As Sakolomé and his troupe were about to resume their journey toward the cave of Évoressence, the mysterious man with long black hair stopped them dead in their tracks. Rivhiamë, within Sakolomé's consciousness, seemed unsettled herself.
— What? Are you serious? asked Sakolomé, eyes narrowed in disbelief.
Inside him, Rivhiamë's scarlet eyes widened, as if a buried memory suddenly resurfaced.
Rivhiamë (internally): But yes… it's him… it's...
Before she could finish, the man spoke in a calm tone:
— I am Jin Muleo. And you, young travelers… who are you really?
Sakolomé exchanged a brief glance with his companions before answering simply:
— I'm Sakolomé. Behind me, my little sister Salomé, my little brother Bakuran, and Kai… let's say a traveling companion.
Jin Muleo nodded slowly, his gaze examining them with unusual attention. Then, crossing his arms, he asked a question that left the whole group hanging:
— May I be more sincere? he asked.
— Go ahead, replied Sakolomé cautiously.
— Why does the blood of the Dragon Men flow through your veins?
This question caused a wave of astonishment. Salomé's eyes opened wide:
— The blood of the Dragon Men? Like… mother?
Jin Muleo tilted his head slightly, intrigued.
— Mother? And… who is your mother?
— Amu Stella, answered Sakolomé. Who became Amu Satsujin Otoko.
At these words, Jin Muleo first grimaced… then suddenly burst into a hearty, loud laugh. The group remained frozen, puzzled by this reaction. Why was he laughing so much?
Then, all of a sudden, he approached and hugged Sakolomé without warning.
— Pleased to meet you, my little ones… So you are the children of Niyus?
Everyone froze.
— You… know our father? asked Bakuran, frowning.
— Of course! said Jin proudly.
He stepped back, observing them warmly.
— Niyus thus became the husband of Amu, our princess. Yes, I am a former dragon warrior, a former servant of your mother. I served her for a long time before chaos swept everything away.
Then, in a relieved sigh, he closed his eyes and smiled:
— Think of me as your uncle… on your maternal side.
Sakolomé nodded slowly, as if the pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fit together.
— This is starting to make sense… Mother warned me that buried truths would be revealed here, in the world of myths.
Jin raised an eyebrow:
— Oh? She spoke to you of us? That's surprising… she believed we were all dead, after the annihilation of our clan by the god of destruction. He erased our people from the fabric of existence, in our own realm. Most of us were erased… except for a few rare survivors. Me… your mother… and Lingyin.
Salomé, intrigued:
— Who is Lingyin?
— Let's say… another uncle, of the same blood as your mother. Would you like to meet him?
Before they could answer, Kai, arms crossed, growled in a dry tone:
— I didn't come here for your stupid family reunions. Can you save that for later?
Jin turned to him, flashing a sly smile:
— Wow… you're the icy kind. But don't worry. It won't take long. And who knows? I might be very useful to you, even to you.
Kai narrowed his eyes, wary, but said nothing.
As the group was about to leave, Jin Muleo turned to the guardian—Valmethor—with his usual relaxed smile.
Jin Muleo:
"Say, old brother… couldn't you ask your dear gryphons to guide us to my lair?"
The guardian crossed his arms, looking exasperated.
Valmethor:
"You really have no shame, Jin…"
Then, without another word, he raised his hand to the sky. Instantly, several gryphons appeared from above. One landed in front of each group member, their large wings still pulsating with mana.
Valmethor:
"Mount. They will lead you to the sanctuary."
Salomé's eyes gleamed with excitement:
"Woooah! Am I really going to ride a gryphon?!"
Bakuran, arms crossed, raised his eyebrows.
"Don't make too much fuss, especially…"
One by one, they climbed onto the backs of the majestic creatures. Their wings beat the air in a low roar, and soon they rose into the sky, splitting the mists above the Quarlhon Mountains.
Jin Muleo, sitting casually on his mount, laughed heartily:
"Who would have thought I'd see Amu's children again someday? Fate really has a sense of humor. Hahaha!"
Sakolomé, turning his head slightly, called out to the guardian who had stayed below, arms crossed and expression impassive:
Sakolomé:
"Excuse me… Mister Valmethor, are you also a Dragon Man like Jin Muleo?"
Valmethor shook his head calmly.
Valmethor:
"No, I was not born of flesh or blood. This body is just a vessel. I am a spirit, the guardian of this mountain… The one called the Claw Reader."
Jin Muleo, mocking but affectionate tone:
"Oh, you always exaggerate with your pompous titles…"
Valmethor, frowning:
"You will never change, Jin Muleo… One day, a bit of respect wouldn't hurt you."
Jin Muleo, chuckling, tossed out:
"Well, what? We're pals, right… Valmachou?"
The guardian lowered his head slightly, a sigh in his voice.
Valmethor (slightly blushing):
"My name is Valmethor… not Valmachou…"
Salomé burst out laughing:
"Haha, I love this Jin, he's so funny! Looks like he loves teasing you."
Valmethor, resigned:
"I guess I'm used to it…"
A moment later, Bakuran turned to their "uncle":
Bakuran:
"Uncle Jin?"
Jin Muleo raised an eyebrow.
Bakuran:
"If you're alive… why have you never revealed yourself to mom? Why not tell her you're alive?"
The wind rushed through Jin Muleo's black hair as he lowered his head, eyes closed, thoughtful.
Jin Muleo:
"…It's complicated, kid. When you meet Lingyin, the other madman of your maternal family, you'll understand better."
He raised his head with a small nostalgic smile:
"But… I feel the time is coming. She will eventually learn we are still alive. And knowing Amu… she'll give us a memorable scolding."
Everyone burst out laughing — Sakolomé, Salomé, Bakuran, even the gryphons seemed to fly lighter with their laughs. Only Kai remained silent, withdrawn, arms crossed, while Valmethor below watched them with a discreet smile.
The gryphons spiraled before landing gracefully in a steep clearing, near a sanctuary with partially collapsed columns. A scent of fresh grass mixed with the ancient breath of the mountains filled the air.
Valmethor, the spirit guardian, slowly dismounted his mount.
— Well, our task ends here. Have fun with Jin Muleo, he said with his usual calm tone before casting a last affectionate glance at the group.
With a rustle of powerful wings, the gryphons took off again, carrying Valmethor into the ink-dark skies.
Suddenly, a silhouette approached the sanctuary. His gait was slow and poised, almost ethereal. He wore a long midnight blue cloak with celestial gleams, embroidered with silver threads depicting spiraling dragons. His hair, a blue so pure it tended toward abyssal black, floated like shadows. His eyes, deep and serene, seemed to see through the world.
Jin Muleo exclaimed with a mix of joy and urgency:
— Lingyin! You won't believe this!!
The newcomer — Lingyin — cast an interrogative look at the group. He stepped forward gently, hands clasped behind his back.
— Who are they? he asked in a calm, almost meditative voice.
— They are the children of Amu and Niyus! replied Jin, a smile stretching ear to ear.
Lingyin blinked slowly, surprised. He scrutinized the faces of Sakolomé, Salomé, then Bakuran.
— It's true… I can sense the blood of the Dragon Men flowing through their veins. They are indeed Amu's descendants.
— Let's go inside, proposed Jin Muleo. We'll talk about it all over a good meal or drink!
But Kai, arms crossed and face closed, cut in sharply:
— No thanks. We have a quest to pursue.
Jin raised his palms conciliatingly:
— I know! And exactly, I want you to tell me about it. I am a Dragon Man. There is nothing in this region I cannot understand or face with you.
— We managed fine without you. When did we ask for your help? You're just trying to sneak in with your family stories. We don't have time for that!
Jin feigned being wounded at heart.
— You then! You're really tough. But try to understand… I have before me the children of a woman I always respected. Amu was our princess! Our bonds were sacred, I cannot stand by without acting!
— I don't care!!! growled Kai, turning away.
— But... it could even benefit you!!! insisted Jin, almost comically.
While the two men bickered, Lingyin remained silent, his attention fully absorbed by Salomé. He approached her gently, hands crossed behind his back.
— Hello, little one. What's your name?
— Uh… I'm Salomé, she answered, slightly surprised.
— How old are you?
— Fourteen.
Lingyin stared at her for a moment, hand on chin, as if observing a secret even she didn't know. Then he murmured:
— There is something in you stronger than in your brothers...
Sakolomé and Bakuran abruptly turned their heads toward him.
— Oh really? said Salomé, intrigued. What could that be?
Lingyin smiled calmly.
— You are the one who seems to have unconsciously followed… the way of the dragon.
— The way of the dragon?! they repeated in unison.
Lingyin nodded.
— Yes. I don't know who led you there, but your energy, your posture, even your mana… all indicate you have followed the precepts of the ancestral dragon. Maybe it was instinctive, or maybe Amu indirectly passed this path to you?
Salomé lowered her eyes to her hands.
— Mother never taught me to fight. I always train with my brothers…
Lingyin crossed his arms, thoughtful look.
— Then that only confirms it's in your blood… This path is in you.
He stepped back slightly and said:
— We will talk about all this in more detail… inside.