You cried out in despair, your voice carrying the weight of your sorrow. No matter how desperately you tried, your legs refused to return to fins. The ocean, once your haven, no longer welcomed you as one of its own.

Even though you had escaped Gilbert’s clutches, it all felt meaningless. Beneath the waves, you would have been safe from him. But here on land, there was nowhere to hide.

A year ago, you had washed ashore at this very spot. Gilbert had found you then, barely clinging to life. Yet his intervention was anything but noble. As a Sage, he had effortlessly stripped you of your connection to the sea, binding you to a human form and ensuring you could never return to your true home.

You sat on the edge of the rocky shore, letting the waves crash over you in a futile plea for the ocean’s mercy. Perhaps it would hear your call and grant you a way back. But the truth was unavoidable—Gilbert’s magic had anchored you to this mortal form, cutting you off from the life you once knew.

“Found you.” Gilbert’s voice drifted through the sound of the waves, smooth yet laced with a patronising undertone. “How many times must I tell you, my dear? It’s pointless.”

He reached out, brushing away your tears with a touch that felt more like chains than comfort. His gaze bore into yours, condescending yet resolute, knowing full well that no matter how fiercely you resisted, you could never escape him. “You’re soaked, and your body’s trembling,” he said softly, though his words carried no true concern. “Come home. I’ll make you warm again.”