☕️ Alice’s Mad Tea Party Presents: Storytime
🫖 Alice Spills the Tea on: The Legend of Selene of Solorathis
Ah, the ocean’s whispers again, darling. If the sea could talk, it would speak in riddles. And today? It wants to tell you the tale of Selene, a name that’s been lost to most of the world, but not to those who still remember the old ways of the deep.
You’ve heard the story of the Little Mermaid, yes? A sweet little thing with dreams of the world above the waves, who gave everything for a chance at a soul, a heart, and a life beyond the ocean’s cold grasp. But this isn’t that story, darling. No, no—this is the tale of Selene, the mermaid who was no innocent little thing, and her fate was twisted in ways that would make your hair stand on end, I promise.
Selene wasn’t born like the others in the kingdom of Solorathis. She didn’t have the soft, iridescent scales like the common merfolk, nor the delicate beauty that graced their songs. Selene’s scales shimmered with a molten hue, the color of deep, red-hot coral, and her eyes? Well, her eyes were a storm—whirling, unpredictable, like the very tides she commanded. She was wild in ways the elders whispered about, the kind of power that made the old gods of the sea wary, and the lesser beings tremble.
Now, you might think she was just another ambitious young mermaid, longing for the world above, right? Oh no, darling, Selene’s desires ran much deeper than that. She didn’t want a mere mortal soul, oh no. She wanted power—true power—the kind that would let her rule both the surface and the deep. And, unlike that poor little mermaid in the other legend, Selene had no qualms about bargaining for it.
Selene had always known there was something missing from her—something deep inside, something vast. She had listened to the stories of the old gods, how Tethros, King of the Abyss, and his sister Nyssara, ruled the deep and kept the ocean’s balance. She knew of their vanished city, Solorathis, its towers now nothing but broken ruins hidden beneath the dark waters. But there was a legend that fascinated her most of all: the Heart of the Abyss.
It was said that the Heart of the Abyss was a mystical artifact, older than the gods themselves. A stone with the power to control the tides, summon storms, and, best of all, grant immortality to its possessor. The very heart of the ocean, beating with the rhythm of the world itself. It was a relic lost to time, hidden deep within the ruins of Solorathis, and no mermaid, no matter how bold, had dared seek it.
But Selene wasn’t like the others. She was determined. She knew that with the Heart of the Abyss, she could command the ocean’s fury, raise Solorathis from the deep, and bring the surface world to its knees. So, she ventured to the ruins, following the ancient, shifting currents that twisted and turned through the deep like a living labyrinth.
It took her months to navigate the forgotten pathways of Solorathis, battling fierce sea creatures and navigating the tricks and traps that had been set in place to protect the Heart. And along the way, she discovered the truth about her own lineage: she was no mere daughter of the sea. She was a descendant of Nyssara herself, and the blood of the Abyss ran through her veins.
But oh, darling, it’s never that simple. You see, Selene wasn’t alone in her quest. She was being watched by something far more ancient than the gods. The Leviathan. It stirred in the deepest trenches of the ocean, sensing Selene’s power, sensing her desire. It, too, had its own plans for the Heart. It whispered through the currents, trying to lead Selene astray, to tempt her into its embrace.
And one stormy night, deep in the ruins of Solorathis, as Selene reached the heart’s resting place, she finally saw it—the Heart of the Abyss, glowing with an eerie, violet light. It pulsed with the energy of the entire ocean, calling to her, promising her more power than she could ever imagine.
But as she reached for it, a voice boomed from the depths.
“The heart is not yours, child of the sea.”
It was The Leviathan, and Selene had finally realized the truth: the Heart was not just an artifact. It was a living force, an essence of the ocean itself, and The Leviathan was its guardian, a creature of pure chaos bound to the deep.
The battle that followed was cataclysmic. The ocean churned as Tethros and Nyssara, watching from their silent watch over the ruins, felt the tremors of the conflict. They saw the power of The Leviathan flare as Selene fought with all the fury of a creature who refused to be outmatched. She summoned tidal waves, storms of ice and flame, but no matter how hard she fought, the Leviathan’s chaotic strength proved too much.
In the end, Selene was forced to make a choice—submit to The Leviathan’s will, or lose herself forever to the deep. And oh, darling, she almost did. But instead, she chose another path. She surrendered to the Leviathan’s chaos, giving up her soul in exchange for the ocean’s wild heart.
Selene became something other. She was no longer a mermaid. She was a creature of the deep, a living storm, a manifestation of the ocean’s will. Solorathis was lost once more, sunk beneath the waves, but Selene? She was reborn as a force of nature—wild, untamable, and all-consuming.
To this day, they say that if you’re brave—or foolish—enough to venture into the deepest parts of the ocean, you might hear the echo of her song, a haunting melody that promises power beyond the human world’s understanding. But beware, my darling: to listen too long may mean you’re drawn into the very heart of the abyss, where no mortal has ever returned.
And so, the legend of Selene lives on, whispered among sailors and travelers as a warning, as a tale of ambition, power, and what happens when you dare to defy the sea.
Oh, and for those of you wondering? The ruins of Solorathis? Still there, under the waves. So are the whispers of the Leviathan. And if you listen closely enough? Maybe you’ll hear the song of Selene—but I wouldn’t recommend staying too long, darling.
Immortally yours,
-Alice, Queen of Ink & Lore
Now tell me, would you dare listen to the song of Selene? I sure wouldn’t...
