Morning hit with golden fog stretchin' across the canopy like lazy syrup. Kiki was already up, pawin' at a leaf pile like it owed him money.
Mira was fixin' up the glider wings they'd salvaged last week. "Wind's been shiftin'," she said. "Feels like it's tryna push us somewhere."
Tam squinted at the map. "Old Crater's flarin' on the scans. Movement out there, but not Spino-level. Something... smaller. Closer."
Arka walked up with a plate of jungle toast—grilled nutbread with berry paste. "Let's check it. Take the scout, go light, stay fast."
Yen pulled up her trapkit. "I'm bringin' the new Bloom Snares. If somethin's creepin', we make sure it don't creep back."
🌄 Mission Ping: Find the Signal Source Near Old Crater
The trail was weirdly quiet. No bugs. No chirps. Just the sound of their boots crunchin' moss.
Echo floated ahead. "Multiple heat blips detected. Organic. Unfamiliar."
They reached the edge of the Old Crater.
And froze.
There were people down there. Maybe a dozen. Dressed in mossy gear, faces streaked in green clay. Silent. Watchin'.
One stepped forward. Older. Long braids. Eyes like he'd seen the planet reboot three times.
"You're late," the man said, voice low.
Mira whispered, "You know us?"
He nodded. "Not you. But what you carry."
He pointed at Arka.
"That spark? We used to carry it too."
🧬 Lore Drop: The Ones Who Stayed
Turns out, they weren't ghosts or lost tribes or anything spooky.
They were seedbearers—like Arka. Descendants of the original builders who stayed behind when the rest of their crew bounced or went quiet.
"We stayed to guard the Verdant Core," the elder said. "But over time, the jungle changed. And we got forgotten."
They led the squad into a hidden grove—roots spiralin' like staircases, glimmers floatin' in the air like digital fireflies.
At the center? A Core Fragment. Still pulsing. Still alive.
"You've reactivated parts of it," one of the younger ones said to Arka. "That means you're ready to go deeper."
Arka stepped up, feelin' the Core vibe like a heartbeat syncin' with his own.
💡 Core Fragment SyncedNew Ability Unlocked: Echo Trail – reveals hidden paths for short durationsTribe Bond: StrengthenedMap Expanded: Ancient Grove
Back at camp, everything felt… tighter. More locked in.
Tam was already hookin' the grove data into their power system.
Yen was sketchin' new trap mods based on the stuff the Grove Squad used—net vines, sonic spores, sleep pollen.
Lina just leaned against the lookout post, starin' out past the trees.
"They stayed," she said. "Whole lifetimes. Just waitin' for someone to come back."
Arka nodded. "Guess now it's our turn."
🔥 TRIBE STATUS: LINKED
Base Access: Grove Portal now unlocked
Echo Upgrade: Memory Projection Mode available
New Ally Faction: The Ones Who Stayed
Kiki's Trait: "Pack Sense" – detects nearby friendlies/enemies
Threat Level: Unseen forces stirred
Campfire glow hit different that night.
Not just warm—safe.
Not just quiet—heard.
And in the shadows, something big... was watchin'. But it didn't move. Not yet.
Arka looked up at the stars pokin' through the mist.
"They're waitin' for us to mess up," he said.
Lina nodded. "So we don't."