Chapter 1: Shadows Before Sunrise
She landed softly on the edge of her own house, crouched by her bedroom window, and with a flick of her fingers, the latch clicked open. She slipped inside, her breath steady, her heart still racing from the battle.
With another gesture, her clothes shimmered and shifted—battle gear melting into soft pajamas. She tiptoed across the room and slid beneath the covers just as the first hint of dawn touched the sky.
Moments later, her mother knocked gently and peeked in. “Silvia, time to get up for college.”
Silvia stretched and yawned, feigning sleepiness. “Morning already?” she mumbled, blinking innocently.
“Get dressed quickly,” her mother said, already heading downstairs.
As soon as the door closed, Silvia’s calm mask vanished. Her body ached, especially her leg—still sore from the fight. Everyone else had been too afraid to face the shadow creature that had emerged near the old clock tower. But Silvia couldn’t stand by and watch it terrorize the city.
She sat cross-legged on the floor, placing her injured leg between her hands. Her palms glowed red, and warmth surged through her fingers. The wound pulsed, then slowly faded as the healing light sealed the torn skin. She exhaled, relief washing over her.
With another flick of her hand, her pajamas dissolved into her college uniform. She grabbed her bag and headed downstairs, joining her family for breakfast. Her younger brother chatted about video games, her mom reminded her to take her lunch, and her dad read the newspaper. It was a perfectly normal morning—except Silvia had fought a monster hours ago.
After breakfast, she hopped onto her bike and pedaled toward college. The streets buzzed with early commuters, but Silvia’s mind was elsewhere—replaying the battle, wondering if the shadow creature was truly gone.
Suddenly, a blur darted into view. A massive wolf bounded toward her, its silver fur gleaming in the sunlight. Most people would scream or speed away. Silvia did the opposite.
She swerved into a quiet alley, dismounted, and opened her arms. The wolf leapt—and embraced her.
“Silver!” she laughed, hugging him tightly. “Hi, buddy. How are you?”
Silver nuzzled her shoulder, then gently placed a paw on her hand. His eyes glowed faintly, sensing her lingering pain.
Before she could speak again, masked figures dropped from the rooftops, surrounding them. Assassins.
One stepped forward. “Give us the wolf, and you won’t get hurt.”
Silvia narrowed her eyes. “Never.”
“You asked for this,” the assassin growled.
He lunged. Silvia dodged effortlessly, twisting his arm mid-air and snapping it with a crack. He collapsed, groaning.
The others attacked in waves, but Silvia moved like lightning—ducking, striking, flipping through the air. Within minutes, the alley was littered with unconscious bodies.
She checked her watch. 6:55.
“Ugh, I’m gonna be late,” she muttered. She turned to Silver. “Thanks for the hug. I’ll see you after class.”
Silver growled softly in farewell.
Silvia jumped onto her bike and sped off. But traffic was thick, and time was slipping away. She glanced around, then whispered a spell. A glowing portal opened beside her—one leading to the college parking lot. Another shimmered ahead, opening directly into her classroom.
She rode through the first portal, parked her bike, and stepped through the second. Instantly, she was seated at her desk, calm and composed. A wave of peace settled over her.
Good thing she’d cast an invisibility shield over her daytime spells. No one noticed a thing.
Her best friend leaned over and whispered, “You look tired. Rough morning?”
Silvia smiled faintly. “You have no idea.
