The campfire crackled in the silent night, casting flickering shadows on the worn-out faces of the group. Mallory sat cross-legged, staring at the glowing orb resting on a makeshift stand of stones. The celestial entity inside was quiet now, but she could still feel its presence—watching, waiting.
Greg yawned loudly. "So, what's the plan? Are we keeping the space ghost as a pet, or are we throwing it into a volcano and pretending we never saw it?"
Alex smirked. "You'd just miss it and drop it on your foot."
Greg shot him a glare. "I'm sensing a lot of hostility from this group lately."
Elara ignored them, eyes locked onto Mallory. "You heard it speak to you again, didn't you?"
Mallory hesitated. "…Yes. It told me I was stronger than I realized."
Greg rolled his eyes. "Wow, how original. What's next? 'With great power comes great responsibility'?"
Quinn chuckled. "You're just mad it didn't compliment you."