Hollow Ascension

Chapter 12: Into the Shadows

Kael moved along the edge of the hall, blending into the background as the guild's clamor continued. The confrontation between Garreth and the lower-ranked adventurers had lit a spark that was quickly spreading. Groups were forming, voices raised in heated debate. Some adventurers sided with Garreth and the guild's hierarchy, while others rallied behind the scarred woman and Finn, demanding change.

Kael watched it all unfold, his face a mask of neutrality. This is what I wanted, he thought. The guild was beginning to unravel, and now that the contract was complete, he could slip deeper into his true role—the shadow manipulating events from behind the scenes.

The Stealth Ability thrummed within him, a cold energy that seemed to pulse just below the surface of his skin. It was an unsettling sensation, yet it filled him with a sense of quiet power. He could feel the potential in it, the way it could allow him to move unnoticed, to become a ghost within the guild's halls.

Time to test it, he decided. In the chaos and confusion of the guildhall, it was the perfect moment to explore this new gift from the System.

With a slow, controlled breath, he focused inward, feeling for the threads of his new ability. The world around him seemed to dim, the edges of his vision softening. His presence shrank, like a candle's flame being cupped against the wind. He moved silently toward the darker corners of the hall, his footsteps light and soundless.

To his satisfaction, no one looked his way. He felt... invisible. It wasn't just about not being seen; it was about being unnoticed. He slipped past groups of arguing adventurers, their eyes sliding over him without truly registering his presence.

Yes, he thought. This is what I needed.

He moved through the crowd, weaving between clusters of adventurers, his ears keenly tuned to the conversations around him. Now that he had the Stealth Ability, he could gather information more freely, listen to plans and complaints without fear of being caught.

As he neared a table occupied by silver-ranked adventurers, he slowed his pace, angling himself to remain in the shadows. They were talking in low, tense voices, their faces set with grim expressions.

"This can't go on," one of them was saying, a man with a scarred jaw and eyes narrowed in anger. "Garreth needs to take control, or the whole guild will fall apart."

Another adventurer, a woman with piercing blue eyes, shook her head. "He's trying, but this isn't just about leadership. The lower ranks are starting to believe they deserve more, and if we don't address their grievances, this will only get worse."

Kael smirked inwardly. They're starting to realize it. Good.

The man leaned forward, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "I heard some of the nobles are planning to get involved. They're worried about losing control over the guild if this unrest continues."

Kael's eyes narrowed, his mind racing. The nobles, he thought. This was the next layer of the game. If the nobles were stepping in, it meant the unrest he had stirred was becoming a genuine threat to the guild's established power structure. This was an opportunity he needed to seize.

He slipped away from the table, moving deeper into the hall. The Stealth Ability made him feel like a wraith, a silent presence moving through a sea of noise and chaos. It wasn't just about remaining unseen—it was about becoming a part of the background, a shadow that no one noticed.

As he passed by the back wall of the hall, he spotted Finn, his eyes darting around nervously as he spoke with the scarred woman. Kael moved closer, careful to keep his movements slow and deliberate to avoid drawing attention.

"They're not going to listen," Finn was saying, frustration clear in his voice. "Garreth and the others—they'll just keep brushing us off."

The woman nodded grimly. "Then we make them listen. If they won't change, we'll force the issue. We'll stop taking missions, disrupt their operations until they have no choice but to negotiate."

Kael's lips twitched in a faint smile. Perfect. This was exactly what he needed—a strike, a refusal to cooperate that would cripple the guild's operations and escalate the conflict. And all he had to do was let it happen.

Finn glanced around, his eyes briefly flickering toward where Kael stood hidden in the shadows. Kael tensed, holding his breath, but Finn's gaze slid past him without a hint of recognition.

It works, Kael thought, feeling a surge of satisfaction. He didn't see me. The Stealth Ability was indeed powerful, allowing him to become invisible in plain sight.

Moving away, Kael considered his next steps. The unrest within the guild was reaching a boiling point, and the involvement of the nobles added a new dimension to the game. If he could manipulate the situation further, he could create a conflict that would not only fulfill his ambitions but also weaken those who stood above him.

Now to leverage this unrest, he thought as he headed toward the stairwell leading to the upper floors. I need to find out more about the nobles' plans.

The stairwell was dimly lit, its stone steps worn smooth by years of use. Kael ascended slowly, his footfalls soundless against the stone. The upper levels were where the guild's more powerful members and nobles often convened—places filled with secrets and strategies that he intended to uncover.

He reached the landing of the second floor, pausing to listen. Voices echoed faintly from down the corridor, coming from behind a partially closed door. Kael approached silently, his heart pounding with the thrill of potential discovery. This was his first real test of the Stealth Ability's full capabilities.

Peering through the narrow gap of the door, he saw two figures standing inside—a man in richly embroidered robes and a woman in a finely tailored tunic. Their expressions were tight, eyes glinting with concern as they spoke.

"The guild is falling apart," the man was saying, his voice low and urgent. "If Garreth can't handle this uprising, the nobles will have to step in directly. We can't afford to let this chaos continue."

The woman frowned, crossing her arms. "And how do you propose we do that? If we push too hard, we'll provoke a backlash. The lower ranks are already close to rebelling."

"Then we deal with the leaders of this unrest," the man replied coldly. "If we cut off the head, the body will fall in line. We identify the agitators and... remove them from the equation."

Kael's mind raced. Remove them? It was a euphemism that could mean anything from expulsion to assassination. The nobles were willing to go to extreme lengths to maintain control. This was valuable information, something he could use to tip the balance further.

So, they're planning a purge, he thought, backing away from the door. Then it's time to make that knowledge work to my advantage.

He turned and retreated down the corridor, his movements fluid and soundless. With the information he now had, he could steer the lower ranks into taking actions that would force the nobles' hand. In the ensuing conflict, he would have the opportunity to manipulate the power structures to his own benefit.

[Stealth Ability: Activated – Success Rate High]

The System's presence was like a cold whisper in his mind, a constant reminder of the path he was treading. He felt a strange sense of exhilaration—he was playing with forces far greater than himself, yet he was moving unseen among them, turning their own power against them.

As he descended the stairs, he allowed himself a brief smile. He was no longer just reacting to the world around him. He was shaping it, bending it to his will through careful observation, subtle influence, and now, his newfound ability to move through the shadows undetected.

"Let them think they hold the reins," he murmured to himself as he reached the bottom of the stairs, slipping back into the crowded hall. "I'll be the one steering them toward the edge."

He melted back into the crowd, his eyes scanning for Finn and the others. The strike was coming, and when it did, the nobles would move to crush it. In that chaos, he would make his next move, one that would secure his place in the shifting landscape of the guild's power.

For now, he would watch and wait, an invisible force guiding the storm he had conjured. The guild was at a crossroads, and Kael intended to be the one who decided which path it would take.