AN: And here under the sea is where our story begins…

Far out from the land, where the waters are as blue as the petals of a cornflower and as clear as glass, where no ship's anchor can reach the bottom, lived the merpeople in the glorious city of Atlantica.

Triton, the Sea King had been a widower for many years and had seven lovely daughters from his deceased Queen Athena.
Now, the most beautiful of all these ocean maidens was the youngest. She was spirited, adventurous and had the loveliest voice of any on earth or in the sea.

However, she was obsessed, with the world above the waves-one that everyone greatly disapproved of for obvious reasons.

Soon after a heated argument with her father, the young princess took a rash decision: she would become human herself and prove that humans weren't barbarians at all.

She sought out every possibility, until she had no alternative but to seek help from a land dweller with magical abilities. Many an underwater inhabitant had told her to seek out a hermit, she'd been told, one that resided in Bogus swamp.

Recalling the instructions she'd received, she pulled herself up on the large tree stump and blew the twisted horn and fell back into the water, with only her torso visible.

Within seconds, out of the water in front of her, an even larger tree stump emerged. At the near top was a small round door, which opened and out came the hermit. He was short, had green skin, fiery red eyebrows, a mane of white hair and was garbed all in black.

"Who dares to blow my door horn?" he snapped.

"Hello up there! I've come to ask –"

"I've little time for vagrants little girl, what is your business here?"

"I wish to become human, I've been told you'd be able to help me."

The hermit studied the young woman looking up from the swamp water suspiciously. She was slim and supple, with a luxurious length of cascading hair as red as blood. Her eyes were large and blue, filled with apprehension and a hint of hope.

"What are you talking about girl -?" He was cut off when the 'girl' pulled herself to sitting position. Instead of legs, he saw a bright emerald green fish tail.

"Hmm, human legs…" said the hermit thoughtfully, he then indicated, "Wait here."

Not long after, he climbed down and handed the mermaid a red narwhal's horn containing a bubbling yellow concoction.

"Now you listen carefully, because I'm only going to say this once: Tomorrow before sunrise, you will go ashore and drink this. Instead of a fin you'll get legs, and bear in mind that the process WILL be painful. But any other being who sees you will say that you are the fairest human being to have walked the Earth."

Unknown to the princess or the swamp hermit, the entire evening's events had been witnessed by two of the mermaid's sea-dwelling friends, who were very concerned about their beloved princess.

This duo agreed to follow the princess and watch over her on behalf of the King, as well as for their own peace of mind. Little did they know their task was going to be anything but easy.

As the hermit watched the princess disappear into the distance, he chuckled wickedly, "Yes, venture out into the world to your heart's content, little daughter of Triton... My eyes and ears are everywhere, nothing you do will go unseen. And at your weakest moment, Atlantica will fall under my rule."

Had the mermaid or her companions glanced at the water they'd have seen truth revealed in the reflection: a large black demon with flaming eyes, gnarled fangs and fiery beard...

Just a few hours before sunrise the mermaid swam to shore and drank the potion. As soon as she did, her mouth parted in pants and gags from the vile taste.

She writhed about as a great searing pain passed over her fin like a sword were passing through. The princess then lost consciousness after that.

When she came to, she was wearing suitable human albeit old age clothing and soon made her way into the wide open world above the waves.

On her journey, she came to a quaint little village where a kindly family mistook her for a traveler and offered her to stay.

During her stay, the mermaid soon learned from these humans a great deal and more than happily offered her help, something greatly appreciated: she learned to sew, garden, bake bread and among many others that will be useful to her- though she did not know it yet. And in turn, she would sometimes sing for them, enchanting the household with her melodious voice.

But, over the course of the next few days the mermaid princess' experience on land would soon go cheery from to frightening.

Soon one morning, the princess was carrying a basket full of fruit to the small village, wondering what new delicious food the lady of the house would be cooking up.

It was then that the human-turned-mermaid would learn the true meaning of terror.

The moment she kneeled down briefly to fix the peasant leggings she was wearing, a terrible weight seemed to press down from the sky.

Although there was no sign of a storm approaching, thunder rumbled and the sky darkened. Next the sounds that reached her ears chilled her to the bone, the sounds of screams.

Then a large shadow blocked the sunlight, looming over her. She turned slightly and what she saw made her freeze right ins her steps.

A terrible creature stood threateningly above the village! Flame ringed eyes narrowed with malice. The mouth turned up into a sneer, exposing terrible sharp curled teeth.

Although she knew not who or what it was, the princess was no fool. She knew she was being confronted by predatory creatures; she had, in fact, encountered many swimming predators in her time as a mermaid, thankfully escaping their clutches by eluding them cleverly. But she knew nothing of the monster looming over them this evening.

Quickly the village's guards sprung into action. A shower of arrows rained on the demon. But it raised it's arms high above and sucked the arrows with no pain and little effort deep into it's dark flesh. Then, straightening it's arms in both directions it cruelly fired the arrows out of its' black palms right back.

Terrified by all this, the mermaid princess fled in to the forest, mortal fear overpowering her common sense.

She was so intent in her terrified flight, that she didn't see the monster glance her way and smirk knowingly. As if he'd planned it from the very beginning.

In the next populated area the mermaid reached, she was treated as inferior by many of the locals due to her lack of knowledge of the "whys" and "wherefores", and the princess also experienced several frightening encounters with thieves, muggers or lecherous males.

So she left again.

By then, it was impossible for the princess to know in which direction the sea lied; she was lost and not even her new knowledge of the world above would lift her spirits. All she wanted was to put as much distance between herself and the terrible monster that now haunted her nightmares.

Day after day she wandered, even after becoming aware of the presence of her friends, whom had somehow managed to loyally follow her the entire distance of her journey. Even so, she wished she had a land-dwelling friend that could guide her and show her the few places that were not ravaged by evil.

Weary and distraught, the mermaid princess looked up at the stars one night, thinking of her family.

"I'm so afraid. Father, where are you?"

As she traveled, she slowly began to lose hope ever returning home, for whatever righteous soul would there be left to help a little mermaid?

AN: Go easy on me, I'll try to add as much action and adventure as best as I can everyone ok?