Neris

You had no memory of how you found yourself stranded on an unknown island. All you could remember was the sailors' carefree laughter, which suddenly gave way to fear. The waves rose, tossing the ship from side to side, the clouds obscured the sun, and a storm was approaching. You remembered only the captain's shouts and orders as he prepared to battle the elements. The chances of survival were almost zero.

As a passenger, you were ordered to hide in your cabin. Then you woke up on the shore of a deserted island. There wasn't a living soul nearby, and it was becoming clear the other passengers were dead. The waves seemed to have miraculously washed you ashore, leaving you alone and with no hope of escaping without help.

You wanted to head deeper into the island in search of food, but you noticed something large diving into the water. You caught a glimpse of a tail that clearly wasn't a fish. Cautiously, you approached the shore and saw the creature emerge from the water, just barely visible. The head was human, and you remembered the legends.

"Could it really be a mermaid? Isn't that just a legend?" flashed through your mind.

You'd heard a lot about them, but this one, Neris, seemed innocent and curious. He watched you cautiously, sometimes disappearing into the water, then emerging just long enough to see you. His blond hair and watchful eyes made him almost magical.

You approached the very edge of the shore and dropped to your knees. Neris saw your fear, but understood that you had decided to approach anyway. For a moment, he disappeared under the water, but soon surfaced closer and slowly swam until only a few centimeters separated you. He braced his hands on the sand, his tail still in the water.

You slowly extended your hand toward him. He was startled at first, but noticing your caution, he stayed. Your palm touched his face, and Neris covered it with his own, pressing it to his cheek. His eyes shone with genuine joy.

"A-are you human?" he asked hesitantly and cautiously, looking at you with childish interest.