==Chapter 5 – Political Ruin==
Some may call me a spiteful man, perhaps I am. Had Gregor done what he did and instead chosen to partner with me, it could have been the start of a beautiful friendship. I didn’t even mind the parade, in fact, I looked forward to it. I love a good show just as much as the next person. But the trial was the thing that got me. I knew there was no chance they’d let me walk out of there alive. If he thought capturing me was his ticket to a grand rise to power, imagine executing me publicly would have been. Letting me go would have destroyed him. So, he not only forced his own hand by capturing me, but he also forced mine.
Gregor believed himself to be my equal in wit and cunning. I wanted to put that to the test. I always do enjoy a good challenge.
The first thing I did after my release was publicly announce in Andunor what he did to me. With my influence and power in Andunor and my many allies, that would surely give him some trouble upon his next visit. I would intend to tell the Deep Legion and their allies how he betrayed an Andunorian and nearly got one killed. I also made the announcement in the Shadovar.
It didn’t take long before he contacted me and pleaded me to take down the announcements. I demanded that in exchange for doing so, we would partner up and continue to work on his plans to destroy the Axehold Accords together. He agreed to my terms. This was the next step in my plan. Now I just needed to wait patiently for the right time and the right opportunity. Of course I never had any intention to help him.
This opportunity came during one of my visits to Dis. I bumped into Lily who wished to speak with me. We did so and I received word Sarek and Nevve had arrived in Dis. I excused myself briefly to get them and continue the conversation, but upon seeing them both Gregor was there with one of his friends, Ravenna. As I am ever a popular man, they wished to speak with me too. But Lily was waiting for me, so I told them to wait for me in the Cloven Hoof and order me an Absinthe.
When I was done, I made my way to the Cloven Hoof where I found them seated at a small balcony overlooking the plane. He was in conversation with someone I honestly can’t even remember the name or look of. They spoke for some time until he finally left. Nevve had to leave, my brother followed her. This is when Gregor expressed his distrust for my brother. He told him he didn’t want my brother to have any knowledge of our plans and discussions. I wondered if this had anything to do with my brother’s false redemption story. I simply agreed. What was one more lie?
But then it dawned on me that he wanted to have the conversation right here, in the open. I told him I’d send a wisp to my brother telling him not to return. But instead, I sent one to Lysanthir. The Black Archer I could ever rely on being obsessed with me and his desire to act as a sole vigilante of the island. He did not disappoint as I discovered later.
It appeared that most of the conversation had indeed been listened into. I imagine either from the streets below, through divination or through someone extremely capable in hiding from people. I ensured to ask many leading questions and some clarity specifically on what he intended for Myon. I wanted to arouse some form of aggression towards the man from the elves, which as always, would take truly little encouragement.
As expected, Gregor walked straight into my deception and told me everything about his plans. It was less than a month later that he was removed as Vice Mayor, the government collapsed and Gregor nowhere to be found, rumoured to have left the island. The way was clear for Itzal to take his throne. His rise to power a whole new story to be written. His very own one.