The night was quiet for the city. No banshee wail of fire trucks or ambulances, no cars passing along the road. Even the rumble of the highways were mere murmurs at this hour. Aurelia had gotten up for a glass of water and was heading back to her room when she noticed something different in the living room.
    It took a moment for her sleepy eyes to register that the old Roman gladius that hung above the mantle wasn't there. Instead there was a sword with a hilt of sunset-colored red gold and a crystal blade that seemed to gather and reflect all the light in the room. Aurelia approached the strange thing, shielding her eyes from the supernal brilliance of the weapon, and picked it up. This wasn't the family heirloom, the gladius that her mother's family had handed down through centuries as a symbol of Scottish pride at besting the Romans.
    It seemed to whisper to her, a boast, oath, and admonishment- "I have defied gods and demons. I am your sword; wield me only for just causes."
    There was a terrifying snarl as some huge shaggy man-shaped thing lunged for Aurelia. She whipped around with the sword in front of her, a sudden flash of light blinding her and the thing. There was a deeper and much throatier roar as something huge lion-like being pounced the creature of darkness.

    Aurelia woke with a start in her bed. There was a moment where she thought it had only been a dream. But it had actually happened. Not for the first time, not for the last time; Aurelia stood by the window and wept quietly, missing her family. The steel-gray cat, her bound familiar who had saved her from the grendel, settled quietly next her her on the window sill.