The next day at school felt strangely normal, but for Erik and his friends, the world had changed. Even as students filled the hallways and teachers droned on about tests and assignments, Erik's mind was somewhere else—on the creature, the mountain, and the growing mystery of his powers.
Sasha, Lili, and Zara joined him at their usual lunch table, but the conversation wasn't about homework or weekend plans anymore.
"We need a plan," Sasha said, her voice low as she leaned across the table. "If you think there are more of those things, we can't just wait around for the next one to show up."
"Yeah, about that," Erik replied, stabbing at his lunch with a fork but not really eating. "I was up all night thinking. There's gotta be something in this town—some kind of record, or history, or... something that explains what's going on."
"You're thinking like a superhero," Carter said, dropping his tray onto the table and sitting beside them. "Like, what, there's an ancient prophecy carved into the walls of the school basement or something?"
"Not exactly," Erik muttered. "But there's gotta be something out there. My powers aren't random. They're connected to that creature—and whatever else is lurking out there."
Lili frowned, her gaze thoughtful. "What if we check the town's archives? There's a history museum downtown. Maybe they've got something about... I don't know, strange events, myths, or whatever."
Erik looked up at her, considering the idea. "That's actually not a bad place to start."
"You really think the town library is going to have a section on ancient gods and monsters?" Carter asked with a laugh. "What, are we gonna check out a 'How to Be a God' handbook?"
"Why not?" Zara said with a grin. "Maybe we'll find something cool."
But the humor couldn't completely erase the tension hovering over them. Erik pushed his tray aside, his appetite gone. "Whatever we find, it's better than sitting around doing nothing. Let's go after school."
As soon as the final bell rang, Erik, Lili, Carter, Sasha, Zara, and Hugo made their way to the town's small historical museum. It was an old, brick building, nestled between a coffee shop and an antique store, almost forgotten in the hustle of the modern world.
The museum smelled like old books and dust. It was quiet inside, with only a few displays about local history—old farming tools, a few black-and-white photographs, and a model of the town from the 1800s. Nothing immediately screamed "supernatural."
"This place is a little... underwhelming," Carter whispered as they walked through the halls.
"I'm telling you, there's something here," Erik insisted, though he was starting to feel the weight of his own uncertainty. His powers had opened up a world he couldn't yet understand, and that scared him more than he wanted to admit.
As they reached the back of the museum, they found a small room filled with old books and documents. Sasha immediately headed for the shelves, her fingers running over the spines of ancient volumes. "Let's split up," she said. "Start looking for anything weird—legends, strange happenings, anything that could explain this."
They all scattered, digging through dusty archives and flipping through brittle pages. Erik felt a mix of excitement and anxiety as he searched. If there was any clue about his powers—anything that could help him control them or at least understand them—it had to be here.
After about an hour of searching, Lili called out. "Hey, I found something!"
The group gathered around her as she held up an old, worn book. Its cover was faded and the pages yellowed with age. The title was barely legible: Myths of the Forgotten Era.
"Looks promising," Erik said, his heart racing. He took the book from Lili and opened it carefully, scanning the pages.
It was full of strange tales and legends—some about gods, others about mysterious creatures that had once roamed the earth. But one passage stood out to Erik:
"There are those born with the gift of creation, who walk among us as gods, though they are unaware of their own power. These chosen few are linked to the ancient forces that once shaped the world—forces that still slumber beneath the earth, waiting to be awakened."
A chill ran down Erik's spine as he read the words. "This... this is it," he whispered. "This explains it."
"Explains what?" Carter asked, leaning in to read over Erik's shoulder.
Erik's mind raced as he connected the dots. "These 'ancient forces'... they're connected to me. That creature we saw—it was one of them. And my powers... I think I'm one of these 'chosen few.'"
Sasha frowned, her eyes narrowing as she took in the information. "So you're saying there are others like you? Other people with powers?"
"Maybe," Erik said, still processing the revelation. "Or maybe I'm the only one left. But whatever these forces are, I woke them up. That's why that creature came after us."
"And you think there are more of them out there?" Lili asked, her voice filled with concern.
Erik nodded. "Yeah. And I think they're going to keep coming."
The group fell silent, the weight of the discovery pressing down on them. Erik closed the book, his mind spinning with questions. If these ancient forces were waking up, what else was out there? And how much longer could he keep them under control?
"We need to find out more," Zara said quietly. "We need to figure out how to stop this."
Erik nodded, feeling a renewed sense of determination. "We will. But for now, we have to be ready for whatever's coming next."
As they left the museum, Erik couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching them. His powers buzzed faintly under his skin, as if sensing something lurking just beyond the edge of his awareness.
He glanced at his friends—Lili, Carter, Sasha, Zara, Hugo—and felt a surge of responsibility. Whatever was coming, they were in this together. And he would do everything in his power to protect them.
But deep down, Erik knew that the forces he had awakened weren't going to rest. The real battle was just beginning.