The Great Tree was a source of rumor and speculation to those down below in Hidden Hollow. Many believed it was listening to multiple voices at once - some traveling up through the soil while others were in the wind, or the clouds. It was rarely sought for its counsel because it was so difficult to tell if you were being addressed specifically when it spoke. Its words were largely incoherent and more resembled riddles than advice. But there are many Great Trees in the world and not all alike. Some are far more articulate than Hidden Hollow's, while others never spoke at all, exclusively communicating with their villages through the fibers of the acorns. With the use of a pulley built long before Vagus was born, he rose high up into the Great Tree's canopy. The Great Tree's eyes were glossy and unfocused, like small orbs floating in pools of ancient ink, and it whispered strange phrases into the wind. Vagus couldn't make sense of them. Not exactly sure how to begin, he finally chose a direct question. "What does the forest want from me?" The Great Tree ceased whispering abruptly. Its eyes pulled into tight focus and its gaze locked on to Vagus. There was no doubt it was speaking directly to him. YOU HAVE HAD THE DREAM. Vagus nodded slowly, startled by the feeling of the Great Tree's attention - heavy, like being trapped under too much snow. YOU MUST PAY HEED, THE BELL WILL ONLY GROW LOUDER UNTIL IT IS ALL THAT YOU CAN HEAR. It took Vagus time to find his voice again. "What was that dream?" he finally asked. "Why did I have it?" YOU MUST HAVE THE DREAM TO WAKE UP. Vagus didn't understand, but instinctively knew better than to press for an explanation. "What is the bell?" he asked instead. "And why can no one else hear it?" YOUR ANSWERS ARE FOUND AT THE END OF THE WORLD. "Is that a place?" "How do I find ... the end of the world?" THE BELL IS THE GUIDE. "Well ... how long will it take me to get there?" TIME IS PERSONAL. Vagus slowed his breathing and thought for a moment. "Will I be able to come back?" He'd heard stories of other villagers leaving, but only one had ever returned. And he'd come home mute and died shortly after. BEGINNINGS AND ENDS ARE THE SAME. Vagus, feeling completely lost, finally asked, "Why is this happening?" But the Great Tree's eyes had lost focus and it returned to its cryptic whispering. Vagus sat and listened for another couple of minutes, pining for clarity and finding none. But as the pulley was returning to the ground, he thought he heard the Great Tree apologize.🏁

The Great Tree was a source of rumor and speculation to those down below in Hidden Hollow. Many believed it was listening to multiple voices at once - some traveling up through the soil while others were in the wind, or the clouds. It was rarely sought for its counsel because it was so difficult to tell if you were being addressed specifically when it spoke. Its words were largely incoherent and more resembled riddles than advice. But there are many Great Trees in the world and not all alike. Some are far more articulate than Hidden Hollow's, while others never spoke at all, exclusively communicating with their villages through the fibers of the acorns. With the use of a pulley built long before Vagus was born, he rose high up into the Great Tree's canopy. The Great Tree's eyes were glossy and unfocused, like small orbs floating in pools of ancient ink, and it whispered strange phrases into the wind. Vagus couldn't make sense of them. Not exactly sure how to begin, he finally chose a direct question. "What does the forest want from me?" The Great Tree ceased whispering abruptly. Its eyes pulled into tight focus and its gaze locked on to Vagus. There was no doubt it was speaking directly to him. YOU HAVE HAD THE DREAM. Vagus nodded slowly, startled by the feeling of the Great Tree's attention - heavy, like being trapped under too much snow. YOU MUST PAY HEED, THE BELL WILL ONLY GROW LOUDER UNTIL IT IS ALL THAT YOU CAN HEAR. It took Vagus time to find his voice again. "What was that dream?" he finally asked. "Why did I have it?" YOU MUST HAVE THE DREAM TO WAKE UP. Vagus didn't understand, but instinctively knew better than to press for an explanation. "What is the bell?" he asked instead. "And why can no one else hear it?" YOUR ANSWERS ARE FOUND AT THE END OF THE WORLD. "Is that a place?" "How do I find ... the end of the world?" THE BELL IS THE GUIDE. "Well ... how long will it take me to get there?" TIME IS PERSONAL. Vagus slowed his breathing and thought for a moment. "Will I be able to come back?" He'd heard stories of other villagers leaving, but only one had ever returned. And he'd come home mute and died shortly after. BEGINNINGS AND ENDS ARE THE SAME. Vagus, feeling completely lost, finally asked, "Why is this happening?" But the Great Tree's eyes had lost focus and it returned to its cryptic whispering. Vagus sat and listened for another couple of minutes, pining for clarity and finding none. But as the pulley was returning to the ground, he thought he heard the Great Tree apologize.🏁