Uncut: I Will Follow You Into the Dark

I am publishing two versions of my story this one is the "un-cut" version. This version is how I truly intended it, without regard to what others may like or dislike. I hope my story, whichever version you choose to read, will be enjoyed.
There are four dominant races in the world, Humans, Elves, Avian people and Merfolk.
The humans are the most industrious of the races molding and shaping the world to their whims. More often than not creating friction between the races. They live in villages and farm the land under one young king.
The elves are at peace with the land living in great tree kingdoms in the forests around the human villages. Some elves are born with special abilities to speak or control animals, birds or plants. There are several factions of elf (wood, high, dark and light) all rule the land together harmoniously, for the most part.
The avian races are seen as a frivolous race although there are different species among them, they "mate" with whatever species they choose. As custom dictates the males and females born to the avian race are raised separately and those who have passed the trials to reach adulthood come together on the night the coral make the sea fertile to produce offspring. They don't have marriage but take "life mates" these mates are often times of the same sex and it is not uncommon for two mated pairs to of the same sex to produce offspring together, dividing male and female hatch-lings as needed. The ruling species of the avian people are the Sirens (females) and the Devadoot (males)
The merfolk are mostly peaceful creatures consisting of many species. They keep to themselves and are rarely seen except for occasionally winding up in fishing nets of the humans. Little is known about them due to their infrequent interactions will the other races.