chapter 39 THE COLLAPSE OF STORM HOWL

Bonus chapter for 5 power stones

Next bonus when i reach 10 collection

Or 10 power stones

Or 5 comments

With Iron Fang and Crimson Vow absorbed into Dark Solution, Sophie wasted no time turning her attention to Stormhowl—one of the strongest remaining tier-three guilds. Unlike the others, Stormhowl was not yet weakened by K's rampage. They were still intact, still standing tall.

But Sophie wasn't interested in waiting for K to weaken them.

She would break them herself.

The Setup

Stormhowl prided itself on strength and loyalty. They were a warrior's guild, boasting some of the best melee fighters in the region. Their members weren't the type to surrender easily. But that also made them predictable.

They believed brute force could solve any problem.

Sophie would show them how wrong they were.

Her spies were already inside their ranks, feeding them false reports—whispering rumors of a secret alliance between Dark Solution and K. The paranoia spread quickly. If Stormhowl believed K would spare Dark Solution, then that meant one thing—Dark Solution had sold out every other guild.

That fear, that seed of doubt, was all Sophie needed.

The First Strike

Stormhowl's fortress, Iron Vale, was built for sieges. Thick walls, reinforced gates, well-trained warriors. A direct assault would be costly.

So Sophie didn't attack the fortress.

She attacked the people.

Dark Solution's forces began striking Stormhowl's members in the field, picking them off in small, calculated skirmishes. But instead of outright killing them, they let survivors escape.

Each survivor ran back to Iron Vale, bloodied and panicked, spreading the same message—Dark Solution was hunting them, one by one.

Panic grew.

The fortress became a prison.

Every time a squad left to gather supplies or train in the wild, they were ambushed. Even those who managed to return never came back whole.

Fear began to consume Stormhowl's ranks.

And then Sophie delivered the final blow.

The Betrayal

A week into the siege, Stormhowl's second-in-command, Rylan, requested a meeting.

Sophie met him in a secluded grove, just outside Iron Vale's walls. The moon was high, casting pale light over the clearing. Vance stood at her side, as always, his dagger twirling idly between his fingers.

Rylan stepped forward, his face grim. "I want out."

Sophie smiled. Perfect.

Stormhowl had always prided itself on loyalty. If their second-in-command betrayed them, it would shatter what little morale remained.

Sophie's voice was soft, almost comforting. "You're making the right choice."

Rylan exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "I just… I can't do this anymore. We're being hunted like animals. Elias refused to listen—he still thinks we can win."

Sophie placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Elias is a warrior. He only understands battle. But this? This isn't a fight." Her smile turned cold. "This is a purge."

Rylan swallowed hard. He had already made his decision. "What do you want?"

Sophie leaned in slightly. "I want Iron Vale's gates open."

Silence.

Rylan hesitated—just for a moment.

Then, finally, he nodded.

"It's done."

Sophie's smile widened. "Good."

She stepped back, watching him walk away, sealing his guild's fate.

Behind her, Vance let out a low chuckle. "That was easy."

Sophie turned toward Iron Vale, where the torches of Stormhowl's fortress burned against the night sky.

She laughed.

"Three down."

And Dark Solution kept growing.

The Fall of Iron Vale

Stormhowl's fortress gates creaked open just before dawn. The defenders on the walls were exhausted, worn thin by sleepless nights and constant fear. None of them noticed the traitor within their ranks.

Rylan stood at the gate controls, his hands steady despite the weight of what he was doing. He didn't look back. If he hesitated, if he faltered, Sophie would kill him just as easily as she had twisted him against his own guild.

Outside, the shadows moved.

Sophie's forces poured through the opening.

Dark Solution swept through Iron Vale like a silent storm. They were not an army clashing against another in open battle. They were executioners.

The first wave consisted of assassins and infiltrators, moving through the barracks, slitting throats before their targets could even wake.

The second wave brought alchemy. A mixture of sleeping gas and vision-obscuring mist spread through the fortress corridors, turning once-familiar halls into a labyrinth of fear.

By the time the first real alarms were raised, half of Stormhowl's forces were already dead.

Elias' Last Stand

Elias, Stormhowl's guild leader, roared orders through the chaos, rallying those who could still fight. Unlike Iron Fang and Crimson Vow, he refused to surrender.

Sophie admired that about him. It made his fall all the more satisfying.

Clad in full plate armor, Elias led a final charge, smashing through the encroaching Dark Solution forces with sheer force of will. Every strike of his greatsword sent enemies flying, his movements swift and brutal.

But bravery meant nothing in the face of inevitability.

As he cut through yet another attacker, a soft voice whispered behind him.

"Elias."

He spun—too late.

A dagger sank into the gap between his armor plates, twisting deep into his side.

Sophie's lips were near his ear, her breath warm as she leaned in. "It's over."

Elias staggered. He turned, his weapon falling from his grip as the strength drained from his limbs. His vision blurred. He could hear his people screaming—dying—all around him.

His knees buckled. He collapsed.

Sophie crouched beside him, wiping his blood from her dagger with deliberate care. "You should have surrendered."

Elias tried to speak, but his lips barely moved.

She tilted her head, pretending to listen. Then she smiled.

And drove the dagger into his throat.

Iron Vale Burns

With their leader dead and Rylan having already abandoned them, Stormhowl crumbled. The few remaining survivors threw down their weapons, falling to their knees in surrender.

Sophie stood at the center of the blood-soaked fortress, watching as her forces rounded up the prisoners.

She turned to Rylan, who stood at the sidelines, watching in numb silence. He looked like a man who had just realized the depth of his mistake.

Sophie clapped a hand on his shoulder. "You did well."

Rylan flinched. He didn't speak.

Sophie smiled. "You'll be rewarded."

He didn't answer.

Sophie laughed, turning away from him.

"Four down."

Her gaze lifted toward the horizon, where the next guild awaited.

Dark Solution wasn't stopping.

Aftermath: The Cost of Victory

The smell of blood still lingered in the air as the last embers of Iron Vale smoldered. Dark Solution's forces moved methodically through the ruins, looting weapons, supplies, and anything of value before torching what remained of Stormhowl's once-proud fortress. The battle was over, but the true work had just begun.

Sophie stood atop the ruined battlements, surveying her new domain. Below her, prisoners knelt in rows, hands bound behind their backs. Some stared at the ground in silent defeat, while others still trembled, unable to process how swiftly their guild had been annihilated.

Vance stood beside her, flipping a dagger between his fingers. "So, what do we do with them?" His tone was casual, but there was an edge of amusement in his voice. He already knew Sophie's answer.

Sophie tilted her head, considering. There were three types of prisoners here: the valuable, the useless, and the problematic.

The valuable ones—those with rare skills, good reputations, or potential for leadership—would be given a choice: join Dark Solution, or die.

The useless ones—new players, non-combatants, and those too broken to fight back—would be stripped of their items and sent away. Their survival was no longer her concern.

And the problematic ones—the defiant, the loyalists, the ones who would never stop fighting—would be made an example of.

She smiled. "Let's begin."

The Execution of Loyalty

A handful of Stormhowl's highest-ranking members were dragged forward. Even bound and beaten, they refused to kneel. Their eyes burned with hate, but they were powerless.

Sophie stepped toward them, slow and deliberate. "Stormhowl was strong," she admitted. "Stronger than Iron Fang. Stronger than Crimson Vow." She met their gazes one by one. "But strength means nothing without power."

One of them, a female knight named Lara, spat at Sophie's feet. "You're a snake. You didn't fight us—you poisoned us."

Sophie chuckled. "And yet, here you are. Bound. Defeated." Her voice lowered to a whisper. "Tell me, what did honor win you?"

Lara's jaw tightened. She said nothing.

Sophie gave a small, almost sympathetic smile. Then, without warning, she drew her dagger across Lara's throat.

The knight collapsed, her blood pooling at Sophie's feet.

Silence fell over the prisoners. Even those who had been considering resistance now stared in wide-eyed horror.

Sophie turned back to them, her voice light. "Now then. Who else wants to be a hero?"

No one answered.

She gave a satisfied nod. "Good."

The Absorption of Stormhowl

With their spirits shattered, the remaining Stormhowl members were given a single chance at survival—swear loyalty to Dark Solution. Some hesitated, but most accepted. They had lost everything. Revenge would have to wait.

Rylan stood at the back, silent. He had gotten what he wanted—survival—but at what cost? Sophie had promised him leadership, power, a place at her side. But now, as he watched his former guildmates either swear fealty or die, he realized…

He wasn't her ally.

He was just another piece on her board.

Reaping the Rewards

Vance approached as the last of the prisoners were dealt with. "We looted their vaults. Credits, enchanted gear, a few rare crafting materials."

Sophie raised an eyebrow. "Anything interesting?"

Vance smirked. "They had a stockpile of Spirit Flowers and Healing Herbs. Enough to supply an alchemist's guild for weeks."

Sophie's grin widened. This was what she had truly wanted. With these materials, her alchemists could mass-produce potions—potions she could sell, trade, or use to strengthen her own forces.

Stormhowl's legacy wasn't just its fighters. It was its resources.

And now?

They belonged to her.

She turned to her gathered forces, her voice cutting through the morning air.

"Four guilds have fallen. More will follow."

She looked out toward the horizon, where more prey awaited.

Dark Solution wasn't just surviving.

It was devouring.