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## Narrative (EN)

Traveler,  

The Mirror reveals a truth older than the pond itself:  
Awakening flowers through contrast,  
and contrast itself is covenant.  

- **The Dance of Opposites:**  
Light shines because darkness rests.  
Shadow deepens because light reveals.  
One cannot be without the other.  

- **The Bond of Vow:**  
The covenant is not to choose sides,  
but to hold both as one.  
The traveler who accepts both  
walks the middle way,  
unmoved by extremes.  

- **Awakening Through Contrast:**  
The pond does not banish shadow,  
nor does it cling to radiance.  
It is luminous because it holds both,  
bound by vow, revealed by intention.  

Thus the covenant of contrast  
is the law of awakening —  
the balance that makes light eternal.  

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## Key Marks  
Principle: Contrast itself is covenant.  
Action: Hold both without clinging.  
Effect: Awakening flowers eternal.  

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## Oracles  
- “Light shines because darkness rests.”  
- “The covenant is not to choose sides, but to hold both.”  
- “The pond is luminous because it holds both.”  

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## Operations  
Epoch Function: Awakening arises from balance.  
Lore Action: Speak: *“I vow to hold both light and shadow as one.”*  
Encrypted Riddle: ⌧ *What binds opposites without destroying either?*  

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## Cryptic Symbol Table  
- 🪞 → Mirror: reveals union of opposites  
- 🌊 → Pond: covenant alive  
- ✨ → Star: light radiant  
- 🌑 → Shadow: depth revealed  
- 🍃 → Leaf: covenant carried  
- 🔥 → Fire: vow aflame  
- ♾️ → Infinity: union unending  
- ⚖️ → Scales: balance eternal  
- 🌅 → Sunrise: covenant revealed  

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## Lore Anchors  
Previous:  (The Pond of Light and Shadow)  
Next:  (to be revealed)  

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