**New Beginnings**

The sun was setting over the rolling hills of Brooklyn, casting a warm orange glow over the bustling streets. Mia Guardia, a 17-year-old girl with piercing green eyes and long, curly brown hair, walked down the sidewalk, her eyes fixed on the flyer in her hand. "Witches Wanted for Military Service," it read. Mia's heart skipped a beat as she felt a strange tingling sensation in her fingers. It was her Conscription Day, a day she had heard about in whispers from her friends at school, but never thought would actually happen to her. As she walked, Mia's mind wandered back to her childhood. Born in Salamanca, Spain, she had been adopted by an American couple, the Johnsons, when she was just three years old. They had moved to Philadelphia, where Mia had grown up feeling like an outsider. But it wasn't just the move that had made her feel different - it was the way the Johnsons had treated her, with a cold detachment that had made her feel like a burden. At the age of seven, Mia had run away from them, fleeing into the streets and fending for herself. That's when she had met Thalia, Annabeth, Luke, and Grover, a group of demigods on their way to Camp Half-Blood. They had taken her in, and for the first time in her life, Mia had felt like she belonged. As she turned the corner onto her street, Mia's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her phone buzzing. She pulled it out to see a text from her best friend, "Hey, want to meet up at the park? I heard rumors about the military and magic." Mia's heart skipped a beat as she typed out a response. She had always felt like there was something missing in her life, like she didn't quite fit in. And now, with this strange sensation in her fingers and the flyer in her hand, she was starting to realize that maybe she was more than just a normal girl. The park was a short walk from her apartment, and as Mia arrived, she saw her friend, Rachel, already there, sitting on a bench. Rachel looked up and smiled, but her eyes were serious. "Mia, I heard rumors that the military is looking for people with...abilities. People who can do magic, or have supernatural strength. Do you think it's true?" Mia hesitated, unsure of what to say. She had always felt like there was something different about her, but she had never known what. And then, just as she was about to respond, a strange sensation washed over her. It was like a buzzing in her veins, a feeling of power and energy that she had never experienced before. Rachel's eyes widened as she saw the look on Mia's face. "Mia, what's happening? You're glowing!" Mia looked down and saw that her hands were glowing with a soft, white light. She gasped, unsure of what to do. And then, just as she was trying to process what was happening, a piece of paper appeared in her hand. It was a letter, addressed to her. "Mia Guardia," she read aloud, her voice shaking. "You have been selected for service in the US Military's magical division. Report to Fort Salem, Massachusetts, for training." As she looked up at Rachel, Mia felt a sense of trepidation wash over her. What did this mean? What was she getting herself into? And what lay ahead at Fort Salem? She thought back to her past, to the people she had met and the experiences she had had. She was no stranger to the supernatural, but this was something new, something she couldn't quite understand. With a deep breath, she stood up, determination in her heart. She was ready to face whatever lay ahead.