The renegade- or deserter-mechanic means someone is walking a way you didn't dictate and therefore is killed by you. Every time someone is killed (by you or the labyrinth), the way has to be found new and therefore resets.
I wanted to show this more clearly by shooting a projectile from the crown to the clicked field or even have small humans walk around the path and die, but like you said, time was short :D
The dark pieces represent grass and just do nothing. I implemented them because I found it to be unrealistic every step would be a win or fail.
I guess I will at least add these rules to my descriptions.
Thanks a lot for the feedback!