As soon as they stepped out of the school gates, everyone headed toward their respective homes.
But even at home, their minds were consumed by just one thing—the mysterious note.
Aayur placed the note on his table and picked up a pen and notebook.
Ganik and Ravik joined on a video call, both excited and slightly anxious.
"Let's see what's in it," Ravik said, focusing intently.
Rivan opened his laptop and began scanning the symbols, numbers and strange characters flashing across the screen.
Skye and Coral were on a group call with Akshvi. Their expressions were a mix of curiosity and tension.
Minutes passed. After logically arranging the symbols and numbers, Ravik slowly said,
"Guys… this… this is a message."
Aayur asked in surprise,
"What message?"
Ravik typed on his keyboard,
"I… A… M… B… A… C… K…"
Everyone froze for a second.
Ganik's hand froze, his voice filled with doubt,
"Who… who has come back?"
Akshvi, looking at the message on her phone, said,
"Maybe… something is going to happen…"
Skye softly repeated,
Rivan calmly said,
"Meet at the school grounds tomorrow morning."
The call was still ongoing when suddenly a loud noise came from outside.
On the city horizon, smoke and patches of fire appeared.
"What… is this?" Coral asked in shock, eyes wide.
Fifteen monsters attacked at once.
The police arrived immediately and killed 14 of them with their weapons, but one monster escaped, vanishing like a shadow.
The call didn't end, and everyone continued watching the attack in shock and disbelief.
Rivan quickly confirmed to everyone on the call,
"Meet at the school grounds tomorrow. Be ready."
The next morning, with a light chill and gentle breeze, students slowly gathered at the school gates.
The previous day's incident—meteor, fire, and sudden monster attack—was fresh in their minds.
Amid the students' chatter, a subtle tension lingered. Excitement mixed with anxiety on their faces.
Everyone took their positions, silently observing one another.
Rivan stood calmly by the group, monitoring everyone.
Kairav, the new student, seemed hesitant. His steps were careful, but his eyes showed curiosity and determination.
He slowly joined the group, and everyone nodded in acceptance. Kairav felt some relief and naturally integrated into the group.
Rivan quietly signaled everyone to head toward their homes. But as everyone moved, he walked in a slightly different direction.
The boys, curious, watched, but Rivan didn't interfere.
Then, suddenly, Rivan grabbed Skye's hand and pulled her outside. Coral and Akshvi naturally followed.
The boys were in shock—everyone realized that the girls had been secretly observing them.
"Rivan… how did you know?" Coral asked, slightly annoyed but curious.
Rivan smiled slightly and replied,
"I noticed Skye's clothes. Being prepared is part of handling the situation. This is just for safety and strategy."
The girls were confused and curious, the boys still in shock.
A subtle layer of tension and anticipation had entered the classroom, as everyone realized these were no longer normal school days.
Upon entering Rivan's house, everyone's attention shifted to the cage.
The monster from yesterday was trapped inside, growling, its eyes showing clear anger and threat.
The floor and area around the cage showed slight scorch marks, reminding everyone of yesterday's incident.
"How… how is this possible?" Ravik whispered. "Yesterday… we saw it escape. And now… here?"
Rivan explained calmly,
"I trapped it. Now we need to figure out who this is and why. We must observe all clues. Panicking won't help."
Coral hesitated and asked,
"But how will we understand its language?
How will it communicate with us?"
Rivan pointed to a device and activated it. Lights blinked and sound sensors whirred. The machine looked futuristic and slightly intimidating, heightening tension and anticipation.
The monster growled menacingly:
"NO ONE WILL SURVIVE… ALL WILL DIE…
WHOEVER STANDS IN MY WAY, I WILL DRENCH IN BLOOD…
FOLLOW ME, ELSE YOUR LIFE WILL END!"
Everyone froze.
Skye's hand instinctively moved over Rivan, Coral and Akshvi's faces showed shock and fear.
Ganik and Aayur stiffened, Ravik rapidly took notes on his laptop, and everyone silently analyzed the situation.
Rivan remained calm, saying,
"Shhh… observe. We need to understand who this is and why it's here. Now is not the time to panic. Only understanding the situation will help us decide the next move."
The monster's growls and the cage's metallic vibrations echoed subtly, amplifying everyone's emotions.
Rivan turned off the device, and the lights slowly faded. The monster calmed down slightly, but a threatening aura remained.
Rivan looked seriously at everyone,
"Whoever this is… a big problem is coming. This situation… is no less than a test. Everyone must be ready."
Aayur, tense, said,
"Rivan… then should we call the police, involve security…"
Ravik immediately interrupted,
"I tried… but they didn't trust us. We'll handle this ourselves. Waiting could make the situation more dangerous. It's our responsibility to keep everyone safe."
Rivan stayed calm and told everyone to observe,
"Meet at school tomorrow. I'll explain more details there. For now, just observe and prepare. Every detail is important, every movement matters for the future."
Next Day
Everyone had entered the school gates. In the classroom, they sat together during free period, having a chance to talk. Excitement and curiosity were visible on their faces, though the tension from yesterday's monster incident lingered.
Rivan quietly opened his bag and began taking out 8 watches. Everyone observed with curiosity. The watches had a metallic, futuristic design and emitted a subtle glow, hinting at their power.
"Everyone… put on this watch," Rivan said calmly.
Everyone hesitated, but gradually put the watches on. Skye and Coral were slightly confused but intrigued. Kairav and the boys showed a mix of excitement and nervousness.
Finally, Akshvi asked,
"What… what is this?"
Rivan smiled slightly,
"This is a gadget… it will give us powers."
He explained each power one by one:
Ravik: "Your watch gives you Telekinesis and Teleportation. You can move objects with your mind and travel instantly."
Ravik's eyes widened with surprise and excitement.
Ganik: "Your watch gives you the power of Creation. You can make anything you imagine into reality."
Ganik's face lit up with instant excitement.
"So… everything… real?!" he asked in amazement.
Aayur: "You have Super Speed. The watch makes you incredibly fast—almost lightning speed."
Aayur tested by moving his hand in the air, amazed.
"This is seriously fast… wow!"
Kairav: "Your watch gives you Shield power. You can protect the group with your shield in dangerous situations."
Kairav was nervous but nodded confidently.
Akshvi: "You can summon a Glider. You can move through the air, gaining an advantage in fights."
Akshvi quickly sketched in her notebook, excited.
"Air combat… interesting."
Coral and Skye: "You both can control elements—water, fire, earth, and air. You can manipulate them according to the situation."
Skye and Coral shared a slight smile, excited.
Rivan: "I can control electricity and use AI tools, useful for both battle and strategy."
Aayur, curious and shocked, asked,
"How did you get all these powers?"
Rivan slowly said,
"From that rock that came from space."
Everyone looked at each other, a mix of reality and disbelief.
The classroom fell silent, realizing they now had real powers.
Rivan looked at everyone seriously,
"This isn't just about powers… the watches come with special suits too."
Everyone was curious and confused.
Rivan explained,
"These suits hide your identity. No one can recognize you, whether in front of monsters or in the city. The suit adapts automatically and syncs with your powers."
Skye, slightly impressed, asked,
"So… we're not completely invisible, but our identity is safe?"
Rivan nodded,
"Exactly. The suit adjusts to your movements, powers, and environment, helping in combat and strategy."
Ganik, excited, said,
"This is next-level… powers + suit! We're fully ready now."
Aayur, with a mischievous smile, added,
"Super speed and suit… imagine how fast and safe we'll be!"
Coral and Skye exchanged a grin,
"Elements + suit… this will be very useful too."
Everyone in the classroom was still discussing watches and powers.
Yesterday's monster incident was still fresh in their minds, and the tension in the room was thick.
Suddenly, Rivan's laptop alerted: "City-wide Monster Attack!"
Ravik quickly checked the screen. Monsters and the army were clashing in the city streets. Buildings were shaking, cars were exploding, and smoke spread everywhere.
Despite all efforts, the police and army couldn't stop the monsters.
Rivan remained calm, but an aura of seriousness was visible.
"This situation is very serious… and this is just the beginning. Everyone stay ready."
Then, a loud crash came from the side of the classroom window. Everyone instinctively turned.
A monster appeared directly inside the classroom, its eyes glowing red and its growl shaking the very earth. Everyone froze in shock.
And then…
The monster threw a knife, aimed straight at Skye.
"AHHHHHH!!!" Skye screamed.
Continue in chapter 3