Chapter 0: The Rising Waters

The morning sun cast a golden glow over the island nation of Telysia, a cluster of emerald-green lands surrounded by the ever-expanding sea. Once the thriving heart of trade and diplomacy, Telysia was now a fragile paradise, caught in the crosscurrents of powerful neighboring nations and the relentless rise of the ocean.

JJ, a lanky seventeen-year-old with sharp eyes and an untamed curiosity, stood at the edge of the cliff overlooking the restless waves. The sea, now closer than ever to the village's edge, whispered tales of an uncertain future. Yet, life continued as usual in Telysia.

This small nation, governed by the delicate balance of ten kings, thrived on its rich cultural mosaic. In the streets, echoes of ancient Chinese poetry intertwined with the robust cadence of Old Western English, while merchants haggled in a dozen other tongues. JJ had grown up hearing these sounds, but his heart belonged to the intricacies of 古中文, the ancient Chinese language that he now studied at the esteemed House of Celestial Tongues.

Today was no ordinary day. As JJ made his way to school, clutching an aged scroll, he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that the sea wasn't the only thing rising.