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LIGHTENING SPLIT THROUGH THE SKY OVERHEAD, thunder roaring as loud as a waking dragon. The Violet Barnacle crashed and collided with dozens of white foam horses, battered and bruised as it fought to stay upright in a world turned upside down.

The captain barked orders, the old wooden planks rumbling beneath him as the deck thrashed this way and that. Men rushed from portside to starboard as they scrambled to secure the rigging. Their calloused fingers split open as they seized the slippery ropes that threatened to escape their positions.

The ship shuddered violently after each thunderous clap in the sky above, afraid to be torn apart by the relentless sea. Despite their best efforts to keep the ship on its course, the Violet Barnacle was at the mercy of the sea as it was tossed to-and-fro, trying desperately to navigate itself through the onslaught.

Waves crashed ferociously onto the deck, drenching the crew and threatening to carry them overboard. The wind blew strong against their sails, hurtling them towards the unknown and, just when it seemed that all hope was lost, a break in the clouds appeared on the horizon. Sunlight shone down through the parted sky, lighting a path through the chaos.

Taking his chance, Captain Hayes rallied his crew for one final push. Not a man stood out of place as they came together to swiftly guide their ship through to the other side.

"We're almost through! Hold fast!" he shouted, his voice barely audible above the roar of the wind.

And then, as suddenly as it had begun, the storm started to subside, its fury spent as quickly as it had come.

Although they had made it through, the storm was still hot on their trail, being carried towards them again by the wind. The crew knew their ordeal was far from over and that they needed to find shelter soon if they were to survive. The tired ship was battered and worn, it's creaking hull weeping desperately for a rest.

Captain Hayes spotted a cavern hidden along the rugged coastline of a nearby island and steered towards it with a sense of urgency.

"Prepare to drop anchor! We'll take shelter in that cavern until the storm passes!" he commanded with a voice of steel, one no one dared to defy.

He steered his weather-beaten ship into the cavern's gaping maw and, as the ship glided into the safety of the cavern's embrace, the weary crew breathed a collective sigh of relief, grateful to have survived the deadly tempest. It had not been his first storm at sea and he knew it would certainly not be his last.

Heavily booted footsteps echoed against the damp stone floor as the pirate captain led a small group of his crew into the dark cavern to ensure it was safe to rest in until the rest of the storm had come and passed. The air inside was cool and musty and tinged with the scent of sea spray, a stark and comforting contrast to the fire that crackled in the air outside.

Above them, hanging from the damp roof of the cavern, were long spikes that looked like crystallised icicles, their natural formations glimmering faintly in the dim light. Along the ridged walls clung patches of luminescent algae that omitted an almost otherworldly glow across the rough-hewn surfaces.

As they ventured further into the cavern, the sound of dripping water echoed softly in the distance, mingling with the fierce crash of waves against a distant shore. Small pools of rippling water dotted the floor, their surfaces shimmering like sparkling pearls. 

It felt almost too inviting with it's mystical appearance. It was someplace tranquil in the midst of a storm with occasional rays of sunlight piercing through fissures in the cavern's roof, casting narrow beams of golden light that danced across the rocky floor.

"Go back to the ship, light a campfire on the shore and make sure everyone eats a good meal. We set sail again at first light, unless the tides change and this damn storm traps us here."

"Aye captain, what about you?"

"Leave me be for now," Captain Hayes replied, his voice firm yet tinged with uncertainty. "I need some time to think."

The crew exchanged uneasy glances, but they knew better than to question their captain's orders. So, with a low murmur of acknowledgement, they turned around and made their way back to the ship, leaving him alone in the cavern's depths.

He couldn't shake the feeling that something was pulling him further inside and, despite his every instinct screaming at him to turn back, he found himself unable to resist the inexplicable urge to press onward.

With each step he took, the feeling grew stronger. It enveloped him in a strange sense of anticipation and dread. He feared what he was walking to into but no matter how hard he tried, he could not compel himself to turn back. His heart thumped violently in his chest as he ventured further into the darkness, anxious about whatever it was he was going to find.

As he rounded one final corner, so far now from his men that he had doubt they would even hear him if he screamed, he stumbled upon a sight that took his breath away. It was a shimmering pool of water nestled at the far end of the cave, its surface glinting in the faint light like a mirror reflecting the stars above. And there, floating just at the far side of the water's edge, was a figure unlike any he had ever seen before. It was a merman of such astonishing beauty that it captivated Captain Hayes in a way he feared he could never explain.

Although he hadn't yet realised it, he had stumbled upon the source of the mysterious pull that had lulled him into the cavern — a creature of legend and natural born predator of sailors like him.

The merman's hair cascaded around him like a halo spun of rose gold, each strand dappled with sparkling water drops and tinged with delicate hues of peach that shimmered softly in the dim light. His eyes — a seductive shade of pearly white — settled on the trespasser in his home, holding a forbidden allure that beckoned the weary sailor closer.

Following their opalescent glow, Captain Hayes found his feet moving before he could even think to measure the great, searing danger he was in. Any sailor, whether a common fisherman or scoundrel pirate, knew the tales of merfolk.

They were ravishing and majestic creatures with a voice of honey but underneath it all lay sharp canines and vicious claws. Their spell was hypnotic as it lured sailors to the edge of their boats and with a quick lunge, the creatures would claw at their clothes and drag them down deep below the surface. Those who were lucky drowned before they reached the darkest depths of the seabed, where their flesh would be torn from their bones and devoured by the beauty that pulled them beneath the waves.

As he grew closer to the glistening pool, it was the merman's magnificent tail that truly took the captain's breath away. It was a light shade of purple that shimmered with iridescent hues of blue and green, its scales glistening like precious gemstones in the faint light. With each graceful flick of his tail, the merman moved effortlessly through the water, his movements fluid as his strong shoulders peeked out from beneath the clear water that rippled around him.

Captain Hayes stood at the edge of the pool completely transfixed by the merman's beauty, unable to shake the feeling that he had stumbled upon something truly extraordinary. Part of him wanted to call out to his men and have them capture the creature to take aboard their vessel. However, the other part of his conscience couldn't bear to tear the merman from his beautiful home nor the waters that surrounded it.

The creature seemed to smile, opening its lips just far enough for the captain to catch a glimpse of the slightly pointed teeth inside — an abrupt reminder that beneath the surface of the creature's seductive appearance lurked a dangerous predator. One whose siren song would soon echo throughout the chamber, luring him to his swift demise.

Yet, despite the warnings ringing throughout his mind, Captain Hayes felt an inexplicable pull towards the merman. It was a magnetic attraction that defied all reason. Whether it was the creature's magic or perhaps something far greater, he didn't know.

His hand reached out tentatively, fingers trembling as they hovered over the surface of the pool, yearning to touch the creature's silky skin and feel the power of the ocean coursing through its veins.

"Who are you?" he whispered, his voice barely audible over the gentle lapping of the water against the pool's edge.

The merman's gaze held steady, his pearly eyes sparkling with intrigue. He remained silent and continued to examine the pirate, his lips curling into a mysteriously alluring smile as he drifted slowly towards the edge of the pool.

"I am Kairos," he finally replied, his voice as smooth as velvet. "And you, Captain, have stumbled upon my domain."

There was a hint of danger in Kairos' words, a subtle warning that sent a shiver down Captain Hayes' spine. But despite the looming threat, he found himself unable to tear his static gaze away from the creature.

"What do you want from me?" the captain asked, his voice betraying a trace of uncertainty.

Kairos' smile widened, again revealing a flash of his gleaming, hungry teeth.

"Everything," he replied, his voice echoing in the cavern's depths like the whisper of the ocean against sand.

And with that cryptic response, he reached up out of the water and lunged, dragging the captain down deep beneath the waves.

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