I stood at the crater's edge, where the first rays of light glimmered off the crystalline spires, weaving into intricate shapes that danced across the landscape. The plants around me glowed softly in the morning light, their bioluminescence fading as dawn broke. My gaze shifted to the center of the crater, where a deep red gem pulsed faintly with light. I felt a thrill of excitement mixed with caution as I began my descent, carefully navigating the rocks that had once been molten, now cooled into a smooth, glass-like slope. As I reached the bottom, the gem's details became clearer—a series of etched glyphs and ancient writing adorned its surface.I stepped closer, my heart pounding. The old language of Cobalis flowed through my mind, almost instinctively, and I read the inscription aloud: "Ti rha do-in ar-ken lum rha tor velar, Zan rha kryr to-en shala or selex lum rha tor nala.""What you hold is the bridge to distant stars. It is the key to unlocking the door to worlds beyond and places unknown." I whispered the translation, the words feeling both familiar and ominous. "Well, it seems he was right."I quickly scanned the area with my HoloGlas in infrared mode. Nothing but the faint heat signatures of the fading night surrounded me. Alone… for now, at least. Carefully, I rolled the gem into my bag, the smooth stone cool against my fingers. Climbing out of the crater proved tricky—the glass-like rock made for a slippery ascent, and I nearly lost my footing several times. But I made it to the top, hoisting myself over the edge with a grunt. Strapping my bag securely to my Aeroblade, I kicked off, the hum of the hoverbike vibrating through me as I soared above the forest. Despite my usual aversion to heights, the rhythmic drone of the bike had a calming effect, helping to steady my racing thoughts. I needed to get back to the city quickly, before anyone else stumbled upon the site. Doctor Velanis had warned me about the competition. He insisted that if another university got to the gem first, we'd miss out on the most significant anthropological find of the century. His calculations on the meteorite's arrival had been spot-on, which is why I'd spent the night hidden in the forest, waiting for the telltale streak of light that signaled its impact. I finally landed at the university's lab, slipping in through the back. Doctor Velanis was already at a table, his Resonance Scanner in hand. He wore one of his usual tacky shirts, this one emblazoned with a cartoonish Luminadon under his lab coat. Through my augmented reality glasses, I saw a small, pet-sized Luminadon hologram following him as he paced. He turned to me, and I caught sight of his face—marked with laugh lines, his almond-shaped eyes glowing faintly. The years had softened his skin to a matte finish, and his hair had lightened just a touch, though he'd never admit it."Did you find it? Were you too late, Elyndor?" His deep, kind voice held a note of concern."Relax, I have it in my bag," I replied, slinging the bag onto the table. "But can you please tell me what's so special about this particular gem?"He took a deep breath, and I braced myself for one of his signature rants. "Remember to keep it somewhat short," I added quickly.Doctor Velanis paused mid-breath, then smiled. "It's a key to interplanetary travel.""Oh, okay, that makes sense." I nodded, trying to sound nonchalant despite the gravity of his words."Yes, you see, the ancient people of Cobalis discovered this stone had unique properties that allowed it to bend space and bring us to pre-set destinations. In other words, teleportation.""So, what do we need to do to travel using this gem?" I asked, intrigued despite myself."Simple. I need to gather the unique sound wave of the gem and replicate it." He positioned the Resonance Scanner over the gem, and a long, high-pitched tone filled the room. Suddenly, a blinding flash of light burst from the gem, forcing us both to shield our eyes. The intensity of the light was overwhelming, and for a few moments, I couldn't see anything but white. As the brightness began to fade, I blinked rapidly, trying to clear the spots from my vision. When I could finally see again, I found myself staring at something completely unexpected.A figure stood in the center of the lab—a creature, humanoid in shape, but clearly not from Cobalis. Its skin was pale, almost unnervingly so, and completely matte, lacking the familiar bioluminescent glow that I was used to seeing. The lack of any natural light patterns made it seem almost lifeless, as if it didn't quite belong in the vibrant, luminous world around it.It was short, not much taller than a Luminaris child, with a slight build that seemed almost fragile. The creature's face was sharp, angular, and marked by an expression of fear. Wide, almond-shaped eyes, a deep and unsettling blue, darted around the room, taking in the surroundings with a mix of confusion and terror. Those eyes—dark and almost hollow—looked lost, as if it were trying to make sense of where it was and what had just happened.Its hair was a dull brown, cut short and practically, though it looked unkempt, as if it hadn't been tended to in some time. The clothing it wore was strange—a loose white coat over simple, drab garments that seemed functional, but entirely foreign. The overall appearance was stark and out of place in the crystalline lab, as though the creature had been plucked from another world and dropped here without warning.For a moment, it just stood there, frozen, its chest rising and falling rapidly. I could see its hands trembling slightly, the fingers twitching as if it was unsure whether to flee or fight. There was no immediate threat, but the tension in the room was palpable.I glanced at Doctor Velanis, who was staring at the creature with a mixture of fascination and concern. This was no ordinary arrival, and whatever had just happened was far beyond what either of us had anticipated.The creature took a tentative step forward, its eyes now locked onto me. There was a moment of stillness, where it seemed to gather itself, the fear in its eyes giving way to a flicker of determination. It opened its mouth as if to speak, but no words came out—only a breath, shaky and uncertain.The air between us felt thick with anticipation. Whatever this being was, it had something to say, and I had a feeling that what came next would change everything.