Chapter 1: The Awakening
The night air was still, broken only by the sound of Kartika’s soft breathing. For years she had lived quietly, her half-demon heritage hidden beneath a mask of normality. Her life was supposed to be ordinary—school, friends, long evenings with Dr. Huang, the kind-hearted doctor who had become family.
But tonight was different.
A chilling wind swept through the streets as shadows stretched unnaturally long. Kartika’s arm throbbed, the strange tattoo etched into her skin glowing faintly for the first time in her life. Panic surged in her chest.
“Not now,” she whispered, clutching her arm.
Then it happened—a flash of silver, a stranger standing in the dark. He wasn’t just anyone. He was Kyle, the new friend of Dr. Huang, or so he had claimed. Yet his eyes glimmered with malice.
“You’ve hidden well,” Kyle said, drawing two curved daggers. His voice was soft, almost friendly, but the way he moved screamed predator.
Kartika backed away, her fingers twitching as heat pulsed through her tattoo. Flames sparked from her hand, shocking her as much as him. The power she had never known was hers roared to life.
Kyle smiled wickedly. “So it’s true. The Dark Lord was right about you.”
Everything changed that night. And it was only the beginning.
