Once the Seventh World was created, the Sixth, Fifth, Fourth and Third broke apart and distanced themselves along vast space and time. Those of the Seventh World and the Worlds that came after grew up never knowing of their Ancestors, their true roots, the Worlds that, without them, would not have been able to create their own. After 100 years of ignorance and bliss, a Dark power shall awaken from one of the True Worlds, threatening to destroy not only the New Worlds, but the Worlds from which it came. Only eight children blessed with the power of the Crystals - and one blessed with the power of Darkness - can bring peace to the Worlds and reunite them, restoring Light to it's proper place. The Chosen are coming...

A soft swish told Andy that the wind was coming from the north. Like always, of course. Andy just couldn't get enough of trying to guess from where the wind blew. He looked around, taking in the lovely scenery: red, orange and yellow leaves fresh off the trees, scattered on the ground, some still in the wind.

A voice called out to him, "Andy, what are you doing? School's gonna start soon!"

Turning on his heel, Andy saw his best friend Rod waving to him a few yards away. Straightening his backpack, he ran to his buddy.

"Sorry, man," Andy gasped when he finally caught up. "It just looks real nice around here nowadays."

Rod nodded. "I bet it does, man, I bet it does."

Andy couldn't help but laugh. His friend wasn't colorblind, but his odd sense of matching colors drove others to believe he was. Andy had once doubted it himself, leading him to picking up leaves and flowers and demanding that Rod name them.

The school was in sight. Schoolkids were running to and fro, trying to get to class on time while still keeping up with the latest gossip. Some people stuck out to Andy, like Manny, his staid-as-a-statue friend, and Roland, the "hyper midget kid." The other dozens of restless teens blended in with each other, being unknown to Andy and Rod. Jogging to join in the throng, Andy and Rod got shoved and pushed as bigger, meaner kids made their way through the crowd.

"Another day, another set of bruises," Rod commented as the school bully shoved him into a passing student.

As the shocked student skittered off, Rod regained his balance and trotted back to Andy. They finally made it pass the school's main doors.

"See ya," they said in unison, then quickly went their separate ways.

Andy's locker was on the left wing of the school, while Rod's was on the right. As Andy neared his locker, the school bully strode up to him.

"Well lookit, it's Andy!" he said in his gruff voice. Andy didn't know the bully's name, but he was easy to spot in a crowd: he was very fat and very tall. His hair was in a wannabe-moehawk style; it looked more like the end of a broom than the rock-esque hairstyle it should.

"Hey, lookit, you think you could open up your locker for me?" It wasn't really a question, it was a demand.

Andy knew it wasn't smart to question the bully, so he went up to his locker, turned the dial, and opened it.

"Lookit, thanks!"

"Oomph!"

Andy felt a sting, heard a loud clank, and saw blackness. Blackness, all except for the tiny lines of light coming from outside his locker.

The bell rang, and the bully's laughter died off as he went on to class.

Dammit! thought Andy. Now what do I do?

He tried hitting the door, pressing the lock, but to no avail. He was stuck. He would just have to wait until an administrator came by and ask for his or her help.

Leaning against the dark wall, he felt something in his pocket. He took it out, and saw that it was something he never remembered having. It was a golden pendant, and it glowed a brilliant yellow light.

Wow, he thought. Anyone passsing outside would be able to see this...

Just as he was about to put it back into his pocket, he felt the most uncomfortable thing he had ever felt: he felt as though he were shrinking, shrinking, as if his head was being sucked down by gravity and his feet being lifted to the heavens, both soon to collide. As he gasped for air, he clutched the pendant to his chest, and as soon as it began, it ended.

Andy was lying face-down on damp grass. He sniffed in the morning scent, not wondering what had happened. He got up and dusted himself off. Looking around he noticed a giant - was that a sword? If it was, it was certainly the biggest one he had ever seen. He walked slowly up to it and wrapped his hands around the handle. Using all his strength, he pulled up, but didn't move the sword a single milimeter.

What the hell? This sword's so heavy!

After further inspection he realized that it had to be heavy - it certainly wasn't hollow. Then he saw two holes in it. They certainly wouldn't effect the wight of it: they were only big enough for his thumb to go through.

He looked around and saw nothing else of interest, and suddenly realized that he wasn't where he was suppossed to be.

Then he heard footsteps.

Quickly he turned, just to see a man in a leather jacket and spiky blond hair walking up to him.

Andy looked around, trying to find a place to escape to. But he found none.

The stranger stopped a few feet in front of him.

"Are you Andy?" he said in a calm voice.

Andy's eyes widened but he didn't respond.

The man answered his own question. "Andy, you need to come with me."

Andy shook his head. He wouldn't let this stranger take him away.

The blond sighed. "I know this seems weird to you, but -"

"Who are you and what do you want from me?" Andy demanded.

The man took out a black cell phone. "I need Squall to get over here...this kid would never believe me..."

"Who's Squall? Who're you? Believe what?"

"Squall? I found 'im. ...yes, he's safe. ...no, I didn't tell him."

"Tell me what?! Grrr..."

Outraged, Andy reached for the giant sword, and after grasping it as firmly as he possibly could, and mustering up all his inner strength, he pulled it out of the ground as easily as if it had been a twig.

The stranger stopped, then told "Squall," "I think he knows now."

"What? What happened?" the man on the other line exclaimed.

The stranger jerked the phone away from his ear. "Not so loud, retard...gosh...anyways, I'll call you back."

As the man hung up, he turned to Andy. "You're a good kid, Andy. But you're special. I really need you to come with me."

"No!" Andy exclaimed as the man came closer.

"I never thought I'd use this..." The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a compact lens. As he held it up to Andy's face, he gasped and dropped the sword.

He didn't look like himself anymore. Instead, he was the exact replica of the stranger he had just met.