forum Needing some advice on my new book

Started August 03, 2023 by @KawaiiCuteness003

tune

So I started writing a new story (as one does) and I just need a little bit of advice on how the world-building and the flow of the story is going

sure! what do u need advice on :]

I might be able to help too, but not with filler chapters.

I'll post it in here, there is quite a bit of gore (There are warnings beforehand though) and I just need a lil but of help with mostly making sure it sounds cohesive and not like I wrote it at 2 am! And no filler chapters, I'm only on the third chapter right now

Staircase to Nowhere

Chul-soo was silent as he swam through the library, looking for the book his master had commanded him to find. While he swam around, looking for the book, he thought to himself.

Chul-soo was a servant for one of the most influential council members in the Oceanic Kingdom. He was bred and born for this role, having been told his entire life that he was the child of two perfect servants to make an even more perfect one. He’d never known a life outside of serving, and he didn’t know anyone other than the other servants, and the council members he would occasionally have to talk to when instructed by his master.

The servant shook himself out of his thoughts, humming as he found the book he had been searching for. Once he picked it up off the shelf, he swam out of the large room to make it back to the meeting room. He was silent and timid, hiding in shadows and making sure that he wasn’t well seen while he made it back to the room and closed the door behind him silently. He silently swam over to his master, handing him the book with a deep bow. All that Chul-soo got in return was a flick on the forehead and a dismissing wave, meaning that he could slip into a nearby room where all the servants were to stay while there was a meeting happening.

Chul-soo did as he was told, taking his leave to settle on a reasonably comfortable chair, his tail swishing around him while he leaned his head back a little bit and relaxed. He hadn’t had much time to sleep the night before, since he’d been taking care of his owner until sunrise and only was allowed to sleep for an hour before he had to get back to serving. His eyes were shut while he relaxed before he heard a voice addressing him. He slowly sat up, meeting eyes with Briar, the Princess's servant.

“Chul-soo, you look exhausted. Didn’t you get any sleep last night?” She asked softly, swimming over to him and gently brushing his hair for him, making sure that he was able to relax and be comfortable.

“Not really. My master had me help him with paperwork and keep him company until he fell asleep. I was only able to get an hour of sleep last night.” He explained softly, glancing over at Briar with a small smile, which she returned while she hummed.

“That’s not normal, honey. The princess always lets me go to sleep when the sun sets, that way I can be awake and ready to help with whatever she needs bright and early in the morning. Is there anything else bothering you with Yejun? He seems to work you until you can barely swim straight.”

“I mean. Not nothing that I haven’t been used to. I’ve been his servant since I could swim and speak, so it’s normal for me not to get a lot of sleep.” He shrugged his shoulders, rolling them to get the tense muscles to relax, and Briar paused.

“Since you were a fishling? What else has he done to you since you became his servant?” She asked softly, before Chul-soo’s name was called from the meeting room and he lifted his head, sitting up in the chair and swimming to the door with a hum. “We’ll talk later, I promise.” He whispered to Briar, before making his way to his master. He heard Briar’s quiet, “Just make sure you get some sleep!” as he swam back to his master's side, bowing his head and waiting for the command he was to be given.

Out of the corner of his eye, Chul-soo could see Yejun sneer at him, hissing. “Where have you been? I’ve been calling you.” His voice was quiet, but reprimanding. Chul-soo knew he’d be punished that evening for messing up.

“My apologies, Master. I hadn’t heard you until just now.” Chul-soo whispered, his black and blond hair falling into his face with how deeply his head was bowed. Yejun took a strand of his hair that wasn’t tied up and yanked on it harshly, causing a soft yelp to escape Chul-soo’s lips. The siren knew better than to pull away, so he allowed his head to droop forward until Yejun finally let him go.

Yejun just waved Chul-soo to sit up, which he did after a moment, resisting the urge to rub his head where the strand was. “Chul-soo, go to the kitchen and make sure my lunch is ready for when this meal is over. And nothing better be out of place in my office when I get there. Or you know what’ll happen to you.”

After hearing the warning multiple times, and knowing exactly what his master meant when he warned Chul-soo, the siren wouldn’t be allowed to eat, sleep, or speak for a week, and if he did, he’d be punished by being a toy for Yejun to use any time he needed him. He nodded his head before Yejun would get angry at him for still standing there before disappearing into the hallway once more, making his way to the kitchen. His cascading white tail swished behind him in the water silently.

He entered the kitchens, where he was met with the smell of some yummy glazed moon jellyfish, the perfect side to the perfect meal. And the only meal Master ever eats… Chul-soo thought to himself as the cook noticed him out of the corner of his eye and cooed to Chul-soo softly. “Chul-soo! How’re you doing, friend? Here to get lunch for Yejun?”

Chul-soo looked up at Logan, who smiled fondly at the timid siren when he nodded. “Yes, please. The usual?” He asked quietly, swimming over to the counter where he’d be able to get the food. Logan sawm over as well, his golden tail flashing in the soft light behind him as he set a bowl of sea grapes in front of Chul-soo, humming quietly as he went to finish preparing and plating the meal for Chul-soo’s master. Chul-soo watched him silently, in awe at how Logan worked so effortlessly and ideally at the same time.

“You know it, Logan. But what can I do? He’s been my master since I was a fishling, there’s nothing else I’d be able to do. He’s owned me my entire life and I know nothing but how to serve him.” Chul-soo explained softly as he munched on a few of the sea grapes, humming at their sweet taste and thanking Logan as he always did when his friend gave him the small snack.

Logan didn’t answer right away, too preoccupied with finishing one of the plates and making sure it was perfect before he answered Chul-soo with a pained grimace. “Chul-soo, you know that’s not normal, right honey? You should be able to upgrade your rank after how long you’ve been working here. But you’ve been stuck in the same place the entire time. And you go through so much more than any of the other servants. You’re being used and abused, Chul-soo.”

Chul-soo looked over at Logan, swallowing the sea grapes before shaking his head softly. “I mean- I’m supposed to be used, Logan. I’m a servant.” He chuckled a little bit, not understanding why Logan and Briar were worried for him. He’d been serving since he was a toddler, and there was nothing he knew how to do but serve his Master. “It’s been this way for my entire life and there’s nothing that I can change about it. I can’t escape the Castle, he’d send guards to find me in the kingdom. And you know that it’s dangerous for sirens to be out alone in the ocean. They’re always killed by other creatures.” He hummed and explained softly, thinking to himself for a few moments before just taking a deep breath and licking his lips with a soft sign before he looked over at the clock and saw that it was nearly time for his Master to be finished with the meeting and his lunch.

He stood, just as Logan started to speak and set everything down on a tray. “You know…you could always go to the land? There are lots of species there and I’m sure you’d be able to find someone that can help you understand the land dweller's way of life so that you can hide out there and find a new life.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Just an idea. But here you go, here’s Yejun’s lunch, better get it to the office quickly.” He handed the tray off to Chul-soo who thanked him happily before swimming off to make it to his Master’s office and set everything up before he got there.

As he made it to the large and spacious office, he thought to himself for a few moments and started to hum softly as he cleaned the papers back up, making sure that they were all stacked neatly. Once he made sure that the desk was in perfect condition, he set the plates down one by one, taking them off the tray and making sure they were organized. Just after he’d set the tray on the ground, and settled into the chair he was told to sit at, he waited for a few moments.

After a few minutes of waiting in relative silence, Yejun reappeared at the door, closing it behind him before looking over at Chul-soo. “Good job. Everything looks correct today. Looks like you won’t have to be punished tonight.” He hissed softly, before settling down at his desk and looking everything over, ensuring that everything was sorted out, and nothing was out of place.

There was silence for a few moments before Yejun looked over at Chul-soo, who knew with that single look that he had fucked up.

No Safety in Surrender
Warnings for blood, gore, forced SH

---

Chul-soo had tears sliding down his cheeks silently as he stayed settled on the chair and scratched aimlessly at his arm. His punishment. He hated this punishment, but at that point, he had done it so many times that the feeling of his nails digging through his skin didn’t bother him much anymore.

He could feel Yejun’s eyes on him as he continued to scratch at the tender skin, wincing a little bit at the pained feeling but doing his best to make sure he wouldn’t make his master madder.

Once Yejun had finished his lunch, he looked over at Chul-Soo with a decreasing chuckle. “Look at you. You’re being such a good boy now. Have you learned your lesson? Are you going to put stuff where it goes instead of just throwing it around like you did?” He asked, standing and swimming over to the siren's side. One hand lifted and he hooked a finger to Chul-soo’s chin, forcing the servant to look up at him.

Chul-Soo looked up when he felt the finger at his chin, and he looked over at Yejun before silently nodding his head, showing that he understood and that he would do it correctly next time. That he would make sure that everything was in place before his master came into the office. He wanted to be a good boy, he was a good boy. He just messed up sometimes, right?

There was no answer to his silent questions as Yejun grabbed his wrist harshly, examining the cuts that Chul-Soo had been making the entire time. His grip was digging into the new scars, causing Chul-soo's iridescent blood to float through the water, making different colors shine as it hit the faint lights of the office. Chul-soo remembered his commands, not saying anything, as much as he wanted to cry out in pain and cradle his wrist to his chest, he knew that would just get him into more trouble than it was worth.

Once he deemed them deep enough, and that Chul-soo had received a punishment that would teach him better, Yejun let go of his wrist and nodded his head silently. “Go get that wrapped up. Nothing else. I just don’t want your dirty siren blood to be all over this castle.” He snarled, causing Chul-soo to nod quickly and swim out of the room in a blur of peach-colored fins. He sniffled to himself while he swam, holding his hand over the scars so that no blood would mess up the perfect hallway that he was swimming through.

“Maybe Logan and Briar are right…maybe I shouldn’t be hurting this much if I was a normal servant. But- I’m not a normal servant, right? I was born to be my Master's servant, and that is all that I ever will be. Right…? A good servant? I don’t even know what I am anymore…” he whispered to himself, not paying attention to where he was swimming and promptly slamming his face into the wall in front of him. As he was backing away from the wall and rubbing his nose, he heard the door to the infirmary open and the nurse swam out.

She looked at Chul-soo with a small, knowing smile when she saw him holding his wrist and waved him inside, going to get a bandage for his wrist. “What did you do this time, honey? Those scratches are deeper than last time.” She hummed softly, gently, and caring with her most-seen patient.

“I didn’t put a piece of paper where it was supposed to go when I was getting his desk ready to put his lunch down,” Chul-soo explained as he watched her silently. He wasn’t allowed to ask for any pain medications or anything to help the wounds heal, and she knew that he would get into bigger trouble if Yejun found out, but she still saved a little bit of ointment onto the scars to help them heal a little faster.

“That way they don’t get infected and we have to cut that arm of yours off.” She explained with a secretive smile, wrapping the bandage around his arm and holding his wrist close while she worked. Shortly after she was done, she swam away to make sure that she wrote down some notes that Chul-Soo had gone to visit her. “Honey. If this happens more than three other times, the nerves in your arm are going to be so damaged you’ll lose all motion and control of your arm and your hand. Then it’ll be irreversible. There’s nothing anyone would be able to do. You need to talk about him about ceasing the punishments for such small mistakes.”

Chul-Soo paused for a moment and looked up at her with a small, scared look on his face. He knew that everything that she was saying was true. He could already feel it happening. Sometimes he would get uncontrollable muscle spasms and would drop whatever he was holding if he couldn’t set it down in time. “Is there anything that I can even do that this point? I know we can’t heal the damage that was already done.” He hummed thoughtfully.

She shook her head at his questions and sighed. “I’m sorry, Chul-soo. But there’s nothing else that you can do at this point. He’s done so much damage to you, that there’s nothing that can be done. Not even the most powerful siren would be able to heal the damage. Not to mention the mental damage that it’s caused you as well.” She sighed and swam back to him, wrapping him up into a hug and ruffling his hair ever so slightly. “Get yourself out of here, honey. Save yourself, and create a new life, a happy life for yourself on land. That’s the only place you’ll truly be safe from his clutches.”

Chul-soo hugged her back softly before nodding his head a little bit and leaning agist her before he pulled away, nodding his head. “I might…honestly…it sounds better than what I have to do to myself here in the water,” he explained softly, and she nodded, agreeing with him before gently pulling away from the hug and smiling to herself softly.

“If you do decide to leave, come and visit me first, please? I can get you some things you’ll need on land. And I want to say goodbye to the sweetest person in the castle.” She hummed, and Chul-soo smiled before nodding and agreeing that he would come and visit her before he escaped the palace if he chose to do so. He thought silently as he left the healer's room with one final hug before heading to the office of his master, stipping as soon as he made it to the bow and bowing his head deeply.

“Did it take you long?” Yejun asked, not looking up from his papers or giving Chul-soo the time of day. He seemed nonchalant like he didn’t care about what Chul-soo had to say to his master.
Chul-soo nodded his head and thought to himself before he settled back down on the chair that was his. He was so tired- he wasn’t allowed to sleep until Yejun slept, and his master had worked through the night so he wasn’t allowed any sleep the night before. He tried his hardest not to doze off, knowing he would get in trouble, so he softly dug his fingers into the scars, causing blood to blot over the bandage, but it did the trick, and Chul-soo was able to snap out of his sleepiness and serve his master the rest of the day.

No Permanent Death
A few days after his last punishment, Chul-soo had been a good servant, proving his loyalty that he only belonged to Yejun, not talking to anyone else about his issues with his master. It seemed that as soon as Chul-soo was a good boy, Yejun became his friend. But, if Chul-soo misbehaved, he was punished, even if it was an accident.

After the second day of behaving and being praised for his good job as a servant, all thoughts of escaping had left his mind. He figured that he would be okay, now that he had proven himself to Yejun once more.

Now that he was trusted again, he was allowed to follow Yejun around for his meetings, instead of sitting in his office and waiting for him to come back like he had been for a while. Now being able to stay beside Yejun at all times, he was also the one who was told to take notes for his master and carried all of his papers.

Chul-soo hummed to himself for a few moments, thinking softly and licking his lips before he just moved away behind another servant t silently, Before apologizing quietly and swimming around them to go back to the kitchen. Yejun had calmly asked Chul-soo to go and get his lunch, and he wanted to prove that he could be a good servant.

When he stepped into the kitchens, he heard his name being called by an excited merman and smiles softly to Logan as he swam over. “Hi, Logan! How’re you doing today?” He asked excitedly, happy to be talking to his friend.

Logan, as always, was swimming around the kitchen, cooking up a storm while he readied Yejun’s meal for him. Today was something different, which was surprising to Chul-soo. Normally his master always liked the same thing for his lunches. “So what’s today's meal?” He asked Logan quietly, curious. He wasn’t been told, just been told to go and pick the food up.

Logan looked up from where he was plating the meal and took a moment to explain it. “Yejun has ordered a chopped and cooked pompom anemone with a cuttlefish ink sauce, and a side of chopped and sauteed watermilfoil with a lettuce sea slug salad!” He explained, before finishing the three plates and setting them on a tray made from some driftwood.

Chul-soo watched with interest, wrinkling his nose a little bit and looking up at Logan with a small little smile. “Sounds dirty…” He muttered softly, thinking to himself before licking his lips and taking the tray in his hands gently, making sure not to make any messes, or mess up the pretty plating that Logan had done.

Logan laughed a little bit and nodded his head. “It is dirty, but it’ll be okay” he assured the nervous servant for a moment before licking his lips and thinking to himself for a few moments before he gently settled the tray on his arm and grabbed the drink of his masters choice in the other hand.

“Wish me luck!” He teased Logan gently, but Logan nodded his head a little bit and waved to Chul-soo, before getting ready to cook the next meal that he needed to.

“Good luck! Don’t make too much of a mess” Logan called out before Chul-soo left the room, the siren flicking his tail quickly to make it to his master before he got in trouble again.

When he arrived at the meeting room, Yejun was already leaving, and he glanced over at Chul-soo with a hum and a small, soft nod. “You’re here on time. Fantastic. Come, I’m going to eat in my bedroom today.” He explained softly, before flicking his tail and swimming down the hallway, towards his bedroom. Chul-soo followed behind him quietly, making sure not to spill Yejun’s meal and get his master dirty.

As they swam, he thought to himself and grew lost in his thoughts, not paying attention to where he was swimming. A mermaid was going the opposite way of them, and a flick of her tail caused it to bump into Chul-soo’s forcing the siren to lose his balance and the tray of food to go flying in front of him.

The moment that he heard the metal bowl make a noise of shimmering stars, he knew it had spilled all over his master and he was done for. He didn’t even want to look, knowing that this punishment would be far greater than any other punishment that he had endured.

He didn’t have a choice about hiding away, however, because the next thing that he knew, his chin was grabbed and he was forced to look up at Yejun, who was covered in the sticky cuttlefish ink. Yejun looked livid as he glared at Chul-soo. “I thought that you were doing better. I thought that I had taught you to finally behave. I was proud of you, and you went and dropped all this shit over me.”

Chul-soo whimpered a little bit and flinched away from Yejun, whimpering a little bit when he was forced to get off his stomach, his tail straightening and looking up at Yejun. “Master, please. Master, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do it. Another mermaid bumped into me and I tried and I didn't mean to spill the food over you.” his begs were cut off

wait thats actully so good! i wouldnt really change anything

Thank you! I was a little nervous that it wouldn’t flow together well, or that I didn’t build the world enough

Even though he’s only underwater for three chapters

I'm gonna need the rest of it as it's being written.

I don't know if you mean that in a good way (like it's so good that you want to read all of it) or in a bad way (like you know you need to correct things about it) but I'll be sure to post each chapter in here as I work on them!

Good way, I love it

I'm really glad to hear that! And thank you ^^

I shall post here when I have the third chapter done, which should be soon

Finished Chapter 3

No Permanent Death
A few days after his last punishment, Chul-soo had been a good servant, proving his loyalty that he only belonged to Yejun, not talking to anyone else about his issues with his master. It seemed that as soon as Chul-soo was a good boy, Yejun became his friend. But, if Chul-soo misbehaved, he was punished, even if it was an accident.

After the second day of behaving and being praised for his good job as a servant, all thoughts of escaping had left his mind. He figured that he would be okay, now that he had proven himself to Yejun once more.

Now that he was trusted again, he was allowed to follow Yejun around for his meetings, instead of sitting in his office and waiting for him to come back like he had been for a while. Now being able to stay beside Yejun at all times, he was also the one who was told to take notes for his master and carried all of his papers.

Chul-soo hummed to himself for a few moments, thinking softly and licking his lips before he just moved away behind another servant t silently, Before apologizing quietly and swimming around them to go back to the kitchen. Yejun had calmly asked Chul-soo to go and get his lunch, and he wanted to prove that he could be a good servant.

When he stepped into the kitchens, he heard his name being called by an excited merman and smiles softly to Logan as he swam over. “Hi, Logan! How’re you doing today?” He asked excitedly, happy to be talking to his friend.

Logan, as always, was swimming around the kitchen, cooking up a storm while he readied Yejun’s meal for him. Today was something different, which was surprising to Chul-soo. Normally his master always liked the same thing for his lunches. “So what’s today's meal?” He asked Logan quietly, curious. He wasn’t been told, just been told to go and pick the food up.

Logan looked up from where he was plating the meal and took a moment to explain it. “Yejun has ordered a chopped and cooked pompom anemone with a cuttlefish ink sauce, and a side of chopped and sauteed watermilfoil with a lettuce sea slug salad!” He explained, before finishing the three plates and setting them on a tray made from some driftwood.

Chul-soo watched with interest, wrinkling his nose a little bit and looking up at Logan with a small little smile. “Sounds dirty…” He muttered softly, thinking to himself before licking his lips and taking the tray in his hands gently, making sure not to make any messes, or mess up the pretty plating that Logan had done.

Logan laughed a little bit and nodded his head. “It is dirty, but it’ll be okay” he assured the nervous servant for a moment before licking his lips and thinking to himself for a few moments before he gently settled the tray on his arm and grabbed the drink of his masters choice in the other hand.

“Wish me luck!” He teased Logan gently, but Logan nodded his head a little bit and waved to Chul-soo, before getting ready to cook the next meal that he needed to.

“Good luck! Don’t make too much of a mess” Logan called out before Chul-soo left the room, the siren flicking his tail quickly to make it to his master before he got in trouble again.

When he arrived at the meeting room, Yejun was already leaving, and he glanced over at Chul-soo with a hum and a small, soft nod. “You’re here on time. Fantastic. Come, I’m going to eat in my bedroom today.” He explained softly, before flicking his tail and swimming down the hallway, towards his bedroom. Chul-soo followed behind him quietly, making sure not to spill Yejun’s meal and get his master dirty.

As they swam, he thought to himself and grew lost in his thoughts, not paying attention to where he was swimming. A mermaid was going the opposite way of them, and a flick of her tail caused it to bump into Chul-soo’s forcing the siren to lose his balance and the tray of food to go flying in front of him.

The moment that he heard the metal bowl make a noise of shimmering stars, he knew it had spilled all over his master and he was done for. He didn’t even want to look, knowing that this punishment would be far greater than any other punishment that he had endured.

He didn’t have a choice about hiding away, however, because the next thing that he knew, his chin was grabbed and he was forced to look up at Yejun, who was covered in the sticky cuttlefish ink. Yejun looked livid as he glared at Chul-soo. “I thought that you were doing better. I thought that I had taught you to finally behave. I was proud of you, and you went and dropped all this shit over me.”

Chul-soo whimpered a little bit and flinched away from Yejun, whimpering a little bit when he was forced to get off his stomach, his tail straightening and looking up at Yejun. “Master, please, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do it. Another mermaid bumped into me and I fell but I didn't mean to spill the food over you-.” his begging was cut off when Yejun pushed him to the ground and let him go, a small sniffle the only sound that the timid servant made.

“Now, you know what happens next, don’t you, servant?” Yejun snarled, his mouth down-turned into a frown Chul-soo didn’t even know was possible. But he knew what would happen next. The worst punishment that he would ever be given. Luckily, he’d never gotten it before, but he knew that this time he would be getting that punishment.

Chul-soo slowly nodded his head, shifting and flicking his tail once to move to full height, looking over at his master with a defeated look. “Yes, master. I can’t eat, sleep, or speak until you allow me to. However long that may be.” He whispered, the pain sneaking into his voice. There was no way that he’d be able to survive this punishment.

Yejun nodded his head. “Good. Now, you go back to Logan and get some more food. You’re allowed to ask for more food but nothing else.” He hissed softly, a silent warning that he’d be following Chul-soo to the kitchen to make sure that nothing else was said by the servant.

Chul-soo had no choice but to do as he was told, and he did indeed. He slowly grabbed all the dishes and what food he could pick up and put it back in the tray before swimming back to the kitchen, feeling Yejun’s eyes on him as he did so. When he made it to the doors of the kitchen, he paused for a split second before he swam inside, looking up at Logan, who was taking a break from cooking to sit down.

When the merman noticed Chul-soo walk in, he paused for a moment before he caught sight of Yejun behind the siren. “Chul-soo, what’s going on, honey? Is everything alright?” The gentle cook swam forward, taking the tray of dishes and food and taking them to the sink to clean later.

Chul-soo didn’t say anything, before slowly shaking his head. “Can you remake the meal, please? I’m so sorry.” Is all he could manage without breaking down in tears, but Logan understood. He nodded before heading back into the kitchen to whip up the meal once more, gently handing the tray to Chul-soo when he was finished.

“Here you go, honey. If you need anything else I’m here, okay?” Logan smiled softly, and that was the last thing he saw before he went back to his master, knowing that he was in for a bad week.

Very wonderful

it flows from chapter to chapter really well! u have to keep posting ur chapters here cause now im invested lol

Thank you both! And I promise I will. I usually work on the book while I have free time, so it does take me a little bit to get the next chapter out, but it will be posted here

If anyone would like to meet Chul-soo, here's the character sheet I've created for my bean

"I am a S.I.R.E.N. not a mermaid. Asshat"
Full Name: Chul-soo Blanc
Nicknames/Aliases: Soo, Blanc, Cinnamon
Age: Unknown, looks 23
Gender: Male
Pronouns: He?/They
Sexual Orientation: Queer
Species: Siren-born
Rank: Servant (Becomes Concubine)
"I'm sorry but how did you fall for me?"
Height: 6'3
Appea⁠rance: 𝘐𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴
Defining Features: The chain that's wrapped around his face, his dimples, his bright green eyes
Scars: He has a lot of scars all over his body and his face, but he usually hides them with makeup
Tattoos: He has one, that shows his rank in the oceanic kingdom
"You don't understand. Siren song shouldn't be taken lightly"
Personality: He has a calm and alluring personailty, but is very skittish. He's someone that does his best to make everyone around him happy, and tries to always prove his worth to those around him. He's scared of failing and wants to make sure he can do what those around him want. He will do anything to fulfill people's desires, which makes people often take advasntage of him and his siren song.
Hobbies: Reading, cooking, walking around the gardens
Habits: Biting his lip, messing with his amulet
Likes: Books, Flowers, Hot Tea, Gentle Touches
Dislikes: People who are rough, people who hurt him on purpose, people who take advantage of him
"Do you think people would still like me if they couldn't take advantage of me?"
~Survival Info~
Skills: His siren song, can control the moisture around him
Equipment: His amulet
Experience: Unknown
Weapons: Unknown
"Why do you think I wear the amulet? Because no one trusts me"
Injuries: None
Disorders: ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, OCD
Diseases: None
Medical: None
"You're kind of cute. For a bitch"
Backstory: His backstory is widely unknown
Trivia
He can use his siren song, even with the amulet
He hates when people tease him for his past ranking
He can actually grow a tail at will
His heart is protected by a spell

^Commissioned @vixviarts on Instagram for this

It's not finished BUT I wanted to show y'all what I've got started for Chapter 4

And I'll probably post it on AO3 and Wattpad when I finish the 5th chapter

Four days.

At least, Chul-soo thought it was four days. Everything was blurring together in his memory. He didn’t remember the last time that he ate, or slept. He’d been glued to Yejun’s side for days by now, still not having finished his punishment.

Even now, as the siren swam through the hallway with a stack of books, he could barely concentrate. His vision was becoming fuzzy, and his stomach growling. He knew he couldn’t keep doing this. He wouldn’t be able to last another day if Yejun didn’t forgive him.

The weight of hunger and exhaustion bore down on him, making every flick of his tail a struggle. The food he carried seemed tempting, but he knew he shouldn’t dare to take a bite. Sleep deprivation had taken its toll on his weak body, and he felt like he was barely holding onto his sanity.

Hesitation for a moment, Chul-soo took a deep breath and mustered what little strength he had left. He quietly pushed the door in front of him open and swam inside. The room was dimly lit, but Yejun was sitting at his desk with a glow jellyfish floating around his head, casting the only light in the room.

Chul-soo swam into the room silently, a ghost of his former self. His master heard his ailette’s swish through the water, and looked up after a second, putting the glass pen on his desk and nodding for Chul-soo to set the books down at the edge of his desk. Chul-soo did so, before swimming away to settle in the corner of the bedroom.

What if I left? Went to land like Logan suggested? Would I be able to fit in with some of the species there? He thought to himself, before he shook his head suddenly, pinching the inside of his elbow. No, Chul-soo. Don’t think like that. You were born and raised to be a servant, that’s what you’re life is supposed to be like

“Chul-soo. You may retire to your chambers now. But make sure you don’t fall asleep. You’re still being punished.” Yejun’s voice cut through his hope like a knife. He knew that Yejun would send a guard to check on him every hour to make sure that he was actually asleep. He had no chance of making it through another night of sitting on the edge of his bed without being allowed to sleep.

He bowed to his master, glancing at him from under his bangs before he swam away silently, towards the basement, where all servants slept. On his way there, he thought to himself, not knowing what to do about his situation.

“You know… you could always go to the land," Logan said as he started setting up the tray, "there's a lot of different species up there. I'm sure one of them could help you out."

She sighed and swam back to him, wrapping him up into a hug and ruffling his hair ever so slightly. “Get yourself out of here, honey. Save yourself, and create a new life, a happy life for yourself on land. That’s the only place you’ll truly be safe from his clutches.”

Briar paused. “That’s not normal, honey. The princess always lets me go to sleep when the sun sets, that way I can be awake and ready to help with whatever she needs bright and early in the morning. Is there anything else bothering you with Yejun? He seems to work you until you can barely swim straight.”

Chul-soo reached his small chamber in the basement, a damp and cramped space where he shared a bunk bed with another servant. As he lay down, exhaustion enveloped him, and he closed his eyes for a moment. But the fear of being caught asleep and facing even more punishment kept him on edge.

👏👏👏👏

I got REALLY bad writers block

But I'm back with the fully finished chapter 4

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Four days.

At least, Chul-soo thought it was four days. Everything was blurring together in his memory. He didn’t remember the last time that he ate, or slept. He’d been glued to Yejun’s side for days by now, still not having finished his punishment.

Even now, as the siren swam through the hallway with a stack of books, he could barely concentrate. His vision was becoming fuzzy, and his stomach growling. He knew he couldn’t keep doing this. He wouldn’t be able to last another day if Yejun didn’t forgive him.

The weight of hunger and exhaustion bore down on him, making every flick of his tail a struggle. Sleep deprivation had taken its toll on his weak body, and he felt like he was barely holding onto his sanity.

Hesitation for a moment, Chul-soo took a deep breath and mustered what little strength he had left. He quietly pushed the door in front of him open and swam inside. The room was dimly lit, but Yejun was sitting at his desk with a glow jellyfish floating around his head, casting the only light in the room.

Chul-soo swam into the room silently, a ghost of his former self. His master heard his ailette’s swish through the water, and looked up after a second, putting the glass pen on his desk and nodding for Chul-soo to set the books down at the edge of his desk. Chul-soo did so, before swimming away to settle in the corner of the bedroom.

What if I left? Went to land like Logan suggested? Would I be able to fit in with some of the species there? He thought to himself, before he shook his head suddenly, pinching the inside of his elbow. No, Chul-soo. Don’t think like that. You were born and raised to be a servant, that’s what you’re life is supposed to be like

“Chul-soo. You may retire to your chambers now. But make sure you don’t fall asleep. You’re still being punished.” Yejun’s voice cut through his hope like a knife. He knew that Yejun would send a guard to check on him every hour to make sure that he was actually asleep. He had no chance of making it through another night of sitting on the edge of his bed without being allowed to sleep.

He bowed to his master, glancing at him from under his bangs before he swam away silently, towards the basement, where all servants slept. On his way there, he thought to himself, not knowing what to do about his situation.

“You know… you could always go to the land," Logan said as he started setting up the tray, "there's a lot of different species up there. I'm sure one of them could help you out."

She sighed and swam back to him, wrapping him up into a hug and ruffling his hair ever so slightly. “Get yourself out of here, honey. Save yourself, and create a new life, a happy life for yourself on land. That’s the only place you’ll truly be safe from his clutches.”

Briar paused. “That’s not normal, honey. The princess always lets me go to sleep when the sun sets, that way I can be awake and ready to help with whatever she needs bright and early in the morning. Is there anything else bothering you with Yejun? He seems to work you until you can barely swim straight.”

Chul-soo reached his small chamber in the basement, a damp and cramped space where he shared a bunk bed with another servant. As he lay down, exhaustion enveloped him, and he closed his eyes for a moment. But the fear of being caught asleep and facing even more punishment kept him on edge.

His thoughts kept going back to Logan's words and the possibility of leaving for the land. The idea of a new life, away from Yejun's control, was tempting. But it also seemed like an impossible dream. He had been raised as a servant, conditioned to believe that his place was by Yejun's side. The world outside these walls was foreign and unknown, and he had no idea how he would even begin to survive.

As he lay there, his mind drifted to the kind words of Briar, who seemed to genuinely care about his well-being. It was evident that Yejun's treatment of him wasn't normal. Perhaps there was a way to escape this life of servitude, but Chul-soo was torn between the fear of the unknown and the unbearable suffering he was enduring.

The minutes turned into hours, and Chul-soo struggled to keep himself awake. He felt like a puppet, his strings pulled by the cruel whims of his master. The urge to escape grew stronger with every passing moment. He couldn't endure this any longer. The pain, the hunger, the sleep deprivation—all of it was breaking him down.

Occasionally, he would hear the guard quietly open the door, call his name to make sure that he was awake, and then close the door once more to leave Chul-soo to his thoughts. Time always seemed to move slowly when he wasn’t able to sleep. Soon, he heard the door open once more, and he slowly sat up to show the guard that he was indeed awake as always, but instead of seeing a guard, he saw Yejun.

There was nothing physical that his master did, just instilling fear into his heart and making Chul-soo remember just who he belonged to.

Yejun stayed at the door for a few more moments before sneering. “Tomorrow. You better prepare because you’re going to work in the jellyfish enclosure all. day. long.” He smirked before closing the door and leaving the fearful siren behind, worried for his life. Sirens were easily killed by jellyfish, one of the only things in the water that would kill a siren.

That scared Chul-soo more than Yejun’s punishments ever did. But what would he do? There were only a few hours before sunlight, and then he’d be toast. Either stung and poisoned badly, or dead.

Suddenly, a memory flashed before his eyes—a vivid image of the ocean surface, shimmering in the moonlight. Chul-soo had heard stories from the older servants about the wonders of the world above, where creatures from different species coexisted in harmony. The thought of finding a new life there, where he could be free, filled him with hope.

Determined, Chul-soo made up his mind. He had to take the risk. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to make it another year under Yejun’s rule. He slowly slipped off his bed, swimming to the door and looking around. There wasn’t anything for him to take, as he had never been allowed anything. So, he swam out the door, closing it behind him for the last time.

Chul-soo knew that he would never be able to get onto land on his own, much less escape the palace without a little bit of help. However, he knew a friend who could help him. With a split second of hesitation, he swam towards the kitchen.

There, as he always was, Logan was cleaning and making sure everything was ready for the morning chef to start with breakfast. When he saw someone swimming up to him, he caught sight of Chul-soo and gave him a soft little smile. “Hey, Chul-soo. How’re you doing, honey?” Logan had heard all about the punishment, so was a little surprised when Chul-soo spoke to him in a raspy, quiet voice.

“Can you help me escape? I can’t serve him anymore, and my only chance at life is on land.” Chul-soo rushed to explain his thought process, and Logan stared at him for a few seconds before nodding his head.

Logan understood the urgency in Chul-soo's eyes and nodded solemnly. He had grown fond of the young siren and couldn't bear to see him suffer any longer. "Of course, I'll help you," Logan whispered, glancing around to ensure nobody was listening. "There's a small hidden tunnel that leads from the kitchen to the outside waters. I'll show you the way."

Chul-soo felt a glimmer of hope. He couldn't believe that his escape was actually becoming a reality. "Thank you, Logan. You don't know how much this means to me," he said, his voice filled with gratitude.

"Follow me," Logan whispered, and Chul-soo trailed closely behind. They navigated through a series of narrow passages, unseen by anyone else in the palace. The darkness made the journey nerve-wracking, but Chul-soo's desire for freedom pushed him forward.

Finally, they reached the exit of the tunnel, where the waters outside awaited them. Chul-soo's heart pounded in his chest as he glanced back at Logan, who gave him a reassuring nod. "Remember, you’re stronger than you think. I believe in you, Chul-soo," Logan said, his eyes filled with sincerity.

"Thank you, Logan, for everything," Chul-soo replied, his voice choked with emotion. With that, he swam out of the tunnel and into the open waters.

As he approached the surface, he could see the faint light of the moon shimmering above. His heart raced with anticipation and fear. He broke through the water's surface, taking his first breath of fresh air. The feeling was exhilarating, and for a moment, he felt like he was flying.

I finished chapter 5 if anyone is interested-

Always!

Reflected Intentions
As he shook his head, trying to clear his wet hair from his eyes, he could hear something that sounded…magical. He brushed his hair away from his face, looking around before he saw what was making the beautiful sound.

It was a little hard for the siren to adjust his eyesight to see what was happening around him, but when he did, he saw that crystals were hanging from a tree, the wind blowing through the leaves. The crystals were making that noise.

He slowly tried to make his way onto the land to examine the captivating tree, but he paused for a moment when he made it to the edge of the water. His tail flicked behind him, and he glanced back at it before closing his eyes and willing his tail to turn into human legs.

He was scared to open his eyes at first, but when he felt a cool breeze on his bare legs, he slowly peeked his left eye open, looking around before blinking and opening both eyes. There was a strange sensation, and he glanced behind him at where he usually saw his tail.

Instead of his tail, however, there were a pair of human legs, something he’d never seen before. He slowly sat up in the water, his lower body still settled under the water, he paused a little bit when he realized that he could move his legs. He slowly bent his knees, pulling his legs close to his chest and then extending them again. It was a surreal feeling to the siren.

He slowly flexed his toes, feeling the sand beneath him and the water lapping at his ankles. He smiled softly, tilting his head a little bit and examining his new limbs. They had the same skin tone as his chest, and he seemed to be reasonably tall with his legs.

The wind had his long hair tickling his face and falling into his eyes, as he turned in the sand onto his hands and knees, then slowly stretched onto his toes while pushing himself up with his hands until he was standing up. It seemed like a dream, to finally be free of his underwater confines while being in this new area where he was walking on two human legs.

He cautiously took a step forward, feeling his toes sink into the soft sand. He stumbled a bit, not used to his new form and the fact that he needed to balance. The world seemed so different on land, and he had yet to get used to gravity pulling him down. He took a few slow, tentative steps before he trusted himself to walk without staring at his feet.

As he slowly pulled his head up, the wind brushed through his hair once more, framing his face and whispering to him to look around. He did just that, examining all the sights around him on the land. Compared to the muted greens, blues, and gold of the ocean, there were so many other colors that he had only seen in books. Bright, glowing purple wildflowers. Soft green grass replaced the sand that he was stepping on. The brown of the magical tree in front of him.

Slowly he made his way to the tree, tilting his head curiously at it. There were thousands of different crystals. Some of them towards the base of the tree were dull as if having lost their source of life. Others, however, were shining brightly, especially the ones on the tips of the branches. As he stared at the tree, he could see some of the branches intertwining with each other before producing a crystal right where they tangled together.

As if entranced by the beautiful crystals, the siren took a few more shaky steps forwards, before he slowly lifted one hand, just shy of touching the crystals. Then, a quiet, stern voice filled the air around him and stopped him from touching the crystals.
“Hey! What’re you doing?” The voice shook him for a moment, and he glanced up to where he saw a figure, their face covered by the shadow of the two large wings that trailed behind them.

The figure came over, and Chul-soo realized that it was a woman, who grabbed his wrist harshly and sneered at him. “What makes you think you can touch that?” She growled, yanking the bare human away from the tree and tossing him to the ground, closer to the ocean.

Chul-soo’s heart raced as he lay on the ground, his mind racing with a mix of fear and confusion. He had never encountered another being before, and none of the rumors he’d heard about land dwellers had as a hostile demeanor as she did. The woman’s wing loomed ominously above her, casting a shadow on her face and making it difficult for Chul-soo to see her.

“I…I didn’t mean any harm!” he stammered quickly, his voice barely above a whisper. He quickly pushed himself up to a sitting position, his eyes still locked on the enigmatic woman. “I was just curious. I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

The woman narrowed her eyes at him, her grip on his wrist loosening slightly. “Curious, hm?” She seemed to be studying him, assessing whether he was any threat. “You’re not from around here, are you?”

Chul-soo quickly shook his head, understanding that question. “No, ma’am!” he hummed quickly. He knew he needed to make up a lie. If people knew that he was a siren, it would make it easier for Yejun to find him and track him down. “I just… I woke up on the beach a little bit ago. I don’t remember what happened to me.” He glanced up at her, hoping that he sounded truthful.

The woman continued to scrutinize Chul-soo, her wings still casting a mysterious aura around her. She seemed to relax her grip on his wrist a little more as he spoke.

“Hmm,” she mused, her tone less hostile now. “Woke up on the beach, you say? That’s unusual.” She thought, glancing down at him. “But if you truly remember nothing, then perhaps you’re not a threat to us.”

Chul-soo nodded quickly, doing his best to appear innocent and bewildered. “Yes ma’am! I promise I mean no harm. I’ve just never seen anything like this place before and those crystals… they drew me in.”

The gryphons gaze shifted to the magical tree and the delicate crystals hanging from his branched. Her expression softened as she looked at them. “Those crystals are the life source for the gryphon community. Each one is one of my people.” She explained. “I am Jasna, leader of the gryphons, and it’s my responsibility to protect them, and our crystals. We can’t let just anyone touch them.”

Chul-soo’s curiosity piqued even more at the mention of gryphons. He had heard tales under the water, but being so close to one… “Gyphons?” he asked, both in awe and in shock at the woman in front of him. “I’ve heard stories about the gryphon race.”

Jasna thought to herself, humming softly. “You haven’t been out of the Human kingdom, have you? I still have no clue how to end up in the ocean but…” She trailed off, looking down at Chul-soo.

Chul-soo nodded his head, his brain overwhelmed with all the new information that he’d been granted. She assumed him to be from the human kingdom, so that was good at least. “If there’s anything that I can do to make my obliviousness up to you, please let me know,” he gave her a soft smile. “I feel horrible for almost touching the crystals, and I mean no harm.”

Jasna examined him, making sure that he wasn’t a threat before she slowly nodded her head. “Gryphons are connected to nature and magic. We hold that balance delicately. If you promise to respect our rules and our ways, you can stay in our kingdom for a while.” She explained, her grip on his wrist dropping before she held her hand out to him. Jasna smiled at him, a faint smile, but she was no longer hostile to the siren. “Come. Let’s get you in some clothes, I’m sure that you’re freezing.”

Chul-soo, finally having a moment to calm down and take a deep breathe, looked down and realized he was bare. The cool breeze, nor the coolness of the air had any effect on the siren, but he knew that he should play along to keep up the lie that he was a human that had been stranded and just reappeared. He glanced back up at Jasna and nodded his head slowly. He could see her clothes, and he nodded. “Please and thank you.” He smiles, standing and following the Gryphon leader.