Man On The Moon

II

Yunli, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips, observed the group from a distance. She was quietly confident that they would not be able to reach the endpoint. Yanqing approached the control panel, his fingers hovering over the activation button. He looked back at the group, his expression neutral.

Yanqing: "Are you all ready?"

A moment of silence, heavy with anticipation, followed his question. Then, one by one, the group members nodded.

Acheron: "Yes."

Vettel: "As ready as we'll ever be."

Robin merely nodded, her grip on Vettel's arm tightening.

Yanqing pressed the activation button. Immediately, the control panel came to life, displaying a countdown timer set to begin the race. A deep, robotic voice echoed aloud:

Voice: "Race starts in 3, 2, 1..."

With a sharp beep, the timer began to count down. Almost simultaneously, a deep pulse of energy rippled across the clearing, indicating the official start of the race. The group snapped to attention, their senses immediately on high alert as they started their journey into the dense foliage. The path they followed was marked by various landmarks: small markers on trees or rocks that seemed to indicate the direction they should take. As they sprinted through the dense foliage, Vettel glanced at his surroundings, memorizing each marker and trying to detect any signs of potential traps. Acheron, her breath slightly laboured, jogged alongside Vettel, her senses heightened.

Acheron: "Stay focused. Something about this whole situation feels off."

Vettel nodded silently in agreement, his eyes scanning the path ahead for any potential hazards. Robin, despite the urgency, was having a hard time keeping up with the two older adults. Her lungs were burning and her legs were protesting against the pace, but she knew she had to keep going. Vettel, noticing her struggle, slowed his pace slightly to match hers. As the group sprinted forward, a peculiar sight caught their eye. Along the path, they noticed a series of small stone monuments, each one carved with intricate and strange symbols. They seemed to be spaced at equal distances like beacons marking the way. Despite the urgency, Robin couldn't help but be taken aback by the eerie beauty of the ancient stones. Something about them seemed to call to her, a silent whisper in the back of her mind. While Robin was distracted by the stone monuments, Vettel and Acheron pushed forward, their determination to win the competition overcoming their curiosity. Acheron, noticing Robin's distraction, called back to her.

Acheron: "We need to keep moving, Robin! Those stones are just distractions."

Robin, shaken out of her reverie, nodded and tried to tear her eyes away from the stones. She jogged to catch up with the others, but her mind was still filled with questions about the mysterious monuments. As the group continued their journey, they encountered more of the stone monuments. Each time, Robin felt a pull, ana inexplicable urge to approach them and study the intricate carvings on their surfaces. Vettel and Acheron, both focused on the race, barely paid the stones any mind, their attention completely on the path ahead and the markers guiding them. Inspired by the strange pull exerted by the stone monuments, Robin started to hum a soft tune. The melody was simple, almost childlike, but there was an eerie, otherworldly quality to it. Suddenly, as if responding to her song, one of the stone monuments glowed faintly, its carvings appearing almost luminescent for a brief moment. Robin, who was nearest to the monument at that moment, gasped softly at the sight of the glowing stone. Vettel and Acheron, who had moved a few steps away, looked back at her, a mixture of surprise and curiosity on their faces. Vettel, having noticed the unusual reaction of the monument to Robin's singing, moved closer to her.

Vettel: "Did the stone just glow when you sang?"

Robin, her own eyes wide with surprise, nodded slowly.

Robin: "Yeah, it lit up as I sang. I don't know why, it just felt... right."

Acheron, her curiosity piqued despite her initiative, approached the monument. She ran her fingers over the glowing carvings, an expression of contemplation on her face.

Acheron: "This is unusual. It seems responsive to your voice, Robin. Let's see if something else happens."

Robin, still a little bewildered by the situation, nodded. With a small, uncertain smile, she began to sing the same song once more. As the notes echoed through the air, the glow from the monument intensified, and the ancient symbols on its surface began to pulse with energy.