In the ruins of an ancient human palace, marble halls shimmered in the moonlight, their grandeur tarnished by time. Salmonids with magmatic and semi-charred robes moved through the ruins, bearing baskets of gifts. Each carried a blazing torch in their fins, lighting candles that lined the palace-a sacred ritual of praise for the jealous prince of the Calcite Torchers.
At the center of the hall, a large spring of water lay atop a blackened scorch mark, its ashen edges seemingly reaching out to claim the offerings. The Torchers set the baskets down reverently and waited in solemn silence.
The water began to bubble, steam rising as heat built beneath its surface. The spring grew hotter, hissing softly, until the water erupted outward, unveiling the figure beneath. With a dramatic splash, Wendrake emerged, a Singeflare salmonid of formidable presence.
Wendrake: Huh, what's all this?
His voice echoed through the hall, shattering the silence from before. The spring bubbled around him as his gullet began to glow, a fiery sign of his rising body temperature. The Torchers all glanced at each other, unsure of what to say before a Steelhead stepped forward, his voice low and steady.
Paro: They're gifts, my prince. The Torchers and I thought you might appreciate them.
Wendrake: Ah! I see. Thank you.
Wendrake reached down, leaning closer to inspect the offerings before him. He spotted a stray fish among the gifts, snatched it between his teeth, and swallowed it whole.
Paro: There's more, your majesty. A message from the other tribes that I believe will interest you.
Wendrake: A message, do enlighten me on the matter. Go on.
Paro: The other rulers have been summoned to the isle of rings. The Sovereign has also requested your presence-
Wendrake: WHAT?! Are they conspiring against me? Do they question my place! I'm fit to be ruler!
The Torchers flinched as they watched their prince's jealousy flare up. Twin mohawks of flame sprouted from Wendrake's head, blazing brighter with each passing second. The once-steady heat in the room began surging in accordance with his body temperature.
Torcher 1: Your majesty, please don't fret!
Torcher 2: You could use this opportunity to remind the others of your power.
Wendrake: LEAVE ME!
A roar erupted from Wendrake as he unleashed a torrent of flames that engulfed chandelier above, lighting its candles in a fiery display of reckless dominance. The Torchers scattered, fleeing from the palace, save for Paro, who remained, standing his ground despite the inferno
Paro: Your subjects are right, Prince Wendrake. This meeting is your chance to assert your place among them. Show them your supremacy.
Wendrake:Ughh... fine, I'll go. Cool my spring for when I return.
Paro: Of course, your majesty.
With a final snort of heat, Wendrake heaved himself from the spring, his large frame crushing the carefully arranged gifts beneath him. He paid them no mind, his thoughts consumed by the need to prove his worth among the hierarchy. He slithered down the palace steps, his fiery form heating the once cool air, casting long shadows against the ancient walls as he made his way to the open sea. The waters ahead glimmering under the moonlight, a stark contrast to the blazing heat he carried with him.