Chapter 2: Wraith's Warning
[Three days later – school grounds]
The air on the school grounds was thick with the scent of damp earth and adrenaline. A spectral figure, a wraith, a being of pure, unadulterated magical power, phased through the fence, its eyes glowing with a malevolent light. It was a test. A new threat, drawn to Adam's power. Adam felt a jolt of adrenaline, his mind a whirlwind of information. He had to be fast. He had to be ready. He had a small teleportation spell book, and he had to use it. He focused, his mind a torrent of information, his consciousness reaching into the ethereal space where his cards resided. He imprinted the card with 500 MP.
[CARD CREATED: SMALL TELEPORTATION. MP SPENT: 500. USES: 3.]
He didn't hesitate. He held the card up, its surface glowing with a faint, ethereal light, and channeled the power. He was a blur of motion, a teleporting phantom, a ghost in the machine. He was everywhere at once, dodging the wraith's spectral attacks, his movements a chaotic, unpredictable dance. He was a human, but he was a weapon, and he was ready for a fight.
"Teleport card, dodge this ghost!" Adam yelled, his voice filled with a kind of wild exhilaration.
"100 MP for the battle, and 17 hours of sleep to get back up. Worth it."
Hope, who had been training with him, was already in action. She sent a torrent of powerful spells at the wraith, blasts of pure magic that shimmered and wavered in the air. The wraith shrieked, its spectral form wavering. Stephanie, Alaric's daughter, a fiery, impulsive hybrid, was there too, a blur of motion, a force of pure, untamed strength. She just laughed, a bright, cheerful sound.
"Dodging wraiths for coins? Greedy, Stiels," she said, her voice filled with a kind of dry wit that made Adam grin.
He just shrugged, a small, knowing smirk on his face.
Hope, however, had a different reaction. She looked at him with a mix of awe and pride.
"You're brave, Adam," she said, her voice filled with a quiet admiration.
"Why wolf for Dad? Take $100,000."
A new notification appeared, a pleasant chime in his head.
[ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: FIRST THREAT DEFEATED. REWARD: 75 COINS, 1 EMPTY CARD, FIREBALL SPELL CARD (PRE-FILLED, 3 USES).]
[LOAN SECURED: $100,000. 100 NEW COINS.]
The wraith, battered and confused, was finally defeated, its spectral form dissolving into nothingness. Adam felt a wave of satisfaction wash over him. He had done it. He had a new card, a new batch of coins, and a new achievement.
"Ghost tag," Adam said, a small, tired smile on his face. "I'm it."
[Same night – school lounge]
The school lounge was buzzing with the energy of victory. The air smelled of ozone and adrenaline, and the Super Squad was gathered, reliving the fight. Adam, a tired but triumphant smile on his face, was briefing them all on the aftermath. He had spent 1,000 MP, and he had finally reached Level 2.
"I did it," he said, his voice filled with a quiet pride that was hard to contain. "1,000 MP spent, Level 2! My new capacity is 300 MP, and I get 720 MP from a full eight hours of sleep. It's official."
He had just sold a fireball card to Penelope, and the system had hummed with the transaction, a pleasant chime in his head.
"Sold a fireball to Penelope, one coin."
Penelope, ever the dry wit, chimed in, a mocking tone in her voice.
"Fireball's mine, but you're stingy, Stiels," she said, her voice filled with a kind of playful exasperation.
Hope, sitting beside him, her hand on his arm, looked at him with a mix of awe and pride.
"You're family now, Adam," she said, the words a silent promise that he had found a home, a place he belonged.
"Don't spend all those coins."
Stephanie, ever the realist, chimed in.
"Selling cards? Coin-crazy, Stiels," she said, and then she began jangling a handful of coins in her pocket, a mocking sound that made Adam grin.
"Look, the wolf Klaus thing was a prank," he explained, a genuine note in his voice. "Elijah's the classy Original. You have to respect that. And yeah, I'm coin-obsessed. It's how I get stronger. How I protect all of you."
He was a human with a card system, but he was a vital part of this family. He was a hero, a friend, an ally.
[Next morning – office]
The school office was a sanctuary of old books, burnt paper, and the familiar scent of Caroline Forbes's perfume. Adam sat across from her, the air thick with tension. She had heard about the wraith, and she was worried. But she was also annoyed. She hadn't forgotten the $200,000 he owed her.
"Creatures want you, Adam," she said, her voice filled with a mix of concern and exasperation.
"My $200,000?"
Adam just smiled, a confident glint in his eyes.
"Got it, vampire banker," he said, the nickname a familiar sign of affection.
"Seven empty cards, 720 MP sleep. Wolf Klaus was my prank. $100,000 more?"
Caroline just stared at him, a look of pure disbelief on her face.
"Another loan? You're impossible," she said, but a small smile touched her lips.
[ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: MENTOR TRUST. REWARD: 25 COINS.]
[LOAN SECURED: $100,000. 100 NEW COINS.]
He was a human in a world of monsters, a boy with a system, and he was doing his best to survive and to protect the people he cared about.