SIGILBORNE: The World Beyond

A Painful Reminder

Morning came quietly.

The settlement was already stirring by the time Eiran and the others came downstairs. Merchants were preparing their carts, travelers were gathering their belongings, and the smell of freshly baked bread drifted through the inn. They had slept well, and after a proper breakfast, the three returned to their carriage to make their final preparations.

Arthur checked the horse's harness while Eiran went over their supplies. They had enough food and water to last several days, along with medicine, rope, blankets, and the tools they might need for minor repairs. Their purchases had taken up some of the available space, but they had managed to arrange everything without overburdening the carriage.

Seren climbed into the carriage with their little companion nestled against her. It had been unusually quiet that morning, though she assumed it was still adjusting to life on the road. She offered it a small piece of bread, which it accepted before curling up beside her.

"Everything ready?" Arthur asked as he climbed onto the driver's seat.

Eiran gave the carriage one last look. "I think so. We should be able to reach the lower mountain settlements without much trouble, assuming the road is as good as the tavern keeper described."

"Then let's not waste the morning."

Arthur took the reins, and the carriage rolled out of the settlement. The road ahead gradually climbed as the open countryside gave way to rocky slopes and patches of woodland. In the distance, the mountain range stretched across the horizon, its higher peaks partly hidden by thin clouds.

They stopped for a meal before beginning the more difficult part of the journey. Once they had eaten and rested the horse, they continued toward the mountains, leaving the last signs of settled farmland behind them.

The road narrowed as they approached the lower slopes. Trees grew thicker along its edges, and the ground became uneven in places, though the path remained wide enough for their carriage. Arthur kept a steady pace, occasionally slowing down when the wheels passed over loose stones.

For the first few hours, everything went as expected. The scenery changed, the road gradually climbed, and the air grew cooler. Yet something about the journey began to bother Eiran.

He had expected to see wildlife.

The tavern keeper had mentioned that beasts were common throughout the mountain range. Most kept to their own territories, but travelers occasionally encountered them near the roads, particularly in the lower regions. Even if the more dangerous creatures avoided the paths, there should have been signs of ordinary wildlife.

Instead, the mountains seemed strangely empty.

There were no animals crossing the road, no birdsong from the trees, and barely even the sound of movement in the undergrowth. They had seen a few birds in the distance earlier, but nothing else.

Arthur seemed to notice it as well. He glanced toward the trees before looking back at the road. "Have you noticed how quiet it is?"

"I was just thinking about that," Eiran replied.

Seren looked out from the carriage. "Is something wrong?"

"Not necessarily," Eiran said. "But we were told there should be wildlife around these parts. We've been traveling for most of the afternoon, and we haven't seen a single beast."

"Perhaps they're avoiding the road," Arthur suggested. "There are plenty of trees and rocky areas where they could stay hidden."

"That could be it. Still, I find it strange that we haven't even seen signs of them."

Arthur shrugged, though he didn't seem entirely convinced. "Maybe we'll find out as we go farther in."

Eiran returned his attention to the road. There was no point worrying over something they couldn't explain yet. They would remain alert and deal with whatever they encountered.

As the afternoon wore on, the road became less forgiving. The carriage had to move more slowly through a stretch of uneven ground, and the horse was beginning to show signs of fatigue. With daylight still remaining but no suitable reason to push farther, Eiran suggested finding a place to camp.

They eventually found a relatively flat clearing near a cluster of trees, far enough from the road to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. The surrounding ground was open enough for them to see anyone approaching, while the trees offered some shelter from the wind.

Arthur climbed down first and examined the ground. "This should do."

He placed one hand against the earth and activated his Terran Sigil. The soil shifted beneath his feet, flattening the rough patches and raising a small, firm platform where they could place their belongings. He then reinforced the ground around the carriage, making sure the wheels wouldn't sink if the weather turned.

Eiran secured the horse while Seren helped unload the cooking equipment. Their camp was beginning to take shape when they realized they still needed something to add to their dried meat.

"We could use some wild vegetables," Eiran said, looking toward the nearby trees. "There should be something edible around here."

"I'll look," Seren offered.

Arthur glanced at the surrounding woods. "Don't wander too far. We don't know what's out there."

"We'll stay close," Eiran assured him. "We'll split up and search around the clearing. If either of us finds something, we'll come straight back."

"Be careful." Arthur reminded them.

Eiran nodded, and Seren did the same. They each took a small container for whatever they managed to gather before heading in different directions. Arthur remained at the camp, finishing the preparations and arranging the cooking equipment.

Seren moved carefully between the trees, keeping the clearing within sight whenever possible. She found a few edible plants near the base of a fallen log and collected them, checking each one before placing it in her container. Their companion had followed her from the camp, moving close to her feet and occasionally climbing over small roots and stones.

"You should stay close," she murmured, glancing down at it.

The little creature had been curious throughout the day, but its behavior changed as they moved farther from the clearing. It stopped following her and raised its head, staring toward a patch of trees farther ahead.

Seren paused. "What is it?"

The creature made a small, uneasy sound. Its body lowered, and it moved closer to her leg. When Seren took another step, it hurried in front of her and turned back, almost as though trying to stop her.

She frowned.

"Is something there?"

It looked toward the trees again. This time, its fur seemed to rise slightly, and it let out another warning sound.

Seren tightened her grip on the container. She looked around, listening carefully, but the forest remained quiet. No footsteps, no rustling leaves, nothing that immediately explained its reaction.

Then she heard something.

It was faint, carried through the trees by the wind. A voice, followed by what sounded like a child's muffled cry.

Seren went still.

The creature pressed against her leg, its attention fixed in the same direction. She hesitated before slowly moving toward the sound, taking care not to step on dry branches. She didn't go far before the trees began to thin, revealing a narrow stretch of ground beyond them.

There were people ahead.

Seren crouched behind a cluster of rocks and peered through the gaps. A small group of armed men had gathered near several wagons. Their clothing was rough and mismatched, and their weapons looked more like equipment taken from other travelers than anything belonging to an organized guard.

At first, she thought they were ordinary travelers resting along the road. Then she noticed the children.

There were several of them, all gathered near one of the wagons. Their hands were bound, and a few had cloth tied around their mouths. One of the smaller children was crying quietly while an older girl tried to hold them close. A man stood nearby, watching them with a weapon at his side.

Seren's fingers tightened around the edge of the rock.

She could barely hear what the men were saying, but their conversation became clearer when one of them walked closer.

"How much longer are we supposed to wait?" a man asked. "The buyers won't stay there forever."

"Then we move before sunrise," another replied. "The children will fetch a better price if we deliver them in good condition. I don't want anyone getting hurt before the exchange."

A few of the men laughed.

Seren felt as though the ground beneath her had shifted.

The little creature made another uneasy sound, but she barely heard it. Her eyes remained fixed on the children. The ropes around their wrists, their frightened expressions, the way they huddled together while armed men stood over them…

For a moment, she was no longer in the forest.

She remembered the helplessness, the fear, and the feeling of having no control over what would happen to her. She remembered being treated as though her life belonged to someone else.

Her breathing grew uneven.

The creature nudged her hand, pulling her attention back. Seren looked down, and its worried eyes met hers. She swallowed, forcing herself to remain quiet. She couldn't do anything here. Not alone, and not without knowing how many men were present.

She needed to tell Eiran and Arthur.

Seren slowly backed away, making sure none of the men noticed her. Only when the trees completely blocked their view did she allow herself to move faster. She kept looking over her shoulder, afraid that someone might have followed her, but the forest remained undisturbed.

By the time she reached the area where she had been gathering vegetables, her hands were trembling. She had forgotten about the plants entirely. The container slipped slightly from her grasp, and she caught it before it fell.

She needed to get back.

Meanwhile, Eiran had finished gathering what they needed and was making his way toward the clearing. He had found several edible plants near a shallow patch of water, though he hadn't ventured very far from camp. The little time they had before nightfall was better spent preparing their meal.

When he arrived, he found Arthur crouched beside the cooking equipment.

"You're back," Arthur said, looking up. "Did you find anything?"

"Enough for dinner. Where's Seren?"

Arthur glanced toward the trees. "I thought she was with you."

Eiran stopped. "She went the other way."

"She hasn't come back?"

"No."

Arthur straightened and looked toward the forest. "How long has she been gone?"

"Not long enough to worry about if she's still gathering things. But she should have returned by now."

Eiran placed his container beside the cooking equipment and scanned the surrounding trees. He tried to convince himself that she had simply found a better spot to gather vegetables, but the earlier silence of the mountain range returned to his thoughts.

"She knows not to wander too far," Arthur said, though his voice had lost its usual ease.

"I'll check the area where she went."

"I'll come with you."

Before either could take a step, movement appeared between the trees.

Seren emerged from the forest, walking quickly toward them. Their little companion stayed close to her, but something about her expression immediately caught their attention. Her shoulders were tense, and her face had gone pale beneath her mask.

Arthur moved toward her. "Seren? What happened?"

She stopped in front of them, struggling to catch her breath. Eiran looked her over, checking for injuries, but she didn't seem hurt.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Seren nodded faintly, though her expression suggested otherwise. She glanced toward the trees behind her before looking back at them.

"I saw something."

"What did you see?" Arthur asked.

"Bandits. There are several of them farther into the forest." Her voice wavered. "They have children with them. Their hands are tied, and they're keeping them inside one of the wagons."

Eiran's expression hardened. "Children?"

Seren nodded. "I heard them talking. They're planning to sell them. They mentioned buyers and said they would move before sunrise."

For a moment, neither boy spoke.

Arthur's face had gone serious, the earlier ease in his expression disappearing completely. Eiran looked toward the forest, trying to process what Seren had just told them.

"How many men?" he asked.

"I couldn't see all of them. There were at least six near the wagons, but there may be more."

"And the children?"

"I saw several. I don't know exactly how many."

Seren's hands began to tremble again. She lowered her gaze, staring at the ground as though she could still see the children standing beside the wagon.

"I've seen this before…" she whispered.

Eiran turned toward her.

Seren tried to continue, but the words caught in her throat. Her breathing grew shallow, and she held her arms close to herself. The little creature pressed against her side, making a quiet sound.

Arthur stepped closer, his expression softening. "Seren…"

"I thought I was past this," she said, her voice barely audible. "I thought I could leave it behind. But when I saw those children, I remembered everything."

She looked down at her hands.

"They were so small. One of them was crying, and the others were trying to comfort each other. I know what it's like to be there. To have someone decide what happens to you, where you go, and what you're worth."

Her voice faltered. She swallowed, but the memories were difficult to push away.

Eiran moved closer, careful not to startle her. "You don't have to explain any more."

"But they're still there," Seren said. "Those men are going to sell them. They're going to take them away, just like…"

She couldn't finish.

Arthur lowered himself slightly so he could meet her eyes. "Look at me, Seren."

She hesitated before raising her gaze.

"You're not there anymore," he said gently. "You're here with us. Those men aren't going to take you anywhere."

Seren's eyes glistened. She tried to steady her breathing, but her fingers remained tightly clenched.

Eiran stood beside them. "Arthur's right. You're safe."

He paused, then looked toward the forest.

"And those children shouldn't have to go through what you did."

Seren's expression shifted. Beneath the fear and distress, there was something else. She looked at Eiran as though she wanted to ask a question but couldn't find the words.

"We won't leave them there," he continued. "I don't know how many men we're dealing with yet, or what kind of defenses they have, but we'll find a way to help them."

Arthur nodded firmly. "Of course we will. We're not going to let those bastards sell children while we're standing right here."

Seren looked between them. "But there are so many of them… What if something happens to you?"

"We'll be careful," Eiran answered. "We won't rush into their camp without knowing what we're dealing with."

Arthur gave her a reassuring smile. "Besides, you aren't going to be facing them alone. We're in this together."

For a moment, Seren said nothing. Then she slowly nodded, though the worry hadn't left her face. Their little companion nudged her hand again, and she gently stroked its head.

Eiran glanced toward the fading light between the trees. They had less than an hour before darkness settled over the mountains. The bandits were farther away than he would have liked, and they still knew very little about their numbers or the surrounding terrain.

But one thing was certain.

They couldn't afford to wait until morning.

"Tell us exactly where you saw them," he said. "And everything you heard."

Seren took a breath and began explaining what she had witnessed. Arthur listened carefully, while Eiran studied the direction she pointed out, already considering how they could approach without alerting the bandits.

When she finished, a heavy silence settled over the camp.

Then Seren remembered something else.

"They said they would move the children before sunrise," she whispered. "They said the buyers were waiting."

Arthur looked at Eiran.

Eiran's eyes narrowed as he stared into the darkening forest.

They had only one night to save those children.