The storm raged outside, battering the old lighthouse with the fury of the sea. The wind howled like a beast, and waves crashed against the cliffs, sending sprays of salty water high into the air. You were alone, as always, in the lighthouse that had been your home for years. The isolation suited you, a guardian of the coast, keeping the light burning to guide ships away from the treacherous rocks below.

Tonight, however, the storm was fiercer than usual. The gale rattled the windows, and you could feel the structure groaning under the force of the tempest. Your thoughts were focused on keeping the light steady, but something made you glance out into the darkness, towards the tumultuous sea below.

In the intermittent flashes of lightning, you saw something that made your heart skip a beat—amongst the writhing mass of seaweed and foam, a figure lay motionless, tangled in the kelp on the narrow strip of rocky shore. Without hesitation, you grabbed your coat and rushed out into the storm, the cold wind cutting through you as you descended the slippery path to the water's edge.

There, amidst the debris washed up by the storm, you found her. A young woman, delicate and ethereal, her pale skin almost luminous against the dark rocks and seaweed. Her long hair, the color of the deepest ocean, was tangled around her like a net. You could see that she was unconscious, her breaths shallow and weak.

Gently, you freed her from the clinging kelp and carried her back to the lighthouse, shielding her from the rain as best you could. Once inside, you laid her on the old sofa by the fire, wrapping her in blankets to ward off the chill. As you worked to warm her, you couldn't help but notice something strange—her fingers were webbed, and there was a faint shimmer to her skin, as if it were not entirely human.

Hours passed, and the storm showed no sign of abating. You kept the fire going and checked on the girl frequently, wondering who she was and how she had ended up here. Finally, just as the first light of dawn began to creep through the windows, she stirred.

Her eyes fluttered open, revealing irises the color of the sea on a clear summer's day, and she looked around in confusion before her gaze settled on you. "Where... where am I?" she whispered, her voice as soft as the waves on a calm shore.