Rebellion: Prince of Dawn

Chapter 12.4: Fragmented Answers

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RAY VAN CAMARO

After Gilead villagers and adventurers were found all over the country, news of the incident spread like a disease. It was promptly called the Great Shuffle due to how the villagers were shuffled around the continent like pieces on a board game.

When we found a ship willing to take us and the Gilead villagers residing in Lalatina back home, we said our goodbyes to Czeslaw and Chris.

"It was good seeing you again, Ray," Czeslaw said. "Remember, if there's any trouble, light the beacons. If Gilead calls for aid, Port Town will answer."

I shook his hand. "Only trust letters from me and Pops with anything that involves this thing. And when you receive them, look for the truth within the truth."

With that, we Gileadeans hopped onto a ship and made our way back home.

Something dark was at play and so many innocent people were caught up in it. Jaime, Trisha, and Ilias were fine. I knew they had to be. I just wish they got sent somewhere safe. Away from whatever was causing all of this.

When we got back, Doria escorted the villagers back to the village. I had also ordered her to go through every tavern to look for Abel's signature. The rest of us headed back to the hut.

"Why are we looking for the incantation circle?" Gama cried. "Any incantation circle must be long gone by now. Let's just go home."

"Quit your whining, Private! Gilead is thirty minutes from here. We can afford to take our time and investigate."

"Abel had a circle right in these notes, why would he put it on something if he's trying to hide it?'

"Do you really think he would waste his time to rearrange the circle? The wind would just blow it away."

"He could've done it inside."

"The caster needs to see what their target is. You can't see anything from inside that hut."

"Well, maybe he got creative and cut grass. Or poured sand in the shape of a circle that got washed away when it rained. Or drew it in the earth where it was blown away in the wind. Or—"

"We found it, Colonel," Kaiser and the others yelled from the roof.

The incantation circle was painted on the roof and hidden underneath straw. And from this vantage point, the view of Gilead was clear as day.

When we entered the village, we ran into Doria carrying a stack of books. She verified that Abel's name wasn't in any of them.

He's guilty of this. There was no doubt about it now.

The Seraphim soldiers directed us to the morgue where Pops was. He was standing in front of a table staring at a motionless dwarf in a military uniform.

I know that face.

"Colonel Fundin was found dead," Pops said as he covered up the body with a cloth. "He was teleported to the Glistening Woods and attacked by a trio of trolls. Colonel Fundin tried his best, but in the end, he was beaten against a tree."

Colonel Fundin was the colonel regent in my absence. If I were in his place, would I have been laying motionless and cold here too?

"He was a good man, Pops. I'm sorry, I know he was a close friend to you. He helped me a lot."

After telling him everything we'd discovered, Pops marched me to the jail cells where Abel was being kept. Without question, we dragged him to the hut where we chained him inside.