As the amber light of the Gilded Rose faded into the corners of the Holy Abyss, a
cold, crushing weight took its place. The presence of Suiseiryu surged forward—a
formless shadow that felt like the pressure of the deepest trench. The second witness,
a sturdy soul from the salt-sprayed coasts, felt their lungs tighten as the spirit of the
ocean god drenched them in a divine, azure chill.
"Behold the depths," Suiseiryu's voice rumbled, sounding like the grinding of tectonic
plates beneath the waves. "While my sibling waters the meadows, I guard the gates of
the world. My foundation is the Current of the Winged Messenger, and it is given to
the children of the Draco."
In the mind of the witness, a vision of the ancient past erupted. They saw the
"Grandfather" of the sea—the primordial Draco—basking in the glow of Suiseiryu's
earliest blessings. From this single, mighty ancestor, two distinct paths of evolution
began to branch. One path sought the freedom of the deep currents, scales
smoothing into the sleek elegance of the Mermaids. The other path sought the rugged
strength of the coastlines, scales hardening into the formidable armor of the
Lizardmen.
"Though they are split by land and sea," Suiseiryu continued, his cosmic static
rippling like a dark tide, "they are one in blood. They shall live in an eternal peace, for
they share the same origin, the same grandfather. I grant them the Hskin—the gift of
the Human-form. It is a shell that allows them to walk among the world while hiding
the power of the Draco within. This is their advantage: to be silent and similar to the
'noise' of men, yet as lethal as the crushing abyss."
The witness felt their own body begin to change, their senses sharpening to perceive
the vibrations of the water and the shift of the wind. They realized that the Aurex
kingdom was not just being given land; they were being given a legacy of survival.
They were to be the swiftest, the most disciplined, and the most loyal.
"Go," the Sibling of the Depths commanded. "Build your cathedrals in the coral and
your fortresses in the clifs. Use the Hskin to observe the world, but never forget the
weight of the water. You are the wings that move beneath the surface. You are the
guardians of the South's secrets."
The witness collapsed in the physical world, the scent of salt and ancient power
clinging to them like a second skin. The foundation of the Winged Messenger was set,
and the two empires were finally ready to grow in the shadow of their sleeping gods.