51- The cold castle

That night, Nexha played with Lilay while Nalu’s tiny luminous bubbles danced around them, carried by the soft melody of the ocarina. For a moment, he felt that everything was fine. But deep down, the unsettling feeling of losing the pearl still lingered, like a silent wave pulling him into deeper waters.

Krahs, watching the three of them enjoying themselves, noticed the fatigue in the children’s eyes and decided to end the night. With a playful grumble, he sent Nalu back home and took Nexha and Lilay to rest.

Some time later, Lilay had fallen asleep, nestled among the soft shells of his nest. Nexha, however, remained awake, restless. He turned to Krahs, who was still holding the small bubble instrument, analyzing it with curiosity.

— "I need to tell you something…" — Nexha murmured hesitantly.

Krahs raised his eyes, noticing the boy’s discomfort. With a sigh, he ran a hand through Nexha’s hair, encouraging him to continue.

— "I've been having strange dreams. Since I found that lost pearl after the storm." — He frowned. — "It's always the same place. A man and a woman dancing together, happy… But then something happens. The woman dies, and he is left alone. Very alone."

Krahs’ expression grew serious. His fingers tightened slightly around the artifact he was holding.

— "Nexha… this isn’t just a dream."

Nexha’s eyes widened.

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— "What do you mean?"

Krahs took a deep breath before answering.

— "Zhaelor said that you are a new star. Sometimes, dreaming of memories from other stars can be normal."

Nexha’s heart pounded. Something inside him whispered that this wasn’t normal.

— "What if he’s trying to talk to me?" — he asked quietly.

Krahs hesitated. He didn’t have enough knowledge to answer.

— "I don’t know, little one. You’ll have to ask Zhaelor about it… Talk to him tomorrow, okay?"

— "Okay, Dad…"

That night, the dreams returned.

The sunken castle, covered in algae and time, appeared differently than in the other dreams. But this time, it felt darker, deeper, as if the ocean itself were holding its breath.

On the throne of pearls, sitting amid the bluish shadows, was the man. His dark hair floated like silk in the water, and his deep blue eyes gleamed like icy blades in the dim light. His presence was majestic, imposing… and wrong.

— "Finally…" — The man’s voice echoed like a whisper carried by the currents, sinking into Nexha’s ears. — "You hear me now?"

The chains wrapped around his arms creaked, straining as if they were part of the ocean itself. The entire castle seemed to tremble.

— "Who…?" — Nexha’s voice echoed, trembling.

The man tilted his head slowly, as if analyzing the boy. His smile was gentle… but something about it was distorted.

— "Not the voice I expected, but… come here, my little treasure."

A shiver ran down Nexha’s spine. He wanted to pull away, wanted to flee… But something held him in place.

Giant hands made of water emerged around him, wrapping him in a cold, suffocating grip. He struggled, but the current was too strong. He was pulled closer to the throne until the man lifted a hand and touched his cheek.

The cold seeped into his skin like icy blades, spreading through his entire body. Nexha shivered, feeling himself sink into an endless abyss.

— "My ray of sunshine… soon, we will be together again."

Terror rose in his throat like a scream trapped inside.

— "Sh—"

Then, with a gasp, Nexha woke up. His chest heaved, cold sweat mixing with the water around him.

Without a second thought, he swam away as fast as he could, leaving his home behind.

He needed to find Zhaelor.