News Reports

News Reports
Maya's POV

Power exploded from my hands like lightning.

The blue energy shot toward the window where all those people were trapped in Pioneer Courthouse Square. I could see the other version of Damien falling under the shadow wolves' attack. I had to save him. I had to save them all.

But the moment my magic touched the glass, everything changed.

Instead of breaking through to help the people outside, my power bounced back like it hit a mirror. The blue light scattered around the diner in a thousand sparkling pieces, and suddenly I could see the truth.

The windows weren't showing the real outside world. They were showing a giant TV screen.

"No way," I whispered, stumbling backward.

The End of Stories started laughing. Not the scary, evil laugh I expected, but the kind of laugh you hear when someone pulls off a really good trick.

"Congratulations, Maya," it said, and suddenly its voice didn't sound like the death of suns anymore. It sounded like... a regular person. "You just passed the first part of your test."

The creature's scary shadow form melted away like ice cream in the sun. What stood in front of us now was a woman who looked about Professor Martinez's age, wearing jeans and a t-shirt that said "World's Best Magic Teacher."

"Wait, what?" I said, my brain feeling like it was full of cotton balls.

Damien raised his sword, still ready to fight. "Another trick. Another lie."

"Actually," the woman said with a smile, "this time I'm telling the truth. My name is Sarah Chen. I'm Maya's great-aunt, and I've been testing you both."

I felt like the floor had disappeared under my feet. "You're... you're family?"

"Your grandmother's sister," Sarah confirmed. "The one who was supposed to train you in magic, but I've been stuck in the space between dimensions for the last twenty years. I finally managed to break through tonight because your power is getting so strong."

Professor Martinez was flipping through her grandmother's journal so fast the pages were making a whirring sound. "Here," she said, pointing to a page. "Sarah Chen. Elena's notes say she disappeared during a magical experiment in 2004."

"Not disappeared," Sarah corrected. "Trapped. But that's a story for later. Right now, we have a bigger problem."

She waved her hand, and the fake windows showing the TV screen dissolved. Through the real windows of the diner, I could see the actual Portland street outside. Everything looked normal. No shadow creatures. No screaming people.

"If all that was fake," I said slowly, "then what's the real problem?"

Sarah's smile disappeared. "Maya, when you used your power just now, you created the biggest crack in reality that's ever been recorded. And something much worse than shadow wolves just noticed."

As if her words were magic themselves, every TV in the diner suddenly flickered on. The news was playing on all of them.

"This is Channel 8 News with a breaking report," the newswoman said. "Officials are calling tonight's explosion in downtown Portland a gas leak, but witnesses report seeing strange lights and hearing inhuman screams."

The camera switched to shaky phone video that someone had taken. I could see the diner we were sitting in, but on the video it looked like it was made of pure light. Shadow creatures were pouring out of it like smoke.

"That actually happened," I realized with horror. "People saw the monsters."

"The magical world and the normal world aren't supposed to touch each other," Sarah explained. "There are rules. Barriers. But Maya, your power is so strong that you're accidentally breaking those barriers."

More news reports were playing on the other TVs. A reporter in Seattle was talking about "unusual animal attacks." Another one in San Francisco was showing footage of a building that had somehow turned into a medieval castle for three hours before changing back.

"It's happening everywhere," Professor Martinez said in a whisper. "All up and down the West Coast."

"Every time Maya uses her magic," Sarah continued, "she sends ripples through reality. Those ripples are letting magical creatures slip into the normal world. And now the normal world is starting to notice."

I sank into a chair, feeling sick. "So everyone who gets hurt by those creatures... it's my fault."

"No," Damien said firmly, sitting down next to me. "It's not your fault for having power. It's the fault of whoever is using your power against you."

Sarah nodded. "Damien's right. Someone has been deliberately making you use your magic in ways that would cause the most damage. Someone who wants the barriers between worlds to break down completely."

"Marcus," I said.

"No, not Marcus. Someone much cleverer. Someone who's been planning this for a very long time."

The news reports were getting worse. Now they were showing footage from other cities. Phoenix had reported a "freak sandstorm that moved like it was alive." Denver had experienced "unexplained blizzards in specific neighborhoods." Miami had seen "unusual tidal waves that only affected certain streets."

"It's like someone is testing magic in different places," Professor Martinez observed.

"They are," Sarah said grimly. "And Maya, I'm afraid you're not the only Chen witch they're testing."

My blood went cold. "What do you mean?"

"Your power awakened because you have Chen blood, right? Well, there are other Chen descendants scattered around the world. And based on these news reports, their powers are awakening too."

Sarah pointed to the TV showing Miami. "That's probably your cousin David. He always had a connection to water magic." She pointed to the Denver footage. "And that looks like your great-cousin Isabella's ice powers."

"How many of us are there?" I asked.

"Dozens. Maybe hundreds. The Chen family tree is very big, Maya. And if someone is awakening all of your magical abilities at the same time..."

She didn't need to finish. I could figure out the rest.

"They're building an army," I said.

"Worse. They're building a weapon. Maya, when Chen witches work together, our power doesn't just add up. It multiplies. Two Chen witches together are ten times stronger than one alone. Three together are a hundred times stronger."

The room was so quiet I could hear my heartbeat.

"If someone gathered all the Chen descendants and forced us to work together," I whispered, "they could rewrite reality itself."

"Now you're starting to understand the real game," Sarah said.

That's when my phone rang.

I looked at the screen and my heart stopped. The caller ID said "Maya Chen" - but I was Maya Chen. I was getting a call from myself.

"Answer it," Sarah said urgently. "But Maya, be very careful what you say. I don't think that's you from a different timeline."

My hand was shaking as I pressed the answer button.

"Hello, Maya," said my own voice from the phone. "I think it's time we met in person, don't you?"