wallpaper—but it would do.

Little did they know, this night would change everything.

That night, as they drifted off to sleep, each one of them experienced vivid, strange dreams. John dreamed of controlling fire with his hands. Jasper felt the earth rumble beneath him, like he could bend it at his will. Jimmy floated in the sky, soaring over cities, while Jacob found himself moving at lightning speed, faster than anything he’d ever seen.

Each dream felt real, like more than just a product of their imagination. They awoke briefly during the night, feeling unsettled but quickly dozed back off, too tired to

give it much thought.

Outside, a shadowy figure lurked by the window, watching them as they slept.

The next morning, the sunlight poured through the dusty blinds. John woke first, rubbing his eyes. As he reached for the alarm clock, it suddenly burst into flames. He yelped in shock, pulling his hand back.

“Guys!” he shouted. “Get up!”

Jasper, Jimmy, and Jacob groggily woke up, groaning at the early hour.

“What’s wrong?” Jimmy asked, still half asleep.

John pointed to the now-singed alarm clock. “I just set

that thing on fire… with my hand!”

Before anyone could respond, Jasper’s eyes widened as the floor beneath him began to crack. The ground shifted slightly as if reacting to his presence.

Jimmy gasped. “Uh, guys?” He slowly floated off the bed, hovering in midair. “I think we’ve got a situation.”

Jacob, trying to comprehend what was happening, stood up, only to move so fast that in the blink of an eye, he was across the room. “Whoa… did I just—?”

They all exchanged stunned looks.

“What’s happening to us?” Jasper asked, still staring at the cracked floor.

Before they could figure it out, the TV flickered on. A local news report came on the screen, showing footage of chaos in the city. Buildings were crumbling, people were screaming, and strange, monstrous creatures were attacking.

“Gremlins,” the reporter stammered. “Evil creatures are wreaking havoc in the city. Authorities are urging everyone to stay inside. We… we don’t know how to stop them.”

The four friends stared at the screen, shocked by what they were seeing.

“Gremlins?” Jimmy echoed, floating back to the ground.

Suddenly, a voice boomed from behind them. They

turned to see the shadowy figure that had been watching them the night before. It stepped forward, revealing a tall, hooded man with glowing eyes.

“You have been chosen,” the figure said. “The powers you woke up with are not by chance. The gremlins have come to take over the Earth. Only you four can stop them.”

“Wait, wait,” John interrupted. “We just woke up with these… powers. We don’t even know how to control them.”

“There’s no time to waste,” the hooded figure replied. “The gremlins will destroy everything if they aren’t stopped.”

Jacob, who had always been the most logical of the group, crossed his arms. “So, we’re supposed to save the world? We don’t even know what’s going on.”

The hooded figure sighed. “The gremlins are ancient creatures, bent on chaos. They thrive on destruction and fear. They’ve been dormant for centuries, but now they’re back. You were given these powers to restore balance. You’re the only ones who can stop them.”

Jasper looked down at his hands, feeling the earth’s energy pulsing through his fingertips. “I guess we don’t have much of a choice.”

John nodded, fire flickering in his palms. “Alright, let’s do this.”