The Void: Volume 1

by Dia Syed

Meet Dekani Silmyra, an unassuming high school physical education teacher living a carefully constructed life in Edmonton, Alberta. To the world, she is ordinary. In truth, her human existence is a façade—one hiding an ancient past, immense power, and a secret she has spent centuries trying to escape.

That fragile peace begins to fracture when something ancient stirs beyond her carefully controlled world. Forces long buried begin to surface, unraveling the life she built to remain hidden. Its return draws the attention of someone who should never have found her—someone who refuses to leave.

With danger closing in and the past pressing at every edge, Dekani is pulled toward a conflict she swore she would never face again.

As she struggles to keep her true strength concealed, shadows from her past resurface and devastating truths emerge—linking her history to disappearances no one has been able to explain. Caught between the life she longs for and the power she fears, Dekani must decide how much of herself she is willing to unleash to protect those she cares about…

Before the darkness within her claims everything.

252 pages, Paperback

Published February 20, 2026

About the author

Dia Syed is a Canadian artist, author, and advocate whose work blends the expressive storytelling of anime and manga with themes of resilience, empowerment, and movement. Drawing from a background in both visual arts and athletics, she explores the intersection of sports and identity, creating narratives that capture energy, determination, and self-discovery.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences with a concentration in Kinesiology and is a certified Volleyball Coach. Dia has worked with more than 200 schools, teaching youth sports and developing programs that foster confidence, leadership, and self-belief in young girls. She is the founder and CEO of Girls In Sports Canada, an organization dedicated to increasing equitable access to physical activity for underrepresented communities.

In her artistic practice, Dia works primarily with traditional mediums such as markers, pencil crayons, and paint, while also experimenting with digital techniques. Influenced by the dynamic compositions and expressive characters of manga and anime, her work reinterprets these styles through a personal and socially conscious lens.

Through both art and storytelling, she seeks to amplify diverse voices, tell untold stories, and inspire young audiences to embrace their strength

Reviews

[Khizar Syed · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this urban fantasy, the author does an exceptional job with her character descriptions and development. The elvish fantasy cross-over set in a modern urban city is an interesting choice of setting for this story which seems peculiar yet familiar at the same time. The protagonist, Dekani, appears to be an overpowered enchantress who at times can also be perceived as fragile and vulnerable which adds to the dept of the character. The story also strings in different elements such as sports, school-life, close-combat, sorcery and ancient magic which come together harmoniously in this lore. Volume 1 leaves you wanting more and wondering where the story will take you next. I definitely recommend it and I'm also very excited for the next volume of this series.

[Colleen Wournell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is an excellent read. It is written in a way that draws you in so you want to know more about the characters, why are they the way they are, and what is going to happen next. There is action, suspense and fantasy mixed together to keep you turning the pages. I highly recommend this book. I was throughly engaged and couldn't put the book down.