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.

282 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 18, 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

[Amy]

​Gym teacher with a massive secret she reveals by kicking absolute ass? Yes, please.

​The Void delivers the ultimate badass Female Main Character energy. Dekani has so much power she’s forced to hide it—which feels incredibly relatable, honestly. Pair her with Tavian, a total dreamboat giving major Fox Mulder from The X-Files vibes, and I was completely hooked.

​Dia Syed’s writing is beautifully descriptive. She even crafts an entirely new language for this alternate world, which is incredibly impressive. It’s a rich, immersive read perfect for young adults (or anyone really) who love deep world-building and an unstoppable heroine.

[Charrie]

Filled with mystery that reveals itself slowly through the course of the book, the characters keep your interest. Tavian and Dekani are definitely the stars of the show. Dekani, while she is a teacher, definitely gives off serious Buffy-the-Vampire-Slayer vibes with her quietly strong female character and her constant underestimation from her male and female counterparts. My interest stayed pretty strong throughout the book and I was left wanting more at the end. Always a sign of a good read.

My one critique would be that the language seemed confusing and difficult to pinpoint what many words meant..it seemed like a lot of the words, though the same basic word, meant something different with each use. I found it hard to follow and slightly annoying. Even though I get that couples who share a secret language tend to grow closer when they can be coy in public so it made their bond seem stronger and their love language more endearing, it still felt like the language needed more development.

The battle scenes were well thought out and described. I don't usually follow books so well during fighting scenes and this book was easy to imagine and understand. It made those scenes come alive more for me.

I do want to read the sequel.

[Carlo Delacruz]

I’m honestly a big fan of fiction and enjoy anything from romance to horror, so The Void was definitely something I enjoyed. The darker side of the story, along with the mix of mystery and suspense, kept me interested and wanting to see where the story was going next.

One thing that stood out to me was the world and characters Dia created. There’s a darker atmosphere throughout the story that makes it stand out, especially if you enjoy stories with a bit of mystery and intensity. I also loved the creativity behind the characters and how much thought clearly went into building the world around them.

I especially enjoyed how you slowly learn more about the characters and their backgrounds as the story goes on. Getting to know more about them along the way made them more interesting and kept me invested in what was happening.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Void. If you’re into fantasy, darker fiction, mystery, or suspense, I definitely recommend checking it out! I’m looking forward to reading Volume 2 and seeing where the story goes next!

[Khizar Syed]

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.

[Jennifer S]

The Void: Volume 1 by Dia Syed is an exciting and immersive read that pulled me into the story right from the beginning. The imagery is excellent and made it easy to picture the world and events unfolding around the characters.

The characters are strong and engaging, and I quickly found myself invested in their journey. The story kept me turning the pages, eager to see what would happen next.

Overall, The Void was a captivating read that completely drew me into its world. I’m looking forward to seeing where the story goes next. Highly recommended!

[Colleen Wournell]

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.

[Sophie]

This book is a very fun and engaging read. The characters are well-developed, and it’s hard not to root for them. Dekani, the protagonist, is a strong and powerful female character, yet she remains relatable because of her authenticity and vulnerability. The novel offers a great balance of action, romance, and dialogue, making it an exciting story that left me eager to read Volume Two!

[Jair Lugo]

I loved how this book was able to mix elements of fantasy and anime, and still manage to fit into real-life settings. Having lived in Edmonton, it was nice to see how some local spots were mentioned! The pace was also great, as well as how the characters’ relationships evolved through their journey. Can’t wait for volume 2!

[Maryam]

Dia Syed wrote this book amazingly, its an excellent book. The story is so captivating and honestly, I can’t wait to read volume 2! If you like dark fantasy, this is IT. - Maryam