Page 12 of Larz

Reaching the top took everything we had. But as we crested the ridge, gasps echoed through our comms. Below us lay a valley awash with colors that defied description—hues Earth’s palette never dreamed of.

“God,” Jana breathed, “it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen.”

Sergei was already scanning with his equipment. “There are minerals here... not on any chart back home.”

Caleb whistled lowly. “This trip might pay off after all.”

The descent was precarious; each step threatened to send rocks cascading beneath us like an avalanche waiting to happen.

Halfway down, my foot slipped—heart in my throat, arms windmilling for balance.

Caleb’s hand shot out, gripping my arm with iron certainty. “Easy there.”

Steadied but shaking slightly, I managed a weak smile. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” His voice held no judgment, only camaraderie born of shared danger.

The valley floor greeted us with open arms and more wonder—plants that shivered at our touch and rocks that hummed with an energy we couldn’t comprehend.

Jana knelt by a cluster of luminescent flowers. “These might even be edible or medicinal.” Her eyes sparkled behind her visor.

“And these crystals,” Sergei added, tapping his scanner against an iridescent boulder that pulsed softly with inner light, “they’re full of energy potential.”

“We need to document everything,” I said.

We maintained a methodical approach despite our awe.

Time slipped away, as if reluctant to intrude upon our discoveries. When we finally called it a day, our packs were heavy with specimens and our minds were dizzy with possibilities.

As we trudged back towards camp beneath moons that hung low and watchful in the sky, Caleb matched his stride to mine.

“Think they’ll be impressed back home?” he asked.

“If they’re not,” I replied with newfound conviction fueling my voice, “they should be.”

The moonscape stretched out like a canvas splattered with shades of desolation, a masterpiece of stark beauty that tugged at my curiosity. We had set up camp at the edge of a basin, its floor scattered with rock formations that seemed to mimic the very constellations we had sailed past to get here.

I ventured out alone this time, eager to peel back another layer of this alien world’s secrets. The valley we had discovered hinted at an ecosystem teeming with wonders, and I couldn’t shake the feeling there was more waiting just beyond our reach.

The ground beneath my feet crunched with each step, the sound oddly comforting in the vast silence. My breath came in visible puffs, fogging the visor momentarily before dissipating into the thin air. That’s when I noticed it—a slight quivering of the soil beneath a cluster of spiral-shaped plants.

Kneeling down, I watched in fascination as tiny, iridescent creatures emerged from the trembling earth, their bodies no bigger than my thumbnail. They fluttered on translucent wings, catching the weak sunlight and scattering it into a prism of colors.

“Wow,” I whispered to myself. The creatures seemed drawn to my presence, hovering curiously before me. I extended a gloved hand slowly, not wanting to startle them. They danced around my fingers as if playing a game only they understood.

The sound of shifting rocks startled me from my reverie. My hand snapped back as I stood abruptly, scanning the surroundings for signs of movement. That’s when I saw him—Larz—standing on an outcropping with his silver eyes fixed on me.

“You are far from your shelter,” he stated, his voice resonating with a timbre that seemed to stir the air itself.

I took a cautious step back, aware of how vulnerable I appeared—a lone human in an unfamiliar world. “Just exploring,” I replied, striving to keep my tone even.

His gaze shifted from me to the fluttering creatures that now retreated into their burrows. “You have disturbed the Skelth flyers,” he observed, not accusingly but as a mere statement of fact.

“I didn’t mean any harm.” My defense came out softer than intended.

Larz descended from his perch with an agile grace that belied his size. He approached slowly, deliberately, like one would approach an unfamiliar creature. “They are sensitive to vibrations... your kind must tread lightly here.”

“I understand.” I nodded, locking eyes with him. “We don’t want to cause any damage.”

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