Nyk was staring at the Mana Stone in awe when Syn broke the silence. "Have you ever seen a Mana Stone before?" she asked, tilting her head in curiosity.

Nyk's gaze met hers. "Once. Nana handed it over to Zosimos for a potion. But I never got to see it up close." said Nyk, his gaze returning to the stone.

Syn nodded, "My mom used to have a chest full of them. Dad got rid of the box when she left," she said with a hint of sadness.

"The stone has a multitude of uses. Obviously, I know cards are that much more useful and expensive, but this," she raised the stone, "Is our ticket to a successful auction!" Nyk nodded, and she threw him the stone.

He caught it and looked at it in detail, the stone was the size of his thumb, and its rocky exterior was a mix of greys and deep blacks that seemed to suck in the light—a pale blue hue glowing in the grey areas closer to its core when Nyk breathed upon it.

"Is this what you found this morning?" Nyk asked as he kept blowing on it, the blue light fadedly illuminating the room.

"Yep!" Syn's smile broadened as if she had been waiting for this question. "We could've been extremely lucky and gotten a card, but we were 'just' lucky."

"I still don't get why Garoth left," said Nyk as his eyebrows furrowed.

"I have no idea either," Syn said with a shrug. "It looked in my direction, growled and left."

Nyk frowned. "You said the beast was strong, right?"

"Almost as strong as Garoth."

Nyk thought hard of what would make him flee if he was an all powerful beast. "Maybe it felt weak and... left?"

Syn shrugged.

Nyk looked intensely at the stone, "So, what can we do with this?"

"I saw my mom help someone use one once. It glowed with its quality, and then bonded with her.

From what she explained later, they strengthen cards."

"And how do you use it?"

"I think you just have to bind it with the card you want to strengthen."

"D-do you think there's a way to turn this into a card?" he asked, his tone hopeful.

"No, the System is the one that turns monsters into cards and stones. I don't think we can do anything about it now," she answered firmly.

"But can you summon the System to see what it does to it?" he asked, still sounding hopeful.

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"It won't do a thing," she said, sounding surprised at the suggestion. "It doesn't work like that."

"You can call the blue screen, right?" Nyk insisted. "Why not call it for this too?"

"I can't summon the Status Screen to turn objects into cards. It'll only show my stats," Syn replied, correcting him. "This is completely different."

"How is it different? We have a monster essence here," said Nyk, frustrated, holding the stone between his fingers. "And YOU have access to the Status Screen. Just call it to see what it suggests you do!"

"You don't get how the system works," Syn said, her voice tight with annoyance. "It's not that simple."

"Obviously," Nyk shrugged. "I only understand it in theory. YOU are the one who has access to it, not me!"

"I'm sorry, Nyk. It's not possible," Syn said firmly. "The System only creates cards from the remains of monsters."

"Can't we do something with the stone then?" he asked, desperation in his voice. "We could go get the remains of an animal from the butchery or the fishmonger and put the stone in it. And maybe then you can call the System. If we get lucky, the System will use the Mana Stone to create a card. It may work!"

"It won't work," said Syn shaking her head. "Even if the System could be tricked like that, it's not just a matter of having a mana stone and a body."

Nyk sighed in defeat. "Are you sure?" he insisted. "I think..."

"Stop it already, Nyk! I'm telling you it won't work!" interrupted Syn, frustrated. She took the stone from Nyk's hands.

"B-but this stone is our best chance to get a green card! Why are you not helping me figure it out?" he asked, pointing at the clasped hand in which Syn was holding the stone. "You said you found it this morning; what if we go back and—"

"That. Does. Not. Matter!" replied Syn, exasperated. "That's not how cards are created!"

"Then tell me how they are created! I'm tired of everyone treating me like a kid!" Nyk said, clenching his fists with exasperation. "Anything I ask, everyone always dodges the question! I've asked Nana soooo many times, but nooo, she never answers any questions related to cards, and of course, talking about the blue screen is ab-so-lutely off-limits, 'You'll have time to worry about these things, ' she always says before changing the subject!" frustration and disappointment creeping into his voice. "If I push it, she says it's our family's tradition to wait until my coming-of-age and that I should focus on my training more. I'm almost 12, and Herbs and plants are all I know!!"

Syn stared briefly at Nyk's red face, "I-I didn't know you..."

"You don't know how lucky you are! You had your mom telling you things in advance. I have no one!" he yelled in frustration. "I have so many questions that no one answers! How are cards created? What is the blue screen? How does it work? How do you use cards?" He stopped to breathe. "To help, I need to know! You are my best friend. Can you PLEASE show me how things work?"

Syn looked at his friend in surprise, taken aback by the sudden burst of emotions. She thought for a second, then very seriously, she spoke. "S-showing anyone your screen is a very private thing..."

"I know..." Nyk deflated, and his shoulders dropped. "Never mind," he said, turning to leave.

Syn held Nyk's shoulder and forced him to face her. "BUT, I cannot have MY best friend walk around saying stupid things, can I?"

Nyk raised an eyebrow and, seeing her smiling expression shook his head. "No, you can't!"

"Then I guess I'll have to teach him a thing or two, at least for the time being" Syn gestured for Nyk to stay and walked around the room collecting scraps. She sat in the center of the room, her legs crossed in the lotus position. Nyk approached and sat in front of her with a dubious expression. "Ok, I'll teach you what I know," she said, mysteriously placing a big bone, leather scraps, and herbs, pulling the wrapped pastry from her tiny satchel, and placing it next to them. "Do you know what a Mana Surge is?"

Nyk nodded his head. "I know what Mana is."