EDITING■The Ocean's Voice- A Mermaid Story

3 The Marine War

Some mermaids, by there own choice, were trained to defend the sea, taking up the ways of sharks and swordfish.  Mermaids choose professions just as humans do.

Yet Kai's life was predestined, only for battle.

Unlike normal mermaids, her tail was various shades of purple. These colors were of a celestial, a being deemed special by the sun and moon. But her gift was most unusual; the gift of strength and endurance.

She was the fiercest fighter in all 7 training academies. Her own vioce, was a weapon. She the first mermaid to scream sonic sound. She had natural reflexes, making the perfect mermaid warrior, if used wisley, she could win the war. Word spread about this young mer maiden's gift.

This prodigy was named Kai.

The wise turtle Coral, who was orphaned and taken in by the mermaids, prophesied that the Ocean's Voice would change the mer world. This sagacious, old sea turtle was one of the few animals with sea foam in her veins. The moon of course chose these animals, because of this she could understand the language of the waves.

Because of Kai's timely prodigious battling skills and signs from Luna at her birth, it was believed the legend had something to do with her. Sadly, the leaders of the sirens used their sister to their strategic advantage. With intense training and influential propaganda since birth, she became not mermaid, but a weapon.

With no mercy.

Kai was only 19 when she led her first battle, but she was allowed to fight despite her being so young. Many did not think she would survive. What they forgot was that Kai was born into a world at war. She was raised with ferocity and hate for humans in her heart, rather then the compassion that they once valued. From infancy she was trained to kill and protect. The enemy destroyed her home and closest of friends. The population of her people were down to the hundreds. They massacred her people. The goal of the enemy was clearly genocide, even if it meant their own destruction.

Kai was a very feared fighter, so fearless that she was allowed to guard and battle by herself. With Kai, dangers in the ocean were minimized greatly. She knew she was expected to win every fight and slaughter every evil that crossed her, all to honor her people. These heartless and thoughtless actions affected her negatively. Kai was proud, but deep inside anxiety rooted itself in her heart. It was an instance like this that lead her to a path of darkness and pain.

During the bloodiest battle of that war, Kai was taken hostage by an enemy naval ship. She woke in a fishing net, ropes around her arms and neck. Kai was alone. Soldiers surrounded her and the stench of alcohol filled the air. One man rubbed her back and twisted her locks. The other played with her tail. Someone slid a hand down her side. Another reached for her scale covered bossom. They all held her down as a stranger pressed his sour lips to hers. She didn't know how long it had been because men kept drawing closer and closer, caging her in. Kai ripped herself from her ropes, in which pain burned fresh on her arms, and began fighting back. There were too many. Kai could not defeat them. She became frightened and screamed. A sonic sound rippled from her body. The siren never knew she had such power.

Kai killed everyone on board.

What happened that night would change her forever. It made her darker and indestructible.

But of course, for one to be indestructible, one must first be completely destroyed.

I have to save her.
I have to-
I...

Before this time, many centuries ago, the humans and mermaids were at peace. Allies in war and trading partners. Mermaids were the world power, they had the most wealth, power, influence, and best military advances. They controlled the sea, which was a travel route and food source in one. The mermaids seemed to be on top forever. So far they had gotten along with the new species, the humans. What the mer people underestimated was human determination and greed.

The humans, hungry for power, waged war with the mer people for almost 2 centuries. And this was when Kai led her first battle. In time, she became leader of military forces because she was the youngest fighter in the Marine War and proved herself with her survival. The humans saw her as a threat and banded together with other countries against mermaids all over the globe. Humans engulfed marine food sources, causing starvation of every creature of the ocean. They dumped trash and poisons into the water, desperate to win. This went on for many years. The mer people tried using the moon's power to fight back but they lost their connection with the natural force like a flower blocked from the sun. They were helpless. Soon the mermaids became outnumbered.

The moon became weaker each time a mermaid life was taken. The few remaining fled to the waters near the Artic, knowing the humans would never find them there. The mer people wondered if it was a punishment. Had their arrogance and pride destroyed them? Were those who survived deemed worthy of life by the moon? Their questions were answered when the ocean was never the same blue hue again. It remained stained with red for almost a year. If it was their fault the red would have flown to their hide out...but where the mermaids resided the water remained clear of the blood colored light. Among the survivors was Kai and her Mother.

The humans believed they had extinguished all mermaids and celebrated their victory for 6 months straight. After that they began rebuilding themselves and carve the world into their own habitat with no mercy for anything else. They divided themselves into separate people's and carried on. Humans continued to believe for many centuries that they were the only intelligent species remaining on the earth.

The mer people too began to rebuild their once great people. Their population eventually became a little more than half of the human population. The Elders, mermaid leaders, to remain in hiding from humans forever. Preventing another genocide was more important than risking everything they rebuilt. And this became so. In time, the mermaids learned to live in stealth and gradually relocated themselves to the warmer waters were humans resided. .

Now that the mer people were in hiding there was no need for military operations for war. Rather, they used their knowledge to help sea life as was intended by the moon. The remaining soldiers and generals used their military skill to protect the mer people and endangered ocean species. Everything seemed to go back to normal. 

However, civilian life was foreign to Kai. The consequences of the war were rooted in her. In her mind she was still fighting, but now she was fighting to let go and move on. It seemed impossible. Still strong and loyal, she tried to comply. The mermaid accepted her new mission. It was Kai's menial assignment that would unknowingly change the world...

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A/N
That 'I have to save her' line will be understood later...