Hollow Ascension

Chapter 18: Stoking the Inferno

Kael moved through the shadows lining the guild courtyard, his Stealth Ability cloaking him in near-invisibility. Around him, the guild teetered on the edge of a knife. Adventurers crowded together, their voices rising in heated arguments, weapons at the ready. Garreth and Lysandra stood near the center, surrounded by their loyalists, their faces strained as they struggled to maintain a semblance of authority.

It's time to push them over the edge, Kael thought, his pulse quickening. The guild was like a fortress with crumbling walls, and he intended to be the storm that tore it apart completely. He just needed one final move to expose the depths of the leadership's desperation.

Slipping through the courtyard, he approached a small cluster of bronze-ranked adventurers who were watching the standoff with grim expressions. Among them was Finn, his jaw set in frustration, and the scarred woman who had become a de facto leader for the rebellious faction. Kael allowed his Stealth Ability to fade just enough to make his presence known.

"Finn," Kael whispered urgently as he approached. "We need to act quickly. They're preparing to crack down. If we don't force their hand now, they'll reestablish control, and we'll lose everything."

Finn turned to him, eyes sharp with resolve. "What are you suggesting?" he asked, his voice low but tense. "They've already shown they're willing to use force. We can't just charge in recklessly."

Kael shook his head, his gaze flickering toward the cluster of gold-ranked adventurers standing with the nobles. "No, not recklessly. We need to create a situation where they have to reveal their true intentions. If they openly attack us, the rest of the guild will see them for what they are—tyrants desperate to cling to power."

The scarred woman frowned, her eyes darting toward Garreth and Lysandra. "And how do we do that?" she asked. "They're waiting for an excuse to crush us. We need a way to show everyone what they're planning without sparking an outright brawl."

Kael's mind raced, the pieces of his plan falling into place. "We demand that they publicly disarm their enforcers," he said, his voice growing steadier as he spoke. "If they refuse, it'll prove that they intend to use force. If they agree, it will weaken their position and expose their lack of control."

Finn exchanged a glance with the scarred woman, who nodded slowly. "It's risky," she admitted. "But it might be the only way to turn this in our favor."

"Exactly," Kael replied, his eyes gleaming. "If we show that they rely on intimidation and threats, the rest of the guild will side with us. It'll force their hand, one way or another."

With a final nod, the scarred woman turned to the crowd, raising her voice to carry over the cacophony. "Garreth! Lysandra!" she shouted. "If you claim to represent order and justice, then prove it! Disarm your enforcers and meet with us as equals!"

A hush fell over the courtyard, all eyes turning to the nobles and their gold-ranked adventurers. The tension was palpable, like the stillness before a storm's fury. Kael held his breath, watching intently. This was the moment of truth, the gamble that could shatter the guild's fragile balance.

Garreth's face darkened, his jaw tightening as he stepped forward. "This is absurd!" he bellowed. "You would have us disarm in the face of open rebellion? We cannot compromise with those who threaten the guild's stability!"

Lysandra placed a hand on Garreth's arm, her eyes scanning the crowd. "We will not be manipulated," she declared, her voice icy. "Disarming would be an admission of weakness, and we will not bow to the demands of a mob. This guild stands for order, and order will be maintained."

Kael could see the adventurers around him stiffening, their expressions turning grim. The nobles' refusal had struck a nerve, exposing the lengths they were willing to go to preserve their control. It was a clear declaration: they viewed the guild as their domain, and they would not tolerate dissent.

"Then you leave us no choice!" the scarred woman shouted, her voice trembling with fury. "You call for order, but you use force and threats to maintain it! We will not be cowed by tyrants!"

The crowd erupted into chaos. The lower-ranked adventurers surged forward, weapons in hand, their faces alight with rage. Garreth and Lysandra stepped back, their gold-ranked enforcers moving to form a protective barrier. Kael watched, his heart racing. This was it—the clash that would break the guild once and for all.

"Stop this madness!" Garreth roared, his eyes blazing with a mix of anger and fear. "If you do not stand down, we will be forced to subdue you by any means necessary!"

"Subdue us?" Finn shouted, his voice cutting through the din. "You mean crush us! This is what you wanted all along—to use us as pawns for your power!"

The gold-ranked adventurers hesitated, uncertainty flickering in their eyes. They were outnumbered, surrounded by the lower ranks who now viewed them as oppressors rather than protectors. Kael could see the division taking hold, the doubt creeping into their stance.

Good, he thought, slipping back into the shadows. Now, let's tip this into chaos.

Kael moved swiftly, circling around to the side of the courtyard where several storage crates were stacked. Inside those crates were supplies meant for the outposts, hoarded and guarded under the nobles' orders. He had scouted the crates earlier, noting their contents and the sparse guards nearby.

He approached the crates, his Stealth Ability keeping him unseen. With careful, deliberate movements, he opened one of the crates and pulled out several weapons and potions. Glancing around to ensure he was still unnoticed, he set the weapons conspicuously at the edge of the crate, within easy view of the adventurers gathered nearby.

Then, he retreated into the shadows, his eyes fixed on the scene unfolding at the courtyard's center. The crowd was still shouting, the lines between sides hardening as the tension rose to a breaking point. All he needed now was one final push.

A group of bronze-ranked adventurers noticed the weapons, their eyes widening in surprise. "They've been hoarding supplies!" one of them shouted, pointing to the crate. "All this time, while we've been fighting for scraps!"

The crowd's attention shifted, a wave of anger sweeping through them as they saw the cache of weapons and potions. Murmurs turned to shouts, the adventurers turning on Garreth and Lysandra with renewed fury.

"You lied to us!" the scarred woman screamed, her voice breaking with rage. "You said there were no supplies, but you've been stockpiling them here for your own use!"

Garreth paled, his mouth opening to respond, but no words came. Lysandra's face twisted in fury, her eyes flashing dangerously. "This is a setup!" she snarled, pointing toward the adventurers. "An attempt to turn the guild against itself with falsehoods and trickery!"

Kael felt a rush of cold satisfaction. It doesn't matter if they deny it now, he thought. The damage is done.

The adventurers surged forward, their voices rising in a deafening chorus of accusations and anger. The gold-ranked enforcers hesitated, casting uncertain glances at Garreth and Lysandra. The leadership's refusal to disarm, combined with the discovery of hoarded supplies, had torn away the last shreds of their authority.

[Contract Progress: New Objective – Overthrow the Leadership: 90%]

Kael moved silently along the courtyard's edge, positioning himself where he could watch the final moments of the guild's collapse. Garreth and Lysandra stood at the center, surrounded by their enforcers, their faces masks of defiance and desperation. But they had lost the crowd. The guild's lower ranks had seen the truth of their leaders' intentions, and now, they were ready to act.

"Enough!" Garreth roared, his voice hoarse. "Seize them all! Anyone who resists will be expelled from the guild!"

But the enforcers hesitated, their expressions conflicted. Kael could see the fear and doubt in their eyes. They were being asked to turn against their fellow adventurers, to use force against those they had once fought beside. And they were faltering.

"You're finished!" Finn shouted, stepping forward, his eyes blazing with determination. "This guild will not be a tool for the powerful to oppress the weak! Stand down, Garreth, or face the consequences of your own tyranny!"

Kael watched as Garreth wavered, his grip on power slipping through his fingers. The rebellion had become an unstoppable force, and the nobles and their loyalists were now on the defensive.

[Contract Progress: New Objective – Overthrow the Leadership: 100% – Leadership Overthrown]

The System's whisper filled Kael's mind, cold and final. It's done, he thought, his heart pounding with exhilaration. The guild's leadership had been toppled, their authority shattered by the rebellion he had orchestrated.

As Garreth and Lysandra retreated under the onslaught of accusations and fury, Kael slipped into the darkness, his Stealth Ability wrapping around him like a cloak. He moved silently away from the courtyard, the echoes of chaos following him as he disappeared into the guild's deeper recesses.

"The guild is broken," he murmured to himself, a cold smile curving his lips. "Now, I will decide what rises from its ashes."

The rebellion had succeeded, and with it, the path to power had been cleared. The guild was now a fractured entity, its old leadership overthrown and its members divided. And Kael, the unseen orchestrator of it all, stood poised to shape the future that would emerge from the ruins.

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