The group spent the next hour formulating a plan. The trader operated out of a small warehouse near the town’s edge, protected by a handful of guards. It wasn’t heavily fortified, but the real challenge would be extracting information from someone as cautious as him.

  “We’ll need to take him alive,” Midas said.

  “And convince him to talk,” Mori added.

  Neres grinned. “Leave that part to me. People tend to get chatty when they’re missing a kneecap.”

  Mori shot him a disapproving look, but Midas cut in before she could argue. “We’ll do this cleanly. No unnecessary violence.”

  Neres sighed. “Fine. But if he tries to run, I’m not holding back.”

  As night fell, the group prepared for the mission ahead. Mori sharpened her arrows, her hands steady despite the tension in the air. Neres paced the room, his movements restless but focused. Boreas sat near the window, staring out at the darkened town.

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  Midas stood in the center of the room, his gaze steady. “We’ve done well so far. But this is just the beginning. The mayor’s power is crumbling, and he knows it. He’s going to get desperate. That’s when he’ll make mistakes.”

  “And that’s when we finish this,” Boreas said.

  The group nodded, their resolve unshaken.

  As they stepped out into the night, the streets of Dawncrest seemed quieter than usual, as if the town itself was holding its breath. The flames of rebellion had been lit, and there was no turning back.

  The warehouse sat on the outskirts of Dawncrest, a modest structure that belied its importance. Shadows stretched long under the pale moonlight, giving the area an eerie stillness. Midas and his companions crouched behind a row of barrels, studying the warehouse from a safe distance.

  “There are six guards outside,” Mori whispered, her bow already drawn. “Three patrolling, three stationed at the entrance.”

  “More could be inside,” Boreas added, his voice low. “We’ll have to move fast and quiet.”

  “Fast and quiet is what I do best,” Neres said, a sly grin tugging at his lips.

  Midas glanced at the group, his expression firm. “Mori, pick off the sentries on the perimeter. Neres, you deal with the ones by the entrance. Boreas and I will handle anyone inside. Remember, we need the trader alive. No mistakes.”

  They nodded, slipping into position with practiced ease.