Twilit Mage

Chapter 1: Breaking Down the News

"Breaking news: An explosion seems to have occurred at the main terminal of Dulles International Airport. Witnesses reported a loud bang and shattering noises at 6:37 am this morning; details about possible injuries or casualties are scarce. The terminal was extremely crowded this morning as many flights were canceled due to a storm warning; rescue forces are fearing the worst. A possible connection to the recent series of explosions in the D.C. area is currently being investigated."

Regina Day turned the radio off. Sighing with exasperation and deep-rooted concern, she closed her eyes and went back to the fridge to fetch a fresh bottle of milk, placing it on the table next to the breakfast cereal. "Not again," she sighed. "I just recovered from the last time the press tried to frame them as terrorist attacks."

"Frame them?" Gabriel Day looked up from his bowl of cereal to raise a curious eyebrow at his wife. "What do you think they are, Regina?"

"Gabe, we talked about this. I'm pretty sure these are no ordinary explosions." Regina sighed again as images flickered through her mind. "I've seen the injuries. No burns, no traces of any chemicals, nothing. It's as if air suddenly expanded for no reason. It doesn't just do that." Her expression softened. "Well, at least it's a little way off this time. I still remember the time they took all the injured people to our hospital, it was pandemonium. I almost thought I'd have to use necromancy on some of them."

Gabriel frowned deeply. "That's forbidden."

"It was an eight-year-old girl! Would you have let her die?" Regina sat down and stuffed a large spoonful of cereal and milk into her mouth. "I mean, I didn't do it," she continued as Gabriel gave her a disbelieving look, "but, you know, if I had to..."

"That's a felony."

"I already committed a felony by marrying you. I'm not scared." Regina laughed. "I mean, we're basically outlaws already, so what's the worst that could happen? It's not like they'd catch me, anyway."

Gabriel sighed and gave a resigned, affectionate smile. "You're too reckless."

"Says the one who almost got himself killed for a total stranger."

"That was one time!"

They both snorted and continued eating. It wasn't until they were almost finished that Regina's gaze fell upon her daughter, Mercury, who had barely touched her food, staring absentmindedly into the distance. Behind her orange lights and shadows flickered over the wall as if cast by a fire, but there was nothing burning. She didn't seem to notice.

"What's wrong, Mercury?" Regina asked. "Are you okay?"

"Huh? O-Oh, um..." Mercury jolted as if startled out of a trance, blinking and blushing with embarrassment. The lights and shadows disappeared. "No, I'm just worried. I mean...an explosion...and no details...I just hope it's nothing serious this time..."

Gabriel cracked a knowing smirk. "You weren't imagining anything scary again, were you?"

Mercury blushed again and fervently shook her head. "No!" she lied. "N-No, I wasn't imagining anything this time, really!"

Her parents exchanged a knowing look. Gabriel grinned. "Really?"

"Yeah, really! I'm not always imagining stuff, you know?" Mercury laughed nervously.

"We know, we know. You don't have an overactive imagination at all." Regina smiled kindly and ruffled her hair. "Now eat your breakfast, okay? It's almost time to leave."

No matter who you asked, anyone who knew them would tell you that Gabriel and Regina Day were perfectly normal, kind-hearted, polite people. They lived in a small house in the suburbs, surrounded by a garden that wasn't too neat but beautiful in its own way, with crooked trees and brightly-colored flowers wherever you looked. Nobody was too sure what Mr. and Mrs. Day had been doing or where they had lived before moving here, and nobody asked; they'd been young, and most people simply assumed that they had gone to college.