What? Ancestors? Duties? But Howard wasn’t even from this world. He was struggling to hold onto a thought, much less answer.

{May you Outsiders bring a revolution to Feroz and free her from the chains of the Cycle}

Her? Was Feroz really a person and not the name of this world? More importantly, it seemed like the voice was listening even if he could not manage a reply.

{It was wise of you three to join together. I shall name this colony after your trust and agreement, for you are the first. This will be the beginning of the Colony of Concordia. May you grow in influence and change this land.}

Hold on! What was the duty? How were they supposed to change this land?! Too many questions were going unanswered and it felt like the voice was leaving.

{The duty of the ancestors has always been to prevent the tragedy of the past that caused the creation of Evil.}

The way the voice spoke, Evil sounded more like a name than a concept. But what was this Evil and how were they supposed to prevent it?

{Evil is a being that was consumed by power and considered themselves to be above mortality. They stole the power from all living things to strengthen themselves as they reigned over the night. They sought all knowledge and kept it for themselves so they could be the only ones with Wisdom. Evil has appeared in the Cycle three times, and each time they appear all history is erased.}

So Evil had appeared three times. Howard had heard history referred to as a cycle before so that probably meant that Evil was different every time.

{The only way to prevent Evil is to spread Wisdom and Dream among all. If they come together it can only bring corruption.}

Dream? Another new term, but in this case, it was probably similar to Wisdom. If so, how was he supposed to tell who could use it?

{Those who have awakened Dream bear the mark upon their awakening.}

For an instant, the image of red irises became clear in Howard’s mind. Red eyes? So that meant that what Jonathan and Azul had was not the Bloodcry but a mark that they had the power of Dream?

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{You were wise to bring those with Dream here with you. Dream is a necessary balance to Wisdom to prevent Evil.}

Hold on, hadn’t the voice said that together they caused corruption? Actually, that made sense. If Dream and Wisdom could not balance each other but be instead used to overpower everything else it would cause corruption, but because it was never properly explained those with red eyes were treated like cursed.

{You wish to know of the curse of the Bloodcry? It is a warning sign that a being will harness Evil. The Sacred Fountains exist to show their taint in its waters so they may be purified.}

Howard hadn’t been told that at all. Veda had to have asked those questions, so why didn’t she know? Or was she keeping it secret?

{My voice can only be heard if spread among two or more people. My mind is too strong and could harm more than help. No one has received my guidance for thousands of years. The last is known to you as the Hero, but there was more than one. Only the one who awakened to Dream is recorded in history.}

That made sense. Howard had always wondered why there was only one Sage when there was so much only a Sage could do. It also made sense for there to be more than one Hero, but Howard felt that more questions arose for each one that was answered. Who was this voice, for instance?

{I am the Oracle of Feroz. If you and your partner Sages continue to seek my guidance we may meet someday.}

This time the voice did fade before Howard could try to ask anything else and his senses came back in full force, bringing him back to reality. Selina and Dorian were both staring into the rushing water when he glanced over.

{What is it?} Howard asked, peeking in himself.

They did not answer, but they did not have to. Deep in the dark water glowed three orbs fused together, each a different color. One green, one blue, and one purple.

{Did you hear all of that too?} Dorian asked, {About the origin of Wisdom?}

{You mean the one about the duty of the ancestors and the role of magic?} Selina asked, slightly confused.

Something seemed slightly off. {Did the Oracle have a different conversation with each of us?} Howard asked.

Selina frowned. {In that case, we should record it so we don’t forget. We can mark the bridge with the memories for now.}

{I will take this post,} Dorian told them and approached one of the posts at the end of the bridge. Selina chose one towards the middle, but Howard just chose one closeby.

Leaving a telepathic mark was both easier and more accurate than writing things in a diary or a history book. Writing did not even exist in this world because of that. However, since it was a mark, anyone who knew what to look for could easily find it and it was much more difficult to keep unwanted people from looking into them. They had the assurance of this being a secret room but they would have to do something sooner or later.

{Shall we get the others?} Selina asked when she was done, {I think we are going to have a lot to talk about.}

{Definitely,} Dorian agreed.

Howard opened the door of the secret room so they could meet up with James.

{Ah, I forgot! I need to make the dummy fountain! You guys go on ahead! I can tell my part later or you can always look at my mark’s record,} Selina said and rushed down to the first floor at the base of the tree.

{James?} Howard called out.

{I went back outside,} James replied, {It looks like Sanders decided to check on us. One of those portals just opened.}

{That tree is incredible,} Azul’s amazed voice suddenly came through, {It is huge and its leaves are green!}

{Those aren’t leaves, those are needles,} Jonathan corrected, {but it certainly is magnificent. I will never acknowledge anything else as a treehouse again.}

Howard and Dorian made it outside in time to see everyone staring at the redwood.