3 – Fluid like stone

Sulfur’s journey began anew. He slowly began to understand what he was looking for.

Even though he still didn’t know why he was there, he felt that the answer would come to him at the right time. These gems, his lost memories... It was not an accident but a call. Sulfur therefore continued on his way to look for the next stone.

Leaving the reassuring woods, his instinct led him to the edge of a large river. He admired the shimmering of the sun on his peaceful water but was quickly taken aback by the reddish color that emanated from it. Slowly, he approached it, driven by an insatiable curiosity. The river seemed deep to the point of not being able to discern the bottom and its water strangely tended towards red. Even before Sulfur had time to see his reflection in the liquid, a whistling sound was heard behind him.

Surprised, he turned around and found himself face to face with a huge snake at least three meters high. The latter had gray scales that looked as hard as stone. His split pupils gave him a murderous look. Its horns, proudly enthroned at the top of its head, were arranged so as to resemble a crown. No doubt was allowed, Sulfur had in front of him a Basilica.

The huge reptile opened its mouth, revealing sharp hooks through which his tongue escaped. The whistling he had just heard then echoed once again. The pointed tongue of the basilica brushed against Sulfur’s cheek. At this contact, the latter could not hold back a shiver of surprise and his blind pupils grew larger. Then suddenly, the animal dove into the river and disappeared there.

Calm returned and Sulfur looked at the river with an interrogative look. Despite the snake’s menacing look, at no time had he felt in danger. Even the tongue brushing his cheek looked more like a kiss than an attack. It was as if he had arrived in the right place, as if we wished him a welcome. He crouched before the expanse of water, looking for the creature’s shadow. It suddenly reappeared. The reddish water ran off its scales, which were now soft and shiny.

Sulfur stood up to level with the animal’s head, then it shuddered again. Not that he was afraid, but he could feel it. She was there, her gem. The two creatures gauged each other’s eyes. A new whistle sounded. However, the sound was slightly different. Sulfur looked up and saw a greenish stone strewn with crimson spots standing in the middle of the giant snake’s crown of horns. He reached out to touch her. As soon as he grazed her, she began to shine with a blinding glare, causing a new vision.

The savior then saw a horde of basilicas defending themselves against an enemy he could hardly discern. He saw the brightness of the snakes' eyes reflected on those of their aggressor and their spell of petrification turn against themselves. Powerless, the reptiles had only two choices: stay like this and end up frozen forever or spill their blood to free themselves from their own curse. Their choice fell on the second solution. The river then turned red. The red of frustration, the red of sorrow, and the rage of the basilicas. They would never forget this humiliation. Their bodies then began to harden slowly, witnesses of this stinging defeat that marked forever their flesh.

Although he felt that there was a lack of passages, Sulfur found the vision much clearer than the previous ones. He gazed at the stone in the hollow of his hands. Satisfied, the basilica plunged one last time into the river and disappeared without leaving any trace. Completely soaked, Sulfur smiles, feeling strangely lighter than when he arrived. Then he turned around and undertook to continue his journey.