The attendant hesitated before responding, "Perhaps… perhaps a display of strength would show them that we will not be intimidated? It might reinforce your authority as Queen of the Sea."

Ethel stared at the attendant, weighing the suggestion with a heavy heart. She knew that power plays often led to more bloodshed, yet the Abyssal Clan's relentless ambition left her with little choice. With a sigh, she leaned forward, her sea-green hair cascading over her shoulders. "Prepare a council. I will not be undermined in my own kingdom."

The attendant nodded quickly, relief flooding their expression. "At once, Your Majesty." As they turned to leave, Ethel's voice stopped them.

"Wait." The attendant paused, glancing back. "Ensure that all leaders are present. I want no dissent in this council."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the attendant replied, disappearing through the door, leaving Ethel alone once more in her majestic yet stifling office, the weight of the ocean pressing down on her shoulders. She glanced out the window, watching the vibrant marine life thrive outside while she grappled with the tempest of political strife within.

Once the attendant had left, Ethel sank back in her chair and dismissed the next attendant after saying, "I'm done for today. If anybody comes in, they die." And just like that, her day was free until the council meeting the same evening.

"Sigh…" She sighed horridly before, gathering air within her lungs and, "ARGHHHHHHHHHH! FUCK THIS! FUCK ALL OF THIS! FUCK THESE POLITICS! FUCK BEING NICE! WE ARE FUCKING TOLF! WE RULE THE GOD DAMN WORLD! FUCK! I'VE HAD ENOUGH! ANYBODY WHO DARES TO GO AGAINST US FUCKING DIES! NO MORE NEGOTIATIONS! FUCK!"

As the evening deepened, Ethel strode into the hollow chamber, a vast expanse of shimmering seastone and vibrant coral illuminated by bioluminescent plants. The room was filled to capacity with chancellors from various underwater realms, their faces a mix of fear and apprehension as they noted her presence. The moment Ethel stepped over the threshold, a tense silence enveloped the hall, her aura alone enough to chill the water around her.

With each powerful step she took toward the far end of the chamber, the atmosphere grew heavier. Her coral throne loomed like a fortress, adorned with intricate carvings and glowing with ethereal light, but tonight it seemed to pulse with her fury. As she settled into her seat, her posture exuded authority, and the air crackled with malice, filling every inch of the room with an oppressive weight.

Without uttering a word, Ethel expanded her aura outward, a dark blue energy radiating from her like an unseen storm. It swept through the chamber, enveloping each chancellor in a shroud of palpable rage. The weaker members staggered, struggling to remain upright under the suffocating intensity of her presence. Some dropped to their knees, gasping for breath, their resolve crumbling beneath the onslaught of her anger.

When she finally spoke, her voice boomed like thunder, echoing off the chamber walls. "ENOUGH!" she roared, each syllable dripping with ire. "WE ARE NOT HERE TO COWER AND NEGOTIATE! WE ARE NOT HERE TO ENTERTAIN WEAKNESS OR DISSENT! ANY WHO DARE OPPOSE US WILL FIND NO MERCY!"

Her eyes blazed as she glared at the assembly, the fierce glimmer of her gaze igniting a spark of fear among the gathered leaders. "IF THERE ARE THOSE WHO WISH TO NEGOTIATE, KILL THEM. IF THERE ARE THOSE WHO DARE TO PROTEST, KILL THEM. IF ANYONE AMONGST YOU IS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE UTOPIA I HAVE PAINSTAKINGLY BUILT, THEN I WANT THEM DEAD—WITHOUT HESITATION, WITHOUT REMORSE!"

The force of her voice carried the weight of the ocean itself, and the chamber quaked with her fury. Chancellors shifted uncomfortably, beads of sweat forming on brows, their hearts pounding with the fear of retribution. Ethel's aura thickened, coiling around them like the tentacles of a great beast, and the weaker ones could hardly keep themselves from fainting.

"I WILL NOT TOLERATE INSUBORDINATION!" she continued, her words slicing through the air with venomous precision. "YOUR LOYALTY IS PARAMOUNT! WE STAND AS A FORTRESS, AND I EXPECT EACH OF YOU TO DEFEND THIS REALM WITH UNWAVERING FEROCITY! SHOULD ANYONE CHALLENGE OUR RULE, YOU ARE TO EXECUTE THEM WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT! SHOW NO MERCY! LET THEM FEAR THE POWER OF OUR KINGDOM!"

The chamber fell into a hush, the only sound being the soft, labored breathing of those who dared not speak against her. Ethel's dark blue aura pulsated, the sheer intensity of it silencing even the bravest souls among them. Though they were leaders of their own domains, in this moment, they were mere subjects of her wrath, and not a single one of them dared to oppose her decree.

As she surveyed the room, Ethel saw the fear reflected in their eyes and reveled in it, her heart racing with the knowledge that her command would resonate through the currents of the ocean, solidifying her reign in blood and terror. The message was clear: loyalty came with a price, and disloyalty would be met with swift and brutal retribution.

As Ethel's final, resounding command faded through the massive chamber, the chancellors slowly rose to their feet, many with trembling knees. The meeting was dismissed in silence, none daring to linger under her storm-filled gaze. Ethel's words echoed in their minds as they exited the chamber in grim procession, each acutely aware that any disobedience would not be tolerated.

Within days, Ethel's decree swept through the underwater realms, striking terror and submission among even the most elusive dissenters. Soon after, the leaders of the largest and most dangerous terrorist organizations were apprehended and brought to Ethel's throne room. Each one, bound and forced to kneel, lined up in a grim row before her, arranged from most dangerous on her right to least on her left.

Ethel reclined on her throne of coral, a seat that radiated power and authority, surrounded by an array of bioluminescent flora casting an eerie, cold light over the captives. Her gaze was as steady as a blade, sweeping over the terrorists, who were all painfully aware of the weight of her judgment.

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Leader: Seraphon Gale — Organization: Abyssal Dominion

The Abyssal Dominion was the largest insurgent group in the ocean, infamous for sinking entire settlements and infiltrating military outposts to acquire powerful technologies. The organization sought to dismantle Ethel's kingdom and any other centralized authority to establish an anarchistic society in the ocean depths.

Seraphon was a tall, lean merman with sharp features and silver hair streaked with black. His eyes glinted with a cold blue fire, and his skin was pale, with deep scars tracing his jaw and arms, mementos of countless battles. Seraphon was once a decorated military officer until he lost faith in all hierarchies, convinced they only bred corruption. His defection led to his creation of the Abyssal Dominion, where he vowed to overthrow any ruler who sought to control the ocean.

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Leader: Kaela Frostscale — Organization: The Silent Depths

The Silent Depths was known for its ability to incite rebellion and terror without leaving a trace. Their operatives were skilled assassins, sabotaging supplies, poisoning leaders, and vanishing without a trace. Their ultimate goal was to build an elusive undersea network that could challenge Ethel's domain from within.

Kaela was a shark-woman with smooth gray skin, a single blue fin stretching down her back, and piercing white eyes. Her body was lean and muscular, clad in dark scales that glistened in the dim light. Kaela grew up in the darkest trenches of the ocean, where only the fittest survived. Her resourcefulness and adaptability allowed her to create The Silent Depths, where she amassed loyal followers who valued stealth and precision above brute force.

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Leader: Volrik Ironjaw — Organization: The Leviathan Legion

The Leviathan Legion was a formidable group of mercenaries, hired by corrupt leaders and power-hungry factions who wanted to weaken Ethel's rule. Known for their brutal strength and disciplined combat tactics, they were feared throughout the ocean. They would stop at nothing to destroy Ethel's allies and weaken her control over the underwater kingdoms.

Volrik was a massive sea turtle-man with a shell scarred by countless battles, each mark a testament to his hardened life as a warrior. His face was worn, his right eye a milky white from an old injury, and his jaw lined with metal plates from a past battle, giving him his nickname. A former commander, Volrik turned mercenary when he grew disillusioned with the rigid military structure, choosing to fight for coin and personal power.

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Leader: Mira Tidecaller — Organization: The Tempest's Wrath

The Tempest's Wrath was an organization of sea sorcerers who harnessed dangerous weather magic to attack settlements and control trade routes. They believed that only the most powerful wielders of magic should rule, and they considered Ethel unworthy without the mystical prowess they revered.

Mira, a stunning eel-woman with a slim, flowing figure, was known for her bright green skin and intricate tattoos of swirling waves across her arms and neck. Her eyes, a shifting mix of green and purple, seemed to flicker with untamed energy. Raised in a family of mystics, Mira developed an obsession with storm magic, using it to create havoc across the seas and manipulate her way into power.

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