The path stretching before Emiren seemed endless. Its stony ground was covered with soft green moss that glowed faintly in the dark, like stars scattered across a night sky. Around him, the Garden’s breathing could still be felt, but now it was deeper, as if something ancient was awakening.
Emiren continued forward, feeling his connection to this world growing stronger with each step. He sensed how every leaf, every root responded to his presence. But with this connection came something else—a weight, a responsibility that pressed on his heart.
The Cave of Listening
The path led him to the foot of a high hill, where a dark cave opened on its slope. Its entrance was framed by intertwining branches, forming intricate patterns. It seemed as though the branches were holding something inside or trying to keep someone out.
As Emiren approached the entrance, a soft whisper drifted from within the cave. It was a chorus of voices, hundreds blending into a single melody. It was both beautiful and unsettling.
— Enter, if you have the courage, — a voice echoed in his mind. It was the voice of the Garden itself. — Here, you will hear the voice of the Roots and begin to understand what it means to create.
Emiren hesitated only for a moment before stepping into the cave’s darkness.
Conversations with the Roots
Inside, the cave was filled with thick darkness, illuminated only by tiny fireflies floating in the air, their faint glow lighting the way. The walls and ceiling were covered with roots, pulsating as if alive, their rhythm echoing the heartbeat of the Garden.
— You have come to us, Creator, — said a deep, resonant voice that seemed to emanate from everywhere.
— Who are you? — Emiren asked, his voice trembling as he searched for the source of the sound.
— We are the Roots of Eternity, — the voice replied. — We are the memory of time, the depth of its truth, the threads that bind all worlds together.
Emiren felt his heart tighten. He understood that this place wasn’t just part of the Garden—it was its center, its origin.
— Why am I here? — he asked, placing his hand on the cave’s wall.
— You have chosen the path of the Creator, — the Roots explained. — But you do not yet understand what it means to create. You must see everything—not only what you build but also what you sacrifice.
The Broken Branch
Before Emiren, a tree suddenly grew, bursting forth from the cave’s earth. It was strange: one of its branches was green and vibrant, while the other was dry and broken.
— Every choice is a branch, — the Roots explained. — And every branch you create leaves its mark. Some carry life, while others break, leaving behind pain and emptiness.
Emiren stared at the tree, feeling it speak to him. He reached out to touch the green branch, and instantly, visions filled his mind.
He saw people laughing and rejoicing in worlds they had created. He saw children growing up in gardens where every tree was unique. But then he saw something else: ruined worlds, branches of time decaying because they were abandoned, left untended.
— Your choice is always both creation and destruction, — said the Roots. — You cannot create without sacrifice.
The Final Question
Emiren stood silently, his thoughts heavy with uncertainty. His heart was torn between the desire to create and the fear of the consequences.
— How can I know if my choice is the right one? — he finally asked.
— You can never know for certain, — the Roots replied. — But you can listen. The Roots speak to you, Emiren. The Garden speaks. Time speaks. Learn to hear them, and you will create something eternal.
Suddenly, the path reappeared before him. It led deeper into the cave’s darkness. But now Emiren felt different. He didn’t know if he had become stronger, but he knew his journey was far from over.
— Thank you, — he whispered, and the voice of the Roots faded away.
Emiren took his first step onto the new path, knowing that ahead lay new trials, new choices, and perhaps new branches that he would have to create—or break.