Revolutions

68 - Teqosa

As I step onto the grounds, the forest suddenly unfolds before me while the air shifts, as though I've entered some far off world somehow entrenched within my homeland. Each tree stands as a sentinel, their gnarled roots gripping the earth, while their leaves sway gently to a silent rhythm known only to the forest itself. With each breath, I draw in the vitality of this enchanted place, feeling its ancient magic pulsate through my veins. As I venture deeper into this sanctuary, I'm left speechless as I ready myself to face what lies ahead.

The llama appears pleased with the newly formed surroundings, merrily munching on the freshly sprouted grass and greenery, not questioning their sudden arrival. I, on the other hand, find the forest fascinating. Has this place always been here? How has this not been mentioned or spoken of before? The vegetation is nothing like what's typically found in Qantua, and I start to wonder if I've arrived in a place that was Qantua from a time before.

Walking between the stout trunks of these ancient trees, a pattern emerges: like the glyphs painted on the papyrus Upachu and I discovered at the Temple of the Titans, there are similar markings etched into the bark. I leave the llama to continue grazing and inspect the carvings. There are a series of lines, curved and straight, swooping and slashing, and a few images above or below them. I retrieve the papyrus from the wooden chest to compare the markings. There are some similarities, but nothing resembling the precise symbology, and I start to question whether there is any direct relation between the papyrus markings and these etchings.

But then I notice something peculiar: one specific glyph on the papyrus that looks exactly like one of the symbols carved into the trunk of the tree. An image appears above the duplicated glyph, appearing to be numerous lines drawn outward from a large circle. Is this another glyph? Is this supposed to represent something?

I look closely at the other markings on the trees, with their glyphs above or below their respective image. One has wavy, horizontal lines above the glyph, another has multiple small lines rising or falling vertically, and another appearing to be two tall rising lines with numerous curved and wavy lines sprouting from it. Sprouting, sprouting... Could that resemble a tree? Are these images in conjunction with the glyphs above or below them? What's the significance of their placement?

I notice the wavy lines appearing twice—once above the glyph with curling tendrils at the end, and once below it, seeming as though they could roll on continuously. If one of the glyph-and-symbol combinations I discovered is presumed to mean "tree", are the elements in this pairing found in nature, too? What about the glyph painted on the papyrus; what does that symbol represent?

I lament Upachu's absence, leaving me grappling with my own inadequacies as I struggle to decipher these enigmatic symbols. His wisdom and expertise in such ancient lore would have untangled these cryptic glyphs with the ease of an eagle gliding through the heavens. Yet as I linger, eyes tracing the strange patterns, a flicker of recognition begins to ignite within me. These wavy lines feel as though they're drawn with energy, or indicating movement. Perhaps the circle and lines represents the sun, and these waves are exactly that: waves of the water.

So what about the lines above the glyphs? Maybe the location represents where this element can be found, and the wavy lines below the glyph indicate its location on the ground, compared to the sun that is in the sky, much like these curled lines. Then perhaps these lines are something like the air, or wind, due to the implied motion. And the tree being next to the glyph is because it's found between the ground and sky. Thus, these two lines whose starting point is far apart, but are angled at a slant upward and meet at a point look like mountains; which means this glyph besides it must mean "mountain". It's coming together! The meaning of these symbols and glyphs are starting to make sense!