The water rippled around her, each wave carrying whispers of unseen watchers. Serelyth, in her human form, floated beside her with graceful ease, her white hair trailing in the current and her red eyes scanning every shadow and shimmer.
"Stay close, little flame," Serelyth murmured. "Not every creature here is playful. Some are curious… some are testing you."
Almost as if on cue, a swirl of light erupted from the water ahead. Shapes began to form, delicate yet imposing—creatures she had never seen before. Some resembled the mermaids in miniature, with translucent fins and silvery eyes, but others were entirely different: serpentine beings with glowing markings, fins like wings, and tails that sparkled with faint elemental magic. They circled her, watching her every move, their motions a fluid dance that seemed almost like a puzzle.
