Prologue: Expulsion
An ancient storm raged across the sea, sending wave after wave crashing against the beach. Violent winds tore down trees, broke open windows, and overturned cars. Over the sea, black clouds reigned as watchful spirits, binding the waters to a continuous rule of chaos and destruction. An eerie green light appeared at the edge of the horizon, as the waves grew larger, mightier. Like open mouths they devoured all that they ensnared.
The feeble form of a girl was hurled upon the beach, as if rejected by the sea. She collided with the dunes, her pale flesh scraping painfully against the gritty sand of the world. She cried out once, and then struck her head against a rock and was silent. Waves washed up alongside her still form, the salt from the water burning inside the open cut on her forehead. Her eyelids closed against the stinging spray of air, and she lay there, shivering as she drew herself into a ball.
The storm raged on throughout the night, finding within itself no peace. By morning, it had given up, and died away. A man happened to be walking along the dead shore of the sea, when he caught sight of the girl, trembling as she tried to drag herself up the beach with only her hands. The man ran towards her, stepping between two sun-dried jellyfish and charging through the sand.
When he arrived at her side he drew in a breath, and glanced down in amazement. She turned to gaze up at him, her eyes longing, pleading. Her green hair drying the sun, filled with sand, broken pieces of shells, and salt crystals. But it wasn't her face that drew his attention. It was her legs; or lack of legs thereof. For the entire lower portion of her body was a fish's tale.
"Are you a… a…" he couldn't say it.
She just gazed up at him, and then, in a shuddered voice whispered: "Please help me."
The man hesitated for a moment, and then scooped her up in his arms and carried her off. The look in her eye was one of pure fright, and it scared the man.