Scene 136 — "West Can Wait No Longer"
The ancient Anchor rested quietly in the Traveler's hand.
Its worn edge continued pointing in a single direction.
West.
The Traveler closed his fingers around it.
His decision settled without hesitation.
He looked toward the three siblings.
"...Thank you."
The elder sister met his gaze.
"For what?"
The Traveler lowered the Anchor beneath his cloak.
"For saving my life."
A brief silence followed.
Then he continued.
"I have to keep traveling."
The younger girl blinked.
"So soon?"
The Traveler gave a small nod.
"I've already stayed longer than I intended."
The brother frowned.
"Your wounds have barely closed."
"They're enough."
His answer was calm.
Simple.
Not stubborn.
Merely certain.
The younger girl looked disappointed.
"You don't even know where you are."
"I don't."
The Traveler looked toward the western mountains.
"But I know where I need to go."
The elder sister studied him carefully.
"You always travel west?"
"Yes."
"Do you know why?"
The Traveler was silent for a long moment.
Finally—
"No."
"But every road I've walked has led me there."
The siblings exchanged uncertain glances.
None of them understood.
Yet something in his voice made it clear.
No one would change his mind.
Then—
A horn echoed across the hidden world.
Long.
Deep.
Ancient.
Its sound rolled through the crystal forest like distant thunder.
Once.
Then again.
The younger girl's expression changed immediately.
The brother straightened.
The elder sister turned toward the western hills.
Another horn answered the first.
Closer.
Urgent.
The peaceful morning disappeared.
The brother's voice became serious.
"...That's the warning horn."
The Traveler looked at him.
"What does it warn about?"
The elder sister answered first.
"Monsters."
Silence settled.
Far away—
another horn echoed.
This time followed by a roar.
A massive roar.
The mountains answered it.
Birds burst from the crystal trees.
The younger girl instinctively stepped closer to her siblings.
The brother reached for the heavy spear resting beside the doorway.
His relaxed expression vanished.
"The western patrol must have found something."
The elder sister nodded.
"Or something found them."
The Traveler looked toward the distant forest.
The roar came again.
Longer.
Closer.
The crystal trees trembled.
Even from this distance, the sound carried enough weight to disturb the quiet air.
The Traveler remained still.
Listening.
The younger girl looked at him.
"There are many monsters in this world."
"They've always been here."
The brother tightened his grip on the spear.
"Most stay deep inside the crystal forest."
"But when the warning horns sound..."
He didn't finish.
He didn't need to.
Everyone understood.
Something dangerous was moving.
The Traveler slowly lifted his eyes toward the western horizon.
The Anchor beneath his cloak remained warm.
Still pointing.
Still waiting.
Whatever called him west...
Lay beyond the monsters.
Beyond the mountains.
Beyond everything he had yet to remember.
The horn sounded for a fourth time.
This one carried desperation.
The brother took a step toward the door.
"We have to help."
The elder sister followed immediately.
The younger girl hesitated only a heartbeat before hurrying after them.
The Traveler remained standing in the doorway.
Watching the western forest.
The distant roar came once more.
Lower.
Closer.
And somehow...
It felt as though the unseen creature was not simply searching for prey.
It was searching for something specific.