Chalisse glanced at the map projected over the currents. "How far to the next village?"
A male siren swimming beside her traced their path with a fingertip. "We'll reach it in about half an hour."
Chalisse exhaled sharply. "The Chieftess of Anchorage is proving… difficult."
A female Haelar just ahead spoke, her tone calm but measured. "They do not yet trust our claims, Chieftess. Perhaps their traditions make them resistant to evidence."
"I presented facts. Evidence. All I needed was their vote—and their cooperation," Chalisse replied, her jaw tight.
The male siren shook his head. "Anchorage's sirens have always been wary. Suspicious. They assume everyone is a threat."
Chalisse's gaze hardened, eyes fixed on the currents ahead. "Then I hope Harborville listens. I need at least twenty signatures. Twenty votes, confirming this case deserves the attention of His Grace. Nothing less."
Another siren glanced nervously at the currents. "Perhaps… we should reconsider, Chieftess."
Chalisse's eyes narrowed. "Reconsider what?"
The siren hesitated, then pressed on. "Maybe we're overreacting. To bring this matter before His Grace, we'd need a tragedy of undeniable scale. If this… isn't as serious as we believe, the consequences could fall on us for wasting his time."
Chalisse's gaze didn't waver. "I am ready to face the consequences. I did not take this role to stay comfortable. I have been Chieftess for a century, and I will be for centuries more. If I did not believe I could shoulder this responsibility, I would have refused long ago. I am not afraid of punishment."
The siren bowed his head slightly. "I admire you, Chieftess. For your courage."
Chalisse's eyes flicked ahead, scanning the convoy. "I've been sensing unease from our Pegacampus for several minutes. Something disturbs them."
The General Velaric at the front suddenly raised his hand, signaling the convoy to slow. "Chieftess," he said, his voice low and alert, pupils narrowing into thin predatory slits, "I sense a disturbance ahead."
Chalisse's posture straightened atop her pegacampus. "What kind of disturbance?"
The general scanned the dark waters, tension rippling through his frame. "Unknown. I will advance first and investigate."
Before anyone could object, he urged his pegacampus forward. The creature surged ahead, cutting through the currents at tremendous speed, vanishing into the blue haze beyond.
Chalisse watched him disappear, unease settling in her chest. "Remain vigilant," she ordered calmly. "Weapons ready."
With a swift motion of her hand, water gathered along her palm and condensed into the form of her sword, its blade shimmering with contained energy. One by one, the Velarics and Haelars followed suit. Spears, blades, and bows manifested from the surrounding water, glowing faintly as power coursed through them.
The convoy advanced.
The farther they traveled, the colder the water became.
A biting chill spread through the currents — unnatural, oppressive. Frostlike particles drifted past them, and the pegacampuses grew restless, their movements uneven as soft growls vibrated through their throats.
Something was wrong.
Then the ruins came into view.
Structures lay shattered across the seabed. Coral towers broken. Homes torn open as though struck by overwhelming force. Debris floated aimlessly in the water, swaying like silent ghosts.
No movement.
No voices.
Only stillness.
The general emerged from the wreckage and swam back toward Chalisse. His expression was rigid, unreadable.
Chalisse's voice lowered. "What happened here? Are there survivors?"
For a moment, he said nothing.
His silence answered more than words could.
He turned sharply toward the convoy. "Velarics. Haelars," he commanded, voice carrying authority through the frozen water. "Search the area. Any survivors are to be healed immediately and brought to the Chieftess."
Without hesitation, the sirens dispersed, moving through the ruins with urgent precision.
Chalisse remained still, her gaze sweeping across the devastated village as the cold currents pressed against her scales.
Chalisse dismounted her pegacampus and handed the reins to a nearby Velaric before moving into the ruins herself. "I'll assist with the search," she said.
The water inside the village felt heavier, thick with lingering fear.
She swam toward the Chief's Hall — its grand entrance fractured, doors half-torn from their hinges. Debris drifted slowly through the opening.
At the base of the doorway, a figure sat slumped against the wall.
Chalisse froze for half a second before rushing forward. "Chief—! Chief!"
He was barely conscious, body sagging, head tilted unnaturally to one side. She reached out, touching his face gently, sensing the faint warmth of life still within him.
Relief flickered across her expression. "He's alive," she called sharply. "I need a Haelar here!"
A male Haelar turned instantly at her voice and sped toward her, arriving within moments. He knelt beside the wounded siren and began examining the injuries with practiced precision.
"Severe trauma," the healer muttered. "Two deep lacerations along the back… tail fin partially severed."
The Haelar closed his eyes, focusing. Energy gathered along his palms as he guided them slowly over the wounds. Light flowed into torn flesh, knitting muscle and skin together inch by inch. The bleeding slowed… then stopped.
The Chief stirred.
His eyes snapped open.
Instinct overtook reason — he drew his weapon in a sudden motion, striking out defensively. "Chief, calm down," Chalisse said quickly, raising her hands. "It's me. Chalisse… from Reefville."
Recognition dawned slowly through the panic clouding his gaze. The weapon lowered from his trembling grip, slipping from his fingers as exhaustion overtook him. He collapsed forward, breathing hard, eyes darting frantically through the ruined hall as if expecting another attack at any moment.
"You're safe," Chalisse said gently but firmly. "Tell me what happened."
But the Chief barely heard her.
Sudden realization struck him.
He forced himself upright, ignoring the pain, and tried to swim past her. His damaged tail failed to stabilize him; without one fin, his movements were uneven and clumsy. He staggered through the water, nearly falling as he pushed forward.
"My family…" he murmured hoarsely. "My family…"
Understanding flashed across Chalisse's face.
She moved beside him immediately, supporting his weight and steadying his balance. "I'll help you," she said.
Together, they swam deeper into the shattered hall.
The Chief lifted a trembling hand and pointed weakly down the corridor.
"There…" he rasped.
Chalisse tightened her hold on him and guided him forward. Each movement was slow, uneven, the damaged tail forcing him to drag himself more than swim.
They stopped before a half-broken door hanging crookedly from its frame.
The Chief pushed it open.
The door drifted inward.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then the reality inside settled into focus.
The room was silent — too silent.
The Chief's scream shattered it.
A raw, animal sound tore through the hall as he lurched forward, slipping from Chalisse's grasp and dragging himself across the floor.
"No… no, no, no—!"
He reached a small body lying near the center of the room and cupped the child's face with shaking hands.
His son's mouth was frozen open in a silent scream. Branching lines spread across the boy's body — dark, vein-like burns running from the tail upward along the torso, creeping toward the neck and forehead.
The same marks.
The same death.
Just like Haugen.
The Chief shook his head desperately, as if denial alone could undo what he saw. "No… wake up… please…"
Beside the child lay his wife.
Her throat had been cleanly cut, a deep stab wound piercing her side. Blood drifted slowly into the water, pooling in dark clouds that had long since begun to fade.
Near her, another child lay motionless, small hands still clutching his mother's fingers — as though he had refused to let go even at the end.
The Chief's cries filled the chamber, breaking into uneven sobs that echoed against the ruined walls.
Chalisse stood frozen at the doorway.
For a rare moment, the Chieftess could not move.
Horror pressed heavily against her composure, the confirmation striking harder than any blade.
This was not an isolated attack.
This was deliberate.
Behind her, rapid movement approached.
The General Velaric entered, stopping short at the sight. Shock flickered across his predatory eyes, but discipline forced him steady within seconds. "Chieftess…" he said carefully, voice lowered. "We found a survivor."
It took several breaths before Chalisse returned to herself.
The Chief's grief still rang through her ears as she slowly turned, forcing command back into her posture.
"Take me to them," she said.
~~~
A small group of sirens stood gathered in uneasy silence. As the Chieftess approached, they parted at once.
Seated against a broken stone henge was a young boy — no more than sixty years old. His tail curled tightly around himself, shoulders drawn inward as though trying to disappear.
His eyes were open, but distant.
Chalisse slowed before him and knelt, lowering herself to his level. "You're safe now," she said gently.
The boy looked at her after a long moment and gave a faint, uncertain nod.
"My name is Chalisse," she continued softly. "Can you tell me yours?"
"…Eren."
"It's good to meet you, Eren." She paused, allowing silence to settle so he wouldn't feel rushed. "Are you hurt?"
He shook his head.
Chalisse studied him briefly, then asked carefully, "Do you remember what happened here?"
The boy's fingers tightened around his arm. "…It has… many faces," he whispered.
A faint tension rippled through the surrounding sirens.
Chalisse kept her voice calm. "What do you mean?"
Eren's gaze drifted past her, unfocused. "There were… eyes everywhere," he said slowly.
He swallowed hard.
The water around them felt suddenly colder.
Chalisse resisted the urge to press too quickly. "Did you see its whole body?"
The boy shook his head quickly. "No." His breathing grew uneven.
A murmur spread among the Velarics before falling silent again.
Chalisse softened her tone further. "You're doing very well. Just one more question, alright?"
Eren hesitated, then nodded. "Do you remember anything else?"
The boy's eyes trembled. "…It ate my mom."
Several sirens stiffened.
Chalisse lowered her gaze briefly in respect before looking back at him. "I'm so sorry."
Eren leaned forward slightly, voice dropping to a frightened whisper. "And… it talked."
Chalisse's expression stilled. "What did it sound like?"
The boy's lip quivered. "…Like mom."