15 - "The Covert Coup Conundrum"

"In order for you to truly understand our encounter and how our paths intertwined, it's imperative that I begin with an introduction of myself," Windy Wolfester expressed, gazing earnestly at Swayam. "My name, as you may have already gathered, is Windy Wolfester, and, quite fittingly, I hail from a lineage of werewolves. Our journey together commences precisely three years back from this very day."

Swayam interjected, "Hold on a moment. If this narrative is going to be a lengthy one, perhaps we could relocate to a more comfortable place. Better yet, why don't you take me to the very place where our paths first converged?"

Windy nodded in agreement, adding, "I concur that a change of scenery is in order. However, I must admit, the location of our initial encounter might not be to your liking."

Swayam paused, considering the situation. "Alright, if you think it's best, I'll go without Vale for now."

Windy interjected with a note of caution, "It's probably wise, considering that if she hears the tale of our encounter three years ago, she might have a...strong reaction."

Perplexed, Swayam asked, "Why would she react that way?"

Windy replied cryptically, "Just trust me on this."

Swayam nodded, understanding the potential danger. "Then we must proceed with great care to avoid any encounter with her."

With caution in their steps, they left the cafeteria washroom behind and ventured into the dense forest, oblivious to the fact that an unseen observer trailed them closely.

As they strolled through the forest, Windy resumed her tale, recounting the details of their fateful meeting and the circumstances that had brought them together.

***

"Three years ago," Windy began her narrative, "I found myself part of a radical faction led by a man named 'Commander Jacob.' Back then, we were but a small, defiant group, rebelling against the oppressive Vampire Federation. Our sole desire was to secure a sanctuary where werewolves could exist in peace, free from the bonds of servitude we endured. Then, one ominous day, Commander Jacob shared a chilling revelation with us. He had received intelligence about 'King Gabriel's' impending orders to his troops – a command that spelled doom for all werewolves, an order for our complete eradication."

"Enraged by this revelation," Windy continued her tale, "we were consumed by anger towards the king, and under 'Commander Jacob's' orders, we embarked on a mission to eliminate every last one of them. In the throes of our assault, when nearly half of their civilization lay in ruins, I had my first encounter with Valentine. She appeared as a fierce, untamed force, ruthlessly dispatching anyone who crossed her path. It was evident that her parents had fallen victim to werewolves, likely explaining her unrelenting vendetta."

"Amidst her torment and agony," Windy recounted, "Valentine's voice broke as she uttered, 'How did it come to this? Why did you launch this assault?' She questioned the very foundation of our attack, despite the fact that the Vampire Federation had been making strides in granting us equality, even establishing a co-ed school for both werewolves and vampires."

"In the heat of the moment, I couldn't restrain myself and retorted," Windy recounted, "I accused her of deception. 'Stop lying,' I snapped, 'we had received intelligence that the Vampires were plotting an attack to eradicate us.'"

Valentine swiftly countered my accusation with a sharp retort, saying, "Are you a complete fool? If we truly intended to eliminate your kind, we could have accomplished that already."

As I pondered the unfolding circumstances, doubt began to creep in, and I couldn't help but question our intelligence. I mused silently, "Could the information we received have been erroneous? Could there be a hidden agenda driving us to attack them?"

Inevitably, I arrived at a crucial decision. "Something doesn't add up," I resolved within myself. "I must find 'Commander Jacob' and relay this unsettling revelation to him."

***

After sharing my thoughts with the still somewhat reasonable Valentine, I decided to part ways and set off to meet with Commander Jacob.

***

Upon my arrival at the Command Center, a startling sight met my eyes. 'Commander Jacob' was seated, engrossed in laughter, seemingly amused by something.

I rushed towards him, calling out, "Commander, Commander Jacob!"

He turned to me, a hint of surprise in his expression. "Hmm... Oh! Windy, what brings you here? And why aren't you on the battlefield?" he inquired.

Wasting no time, I said. "I possess crucial information concerning 'King Gabriel,'" she replied urgently.

A concealed glint flickered in Commander Jacob's eyes as he probed further, "Information? What kind of information?"

I continued to provide the revelation, my voice filled with earnestness. "The information suggests that we've been deceived, Commander. 'King Gabriel' had no intentions of launching an attack on us. In fact, he was striving to unite 'Werewolves and Vampires' by establishing a Co-Ed School for both."

Upon hearing this revelation, Commander Jacob's curiosity was piqued, and he inquired, "Tell me, Windy, how and where did you come across this information?"

Careful not to implicate Valentine, I replied, "I received word from a fellow soldier."

As Commander Jacob pondered my words, he continued his line of inquiry, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm... Have you disclosed this information to anyone else?" he asked.

I promptly replied, "No, Sir, I haven't shared this with anyone else. I believed it was prudent to inform you first."

Commander Jacob, his tone tinged with a hint of threat, uttered, "Good, you haven't breathed a word to anyone. Keep it that way, Windy. I want you to maintain absolute silence regarding this matter. Is that clear?"

Confusion etched across my face as I questioned, "What do you mean by that, Sir? Did you already know about this information? If that's the case, why didn't you prevent us from launching the attack?"

Commander Jacob started to laugh and his laughter took on a sinister tone as he replied, "Windy, Windy, Windy, you are truly naive. You have no idea what real terror is. I kept this information from you because I have no desire for equality with them. My goal is domination. And now that I've shared this with you, I must ensure your silence, permanently."

Realization washed over me as I exclaimed, "You're the one who manipulated us with false information! I won't let your malevolence go unchecked. I'm going to reveal your treachery to the world!"

Commander Jacob sneered, his arrogance palpable. "You speak of exposing me? That's amusing. You won't escape my grasp, and even if you somehow manage to elude me, no one will believe your tale."

***

After a brutal confrontation and sustaining grievous wounds, I somehow managed to escape Jacob's clutches. Desperate to reveal the truth, I attempted to persuade everyone of Jacob's malevolence, but as he had predicted, no one believed me. Left to die in isolation, I had resigned myself to my fate.

Then, as if summoned by fate, a radiant object materialized out of nowhere. From it emerged you, accompanied by four unique girls. Among them was Vale, the very girl I had clashed with and who had enlightened me about the 'Co-Ed School.' The others were equally remarkable – one adorned in peculiar armor, another holding a staff, and the last one bearing horns and a tail.

***