Chapter 5: Chapter 5: A Sarcastic Summoning
Chapter 5: A Sarcastic Summoning
Adam sat in the middle of a quiet clearing just outside New Orleans, the evening sky painted in hues of orange and purple. The tension in the air was palpable as he prepared to use the one-time summoning ability from his beginner pack.
Elijah stood nearby, watching Adam with his signature composed curiosity. "You're certain this is necessary?"
Adam smirked. "Oh, it's more than necessary. It's essential. This guy's going to be our wildcard."
Elijah raised an eyebrow but said nothing, his skepticism evident.
Adam activated the system.
<System Notification: One-time summoning ability activated. Summoning in progress...>
The air in the clearing grew heavy, and a swirl of energy formed in the center. Sparks flew as the summoning ritual reached its peak. With a loud pop and a flash of light, a figure appeared, sprawled awkwardly on the ground.
"...Ow," the figure groaned, sitting up and rubbing the back of his head. He looked around, his expression quickly shifting to one of confusion. "Okay, this is officially the weirdest dream I've ever had. And trust me, I've had some really weird ones."
Adam grinned as he recognized the familiar voice. "Stiles Stilinski. Welcome to the real world."
Stiles squinted at Adam, then at Elijah, and finally at his surroundings. "Wait, what? Who are you? Where am I? And why does this look like some kind of creepy vampire movie set?"
Adam chuckled. "Name's Adam. You've been summoned to help us with a little... supernatural problem."
Stiles blinked, then laughed incredulously. "Supernatural problem? Dude, I just got out of that kind of mess. Can't a guy catch a break?"
Elijah, who had been silently observing, finally spoke. "This is the person you deemed essential?"
Stiles turned to Elijah, his eyes widening slightly. "Whoa, okay. Who's Mr. Fancy Suit? Did I accidentally land in a James Bond movie?"
Adam suppressed a laugh. "That's Elijah Mikaelson. And yeah, he's as serious as he looks. But don't worry—he's on our side."
Stiles stood up, brushing off his jeans. "Mikaelson? As in The Originals Mikaelson? Oh, great. I've officially been dragged into the world of brooding vampires. Awesome. Just what I needed."
Adam grinned. "You'll fit right in."
After a brief explanation of the situation, Stiles paced the clearing, processing everything. "Okay, let me get this straight. You've got some kind of superpowered resurrection-and-copy system thing, you're building a team to fight supernatural baddies, and you thought, 'Hey, you know who'd be perfect for this? Stiles Stilinski, the human guy who barely survived his last supernatural rodeo.'"
"Pretty much," Adam said with a shrug.
Stiles stopped pacing, pointing at Adam. "You're either a genius or completely insane. Probably both."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Adam replied.
Elijah crossed his arms, his patience clearly wearing thin. "If we're finished with the theatrics, perhaps you could explain why you brought him here, Adam."
Adam's expression grew serious. "Because Stiles is more than just a human guy. He's resourceful, quick-thinking, and he's got a knack for solving problems no one else can. Plus..."
<System Notification: Granting summoned ally an ability. Random selection in progress... Ability granted: Shadow Manipulation.>
Stiles froze as a faint glow surrounded him. "Uh, what just happened? Why do I feel... weird?"
Adam smirked. "Congratulations, Stiles. You've got a new ability. Shadow Manipulation. Looks like you're officially part of the team now."
Stiles stared at his hands, then at the ground, where his shadow seemed to shift unnaturally. "Okay, this is... actually kinda cool. Creepy, but cool."
Elijah tilted his head slightly. "Perhaps there's more to him than meets the eye."
"See?" Adam said, clapping Stiles on the shoulder. "Even Elijah's coming around. Now, let's get moving. We've got a lot of work to do."
Stiles groaned but followed them. "Fine, but if I get killed, I'm haunting you for eternity."
"Deal," Adam replied with a grin.
Elijah sighed, clearly wondering what he'd gotten himself into.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone