Chapter 17 – The Tree That Never Sleeps

Message in the Darkness

Ethan's room was engulfed in the silence of the early hours when he suddenly awoke, without any apparent reason. Moonlight streamed through the windows, silvering the walls. On the floor, in the shadow by the door, a carefully folded piece of paper caught his eye. It had arrived without a sound.

With slow, measured steps, he opened it. The ink was a dark blue, and the handwriting resolute.

"You saw, but you still do not understand. Find the tree that never sleeps."

The tree that never sleeps…

The enigma hammered at his mind. He recalled reading something similar in the ancient studies with his father, yet the exact words eluded him.

Whispers in the Roots

The following morning, between classes, Ethan went to the library in the north wing, where the oldest books were kept. After hours poring over maps and natural records, he found a reference:

> "The Tree That Never Sleeps retains its leaves even in the deepest winter. Its roots never cease to grow. It is said that it breathes with the earth itself."

A marginal note, written in faded handwriting, simply stated: "Restricted Territory – Dark Grove, west sector."

The Silent Forest

At dusk, Ethan set off alone. The Ancient Forest Deer accompanied him silently, its antlers emitting a faint glow like beacons at twilight. No other student dared to venture so far—the west sector was marked by protective symbols and warnings of danger.

Yet the note left him no choice. He needed to know.

He crossed the dry riverbed, passed stones etched with ancient inscriptions… until the forest changed. The air grew denser, and the silence, absolute. No birds. No wind.

— We're close.

The Deer halted. Before them, a gigantic tree rose. Its leaves were black with greenish veins that glowed softly. There was no doubt.

The Tree That Never Sleeps

The Imprinted Memory

Ethan approached cautiously. As he touched the tree's trunk, a gentle warmth spread through his hand. His eyes widened as the bark seemed to open for a moment… revealing within it images pulsing like living memories:

Ancient battles. Fragments of light. A hooded army. The Valmere Academy still under construction, surrounded by what looked like energetic ramparts. And, at the center… the same tree, though younger, unmistakably the same.

— You were… a pillar.

The tree responded with a rhythmic pulsation. And then, something fell at Ethan's feet.

A small golden crystal. The third fragment.

He picked it up with reverence, but the moment was abruptly interrupted by a dry rustling sound. Turning around, he saw the hooded figure once again. This time, they were closer. And they were not alone.

Folded Shadow

Beside the figure, there walked a beast unlike any he had ever seen: an Abyssal Owl, with feathers as black as coal and eyes shining in an amber hue. Its gaze pierced his very soul.

— You are stubborn, boy — said the figure, their voice muffled by a metallic tone. — But now you understand why we could not allow you to find this so soon.

Ethan took a step back, the Deer positioning itself between him and the threat.

— Who are you?

— Just a keeper of what must remain buried.

— Then why watch me? Why test me?

Silence. Then, the figure made a gesture—and vanished. Not in a puff of fog, but as if the very space around them swallowed them up.

The owl too disappeared. Leaving behind only the sound of Ethan's pounding heart, and the fragment still pulsating in his hand.