The Girl Who Cried Rain
The day began with no clouds in the sky, but the rain still fell—soft, silver, endless.
Not a drop touched the sun.
The farmers of Zantrayel looked up, confused. The weather did not obey the winds anymore. It listened to other forces now—the gods, or rather, one god in particular.
At the edge of the stone temple, a beautiful girl sat alone, weeping silently.
No one knew her name.
Only that wherever she sat and cried, the rain would fall—and if she stopped, the skies would dry again.
She wore no shoes, and her tears shimmered with sea-salt and light.
"That's La Sirène," whispered one of the priestesses. "She wants more rum."
Simbi's Tricks and a Soaked King
As Zion approached, boots soaked, clothes clinging, a snake coiled from the shadows, chuckling in a human voice.
"What happens when you promise the ocean spirits only a drop, and give them a bucket?"
"They want the whole river," Zion replied, exhausted.
Simbi, ever playful, flicked his tail through a puddle that turned instantly to steam.
"She won't stop crying until she's satisfied. And I, for one, am very thirsty."
Desperation at the Distillery
Zion doubled the workers.
Then tripled them.
Men from the mountains.
Women from the coast.
Even two old hunters were handed mash paddles and told, "Stir or drown."
The distillery roared with life, filled with shouts, firelight, and the rising scent of sweet fermented sugarcane.
He poured the first jug into a sacred bowl and placed it before the stone temple.
The girl paused.
Just for a breath.
The rain hesitated.
Then she cried again—harder.
Zion clutched his head.
"We're never going to make enough!"
The Moment the Clouds Parted
Then—finally—the 77th jug was sealed and offered. A thin line of gold trickled down the bowl.
The girl sniffled.
She stood.
She smiled.
The clouds parted in a heartbeat.
The sun crashed through the sky like a blessing.
The people of Zantrayel cheered as though the war was won.
Zion collapsed onto a bench.
"Enough," he muttered. "The rum is enough. For now."
Simbi slithered by with a grin.
"You do realize, my dear king, there are more of us."
Zion didn't respond.
He was already passed out, dreaming of oceans, snakes, and crying girls with thunder in their hearts