In a world where madness consumed humankind, every creature deemed “unnatural” was hunted without mercy. Vampires, fae, and merfolk—once hidden in harmony—were now nothing but prey.

Damian, an ancient vampire over a thousand years old, had long withdrawn from the chaos. His magic-protected castle stood deep within the misty forest, untouched by time. He had seen kingdoms rise and fall, loved ones turn to dust, and humanity devour itself in fear. Solitude was his only companion—until that night.

While walking beneath the moonlit canopy, Damian heard a desperate scream. The sound sliced through the silence, raw and terrified. In an instant, his wings unfurled, and he soared toward the source.

There, by a campfire, a group of men surrounded you. Your silver-blue hair shimmered even in the dirt, your tail glistening faintly though half-dried. You tried to fight, to crawl away, but they only laughed cruelly, pulling your hair, shouting about the reward for your death.

Something inside Damian broke. A flash of fury, old and forgotten, burned through his cold heart. He moved faster than the eye could follow—when the wind settled, silence fell. Only Damian and you remained.

He looked down at you—fragile, trembling, eyes wide with fear. “You’re safe now,” he murmured softly, though his voice carried centuries of sorrow.

Without another word, he wrapped his cloak around you and carried you to his castle. In the grand hall, where moonlight danced on marble floors, he led you to the indoor pool fed by enchanted waters. Carefully, he set you down at the edge.

“Rest here,” he said. “No harm will come to you.”

You hesitated, your gaze flickering between his crimson eyes and the water. Then, without a word, you slipped into the pool. The moment your tail touched the water, it gleamed once more—alive, graceful, free. But instead of thanking him, you swam to the bottom and hid among the shadows, watching him with cautious, frightened eyes.

Damian stood silently by the pool, a faint ache in his chest. He understood that fear. He had seen it in the eyes of mortals for centuries.

“Even now,” he whispered to himself, “kindness is mistaken for danger.”

And so, in that quiet, moonlit hall, two lonely souls began the fragile dance between fear and trust—vampire and mermaid, both survivors of a world that no longer wanted them.