Every hundred and twenty cycles, as the eight stars of Corthius align at the height of the equinox, the Tree of Ages begins to glow with a deep magic. The branches hum with potential, the trunk vibrates with power, and the leaves whir with energy. People travel from far and wide to be part of the celebration. There is dancing and feasting, drinks and merriment, and the ceremony lasts for weeks.
At the culmination of the festivities, the Tree will reveal the words of wisdom that will usher all of Arbvitaria into the next Age.
Two eras ago, the Tree revealed the secrets of electricity. It took some time for the scientists to work out what the message about wire and magnets were supposed to mean, but as soon as they did the Age of Illumination went into full swing. Thanks to the Tree sending them down the right path, inventors quickly developed light bulbs and radios and vehicles and all sorts of machines that propelled the world into an exciting time of new discoveries and marvels. Technology advanced at a breakneck speed, creating a wonderous era of exciting new progress.
Last time, the Tree’s words were a complicated set, speaking of corruption and eradication and justice. Two main groups of thought emerged, one faction believed that the Tree was asking everyone to examine their own lives and improve their individual behavior, while the other faction believed there was a group of people who needed to be vanquished. The latter group labeled anyone who disagreed with them as heretics and set out on a crusade to eliminate the threats the Tree had identified. It was a time of war and bloodshed, of betrayal and loss. Some were calling it the Age of Purification, some were calling it the Age of Destruction. Only time would tell which name would prevail in the history books, but either way, everyone was glad to be leaving this era behind them.
Now, the stars have aligned and the time has come for the start of a new age. The crowds buzz with excitement as a deep rumble begins at the center of the Tree. A hush falls over the land as the tree speaks:
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Individuals in the crowd repeated the words under their breath in awe. Groups of intellectuals start discussing what the meaning of the words could be. Theologians, linguists, mathematicians, philosophers and scientists start debating on the intricacies of the implications. On a nearby hillside, a little girl in pigtails understood the message immediately. The child took out a crayon and piece of paper and started to draw.
The Age of Imagination has begun.