Chapter 8: The Outsiders' First Strike
The silence in the chamber was broken only by the faint sounds of the torches flickering. Kael's eyes narrowed, his gaze shifting between the kneeling figures of his generals and the distant rumble that echoed through the walls of the underground citadel. It was a sound he had grown used to in his brief time here—the sound of the shifting earth, the stirring of something ancient and powerful.
But this… this felt different.
The ground trembled beneath him again, and this time, the air itself seemed to hold its breath. The generals shifted, their eyes narrowing as they sensed the disturbance. The chamber grew colder, a palpable tension hanging in the air like a storm before it broke.
Kael stood from his throne, his cloak swirling around him like smoke. His movements were deliberate, measured—each step an affirmation of the power he now wielded. His black tunic, embroidered with silver thread, glinted under the low light, and his gauntlets, studded with onyx stones, shimmered with an ominous glow.
"The outsiders have arrived," Lady Seraphis said softly, her golden eyes narrowing as she spoke. Her tone was laced with an almost cruel anticipation. "It seems they do not know the depths of the ground they tread upon."
Kael's lips curled into a thin smile. "Let them come. They will learn."
Varek, the first general, rose from his knees with a slow, deliberate motion. His armor of blackened steel creaked as he adjusted his twin axes. The blood-red runes etched into his armor pulsed faintly, a silent promise of the destruction he was capable of unleashing. "We are ready, my lord," he said in his deep, gravelly voice. "Let us deal with these intruders swiftly."
The remaining generals rose as well, each one exuding their own formidable presence. General Darius, with his towering frame and battle-worn armor, cracked his knuckles, his massive mace slung over his shoulder. "A little bloodshed will do us good," he muttered, a grin spreading across his scarred face.
"Hold your excitement," Kael said, his voice low and commanding. "These outsiders may not be as simple as they seem. Prepare yourselves."
The sound of distant footsteps echoed, growing louder with each passing moment. The chamber's entrance was dim, but the faint outline of a large force began to materialize. They were not alone—several figures stood at the forefront, each one radiating a different kind of power.
The first of these figures stepped forward. A man dressed in shimmering silver armor, a massive sword strapped to his back. His eyes were cold, calculating, with an air of arrogance that Kael could almost taste in the air. His presence exuded a quiet, lethal power—a power that made even Kael pause, if only for a moment.
Behind him, a group of soldiers followed—elite warriors, their armor glinting in the torchlight. They were the vanguard, and they were here to test the strength of Kael's domain.
"Well met, Supreme Ruler," the man said, his voice carrying the weight of someone who believed they were superior. "We have come seeking a… negotiation."
Kael's eyes flicked over him, his gaze sharp. His hand clenched slightly around the armrest of his throne, a subtle movement that only the most perceptive would notice. He could sense the power emanating from this man—strong, yes, but not beyond reach.
The room fell silent as Kael's voice broke the stillness. "You speak of negotiation, but you enter my domain without invitation. You do not come here seeking peace. You come seeking power."
The man's expression hardened. "We do not fear you, Supreme One. You sit on the throne of a fallen empire. We are here to claim what is rightfully ours."
Kael rose from his throne with a fluid motion. His eyes gleamed with a hunger for challenge. "Then you will learn the cost of claiming what is not yours."
In that instant, the tension in the room became unbearable. The air crackled with anticipation. The Seven Generals stood at the ready, their eyes locked on the incoming threat. The ground beneath their feet seemed to hum with the power of the impending battle.
Varek, General Darius, and the others moved into position. Their weapons gleamed in the low light—ready for the first strike. The time for words was over. The time for war had arrived.
And Kael would ensure that this first battle would be one the world would never forget.