“Today we’re going to discuss the Kiniye Attack.” Mr. Rizal announced.

Our History teacher stood at the center of the lecture hall. As most of us freshmen were unable to join him on the floor, we were instead seated around him on pedestaled wooden benches in a pool of water. The large room was filled with us—Spring, Fall, and Winter Troop shared the same class, so there was easily a hundred seats filled.

I liked this room. It sat in Holy Hall, so along with the thick glass motif of our Sire, there were angels and religious figures glinting from wall-high window panes. It was such a pleasant departure from the topic we’d been discussing over the past few days.

“The Kiniye Attack occurred roughly 12 years ago in the winter. It is something that has likely effected the lives of everyone in this room.”

Mr. Rizal was interesting in that, when he spoke of history, he spoke as if he were the only one in the room. He was so objective about the past that he had no interest in personal accounts, such as the lives he now spoke about.

“To even begin discussing this attack, we must acknowledge the origin.” He turned to a standing wooden board where a drawn map of the country was pinned. “Here,” he pointed to a rip in the sea. “The Ridge. Our country is surrounded by two of them—the longest and shallowest, the southern Ridge, and this one in the west, so deep that no man or mermaid has ever traveled to its ends.”

He ran a bamboo quill against the black rip in the map.

“The Ridge is home to hundreds of deadly aquatic monsters—monsters that can range from the size of a horse to the size of a house. They come in so many unique forms that it’s difficult to categorize them.”

I sighed and looked over to Tima who drew in a notebook on her lap. She was careful to keep it dry. She was likely not listening—talk of the Ridge drove her into a silence, and her only way to cope was to ignore it. I wish I could do the same.

“So from here, at the Ridge, is where they rose. The 5 monsters of the Kiniye Attack. They were so big, they knocked down the original Sire Sa Lamin Ocean Guard Academy in one hit.”

Mr. Rizal adjusted his glasses and addressed us again, pacing and hunting for snoozing faces. I nudged Tima to pay attention.

“If it was just about size, our Ocean Guard could’ve taken them. But there was something different about these monsters.” Mr. Rizal said. “They had powers. Powers unlike anyone had ever seen…”

Ofelia raised her hand from the front row. “Sir, that is highly theoretical.”

Mr. Rizal grinned at her engagement. “On all accounts, the attack is a fairy tale! The mermaids who survived the attack say the darndest things. I wonder if they’re right.” He looked up to a ceiling pane of angels. “Did the monsters really possess the power to freeze the sea? To rip homes straight from the ground? To burn literally everything in their path with liquid fire?”

The low hum of 100 bellowing horns filled my head. A chill ran up my spine.

“Here are the facts.” Mr. Rizal said. “Five gigantic monsters of record size rose from the Ridge all at once. Thousands of mermaids like you, older than you, stronger than you, died. THOUSANDS. Sire Sa Lamin was completely decimated and took years to rebuild. And now, to prevent that from ever happening again…the King erected Kiniye Island.”

Eyes fell to me. I saw Chickenbutt across the room and glared at his mask holes.

“Kiniye Island is home to mermaids of the toughest mentality, thickest skin, and bravest hearts. And lucky for us, the daughter of one of its most famous captains is among us.” Mr. Rizal slowly turned towards my direction. My face burned. “Rocca…could you tell us more about your home?”

* * *

Why is the only time our eccentric history teacher ever cares for personal accounts is when it involves mine? Eyes from all over the lecture hall pinpointed in my direction, expressions a mixture of intrigue to annoyance. From really, her? to, really, her AGAIN?.

Among them was Chicory Bacon, his stare cold and factual underneath his wooden mask. I hated that of all the stares, his was the closest and it rubbed me entirely the wrong way.

“W-what would you like to know?” I asked in a voice so small it was practically sucked into a vacuum.

“Speak up, Rocca.” Mr. Rizal said kindly. “Tell us about the Ocean Guard at Kiniye Island.”

“Ah…well,” I tried to recall their exact regimen. “Like us, they wake up early, do morning exercises…umm, pods are split into different sectors of the sea and rotate to different posts throughout the Ridge.” Okay, this is easy, like reading off a paper. I can do this. “When a monster rises, they usually track it, and if it gets into the range of people or buildings, they kill it.”

“A thankless job I’m sure. They save our lives even without us knowing it.” He replied. “How has the attack affected your family?”

…

How has it…

Affected us? Was that a trick question?

He repeated sternly, “Rocca. How has the Kiniye Attack changed your life?”

I felt my throat constrict as if Chid’s arms were against it again. Heat rose to my cheeks. Why did I have to relive it? Why was I the only who had to bare my wounds?

Because I had a mother who ignored hers?

“The…the attack it…” I ran a cool hand down the back of my neck. “Ma—mother…um, she was near retirement at the time, so she wasn’t part of the infantry. My house was destroyed, and my sister and I were separated, and…and lost.”

Tima hesitantly gave my shoulder a tap. But all I could feel were the cold, judging eyes of my classmates, as if my pain wasn’t enough.

“My mother…she spent most of the Kiniye Attack l-looking for us. She often wonders…umm…” my eyes felt so heavy. “She wonders if…if she’d been there, if she could’ve made a difference. If she could’ve…s-saved…

I blinked and that was the start of it. Tears welled and fell like an endless waterfall. I pointed my face up at the ceiling, refusing to meet my classmates’ eyes. I can’t bring myself to say it when I know they were affected just as much, if not more than me.

“W-we lost…everything. And we’re still trying to pick up the pieces.” I wiped my eyes and laid them on Mr. Rizal. He had the gall to look sorry. “What else do you want me to say?”

He lifted his pocket watch from his waist. “Hmm, looks like it’s about that time. You’re all dismissed!”