The jungle was too quiet.
After figuring out their powers, the AMP Squad packed up their campsite and started hiking deeper into the forest—toward the glowing center Ace had drawn in his sketchbook. But every rustle in the leaves, every creak of the trees felt... off.
"I swear something's following us," Blair muttered, spinning around for the tenth time.
"There's nothing there," Axel said, flexing like that would help.
"No birds. No bugs. No animals," Athena added, eyes scanning the treetops. "That's not normal."
"It's like the jungle is holding its breath," Zora whispered.
Ace paused. His fingers tingled. "You guys feel that?"
A wind passed through the trees—cold and wrong. Asher's laptop, which he'd been using to track their steps, glitched out and restarted itself.
"Guys," Enzo said slowly, "there's something carved into this tree."
They all gathered around. A strange spiral symbol was burned into the bark, glowing faintly red, like it was alive.
"Don't touch it," Athena warned, but Axel already had his hand out.
"I just wanna see if it's hot—"
Before he could make contact, a flash of movement darted between the trees.
Zora jumped. "Did you see that?!"
"Something tall," Blair whispered, backing closer to the group. "It had a hood."
"There!" Enzo shouted, pointing. Another figure—just a blur—vanished into the shadows.
"Okay what the actual Jungle Book horror story is going on right now?!" Ace yelped.
They all spun around as a soft chanting began, echoing through the trees.
"Whispers," Sylvia breathed. "I don't like this. I really don't like this."
Then the fog rolled in. Thick, fast, and unnatural.
"We need to move," Asher said. "Now."
They ran—dodging branches and glowing vines—until they burst into a small, circular clearing surrounded by stone statues. Only... they weren't statues.
They were watchers.
Eight figures in long cloaks, motionless, their faces hidden by masks carved from bone and stone. Each one had a symbol carved into their chest that glowed in sync with the forest.
"Nope," Axel said, turning around. "Nope times infinity."
But before he could leave, one of the figures lifted its head.
"You are not welcome yet," it said in a gravelly, genderless voice. "You are not ready."
The other watchers stirred, heads tilting in eerie unison. "The jungle watches. Keitha listens."
Zora stepped forward, despite her shaking hands. "We didn't come to hurt anyone. We're just... trying to find the truth."
"You carry the jungle's spark," one said. "It awakened within you. But power without purpose is chaos."
"What do you want from us?" Sylvia asked.
Another watcher raised a hand, and suddenly the ground glowed with a symbol beneath each teen—matching their abilities.
"You must be tested," the watcher said. "Only the worthy may enter Keitha."
A loud boom echoed above. The watchers turned and in a blink—vanished into smoke.
The jungle sighed.
"What... just happened?" Athena whispered.
Ace was scribbling madly in his sketchbook. "They were like guardians. Gatekeepers. Watching us to see if we're dangerous."
Zora looked down at the symbol still glowing faintly under her feet. "So now we're being judged?"
"I think we just activated the next level," Asher muttered. "Whatever Keitha is... it's alive. And it's watching us too."
The jungle pulsed around them—like a heartbeat.
And for the first time... the AMP Squad realized they were not alone.