The sky was just beginning to lighten.
After a tiring night of constant jolting, the morning light filtered through the leaves, shining on several horse-drawn carts rattling through the sparse forest.
"Awake already? Did you sleep well, Mari?" Silas asked in his familiar deep voice.
"Not bad…" Mari rubbed his eyes and sat up, still drowsy.
Across from them, a young man held his head complaining:
"How could anyone sleep? The cart kept shaking nonstop. Who could possibly sleep like that…"
"Ugh… so tired…" another person sat up abruptly, face twisted in pain. "I barely got any sleep."
"Why not?" Uncle Bart stretched and said, "I slept soundly."
"Are you serious? Are you some kind of ox or something…"
"Yeah, this old man sleeps like a tiger!" Uncle Bart laughed heartily. "One time I heard you playing the flute noisily at home, but I still slept like nothing happened."
Everyone laughed. The girl sitting next to the young man blushed and turned away.
The young man panicked:
"No… that's not true! Don't say silly things!"
"Eh? Did I hear wrong?" Uncle Bart feigned surprise, expression deadpan.
"You kids… didn't do anything wrong…"
"Maybe I was sleepwalking…" Uncle Bart chuckled softly.
"Oh my God, you… saying things like that is so embarrassing…" the young man mumbled, red as a ripe fruit.
Silas raised an eyebrow, smiling:
"Oh, so it's these two…"
"No way, Uncle Silas! It's not what you think! We were just…"
Laughter erupted and spread to the carts ahead.
An annoyed middle-aged woman placed her hands on her hips:
"But seriously… traveling at night like this is exhausting. Why not travel during the day to make it easier?"
A soldier driving the cart turned his head:
"Last night we had to cross a zone with some small monsters. They're not strong but hate noise in their territory. Once they hear a loud sound, they stick around and won't let go until everything's completely quiet."
"Oh, so why travel at night?"
"At night, they retreat deep into their caves to sleep. Traveling then is safe."
"So what do they do during the day?" someone asked.
"They hunt and patrol their territory. Running into them then is trouble."
Several "aha" sounds were heard. The atmosphere on the cart brightened and became much livelier than the night before.
"Everyone get off the carts, sit scattered under the trees to rest." Mari stretched his shoulders and glanced around. When his eyes landed on a soldier's wrist where something faintly glowed, he stepped closer.
"Hey, your bracelet is glowing. That's cool. Is it jewelry or what?"
The soldier looked down and smiled:
"Oh, you haven't seen this kind before? It's a crystal watch. Inside is a luminous core — it changes color depending on the time of day."
"The time of day… changes by color?"
"Yeah. Here, the day is divided into 20 'segments.' You look at the color to know which segment it is."
Mari was more curious:
"So what do those colors mean? Can they tell the time?"
"Sure. Segments 1 to 5 are light gray, like dawn. Segments 6 to 9 are warm yellow — bright morning. Segments 10 to 12 are bright yellow, the strongest sunlight. Then from 13 to 15 it's the orange of sunset, and 16 to 20 gradually darkens to black."
"Oh, like dividing time by light… that's clever!"
The soldier nodded:
"Everyone uses these watches. There are wrist versions like mine, and wall-mounted ones too. Just look at the numbers and colors to know the time."
"So… what about days and months? What kind of calendar do you use here?"
"A week has 10 days. It starts with 'First Day,' then days 2 through 9, and the last day is 'Final Day' — usually for rest or ceremonies."
Mari smiled with delight:
"That's neat and logical. Where I'm from near the border, we rarely see such technology."
The soldier patted his shoulder:
"Travel far enough and you'll see even more strange things, kid."
Silas stretched and walked closer, glancing at the soldier's wrist:
"It must be late now. Hey, soldier, what time is it?"
The soldier looked at his watch; a pale yellow light shone from the crystal face:
"It's segment 7, bright morning but not noon yet. Still early."
Silas nodded, eyes on the road ahead:
"So they should be arriving soon…"
Mari looked up, curious:
"Who are 'they'?"
"Merchants from Aeris," Silas replied. "They're on their way to Drakmor but have to pass through Valora — the kingdom we're about to enter. I asked them to buy some things for me and meet here."
"I see…" Mari nodded slightly, eyes brightening. "Aeris to Drakmor is far, huh?"
"Far, yeah. Aeris is scorching hot, Drakmor is rocky with strong winds year-round. To get there, you have to pass through Valora. This crossroads is always busy, with all kinds of people stopping by."
Silas squinted, looking into the distance along the main road:
"If the schedule's right, we'll see them soon."
Before he finished, a thin cloud of dust rose from the low foothills.
The soldier shaded his eyes and squinted:
"Someone's coming… three, no… four horse carts. Trade flags hanging on the sides. That's them."
The sound of hooves grew clearer in the wind, steady beats echoing through the sparse forest. The caravan stirred; some stood and stepped out of the carts.
A caravan approached, consisting of four large horse-drawn carts covered with tarps, each pulled by two strong, broad-shouldered horses. Nearby walked lightly armored guards, swords hanging at their sides.
The drivers sat firmly, reins in hand, eyes fixed on the rough road ahead.
On the carts, crates were tightly bound with ropes. Some corners revealed ceramic items, leather bags of herbs, and brightly colored fabrics from the Western Border region.
The lively atmosphere spread through the temporary camp. Children ran out to watch; adults waved greetings.
Silas folded his arms and nodded slightly:
"Right on time. Now let's see what they brought…"
Then a young man stepped slowly toward the man standing by the lead cart. The closer he got, the more details he noticed.
A solid figure… just like his father said. Broad shoulders, straight back, looked strong without needing to flex. Not very tall, but sturdy and steady.
The morning light brushed past, highlighting his short black hair streaked with silver. The young man stopped a short distance away, squinting at the man's face. Angular but not rough. Neatly trimmed balbo beard added a look of experience and calm. Deep brown eyes, quiet as if waiting for something to approach.
"Are you Silas?"
The man turned with a warm smile:
"Yes, I am Silas. And who are you?"
The young man breathed a sigh of relief and nodded:
"I'm Kaelen, Theron's son."
Silas looked intently, friendly:
"Oh, Theron's your father? Where is he now?"
Kaelen bowed his head slightly, voice tinged with sadness:
"My father is sick, so he asked me to come instead."
Silas nodded, eyes full of sympathy:
"This is the crate your father instructed —" he said, setting the crate before Silas — "I was told to bring it to you. You can check if you want."
Silas looked at the crate and nodded:
"Alright, let me have a quick look."
Silas opened the crate, examined each item, then nodded approvingly:
"Good, everything is here. How much did this cost you?"
"Seventeen silver coins and three crystals in total."
"Silas: Alright, here's your payment."
"Kaelen checked: Everything is complete. This is for you."
After some exchange, the merchant caravan prepared to continue their journey.
One more hour passed.
The soldier said:
"Alright, everyone get ready to move out. We should arrive in about two hours."
Everyone started packing up, saddling their horses. Laughter and chatter filled the caravan; spirits were higher after the rest.
Morning rays filtered through the leaves, sparkling on dew drops lingering on the foliage. A gentle breeze carried the scent of earth and leaves.
The caravan resumed their journey, steady horse hooves on the dirt road stretching ahead, where their destination awaited.
---
(End of Chapter 0.1B)
Thank you for reading to the end of the chapter!
The journey has only just begun, but every stop and conversation carries hints of what lies ahead. What did you think of the mood in this chapter? Were there any characters that caught your attention?
I'd love to hear your thoughts, feedback, or questions so we can continue improving this story together. See you in the next chapter!
— Author Vodanh2254