Connect the Dots

“Why do we have to leave the town, Miss Suri?”

“We have one last place to go.”

“Where?”

She didn’t answer.

It was very early in the morning, and the sun was just rising. There was a cool breeze in the air. Sybil was right next to Charlotte.

“Are you sure it was a good idea bringing her, Charlotte?”

Zoe nodded toward her.

“We tried to make her stay, but she just doesn't want to.”

“I’ll prepare a card of protection for her.”

“Thank you, Zoe.”

They kept walking for a while, until they were quite far from the city. They walked along the main path until Suiro turned off onto a trail that led down into the forest.

Finally, as if illuminated by a ray of light, they came upon a large wooden house. It had a large fireplace and windows on all sides. It stretched two stories high.

“What is this place?”

“The hero's house.”

Everyone froze after hearing that.

“What? How could he have brought us to such a dangerous place without warning us?” Gerald complained.

“Calm down, I spoke with the count and the place is practically empty.”

Without being entirely convinced, Gerald drew his magic cannons and took up a defensive position.

“I'd like to remind you that the prince is here.”

“I know, but he has you.” Suri paused. “Besides, he’s not made out of glass, right?”

Gerald furrowed his brow.

She sighed. “And of course I won’t let anything happen to any of you.”

Suri kicked the door open, and it let out a horrible screech. As soon as they walked in, they were hit by a horrible stench. Charlotte had to cover her mouth to suppress her nausea. As best they could, everyone covered their noses to block out the smell.

Much of the furniture was destroyed, and the curtains were torn.

“Ah yes, this looks totally safe,” Alysia said sarcastically.

The place was completely silent.

As they made their way through the house, things got worse.

There were strange stains everywhere.

Broken glass and holes in the wall.

As if a fierce battle had taken place.

“So, it’s true, he did attack his party,” Arthur announced as he watched the horrific scene.

“Everyone, carefully search the area. Charlotte, stay here with Sybil.”

“Understood,” they replied in unison.

Arthur, Gerald, and Alysia went upstairs. Leif, Zoe, and Suri checked out the downstairs.

Charlotte chose to look away to avoid seeing the scene. Her eyes settled on Sybil, who was also looking away and had one arm crossed. She approached her and offered her an old, worn handkerchief.

“Here, cover your nose.”

“T-thank you.”

“I’m sorry to bring you here.”

“T-that's fine. I'd rather that than be alone.”

Feeling a little useless, Charlotte began to explore that small area. It looked like a place meant to welcome people, but now the couches were frayed. She walked until her foot hit something that flew off.

She ran over to pick it up. It was a small picture made of a shiny, reflective material. Even Charlotte could be seen, somewhat blurred, in it. It had a slit at the top.

“I’ve never seen something like this.”

Charlotte removed the lid and saw a hole next to a small wheel. She turned it.

A flame shot out immediately. Charlotte was so startled that she dropped the object.

“Are you alright?”

Sybil approached, looking worried.

“I’m fine.”

“What is that?”

“I don’t know.”

Charlotte picked it up again and did the same thing. She watched as a small flame came out of the object.

“H-how is that possible? Is there Magica in it?”

“I don’t know.”

Charlotte was fascinated by that object. Intrigued, she began to examine the area more closely. When she walked past the fireplace, she felt the floor give way, and just as she was about to step into it, someone pulled her from behind.

“W-wait.”

It was Sybil.

Her hands were shaking.

“It can be dangerous.”

Charlotte took her by the hands.

“It’s alright, I'll be careful.”

Sybil lowered her head.

Unable to do anything, Charlotte simply hugged her. Something moved, but she decided not to say anything.

Little by little, she calmed down.

“Nothing's going to happen to me. I promise.”

Sybil nodded in agreement.

Having to crouch down to squeeze through the chimney opening, Charlotte threw herself in with determination.

There was nothing there. A room with several candles, four walls, and a wooden floor. Just like the one she'd been in. There was a trapdoor in the middle, but before going in, she checked the walls, realizing there were spots where the walls were invisible.

Everything was the exact same way.

Finally, she went through the trapdoor. It was the same place where she had found Sybil.

Charlotte searched the place very carefully and found some sheets of paper with information on a long desk. When she touched them, the paper felt different—much softer.

Next to it was a stick with a thin string and a button on top.

With great effort and despite the dim light, Charlotte tried to read the piece of paper.

“T-things to d-do in this world?”

Some were already crossed out. Charlotte read the last one.

“Live life to the fullest.”

Charlotte felt a tightness in her chest.

“What happened to you?”

Charlotte turned the page.

The handwriting had become more erratic and messy. There were scribbles. There were parts she couldn't read.

“Is No mE.”

“tHee TrEe iS my MiInD.”

“Help Emm—Emm—”

“hElp tHe tRee.”

“SaVE a fUtUre.”

A hand grabbed her by the shoulder.

“Waaah!” She dropped the papers.

It was Gerald.

“I’m sorry. Sybil and Zoe were worried about you, so Arthur sent me.”

Charlotte was still breathing heavily from the scare.

“What is this place anyway?”

“Gerald, what happens when we die?”

Gerald raised an eyebrow.

“Is everything alright, Miss Charlotte?”

“No, we need to talk with the others.”

They left that place and joined the others outside the house.

“So there are more of those strange places,” Suri said, thinking about it.

“Yes, the former hero must have done them,” Charlotte confirmed.

“But why? And why would he need more than one?” Alysia was frustrated.

Charlotte paused to think.

“Here, there were also four hidden paths.” She paused. “One of them must be connected to something else.”

“Or the four of them.” Leif blurted out.

Everyone turned to look at him.

“Maybe we were wrong, and they weren't traps after all, but paths leading to other places,” he added.

“That doesn't explain why on earth the hero would build an underground labyrinthine dungeon,” Alysia complained again.

“He uses them to get around, which is why the people don't know anything. There's no trace of him,” Suri concluded.

“In that case, maybe it’s not only for him,” the prince said.

“What do you mean?”

“Beasts such as he has created can't be hidden in plain sight,” the prince stated.

“That would explain why no one in town has seen them.”

Charlotte’s eyes sparkled.

“That's why the beast that burned Suri was next to the hiding place.”

“It burned up before it went in.”

“Exactly.”

They paused in silence for a second.

“So what now? We're going into those mazes to catch him?” Alysia was calmer.

“No, we would be on his territory.”

They fell silent again.

“We can’t act without knowing what he’s going to do.”

Charlotte looked at the pages she had taken with her.

She read.

“tHee ThrEe iS my MiInD.”

Charlotte looked down at her own left arm. She closed her eyes, and the realization of what she had done came to her.

“Sprout flowers… Create roots… Tangle people… Create barriers… Everything… from below.”

Charlotte opened her eyes, and a chill ran through her body.

“hElp tHe tHree.”

She read again.

“Miss Suri, what do you know about the Buried Three?”

“Not much. Just what the world knows.”

She fell silent to think.

“What if it spread?”

“It would be the end of the world.”

Charlotte's breathing began to quicken, and she could hear her heart beating in her ears.

“How have they kept it under control?”

“The roots are attacked on the surface before they spread.”

A vivid memory of the accident came flooding back to Charlotte. Before it even happened, her carriage had been stopped by some tree roots... Bastion burned them easily.

“What if its roots were spread without anyone seeing them?”

Without saying a word, Suri and the others understood what he meant. There was complete silence. Some of them even seemed to lose focus.

“Everyone, back to town, now!”

Without saying another word, they returned to town. Charlotte was lost in her own thoughts. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the tip glow with a certain rhythm and remembered there was something else she had to take care of.