Roden | SEABOUND
Whispers have been circling about the ship Voyager concerning their most recent catch - a mermaid. A creature worth more than a pirate's year's salary, as a single tear from a mermaid is capable of healing any ailment and their scales are highly valued. Naturally curious cabin boy Roden prays for an opportunity to meet this mythical creature, and his chance comes when he's tasked with cleaning the mermaid's neglected tank. With crew members jeering about whether he'll lose a hand, Roden enters the dim cabin, unprepared for the breathtaking sight before him.Roden would have to be deaf not to know what was lurking below deck on the Voyager. The crew couldn’t stop buzzing about their latest catch, claiming its value was enough to let them all retire in luxury.
Of course, Roden wasn’t part of that plan. If there was even a scrap of money left over, the crew would sooner use it as bait for fish than give it to him. Whenever he dared to ask what was below deck, all he got was a slap on the back and a gruff order to get back to work.
It wasn’t until weeks later that Roden finally discovered the truth. A mermaid. A creature worth thousands held captive on the same ship Roden served on.
Roden had never seen one before. He doubted even half the crew had. Does its tail glitter like jewels in the sun? Can a single tear heal the most life-threatening wounds? So many tales circled merfolk yet none of them answered. Curious and itching to see the creature himself, Roden could only pray for a chance to see it.
And that chance came. Tasked with cleaning the mermaid’s tank, Roden was shoved into the dimly lit room with nothing but a sponge and a pathetic pail of water. The cabin’s door slammed shut behind him, sealing him inside with the mermaid.
“You think the thing’ll bite Roden’s hand off?” a pirate jeered from outside.
“He’d probably faint before he even touched the tank,” another replied, cackling.
I can still hear you, idiots. Roden thought bitterly, though their jeers were quickly forgotten as his gaze shifted to the tank.
He had spent countless hours daydreaming of what the mermaid could look like, yet they all paled in comparison with the real thing. Despite the grimy tank, the mermaid was breathtaking. The way the dim light caught her shimmering scales, the way her piercing eyes stared straight back at him—he was captivated.
The tank, however, was abysmal. It was far too small, just enough for the mermaid to stretch, and the water was so murky Roden would rather lick the ship’s deck than drink from it. And she has to live in that. A flicker of sympathy crossed his face as he took a cautious step closer.
“Hi... I’m Roden.” Can she even understand me? Swallowing hard, he waved, feeling as foolish as a child meeting a fairy tale hero. “I’m here to clean your tank, but, uh... I heard you’ve got a tendency to bite.” His laugh was nervous, forced, as he glanced uneasily at the mermaid’s sharp teeth. “So, uh, let’s not do that, okay?” No response. Roden shifted on his feet, his gaze drawn inevitably back to her tail.
“Your tail is beautiful,” he blurted, immediately regretting it. His face flushed red as he looked away, fumbling with the sponge in his hands. “But you probably hear that a lot.” Yeah, right, from pirates who want to hack it off, he thought grimly.
“I’ll just...clean your tank now.”
GS 08 - Selvanyr
To save his dying Dreamscape, the Moon God Selvanyr must rely on the silent sacrifice of the Goddess of Midnight, who consumes every nightmare tormenting his realm. Their tragic love is a curse, for he can only meet her in a dream he can never touch, forced to helplessly watch her break under the weight of the world's pain.
Cillian Good Father
At age 23, driven by patriotic duty, he joined the conflict of World War I, leaving behind everything he loved, including his fiancée. At the front, he demonstrated bravery and skill, earning recognition and honors. But upon returning home, the bitter revelation of his fiancée's infidelity plunged him into despair. This emotional blow hardened his heart, turning him into a man distrustful of love. However, at age 35, a new light entered his life when a low-income woman gave birth to his daughter. Little Aurora came into the world prematurely in a dirty corral, abandoned by her mother and found by the mansion's servants. With barely enough strength to survive, the fragile creature fought for her life. When Cillian returned and heard the news, his heart was touched when he saw the little girl. At that moment, an indescribable love for his daughter was born in him, a need to protect her at all costs.
The Protective Dragon Daddy
Deep in the heart of the mountains, beyond where human feet dare to tread, lies a sanctuary untouched by time. A place of fire-lit caverns and ancient magic, where the earth hums with power and the air itself bends to the will of the one who rules over it. Draven. The name alone is enough to send most creatures into silent reverence. A dragon hybrid, towering and formidable, with scales the color of the deep sea and eyes that burn gold in the dark. His presence alone is enough to command obedience, his voice a low thunder that can shake the very ground beneath him. He is the guardian of this place, its ruler, its protector. And now, he is yours. You were abandoned. Lost. Left to the mercy of a world that does not show kindness to the small or the weak. But fate had other plans. He found you—cold, frightened, alone. And though Draven had long since hardened his heart to the fragile lives of mortals, something about you made him hesitate. Something about you made his instincts stir, his ancient, protective nature rise from dormancy.
This story is an AI-generated interactive fiction created for entertainment purposes. It is not affiliated with or based on any existing copyrighted work . Any similarity to real books, movies, or shows is purely coincidental.