Seated in a vast circular hall carved directly into the rock, at the heart of the mountain sanctuary, Sakolomé and his companions savored a steaming cup of tea. The atmosphere, bathed in soft light, was gentle, almost intimate.
Salomé brought her cup to her lips, then exclaimed with a sincere smile:
— Wow… this is so good! It almost tastes like the teas mother often prepares for us!
Lingyin nodded, his gaze peaceful:
— Indeed. This tea comes from the ancient gardens of the Dragon Clan. It is a recipe inherited from our people.
Kai, silent until then, took a sip. Despite himself, his cheeks tinged pink, betraying a feeling of pleasure.
Jin Muleo, never missing an opportunity, pointed at him:
— You like it, huh?
Kai, crossing his arms, looked away:
— Pfff… it's not bad. But I've tasted better.
— Impossible, replied Jin laughing. Well… if you were still a mere human, I'd accuse you of lying. But as a superhuman, let's say… though that's highly debatable!
Lingyin rolled his eyes lightly with an amused sigh, then looked at Sakolomé, his gaze turning serious:
— Tell me a little about Niyus and Amu… Are they well?
Sakolomé exchanged a look with Salomé and Bakuran. Their smiles slowly faded, replaced by a shadow of sadness.
Then, calmly, Sakolomé answered:
— Father… is dead.
Jin Muleo and Lingyin stood frozen, eyes wide.
— Wh... what? whispered Jin, stunned.
— He was killed by an entity. A force… that Rivhiamë calls "the Devil."
A long silence settled.
Jin finally broke the tension:
— And… Rivhiamë? Is she alright?
Sakolomé nodded slowly.
— Yes. She is still here. She lives within me. She hears you, by the way.
Jin and Lingyin exchanged a look full of strange emotion mixed with nostalgia and expectation.
Jin raised his voice slightly:
— Rivhiamë… you really are not kind. After all this time, you don't even come to greet us?
Suddenly, Sakolomé's body was pierced by a flash of green mana. The air around him vibrated, then a female silhouette appeared, floating slightly above the ground. Her hair flowed in the ether like a living waterfall, her glowing eyes bathed in sovereign gentleness.
Kai instinctively stood, caught off guard:
— Who… who is she?!
Rivhiamë stretched her arms into the air with weary grace:
— Phew… I didn't want to show myself, but that's ruined.
Lingyin greeted her with a discreet smile:
— You still have such presence… but about Niyus' death… I don't even know what to say.
Jin briefly lowered his eyes.
— I am… shocked. Truly. I would never have imagined that.
He looked at Sakolomé with sincere compassion.
— It must be extremely hard for your mother… for Amu.
But Sakolomé, arms crossed, replied in a calm, almost detached voice:
— Meh… she's coping quite well. You know, she's stronger than she lets on. Also… her first son, our elder brother, Bakuzan, has been missing for a long time already.
A silent shiver ran through the room.
— What? You're not the first son?
Sakolomé shook his head slowly, his gaze fixed on his cup.
— No. I'm the second. The first is Bakuzan. He disappeared long ago… but I'm searching for him. Once this quest is over, I will follow his trail. He must have left a trace somewhere. And with Rivhiamë… and Velda by my side, I will eventually find him.
Bakuran, silent until then, raised his head with a slightly melancholic smile.
— Seeing how mother holds up despite all this… she is truly incredibly strong. But…
He paused, his gaze shifting between Lingyin and Jin Muleo.
— … I just thought of something. It would make her extremely happy to see you again, you know?
Lingyin nodded gently, as if his memories overlapped with the present moment.
— Indeed. Even if… we will probably get one of her legendary scoldings. We disappeared so long without ever telling her we were still alive.
Jin Muleo burst out laughing, arms crossed behind his head:
— Haha, I won't argue with you. I can already feel her dark glare striking me from here.
But Salomé, arms on the table, leaned forward slightly, curious and a bit serious:
— By the way… why never tell her? Why not let her know you were alive?
The question struck as a more solemn note in the conversation. A short silence followed. Jin Muleo lost his smile. Lingyin turned his gaze slightly away, as if weighing each word before releasing them.
After Salomé's question, Jin Muleo showed a calm, almost melancholic smile.
— There was a time, with our clan… we the Dragon Men, contemplated our ancient myths, hoping that one day, the Dragon God would finally manifest before us.
Lingyin continued, in a graver, almost ceremonial tone:
— However, it was improbable. We were the clan's warriors, its bulwark, its claws… We had no right to dream. Yet, in the eternity that was ours, we hoped. That one day, even in absurdity, this Dragon God would reveal himself to us, just once.
He paused, his gaze plunged into the flickering flames, then continued:
— Then came the God of Destruction. The entire clan was erased from existence in our domain. Annihilated with a single breath. Yet, a spark of life persisted: Princess Amu. Your mother. She survived… And this simple fact was enough to rekindle hope.
Jin Muleo nodded softly, his eyes half-closed as if reliving the scene.
— Amu… she was deeply in love with Niyus, your father. We all saw it coming. Their bond was so strong it seemed woven long before their birth. And Niyus… well, he surpassed us all. He was stronger than any of us.
He smiled more frankly, amused.
— So, we thought that our role as protectors no longer made much sense. And it was the perfect time to accomplish what we had always postponed: seek the Dragon God ourselves.
Lingyin added, more serious:
— But Amu needed protection from the pain… so we asked Niyus to lie. To say nothing of our survival. Just until we began our quest. Rivhiamë was there that day. She saw everything.
All turned their eyes to the green spirit. Rivhiamë, floating above Sakolomé, crossed her arms and sighed:
— I remember… That scene marked me. Three hearts linked by loyalty, pain, and hope. Niyus agreed. He never told Amu.
Jin Muleo laughed softly.
— We only asked him to take care of her, as we would have. And then… we parted. Under a false farewell, but a sincere farewell in the heart.
A heavy, almost respectful silence settled.
Sakolomé, arms crossed, murmured:
— And did you find him? This Dragon God?
Lingyin shook his head calmly.
— No… not yet. But we are getting closer. We can feel it. Something is awakening.
Then, curious, he asked:
— But you, what is this famous quest?
Salomé sat up straight.
— We must find the Egg of the Eleventh Dragon Heir. It is in the Cave of Évoressence.
At the name, Jin Muleo's eyes widened and he began to laugh.
— The Eleventh Heir? Wait, you mean the lineage of Dragon Heirs whose names all end with "-ongue"?
Bakuran nodded.
— Yes… he is supposed to appear there, in the mythical Egg.
Jin Muleo burst out laughing as he turned to Kai, mocking:
— See, I told you I'd be useful to you on this quest!
Everyone looked at him, stunned.
— How's that? asked Sakolomé.
Jin Muleo leaned forward with a mischievous smile.
— There is an Heir not far from here. Well… it's not the famous Eleventh, but he is definitely part of that lineage. And if you want to understand the energy of the Heirs, or prepare for what awaits you in the Cave of Évoressence… he could be a great help.
Salomé's eyes opened wide, excited.
— You mean we can meet him?
— Oh yes, replied Jin Muleo. He doesn't much like strangers, but given your blood ties… and your quest… he will surely agree to speak with you.