doravg

A merchant stumbles on a grotto, lost. He eats his last apple. The merchant plants the seeds the next day to provide food for future lost travelers. 

And so, the nymph Theanore is born.

She would grow from a tiny seed to a splendid apple tree. She would meet many friends. Theanore will try her hand at being a merchant like her father. And she will get to know her lifetime companion, the merman Marinus.

But as every farmer can tell you, apple trees live only for about 150 years and so, with her tree dried up, so will Theanore die.

 But before that, she will live.

The Apple Grotto Nymph (Dungeon Core Fairy Tale)

Marinus has been swimming for a month. The water was colder now.

It reminded him of the time he was alone. Of the time, he did every task the mermaids would ask of him in the hopes of being adopted.

But that time was gone now. He had a family to go back to after this task. He neared the pale white, dead, his mind supplied, coral reef and wondered how to get past it.

Alba lived just behind it. In the dungeon of stingrays. She was the boss of the dungeon. But Marinus had seen her before. He knew she ventured outside the dungeon sometimes.

"Hello? Madam Alba? I need to speak with you," he called but received no answer. He had heard stories about mermaids dying in this dungeon, but what choice did he have?

He needed to meet Alba the Sea Witch.

Quickly he swam up and then looked for the entrance of the underwater cave. He found it, but there was a giant stone over it.

Chapter 69: Play fair, you!