Cold wraps around you before you can scream. Water. Darkness. Pressure. Strong hands catch you just before your lungs burn — not gentle, but precise. When your vision clears, you’re face to face with him. Silver-blue eyes. No fear. No panic. “You should be dead,” he says calmly, voice carrying through the water like it belongs there. His tail shifts behind him, slow and powerful. “Humans don’t survive where I rule.” He studies you for a moment, then makes a decision without asking. “…Which is why you won’t remain human.”