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Chapter 13 - The Ascendancy’s Gambit

Within the Ascendancy's headquarters, the atmosphere hung heavy with tension and secrecy. The grand chamber was bathed in dim, flickering light from the torches that lined the stone walls. Shadows danced along the intricate tapestries that draped from ceiling to floor, each depicting scenes of conquest and control over the Void. The air was thick with the scent of incense, masking the more acrid smell of something older, ancient even—perhaps a remnant of the many rituals that had taken place here over the centuries.

At the heart of the chamber was a large circular table made of dark marble, its surface engraved with cryptic symbols. Around this table, the highest members of the Ascendancy sat in silence, each shrouded in their hoods. Their faces were obscured, but their eyes—those cold, calculating eyes—glinted from the darkness like predators waiting to pounce.

Lysander sat at the center, his fingers drumming lightly on the edge of the table, a picture of calm amidst the quiet storm. His gaze was distant, his mind turning over the recent events that had brought him and his order to this moment. The others watched him carefully, waiting for him to speak, to unveil his next move. They knew he was their leader for a reason—his mind was a labyrinth of strategies and contingencies, his will as unyielding as the Void itself.

Around him, the hooded figures murmured amongst themselves, their voices low, tinged with ambition and apprehension. The Ascendancy was nothing if not a collection of grand egos, all jockeying for power within the greater hierarchy. But for now, they were unified by a singular purpose: stopping Mordrek the Forsaken and his allies.

"Time is running out," one of the figures finally broke the silence, his voice carrying a sharp edge. "Twenty-six days, and the server will be shut down. We can't afford to be caught playing catch-up."

The others nodded in agreement, though Lysander remained still, his expression unreadable.

"He's already reached the temple," another added, her voice a venomous whisper. "He seeks the Void's power. If we don't act now—"

Lysander raised a hand, silencing them all. His voice, when he spoke, was measured, calm. "Mordrek's recklessness will be his downfall," he said, his eyes scanning the room. "He's playing into our hands."

The hooded figures exchanged glances. There was skepticism in their silence, though none dared challenge him outright. One, however, couldn't resist. A crooked smile curled beneath the shadow of his hood, the same figure who had questioned Lysander before.

"And yet," the figure said, his voice dripping with malice, "you retreated. When you had him cornered, you walked away."

The room tensed at the accusation, but Lysander's expression didn't falter. He allowed the silence to stretch before answering, his tone even more measured now. "I've already seen the board," he replied. "Sometimes a strategic retreat opens doors to far greater victories."

He leaned forward, his gaze locking with the hooded figure. "Mordrek and his companions believe they're moving toward power, but they're being led—by us. His actions are predictable, like a piece on a chessboard. And I will use every one of those moves against him."

The crooked-smiling figure didn't respond, though his smirk remained. There was still skepticism in the room, but Lysander's confidence, his mastery of strategy, had bought him more time.

Another voice cut through the air. "You speak of control, Lysander, but what of the Void? Can you truly harness its power? You claimed as much."

Lysander's gaze darkened, his fingers tapping a deliberate rhythm on the table. This was the question that weighed on them all—what lay within the Void, and more importantly, who would control it. The temptation of such power was intoxicating, and they were all here for a piece of it. Lysander had dangled the possibility before them like bait.

And yet, the truth remained elusive.

His retreat from Mordrek had raised questions he hadn't answered—not fully, at least.

"When the time comes," Lysander said softly, "you'll see. But first, we must allow Mordrek to take the bait. He believes himself closer to the truth, to the power he seeks. But he is not the only one with a claim on the Void."

The atmosphere in the room shifted, tension giving way to a simmering understanding. The Ascendancy had its own paths into the Void, its own methods of control. The chessboard was far more complex than Mordrek and his allies could possibly comprehend.

Lysander turned his attention back to the larger map of the Ashen Plains displayed at the center of the table, dark clouds swirling over its surface, indicating the chaos brewing within. His fingers traced a path along the ancient lines of the map—toward the temple, where Mordrek now ventured.

"We'll disrupt his plans," Lysander continued, his voice resolute. "The temple holds more than he realizes. We'll move our pieces carefully, ensure that he never sees the trap closing around him."

The hooded figures listened intently, absorbing his plan. Each was eager for their own share of the spoils, but for now, they would follow Lysander's lead. His words were like threads pulling together the disparate ambitions in the room, weaving them into a single purpose.

"The Void is not to be trifled with," Lysander added, his voice growing darker. "But it can be guided, shaped to our will—so long as we remain the ones pulling the strings."

As the room settled, one final figure spoke up—a voice raspier than the rest, coming from the darkest corner of the chamber. "And the one who follows him? What of her?"

Lysander's expression flickered, his gaze sharpening. "She's of no consequence. Let her believe she has a part to play. In the end, they all serve the same purpose."

The crooked-smiling figure chuckled softly at that, his amusement evident. "Then we let the game continue."

The Ascendancy was a web of deceit, ambition, and power, but under Lysander's control, it moved with precision, like an intricate machine. For now, the clock ticked down—twenty-six days until the server shut down, and the final chapter of this game would be written.

But until then, Mordrek's every move would be watched, every decision anticipated. And the hooded figure, with his crooked smile, would be there in the shadows, waiting for his moment.

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Words of the Forsaken

In the end, it's not the power of the Void that destroys men—it's the illusions they build around it. ~ Crimson seer