The forest floor was coming up fast. Too fast. Gravity wasn’t just pulling. It was yanking.

“Falling from the sky?! Seriously?!” Zane yelled, arms flapping wildly. “I could be at home! Eating a bagel! None of that fancy avocado stuff, just butter!”

Lyra spun midair, laughing. “This is it! This is what I signed up for! We’re like… doom arrows! Pew pew! I’ve always wanted to be one of those!”

Darius? Completely still. No flailing. No screaming. Just calm. “Life is like an onion. Every experience is a layer that brings us closer to our true selves.”

Ground coming. Fast. Too fast. Too close—

BAM!

Blinding light exploded. The air twisted and warped. They weren’t falling anymore. Floating. Weightless.

Zane squinted. “Did we just die?! Is this the afterlife? ‘Cause if it is, I want a refund!”

Lyra spun in slow circles. “Oh yeah, zero gravity! Next time, we bring a picnic! Floating sandwiches! Maybe fireworks!”

Darius narrowed his eyes. “This... power... it is beyond us.”

The light dimmed, like an invisible hand lowering them gently to the forest floor. Soft landing. Like marshmallows in cocoa.

Zane dropped to his knees, breathing hard. “We’re alive. That was... something. A ‘screaming my lungs out’ kind of something.”

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Lyra bounced on her toes. “Did you see that? Falling. Then bam! Floating! A cosmic piggyback ride! I want more!”

Darius pointed into the distance. “It’s not over. The space creature… It’s still watching.”

Before they could react, something appeared. Floating. Glowing. Golden wings lighting up the whole forest.

image [https://i.imgur.com/VuVwWys.png]

Zane rubbed his eyes. “Am I seeing things? It’s gotta be that spicy stew. I knew that third bowl was a mistake.”

Lyra squealed. “A glowing creature?! Does it lay golden eggs? I bet they’re delicious! Sparkly scrambled eggs!”

Darius’s voice was low. “Do not go near it. Its power is far beyond us.”

The creature looked at them. A sound, soft as bells, echoed.

Flash!

Light exploded again. Bright. Blinding.

Whoosh!

Colors. Spinning. The world twisted. Spiraled.

“Oh come on!” Zane yelled, holding his head. “We just got here! Can we get five minutes without being thrown into a magic blender? Where’s the rulebook for this?!”

“This is it!” Lyra spread her arms, welcoming the chaos. “Sucked into awesomeness! This is living!”

Darius stayed focused. “This is not an illusion. Whatever happens next is out of our control.”

And then, stillness. Colors vanished. Light faded.

They were back at their campsite. Tents. Lanterns glowing. The forest, quiet.

Zane spoke first. “Uh... we all experienced that, right? Or is this the part where I swear off late-night spicy food for good?”

Lyra grinned. “Oh, it was real. And I’ve got questions! Like, will it come back? Can we make it sparklier? Glittery? If we’re going magical, let’s go all in!”

Darius crossed his arms. “It toyed with us, like pawns. Moved us at its mercy.”

“At its mercy? More like tossed us around like rag dolls.” Zane scoffed. “And that space blob almost flattened us! I want to file a complaint!”

Lyra nudged him playfully. “I’m just glad Mr. Shiny Light saved us! I’m not ready to be a pancake yet!”

Before Zane could argue, the air shifted. Heavy. Lanterns flickered.

Soft golden glow. Wrapping around them like a hug.

Lyra’s eyes lit up. “Oh! It’s back!”

The light gathered. A shape formed. Wings, glowing gold.

But this time, it wasn’t alone.