Mallory woke up to an unsettling sound—a rhythmic thumping against the walls of her apartment. It wasn't the usual chaos of her magical dwelling, nor was it Altair testing another of his wild inventions. This sound was new, unfamiliar, and decidedly ominous.
"Zombies?" Mallory muttered groggily, peeking out from under her comforter. "Please don't tell me they've learned to knock."
Greg burst into her room, as per tradition, looking frazzled. His hair was a mess, and his face was pale. "Mallory! Something weird is happening!"
Mallory sighed, throwing off her blanket. "Define weird. Because let's be honest, Greg—this is our normal."
Greg tugged at his sweater nervously. "There's… something outside. It's not zombies, but it's definitely not friendly!"
Mallory perked up at that. She loved a good mystery, especially if it came with minimal effort on her part. "Alright, let's see what we're dealing with."
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