The aftermath of the gathering was complicated.
Chairman Aldric's suspension sent shockwaves through Eredor's political establishment. Some nobles demanded investigations. Others claimed it was a power grab by the crown. The City Guard split into factions—some supporting Isabella's authority, others loyal to Aldric.
For three days, the city teetered on the edge of civil conflict.
Kaelen spent those three days in the Shadow Hunter headquarters, helping to coordinate responses to increased cultist activity. Because of course Marcus's people weren't sitting idle while the city dealt with its political crisis.
"Warehouse fire in the docks," Ronan reported, marking another location on their map. "Third one this week. Someone's systematically destroying our supply chains."
"Cultists?" Kaelen asked.
"Probably. But no witnesses, no evidence, no way to prove it." Ronan tossed the report onto a growing pile. "They're using the political chaos as cover. We're too busy managing infighting to properly respond to attacks."
"Which was probably the plan all along," Lia said. She was working at a nearby table, comparing corruption patterns across different incidents. "Marcus knew exposing Aldric would cause disruption. He's using that disruption to advance other goals."
"So we're playing into his hands either way," Kaelen said. "If Aldric stays in power, Marcus controls him. If Aldric gets removed, Marcus benefits from the chaos. He wins both scenarios."
"Not both," Selene said, entering the room with fresh intelligence reports. "He prefers one outcome over the other, or he wouldn't have risked exposure. We just need to figure out which outcome he actually wants."
She spread new documents across the table. "Look at this. Cultist activity is concentrated in three districts—docks, merchant quarter, and the old industrial zone. All areas with minimal City Guard presence due to the political standoff."
"He's claiming territory," Ronan realized. "While the Guards are arguing about who's in charge, Marcus is establishing control over key city sections."
"Exactly." Selene pointed to specific locations. "If this continues for another week, he'll have effective control over a third of Eredor. Then he doesn't need political manipulation—he'll have actual military presence."
"Then we have to stop him before the week is up," Kaelen said. "Hit his positions, drive him out, reclaim the territory."
"With what forces?" Ronan asked. "We've got maybe forty active Shadow Hunters, half the City Guard is paralyzed by politics, and the other half doesn't trust us. Marcus has hundreds of cultists plus corrupted creatures. The math doesn't work."
"Then we change the math," Lia said. "Make it about quality instead of quantity. Small teams, surgical strikes, eliminate key targets rather than fighting the entire force."
"Assassination missions," Selene said flatly. "You're suggesting we assassinate cultist leaders."
"I'm suggesting we remove command structure," Lia corrected. "Whether that's killing, capturing, or driving them away—whatever works. But Marcus's operation depends on coordination. Break that coordination and the cultists become just scattered criminals instead of an organized army."
It made tactical sense. It also made Kaelen deeply uncomfortable.
"Who would we target?" he asked.
Selene pulled out intelligence files. "We've identified five key lieutenants. Each one controls cultist operations in a specific district. Take them out, and Marcus has to personally manage everything, which limits his effectiveness."
She laid out five folders. Kaelen opened the first one.
**Subject: Viktor Crane***Role: Logistics Coordinator**Location: Docks District**Threat Level: Moderate (Non-combat specialist)*
The file included a sketch—middle-aged man, scholarly appearance, not particularly intimidating.
"He manages supply lines and resource distribution," Selene explained. "Not a fighter, but critical to keeping cultist operations funded and equipped."
Kaelen opened the second file.
**Subject: Sarah Blackthorne***Role: Recruitment Officer**Location: Merchant Quarter**Threat Level: High (Shadow Mage, combat trained)*
This one looked dangerous—young woman with sharp eyes and visible Shadow Scars on her neck.
"She's been converting desperate people into cultists," Selene said. "Very effective. Charismatic, persuasive, and doesn't hesitate to use force when persuasion fails."
The other three files were similar—each lieutenant had specific skills, specific territories, specific threat levels.
"You want us to eliminate all five?" Ronan asked.
"Not eliminate. Neutralize," Selene corrected. "Capture if possible, kill if necessary, drive away if that's the best option. The goal is disruption, not body count."
"When?" Kaelen asked.
"Tonight. Simultaneous strikes across all five targets. We've got teams ready—you and Lia take one target, other teams handle the rest. If we coordinate properly, Marcus won't have time to respond before we've crippled his command structure."
It was aggressive. Risky. Probably exactly what Marcus would expect them to try.
"What's the catch?" Kaelen asked. "This feels too straightforward."
"The catch is that Marcus probably anticipated this strategy and set traps," Selene admitted. "But we don't have better options. We can either act now while we have the initiative, or wait and let Marcus consolidate power until we can't stop him at all."
Kaelen looked at Lia. She met his eyes, and he could see her thinking through the same calculations.
"Which target do we get?" Lia asked.
"Your choice," Selene said. "Match your skills to the mission."
Kaelen studied the files. Viktor Crane—non-combatant, probably the easiest target but also the least critical. Sarah Blackthorne—dangerous fighter, high-value target. The others fell somewhere in between.
"We'll take Blackthorne," Kaelen decided. "If she's as dangerous as you say, better to send the team that can handle Forbidden Blade-level threats."
"Agreed," Selene said. "Mission brief in two hours. Strikes commence at midnight. Don't be late."
---
Two hours later, Kaelen and Lia stood in a briefing room with their assigned support team—three Shadow Hunters who looked competent and deeply unhappy about their mission.
"Let me be clear," one of them said. "We're not thrilled about working with a Forbidden Blade wielder. But orders are orders, so we'll make it work. Just don't expect us to be friendly about it."
"I don't need friendly," Kaelen said. "I need competent. Can you handle that?"
"We've been Shadow Hunters for ten years. We can handle it."
Fair enough.
The plan was relatively simple. Sarah Blackthorne operated from a converted warehouse in the merchant quarter. Intelligence suggested she kept a small guard force but relied primarily on magical defenses. The team would infiltrate, neutralize guards quietly, then confront Blackthorne directly.
Capture her if possible. Kill her if necessary.
"Rules of engagement?" one of the Hunters asked.
"Try for non-lethal first," Kaelen said. "But if it comes down to us or them, choose us. We're not dying to be merciful."
The Hunters nodded approval. At least they agreed on priorities.
They moved out at eleven-thirty, traveling through back streets to avoid attention. The merchant quarter was quieter than usual—shops closed early due to the political tension, fewer people willing to be out after dark.
Good for infiltration. Bad for the city in general.
They reached the target warehouse at eleven-fifty. Kaelen could feel magical wards around it—nothing too sophisticated, but enough to alert Blackthorne if they forced entry.
"Lia?" he said quietly.
She was already working, her runes appearing in the air as she analyzed the ward structure. "Give me three minutes. I can unweave the alert triggers without breaking the wards entirely."
"You've got two minutes," one of the Hunters said. "Other teams are starting their attacks at midnight. We need to synchronize."
Lia worked faster, her hands moving in precise patterns. Kaelen kept watch, Soulrender ready despite his formal promise to use non-lethal methods first.
"Done," Lia whispered. "Entry is clear."
They moved in—door unlocked with Lia's magic, interior dark and quiet. Two guards on the ground floor, both eliminated with sleep spells before they could raise alarm.
So far, so good.
Too good, actually. This was too easy.
Kaelen's instincts screamed warning just as they reached the stairs to the second floor.
"Wait—" he started.
The trap triggered.
Shadow magic exploded from the walls, ceiling, floor—a prepared spell that turned the entire ground floor into a killing zone. The three Shadow Hunters went down immediately, unconscious or dead, Kaelen couldn't tell.
He and Lia barely survived by activating the resonance armor, the hybrid energy absorbing the worst of the blast.
When the magic cleared, they were alone on the ground floor with three downed teammates and alarms blaring.
"So much for subtle," Lia said, already preparing defensive runes.
Cultists poured down from the second floor. Not guards—trained fighters, organized, equipped with anti-magic weapons.
This wasn't a lieutenant's hideout.
This was a fortress.
And Sarah Blackthorne appeared at the top of the stairs, smiling.
"Shadow Hunters," she called down. "Right on schedule. Marcus sends his regards. Again."
Kaelen gripped Soulrender, resonance armor flickering around him.
They'd walked right into another trap.
And this time, backup wasn't coming.