[Episode V - NR][O12 - Reytha - NR3F] Coordinated Burns

The patrol arrived too late. By the time their transports settled at the edge of the farmland, nearly half the field had already been consumed. Fire moved in slow, deliberate lines through the wheat, leaving behind blackened rows and collapsing stalks that hissed and smoldered in its wake. There was no stopping it now, only containing what remained.

While crews worked to control the spread, a small team broke off and moved toward the origin point. The lead investigator scanned the scorched earth. Beneath the ash, something glinted faint and unnatural. He brushed the soil aside until the residue became clear. Rhydonium.

He gestured for the others, and together they traced the burn outward. The ignition points weren’t random. They formed a pattern, subtle but deliberate, guiding the fire’s path through the densest sections of the crop.

“Same as the others,” one of them muttered.

Eight fields. All within two weeks. All carrying the same signature.

“This is coordinated sabotage and doesn't resemble the work of imps alone.” The lead investigator said quietly. 

Silence settled over the group as the implication took hold. Whoever was responsible didn’t just know how to burn a field. They knew exactly where to strike.

“…They’re getting help,” another finally said. “Someone local.”

No one argued.

It was the only explanation that made sense.

Spoiler

Additional picture for Judging

 

 

Posted : 23/03/2026 1:48 am