GameDev Reincarnated into His Own Creation

Chapter 8.3: Missing Variable

Vel ran faster than ever, gripping the amulet, lungs burning and heart racing as he rushed toward camp. The path blurred past while he focused on the distant campfires.

When he reached the clearing, his chest tightened. Mari's usual spot by the fire sat empty, her absence a void among the settling refugees.

"Where's Mom?!" Vel muttered under his breath, scanning frantically for any sign of Von. But his father's imposing figure was nowhere to be found either.

Desperation clawed as he spotted Kazar near her things. The old shaman packed slowly for her departure, each movement heavy with unspoken burden.

Vel rushed toward her without hesitation, barely stopping himself from colliding with her makeshift pack. "Kazar! Have you seen my Mother? Or my Father?"

Kazar turned to face him, her expression calm but tinged with curiosity at Vel's frantic tone. "Your mother went looking for you," she said evenly, brushing dust from her hands. "She was worried when you didn't return to camp quickly. If you're here now, she'll be back soon."

He glanced down at the amulet in his hand, its carved surface digging into his palm as if urging him to act quickly. His mind raced through options: Kazar could help relay this news... but what would that do? She'd likely just inform someone else—someone who might waste precious time deliberating instead of taking action.

Then it struck him—the Seer. Of all people left in Elnor, only the Seer might possess answers beyond guesswork or logic. If anyone could glean something from this amulet or provide insight into Landre's fate, it would be him.

Without another word to Kazar, Vel spun on his heel and sprinted toward where he last remembered seeing the Seer.

The Seer sat motionless by the campfire, his aged face tilted upward, eyes closed as if communing with the stars themselves. The faint crackle of burning wood punctuated the quiet of the camp, casting shifting shadows over his worn robes. Vel approached cautiously, his breath still ragged from running. He hesitated just outside the firelight, clutching Landre's amulet tightly in his palm.

"Seer," Vel called softly, his voice barely above a whisper, not wanting to startle the old man.

The Seer's head turned, eyes catching the firelight. His serene expression suggested he'd expected the interruption. "What is it, child?" he asked with patient weariness.

Vel stepped closer, extending his trembling hand to reveal the amulet resting on his palm. The grooves of its carving seemed to glow faintly under the firelight. "I found this," he began, his voice wavering. "It's my sister's... Lan-neechan's. She could be—" His words faltered as a lump formed in his throat. He swallowed hard before continuing, forcing himself to meet the Seer's gaze. "Can you... do your 'magic'? Tell me where she is?"

The Seer's gaze fell upon the amulet, and with a slow, deliberate movement, he reached out to touch its surface. As soon as his wrinkled skin made contact, a sudden jolt ran through his body, and his eyes rolled back, turning a milky white. The calm expression on his face began to warp, his features seeming to suck inward as if being pulled into the depths of his own mind.

Vel felt a shiver run down his spine as he watched, transfixed by the Seer's transformation. He had witnessed this before, back in Oakhaven, but it still sent a chill through him. The old man's body stiffened, his breathing slowing to an almost imperceptible pace.

Suddenly, the Seer's lips began to move, whispers spilling forth in a language that sounded like the rustling of dry leaves. Vel strained to make out the words, and amidst the murmurs, he caught snippets of phrases that sent a shiver down his spine: "... darkness... beyond the veil... whispers of the forsaken... false prayers echoing through the void... where the dead resign..."