Aria's eyes fluttered open, the soft glow of her surroundings slowly coming into focus. Her heart pounded as she struggled to take in the unfamiliar environment – a cave. Her gaze darted around, the walls shimmered with bioluminescent algae, casting an ethereal glow. The air was cool and damp, and the sound of water lapping echoes in the background. This can't be real. Where am I? Panic surged through her chest.

Her breath hitched, quick and shallow, as if she couldn't pull enough air into her lungs. What happened? Her mind raced back to the ocean – the strange force pulling her under, then darkness. Now she was here, alone – or at least, she thought she was.

A ripple broke the surface of the pool beside her, and her gaze snapped towards the water. Her breath caught in her throat as she took in the figure before her. He was tall and muscular, his tanned skin gleaming in the soft light, but his yes – those eyes – glowed a piercing blue, sharp and unnatural. Flowing brown hair framed his chiseled features – still damp, she noted. And then, as her gaze traveled lower, she saw it; his lower half wasn't human. A long, iridescent navy fish tail stretched out behind him, flicking through the water like it belonged there.

Her body went cold as disbelief flooded her. "W-what... what the hell is this?" She stammered, barely able to speak. She stumbled backward, her hands pressed against the cold stone floor, her head spinning. No. No, this isn't happening. Her heart hammered in her chest, and her entire body shook. This couldn't be real – merman didn't exist. That was fiction, some kind of fairytale. She must have hit her head, or she was hallucinating. Yes, that had to be it. Maybe she'd passed out on the shore, and this was some twisted dream.

The memories crashed over her like a wave – being pulled deeper into the ocean, blue eyes staring into hers as his mouth pressed against hers, giving her the breath she needed to survive. Her stomach twisted in disgust. She pressed a hand against her lips, shuddering at the memory. He kissed me – no he saved me. She touched her lips, feeling the sting of a small cut, likely from his sharp teeth. Her skin crawled at the thought. Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting, she reminded herself, a wave of repulsion washing over her. Her lips still throbbed, bruised form the encounter.

Her panic flared again as Aria realised, she was still in her bikini, exposed and vulnerable. The cool air brushed against her skin, a stark reminder that she wasn't dreaming. She wrapped her arms around herself, trembling as she tried to find any sense of security. But how could she, trapped in a cave with – this?

"Where am I?" Aria croaked, her voice trembling. The words barley escaped her lips before she noticed him moving closer. Her heart pounded so hard it was deafening in her ears. She wanted to scream, to run, but her legs wouldn't cooperate. She felt trapped, her body frozen in place by a terror she couldn't comprehend.

His voice, deep and melodic, washed over her, but she couldn't understand the words. They were foreign, strange. "Emara telan. Fulora Kaelen. Yen fulora?" The merman said, his glowing eyes locked on her.

Aria's hands shook violently as she scrambled backward, pushing herself away from him, her entire body trembling with fear. "Stay back!" she warned, though her voice held little strength. This had to be a nightmare, some kind of hallucination. But no matter how hard she tried to convince herself, the cold stone beneath her hands and the damp air clinging to her skin screamed otherwise. Mermen aren't real. They're myths! This isn't possible!

He spoke again, his tone more measured. "Fulora Kaelen." He pointed to himself the words deliberate, but Aria's mind was spinning too fast to make sense of it.

She shook her head violently, her breath coming in ragged gasps. "No, no, no," she whispered under her breath, her fingers digging into the cold stone of the cave floor. Her nails scraped against the rock, as if clawing at reality itself, desperate for something to make sense.

But he persisted, tapping his chest as he repeated, "Kaelen." His expression softened slightly, as if he understood her fear – or at least wanted her to understand him.

Her pulse thundered in her ears. It didn't matter what he was saying. She needed to get away, to wake up form this nightmare. Aria's breath came in short, shallow bursts. Was he trying to communicate? This wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening. She wasn't—

"Kaelen," she echoed weakly, her voice shaking as she pointed toward him. The word slipped from her lips more out of desperation than understanding. Maybe if she gave him what he wanted, he'd leave her alone. Maybe, just maybe, she could find a way out of this.

His eyes lit up in recognition, and he nodded, "Kaelen." Then he pointed at her, waiting, his gaze curious and expectant.

She swallowed hard, the taste of salt still on her lips. "I'm... Aria." She whispered, almost too afraid to speak her name. Her voice was so faint it barely echoed in the cave, as if even her identity had no place in this strange, twisted reality.

When she said it, his face lit up in what could only be described as joy. "Alaria" he repeated, his voice reverent, like he was naming a goddess. "Celestara Alaria."

Aria's stomach flipped. She shook her head, still trembling. "No... its just Aria," she whispered again, her voice barely audible. The name he kept calling her sent chills down her spine. It wasn't just a name – it was something else, something heavy and important, and that scared her more than anything.

"Celestara Alaria." He said again, reverently. His eyes shone with an almost childlike delight as if he had just discovered something precarious.

Her fingers tightened into fists as she struggled to keep her thoughts together. What the heck does that mean? Aria wondered. She wasn't sure whether to be flattered or alarmed by the name he kept calling her. But she didn't have time to dwell on it. He pointed around the cave, his tone warm and welcoming as he added, "Emara telan,"

Aria shuddered, goosebumps crawling up her arms. She felt cornered, no longer sure whether his friendliness was genuine or something darker. "Thank you?" She said uncertainly, her voice barely above a whisper. What am I saying thank you for? I need to get out of here!

"Alaria," he repeated, his voice like a song, as if her name was a sacred word. Her mind raced, fear pounding in her chest. There was something unsettling about the way he looked at her, like she was more than just a stranger – like she was something divine.

"Why am I here?" She instead asked, her voice trembling with depseration. Her body tensed, every fiber screaming for her to get away, but she couldn't move – she was too afraid of what might happen if she did.

"Celestara" he said softly, his expression shifting. His face held a seriousness that made her heart skip a beat. This wasn't just about being trapped – he seemed to believe she had a purpose here, something bigger than she could understand.

She shook her head, frustrated by the language barrier. Her heart clenched. I don't belong here – I'm just a normal girl. Whatever he thinks I am, he's wrong. Celestara Alaria. He kept saying it like it was a title, a mark of importance. But what did it mean?

As he repeated her name once more, "Alaria," she felt a strange warmth spread through her body, a tingling sensation that made her skin prickle. Then, with gentle care, he reached out and brushed his fingers against her arm. She flinched, every muscle tightening in alarm, but the sensation that followed was... different. His touch sent an unexpected shiver down her spine, not from fear but from something else – something she didn't want to acknowledge.

His fingers brushed against her arm again, lighter this time – like he was testing the waters. Aria flinched, instinctively pulling away, her pulse racing as her eyes locked onto the figure before her. His hand remained outstretched, mere centimeters away, and yet he didn't seem upset by her reaction.

The warmth of his touch lingered on her skin, and she hated herself for noticing it. She should feel disgusted, terrified even, by the creature in front of her. He was a merman, a myth, a freak of nature who had kidnapped her and was holding her captive. But her body didn't care. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips – handsome, almost unnervingly so. Gorgeous, even. But a kidnapper all the same.

Kaelen moved closer again, and Aria froze. This time, though, he didn't reach for her. Instead, he held out a cloth-like material, offering it with soft eyes that seemed to plead with her to take it.

Her instincts screamed at her not to trust him. Yet, the cold air was brutal, biting into her skin. She trembled as goosebumps raced along her arms, her body shaking with each shallow breath. Reluctantly, she snatched the fabric from his hands, her fingers brushing against his for a fleeting moment. Her heart thudded in her chest.

As she unfolded the damp cloth, she realized it was a kind of blanket, woven from strands of seaweed that still glistened with ocean water. Damp, but warmer than the cold stone beneath her.

He made a low sound – a hum, almost as though he was reassuring her. The warmth of the fabric soothed the chill in her bones, she hated that it brought comfort. She should hate him. She wanted to. But the warmth – the brief connection between them – muddled her resolve.

Without warning, Kaelen's head turned sharply toward the entrance of the cave, his brow furrowing. Something had caught his attention. He shifted, his tail flicking gracefully as he pushed away from the pool's edge, gliding effortlessly through the water.

Her heart skipped a beat. Was he leaving? Would he come back? She watched him, her pulse hammering in a mix of fear and something else she couldn't quite name. Part of her wanted to scream at him to leave and never return, but another part feared what his absence would mean. What if he never came back? What if she starved to death? Or drowned?

Kaelen paused, glancing back at her one last time. His glowing blue eyes locked onto hers, as if silently commanding her to stay put, before he slipped beneath the water, disappearing into the dark, murky depths. The sound of his tail flicking through the water echoed for a moment – and then there was only silence.

With the merman gone, reality came crashing down around her. He was gone. She was still trapped. Still alone. Her body, clad only in her bikini, was shaking violently as the cold air bit at her skin. She wrapped the damp seaweed cloth tighter around her shoulders, but it did little to ward off the chill. It wasn't enough. Not even close.

Her gaze darted to the cave entrance, the place where Kaelen had vanished. If she made a run for it, could she escape? Was there land nearby, or had they descended so deep that drowning was inevitable? How far into the ocean had he taken her?

The fear of staying was suffocating, but the idea of leaving was equally terrifying. Tears welled in her eyes, and she squeezed them shut, her mind racing. How am I going to survive this?

Translation: "Emara telan. Fulora Kaelen. Yen fulora?" = welcome home, my name's Kaelen. Your name? "Fulora Kaelen" = my name's Kaelen "Celestara Alaria." = goddess Alaria "Emara telan," = welcome home