The darkness was cold and lonely, and it remained so for days until, finally, the door was opened once more. The old shark looked up, only to see his world shatter even further.

  Heads rolled into the cave from the eldest to the youngest, Nasig. One by one, they were tossed inside like insignificant trash. Each of his beloved children lay before him, their faces frozen in horror. From outside, the harsh laughter of the assassins mocked the scene, filling the shark's heart with fury. His memories intertwined with reality his children, once smiling and full of life, were now nothing more than discarded remnants. The tears that had long dried in his eyes began to flow once more, his muscles tensed, and his wounds, previously sealed, reopened, bleeding anew.

  The scent of blood and rage seeped from the cave as, in one last desperate act, the shark lunged at his enemies with nothing but his teeth as weapons.

  With a ferocious bite, he shattered the bone brace protecting one of the assassin’s arms. Without the armor, the limb was severed with ease. But that was his final burst of strength. No matter how much he wanted to continue fighting, his body no longer obeyed him, and he was quickly subdued.

  Mocking himself, the old shark let out a bitter laugh and spat out the blood pooling in his mouth.

  — I am so pathetic… My love, I let them die. I let you all die… This is my fault… There are no excuses… There's nothing left… Hahaha…

  A sharp bone dagger was pressed against his throat.

  He closed his eyes, accepting his fate, but time passed, and death never came. Confused, he opened his eyes and found himself in an unfamiliar place.

  — Where am I!? This looks like a nest, but I’ve never seen one so beautiful…

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  The old shark gazed around in awe at the beauty of the place. As he wondered who could be the owner of such a nest, he noticed a half-eaten egg in one of the pools. Curious, he approached and saw a tiny, fragile hatchling sleeping curled up on a bed of countless shimmering pearls. The sight warmed his grief-stricken heart, but he quickly realized he could not stay. If the child's parents returned and found him, he would be killed without question, especially in his wounded state.

  — I don’t know how I ended up here… but I must leave. Whoever created this place will not be pleased to find me here.

  The old shark swam out of the nest through the central pool, but as soon as he left, he caught a strange scent in the water. A strong glow caught his eye, and the scene before him left him utterly shocked.

  — What is wrong with this day?... Why is it filled only with sorrow…?

  Two mermaids with pale tails lay lifeless, their bodies swarmed by glowing fortune crabs, which feasted on their flesh and gnawed at their once-beautiful scales. Without hesitation, he swam closer and examined the bodies.

  — No visible wounds… It must have been a disease. They likely died a little further from the nest to avoid contaminating the baby… But now, he won’t last long without them… I don’t want to see any more death today…

  The shark sighed, his heart sinking in sorrow, and returned to the nest to rest. Occasionally, he would wake only to check on the small hatchling, who continued to sleep peacefully. His wounded heart ached with old memories, until, unable to bear it any longer, he swam off into the night, hunting until his rage had subsided.

  By the time he had calmed down, dawn had already arrived. He gathered stones and carefully stacked them over the bodies of the mermaids, creating a grave of rocks. Throughout the morning, he prepared a nourishing mixture to feed the hatchling in the egg.

  Finally, he gently picked up the tiny child and woke him. The frightened hatchling flailed and tried to escape, but the old shark held him effortlessly.

  — Shhh… I won’t hurt you. Grandpa will take care of you… I don’t know if you understand me, but we are the same. Our families are gone… and, somehow, we were both granted an inexplicable stroke of luck. The stars must want us to live.

  He continued trying to feed the child, smiling at the small, clumsy jumps he made. It reminded him of his own children when they were babies. His heart ached with longing.