When the Great Maelstrom had ripped through the Tidelord's territory, it was a storm of historic ferocity: Coastal lairs were rendered uninhabitable, clans scattered, and the dragons of Water were left to rebuild in the wake of both the storm and their deity’s disappearance. While the Seers continued their search within the Trench for Tidelord, an old, nearly lost trade emerged within the general population. Marine salvaging had previously fallen out of practice after several generations, as the battles between elements waned and the clans settled into routine and contentment along the shores of the Sea. Over time with this renewed interest, the salvage hobbyists became specialists, with crews regularly diving the depths of the Sea for salvage, usable materials, and valuables swept out to sea and lost by the great storm. The more adventurous crews worked their way into the Leviathan Trench itself where they made an unexpected discovery, one astounding enough to pull the Dragonhome Preservation Guild’s focus away from Greatwyrm’s Breach.



Excitement coursed through Gilly, from head to the tips of her tail fins. Since entering the vast trench connecting the open seas to the inland waters, they’d sighted multiple stretches of countless fossils—fossils The Deep could use! Tsuna will be thrilled!— and, most importantly, with them came dragons!

Hidden within a crevice along the Trench wall, out of sight from the numerous dragons surrounding the fossils, Gilly floated amongst the camouflaging sea flora, strategically sounding the gathered group of dragons calling themselves a “Preservation Guild”. Lost in the sensory story of the echoes, the Maren scout nearly floated headfirst into the cave wall. Before Gilly could cry out in surprise, Nen was there with his hand over her mouth, muffling any sound that might give away their location.

The veteran scout hauled Gilly into an upright position before frantically checking her helm and gear. Satisfied that her gear was neither cracked nor the fit compromised, his dark eyes briefly relaxed, though his mouth remained a grim line. If Gilly’s armor had cracked, if its position had moved even a hair from where Tsuna and the others had fit them, the magic protecting Gilly’s body from the radical shift in sea pressure would have failed. Gilly reached out and placed her hand on Nen’s chest, singing a quiet apology. She would be more careful. Besides, if she succumbed during this important scouting trip, Tsuna would never forgive her.

With the confirmation of dragons deeper in the Trench, and their focus on the fossil site to guarantee they weren’t going anywhere anytime soon, it was time to return home and report. If Undertide Elders intended to use the newly exposed material to produce equilibrium fossils for the greater Abyssal Maren population, they were going to have to make contact with the Shallow Seas dragons. The two Abyssal Maren slipped from their hiding place, taking care not to make any noise to draw the attention of the dragons fussing over the fossils.



What they didn’t anticipate needing to avoid were other Maren so close to dragonkind.

A trio of trident-wielding Maren emerged from the shadows of the rock wall. As the two abyssal scouts tried to dive under the approaching warriors, more Maren appeared, driving them back up and surrounding them. Nen scowled, stopped short as he reached for his pack. As for Gilly…well, she was equal parts terrified and thrilled! The two were ill-prepared to take on six well-armed Maren, and they needed to return home with their reports—but also there were six Shallow Seas Maren in front of her! Gilly’s eyes drank in the brightly colored warriors, a sight she never thought she would encounter!

Gilly kept her arms outspread in a non-threatening position and opened her mouth. “We…are…friends. Kin.” The lead Maren’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “We are from…far. Deep. Lost.” She paused. The words were coming easier and she thanked the Elder Council’s foresight in teaching her the ancient speech should her explorations in the upper reaches ever require it, but this part could get a little choppy. “We seek the Water’s Song. Our family no longer hears the Water god.”

Two of the other Shallows Maren behind them made strangled noises while their leader continued to consider Gilly, her eyes boring through her. “The schools are troubled by that one’s silence as well.” Her tone was blunt. “What do you know? Where did you really come from? Do you really expect us to believe you’re from the Lost School? ” She’d yet to lower her spear from Gilly’s throat.

Gilly slowly shook her head again. From the corner of her eye she could see Nen had managed to slip his hand into his side satchel without notice. “We are friends. Kin from The Deep.” She dropped her glance to the weapon at her throat and back up to the Maren leader. The spear pulled back slightly. “We must return home. Please tell the dragons, the Undertide are troubled. They wish to seek a reunion with their Kin. Tell the schools, we are no longer Lost.”

The brightly-hued warrior’s eyes widened in horror and disgust. “Talk to the dragons?! Are you out of your mind?!” The lead Maren’s tone was incredulous. “Tell them yourself! After our school is through with you trespassers!”

Gilly shook her head sadly. Tsuna and Mother had warned her she might not receive the welcome she hoped for. “We must return home. Tell the dragons, the Undertide must return!” She whistled sharply and on cue, Nen smashed open the shell he now held in his hand, releasing Tsuna’s spell. The Abyssal Marens’ bodies erupted with a flash of light, blinding their surrounding captors.

Ancient magic now enveloped Gilly and Nen, giving their skin and scales an eerie iridescent glow and gifting their bodies with incredible speed. It was this same speed that allowed them to turn the years-long journey from the Deep Chasms into mere weeks. “Do not try to follow us!” Gilly called back to the confused Maren from deeper within the trench. She punctuated her warning with a pleading song. “The depths will crush you if you do!”

Nen whistled a warning and pointed to something behind the Shallow Seas Maren. Now the dragons were aware of their presence and they were moving towards them with purpose. The pair weren’t supposed to release the Swiftfin spell so close to dragonkind—they had to make the last leg of their long swim here without the spell just to be safe. The two turned to begin their journey home, speeding away into the deepest depths of the Trench and out to the open seas.



Gilly and Nen had just arrived at the outer edge of The Deep when two massive glowing eyes appeared, followed by a leviathan head. The rest of the dragon’s form was lost to the darkness. “Gillian,” the dragon rumbled before wiggling its frills in relieved annoyance, “you’re late, sister.” Gilly trilled a series of joyful notes. Of course Tsuna would be waiting for them!

“I’m sorry Tsuna, but we were seen. There were just too many eyes to avoid,” Gilly apologized through clicks and song vibrations, “But the equilibrium fossils you and the other Undertide researchers constructed performed wonderfully, and the Swiftfin spell saved us from capture!”

Tsuna scoffed at Gilly’s botched scouting mission, but couldn’t hide the flush of pride at the praise of her inventions. “Come, I’ll take you both to the Elder Council so you can give your report. Mother’s practically beside herself with worry and the sooner you’re home, the better.”

The two Maren quickly moved under the wings of the massive dragon, grabbing hold of the edge. Pulling her wings in tight to shelter her sister and companion from the swift currents of her high speed, Tsuna dove into the winding cavern that would take them the rest of the way home.



Gilly swam slow circles around Tsuna’s head, sending soothing waves of sound with the gentle currents towards her sister. The dragon’s frills continued to twitch with agitation from their meeting with the Elder Council. The Undertide elders of the council had withdrawn their support of their return to the Tidelord’s territory. They’d been willing to throw away years of Tsuna’s equilibrium research and work over an ancient grievance.

There were those who could not bear the reality of meeting their replacements: and that is what many of their number thought of these modern dragons ultimately were. As far as Tsuna was concerned, the elders were naught but willful, petulant hatchlings who needed to be taught to adapt. Gilly barely managed to stop her sister from expanding on that thought during the meeting. Tsuna had been excused quite abruptly and Gilly escorted her back home, where they waited for Nen to update them. Their mother fussed over them until she was satisfied both her daughters were safe, whole, and fed.

Upon Nen’s arrival, the trio retreated up to Tsuna and Gilly’s shared cavern to learn what transpired after they left the Council. According to Nen, the Maren elders miraculously brought their dragon counterparts around. There was no denying that the Undertide of The Deep changed the day the Tidelord’s song disappeared from the currents. An uneasy quiet had fallen throughout their city. While most Undertide were too prideful to admit it, their currents and echoes were filled with profound fear. Their Maren families and friends didn’t care one whit about dragon pride, and as one, confronted the Council demanding they get to the bottom of this issue.

Satisfied they weren’t going to be held back on the sudden whim of ossified personalities too afraid of change, Tsuna settled in to rest under Gilly’s woven hammock. But in her heart, she remained troubled. She may have hatched long after the two populations blended, but the sounds and songs of the Tidelord as he called out in the deep were as much a part of her as they were the elders. His silence created a deep sense of unease, one that left her emotions on a perpetual talon’s point. “Gilly,” she quietly rumbled, “are you awake?” Her Maren sister sent a soothing sound to her in response. “Can you please sing me Mother’s lullaby? The one she sang when she found my egg?”

Gilly slipped from the hammock and floated down onto her sister’s head. Draped across the top of Tsuna’s head so that hers rested in the space above the dragon’s eyes, Gilly began to sing and continued to long after Tsuna’s echoes slowed into a deep slumber.



There could be no quiet entrance. Using the Swiftfin spell for the entire journey this time, the combined group of dragons and Maren sent to re-establish communication with the shallow seas breached the entrance to the Sea of A Thousand Currents. There they were met by schools of Maren, all armed to the teeth.

The elders of the Abyssal Maren, weaponless and buoyed by their Undertide companions, broke off from their group and began to sing. First with their school’s ancient song before transitioning to songs of loss, eons in the depths, aiding leviathans that harbored a deep pain, and finding a new family.

After the last note was sung, the schools of shallow seas Maren erupted in cries of joy and jubilation. Weapons stowed, they descended on the Abyssal Maren to welcome their kin back. In between the joyful cacophony of reuniting Maren and slightly stressed explanations of their fossil gear she could feel the dragons behind them.The schools scattered, their weapons and scales brightly glinting in light filtered down from the surface, to reveal two enormous Guardian dragons, draped in what could only be regalia of the Tidelord. They came to a stop before the largest Undertide.

The Undertide Elder looked the two over with a disapproving sniff before addressing them.

“We need to talk.”