Chapter 4: Power Stones and New Beginnings

At that, Lucas dropped to his knees in front of me. Whoa.

He knelt like he was swearing an oath, eyes shining with gratitude. I felt awkward, not sure if I should stop him or just roll with it.

"Thank you! I can never repay your kindness. If I survive and avenge my family, I’ll owe you my life. These are the only two power stones I have left. Please accept them as a token."

Lucas pulled out two pale blue crystals and handed them to me. My curiosity spiked again.

They weren’t like any glass ornament—the texture was perfectly clear, and if you looked closely, you could see white mist swirling inside. Magic, huh?

I turned them over in my hand, mesmerized by the swirling mist. They felt heavier than they looked, cool against my skin, like something out of a fantasy novel. Wild.

"What do these do?"

"You don’t know?"

"Never seen them before!"

"You truly are a master—able to command so many beasts without any tools or charms. I’m in awe."

He looked at me like I was some kind of legend. I had to bite back a laugh. This place was something else.

Lucas explained the wonders of power stones to me. I listened, still rolling the stones in my hand.

Apparently, power stones are like a supernatural’s portable battery pack—when you’re out of energy, just use one, and you’re instantly recharged.

He described them with the kind of reverence most people reserved for their first car or a winning touchdown. I grinned, thinking maybe there was hope for me yet in this world.

I fiddled with the stones. They felt cool and pleasant in my hand. Almost soothing.

I rolled them between my fingers, watching the mist swirl. For a second, I forgot about the hunger, the fear, the weirdness of it all. Just me, a couple of magic rocks, and a rooster with an attitude.

But they were also slippery, and before I knew it—"Oh, shoot!"—one slipped from my grasp and landed in the power strip.

The stone bounced off the counter and landed with a soft clink, wedging itself between the cords. I winced, bracing for sparks or an explosion or… something.

The next second, the lights in the shop flickered on all at once. "No way," I breathed.

The overhead bulbs buzzed to life, flooding the room with harsh white light. I squinted, a little stunned. The animals perked up, and I let out a whoop of surprise.

At the same time, the air conditioner, TV, and air purifier all powered up… Everything was humming, alive again. I couldn’t help but laugh.

The AC kicked on with a familiar hum. The TV flashed to life with static. The air purifier whirred, filling the shop with a gentle breeze. It was like the shop had come back to life, all because of one little stone.

Lucas stared, mouth agape, at the scene before him. I tried not to smirk.

He looked from the glowing lights to the rooster to me, eyes wide with disbelief. This world was full of surprises, and for once, they were in my favor.

For the first time since he’d walked in, he seemed genuinely speechless. I couldn’t help but grin, feeling a spark of hope that maybe—just maybe—I could make this strange new world work for me.