Echo
The historian’s words echo through the silence. His eyes hold both a sense of awe for the cosmic mysteries inscribed in the ancient texts and a resolve to face the trials that lie ahead. I take in my hands the newly completed instrument that resonates with the World Tree. Its wood is smooth, as if it were alive. The strings, crafted from the branches of the World Tree, emit a faint glow.
The instrument was crafted by fusing various materials gathered during my journey with the energy of the World Tree. Unlike the lyres of the Atlantis civilization, it is designed to resonate more directly with the forces of nature and the energy of the universe. Its tone possesses a power and delicacy that surpasses imagination.
I stand before the crystal orb. A complex and majestic melody flows from its surface. It is a grand symphony depicting the creation and evolution of the universe, as well as the future. Yet, mixed within it are the dissonant notes that led to the downfall of the Atlantis civilization.
I take a deep breath. Then, I place my fingers on the instrument. The moment my fingertips touch the strings, the entire instrument begins to vibrate. This is proof that the instrument and my own soul have begun to resonate with the energy of the universe.
Slowly, I pluck the strings. At first, the sound is soft and delicate. But it gradually grows louder and more powerful. The melody I play begins to resonate, little by little, with the melody flowing from the crystal sphere.
The historian watches my performance, carefully verifying each note written in the ancient manuscript. A look of surprise mixed with anticipation appears on his face.
As the performance progresses, I can tell that the dissonant sounds emanating from the crystal orb are gradually growing fainter. It is as if my melody is absorbing those dissonant notes.
However, harmony has not been fully restored. A few dissonant notes still remain. Their timbre seems to hint at an unknown terror lurking in the depths of the cosmos.
I continue to play. My fingertips move as if manipulating the energy of the universe. My heart becomes one with the mysteries of the cosmos, sensing its majestic flow.
Suddenly, an intense light bursts forth from the crystal orb. The light pierces the sky and stretches out into the distant cosmos. Within that light, I discover a new melody, a new message.
It is a part of the laws of the universe that I had not understood until now. It illustrates the balance of all things: creation and destruction, harmony and chaos, light and darkness…
I understood that message. It meant that to maintain the harmony of the universe, I must understand and accept the balance of creation and destruction, light and darkness—the balance of all things.
Finishing my performance, I gently set down my instrument. The historian is speechless at my performance. Tears well up in his eyes.
“…Mitamu… you… have… performed a miracle…” the historian says in a trembling voice. “…The harmony… of the universe… has been restored…”
I nod quietly. Yet, a new question is beginning to take root in my heart. Now that the harmony of the universe has been restored, where exactly is my own journey headed? And what other mysteries still lie hidden in this world? The crystal orb continues to shine quietly, and the symphony of the universe moves forward into a new chapter.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
