Leo couldn't shake the memory of the flame that had danced on his palm. He'd spent the entire night staring at his hand, willing the fire to return, but it hadn't. Now, as he sat in the back of his science class, the incident felt like a dream, unreal and impossible to explain.
"Mr. Valdez," came the sharp voice of his teacher. "Perhaps you'd like to share your insights with the class?"
Leo blinked, realizing he'd been doodling flames in his notebook instead of taking notes. He grinned sheepishly, the charm that often got him out of trouble creeping into his expression. "Just... brainstorming, Ms. Carter."
The class laughed, and the teacher rolled her eyes. But Leo barely noticed. His mind was elsewhere, replaying the moment when the flame had sparked to life. He wasn't crazy. It had happened.
Across town, Skye Grace leaned out the window of her third-floor apartment, letting the wind tousle her hair. Ever since last night, the air felt different—more alive, more in tune with her. She closed her eyes and reached out, focusing on the breeze.
"Skye, get down from there before you fall!" her mother called from the kitchen.
Skye sighed and pulled herself back inside, though the thrill of her newfound connection lingered. What was happening to her? The wind wasn't just something outside anymore; it felt like a part of her, as natural as breathing.
Her phone buzzed on the desk. She glanced at it, half-expecting another one of her friends' endless memes, but instead, the message was... strange.
Unknown Number:
Do you feel it? The wind calling?
Her heart skipped a beat. She stared at the screen, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. Who could possibly know?
At the same time, in the woods near her family's cabin, Calypso Nightshade sat cross-legged beneath the stars, her eyes fixed on the heavens. She had skipped dinner, claiming she wasn't hungry, but the truth was she couldn't stop thinking about the portal she had seen.
Her fingers traced invisible lines in the air, mimicking the patterns of constellations she had memorized long ago. As she did, faint trails of light shimmered in the air, disappearing as quickly as they appeared.
She wasn't imagining it. Something had changed.
A sharp rustling in the bushes snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned quickly, her pulse racing. "Hello?" she called, her voice steady despite the fear creeping up her spine.
No answer. But she could feel someone—or something—watching her.
At the edge of the city, Jasmine Jackson stood at the edge of the pool, staring into its shimmering depths. She had told herself she was imagining things, that the water moving with her hands was some weird optical illusion.
But the water was alive. She could feel it.
She extended her hand, and the surface rippled, small waves forming that mirrored the motion of her arm. A laugh bubbled out of her, equal parts amazement and disbelief.
"You've got to be kidding me," she muttered.
Her phone buzzed, pulling her attention away. She wiped her wet hand on her jeans and checked the screen.
Unknown Number:
The water remembers you.
Jasmine's stomach dropped. She glanced around the empty pool room, suddenly feeling very exposed.
Bruce Wayne knelt in the garden, his hands pressed into the soil. Ever since last night, he had felt... stronger, more connected to the earth beneath his feet.
He dug into the dirt, his fingers moving as if they knew something his mind didn't. The seeds he had planted last night were now lush green sprouts. That wasn't normal.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he wiped his hands on his shirt before pulling it out.
Unknown Number:
The earth speaks your name.
His heart raced. He looked around the garden, the quiet hills surrounding his family's property suddenly feeling too quiet.
In his room, Zane Maddock stared at the old pocket watch. He had tried winding it again, hoping to repeat what had happened last night, but the watch had remained ordinary, ticking away like any other timepiece.
Still, he couldn't shake the memory of frozen time, the stillness that had surrounded him. It was impossible, but it had happened.
As he turned the watch over in his hand, his phone buzzed beside him. He picked it up, frowning at the unknown number on the screen.
Unknown Number:
Time waits for no one, but it waited for you.
Zane's fingers tightened around the watch. "What is this?" he muttered, his voice shaking slightly.
Far from the city, in a place untouched by modern eyes, the Dark One stirred. The six threads of power had awakened, and it had felt each one.
"They are untrained," it hissed, its voice a chorus of whispers. "They will come together, and when they do, I will destroy them."
It sent out a ripple of darkness, summoning its agents. The first strike had to be precise, timed to break their will before they could even realize their true strength.
In six different locations, six phones buzzed again at the same time.
Unknown Number:
Come to the old train station at midnight. Your destiny awaits.
Leo stared at his phone, his eyebrows furrowed. "Destiny?"
Skye felt a shiver run down her spine as she reread the message. "This has to be a prank... right?"
Calypso stood, her gaze drifting to the sky. Something told her this wasn't a coincidence.
Jasmine hesitated, glancing at the water before grabbing her bag.
Bruce pocketed his phone, the message echoing in his mind.
Zane stared at his watch, its ticking growing louder in the quiet of his room.
None of them knew what awaited them at the station. But each felt the pull, a tug in their very core, drawing them closer to one another and to a destiny they could not yet comprehend.
And as the clock inched toward midnight, the storm clouds began to gather.
