FAFO 10

“Did you feel what I felt?” Oak asked, his voice tinged with unease. As the tremors and explosions shook the planet, some of his core roots had disintegrated under the intense heat and pressure, beyond what they could withstand despite their strength. For the first time in his existence, Oak felt a profound sense of danger—a sensation so foreign to him that he struggled to categorize it.

“Although I’m not certain it’s exactly the same, I felt something too,” Mangrove responded, sharing in the unsettling sensation. Like Oak, some of his roots had also disintegrated, but the feeling they both experienced wasn’t merely a reaction to the damage. It was something deeper, something far more disconcerting, and it left Mangrove with a growing sense of unease.

“But we’ve experienced earthquakes before—what’s different about this one?” Oak asked, trying to make sense of the unfamiliar feeling. “Other than the loss of some of our core roots, which isn’t too significant considering the end goal.”