The victory in the Redwood Forest was bittersweet.
Union forces held the field, but the war's cost weighed heavily.
The Assassination Plot
While the armies clashed, a covert team of Union assassins infiltrated the capital's shadowy alleys.
Their targets: the Crown Prince and two of his most trusted generals, whose leadership had galvanized the loyalist forces.
The assassins moved swiftly—poisoned wine slipped into cups at secret meetings, hidden blades in dark corridors, and whispered threats that silenced guards.
The Prince Falls
Hours after the King's long-anticipated death was announced, news spread that the Crown Prince had been struck down in his chambers.
His body was found cold and lifeless, a thin smile frozen on his lips.
Rumors swirled—poison? A sudden illness? Or the unseen hand of the Union?
The nobles were thrown into chaos.
Aftermath of the Battle
Back in the Northern Lands, news of the Prince's death reached Emil.
The royal line was shaken, but the war was far from over.
Baron Rask's forces, disheartened but defiant, regrouped to press their campaign.
Emil's Response
At Dünrath, Emil addressed the Council.
"The Crown is weakened. Their leaders fall like leaves in autumn."
"But the fight continues."
Plans were laid for renewed offensives, strengthened defenses, and continued espionage.
A Kingdom on the Brink
The throne was empty.
Power struggles among the nobility erupted as the civil war's flames spread wider.
Emil and the Union stood ready to seize the moment.