PROLOGUE

Darkness.
A barren wasteland stretches endlessly, with dust swept up in swirling gusts. A storm brews in the sky, rumbling with thunder and cracking with flashes of lightning. Rain falls sporadically, drenching the lifeless landscape. The surface is strewn with crumbled debris of what were once towering structures.

A faint ray of light pierces through the dark clouds, casting an eerie glow on the ruins below—a settlement long since abandoned and decayed. Hovering down from above, a sleek spacecraft breaks the silence, descending slowly into the heart of the ruins.

With a soft hiss, the ramp lowers. A space explorer, clad in a high-tech suit, steps cautiously onto the planet's surface. The light from their helmet flickers on, sweeping over the desolate surroundings. They activate their helmet's scouter, scanning the area.

"Nothing. Everything is dead," the Explorer mutters, glancing back toward the ship. "It’s safe. You can come down."

From the ramp, a small orb-like droid levitates into view. This is Meelo—a curious fusion of organic and mechanical components. Its smooth, spherical body glows faintly, and its single optic eye swivels as it examines the environment.

Meelo emits a series of beeps, trills, and modulated hums that convey a mix of inquiry and unease.

"Meelo," the Explorer responds, shaking their head, "I highly doubt anyone could've survived this."

The droid lets out a low, drawn-out whir, followed by a rapid sequence of chirps. It hovers closer to the Explorer, scanning the air for anything unusual.

The Explorer presses forward, trudging through the dust and rubble, shielding their visor from the relentless wind. The storm is worsening, making visibility even harder. Massive roots twist and tangle through the ruins, cracking through walls and foundations.

Meelo hovers upward, scanning a wider range. Its mechanical eye flashes, and it emits a sharp ping.

"Anything?" the Explorer asks.

Meelo responds with a warbling series of tones, its meaning clear: nothing alive. The Explorer exhales sharply. "This planet is completely dead," they say grimly. "Whatever happened here… it was absolute."

A sudden clatter echoes nearby. The Explorer freezes, light darting to the source of the sound. Among a pile of debris, they see it—a skeletal hand jutting out from the rubble. Rushing forward, they begin clearing the debris, revealing the remains of a soldier. Their uniform is tattered, their body drained to the bone.

The Explorer steps back in horror, their light now sweeping over the ruins to reveal more bodies. Dozens, maybe hundreds, lie tangled in the massive roots or crushed beneath fallen structures. The sight is chilling—desperation and terror etched into the final moments of these people.

"It’s like they didn’t even have time to run," the Explorer whispers. "Something—something huge did this."

Meelo emits a low, nervous hum, its optic flickering as it scans the area again.

"Come on," the Explorer says abruptly, retreating to the ship with Meelo close behind.

Once aboard, they ascend into the stormy skies. Hovering above the ruins, the Explorer surveys the scene. The ship’s lights illuminate the devastation, revealing a haunting truth: the corpses, the mangled structures, the massive roots snaking through the land—it all centers around something massive and unnatural.

"Meelo," the Explorer says, their voice tight, "look closer."

Adjusting the ship’s position, they uncover it. Towering above the destruction is a massive tree, its gnarled branches piercing through the ruins. Once vibrant, its bark now crumbles, and its leaves blacken and fall. The tree, like the planet, is dying.

"What could’ve done this?" the Explorer murmurs, staring at the ominous tree as it looms over the desolation. Meelo emits an uncertain series of tones, its eye flickering nervously.

As the Explorer pulls the ship back to get a broader view, something else becomes clear. In the middle of the carnage, embedded into the cracked earth, is a massive footprint.