Memory of the Branches

This is an account told by Seir, the spirit light of Niwen:

As far as the spirit willow can remember, when she too was still a spirit guardian named Atu, she actively cared for Niwen by ensuring that everyone is prepared for the changing seasons. The spirit tree at the time was an elder tree who guarded the boundary of life and death. Under the protection of the Elder Tree, Niwen was a paradise for flying creatures. Day and night, voices of birds echoed through the valley. The Everlasting Song was proof of Niwen's prosperity. However, even the Elder Tree's great power cannot stand against the passage of time. While the light is eternal, the vessel is not. The Elder Tree slowly withered away. Without an overseer of life and death, life Niwen fell into deafening silence.

When the Great Silence occurred, death was overwhelming and the Names of life carved onto Elder Tree were erased. No record of the past survived, except Atu, the last living creature in Niwen. Thus, when Atu embraced the light and became the new spirit tree, her desire to honor the memories of this land made her a spirit willow--a spirit tree that oversees the seasons and gathers up memories to her branches.

"That was how it worked. Every Spirit Tree is the guardian of the land he/she stands on, and every one of them cared for the land according to their desire and what defined them before embracing the light"

As the spirit willow, Atu knew her duty would end just like her father, the Elder Tree. Having lived through the Great Silence and finally reaching her end, the Spirit Willow stored all of her memories into Seir before letting the spirit light disperse to ensure that she will have enough time to leave her will to the new spirit guardian that will come to take her place.

However, help never came.

Even though the Spirit Willow did willingly give up the light as the last measure to delay the inevitable, the vessel without Spirit Light eventually gave in to the Decay.

"Just as everyone in Niwen is about to give up, you came, Ori, with the last owlet," said Sein.

"A new cycle had just begun. Ori, every Spirit Tree before you cared for this land. Now, the light is passed onto you. It is your duty to care for this land in your own, unique way."

Sein's words echoed in my consciousness. The voice of the past was my inheritance, along with the land of Niwen, its creatures, and its future...