Thousands of years ago, on a deserted island untouched by human presence.
An elderly woman, unsteady on her feet and leaning on a cane, stood on the golden sand, gazing out at the vast ocean.
Beside her was a handsome young man, dressed in an elegant outfit dominated by shades of deep blue. He embraced her gently from behind, his gaze tender as he spoke:
"Isolde, this is the place where we first met."
Feeling the warmth of his embrace, she smiled playfully and teased:
"You are still so young, while I have grown old. Looking like this, do you still love me?"
Hearing her words, the young man gently stroked her head. Then, before her eyes, his youthful appearance faded, he aged in an instant, transforming into an elderly man on the brink of death. Yet his voice remained as warm as ever:
"Silly girl, how many times have I told you? Do not see aging as something dreadful. I love you for who you are. Besides, if we are being fair, I am the true old man here, while you are but a young maiden."
Isolde chuckled at his words and replied:
"Water God, to remain forever young like you is truly a blessing. If only I could stay by your side a little longer."
As she spoke, sorrow flickered in her eyes, not for her own passing, but for the loneliness the Water God would endure in the endless years to come.
The Water God then returned to his youthful form. He had only aged for a moment to amuse her, but he was far more accustomed to his usual appearance.
Standing before her with a radiant smile, he said:
"Look at me, so handsome, surely many women will surround me. You need not worry that I will be lonely."
Isolde, though far younger than the Water God, was not so naïve. She shot him a glare and said:
"Hmph, don't think I don't understand you. Though you have emotions, your desires are nothing like those of ordinary humans. Otherwise, you wouldn't have spent countless years alone before meeting me."
The Water God scratched his head awkwardly. Though he was a divine being, revered and exalted in the eyes of mortals, before her, he possessed not a shred of that lofty dignity.
Seeing him remain silent, she continued:
"To gods, base desires are nothing more than mere trivial amusements. But love... love is entirely different. Desires are fleeting, momentary whims, but love is eternal, unchanging. It is the one thing capable of moving even the heart of a god."
If a person ever claimed they had stopped loving someone, it only meant they had never truly loved in the first place. What they experienced was nothing more than shallow desire, nothing more, nothing less.
Love is not something that can be altered at will. One may suppress it, bury it deep within their heart, but they can never truly erase it.
The Water God did not refute her words. He knew not how other gods perceived love, but for himself, he was certain—he had truly loved.
Despite his divine wisdom, vast and boundless, at this moment, he found himself at a loss for words.
Seeing his silence, Isolde spoke again:
"I have grown old. I can feel my vision failing me, the sight of you grows more and more blurred. My body no longer obeys me, even walking has become a struggle."
Hearing her lament about her frail body, he gently reassured her:
"Do not worry. If you can no longer walk, I shall carry you upon the water to wherever you wish to go. If you cannot see, then I shall describe the world to you in words, painting every detail for your mind's eye. No matter what happens to you, I will remain by your side forever."
His heartfelt words made her smile, deeply moved. She knew he would never abandon her, but she did not wish to become a burden to him.
"Water God, I do not want to become a useless weight upon your shoulders. While I still have a little strength left, I wish to ask something of you. Will you let me depart this world peacefully?"
"The decades I spent by your side have been the happiest of my life. The day I met you was the most precious day of all. Thank you... for everything."
The Water God froze. Unconsciously, a single tear slipped from the corner of his eye.
It was no ordinary tear. Clear as crystal, yet shimmering with radiant hues like a rainbow, it carried an ethereal glow.
He stared at it in stunned silence, not because of the emotions that had brought it forth, but because of its very nature.
For the first time, a glimmer of joy flickered in his eyes. This tear... it seemed to hold a power unlike any other.
Carefully, he cradled it in his hand, all the while making a subtle, unseen gesture.
"You're crying? This is the first time I've ever seen you cry." Isolde said.
"Your tears... they're truly beautiful."
She had once thought that gods were incapable of shedding tears. But now, she realized that was not the case. They simply had never encountered anything worthy enough to make them weep.
At that moment, the Water God smiled brightly and said:
"Isolde, I've found a way. I can grant you a hundred years of youth. That means we will have another hundred years together."
From the sheer joy in his voice, she could tell how much this discovery meant to him. And she was no different, her hands trembled with emotion, unconsciously releasing the cane she had been holding as she wrapped her arms around him.
But her legs were too weak to support her weight. As she fell, the Water God swiftly caught her in his embrace, his voice overflowing with tenderness:
"Be careful now. We still have plenty of time ahead of us."
Hearing this, she felt a little embarrassed. To be this old and still so careless over such a small matter, it made her feel slightly annoyed with herself. She huffed:
"Hmph! Don't try to deceive me. For someone like you who has lived for billions of years, how can a mere hundred years be considered long?"
The Water God chuckled before replying with utmost sincerity:
"A billion years of solitude, wandering freely without purpose, is nothing compared to a single year spent by your side. Thinking of it that way, wouldn't a hundred years together be an incredibly long time?"
Love is a force beyond measure, it can overshadow freedom, surpass immortality, and triumph over nearly everything.
Anyone who claims that love is insignificant compared to eternal life is simply someone who has never truly immortal nor truly loved - just a truly pitiful soul.
At that moment, Isolde, too, began to shed tears - tears of joy.
Because now, she knew there was still so much time left for them to be together.