A glimmer streaked across the cabin window, followed by a seismic crash that jolted both Winter and Eldo from their slumber.
"Did you hear that!?" Eldo exclaimed, abruptly tumbling off his bed.
"What the hell is it now?" Winter grumbled, his voice tinged with irritation.
Both boys peered out the cabin window, spotting smoke billowing in divergent directions. Determined to investigate, Winter issued a stern command.
"I better investigate. You stay here!" he demanded.
"No way! I wanna see what that explosion was about, too," Eldo retorted, dismissing Winter's directive.
With dwindling energy, Winter trudged toward the right smoke trail.
"Okay, be like that! I'LL JUST SEE WHAT'S OVER HERE!" Eldo shouted, heading toward the left smoke trail.
As the two boys ventured into the forest, an escalating wave of resonant energy enveloped them, growing more potent the closer they approached.
"What...what is that?" Eldo pondered, inching toward the mysterious meteorite.
"I feel...so.....tired," he murmured, nearly reaching the meteorite.
"I....need.....this?" Eldo questioned, the purpose behind his actions unclear. Drawn inexplicably closer, he extended his hand toward the meteorite, his hand radiating an ethereal glow.
Was it a call, control, or his own volition?
And then, he touched it.
The universe unfolded in his mind, and his body emitted an intense light, gradually turning crimson. Eldo's eyes heated up, the pain becoming unbearable.
His body surged with heat.
Steam forming from his pores.
Skin on the boy's flesh melting.
Eyes of which flared and could be seen from yards away.
The agony he was in had surpassed all limits.
And then...
The boy exploded.
A distant second explosion echoed from the far left.