The final challenge: one species must sacrifice its chance so another could win. The Morvain, programmed to self-optimize, couldn’t comprehend sacrifice. They froze. Lei stepped forward. “We give our victory to the Morvain.”

Within a year, it grew into a tree whose leaves whispered, in every language: “You are not alone.”

Sena nodded. “Let them go home.”

They planted it in the desert.