Chapter 35 - Dispute of Lightning and Stones

In the tranquil heart of the Hope universe, that place detached from time, where plush toys slowly breathe under pastel skies, where ribbons sing and slimes sleep in sugar hammocks, something had changed.

The sky, usually a tender blue, had darkened, not from a storm, not from an offended god no, that rumble came from deeper, from the friction between two wills at the top of the blue tower, leaning against a floating cushion, Saphira drank a frothy chocolate her bare feet dangled in the void of an alcove open to the outside she seemed calm, almost peaceful, but around her, the world began to tremble.

In the Hope universe, connected to the blue tower by the invisible threads of dream, the vanilla milk sea vibrated the comfort objects slipped from their cloud beds the slimes huddled, worried the candy trees lost a few leaves and all this because of a quarrel, not between two armies, not between two kingdoms.

Between two towers.

Two colossal entities, born from the same spirit, Saphira one, soft and vast, tenderly protective, sheltered the queen and her dolls. It was called the blue tower the other, cold as pure justice, isolated in a separate dimensional rift, guarded the worst monsters ever locked away it was called the prison power and today, they were screaming.

—"You forgot me," growled the Prison Tower, its voice resounding like a divine hammer. "You spend all your time in Hope, surrounded by plush toys and sugar you laugh with your dolls. but I, i wait for you, alone. in the dark."

—"She doesn't forget you," replied the Blue Tower, its voice soft, but firm. "She lives here. I am her home, her sanctuary. You are her cage."

The tone rose lightning rolled The walls of the blue tower trembled even the link between Hope and the tower vibrated dangerously Élya entered first, a hand on her weapon, a strained expression.

—"Queen," she said. "Your two creations are opposing each other. If they continue, the dimensional thread will break. Hope will not withstand a dream fracture." Saphira didn't answer immediately she slowly put down her cup her blue eyes fixed on the horizon, where the clouds opened onto neighboring dimensions then she stood up in a second, she was in the air she floated, tiny but sovereign, between the two colossal entities her dress undulated, her hair was carried by the wind of realities and then she spoke, not loudly, just with all her soul.

—"Enough."

The word cut the sky the two towers froze. Saphira opened her arms the blue lightning, her primordial essence, snaked beneath her feet, climbed along her spine, and made the structure of worlds vibrate.

—"You are my children," she said. "I forged you, i dreamed you, and I love you equally."

The Prison Tower murmured, lower.

—"I no longer see you. I only feel the chains, the silence, the monsters you faced or locked away. You forgot me."

The Blue Tower, resting like a gentle star above Hope, replied.

—"You don't understand she lives here because she needs love, softness. I am not a lie i am a refuge." the words settled in the air like bubbles, and Saphira, floating between her two creations, closed her eyes then she said.

—"Then look at me."

A circle of light formed around her, blue, golden, silver threads linked the two towers to her heart, and for the first time, they sighed together.

—"I'm sorry," murmured the blue tower. "I shouldn't have spoken so harshly."

—"I didn't want to hurt you," replied the Prison Tower, "but I'm tired of being alone. The guardians don't count."

Saphira smiled, a soft, weary smile.

—"I will never abandon you. I am your queen, your mother, your balance." And the skies became clear again the vanilla milk became calm the plush toys fell back asleep in their cocoons the slimes began to dance among the sugars again. Élya approached she handed Saphira a cup, silently.

—"You spoke to them like a mother."

Saphira leaned her head against her guardian's shoulder.

—"Because that's what I am sometimes."

—"And you? who speaks to you like that, when you're alone?"

Saphira remained silent for a moment then she whispered: "You and sometimes the tower itself."

End of Chapter 35 — Dispute of Lightning and Stones