Evelise looked back at the tree, her ears twitching.
"Humanimals have always felt that pull. We thought it was just us— like the tree spoke to our kind alone. That's why so many of us wanted to live near the city, close to the Nexus Green. They said it was the symbol of life itself."
Sid nodded slowly, still staring up at the colossal tree that seemed to pierce the heavens. Even in this dead city, surrounded by ruins and silence, the Nexus Tree glowed with unshakable vitality.
"That damn symbol of life really lives up to its name. Everything else here is gone— dead, rotted, or ruined! But that thing…"
He smiled faintly.
"It's still standing… Damn… it's almost heavenly."
Evelise's expression softened, her gaze distant and filled with quiet admiration.
"Yes… It's still alive. Just like us."
Sid exhaled, staring at the glowing veins of the massive trunk.
