Chapter 1 Katon, koton. The plain wooden rocking chair made gentle sounds as it swayed back and forth on the porch. The soft sunlight of late autumn shone through the top of a cypress tree. A light breeze gently blew across the surface of a distant lake. Her cheeks lay upon my chest as she breathed gently and fell asleep. The time, filled with golden tranquility, continued to flow by steadily. Katon, koton. I rocked the chair and gently stroked the girl’s chestnut-colored hair. Although she was already asleep, a faint smile appeared on her lips. A group of sprites played on the front lawn. The beef stew in the kitchen was simmering away at an audible boil. I wished this gentle world, in a small house deep within the heart of the forest, would continue on for eternity. But I knew this was an impossible wish. Katon, koton. As the chair’s legs continued to sound, the sands of time fell away one grain at a time.