Inside the grove the world grew quieter, as if sound itself had entered a thoughtful pause. Light spilled through the needles in slim, golden blades. Near the largest tree, Rasim found a hollow filled with old ribbons and carved stones—tokens from those sent before him. He pressed his nose to the bark, feeling the faint thrumming of an ancient heartbeat. From within the hollow came a soft, patient voice.

The river’s surface shimmered and offered him visions: a village healed by small acts, a forest fed by patience, a child who grew brave because someone had mended a broken toy. Rasim saw his own face mirrored back, older and kinder, hands worn but steady. A simple truth settled into him like a seed finding soil.

The cedar grove rose at the edge of the valley—tall, solemn sentinels whose branches interlaced like the ribs of a great green ship. Legends said that once every hundred years, the grove chose one creature to carry a message to the River of Mirrors, where memories pooled and rearranged like fish. Rasim had always wondered what message he might have to deliver.