WOLINM

Nara had woven many gardens, planted many seeds, and sung many songs. But she noticed that the Whispers' flower—the one she had planted in the Garden—was beginning to droop. Its petals were losing color, its hum growing faint.

"What's wrong?" she asked Elara.

Elara knelt and touched the flower's soil. "It is not receiving the song it needs. The Whispers' world is fading again."

Nara felt a cold knot in her chest. "Can we help it?"

"The root of the song must be watered from its home world," Elara said. "You must return and sing there."

Nara traveled back through the Starlight Pa

The briefing room was cold, the lights dim. Lieutenant Kaelen Voss sat at the table, his team around him, their faces tired but alert. Commander Thorne stood at the front, a holographic display showing a new target.

"You did well on Kepler," she began. "But the war isn't over. Intelligence has located the enemy's command center. This is the heart of their operation."

The display shifted, showing a planet Kaelen didn't recognize. "This is Xylos. The enemy has fortified the planet with everything they have. If we can destroy this facility, the war could end."

Kaelen studied the images—