Gabriella sat at the end of the table. There was Jenna and Luo to her left, Isaac to her right, and on the other side, the new helper. They were all dressed in formal clothes. Gabriella’s face bore an air of seriousness as she crossed her arms.
“The Western Alliance and the DA have discussed a plan. It must stay secret; don’t tell anyone else.” Stephen Cure looked around the secure room, his gaze fixing a small mirror, Jenna’s pen and the air vent.
“There aren’t any cameras,” Gabriella assured him, “Tell us about ‘the plan’ now.”
“There are three territories which are relatively weak right now as the rulers have fallen at your hands. These are the fourth layer, the third layer, and the first layer. Of course, the easiest to take over is the fourth layer, governed by the vampires.”
The DA strategist leaned forward towards the table and ran his finger across the interactive screen, highlighting multiple locations on the map in vivid red.
“However, to weaken the other layers and incite a rebellion, my team will be hacking into Tech-Think buildings, prying all the secret information we can and releasing it anonymously all over the Obscure Guild.”
Gabriella crossed her arms slightly. She doubted the effect this would have on creating a rebellion. However, it would only broaden the DA’s intel on the guild. She gestured with her hand, telling Stephen to proceed with his explanation.
“Acting shocked by the hacker groups’ news, Gabriella will start openly opposing the two Seats in the media. Some physical fights between rebels and the government might occur, but this will also serve as a diversion for the soldiers and resources we’ll quietly bring inside the walls.”
“So you think revealing to the citizens that they could have a better life and telling them about the ongoing corruption will be enough to fuel outrage towards the entire government?” Jenna asked.
Luo nodded, “It does seem too petty. People don’t just start a civil war in a matter of weeks. It takes time.”
Gabriella pointed out more flaws. “It won’t work. Commoners have gotten brainwashed. Everyone works for the government. Were they to suddenly stop, their livelihood would fade in an instant. Most would starve to death in a month. Plus, the nobles from the five cursed are all part of the oligarchy. As we killed their leaders, the snakes and the wolves would not welcome us, so it’d be hard to find any support there either.”
“You’re forgetting something. Throughout my 41 years living and travelling around the world, I have found that there are principles which can draw any group to act.”
Gabriella's curiosity was gently stirred, her interest piqued.
“Freedom, knowledge and insurance. We’ll give them a sentiment of liberty through the media, showing the people the system needs reform and what they could have were they to rally and make that happen. My crew will be in charge of this. You, on the other hand, will give them insurance. You will become their leader. Along with your vampires, you will raise your wings against the dictators and create a sentiment of hopefulness.”
“This is going to be complicated. How long do we have to win?” The Vampiric Queen still wasn’t convinced.
“As it stands, two months at most. The Topaz Guild isn’t backing down from the war. The objective is to take control of the Obscure Guild once and for all, but as long as we keep the army inside, trying to stop us instead of assisting the Topaz Guild, we’ll have done our part.”
“Alright. That seems more reasonable.”
“Don’t worry, Gabriella. We’ll help you,” Isaac said. “I’m sure Aaron and the others are doing all they can to raise our chances.”
Luo clapped his hands. “Let’s get to it then.”
…
Gabriella, Isaac, Jenna and Luo travelled to Syphon City, in the fourth layer. Although many vampires resisted, they were defeated, and most welcomed her. To affirm her rule over the fourth layer, she was recrowned queen.
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On September 12, the Vampiric Queen shook the hands of all the fourth layer’s local governors and political leaders. Even if the media publicized this apparent interference against the Seats’ government, the two Seats watched silently.
While all the eyes were on her, Stephen Cure’s team diligently hacked into Tech-Think and released their first bit of information. On September 15, a published article exposed Tech-Think’s spying practices. Following that, they put out multiple documents detailing the corruption and inhuman practises of many political leaders, which Snoid, who had also originally planned to overthrow the Obscure Guild, intended to use for blackmailing.
The same day, Tech-Think’s board of directors all disappeared, reportedly going to prison, and were replaced by new ones. It was an attempt to calm the people.
The conflict escalated on September 30 when a file spread across many internet forums. It was also something collected by Snoid, one of the Five Seats. The most discussed document inside it was a video of him and the other Seats addressing themselves to a member of the Dark Faction. Not only did it reveal the Dark Faction’s existence and its ties with the Seats, but it also gave a perfect opportunity for Gabriella to make her move, publicly announcing her discontentment with the current way the Obscure Guild was going. She had released her manifesto, secretly co-written by the Democratic Alliance, explaining how the DF was worsening the workers’ conditions and why it and everyone involved needed to get dragged away.
The Seats needed something to get the public’s attention elsewhere. Using a small portion of the cursed reptoid and skeleton armies, they undertook a joint operation to overtake Vamp City. Despite the vampires resisting for a few days, they had gotten defeated on October 8. It was Gabriella’s first defeat. She couldn’t help as she was in Alpha City, in the third layer.
Over the following days, while Gabriella sought an audience with the new werewolf Alpha, many aristocrats from Vamp City escaped to Syphon City.
Finally, Gabriella discussed with the werewolves. The Alpha, Christopher Fireblood, wasn’t close to the late werewolf Alpha. His death had actually benefited him, as it gave him his position.
She quickly realized that Christopher Fireblood didn’t care much about politics. However, he decided to cooperate when Jenna told him to go to war with Gabriella, as it would demonstrate his bravery to the world once they won. Gabriella Rivampe promised him that his people would gain independence from the Obscure Guild and that he could expand his territory. Despite vampires and werewolves being rivals, they formed a temporary alliance.
On October 13, they walked on a large stage as thousands of werewolves, humans and vampires gathered beneath them. “Today, alongside Christopher Fireblood, werewolf alpha, I declare war against the Obscure Guild’s first, second, fifth and inner layers! We might have our differences, but an alliance is mandatory to gain independence.
“With the support of millions of humans, our groups will take control of the Obscure Guild. We will Defeat the leaders who follow the Dark Faction’s selfish agenda. No longer will the gates dictate where you can and cannot go or where we belong.”
She stepped closer to the crowd as she raised her arm. “Together, we will free ourselves with our own claws!”
Christopher nodded silently behind her.
The sudden, radical declaration surprised everyone, including the Seats watching the event from their homes, resulting in mixed reactions.
“But we have no weapons!” A human in the crowd shouted. “How can we fight against the government’s military!”
However, the DA had already provided them with a large batch of weapons. Two large trucks drove in front of the stage. As the walls on each side of the trailers tilted down, they showcased their weaponry. There were rifles, missiles, shields and much more items.
“We have weapons and a lot more than this!”
…
Gabriella and Isaac met up with Stephen in Syphon City. They were in a beautiful restaurant made of marble and glass, positioned at the top of a tower, peeking at the prospering city below.
Gabriella proudly looked at Stephen, “I think it’s time we let all the outside forces in.”
“Yes. I’ll signal Luo and Jenna. They’ve been waiting at the gate for a while.”
“How many will come?” asked Isaac.
“Many. Many will come. And many will die. This isn’t a light military operation.”
Isaac nodded. “The Western Continent is desperate to win this battle. It’s barely hanging on, facing the Topaz And Obscure guilds’ armies from the south, west and north. We must win this fight.”
“At the same moment we’ll open the city’s gate, the sneaked-in forces will attack military bases, government buildings and aristocrats. Everything is ready,” Stephen told them.
“Is there anyone we know in the sneaked-in forces?” Gabriella curiously asked.
“You do. Aaron Amon is there.”
“Aaron? Can we meet him?” Isaac asked, missing his friend.
“You will.”