This morning could not have gone worse. Dana Pochner didn't wake up on time, and her unruly hair refused to cooperate, so she stuffed it beneath a beanie. Her car wouldn’t start, forcing her to jump it, and to top it all off, she hit every red light on her way to Walmart. To say the day was off to a bad start would be an understatement, and she was not impressed. After finally parking her car, she walked briskly toward the building. She had been working here for a few months now—a summer job she picked up after graduating high school in May.

“Hey, Dana!” a voice called out behind her. Turning around, she saw Aaron jogging to catch up. “Running late, are we? If I’m not mistaken, your shift started two hours ago,” he teased with a smirk.

Aaron was... complicated. On one hand, she was interested in him. On the other, he was utterly helpless. Sure, he was great at flirting, but for anything else, he always needed someone to hold his hand. Dana might have given him a chance if he asked, but for now, their dynamic remained light and flirtatious.

“I don’t mean to point this out, but aren’t you also two hours late?” Dana shot back with a smirk of her own.

“You got me there! I’ve been sitting in my car for the past fifteen minutes, trying to convince myself to come in,” Aaron admitted with a grin.

They continued walking together, trading playful banter. It was already one in the afternoon, and the sun was blazing overhead. As they passed clusters of customers, Dana's vision suddenly began to blur, and she felt her balance slipping.

Aaron reached out to steady her, but before she knew it, the ground seemed to vanish from beneath her feet. Everything went black.

———————————————-

Dana sat up, opening her eyes and using her hands to lift herself off the cold ground. Darkness surrounded her. As the fierce buzzing in her ears faded, she began to hear strange, almost liquid sounds—like bubbles popping, with varying volume. The sounds grew louder as she managed to tune out the lingering buzz.

A faint light began to emanate from the surface beneath her hands and feet. As her eyes adjusted, she realized she was in a spherical room. The walls seemed to be made of a pale metal, reminiscent of steel or titanium. The space extended about twice her height—roughly 3.5 meters, considering Dana stood at 178 centimeters. Directly in front of her was a large mirror, taking up nearly a quarter of the wall’s surface. It was the only flat, straight part of the otherwise curved room.

The mirror displayed a clear, detailed reflection of her. The light from the ground illuminated her features, and she noticed that her hair was much longer than it had been this morning, now perfectly groomed. Her brown hair was parted in the middle and hung in soft, shoulder-length curls. It looked as if each strand had been meticulously cared for—a level of grooming she'd never managed. The beachy, tousled waves gave her the appearance of a surfer, though her pale skin would never survive under the sun’s harsh rays. She was of a slim build with little muscle definition, her fair complexion reflecting the light. The sun had never been a friend to her; years of sunburns had left her with a deep disdain for its scorching rays.

She slowly got to her feet, finding it difficult to stand properly due to the curved floor. No position seemed comfortable. She tried a small jump, but something felt off—her limbs moved differently, and even the sound of her landing seemed strange, though her foggy mind couldn’t pinpoint exactly why.

“Maybe I’m dreaming?” she thought. “I fell, hit my head, and now I’m lying in a hospital somewhere, waiting for either a miraculous recovery or for someone to pull the plug.” After pinching herself, she winced. “Well probably not a dream.”

She started rummaging through her pockets, but her phone and wallet were missing. A sinking feeling settled in when she realized that the clothes on her body weren’t hers either.

Her new attire was an odd mix of medical scrubs and biker gang gear—something she jokingly dubbed “Hospital-Biker-Core.” “I’m definitely trademarking that,” she muttered to herself. Her baggy shirt and pants were a dark brown, with a fabric texture similar to scrubs. The shirt featured a wide, open collar that revealed a long necklace with a golden skull pendant. The sleeves hugged her arms tightly, and her wrists were adorned with leather bracers, each studded with steel spikes. The left bracer had a small screen embedded in it. After a few sporadic but well-meaning taps, she found it unresponsive.

“What did I expect? Motorcycle-loving doctors kidnap me, and they give me a broken gadget?” she quipped to the empty room.

Just as she was fiddling with the bracer, the bubbling sound abruptly stopped. Soft beeps echoed, and the mirror’s edges began to glow with an orange light.

“Sorry about that; sometimes I forget to activate the universal translator,” a soft, feminine voice stated. “I’ve been listening to you for some time, and I can assure you, I’m neither a doctor nor a biker. You may call me Counselor. According to our records, you are Form 154^614th power. Is this what you would like to be called, or do you have a preferred name?”

Great, just great, Dana thought. First, she woke up late, had car trouble, embarrassed herself in front of Aaron, and now, after passing out in public, she was abducted by some shady organization. The day was officially a disaster. Probably not the worst day of her life—high school graduation held that title. “How was I supposed to know fireworks could start fires?” she mused, momentarily forgetting that the voice had asked her a question.

“Did I do something wrong? Aren’t there, like, Miranda rights or something you’re supposed to read before asking questions?” Dana shot back. “Also, did you change me out of my clothes? Pretty sure that’s harassment—or worse.”

“I’m not sure you understood my question,” the voice replied, unfazed. “Shall we refer to you by your assigned number, or do you have another name you’d prefer?”

“What’s this room made of, and why can’t I see you? Are you in the mirror?” Dana shot back, avoiding the question. “Oh, and no, the Walmart employee force isn’t exactly the world’s strongest army. We’ve got numbers, sure, but we’re armed with groceries.” She paused, then added, “Just call me Dana. Now that I’ve answered your question, how about answering some of mine?”

“Apologies, Dana. I’m not authorized to provide answers,” the voice responded with a hint of cheerfulness. “We have a lot to cover, and I’m sure you’re just as excited to begin as we are.”

Stolen novel; please report.

“Excited? Kidnapping is illegal, you know. Unless you’re not with the government?” Dana asked sarcastically. “Are you a gang? The mafia? Mormons?”

A burst of static filled the room before another voice—a gruff, masculine one—cut in. “Testing, testing... okay, it should be working now. Sorry, the system needed an update.”

The mirror lit up, displaying an infographic. It showed five sections, each numbered. The first panel depicted a small figure approaching a large door. In the second, the figure met with two others. The third showed all three wielding swords against a pig-like creature. At this point, the infographic split into two paths. One led to a scene of the trio celebrating in front of a treasure chest, while the other showed them roasting over a fire while the pig smiled triumphantly.

“What the hell...” Dana began, but was interrupted.

“Ahem.” The feminine voice cleared her throat, this time sounding more weary. “I apologize for the confusion. We’ve been testing a new system to run the Power Trials, and it’s been... temperamental. But congratulations! You’ve been selected to participate in this season’s Power Trials!”

As the voice announced “trials,” colorful arcs of electricity shot out, swirling around the room in vibrant shades of gold, blue, orange, and pink. The lights seemed to dance with excitement before converging on her wrist bracer. As they were absorbed, Dana’s body was engulfed in a searing orange glow that intensified until it felt like her entire being was on fire.

Standing there, Dana’s jaw hung open as she tried to process what had just happened. Right as she was about to unleash a verbal assault on the Counselor, a tingling sensation pricked her wrist. That tingle quickly turned into a searing burn as orange light began to creep up her arm, emanating from her bracer. The glow traveled through her entire body, enveloping her in an intense heat that she couldn’t escape. Her skin grew so bright that the room seemed to radiate like the sun. The light became too blinding for her eyes to bear, and soon, the world around her felt like it was collapsing inwards—crushing her from all sides. Simultaneously, the fire inside her seemed to roast every muscle. It felt like an eternity, but then, suddenly, the pain stopped.

Panting, gasping, and crying, Dana collapsed into the fetal position as phantom pains rippled through her limbs.

She barely had time to process what she was certain was the worst pain she had ever endured when the tingling sensation returned to her wrist. Her body tensed, bracing for another onslaught. But this time, a cold wave cascaded from within, radiating outward from the bracer, touching every corner of her being.

Images flooded her mind—memories long archived. She saw her grandmother holding her after she’d fallen down the stairs, drenched from a spilled cup of water she’d tried to carry. Another memory surfaced: her parents taking her to what she thought was a store, only to surprise her with a trip to a farmer’s market and an outdoor movie. She remembered picking up a handmade journal that she’d treasured ever since. Then, a flashback to elementary school—sitting in the principal’s office after she punched a boy who had been forcing kisses on the other girls. She’d been punished for "violence" while the boy returned to class. Her mom had taken her out for ice cream afterward. The cold sensation consumed her as memories continued to surge, each one sharp and vivid. Then, like the burning pain before, the cold vanished, leaving only phantom chills lingering in its wake.

Before she could fully recover, the tingling hit her wrist once more. This time, a pink light surged through her veins, enveloping her body. She screamed but was shocked to find that, unlike the previous sensations, this one was peaceful. The agony and cold faded from her mind, replaced with a comforting warmth. As she looked down at her hands, she noticed old scars from her childhood slowly fading away. The pink glow suffused her with an overwhelming sense of calm. It lasted for what felt like hours, though she had no way to measure the passage of time.

As the warmth continued to flow over her, a deep tranquility settled within her. Everything felt... okay. The pink light painted her skin in soft, pastel hues. But, like the others, the sensation vanished in an instant, leaving her with a strange, lingering wellness—so profound that she felt certain everything would be alright.

Seconds ticked by. The mirror remained silent, displaying only the strange infographic. Dana vaguely remembered another color appearing on her wrist, though she wasn’t sure. Before she could fully comprehend it, a light tickle began to spread beneath the bracer.

This sensation was entirely different. The fierce gold light traced its way up her arm, filling her with an unshakable sense of confidence. She felt her entire body respond, each cell pulsing with newfound strength. It was as if she could overcome anything, the fear of losing control slipping away. Golden veins glowed beneath her skin like the roots of a tree, while the orange, blue, and pink lights danced across her body. The fiery sensation returned, merging with the freezing cold, and then the pink warmth, until only the golden veins remained, pulsing in the darkness.

She was still on the ground, weakened from the ordeal, but this time, it felt different. Each wave of power had left her more drained yet more alive, demanding her to push beyond her limits.

Unlike the previous lights, the golden glow faded slowly, as if retreating deep within her. The sensation left behind a promise of hidden power, now locked away. Everything she had just experienced was bizarre, disorienting, and beyond her comprehension. Dana sat on the cold metal floor, her eyes squeezed shut, her mind racing. She had no idea where she was or what was happening to her. Forcing herself to focus on her breathing, she managed to calm her heart rate. Years of battling anxiety had prepared her somewhat, though this was unlike anything she’d ever faced. She realized, with a jolt, that her anxiety meds were missing—along with everything else in her pockets. The panic flared briefly, but she shoved it down. She could process her fear later. Right now, she needed to focus on escaping.

Her mind whirled with theories. The voice behind the mirror had been silent throughout the entire ordeal. Dana had never been much of a conspiracy theorist, but this situation was making her rethink that stance. Aliens? Secret government experiments? She didn’t know, but she was certain she didn’t like it. Despite what people thought, she genuinely enjoyed her life. She had just graduated high school and was planning to attend trade school in the fall to become a pharmacy tech—something practical that would pay the bills and leave her time for her hobbies. Dying in some shadowy facility was not part of her plan.

Dana slowly pulled herself to her feet. She scanned the walls, searching for any means of escape, each step awkward on the curved floor. Her eyes returned to the mirror, and she froze. The person staring back wasn’t entirely her. As she moved closer to the reflection, she noticed that her eyes—once hazel—had turned into glowing pools of orange. Hesitantly, she reached up, feeling around her eyes. Before she could stop herself, she poked her iris. It still hurt. At least that hadn’t changed.

She inspected her reflection further. Everything else seemed the same—well, except for the strange “Hospital-Biker-Core” outfit. “Oh yeah, that’s definitely going to catch on,” she muttered to herself.

She pressed her hands against the mirror, testing its surface. The moment her fist made contact, a beam of blue light shot out, pulsing along the edges of the glass. Her hand went numb where it had touched. “Note to self, the mirror is not a friend,” she thought.

“Hello! What was that?!” Dana shouted, her voice wavering between fear and anger. “You owe me an explanation! What did you do to me? Why are my eyes like this, and what’s going on?” She tried to sound commanding, though the adrenaline coursing through her made it hard to mask her terror. “Am I supposed to know what the Power Trials are?”

A few more moments of silence passed, then three soft beeps echoed in the chamber. “Congratulations again on your acceptance into the Power Trials. You will be introduced to your bonded unit and then meet your companions. Best of luck, Dana.”

The room went dark, leaving Dana alone with her thoughts—and the overwhelming sense that safety was far beyond her reach.

Out of the silence, a cheerful voice suddenly chimed in Dana’s mind: “Hi! I am Aeva! Your freshly installed, permanent companion!”