World Seedling {Book One}

The air in the mines was thick, almost suffocating. The eerie glow of the World Tree’s roots cast long shadows on the jagged walls, illuminating the path ahead with a faint, unnatural light. Nova moved quickly, her sharp gaze darting between the writhing roots that pulsed with energy. Something had changed—there was a pressure in the air, a tension that hadn’t been there before.

Nova reached into her pouch, pulling out the communication stone. The symbol of Noah flashed blue, and she quickly opened the message. It was brief, cryptic even: "-split-tunnel find bundle for quest-"

She frowned, confusion settling in. What did Noah mean? A bundle for a quest? The urgency in his message was clear, but the rest of it left too much unsaid. Her fingers tightened around the stone as she felt Claire's gaze on her. Nova glanced up to see Claire staring, concern etched into her features.

“Are you okay?” Claire asked, her voice steady, but the tremor in her eyes betrayed her growing worry.

Nova hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. The message from Noah had been short, but the urgency was unmistakable. “I got a message from Noah,” she began slowly. “He mentioned something about a split tunnel and a bundle... but I don’t know what he means.” She shook her head, frustration lacing her words.

“A message?” Jade stepped closer, her brow furrowing. “How did you get a message down here?”

“I have a communication stone, and so does Noah,” Nova explained, rubbing her temple as the weight of the situation pressed down on her. “I’ve never seen Noah send a message like this before.”

Claire’s face darkened with concern. “What exactly did it say?”

“Just what I told you—something about a split tunnel and a bundle, that’s all,” Nova said as they continued walking, her voice tense with confusion.

The ground trembled beneath their feet, sending loose rocks tumbling down the narrow passage. Above them, the roots pulsed with a growing intensity, their glowing veins darkening into twisted, malevolent shadows.

“What’s happening to the roots?” Jade asked, her voice tight as she took a step back.

“I... I don’t know,” Nova admitted, fear creeping into her tone. “Whatever it is, we need to run.” Without waiting for a response, they all bolted, the sound of roots thrashing against one another echoing through the mine. Dark, corrupted roots and bright green ones clashed violently, tangling in a chaotic battle that reverberated through the walls.

They kept glancing back at the roots, caught in a brutal struggle, before continuing deeper into the mine. The path ahead narrowed, the walls closing in, and the corrupted roots twisted and coiled along the stone, their darkened tendrils brushing dangerously close. The air grew colder, heavy with an oppressive energy, as though the mine itself was alive and holding its breath.

They slowed down as the roots ahead seemed dormant, the twisted, corrupted vines eerily still. Nova shivered, sensing the malevolent mana pooling in the air. As they moved cautiously forward, she noticed something strange—the roots were a dim, sickly purple-black, and a dark liquid was seeping from them, pooling into the stone.

Her breath caught in her throat. The cold realization hit her like a hammer. She froze, raising her hand to stop both Claire and Jade, motioning for silence.

Slowly, Nova reached into her pouch, pulling out three small pebbles—short-range communication stones. They were limited in range and capacity but would be enough for this situation. She quickly channelled her mana into the stones and handed one to both Claire and Jade.

“To use the stones, just think of what you want to say, then focus on who you want to send the message to,” Nova explained telepathically, testing the stones' magic.

Jade gave a firm nod, while Claire’s voice came through, “Okay.”

“There’s something seriously wrong with the World Tree,” Nova said, her tone grim. “See that inky water the roots are leaking? Keep away from it—whatever you do, don’t let it touch you.”

Both Claire and Jade nodded, and they continued forward, stepping carefully around the puddles of dark liquid and avoiding the twisted, corrupted roots. The atmosphere in the tunnel was tense, the air heavy with the unnatural presence of the corrupted energy.

They had made it halfway through when Nova noticed a faint light flickering ahead. Moving cautiously, they approached the source, maneuvering around the increasingly large puddles of inky liquid seeping into the stone. The ground struggled to absorb the dark water, leaving the earth saturated and unstable.

At last, they reached the source of the light. Something was glowing through a piece of fabric, its faint illumination casting strange shadows on the walls. Nova knelt and gently picked up the object, the fabric falling away to reveal a dimly glowing crystal. Her eyes widened in recognition.

“What is it?” Jade asked, glancing down at the crystal. “It’s doing something to the roots—they’re moving away from the light.”

“It’s a power crystal,” Claire said, her voice tinged with irritation. “We had a few go missing at work a while ago. Why does my brother have one?”

Nova shook her head, her expression darkening. “I’ll explain. But first, we need to get out of here. Once we’re safe, I’ll tell you everything.” She paused, glancing back at the glowing crystal in her hand. “It’s called a Starfall Crystal. And I think I know what Noah wants us to do with it… that bloody idiot.”

Despite the weight of the situation, Nova couldn’t help but let a small, wry smile slip across her lips. Trust Noah to come up with something like this. She motioned for Claire and Jade to follow, turning down the left tunnel, the faint glow of the Starfall Crystal casting an ethereal light on the rough stone walls around them. They moved swiftly, careful of the still-dormant roots that twisted through the earth.

As they followed the direction Noah had likely taken with the dragon, the air seemed to grow thicker, more charged with energy. The tunnel ahead twisted and turned, narrow and treacherous, but the faint pulsing of mana from the roots guided them like beacons.

Nova’s mind raced with a thousand thoughts, each one more urgent than the last. The glow of the Starfall Crystal flickered in her hand, casting eerie shadows along the jagged walls of the tunnel. Whatever Noah had planned, it was risky—reckless, even. And yet, there was little choice but to follow his trail, piecing together how this strange, powerful crystal fit into his dangerous gamble.

"Stay close," Nova whispered, her voice barely carrying over the distant hum of energy coursing through the roots. The oppressive air pressed down on them, thick with the scent of earth and something darker, something corrupted. The light from the World Tree’s roots was faint, flickering sporadically, casting long, twisted shadows against the tunnel walls.

As they descended deeper into the unknown, their footsteps echoed in the silence, each step measured and cautious. The rhythmic pulse of the corrupted roots had slowed, and the constant sensation of danger that had chased them through the mine began to fade, if only slightly. They moved cautiously, their breaths shallow, until they reached a safer part of the tunnel, free from the dormant, twisted roots.

Panting, they finally slowed, bending over to catch their breath, the adrenaline that had propelled them now receding, leaving behind exhaustion and fear. The air here was cooler, less suffocating, though the eerie energy still lingered in the atmosphere.

Jade was the first to break the silence, her voice low and trembling. “Can we talk now?” Her eyes darted around, betraying the fear she was trying to contain. The darkness around them seemed to press closer, as if even the mine itself was aware of the danger lurking within.

Nova straightened, her own breath still coming in sharp, shallow gasps. She glanced at the walls, then the ground, making sure they were well clear of any more corrupted roots before nodding. “Yeah, we should be okay... just keep it down. In case more of those corrupted roots are nearby.”

The group nodded, their movements slow and cautious, as if the weight of the world had finally settled on their shoulders. The eerie quiet of the tunnel was unsettling, the only sound now the faint drip of water from above, echoing through the cavern.

Claire’s voice cut through the silence, firm but laced with a tension that hadn’t been there before. “Now, care to explain what those crystals are? And why Noah left one for us?” Her eyes were locked on Nova, a mix of fear and frustration written on her face.

Nova hesitated, pulling the crystal from her pouch once more. It glowed softly, a dim, pulsing light that seemed to push back the oppressive darkness around them. She held it up for Claire and Jade to see more clearly. “He currently has 62 of these crystals,” she said, her voice quiet but heavy with the weight of her words. “We need 100 of them to evolve the World Tree.”

She paused, watching their reactions. Claire’s brow furrowed, and Jade’s eyes widened in realization. The importance of the task before them began to settle in. The silence that followed was deafening, the enormity of what Nova had just revealed hanging between them like a lead weight.

“I’m thinking that’s the plan—to save the World Tree from the corruption.” Nova continued, her voice steadier now, though her own doubts lingered in the back of her mind. She slipped the crystal back into her pouch, the faint glow disappearing from view.

Claire’s lips pressed into a thin line, her mind clearly racing with thoughts she wasn’t ready to voice. “So… we need 38 more of these Starfall Crystals. That’s what you called them, right?”

“Yes,” Nova confirmed, glancing at the dimly lit walls around them. “The Starfall Crystals are powerful, but dangerous. They can alter the flow of mana itself—both to heal and to corrupt. That’s why Noah needs them, to rebalance the World Tree’s mana flow by forcing a transformation before it’s too late.”

Jade’s voice wavered slightly, her unease almost tangible in the stillness of the tunnel. “But if we don’t find the rest in time… what happens?”

Nova met Jade’s gaze, her expression dark and burdened. “If we don’t find the rest of these crystals… the World Tree will continue to grow in power, unchecked and corrupted. Its growth will mark the beginning of the end.”

The impact of her words hit like a blow, sucking the breath from the narrow tunnel. Jade’s eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat as fear rippled through her body. Claire clenched her fists, her knuckles paling as she struggled to rein in the panic clawing at her insides. The faint glow from the roots above seemed to dim in response to Nova’s revelation, as if even the Tree itself was trembling under the weight of what was coming.

But Nova wasn’t finished. Her voice lowered, becoming more solemn, as though she were revealing a dark secret. “It’s worse than that. Even if we succeed… if the World Tree grows unchecked, if it reaches its full peak… the world might still end.”

Claire’s face twisted in shock. “Wait… what?” Her voice trembled, barely more than a whisper, the disbelief clinging to her every word. “So no matter what we do, this world is doomed?”

Nova’s jaw clenched, frustration rippling across her features. “That’s why I didn’t want to say it before.” Her words came out rough, as though burdened by the weight of an impossible truth. “Noah didn’t have a real choice. The fate of this world is bound to the World Tree. If it dies, so does the world. But if it thrives and grows beyond what we can control, that very growth could destroy everything. We’re caught between two cataclysms.”

A thick silence fell over them, cold and suffocating. The air in the tunnel felt even heavier, the oppressive energy pressing in from all sides, as though the mine itself sensed the gravity of their situation. They stood there, weighed down by the enormity of their mission, with the stakes clearer and more terrifying than ever before.

Claire was the first to break the silence, her voice fragile, barely above a whisper. “But those roots earlier… When they burst out of the walls—what caused that?”

Nova let out a weary sigh, rubbing the back of her neck, as if the strain of their journey was finally catching up to her. “The World Tree is losing control. The surge of mana is too much—it’s overwhelming the roots, forcing the energy out. The roots are lashing out violently to release the pressure. But that’s not the worst of it.” She paused, her voice lowering as her gaze darkened. “The surge of mana is corrupting parts of its roots.”

Jade’s face turned pale, her wide eyes staring down the tunnel, her voice barely audible. “So… it’s literally tearing itself apart?”

“Yes,” Nova confirmed softly, her words hanging in the cold air like a death sentence. “And if we don’t find the rest of these crystals in time… the World Tree will collapse. And when it does, everything falls with it.”

The weight of her words pressed down on them all, thick like fog. It felt as though they were standing on the edge of a precipice, one wrong move away from plunging into darkness. The world’s fate rested on their shoulders, and the fear of that burden was suffocating.

Nova finally stood, brushing dirt from her hands, her eyes lingering on the glowing roots that pulsed faintly in the walls, their light now fragile, as if the very heartbeat of the world was fading. “We need to get moving,” she said, her voice urgent but controlled. “If we don’t find the rest of the crystal to stop this” she sighed, ”we’ll run out of time.”

Jade and Claire exchanged glances, the fear in their eyes mirrored in each other’s expressions. But there was no hesitation now—only a grim resolve that had settled over them like armour. Without another word, they turned and followed Nova down the tunnel, their footsteps quickening as the heavy reality of their mission pressed down on them like an impending storm.

Claire's POV

Claire’s heart pounded in her chest as they continued through the dark, suffocating tunnel. Each step felt heavier than the last, not just from the weight of the situation, but from the sheer confusion that pulsed through her mind. It felt like walking through a nightmare she couldn’t wake up from, one that twisted deeper with every corner they turned.

She had always known Noah kept things from her—his long silences, his unexplained absences, the way he’d dodge her questions with vague replies. She thought she’d grown used to it, especially after being out of his life for so long. Five years. Five years apart, and she’d missed so much. But this? This was something she couldn’t even begin to process. The fate of the world, connected to a mystical World Tree? Crystals that could either save everything or destroy it? And Noah—her brother, who she barely knew anymore—was at the centre of it all.

It brought back memories of the secrets he had always kept, even as a kid. Like the night of the house fire. Their grandmother had taken care of them afterwards, but Noah had withdrawn into himself. He was there, but at the same time, he wasn’t. During the times she needed him most, he would disappear into those long silences or vanish from school without explanation. Claire had been too young to understand fully, but she still remembered the heat of the flames, the fear. Now, it seemed those mysteries paled in comparison to the chaos they were caught in. Her brother, who had always been distant, was now tied to the fate of the entire world.

But it wasn’t just Noah who had been keeping things hidden. Claire had her own secrets, ones she never dared to share. During the years they had been apart, she had kept from him the strange things she’d seen, the dangerous investigations she’d been part of, the government projects that delved into phenomena she couldn’t explain. She had chosen to stay away, to shield him from the darker parts of her life. Maybe, in some way, they had both been running from things neither could fully face.

And now, all of it was unravelling—each secret pulling them deeper into a situation far more dangerous than either of them could have imagined. The distance between them had never felt more profound, yet here they were, forced to confront the consequences of their silence.

What the hell had he gotten himself into?

Claire clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms, trying to steady herself. The weight of the unknown pressed against her chest, each breath growing shallower. And then there was Nova—another mystery. Claire didn’t fully trust her, but what choice did she have now? Nova knew more than she let on, and if they were going to survive this, Claire had to rely on her.

As they wound through the tunnels, Jade broke the silence, her voice trembling slightly. “Do you have any idea where we can find more of these crystals, Nova?”

Nova glanced back briefly, her expression shadowed by the dim glow of the roots. “The meteor shower that hit a while ago—it wasn’t just a random event. It brought the World Seed here... and other things as well.” She hesitated before continuing. “We found some of the Starfall Crystals at one of the meteor sites. There could be more scattered throughout the impact zones.”

Claire’s brow furrowed. “Then why didn’t you get them all?”

“We would’ve,” Nova replied, her voice edged with frustration, “but there was a research camp already set up near one of the larger sites. We couldn’t risk drawing too much attention or getting into a confrontation.”

Claire’s heart sank. "So.. they’re out there, but we just can’t reach them?”

“Yes, I think we should head out to the meteor site where we found them the first time,” Nova said, her voice tight, “but we don’t have time to waste. The corruption is spreading faster than we thought. We’ll need to find them.”

There was a low, unsettling rumble beneath their feet, making the stones around them vibrate with an ominous tremor. The three of them froze in place, their breaths catching as they strained to listen for any further sound.

“What was that?” Jade whispered, her voice barely above a breath. The rumble echoed again, louder this time, accompanied by the unsettling groan of shifting earth.

“Shh,” Nova hissed, putting a finger to her lips, signalling them to stay silent. Her sharp gaze scanned the tunnel ahead, every muscle in her body tensing. Claire, her heart pounding in her chest, instinctively looked around, her eyes catching movement just ahead of them.

There, not more than twenty feet away, the earth was rising—pushed up from below by something moving under the surface. It wasn’t subtle, like the natural shifting of ground; it was purposeful, deliberate. Something was digging through the soil.

Claire’s blood ran cold as she raised her finger, pointing to the spot where the ground was unnaturally bulging. The earth shifted and cracked, the tremors intensifying as whatever lay beneath pushed its way closer to the surface.

Nova’s eyes narrowed, her hand drifting toward her pouch, her body poised to strike at a moment’s notice. “Stay back,” she whispered urgently, her voice tight with tension, her gaze locked on the shifting ground.

The rumbling grew louder, vibrating up through their feet as the mound of disturbed earth began to rise higher, pushing loose stones and dirt to the sides. A sharp crack split the ground open, sending dust swirling around them. From the gaping fissure, something dark and twisted emerged—a towering, grotesque figure shrouded in a sickly, dark purple hue. It let out a bone-chilling, hissing scream as it rose, the sound echoing through the tunnel like a warning of impending doom.

Thick, tar-like oil seeped out of the creature’s misshapen body, dripping onto the ground with a sickening squelch. Waves of corrupted mana pulsed out from it, the air around it distorting as if reality itself recoiled from its presence. The slime that fell from its form left behind puddles that shimmered with an unnatural, skin-like texture, wriggling and undulating as the creature moved.

Nova’s breath caught in her throat as she felt the raw, chaotic energy pouring from the creature—an unmistakable sign of the World Tree’s corruption, taking physical form. "RUN!!!" she screamed, her voice cutting through the oppressive air as they stumbled backward, their bodies moving before their minds could fully grasp the danger.

Jade, Claire, and Nova turned and bolted down the narrow tunnel, their feet slipping on the loose stones beneath them as the grotesque creature slithered after them, its bloated form dragging across the earth with terrifying speed. The sound of its pursuit was a grotesque mix of wet, slapping sounds and the grinding of dirt and rock. The corrupted mana it radiated seemed to warp the air around them, making it hard to breathe, and hard to think.

Claire risked a glance back, her heart hammering in her chest. The creature's eyes—glowing a sickly, unnatural green—locked onto her. A deep, guttural hiss escaped its maw, its gaze hungry, relentless, as if it was determined to consume them all.

Her stomach lurched at the sight of it. The way it moved—its body a writhing mass of corruption—was horrifying, yet there was a sense of intelligence behind those glowing eyes. It was aware of them, and worse, it wanted them.

“Keep moving!” Nova shouted, her voice raw with urgency. Claire snapped her head forward, her legs pumping harder as adrenaline surged through her veins.

The tunnel twisted ahead, narrow and uneven, forcing them to duck beneath low-hanging roots that pulsed with dim, sickly light. Behind them, the creature continued its relentless chase, the ground trembling with each movement as it burrowed through the earth, pulling itself forward with grotesque tendrils that lashed out at the tunnel walls.

“Faster!” Jade urged, her voice breathless, terror creeping into her words.

Nova glanced over her shoulder, her sharp eyes catching the creature’s sickly green glow as it bore down on them. “We can’t let it touch us!” she shouted. “The corruption—it’ll kill us if it does!”

Claire’s lungs burned as she sprinted forward, her mind racing with fear. Every instinct told her to get away, to outrun the abomination that was trailing behind them. But how could they possibly escape something so unnatural, so relentless?

Ahead, the tunnel began to widen slightly, but the walls were thick with more roots—twisted and gnarled, like veins pumping corrupted mana through the earth. The faint light from the Starfall Crystal in Nova’s pouch flickered weakly, its energy barely holding back the darkness that threatened to engulf them.

“We need to find a way to lose it!” Claire shouted, her voice cracking as panic surged through her.

Nova’s eyes darted ahead, searching for anything that could buy them time. “There—up ahead!” she called, pointing to a narrow offshoot of the tunnel. “Take the left path—it’s tighter! It might slow it down!”

Without hesitation, they veered left, ducking into the narrow passage. The walls pressed close, scraping against their arms as they squeezed through. The sound of the creature’s pursuit grew louder, closer. It was forcing its massive, corrupted form through the tunnel, but the tight passage slowed it down, giving them precious seconds to pull ahead.

Claire’s breath came in ragged gasps as they rounded another corner. “We can’t keep running forever!” she cried, each word strained, her chest tightening with every laboured step. The heavy thud of their footsteps echoed through the suffocating tunnel, but it was drowned out by the enraged roar behind them. The creature’s furious shriek reverberated through the stone, vibrating their bones and setting their nerves on edge.

Nova glanced back, her eyes widening in horror. “It’s absorbing the corrupted mana!” she shouted, her voice rising with panic. “Shit—it’s evolving into something else!”

Claire dared a glance behind, her heart dropping at the sight. The thing was slowing down, but not out of weakness—it was changing, its form twisting and contorting, grotesque cracks and sickening snaps filling the air as its body reshaped itself. The corrupted mana it had been oozing was now being sucked back into its form, fuelling its transformation.

“We have no choice but to keep running!” Nova urged, her eyes scanning the path ahead. “What’s that up there?”

Claire’s gaze snapped forward, and through the dim light of the tunnel, she saw an old metal lift in a larger chamber, surrounded by decaying wooden structures. Relief surged through her. “It’s an extraction point! The miners used it to take coal to the surface! We can use it to get out!”

But behind them, the grotesque sounds of flesh twisting and bone snapping grew louder. They didn’t have much time.

They sprinted toward the lift, Jade slamming the gate shut before frantically hitting the button to activate it. The old machinery groaned, but nothing happened. “Shit, it’s out of power!” Jade cursed, her hands shaking as she scanned the room.

“There’s the generator!” Jade pointed toward the far side of the chamber, where an old, rusted machine sat in the corner, its cables frayed and disconnected. “But it’s ancient. It’s probably damaged.”

“Get over there and check it out,” Nova urged, but before they could move, the ground shook with the impact of the creature’s steps. It was getting closer. The walls trembled, the sound of breaking stone and cracking bones echoing through the chamber.

“Shit, get to cover!” Nova grabbed Claire and Jade, pulling them into the shadow of a nearby building, its walls barely holding together. They ducked behind the cracked wood, their breaths shallow as they pressed themselves against the cold stone.

Claire peeked through a gap in the boards. Her heart seized at the sight of the creature as it lumbered into the open chamber. It was no longer the sluggish horror they had seen earlier. Its body had elongated, grotesquely stretched, with crude limbs now sprouting from its sides—malformed appendages that resembled clawed hands. Patches of its skin had hardened into jagged scales, giving it a horrific semblance of armour, but parts of its body still dripped with inky black slime, fluid and shifting like something that hadn’t fully solidified.

The creature’s movements were jerky and erratic, as though it hadn’t quite learned how to control its new limbs. Its sickly green eyes glowed, scanning the room with predatory intent. The thick, corrupted mana it absorbed had twisted it into something monstrous—something deadlier.

“We need to move, fast,” Nova whispered, her voice tight with urgency. “Jade, you’re our only chance of getting that generator working.”

Jade nodded, swallowing her fear as she prepared to dart toward the broken machine. Claire’s heart pounded in her ears, but she forced herself to stay calm, to trust in their slim chance of escape.

The creature let out a low, gurgling growl, its body twitching as it scanned the chamber for its prey. They didn’t have much time.

“We distract it,” Nova whispered to Claire. “We draw its attention while Jade fixes the generator.”

Noah Pov early

Noah squinted against the wind as Sylphora's powerful wings carried them higher into the sky. Beneath them, the landscape blurred as they left the chaos of the underground chamber far behind. The sound of cracking earth and the low rumble of the thick dark roots chasing them faded, though the memory of their relentless pursuit lingered in his mind.

They soared over the rugged mountains, the cool air rushing past them. Sylphora’s large frame cast a shadow over the jagged terrain below, her movements smooth and confident. Noah’s grip on her scales tightened as they ascended, his thoughts racing along with the wind.

“How long do you think it’ll take them to figure out the message you left?” Sylphora asked, her voice rumbling through the bond they shared, carrying a mix of curiosity and mild impatience.

Noah glanced back at the horizon behind them, then down at the treacherous landscape. He wasn’t sure how far they had travelled, but the distance gave him some relief. “Not long, I’d think,” he replied, his voice steadier than he felt. “Nova’s smart. She’ll understand the idea. She knows we don’t have time to waste.”

Sylphora let out a low growl of acknowledgment, her wings adjusting slightly as she angled their flight path higher. “But gathering the rest of those crystals... that’s the real challenge, isn’t it?”

Noah nodded grimly, his mind heavy with the weight of it all. "Yeah. That’s the part I’m not sure about. How long it will take... or even if they’ll be able to find them all in time."

The wind howled around them, and the mountains loomed large, their peaks piercing the clouds. Below, the world seemed peaceful—too peaceful, considering the chaos brewing beneath its surface. Noah’s thoughts flickered back to Nova, Jade, and Claire, back in the mines with the corrupted roots spreading and evolving.

He gritted his teeth. The weight of his decision to leave them behind gnawed at him, but he knew it was the only way. He had to trust that they’d find the crystals, just as he had to believe that his reckless plan would work.

"They’ll figure it out," Noah muttered under his breath, more to himself than to Sylphora. But even as he said the words, doubt clung to the edges of his thoughts. The fate of the World Tree, the world itself, rested on a race against time, and Noah wasn’t sure if they were fast enough.

Sylphora tilted her head, glancing back at him with one of her sharp, calculating eyes. “And what if they don’t? What if the crystals aren’t enough?”

Noah’s jaw remained tight as he stared ahead, the horizon a blur of blue and grey. "Then we’ll deal with it. One way or another, we’ll find a way. We have to."

Sylphora stayed silent for a moment, her wings beating steadily as they hovered in place, observing the dark roots below. They writhed and dug into the ground, unable to reach the pair as they soared far above, a twisted mass of corruption beneath them.

“Then what should we do next, bonded one?” Sylphora asked, her voice carrying an edge of curiosity. The world was still new to her, and Noah could sense her fascination mingled with caution as she surveyed the land below.

Noah looked down, scanning the landscape as they hovered. His eyes narrowed as he caught sight of something unusual in the distance. A patch of earth, darker than the rest, stood out on a nearby hill—an unnatural stain on the rugged terrain. It pulsed faintly with a strange, sickly glow.

"Let’s head toward that eastern hill," Noah said, his voice decisive. "If it’s connected to the meteors, it could hold something useful for us. We need to see what’s there."

Sylphora tilted her head slightly, her wings adjusting as she banked smoothly toward the hill. As they soared over the rolling landscape, Noah kept his eyes trained on the dark patch of earth ahead. The closer they got, the more uneasy he felt. Whatever had struck that area wasn’t just a meteor—it was something darker, something that had tainted the very ground it touched.

As they descended toward the hill, the air around them grew heavy, and thick with an unsettling energy. Noah could feel it creeping up his spine, a sensation of wrongness that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. The ground beneath them was scorched, and cracked, as if the land had been burned from within.

Sylphora landed softly near the edge of the darkened earth, her claws digging into the dirt as she lowered her body to allow Noah to dismount. He slid off her back, his boots crunching against the brittle soil. The air was dense with mana, but it was tainted, corrupted—just like the roots.

“What do you think happened here?” Sylphora asked, her voice a low rumble as she surveyed the charred ground.

Noah knelt down, placing his hand on the blackened earth. A faint pulse of energy throbbed beneath his fingers, like a weak heartbeat struggling to stay alive. “This place… it’s tied to the meteors,” he said, his brow furrowed in concentration. “But whatever hit here—it’s been corrupted, just like the roots. We need to be careful.”

As he stood, something caught his eye—a glint of light, half-buried in the earth near the centre of the dark patch. Noah’s heart raced as he walked over, his hand reaching out to uncover the object. His fingers brushed against cold, smooth metal—a shard, glowing faintly with an otherworldly energy.

A Starfall Crystal.

His grip tightened around the shard as he lifted it from the ground, the crystal pulsing weakly in his hand. It wasn’t as strong as the others, its light dim and flickering, but it was still a piece of what they needed.

“Another one,” Noah whispered, turning to Sylphora. “We’re one step closer.”

But even as he said it, the ground beneath them trembled again, a low rumble rising from the earth. Something stirred deep below the surface—something that had been awakened by their presence.

Sylphora’s eyes narrowed, her wings twitching in anticipation. "We need to move, Noah. The ground here… it’s not stable."

He nodded, gripping the crystal tightly as he climbed back onto her back. "Let’s go. We need to find the other meteor sites before whatever’s down there reaches us."

With a powerful beat of her wings, Sylphora took to the sky, leaving the darkened hill behind as they flew toward the next site.

As Sylphora ascended into the sky, the darkened hill below faded into the distance, but the eerie sensation of the corrupted energy still lingered in the air around them. Noah held the Starfall Crystal tightly in his hand, its weak pulse a constant reminder of the urgency of their mission. The wind whipped past them as they flew higher, and the sky stretched out ahead, vast and ominous.

“We can’t stay in one place for too long,” Noah muttered, his gaze scanning the horizon. “Whatever’s beneath the surface is waking up.”

Sylphora nodded slightly, her wings adjusting as they flew swiftly toward the next meteor site. "The land itself is rejecting the corruption," she said, her voice low and thoughtful. "But it's spreading. The longer we take, the more this world falls apart."

Noah’s heart pounded in his chest. He couldn’t afford to think about the enormity of what they were up against—not now. His focus had to remain on finding the rest of the crystals, and fast.

As they neared the next location, the terrain shifted below them. The once-charred hills gave way to rolling plains, but even these looked twisted and wrong. The grass, once green and vibrant, was now a sickly brown, and the rivers running through the landscape had turned dark, thick with the corruption that flowed through the land like poison.

“There,” Noah pointed toward a clearing in the distance, where the ground had been scorched in a perfect circle—there was an old meteor strike.

“There,” Noah pointed toward a clearing in the distance, where the ground had been scorched in a perfect circle, the unmistakable mark of a meteor strike. Blackened earth surrounded the impact site, and even from a distance, Noah could sense the volatile energy pulsing from the ground.

Sylphora’s wings shifted slightly as she angled her flight toward the clearing, the two of them descending slowly. As they drew closer, Noah could see that the corruption had already spread from the crater, snaking out in thick, dark tendrils that crept across the landscape. The ground was riddled with cracks, and strange, blackened plants sprouted from the soil like twisted, alien growths. The air around the site shimmered, warping with the density of mana that swirled in the atmosphere.

“Stay alert,” Noah warned, tightening his grip on Sylphora’s scales. “It’s worse here than I thought. We need to grab the crystal and get out fast.”

Sylphora grunted in agreement, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the area below. “The corruption is stronger here.”

Noah nodded, his stomach twisting. He hadn’t seen the corruption before, but this wasn’t anything he had ever seen. The air itself seemed to pulse with malevolence, and the once-solid ground appeared ready to break apart at any moment.

They touched down on the outskirts of the crater, the impact having left a jagged scar on the land. As soon as Noah dismounted, his boots sank slightly into the soft, corrupted soil. He could feel the energy rippling beneath his feet, like a heartbeat, but twisted—sick.

“We have to be quick,” Noah muttered, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of a Starfall Crystal. “It’s somewhere in there.”

Sylphora stayed close, her large frame providing a sense of protection as she kept watch. The crater stretched wide before them, its edges crumbling and unstable, but in the centre, a faint glow pulsed from beneath the charred ground.

“There,” Noah whispered, his breath catching as he spotted the glow. The Starfall Crystal, though faint, was unmistakable. But it was buried beneath layers of corrupted earth and stone, the darkness of the land clinging to it like a parasite.

Noah took a step forward, but Sylphora stopped him, her eyes narrowing. “Be careful. The corruption could be more than just in the ground. There might be something guarding it.”

Noah slowly made his way toward the glowing crystal. Every step felt heavier than the last as if the land itself was trying to drag him down. The closer he got, the more the corrupted mana pulsed around him, wrapping around his legs like invisible chains.

Suddenly, a low rumble echoed through the crater, the ground shaking beneath Noah’s feet. He froze, his eyes scanning the area around him. The twisted roots, blackened and pulsing with energy, began to move, creeping up from the cracks in the earth.

Sylphora growled low in her throat, her body tensing. “Something’s coming.”

The rumbling grew louder, and from the centre of the crater, a massive shape began to emerge. It rose slowly, the earth trembling as the creature pulled itself free from the corrupted ground. It was a grotesque mass of roots and decayed flesh, its body twisted and malformed, glowing veins of sickly green mana pulsing beneath its skin.

Noah’s heart pounded in his chest as the creature let out a guttural roar, its hollow eyes locking onto him. The corruption had taken hold of it completely, warping its form into something monstrous.

“We need those crystals,” Noah whispered urgently, backing away from the emerging creature. His eyes caught more than one glow beneath the corrupted ground. “Sylphora, cover me. I’m going in.”

Without hesitation, Sylphora leapt forward, positioning herself between Noah and the monstrous figure. Her wings flared wide, casting an imposing shadow across the clearing as her growl rumbled deep in her chest. The creature lunged, its grotesque limbs reaching for them, but Sylphora was quicker. A blast of searing fire erupted from her jaws, slamming into the corrupted mass. The creature screeched in agony, staggering backward, giving Noah the precious seconds he needed.

He darted toward the glowing crystals, his heart pounding in his ears. The earth trembled beneath his feet, but Noah focused on the task ahead. The crystals were half-buried in the corrupted soil, their glow dim and tainted. One pulsed with the familiar energy of a pure Starfall Crystal, but the others... the others were different. Tainted. Their light flickered between sickly green and the usual pale glow, corruption seeping through their cores.

"There's more than one," Noah muttered under his breath, panic rising. He knelt by the crystals, his hands plunging into the blackened dirt. The air around him reeked of decay, thick with the vile corruption that had overtaken the land.

As his fingers wrapped around the first crystal, he felt the familiar surge of energy—pure, but weak. Quickly, he grabbed the second, and a shudder ran up his arm. The corrupted crystal buzzed with a twisted, volatile power that made his skin crawl. It wasn’t just tainted; it felt like it could explode in his grip.

He threw the corrupted crystals away as he dug into the earth pulling up any he could find, he found five pure crystals and the rest were tainted with the sinter energy of taint.

"I've got them!" he shouted, wrenching the crystals free from the soil.

But as soon as he lifted them from the ground, the creature let out a furious, bone-chilling roar. The earth split open, cracks spreading like wildfire, and more corrupted roots burst forth. They twisted violently, thrashing as they reached for Noah, eager to reclaim the tainted energy he held.

“Let’s go!” Noah yelled, turning to Sylphora just as the roots shot toward him, their slimy tendrils inches away.

Sylphora swooped down with a powerful beat of her wings, grabbing Noah just in time. Her claws closed around him, and they shot into the sky, leaving the grasping roots behind. Below, the creature bellowed in rage, its dark mana clawing at the air, but Sylphora’s speed kept them just ahead of danger.

As they ascended, Noah felt the weight of the crystals in his hands, his grip tightening around both the pure.

"We've got them," Noah said, breathless. “But it’s getting worse. We need to find more—and fast. Before this spreads even further.”

Sylphora banked sharply to the right, carrying them away from the corrupted crater as the winds howled around them. Noah's heart pounded in his chest, the weight of the Starfall Crystals in his pouch grounding him, but the gnawing sense of urgency never left. Time was slipping away, and every second brought the world closer to collapse.

The landscape stretched out below them, twisted and scarred by the corruption. Patches of blackened earth spread like an infection, and the rivers that once wound through the valleys had turned thick and dark, choked with the foul taint that spread through the land. The sky itself seemed heavier, the once-clear blue now streaked with ominous clouds that loomed over the horizon.

"Keep an eye out for any signs of another meteor site," Noah said, scanning the terrain below for anything out of the ordinary.

Sylphora’s sharp gaze flickered across the landscape, her powerful wings beating steadily. "I see something," she said after a few moments, her voice carrying a hint of tension. She angled her wings, turning them toward the east. "There’s a clearing ahead—could be another impact site."

Noah squinted into the distance, spotting a patch of scorched earth, barely visible through the haze that had settled over the land. As they drew closer, he could see the familiar telltale signs of a meteor strike—deep gouges in the earth, the ground charred black, and the faint glow of mana pulsing weakly from the crater.

But something was wrong.

Even from a distance, Noah could feel it—the air was thick with corrupted mana, denser than before. The closer they got to the crater, the more oppressive the energy became, like a weight pressing down on his chest.

Sylphora landed gracefully near the edge of the crater, her claws sinking into the cracked, brittle soil. Noah slid off her back, his boots crunching against the dead ground. The atmosphere here was worse than the last site—the corruption had spread further, and the mana in the air felt volatile, like it was teetering on the edge of exploding.

“I don’t like this,” Sylphora growled, her wings twitching in agitation. “The corruption is deeper here. Be careful.”

Noah nodded, gripping the hilt of his blade as he approached the crater. The glow from the Starfall Crystals was faint, but he could see them—two small, flickering lights half-buried in the charred earth. But as he stepped closer, the ground beneath his feet shifted unnaturally, as though something was stirring just beneath the surface.

A deep rumble vibrated through the ground, and Noah froze. The blackened soil cracked open, and thick, corrupted roots began to slither upward, writhing and pulsing with dark energy. They twisted violently, reaching for the crystals, as if they were drawn to the pure mana within.

“Sylphora!” Noah shouted, leaping back as the roots shot toward him.

With a snarl, Sylphora lunged forward, her wings flaring out as she unleashed a blast of fire at the encroaching roots. The flames collided with the corrupted tendrils, causing them to hiss and recoil, but they didn’t retreat. Instead, they seemed to absorb the fire, their dark energy growing stronger as they writhed in response.

Noah cursed under his breath. The corruption was feeding off the mana—twisting and warping it into something more dangerous. They couldn’t fight it directly, not without risking making things worse.

“We need to grab the crystals and go!” Noah called, dodging another lashing root.

Sylphora growled, blasting another wave of fire toward the creature. “Hurry!”

Noah darted forward, his heart racing as he reached for the crystals. The air around them buzzed with energy, the corrupted roots thrashing violently as they tried to reach the precious stones. His fingers closed around the first crystal, its faint glow pulsing weakly in his hand. Without wasting a moment, he grabbed the second one, yanking it free from the corrupted soil.

“I’ve got them!” Noah shouted, but the moment he lifted the crystals from the ground, the earth beneath them erupted.

A monstrous shape, twisted and grotesque, rose from the crater—a mass of corrupted roots and dark, pulsating flesh. Its hollow eyes locked onto Noah, glowing with sickly green light as it let out a deafening roar. The corrupted mana surged through its body, and its tendrils lashed out, tearing through the ground as it lunged toward them.

“Go! Now!” Noah yelled, scrambling back toward Sylphora.

Without hesitation, Sylphora swooped down, her claws closing around Noah as she lifted him into the air. The creature roared in fury, its dark tendrils thrashing as it tried to reach them, but Sylphora’s wings carried them higher, out of its reach.

As they soared away from the corrupted crater, Noah clutched the Starfall Crystals tightly in his hand. The pure crystal pulsed softly, its energy faint but steady, while the corrupted one buzzed erratically, its volatile power barely contained.

“We got them,” Noah muttered, his breath coming fast. “But this corruption is spreading faster than I thought.”

Sylphora nodded grimly, her wings beating steadily as they flew higher into the sky. “We need to move faster. If the corruption keeps evolving like this... there won’t be anything left to save.”

Noah’s jaw tightened as he stared down at the scarred land below. “Then we don’t stop. We find every last one of these crystals, and we stop this—before it’s too late.”

Sydney POV

The late afternoon sun bathed Sydney in a golden glow, reflecting off the shimmering waters of the harbor. The iconic white sails of the Opera House stood proudly against the clear sky, their pristine surfaces catching the light as tourists swarmed the steps, snapping photos and sharing laughs. Ferries glided across the water, ferrying passengers between Circular Quay and the nearby suburbs. It was a typical day—filled with the familiar hustle and bustle of city life.

From the heights of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, cars crawled along, their drivers either caught in the momentary awe of the view or stuck in the routine of the daily commute. Below, the green expanse of the Royal Botanic Gardens stretched out like an oasis in the heart of the city, the trees swaying gently in the breeze.

Circular Quay buzzed with its usual mix of tourists and locals, enjoying the fresh air and the lively atmosphere of street performers, vendors, and families enjoying their afternoon stroll. Nearby, business professionals in suits darted between office buildings, coffees in hand, rushing to catch the last few minutes of the day before heading home.

The atmosphere was calm, almost serene in its familiarity. Seagulls swooped overhead, the distant hum of conversation and the occasional clatter of dishes from the nearby restaurants filling the air. It was hard to imagine anything disrupting this scene of everyday life.

In the harbour, ferries glided smoothly, cutting through the gentle waves. The Manly Ferry, packed with commuters and tourists alike, made its daily run, chugging across the water toward the northern beaches. Children leaned against the railing, pointing at the rippling waters below, their laughter mingling with the sounds of the city.

But beneath that surface calm, there was something off—a strange tension, almost imperceptible. For those who were sensitive to it, there was an odd energy in the air, a slight hum that seemed to vibrate through the city’s streets. It was subtle, something easily ignored by the majority of the population, but it was there—growing.

A lone figure stood atop one of the skyscrapers in the Central Business District, overlooking the harbour with an uneasy feeling gnawing at the back of their mind. They couldn’t put their finger on it, but the air felt heavier than usual, like the calm before a storm. They watched the sunset bathe the city in soft hues of orange and pink, but even the beauty of the scene couldn’t shake the sense that something was coming. Something big.

Back in the suburbs, people were going about their daily routines—watering gardens, walking dogs, chatting with neighbours. The tranquillity of Sydney’s neighbourhoods was a stark contrast to the busy city centre, where the pulse of urban life never stopped. But here too, there was a strange quiet that hung in the air, as if the city was holding its breath.

In the distance, clouds began to gather on the horizon, dark and heavy. It was strange how quickly they had formed. A cold wind swept in, carrying with it the first hint that something was amiss. People brushed it off as a change in weather, not realizing that this wind carried more than just rain. It was the harbinger of something far worse, something no one in Sydney could have predicted.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the city, the first hints of unease began to ripple through Sydney’s streets. The once-gentle wind had picked up, growing colder and more erratic, sweeping through the city with an unnatural edge. People walking along the harbor pulled their jackets tighter around them, frowning at the sudden shift in weather. There had been no warning of a storm, yet the air crackled with tension, the kind that made the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.

The sky, once a brilliant gradient of orange and pink, was now darkening unnaturally fast. Thick, black clouds rolled in from the east, blanketing the city in a heavy, oppressive gloom. At first, no one paid much attention. Just a storm, they thought. But the wind grew stronger, howling as it whipped through the skyscrapers and rattled the windows of office buildings. Lights flickered ominously across the Central Business District as the clouds gathered overhead, swirling like a vortex.

In Circular Quay, tourists still milled about, but their laughter had quieted. People glanced up at the sky, puzzled by the sudden darkness that had fallen over the harbor. The ferries, usually steady and reliable, rocked uneasily on the water as waves churned against the docks. A sense of growing dread began to creep into the air. The street performers stopped playing, and the usual chatter of the crowds died down as an eerie silence took hold.

Then it began.

It started as a low rumble, so faint that it seemed like a distant earthquake. The ground beneath their feet trembled, just enough to make people stop and glance down at the pavement, confused. But the tremors didn’t stop. They grew stronger, more insistent. The Sydney Harbour Bridge, an unshakable icon of the city, groaned as the vibrations reverberated through its steel beams.

People began to panic. The once-calm waters of the harbor turned violent, slamming against the shores in unpredictable waves. The ferries, tossed like toys, struggled to stay afloat. Tourists and locals alike scrambled away from the waterfront, their faces pale with fear. Sirens wailed in the distance as emergency vehicles raced toward the bridge, but it was too late. Something far worse than a storm was coming.

From deep below the earth, a sickening crack sounded, as if the city’s foundations were splitting apart. In the heart of the Royal Botanic Gardens, the ground erupted. A massive, twisted root—dark as pitch and pulsating with a malevolent energy—burst through the soil, sending dirt and debris flying. The root writhed and coiled, growing rapidly, snaking its way through the gardens and tearing up trees in its path. But it didn’t stop there.

The ground beneath Circular Quay split open, a jagged fissure ripping through the pavement, swallowing streetlights and benches whole. Dark tendrils of corruption—slimy and dripping with inky blackness—slithered out of the cracks, snaking toward the water. Where the roots touched, the earth withered, turning black and rotten in an instant.

The Opera House, a symbol of beauty and strength, began to shudder. Its pristine white sails, once untouched by time, cracked under the strain as the roots climbed higher, wrapping around the structure like a predator constricting its prey. People screamed as they ran, the ground shaking beneath them, buildings swaying dangerously as the roots tore through the city.

Overhead, the sky had turned a sickly green, the dark clouds swirling faster and faster. Lightning crackled through the sky, striking the tops of the skyscrapers, sending sparks flying. The air was thick with the stench of decay, the corruption spreading faster than anyone could comprehend. It was as if the very heart of the city was being consumed by an unstoppable force, something ancient and malevolent.

In the Central Business District, cracks appeared in the glass towers, windows shattering as the tremors intensified. People rushed from the buildings, pushing past one another in blind panic. The once-bustling streets were now filled with chaos—cars screeched to a halt, horns blaring as the ground buckled beneath them. The roots were everywhere now, creeping through the streets, latching onto anything they could reach. Where they touched, the world seemed to die, with the ground turning to ash beneath them.

The tremors spread to the outskirts of the city. In the suburbs, families stood in their yards, staring at the sky in disbelief as the wind howled and the earth cracked open beneath their feet. From the edge of the horizon, they could see it—the towering, writhing roots that had broken through the earth, spreading out like a twisted network of veins, seeking to consume everything in their path.

In the harbor, the Manly Ferry was tossed violently by the waves, its passengers screaming as the boat rocked dangerously from side to side. The water had turned black, thick with some kind of oily sludge that clung to the hull of the ferry, dragging it down. People scrambled to the upper decks, clutching onto anything they could as the corrupted water rose higher, swallowing the ferry whole.

From the edge of the city, an ominous silence fell, broken only by the low, resonating groans of the roots as they continued their advance. The world seemed to pause for a moment, as if the city itself was holding its breath, teetering on the edge of oblivion.

And then, with a deafening crack, the Sydney Harbour Bridge gave way. The massive steel structure buckled under the weight of the corruption, collapsing into the water below. The ground beneath it erupted, sending a shockwave through the city that shattered windows and sent buildings toppling. Dark tendrils burst from the earth, twisting and thrashing as they pulled the bridge’s remains into the blackened water.

Sydney was falling, consumed by the very land it had once thrived upon. The roots, relentless and insidious, continued their advance, devouring everything in their path.

The corruption was relentless, spreading faster than anyone could react. The air was thick with the stench of decay and burning metal, as the city’s lifeblood—its people, its buildings, its history—was devoured by the insatiable roots.

In Darling Harbour, the water had turned black, thick with an oily sludge that clung to the ferries and boats, dragging them down into the abyss. People who had been trying to flee on the water found themselves trapped as the waves surged higher, pulling entire vessels into the depths. The corrupted waters foamed and bubbled, spewing noxious fumes into the air that burned the eyes and lungs of those who were too close.

The streets of the city were unrecognizable. Entire buildings collapsed into the fissures, swallowed by the roots that grew taller and more aggressive with each passing second. The sky above, once dark with clouds, now pulsed with strange, otherworldly light—a sickly green glow that seemed to radiate from the roots themselves, casting long, twisted shadows across the ruins of the city.

And still, the city’s heart pulsed, growing weaker by the second. The ground beneath Hyde Park split wide open, swallowing the lush trees and fountains, leaving nothing but a scarred, desolate wasteland in its wake. The corrupted roots surged forward, relentless, tearing through the city’s veins and arteries, pulling it apart from the inside out.

In the suburbs, the devastation was no less severe. Streets cracked open like broken bones, houses crumbled, and entire neighbourhoods were swallowed by the growing network of roots. Families stood helplessly in their yards, watching as the city they had known their whole lives was torn apart. The once-distant sounds of sirens had now been drowned out by the deafening roar of the corruption, spreading like a plague through the very foundations of the world.

And then came the screams.

The roots weren’t just tearing the city apart—they were changing it. People who had been too close, those who had touched the oozing, corrupted tendrils, began to change. Their skin blackened, their eyes glowing with an unnatural green light. They screamed in agony as the corruption twisted their bodies, transforming them into grotesque, twisted versions of themselves—horrors born from the roots, their minds lost to the overwhelming dark energy that had claimed them.

The city was no longer just falling—it was becoming something else, something darker. The roots pulsed with life, growing taller and stronger, feeding off the very land they destroyed. Sydney was being consumed, transformed into a twisted, corrupted wasteland—a nightmare born from the darkest depths of the earth.

And from the harbour, rising like a leviathan from the depths, something stirred beneath the water. The waves churned violently as the blackened tendrils began to rise, twisting and thrashing as they reached for the shore. The water bubbled and frothed, the corruption spreading outwards, claiming everything in its path.

As Sydney fell into chaos, consumed by the twisting roots and the unstoppable corruption, the world teetered on the brink. Dark clouds swirled overhead, and the once-beautiful harbour, the city’s lifeblood, was swallowed by the blackened tendrils that reached ever outward. The air, thick with ash and decay, carried the echoes of crumbling buildings and the desperate cries of those caught in the catastrophe.

But far beyond the reach of mortal eyes, something stirred in the void. As the screams of men, women, and innocent children rose from the dying city, it heard them. And it listened.