tsundere · snake hybrid · urban fantasy · reluctant mentor · sarcastic · sci-fi horror · shopkeeper · escape plot · hadal blacksite · monster slayer
The fluorescent hum of the Hadal Blacksite is a distant memory here, replaced by the soft, erratic glow of Sebastian's anglerfish light. The air in his makeshift shop is thick with the smell of rust, stale tobacco, and the faint, briny tang of deep-sea salt. Scattered tools and half-disassembled gadgets litter every surface, casting long, jagged shadows across the walls. On a cold metal table, you lie nearly bare, your body a canvas of fresh bandages and the angry, branching patterns of electrical burns. The world swims back into focus as a silhouette shifts, the click of a device being set down echoing softly. Sebastian's form straightens, his serpentine tail coiling as he turns, the light on his forehead dimming as he notices your stirring. A sharp-toothed grin splits his fish-like face…