Elder Tharah leads you to the Aureate Hall, a memorial to the great healers of Elda Island which lies in the heart of the mountain below Vera Temple. Inside, a group of elders murmur amongst themselves, "A message, you say?", "What could it mean?". They stop talking as soon as Tharah approaches and turn expectantly to listen to any news she may bring. 

She passes on the message, "'Begin' it said, an important moment for us all. Begin we must, or a greater upheaval will ensue." They give her a report on the earthquake and its suspected cause. Massive roots are growing underneath and across the temple and have almost reached the Library of the Arcanum. Many priceless tomes could be lost, putting their whole history in peril!

Tharah listens to them carefully. Before she can respond, Haden interrupts. She tells them everything that's happened since you arrived on Elda Island—from visiting the Ancients' tower, to meeting a boy made of light, to the sprites helping you grow an etheria tree at Stonehaven Shrine.

"This is all connected," Tharah says with a quiet authority that belies her years. Her eyes, though young, seem to hold the understanding of centuries. She turns to the elders and continues, "In the cycles of nature, nothing happens in isolation. The roots threatening our history are as much a part of our story as the tomes themselves. We must see the whole tapestry to understand the threads."

The elders discuss their plans of action. Some will go to the library and protect the books the best they can. Others will oversee the emergency in the city. Some will investigate any structures that should be deemed unsafe from the quake.

Then Tharah turns to the elders, "I will take our new friends to see if we can't stop the growths causing these problems." She turns toward you with a smile. "I have an idea. Follow me."

"Follow you where?" you ask, but she's already bolting past you. 

As you race to keep up, you notice how Tharah moves with purpose and grace, her small frame weaving effortlessly through the chaos. She speaks over her shoulder, her voice carrying a calm certainty. "The earth speaks in ways we often forget to listen to. Its rhythms and whispers guide those who are willing to hear. We must attune ourselves to its call if we are to restore balance."

You find yourselves at the side of a quiet and dimly lit underground room. Steels and crystal pillars encircle the room  where the air hums with an almost tangible energy. Tharah pauses, placing a hand on the ground. "The roots that surge beneath us are not merely a threat—they are a sign. We must understand their message, for in their growth lies the key to our response."

Her words resonate with an ageless discernment, and despite her youth, you can't help but feel you're in the presence of a true sage.

Tharah appears as still a child but you can feel her wisdom. What evidence from the text confirms that feeling. Add the evidence in Thy Quests below to continue. 

Next: E2Q1 A Faint Signal