The night was still, but there was an electric charge in the air as Lumumba, Amara, Jon, and William sat around the table in their dimly lit quarters. It was late, but none of them could sleep—not with what was coming. The decision had been made. William would challenge his father, and they would take control of the kingdom by force if necessary.
Lumumba leaned over the table, spreading out a map of the city and marking key locations with quick, confident strokes. His usual smirk was absent, replaced with a laser focus. This was no longer a game; it was war.
"We'll need three things to pull this off," Lumumba began, his voice low but intense. "First, we need the people on our side. If we're going to overthrow Ardyn and the council, we can't do it alone. William, you know the common folk better than we do. Can you get them to support you?"
William, sitting with his arms crossed, nodded. "The people are already frustrated. The fissures have caused chaos, and the council hasn't done anything to protect them. If we give them a better option—show them we can restore order—they'll back us. But it's risky. The nobles have kept the people in check for years. It won't be easy to convince them to rise up."
"It doesn't have to be a full rebellion," Jon chimed in. "We just need enough support to shake the council. Make them think twice before pushing back. Once they see the people aren't behind them, they'll lose their nerve."
Lumumba nodded. "Exactly. Step two is military support. We can't just rely on the people. We need the soldiers. William, your father controls the northern garrisons, but I've heard rumblings that not all the soldiers are loyal to him. If we can get the captains on our side, the rest of the army will follow."
William frowned, his eyes darkening. "There are a few captains who don't agree with how my father has been running things. They've seen the devastation the fissures have caused, and they know the council's been using them for political gain. I can talk to them, but..." He hesitated, glancing at Lumumba. "What if they don't listen?"
Lumumba grinned, a glint of mischief returning to his eyes. "Then we make them listen. Once they see we've got the people behind us, they'll fall in line. Trust me, no one wants to be on the losing side of a revolution."
Amara, who had been silent until now, leaned forward, her eyes serious. "And the third step?"
Lumumba's smile faded. "The third step is the council itself. Baron Ardyn and the nobles. We can't just take the city and hope they surrender. We need to hit them where it hurts. We need leverage—something that will force them to give up power."
Amara's brow furrowed. "Leverage? Like what?"
"The fissures," Lumumba said simply. "They've been using the fissures as weapons, but they're vulnerable too. If we can find a way to close them permanently—or even just control them—we'll have something the council can't ignore."
"And how do you plan on doing that?" Jon asked, leaning back in his chair.
Lumumba's smirk returned. "I've got a few ideas. But first, we need to deal with the immediate threat: Ardyn and the council. Once we have them out of the way, we can figure out the rest."
The plan was set into motion the next morning. William, accompanied by Lumumba and Jon, went to meet with the captains of the northern garrisons. These men, hardened warriors who had fought in countless battles, had long been loyal to Baron Ardyn. But recent events had shaken their faith. The constant chaos caused by the fissures, the increasing unrest among the people, and the council's failure to protect the kingdom had left many of them disillusioned.
As they entered the garrison, William felt a familiar tension in his chest. He had grown up among these men, trained with them, fought alongside them. But now, he was asking them to betray his father—a man they had followed for years.
The captains—Garth, a grizzled veteran with a scar running down the side of his face, and Valla, a sharp-eyed woman with a no-nonsense attitude—stood waiting for them in the war room.
"William," Garth said, his voice rough from years of shouting commands. "This better be good. You don't just call us here for a casual chat. What's going on?"
William exchanged a quick glance with Lumumba, then stepped forward. "There's no easy way to say this, so I'll get straight to the point. My father and the council have been using the fissures for political gain. They've manipulated the chaos to maintain control, but it's going to destroy the kingdom if we don't act."
Valla crossed her arms, her gaze suspicious. "And you've got proof of this? Or are you just talking out of anger?"
Lumumba stepped in, his tone calm but firm. "We've seen it with our own eyes. The council's been opening fissures in strategic locations, destabilizing the region so they can swoop in and 'save' the day. It's a classic power play. But they've overreached. The fissures are getting worse, and soon they won't be able to control them. When that happens, the kingdom will fall apart."
Garth rubbed his chin, clearly considering the weight of their words. "And you want us to turn on Ardyn? The man we've served for years?"
William's voice was quieter now, but filled with conviction. "I don't want to turn on him, Garth. But he's not the man he used to be. He's working with the Sovereign, and if we don't stop him, everything we've fought for will be lost."
There was a long pause, the tension in the room thick enough to cut with a knife. Finally, Garth spoke.
"If what you're saying is true... we'll follow you. But you better have a plan, William. Because if we move against Ardyn and fail, we're all dead."
William nodded, relief washing over him. "We have a plan. And with your help, we can make it work."
While William secured military support, Lumumba and Amara worked to rally the people. They moved through the city's lower districts, speaking with merchants, laborers, and anyone who would listen. The people were angry, fed up with the council's failure to protect them from the fissures, and Lumumba knew exactly how to channel that anger.
"You've been lied to!" Lumumba shouted in one of the crowded marketplaces, standing atop a wooden crate. "The council has used you as pawns in their game for power. They open the fissures, then let the creatures run wild while they sit in their towers, safe and sound. They don't care about you! They only care about their own power."
The crowd murmured in agreement, their frustration bubbling to the surface.
"But we can change that," Lumumba continued, his voice rising. "We can take control. William, son of Baron Ardyn, is ready to lead this kingdom to a new future—a future where you're not just expendable pieces on the board. But we need your support! Stand with us, and together, we'll take back this kingdom!"
By the end of the day, the people were stirred. Rumors of rebellion spread like wildfire, and Lumumba could feel the momentum building.
That evening, as the group gathered once more, Lumumba could sense that they were close. William had secured the captains, Lumumba and Amara had rallied the people, and now all that was left was the council.
"We strike tomorrow," Lumumba said, laying out the final pieces of the plan. "The council is meeting at dawn to discuss the next move regarding the fissures. That's when we make our move. William, you'll confront your father publicly. The captains will be ready to back you. The people will be outside the council chamber, making their voices heard."
"And the council?" Jon asked, his voice tense.
Lumumba's smile was sharp. "The council will have no choice but to bend the knee. Once we show them the people and the military are on our side, they'll fall in line."
William clenched his fists, determination etched on his face. "And if they don't?"
Lumumba's eyes gleamed. "Then we take power by force."