Once upon a time there was a city by the sea. Each high tide, waves washed a little higher up its streets, nurturing tide pools and leaving foam and driftwood in their wake. Yet life went on, abet slightly damper than before. The kingdom’s engineers awoke each morning with primed and raring to do battle with the sea. They pour out of ancient academies armed with a mason’s tools and a philosopher’s ambition.

Some day the city will lose the war, but for now it wins each small battle with the moon.