/This novel written by AI/
Kyle's eyes snapped open, his heart pounding in his chest. The familiar ceiling of his bedroom came into focus, but something felt off. He sat up, running a hand through his disheveled brown hair, trying to shake off the lingering unease from his dream.
In the dream, he had been running through an endless maze, pursued by faceless figures in dark suits. Just as they were about to catch him, he had woken up. Kyle shook his head, attempting to clear the fog of sleep from his mind.
As he swung his legs over the side of the bed, a faint blue glow caught his eye. Frowning, he looked down at his left wrist. There, pulsing softly, was a strange symbol that looked like a stylized hourglass. Kyle blinked hard, sure he must still be dreaming, but the symbol remained.
"What the hell?" he muttered, rubbing his eyes.
A sudden knock at his bedroom door made him jump. "Kyle? You up?" It was his best friend, Zack.
"Yeah, come in," Kyle called, hastily pulling down his sleeve to cover the glowing symbol.
Zack burst into the room, his usual energetic self. His spiky blond hair seemed to defy gravity, and his green eyes sparkled with excitement. "Dude, you won't believe what happened to me last night!"
Kyle raised an eyebrow. "What?"
Zack glanced around conspiratorially before rolling up his sleeve. There, on his wrist, was a glowing symbol similar to Kyle's, but in the shape of a lightning bolt.
Kyle's jaw dropped. "You too?"
Zack's eyes widened. "Wait, what do you mean 'you too'?"
Kyle hesitated for a moment before slowly revealing his own mark. Zack let out a low whistle. "Holy shit, man. What's going on?"
Before Kyle could respond, his phone buzzed. It was a group text from their friend Mia: "Emergency meeting. My place. Now."
Kyle and Zack exchanged worried glances. "Think it's about... this?" Zack asked, gesturing to their wrists.
Kyle nodded grimly. "Only one way to find out."
Twenty minutes later, Kyle and Zack arrived at Mia's house, a modest two-story building in the suburbs. As they approached the front door, it swung open to reveal Mia, her long black hair tied back in a messy ponytail. Her dark eyes were filled with a mix of excitement and fear.
"Get in, quickly," she hissed, ushering them inside.
In the living room, they found their other two friends already waiting. Alex, tall and lanky with glasses perched on his nose, was pacing back and forth. Luna, petite with fiery red hair, sat cross-legged on the couch, her fingers drumming nervously on her knee.
As soon as everyone was settled, Mia spoke. "So, I'm guessing we all woke up with these?" She held up her wrist, revealing a glowing leaf symbol.
One by one, they all showed their marks. Alex had a book, and Luna's was a crescent moon.
"What are they?" Luna asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Alex pushed his glasses up his nose. "I've been researching all morning, but I can't find anything like this. It's like they appeared out of nowhere."
Kyle felt a chill run down his spine. "Guys, I had a weird dream last night. I was being chased by these people in suits. They felt... dangerous."
The room fell silent as everyone processed this information. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through Kyle's wrist. He gasped, clutching his arm. Around him, his friends were having similar reactions.
As the pain subsided, Kyle looked down at his wrist. Below the hourglass symbol, glowing numbers had appeared: [LEVEL 1].
"Guys," Zack said, his voice shaky, "I think we just leveled up."
Before anyone could respond, the sound of breaking glass shattered the silence. A small, metallic object rolled into the center of the room.
"Grenade!" Alex yelled.
Time seemed to slow down. Kyle's mark burned hot on his wrist, and suddenly, he could see everything with crystal clarity. He dove for the grenade, his body moving faster than he thought possible. In one fluid motion, he scooped up the device and hurled it back out the broken window.
The explosion rocked the house, sending plumes of smoke billowing through the shattered glass. Ears ringing, Kyle struggled to his feet. "Everyone okay?"
His friends nodded, looking dazed but unharmed. Kyle's relief was short-lived as dark figures began pouring through the broken window and the front door.
Men and women in black suits surrounded them, their faces hidden behind opaque visors. On their chests, a symbol glowed ominously: a red 'E' surrounded by a circle.
"Targets acquired," one of the figures announced in a robotic voice. "Initiate capture protocol."
Kyle's mind raced. How had he moved so fast earlier? Could he do it again? As if in response to his thoughts, time seemed to slow once more. He could see the attackers moving as if through molasses.
"Guys," he said, his voice sounding strange and elongated to his own ears, "whatever you did to get your powers, do it again. Now!"
His friends looked at him in confusion, but then understanding dawned on their faces. One by one, their marks began to glow.
Zack was the first to act. With a yell, he thrust his hands forward. Bolts of electricity arced from his fingertips, striking two of the attackers and sending them flying backward.
Luna's eyes glowed silver, and suddenly, the room was plunged into darkness. Kyle could hear the attackers stumbling around in confusion.
Mia's hands brushed against a potted plant, and suddenly vines erupted from the soil, wrapping around several of the intruders.
Alex's eyes darted around the room, taking in every detail. "Kyle, duck!" he shouted. Kyle dropped to the ground just as a fist whistled over his head. Somehow, Alex had predicted the attack perfectly.
As the fight raged on, Kyle found himself moving with impossible speed and agility. He weaved between attackers, his fists and feet striking with pinpoint accuracy. Every movement felt natural, as if he had been training for this his entire life.
But despite their newfound abilities, they were outnumbered. More suited figures kept pouring in, and Kyle could see his friends beginning to tire.
"We need to get out of here!" he shouted.
Alex nodded, his eyes glowing with an eerie light. "Kitchen! Back door! Now!"
They fought their way to the kitchen, covering each other's backs. Kyle's mark burned hotter with each passing second, and he could feel power surging through his veins.
As they reached the back door, one of the attackers managed to grab Luna. Without thinking, Kyle thrust out his hand. To his amazement, a shimmering bubble of energy enveloped Luna, freezing her and her attacker in place.
"What the—" Zack began, but Kyle cut him off.
"No time! Move!"
They burst out of the house into Mia's backyard. In the distance, Kyle could hear sirens approaching.
"We can't go home," Mia panted as they ran. "They'll just find us again."
"Where do we go?" Luna asked, fear evident in her voice.
Kyle's mind raced. They needed answers, and they needed them fast. Who were these people? Why were they after them? And most importantly, what had happened to them?
As they ran through the streets, ducking into alleys and avoiding main roads, Kyle's mark pulsed again. This time, instead of pain, he felt a surge of... something. Knowledge? Power? He wasn't sure, but suddenly he knew exactly where they needed to go.
"I've got an idea," he said, leading them down another side street. "But you're not going to like it."
Ten minutes of hard running later, they found themselves standing in front of an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town. The building looked like it hadn't been used in years, its windows boarded up and graffiti covering its walls.
"Kyle," Alex said between gasps for air, "please tell me you're not serious."
Kyle shrugged. "Hey, you wanted somewhere they wouldn't look for us."
Cautiously, they made their way inside. The interior was dark and musty, filled with old machinery and forgotten crates. As they moved deeper into the building, Kyle's mark began to glow brighter.
"Guys," he said, "I think there's something here. Something... important."
Following the pull of his mark, Kyle led them to a rusted metal door set into the floor. It looked like it hadn't been opened in decades.
"Stand back," Zack said, cracking his knuckles. Electricity danced between his fingers as he grabbed the handle. With a grunt of effort, he yanked the door open.
A set of stairs led down into darkness. Kyle's mark was practically blazing now.
"I don't like this," Luna muttered, but they all knew they had no choice. Whatever answers they sought, they lay at the bottom of those stairs.
As they descended, lights flickered to life automatically, revealing a high-tech facility that stood in stark contrast to the decrepit warehouse above. Sleek computer terminals lined the walls, and in the center of the room stood a large, circular platform.
"What is this place?" Mia whispered in awe.
Before anyone could answer, a holographic image flickered to life above the platform. It showed an elderly man with kind eyes and a sad smile.
"If you're seeing this," the hologram said, "then the worst has come to pass. My name is Dr. Aleksander Kronos, and I'm afraid I owe you all an apology. You see, I'm the one who gave you your powers."
Kyle felt his breath catch in his throat. Around him, his friends stood in stunned silence.
"The marks on your wrists," Dr. Kronos continued, "are more than just symbols. They're keys to unlocking your potential, to abilities beyond your wildest dreams. But with great power comes great danger."
The hologram flickered, and for a moment, Dr. Kronos looked much older and more tired. "I wish I had time to explain everything, but I don't. They're coming for me, just as they're coming for you. The Entics."
Kyle's mind flashed back to the symbol he had seen on the attackers' uniforms. The red 'E' in a circle.
"The Entics are an organization dedicated to controlling time itself," Dr. Kronos explained. "They believe that by manipulating the flow of time, they can reshape the world in their image. I've spent my life trying to stop them, but I've failed. Now, it's up to you."
The hologram gestured to the room around them. "This facility contains everything you'll need to understand your powers and to fight back against the Entics. Training simulations, historical records, equipment... it's all here. Use it wisely."
Dr. Kronos's image began to fade. "I'm sorry for the burden I've placed on you. But remember, you're not alone. Trust in each other, trust in yourselves, and above all, trust in time. Good luck."
With those final words, the hologram disappeared, leaving the five friends standing in shocked silence.
Kyle looked around at his friends, seeing the same mix of fear, confusion, and determination that he felt reflected in their eyes. They had all just had their lives turned upside down, thrust into a conflict they barely understood. But as he met each of their gazes, he knew one thing for certain: whatever came next, they would face it together.
"So," Zack said, breaking the silence with a nervous chuckle, "I guess we're superheroes now, huh?"
Despite the gravity of the situation, Kyle couldn't help but smile. "Looks like it. But we've got a lot to learn."
As if in response to his words, the computers around them hummed to life, screens filling with information about their powers, about the Entics, about the nature of time itself.
Kyle took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders. "Alright, team. Let's get to work."
As they spread out to explore their new base, Kyle's mind was racing. They had so many questions, so much to learn. But one thing was clear: their lives would never be the same again. The battle against the Entics had only just begun, and the fate of time itself hung in the balance.
Kyle looked down at the glowing hourglass on his wrist. Whatever challenges lay ahead, whatever sacrifices they might have to make, he knew they had to succeed. The alternative was unthinkable.
With a determined nod, he joined his friends at the nearest computer terminal. It was time to learn how to be human