Over a single night, the sea receded completely. The Immortal Isle, long hidden, rose above the sea surface something unseen for centuries.
The wind raged, waves surged, and dark clouds shrouded the Eastern Sea, bringing torrential rain.
Ripple said, "Last night, heaven and earth shifted, and all things moved as though in a game of Go. Yet with a single turn, it seemed as if nothing had changed. All of this appeared to be born from countless illusions. The Immortal Isle, caught in this upheaval, rose above the sea."
I gazed afar the world once softened by sea waves now revealed its sharp edges. In the distance, thunder cleaved the mountain peaks; great boulders tumbled into the sea, stirring up towering, murky waves. Yet near the Immortal Isle, the wind and waves stilled.
I asked Ripple, "With such upheaval in heaven and earth, why does the sea remain calm near the Immortal Isle?"
Ripple replied, "The power within the Dragon's remains is extraordinary. Using it, I can steady this anomaly with effort, shielding the Immortal Isle from harm."
I said, "If it is but an illusion, how could it rival the might of the Dragon Clan's Grand Shaman?"
Ripple answered not, stepping onto the sea to investigate the anomaly.
Though the Immortal Isle stood untouched by the Heaven's Game, scarce half a day had it risen above the sea when an outsider arrived! Though he appeared human, he exuded a cold, dignified presence.
I asked the outsider if he had come seeking refuge from the anomaly.
He gave no reply but only scanned the surroundings. Suddenly, waves rose, sand blew, and the distant tides roared toward us. In a daze, I seemed to glimpse the Dragon bones slumbering beneath the Immortal Isle.
The outsider said, "Interesting."
As I stood stunned, he had vanished into the white foam, parting the sea as Ripple did.
The waves he left behind remained unsettled for a long time, capable of shaking off dragon scales.
When Ripple heard this, her brow furrowed. Dragons are born with the gift to foresee the coming of storms.
She said, "The aura of the Illusion of Heaven's Game has hidden itself within the Immortal Isle. It harbors hidden malice." Then she took the copper born of the Crown Prince's bones and transformed it into a shield and weapon, placing them in my hands.
She whispered a warning, and in her voice the old ballad stirred
"The sun and moon fell out of line. Heaven and earth changed their face.
The world trembled on the edge of ruin, yet the Isle remained firm in place. The Dragon's remains endured in the storm, its great power unfurled.
I sigh, a warning in my breath: trust not all from the outer world."