Three days after the Sporelink ritual, the Heartroot tree pulsed brighter than ever, visible like a beacon for miles.
Vines climbed higher along ruined skyscrapers, turning steel into living fortifications. Thorned biomass roads linked outer settlements to the main enclave, and the civilian militia drilled tirelessly under Kaelin and Soren's watchful eyes.
Word of the Sporelink spread like wildfire.
To civilians, it wasn't just a bond, it was a sign that the Verdant Pact had transcended from a desperate alliance to something greater; a rising power capable of challenging even Korrath's biomechanical empire.
That night, Clayton sent out a summons.
Not just to his companions but to every leader of the newly integrated factions; scavenger chiefs, ex-Ironblood captains, and elders of the Shrinekeepers.
Even long-range scouts were recalled from Verdant roads for this gathering.
The war council of the Verdant Pact was about to begin.
