Mermaids

Prologue

The first attack from the mermaids was during the Great Collapse. The world's economy had failed; what were once bountiful resources on land became barren streaks of waste and ruin. Mankind had finally succeeded in driving itself towards the brink of possible extinction. In desperation, they started looking towards the sea, to the deeper reaches of the endless blue water, to depths that were all but unknown to them, in the hopes of finding salvation for their weakening generation.

They found it alright: large craters at the bottom of the seabed, remnants from long dead volcanoes. In them were countless pockets of carbon dioxide-eating electro-bacteria. It took a few years but finally scientists designed new machines that were able to effectively use the electro-bacteria's endless supply of electricity as well as severely cut down the poisonous carbon dioxide emissions that had been polluting the air for the past century.

Life had started to look up; hope had been renewed.

Then they found the mermaids.

A simple standard trip down to one of the electro-bacteria supplying craters quickly turned into a wild fight for survival. What no one had even suspected was that the mermaids had already been dwelling in the area. For a long time they had lived in peace in their watery home, having always successfully evaded mankind's prying eyes for thousands of years. Now mankind had finally intruded upon the centre of their home, for it was found later that they too needed the electro-bacteria to power the electro cells lining their body, cells that gave them the luminescent glow even in the darkest of places.

Both kinds refused to share and in the end war was declared. Terrible battles were waged by both species, from land and from water, each race refusing to give in despite the tenuous stand of their culture.

Gradually, though, they were both forced to give way to nature, who had determinedly grabbed hold of the survival lines of both species and yanked hard. They retreated, humans to their land and mermaids to their oceans, to rest, regroup and hopefully finish their fight another day.

Now both species wait patiently, biding their time.

It has been two hundred years since the last mermaid attack.