The Cosmic Game
Copyright© 2026 by Adroit
Chapter 2: Mission Begins
Leo stood just outside the metal doorway of the spaceship, staring at a world that looked like it had been pulled straight out of a science fiction movie.
Or a video game.
Purple grass stretched across rolling hills. Tall crystal trees shimmered in the sunlight, their branches glowing like neon lights. Floating rocks drifted lazily through the sky as if gravity had decided to take the day off.
Two giant moons hung above the horizon.
Leo slowly stepped forward.
The ground felt soft under his sneakers.
Not digital.
Not fake.
Real.
“Okay,” he said quietly. “This is definitely not normal.”
Behind him, the giant door of the spaceship slid shut with a heavy metallic boom.
Leo spun around.
“Hey! Wait!”
The smooth metal wall gave no response.
Guide-Bot floated beside him.
“Mission area entered,” the robot announced.
Leo sighed.
“Right. The mission.”
A glowing blue screen suddenly appeared in the air in front of him.
MISSION 1: FIND THE POWER CRYSTAL
Location: Crystal Cave
Difficulty: Beginner
Reward: Player Upgrade
Leo squinted at the screen.
“Beginner?”
Guide-Bot bobbed in the air.
“This is the introductory mission.”
Leo crossed his arms.
“Good. Because I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing.”
The screen blinked again.
A small map appeared.
It showed Leo’s location as a blinking blue dot.
A red marker pulsed somewhere far away.
“That must be the cave,” Leo said.
“Correct,” Guide-Bot replied.
Leo looked across the strange alien land.
The cave was on the other side of a wide valley filled with glowing plants and strange rock formations.
“Great,” Leo muttered.
“A long walk through an alien planet.”
He started moving down a gentle hill.
The purple grass rustled around his legs. Some of the plants glowed brighter when he stepped near them, like they were reacting to his presence.
“Okay that’s creepy,” Leo said.
Guide-Bot floated beside him.
“The flora on Planet Zerath produces bioluminescent energy.”
Leo blinked.
“You mean they glow.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you just say that?”
Guide-Bot paused.
“Noted.”
They continued walking.
The air felt warm but fresh. A strange sweet smell drifted from the glowing plants.
Every once in a while, something moved in the distance.
Leo tried not to think about it.
“So...” he said after a moment. “What exactly is the Power Crystal?”
Guide-Bot answered immediately.
“A high-density energy core capable of powering advanced technology.”
Leo nodded slowly.
“Uh-huh.”
He had no idea what that meant.
They reached the bottom of the hill and entered the valley.
The plants here were taller, some reaching above Leo’s head. Their glowing stems created a maze of twisting paths.
Suddenly something buzzed past Leo’s ear.
“AH!”
He ducked.
A bright glowing creature zipped through the air.
It looked like a giant dragonfly made of light.
Leo watched it disappear into the sky.
“ ... Okay.”
He took a deep breath.
“Note to self: everything here is weird.”
Guide-Bot hovered calmly.
“The creature you observed is harmless.”
“Thanks for telling me after it flew at my face.”
They kept walking.
After a few minutes, Leo started to relax.
The alien valley was quiet.
Peaceful even.
Then something rustled in the bushes.
Leo froze.
“Guide-Bot...?”
“Yes, Player One.”
“What was that?”
The bushes shook again.
Something small jumped out.
Leo nearly fell over.
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