Shadow, an Agent of Order, Book 1, The beginning.

It's a bright, beautiful day in San Francisco, as usual, and 16 year old Jade Chan was skipping down the sidewalk happily, as she just "killed it" on a tough exam. Yet walking down the street with her friend Drew, she is bored to death. Little does she know, today is the day her life will become a lot more "interesting".

Jade: "Wow, am I ever glad that's over" I think. "What a day, huh Drew?" I ask him, elbowing him gently in the stomach. "Eh, it wasn't that bad" Drew replies with a sly smile on that face of his, as we hit the crosswalk, and it goes red. "Not that bad?! I was sweating bullets during that whole exam, god do I ever Hate math" I state with sigh.

"Good thing I'm a genius then, without me you might not have passed" Drew replies, still grinning.

"And to think, we used to be the worst, Drew always Jealous of... Something, I was never sure what, and I was a brat too. But then that day 2 years ago when Drew got ganged up on by those jerks. I may have hated him at that time, but I wasn't going to let someone be manhandled 6-1. I kicked all their buts, it wasn't even a challenge. We came to an understanding that day, I watch his back, and helps me in the places where I lack... Not a bad deal, and he maybe annoying at times, he's one of the few people I actually get along with at school" I think.

"Aw shut up, sometimes I swear that ball cap of yours is too small to fit that giant head of yours" I say as I pull down the cap in front of his face. "And it's a damn good thing too because I suck at School... I'm and athlete and Martial artist, and am obsessed with magic, I'm not a Math wiz damnit!" I think to myself, annoyed. The light hits green, and we start walking again.

"Says the "Best martial artist on the west coast, wait no, the ENTIRE WORLD!" Drew mocks, arms wide to emphasise his point. I laugh "Well its true isn't it? In all my matches so far, what's my record again?" I say with a smile.

"10 matches, 0 losses" Drew replies. I cross my arms in satisfaction "Exactly". "Hey, even "The best" have to lose sometime, that Anita Fite (1) is the reigning National champ in the Female Lightweight class two years running! I know you qualified, but you're just a newbie… and you have at least 10 fighters from all over the country between you and her, and she has destroyed every challenger that has ever faced her… you maybe out of you depth on this one Jade!" Drew says.

"Typical Doubting Drew again, always unbelieving, and me, always proving you wrong, though it's still annoying as hell, but the pouty face you make everytime is worth it" I think, with a slight smirk.

I wave my hand dismissively. "The other fighters don't mean anything, they're practice for the main event" I state matter of factly, Drew rolls his eyes, and Ignore it, as usual, and just keep talking. "As for Ms Anita Fite... Her days as national champ are over, that belt is mine, she just doesn't know it" I say with a huge grin.

"And that championship belt will look pretty damn good on my resume when I sign up for Section 13… just 2 more years" I think to myself happily. "But what to do with for the next 2 years? After Fite, maybe the International stage? That would be even better. I'd love to learn magic, but Tohru can't teach me anything, too busy running errands for uncle, and Uncle refuses too, even though I positively love it. Uncle keeps him busy so he can't... what is Uncle so afraid of, that I'll be better than him?" I Think, going through my typical infuriating gauntlet of thought I go through every day.

"Whatever you say" Drew states with a laugh. Suddenly, I see something flying, no two things flying, and then BAM! Gold and Brackish energy hammers down on the right, and The bus stop right beside us explodes in a shatter of glass and reddish black light.

Two figures zoom past, one a brackish streak weaving between buildings, dark blasts flying all over the place, blowing things all around apart. The other is gold, and seems to be actually trying to hit the black, just barely missing each time.

"I Don't know who, or even what the black is, but the gold, there's no chance that ain't Dr. Fate, this cannot be good" I think in alarm. "Drew, you have to get out of here! It's not safe!" I scream to him. "Okay… WAIT… what are you doing?!" he yells.

"There will be people that need help, and they won't be able to wait at this rate, I'll find you later!" I yell as I run towards the battle between the clashing powers. "I must be crazy…" I think to myself as another building is blasted, but this time it goes up in flames. And it's an apartment complex!

I can hear people screaming on the inside, most come running out… but I can hear a woman screaming… and a baby crying as well. "Oh crap… there's no way Fire and rescue will come near this place as long as Dr. Dumbass and who or what he's fighting are clashing overhead! Why can't these superpowered morons find a nice quiet meadow to fight?!" I think, a little angry.

"Screw it, if no else is coming, then it's up to me!" I run in, the smoke is blinding, so I have to crawl… "okay, just "cough" smoke down here… the fire is obviously coming from "kaff" higher up... not good, as there's only the above floor!" I see the stairway, and I get up and run for it through the smoke.

I dry heave and cough up smoke as my eyes water "Not "Cough" "Cough" "GASP!" smart…" I say to no one as I walk up the staircase, and get to the second floor… there's fire everywhere! So hot… I could pass out. "Hello? IS ANYONE HERE?!" I scream. "Over here! We're trapped, please… HELP US!" a woman cries desperately.

I run again, and see why they couldn't get out… the ceiling partially caved in, and there's a flaming beam wedged against the door. "Don't worry ma'am! We'll get out of this together, but I need your help".

"What? Why?" She asks. "Because there's a humongous beam wedged against your door! I can lift it, but once you do, I need you to start pushing as hard as you can to force it out of the way, Can you do that?"

"Sure, whenever you're ready" is her reply. I grip the flaming beam, and nearly scream at the agony of it. "Ignore the damn pain! If you run, this woman and her child dies, so start lifting you big wimp!" I scream at myself in thought. I do so with a scream and a whimper at the pain.

"PUSH, PUSH NOW! I CANT HOLD THIS THING FOR LONG!" I scream at the top of my lungs. The door caves in with shocking ease, and I drop the beam, my hands seared. The woman, a blonde with blue eyes, clutching her child close to her chest. "Thank you" she says. "Don't thank me yet, we have to-"CRRRREAAAKKK-Crrackkkkk! "Bad Day" is all I can say. "RUUUN!" I scream as the floor under me gives way. "AAAAAAAHHHH!" I fall, then black…

"Hey… Hey, WAKE UP!" "Wh-whut?" I ask dazed… my vision clears. It's the woman, and her baby, she clutches my hand, pulls me up, and starts running, dragging me with her as I start to run. "The whole building is caving in!" She yells. I let go of her hand and I sprint as well… we make it out just as the whole building crumples in on itself.

I can finally take a breath, and it feels like I just coughed up a bunch of dust… my hands burn, and my ribcage is killing me, and there's blood dripping from my fore head. "Now what is it Uncle Jackie is always saying about reckless behavior?" My own brain is mocking me… great.

Suddenly, the Woman put her hand on my shoulder "Are you okay?"

I rise and straighten myself, blowing a tuft of blood- and other stuff covered hair out of my face, wipe the blood from my mouth, and smile. "I'm okay… but I think I'll be in a hospital bed sooner rather than later" I reply jokingly.

"Thank you… without your help, we wouldn't be alive, so thank you" she says with a warm smile. I smile back "totally worth it" I think to myself proudly.

And then Dr Fate crashes to the ground in front of us…. The woman runs off in terror… and I stand there like a moron, stunned. A boy in a fancy suit with a cat around his shoulders levitates down to me and the fallen Fate, slowly clapping as Fate slowly rises.

"Bravo, that was quite a wonderful performance from you girlie" hey says with a nasty smile. "You're quite the bold one, too bad I can't have anymore wannabe heroes running around… the current ones are annoying as it is, shame, you'd be fun to play with".

I can't help myself as can an feel my blood boil. "You wanna play kid?! Then try me! Hit me with your best shot! I can take Anything you can throw!" I state angrily, dropping into my combat stance, despite the pain.

His smile creeps up to a grin as he raises his hand to my chest, replies "Well, I can't refuse a lady can I?" Then blasts me with a bolt with some kinda black energy that sends me flying into the rubble.

I hear Fate's horrified yell before things go to black….

Dr. Fate:

"You have gone too far this time Klarion!" Giovanni screams from within our mind. I raise his/my hands and blast Klarion in the back, enraged. He flies backward, turns around, and yells "No fair! Come on Tinkel (2) we're outta here!" as he opens a portal and vanishes yet again. But we do not care; the girl is our first and only priority at the moment. We rush to her, we kneel to her, only to find that she is still sparking with dark energy, and her skin is turning BLUE…

"Oh dear…" We exclaim as we pick her up, and fly away….

TO BE CONTINUED…

1. Anita Fite/Empress is a teenaged superhero in the DCU… whether she will play into this story at all is something I haven't decided yet.

2. Tinkel is Klarion the Witch-Boy's pet cat and familiar, his connection to magic. Without Tinkel by his side, Klarion, while still formidable, would only be mortal.

Be sure to review guys and girls, and remember, be honest! I can't improve my stories without constructive criticism and input.

Until next time, this is your Friendly Neighborhood GunMaster signing off!