?"One thing," the father cut in. "Why us? Why show interest in a bunch of strangers?"

  ?"My name is Laili," she replied. Her voice was serene, matching her silver, translucent eyes and the gentle curve of her expression. She stood tall, her long blonde hair curling elegantly at the tips against her pale skin. She wore a crimson dress of a glossy, water-resistant fabric—a striking figure whose age was impossible to pin down. To human eyes, she might have been in her early thirties.

  ?"I came to this planet seeking a resource known as 'Me'. In my search, I sensed humans who were pursuing the same goal. I felt it best that we join forces."

  ?"Nice to meet you, Laili!" Letty chirped, her face alight with fearless excitement.

  ?The father stood there, mouth agape, while Phoebe remained silent, observing the woman’s otherworldly appearance with intense, quiet curiosity.

  ?"What exactly is this... 'Me'?" Ten(Amethyst) asked, having caught the word immediately.

  ?"A very good question. It is the same thing you yourselves are searching for. We traveled from thirty years in the future, dispatched to this era to prevent the war that looms over this planet."

  ?"I don't even know if 'Me' is the name we have for it. And a war!? That’s insane!"

  ?"You will understand soon enough. Now, please, step out of your vehicle. I shall guide you to our craft."

  ?"Wait, you want us to leave the car!?" the father barked. "No way! It’s packed with our water and food supplies. We didn't plan this expedition just to dump everything and hope for the best!"

  ?"The explanation is long," Laili said calmly. "But you could never have found that resource yesterday, or the day before. You saw it yourselves—the moment the earth split open. Without that fissure, the resource would never have been exposed."

  ?"That wasn't part of the plan! We were heading for the salt caves!"

  ?"Do not worry. It is all connected deep underground. Your destination and ours lie in the same direction; you have simply arrived at the finish line sooner than expected. The plasma strike laid it bare. You are very fortunate. On our craft, everything you need—food included—is provided. I promise to return you here within a day. So, please... cooperate with us."

  ?"Well, if it’s only for one night, I guess I can manage," the father grumbled.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  ?Phoebe, losing her patience, grabbed Teru’s sleeve and started hauling him along. "Just get moving! Logic later! Can’t you just follow your gut for once? You’ll understand when we get there. Laili will explain everything about 'Me' once we’re on board."

  ?The father caught his daughter’s eye and, without another word, followed them in.

  ?"Thank you for your understanding. As a rule, metal objects are prohibited. However, anything else you can carry in your arms is permitted. Is that acceptable?"

  ?"Yes! Understood. Whatever you say!" the group replied in unison.

  ?Once the boarding procedures were complete, the craft—forged of gleaming orichalcum—rose silently into the air. They waited in a chamber behind the cockpit, centered around a flat, stone-like slab covered with mats, reminiscent of a kotatsu. The slab’s surface flickered between radar coordinates and a bird’s-eye view of the landscape below. Even sitting cross-legged on the floor, they felt their bodies drifting slightly upward, as if gravity were a mere suggestion.

  ?"We will arrive at the destination within three minutes," Laili announced.

  ?"Ten times faster than the car, and it looks effortless," the father muttered, his face finally softening into an expression of awe.

  ?"We are here. Preparing for landing."

  ?They flew low through the darkness. The view on the stone slab showed them following the jagged line of the earth’s fissure. Under the craft's lights, the terrain resembled a Great Fjord, revealing how the distant sea nourished a small, subterranean salt oasis.

  ?"The plasma didn't just strike the ground; it flowed into it," Laili explained. "It traveled toward the subterranean world... toward the two inner seas that lie near the Earth's core, deeper than any ocean. Such movements are often the true cause of earthquakes. This planet is far more profound than you realize."

  ?As she spoke, a low, heavy vibration shivered through their spines.

  ?"We have arrived. Let us disembark."

  ?The display on the slab cut to black. They had reached the terminus of a mile-long crack in the earth, touching down smoothly on a desolate, level stretch of wasteland.

  ?The doors slid open.

  ?Strangely, it was bright outside. The faint hum of insects reached their ears in this seemingly deserted forest, but the craft was illuminated by street-lamp-like lights that shouldn't have existed there.

  ?"The air... it’s incredible," someone whispered. It was early autumn, a pleasant season, but the air here felt richer, denser. They could hear the sound of water rushing deep below and see the mysterious lights glowing in the dark.

  ?"We placed those as markers," Laili said. "We predicted exactly where the ground would split, from here all the way back to your car."

  ?Just behind the thickets, five orange, refrigerator-sized lighting units were positioned in a pentagon. From above, they marked the landing zone like a beacon in the night. The atmosphere felt less like a crash site and more like a guided tour of a legendary cavern. Phoebe’s face lit up with a sense of wonder she hadn't felt in years.

  ?"Everyone, please step down. Watch your footing."

  ?"You’ve thought of everything. Thank you," Ten said, bowing slightly as she stepped out. The air tasted like nothing she had ever breathed—new, yet hauntingly familiar.

  ?At the edge of the fissure, hidden among the moss, fragments of fluorite peeked out like hidden gems.

  ?"That's high-grade stuff! Damn, I should’ve brought my mining gear. What a waste!" the father lamented.

  ?"Do not let your eyes be clouded by greed," Laili cautioned. "Do not lose sight of our true purpose."

  ?She pointed into the darkness.

  ?"There. Look."