I read somewhere that no tree can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell. 

Too bad that roots of this tree are my fingers.

LoG, 213

"Exactly so, Brand-Bearer." the soft, slow voice reverberated all around Nalina. It was so similar to the rustling of the leaves beneath her feet, that she wondered for a moment if she had really heard it at all.

Where is that voice coming from?

The acorns that accompanied her to the clearing were now nowhere to be seen. The space around the giant Queen Tree was completely empty. It was just her and the tree that could squash her in any moment like a bug; Nalina panicked a bit.

Nah. She wouldn't do that. Would she? 

After all, they all invited me here. They said there is to be a feast in my name tomorrow. I hope I wasn't supposed to be the main course! And why did she call me "Brand-Bearer?"

"It is my ... My privilege to be here among you, Queen. Tree. I wouldn't want to pass through this forest without visiting your village and seeing for myself how the Acorn people live."

"Such eloquence. No less is to be expected from The Brand-Bearer, The Etched One," The Queen Tree's chuckle playfully danced around Nalina's ears, tickling her pleasantly.

That title again.

"Where did everybody go?" Nalina tried to maintain a casual tone of voice, like talking with gigantic trees was something she did every day.

"It is The Dark, after all, my kinswoman, and most of the acorns are now safely resting in their pods. I am watching over their dreams. But now, I would speak with you. Let me see your face, human."

Nalina, startled, staggered backwards when a huge branch with five dendric digits lowered itself. It waited for Nalina to climb on top of it as if it were some kind of a giant humanoid palm. "Here goes nothing." She closed her eyes and stepped on it.

Nalina was immediately taken to the incredible height. From where she stood now, she could see the entire forest and further Right, the faint lights of The City of Lagad. In the centre of The Squareworld, stood the sequestered and impossibly tall Mountain of Burum, and to the DownRight, the mass of water she knew as The River Tebesum.

Grogmog let out a small hiss, craning his neck towards the river. He flew for a while around Nalina's head, squealing longingly, and then he settled on her shoulder yet again.

A kind, wrinkled face, twice the size of Nalina's body, appeared on the tree bark. One of its chestnut-coloured eyes opened wide and looked straight at the princess. The other one remained closed and hidden behind a huge strand of hair, similar to the ones that small acorns had.

Nalina now realized that The Queen Tree had picked her up so that she would be able to see her. Strangely enough, Nalina felt perfectly safe with her, despite the vertiginous height.

"That's much better. Greetings, princess of Lagad. And greetings, Reka. We are thankful for the water you and your kinsmen have provided us since the beginning of time." She addressed Grogmog as well. 

Nalina found that interesting since most of the people they encountered considered Grogmog to be a peculiar creature, an accessory or a pet.

The Queen Tree regarded him as an equal.

"The human is closer to The Crown, now, and she may even feel it like we do–moving, shaping itself, breathing and beating."

"Hi! Yes! I definitely do feel it." Nalina waved and smiled, relaxed, sensing the strange comforting pulsating all around her. Then she remembered something. "The Acorns mentioned something about how you ... You saw me coming with your ... Um ... Good Eye?"

"The Queen Tree has one Evil and one Good Eye, to see both things to one's liking and atrocities that might happen. But my Evil Eye is mostly hidden. You are the one who will deliver us from an evil presence, and who will go on to The Cave of The Echoes. I have been waiting for you, little one. Another informed us of your arrival and told us that you are to be protected at all costs. One of my own children, who is now forced to live in exile far far away, to pay off our debts after the loss of The First Water War."

She must be talking about The Arena Instructor, Nalina realized. "I ... One of your acorns also called me a saviour of the residents of Lug. What does all that mean?" Nalina stifled a yawn.

"We shall see. We shall see soon. You will sleep in our Spirit Pod this Dark. Dried fruit and fresh water await you inside. With the coming of  The Light ... We shall see."

Her cryptic repetitions sounded ominous to Nalina but she didn't want to antagonize The Queen Tree and insist any further. She is such a nice old lady. And so hospitable. She actually reminds me of old Magda a lot. Not to mention that she is about thirty times taller than I am and that I will be sleeping in one of her pods this Dark.

It would be a long way down. Nalina shuddered unpleasantly.

"You should both rest. The next Light will be a long one."

"A ... Spirit Pod?" I swear this visit to Lug is becoming more and more puzzling with every moment I spend here. So many new terms and coin words to remember. And their meanings, too!

"It is a sacred place, a very sacred place indeed. It is where we, the acorns, can speak to our visitors, where we allow them to ask questions. This is how we mutually learn from each other."

"And all that while I am sleeping?" Nalina sounded surprised.

"Indeed. Your dream state will allow for a better connection between our minds. Go now and lie down. Everything will become clearer once you do." Another branch motioned towards the amber-coloured pod that became ajar at that sign.

Nalina set foot in there. She had a sensation as if she were entering a brightly lit room. The flooring was peppered with light, soft leaves that were to serve as her bedding. As The Queen Tree promised, there was some dried fruit and water for them to snack on. After that light supper, both Nalina and the snake fell into a deep sleep.

The visions that came into her dream were the most peculiar ones indeed. The first one was the visage of Nalina and Anilan, sitting on the forest floor, their backs turned to each other. They were both staring longingly in different directions. She didn't even have the time to think about what that meant when next came the glimpses into the acorn society.

She could see the acorns living attached to The Queen Tree's branches until they would fall from her on the ground and build their own pods. Their daily routine consisted of preparing feasts, munching on insects and fruit, chirping happily and saluting The Light, swinging in the wind. Yet when Nalina saw them brandishing small wooden and bone spears, fighting in The First Water War they lost, it filled her with sadness.

They all addressed her at the same time, told her about their history and about how they came to be. Still, the moment the words would reach her ears, they would be disippated in an instant. Left inside her as some kind of dormant knowledge she couldn't access consciously.

The subsequent images that came to Nalina's mind were a bit blurry yet she smiled happily upon recognizing the protagonists.  Numerous puppies of all colours and sizes were looked after by the acorn men, brushed, fed, and played with. Nalina noticed them licking The Queen Tree and wondered whether it was her tree sap that gave them the size they reached in maturity. She had long had her doubts there was something special about those pups and this was her confirmation of those Scenes with The War Puppies.

The final dream left Nalina speechless as she didn't quite comprehend what she was seeing. In it, there was a little red-haired girl, not more than four or five Big Ones old. She was running through the bright yellow forest, which looked a lot like The Forest of Lug. Nalina could see her so clearly as if she was there with her.  The girl was in a state of agitation, running impossibly fast, further and further away, seeking her freedom. Then everything became a blur, and the girl's trails were suddenly ablaze. Nalina could perfectly hear squealy voices and smell the singed wood as the forest was burning, dying, and begging for help in its final moments.

Did that girl set the entire Forest of Lug on fire?

A distinctly clear voice was heard from above, reverberating in her ears, and it made Nalina wake up. Her mended clothes were waiting for her within The Spirit Pod. 

Grogmog was just having a hearty breakfast of fruit and forest insects when Nalina opened her eyes.

The Queen Tree took her in her hand and placed her on the ground yet again. "I believe you have slept well, kinswoman?" the tree inquired.

"I ... have. I don't know whether I would call it sleeping, it was more like leading a parallel life for me." Nalina was honest.

"I hope you have enjoyed our Scene displays regarding our history and customs. And I see you have had your doubts, too."The Queen Tree added.

Nalina knew what she was referring to, as the irreconcilable image of her male and female form flew before her eyes once more.

"Being a Brand-Bearer such as you and I are is a gift we are given. And a curse. We all must learn to live with it. I have come to believe that all living beings are made up of the same essence. The essence of life. A human essence contains that of a butterfly, a lizard, a bird and a mammal at the same time. If you are resolute enough, your mind can reshape your body to form each and every one of them at will. We the people of Lug know this. Each seed is special and it can blossom into whatever it wishes to be."

"Thank you for comforting me. It will still take me some time to getting used to this." Nalina replied a bit despondently. "I have seen The Brands ... The Etchings being engraved in stones, and in walls, but never on a ... On a living thing or a ..., you know. Person. In The Waterfort of Lagad, The Court Etchers ... Well, they are sort of secluded from the rest of us. They channel the symbols that The Mind gives them into The Etchings. Later the Etched objects become useful to the common folk. I mean without ... Without The ViewStone, we wouldn't be able to tell the time that will pass between The Light and The Dark. That invention has been with us forever and it was ..."

"Given to you by The Mind, yes." The Queen Tree ended her sentence in sotto voce. "No matter where you turn, wherever you look. The Mind is everywhere, seemingly benefiting us but yet, controlling every aspect of our lives. And it is something to think about." The last words lingered in the air as Nalina bent her head.

She suddenly recalled the girl from her dream. "I saw a child ... A girl ... She was ...  Running away from here. And then ... the entire Forest of Lug was on fire. Did she do that?"

A deep groan was produced by the tree trunk. "We do not speak of her for she indeed used to form part of our lives and share our burden. Let us not dwell on that sad subject any longer."

The next words The Queen Tree uttered spoke of Nalina's departure. "You leave our village to follow the trace of your own, o, The Etched One. The hour is late and you must press on, for in The Cave of Echoes awaits your task and that is where you must go. What you see and hear there might transcend your belief. Know that after you move onward, you will never be able to head back. The battle will ensue yet again and you will stand in the midst of it."

Nalina bowed with reverence, anxious about what lay ahead.

"I see your confusion, kinswoman. I sense your fear and I know you do not yet realize what is to be done. It is not my part to tell you, but I will help you as I may. There is a gift that I would bestow upon you, princess of Lagad, as the people of Lug bid you farewell."

"A gift? I ... Thank you. It wasn't necessary to trouble yourselves. I am glad I met you on my journey and I am incredibly thankful for the way you treated me. For all your hospitality, for the kind words of encouragement ... But you didn't have to."

"The Gifts of Lug are not bestowed in vain. Know this: if a gift is a given to you by The Queen Tree, it is something you may use on your upcoming trip. Upon you, brave princess and lover of plants, I will bestow a lock of my hair that covers my Evil Eye. Combined with the dark grass powder, which is obtained from the blades of grass that grow only during The Dark, it may be used to make a cure for seventy-seven different illnesses. This will serve you well on your travels. You must be prudent and use the mixture only when in dire straits. I leave such decision solely to your judgment."

That kind of present made Nalina feel special and extremely important. She wondered whether she will be able to live up to the expectations this wise and noble representative of the people of Lug just lay before her. In order to defuse the tension she was feeling on the inside, Nalina allowed for the small joke to spice up the dialogue.

"Um ... Queen Tree? I love my present and all but ... Can I get one of those adorable puppies for the road? Pretty please?" Nalina motioned towards the future War Dogs.

A rumble ensued deep from the tree trunk shaking the bark and the crown. 

Is she ... Laughing?

The acorn men who surrounded The Queen Tree giggled and their voices reverberated like a song on many little bells. Nalina was glad they understood her jest.

"Yours is a different path, o, The Etched One." The Queen Tree said and made a circular motion with a branch.

Nalina found herself wrapped in the light-yellow butterfly vortex.  The wings were creating a whirlwind around her lithe body, and it was moving at an incredible speed, lifting her high up in the air. She closed her eyes, unable to withstand the sheer air pressure. 

When she opened them again, she was looking at a cave entrance.