Hearing the Water God speak of a hundred years of youth, Isolde was intrigued. She had never heard of such a thing before, so it was likely that he had only recently discovered this method.
"The way you mentioned, does it have something to do with this tear?" she asked.
The Water God did not conceal anything and immediately nodded in confirmation. He explained:
"I never expected the first tear of a deity to hold such immense power. With it, I have a way for us to stay together for another hundred years."
For billions of years, nothing like this had ever appeared. It wasn't that the gods had never shed tears, but their attitudes had always been playful rather than truly sorrowful like the Water God's.
Because of that, this tear was both mysterious and contained a portion of his divine power. Furthermore, he could utilize it to create a space where souls could temporarily reside.
Isolde gazed at the tear and asked:
"So, what exactly do I need to do?"
The Water God smiled at her and said:
"You just need to live well and wait for me for a year or two. This is not an easy thing to accomplish, even for a god."
Upon hearing this, she did not appear happy. Instead, she looked worried and said:
"This won't harm you, will it? If it puts you in danger, you must stop immediately."
The Water God looked at her gently, placed a hand on her head, and spoke softly:
"Don't worry. While this is difficult, it is not dangerous. Just wait for me. Very soon, I will bring you a great surprise."
"Alright."
And so, the two of them continued living on this deserted island for another year.
Of course, Isolde alone could not handle everything, so the Water God left behind a water-formed clone of himself to assist her.
As for his true self, he focused all his energy on refining his tear into what he desired.
...
One year later, he was fortunate enough to complete the task slightly ahead of schedule. Looking at the creation in his hands, the Water God smiled in satisfaction and said:
"From now on, you shall be called the Tear of the Water God. You will become one of the holy waters of this world."
Without hesitation, he flew swiftly toward Isolde, eager to reunite with her and present her with this surprise.
At that moment, Isolde was lying on a bed inside a wooden cabin, while the Water God's clone was diligently cleaning the house.
Suddenly, the clone vanished, replaced by a strikingly handsome young man, none other than the Water God himself.
Hearing the unusual movement, Isolde turned her head and saw him. It had been so long since she had last seen him that she happily exclaimed:
"You've finally returned! How could you bear to leave me alone for an entire year?"
The Water God knew she was teasing him, so he smiled and said:
"I never left you alone. I clearly left my clone behind to help you, didn't I?"
"Hmph, don't joke with me! That clone of yours couldn't even speak. If you don't make it up to me properly, I won't forgive you."
At this moment, she looked just like a little girl pouting and demanding a gift. Seeing her like this, the Water God didn't find it troublesome at all—on the contrary, he felt delighted.
In a flash, he was already sitting beside her. He kissed her forehead and asked:
"Still angry?"
Although her face turned slightly red, she still stubbornly replied:
"Hmph, don't think that's enough!"
The Water God chuckled, narrowed his eyes, and then spread his palm. A crystal - clear tear, shimmering with a dazzling rainbow glow, appeared before her eyes. He said:
"This is my gift to you. Is this enough?"
Isolde grabbed onto the Water God and struggled to sit up. She stared at the tear in front of her, it looked no different from the one she had seen a year ago.
Though her eyesight had worsened slightly, it was nowhere near bad enough to misjudge something right before her eyes. Curious, she asked:
"What exactly did you do? It looks just the same as last year."
Hearing this, the Water God's face lit up with joy as he patiently explained:
"For the past year, I have been refining the interior of this tear. Now, it has become a vessel containing a world for the soul. I modeled it after the world we live in, creating a parallel realm within the Tear of the Water God. In this world, your soul can reside for at least a hundred years. And unlike the body, the soul does not age. Meaning we can explore this world together in a long time."
As he spoke, he gently placed the Tear of the Water God onto her palm.
Looking at the shimmering tear in front of her, she said:
"Tear of the Water God? So that's the name you've given it. This is truly a wonderful gift for me. Thank you so much!"
She spoke with a radiant smile, and to the Water God, her smile was more beautiful than any flower. Like sunlight, it warmed his once-lonely soul.
He gazed at her in a daze, captivated by her for a long time before finally speaking:
"As long as you're happy, that's all that matters. So, when shall we set off?"
Without hesitation, Isolde declared:
"Right away! I've long grown tired of this frail, aging body. I want to have fun with you as soon as possible."
The Water God smiled and nodded:
"Alright then, everything will go as you wish. Let's set off."
With a wave of his hand, Isolde's soul was gently separated from her body and drawn into the Tear of the Water God. Without delay, he also detached his own consciousness from his body and followed her inside.
At that moment, her physical body dissolved into countless shimmering particles, dispersing into the air.
This was the work of the Water God. Unlike other beings, a human body cannot persist without its soul.
Normally, this wouldn't happen. Only the intervention of a godlike entity or an individual with an exceptionally strong will could cause a soul to separate in such a manner.
As Isolde slowly opened her eyes, the scene before her was both familiar and unfamiliar. She was still inside the wooden cabin from before, but everything now appeared incredibly vivid.
"My eyes… have they been restored?" she murmured.
Instinctively, she looked down at her hands. The wrinkles had vanished, replaced by smooth, youthful skin, brimming with vitality.
She could hardly believe her eyes. As she stood up, she felt a surge of strength, one she hadn't experienced in so long.
There was no doubt in her mind, she had truly regained her youth, and her health had been fully restored to its former glory.