The light from my staff is infinitely better than a flashlight, but does nothing to calm my pounding heart. I stop my run to get a better look at the map of the camp I’ve clenched in my other hand. Unfortunately, Nayeon must have found someplace out of the way. We’re well past the boundaries of the camp.

“There’s a clearing near here,” I say. “A rock slide’s made it off limits to the rest of the camp.”

“Sounds like a great place to welcome the new stars,” Jeongyeon pants, more than a little winded from the growing elevation. “Stupid cookies.”

Momo tightens her grip on her hammer. “Let’s go.”

The distance between the trees becomes greater, finally opening up to a full meadow. I take a deep breath. Jeongyeon lets out a low whistle.

It’s beautiful.

A low fog has settled like a misty quilt over the area. Moonflowers trail over tiny wild roses. Arcs of little blue flowers poke up and hang over the mist. White granite boulders catch the sliver of moonlight and dot the dark meadow like a stony star field. Above, the meteor shower has just begun.

Sitting in the center of it all on a red and white checkered picnic blanket is our little black-haired Nayeon. She even brought the oranges.

“Oh, thank the First Star. She’s here.” A gentle breeze pushes some of the mist away as Mina steps out from behind a tall pine next to us. She must have come up the opposite way from camp. Even she is a little out of breath.

“Jihyo!” Nayeon jumps up. I can’t stop myself from running to her. I’m running so hard, the ground shakes. Wait, no... I stop running, but the ground’s still shaking. A greenish black glow starts to emanate like sickly veins beneath the mist. A vibration rumbles in time with the now pulsing glow.

“Nayeon.” I can barely hear myself over the deep growl of the moving rock beneath us.

“We’re not alone. New stars are coming, Jihyo.” The innocence in Nayeon’s eyes has disappeared. She takes my hand. “I’ve seen them in my dreams.”

Even though she’s standing right next to me, her voice sounds so far away. Like she’s still caught in that dream.

Jeongyeon, Momo, and Mina circle around the edge of the meadow. The earth heaves beneath my feet.

“Stay back!” I shout.

The warning comes too late. The cracks break into deep fissures. The mist ruptures and a horde of black insects the size of dogs comes crawling out, dripping an eerie green light.

Staff in hand, I reflect a beam of Starlight to the nearest creature. The light hits the creature beneath its winged carapace. It explodes in a disgusting burst of lucent green goo.

“By Starlight,” I whisper. “They have wings.”

I shout to the others. “They have wings! We can’t let them reach the camp!”

“Woo-hoo.” I can hear Jeongyeon whooping over the fray. “Shiro. Kuro. Who’s feeling ferocious?!” Missiles start firing before she even finishes her sentence. “Come on Short Stack, it’s bug squashing time.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice, Rocket Breath,” Momo shouts back.

I see Mina rise off the ground a few feet. “Hold on, Nayeon.” I feel her fingers tighten around mine. Mina’s voice echoes in the field.

“For tranquility!” A gust of wind blows the mist from the meadow. Several of the creatures get caught in the whirlwind eddies, smashing into heavy tree trunks. Now that the fog is gone, I see there’s way more of the awful little things than I thought. This isn’t like the other attacks. We’re in way over our heads.

“Look, the new stars!” Nayeon shouts.

Five lights streak across the sky. They’re heading straight for us. I follow their arc as they touch down. The lights separate and hit the meadow in a perfect, five point landing. Several of the creatures explode with their impact.

When the dust and goo settle, I nearly have to pick my jaw up off the floor.

It’s Jisoo and her entourage. Jennie, Lisa, Jungkook, even the quiet, rose-haired girl.

“You’re a Star Guardian?” I yell. “You’re all Star Guardians?” No one can hear me over the fray. That, and everyone is listening to Jisoo.

“Time to shine, ladies,” she says. Her smile alone could light up the meadow. “You too, Jungkook.”

They move as an efficient, synchronized unit. Jennie raises a gleaming white pistol and fires the first shot. It blows through one creature and right through to the one behind it. It’s the first time I’ve seen her smile and I count my lucky stars that I’m not the current object of her attention. Jisoo and Jungkook are blurs of light as they dash into and out of the fight. The creatures are definitely not fast enough to keep up. Jisoo giggles and blows a kiss towards one of the bigger monsters. Seemingly even more mindless than before, it starts to walk slowly toward her and the glowing orbs she’s playing with. Her giggle stops cold as she lobs the orb at the creature, obliterating it in a burst of dark ooze.

Lisa hangs back, but only for a moment, entering the fray with three of her own orbs. The maniacal grins on the balls could give Kuro and Shiro a run for for their money. At the center, the girl with rosy red hair raises a long staff in the air, channeling Starlight from above. Looking at her, I feel my racing heart start to slow down and my breathing get easier. Jisoo’s orb catches the last creature effortlessly, exploding it in a shower of black insect exoskeleton and bioluminescent goo. As quickly as the new team had arrived, it’s over.

Jisoo rubs the tips of her fingers together as she gathers her orbs, obviously not pleased by the creature’s residue. Lisa juggles her dark purple familiars while her casual arrogance lifts her up above the mess.

“All in a night’s work, eh Rosé?” Jungkook says, giving the quiet girl a wink. “Thanks for the little pick me up.”

Rosé maintains a serene smile while nodding enthusiastically at Kookie.

Obviously satisfied with all the excitement, Kookie smiles in my direction as his winged familiar tucks itself neatly back into his gauntlet. Jennie blows a trail of smoke from her twin pistols and ignores both of them.

The easy moment is fleeting as the ground rumbles again. Before I can count to two, the earth ruptures, knocking me back. I hit my head hard against a log.

“Ow.” I try and shake off the metallic whine now stuck between my ears. I stop moving when I see the meadow itself is going all wonky, like the fabric of space and time is warping in front of me. The green glow is back and stronger than before.

“Nayeon! Jeongyeon!” I search for the girls, but all I can see is the hulking carapace of what looks like a space bug the size of two elephants emerging from the biggest rupture in the ground.

I feel the ground ripple and then there’s a streak of light in front of me. A white gauntleted glove reaches out and catches my hand as the earth beneath me starts to give way.

It’s Kookie.

“Told you I’d catch you later.” His voice is drowned out in the chaos. “That inter-dimensional nasty isn’t going to explode itself.” The world is literally going to pieces and he’s still smiling. “You ready, Starlight?”

I nod. Ready as I’ll ever be. He lifts me up, launching me into the sky above the monster. From this vantage point I can see everyone.

Mina and Rosé contain a new horde of little evils crawling up from the smaller cracks. Jisoo, Jennie, and Lisa begin taking those out as they start to maneuver into a better position against the big one. I land close to Nayeon as she avoids the monster’s many limbs while Pix zaps at the smaller creatures. Jeongyeon and Momo look like they’re arguing at the edge of the field. I can barely hear them above the fray.

“You want me to what?” Jeongyeon yells.

“The Rocket. Fire me on the Rocket!” Momo shouts back.

“Momo!” Jeongyeon’s jaw drops in shock. Then a smile slowly blossoms on her face as she leans over and excitedly hugs the short blonde haired girl next to her. “I thought you’d never ask.”

A moment later Momo is riding a missile towards the creature’s dripping maw, hammer in hand. The hammer connects with a loud crack. The creature reels back. Its moment is up. I lift my wand and channel Starlight into it. The creature’s sharp incisors snap greedily in the air. It sees Nayeon at its feet and opens wide.

My beam of light smashes into it, bursting right out of the back of its head. A spray of noxious liquid drenches the field. The creature screeches and starts to topple over.

Its heavy, flailing limbs reach back in its death throes. Right where Nayeon is. I look around. There isn’t anyone closer. I dive in and push Nayeon out of the way. Black monster pieces rain down on top of me.

And then it all goes dark.