PROLOGUE

-when I was 5-

I woke up with a start and sat bolt upright. Where am I? Where are the monsters? Where's mom? Where's daddy? I scanned the room for any javelin-armed snake woman, a giant holding a club with spikes and a dog-faced man. I let out a sigh of relief as I see my peaceful and quiet room, which is dimly lit by the moon from the open window. My breathing became stable as I settled on the fact that there wouldn't be any monsters that'll abduct me.

After I thought of Barbie and Ken's cute episode that I watched with my sisters last night, I suddenly felt a searing pain inside my head. There was this sudden blockage on my throat and I can hardly breathe. I reached for my liquid med that my mom always put on my bedside table, but it slipped right out of my hands. I can't cry…I can't breathe…I can't see…The pain stung like barnacle beard. I bit my lips and wipe the sweat out of my forehead using the back of my hand. I staggered as I climbed out of my bed trying hard to ignore the pain. I want to see my mother. What is happening to me?

As I reached for the door, the pain grew worst. Something cold bit through my skin and my head vibrated madly. I felt a shiver ran through my body and that's when I saw it…

A tall pine tree was standing amidst of sea green hills with something goldish hanging on its lowest branch. It is guarded by a sleeping dragon with smokes emitting from its nostrils whenever it exhales…

Storm clouds with lightning and thunder brewed together on a top of a mountain, where a massive, black castle stood high on its peak. From time to time, a deep, grumbling voice will bellow something about revenge…

An old, bearded man was rising from his wheelchair. But instead of a pair of legs, he emerged as a man with a white stallion's half body. He smiled at me and nodded his head encouragingly…

A view of the sea with dolphins jumping in synchronization and girls that breathed underwater smiled and waved at me. Someone grabbed my hand and together, we plunged deep into the sea…

A massive ship which was about 900 feet long and 25 stories high were crammed full of people waving goodbye at the crowd behind me...

A pegasus which was as white as snow swooped me up into its back and we flew together into a field were a battle was held…

A big farm house stood in the middle of a strawberry field where girls with bandanas tied on each of their heads planted flowers and strawberries. Creatures that were half man and half goat played their reed pipes that made the treew sway and the vines move like snakes. One of the goat boys waved at me and he began to dance on his hooves…

A boy with black hair and the dancing goat boy I've seen in the strawberry field grabbed each of my hand and together, we ran through a dark forest full of tall perennial-looking trees…

A horrifying monster was standing with its back at me. It was like the bearded man but instead of a body of a horse as its lower part, it had the body of a massive dragon about twenty feet long. It had hundreds of hissing vipers for its legs and hair. Its dark, scaly skins made it so scary. It suddenly turned and slashed at me…

I collapsed and fell on the ground. My eyes stung and my cheeks hurt. I touched the part where the pain throbbed and I felt something warm…That wasn't supposed to happen. It was just a dream right? I heard someone knock at the door and I can hear someone's agitated voice calling my name.

I heard my dad kick the door open and they quickly helped me up to my bed. I clutched my chest tightly as a tear trickled down my cheeks.

"Honey, are you alright? What happened?" My mom asked me nervously. I answered her with a whimper and she hugged me tight.

Daddy was still in his suit while mom was still on her cocktail dress so I guess they just came home from their entrepreneur party. Dad was talking quickly at his phone while my mom stroked my forehead.

"Did you drink your med? Does your head hurt again?" She asked with the same teary tone she had.

I shook my head slowly, careful not to move much. I tried to breathe deep for a few times and when I was about to say something, my dad opened the lights.

"What the…What happened to her?!" He asked in horror.

My mom looked at my dad questioningly and when she turned, she gasped and also gave me the same expression that he has.

"Mom?"

"Where did you get that wound?!" My dad asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I answered back confusedly.

"Wha-"

"John…I can handle this…Just…get out and I'll explain everything." My mom said in a controlled voice but a sense of panic was shown in her face. My dad looked at her in horror but just got out of the room immediately.

"Mom? What's happening?" I asked now crying.

She sat down beside me and placed a hand on her chest, trying to control her breathing.

"Mom, what's wrong with me? Why did I suddenly have a wound?" I asked fear-stricken. I was crying non-stop as my mom just stared off the space and tried to control her unsteady breathing.

"What happened before you collapsed sweetheart?" She asked in a low voice. I stopped crying and hugged her on the side.

"It all went so fast mommy. I just woke up with the same headache that I've been feeling these days…And when I was about to call you and daddy, something sparked on my head and I started seeing…images…"

I felt my mom's breathing stop. I looked at her and her face went pale.

"Did you just say…that you saw…images?" She asked me slowly. I nodded and hugged her tightly as I grew more scared than before.

"Mom, I don't want to have this wound…What will they tell me at school? They'll laugh and call me a wimp. They'll think I tripped myself again and -"

"Ssshhh." My mom interrupted. She grabbed the mirror on my bedside table and showed it at me.

I stared at myself in confusion as I stroked my face with both of my hands.

"But there's…there's no wound." I said completely baffled. I shook my head confusedly at my mom and that's when I noticed the gush of blood of parallel lines from my forehead and down to my cheeks. I wiped away the blood and still there is no wound.

"There's no wound sweetie." My mom smiled "You're father is just messing around with you. He thinks your headache problem is getting serious and he just wanted to goof around."

"Really?"

"You know your dad." She rolled her eyes.

"But there's blood." I reminded her.

Her smile suddenly vanished and she stood up from my bed. "Don't worry about it. Just drink this. It'll keep you pretty and healthy again." She said as she handed me a drink that she got from my personal refrigerator.

I drank the delish looking drink and it left an aftertaste in my mouth. It tastes like liquid cookies. I drank the whole glass in just a few seconds and soon I was asking for more.

"No." mom said tightly "Too much is bad for you."

I frowned and asked "What is that by the way? It tastes cool. I'll ask Leesh to buy that for m-"

"This is a special offer for our family. You can't find anything like it in the market." She said almost laughing. I felt stronger and healthier now and I feel like playing outside for the whole day.

I nodded my head and felt my eyes start to get heavy. My mom helped me adjust on my bed and soon I found myself almost asleep. She stroked my hair for numerous times and kissed my forehead.

"Someday my daughter…everything will make sense."

-When I was 11-

So I have been watching TV since morning and all that I have watched was all about a guy about my age. He was wanted in the whole state for the mysterious disappearance of his mother, and now, a psychologist was being featured and she kept babbling about childhood attention.

All I want to watch is spongebob and why does this rubbish have to come along? I mean, come on! What good will it bring me? It's just a boy.

-When I was 13-

I went in happily to the car and called dibs on shotgun. My 8 years old sister Jade went inside sulkily. My dad announced that we were going to some kind of museum and I eagerly agreed, knowing that Jade hated the boring stuff.

Since the parking's full in front, we were forced to park in the back area. We parked next to a van where a group of people, roughly my age, were milling around. One guy was wearing a rasta cap and his feet looked like they were twisted in the wrong direction. He was trying to tell the group something which was cut off by a girl with spiky short hair and beautiful blue eyes. A snotty looking, long-haired girl with a somewhat upturned nose kept looking around. When we went out of the car, they all stopped what they were talking about. My dad being the friendly guy he was gave them a wide grin and a "good weather is it?" He just received cold stares and an awkward smile from the guy in a cap.

When we arrived, I learned that it was a museum of historical aircrafts. My dad told us with enthusiasm how he wanted to be a pilot and how he wanted to run that field of business someday. He went on and on until we went inside. I marvelled at the sight of three massive aircrafts hanging amidst the building. There were a few stores in the area and students in their field trip listened with half-attention to their teachers.

"This is nonsense" Jade told me as my dad began talking to the guy who looked like he was happy to give us endless lectures of the first aircraft.

"I think it's marvellous." I said "Why do you hate museums so much?"

Jade rolled her eyes and answered, "You're just like mom, you love the nerd stuff. I'm like dad. I try to love it but mostly, I like the fun stuff."

My dad laughed at a joke he just said which the instructor clearly didn't find funny. I looked at the aircrafts again and tried to see every detail. I love this stuff. I love how you can see a piece of what was once a part of history. As I was looking at the wings of the closest aircraft, I noticed a symbol embedded on it. It was big and it's it was luminescent.

"Jade what does that symbol say?" I pointed at the direction of the aircraft.

"What symbol?"

"That one" I tried to get a better look but it was too high to see "the one with the-"

"What are you saying? There is no symbol." Jade frowned

"No it's right-" I was cut off when an impact collided in me. I landed on the floor with a dark-haired, green-eyed boy of my age. I was so shocked move.

"Would you please watch where you're going?" I told him angrily. He quickly scrambled to his feet and grabbed a Yankees cap a few inches from where we landed.

He just looked at me and said "Sorry" before he ran away. I watched him with a glare as he joined a group, who were surprisingly the ones in the parking lot. He was talking animatedly about something and the spiky haired girl just rolled her eyes and countered what he was saying.

Jade helped me up on my feet. I was about to walk up to the guy and confront him but suddenly, a loud crash erupted.

I'm not sure what exactly happened, but the alarms started ringing and screams were resonating. My dad quickly grabbed me and Jade and we headed to the exit.

As we went out, I looked back. The girl with the upturned nose was holding a bow and an arrow. The girl with spiky hair was holding a spear. The guy with the twisted feet was playing an instrument. The dark-haired guy was holding a sword…and then a massive lion came pouncing towards them.