Far away, across Earth and beyond the Milky Way's spiral arms, past the void between galaxies where light traveled for epochs without meeting anything but darkness, there existed a planet called Hollowstar.
The surface near the equator was dominated by what could only be called an oasis, though that word felt inadequate.
A network of freshwater springs fed into pools that ranged from five feet across to massive bodies that stretched a hundred meters in diameter. The water was clear enough to see bottom even in the deepest sections, and smooth stones lined the edges—black basalt worn smooth by centuries of water flow, white quartz veined with pink, chunks of something that looked like jade but reflected light differently.
