Erik floated through the air, high above the town, with his friends close behind him. The sky stretched wide, vast and endless, just like his new powers. He could feel the very fabric of reality bend to his will as the wind whipped around him. It was exhilarating—every sense heightened as he moved freely in the sky, no longer bound by the rules of mortal life.
Lili was the first to break the silence. "Erik, this is insane. We're flying. You are flying. Do you even know what you are anymore?"
Erik chuckled, glancing over at her. "I'm just Erik, but with a few... extras." He smirked, flicking his hand. A nearby cloud split in two, shimmering with an ethereal glow. "Nothing to worry about."
Carter, who had been laughing and shouting the whole way, flew closer to Erik. "Bro, this is next level. You're like some kind of superhero, but better. A literal god."
Erik shrugged nonchalantly, though the thrill of hearing the word "god" never got old. "I guess I am."
Sasha, ever the practical one, looked less excited. Her brow was furrowed as they soared through the clouds. "Erik, this power... it's amazing, but aren't you worried? I mean, what happens if you can't control it? Or if you hurt someone?"
"I've got it under control," Erik said confidently, but he felt a small flicker of doubt. As he glanced back at Sasha, he saw her concern mirrored in Hugo's eyes. Hugo had been quiet since Erik revealed his powers, mostly keeping to the background. But Erik could tell something was bothering him.
"Hey, Hugo," Erik called out, flying closer to him. "What do you think?"
Hugo hesitated, glancing at Erik before speaking softly. "It's... a lot. I'm just trying to figure out what this means. For you. For us."
Erik paused, considering Hugo's words. He hadn't really thought about what his powers meant for the future. He'd been too caught up in the rush of it all. But now that Hugo mentioned it, Erik couldn't help but wonder. What did this all mean? Where were the limits, if any?
Before he could dwell on it, Zara's voice cut through the air. "Enough talking about what it means! Let's do something awesome! Come on, Erik, show us something crazy."
Erik grinned. Zara had always been the one pushing for adventure, and he was happy to oblige. "You want crazy?" he said with a wink. "You got it."
With a wave of his hand, the sky around them rippled. The clouds shifted, parting to reveal a dazzling golden light. In an instant, the entire group was transported to a different scene—a sprawling mountain range with snow-capped peaks and a crystal-clear lake below. The sun hung low on the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow over everything.
The change was so sudden, so perfect, that for a moment, no one said anything. They just floated there, staring in awe at the beauty of the landscape.
Carter broke the silence first. "Dude... where are we?"
"No idea," Erik said with a grin. "But it looks cool, right?"
"It's beautiful," Lili whispered, her eyes wide with wonder. "How did you even do this?"
"I don't know," Erik admitted. "I just... thought about it, and it happened. I guess I can change reality or something."
Sasha floated closer to him, her expression serious. "Erik, you need to be careful. This isn't a game. You're dealing with forces we don't understand."
Erik rolled his eyes. "Come on, Sasha. Lighten up a bit. We're flying over a magical mountain. What's the worst that could happen?"
As if in response to his words, a low rumble echoed across the mountains. Erik froze, his grin fading as the ground beneath them began to tremble.
"What the hell?" Carter muttered, looking around nervously.
"I didn't do that," Erik said quickly, his eyes scanning the horizon.
The rumbling grew louder, more intense, as the mountain beneath them began to shake violently. Huge cracks appeared in the earth below, spreading out like spiderwebs. From deep within the cracks, a strange, glowing light began to emerge.
Lili's voice was sharp with fear. "Erik, what's happening?"
"I don't know!" Erik shouted, trying to get a grip on the situation. He raised his hands, focusing his power on the mountain. The air around them shimmered, and for a moment, the shaking seemed to stop.
But then, with a deafening roar, the ground split open completely, and something huge began to rise from the earth. A massive, ancient creature—like nothing they had ever seen before—emerged from the crack, its body covered in glowing runes and its eyes burning with an otherworldly fire.
"Holy—" Carter started, but the words died in his throat as the creature let out a bone-rattling roar.
Erik's heart raced as he stared at the beast. This was something beyond his control, something ancient and powerful. He had no idea how to stop it.
"Erik, do something!" Sasha yelled, her voice filled with panic.
Erik gritted his teeth, focusing all his energy on the creature. His hands glowed with a golden light as he tried to bend reality, to force the creature back into the earth. But the beast was too strong, its power ancient and untouchable.
"We have to go!" Lili screamed, grabbing Erik's arm.
For the first time since gaining his powers, Erik felt a cold wave of fear wash over him. He couldn't control this. Whatever this creature was, it was beyond him. And it was coming for them.
With a snap of his fingers, Erik transported them back to the safety of the school's football field. They collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath, the weight of what had just happened sinking in.
"What... what was that?" Hugo asked, his voice shaky.
"I don't know," Erik admitted, his eyes still wide with shock. "But whatever it was... I think we've just awakened something big."