Dawn rolled her shoulders, shifting her grip on the wooden gladius. The crowd had thinned, but those who remained were buzzing with excitement after the last fight. The gladiator across from her was relaxed, rolling his neck as if this was just another sparring match. His stance was casual, his weight even, shield resting lightly on his forearm. He didn’t see her as a real threat.

  Dawn smirked. Good.

  Luke stood near the edge of the arena, arms crossed. He wasn’t thrilled about this. He never was when she fought. Chris, however, was practically vibrating with excitement.

  “Alright, Dawn! Wreck him!” Chris shouted. “Show him what happens when he fights a real warrior!”

  Dawn snorted. “Chris, I haven’t even hit him yet.”

  “Yeah, but you will.”

  The gladiator let out a short chuckle, shaking his head. “You sure about this?”

  Dawn twirled her gladius, planting her feet. “More than you.”

  The crowd laughed, and the gladiator’s grin flickered for just a second. He adjusted his stance, bringing his shield up.

  The announcer raised his hand. “Same rules apply. First to ten points wins. One point for limb strikes, two for torso slashes, four for a solid thrust. Combatants ready?”

  Dawn rolled her neck, exhaling slowly. The gladiator nodded.

  The bell rang.

  Dawn moved.

  She darted forward, thrusting fast toward his ribs. His shield intercepted her strike with ease, absorbing the impact without so much as a flinch. She pulled back and immediately swung again, low this time.

  Blocked.

  The gladiator wasn’t just reacting—he was reading her.

  They circled, watching each other. The air between them was tight with tension. The crowd had gone quiet, sensing the shift. This wasn’t like the other fights.

  Chris leaned toward Luke. “Dude, she’s actually holding her own.”

  Luke didn’t respond. His eyes were locked on the fight. Dawn struck again, feinting high before sweeping her blade low. The gladiator didn’t bite. He stepped back, adjusting with just enough effort to show he wasn’t taking her seriously.

  Luke exhaled through his nose. “She should’ve landed something by now.”

  Chris grinned. “You’re just mad she’s better at this than you.”

  Luke didn’t argue, but his arms tightened over his chest. Chris smirked, leaning back. “Man, even if she slacks in school, at least I know she never skipped combat training.”

  Luke tensed slightly but didn’t look away from the fight. “Yeah.”

  Chris kept talking, rambling about the training they’d had growing up, but Luke’s focus was slipping. Because something felt off.

  Dawn wasn’t slowing down. If anything, she was moving faster. Each time the gladiator adjusted, she was already reacting before his move fully extended.

  Luke squinted, rubbing his temple.

  He could see the fight shifting—literally.

  The tiniest shimmer flickered in his vision, a faint glow appearing on the gladiator’s shield.

  Luke blinked. It was gone.

  No—there.

  Again.

  A flicker, like a mark showing him exactly where to hit.

  He barely had time to register it before Dawn struck directly at the same point.

  The crack was sharp, sudden. The wooden shield split clean down the middle.

  The gladiator stumbled back, staring at the broken remains in disbelief. The crowd gasped.

  Chris gawked. “Holy crap. Did she just—?”

  Dawn didn’t hesitate.

  She saw the shimmer on his sword now.

  She moved without thinking, striking exactly where Luke had seen the glow.

  The blade snapped at the base.

  The gladiator dropped what was left of his weapon. His mouth opened, like he wanted to protest, but Dawn stepped forward, raising her gladius.

  Luke knew what was coming.

  Thrust.

  Slash.

  Thrust.

  She mirrored his earlier attack pattern, striking the same points he had hit on his previous opponent. The scorekeeper barely called out the points before Dawn lowered her weapon.

  “Ten.” She turned to the announcer. “I win.”

  The crowd erupted.

  Luke exhaled slowly, tension tightening his chest.

  Dawn tossed her gladius back onto the rack, unzipping the padded armor as she walked toward them.

  Chris was losing it. “That was insane! You wrecked that dude! He didn’t even stand a chance!”

  Dawn smirked. “I wouldn’t say wrecked.”

  Luke, however, hadn’t moved.

  Dawn nudged him. “You’re staring again.”

  Luke hesitated. “You don’t feel weird?”

  Dawn raised an eyebrow. “Weird how?”

  “You were—you knew exactly where to hit. You broke two weapons. And your hair…”

  Dawn blinked. “My hair?”

  “It was… glowing. Kind of.”

  Dawn rolled her shoulders. “I feel fine.”

  Luke’s jaw tightened. “You’re sure?”

  “Yeah.”

  He watched her for another second, but she looked… normal. Relaxed.

  Maybe he was imagining things.

  Dawn stretched, exhaling. “Alright, let’s get out of here. Where’s Chris?”

  Luke blinked.

  Chris wasn’t there.

  Dawn turned, scanning the crowd. “Seriously?”

  Luke inhaled slowly. “He was just here.”

  Dawn’s smirk faded. “You lost him?”

  Luke sighed. “I didn’t—he was right there.”

  Dawn folded her arms. “Alright. Where would he go?”

  Luke already knew the answer before she finished asking. He turned toward the food stalls.

  Sure enough, just past the rows of vendors, he spotted an alleyway.

  And standing at the edge, half-shadowed, was a man.

  Chris was walking toward him.

  Luke’s stomach twisted.

  “Dawn.” His voice was tight. “We need to go. Now.”

  Dawn followed his gaze.

  Chris had just taken a bite of something—a sandwich of some kind. The man in the alley motioned for him to come closer.

  Chris obeyed.

  Dawn was already moving.

  Luke exhaled, forcing his shoulders to relax. “Alright. Before we go in there, you need to know something.”

  Dawn stopped shot him a look. “Oh, great. What now?”

  Luke rubbed the back of his neck, glancing toward the alley. “That woman from earlier—the one at the gambling table? She was in on the scam. I think she saw me lift their coin purse, and I’m pretty sure they followed us in.”

  Dawn’s eyes narrowed. “And you’re just telling me this now?”

  Luke held up a hand. “I didn’t think they’d try anything in such a public place. I figured they’d just watch us for a bit, maybe see if I had more to steal.” He gestured toward the alley. “But now, with Chris gone and that guy leading him somewhere, I think we have a bigger problem.”

  Dawn crossed her arms, tapping her foot. “So, what’s your plan?”

  “We go in, get Chris, and get out,” Luke said. “No fighting if we can help it. Just take him and walk away.”

  Dawn gave him a long look before sighing. “You’re a useful idiot, but you’re my idiot.” She adjusted her stance. “Let’s go.”

  They moved up together, stepping into the alley.

  Chris was standing there, sandwich half-eaten, looking up at the men in front of him. There were three of them—two broad, thuggish types and one wiry guy with a sharp grin. The woman was lingering in the back, watching.

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  Chris turned as Luke and Dawn approached, relief flashing across his face. “Oh, hey! There you are, I was just—”

  The wiry guy stepped forward and swung.

  His fist connected with Chris’s stomach.

  Chris gasped, stumbling back, his sandwich slipping from his hand and hitting the ground. He dropped to his knees, coughing.

  Dawn and Luke froze.

  For a split second, neither of them moved.

  Then, as one, they both stepped forward.

  A silent understanding passed between them.

  Chris wasn’t just Luke’s best friend. He had been there since they were toddlers—since Luke was three and Chris was five, when they had met at a local park. He was practically family. Even Dawn considered him one of them.

  And this guy just hit him.

  Luke’s fists clenched, white-hot fury coursing through his veins.

  The wiry guy turned, smirking. “You want your money back? You’re picking the wrong fight.”

  Luke’s voice was ice. “We’re not here for money.”

  The guy chuckled, nodding toward Dawn. “Oh, we know. We were after our money at first. But after our boss saw your girl fight, we decided to take her as interest.”

  Dawn’s expression darkened.

  The man gestured lazily at Chris. “We also noticed you have a habit of trying to bail this idiot out.”

  Luke barely heard him.

  Chris was still on the ground, clutching his stomach, the remains of his sandwich scattered across the sand.

  Luke stepped forward.

  At the same time, Dawn moved.

  So did the men.

  From Chris’s point of view, everything blurred.

  There was a flash of motion—a meaty slap followed by a sickening crunch.

  Luke and Dawn moved like two halves of the same storm.

  Chris barely registered what was happening. One second, the thugs had the upper hand. The next, Luke had driven his elbow into the wiry guy’s throat, sending him reeling.

  Dawn, meanwhile, struck one of the broad guys square in the ribs. There was a sharp snap—the unmistakable sound of something breaking.

  Luke wasn’t Dawn, but together, they were unreal.

  For Luke and Dawn, the fight felt slow.

  Once again, the faint shimmer appeared.

  Luke saw it first—subtle glows marking weak points, exposing their enemies’ openings like bright targets. The moment his mind registered them, Dawn was already moving.

  It was like she could see what he saw.

  Every time he noticed a vulnerable spot, Dawn struck it before he even had time to speak.

  Luke barely had time to question whether he was seeing something real, or just spots from his rising blood pressure.

  The wiry man tried to get back up.

  Luke didn’t hesitate.

  His foot slammed into the guy’s chest, driving him back down.

  The thug coughed, gasping for air.

  The second broad man attempted to grab Dawn from behind, but before he could even lock his grip, she drove her elbow back into his ribs—right where Luke had noticed the shimmer.

  Another crunch.

  The man stumbled, his face twisting in pain.

  Luke turned, locking eyes with the woman in the back.

  She wasn’t moving.

  She was watching.

  And then, very deliberately, she reached into her hair.

  Her fingers grasped something—a pin, holding her bun together.

  She pulled it free.

  And the second it left her hair, it shifted.

  The small pin expanded, stretching outward, twisting and lengthening into the unmistakable shape of a sword.

  Luke’s breath caught in his throat.

  He turned to Dawn. She saw it too.

  They exchanged a glance.

  Chris, groaning on the ground, missed all of it.

  The woman stepped forward.

  And for the first time, she spoke.

  “That’s enough.”

  Luke and Dawn didn’t move.

  The remaining thugs struggled to rise, groaning. The sword in the woman’s hand gleamed under the dim alley light.

  And Luke realized, with perfect, terrifying clarity—

  They weren’t dealing with normal people anymore.

  The men groaned as they backed away, clutching their injuries. One of them spat blood onto the pavement. Their confidence had evaporated.

  The woman, however, wasn’t rattled.

  She stepped forward, her grip tightening around the gleaming blade. She leveled it at Dawn, her expression unreadable.

  “Surrender now,” she said, her voice cool and controlled. “Come with us willingly, and we’ll train you. Teach you. Even protect you.” Her gaze flicked over the beaten men behind her. “Keep fighting, though? And we’ll drain you for everything you’re worth.”

  A thick silence followed.

  Chris pushed himself up with a groan, swaying slightly before shifting toward Dawn and Luke. He stood beside them, his posture tense, his fists clenched.

  And then, in perfect unison, all three spoke.

  “Drain?”

  “Drain her?”

  Dawn’s stomach twisted. “Vampires?”

  “That’s weird slang for harvesting organs,” Chris muttered.

  Luke, however, wasn’t thinking about blood. He wasn’t even thinking about the woman’s words. He was too busy piecing together something else.

  The weird glow. The weak points. The way Dawn moved in perfect sync with what he saw.

  It wasn’t just adrenaline. It wasn’t just instinct.

  Dawn had some kind of power.

  And he could see it.

  His mouth went dry.

  The woman had a sword. A real sword. Maybe, if Dawn had a weapon, she could hold her own. But Luke wasn’t sure they stood a chance—even together—against someone armed.

  Chris took an uneasy step back. “Sooo, do we… run?”

  Dawn didn’t move. “No.”

  Luke swallowed hard. “Dawn—”

  “And they’re not taking me anywhere either.”

  The woman tilted her head slightly, as if considering her. “Shame.”

  She lunged.

  Dawn barely dodged.

  The blade sliced through the air, missing her shoulder by inches.

  Dawn ducked another swing, darting back. “A little help, Luke?”

  Luke’s mind raced. He needed a weapon. A plan. Anything.

  His eyes flickered to the fallen thugs. Their weapons were wooden, useless. The woman’s sword shimmered with a faint blue glow.

  Not just a sword. A magic sword.

  Luke clenched his teeth. They had to try.

  No matter what being drained meant—no matter who was right—it couldn’t be pleasant.

  And he wasn’t about to let it happen.

  “Chris, run!” Luke shouted.

  Chris didn’t need to be told twice. He turned and sprinted toward the alley’s exit—only to skid to a stop as another figure stepped into his path.

  The gladiator.

  Still in full costume, still armed—this time with a new wooden two-handed sword.

  Chris didn’t hesitate. He lunged forward, ramming his shoulder into the same bruised ribs Dawn had battered earlier. The man wheezed, his grip on the sword faltering. It clattered to the ground.

  Chris reached for it, but movement caught his eye. Three more thugs were pushing into the alley from the other side.

  No way out.

  Without missing a beat, Chris snatched up the sword and hurled it toward Dawn.

  “Catch!”

  Then, stepping quickly to Luke’s side, he braced himself for the fight ahead.

  Dawn twisted mid-step, reaching out and grabbing the hilt just as the magic blade came down toward her.

  The wooden sword splintered on impact.

  Luke’s stomach twisted. Chris couldn’t leave. They were trapped.

  More movement.

  Three more thugs rounded the corner from the far end at full sprint.

  This whole place was a den of thieves and crooks.

  Luke’s mind raced. Why would a school bring kids here? Let them roam around?

  They had beaten a cheat and humiliated a bully. And now? They were fighting for their lives.

  Dawn held her ground, but it was clear the fight wasn’t going in her favor.

  Her wooden sword was one-third its original length.

  Chris and Luke were backed against a wall.

  The only weak spot Luke could see on the woman was out of Dawn’s reach.

  And he was unarmed.

  Chris was unarmed.

  They were out of options.

  Then, suddenly—

  A shadow dropped from the rooftop above.

  Luke barely had time to register the figure before he landed.

  A tall man.

  No—a giant.

  He hit the ground without a sound, standing tall with a cane in his grip.

  But as he moved, the cane shifted.

  In one fluid motion, it extended—twisting, shifting, growing.

  By the time the woman realized what was happening, the cane had become a sword.

  A broad sword.

  Perhaps the biggest Dawn had ever seen.

  And before she—or anyone—could react, the man whipped it through the air like lightning.

  The woman staggered back.

  The thugs froze.

  They knew their boss was different.

  They had seen her weapon change.

  But this new stranger?

  They had no idea what he was.

  Luke’s mind reeled.

  None of this made sense.

  What the hell kind of technology was this?

  Weapons had come a long way since gunpowder, sure.

  Rail-guns, magnetized projectiles—those existed.

  But this?

  This was something else entirely.

  Luke tried to rationalize.

  Maybe it was nanotechnology.

  Maybe it was hardened light—some kind of projected force-field.

  That would explain why both weapons had changed forms.

  But even as the idea formed, he dismissed it.

  It’s impossible.

  Impractical.

  Fantasy.

  The woman lunged.

  The man met her head-on.

  Their weapons clashed, ringing through the alley like a bell.

  Dawn watched, stunned.

  The strength behind the man’s swings was unreal.

  The woman faltered.

  She wasn’t used to being overpowered.

  And then—in a single decisive strike—

  She was disarmed.

  Her blade flew through the air.

  It spun—once, twice—before landing dangerously close to Dawn.

  Without thinking, Dawn caught it.

  The thugs saw the fight turn against them.

  They didn’t hesitate.

  As soon as their leader lost her weapon, they ran.

  Even the woman, now weaponless and outmatched, took a few steps back—then turned and fled down the alley.

  Dawn’s fingers tightened around the hilt.

  And in that moment—

  The sword shifted.

  It wasn’t a sword anymore.

  It had become a spear.

  A golden spear, shimmering like the sun itself.

  Luke, Dawn, and Chris barely had time to process before the stranger finally turned to them.

  For the first time, they saw his face.

  He was familiar.

  Luke’s brain struggled to place him.

  But before he could ask anything, the man stepped forward.

  He grabbed Dawn’s wrist, lifting her hand so she could see the weapon up close.

  Then, just as quickly, the spear shrunk.

  The glow vanished.

  The weapon was gone.

  In its place was a hairpin.

  Seven inches long shaped like a spear still with silver wings curled around the base.

  It looked so innocent.

  So… ordinary.

  The man’s voice was calm, but firm.

  “Keep it.”

  Dawn stared at him. “What is it?”

  The man didn’t answer.

  Instead, he gestured toward the exit of the alley.

  “Go back to your hotel. Now. Lock the door. Don’t leave again until your flight tomorrow.”

  Dawn opened her mouth to protest, but the man cut her off.

  “I know you have questions.” He turned to Luke and Chris. “Follow her. Listen to her.”

  Then—finally—he met Dawn’s gaze.

  “You turn eighteen tomorrow.”

  Dawn stiffened.

  The man’s expression didn’t change.

  “Your father left you and your brother a gift. I was told to remind you—when you return home, you and your brother should open them.”

  Dawn took a step forward, her voice sharper now. “How do you know our father left us something? And what is it?”

  She knew they had inheritance gifts.

  She also knew they were meant to wait until they were eighteen.

  The fact that this stranger knew about them—and was telling them to open them even Luke before Luke’s eighteenth birthday—

  It was shocking.

  The man exhaled, turning back toward the alley’s exit.

  “Your uncle told me to tell you.” His voice was steady. “And if he says it’s time, then it’s time.”

  Luke and Dawn exchanged a glance.

  They only had one uncle.

  Not by blood—but in every other way that mattered.

  If he was breaking their father’s rule—

  Then something big was happening.

  The man adjusted his coat, and without another word, he disappeared down the alleyway.

  As he disappeared, he diminished to a more normal size, and his sword transformed back into a cane.

  Leaving them standing there—stunned, breathless, and filled with more questions than ever

  The walk back to the hotel was silent.

  Not the kind of comfortable silence that came with exhaustion, but the heavy, suffocating kind.

  The kind that pressed down on their shoulders, settling deep in their bones.

  Dawn led the way, shoulders squared, jaw tight.

  Luke followed just behind her, his mind still racing, spiraling. He felt like he was missing something—some key piece of information that should make all of this make sense.

  Chris trailed at the back, still rubbing his ribs. He had insisted he was fine, but Luke had caught the way he winced every time he breathed too deep.

  None of them spoke.

  Not even Dawn.

  And that was what scared Luke the most.

  Dawn never let things linger. She was either mad enough to punch something or calm enough to crack a joke.

  But this?

  This silence was something else entirely.

  It wasn’t until they reached the hotel lobby that she finally broke.

  “I’m taking a shower,” she muttered.

  She didn’t wait for an answer—just shoved open the door to their room, grabbed a change of clothes, and disappeared into the bathroom.

  Chris flopped onto the bed, groaning.

  “Dude.” He let out a slow exhale. “That was the single worst vacation experience of my life.”

  Luke snorted. “That’s because you keep trying to one-up your worst vacation experiences.”

  Chris cracked one eye open. “Hey, that’s called growth.”

  Luke rolled his eyes but didn’t argue.

  He was too tired to argue.

  Too tired to think.

  Too tired to do anything except collapse onto the bed and stare at the ceiling.

  His head was pounding.

  Not just from the fight, but from everything.

  The woman.

  The weapons.

  The strange man who knew about their father’s gift.

  And then there was Dawn.

  Luke had seen something during her fight.

  Something that shouldn’t have been possible.

  And for the first time, he had no logical explanation.

  His thoughts spiraled, looping over themselves like a glitching record.

  At some point, he must have dozed off.

  Because when he opened his eyes again, it was to the sound of Dawn kicking his bed.

  “Wake up, dumbass.”

  Luke groaned, rolling over. “What time is it?”

  “Eleven.”

  Luke shot up. “AM?!”

  Dawn snorted. “No, PM. We slept for a whole day and the hotel just let us stay for free.”

  Luke swung his legs over the side of the bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “Why didn’t you wake me up sooner?”

  “Because I was asleep, too.”

  Chris groaned from the other bed. “Guys, why do we do this to ourselves?”

  Dawn grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulder. “Because we’re—” she shot them both a look and corrected herself—“You two are idiots

  Luke glanced at the clock.

  One hour until checkout.

  Seven hours until their flight.

  A long-ass flight.

  With nothing to do except sit in a cramped seat and think.

  Dawn sighed, dragging a hand through her hair.

  “Well,” she muttered. “Guess we better get moving.”

  Luke took one last look at the hotel room.

  The bed.

  The desk.

  The spot on the floor where they had collapsed, exhausted, confused, and more lost than ever.

  He had a feeling that by the time they got home, things would only get stranger.