The Idea of You (Bdoc Royal AU)

Chapter Sixteen: The Plan

[Day ??]

The capital of Oropolis, Xandai, was famous for its complicated city streets, how the roads and alleyways twisted into a maze. Unless one grew up within the city, it's impossible to navigate without assistance.

Buried deep within the dark alleyways, a door hidden behind a lone dumpster guarded the safety of a group of eight people.

All shielded by the darkness of the room, their only source of light coming from the round table in the middle, the screen glitching and fighting for its life.

"Thanks to our scout at the ball the other night, we have learned vital information," the leader of the group spoke out. "We always thought the sorcerers borrow magic energy from the forest, but it seems they completely rely on it."

Tapping the screen and raising their hand, they pulled up a rough, 3d hologram of the forest. "If we eliminate the forest, we eliminate them."

"Oh that's easy, we can just burn it to the ground," the person to the leader's right piped up.

"It's not easy," the leader shot back. "This forest is alive. It's hostile and will attack any stranger who enters."

"Then we can't all go," the person to their left said. "Perhaps a group of three? We should find a weak point and assault it with fire until we can enter."

The leader nodded. "We will stick close and burn everything that we see. However, I'll raise the number to four. Those of you that will end up staying behind will have to map out an escape route at all times."

"Question;" the person across from the leader quietly asked. "If the field team gets caught, what then?"

Looming over the table, they narrowed their eyes. "First off; we won't get caught. But if someone does; you keep your silence even if it costs you your life. We are to take out the royal family and prevent them from gaining any sort of power over our home."

The person to their right spoke up again. "But we still want Artise for us, right? So what happens if the prince tries to save the forest? Should we let him live?"

"If the prince dies, then he dies. Without the heir or royal family, Artise will have no choice but to hand everything over to Oropolis. And from there, we will finally be able to engage in our coup d'état."