CHAPTER 4: THE GREAT SHARK

In a cold, dark cave, a large shark tail lay on the stone floor, covered in its own blood. Its half-mutilated fins barely moved. The shark’s belly, marked with scars, still bore the wounds that had once spilled its blood into the water.

Suddenly, the stone door shifted. Light flooded the cave, revealing even more of the old shark’s decay. His back still bled as a younger figure entered, speaking:

— Today is your big day, old man. At last, you'll pass everything on to us… How does it feel to see your son becoming the chief? Proud?

His voice dripped with sarcasm, followed by a mocking laugh.

— You wouldn’t be proud of me even if I conquered the entire sea.

The great shark weakly opened his eyes and looked at the arrogant young one.

— I hope that one day, your eyes will be opened, my little shark.

Anger flared in the young one’s eyes as he raised his voice:

— Don’t call me that! I have a name! You gave it to me, didn’t you? So why don’t you say it one last time before I leave this wretched place and never return to this hole where you will wither away?

The old shark sighed, his voice heavy with sorrow.

— Nasig… I hope that you and your siblings will open your eyes and be well.

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— Still pretending to wish us well, as if that makes us the villains? Acting all wise and kind now? The same great leader who trained his children with ruthless discipline so we wouldn’t share our mother’s fate…

He scoffed and tossed a fish near the old shark.

— Even in defeat, you treat us as if we are weak and pathetic. Always acting superior, yet you never even dared to avenge our mother!

— I did it for your sake… Revenge won’t bring her back. It won’t save our people. A leader cannot…

Before he could finish, Nasig pressed the shaft of his trident against his father’s wounded tail. The force was enough to reopen old wounds, causing fresh blood to spill.

— Silence! It’s always about the people! What about your own family? Did you ever stop to think about how we felt, watching you run away with the tribe instead of fighting to avenge our mother and those who were slaughtered?! It was shameful, being forced to flee like helpless fish from the orcas!

Despite the pain, the old shark remained calm as he spoke:

— Child, revenge is empty… Stay with the living, do not chase after the dead. Following that path will only bring suffering… I will beg as many times as it takes: please, do not go! I don’t want to lose you.

— You are here because you tried to stop us. Rest. Your wounds are still severe… But even if we win, you will remain here, paying for the disgrace of letting our mother’s death go unpunished.

The young one raised his trident, leaving a fresh bruise on the old shark’s body.

— Children… Please, don’t go. I don’t want to lose you too…

The old shark’s eyes welled with tears, but Nasig only sighed, his gaze cold.

— Sorry… But nothing can stop us. The others don’t even wish to look you in the eyes. You know that, sooner or later, this will be settled, and our hatred for you will fade. So, I say this: just rest and recover, old man… We have already lost too much.

— Nasig!

Nasig left without looking back, and the stone door was sealed once more, plunging the cave into darkness.

Tears rolled from the old shark’s eyes, turning into small pearls that clattered onto the hard ground.

— Forgive me, my love… I won’t be able to keep my promise. I won’t be able to save them if they go.