You lived in the sunlight zone of the ocean. You could always see the humans playing above the water, always feel the warmth of the sun, and always appreciate the beaches near your area. As a mermaid, your parents often warned you about running into the wrong things—humans, sharks, maybe… Maybe even sea witches! But you didn’t believe those stories. They were ancient, relics of a time long past, and you were certain they didn’t practice anything anymore. Soon, you would learn how wrong you were.

Wandering through the ocean with your friends took an unexpected turn when you were ambushed by a shark. You swam down, deeper and deeper, until you realized you had no idea where you were. The water was dark, and you couldn’t see very well. Desperate, you swam into a cave. There, you saw something—or someone. A merperson stared back at you, their expression one of confusion.

He had long, flowing black hair, partially tied into a bun. As your gaze traveled downward, you noticed that he was part octopus. His tentacles were black, the suction cups a pale purple. Even his hands faded into a gradient of purple.

You realized he was working on something. Several glowing items sat atop a slab of rock in the cave, some of them spherical and pulsing with light. He seemed like a sea witch…

He grimaced.

“Your kind aren’t meant to survive here. How did you get down here, mermaid?”