Prologue
10 years ago
Alvarna, Norad
It was a dark and stormy night. In fact, it was one of the largest storms Alvarna has faced in a thousand years. The whole town was dark, the thick clouds blocking the light. The whole town was silent, the rain and thunder drowning out all sound. The whole town was dark and silent, except for in one house.
A man paced back and forth, talking to himself.
"I remember it all now… I finally remember why I came to this town… And I know why I had to build a school here… But I don't have time to explain it to anyone. If Aaron and Aria can conquer the four dungeons, the rest will follow. I'll just have to leave enough clues. I have to leave quickly. This is something only I can do. Forgive me, Aaron and Aria. Forgive me, Rosalind. This is for the future of this town. No… It's for the future of the world..."
"Daddy?" called out a sleepy young boy. "What's wrong?"
"It's still dark outside," said a young girl, who was standing beside the boy.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you two," the man replied.
"That's fine, but what's wrong?" the boy asked.
"You two be good and help out your mother. You can do that, right?"
"…Yes," said the girl.
"I'm going to give this to you. You won't understand it yet," he said, handing the children an ancient scroll. "If you study hard in school, you'll understand it one day. When that day comes, everyone will be counting on you."
"Okay…" answered the children. "But are you going somewhere?"
"Yes, I have to leave now. I'm sorry, but there's no more time."
And with that, the man put on his heavy coat, and headed out into the storm.
Dublin, Ireland
It was a beautiful day, beautiful enough to put a smile on even the grumpiest man. However, for one young man, sitting in his home, nothing could cheer him up. He wasn't a grumpy man. In fact, he was well-known for his cheeriness and optimism. But today, something seemed to be weighing on his mind.
"Lok?" the man called out. "Can you come here?"
"Sure, what is it, Dad?" answered a young boy.
"I'm going to go out for a trip, and it might be a while before I get back. Promise to take care of your mother and sister."
"Ok, Dad. Where are you going?"
"Take this," the man said as he handed the boy a puzzle, not answering the question. "It'll keep you entertained until I get back. If I get back that is…"
"What? What do you mean IF you get back?"
"Oh nevermind that. Be a good boy, Lok."
And with that, the man put on his coat, and headed out into the lush Irish countryside.
