46-Tears in the Tide

That night, Nexha tossed and turned in his bed of seaweed, unable to forget the pearl that he and Lilay had found. Its faint glow still pulsed in his mind, as if calling out to him.

When his eyes finally grew heavy and he drifted into sleep, something strange happened.

The darkness around him faded, giving way to a completely different scene. He was submerged in a golden ocean, where sunlight pierced through the surface, bathing everything in a warm glow, as if the sea were made of liquid gold. The waters were not the blue he knew but instead tinged with amber, with orange rays dancing gently over the golden corals.

And then, he saw them.

At the center of that luminous world, a couple of merfolk floated, enveloped in the light as if they were part of it.

The woman was of celestial beauty, her long golden hair—like the setting sun—flowing around her, each strand capturing the water's glow. Her tail shimmered in shades of amber, each movement creating tiny reflections in the current. Her eyes held the radiance of distant stars, and her smile exuded an indescribable peace.

The man beside her was her perfect counterpart. His hair was darker but carried golden highlights, as if the ocean’s light refused to leave him in the shadows. His silver tail bore traces of brushed gold, and his deep blue eyes contrasted with the warm glow around them. He held the woman with an intense tenderness, as if cradling something too precious to lose.

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They twirled in the water, dancing as if they were one. Every movement was graceful, a silent ballet beneath the golden sea.

— Do you promise to always be with me? — the woman asked, her voice soft as a warm breeze.

The man smiled, his expression filled with boundless affection.

— Always. Until the ocean runs dry and the tides stop dancing.

The woman laughed gently, cupping his face in her hands.

— My love.

Nexha felt something tighten in his chest. He had never seen anything so beautiful, so perfect.

But then, the golden light began to dim.

The gentle glow of the ocean turned murky, as if a shadow had spread through the water. The woman clutched her stomach, her expression of joy twisting into pain.

— No...! — The man held her in desperation, his eyes filled with fear.

The water around them darkened into a deep blue, like the last light of the sun before it vanishes on the horizon. The warmth drained away, leaving only a profound cold.

The man trembled, clutching the woman to his chest. She looked at him one last time, with a faint smile and tears in her eyes.

— Our daughter... take care of her...

And then, she was gone, dissolving like golden liquid dispersing into the sea.

The man's anguished cry echoed through the ocean, a pain so deep that all the golden light dimmed further into darkness. The vivid colors melted into shadows, leaving behind only one thing shimmering:

A single tear rolling down the man’s face.

It floated gently in the water and, the moment it touched the ocean, it transformed into a pearl, radiating a melancholic glow.

A glow that slowly faded, as the sound of heavy rain seemed to rise around that place.

The dream shattered into a whirlwind of emotions, and when Nexha opened his eyes, he tasted the salty tang of the sea.

He reached for the pearl beside him, feeling the same glow on its surface.

— No matter how hard I try to see something else, everything still seems to revolve around these stars...