Water pressed around Aleks like an old friend greeting him home, cool against his scales, firm beneath each flex of his muscular form. He cut through currents easily, a living blade in dark waters. In this shape, a massive, sleek blend of shark and moray, his lungs no longer burned, and pressure meant little more than a whisper against his dense hide. Each twist and thrust of his powerful tail propelled him further, his speed astonishing even himself. He wasn't merely swimming; he was slicing through the sea itself.
The seafloor was alive beneath him, vibrant and luminous. He passed schools of silver needlefish scattering like thrown darts, their slender bodies shimmering in startled unison. Coral gardens pulsed softly, flickering pink and orange against shadowed reefs. The mana currents in the water wrapped around him, nudging gently, guiding him downward toward darker, colder trenches.
