Chapter 5

Just as he was about to give up, a glint of something caught Brian's eye. It was a charred black ring, extremely burned but somehow still maintaining its shape.

Curious, Brian picked it up and examined it. It was made of a material he had never seen before, and it seemed to pulsate with a faint energy. He tried to rub the blackness off, but it wouldn't budge.

Intrigued, Brian pocketed the ring and made his way to a nearby alleyway. He needed to think, to try and make sense of what he had found.

As he sat in the shadows, he couldn't help but overhear the conversations of those who passed by. At first, they were just idle chatter - gossip about the weather, the latest news from the capital, and the like. But then, he heard something that made his heart skip a beat.

"It's a shame, really," an old man was saying to an old lady. "That Blake family, sent to the capital to rot in prison. And the poor boy, missing for so long. Such a tragedy."

Brian's mind raced as he tried to process what he had just heard. His family, in prison? It couldn't be true. But if it was... then he had to do something. He couldn't just sit here and do nothing.

With a newfound sense of determination, Brian stood up and made his way out of the alleyway. He had a long journey ahead of him, and he knew that it wouldn't be easy. But he was determined to find his family, no matter what it took.

As he set out into the night, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He knew that there were dangers lurking in the darkness, dangers that he couldn't even begin to imagine. But he was ready for whatever came his way. He was ready to face whatever obstacles lay ahead, and he was determined to find his family and bring them home.

He kept to the shadows, ducking into alleyways and side streets whenever he heard the sound of footsteps approaching.

It was a long and difficult journey, but finally, he reached the gates of the city. He quickly changed into a fresh set of clothes and slipped out into the night.

Just as he was starting to relax, he heard a voice that made him tense up.

"I'm moving to Panam," the voice said. "Lost my job and need to be with my family."

Brian turned to see a man he didn't recognize, sitting on the side of the road with a small caravan. The man looked up at Brian, his eyes filled with sadness and desperation.

There was something about the man. He had a mischievous glint in his eye and a roguish charm that seemed to draw people in. Without a second thought, Brian walked past the man and continued on his journey. The man continued talking with his acquaintance as Brian boarded a coach heading towards Panam.

As the caravan set off down the road, Brian couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over him. He was finally on his way home, and he knew that he had a long road ahead of him.

But he was ready for whatever lay ahead. He was ready to face whatever obstacles came his way, and he was determined to find his family and bring them home.

As soon as he arrived back in Panam, Brian couldn't wait to get home and tell Devin what he had discovered. He ran through the streets, dodging pedestrians and carts as he made his way back to the small cottage where he and Devin lived.

Breathless and sweating, he burst through the door and found Devin sitting in the corner, deep in meditation.