Shadows of Heart : The Awakening
But as she moved closer, her stomach churned.
One of the trees was sick.
Its bark was blackened and cracked, seeping a tar-like substance that dripped onto the glittering ground. Its leaves were brittle, some falling in slow, sorrowful spirals. Dark veins twisted around its roots, choking it as they spread outward, threatening to poison the other two trees. The second tree pulsed with life but seemed strained, its light flickering as if struggling to keep the corruption at bay. The third tree stood strong, radiating a golden warmth that gave Zoe a fleeting sense of comfort.