47-The Dream’s Echo

The dream still pulsed in Nexha’s mind as he swam through the calm morning waters. Sunlight filtered gently through the surface, creating golden streaks that danced around him. He shook his head, trying to push away the images of the crying man and the glowing pearl that seemed to carry the weight of his sorrow.

— Why won’t this leave my head?!

He glanced at the pearl, wondering if what he had seen was real or just a creation of his own mind. Lilay was still asleep, and Krahs was busy somewhere in their territory, so Nexha decided to go hunting alone. After all, the experience would be his alone to gain.

He swam silently along the ocean floor, keeping his body close to the sand, his eyes sharp for any sign of fish. The silence was broken only by the soft sound of the current and the tiny clicks of lucky crabs hidden between the rocks.

And then, he saw them.

A group of silver fish swam in close formation, their scales reflecting the golden shimmer of the sunlight. They seemed distracted—a perfect opportunity. Nexha gripped his makeshift seaweed net tightly and prepared to strike. But just as he lunged forward, he hesitated.

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The image of the man holding the lifeless woman came back to him. The look of pure despair, the way the pearl had formed from his tears… A shiver ran through Nexha’s body.

That hesitation cost him. The fish sensed his presence, and in a synchronized motion, they scattered in all directions. Nexha rushed forward, trying to catch at least one, but his net only met empty water.

His chest rose and fell as he stared at the empty net. He clenched the seaweed fabric tightly, as if gripping his own frustration.

— Get out of my head! — he shouted, running his hands over his face.

He looked from the net to the pearl still in his grasp. With an irritated huff, he wanted to forget, but this dream—unlike the others—seemed to follow him like a shameful memory that refused to fade completely.

— Annoying.

With a sigh, he carefully tucked the object away and turned his focus back to the sea. He still had to hunt.

With newfound determination, he darted between the moray seaweeds, preparing for another attempt. After several tries, he finally managed to fill his net. Satisfied, he swam to the old nest and began preparing a fish soup with his special crab seasoning.

For the others, who didn’t like crab powder, he fried the rest of the fish. After all, he wouldn’t be able to eat everything alone.

— Food’s almost ready. I really missed eating something cooked... But unfortunately, these fish didn’t fill up my experience bar much.

He kept a careful eye to ensure nothing burned. After a few minutes, he ate the soup alone and, at last, used the net to carry the fish back to the rest of his family.

However, something curious happened as he left.

The pearl, forgotten inside the nest, shimmered faintly… A small, sorrowful laugh echoed before vanishing without a trace—along with the tiny pearl.