

A shiver ran down Nexha’s spine.

"Who’s crying?"

Krahs looked as if he wouldn't answer.

"The soul of the last star that fell into the sea… They say he died of sorrow after losing his wife. And to this day, his grief makes the storm wander, searching for her."

Suddenly, a deep voice finished the last part of the story before Krahs could.

Lilay jumped in fright, hiding behind Nexha. The young man turned and saw Zhaelor standing at the entrance of the house, his massive silhouette blocking part of the light from the bioluminescent crabs.

"Dad, you lied! You said this wouldn’t be a story about the stars!" Nexha puffed out his cheeks without realizing it, looking irritated.

Krahs shot a sharp look at Zhaelor and whispered:

"I wasn’t going to tell that part…"

The sperm whale snorted, not understanding why Krahs seemed so bothered by his presence.

"Tell the story properly. Don't leave out the important parts," he said seriously. "After all, I was there when it all happened. And if the sea nearly collapsed under the sorrow of a single soul... I don’t doubt that you, Krahs, would do the same if you lost these little ones—if you had that power."

The three fell silent for a moment, listening only to the waters around them.

"I want to sleep," Nexha muttered, trying to hide the chill he felt upon seeing Krahs clench his hands so tightly that he almost broke part of the house’s structure.

Lilay, however, looked at Krahs with wide, shining eyes.

"Daddy loves us that much?"

Krahs let out a deep sigh, slapping his tail against the ground.

"I would never do that. I would never lose you for anything… I’d use all my strength to protect you before anything could ever hurt you."

He stood up and looked at the two with a small smile.

"Now, let’s sleep. I hope you don’t have nightmares."

And so, under the cloak of night, Zhaelor surfaced and took a deep breath. Small droplets of light rain fell upon his face.

He lifted his gaze to the cloudy sky and murmured:

"Are you still crying, my friend…?"

The only response was the sound of raindrops hitting the water, one after another.