Elias swept his gaze quickly over the strange alterations and emotional states of everyone present, sorting and deducing them in his mind. In mere seconds, he had a clear understanding of the situation. He curled his fingers slightly, silently attempting to control the unfamiliar stir within him, and the odd change in his fingertips subsided just slightly.
At once, his voice, steady and undeniably commanding, cut through the chaos: "Quiet."
At those words, the commotion stilled instantly. Everyone froze and looked toward him in unison.
Elias spoke calmly, introducing himself first. "Elias."
At the sight, the others followed suit, each giving their name in turn.
"Kane," the man in the floral shirt replied reflexively.
"Grant," the burly man rumbled.
"Mia…" the eared girl whispered softly.
"Lena," the blonde girl added.
Last, the boy in the corner spoke without looking up, uttering just two words: "Riley."
Elias lifted his eyes and glanced calmly over the five of them, offering no unnecessary comment as he laid out his conclusion directly. "We were drawn here intentionally, and our bodies altered at the same time. The cause was the pulling force just now. These changes are controllable, and we are in no immediate danger."
At that, Kane, the closest to him, could no longer hold back. He stepped forward, urgent. "Controllable? These scales on my arms are anything but normal. What if they never fade?"
"Panicking won't help," Elias said flatly, his tone laced with blunt dryness. "Instead of wasting energy shouting, try calming down. The more agitated you are, the darker the scales become. The opposite happens when you settle. Haven't you noticed that small change?"
Kane froze. He glanced down at his arm instinctively, and sure enough, the scales that had darkened with tension had already faded slightly in his moment of surprise.
Grant, whose clothes had already split under his expanding muscles, was growing frustrated. He spoke up impatiently. "Then what about me? If my muscles keep swelling like this, won't they tear right through me?"
"Relax your muscles. Don't fight the strange feeling inside," Elias said, his tone unchanged, his guidance precise. "Your body is only tensed from a sudden surge of strength. You haven't lost control. Slow your breathing, feel the limits of that power, and don't let it run wild."
Grant did as he was told, doubtful but willing. The tight, aching tension in his body eased almost at once.
Seeing this, the others grew slightly more at ease, all looking to Elias in unison, waiting for him to continue.
Elias did not guide them one by one. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Riley, who had stayed quiet and head-down in the corner this entire time.
"You've been still since we were pulled here. Have you found something?"
Riley lifted his eyes slowly, adjusted the glasses on his nose, and turned the screen of his laptop toward the group. Data flickered continuously across it. "I hacked into the local municipal monitoring system. There was abnormal geomagnetic activity here ten minutes ago, timed exactly to when we were dragged into this place."
Elias spoke firmly, his judgment steady. "We've been given unusual abilities by an unknown force. Acting alone is the stupidest choice we could make right now."
He paused, ignoring their urgent, unspoken questions, and laid out their next steps directly.
"First, we stick together until we understand these abilities and the cause of the changes.
Second, conceal your alterations at all times. Do not let anyone see you.
Third, find out why we were chosen."
"Where do we go, then? We can't stay in the square forever," Mia murmured, her ears drooping slightly under her hood, anxiety clear in her voice.
"I've located an abandoned storage room beneath the square. It's rarely used. It'll do for a temporary shelter," Riley spoke up first, offering the option.
Elias nodded shortly, decisive and unhurried. "We move now. Stay hidden. We'll handle problems if and when they come."
No sooner had he spoken than chaos broke out behind them.
Grant stepped too hastily and nearly knocked over a nearby metal trash can. The loud clatter jolted him to a stop, and made Mia's ears shoot up under her hood. She panicked, clamping a hand over her head, nearly jumping in alarm.
Kane immediately stepped back, frowning, and brushed at his sleeve in distaste. "Could you be any more careless? Do you want to draw everyone over here?"
"I didn't mean to!" Grant shot back, raising his voice slightly, earning another sharp glare from Kane. The two began bickering on the spot.
Lena clenched her glowing hands, glancing around nervously, afraid the light would attract passersby. Riley held his laptop, trailing behind at a lazy pace, watching the two bicker with unamused detachment. Occasionally he lifted a finger to point them in the right direction, so they wouldn't get lost.
Elias walked at the front, listening to the noisy commotion behind him. His fingers twitched slightly, a flicker of resignation crossing his eyes, yet he slowed his pace, waiting for the chaotic group to catch up.
What should have been a low, hurried journey turned into a fumbling, bickering mess. The earlier tension faded, replaced by a warm, messy liveliness.
He stepped forward first, walking steadily toward the underground entrance at the corner of the square, not hesitating for a moment.
For all their noise and arguing, the others followed his figure instinctively. The unease that had come with their strange alterations melted away amid all the chaos.
The square soon fell silent again.
And just like that, their noisy, absurd, and extraordinary adventure began.