It was an unusually sweltering morning at the HQ of the Aquarene Empire in Termona. The towering spires of the central bastion shimmered in the heat, their blue-and-silver banners drooping slightly under the sun's glare. Within its thick stone walls, Commander Qin marched swiftly down a corridor, her polished boots echoing with purpose. She entered the strategic chamber, where a large round table sat at the heart of the room, surrounded by elite warriors from across the provinces.
"We need answers," Qin said sharply. "And we need action. The Children of Harbor have become more than a nuisance."
A burly warrior from Whalefall Province, his sea-salt-streaked beard bristling with indignation, stood and slammed his meaty fist on the polished oak table. "We should place bounties on their heads," he growled. "Let every gold-hungry dog from here to the Shatterbay hunt them down. Money talks louder than law."
