Hours passed before the cousins regrouped at an ancient stone plaza lit with glowing moss and mist.
Jake immediately noticed the change. "Whoa—whoa—Isabella's floating?!"
She waved, standing on a translucent purple platform hovering several feet above the ground. "Hey guys! I got superpowers!"
Isabella zipped through the air and landed with a graceful flip, her fingers glowing with raw Aether energy.
"I can shoot energy blasts, fly, and even make shields and drones now! My body stores energy like a battery—watch!"
She unleashed a wave of glowing bolts that zapped into a nearby boulder, carving the shape of a smiling cat.
Reggie clapped politely.
Remy raised an eyebrow. "Showoff."
Then Vanessa stepped forward, brushing dust off her goggles. "Oh? You think that's impressive?"
She locked eyes with Jake.
"What are you—?"
His voice cut off.
He straightened, blinked—and then said in a weirdly calm voice, "I now realize I am annoying, and Isabella is the superior Tetravin."
Vanessa waved a hand, making Jake moonwalk in place.
Everyone stared.
"What is happening," Isabella whispered.
Vanessa smirked. "Puppet powers. I make eye contact—I control their mind and body. Three minutes max."
Jake blinked out of it, gasping. "I couldn't move! I complimented someone without sarcasm! WHO AM I?!"
Reggie looked at the two girls, then at the tattoos glowing across all their faces.
"This world… it's changing us," he said. "Each temple might awaken something different in each of us."
Remy crossed his arms, clearly annoyed. "Great. So now I'm stuck in a jungle with two magical maniacs and a part-time elf zombie."
"HEY!" Jake snapped.
A low rumble rolled through the trees.
The five of them turned to see a giant, stone golem rise from the edge of the plaza—runic lights glowing in its chest.
It let out a deafening roar.
Jake's grin widened. "Oh yeah. It's definitely superhero time now."