The air on Korranis was like nothing Lila had ever felt. It shimmered with a faint luminescence, carrying a sweet, metallic tang that seemed to pulse in rhythm with the glowing landscape. Crystalline spires jutted into the violet sky, their surfaces refracting light into millions of tiny rainbows. Beneath her feet, the ground was soft and almost spongy, yet it held firm when she took a step. She felt like she was walking on light itself.

“This is your home?” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the gentle hum that seemed to emanate from everywhere.

“It was,” Lyra said softly, her expression distant as she gazed at the twin moons in the sky. “Before the destabilization began.”

Lila turned to Callen, who stood a few feet away, his glowing blue hair and eyes blending seamlessly with the alien environment. His jaw was tight, and his broad shoulders seemed tense, as if the weight of this place bore down on him.

“What happened?” Lila asked, her voice steady despite the awe that gripped her.

Callen didn’t answer right away. Instead, he gestured toward a nearby ridge. “Come with me. It’s easier to show you.”

Lila hesitated, glancing back at Zara and Mira, who stood silently, their glowing hair casting soft halos around their faces. Lyra gave her a reassuring nod, and Lila followed Callen up the ridge.

The climb was surprisingly easy; the terrain seemed to adjust to her steps, forming smooth paths where there had been none. When they reached the top, Lila’s breath caught. Below them lay a vast city made entirely of crystal. Towers of every shape and size rose into the air, connected by shimmering bridges that defied gravity. Pulses of light traveled through the structures like veins, giving the city a heartbeat.

“It’s beautiful,” she murmured.

Callen’s gaze remained fixed on the city. “It’s dying.”

Lila’s chest tightened. “How?”

“The core of Korranis is unstable,” he explained. “It’s creating gravitational anomalies, breaking apart the very fabric of our planet. The city you’re looking at? It’s already abandoned. The people who lived there were some of the first to evacuate.”

“Evacuate where?”

“To the outer colonies,” he said, his voice heavy. “But those won’t last forever. The instability is spreading.”

Lila frowned, trying to process the magnitude of what he was saying. “And Earth... you think it could be a safe haven?”

“It’s more than that,” Callen said, turning to face her. “Earth isn’t just a place where we could survive. It’s the only place we’ve found where we could thrive. Your planet has the resources, the atmosphere, and the biological compatibility we need. But if humans see us as a threat, it could mean war. We can’t let that happen.”

Lila swallowed hard, her mind spinning with questions. “And what if humans do see you as a threat? What if they... fight back?”

Callen’s glowing blue eyes darkened. “That’s why we need people like you. Someone who can bridge the gap, help us prove we’re not enemies.”

Her heart pounded. It was a heavy burden, but she couldn’t deny the pull she felt toward Callen and his people. They weren’t just invaders; they were survivors.

“What about your technology?” she asked, trying to shift focus. “Surely you have something advanced enough to stabilize the core or... I don’t know, reverse the damage?”

Callen shook his head. “We’ve tried. Korranis is unique; its core is made of a material we call vithrium. It’s powerful, but it’s also volatile. We built our civilization on its energy, but over time, we pushed it too far. The damage is irreversible.”

“Vithrium,” Lila repeated, tasting the alien word. “Do you have it here?”

Callen nodded. “It’s everywhere. The spires you see? They’re made of crystallized vithrium. The ground beneath your feet? Infused with it. Even the air carries traces.”

Lila’s thoughts raced. “If vithrium is so powerful, could it be dangerous on Earth? What if it destabilizes our planet, too?”

“That’s part of why we’re here,” he said. “To study how vithrium interacts with Earth’s environment. If it’s too dangerous, we’ll have to find another way.”

Lila admired his determination, but the weight of what he was saying was immense. These weren’t just refugees; they were scientists, explorers, and diplomats, all trying to save their people while balancing the fate of another world.

Before she could respond, Callen’s communicator—a sleek, wrist-mounted device that pulsed with soft blue light—buzzed. He pressed a button, and Lyra’s voice came through.

“Callen, you need to come back. Now.”

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his expression sharpening.

“We’ve detected a surge of activity near the entry point. It could be a Korran tracker.”

Callen’s jaw tightened, and Lila could see the flicker of worry in his glowing eyes. “We’re on our way.”

“What’s a Korran tracker?” Lila asked as they hurried down the ridge.

“It’s a drone,” Callen explained. “Programmed to locate rogue groups like ours. If it finds us, it could send a signal back to the High Council.”

“And that’s bad because...?”

“Because the High Council doesn’t want peace with Earth,” he said grimly. “If they find us, they’ll bring a fleet—and they won’t be interested in coexistence.”

Lila’s stomach churned as they reached the others. Zara was working quickly at a small console embedded in the ground, her pink hair glowing brighter as her fingers danced over the controls. Mira stood guard, her green eyes scanning the treetops.

“It’s close,” Zara said without looking up. “Less than two clicks out.”

“We need to shut it down,” Callen said.

“And how do we do that?” Lila asked, trying to keep up.

“You’re not doing anything,” Callen said firmly. “You’re staying here.”

“Like hell I am,” Lila shot back.

He turned to her, his expression fierce. “This isn’t your fight, Lila. It’s too dangerous.”

She stepped closer, meeting his gaze. “You said you needed my help. That makes it my fight, doesn’t it?”

For a moment, Callen didn’t respond. Then, to her surprise, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “You’re stubborn, you know that?”

“So I’ve been told.”

“Fine,” he said, his voice softening. “But stay close to me.”

As they moved deeper into the woods, the air grew colder, the hum more intense. Lila’s heart pounded as they approached a clearing, where a sleek, silver drone hovered, its surface rippling like liquid metal.

“That’s it,” Mira whispered.

Callen pulled a small device from his belt and handed it to Lila. “Hold this. If I tell you to press the button, do it. No hesitation.”

“What does it do?”

“It’ll release an EMP pulse strong enough to disable the tracker. But it has to be close.”

Lila nodded, clutching the device tightly.

Callen stepped into the clearing, drawing the drone’s attention. It emitted a high-pitched whine, and Lila’s pulse quickened as she saw small, sharp appendages unfold from its sides.

“Now!” Callen shouted.

Without thinking, Lila pressed the button. A wave of energy rippled through the air, and the drone’s metallic surface flickered before it crashed to the ground, lifeless.

Relief flooded her, but before she could celebrate, she felt Callen’s hand on her arm, pulling her close.

“You did it,” he said, his voice low.

She looked up at him, their faces inches apart. The glow of his eyes softened, and for a moment, the world around them faded.

“Callen...”

Before she could say more, a shadow passed overhead, followed by a deafening roar. She turned to see a massive ship descending through the sky, its sleek, alien design unmistakable.

“They found us,” Callen said, his voice tense.

And just like that, the moment was gone, replaced by the chilling reality that their time had run out.