₊˚ෆ Chapter 1 ⊹.ᐟ
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The professor was halfway through explaining something about structural design when someone suddenly gasped.
“Is that—”
Everyone turned toward the window.
A huge cloud of black smoke was rising into the sky.
For a second, the entire classroom went silent.
Then someone shouted, “The building is on fire!”
Chairs scraped against the floor as students rushed toward the windows.
Mira Hart was one of them.
She pushed herself between two classmates and stared outside.
Across the street, flames were pouring from the upper floors of a tall office building. Smoke twisted into the sky, dark against the bright afternoon.
People were gathering below.
Emergency vehicles were already arriving.
But the students weren’t staring at them.
They were looking higher.
“Heroes!” someone shouted.
Mira’s eyes widened.
Two figures had appeared on the roof of the burning building.
One wore a sleek outfit with a bow strapped across their back.
The other stood beside them, carrying what looked like a large shield.
Mira leaned closer to the glass.
Mira - “No way...”
The bow hero jumped.
Several students screamed.
But instead of falling, a glowing arrow shot from their bow.
The arrow transformed in midair.
A ribbon of energy unfurled from it, stretching toward the side of the building.
The hero caught the ribbon and swung around the building.
Mira - “That’s so cool.”
The ribbon wrapped around a window.
The hero pulled.
A trapped person was lifted safely away from the flames and lowered toward the ground.
Another arrow flew.
Another ribbon appeared.
Then another.
Within seconds, the hero was moving between windows, rescuing people one after another.
But there were still flames spreading across the building.
The second hero stepped forward.
They raised their shield.
A huge glowing barrier expanded outward.
It covered the side of the building.
The flames slammed against it.
The barrier held.
“Whoa...”
Mira could hear everyone around her cheering.
The two heroes worked almost perfectly together.
One rescued.
The other protected.
People were guided safely away from the building while the heroes kept the flames from spreading.
A few minutes later, the fire department took control of the situation.
The two heroes disappeared from the roof.
The crowd below erupted into cheers.
Mira smiled.
Mira - “That,” she said, “was amazing.”
Her classmate beside her nodded enthusiastically.
“Which one would you want to be?”
Mira thought about it.
Mira - “Me?”
“Yeah.”
Mira looked back at the smoking building.
Then she imagined herself standing on top of it.
She imagined jumping from a roof.
She imagined fighting villains.
She imagined dramatically saving people.
She immediately shook her head.
Mira - “If I ever become a hero, the city is in danger.”
Her classmate laughed.
Mira grinned.
She wasn’t wrong.
Being a hero wasn’t exactly a normal career.
The city had hundreds of them.
Some protected certain neighbourhoods. Some worked during the day. Others appeared mostly at night. Some specialised in rescue, while others focused on fighting dangerous criminals.
And every hero had their own story.
No two powers were exactly alike.
Mira had grown up seeing heroes everywhere.
They were part of everyday life.
Sometimes they were famous.
Sometimes they were barely known.
Sometimes people didn’t even know who had saved them.
“Alright, everyone.”
The professor’s voice broke through the excitement.
“Unless someone intends to submit a report about the fire instead of today’s assignment, I suggest you return to your seats.”
Everyone slowly moved away from the windows.
Mira sighed and returned to hers.
She opened her notebook.
Her page was filled with sketches.
Not of heroes.
Dolls.
Tiny dresses.
Jackets.
Shoes.
Different hairstyles.
Patterns.
Mira tapped her pencil against the page.
She had always loved making things.
Especially dolls.
There was something satisfying about taking a piece of fabric and turning it into something completely different.
A few hours later, class finally ended.
Mira packed her things and stretched.
Mira - “Finally.”
She swung her bag over her shoulder.
She was done for the day.
No more lectures.
No more assignments.
No more professors.
Most importantly—
She could go home.
Well.
Dorm.
And there was one very important reason she was looking forward to it.
Her roommate.
Mira smiled.
Mira - “Time to annoy Rayan.”
She walked out of the university building.
It had become something of a hobby.
Rayan Vale was quiet.
Very quiet.
He didn’t talk unless he had something worth saying.
He liked things organised.
He liked peace.
He liked sitting in the same chair.
He liked knowing where his things were.
Mira had discovered all of this during their first week as roommates.
And she had decided to make his life slightly more difficult.
Not cruelly.
Just enough.
Because watching Rayan stare at her in complete silence whenever she did something ridiculous was hilarious.
By the time Mira reached their dorm, she was already planning her next attack.
She unlocked the door.
Mira - “I’m home!”
Silence.
Mira looked around.
Mira - “Rayan?”
Nothing.
She stepped inside.
His shoes were there.
His bag was there.
His jacket was hanging neatly where it always was.
Mira narrowed her eyes.
Mira - “He’s hiding.”
She dropped her bag onto the sofa.
Then she noticed something.
Rayan’s favourite chair was empty.
Mira smiled.
Perfect.
She sat down.
A few seconds later, a door opened.
Rayan walked out.
He stopped.
He looked at Mira.
Then at his chair.
Then back at Mira.
Mira smiled innocently.
Mira - “Hi.”
Rayan - “You’re sitting in my chair.”
Mira - “I know.”
Rayan - “Why?”
Mira - “Because it’s comfortable.”
Rayan - “There are three other chairs.”
Mira - “But this one is yours.”
Rayan stared at her.
Mira smiled wider.
He walked over.
Rayan - “Move.”
Mira - “No.”
Rayan - “Mira.”
Mira - “Rayan.”
Neither moved.
They stared at each other.
Then Rayan quietly picked up the cushion from another chair.
He placed it on the floor.
Mira blinked.
Mira - “What are you doing?”
Rayan - “Improving my options.”
Mira - “You’re going to sit on the floor?”
Rayan - “Yes.”
Mira - “You’d rather sit on the floor than share your chair?”
Rayan - “Yes.”
Mira burst out laughing.
Mira - “You are ridiculous.”
Rayan - “You’re the one sitting in my chair.”
Mira - “Because you make it fun.”
Rayan gave her a blank look.
Mira - “That wasn’t a compliment.”
Rayan - “I know.”
He walked away.
Mira watched him go.
She smiled.
Definitely worth it.
The evening passed quickly.
Mira worked on a doll she had been sewing while Rayan studied quietly at the other side of the room.
Every now and then, Mira would ask him something.
Sometimes he answered.
Sometimes he didn’t.
Sometimes she deliberately moved one of his pens just to see how long it took him to notice.
It was almost peaceful.
Almost.
The evening passed quickly.
Mira worked on a doll she had been sewing while Rayan studied quietly at the other side of the room.
Every now and then, Mira would ask him something.
Sometimes he answered.
Sometimes he didn’t.
Sometimes she deliberately moved one of his pens just to see how long it took him to notice.
It was almost peaceful.
Almost.
Eventually, the clock reached late evening.
Rayan closed his book.
Mira looked up from her sewing.
Mira - “Going to bed?”
Rayyan - “Eventually.”
He stood and gathered his things.
Mira watched him.
Mira - “Where are you going?”
Rayyan - “My room.”
She blinked.
Mira - “Oh.”
Rayan walked toward the hallway.
Rayyan - “Goodnight, then.”
Mira - “It isn’t bedtime yet.”
Rayyan - “I know.”
Mira - “Then why are you going to your room?”
Rayan paused.
He glanced back at her.
Rayyan - “Because I want to.”
Mira narrowed her eyes.
Mira - “That sounds suspicious.”
Rayyan - “It isn’t.”
Mira - “You’re suspicious.”
Rayyan - “I’ve done nothing.”
Mira - “Exactly. That’s suspicious.”
Rayan stared at her for a moment.
Then he simply turned around and continued walking.
Rayyan - “Goodnight, Mira.”
Mira - “Goodnight, suspicious person.”
His door closed.
Mira looked back down at her doll.
She shrugged.
Whatever.
She had more important things to worry about.
Like finishing the tiny jacket she was making.
Inside his room, however, Rayan waited.
He listened.
Nothing.
Mira was still in the living room.
Good.
He checked the clock.
It was almost time.
He turned toward the small wooden box sitting on his desk.
For anyone else, it would have looked ordinary.
To him, it wasn’t.
Rayan opened it.
Inside was a tiny creature.
It looked almost like a small shadow with two bright eyes.
It yawned.
Rayan - “Finally.”
The creature stretched.
Rayan carefully picked it up and placed it on his shoulder.
Rayan - “You ready, Nox?”
Nox gave a tiny sleepy sound.
Rayan smiled faintly.
He opened the window.
Cold night air entered the room.
The city stretched beneath him.
Hundreds of lights.
Thousands of people.
And somewhere out there, people needed help.
Rayan pulled his hood over his head.
His ordinary clothes disappeared beneath a dark coat.
He secured his wooden sword.
Then he climbed onto the ledge.
Nox settled against his shoulder.
Rayan looked across the city.
During the day, the city belonged to everyone.
But at night—
it was his turn to watch over it.
He stepped into the darkness.
And disappeared.
The city continued glowing beneath the night sky.
Cars moved through the streets.
People walked home.
Lights flickered on inside apartment windows.
Somewhere above them, a shadow moved silently across the rooftops.
Another night had begun.
⊹ ₊⋆ ☁︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆₊⋆☁︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☁︎⋆⁺₊⋆⁺₊⋆ ☁︎ ⋆₊ ⊹
