Within the World Chat, there were still a few people who were online and saw Natalieās message.
[ Natalie (Sector 4): Five Clans have already gathered tonight under the Survivor Pact... New Haven, Dawnspire Order, Verdant Vanguard, Crimson Wake, and Black Iron Pact. More will follow tomorrow. ]
[ Elias (Sector 9): Five already? And theyāre all high-ranked Clans... This is no joke. ]
[ Mira (Sector 14): Finally, some balance against Shane. I donāt hate Eclipse Revenant, but no one should have that much power unchecked. ]
[ Rowan (Sector 7): If these five are the starting point, then the Survivor Pact is already stronger than any coalition weāve seen before. ]
[ Yuria (Sector 11): Donāt forget Lancelotās Lord Alliance. He gathered twelve Clans already. Maybe even more. Iām just not sure what clans are they... ]
[ Harlow (Sector 12): Yeah, but most of them are Rank 24 to Rank 75. Numbers arenāt everything. ]
[ Cedric (Sector 5): Exactly. Lancelotās alliance looks big, but their Clans are mid. But Survivor Pact is packing raw strength. Ranks 4, 15, 16, 17, and 18... thatās a powerhouse core. ]
[ Elric (Sector 2): Iāll stay neutral for now. Still, itās good both alliances exist. Better to have balance than let Shane swallow the world alone. ]
[ Dalia (Sector 13): Neutral or not, you canāt deny Survivor Pact is already more solid. If stronger Clans keep joining, Shane wonāt be the only one setting the rules. ]
[ Rogan (Sector 18): Honestly, I donāt care who leads. As long as they establish fair trade and protection standards, small Clans like mine might actually live longer. ]
[ Nisha (Sector 10): True. Survivor Pact or Lord Alliance, doesnāt matter. Just... please donāt collapse like the last "grand coalition" did. ]
The chat flowed endlessly... There was a storm excitement, analysis, and cautious hope among them.
It was understandable since the Zombies are getting weaker and weaker. Because of that, they could tell that the world would soon be reclaimed by the Survivors. Once that happened, it wouldnāt be surprising if a government were formed.
They somehow believed that once that happened, Shane would start a monarchy or some sort.
Survivors across every Sector were actually awake, waiting for news about this grand event...
They were thinking whether Shane would actually appear to stop this, or some other Alliances, like Lancelotās Lord Alliance, would try to form friendly relations with them.
Some rooted for Natalie and the Pact to grow into a true counterweight to Eclipse Revenant.
Still, there were a few in the chat who seemed more cautious. They acknowledged Lancelotās Lord Alliance without dismissing it outright.
But one thing was clear... The world was now split between three great forces... Shaneās Eclipse Revenant, Lancelotās Lord Alliance, and Natalieās rising Survivor Pact.
As for the many Clans that werenāt part of any faction, they had decided to just observe for now.
For now, they didnāt want to be enemies of any of them.
***
Shane had just returned from Annaās office, as he visited her for a quick check-up...
At this time, she was focused on the world chat as he read about the progress of the Survivor Pact.
He just remained as an observer while the flood of chatter about Natalieās Survivor Pact spread...
He read various messages supporting the pact, doubting it, and even some speculations about its future.
There was also some hopeful talk about the "balance" it would introduce to the continent.
He couldnāt help but smile at this thought.
Balance?
Shane had no interest in controlling the world outright, but it amused him to see how quickly people assumed power meant tyranny.
Still, he understood. Fear made people dream of counterweights, coalitions, and governments yet to come.
He didnāt type a word in the world chat.
They could only guess what he was thinking right now as everyone was trying to gather their forces.
To many, his silence was louder than anything he could have said.
Nonetheless, there was a series of private messages from various Clan Leaders within his Chat Feature.
[ Vex: Clan Leader of Eclipse Revenant... Shane, Iāll be direct. My clan, Steel Spire, wants to be part of your alliance. Survivor Pact looks shiny, but we donāt trust coalitions. Itās too balanced. There seemed to be too many leaders, too many egos. Youāve proven strength... real strength. Let us stand under your banner. We can work under you. ]
The man had certainly thought this true.
The Survivor Pact that Natalie was about to build seemed like it wouldnāt really be led by her. Instead, it would be a group of Clan Leaders who would still be in control. At most, Natalie would just be a figurehead or a representative.
They believed that she wouldnāt really have that much power if all the other Clans united.
On the other hand, Shane would have the absolute power if he made an Alliance, and Vex wanted that.
It wasnāt just him.
[ Ellen: Greetings, Shane. I am Ellen of the Ember Fangs. Weāre Ranked 45th in the Clan Ranking. Yes, we seemed weak, but weāre survivors. Weāre battle-hardened and loyal. If you are building something, Iād rather pledge to Eclipse Revenant than throw my lot with Natalie or Lancelot. My people value decisive leadership. ]
[ Orla: Shane. This is Orla of the Silver Ashes. Rank 34 I wonāt waste your time. Weāve stayed independent until now, but with these factions rising, neutrality will soon mean weakness. I want to join you before weāre forced into someone elseās shadow. My clan specializes in alchemy and ranged firepower. Weād be an asset. ]
Now, this had really gotten more interesting, and Shane couldnāt help but take this seriously. After all, it would indeed be a waste not to use his connections to get more advantage...
Still, he was worried about many things since he couldnāt really trust these people.
If he was not careful, he might let an enemy enter his den...
āMaybe I should give them a chance...ā Shane mused as he thought of giving them a requirement... That was to live within one of his Shelters for at least a month!