Cadavere dwelled deep in the caverns of the fog-covered isle, light piercing one hole through the cloud above, as if signifying his presence. He lay facing the wall, his scarred visage hidden in shadows, the chamber silent save for his low, brooding grumble. Patience was his ally-vengeance demanded it. The cavern itself bore seven passages leading to open water, each adorned with a unique, carved insignia, all converging on the central chamber.
The quiet shattered as water surged through one of the passages, reverberating through the stone. A gargantuan shadow loomed, revealing itself in the light: Abaddon. Their blackened eyes settled on Cadavere's still form.
Abaddon: Jaasa yoron u karoon, Cadavere. (I have arrived, Cadavere.)
Cadavere merely grunted, acknowledging their arrival but not turning around. Silence crept back in, broken again by the dragging clang of chains along with a smaller splashy patter accompanying it. Zalavus emerged, his towering frame dominating the space, with Shrike flitting anxiously beside him.
Zalavus: This better be worth my time, putrid wretch!
Cadavere: It will, you brute.
He grumbled quietly, irritated by the immediate insult, but he didn't expect anything other than that considering he dragged all of them here.
Abaddon: Jun ar ilano rak? (Do we know who's coming?)
Lusuria: My, my, hope I'm not late, Caddy, Zal.
Lusuria slithered into the cavern gracefully silent, her gaze avoided Abaddon, feeling unnerved by his presence. Cadavere stayed silent, but Zalavus' growl of irritancy rumbled through the chamber.
Zalavus: Great... not this wench...
Lusuria: Oh, don't be so crude! You could use a little charm-
Zalavus: And be a weakling like you?! HA! I live for hellraising!
The sound of mechanical whirring cut through their exchange. Forganis' Grillmeister emerged, a hulking beast of steel, nothing less of a war machine. She descended from its heart as she landed it on the ground, slipping out with practiced ease, her glare locking onto Cadavere.
Forganis: What's the deal with you skulking in the corner?
Zalavus: He's been like that since we got here, shrimp.
Forganis: Your insults mean nothing to me, you overgrown can of worms!
The two rulers launched into a barrage of barbs, their mutual disdain flaring brightly. Abaddon lurked in silent observation, their unreadable gaze unsettling. Lusuria preened, inspecting her immaculate form, while Cadavere remained unmoved from the shadows, waiting for the last two to arrive.
An hour later, upon the moon's full rise, Krynnos and Wendrake had entered the cavern. The chamber buzzed with anticipation as Wendrake slunk forward, his flames licking the damp air.
Wendrake: So what's the whole deal with this?
Zalavus: For once I can agree with the brat...
Wendrake's flames flared fiercely, his glare burning with indignation.
Wendrake: I am WORTHY of my title!
Forganis: Not again...
Krynnos: I'm in the same boat as Zalavus.
Lusuria: Every time, you two look down on darling Wendrake. He's welcome here.
Zalavus: He's nothing more than a low runt, absolutely piti-
Cadavere: SILENCE! ALL OF YOU!
The cavern trembled with the force of his roar. The air grew frigid, heavy with unspoken threat. Eyes turned toward Cadavere as he left the shadows, his scarred face-a web of Lichtenburg figures gleaming in the light. His pale, bloodshot left eye made even Zalavus pause in intrigue.
Zalavus: Look at the beast, finally hurt.
Krynnos: Somehow, you're more disgusting than before.
Cadavere: Let's see you get struck by lightning, then.
Cadavere snarled at Krynnos, who hardly flinched but flared his nostrils at the awful smell of Cadavere.
Wendrake: You probably got struck because you lay there all the time!
Wendrake's snicker was not unheard, being returned with Cadavere's searing glare. In an instant, he slammed Wendrake against the wall, shaking the cavern.
Cadavere: Think again before insulting me you witless worm!
Lusuria: Cadavere, calm down now. Perhaps I can help~?
Cadavere: You wish you could try.
He released Wendrake, who slumped into the shallow water, trembling but quickly composing himself. Cadavere turned to the rest of the rulers, his voice heavy with rage.
Cadavere: A sinkhole opened in my territory, I follwed it and found myself in the middle of a desert crater.
Forganis: Cadavere, those happen often out here, you had no need to check it.
Cadavere: If you'd let me FINISH! There were cephalopods in this crater, reeking of salmonid blood...
He huffed heavily, remembering the scent of his brethren on those he had fought against in the crater, it made his blood boil.
Zalavus: Oh, what news is that?! I always smell of blood-it's tradition!
Cadavere: They were powerless against me, yet they pierced my scales! One of their weapons drew the storm itself.
Cadavere flashed his scars he had gotten from getting struck, gleaming ominously, the sight of it unsettling even the boldest among them.
Abaddon: Egon aa muru jufukan. Kagon hyaka. (The cursed one. How unfortunate.)
Abaddon murmured quietly in a deep rumble. The rulers all exchanged glances to try and figure out what was important from all of this, aside from one of their own getting severely injured.
Krynnos: So why bother calling all of us here, we didn't come to hear a sob story.
Krynnos had only been preening himself, not really caring about the story of what happened, only riches were on his mind. Hearing this, Cadavere's rage flared anew. The burning agony and roars of fury, the destruction he wreaked, all of it. His tusks gleamed in the light as he passed by them, looking back at everyone from his tunnel.
Cadavere: Enough of this petty squabbling! Look at what they've done to me! If they can harm one of us, what stops them from picking us off, one by one?!
The chamber fell silent upon this revelation. Even Zalavus wore a grim expression of understanding despite being a warlord. Their minds flashed with the items they hold dear to them, the fires of vengeance slowly igniting within them.
Cadavere: They will learn fear. We will destroy everything they care about!You're all going to come with me and enact revenge. To show them what it's like to suffer! ToDIE!
Zalavus: Bloodshed you say...? Do you know who you're talking to?!
Zalavus dark laugh boomed through the cave before an evil grin carved its way onto his face.
Zalavus: They'll know worse before I'm even done with them!
Cadavere looked to the rest of them, seeing them exchange glances, each one nodding in agreement. They knew they had suffered enough loss, and it was time for them to sow havoc upon the cephalopods.
Wendrake: I've been waiting to prove myself useful to you all again. You'll see!
Wendrake's flames blazed brighter than ever as he bows his head, ready to incinerate any who stand before him.
Forganis: I know what you're planning-they will fall.
Forganis slams her forging hammer down, ready to work overtime in her forge to produce countless weapons, armor and machines.
Abaddon: Jaasa para devura uguno... Egon aa kuru dwella eeto sperado.(I will consume all... The land dwellers will fall into despair.)
Abaddon's deep grumbles, despite not being understood evoke an essence of fear into the rulers, Lusuria and Wendrake shifting away slightly.
Lusuria: But death is such a waste... What if I break their minds into servitude instead~
Lusuria smiles sweetly, her voice dripping with malice, especially with the thoughts of complete dominion over all.
Krynnos: Their riches... so many... I will have all of them...
Krynnos' eyes glimmer like gold, having invaded their cities before, he knows how valuables they hold, and there will be nothing that can stop him from taking every last one.
The war plan was set in their minds, everyone knew what they had to do. They had all initiated large-scale assaults separately, but never as one full force. The rulers departed one by one to rally their forces for the greatest war the cephalopods would ever face.