(http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs51/f/2009/327/e/b/ebb0fccbc6eaa25d02a1652a90118ec5.jpg)<br/><br/>How could a world so young feel so much pain? The ocean currents pulled and swayed and further carried the scents and sorrows of the Atlantic people as words where just recorded that yet another city was lost to the ever swallowing waters and earth quakes that kept developing in the area. The temple was filled nearly to the brim, the faces of the many women and and handful of men that somehow managed to escape, along side the current residence of the city...<br/><br/>Although consumed by worry, tears did not bleed into the water from one particular soul.... Mizu had lived in the temple for many years now, at lest since the first city fell... As she was one of a few hatchlings that managed to survive the long travel, as her fathering parents did not... But times where much different, and many where losing hope... Mizu knew this better then anyone as she seen countless enter the temple to send out their prayers of hope and redemption for their lost loved ones... Although fear was filling her mind too as this too marked the day of her comming of age...<br/><br/>After countless summers of being a temple hand she knew well that the day would come that she too would have to stand and fight for her people.. but against something they could barely fight? Her spine shivered of the tales of the land demons consuming her kind only brought more worry to her... While her peers where eager to fight for the cause, she herself seemed distant to the idea... More so as the day finally came where she would have to pick up her first weapon and head out like the others...<br/><br/>"Mizu, it's almost time, hurry up and go gather with the others." The voice of the head priestess was well enough to be herd, as Mizu and many others came to push thier way past the crowds that had gathered in these waters, swimming to the front where the statue of their deity stood. In a circle among her peers Mizu didn't look too different from others of her race, her peer group alone showed this well as out of a group of seven there was only one male, however half of the females where much like Mizu, with the ability to play ether the male or female role when it came to bearing offspring...  Though they didn't vary differently from their distant human cousins their distinctions where clear. A long swaying aquatic tail at the base of their spines, beautiful scales and fins across their legs and across, and for some even across the top of their heads.<br/><br/>But these differences did not mean anything to 'her' the great mother... Mizu herself would become lost at looking at the statue of their deity as her attention was grabbed yet again by the head priestess. The ritual was typically that of a long one... but with a group of seven it wouldn't be nearly as bad... Below the statue of their deity was a single prayer room, a room to which each passing member would have to enter and remain in till ether the sun rose or set, to which the next one would enter shortly after; however each would have to remain until they had spent their time in the prayer room. The time was to reflect on the future and to leave their childhood behind as they would emerge adults. Though the oldest entering first Mizu would be the last to enter, having to be woken up as her time finall came nearly three days in passing... Though she honestly was considering sleeping inside the prayer room; as she was sure most would do anyways....<br/><br/>Entering the room she shifted around he various room dressings and aquatic sponges that where within the area before the door was closed behind her. She shifted trying to find a spot that wasn't too damaged from the time everyone before her sent within the room. Though finally finding a spot clear in the back of the room she nuzzled down... Though she did close her eyes to mutter but a simple prayer. "I wish this would come to an end... I can't stand to see everyone like this..." She shifted trying to find a comfortable spot to lay her frame, even tucking her tail between her legs. "I don't want to die..." she then sniffled softly to herself, unable to sleep in the quietness of the pitch black room she would be forced to stay in for the next 12 hours.<br/><br/>http://i.imgur.com/owWGmsY.png (http://i.imgur.com/owWGmsY.png)