On the gray wasteland outside the lunar base, a girl and a few friends were preparing to take a commemorative photo.
She made a victory sign with her fingers, smiling brightly: "Hurry, take it quickly!"
Her friends raised the camera, and the shutter clicked. Light, cheerful laughter echoed across the silent lunar landscape.
However, in that joyful moment—
A blinding white beam suddenly flashed across the sky. It was a laser shot from the depths of space, piercing straight through the void, striking Earth in an instant.
The next moment, the distant blue planet erupted in intense light.
The shockwave traveled at an incredible speed, violently shaking the lunar surface, dust rising like a tidal wave.
The girl felt an invisible force pierce her entire body. She was instantly thrown off balance, her ears filled with a roaring noise.
Everything turned white.
…
When she opened her eyes again, all that remained was gray and silence.
The lunar wasteland stretched endlessly under the faint light, with no sound and no trace of her friends.
She struggled to lift her hand, grasping the magic wand beside her, and planted its tip into the ground to support herself.
"…AI, what happened?" Her voice was weak and trembling.
The AI built into the wand responded in a calm yet gentle tone:
"The network signal is down, so I cannot verify Earth's situation. Based on the characteristics of the beam and explosion, it is likely an alien attack, but human involvement cannot be ruled out. Also, your vehicle is damaged and cannot be activated."
The girl looked into the distance, seeing the gray wasteland extend to the horizon. Her steps barely touched the ground, the low gravity making her feel almost weightless. All of her companions had gone missing, leaving her to return to the lunar base alone.
For survival, she activated the wand's protective energy shield, filling it with oxygen, and sat inside while taking out rations. When she removed her helmet, the icy air hit her face, making her shiver.
"AI… I wonder if my friends and family on Earth are safe?"
"I cannot know," the AI replied. "But your most immediate priority is to survive."
She lowered her head, chewing her food. Suddenly—
"Roar—!"
A deep, piercing roar shattered the silence. A wolf-like creature charged from afar, drawn by the smell of the food, kicking up dust as it leapt toward the girl's shield.
The shield flashed instantly, bouncing it away with a loud bang.
The girl's heartbeat accelerated, cold sweat forming on her forehead.
"It… it's still here!" She gripped her wand tightly.
The creature circled nearby, growling, seemingly waiting for an opportunity.
The AI spoke calmly: "The shield can sustain another twenty-four hours."
"What if it doesn't leave?"
The AI paused briefly, then responded firmly: "Then you fight."
The girl hesitated, then a sudden idea struck her.
"Maybe I can use the shield as an offensive weapon…"
"In theory, yes," the AI replied, "but the risk is high."
"I'll try it anyway!"
She adjusted the shield's radius and charged at the creature, using the outer layer to ram it.
The first impact pushed it back a few steps; the second, it retaliated, claws sparking as they struck the shield.
Panting, the girl suddenly remembered—the Moon's gravity is only one-sixth of Earth's.
"AI, maximize the power!"
"Understood. Watch your energy consumption."
She took a deep breath and leapt high into the air.
The shield expanded into a massive glowing sphere mid-air, shining brilliantly.
In the next moment, she fell with all her might, the shield crashing onto the creature like a meteor.
A deafening explosion followed, the shield's energy mercilessly tearing the creature apart.
It howled in struggle, but finally dissipated into fragments and mist, disappearing without a trace.
Silence returned. The girl knelt on the ground, panting, covered in dust.
"…So tired."
The AI's voice sounded: "The enemy has been eliminated. Remaining energy: twenty-nine percent."
The girl lifted her head, looking at the faint light in the distance.
"AI, how far is the lunar base?"
"Approximately twelve kilometers. At your current strength, it will take three hours."
The girl smiled bitterly, shoulders slumped.
"Three hours… so long."
She gripped her wand tightly again and took the first step.
At the end of the wasteland, a faint light flickered—it was the base, and with it, a glimmer of hope.