Exactly at 12:00 AM, both Stella and Serafina's phones buzzed simultaneously.
Nyx(Nova): "Emergency meet. Hidden spot. Now."
Stella sat up in bed, heart pounding. "What the hell is going on?" she muttered.
Serafina, already half-dressed, grabbed her jacket and whispered, "This doesn't feel right…"
The night was silent, but a strange tension filled the air. Without wasting a second, both girls messaged each other:
Stella: "You got that too?"
Serafina: "Yeah. Same place?"
They didn't need to say more.
But when Stella tried to call Nova, her phone beeped.
User currently offline
"She's never offline," Stella whispered, her brows furrowing.
Wrapped in the darkness of night, Serafina and Stella met at the entrance to their hidden spot—a place only the five of them knew. Not even the world's most skilled hacker could trace it.
Serafina adjusted her hoodie. "Something's wrong."
Stella nodded. "Should we inform Aria and Sophie"?
Serafina hesitated. "Yes. Aria and Sophie should know—"
"No," Stella cut in. "Let's check this out first. No need to drag them into danger if it's nothing."
Serafina sighed but nodded. "Fine. But one mistake, and we call them."
As they walked into the shadows of the stone path, Stella muttered, "I just turned 18 this year. It's only been 7 months since I got these powers. Why do I have to deal with this crazy crap?"
Serafina rolled her eyes. "I was born the same year. Quit whining and follow me."
Elsewhere, 2:30 AM.
In the glowing lounge of their high-rise suite, the seven boys of ECPLISE were gathered, lounging on velvet couches. They were exhausted after days of back-to-back events.
The manager clapped his hands. "You guys are the top idol group in the world. I know it's tough, but keep going. The world loves you."
As he left, silence settled.
Kai, the group's leader, rubbed his neck. "We haven't had a day off in months."
Zane sat cross-legged on the table, slicing an apple with a fruit knife.
Alex scrolled through his phone and scoffed. "Everyone's talking about those girls again. The mystery superheroes."
"They're huge now," Zane said, not looking up. "They've saved so many people."
Alex rolled his eyes. "Please. They're just attention seekers. All this mask and power drama? It's a gimmick."
Max finally spoke, adjusting his cap. "Actually, they're five girls. People call them the Mystery Five."
He set down his water bottle. "They go by stage names: Luna, Aqua, Nova, Blaze, and Sophie"
Alex raised a brow. "Stage names?"
"Yeah. No one knows their real identities," Max said. "But people have started linking them to their powers."
He counted off with his fingers:
"Luna controls gravity."
"Aqua manipulates water."
"Nova handles tech like it's part of her."
"Sophie commands wind."
"And Blaze… well, she hasn't even revealed her powers yet."
Zane looked thoughtful. "She's the only one who hasn't used hers?"
Max nodded. "Yup. People say she's either hiding her true strength or hasn't unlocked it yet."
Alex scoffed again but said nothing.
Zane's knife stopped mid-slice. He stared blankly at the apple.
Something about the name Zephyr pulled at his memory.
Back at the hidden spot.
The stone gate creaked open.
Serafina and Stella entered the massive, ancient structure—a dark palace, completely hidden beneath the surface.
Click.
The moment they stepped inside, the floor shifted.
"Trap," Serafina warned.
Walls rotated. The floor rumbled. Spikes emerged.
They barely dodged the first set. Serafina yanked Stella out of harm's way.
"What the hell is this?" Stella hissed.
They solved two puzzles—one involving a glowing orb and a mirror, the other a sequence of musical tones that had to be repeated on ancient chimes.
Then the hallway lit up with eerie blue light. On the far wall, glowing red letters appeared:
"YOU HAVE PASSED LEVEL 1."
Before they could speak, a fog rolled in.
At its center—a woman stood. Her face was covered. She wore a long cloak that shimmered unnaturally.
Stella stepped forward, ready to summon her power. "She's not human—"
"Wait," Serafina whispered. "She's not a demon either. Look at her movements."
As they neared, a sudden beep echoed.
BOOM.
An explosion of light blinded them. Smoke filled the corridor.
The woman disappeared.
The wall behind her still pulsed:
"YOU HAVE PASSED LEVEL 1."
As the smoke settled, three silhouettes emerged from the corridor behind them.
"Wait… what the—?" Serafina turned in shock.
Standing there were Nova ( Nyx), Sophie(Zephyr), and Blaze (Aria).
Stella blinked, stunned. "How... How did you even know we were here?"
No one answered.
Only the silence echoed back.
Serafina's fingers tightened around her bracelet. "This is our hidden spot. How can someone else know about it—and try to trap us here?"
A chill swept the air.
The mystery deepened.
To be continued...