Hollow Ascension

Chapter 16: Splintered Trust

The guildhall was in chaos. The once orderly space, filled with mission boards and tables where adventurers mingled, had turned into a battlefield of words and tense standoffs. The air was thick with tension, voices rising in heated arguments as adventurers gathered in tight-knit groups, the room splitting into factions. Kael stood in the shadows near the entrance, a cold sense of satisfaction spreading through him.

It has begun, he thought. The rebellion he had nurtured was now out in the open, its chaotic energy rippling through the guild. The nobles' attempt to contain it had only fanned the flames, their arrogance exposed for all to see. And now, it was time for him to disappear into the storm he had conjured.

He observed as Garreth Stoneclaw and Lysandra Valen stood at the center of the hall, their attempts to assert control floundering amidst the growing cacophony. Adventurers were shouting, pointing, some hurling accusations while others called for unity and calm. It was a discordant mess, and Kael reveled in the sight.

Garreth raised his hands, his voice booming over the din. "Enough! Silence!" he roared, but it was like throwing a stone into a raging river. The noise continued, adventurers refusing to be cowed by his authority. The guild master's eyes swept the room, and for a moment, Kael saw a flicker of uncertainty in his gaze. Garreth, who had once ruled the guild with an iron fist, was now grappling with a situation spiraling beyond his control.

Kael slipped back further into the shadows, activating his Stealth Ability as he moved along the wall. He needed to remain unseen, to listen and absorb the unfolding chaos without drawing attention. There was more to be done, more information to gather if he was to exploit the rebellion fully.

Lysandra stepped forward beside Garreth, her face a mask of cold fury. "You all are walking a dangerous path," she declared, her voice sharp and biting. "This guild exists because of order and discipline. If you continue down this road, you risk tearing apart the very institution that protects you."

The scarred woman from the lower ranks stood defiantly, her chin raised. "We're not tearing it apart! We're demanding change because the current order has failed us!" She turned to the crowd, her eyes blazing. "They call for unity, but they refuse to share power. They talk about discipline, but they hoard resources for themselves!"

A murmur of agreement swept through the gathered adventurers. Kael watched, his eyes narrowed. The woman was charismatic, a rallying point for the discontented lower ranks. He needed to observe her carefully. If she pushed too hard or too far, he would find a way to turn that against the nobles and use her as a pawn in his larger game.

"This meeting has become pointless," Lysandra snapped, her eyes flashing. "Return to your duties or face the consequences of your rebellion."

Finn stepped forward, his voice cutting through the crowd. "No more threats!" he shouted. "We're not asking; we're demanding! Either you meet with us and discuss changes, or you'll lose your guild. The choice is yours."

Kael almost admired the boldness in Finn's words, the raw defiance that now filled the hall. Good, he thought. Let them push. Let the nobles try to suppress them. The more they clash, the deeper the fracture grows.

Garreth's face tightened, and he opened his mouth to respond, but before he could speak, a loud crash echoed from the far side of the hall. Everyone turned toward the noise, and Kael slipped silently toward the edge of the room, maneuvering for a better vantage point.

A group of silver-ranked adventurers had overturned a table, their faces flushed with anger. One of them, a tall man with wild eyes, pointed accusingly at the lower-ranked adventurers. "You're destroying the guild!" he bellowed. "All for your petty grievances! This rebellion will bring nothing but ruin!"

The crowd erupted, adventurers shouting back at the man. Others surged forward, fists clenched, ready for a fight. Kael could see it happening—the spark was catching, the embers he had stoked now threatening to explode into violence.

Perfect, he thought, his pulse quickening. If the situation turned violent, it would force the guild's leadership into an immediate response. They would have to choose between cracking down on the dissenters or risk losing all semblance of order. Either choice would deepen the divide, playing into his plans.

He inched closer to the brewing conflict, staying within the shadows. The nobles and high-ranked adventurers were pushing forward, trying to form a barrier between the enraged lower ranks and the silver ranks who were now openly accusing them of sedition.

"This has to stop!" Garreth roared, stepping between the groups. "We will resolve this through discussion, not violence!"

"Discussion?" The scarred woman spat, her voice dripping with contempt. "You had your chance for discussion! We're done being silenced!"

Kael slipped further into the shadows, his gaze darting between the key players in this unfolding drama. He needed to keep them fighting, to ensure there was no path back to peaceful negotiation. The more they struggled, the more the guild would weaken from within.

He moved quietly toward the rear of the hall, where a small cluster of silver-ranked adventurers had gathered, watching the confrontation with unease. They were the ones who hadn't yet committed fully to either side, their expressions torn between loyalty to the guild's leadership and sympathy for the lower ranks.

Kael approached, his voice low and deliberate as he broke his stealth just enough to be noticed. "You see what's happening, don't you?" he whispered, drawing their attention. "The guild is tearing itself apart because the leadership refuses to change."

One of the silver ranks, a woman with short-cropped hair, frowned, glancing at him. "We know," she muttered. "But what can we do? If we side with the rebellion, we risk everything. If we side with the nobles, we betray the others."

Kael nodded, his expression serious. "You don't have to choose sides. But you can push for what's right. If you remain silent now, the nobles will continue to manipulate things from behind the scenes. The guild will become a battlefield, and everyone will suffer."

The adventurers exchanged uneasy glances, uncertainty flickering in their eyes. Kael watched them carefully, sensing the conflict within them. They were the tipping point. If he could push them to speak out, to refuse to take a side but demand transparency, it would force the leadership into a corner, revealing their true intentions.

"Think about it," Kael continued, his voice a soft whisper. "The nobles are trying to make this about loyalty, but it's about justice. If they truly cared for the guild, they'd listen to everyone, not just dictate from their positions of power."

The woman nodded slowly, her jaw tightening. "You're right. We need to do something, but... we need to be smart about it."

"Then speak up," Kael urged. "Make them answer publicly, here and now. Force them to show their hand."

She looked at her companions, who nodded in agreement. With a deep breath, she turned toward the center of the hall. "Garreth! Lysandra!" she called, her voice ringing out over the noise. "You claim to represent the guild, but you refuse to listen! Why should we follow leaders who hide their intentions behind closed doors?"

The hall fell into a stunned silence, all eyes turning to the silver-ranked woman. Garreth's face hardened, and Lysandra's eyes narrowed dangerously. Kael could see the fury simmering beneath their calm exteriors.

"This is not the time for accusations!" Lysandra snapped. "You are being manipulated by lies and misinformation!"

Kael felt a cold smile stretch across his lips as he slipped back into the shadows. That's it, he thought. Expose the conflict, reveal their desperation. Let them see that the leadership is losing control.

The crowd stirred, the tension ratcheting up another notch. The adventurers, both lower and higher ranks, were beginning to see the cracks in the nobles' authority. The leadership was no longer speaking from a position of strength but reacting to the growing tide of dissent.

[Contract Progress: New Objective – Overthrow the Leadership: 25%]

Kael moved silently to the hall's exit, his heart pounding with anticipation. The guild was at a breaking point, and soon, he would push them over the edge. Garreth and the nobles were scrambling, their grip on power slipping as the adventurers around them demanded transparency and change.

As he stepped out into the courtyard, he glanced back at the guildhall. Inside, the voices rose again, arguments overlapping as the room devolved into chaos once more. The fragile unity of the guild was shattering, and Kael was the silent force behind it all.

"The storm is here," he murmured to himself, his eyes glinting with a cold determination. "Now, I'll decide who rises from the ruins."

With that, he turned away, melting into the shadows of the courtyard. There was still more work to be done, more pieces to move in his favor. The rebellion was just beginning, and he intended to be the one who emerged victorious when the dust finally settled.

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