Chapter Thirty-Five

**What Daybreak Reveals**

Day Twelve

**Skill Increase: Sneaking (Beginner IV) +125 Exp.**

Jason closed the notification and laid still on his cot. They hadn’t bothered to relight the fireplace when they returned, they had seen enough fire that night. Enough fire for a lifetime. Jason doubted he would be able to fall asleep, but still, he tried. He knew the day to come would be a long one and he would need all the rest he could get, but his thoughts wandered to night’s events.

After stabling Skippy, Juno, and Jule’s goats; Vanna, Jason, and Eliza walked around town offering their assistance to anyone in need of help. When Jule found them the woman quickly put them to work readying the inside of the town hall to house all those without somewhere to sleep. The attack was devastating, over a hundred villagers were now homeless.

Vanna and Jason helped to cover the floor with fresh hay while Eliza went with Jule to prepare a meal. “In moments like these people need something to warm them,” the woman said before she went off. Jason watched as a couple of boys helped Jule haul a gigantic cauldron into the town hall for the meal. Their efforts caused a few people to smile telling Jason that it was all worth the work.

Once they did all they could within the town hall they went off with villagers to salvage whatever they could from the wreckage. Some people were lucky and had most of their valuables stored in metal boxes, but others were not so prepared. For many, all of their belongings had burned and they would have to start all over again. Jason realized those hardest hit were actually the elders as they owned and rented out most of the buildings. Still, there was no one happy with what happened that night.

Jason rolled over and sighed heavily. He tossed his blanket off his body, he was still warm from outside even though otherwise it had been a cold day. The generosity of the villagers had warmed Jason's heart. Many of those who hadn’t lost their home during the fire offered to house those who had. And those who didn’t have enough room in their homes lent blankets and clothing. Even those he thought of as stingy, such as Felix, were handing out things to those in need.

A yawn exited Jason's mouth. Not even in the real world have I met people that nice, Jason thought to himself. It still amazes me how real they are even though they are just programs. Each of them with their own goals and dreams. It’s a mystery how complex their sense of emotion is, I wonder if they just respond but don’t feel what has happened to them. Honestly, I hope that’s how it is. I hope they all just know how to act human but don’t actually feel like we do… we. Jason’s eyes drooped and he yawned again. Dawn can’t be more than an hour away. I wonder… but Jason never completed the thought.

*****

Traveling to Laxtar that day was out of the question all of them knew. Besides the shattering events of the night, they also slept in way too late to get there with enough time to get anything accomplished besides drinking in an inn.

Jason let out a long yawn then lay flat on his cot. He stared at the ceiling for a long time trying to count the millions of thatch strands but gave up after getting to fifty. A ruffle came from the other room and Jason turned to his side. A moment later Eliza poked her head through the makeshift sheet door. Jason quickly shut his eyes trying to pretend as if he were still asleep.

“Jason,” Eliza whispered. He wasn’t sure if he should open his eyes or not and decided to keep them shut. He didn’t dare sneak a peak and laid in the dark. Eliza must have believed him to still be asleep because a few seconds later Jason could hear her footsteps shuffle towards the back door. She must be going to the bathroom, Jason decided.

Once he heard the back door close Jason opened his eyes and sat up. He wasn’t sure why he pretended to be asleep, I guess I’m still as awkward around Eliza as she is around me. Jason shook the thought from his mind and went to start the fire.

As soon as Jason had the kindling afire the door opened again. “Ooo, I’m sorry,” Eliza said, “did I wake you?”

“No, it’s alright,” Jason said with a smile as he tried to get a smaller log to burn.

“It’s late anyway.”

“It was a long night,” Eliza commented.

Jason had nothing to respond to that with and the room went silent. To distract himself from the tension Jason pretended to focus on the fire more than need be. Eliza went back into her room. Jason sighed, I wish we can just talk like friends. I guess that will come in time.

When the fireplace was finally alight Eliza returned to the main room with Vanna behind her. The warrior was already fully dressed and was tying on pieces of her leather armor. Jason and Vanna locked eyes and he could see she was ready for something. “Vanna…” Jason started.

“I’m going out to find Trent, we’ve wasted too much time this morning already,” Vanna said cutting him off.

“What about breakfast,” Eliza said.

Vanna walked past her and Jason towards the door, “I’m not hungry.”

Jason stood up from the fireplace and stepped in front of Vanna trying to stop her, “Vanna wait.”

“Jason,” Vanna whined.

“Vanna,” Jason persisted, “wait a moment and eat. It won’t take more than ten minutes for Eliza or me to heat up something. If Trent… or Byron,” Jason added,” are going anywhere they’d probably tell you first, you’re one of the best fighters in the town. Eat and by then Eliza and I will be ready and can go out too.”

Vanna sighed but stopped walking. “Alright.”

“Thank you,” Jason said. He wasn’t ready yet to see how bad the town had been destroyed. Jason turned away from Vanna and saw Eliza had already started heating up the dinner from the night before. Eliza added a little more water and a few more potatoes to the pot and a few minutes later they had their breakfast.

When they opened the door Jason didn’t know what to expect. He’d seen the damage the night before but he knew day who shine a new light on the destruction. Despite all the hours that past many of the burnt buildings still had clouds of smoke floating above their black carcasses. One house still burned but it was an island in a sea of ash, no threat to the parts of town still intact.

Of all the days thus far, today was the most fitting to be bitter cold. Jason looked up and saw the sun was about a quarter of the way through the sky. His breath condenses into white puffs, Jason was glad he’d worn his cloak.

The group's walk through town was akin to attending a wake. Despite the chill, families, and individuals were combing through the charred rubble, some wrapped in blankets others only in the nightclothes they were able to escape within the inferno.

“Christ,” Vanna murmured. A brown dog with its nose pointed at a half-collapsed house barked insistently at a crumbled wall.

“What,” Eliza asked.

Vanna looked at her surprised but shook her head, “It's awful out here.”

Eliza kept her mouth shut, her interest in Vanna’s word quickly faded. Jason looked around at all the villagers he passed, his heart rushed with anger. “Come on let’s find Byron or Trent.”

They first headed towards the town hall but the only people to be found there were the refugees. The group didn’t even find Jule in the building, whom Jason expected to be tending to the villagers in need.

They left the hall and continued down the main street. Vanna stopped and talked wirh a man she recognized from the militia. Jason wouldn’t have been able to tell he was a fighter except by the flimsy spear he held. The man lacked any kind of armor and helmet and looked ready to collapse. He is only a herder or farmer, Jason figured. He may train to defend the village but he probably doesn’t have any money to spare on a proper weapon.

Jason could hear Vanna thank the man then she returned to the group. “He says Trent is on the western outskirts of town. Apparently there is a problem, but the man didn’t know what.”

“Alright,” Jason said, “let’s go then.” It seemed to him there was always another problem, usually before the last was fixed.

The man’s information proved true. A few minutes of walking later Jason could see a huddle of people less than a hundred yards outside of town. As they got closer Jason could pick out Trent, Jule, and a few elders amongst a small unit of armed men.

“Trent,” Vanna called then started running towards the sheriff. Jason wanted to call out to his companion to wait but instead chased after her. Eliza followed suit behind Jason.

Despite Trent’s earlier hotheadedness, he seemed calm, but like an executioner before delivering punishment. He didn’t say anything as Jason’s group approached. Jason saw everyone else in the crowd was silent and Jule was even crying. The sight of the woman stopped Jason and his heart stopped.

Vanna continued running towards the gathered crowd, “Trent, Trent…” she stopped realizing the atmosphere. “What happened?” She yelled.

Jason looked at Jule and knew it could have been only one thing. “Byron…” she sniffled, “he ran off last night without telling anyone.” Her eyes began to ball and Vanna rushed to her. Jule fell onto Vanna and her crying intensified.

Jason turned to Trent and began to open his mouth but was cut off by the Sheriff, “we think he went to Fallows on his own. I think he’s giving himself up in hopes that it will put a stop to all of this.”

“Were not going to let that happen right,” Vanna roared through Jule’s crying.

“Hell no,” Jason replied, he looked to Trent though for the real answer.

“We can’t let Byron do this, they’ll…” he stopped himself as Jule’s began to wail even louder. “We’re going to get him back.”

“We’re coming too,” Jason said.

“Jason,” Vanna said in surprise. The warrior had handed off Jule to Eliza and was now standing next to Jason. “Are you sure?”

“I’m tired of these jerks and I want an ended to this as much as anyone else. If I can help,” Jason gripped the knife on his belt, “I will. I owe it to Byron.”

Vanna nodded then turned to Eliza. “I’ll look after Jule,” Eliza offered. Vanna thanked her then watched as the two women limped towards the village. “What’s our plan, Trent?” Vanna asked when Eliza and Jule were out of earshot.

“No one knows when Byron left,” Trent started to say.

“None of the horses were gone this morning so he must have walked,” a random militiaman added.

Trent nodded confirming the statement. “My guess is he left shortly before dawn when most people were finally calmed down and many people were awake.”

“So he’s probably already there,” Jason deduced.

“Oh no,” Vanna gasped.

“I don’t think they would have killed him this soon,” Trent said. The sheriff’s calmness reassured Jason slightly. "But they're not treating him to tea, I can tell you that."

“We’ve got to go now then,” Jason said.

“We can’t just barge in there,” Trent replied, “we need a strategy.”

Jason looked around and saw there were only about a dozen people able to fight, including himself. Even Fallows would outnumber them in a fight. “We can figure out something on the way but we should go.”

A few of the militiamen grunted in approval and Vanna nodded. “Alright,” Trent grunted.

“Are we talking horses?” One militiaman asked.

“No, if there is one thing I know for certain we’ll need to surprise them. They’re unorganized but I wouldn’t put it above Malcolm to post a lookout. I doubt Malcolm really believes Byron was the one to kill his sons but he needs to punish someone to save face. We’ll need to travel through the forest. Horses would only slow us down in there and they're loud.” Trent looked around at his makeshift army, Jason didn’t sense confidence in the sheriff. "Is everyone ready then?"

Looking around Jason noted the group wasn’t the entire strength of the village, but Trent didn’t seem like they were waiting for anyone else to arrive. How many of the guards did we lose last night? Jason wondered warily. We waited too long and let Fallows get the upper hand.

Everyone present bobbed their heads or said 'aye'. Then Trent turned and the little army marched after the sheriff.