Page 21 of Swipe Right for Stardust

A shower of light erupted on the central platform, and Lysandra and Caelan materialized, their appearance as dramatic as ever. Holographic displays sprang to life around them.

“Welcome, contestants, to the Stardust Souls Interplanetary Challenge!” Lysandra announced, her arms spread wide.

Caelan stepped forward, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Hope you’re all ready for the adventure of a lifetime. You’ll be racing across Nexus Prime, a planet with more mood swings than a teenager.”

“Five biomes, five objectives,” Lysandra continued. “First up, the Crystalline Desert. You’ll need to snag a shard of Chronos Crystal. Just don’t get caught in a time loop!”

“Next,” Caelan chimed in, “the Bioluminescent Jungle. Your task? Collect some Luminous Orchid pollen. Pro tip: don’t sneeze.”

I leaned in, hanging onto every word. Beside me, Zarnak stood perfectly still, absorbing the information.

Lysandra’s holographic image zoomed in on a mountain range that defied gravity. “Then you’ll scale the Gravity-Defying Mountains to secure a Floating Rock. Remember, what goes up... might keep going up.”

“Hope you’re not claustrophobic,” Caelan added, “because you’ll be diving into Subterranean Caverns to extract Echoing Water from an underground lake. Don’t worry, your screams won’t echo... much.”

“And finally,” Lysandra said, her tone building to a crescendo, “the Shape-Shifting Tundra. Your mission: capture an imprint of a Mimic Ice formation. Just make sure it doesn’t capture you instead.”

The artifacts appeared as glowing icons, rotating slowly above our heads. I stared, mesmerized by their otherworldly beauty.

“Now, here’s the kicker,” Caelan said, rubbing his hands together. “You’ll be starting at different times based on your escape room performance. Think of it as a head start for the overachievers.”

A timeline materialized, showing our staggered start times. My heart sank as I saw our position. Dead last.

“Don’t fret if you’re at the back of the pack,” Lysandra reassured us, though her smile seemed a touch too wide. “This race isn’t just about speed. You’ll need to use your wits, solve puzzles, and work together as a team.”

“And speaking of teamwork,” Caelan interjected, “this challenge will test your compatibility like never before. Will your bond strengthen under pressure, or will we see some spectacular meltdowns? Either way, our viewers back home will be glued to their screens!”

I swallowed hard, sneaking a glance at Zarnak. His face remained impassive, but I noticed a slight tensing of his shoulders.

“You’ll each receive a multi-function device,” Lysandra explained as holographic representations of sleek, alien gadgets appeared. “These beauties will help you navigate, communicate, and maybe even save your lives. No pressure!”

Lysandra’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she continued. “Now, for the juicy details you’ve all been waiting for - how we’ll capture every thrilling moment of your adventure.”

My gaze darted to Zarnak, wondering if he felt as exposed as I did.

“Micro-drones,” Caelan announced, his voice filled with theatrical flair. A swarm of tiny, glittering objects materialized above our heads, dancing in intricate patterns. “These little beauties will be your constant companions, capturing every triumphant moment... and every embarrassing stumble.”

Great. Just what I needed - an audience for my inevitable face-plants.

“But fear not,” Lysandra interjected, her tone reassuring. “We’ve also strategically placed cameras throughout the biomes. They’ll catch anything our drones might miss.”

I fought the urge to wrap my arms around myself. The idea of being watched constantly made my skin crawl.

“Now, I know what you’re thinking,” Caelan said, his eyes twinkling. “What about our privacy?”

A murmur rippled through the crowd. I hadn’t even considered that aspect yet. My cheeks flushed as I remembered my almost-kiss with Zarnak. Thank the stars that hadn’t been caught on camera.

Lysandra held up a hand, silencing the whispers. “We understand the need for... personal time.” She winked, and I swear I saw Zarnak’s fur bristle slightly. “That’s why we’ve implemented a daily blackout period. From midnight to dawn, all cameras will be deactivated.”

A collective sigh of relief echoed through the atrium.

Caelan leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial stage whisper. “After all, not everything needs to be filmed. We’ll leave some things to the imagination of our viewers back home.”

Laughter erupted around us, but I couldn’t join in. The idea of millions of people watching our every move, dissecting our interactions, judging our performance - it was overwhelming.

I glanced at Zarnak again. His expression remained neutral, but I noticed a slight twitch in his jaw. Was he as unsettled as I was?

As the hosts continued their explanation, demonstrating the equipment that floated above our heads, I tried to focus. But my mind raced with a potent cocktail of excitement and trepidation. This was it. The moment I’d dreamed of since I was a kid – exploring an alien world. But the reality of the danger we were about to face hit me like a ton of bricks.

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