Chapter 147: Help Me, Sakolomé

Silence had fallen. Then, in a breath broken by tears, Ysolongue gave a trembling smile.

— "Sakolomé... do you know what's the strangest thing?"

He looked at her, attentive, without a word. Shushu, on his head, didn't move either.

— "It's you..." she continued in a soft, broken voice, "when I first saw you… I had this strange feeling. You reminded me of someone."

She gently lifted her tear-filled eyes.

— "You look like Ebon Woe."

Sakolomé's eyes widened. Even Shushu froze, his shimmering black feathers trembling with worry.

— "That's why I stared at you for so long without understanding. It wasn't your face, nor your voice… but something in your aura. You share the same traits. But you…" she said, placing her hand on his chest, "you radiate warmth… something gentle, almost luminous."

She lowered her eyes.

— "He… was the opposite. A suffocating darkness. An inhuman presence in a human body. I had never seen anything so… cold. Terrifying. Alive, but hollow inside."

She wiped her tears with a quick motion.

— "So tell me, Sakolomé... do you have a connection to the Black Grief?"

He looked away, uncomfortable.

— "I... I don't know. I've never met him."

He stood up, eyes turned to the sky darkening slowly, painted with red and gold. Silence enveloped them again. Then his voice grew deeper, more composed.

— "Ysolongue... you want to forget everything to no longer suffer. But... what if I offered you something else?"

She did not answer. Head bowed, she listened, her hands trembling slightly.

— "What if you let me help you?"

She slowly raised her head, her tearful eyes seeking Sakolomé's.

— "I listened to you, I saw your pain... and what I feel is a deep injustice. You should never have borne this burden alone. You never had someone to tell you: 'Let me help you.' So I tell you today."

He approached her.

— "Don't drink that elixir. Don't flee your memory, Ysolongue. Because that memory, even painful, is precious. It is your story. And you are no longer alone."

Ysolongue, silent, sobbed softly, her shoulders shaking.

— "I will find your brothers and sisters," Sakolomé continued, "I will make sure you find each other, that you can talk. Maybe even... forgive."

He held out his hand.

— "Wouldn't you, just for a moment... believe that something beautiful is still possible?"

She looked at him for a long time, tears rolling down her cheeks, then collapsed to her knees, overcome by an emotion too strong to contain.

— "Sakolomé... I beg you... help me!!!"

She screamed without shouting, howled without voice. A distress long locked away, a soul tired of carrying everything alone.

Sakolomé moved forward slowly. His gaze held neither pity nor judgment. Only calm, deep compassion. He gently crouched before her and placed his hand on her trembling shoulder.

— "Ysolongue… that's enough. Look at me."

She raised her eyes. They were red, swollen, drowned in pain. Yet, in Sakolomé's eyes, she saw something she hadn't seen in a long time: sincere hope.

— "It's over now. You are no longer alone."

His voice was deep, steady, like an unbreakable promise.

— "You no longer need to carry all this alone. You have cried for a thousand silences, but tonight… you don't have to cry anymore."

He gently wiped a tear from her cheek. A simple gesture, but one that, in this world of myths, where gods tear themselves apart and dragons forget themselves, resonated like a miracle.

— "You told me everything. You confided what no one else could understand. So now, rest a little. Let your heart breathe."

Ysolongue nodded slowly, unable to speak, overwhelmed by this unexpected tenderness. The weight on her chest slowly cracked, like a shell breaking under the warmth of a new spring.

Shushu, still perched on Sakolomé's head, watched the scene silently, wings folded, gaze lowered. Even the little demon seemed to understand that something sacred was unfolding there.

— "You are strong, Ysolongue," added Sakolomé as he stood. "You held on all this time without breaking anything, without destroying anything. But it's time to live something else."

She stood as well, slightly unsteady, like a flower not yet realizing it can bloom again.

— "I believe you, Sakolomé," she murmured. "And for the first time in a long time… I want to believe."

He smiled at her.

— "Then don't cry anymore. Look ahead. That's where I'll be."

And for a moment, in the silence of the old abandoned garden, a subtle peace reigned.

As a gentle silence fell between Sakolomé and Ysolongue, Shushu, still perched on his master's head, tilted his head, wings trembling, looking intrigued. Then, in a barely contained whisper, he said:

— "Are you going to kiss now?"

The wind seemed to freeze for a moment.

— "What?!" Sakolomé choked, almost jumping back, eyes wide open.

Ysolongue, meanwhile, blushed suddenly, turning her gaze away while placing a hand on her lips, both embarrassed and amused.

— "Shushu!" Sakolomé thundered. "You… you're talking nonsense! That's not at all what you think!"

— "But I didn't say anything… I just asked," replied Shushu in an innocent tone, eyes sparkling with mischief. "It looked serious. And it was cute."

— "Cute?!" Sakolomé gasped, throwing his arms up. "But… can't you just be quiet sometimes?"

He tried to catch him, but Shushu nimbly fluttered around him, giggling like an imp.

— "You're the one blushing now, Father!"

Ysolongue couldn't help but laugh softly, a hand on her heart. She watched them with discreet, almost melancholic tenderness. She hadn't seen this kind of interaction in so long. A familiar warmth enveloped her, like a distant echo of her happy days once shared with her brothers and sisters in the ruined castle.

— "Don't worry," she finally said to Sakolomé in a soft voice. "It's not serious. I find it… soothing. Almost reassuring."

Sakolomé, still embarrassed, scratched his neck before regaining a more composed expression.

— "Well… it's getting late. I think we should head back for tonight."

— "Already?" murmured Ysolongue, a bit disappointed.

— "Yes. But don't worry." He gave her a small smile. "I'll come back tomorrow. And this time, I plan to stay a while here, in the world of myths. As long as it takes."

Ysolongue raised her eyes, slightly surprised.

— "You're going to settle here… alone?"

— "No," Sakolomé replied with a knowing wink. "I'll come with my little brother, Bakuran, and my little sister, Salomé. I'm sure you'll love them. They each have their own energy, and I know they'll want to help you, just like me."

Ysolongue smiled, her eyes shining with a new light.

— "I can't wait to meet them then… I'm looking forward to tomorrow."

The sun had definitely set. The sky, adorned with stars, wrapped the old garden in a strange softness. A new chapter was beginning. And for the first time in a long time, Ysolongue felt that tomorrow was not a burden… but a promise.

The golden light of a peaceful world bathed Velda's dimension. Here, far from the conflicts and torments of the real world, a garden had slowly blossomed. A part of the domain, once dark and arid, had been transformed into a surprisingly lush clearing. Serpentine vines, tulips of unreal blue, and even plants with luminescent petals danced gently to the rhythm of a magical breeze.

Velda, crouching elegantly despite her posture, held a small shovel in one hand and tapped the earth with concentration.

— "Humans may not be so stupid after all…" she murmured while carefully arranging a row of amber-colored flowers. "They have understood the importance of preserving a beautiful environment."

Not far away, Rivhiamë wore slightly soiled white gloves and held a small pot of red flowers in her arms. She sported a broad smile, her face serene.

— "Haha, humans do have lots of relaxing things," she said joyfully. "I assure you, with Niyus we even chopped wood with an axe. He loved it, the rascal!"

Velda raised an eyebrow, looking both incredulous and amused.

— "Wood? With an axe? Seriously?"

— "Yes! And we took it as a challenge. I think it amused him more than killing things. That says a lot."

— "I'm sorry but… that's as banal as it is amusing," Velda grumbled, not hiding her perplexity.

But before Rivhiamë could answer, a luminous portal materialized in the middle of the garden… and poof!

Sakolomé appeared with a casual step, Shushu comfortably settled on his head, fluttering his wings like a lord on parade. But as he stepped down, Sakolomé did not see what he was treading on.

CRRACCH

He had just crushed the magnificent row of amber flowers planted by Velda with love.

— "WHAAAT??!!" Velda shouted, turning abruptly, her eyes almost shooting lightning. "SA-KO-LO-MÉ!"

— "Huh? What?!" said Sakolomé, surprised, looking around. "But I didn't do anything!"

— "DIDN'T DO ANYTHING?!" Velda pointed at the ground where her precious plants were dying beneath Sakolomé's foot. "You just CRUSHED MY FLORÆTHÉIA DIVINE ALLEY, an EXTINCT species from the gardens of Nyth! DO YOU REALIZE THAT?!"

Shushu chuckled loudly, flapping his wings in all directions.

— "Ahahahaha, Father! You just committed a crime against mythical flora!"

Rivhiamë burst out laughing too, holding her sides.

— "Oh, by the Hells… it's the first time I see Velda so furious over a plant!"

— "But I didn't mean to! The portal opened there, I didn't choose the spot!" Sakolomé tried to justify, hands in the air.

— "You could have at least LOOKED where you were stepping!" Velda crossed her arms grumpily, turning her gaze away like a vexed noblewoman. "Even Shushu would have jumped over!"

— "True, I would have flown gracefully!" added the little demon, laughing.

— "I hate you both," muttered Sakolomé with a sigh, arms crossed.

But deep down, even he couldn't suppress a smile. This unexpected scene, this moment of lightness… was exactly what he needed after the emotions shared with Ysolongue. A pause in the turmoil.

Velda, still annoyed, grumbled as she took up her tools and began replanting the flowers.

— "You're going to replant that. By hand. With love. And a proper apology!"

— "Alright, alright…" Sakolomé knelt down, visibly resigned. "I'm sorry, Lady Velda, Queen of the Forgotten Gardens and Sacred Flora…"

— "Hmph. That's a start," Velda replied, nose raised with dignity.

Rivhiamë and Shushu were still softly laughing.