The sweat rolled down her back like condensation dripped down the windows of the small, aging convenience store that she was currently in, waiting for her boyfriend to come pick her up. Fallon Locke walked up and down the aisle of the refrigerated section that featured the bottled sodas and canned coffee, trying to cool and calm down after running away from home. She would not go back this time, not after her father’s ultimatum, not after her father and older half-brother pawned all of her late mother's jewelry so that they could indulge in their habits when that was her mother's, not her brother's mother, and certainly never her father's wife or partner. So, she stuffed the only other thing she had left of her mother, her mother's crystal ball, with the rest of her belongings in her backpack and didn't look back.

She thought back to when her mother said that they were magic and that they had a gift, but Fallon had never seen that crystal ball do anything. Which was because there was no such thing as magic. Not that it mattered; this crystal ball was a part of her mother, and that was enough.

She wanted a drink, but she also needed to save money. That run had left her in need of water, but even the fountain cups here cost money. She knew her boyfriend was not going to let her stay with him for free, plus she was going to have to get herself to school in the morning while he played video games with his roommates, then find a way to get to her waitressing job.

"Give me all your money!" a voice echoed off the walls.

Fallon turned and saw a group of people in all black, faces covered. She never even heard anyone come in, but the gun at the old clerk's head was frightening.

She couldn't see any details, but before she could breathe, the old clerk fell back, and there was no hesitation from the gunman. She squatted down, hoping that she was not seen.

"Dude, you weren't suppose to shoot him," that was her boyfriend Jackson's voice.

"I don't care, get the money," the gunman said.

It sounded like his roommate, Corey.

There was no way Jackson was going to stay her boyfriend now, and she knew she could stay with him now, but her immediate problem was making sure she could get out of this store alive.

But that is when something weird happened.

A vibrating sensation began to emit from her backpack. Fallon carefully, quietly slid it off her back. Her heart hammered in her chest as she slowly undid the zipper, with her eyes firmly on the entrance to the aisle. Her phone was on silent thank God. But still, she was not going to get found out because of the sound of her phone buzzing against something else in her pack. Besides, someone had to call for help.

The memory of the old clerk falling against the floor drove her on.

Once a big enough hole was made she thrust her arm into the backpack. She shoved past clothes, feeling her way past her other belongings towards the vibrating until her hand brushed against a buzzing surface.

Finally.

As she grasped the cold round surface she realized something.

This wasn't her phone.

"What?" Fallon whispered as she took out her mother's crystal ball.

"Hey!"

Fallon whipped her head toward the sound of the voice falling out of her squat as she did so. At the entrance of the aisle she was supposed to be watching was one of Jackson's black clad friends, one she didn't recognize.

"Your not supposed to be here," he took a step towards her.

Before her mind could decide what to feel, the crystal ball dropped out of her hand and rolled until it was between Fallon and the robber. Then like sunlight hitting a prism the crystal ball lit up, bursting into millions of colors. Becoming brighter, and brighter, until there was a flash of light.

The last thing she saw before the light overcame her vision was the robber putting up his arm to shield his eyes the same time she did. Even with her hands covering her eyes and her eyes closed all Fallon could see was red.

"Max? What's going on over there?" Jackson asked.

When the red behind her eyelids faded to black Fallon squinted one eye open. Now that the brightness wasn't blinding she opened both eyes. Then closed them immediately. Was that- No. That was impossible. She must have been seeing things. Fallon opened her eyes.

Standing between Fallon and the robber Max was a woman. The fact that she looked like something out of one of the fantasy movies Fallon used to watch with her mom wasn't the shocking part. No, the shocking part was that the woman was glowing.

Glowing.

As if made by the rays of light cast by the crystal ball, everything about her glowed. From the ethereal flowing dress to the shining almost white platinum blonde hair trailing down past her ankles she emitted light.

Eyes closed the glowing woman turned around to face Max just as Jackson chose to show up.

"Max, what's- Fallon?" Jackson's eyes bugged out of his ski mask, "What are you-"

"Men of the dark!" the glowing woman bellowed, "Your time of terror ends now!" the glowing woman raised up her hand with her palm up in a stop motion.

"Listen lady. Why don't you go back to whatever comic con you came from before we- oof!" a beam of light hit Jackson in the chest sending him flying into a shelf of instant noodles.

"Wha?"

Before Max could do anything the glowing woman flickered like a hologram, and suddenly she was in front of him. With a delicate hand she lifted him up as if he weighed nothing and threw him into one of Jackson's other friends, then flickered out of existence.

Was she gone? At the sound of more yelling beyond the aisle Fallon stood peaking her head out. She was met with the sight of Corey and his gun being tossed in opposite directions. He groaned as he landed on a pile of chip bags. It was a mess out there. Shelves were overturned, bags of snacks littered the floor, some were open spilling crushed chips as some of Jackson's friends lay groaning, sporting smoking clothes and oddly placed sunburns. And standing over them was the glowing woman.

Who was she? More importantly where did she come from? Just where did her mother get that crystal ball?!

"Listen lady. I don't know what you are but this ends now," Jackson shakily aimed the gun at the glowing woman, with an odd gleam in his eyes.

"What I am is what you should fear. For I am Locke Keeper. And you foul man stand no chance." she held herself with poise, as if she hadn't just throw around several men twice her size.

"Not against you," Jackson's eyes turned towards Fallon a spike of fear hit her heart only now noticing that she was standing outside the cover of the aisle, "can't say the same about her though."

Jackson fired the shot.

"No!" The woman threw up her hand to catch the bullet but missed.

Time slowed to a crawl. Fallon could only stare with wide eyes as the bullet made it's decent towards her. Fallon's life didn't flash before her eyes. She didn't wonder how she didn't see this coming. All her thoughts went to her mother. Her sweet mother who left to soon. It looked like Fallon would be seeing her sooner then she thought.

Suddenly all of the light in the building streaked towards Fallon in colorful swathes. Then the light took the form of a wave as it enveloped the bullet before it reached Fallon.

Fallon blinked hard as the light took the form of an orb holding the bullet in place. Two more inches and Fallon would have-

She didn't finish that thought. She stepped back as the orb dropped the bullet to the ground. She looked up. The glowing woman had her arm up, palms closed as if she were holding the bullet in her own hand. And her gaze was murderous. With a war cry the woman turned thrusting of her arm towards Jackson. Then the light in the orb arched out like lightning, hitting him in the center of his chest, sending him flying out of the door and into a car.

It was over.

The glowing woman turned towards Fallon.

Fallon backed away as the woman came closer. Her eyes looked for something to defend herself. But looking around at the carnage she caused what could Fallon really do?

"Who-" Fallon gasped as she slipped on a plastic bag and falling backwards, but then the glowing woman was suddenly catching Fallon from behind.

"Peace daughter of Locke. Your adversaries are no more," the glowing woman looked at her with a tender smile as she helped Fallon to her feet.

"I-I don't understand," Fallon could hear the oncoming sirens in the background.

"Then know this. If ever you are in need, I will appear," the glowing woman stepped back and began to stroll over to the aisle she first appeared.

"Until we meet again."

"Wait!" Fallon covered her eyes with her arm as a flash of light lit up from the aisle.

When the light dimmed Fallon rushed over to the aisle. There was no one there. But left in the middle of the aisle untouched was her mother's crystal ball.